Komputer for Alle 1998 #6/1998 CD 6 (Gul).iso/web/ffa/wwwenv~1.org/arrs/digest/news5~15.htm/text0002.txt

Text File | 1998-04-03 | 59.5 KB | 1,420 lines

>From The Electronic Telegraph - Thursday, October 9th, 1997

Alaska meltdown as global warming thaws permafrost
By Aisling Irwin, Science Correspondent, and Hugh Davies in Washington

FROZEN soil that underpins much of Alaska is melting, causing roads to
collapse and landslides, and revealing that the United States may be
suffering one of the first tangible consequences of global warming.

Scientists have discovered that temperatures in Alaska are rising three
times faster than in the rest of the Arctic. Three feet below the surface,
the permafrost soil that is supposed never to thaw is one degree warmer
than it was a decade ago.

Prof John Walsh, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Illinois,
said: "If the permafrost melts, it becomes a soggy surface. It becomes
impossible to drive on it. There are important implications if buildings
are on top of it."

Half a mile of road near the town of Fairbanks has collapsed. Road surfaces
encourage melting because they absorb sunlight, which warms the soil below.
Eskimos at Kipnuk, a coastal village in the south on the Bering Sea, have
been wondering if the area is sinking
because of the warming of the permafrost.

It is a treeless spot where 500 people live among hundreds of lakes only
five feet above sea level. Ian Parks, head of Chief Paul Memorial School,
said some buildings in the village were becoming unstable, with cracks
appearing in walls, doors sticking and floors rising and falling.

Elsewhere in the state, bumps are appearing in roads and parts of forests
are beginning to collapse. Prof Tom Ostercamp, of the University of Alaska,
who has studied the permafrost for 25 years, found that all the permafrost
south of the Yukon River was warming. He has drilled a network of one-inch
holes across the state and found a steady melting of permafrost.

At a site near the Stampede Trail in Healy, the temperature just below the
surface in 1989 was -1.27C, the next year it had risen to  -1.07C, and last
year it was -0.7C. Computer models predicted a warming of 3C to 5C in the
next 50 years.

Glenn Juday, a professor of forest sciences at the University of Alaska,
said that if the damage to trees continued as severely there was "a serious
question of whether any kind of a forest resembling  what we've got now
will continue". He said there was extensive damage to roads, building
foundations and airport runways.

Across the border in Canada, there have been 2,000 landslides at the
Mackenzie River because of melting permafrost. Prof Walsh said that glacier
retreat in Alaska was seen earlier this year. He said: "The impacts in
other areas are more subtle, for example an
increase in the frequency of severe weather events."

The new evidence of global warming, disclosed in New Scientist magazine,
emerged from one of a series of regional workshops by the US global change
research programme, which investigates how each region can best cope with
the anticipated warming.

 ⌐ Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997. Terms & Conditions of reading.


Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 19:03:19 +0000
From: jwed <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Pet Fair Asia, Pet Fair Brasil, Pet Fair Argentina
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"



PET FAIR ASIA '97 (the first Pet Fair ever to be held in this region) was a
major attempt by the Pet Industry to increase sales in Asia and it is
likely to result in immensely increased abandoned animal problems. It was
held in Hong Kong but it was aimed at the whole region.

The two things that we succeeded in doing were the
distribution of an Action Alert signed by concerned individuals and
organisations around the region; and a handing out of leaflets at the Fair
itself. For the former I have to thank the signatories for this splendid
exercise in regional co-operation; for the latter a sterling effort was
made by EarthCare û the Hong Kong charity that had distinguished itself the
week before by mounting a demonstration against the bullfighting in Macau.
The SPCA (HK) put up a good stall on the last day, as also did the
Agriculture and Fisheries Department.

Our experiences this time will enable us to be better prepared for future
Fairs. These are planned for Argentina in November 1997, Brazil in December
1997 and Hong Kong again in September 1998. If we are not pro-active on
this issue, the workloads of animal shelters and dog pounds are going to
increase exponentially. Governments must be persuaded to take action to
limit animal production until all existing animals are being properly cared
for.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

I HOPE THAT THE BIG INTERNATIONAL ANIMAL ORGANISATIONS WILL TAKE A
LEADING
ROLE.
If you are a member, please do your best to plead this case with them.

For more details - copy of the Action Alert, photographs and various
documents pertaining to the Fair - please go to:
http://www.earth.org.hk/petfair97.html

REPORT ON PET FAIR ASIA '97 by Dr John Wedderburn ( e-mail [e-mail] )




Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 08:02:52 -0400
From: allen schubert <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (US) Food Safety Shakes Cattle Futures
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

from AP Wire page:
-------------------------------------
 10/09/1997 02:08 EST

 Food Safety Shakes Cattle Futures

 By SCOTT BAUER
 Associated Press Writer

 LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- A fluctuating cattle futures market that dipped to
 an 11-week low this week and then rebounded with gains is not unexpected,
 market analysts say.

 Washington hearings on food safety and three E. coli contamination scares
 linked to ground beef in recent weeks have led to some uncertainty in the
 market, said Chuck Lambert, chief economist with the National Cattlemen's
 Beef Association.

 ``The futures tends to be the market that has the most immediate reaction
 to both negative and positive news so that's probably contributed some,''
 he said.

 More than the E. coli incidents, the weakened market is due to a
 plentiful cattle supply, said Jeff Stolle, vice president of marketing
 for the Nebraska Cattlemen's Association.

 ``It would be, in my estimation, dead wrong to blame it all on E. coli,''
 Stolle said. ``Most of the reaction in the futures market is that we
 anticipate a rather large supply of fed cattle between now and the end of
 the year.''

 Cattle producers are becoming frustrated with the market because they had
 hoped to make more money than they are on cattle they purchased earlier
 this year, Stolle said.

