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AR-NEWS Digest 653
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) (NZ)Sea lion deaths-DOC press release
by bunny
2) [US] "Door 'is open if Dane County wants monkeys"
by Steve Barney
3) (UK) National NO Bacon Week
by "vadivu govind"
4) British AR group documents abuse of circus animals
by Andrew Gach
5)
by projectseawolf@seanet.com
6)
by dknowles@dowco.com
7) Ringling baby elephant dies
by PAWS
8) Virtual petition against gray whale hunting
by Michael Kundu
9) (US-WV) Senate Approves Road Kill Proposal
by Mesia Quartano
10) Hard copy to Air Nadas Story Today
by "Bob Schlesinger"
11) Newswire: Pet pig awakens couple to fire
by LCartLng@gvn.net (Lawrence Carter-Long)
12) Past Victories for the Animals on this day (Feb. 3)
by SDURBIN@VM.TULSA.CC.OK.US
13) [CAT]Born an Orangutan in Barcelona's Zoo
by 2063511 <2063511@campus.uab.es>
14) [CAT] Death whale appear in Barcelona
by 2063511 <2063511@campus.uab.es>
15) Correction: Hard Copy DID NOT air Nadas story today
by "Bob Schlesinger"
16) Fwd: RECORD $1.4 BILLION BUDGET FOR U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
by CFOXAPI@aol.com
17) Funding Indonesian Forest Fires
by "Bina Robinson"
18) Utah Alert: Democracy Thrown to the Wolves!
by Michael Markarian
19) (US-TN) Garth Brooks and Nashville Zoo?
by "Jeffrey A. LaPadula"
20) Fw: AMERICA GETS READY TO KILL WHALES
by "Bina Robinson"
21) (NZ)Experts no closer to solving seal deaths
by bunny
22) (AU) First ever sacking of Category C ethics Committee
meeting.
by Lynette Shanley
23) RBBB circus protests (VA)
by NOVENAANN@aol.com
24) baby elephant dies!
by molgoveggie@juno.com (Molly G Hamilton)
25) (US)Harpo worker says editing was balanced
by allen schubert
26) (US) Oprah takes the stand
by allen schubert
27) [UK] Anger at delay in report on diet and cancer risk
by David J Knowles
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 13:35:33 +0800
From: bunny
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (NZ)Sea lion deaths-DOC press release
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19980203132804.2e27744a@wantree.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Update on New Zealand sea lion deaths
PRESS RELEASE 2 FEBRUARY 1998
The following scientific update was written by Department of Conservation
marine mammal expert Mike Donoghue and posted on the MARMAM bulletin board
on marine mammals on the Internet. The MARMAM bulletin board orginates from
the University of Victoria in British Colombia and is available to a large
network of marine mammal experts from around the world.
NEW ZEALAND SEA LION MASS MORTALITIES
A serious mass mortality event is currently sweeping through the two main
breeding colonies of the New Zealand (Hooker's) sea lion (Phocarctos
hookeri), with 30-40% of this year's pups already dead, and indications of
increasing mortalities amongst adult females.
The New Zealand sea lion is found only in New Zealand waters and is one of
the world's rarest seal species. In 1997, based on pup production
estimates, the population was estimated at between 11,000 and 15,000
animals.
Once distributed throughout New Zealand, from the tip of the North Island
to Campbell Island, deep in the subantarctic, the species was taken to the
brink of extinction by commercial sealers of the early nineteenth century.
The major concern in recent times has been the impact of accidental catches
in the trawl fishery for squid around the Auckland Islands, which is one of
New Zealand's most important deepwater fisheries. For each of the past four
years Ministers of Conservation and Fisheries have set a catch limit for
sea lions. The squid fishery was closed early last year, because the sea
lion catch limit was exceeded.
Over the past ten years, the Department of Conservation (DOC) has been
monitoring the main breeding colonies of Dundas and Enderby Island, part of
the Auckland Islands group located some 420km south of New Zealand's South
Island. These two colonies (which collectively occupy an area roughly the
size of six football pitches) account for some 95% of the sea lion breeding
population. Annual pup production in recent years has been approximately
2,500 animals.á Dundas Island is responsible for 80% of all pup production,
but is surrounded by rocky reefs and is much harder to access than Enderby,
where DOC has a research station.
DOC scientists arrived at Enderby Island in mid-January, and everything
seemed to be normal.á However, when weather conditions permitted a visit to
Dundas on 26 January, the team discovered some 700 recently-dead pups.
Symptoms included puffy eyes, ulcerated anuses and vaginas and lesions on
the head. Dying pups often showed spasms and paralysis. Fewer adults than
usual were on the beach, but at that time there were no signs that the
older animals had been affected. Returning to Enderby, the team soon found
that pups were beginning to die there also. In addition, adult females
started showing signs of paralysis. Afflicted animals also had small raised
lesions on the belly and neck. Post-mortems have shown pus-filled swellings
around the salivary gland in the neck. The most recent estimate on the day
of this posting is that 137 pups have died on Enderby, and a further 40 are
unaccounted for.á This brings the overall pup mortality toá 41 percent. 20%
of the adult females on the breeding beach are dead or afflicted with
lesions or paralysis. The numbers of adult females on the beach are
considerably lower than normal. An unknown number of females (and males)
may have died at sea, and some pups are consequently starving to death.
Samples from autopsied pups and females and six pup carcasses were flown
back to the mainland by helicopter on 29 January.á Pathologists from Massey
University Cetacean Investigation Centre in Palmerston North will begin
detailed examinations of the samples on Monday 1 February.
Further updates will be posted with MARMAM on a weekly basis.
Any helpful advice or assistance will be warmly welcomed.
Please reply by email to:
mdonoghue@doc.govt.nz
=====================================================================
========
/`\ /`\ Rabbit Information Service,
Tom, Tom, (/\ \-/ /\) P.O.Box 30,
The piper's son, )6 6( Riverton,
Saved a pig >{= Y =}< Western Australia 6148
And away he run; /'-^-'\
So none could eat (_) (_) email: rabbit@wantree.com.au
The pig so sweet | . |
Together they ran | |} http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm
Down the street. \_/^\_/ (Rabbit Information Service website updated
frequently)
It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
- Voltaire
Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 00:03:00 -0600
From: Steve Barney
To: AR-News
Subject: [US] "Door 'is open if Dane County wants monkeys"
Message-ID: <34D6B314.F7DD1E1D@uwosh.edu>
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
For more related info, go to:
http://www.uwosh.edu/organizations/alag/#Issues
Source:
Wisconsin State Journal
Madison, WI
Saturday, January 31, 1998
Page 1B
-- Beginning --
Door 'is open if Dane County wants monkeys
By John Welsh
Wisconsin State Journal
UW-Madison officials said Friday they would consider a delay in shipping
out their Vilas Zoo monkeys if Dane County officials show a "sincere
interest" in keeping the animals.
"We would seriously entertain an extension," said Joe Kemnitz, interim
director of the school's Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center.
The Dane County Zoo Commission Friday approved a resolution asking
county officials to explore taking over the research centers monkey
colony. The commission also asked UW-Madison for 30 days to look into
different options.
The research center has spent several months looking for a new home for
the monkeys it keeps at the county-run zoo, which already has several
kinds of primates including monkeys in other exhibits. As of Sunday,
the center will be prohibited from spending federal funds on the zoo
monkeys but the university said it will find other funding until a new
arrangement can be found.
The center plans to ship 100 monkeys to a Louisiana center in
mid-February. The colony's other monkeys, 50 stumptailed macaques,
could be going to a sanctuary in their ancestral homeland of Thailand as
early as March.
Kemnitz said he wanted more concrete moves from the county before he
would delay preparations for the animals' departure. Such a move could
come as early as next week when County Executive Kathleen Falk will
state her position on the monkeys.
"The position of the county executive is critical," said County
Supervisor Thomas Stoebig, 15th District, Madison, who introduced the
resolution calling for the county to explore taking over the monkeys.
"Kathleen has shown an interest in this issue, but to be fair she has
been cautious because of the cost implications."
A county study released Friday estimated taking over the monkey house
would cost $280,000 in capital costs and $211,000 in annual operating
costs. The operating cost is more than twice what was previously
predicted and was quickly criticized by some.
"It is extremely inflated," said Tina Kaske, executive director of
Alliance for Animals. "But we know we have a ways to go, and money will
be the biggest issue."
Meanwhile, inside the round house where the monkeys are kept, another
type of monkey war is taking place.
Within the last week, one of the bouse's two rhesus monkey colonies has
undergone a "social revolution," Kemnitz said. While the dominant alpha
male has kept his position, the ruling family beneath him has changed in
a sometimes violent battle. In the past week, there have been three
monkey deaths during the upheaval, which Kemnitz said happens every
several years.
Did the controversy surrounding their fate play a role in the
disturbance? "Well, we haven't told the monkeys," Kemnitz said.
-- End --
Date: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 22:10:52 PST
From: "vadivu govind"
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (UK) National NO Bacon Week
Message-ID: <19980203061053.26645.qmail@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain
From:
http://www.viva.org.uk/Viva!PressReleases/Pr-1998/nobacon.htm
>Viva Press Release
2 February,
1998
Happy 'National NO Bacon Week' says Babe
For further
information,
contact:
Juliet Gellatley
01273 777688
Viva! and one of the movie screen's mega stars is to
launch a joint campaign next week February 8 to 15, called NATIONAL NO
BACON WEEK, to coincide with National Bacon Week. Babe, who brought
guilt to pork eating and who is set to attack our consciences again in
the sequel to Babe, said: "Whichever way you slice it,
it's dead pig, man."
