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FULL CIRCLE FARM ~ there was a meeting regarding the fate of the peterson field on thursday february 8th 2007 @ SCUSD headquarters in santa clara, and after nearly 3 years of waiting, the SCUSD has gone with a proposal from FULL CIRCLE FARM for a sustainable, educational non-profit farm - two separate organizations made farm proposals along with one of two other sports organizations who submitted plans to build fields for their leagues at the peterson field, but FULL CIRCLE FARM officially got the thumbs-up from the SCUSD - read more about FULL CIRCLE FARM @ http://fullcirclesunnyvale.org/ 

WILDLIFE HABITAT UNDER SIEGE

17 sep 2007 / KEEPING WILDLIFE HABITAT SAFE? - San Benito County farmers put up fences to keep animals out of their crops; they test water samples monthly from every well and pipeline on their many acres; they also keep thick binders of paperwork to show inspectors from distributors who buy their crops > click here - So why has the SCUSD ordered their maintenance crew to build a fence surrounding sensitive wildlife habitat, with a plan of eventually planting row crops within it for a new organic farm at the Peterson field? (see photos and/or click on videos) - Isn't that a bit of a contradiction? - I said long ago the wildlife which was here first would eventually be demonized, so why don't they just use a portion of the Patrick Henry field for row crops, which supports no wildlife habitat? - There would still be enough space for 3 soccer fields at the Patrick Henry property, and another field over at Raynor Park - You know; what is the difference between Michael Vick's animal abuse, and the SCUSD's destruction of sensitive wildlife habitat? And how has the Corn Palace managed all these years without any fences surrounding its' property? >>> MANY QUESTIONS ~ FEW ANSWERS >>> click here & read more <<<

> the houses seen in the photo above are adjacent to [and essentially slightly uphill from] the peterson field and/or new full circle farm > question: 1) how can full circle farm ensure they are completely organic without adjacent properties being certified as organic as well?; 2) and why is the SCUSD still being allowed to use dangerous chemicals on the field adjacent to the new organic farm?
(organic = no pesticides and/or herbicides)

SANTA CRUZ PREDATORY BIRD RESEARCH GROUP @ http://www2.ucsc.edu/scpbrg/ + AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY @ http://www.abcbirds.org/ + CORNELL LABORATORY OF ORINTHOLOGY @ http://www.birds.cornell.edu/ + HUMANE FARMING ASSOCIATION @ http://hfa.org/

24 feb 2008 / GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS - on one particularly cold morning last january, i noticed tiny birds flying in and out of ground squirrel burrows - it appears the birds escape the cold by using the burrows as shelter at night, something i read about (click here) what this amounts to is; protecting ground squirrel burrows not only protects ground squirrels, but a host of other species as well...

24 sep 2007 / FULL CIRCLE FARM UPDATE - PROBLEM: apparently the SCUSD is still using dangerous chemicals on the lawn adjacent to the full circle row crop section [> chemicals which are especially dangerous to children > click here] and the full circle people are not happy about this - full circle is also unhappy about the SCUSD's dishonesty regarding the presence of wildlife at the peterson field, because; 1) since full circle is an organic farm, and 2) the wildlife is protected; the farm will apparently lose money the first year due to the precense of this protected wildlife - also; since the SDUSD covered-up ground squirrel burrows in the 'greenbelt' section between the nature area and the row crops; the squirrels have relocated to where the row crops are being planned [click here X] and due to the hydrology involved, their underground burrows will likely be flooded whenever the field is irrigated - SOLUTION: a greenbelt section between the pre-existing nature area and the row crop zone needs to be shored up as permanent wildlife habitat with native vegetation food sources to take pressure off the section where row crops are being planned - i also have a real concern about full circle farm's plans of tilling the field during winter when the ground squirrels are hibernating (click here) this is the equivalent of operating snowmobiles during winter time in yellowstone during grizzly bear hibernation - i said it before and i'll say it again; row crops growing in the midst of a sensitive wildlife habitat is a bad idea...