 On Tuesday, December cattle fell 0.45 cent to 66.225 cents a pound.
 November feeder cattle fell as much as 1.125 cents to 76.6 cents a pound
 on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

 The market rebounded Wednesday, with December cattle gaining 0.17 cent to
 66.4 cents a pound. November feeder cattle were up 0.15 cent to 76.75
 cents a pound early in the day and later leveled off at 76.6.

 The cash market has remained relatively constant in recent weeks. In
 Nebraska, slaughtered cattle were selling for $105 per 100 pounds two
 weeks ago and last week. This week the market softened to $104 per 100
 pounds, Stolle said.

 ``A dollar change in three weeks is very little change whatsoever,'' he
 said.

 In Kansas and Texas, the price paid for live cattle also has remained
 constant the past three weeks, dropping only $1, Stolle said.

 Considering all the variables this time of year, it is difficult to sort
 out what is causing the highs and lows, Lambert said.

 ``At this stage it's probably difficult to pin it on any one issue,'' he
 said.

 The news for the beef industry has been nothing but bad since late August
 when the Hudson Foods Inc. plant in Columbus, Neb., shut down after
 recalling 25 million pounds of ground beef suspected of being tainted
 with the E. coli bacteria. A U.S. Agriculture Department investigation is
 under way and a federal grand jury in Omaha is investigating whether
 there was an attempt to cover up the extent of the possible
 contamination.

 Last week, South Korean officials said they would not accept 18 tons of
 beef imported from IBP Inc. of Dakota City, Neb., after samples showed
 the presence of E. coli.

 And on Friday, BeefAmerica recalled 443,656 pounds of ground beef from
 its Norfolk plant after meat tainted with E. coli found in a Virginia
 grocery store was traced to the company.

Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 08:41:40 -0400
From: allen schubert <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (US) Accident Could Involve Cruelty Charges
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

from CNN web page:
-----------------------------------
Connecticut State News
Reuters
09-OCT-97

Accident Could Involve Cruelty Charges

(BRIDGEPORT) -- Bridgeport police say a truck driver may face charges of
animal cruelty after an accident in that town. Police found 100 puppies,
one of them dead, in unsanitary conditions in the truck. Investigators are
considering filing animal cruelty charges against the driver since several
other dogs are sick. The truck was found after it slammed into a railroad
viaduct.
Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 08:44:11 -0400
From: allen schubert <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (US) Illegal Animal Carcass Dump Discovered
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

from CNN web page:
----------------------------------
Vermont State News
Reuters
09-OCT-97

Illegal Animal Carcass Dump Discovered

(RUTLAND) -- The discovery of an illegal dump full of dozens of animal
carcasses is under investigation in Rutland. Town Administrator Joe Zingale
says his dog started digging up the discarded remains of cows and sheep
while he looked for potential sites to drill drinking water wells. The
owner of a nearby slaughterhouse has denied any connection.
Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 08:49:12 -0400
From: allen schubert <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (US) Prairie Dogs Still In Search Of Haven
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

from CNN web page:
------------------------------
Kansas State News
Reuters
09-OCT-97

Prairie Dogs Still In Search Of Haven

(HUTCHINSON) -- Animal lovers in Hutchinson are still trying to find a safe
haven for a colony of prairie dogs that the city wants to evict in order to
make way for a ballpark. City officials wanted to exterminate the animals
at first, until a conservation group from Colorado offered to relocate the
animals to a wildlife refuge west of town. But officials learned this
weekend that badgers had killed the first group of about six-dozen prairie
dogs that were moved, and now the conservation group doesn't know if it
wants to relocate any more. Tourists and city-dwellers often find prairie
dogs to be cute, furry little creatures, but ranchers consider them a
nuisance because their burrows are a hazard to cattle and other livestock.
But members of the conservation group say the animals are a central part of
the prairie ecosystem... and they want the legislature to pass a law making
prairie dogs a protected species.
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 97 07:50:40 UTC
From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Elephant at Oklahoma City Zoo Dies
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Oklahoma City, USA: Judy, the elephant who captivated visitors to the
Oklahoma City Zoo for almost 50 years, died Wednesday.

The veterinary staff will perform a necropsy to determine the cause of
death of the 52-year-old Asian elephant. Judy had been under medical
supervision over the past two years and recent blood work pointed to the
possibility she had cancer.

The zoo held birthday parties for Judy each May, marking her arrival
at the zoo on May 21, 1949.

Area school children in 1949 contributed their money to the elephant
fund to purchase another elephant after the zoo's only elephant, Luna,
died. Judy was welcomed to the city with a parade downtown.

Steve Wylie, zoo executive director and chief executive officer, said
keepers found the elephant down when they arrived at work Wednesday morning.


-- Sherrill
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 97 07:57:44 UTC
From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subject: New Zealand Goats Feature of Seminar
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

(Tulsa World, USA): Kiko meat goats, an import from New Zealand, will be
the focus at a field day, seminar, and sale Saturday near Tulsa. The
American Kiko Goat Association will host the event at Caston Creek
Ranch, five miles west of Wister, OK.

The field day will feature purebred and commercial goats for sale,
along with speakers from Oklahoma State University, Langston University,
and Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture and a New Zealand goat rancher.
Admission is $15 per person.


-- Sherrill
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 97 08:55:42 UTC
From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Zak: The One-of-a-Kind Dog (Book)
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

"Zak: The One-of-a-Kind Dog" by Jane Lidz is available from PETA.
It's a one-of-a-kind book about a one-of-a-kind dog. Zak's adventures
are brought to life in 30 beautiful hand-colored photographs and a
charming text, all by his best human friend, Jane Lidz. Chosen by the
Book-of-the-Month Club and the Children's Book-of-the-Month Club.

"My favorite dog book ever." - Phyllis Levy, book editor, Good Housekeeping.