In an exclusive interview with Viva!, he made a direct
appeal to cinema goers everywhere: "What are you going to tell your kids
this time when you come out of the cinema and they whisper in your ear,
"We don't eat Babe, do we mum, dad?" You tried all the excuses last time
and felt like a heel didn't you? Well the message is
simple - just say 'no' to bacon week and smile. You know you should!"
Juliet Gellatley, Viva!'s director said: "Don't be fooled
by the old Babe's sweet talking, new Babe is into direct action. In his
latest adventures he rescues factory farmed piglets. It isn't a
coincidence that Babe feels so strongly about National No
Bacon Week because the vast majority of pigs killed for it will be from
that kind of depressing intensive unit.
"But the great news is you don't have to be a part of it.
While the bacon producers are saying 'kill more pigs', Viva! is saying
'don't kill any at all' and still enjoy the sizzle of great
tasting bacon!"
Yes it's true folks, veggie bacon has now come of age and
you can enjoy your BLT, your morning rashers and your potato topping
with a no cholesterol, low saturated fat, streaky bacon look-alike that
is far healthier, involves no cruelty and tastes
superb. Only your conscience will know the difference. And next time
your kids ask if you eat Babe you can reply 'no' without waiting for
the thunderbolt to strike.
We have just received a message of support from some
other celebrities: "Just remember, bacon isn't bacon, it's us! Thank
you." Tamworth Two.
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 22:55:25 -0800
From: Andrew Gach
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: British AR group documents abuse of circus animals
Message-ID: <34D6BF5D.334C@worldnet.att.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
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British animal rights group urges tougher circus curbs
Reuters News Service
LONDON, February 2, 1998
Animal welfare campaigners called Monday for tighter regulations to
protect circus animals in Britain from alleged abuse and mistreatment
exposed during an 18-month undercover operation.
Animal Defenders, a British welfare and conservation group, amassed some
400 hours of film evidence of circus animals being beaten and locked up
in squalid, cramped conditions.
"In over 20 years of studying the use of animals and campaigning for
animal protection, this is the most appalling abuse I have ever seen,"
the group's director, Jan Creamer, said.
Reporters saw film of elephants beaten until they screamed, an infant
chimpanzee locked alone in the dark for hours and lions clubbed with
iron bars.
A bear was confined to his container for almost 39 hours with only a
15-minute break for a performance.
"I feel slightly sick inside. I think if anybody who has ever been to a
circus knew, they would never ever want to be a part of that ever
again," Angela Smith, a member of parliament for the ruling Labor party,
told reporters.
Smith is backing a campaign for circuses and their winter quarters to be
covered by the same regulations imposed on zoos.
At present there is no limit on the number of animals circuses can keep,
or how they should be cared for or trained.
"This is a case where something can be done," Creamer said.
The long-term aim of the group and its supporters -- who include pop
stars Sir Elton John and Phil Collins -- is an end to animal circuses.
Last year, 23 animal circuses toured Britain with more than 300
performing animals including horses, camels, lions, tigers, sea lions
and a rhinoceros.
There was no immediate comment from Britain's most famous circus family,
the Chipperfields.
A spokesman said members of the family were visiting Richard
Chipperfield, who has been hospitalized after being attacked by a tiger
during a photo shoot in December. The tiger was shot dead following the
attack.
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 04:07:53 -0500 (EST)
From: projectseawolf@seanet.com
Message-ID: <199802030907.EAA17928@envirolink.org>
boat motor which they would be willing to donate to an effort to oppose the
resumed gray whale hunt by the Makah tribe of Neah Bay, Washington.
This motor will be used alongside a main 90 hp unit which is presently
driving my zodiac (not entirely dependably, I might add). Please respond
directly to Michael Kundu, Pacific Northwest Coordinator, Sea Shepherd
Conservation Society Whale Guardian Network.
Michael Kundu: Project SeaWolf
Arcturus Adventure Communications
Marysville, Washington State
*NOTE: Email address change -- ProjectSeaWolf@seanet.com
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 04:53:19 -0500 (EST)
From: dknowles@dowco.com
Message-ID: <199802030953.EAA20106@envirolink.org>
This poisonous task of mine
Smallpox, flesh-eating bacteria . . . Prof Hugh Pennington has spent his
life studying deadly
diseases. Now in charge of E-coli research, he claims this killer bug is
his biggest challenge. Interview by Helena de Bertodano
PROFESSOR Hugh Pennington does not eat much beef himself. As he is the ma=
n
who conducted the inquiry into the world's worst E-coli food-poisoning
outbreak, which killed 20 people in Scotland in 1996, this is hardly
surprising. But he insists that it has nothing to do with his work; he ju=
st
prefers other food. "I've always been a bit faddy about things - not on
health grounds, just on taste grounds."
When I arrive at Aberdeen University, where he is Professor of
Bacteriology, he is just finishing his canteen lunch of battered chicken,
greens and chips. "It wasn't bad, actually. They know me quite well here =
in
the canteen. People watch what I'm eating and comment: 'Oh, he's eating t=
he
so-and-so today, so that's obviously okay.' "
In his office, I ask him if any of the E-coli microbes are lurking around.
He points over the narrow corridor outside his office. "They are in a
diagnosis lab just across the way. All you see are lumps of shit,
basically, or bits of meat." People in white coats hurry up and down the
corridor, which is accessed by a swingdoor warning: "Danger of infection".
A poster warning about faecal viruses is one of the first things you see =
as
you walk down the corridor.=20
Although Prof Pennington has long been a vociferous critic of Government
complacency surrounding Scotland's high rate of E-coli 0157 infection, it
was his investigation into the Lanarkshire epidemic of November 1996 whic=
h
made him famous. Last week John Barr, the
butcher in Wishaw who supplied the contaminated meat, was fined =A32,250.=
Has
he met Barr? "Yes, I met him as part of the inquiry, but I don't want to
say anything about him at this stage."
E-coli 0157 is a relatively new organism which first appeared in the 1970=
s.
It regularly causes fatal infections in the very young and the very old,
because its toxin attacks small blood vessels. Even if it does not kill, =
it
can cause permanent kidney or brain damage. Cases in England and Wales ha=
ve
doubled in the past year and it has spread to all continents, but Scotlan=
d
is still the world leader. Although it is known that the bacteria lodges =
in
the intestines of cattle and occasionally sheep, regularly passing into t=
he
food chain, no one knows why it is more prevalent in some areas than
others. And no one really knows how to control it.
Prof Pennington says that even if all the recommendations in his report
were to be implemented, it might slow the spread of the virus, but would
not stop it. There is not enough scientific data available on the organis=
m
to combat it effectively. "Very often the science just ain't there. It's
usually a bit of science and the rest is informed judgment."
Does he have mixed feelings about his fame arising from such a disaster?
"People don't seem to hold that against me. It's just life." He adds
bluntly that the tragedy facilitated his work. "We already had an E-coli
problem; it was a disaster waiting to happen and it became the catalyst f=
or
a major investigation."=20
To prove that he is not squeamish about meat per se, he says that he love=
s
black pudding. "And I've always had a hankering for sausages, which is ve=
ry
bad from a public-health point of view."
If he does not worry about what he eats, then who will? "I'm more worried
about how the food has been prepared." Poor hygiene, particularly in the
home where people handle uncooked chicken and then something like salad, =
is
all too widespread. Public awareness, he says, has to be raised.
So he is pleased that the Government is setting up the Food Standards
Agency, as confirmed by a White Paper launched earlier this month, but sa=
ys
it will probably be a few years before it is properly effective. "I like
the structure. It is seen as independent, but not so independent that it =
is
just a talking shop. It has a reporting line up through the Department of
Health so it will obviously have clout in the Cabinet, which is absolutel=
y
crucial."
Prof Pennington is reluctant to compare this Government's handling of foo=
d
safety with the last. "Bugs are no respecters of political parties." But =
he
is pleased with what he sees as Labour's "commitment to openness", saying
that in the past a lot of scientific advice has never made it out of a
minister's office. "Now they are going to publish advice from committees
and it is up to the minister to say why he's not going to implement it."
Does his job force him into combat with politicians? Lately, for example,
he criticised Labour for delaying implementation of one of the key
recommendations of his report on E-coli 0157 - the licensing of butchers.
"You can't get politics out of it, but it's politics with a small 'p'. I
wasn't attacking Labour; I was attacking the system, really. It just seem=
s
to be taking a devil of a long time."
He says he has been assured that licensing is imminent. If there are
further delays, he will speak out strongly - as is his wont. He has a
reputation for refusing to take no for an answer and being fearless of th=
e
consequences of his outbursts.=20
"He does not brook nonsense," says Professor Roy Postlethwaite, a former
colleague who describes Prof Pennington as a man who combines acute
intelligence with very good judgment. "If there is a message to get acros=
s,
he will get it across."
"Maybe it's just because I'm stupid," says Prof Pennington, unconvincingl=
y.
"But if you know what can be done to make something less of a problem, th=
en
you have a moral obligation to follow it up."
Although not directly involved in the research into BSE, he takes a keen
interest in the subject and says that it has sharpened people's awareness
about food safety. At the moment he is doing a study into campylobacter,
the most common form of food- poisoning. On average, a million people in
Britain suffer food-poisoning every year, half of which is from
campylobacter, a bacteria found in chickens.=20
Prof Pennington has suffered from food-poisoning twice himself, once in
France from eating Proven=E7al sausages that were full of tripe, and once=
in
the United States, perhaps from the water. He says that almost everyone
will suffer food-poisoning at some point in their lives. Even vegans are
not safe, as vegetables can come into contact with uncooked meat or are
fertilised with manure carrying bacteria.
