AR-NEWS Digest 510 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) (US) Health problems prompt Virginia, Maryland to close by allen schubert 2) Contaminated food by Andrew Gach 3) CHATHAM 3 UPDATE by allen schubert 4) Chemical in laxative dangerous to rodents by Andrew Gach 5) The squirrel's revenge by Andrew Gach 6) No room for other primates by Andrew Gach 7) (CN) Rare type of horse to roam wild by Vadivu Govind 8) (IN) Plague fears as rat-borne fever kills 18 by Vadivu Govind 9) Humans cited as primates' greatest enemy by Vadivu Govind 10) Rubbish-fed gulls turn to attacking whales by Vadivu Govind 11) (US) Watch out, here comes Big King by Vadivu Govind 12) (HK) Samples head for US in flu inquiry by Vadivu Govind 13) (Colombia) Horse Bomb by Vadivu Govind 14) (TW-MY) Orangutans sent back to Malaysia by Vadivu Govind 15) (TW) Turtle farmers protest cholera report by Vadivu Govind 16) (TH) Green and stinking sea is natural, says mayor of Pattaya by Vadivu Govind 17) Barry Horne update. by "Miggi" 18) beating duck to death by Greg Thomisee 19) (NZ) Super beef by Vadivu Govind 20) (IN) Snake control by Vadivu Govind 21) (CN) Jailed for selling fur by Vadivu Govind 22) (US) Only bullfighting school in US by Vadivu Govind 23) NZ Considering legalising deadly rabbit virus by bunny 24) Animal Action EMAIL Address Change by Sean Thomas 25) (US) Six-year-old recovers from E. coli contamination by allen schubert 26) ISRAELI KIBBUTZ PLANS TO BREED BABOONS FOR CHEMICAL WARFARE by 0 <74754.654@CompuServe.COM> 27) Letters to Editor About E coli by farmusa@erols.com 28) Unsuscribe by ARAishere@aol.com 29) Letters to Fast Food Chains by farmusa@erols.com 30) USFWS- REPORT ON WILDLIFE-RELATED RECREATION by CFOXAPI@aol.com Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 00:22:36 -0400 From: allen schubert To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (US) Health problems prompt Virginia, Maryland to close Message-ID: <3.0.32.19970830002051.006ce968@clark.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" from CNN web page: --------------------------------------- Health problems prompt Virginia, Maryland to close August 29, 1997 Web posted at: 10:50 p.m. EDT (0250 GMT) ANNAPOLIS, Maryland (AP) -- A section of the Pocomoke River was closed Friday after a medical team reported that a toxin released by pfiesteria or a similar microorganism likely made seven people ill. Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening closed a 7-mile stretch of Pocomoke, beginning at its mouth, while the Virginia Marine Resources Commission shut off its entire 5-to-6-mile side of the river. Despite his decision, Glendening urged Marylanders not to panic and said there is no reason to avoid going out on the Chesapeake Bay or eating bay seafood. He said he and his family will be out on the water, and "I plan to eat Chesapeake Bay seafood this weekend." Dr. Glenn Morris of the University of Maryland Medical System headed a team of doctors from his hospital and Johns Hopkins hospital who examined 13 watermen and state employees who complained of various health problems after coming into contact with the water in the Pocomoke River or with dead or dying fish. Seven of them experienced mild memory loss, similar to a mild concussion, that could not be explained by any medical causes other than exposure to a waterborne toxin, Morris said. Dr. Martin Wasserman, state health secretary, said the medical team cannot say for sure that the health problems, which also included skin rashes and respiratory problems such as wheezing, were caused by toxins released by pfiesteria piscicida or a similar one-celled organism. But he said there is "a likely link between pfiesteria and people working on the river." Tests were not completed on two of the 13 people examined last week. In other cases, the medical team found other possible causes of the symptoms, but did not rule out pfiesteria as a cause. JoAnn Burkholder, a North Carolina State University researcher who first identified pfiesteria, concurred with Glendening and other state officials that there is no danger in eating seafood and no reason to avoid any areas of the bay or its tributaries other than the Pocomoke. The order prohibits any activities on the closed section of the river except that boaters can pass through from the upper Pocomoke to the Pocomoke Sound. Ray Feldmann, a spokesman for Glendening, said there is no timetable for reopening the river. He said it will be reopened when there is a consensus that there is no further danger to health. Pfiesteria piscicida, a one-celled organism which produces toxins that attack animals and leave bloody lesions on fish, was blamed for an early August fish kill on a stretch of the lower Pocomoke. The same organism killed billions of fish earlier this year in North Carolina. Randolph Gordon, Virginia Health Department director, said the fish kill appears to be waning in Virginia waters and no fish were seen on top of the water Friday. Date: Fri, 29 Aug 1997 21:32:15 -0700 From: Andrew Gach To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Contaminated food Message-ID: <3407A24F.1343@worldnet.att.