This book tells the story of an adorable mixed-breed who goes on a quest
to find his true canine identity. As Zak searches for his roots, he discovers
he is not listed on purebred dog charts. In the end, however, he finds his
true identity - one every dog lover will appreciate.

-- Sherrill
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 10:24:02 -0400 (EDT)
From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subject: IU cat burning student info.
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Thanks for all the info. on Olivia i requested. Since I know one of the
sicko's involved home address, thought I would just let everybody else know.
If these people who raised this monster have enough money to send this
monster to Indiana University, then I would think they should be responsible
for Olivia's medical bills.
Monster's name-Blake Case
Home address:
Jerome M. Case
380 S.22 St.
Terre Haute, IN  47803
812-235-0725
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 22:34:45 +0800 (SST)
From: Vadivu Govind <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (US-KR) US Secretly Recalls Meat, Poultry Products 12 Times
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"



>The Korea Herald
9 Oct 97

U.S. Secretly Recalls Meat, Poultry Products 12 Times

     By Koo Hee-jin Staff reporter

     The U.S. government covertly ordered 12 recalls of meat and poultry
products nationwide so     far this year, according to the Korea-Trade
Investment Trade Association (KOTRA).

     The news, which follows on the heels of the controversial discovery of
harmful bacteria in     beef imported from the United States to Korea, is
expected to cause further alarm among     Korean consumers. According to
KOTRA's Seattle Bureau which recently obtained a copy     of 1997 Recall
Cases, published by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) in the
     U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington ordered recalls totalling
27.18 million pounds of     meat and poultry products on 21 occasions during
this year for various reasons, including     bacteria and alien substances.
Twelve of these orders were never revealed to the press. The unrevealed
cases included     recalls of ground and roast beef, beef patties and beef
steaks, sausages and poultry products.
     The states of origin was also varied, ranging from Nevada and Kentucky
to Colorado and     Washington. These covert recalls were ordered as far
back as March to as recent as earlier     this month. Washington did not
comment on why the recalls were kept secret until the recent
governmental publication.

     This latest revelation is expected to add to the controversy in Korea
over the U.S. beef which     was found to be contaminated with O-157:H7 E.
coli bacteria late last month. Talks between     Washington food specialists
and Korean officials from the National Animal Quarantine     Service opened
Tuesday in an attempt to resolve the crisis.

     However, the tension on the Korea-U.S. trade front appears to be
getting all the more clear,     with the ongoing tug-of-war between Seoul
and Washington due to the latter's invocation of     Super 301 statute of
U.S. trade law against Korea over an auto trade dispute. With such
mounting pressure, the contaminated beef has emerged as a major trade issue,
with the U.S.     side concerned that the case will be used as an excuse for
Korea to cut beef imports.

     The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry turned down a request from the
U.S. Department of     Agriculture to retest the meat in question Tuesday,
saying that it regarded the request as a     challenge to its authority.


Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 22:34:37 +0800 (SST)
From: Vadivu Govind <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: World Killer Flu
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"


our ultimate nemesis....?

>Hong Kong Standard
9 Oct 97

Hong Kong News

World alert as scientists keep watch on
killer flu

SCIENTISTS are keeping a close eye on a new influenza
virus found in Hong Kong which is similar to strains that
killed more than 22 million people this century.
So far, the death of a three-year-old boy in Hong Kong in
May is an isolated case.

But health organisations around the world have been
alerted because the potential of the new virus for causing a
pandemic, or global epidemic, in humans is unknown.

``I do not think it is a serious threat, not at this moment,''
Albert Osterhaus of the National Influenza Centre of the
Netherlands, said in an interview.

``But these viruses have, in principle, potential to be
pandemic viruses.''

More than 20 million people died in the world's worst
global flu epidemic _ the Spanish flu of 1918. Nearly 40
years later one million succumbed to the Asian flu and in
1967 the Hong Kong flu claimed 700,000 lives.

Scientists do not know what causes a flu pandemic. They
believe the new strain originates in birds or pigs and then
crosses over to humans who have no immunity against it.
Many virologists believe another pandemic is overdue.

Mr Osterhaus and his colleagues examined the virus that
was isolated from the respiratory tract of the boy who died
in May. They confirmed that it was a new virus not before
seen in humans. In a letter published in the scientific
journal Nature on Wednesday, he explained that the
viruses responsible for earlier pandemics involved strains
from birds that carried a combination of two viral
envelope glycoproteins, haemagglutinin (H) and
neuramidase (N).

The H1N1, H2N2 and H3N2 combinations caused the
previous three major epidemics. The new virus which
virologists identified as H5N1 has a similar combination,
and doctors believe the child may have caught it while
visiting a chicken farm a week before he became ill.

Experts from the World Health Organisation are
investigating a similar virus that has killed chickens in
Hong Kong to determine if the boy's case was a direct
spill-over. So far no other cases have been reported and
doctors do not know why the child caught it.

``We have seen in the past similar viruses spilling over
from other animal species, including birds and pigs, and
these events have led to pandemic spread of such viruses,
but at this moment we do not know why the virus is not
spreading among people,'' Mr Osterhaus said._ Reuter

Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 22:34:52 +0800 (SST)
From: Vadivu Govind <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (IN) Sanctuaries proposed for city monkeys
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"



>South China Morning Post
                           Internet Edition
                             Thursday  October 9  1997
     Sanctuaries proposed for city monkeys
     AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE in New Delhi

     A leading animal rights activist has called for a mass roundup of
hundreds of thousands of monkeys from India's cities after claiming nearly
40,000 people suffer bites every     year, a report said yesterday.

     Iqbal Malik, who wants to set up sanctuaries for monkeys, which are
regarded as     sacred in India, said there were about 500,000 of the
animals in the country, of which     about 50 per cent lived in urban areas.