Prof Pennington, who will be 60 in April, is in buoyant mood, almost
jocular. He admits to enjoying the current publicity, although it is not
entirely new to him because he was thrust briefly into the limelight over
the flesh-eating bug scare, into which he has also done some research. He
has a kind face, with very blue eyes, offset by Healey-esque eyebrows whi=
ch
hint at a more volcanic nature. And although he is a good communicator wh=
o
relates easily to people, he does admit to some fairly boffin-ish interes=
ts.
In Who's Who, in which he appears for the first time this year, he lists
one of his recreations as dipterology, the study of creatures with two
wings. "It's a very serious hobby," he says earnestly. "It started way ba=
ck
in school. I have a friend who is the world expert on earwigs."
Not that he has ever been a solitary soul, who cocoons himself from human
company. He has a twin sister, although he says they have "nothing in
common". At school in Lancashire, he "ran with the crowd" and was made he=
ad
of house. While working at St Thomas's Hospital in London, he met a nurse=
,
Carolyn Beattie, who became his wife; the couple have two daughters aged =
17
and 18.
Inspired by a biology teacher at school, he decided that he wanted to go
into medicine, possibly as a pathologist. His father, a landscape archite=
ct
and lay preacher, would have liked him to be a minister or preacher, but
Prof Pennington is an agnostic. He says any remnant of religious belief w=
as
knocked out of him at medical school, where he had to spend six weeks at =
a
mental hospital.=20
"I will never forget the patients in that hospital. I could never come up
with a satisfactory explanation for suffering like that as part of a gran=
d
plan."=20
Another incident that affected him profoundly occurred when he was
researching smallpox at a Birmingham hospital in the 1970s. The virus
escaped from the lab, infecting and killing a secretary upstairs. It was
the last smallpox fatality in Britain and the head of the department, wit=
h
whom Prof Pennington had been living, felt so responsible that he cut his
throat. "It was all very tragic; they never worked out how the virus got =
out."
Before starting as a bacteriologist, he was advised that it was a dead-en=
d
career. "It was thought to be finished because of antibiotics. Infection
was seen as yesterday's problem. They thought sexually transmitted diseas=
es
were finished. Then Aids comes along."
But he decided not to take the advice. Resistance to antibiotics was
already reopening the subject and the alternative, pathology, was beginni=
ng
to strike him as less interesting. "I would have had a quieter and in som=
e
aspects more pleasant life, just doing post-mortems and sitting quietly i=
n
the corner looking at sections down a microscope - but there's not much
challenge in that subject to do research."
He has done much pioneering work in the field of bacteria, using the "DNA
fingerprinting" method to track the path of bugs. He sees himself as a
detective trying to solve a mystery. "That's the attraction of doing
microbiology. Tracing how bugs spread in an outbreak is very similar to
looking at the trail left by a criminal, tracking the criminal's connecti=
on
to the victim by identifying the DNA."
Does he ever worry that he might become infected? "In the good old days o=
f
microbiology, there were martyrs who died of things like yellow fever. It
was accepted as a risk of the job; now it has changed - although I did on=
ce
think I'd infected myself with Hepatitis B. I stabbed
myself with a glass pipette which contained the virus. You have to wait a
year to find out whether you have it; every now and then I would look in
the mirror to see if I was becoming jaundiced." (He was fine).=20
He says that poor food safety has reached crisis levels. "Far from the
public being oversensitive about food-poisoning, they only know the half =
of
it. It is not a new crisis but a chronic crisis - it has been there a lon=
g,
long time."
Does he ever feel nervous eating in restaurants? "No, I don't worry about
that." What if he is at someone's house and sees that they do not wash
their hands after handling raw chicken? "I wouldn't be so presumptuous as
to say, 'Now wash your hands.' I'd just cross my fingers."
Changes are needed right down the food chain, from the farmers, who in hi=
s
view all too often see their cattle as a commodity rather than a foodstuf=
f,
to the consumer. "It is not a case of the environmental officials or the
public health officials or the ministry being useless. A lot of these
people are doing very good work, but together they are not reducing the
amount of food-poisoning so something clearly has to be done on top of al=
l
that."
The answer may lie in the new Food Standards Agency. But he is concerned
that the next few years, before it is properly active, might provide "a
window of danger". "I hope there won't be a temptation to say, 'We've set
up the FSA and that's all we need to do.' "
The real challenge for this Government, says Prof Pennington, lies in the
next major food scare. "The first big outbreak of 'x' or 'y' will be a
very, very important test." Does he think they will be up to it? He looks
thoughtful before answering, with no outward show of irony: "The proof of
the pudding will be in the eating."
=A9 Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1998.=20
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 09:38:25 -0500 (EST)
From: PAWS
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Ringling baby elephant dies
Message-ID:
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
According to information PAWS has received, a baby elephant named Kenny,
travelling with the Ringling Brothers' Circus has died. The death
apparently occurred on Saturday, January 24th. Following is PAWS press
release on the incident:
ANOTHER BABY ELEPHANT DIES IN TRAVELLING SHOW:
Kenneth Feld's Namesake Dies While Travelling with Ringling Show
One of Ringling Brothers' baby show elephants has died of unexplained
causes. Since Ringling so highly touts its performing baby elephants and
is so proud of all of its performing animals, PAWS is particularly
appalled at the death of this baby. The young elephant, named Kenny
after Kenneth Feld, owner of Ringling Brothers Circus, apparently died on
Saturday evening, January 24th. Last year, Kenny completed a gruelling
tour with Ringling Brothers, during which he travelled across the US in
extremes of heat and cold. He was one month into a demanding new tour
schedule when he died. Baby "show" elephants are normally taken from
their mothers at one year of age and trained to perform. In the wild,
these same elephants would still be with their mothers and would be
nurtured by their herd's adult females. Kenny was handled by Gunther
Goebel Williams.
Like Heather, the young African elephant who died in an overheated
trailer in Albuquerque last summer while on tour with King Royal Circus,
Kenny undoubtedly suffered from the rigors of travel, confinement, and
dominance, which is the life all circus elephants must endure. Since the
death of Heather last August, King Royal's permits have been permanently
revoked by the USDA.
While Ringling Brothers is quick to promote the birth of baby elephants
at their facility, the death of Kenny seems to be carefully secreted.
According to reports from the USDA, the baby died on Saturday evening,
January 24th. So far, no cause of death has been forthcoming and
Ringling Brothers has offered no information.
Says PAWS' Director Pat Derby, "The death of this baby elephant, who
should not have been travelling with the circus in the first place, along
with the shooting of an endangered tiger a few weeks ago, certainly
strengthens our point that these magnificent endangered animals should
not be used in demeaning performances which ultimately lead to untimely
deaths."
PAWS has filed complaints on the death of the tiger and is demanding a
full investigation into the death of Kenny.
Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 09:31:30 -0800
From: Michael Kundu
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Virtual petition against gray whale hunting
Message-ID: <3.0.5.32.19980203093130.007d64c0@pop.seanet.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
As part of an effort to get a maximum amount of people (US voting citizens,
most importantly) responding to take a stand against the Makah hunt, the
virtual anti-hunt petition page, hosted by Jack Metcalf, is now open.
Visit it at;
http://www.techcomm.net/%7Epkenny/MW1/whalepetition.html
... Sign it (most important if you vote in the US) and get others to sign
it! We're going to take a tally of the numbers of constituents on our side
and amass the numbers for some other initiative in Congress.
Get out the signatures!
Michael Kundu, Northwest Coordinator
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Michael Kundu
Project SeaWolf/Arcturus Adventure Communications
Marysville, WA
**NOTE: Email address change -- ProjectSeaWolf@seanet.com
Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 12:32:32 -0800
From: Mesia Quartano
To: "ar-news@envirolink.org"
Subject: (US-WV) Senate Approves Road Kill Proposal
Message-ID: <34D77EDF.BEF98760@usa.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Senate Approves Road Kill Proposal
(AP Online; 02/03/98)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) Road kill it's what's for dinner.
A state Senate committee approved a proposal Monday that would legalize
immediately collecting and eating animals killed while running in front
of vehicles.
Proponents said that if drivers can be encouraged to eat their road
kill, the state could save paying highway workers to remove the
carcasses.
People now can take possession only after they've contacted authorities,
which "can take hours, and the thing's spoiled by then," said sponsoring
Sen. Leonard Anderson.
"They need to be able to pick it up and take it home immediately," he
said.
The idea has drawn support in this state where wild game is widely
consumed. But there are those who can't stomach the idea of carving up
and cooking the carcass of an animal whose life came to an end in a
failed attempt to cross a road.
"I would not like for it to be known that I voted for West Virginians
eating road kill," said Sen. Rebecca White.
***************************************
end of story
***************************************
I am speechless...
Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 09:39:17 -0800
From: "Bob Schlesinger"
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Hard copy to Air Nadas Story Today
Message-ID: <199802030939170890.00AA5219@pcez.com>
Feb 3, 1998
Reminder:
CBS' Hard Copy told us they plan to air their story about Nadas today.
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 09:48:17 -0800
From: LCartLng@gvn.net (Lawrence Carter-Long)
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Newswire: Pet pig awakens couple to fire
Message-ID: <199802031738.MAA27328@envirolink.org>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Pet pig awakens couple to fire
RAMSEY, N.J. (Reuters) - A potbellied pig named
Honeymoon came to the rescue of a New Jersey
couple Monday, waking them to warn of a fire in
their home.