8 oct 2007 / THE VAST INEPTITUDE - 1) being asked to leave a sunnyvale city council meeting for speaking about the aformentioned topics [click here then go to: 5 FEB 2006 / VERBAL ASSESSMENT]; and 2) being stalked by a sunnyvale police officer at a public hearing when i was there to speak about wildlife concerns at the peterson field [click here]; and also 3) having my civil rights violated by being illegally threatened with arrest after merely speaking about 1333 lawrence expressway wildlife concerns at a santa clara city council meeting in october 2000 [click here then go to: OLD CALABASAZ CREEK]; shows that local government will stop at nothing to control dissent from constituents, even if to their own detriment (all i can say is; THIS IS NOT RUSSIA OR CHINA; THIS IS AMERICA DAMN IT! AND REPUBLICAN-FREE ZONES LIKE THE SUNNYVALE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE, SHOULD THEY NOT?) but the truth is; local government employees are some of the most inept of all; they're like T-league baseball compared to major league baseball; or like little babies compared to grown adults - and because of this, you often have auntie jane [for instance] from down the street making important environmental decisions for the planning commission, when auntie jane doesn't know jack shit about environmental science! - you end up with half-assed assessments from equally half-assed individuals, and this is precisely why we have federal, state and county oversight - but! when the federal, state and county governments are apparently just as inept as the local idiots-in-charge when it comes to important environmental decision-making...

19 nov 2007 / RIGHT WRONGS NOBODY - not only was i right on the money when; 1) calling for the 1333 lawrence expressway pond to be restored (due to emergency water supply needs in case of natural disaster [click here] as well as environmental concerns and recreational activities) - but i was also absolutely correct; 2) when calling for the restoration of the lake terrace apartment pond (due to emergency water supply needs and environmental concerns - much like the 1333 lawrence expressway pond); and! i was also right when saying; 3) putting an organic farm in the middle of a biologically diverse wildlife habitat is a very bad idea [click here]; then after the latest oil spill in the SF bay and the subsequent avian wildlife concerns; as usual i was way ahead of the fold when; 4) championing the ducks in our neighborhood by calling for their increased protection and the termination of the officers who stood in the way [click here] - this leaves only one thing for you all to do; PLEASE SIGN THE LRE PETITIONS! - GO TO: http://likroper.com.previewyoursite.com/TAKE-ACTION2.html > also check out: ANIMAL RESCUE BLOG 

MESSAGE FROM SENATOR DIANE FEINSTEIN - Dear Mr. Roper: Thank you for writing to express your thoughts about the upcoming Farm Bill reauthorization. It is a pleasure to hear from you and I welcome this opportunity to respond. California is home to the largest food and agriculture industry in the nation, supplying more than half of the nation's fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Agriculture and related industries contribute more than $100 billion a year to our state's economy. As such, the Farm Bill could have sweeping impacts on California and I appreciate you contacting me with your thoughts on how to improve our current farm policy - I recognize there are concerns that our current agricultural policies support a small number of large agri-businesses and believe that the reauthorization of the Farm Bill this year provides the opportunity to reexamine which programs benefit the people of California. I believe it should include conservation programs that support farmers and ranchers who are working to conserve important natural resources and provisions that promote the production and consumption of healthy and nutritious foods. Our nation's agriculture research, energy, and trade programs also stand to benefit in this year's rewrite of the Farm Bill - I believe that the Nation needs a new farm bill that supports all agriculture. Please know that I appreciate hearing your input and will keep your thoughts in mind as Congress works to reauthorize the farm bill. Again, thank you for contacting me. Should you have any further questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841 - Best Regards / Sincerely yours, Dianne Feinstein ~ United States Senator > click here

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GREAT HORNED OWL - i talked to the old man with the dog, and he said there is a GREAT HORNED OWL has been recently seen in the vicinity of the peterson field - many people witnessed the bird, and someone supposedly even took photos > click here to see video - photo source: http://www.nps.gov/ 

DUCK ALERT! - SUNNYVALES' DUCKS HAVE COME HOME TO ROOST! Mallard Ducks will be in the neighborhood up until the summer solstice on June 21st - So remember: please drive carefully and watch out for ducks crossing the street - NOTE: surveillance cameras have been installed over the area where the ducks congregate - any acts of animal cruelty and/or harassment WILL NOT BE TOLERATED...