     According to rough estimates about 100 people are bitten every day. Mr
Malik urged     the Government to trap monkeys en masse living in urban
areas and release them in     jungles as well as set up sanctuaries, which
could be turned into tourist attractions.

     Last year the New Delhi authorities advertised for someone to shoot the
monkeys, but     no one applied for the job. Hindus worship simians as the
incarnation of a monkey god     called Hanuman.


Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 09:15:53 -0700 (PDT)
From: Michael Markarian <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail], [e-mail]
Subject: NY Alert: Abused Horses Returned to Owner
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

The New York State Humane Association has informed us of the following
situation and asks that people call Washington County (N.Y.) District
Attorney's Office at 518-746-2525 to express strong opposition to the return
of five horses to Trudy Bongiovi. Please also write to the local newspapers
expressing your opinion: The Glens Falls Post Star, P.O. Box 2157, Glens
Falls, N.Y. 12801-0012 and the Journal Press, 1 Hill Street, Greenwich, N.Y.
12834.

A recent news article described the confiscation of five horses owned by
Trudy Bongiovi for failure to provide proper food and care for them. Their
hooves had grown out so far they were threatening to cripple the animals.
Manure was a foot deep in the stalls and Sherriff's Deputy James Murphy
stated that the situation was so extreme that, "If the condition were
allowed to continue it could have resulted in the horses' death."

The New York State Humane Association has now been informed that the
Washington County District Attorney's Office, under the direction of
District Attorney Robb Winn, will return the horses to Trudy Bongiovi, the
owner and person who neglected them. All charges are being dropped on the
defendant and her horses are being returned, with no other explanation from
the District Attorney's Office other than they "feel sorry for Trudy."

Please call the phone number above to express your opposition. Please
forward this message to other N.Y. lists.

Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 09:48:09 -0700 (PDT)
From: Michael Markarian <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: ADC Name Change
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

According to the September 29, 1997 edition of HIGH COUNTRY NEWS, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's "Animal Damage Control" program has changed its
name to "Wildlife Services."

Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 09:53:36 -0700 (PDT)
From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subject: HABEAS CORPUS FILED FOR AR PRISONER
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"


VERY URGENT NEWS ADVISORY
October 9, 1997





Federal Habeas Corpus Claims Activist
Suffering æCruel & Unusual Punishment'

ATLANTA û Documents filed by a civil liberties group in federal court here
Thursday charge that animal activist Sue McCrosky û jailed 27 of the past 37
days, all of it on a hunger and most of it in solitary confinement û was
denied a fair trial, is suffering "cruel and unusual punishment" in DeKalb
County Jail and should be released immediately.

Civil liberties lawyer Claudine Souris will hold a special news briefing
Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at DeKalb Jail shortly before serving a "Writ of
Habeas Corpus" on DeKalb Sheriff Sidney Dorsey.

Ms. McCrosky is now in DeKalb Jail, and has been since last Friday, when she
was convicted of simple trespass at Emory University during a protest in
April at the Yerkes Primate Center, and sentenced to an extraordinarily-long
6 months in jail. She hasn't eaten since last Friday.

According to the filing in U.S. District Court, Ms. McCrosky is
unconstitutionally being held "incommunicado" in the jail, in a small cell
24 hours a day, without supervision or medical assistance. She is being
denied physician-prescribed, life-saving medication routinely, and "has no
access to reading or writing materials" as guaranteed under law.

Further, she is being denied "food, and toiletries and bedding" that are
animal-free, required because of Ms. McCrosky's "deeply-spiritual beliefs."
The brief also cites "unsanitary" conditions in her cell including "dirt,
mold...grime (and) a mattress that smells of urine."

The Habeas Corpus brief further charges that Ms. McCrosky did not receive
"due process" in her trial last week, and therefore should be released
immediately, pending the result of an appeal of her conviction. It also
cites her life-threatening medical condition as reason for release.

A 5-page sworn declaration by California attorney Lawrence Weiss, who
attended a portion of the trial, is extremely critical of DeKalb County
Judge Mathew Robins, who according to the declaration, skipped over more
than a dozen defendants, and arbitrarily pulled Ms. McCrosky out of a
hallway to have her tried on a moment's notice, despite protestations by her
counsel that they were not prepared for trial, which lasted less than one day.

A copy of the filing, and declaration by Mr. Weiss,  are available upon request.
-30-

Contact: Civil Liberties Committee/California Office [phone]

"PEACE AT LAST"

Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 15:09:42 -0400
From: allen schubert <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (US) FDA to Approve Irradiation of Red Meat
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

from Yahoo news page:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday October 9 1:57 PM EDT

FDA to Approve Irradiation of Red Meat

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hopes
to approve use of irradiation of red meat to destroy pathogens such as
Escherichia coli 0157:H7 by the end of the year. George Pauli, director of
product policy at FDA's Office of Premarket Approval for Food Additives,
told Reuters that approval of this application for the technology "...is
our highest priority at this time."

IsoMedix, a New Jersey company, petitioned the FDA in 1994 to use high
doses of radiation to kill disease-causing organisms on all mammalian meat
sources. The agency has been sifting through the evidence of effectiveness
and potential toxicity ever since, says Pauli.

On Wednesday, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman told the Senate
Agriculture Committee that he expected the FDA to approve the technology
within the next few weeks. But Pauli says that is unlikely.

The FDA has approved irradiation for killing salmonella and other organisms
in poultry, for retarding sprouting and growth in fresh fruits and
vegetables, and for insect control in spices. IsoMedix is seeking approval
to use ionizing radiation at doses much higher than those used on
vegetables, and up to twice as high as doses used for poultry.

But it "...is a pasteurizing dose, not a sterilizing dose," notes Pauli.
Even so, he says the firm has provided ample evidence that irradiation
would effectively kill E. coli and other pathogens.