Flames broke out about 8 a.m. in the laundry room
of the home of Pam and Fred Abma in Ramsey, New
Jersey, Pam Abma said.
The couple was asleep, but the persistent pig scratched
at their bedroom door until they awoke, she said.
"That little pig saved our lives," she said. "Our two dogs
just slept through the whole thing.
"Honey was the only one who smelled the smoke,"
she said. "The dogs were clueless."
The fire was quickly put out by the local fire department.
"Pigs are a lot smarter than dogs, clearly," said Fred
Abma, who owns a landscape business. "And it was
lucky for us."
Honeymoon earned his name when the couple bought
him on their wedding trip.
Honeymoon, who is 18 months old and weighs about
100 pounds, would be getting an extra special dinner,
the couple said.
Reuters: Feb 3 7:51AM
========
Lawrence Carter-Long
Science and Research Issues, Animal Protection Institute
email: LCartLng@gvn.net, phone: 800-348-7387 x. 215
world wide web: http://www.api4animals.org/
"There's so much comedy on television. Does that cause
comedy in the streets?" - Dick Cavett
-----Long, but Important Warning Notice -----
My email address is: LCartLng@gvn.net
LEGAL NOTICE: Anyone sending unsolicited commercial
email to this address will be charged a $500 proofreading
fee. This is an official notification; failure to abide by this
will result in legal action, as per the following:
By U.S. Code Title 47, Sec.227(a)(2)(B), a computer/modem/printer
meets the definition of a telephone fax machine.
By Sec.227(b)(1)(C), it is unlawful to send any unsolicited
advertisement to such equipment.
By Sec.227(b)(3)(C), a violation of the aforementioned Section
is punishable by action to recover actual monetary loss, or
$500, whichever is greater, by each violation.
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 98 13:20:07 UTC
From: SDURBIN@VM.TULSA.CC.OK.US
To: ar-news@Envirolink.org
Subject: Past Victories for the Animals on this day (Feb. 3)
Message-ID: <199802031913.OAA14483@envirolink.org>
(From PETA's 1998 Calendar):
Selfridges, London, closes fur department, 1994.
Digby, Nova Scotia, bans the use of performing animals and circuses
with animals, 1997.
-- Sherrill
Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 21:15:50 +0100
From: 2063511 <2063511@campus.uab.es>
To: AR NEWS
Subject: [CAT]Born an Orangutan in Barcelona's Zoo
Message-ID: <01IT5OBLKQB600D0RH@cc.uab.es>
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
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Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain): In Barcelona's zoo, born last week, a baby
orangutan. This event, isn't typical because the oraguntan mother, never know
freedom. Oranguntan is a very similar human animal and, for example, maternal
instinct is a social condition, no a inborn condition. In Barcelona byologist
and psychologyst shown the oraguntan's mother how suckle because she believe
that's the correct was that the baby went to mouth.
Jordi Ni±erola
Barcelona
Visiteu les meves pαgines / Visit my homepages
http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/vines/6506
http://www.geocities.com/colosseum/loge/3128
http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/academy/2855
Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 21:22:22 +0100
From: 2063511 <2063511@campus.uab.es>
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [CAT] Death whale appear in Barcelona
Message-ID: <01IT5OJPJN0000EPL3@cc.uab.es>
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-disposition: inline
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain): Today, in Barcelona's Seaport, appear a great
mediterranean whale. It died in the sea for natural reasons, and a ship tows a
Whale to Barcelona. When it appear, local police and spanish police decided
picked up and bury.
This notice is From TV3, a Catalan TV.
Jordi Ni±erola
Barcelona
Visiteu les meves pαgines / Visit my homepages
http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/vines/6506
http://www.geocities.com/colosseum/loge/3128
http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/academy/2855
Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 13:21:54 -0800
From: "Bob Schlesinger"
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Correction: Hard Copy DID NOT air Nadas story today
Message-ID: <199802031321540230.01762727@pcez.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Feb 3, 1998
We were given erroneous information. Hard Copy airs in the Portland OR market at 12:30 pm.
The Nadas story was not on today.
Hard Copy filmed the piece several weeks ago, and we have been told that it has been
repeatedly superceded by the Clinton/Lewinsky stories.
We were told last week that it was to air today, Feb 3rd.
Evidently that was incorrect or else they put it off again.
I will post updated info once I can find out from Hard Copy why they didn't air it, or
if they are waiting for Nadas to be killed first. This is very disappointing.
By the way, the format of the show is very much tabloid in nature.
I had never watched it before
-Bob Schlesinger
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 16:14:39 EST
From: CFOXAPI@aol.com
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Fwd: RECORD $1.4 BILLION BUDGET FOR U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
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Date: Mon, 2 February 1998 15:30:00 -0600 (MDT)
From: Mitch Snow
To: fws-news@dataadmin.irm.r9.fws.gov
Subject: RECORD $1.4 BILLION BUDGET FOR U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
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REPLY (it just confuses the computers).
Subscribers can't reply or send their own messages to the
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============================================================
For release February 1, 1998 Hugh Vickery 202-208-5634
PRESIDENT CLINTON PROPOSES RECORD $1.4 BILLION
BUDGET FOR U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
President Clinton is proposing a record $1.42 billion budget for the
Interior Department's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Fiscal Year 1999,
including $826.3 million, an 11-percent increase, in appropriated funding
to support the Service's endangered species, national wildlife refuges,
migratory bird, fisheries, land acquisition, construction and other programs.
"The President's budget reflects how important the work of the Fish and
Wildlife Service is to the American people," Interior Secretary Bruce
Babbitt said. "Americans have an unmatched love and appreciation of fish
and wildlife and this budget recognizes the need to actively manage these
priceless resources if they are to remain healthy.
"From the conservation of endangered species to management of the
National Wildlife Refuge System, the President's budget represents a
strong commitment to the work of the Service to conserve fish and
wildlife for the benefit of all."
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency with
responsibility for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish and
wildlife and their habitats. The Service manages the National Wildlife
Refuge System, which includes 512 national wildlife refuges and covers
nearly 93 million acres, as well as 64 national fish hatcheries.
The agency also enforces Federal wildlife laws, manages migratory bird
populations, conserves and restores wildlife habitat, administers the
Endangered Species Act, and oversees the Federal Aid program that funnels
Federal excise taxes on angling and hunting equipment to state fish and
wildlife agencies.
"The Service's priorities in the coming year include the effective
management of the Endangered Species Act, continued improvement in the
health of the National Wildlife Refuge System, and healing of our
Nation's degraded rivers and other aquatic ecosystems," said Service
Director Jamie Rappaport Clark. "The President's budget addresses each
of these priorities."
The proposed budget calls for $675.8 million for the Service's resource
management programs, an $80.9 million or 13.6 percent increase over 1998
appropriations.
The Administration proposes to increase overall funding for the National
Wildlife Refuge System $25.9 million, or 11.7 percent, to $246.4 million.
Within this amount, $199.8 million will be for refuge operations, an
increase of $15 million over FY 1998.
This will help fund 232 new projects at 152 refuges and wetland
management districts to recover endangered species; restore or improve
more than 54,000 acres of habitat; serve 1.1 million new visitors; expand
partnerships with public and private organizations; and hire 87 refuge
management, biological, and maintenance staff.
The President is also requesting $46.6 million for refuge maintenance,
which is $10.9 million, or 30 percent, above FY 1998 appropriations.
This will help reduce the system's longstanding maintenance backlog by
supporting approximately 200 maintenance projects at 140 refuges and
wetland management districts.
The President's budget also includes $60.5 million for land acquisition
that will add more than 43,000 acres to the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The budget proposes $112.9 million for the Service's Endangered Species
program, an increase of $35.8 million, or 46 percent. The additional
funding will support more effective implementation of the Act, strengthen
partnerships with other public agencies and private interests, and
increase the flexibility and certainty provided to private landowners.
The new funding will be used to further Administration policies that take
advantage of the flexibility built into the Act to balance conservation
with economic development and to begin implementing any new statutory
requirements Congress might include in reauthorization of the Act. The
budget calls for an additional $2.5 million, or a 44 percent increase,
for the Candidate Conservation program to better manage threats to
declining species and their habitats before they require listing as
threatened or endangered.
To date, the Service has entered into 40 candidate conservation
agreements with private landowners and state and local governments,
benefitting more than 200 species and preventing the listing of 5
species. In FY 1999, the Service expects to implement additional
agreements that will help protect 80 more species and preclude the
listing of 20 new species.
The proposed budget for listing activities would climb $2.3 million, or
44 percent, to $7.5 million to address increasing numbers of listing
actions and litigation caseloads.
The consultation budget would increase $12.6 million, or 53 percent, to
$36.5 million, allowing the Service to review more than 40,000 Federal
actions and conduct 1,750 programmatic consultations affecting endangered
species. Another primary use of the increase would be to establish an
additional 100 to 175 habitat conservation plans, agreements with
landowners that allow economic development to continue while conserving
endangered species. The total number of HCPs -- both established and new
-- will cover hundreds of species on more than 9 million acres.
The President's budget for endangered species recovery efforts would
increase $13.4 million, or 31 percent, to $55.8 million to support "Safe
Harbor" agreements, develop recovery plans, and support reclassification
and delisting
actions. The Service expects 150 Safe Harbor agreements will be in some
stage of development or implementation during FY 1999. These agreements
provide private landowners with assurances that voluntary conservation
actions taken on their land will not lead to further restrictions on
economic development in the future.
