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CNN Live At Daybreak
Goats Eat Grass to Prevent Fires
Aired May 15, 2003 - 06:44 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, let's stay with air travel for a business buzz. If you're heading to the San Francisco International Airport, look out for the goats.
Susan Lisovicz is live in New York -- goats?
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It's true. I know when you think of San Francisco, you think high tech, right, but this is really a very low tech solution to a persistent problem. About a dozen goats right now are herding the land close to the airport to graze on the grass and reduce the risk of fire hazards. The airport is using a private company called Goats-R-Us, which provides the goats, the shepherd and the all important boarder collie.
Apparently the land close to the airport is environmentally sensitive and very difficult to get to. No problem for the goats. They bring the goats in for the next two weeks, they'll get a paycheck, they'll eliminate the problem.
And by the way, Carol, if you have a big lawn, Goats-R-Us can be brought to you. That's what they specialize -- that's what they specialize in in the eradication of unwanted brush.
COSTELLO: The eradication of unwanted brush.
LISOVICZ: Yes.
COSTELLO: I was intrigued that they're getting a paycheck. What do they get, those goats?
LISOVICZ: Well, you know it's a private company. This is not a public company so they do not have to, you know, tell us exactly. But they have a Web site called, of course, Goats-R-Us.
COSTELLO: Goats-R-Us.
LISOVICZ: And it tells you all about the benefits that the retired goats get and what they can, you know, reduce or eliminate. And it's kind of an interesting story, actually.
COSTELLO: What the goats get and -- OK.
LISOVICZ: It's true.
COSTELLO: Talk about the futures while we ponder that.
LISOVICZ: Futures are mixed. That could change about an hour before the opening bell when we get some important economic reports on wholesale -- inflation at the wholesale level as well as industrial production data and weekly jobless claims.
Yesterday, stocks fell for a second straight day on a much weaker-than-expected April retail report. But the fact that both the Dow and the Nasdaq composite ended down just a third of a percent keeps some bulls optimistic.
And you know you were asking about the retirees, they never lose their jobs. You know they continue to stay on this pasture land that the company owns. So that's pretty good job security.
COSTELLO: Definitely so, and apparently they live long lives and eat lots of grass and...
LISOVICZ: And they're happy.
COSTELLO: Very happy goats.
LISOVICZ: Well fed and they -- you know they go visit schools and things like that, so not a bad retirement program.
COSTELLO: Goats-R-Us, that's the Web site if you're interested in the eradication of brush on our own property.
Thank you, Susan Lisovicz,...
LISOVICZ: Sure.
COSTELLO: ... for making us laugh this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 15, 2003 - 06:44 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, let's stay with air travel for a business buzz. If you're heading to the San Francisco International Airport, look out for the goats.
Susan Lisovicz is live in New York -- goats?
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It's true. I know when you think of San Francisco, you think high tech, right, but this is really a very low tech solution to a persistent problem. About a dozen goats right now are herding the land close to the airport to graze on the grass and reduce the risk of fire hazards. The airport is using a private company called Goats-R-Us, which provides the goats, the shepherd and the all important boarder collie.
Apparently the land close to the airport is environmentally sensitive and very difficult to get to. No problem for the goats. They bring the goats in for the next two weeks, they'll get a paycheck, they'll eliminate the problem.
And by the way, Carol, if you have a big lawn, Goats-R-Us can be brought to you. That's what they specialize -- that's what they specialize in in the eradication of unwanted brush.
COSTELLO: The eradication of unwanted brush.
LISOVICZ: Yes.
COSTELLO: I was intrigued that they're getting a paycheck. What do they get, those goats?
LISOVICZ: Well, you know it's a private company. This is not a public company so they do not have to, you know, tell us exactly. But they have a Web site called, of course, Goats-R-Us.
COSTELLO: Goats-R-Us.
LISOVICZ: And it tells you all about the benefits that the retired goats get and what they can, you know, reduce or eliminate. And it's kind of an interesting story, actually.
COSTELLO: What the goats get and -- OK.
LISOVICZ: It's true.
COSTELLO: Talk about the futures while we ponder that.
LISOVICZ: Futures are mixed. That could change about an hour before the opening bell when we get some important economic reports on wholesale -- inflation at the wholesale level as well as industrial production data and weekly jobless claims.
Yesterday, stocks fell for a second straight day on a much weaker-than-expected April retail report. But the fact that both the Dow and the Nasdaq composite ended down just a third of a percent keeps some bulls optimistic.
And you know you were asking about the retirees, they never lose their jobs. You know they continue to stay on this pasture land that the company owns. So that's pretty good job security.
COSTELLO: Definitely so, and apparently they live long lives and eat lots of grass and...
LISOVICZ: And they're happy.
COSTELLO: Very happy goats.
LISOVICZ: Well fed and they -- you know they go visit schools and things like that, so not a bad retirement program.
COSTELLO: Goats-R-Us, that's the Web site if you're interested in the eradication of brush on our own property.
Thank you, Susan Lisovicz,...
LISOVICZ: Sure.
COSTELLO: ... for making us laugh this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM AT www.fdch.com