The FDA's review has taken a long period of time because it also looked at
whether or not irradiation of meat would permit organisms to regrow, or if
it would change the nutritional content or add harmful toxins, says Pauli.

With an increasing number of outbreaks of illness associated with E. coli
in beef, Pauli says that the agency is trying to expedite its review of
irradiation. In September, the American Meat Institute claimed that the FDA
was delaying approval. The institute, which represents meat packers and
processors, has said that prevention technologies are more important than
giving the government more power to recall infected products.

Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 15:14:44 -0400
From: allen schubert <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (US) Report: Swiss Nestle Close to Gene Coffee Deal
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

genetically altered foods
from Yahoo news page:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday October 9 1:53 PM EDT

Report: Swiss Nestle Close to Gene Coffee Deal

LONDON (Reuter) - Swiss food giant Nestle SA could market genetically
modified caffeine-free coffee beans if a proposed alliance with an
Australian biotechnology company goes ahead, according to reports in the
London Independent newspaper Thursday.

Nestle, the world's leading coffee processor, had no immediate comment on
the report.

The Australian company, ForBio Ltd., and its U.S. partner Integrated Coffee
Technologies Inc., in which it holds a 17 percent stake, have discovered
how to genetically alter coffee plants to yield caffeine-free beans.

A link-up with ForBio would allow Nestle to sell caffeine-free beans with
improved flavor and aroma more cheaply.

Currently, caffeine-free coffee production involves chemical washing of the
processed beans at a cost to the industry of $1.0 billion a year. It also
impairs flavor and smell.

ForBio has postponed until next year floating stock on the London Stock
Exchange in order to complete the Nestle deal.

According to the Independent, ForBio's head of international operations,
Bob Mullins, said large-scale propagation of the new plants with
caffeine-free beans would be possible in about two years.

ForBio plans to look at genetically elite tea plants as well.

Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 15:42:20 -0400
From: allen schubert <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (US) CDC To Study Fish-Killing Organism
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

from AP Wire page:
-----------------------------------
 10/09/1997 15:00 EST

 CDC To Study Fish-Killing Organism

 ATLANTA (AP) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is joining
 the investigation into a little-understood organism that has killed
 millions of fish along the mid-Atlantic and may be making people sick,
 too.

 The CDC said Thursday it will study Pfiesteria piscicida in several
 states where it has become a menace.

 Last month, officials from several mid-Atlantic states urged the federal
 government to research the microbe. Congress has approved $7 million for
 the CDC to investigate.

 Pfiesteria is blamed for killing millions of fish in North Carolina and
 Maryland. But the effect on people is unclear.

 The agency will look closely at people in those areas who complain of
 memory loss, confusion and rashes from coming in contact with the water.

 Pfiesteria is a one-celled organism that is usually harmless, until
 something triggers a change in form. It then emits a poison that stuns
 the fish and allows the bacteria to eat it.

 Scientists from the District of Columbia and eight states -- Delaware,
 Florida, Georgia, Maryland, the Carolinas, Virginia and West Virginia --
 met at the CDC last month to discuss the problem.

Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 16:43:04 -0400
From: "D'Amico, AnnMarie" <[e-mail]>
To: "'[e-mail]'" <[e-mail]>
Subject: FW: ar-dc: ACTION ALERT
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>



----------
 From: D'Amico, AnnMarie
 Sent: Thursday, October 09, 1997 3:34 PM
 To: 'ar-dc'
 Subject: ar-dc: ACTION ALERT

PLEASE HELP...

SASHA -- CAGED FOR 12 YEARS

HER OWNER, RICK MUNZ, USES HER AS A "TOURIST ATTRACTION" FOR HIS
STORE
AND GAS STATION IN HILES, WISCONSIN

He does not provide any kind of "Natural" stimulation to keep her body
and mind occupied.  She has no toys just a concrete floor and a caged
surrounding.  He just barely meets the very minimum cage (10x20) and
care requirements set by the Department of Natural Resources.
Violations include waste disposal, watering and diet.  Sasha is fed
generic dog food and kool-aid that she has to lick off the concrete
floor.  Her water is in an old bathtub to cool herself, she has to drink
the same water which is filthy.  Children throw stones and rocks at her
and visitors feed her M&M's.  Her existance is lonely and bleak.

A bear sanctuary has been found for Sasha at the Wildlife Way Station
located in Angeles National Forest in California.  They will take her as
soon as we collect sufficient donations for her transportation.  PLEASE
help Sasha NOW to live out her remaining years with dignity, other bears
and in a natural setting.

Your donations should be directed to:  THE SASHA FUND
                                                         P.O. BOX 131,
THREE LAKES, WI  54562

If you have any questions, please call Tina or D'Arcy at the Alliance
for Animals in Madison, Wisconsin at 608/257-6333.

Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 16:55:33 -0400 (EDT)
From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subject: FDA Reform--Update on "National Uniformity"
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

 The House of Representatives unanimously reported out by voice vote H.R.
1411 on October 7.  The compromise language reached in the Senate was
included in H.R. 1411 and markedly impacts "animal-friendly" consumers'
right-to-know about the cosmetics we wear and the drugs we take.

 The cosmetics preemption language is written to ensure a tight fit so that a
single ingredient in many cosmetics cannot be uniformly addressed.  The scope
of the prohibition on public information is so broad that states cannot
provide consumers with information through the label, packaging, or other
means of communication.  This leaves states without any opportunity to
require crucial information or for consumers to be given choices. The next
step for FDA Reform legislation is the conference committee. Once the
conferees are chosen, their names will be posted.

 Thank you to all activists who returned postcards, wrote letters and sent
e-mails on this issue.  Your quick action brought the problems with the
"national uniformity" provision to the forefront of the debate on FDA reform.