Included in the endangered species budget is $2 million to meet the
candidate conservation, listing, consultation, and recovery needs for the
Mexican spotted owl, southwestern willow flycatcher, and other wildlife
and plant species native to the Southwest under the Southwest Ecosystem
Initiative, a cooperative agreement with the Agriculture and Defense
Departments. The budget also provides additional funding for the Platte
River and Columbia River Basin programs.
The President also is proposing a $3 million, or 50 percent, increase in
assistance to the states for habitat conservation planning land
acquisition under the Cooperative Endangered Species Fund.
The Administration is proposing to increase funding for the Service's
Fisheries program by $4.4 million, or 6 percent. The additional funds
would be used to support the Southwest Ecosystem Initiative, aquatic
nuisance species control, aquatic habitat restoration projects, and
projects to improve fish passage in streams and rivers.
The Administration also is proposing an increase of $5.7 million, or 10
percent, to $64.9 million for the Service's habitat conservation
programs. An additional $900,000 would be used to address an additional
40 to 50 major water development projects that are scheduled for
relicensing by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The budget
would designate an additional $2.5 million for Partners for Fish and
Wildlife, a program to help private landowners voluntarily restore
wetlands on their property as part of the Clean Water and Watershed
Restoration
Initiative. An additional $1 million is requested to assess how
pesticides and other contaminants are affecting wildlife and habitat on
national wildlife refuges.
Meanwhile, the budget proposes a $1.3 million increase, or 7 percent, for
the Service's migratory bird management programs. This includes $300,000
to support the Southwest Initiative, $400,000 to begin implementing the
recent amendments to the U.S.-Canada migratory bird protocol, and
$200,000 to address the problem of overabundant populations of snow geese
and the ecological damage they are doing to their arctic nesting grounds.
In addition, the budget includes a $3 million, or 26 percent, increase
for the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund, as part of the Clean
Water and Watershed Restoration Initiative, to support voluntary
partnerships to conserve and restore wetland ecosystems throughout North
America. The $14.7 million budget would generate an estimated $29
million in matching funds from partners and allow acquisition,
restoration, or enhancement of 245,000 acres of wetlands.
-FWS-
============================================================
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Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 16:19:38 -0500
From: "Bina Robinson"
To:
Subject: Funding Indonesian Forest Fires
Message-ID: <199802032140.QAA12548@net3.netacc.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Received February 3, 1998 the following notice, dated January 30, from
SOCIETY FOR ANIMAL PROTECTIVE LEGISLATION 202-337-2334
POB 3719, Gerogetown Station, Wahington DC 200007
Humanitarians throughout the world must take action to fight against the
gruesome fires that have been burning for months in Indonesia, destroying
the forest homes of the severely endangered orangutans, elephants, Sumatran
tigers, leaf monkeys and other inhabitants of the forested islands
controlled by the dictator Suharto. The fires, set by the palm oil
industry to clear the forest, have burrowed deep into the vast peat bogs
and seams of coal where they may continue to smolder for years. Birds and
insects have disappeared in many places. People and animals alike suffer
from the poisonous smog.
The Indonesian government wants to plant over 2 million acres of
industrial, fast-growing trees to replace the majestic rainforest, one of
the richest and most diverse ecologies on our planet and home for millennia
to the orangs and their fellow creatures. Most of this will be cleared by
fire unless the greedy timber barons can be stopped.
YOU CAN HELP PREVENT THESE DEVASTATING FIRES FROM BEING SET by
opposing the
billions of our US tax dollars the Clinton Administration wants to give the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) to "bail out" Indonesia. "USA Today"
reports that "President Clinton called Suharto to warn that the United
States would insist on economic reforms before endorsing the $43 billion
IMF bailout plan." But, the article states, "Tightening up on the economic
side while overlooking the environmnet may be the worst policy of all.
Without check, Indonesia would certainly accelerate the cutting and burning
of forests to raise the foreign exchange it urgently needs."
STOP FAST TRACK FUNDING FOR THE IMF
Please write your Senators and Representative and tell them you oppose the
huge $18 billion appropriation for the International Mopnetary Fund that
President Clinton wants to "fast track" in February. Ask them to ensure
that IMF funding goes through the normal appropriations process, with full
and open public hearings every step of the way. -30-
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 14:19:52 -0800 (PST)
From: Michael Markarian
To: ar-news@envirolink.org, en.alerts@conf.igc.apc.org
Cc: alococo@wyoming.com, utah.predator@worldnet.att.net
Subject: Utah Alert: Democracy Thrown to the Wolves!
Message-ID: <2.2.16.19980203182838.0e6fd57c@pop.igc.org>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
UTAH ALERT
DEMOCRACY THROWN TO THE WOLVES OVER WILDLIFE ISSUES!
There is an issue in the Utah Legislature that threatens the rights of
people who want to protect wildlife. S.J.R. 10 would amend the State
Constitution to change the rules concerning citizen ballot initiatives:
"Legislation initiated to allow, limit, or prohibit the taking of wildlife
or the season for or method of taking wildlife shall be adopted upon
approval of two thirds of those voting."
Currently, Utah citizens have the right to gather signatures to place a
question on the statewide ballot for voters to decide. In a general
election, a simple majority will enact the ballot initiative into law. Why
should wildlife advocates be subject to stricter rules than other citizens?
S.J.R. 10 could cripple any future ballot initiative to restrict trapping or
trophy hunting practices. The bill has already made it out of Committee in
the Senate, and it is moving quickly. We need your immediate help to stop
this bill in its tracks! (Because it is a constitutional amendment, the bill
needs two thirds approval in both the Senate and the House. We can defeat
this bill with your help!)
PLEASE CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE IN SALT
LAKE CITY
TODAY, AND ASK THEM TO OPPOSE S.J.R. 10. (If you do not know who represents
you, call your local library, town or city hall, or League of Women Voters
for assistance.)
CALL YOUR SENATOR AT (801) 538-1035.
CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AT (801) 538-1029.
Here are a few points you may wish to make when you call:
*** The right to participate in the initiative process is a tradition in
Utah. People with views on wildlife issues should not be subject to more
stringent requirements than other citizens.
*** Citizens should be encouraged to take part in the government process,
not discouraged by strict rules and requirements set by special interest
legislators and lobbyists.
*** The standard for ballot initiatives should be universally applied to
all, and cannot be changed to fit the political whims of our legislators.
Thank you for your help! For more information please contact The Fund for
Animals' Rocky Mountain office at (307) 859-8440 or or
the Predator Education Fund at (801) 575-7101 or
.
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 17:37:25 -0500 (EST)
From: "Jeffrey A. LaPadula"
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US-TN) Garth Brooks and Nashville Zoo?
Message-ID:
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
I heard something on the the radio (1010 AM NYC) about Garth Brooks giving
1 million dollars to the Nashville Zoo. Does anyone have anything on
this?
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 18:27:45 -0500
From: "Bina Robinson"
To:
Subject: Fw: AMERICA GETS READY TO KILL WHALES
Message-ID: <199802032317.SAA27110@net3.netacc.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
----------
> From: BreachEnv@aol.com
> To:
> Subject: AMERICA GETS READY TO KILL WHALES
> Date: Tuesday, February 03, 1998 3:31 PM
>
> WHALE NEWSLETTER
>
> AMERICA GETS READY TO KILL WHALES
>
> In a massive breach of faith with the American people, the Clinton
> Administration, in defiance of its own laws and the wishes of the vast
> majority of its citizens, wants to allow whaling in US waters. If the US
> authorities get their way, for the first time in over 30 years, mainland
US
> citizens will slaughter whales.
>
> As the Makah Tribe of Washington State gear up to slaughter whales,
practising
> in the waters of Neah Bay with huge guns - artillery big enough to sink
a
> destroyer - the future of the worldÆs whale species is on the line. If
the
> Makah succeed in their efforts to claim treaty rights to kill whales -
an
> action which is illegal for all US citizens - coastal whaling will break
out
> world-wide under the guise of æculturalÆ or æindigenousÆ whaling.
>
> Lack of any adequate media coverage in most of the US makes it difficult
for
> the average American citizen to have any notion that its Government is
not
> only working hard to allow whales to be killed within its national
waters -
> the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary to be precise - but is
spending
> big money to help the Makah start killing.
>
> In a remarkable display of double standards, the Clinton Administration
voted
> last year to ensure the Californian Gray Whale remain on Appendix I of
the
> CITES treaty. Inclusion in this Appendix effectively prohibits any
whaling any
> where in the world. Yet the US Government is leaving no stone unturned
in its
> efforts to allow the killing of the same whale in US waters. The only
legal
> hindrance to the Makah beginning their grisly kill is a lawsuit, filed
in
> Washington DC on October 17th., 1997.
>
> Already the issues raised in the lawsuit are becoming so critical that
the
> case has the potential to set vitally important precedents in the
struggle to
> protect the global environment. The Makah issue raises major questions
about
> all our futures.
>
> The following newsletter is an attempt to overcome the information gap.
If you
> care about whales, please take the time to photocopy th
> . It may be the only way the public can be
> alerted.
>
> Dear Friends,
>
> The purpose of this newsletter is to let you know some of the facts
> surrounding the efforts of a native American Indian tribe, the Makah, to
gain
> a quota to kill Californian gray whales. In the deliberately created
confusion
> which surrounds this issue, and the lack of objective media coverage,
itÆs
> difficult for people to know the truth. Yet there has never been a more
> important time for the whales. The clock is about to be turned back.
>
> Desperate to control the resources of the worldÆs oceans, Japan is
supporting
> and funding the push to open up æculturalÆ or æindigenousÆ whaling.