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Diners eye their plates with suspicion Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON (August 29, 1997 9:52 p.m. EDT) - Salmonella omelettes, contaminated beef and fruit laced with possibly lethal bacteria are on the nightmarish menu that has recently pushed U.S. diners to eye their plates with growing suspicion. Fast-food giant Burger King -- hit hard by the largest beef recall in U.S. history imposed on meat supplier Hudson Foods -- ran a full-page ad in major papers Monday in a bid to keep customers' "trust and confidence." Burger King announced it would no longer buy meat from Hudson and emphasized the safety of its food preparation process -- but in the meantime was forced to suspend sales of its trademark Whopper hamburger. U.S. regulators last week recalled 25 million pounds of beef from Hudson Foods, after closing one of the company's plants suspected of having turned out meat tainted with E. coli bacteria. While E. coli bacteria are usually harmless and present in human and animal digestive tracts, one strain -- 0157, found in undercooked meat and unpreserved apple juice -- can cause bloody diarrhea and in some cases death. U.S. diners, faced with a potential threat in a beloved culinary icon, the hamburger, have reason to worry about sometimes threadbare food safety regulations and practices frowned upon by other nations. Some 80 million cases of food poisoning are reported in the United States annually, of which 9,000 are fatal, according to the Atlanta, Ga.-based Centers for Disease Control. A probe of the beef industry revealed that many cattle ranchers gave their livestock feed that includes chicken droppings, blood and guts from other animals, or even dead dogs and cats furnished by veterinarians. Animals destined for dinner plates can also be exposed to arsenic, mercury or lead as they graze in U.S. pastures fertilized with recycled waste. And while no case of the so-called "mad cow disease" has yet been officially documented in the United States, a U.S. consumer advocacy group recently worried that certain slaughterhouse methods could increase the risk of transmission. The use of stun guns -- designed to offset an animal's suffering -- could enable brain particles to find their way into meat sold to the public, according to an article published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a private advocacy gourp, The United States is also the only nation in the world to treat beef with bovine growth hormones, a practice that the European Union deems harmful and has led to an European ban on U.S. beef. U.S. poultry cleaning processes have also riled the European Union. U.S. slaughterhouses use chlorine at the end of the production line and improperly use cleaning water, which Europeans say increases the risk of salmonella contamination. Some studies have indicated that up to 60 percent of U.S. poultry and eggs are infected with salmonella bacteria, which can cause often fatal food poisoning. Fruits and vegetables have also led to their share of trouble: in July, 185 people who ate basil fell victim to an outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a gastrointestinal ailment that causes nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Other cases of the ailment in the United States had previously been traced to Mexican strawberries and Guatemalan raspberries. U.S. regulators on Tuesday announced measures to increase testing for disease-causing microbes at all processing plants that do not pasteurize fruit and vegetable juices. Last year, an outbreak of illness from the E. coli 0157 bacteria linked to one juice producer affected 66 people in the western United States and Canada and resulted in the death of one child. Some 4.3 million inhabitants of the U.S. midwest cannot even drink their tap water, which was judged in 1996 to contain a dangerous concentration of pesticides, according to a private environmental advocacy group, the Environmental Working Group. Meanwhile, the United States is fighting another health battle linked to food and its citizens' eating habits: one in three adults is obese. By GUY CLAVEL, Agence France-Presse Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 00:39:52 -0400 From: allen schubert To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: CHATHAM 3 UPDATE Message-ID: <3.0.32.19970830003949.006d69bc@clark.