REALLY BAD NEWS
*IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON JUNGLE, ANNUAL FOREST
LOSS ROSE FROM LESS THAN 3 MILLION ACRES IN 1991, TO AN AVERAGE OF 4.8
MILLION ACRES DURING EACH OF THE PAST THREE YEARS. THIS IS THE EQUIVALENT
OF SEVEN FOOTBALL FIELDS PER MINUTE. IN 1995 ALONE, MORE THAN 7 MILLION
ACRES WERE DESTROYED. FOREST FRAGMENTATION ALTERS THE COMPLEX ARCHITECTURE
WITHIN THE FOREST, THEREFORE MAKING IT VULNERABLE TO A HOST OF PROBLEMS.
ISOLATING FRAGMENTS OF FOREST CAN CAUSE ENTIRE PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES
TO BECOME EXTINCT FOREVER.
*THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT HAS SLASHED FUNDS
TOWARD A $250 MILLION PILOT PROJECT BACKED BY SEVEN LEADING INDUSTRIAL
NATIONS THAT IS THE CENTERPIECE OF BRAZIL’S EFFORTS TO SAVE THE AMAZON
RAINFOREST.
*AN ENORMOUS GLACIER LARGER THAN THE SIZE
OF DELAWARE HAS BROKEN OFF THE RONNE ICE SHELF IN ANTARCTICA.
THE A-38 GLACIER IS 92 MILES LONG AND
30 MILES WIDE, WITH A COMBINED AREA OF 2,751 SQUARE MILES.
*THE MUCH SMALLER WORDIE ICE SHELF DISAPPEARED
IN THE LATE 1980’S AND CRACKS HAVE FORMED IN THE LARSEN-B SHELF-NOW THE NORTHERNMOST SHELF ON THE CONTINENT-AND
EXPERTS SUSPECT IT COULD BREAK UP AT ANY TIME.
*THE ROSS ICE SHELF MAKES UP A SUBSTANTIAL
PERCENTAGE OF THE ANTARCTIC ICE MASS. IT IS THEORIZED THAT IF THE
ROSS ICE SHELF BROKE FREE AND SLID INTO THE OCEAN, SEA LEVELS WORLDWIDE
COULD RISE AN ESTIMATED 265+ FEET, OR ABOUT UP TO THE STATUE OF LIBERTY’S
ARMPITS [THE WEST ANTARCTIC ICE SHEET (WAIS) IS THE SIZE OF MEXICO AND
CONTAINS ENOUGH WATER TO RAISE WORLD SEA LEVELS BY 18 FEET].
*NEW VOLCANIC ACTIVITY WHICH BEGAN UNDER THE
ANTARCTIC ICE SHEET SOME MONTHS AGO IS CAUSING CONCERN AMONG SOME SCIENTISTS.
IF THE ANTARCTIC CONTINENT WERE TO BECOME INCREASINGLY ACTIVE GEOPHYSICALLY,
THIS COULD SPELL DISASTER FOR THE ANCIENT ICE ESTABLISHMENT (AND THE HUMANS
THAT HAPPEN TO SHARE THE PLANET). THE SUBSEQUENT WARMING OF THE ANTARCTIC
REGION COULD FURTHER COMPLICATE AN ALREADY PERILOUS SITUATION.
*GLACIER NATIONAL PARK IN THE NORTHERN ROCKY
MOUNTAINS OF MONTANA MAY SOON BE WITHOUT ANY GLACIERS.
*THE SANTA CLARA CITY COUNCIL HAS CLEARED
THE WAY FOR KAISER PERMANENTE TO PLOW OVER AND DEVELOP ONE OF THE LAST
REMAINING ORCHARDS IN THE SANTA CLARA VALLEY AT LAWRENCE EXPRESSWAY AND
HOMESTEAD ROAD, EVEN THOUGH IT BORDERS A CREEK AND LAND ALLEDGEDLY
POLLUTED LONG AGO BY THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY, AND DESPITE PROTEST FROM
THE ADJACENT COMMUNITY (PART OF WHICH IS IN SUNNYVALE) AGAINST THE PROJECT
AND THE TRAFFIC IT WILL CREATE. THE SITE IS LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO CALABAZAS
CREEK, WHICH DESPITE NEW ALTERATIONS ALLOWING INCREASED VOLUMES OF WATER,
STILL HAS THE POTENTIAL TO OVERFLOW ITS’ BANKS IN THE FUTURE.
*THE HIGH TECH INDUSTRY DECLINED TO COOPERATE WITH THE EPA IN STUDYING
TOXIC CHEMICALS IN THE WORKPLACE.