Japanese
> interests have backed the Makah effort all the way. In Japanese schools,
> despite increasing health risks, children are now given free whale meat
as the
> Government and vested interests attempt to influence Japanese eating
habits
> and counter external and internal pressure to stop killing whales.
>
> A legal challenge has been mounted against the US governmentÆs blatant,
and
> allegedly illegal, attempts to grant the Makah a quota of gray whales -
in
> spite of strong domestic legislation which bans all US citizens from
whaling.
> The legal challenge was formulated and initiated by a coalition of two
non-US
> organisations: Breach Marine Protection (BMP) and Australians for
Animals
> (AFA), working closely with a firm of US Public Interest lawyers, Meyer
&
> Glitzenstein of Washington DC.
>
> At the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Aberdeen in
l996, the
> US government was forced to withdraw its attempts to obtain a quota for
the
> Makah from the IWC because of opposition within Congress and by other
IWC
> member countries. During that meeting in Scotland, it was realised that
a
> number of legal challenges against the Makah attempts to gain a quota
were
> possible under US domestic legislation. After many hundreds of hours of
work
> in the ensuing months, the lawsuit was filed just prior to the IWC
meeting in
> Monaco in October,1997. By this time, the lawsuit had been joined
> as well as a number of
> concerned US citizens and whalewatching companies with an interest in
the
> plight of the California gray whale as co-plaintifs. However, todate
only two
> US groups, Cetacean Society International, Connecticut, and the Great
Whales
> Foundation in California have made donations towards the lawsuit.
>
> Lawsuits donÆt come cheap and this one is no exception. Lawyers
representing
> the Makah have applied to the Washington Court to assist the US
aurthoritiesÆs
> defence by joining the lawsuit on the US side. A great deal of work
needs to
> be undertaken prior to the impending fight in the courts. In belief that
many
> of the Global Community may want to raise their hands and donate funds
to help
> the gray whale; both BMP and AFA are anxious to find financial support
from
> American and international citizens. We think the time is now to solicit
the
> general publicÆs help in this David and Goliath battle to save these
highly
> intelligent, social, magnificent creatures who are by nature, trusting
and
> responsive to human kind.
>
> At a time when Breach Marine ProtectionÆs inspired World-Wide Petition
in
> support of the æPopular (Peoples) Resolution on Abolition of Inhumane
> Commercial Slaughter of WhalesÆ designed to stop whale slaughter has
been
> signed by well over 10 million people, the moral injunction on
governments to
> listen has never been greater. If whaling breaks out wearing the cloak
of
> native rights, æculturalÆ, æindigenousÆ or under whatever guise, whales
which
> travel up and down any coastline will become targets. Japan and Norway
have
> tried for years to persuade the IWC that their coastal populations are
> ôindigenousö. Furthermore, in May this year, the IWC at its meeting in
Oman
> will consider an Irish proposal to re-start commercial coastal whaling
and
> introduce a new catergory - æculturalÆ whaling. Know as the Irish
> æInitiativeÆ, this is also a recipe of disaster for the great whales.
>
> THE DEAL AT IWC MONACO
>
> Many of you have been told that at IWC Monaco, the Australian
GovernmentÆs
> delegation managed to hol
> ecognised as
> genuine aboriginal subsistence whaling.
>
> In reality, this delegation put forward a schedule amendment which
deleted
> some critical words - words that insisted any aboriginal subsistence
quota be
> recognised by the IWC. Words that would have prevented the US seeking a
quota
> for the Makah at the IWC. ThereÆs no way a tribe which hasnÆt whaled for
70
> plus years and lives in one of the richest countries in the world can be
> compared with a genuine subsistence community. The IWC strict definition
of
> aboriginal subsistence whaling could not be applicable to the Makah
under any
> circumstances.
>
> Authorities and people who seek to persuade American citizens and the
Global
> Community that the Makah have not obtained the go-ahead to kill whales
are
> misleading you. If the Clinton Administration succeeds with the Makah,
there
> will be no stopping the outbreak of cetacean killing world-wide. Already
over
> a dozen tribes are lined up in Canada waiting to see how the Makah fare.
In
> New Zealand, Maoris are considering whaling. A case before the Federal
Court
> in Australia involving native title rights over the coastal seas is
currently
> being heard. Australia, for example, has a barely recovering population
of
> humpback whales which migrate up and down its eastern coastline, whales
which
> could readily become targets of a recommencement of whaling. This
scenario
> will be repeated world-wide.
>
> The only thing standing in the way of the Makah slaughter and a global
> precedent being set is the Breach Marine Protection/ Australians For
Animals
> legal challenge.á
>
> BOATS WONT STOP THE MAKAH
>
> Some groups are vowing to take out protest boats to impede the Makah in
their
> attempts to kill whales. This is a great idea but probably a waste of
time. It
> will certainly be too late to stop the precedent which will have already
been
> created. At the Canadian seal hunt, government authorities passed laws
to
> prevent not only boats, but also aeroplanes flying over the killing
fields. We
> can expect much the same level of protection by the US government
> ter of whales.
>
> Legally, the US government is way out of line. Not only has the
government
> failed to undertake a proper environmental impact study, but also a five
year
> monitoring program required under the Endangered Species Act is still l8
> months away from completion. Other legal challenges are also possible to
stop
> the Makah going killing. Those of you who donate funds to other
environmental/
> marine conservation groups may well ask why they are not using the legal
> system to its fullest extent.
>
> THE SAD STATISTICS OF THE CALIFORNIAN GRAY WHALE
>
> The majority of Californian gray whales killed by the Russian people (to
feed
> fox farms for their fur) on their migratory route from Baja are female.
> Pregnant females or females with young calves. Why ? Because its easier
to
> prey on a creature trying to protect its young . ThatÆs a sordid fact of
life.
> Statistics kept by Russian scientists shows the kill rate is two females
to
> one male and has been for the last 20 years. In recent years, much of
the
> slaughter has been focussed on young whales, juveniles who have not yet
> reached maturity.
>
> Its difficult to estimate how any species could come out on top with
this
> cornucopia of threats and high mortalities. No effort has been made to
> identify resident whales from migratory whales; the idea of killing a
whale
> which has made its home along the coastline of Neah Bay is difficult to
> accept. No work has been done on the effects this killing would have on
> resident populations. The irony of the situation is that the Californian
gray
> whale is a creature whose meat is almost inedible - only eaten in times
of
> extreme hunger - the same meat which is severely affected by toxic
pollution.
> The meat from a gray whale killed accidentally last yeará in Neah Bay
still
> lies frozen in Makah refrigerators.
>
> COMMON GROUND BETWEEN HUMPBACKS AND GRAY WHALES
>
> A quick comparison between humpbacks found in Australian waters and gray
> whales gives some useful information. Both species are baleen whales who
hug
> the coastline of vast continents they pass
> annum, the humpback population is not considered
> recovered - indeed scientists monitoring this whale species say that it
> remains critically endangered. In contrast, the Californian gray whale
with a
> recovery rate at best of only 2.6 per cent per annum is accepted as
recovered
> by US authorities. Without any regard for the precautionary principle,
or a
> catastrophe such as disease (given the rapidly increasing incidence of
> morbilli and papilloma virus in cetaceans and other marine life), a
claimed
> (no one knows for sure) recovery rate of 2.6% is very tenuous indeed.
>
> LOOK AT THESE FACTS
>
> WeÆve gathered together a collection of statements by scientists who are
> studying the gray whale. If you want copies of the relevant papers,
please let
> us know.
>
> * Of all baleen whales found to have been entangled in fishing nets,
93.8%
> were gray whales and the majority of those were young animals travelling
close
> to shore with their mothers.
>
> * Fisheries related mortality ranges from 8.7 to 25.8% along the
migration
> route.
>
> * Sexually immature animals represent 90% of all stranding.
>
> * Less than all 5% of all gray whale mortalities are reported and
examined.
>
> * Combined mortalities of immature animals represent 79.5 per cent of
the
> total.
>
> * Annual adult mortality is approximately 1,407 animals. Currently, the
total
> population is estimated at approximately 21,000 animals.
>
> * Over 29 years, 38% of whales were killed inside lagoons. The majority
of
> lagoon catches were females.
>
> * The life span of the gray whale is around 30-77 years.
>
> * Pregnancy duration is approximately l3 months.
>
> * Female reproduction rate is one calf every two years.
>
> MAKAH TRIBAL RITES
>
> Documented historical evidence of MakahÆs involvement with the whale
> demonstrates a few practices which may not be any more acceptable than
their
> attempt to recommence whaling after a 70 year break.
>
> The Makah tribe kept slaves.
>
> A warrior who intended to kill a whale had to live in complete celibacy
for up
> to a year. The climax of his ritual cleansing involved swimming wit
> pse prior to going out to hunt a whale. Some of the tribal
> elders are totally opposed to the recommencement of whaling on any
grounds.
> They say times have changed and that killing the whale is no longer
necessary.
> But their voices have been silenced by the income seeking Tribal Council
and
> these elders are enduring considerable harassment in their own
community.
> There is no majority within the Tribe to kill whales. Many people and
groups
> have tried to persuade the Makah to begin a whale watching operation
instead,
> but the Tribal Council has resisted all efforts to negotiate a solution.
>
> OPINION
>
> Much has been said in recent years about native rights. Most discussions
have
> been stopped in their infancy by accusations of racism. As countries
with
> indigenous tribes wrestle with the problem of delivering justice in l998
in an
> effort to wipe out the historical record of exploitation, murder and
> destruction, attempts at public discussion and debate have been
resisted.