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" from private e-mail: ===================================================== SUPPORT THE CHATHAM 3!!!! The Chatham 3 (formerly 5) are Michigan animal rights Hilma Ruby, Gary Yourofsky and Pat Dodson activists who have been charged with freeing mink from a Canadian fur farm. Of the 5 initially arrested, 2 (Alan Hoffman and Robyn Weiner) have made statements to the authorities and agreed to testify against the others in court (thus the Chatham 3). A warrant has been issued for Hilma's arrest as a result of Alan's and Robyn's statements regarding their belief that Hilma was one of the people who was involved in an earlier raid at the same farm. Alan said Hilma knows all about it and who else was involved. Unless she has to return to Canada sooner, it is expected that Hilma will be placed under arrest when she appears for their next court date on November 6. She may have to stand a separate trial for the new charges, cover double the lawyer's costs and possibly come up with another $10,000 bail. The Chatham 3 need YOUR help now more than ever!!!!! A flyer about their situation has finally been prepared for use at tables, benefits, etc. Anyone who can distribute these, please e-mail Chatham3@envirolink.org. We can either send you bulk copies or just send an original if you can make the copies yourself. Also, if anyone wants to put something in their newsletter or zine, we can send you an article ready to go, just let us know. PLEASE folks, think about organizing a fundraiser of some sort to help them out - they so desparately need it!!!!!!!! They are burdened with enormous legal fees and don't have enough for separate representation for some of the accused, which they desperately seek. Hilma is facing serious charges twice over and she should not have to worry about whether or not she can afford her lawyer of choice!!! Send donations (earmarked "for the Chatham 3") and letters of support to: North American A.L.F. Supporters Group Box 69597 5845 Yonge St., Willowdale, Ont. M2M 4K3, Canada Letters can also be sent to . Also, please let us know if you're in the London/Toronto, Ontario or Detroit, Michigan area and can provide invaluable moral support in the courtroom and we'll let you know about upcoming court dates and try to arrange carpools. Thanks in advance for support, Chatham 3 Support Committee + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + For updates on the Chatham 3, + + check out the No Compromise Web Page at: + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Date: Fri, 29 Aug 1997 21:36:29 -0700 From: Andrew Gach To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Chemical in laxative dangerous to rodents Message-ID: <3407A34D.1088@worldnet.att.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit FDA says laxative ingredient may cause cancer The Associated Press WASHINGTON (August 29, 1997 5:52 p.m. EDT) -- The government announced Friday that it intends to ban an ingredient used in over-the-counter laxatives for more than 90 years because of possible links to cancer to laboratory animals. Within hours, the maker of the popular laxative Ex-Lax -- the biggest-selling brand containing the ingredient phenolphthalein -- announced that it will stop making laxatives containing the compound. A reformulated Ex-Lax that contains no phenolphthalein will be on store shelves within 60 days, Novartis Consumer Health Inc. announced. The Food and Drug Administration said it has no reports that phenolphthalein has caused cancer in people. But studies found high doses of phenolphthalein can cause a variety of tumors in laboratory rats and mice, and some mouse studies also uncovered genetic damage. The FDA, noting that Americans have access to more than two dozen laxative products that do not contain phenolphthalein, concluded that the worrisome animal data outweighed consumers' need for the product. So it proposed banning any over-the-counter sale of phenolphthalein, a move that would force a host of store-brand laxatives to be reformulated or be taken off the market. Companies and the public may comment on the proposed ban for 30 days and then the FDA will decide whether to make the ban final. Ex-Lax maker Novartis continued to insist that phenolphthalein is safe when used as directed for occasional constipation and not frequent use. But hours after making that statement, the New Jersey company announced it would withdraw phenolphthalein-containing laxatives from the market and reformulate Ex-Lax to work with an all-natural ingredient called senna. The company used the FDA's ban announcement to unveil its own toll-free phone number for customers to call about the new, phenolphthalein-free Ex-Lax. The calls tell customers how to get coupons toward the new product. Several Ex-Lax competitors, anticipating a ban, already have reformulated their laxatives. Bayer Corp. this summer pulled off the market its one laxative brand that contained the ingredient. The FDA advised consumers Friday to read the labels of over-the-counter laxatives to see whether they contain phenolphthalein. A committee of cancer experts consulted by the FDA decided that phenolphthalein could potentially cause cancer in humans. The experts reviewed data showing rats and mice fed doses of phenolphthalein that were approximately 50 to 100 times the recommended dose for humans developed a variety of tumors. Another study by the National Toxicology Program found doses 30 times higher than humans take developed lymphomas. Novartis' information hot line is 1-800-706-6600. By LAURAN NEERGAARD, Associated Press Writer. Date: Fri, 29 Aug 1997 21:39:24 -0700 From: Andrew Gach To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: The squirrel's revenge Message-ID: <3407A3FC.5DCF@worldnet.att.