Sara J. Amundson
Legislative Director
Doris Day Animal League
227 Massachusetts Ave., NE
Suite 100
Washington, DC  20002

Date: Fri, 10 Oct 1997 12:45:18 +0000
From: "Deidre" <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Marineland New zealand news article
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT


Daily Telegraph, 9/10/97 (New Zealand)

Four in Court Following dolphin-swim protest

Four Auckland animalwelfare protesters are defending themselves in
Napier District Court this week on charges relating to a protest on
July 5th in which they chained themselves to the doors of Napiers
Marineland.

Deidre Anne Bourke, 16, a student of Birkdale; Cassie Carney, 20, a
student of Auckland; Marianne Fionna MacDonald, 32, a student of
Birkdale; and Gary Brian Reeses, 31, an animal protection worker of
Mount Eden are each charged with trespass.

They are appearing before Judge Mary-Beth Sharpe.

The four protesters were part of a group of about 15 armed with
placards, banners and loudspeakers outside Marineland. They belonged
to various animal rights groups, including Save Animals from
Exploitation (SAFE). The prosecution evidence of two witnesses was
accpeted by the defence unchallanged and presented to the court in
written form.

In opening for the defence, Marianne MacDonald said the four accused
would be defending the charges based on trespass law which allowed
people to remain on the premises for the protection of persons or
property.

She said their aim in chaining themselves to the doors of
Marineland was to prevent the public from entering to take part in the
swim with the dolphins programme because it was a danger to both the
public and the dolphins. She said it was particularly urgent on July 5
because that was the start of the school holidays.

MacDonald said the swim with the dolphins programme was a risk
because the safety requirements of Marinelands permit to house
dolphions in captivity were not being met: Exp[erienced trainers were
not always present during the swims, the public were not being
screened for health problems like open sores, respiratory conditions
or immune deficiencies before coming in contact with the dolphins; nor
was the public informed of the risk of injury or disease transmission
from the programme.

In answering questions from the defence, prosecution witness and
Marineland manager Gary MacDonald said he was satisfied the swim with
the dolphins sessions were supervised according to the permit
requirements. he said people were advised they should not swim if they
suffered from any of the relevant illnesses. he said Marineland was
still instituting many of the requirements of the permit, like
installing showers for people to wash under before swimming. he said
written handouts were given to customers but they did not yet include
information about the transmission of diseases. Marineland was
required to undertake a bio-medical and behavioural review relating to
aspects of the swim with the dolphins programme. he said this was
being done.

In questioning about the training of staff, Mr MacDonald said the most
junior member had been fulltime with Marineland for 2 and a half years
and had another two and a half years experience. Mr MacDonald has more
than 25 years experience and another staff member has been there 18
years.

Mr MacDonald said he did not believe there were any risks to swimmers
or dolphins with the swim with the dolphins programme. He could recall
no incidents of injury to dolphins or swimmers.

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Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 17:07:42 -0700 (PDT)
From: Michael Markarian <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]
Subject: Pottsville, PA: Jail Tries to Institutionalize and Force-Feed
  Activist
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

[Ed. note: Please call the jail at 717-628-1450 and tell them not to
institutionalize or force-feed Dawn Ratcliffe. Tell them that commitment and
compassion do not make someone crazy. Please be polite -- Dawn says that the
prison staff are being very nice to her and that she is doing very well.]


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, October 10, 1997

CONTACT: Heidi Prescott, 301-585-2591
Schuylkill County Prison, 717-628-1450


DAY 8 OF HUNGER STRIKE
Jail Tries to Institutionalize, and May Force-Feed, Activist


POTTSVILLE, Pa. -- Dawn Ratcliffe, the 24-year-old pigeon shoot protestor
serving a 45-day sentence in Schuylkill County Prison, is on the eighth day
of a hunger strike and her condition is good. Prison officials, in an
attempt to institutionalize Ms. Ratcliffe so that they may be able to
force-feed her, have scheduled a "mental health hearing" for 11:30 a.m.
today. Ms. Ratcliffe will be represented at the hearing by Paul Domalakes,
the Assistant Public Defender for Schuylkill County.

Ms. Ratcliffe has vowed to continue her hunger strike in prison until the
Republican leaders of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives put
legislation to ban live pigeon shoots on the House floor for a fair vote.
State Rep. Sara Steelman (D-Indiana County) introduced a bill to ban live
pigeon shoots this week, and the bill already has 43 co-sponsors.

"I have chosen to hunger strike, and it is a violation of my civil rights
for prison officials to try to institutionalize me and force-feed me,"
declares Ms. Ratcliffe. "Making a political statement against violence and
animal abuse is not a sign of mental health problems, it is a sign of my
respect for life and my commitment to social justice. They should instead
hold mental health hearings for the people who attend the Hegins pigeon
shoot and bite the heads off live animals."


# # #

Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 20:40:44 -0400 (EDT)
From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Time magazine article
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

The current TIME magazine contains a must-read article illustrating how--once
again--human interference and ignorance has caused a wildlife tragedy.
"Young, Single and Out of Control" tells of young elephants, orphaned by
culling operations in South Africa, are murdering rhinos, a result of the
deprivation of their social structure.


Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 17:52:39
From: David J Knowles <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: [CA] Bjossa "might be pregnant"
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Bjossa "might be pregnant"
By David Knowles
Animal Voices News

VANCOUVER, BC - The Vancouver Aquarium announced early today that Bjossa,
the surviving orca at the facility might be pregnant.

Bjossa, who has previously given birth to three calves, none of whom
survived, was said to be showing hormones levels which are above the normal
baselines, but not yet at the level they were at during her last pregnancy.
The aquarium says this may be due to the fact Bjossa was on birth control
medications, following the death of her last calf. They were stopped in
April of last year.

Of her previous calves, one born in 1988 survived 22 days, one born in
September1991, died after 4 months, and her last calf died in March 1995
shortly after birth.

Finna, the father of the calves died Monday.