>
> Instead, what seems to be happening in the incredible rush to right the
> historical wrongs is that the earth and its creatures are becoming the
> sacrificial victims on the altar of guilt. Changes being visited on ALL
> humanity are irresistible. No tribe, no civilisation, no race is immune
from
> humanityÆs evolution. We are all, each and every one of us capable of
revering
> the earth and equally capable of destroying it. Dividing people by
creating a
> situation where there is one law for some and different justice for
others
> makes for great tensions in societies.
>
> For the Makah to ignore the overwhelming wishes of the American people
is a
> sad indictment of their ability to behave just like the worst of greedy
> westerners. For the truth is that greed knows no race, no sex, no type.
Greed
> is visited on all humanity whether we be black, white, yellow or a
crossover
> of races. What we need to do as humans is to celebrate our commonality;
to
> work together in ensuring that the earth and its creatures survive for
the
> next generations. The struggle to stop the Makah whal
> ng is a microcosm of
> similar struggles taking place world-wide.
>
> There is a desperate need for a moratorium which allows discussion in
our
> communities; time to re-evaluate - to find other ways of making peace
and
> bringing about reconciliation without killing animals and wiping out
forests
> in the name of æindigenousÆ justice.
>
> To slaughter highly sentient creatures, whose lives resemble our own
human
> families, in the name of native rights defies logic and sensibility.
Killing
> is murder. Slaughtering whales and their young is murder - a crime which
> cannot be made acceptable because of the colour of our skin or the
history of
> our respective race. We know enough in l998 to be aware that we share
this
> earth with other highly intelligent non-human species. We now know a
great
> deal about the behaviour and deep social ties between these animals and
their
> communities.
>
> THE LEGAL CHALLENGE
>
> Meyer & Glitzenstein, the Washington DC lawyers responsible for the
legal
> challenge, have estimated legal costs will be in the vicinity of
$20.000. For
> British áand Australian grass roots groups to find these funds in
difficult
> economic times in their own countries is a big task. Please help us save
> Californian gray whale by contributing to the legal challenge - by
raising
> monies in your own community to assist in the enormous task which must
be
> undertaken.
>
> If you are willing to be a friend to the gray whale, please send your
donation
> to: Breach Marine Protection, Australians for Animals, or one of the
assisting
> US groups - addresses below. Further newsletters will be distributed so
that
> people can be kept updated on the lawsuit in the near future. You can
help by
> distributing this newsletter to as many whale supporters as possible
> throughout your communities.
>
> Breach Marine Protection: 3, St. JohnÆs Street, Goole, East Yorks, DN14
> 5QLTele/Fax: +44 1405 769375 e-mail: BreachEnv@aol.com
>
> Australians for Animals, PO Box 673, Byron Bay, NSW 2481.
> Tele: +61 66 843769 Fax: 61 66 843768 e-mail: arnolds@om.com.auá
>
> Funds can also be sent dire
> uite 405, 160l Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC 20009 USA. (Pls. ensure
that
> donations are clearly marked: æMakah Whaling LawsuitÆ). Or one of the
> assisting US organisations. Please contact us for details
>
> KEY POINTS OF THE LAWSUIT
>
> Breach Marine Protection UK, Australians for Animals (AFA), Congressman
Jack
> Metcalf and others filed a lawsuit against William Daley, Secretary US
Dept.
> of Commerce, James Baker, Administrator of NOAA, Rolland Scmitten,
Director,
> NMFS in the District Court of the District of Columbia on October 17,
1997.
> The action seeks relief from the failure of NOAA and NMFS to comply with
the
> requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Marine
> Sanctuaries Act, (MSA), the Whaling Convention Act, (WCA) and other
statues by
> deciding to authorize and promote the killing of gray whales by the
Makah
> tribe within the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary in Northwest
> Washington State. NOAA and the NMFS have undertaken and continue to
undertake
> a host of actions without adequately considering the significant
environmental
> effects flowing from these actions as required by NEPA and the MSA.
>
> The agenciesÆ authorization and continued promotion of Makah whaling
runs
> afoul of numerous statutory obligations, including the consultations
> requirements of the MSA and the permit issuance procedures under the
WCA. In
> Addition, the agencyÆs authorization and promotion of Makah whaling is
> arbitrary and capricious, and contrary to law, in contravention of the
> purposes of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species
Act, and
> the International Convention on the International Trade in Endangered
Species
> of Wild Fauna (CITES).
>
>
> ⌐ February 1998
>
>
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 1998 08:04:28 +0800
From: bunny
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (NZ)Experts no closer to solving seal deaths
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19980204075659.0f7fbe40@wantree.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
(New Zealand)Dominion 4/2/98
Experts no closer to solving seal deaths
Scientists trying to solve the mystery of more than
1400 sea lion deaths in sub-antarctic islands yesterday
indicated that the best solution might be to let nature
take its course.
The Massey University team has ruled out the distemper
virus that killed 17,000 harbour seals in Europe 10 years
ago.
But after intial studies of samples from Auckland and
neighbouring islands, Cetacean Investigation Centre director
Per Madie said they were no closer to knowing what was
killing the mammals.
It was highly unlikely all the sea lions would be wiped out
because organisms rarely killed all their hosts. "The present
epidemic will dent the population... but the most likely scenario
is that the population will recover again over time," he said.
=====================================================================
========
/`\ /`\ Rabbit Information Service,
Tom, Tom, (/\ \-/ /\) P.O.Box 30,
The piper's son, )6 6( Riverton,
Saved a pig >{= Y =}< Western Australia 6148
And away he run; /'-^-'\
So none could eat (_) (_) email: rabbit@wantree.com.au
The pig so sweet | . |
Together they ran | |} http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm
Down the street. \_/^\_/ (Rabbit Information Service website updated
frequently)
Jesus was a vegetarian... why aren't you? Go to
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/4620/essene.htm
for more information.
It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
- Voltaire
Date: Wed, 04 Feb 1998 11:33:08 +1100
From: Lynette Shanley
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (AU) First ever sacking of Category C ethics Committee
meeting.
Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.19980204113308.0072d3c0@lisp.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Today I was informed I was sacked from the Microsearch Ethics Committee as
an animal welfare representative. This is the first time ever in NSW and as
far as we know Australia, that a animal welfare representative has ever
been sacked.
Dept Of Agriculture have advised me that the terms of reference that stated
I was on the committee for three years are worthless. They don't mean a
thing. Dept of Agriculture have also advised me that the Microsearch
Foundation and indeed any other laboratory, Uni etc using animals, can get
rid of any category C member and replace them with another one.
I had received phone calls at home from Microsearch asking me to resign as
I had questioned many experiments and asked for more information on many
experiments. I was to effective. I was advised I had to start approving
experiments. However it was my job to get more information, ask questions,
etc on behalf of the animals.Microsearch advised me if they had known I was
opposed to animal experimentation they would never had appointed me and
would have appointed another animal welfare person. I assume one that
passes experiments.
However whether I am opposed to animal experiments or not should not matter
for as long as the experiment meets the criteria, the animal welfare reps
have to pass the experiment.
The system it appears can be legally manipulated in favour of the
experimenters.
The press have spoken to me this morning. Two members of Parliament are
interested in raising this matter in the NSW parliament.
The Dept of Agriculture is now carrying out an enquiry into the matter.
What hope do the animals have. This demonstrates ethics committees are a
waste of time as far as animal welfare is concerned.
Lynette Shanley
International Primate Protection League - Australia
PO Box 60
PORTLAND NSW 2847
AUSTRALIA
Phone/Fax 02 63554026/61 2 63 554026
EMAIL ippl@lisp.com.au
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 19:55:50 EST
From: NOVENAANN@aol.com
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: RBBB circus protests (VA)
Message-ID: <2e735bc2.34d7bc99@aol.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
Richmond Animal Rights Network Upcoming Events-
Circus Protests-
All protests are @ 7th street entrance to the Richmond Coliseum at the parking
deck across the street. Sign/banners are provided. Last year we had over 80
protesters- please help us make it more this year.
Tuesday, feb 17- opening night protest @ 6 pm
Saturday, feb 21- @ 2pm and 6:30pm (2pm protest is the most important-if you
can't attend any others please attend this one!)
We will also be protesting during the circus animals walk which might be
on feb 16 but they usually keep it hush hush.
There will also be a group of protesters at every show if you cannot make it
to the main protests. The shows are @ 7:30pm on feb 18, 10:30am and 7:30pm on
feb 19, 3:30 and 7:30 on feb 20, 11am, 3:30, and 7:30 on feb 21, and 11:30 and
5:30 on feb 22. Protesters arrive an hour before showtime.
Why are we protesting the circus?
Animals perform unnatural acts, like roller skating and
jumping through flaming hoops, only under threat of punishment.
Training methods include the use of electric prods, drugs, whips,
paw burning, bull hooks, and beatings. These animals do no participate
willingly. They are controlled through force and fear.
RARN is a grassroots collective organization that is run without hierarchies.
We are dedicated to animal liberation, veganism, and the elimination of
cruelty to animals. For more info on RARN call (804) 353-0363. Please call or
send e-mail if you live in VA and you want to be added to our phone list.
Please visit our website- http://members.aol.com/novenaann/organiz2.htm
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 21:55:01 -0500
From: molgoveggie@juno.com (Molly G Hamilton)
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: baby elephant dies!
Message-ID: <19980203.221138.3254.6.molgoveggie@juno.com>
Call and voice your outrage about baby Kenny dying only one year old and
no explanation for his death with Ringling Brothers Circus. Call
Ringling at: (708) 448-4120
Also write Sears and demand them to stop sponsering Ringling !