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Eating squirrel brains may cause disease in humans The Associated Press LONDON (August 29, 1997 11:46 a.m. EDT) -- U.S. researchers think they may have found a link between the consumption of squirrel brains, a practice found in some rural parts of the United States, and a lethal brain ailment in humans. Scientists at the University of Kentucky worry that Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, which can kill humans within months after symptoms first appear, may be contracted by eating the brains and nervous system tissue of squirrels. A tentative warning against eating squirrel brains was published Friday in "The Lancet," a British medical journal. In Britain, mad cow disease, which has led to the deaths of several people in Europe and forced the slaughter of vast numbers of cattle, also is suspected as a cause of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Joseph Berger, Erick Weisman and Beverly Weisman of the University of Kentucky reported on five patients, aged between 56 and 78, who had been diagnosed as having Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. All of them reported that they had eaten squirrel brains. Among 100 people of similar age who had no neurological disease, 27 reported eating squirrel brains, the researchers said. Some residents of rural regions in the United States, including Kentucky, scramble the squirrel brains with eggs, or add them to a stew known as "burgoo," the researchers said. A big unanswered question is whether the disease occurs in squirrels, the researchers said. A rare disorder, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease afflicts only about one person in a million, usually striking victims age 50 or older. It develops slowly. But once symptoms appear, it destroys the brains of its victims, who lose muscle control and mental ability, and die within a few months. Date: Fri, 29 Aug 1997 21:43:44 -0700 From: Andrew Gach To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: No room for other primates Message-ID: <3407A500.13A5@worldnet.att.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Humans threaten primates, study finds The Associated Press WASHINGTON (August 29, 1997 11:16 a.m. EDT) -- Human action threatens to make extinct half of the world's 235 primates -- including the chimpanzee -- while the human species continues to increase, a report says. Hunting and the steady loss of forests have made primates the most imperiled group of mammals on the planet. Half are at risk of extinction, while another 20 percent are approaching threatened status, Worldwatch Institute said in a report published Thursday. "In general, the reasons for the declines are no mystery: they all relate directly or indirectly to human actions," said the report titled "Death in the Family Tree." It spotlights a number of "hot spots" where forest loss has resulted in high concentrations of endangered primates. These include southeast Asia, equatorial Africa, Madagascar and southeastern Brazil. "The fate of these forests will largely determine the fate of most primates, and more and more of these forests are losing their ecological integrity as they are logged, colonized and cleared for agriculture," the article said. Nine-tenths of the primates of south and east Asia face extinction. In Indonesia and Malaysia, orangutans, the great ape most dependent on trees, have lost 80 percent of their trees in two decades. With only 200 individuals left after the loss of much of its rain forest environment, Vietnam's Tonkin snub-nose monkey has become the world's rarest primate. The macaques of Japan are steadily losing living space to urbanization. Deprived of natural foods, desperate macaques turn to raiding orchards and fields, prompting farmers to kill about 10 percent of the 50,000 surviving macaques each year. Primates also still face heavy "hunting pressure" in various places. Some, especially the big apes orangutans, gibbons, chimps and gorillas, are being trapped for the pet trade. "They are so much like us that there is a virtually insatiable demand for them," the report said. "There's certainly a problem with certain species, and a lot of this is due to the increase of