August 5, 2002
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal’s (PETA’S) oftentimes radical position regarding the "exploitation" of animals apparently doesn’t extend to animals of the female human variety.
Lawmakers were expected to extend a warm welcome to Playboy Playmate Lauren Anderson when she appeared at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C., dressed as a provocative "Uncle Sam".
Anderson, who became Miss July after winning a contest on Fox Television, hosted PETA’s annual veggie hotdog lunch.
"I wouldn’t do it if I was going to be uncomfortable," the 22-year-old said of her impending appearance on the Hill.
Anderson entered the Playboy contest to further her career, saying, "My goal in life is to open an animal-rescue type of farm, where I rescue abandoned or stray animals. I’m going to pursue acting or modeling because I know it will bring in the money."
While the would-be model obviously doesn’t object to certain displays of flesh, she has been a vegetarian for four years, after entering a pre-veterinary medicine program at the University of Florida, and "falling in love" with her charges.
But will she only date vegetarians? "There aren’t many guys that are, that I’ve found. If he loves animals and doesn’t kill them, then that’s the next best thing."
No final word at press time whether Senators Boxer, Clinton and others from the Politically Correct wing of Capitol Hill attended the vegan weinie roast.
Tree City USA
Add yet another tier to the bureaucracy in small-town America: the local tree board.
Only one month after moving into her Calabasas, Calif. Home, Carolyn Scharg stood before the city’s tree board, facing as much as $40,000 in mitigation fees. Her offense: cutting a few branches off an oak tree without a permit, reports the Calabasas Times.
Scharg argued before the board that she was unaware of the city ordinance that requires a permit to cut or remove any indigenous oak in Calabasas. She said she never saw warning signs and cut the branches only to protect the roof of her new home.
She was fined $10,000 for the tree trimming, which she said has also cost her many hours of lost sleep. The fine could balloon to $40,000 if the tree does not survive.
"It’s nothing personal," said Kay Greeley, the city’s arborist and consultant for the tree board. "It’s all about the oaks."
The city’s five-member tree board meets once a month to hear cases of people who mistakenly cut the city-and-state-protected scrub oaks and other oak trees.
Calabasas is one of a growing number of Southern California cities with citizen tree boards. Some boards, such as those in Calabasas, Riverside and Claremont, have become a major part of city government, advising city planners on beautification projects, amendments to city ordinances and penalties for those who harm them.
At least 128 California cities with some form of citizen advisory board are classified as a "Tree City USA," according to Tina Schweitzer, coordinator of Tree City USA, a non-profit affiliate of the National Arbor Day Foundation.
The number of municipalities nationwide with the "Tree City USA" designation has increased from 42 in 1976 to 2,776 last year, she said, adding that the number is growing by about 150 a year.
`Frankenfish’ in American ponds
The `Frankenfish,’ banned in the U.S., gives new meaning to the name flung casually about by green activists.
In their scare tactics, Greenpeacers call genetically modified food "frankenfood".
The fish recently dubbed `Frankenfish’ is a meat-eating predator that can "walk" on land and is capable of eating any small animal that crosses its path.
The Northern Snakehead from China is making its home in Maryland, Hawaii, Florida, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
How it traveled so far from home is explained by American officials who say a disillusioned pet owner dumped a pair of fish into the water about two years ago. Since then, they have bred, producing scores of baby snakeheads, about the shape of a finger and all with razor-sharp teeth.
American officials were so concerned about the discovery they placed a police guard on a pond, and printed posters urging people to kill the fish if they saw one. Maryland State officials may have to poison the whole pond to get rid of them.
"If they get into the larger (water) system, they could alter the food chain and displace other species," said John Surrick, spokesman for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
The fish can stay out of water for up to three days, dragging itself on its fins.
Distinguishing features of the Northern Snakehead include a long dorsal fin, small head, large mouth, big teeth, up to 40 inches in length and up to 15 pounds in weight.
A poster, issued by Maryland State officials, recommends stabbing the fish because of its capacity of surviving for days outside of water.
For the sake of the food chain, let’s hope PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) doesn’t come to the snakehead’s rescue.
Military new agenda for ecofreaks
Radical environmental activists, who have managed to cow some powerful corporate giants into submission as of late, now have the American military in their sights.
First on the environmental harassment list is Fort Bragg, N.C., where according to News World Communications, "the designation of 14 critical habitats has severely limited where recruits can camp, fire weapons and dig".
It’s a big wide world, right?
Not to the greenies who have the same agenda in mind for the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base, Coronado Naval Amphibious Base, San Clement Island in California, Fort Hood, Texas, Fort Polk, La., and Farallon de Medinilla, an unhabitated island in the West Pacific that has served as a critical firing range for the Navy and Marine Corps until it was shut down last spring by an environmental lawsuit over migratory birds that might be unintentionally harmed during exercises.
The plaintiffs have also targeted Navy bombing exercises at the site. As military experts point out, the Farallon de Medinilla ruling could potentially put at risk a wide range of aviation, telecommunications and live-fire training activities nationwide in the U.S.
Anybody see Al Quaeda recently?
Shell sprouts green wings
According to Reuters, in a bid to bolster its environmental credentials, Shell Oil Co. said it would establish a centre at Rice University to study sustainable development.
The company--a unit of Royal Dutch/Shell Group, gave the school the first $500,000 of what will become a $3.5-million endowment for what it envisions as a hub for thought on what is also called "green growth".
"Society faces tremendous challenges due to population growth, the growing chasm between the poor and wealthy, damage to the environment, climate change and loss of biodiversity, unsustainable levels of consumption and issues related to health and education," said Philip Watts. Royal Dutch/Shell group chairman.
(Sound familiar? Wonder where we heard that before.)
"We at Shell feel it our responsibility to contribute to finding solutions to these problems."
Watts told reporters that Shell was developing non-hydrocarbon forms of energy--solar, wind, hydrogen and biomass--and is also completing this year a program undertaken in 1988 to reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions by 10 per cent.
"If we had carried on business as usual, our emissions would have gone up 30 per cent," Watts said.
When asked about the possible conflict between Shell’s need to sell oil and its advocacy of green growth, Watts said, "The reality is that there is no development without energy, so I don’t feel badly about being in the energy business."
But he said, "I think there is an issue for all developed countries about the intensity of energy use, eco-efficiency and how we get the most out of the energy we use."
The new study centre will be called the Shell Centre for Sustainability.
Tornado Tabuns
The first smog day in Toronto was named Smog Day Augustine for new Greater Toronto Area cabinet minister Jean Augustine.It’s a new publicity stunt by Greenpeace, which now names smog days the way names are attached to hurricanes. Each smog day thereafter will be named in alphabetical order after GTA Liberal caucus politicians.
"For nine years, Augustine has taken Toronto votes, but has done nothing to clean Toronto’s air," said Canadian Greenpeace Executive Director Peter Tabuns.
Toronto Free Press thinks Greenpeace bigwigs should be named with tornadoes.
Why?
Both parties blow into town with a lot of hot air. They make a heck of a ruckus, and are gone within minutes, leaving a path of destruction in their wake.
TFP names the first one Tornado Tabuns.
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