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26 sep 2007 / THE SUNNYVALE COMMUNITY CENTER & THE HERITAGE ORCHARD - The Heritage Orchard in Sunnyvale is one of the last remaining orchards in the Santa Clara Valley - Surrounded by rampant development, the City of Sunnyvale long ago shored up this important piece of agricultural property for future generations to appreciate...

Right next to the Heritage Orchard is the Sunnyvale Community center, which has a duck pond with signs prohibiting duck feeding in favor of a 'natural food source' (see sign photo below) but the only viable food source is lawn grass!? (see grass photo below) QUESTIONS: 1) since when is lawn grass considered a 'natural' food source for ducks, and 2) what kind of chemicals are being sprayed on this lawn? - The Marina Playa Apartments in Santa Clara has men in moon suits walking around regularly dousing the property with dangerous pesticides and/or herbicides that eventually leak into the pond water (click on photo below - NOTE: ducklings are quite often found dead after this spraying occurs during spring time) When will this stop? - I noticed many of the ducks at the community center pond (see duck photos below) are a bit lethargic (usually a sign of improper nutrition) and have noticably thinner necks than the well-fed ducks at the apartment complexes near my home in Santa Clara, but this only happens when ducklings are malnourished during their initial stages of growth, therefore habitat must be added to make up for this supplemental deficit - Also; who has the foolish notion that feeding ducks contributes to the pollution in the pond more than not feeding them? Let's face it; these ducks are going to eat and poop whether they get food from humans or not, as they're not just ornaments, you know! - If these ducks have no viable food sources other than chemical-laden lawns, then they must garner proper nutrition one way or another -- so, is there any way some kind of native vegetation can be planted near these various ponds to supplement their diets? - I heard ducks will eat shredded lettuce of all things, so is there some kind of native lettuce-like plant that can be planted?

> Or how about letting a bit of community center and/or apartment complex property (let's say a 20' x 20' foot section) go 'wild' so the ducks can get their bills down and dirty in the dirt for yummy grubs and worms etc? Plant some cool looking plants all around it with some big rocks as well so it is hidden from view, and pump no more than a bathtub load or two full of water into the it every day to soak the ground to make it semi-wetlandish? - Furthermore; regarding the winter migration issue: most of these local ducks have been fed by humans since birth, so this foolish notion that they are going to magically start migrating once they are denied of food is not only ridiculous, but cruel as well - The ducks which do a short migration to food sources in my neighborhood are actually healthier than the non-migratory ducks at the community center pond because of the aerobic exercise gained through the migration process. (note: official migrations range from thousands of miles ~ to very short distances) Animals in the wild often load up on calories for weeks before a very long migration to store enough energy for a long flight, but I'm sorry to say; lawn grass simply does not contain enough protein for this kind of thing, and even if it did the ducks probably wouldn't leave anyway! The bottom line: these ducks are not wild, and they are also not domestic -- in fact; there is no official classification for them because they are somewhere in between > SCIENCE HAS SHOWN PEOPLE LIKE TO FEED DUCKS ~ YOU CAN'T ARGUE WITH SCIENCE

TAKE ACTION! - email Santa Clara county Supervisor Liz Kniss and ask her to draft legislation: 1) for a county-wide ban on the use of pesticides and/or herbicides around all waterfowl habitat, and b) mandating the introduction of native plants and/or other natural food sources to populated wildlife habitats such as city or county parks and/or apartment complexes etc - ALSO;  Please email these U.S. Senators, and ask them to draft an important new CHEMICAL POLICY regulating the usage and disposal of dangerous chemicals ~ NANCY PELOSI @ http://www.house.gov/pelosi/ ~ ZOE LOFGREN @ http://lofgren.house.gov/ ~ MIKE HONDA @ http://honda.house.gov/ ~ ANNA ESHOO @ http://eshoo.house.gov/

> this friendly little duck swam right up to me!