Aquarium director John Nightingale said that there is no evidence to
suggest Bjossa has problems carrying a calf to full-term, but may have
problems producing sufficient milk to feed them.

The pregnancy will be confirmed by an ultrasound planned in December, when
the possibilty of the pregnancy was originally planned to be made public.
The announcement was brought forward after the news was leaked to local media.



Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 17:55:43
From: David J Knowles <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: [CA] Aquarium protest
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

There will be a protest outside the Vancouver Aquarium on Monday, October
13th, to mark the death of Finna.

The protest will start at 12 noon.

Anyone requiring further information, please e-mail me privately at:
[e-mail]

Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 18:23:36
From: David J Knowles <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Cc: Stephanie <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]>,
        <[e-mail]>.
Subject: [CA] Death of Finna
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

{I have become aware of some errors in the original posting I made, so here
is a corrected version - David]

VANCOUVER, B.C - The Vancouver Public Aquarium announced this morning that
Finna, a 21-year-old orca, died at 3:40 today.

Finna, together with his pod mate Bjossa and three others, was captured off
Iceland 17 years ago.

Preliminary results from an autopsy show he died from a bacterial infection
found in three seperate sites in his body. It is believed that he also had
pneumonia in one lung. Aquarium staff noted a lump on Finna's body last
week, and were treating him with antibiotics. Yesterday, he became
lethargic and stopped eating.

Aquarum director John Nightingale told reporters that the average life
expentancy of a B.C. orca was about 29 years. (This figure is only
applicable to males - the figure for females is 50.) The average lifespan
of an orca is 60 years for a male and 90 for a female. These figures are
not applicable to Finna, as he was caught off Iceland, where no relevant
data exist.

Hyack, the other orca in the aquarium at the time Finna and Bjossa arrived,
died at the age of 25 in 1991.

Bjossa's first calf, born in 1988, died after 22 days. In September, 1991,
another calf born to Bjossa, and fathered by Finna, died after only 4
months, and in March, 1995, another calf died immediately after birth as
she didn't have the strength to reach the surface to breath.

Figures released by the aquarium claim 10,000 people particpated in
whale-watching trips in B.C., whilst 800,000 people passed through the
turnstiles of the aquarium. The figures may be influenced by cost -
admission to the aquarium is much cheaper than whale-watching; accessabilty
- the aquarium is easier to get to than most whale-watching outfits, but
there are now tours operating out of the inner harbour in Victoria, a major
tourist destination; and publicity - the aquarium receives a high profile
in the local media.

Peter Hamilton, founder of the Lifeforce Foundation, said today that this
brings the number of deaths of cetaceans - including narwhals, Pacific
white-sided dolphins, belugas and orca to 24.

"The Vancouver Aquarium should get out of the marine mammal slave trade. In
captivity, orca suffer physically and psychologically. They should reunite
Bjossa with the lone orca "Keiko" the hero of the Free Willy movie rescued
from a deplorable Mexican aquarium, in the deep-water rehabilitation and
release pool at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. In order to stop these crimes
against nature, we must demand freebom - not captivity," said Hamilton.

The problem of what happens following the death of one of the orca was
discussed in a report prepared for the Vancouver Parks and Recreation Board
last year when the passing of a bylaw limiting or prohibiting the further
importation of cetaceans into the aquarium was being debated. The report
was drawn up by Dr Peter Watts PhD, an independent marine mammal biologist.

Watts noted that in the event of the the death of one of the orca, "...the
Aquarium would be faced with a solitary animal whom animal advocates will
probably describe as miserable and lonely. One obvious solution would be to
import a companion animal from another facilty. Two killer would likely be
less "miserable" than one, and the Vancouver Aquarium is certainly
considered to be one of the best marine facilities extant, imported animals
would most probably be better off there than in their original facility."

Although this may be the case, and the agreement eventually reached between
the aquarium and park board allows for the introduction of only cetaceans
that are already captive, the resultant vacancy in the originating facility
could well be filled by a newly "caught-to-order" orca. Nightingale
promises this wouldn't be the case, as they would ensure any donating
facility would be required to sign a promise that they wouldn't be
replacing their orca with a newly-captured one.

Rehabiltation, while not ruled out for Bjossa in Watts' report, was not
considered to be an easy option in her case. He noted that due to a dental
problem brought on by teeth grinding in the early years of her capture she
would not make her a good candidate for a rehab. and release program.

Currently, there are 32 captive orca on display in North America, 16 of
which were captured and 16 were born in captivity. Outside North America,
there are a total 22 orca, of which 20 were captured.

David J Knowles
Animal Voices News
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 20:45:10 -0500
From: "Nancy Gomez" <[e-mail]>
To: <[e-mail]>
Subject: Action Alert
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

ACTION ALERT

Contact: Nancy Gomez
972-444-0143

ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS PROTEST AGAINST PROCTER & GAMBLE FOR THEIR
USE OF
ANIMALS IN PRODUCT TESTING ON THIS GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION

Dallas - The Texas Establishment for Animal Rights (TEAR) will be joining
animal rights activist all over the world on this day to protest against
the use of animals in tests for consumer and household products
manufactured by Procter & Gamble (P&G).  This global day of action
coincides with P&G's annual shareholder's meeting at 12221 Merit Dr.
Dallas, TX 75251 at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday October 14, 1997.

Actions will be taking place in cities across the United States and around
the world.  Since an undercover investigator has exposed abuses inside of a
P&G contract laboratory, the truth behind P&G's animal "care" policy has
been exposed.  TEAR will take this opportunity to speak out at P&G
headquarters to let the shareholders know that there is no excuse for
animal abuse.

P&G make such products as Tide, Cascade, Comet, Ivory, and Prell.  The
company tells consumers that their products are safe because they poor
chemicals into the sensitive eyes of rabbits and apply other substances to
the raw shaved skin of these test subjects.  What the company fails to
mention to the consumers is that the real test is when the first human uses
the product for the first time.  Animals have very different physiological
make ups than humans and for this reason P&G can not guarantee that these
products are safe.