Write to:
John Lebbad
Director of marketing Affairs
727SMA-490
333 Beverly Rd.
Hoffman Estates, Illinois
60179
Molly G. Hamilton-Mann
_____________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 23:25:47 -0500
From: allen schubert
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US)Harpo worker says editing was balanced
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19980203232545.00696be8@pop3.clark.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
from Amarillo Globe-News http://www.amarillonet.com/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Web posted Tuesday, February 3, 1998 1:12 p.m. CT
Harpo worker says editing was balanced
By KAY LEDBETTER-Globe-News Farm and Ranch Editor
and CHIP CHANDLER-Globe-News Staff Writer
Harpo producer James Kelley said he believed the show on "Dangerous Foods"
was balanced and fair, but he said he "possibly" could have done a better
job.
Kelley also said he was being criticized for the editing by Oprah Winfrey
and executive producer Diane Hudson.
He said he believes he will be fired from Harpo Productions Inc. if Winfrey
wins the lawsuit.
Kelley testified Tuesday morning via videotaped deposition in the cattlemen
vs. Winfrey trial. His testimony ended at 11:30 a.m., and the court took an
early recess for lunch.
"Why do you believe that (you will be fired)?" plaintiffs' attorney Joseph
Coyne asked.
"I just do. It's just my instinct," Kelley said. He said he had been
demoted from senior associate producer to post-production producer after
the show aired.
For the first time, neither Winfrey nor Paul Engler were in the courtroom
when the session started Tuesday morning.
Winfrey said Monday she had two shows to tape and would be like a dishrag
today.
"You can't imagine the energy it takes," she said.
She was expected to return to court this afternoon.
In the deposition, Kelley said he did not believe the aired show had an
anti-beef message.
"I thought it was fair - point-counterpoint."
Kelley agreed guests Dr. Gary Weber and Dr. Will Hueston representing the
cattlemen and the U.S. Department of Agriculture were edited more heavily
than guest Howard Lyman, a vegetarian activist.
"Howard Lyman spoke better, to the point; Gary Weber rambled and
digressed."
In a deposition taken in December, Kelley said most of what he cut from
Weber's comments were redundancies, but he was unable to point out where he
thought some of the repetition occurred.
He also said he might have made more cuts to later portions of the show to
leave in more discussion about mad cow disease.
When asked whether he had been criticized for his editing, Kelley said he
had been "chewed out" by producer David Boyl, Winfrey and Hudson.
Kelley said Boyl "thought I should have taken ... he thought I had made the
mad cow segment too short. I told him I was told to take out (footage) in
the mad cow segment." He said Hudson and Winfrey both told him it was a bad
editing job.
Kelley said he watched the full program after it aired only "because we
were getting a lot of flak for the show from the media. They were
criticizing us."
He said he did not do any further research on some comments on the show
that he thought might be extreme, including Winfrey comparing the British
health crisis to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and Howard Lyman saying BSE
could make AIDS look like the common cold.
In testimony Monday, a fellow worker said Kelley was being held as a
scapegoat in the "Dangerous Foods" portion of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" when
in fact he was only doing what he was told, according to a former employee
testifying Monday via videotape.
LaGrande Green, a former supervising senior producer with Harpo Inc.,
testified that Kelley, who was responsible for editing the show in
question, had said Winfrey and others in upper management were blaming him
for the show being involved in a lawsuit.
Green did not work on the show in question, but had been a supervisor of
Kelley's at one time and was his friend, he testified.
"Kelley said he felt really bad. Diane (Hudson) was upset with him. Oprah
blamed him for a bad editing job," Green testified. "He didn't understand
why people were blaming him because Oprah walked into the control room and
said 'cut that boring beef guy out - he's rambling - he's going on and on
and on."'
Green also testified that Kelley said he felt like he was being forced to
tell a lie in his deposition. However, Green said Kelley never said who was
telling him to lie or what they wanted him to say.
Kelley also told Green he was no longer producing shows at Harpo but was
handling other matters and had been advised by some in Harpo that he should
quit, Green testified.
"He (Kelley) said he knew Oprah and Diane didn't like him and he's just
there because of the lawsuit," Green said.
Kelley also testified on Monday via videotaped deposition. He testified he
was in part responsible for selecting guests, making the cuts based on
"those that have knowledge, insightful information, are truthful and good
communicators."
Kelley testified in editing he used the criteria "that it's truthful and
the most relevant point is made on the show. You make sure you keep the
substance in it."
Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 23:26:33 -0500
From: allen schubert
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) Oprah takes the stand
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19980203232630.00695f9c@pop3.clark.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
from Amarillo Globe-News http://www.amarillonet.com/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Web posted Tuesday, February 3, 1998 6:56 p.m. CT
Oprah takes the stand
Cattlemen vs. Oprah Winfrey
By CHIP CHANDLER
Globe-News Staff Writer
It was Oprah Winfrey the defendant who was called to the stand on Tuesday
afternoon in a defamation lawsuit filed against her.
During the court session, however, it was Winfrey the talk-show host and
the celebrity who at times took over the court.
Winfrey's testimony - in which she said she was only asking questions
during the episode of her talk show that sparked the lawsuit - elicited
laughter on several occasions. Jurors smiled and appeared animated, as did
U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson.
Winfrey was called to the stand by area cattlemen who are suing her, her
production company and a guest on her April 16, 1996, show. The plaintiffs
allege Winfrey and the other defendants disparaged the U.S. beef industry,
including cattle-feeding operations in the Amarillo area.
Under frequently stern questioning by plaintiffs' attorney Joseph Coyne,
Winfrey said she thought she had spent enough time personally familiarizing
herself with the topic of mad cow disease.
She said she spent 15 to 20 minutes the night before the show's taping
reading a packet of information prepared by her show's producers on the
topic. She said she also talked with producer James Kelley for about five
minutes on the disease before the taping began.
"I invested the amount of time I believed would be necessary to go on the
show and ask questions for 10 minutes," she said.
She said she did not personally research the topic, instead relying on her
staff and a system she had devised.
"Every show - and we do more than 200 a year - every show we have the same
standard for ourselves," Winfrey said. "That doesn't change because we're
doing a show on the safety of your food, or on the safety of your children
or on the safety of your home. The system is in place, so they know what to
do."
Part of the producers' jobs, she said, was to research the credibility of
guests.
"I believe that we have a responsibility to make sure that the people
coming on our show believe what they're saying is truthful or accurate,"
she said.
Winfrey also stood behind her reputation as an influential person.
"What I've tried to do over the years is have the show be an extension of
who I am and what I stand for, and what I stand for is the truth as I know
it to be," she said.
During the afternoon's testimony, Winfrey's comments brought laughter from
the packed courtroom benches, the jury box and the judge.
At one point, Coyne asked Winfrey whether she would have put certain
information in a briefing packet prepared for her.
"Well, that calls for speculation," Winfrey said. Her attorney, Charles
Babcock, rose and objected on those grounds with a broad grin on his face.
Judge Robinson agreed and sustained the objection while laughing along with
the courtroom spectators.
Date: Tue, 03 Feb 1998 20:29:57
From: David J Knowles
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [UK] Anger at delay in report on diet and cancer risk
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19980203202957.11bf51c0@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
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>From The Electronic Telegraph - Wednesday, February 4th, 1998
Anger at delay in report on diet and cancer risk
By Celia Hall, Medical Editor
THE Government was accused yesterday of delaying a report on cancer and
diet because it contradicts official advice on the risks of eating red meat.
Frank Dobson, the Health Secretary, said last September that people eating
an average amount of red meat should consider eating less. But the final
draft of the scientists' report recommends only that people eating an
average amount should not increase their intake.
The Department of Health said yesterday that the report from a sub-group of
the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy "would be
published shortly".
Dr Stanley Vennit, a member of the sub-group, said that Mr Dobson had gone
too far in his press statement. Mr Dobson also halted the publication of
the report until figures could be agreed.
Dr Vennit said the agreed final draft recommends only that people who eat
eight to 10 portions of red meat a week or about 90 grams a day "should not
increase it".
He said: "There is no argument at all about reducing high consumption of
red meat - above 140 grams a day (12-14 portions a week) - as this seems to
be linked to a modest increase in cancer, particular colo-rectal cancer."
Dr Vennit, a reader at the Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton, south
London, accused civil servants of face-saving. "I am not accusing
individual ministers," he said. "I am saying there has been a general
mix-up. All I am saying is that they should not have issued prescriptive
advice on diet, which has far-reaching effects, without simultaneously
publishing scientific evidence to support it."
When the report was stopped last September, the Department of Health asked
for meetings between the committee and its sub-group to agree final
wording. The report was submitted again to the Department of Health.
Dr Vennit said: "We expected this report to be published in December, then
in January. It is now February. We were told that it was going to be
published and basically it hasn't appeared. We put a lot of work into this
important report."
The report, which took four years to compile, will deal with vitamin
supplements and whether very high doses can increase the chance of
developing cancer. It will define the importance of exercise and
maintaining a lean body. It will also emphasise the value of a diet high in
fruit and vegetables.
There is no strong evidence from research that eating modest amounts of red
meat increases the risk of cancer. A study of 3,660 adults by scientists
from Cambridge University found that fruit and vegetables could protect
against cancer but no evidence that red meat was a risk.
The Department of Health said yesterday: "The Secretary of State deferred
publication of the report because he became aware that not all members of
COMA and the sub-group were content with the final report and its
recommendations. The report is now agreed by both COMA and its working group."
⌐ Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1998.
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