*SANTA CLARA COUNTY HAS MORE SUPERFUND CLEANUP SITES THAN ANY OTHER COUNTY
IN AMERICA. SCIENTISTS KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE 70,000 CHEMICALS IN USE
TODAY, WHICH INCLUDE XYLENE, TCE, TCA AND 111-TCA.
*THE BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL HAS REFUSED TO SEEK FEDERAL SUPERFUND STATUS
FOR THE LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY (LBNL) OUTRAGING ACTIVISTS
WHO CLAIM THE LAB’S RELEASE OF RADIOACTIVE TRITIUM FAR EXCEEDS FEDERAL
REGULATIONS AND THREATENS AREA RESIDENTS WITH EXPOSURE TO DANGEROUS TOXIC
POLLUTION.
*SCIENTISTS HAVE RECENTLY FOUND STRONG EVIDENCE THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN
RURAL REGIONS THAT ARE CHRONICALLY EXPOSED TO HERBICIDES AND PESTICIDES
ARE MORE AT RISK FOR PARKINSON’S DISEASE.
*EVERY SPRING, FARMERS THROUGHOUT THE MIDWEST APPLY 150 MILLION POUNDS
OF HERBICIDES TO SOYBEAN AND CORN. RAINS WASH LARGE PORTIONS INTO THE DRINKING
WATER OF 11.7 MILLION RESIDENTS. DURING THE SPRING RUNOFF OF 1993, THE
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY NOTED THAT UP TO 16,000 POUNDS OF HERBICIDES WERE MOVING
DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER EACH DAY. AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS CAUSE ABOUT
HALF OF ALL WATER POLLUTION.
*THE U.S. HAS 6 PERCENT OF THE WORLD’S AGRICULTURAL LAND, YET USES 50 PERCENT
OF THE WORLD’S PESTICIDES (2.2 BILLION POUNDS IN 1993).
*POWER POLITICS AND POLITICAL CLIQUES HAVE ALLEDGEDLY DEVELOPED AT SUNNYVALE
CITY HALL. APPARENTLY, SOME INDIVIDUAL POLITICAL FUTURES HAVE BECOME A
BIGGER CONCERN THAN THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF CITIZENS.
*SUNNYVALE CITY OFFICIALS RECENTLY SETTLED A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN AUGUST
AFTER ADMITTING BEING UNAWARE OF CHANGES IN A LAW THAT LED THE CITY TO
IMPOUND CARS LONGER THAN WAS LEGAL. COST TO TAXPAYERS: $67,000.
*DRASTICALLY INCREASING POPULATION RATES IN MANY CITIES ARE RENDERING MANY
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OBSOLETE IN THEIR CURRENT FORMS. IN MANY CASES THERE
EXIST ENORMOUS INADEQUACIES TO EFFECTIVELY RESPOND TO AN EVER-INCREASING
CONSTITUENCY BASE. WHAT WORKS IN A TOWN WITH A POPULATION OF 4,000, DOES
NOT ALWAYS WORK IN LARGER CITIES OF 100,000+. WHILE SOME CITIES SUCH AS
CUPERTINO ARE SHINING EXAMPLES OF RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT (PROGRESSIVE TRAFFIC
ABATEMENT METHODS, ETC) OTHERS ARE NOT, AND NEED TO SERIOUSLY RE-EXAMINE
MANY ACCEPTED POLICIES. CONSTITUENTS CAN COMPENSATE BY INCREASING THEIR
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT TO HAVE A LARGER INFLUENCE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THE SOLUTION DOES NOT LIE WITHIN EXPANDED GOVERNMENT, THE PROBLEM
IS THAT CONSTITUENTS ARE IN FACT THE SOLUTION.
*THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK REGION IS ONE OF THE FASTEST DEVELOPING
AREAS IN THE WEST, AND THIS IS CREATING A PROBLEM FOR THE GRIZZLY BEAR
POPULATION. HOMES AND SUBDIVISIONS ARE RAPIDLY FILLING MUCH OF THE PRIVATE
LAND, AND OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION PRESENTS ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS THREATS
AS THE FOREST SERVICE PLANS TO LEASE SEVERAL MILLION ACRES IN NATIONAL
FORESTS IN THE YELLOWSTONE REGION FOR THIS PURPOSE. ADDING TO THIS, THE
SHITHEAD GOVERNOR OF WYOMING WANTS TO START A SEASON TO HUNT THE GRIZZLY.
*OVERFISHING IN U.S. WATERS HAS PRODUCED AN ESTIMATED $8 BILLION LOSS IN
ANNUAL REVENUES AND COST US 300,000 JOBS THAT WOULD STILL BE HERE HAD WE
MANAGED OUR FISHERIES WISELY.