There is no law requiring companies to perform these outrageous tests.
Alternatives include computer modeling and in vitro testing.  In Defense of
Animals a national non-profit organization organized this worldwide
campaign against P&G.


----------

Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 19:13:14
From: David J Knowles <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: [CA] DFO stops inhumane seal slaughter
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

DFO stops inhumane seal slaughter

VANCOUVER, BC - The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced
earlier today that they had stopped the killing of seals in the Puntledge
River system on Vancouver Island.

Peter Olesiuk stated that: "the scientific recommendation was to terminate
it."

Due to inclement weather conditions, DFO officers were unable to recover
bodies of most of the 25 seals killed up to yesterday. Peter Hamilton, of
the Vancouver-based Lifeforce Foundation, said humans can survive gunshot
wounds to the head if treated, but the unfortunate wounded seals would be
subjected to a slow, painful death in the raging river.

It was not possible to confirm if any of the seals were killed immediately,
as was claimed by DFO at the start of the killing.

Lifeforce had requested that Fisheries Minister David Anderson act humanely
and halt the slaughter. Hamilton said non-lethal methods had not been
tested fully, and that an immediate, painless death could not be guaranteed.

He said Lifeforce was prepared to work with DFO to test non-lethal methods,
such as the use of an underwater speaker which has been donated by the
Western Canada WIlderness Committee. The speaker would be used to play
various transient orca pod sounds in the hope that the seals would be
stopped in their travel upriver to eat fish in an area where shooters were
waiting to kill them.

Hamilton also said that the main salmon under threat of extinction occured
in spring/summer and thus killing the seals in late fall was meaningless.

Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 23:02:25
From: "[e-mail]" <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Fur Protest Saturday 10/11
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

New Jersey Animal Rights Alliance
PO Box 174
Englishtown, NJ  07726
[phone]


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 10, 1997


Contact: Joe Miele [phone]
                  Cara Thorsen [phone]

Fur Store Targeted

PARSIPPANY --  The New Jersey Animal Rights Alliance (NJARA) and its Fur
Action Task Force will be returning to Fur Mart on Route 46 West in
Parsippany, NJ on Saturday, October 11, beginning at 1:00 pm.

"we are continuing our efforts to eradicate fur" said Joe Miele, chairman
of the Task Force.  "Fur is a failing industry.  It is just a matter of
time until it is an ugly reminder of how cruel humans can be toward
animals.  The demonstrations against the morally bankrupt fur trade will
continue until the last fur shop is closed."


FACTS ABOUT THE FUR INDUSTRY:

Each year 40 million animals are killed worldwide for fur-based leisure
products.  To produce a chinchilla fur coat, an average of 100 chinchillas
are killed.  The two major means of acquiring animals for the fur trade are
so-called "fur farms" and trapping.  "Fur farms" are operated with an
emphasis on fiscal efficiency - keep the margin of profit high, the
operational costs low.  Rows and rows of tiny cages are crammed with
animals.  Mink, 90% of the animals raised this way, are kept in cages that
measure
12" X 18."  This is insufficient space for a predator with a daily range of
five square miles.

Trapping is the other most common means of collecting animals for the fur
industry.  Steel leghold traps, a primary trapping technique, leave the
animal writhing in pain.  Broken bones and teeth, torn tendons, and the
loss of limbs are injuries sustained by the victims of steel leghold traps.
 Other casualties occur due to loss of blood, dehydration, starvation, and
hypothermia.  These animals can be trapped for days while waiting for the
trapper to either club them to death or break their necks.


Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 23:22:10 -0700
From: [e-mail]
To: AR-News <[e-mail]>
Subject: FARM Openings
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

FARM (Farm Animal Reform Movement) has openings for a full-time Research
Coordinator and a part-time (1-2 days/week) Bookkeeper in its Bethesda
(MD) headquarters.  The Research Coordinator should be results-oriented,
well organized, comfortable with the internet, and thoroughly familiar
with vegetarian and farm animal issues.  The Bookkeeper should have had
applicable experience.  To apply, send letter and resume to Melissa at
FARM, PO Box 30654, Bethesda, MD 20824.  For additional information, call
Melissa at 301-530-1737.


Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 23:48:33 -0400
From: allen schubert <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (FR) Bardot Fined for Racism Over Remarks on Moslems
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

from CNN web page:
------------------------------------
Bardot Fined for Racism Over Remarks on Moslems
Reuters
09-OCT-97

PARIS, Oct 9 (Reuter) - A Paris court fined
actress-turned-animal-rights-campaigner Brigitte Bardot on Thursday for
inciting racial hatred by saying France was being overrun by
sheep-slaughtering Moslems.

The appeal court fined 63-year-old Bardot 10,000 francs ($1,700), ruling
that her stinging condemnation of Moslems for the ritual slaughter of sheep
exceeded any possible concern for animal welfare.

The verdict overruled a lower court which cleared Bardot of racism in
January, reckoning that her remarks in a newspaper article in April 1996
were part of a ``passionate struggle for animal rights.''

The Movement Against Racism (MRAP) appealed against January's ruling. On
Thursday, the court awarded MRAP and two other anti-racism groups a
symbolic one franc (17 cts) each in damages.

Bardot triggered the court cases with a column for the conservative daily
Le Figaro, in which Bardot said the traditional throat-slitting of sheep
for the Eid-el-Kebir Moslem feast was barbarous and violated French law.
``France, my country, my homeland, my land is again being invaded with the
blessing of successive governments by a foreign overpopulation, mainly
Moslem, to which we pay allegiance,'' she wrote.

``Mosques flourish while our church bells fall silent for lack of
priests,'' she added.



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