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TURN UP THE BIRD SONG @
http://www.nrdc.org/thisgreenlife/0707.asp

INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE @
http://www.ipcc.ch/

FOREST DEFENDERS - BLUE BEAUTY - BLUE MARBLE - PACIFIC GLOBAL SATELLITE

MYWATERSHEDWATCH.ORG @ http://mywatershedwatch.org/

FISH WATCH ~ SEAFOOD FACTS @
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/

MY PHOTOS

CALIFORNIA OCEAN PROTECTION COUNCIL TARGETS PLASTIC LITTER AND WASTE @
http://www.cawrecycles.org/issues/california_ocean_protection_council
http://www.cawrecycles.org/

CALABAZAS CREEK / JANUARY 4TH, 2008

FRIDAY JANUARY 25TH 2008 / .wmv file - click on photo

> CATHEDRAL OF TREES @ HOMESTEAD ROAD AND TANTAU AVENUE IN CUPERTINO - click on photo (CPS)

> VIEW FROM THE TOP OF VOSS AVENUE IN CUPERTINO - 30 JAN 2008 (CPS)

> LENTICULAR CLOUDS OVER SANTA CLARA VALLEY IN LATE DECEMBER 2007? [1 2 3]- click on photo (CPS)

PALMS @ SUNRISE

TREE @ RAYNOR PARK

SUNRISE @ LAWRENCE EXPRESSWAY AND EL CAMINO REAL

SPRING BLOSSOMS

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK

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TAKE ACTION!

PREAMBLE TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." ~ “All political power is inherent in the people. Government is instituted for their protection, security, and benefit, and they have the right to alter or reform it when the public good may require.” - Constitution of the State of California ~ see: Article 1, Section 2 @ http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/level3_const1849txt.html > GO TO: www.house.gov/writerep ~ NANCY PELOSI @ http://www.house.gov/pelosi/ ~ ZOE LOFGREN @ http://lofgren.house.gov/ ~ MIKE HONDA @ http://honda.house.gov/ ~ ANNA ESHOO @ http://eshoo.house.gov/ ~ District Office - 698 Emerson Street - Palo Alto, California 94301 / Telephone: (650) 323-2984 or (408) 245-2339 or (831) 335-2020 / Washington, D.C. Office - 205 Cannon Building - Washington, D.C. 20515 - Telephone: (202) 225-8104 / SUNNYVALE CITY COUNCIL @ council@ci.sunnyvale.ca.gov ~ SANTA CLARA CITY COUNCIL @ MayorandCouncil@ci.santa-clara.ca.us ~ SANTA CLARA COUNTY SUPERVISORS - DONALD F. GAGE @ don.gage@bos.co.santa-clara.ca.us / BLANCA ALVARADO @ blanca.alvarado@bos.co.santa-clara.ca.us / PETE MCHUGH @ primo.mchugh@bos.co.scl.ca.us / JAMES T. BEAL @ jim.beall@bos.co.santa-clara.ca.us / LIZ KNISS @ liz.kniss@bos.co.santa-clara.ca.us - SCUSD SUPERINTENDENT ROD ADAMS @ radams@scusd.net ~ GOVERNOR ARNOLD @ governor@governor.ca.gov - THE EDITOR OF YOUR FAVORITE NEWSPAPER @ http://letters.aclu.org/pickMedia.jsp?letter_KEY=429 ~ ABAG @ http://www.abag.ca.gov/ - CHECK OUT BAY AREA CITIES @ http://www.abag.ca.gov/abag/local_gov/city/city.html - LRE ONLINE PETITIONS