*CHINA HAS ORDERED POLICE TO ARREST PEOPLE POSTING ANTI-GOVERNMENT REMARKS
ON COMPUTER NETWORKS. AMONG OTHER GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWNS, A POPULAR
INTERNET BULLETIN BOARD CALLED ‘EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN’ WAS SHUT DOWN
BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. AUTHORITIES COULD NOT TOLERATE THE BOLD NATURE
OF COMMUNICATION.
*AN OUTSPOKEN NAVAL JOURNALIST WHO EXPOSED THE RUSSIAN NAVY’S DUMPING OF
NUCLEAR WASTE IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN WAS PUT ON TRIAL FOR TREASON IN
A POLITICALLY MOTIVATED ATTEMPT TO SILENCE HIM.
*FIVE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS WERE ARRESTED AND HELD ON $1 MILLION DOLLARS
BAIL AFTER A PROTEST AT THE CONGRESS OF THE WORLD ENERGY COUNCIL IN HOUSTON,
TEXAS. THE BAIL AMOUNT IS 10 TIMES GREATER THAN THE AVERAGE BAIL FOR HOMICIDE
SUSPECTS IN HARRIS COUNTY. RATHER THAN BEING PROSECTUED FOR ANY PARTICULAR
CRIME, THEY ARE INSTEAD BEING PERSECUTED SOLEY FOR HAVING THE GUTS TO TAKE
ON THE OIL INDUSTRY.
*A BRITISH GOVERNMENT REPORT ON THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF GROWING GENETICALLY
MODIFIED CROPS HAS BEEN SUPPRESSED BECAUSE OF ITS CONTROVERSIAL WARNING
OF SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS.
*THE FORMER MAYOR OF ISTANBUL, TURKEY IS SERVING A 10 MONTH PRISON TERM
FOR COMMITTING POETRY.
*AS A WAY TO CONTROL THE FREE SPEECH AND EXPRESSION OF CONSTITUENTS, AS
OF JANUARY 1ST 1999, ANY E-MAIL MESSAGE SENT TO THE U.S. GOVERNMENT THAT
IS CONSIDERED THREATENING COULD BE A FEDERAL OFFENSE.
*THE PENTAGON HAS DEMANDED AN ADVANCE COPY OF A BOOK BY FORMER U.N. WEAPONS
INSPECTOR SCOTT RITTER.
*THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT APPEARS TO HAVE JOINED IN A WIDESCALE ATTEMPT TO
INTIMIDATE RITTER INTO SILENCE.
*THE NATIONAL RECONNAISANCE OFFICE (NRO) IS A SECRET GOVERNMENT AGENCY
WITH A BUDGET BIGGER THAN THE CIA’S. THE NRO SPENDS FAR MORE THAN ANY OF
THE GOVERNMENT’S 13 PRIMARY ‘INTELLIGENCE’ AGENCIES, AND HAS SOME 15 ORBITAL
SATELLITES PHOTOGRAPHING AND EAVESDROPPING ON UNSUSPECTING VICTIMS WORLDWIDE.
*IN 1996, THE NRO QUIETLY ADMITTED THAT IT CANNOT ACCOUNT FOR AN ESTIMATED
$4 BILLION IN MISSING FUNDS.
*WHILE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GOES ABOUT ACCIDENTALLY SLAUGHTERING INNOCENT
CITIZENS IN IRAQ, THE STATE LEVEL SOMEHOW MAKES A RIGHT OUT OF TWO WRONGS
WITH THE DEATH PENALTY, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ALLOW POLICE TO RECEIVE VACATIONS
AFTER SHOOTING INNOCENT, UNARMED PEOPLE, U.S. CITIZENS (OR CHATTLE) IN
SOME STATES CAN RECEIVE THE DEATH PENALTY FOR STEALING A PIZZA, OR LIFE
IN PRISON FOR MERELY E-MAILING THE PRESIDENT.
*A MAJOR RESTAURANT CHAIN HAS REPORTED A WIDESPREAD MOIST TOWELETTE SHORTAGE
THAT COULD THREATEN CLEANSING BY CAUSING AN INDECENT IMPOSITION OF HIGHLY
CONTEMPTIBLE FILTH UPON MANY INGESTING INDIVIDUALS.
REFERENCE SOURCES: BAM MAGAZINE, THE CONNECTION MAGAZINE, GEORGE MAGAZINE, METRO, NATURAL HISTORY, THE PET
COMPANION, ROBOTMAN, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, SF BAY GUARDIAN, SF WEEKLY,
SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER/CHRONICLE, SIERRA CLUB, VH1, ROB BREZNY, JIM MEDDICK,
FRANCES ROWE, ROB WILDER AND LIK ROPER.
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