human population," said researcher Harold McClure of Emory University's Yerkes Primate Center. McClure said he has seen no figures that confirm primates are more endangered than other mammals, but "I would feel comfortable with that" assertion. Worldwatch, an independent research institute financed by private grants and sale of its publications, monitors environmental and social issues. A spokeswoman for World Wildlife Fund, which seeks to protect animals around the globe, echoed the report. "There are few species that are as good an indicator of the overall health of an ecosystem as primates," said Jinette Hemley, the fund's director of wildlife policy. "The new pressures are spelling potential disaster for them." While the world's human population has grown steadily to above 5.7 billion people, great apes are declining and now number fewer than 400,000. Despite a generally gloomy outlook for most species, the report contained snippets of encouraging conservation news. Biomedical research once consumed up to 90,000 chimpanzees a year but now relies on captive-bred animals. In Rwanda, the social pact with the famed mountain gorillas weathered even the recent ethnic conflict that killed at least 500,000 people. Only two of the 320 remaining gorillas died. Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 14:43:22 +0800 (SST) From: Vadivu Govind To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (CN) Rare type of horse to roam wild Message-ID: <199708300643.OAA09865@eastgate.cyberway.com.sg> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >South China Morning Post Internet Edition Saturday August 30 1997 Rare type of horse to roam wild ASSOCIATED PRESS A rare type of horse that once roamed rugged northwestern China will be returned to the wild for the first time in more than 20 years. The horses, called Equus Przewalski after the Russian adventurer who first brought them to the West's attention a century ago, were driven to extinction in their native habitat, the rugged hills of Xinjiang, by the early 1980s, Xinhua (the New China News Agency) reported. About 100 of the horses survived in zoos in the United States and Europe, some of them related to animals captured by Colonel Nikolai Przewalski in 1886. China bought 16 horses from Britain, Germany and the US in 1986 to set up a breeding centre. Last year, the herd numbered 70. The horses will slowly be returned to the Jungar Basin in northern Xinjiang. Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 14:43:31 +0800 (SST) From: Vadivu Govind To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (IN) Plague fears as rat-borne fever kills 18 Message-ID: <199708300643.OAA08179@eastgate.cyberway.com.sg> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >South China Morning Post Internet Edition Saturday August 30 1997 Plague fears as rat-borne fever kills 18 JOHN ZUBRZYCKI in New Delhi A rat-borne disease that is believed to have affected nearly 15,000 people in Gujarat has revived memories of a plague epidemic that ravaged the state three years ago. Local authorities have launched a massive health drive in the cities of Surat and Bulsar to prevent panic-stricken citizens from fleeing the area, as happened in 1994. Health authorities have identified the latest disease as leptospirosis, a bacterial infection spread by rodents, but point out that it bears no relationship to the plague other than having a common carrier. The symptoms of leptospirosis begin with fever, which affects the liver and leads to jaundice. If no treatment takes place death can occur after two weeks in severe cases. So far 18 people are known to have died of the disease, with a further 970 people undergoing hospital treatment in Surat. Hundreds of thousands of panic-stricken people fled Surat, India's diamond-cutting capital, when a plague epidemic broke out in 1994. Since then the city of two million has undergone a facelift and is now considered one of the cleanest in India. Gujarat Health Minister Anil Joshiara has ordered the deployment of 450 medical teams to Surat and Bulsar. A rodent-control programme has also been launched. The World Health Organisation last year warned that India was ill-prepared to cope with the spread of viral diseases like yellow fever. The last major epidemic in India occurred in New Delhi, where more than 400 people died of mosquito-borne dengue fever in 1996. Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 14:43:37 +0800 (SST) From: Vadivu Govind To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Humans cited as primates' greatest enemy Message-ID: <199708300643.OAA06524@eastgate.cyberway.com.sg> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >South China Morning Post Internet Edition Saturday August 30 1997 Humans cited as primates' greatest enemy AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE in Washington Half the world's primate species are threatened with extinction because they are over-hunted and their natural habitats are disappearing, the World Watch Institute journal says. An article in the journal's September issue also says monkeys are particularly vulnerable because poachers have to kill the mother in order to get their hands on the highly sought-after babies. Orang-utans, native to Indonesia, have lost 80 per cent of their jungle habitat over the past 20 years, while in Japan, macaques are driven to raid orchards and farms for food. The macaque population is down to 50,000, in part because enraged rural dwellers kill the animals to try to prevent the incursions. In Madagascar, 20 of the 30 species of lemurs, one of the oldest types of primates on the planet, face extinction with 80 per cent of the forest cover cut down in the 1,000 years since humans came to the Indian Ocean island. In Brazil and sub-Saharan Africa, roads built to transport logs from the rainforest make it easier for primate hunters to reach their game, the article says. In the West African country of Gabon, the 1.4 million population consumes an estimated 3,600 tonnes of game annually. Butchers habitually supplement their stores with game meat. John Tuxill, who wrote the article, acknowledges strides made in Rwanda towards protecting gorillas, as well as the drop in the number of monkeys, especially chimpanzees, used in medical research. Because Rwanda's Government has decided to cash in on eco-tourism, the article notes, the gorilla population has risen from 250 to 320 since the early 1980s. The number of monkeys used in medical research has dropped from some 100,000 in the 1950s to about 40,000 today, most of which are raised in captivity. Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 14:43:43 +0800 (SST) From: Vadivu Govind To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Rubbish-fed gulls turn to attacking whales Message-ID: <199708300643.OAA09065@eastgate.cyberway.com.sg> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >South China Morning Post Internet Edition Saturday August 30 1997 Rubbish-fed gulls turn to attacking whales REUTER in Buenos Aires Giant seagulls, swollen beyond their normal size by a diet of rubbish in southern Argentina, have taken to swooping down on top of whales and pecking pieces of their flesh, a whale-watching group said. The whales of the Peninsula Valdes "are being savagely attacked by seagulls, which cause wounds in the animals' skin up to seven centimetres deep", whale-watcher Carlos Bottazzi said. "The whales feel such intense pain that they twist around to try to escape from the birds and swim underwater," Mr Bottazzi, of the Green Fleet of whale-watching boats, said. The seagulls' behaviour has changed owing to years on a diet of rubbish and fish dumped by local fleets, which has allowed them to grow bigger than ever before. "That diet has made the seagulls astonishingly big and heavy. "And if you add that to the bird's quick wits and strength, you have a dangerous customer," Mr Bottazzi said, adding that the seagulls also attacked whale calves Peninsula Valdes is a world-famous spot for observing right whales, which swim close to shore to give birth to their calves. Tourists who come from around the world to visit the whales on boat trips have included Princess Diana. Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 14:43:54 +0800 (SST) From: Vadivu Govind To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (US) Watch out, here comes Big King Message-ID: <199708300643.OAA10137@eastgate.cyberway.com.sg> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >The Straits Times 30 Aug 97 Watch out, here comes Big King MIAMI (Florida) -- Fast-food chain Burger King announced on Thursday the creation of the "Big King", designed to take down McDonald's universally known -- and eaten -- Big Mac. "With more meat than the other guys' sandwich, the Big King clearly outsizes the competition, and that's why we think it's a bigger, better Big Mac," said Mr Jim Watkins, Senior Vice-President of North America Marketing for Burger King Corporation. The Big King, Burger King's newest "signature sandwich", contains 75 per cent more beef than a Big Mac and is garnished with two slices of cheese, lettuce, onions, pickles and "King Sauce", he said. It will make its debut here on the upcoming three-day Labour Day weekend in the United States, amid television commercials and college football tie-ins featuring head coaches like Bobby Bowden from Florida State University and Joe Paterno of Penn State University. "Our strategy to promote the Big King alongside college football is a natural," Mr Watkins said, adding: "The competition between the two rival sandwiches this season will be as fierce as Penn State against Michigan, Notre Dame against USC, Nebraska against Colorado or Florida against Florida State." The Big King will cost 99 US cents (S$1.50) until Sept 14, but the price after that has not been announced. A Big Mac costs US$2.99 in Manhattan, New York. -- AFP. Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 14:43:49 +0800 (SST) From: Vadivu Govind To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (HK) Samples head for US in flu inquiry Message-ID: <199708300643.OAA25534@eastgate.cyberway.com.sg> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >Hong Kong Standard 30 Aug 97 Samples head for US in flu inquiry By Ceri Williams ABOUT 500 samples from relatives and farm workers will be flown to a leading US research facility for further examination in the inquiry into the influenza A (H5N1) strain. Dr Daniel Lavanchy, head of the World Health Organisation's influenza surveillance program, said that scientists at the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta would take about a month to examine the samples collected in the probe on the virus dubbed ``Hong Kong 1997''. Dr Lavanchy said that the three-year-old boy who died in Queen Elizabeth Hospital after contracting the virus was still being treated as an isolated case. He also denied the investigation had been hampered because health authorities had failed to carry out an autopsy on the child who died in May. ``We had already separated the specimens and isolated the virus so there was no need to conduct an autopsy.'' A team of international and local experts are checking to find out exactly when the child caught the virus and they have drawn up a strategy plan in their investigation. The Agriculture and Fisheries Department (AFD) said on Friday it was now halfway through its investigation into the flu virus. Officials say they have collected samples from only half of the 25 chicken farms in their bid to find out more about the virus. Dr Thomas Sit Hon-chung, senior veterinary officer with the AFD, said: ``We still have to collect samples from half of the 25 chicken farms before the inquiry is finished.'' Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 14:44:01 +0800 (SST) From: Vadivu Govind To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (Colombia) Horse Bomb Message-ID: <199708300644.OAA10126@eastgate.cyberway.com.sg> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >The Straits Times 30 Aug 97 HORSE BOMB: A soldier was killed and three others were hurt when guerillas blew up a horse laden with dynamite outside a military base in north-west Colombia, the authorities said. The attack occurred on Wednesday evening on the southern outskirts of Medellin, capital of Antioquia province. General Carlos Alberto Ospina, commander of the 4th Army Brigade, said the assailants stashed about 15 kg of dynamite inside two milk containers strapped to the horse's back before sending it off towards the main entrance of the military base. -- Reuter. Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 14:44:07 +0800 (SST) From: Vadivu Govind To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (TW-MY) Orangutans sent back to Malaysia Message-ID: <199708300644.OAA07380@eastgate.cyberway.com.sg> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >CNA Daily English News Wire ORANGUTANS SENT BACK TO MALAYSIA Taipei, Aug. 26 (CNA) Three orangutans were sent from a wildlife reception center species at a university in southern Taiwan to their homeland, Malaysia, on Tuesday. The wildlife reception center at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology held a farewell party for the three red hair apes, one male and two females, Monday night. According to an agreement reached between the university and two Malaysian zoos during an annual meeting of the Southeastern Asia Zoo Association in Malaysia last October, the zoos agreed to accept five orangutans from the university for their breeding programs. The three orangutans had similar histories -- all were smuggled into Taiwan from Malaysia and then deserted by their owners after growing up. Each was found wandering free on streets before being caught and sent to the center at Pingtung. The male orangutan, nicknamed "Monk," weighed only 25 kg when he was sent to the center in November 1994. Since then, Monk has gradually put on weight. Now he weighs 53.1 kg. "Paradise" was eight years old when she was transferred to the center in March this year. The good care received at the center has brought her weight up from 28 kg to 36.5 kg in five months. When "DuBee" was sent to the university in July 1995, she was six years old, very shy and weighed only 13.5 kg. She now weighs 18.7 kg and gets along well with her companions. An official at the wildlife reception center, which presently keeps some 200 endangered species including Taiwan black bears, said that two more red hair orangutans, both female, will be sent to Malaysia by the end of this year. (By Lin Wen-fen) Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 14:44:14 +0800 (SST) From: Vadivu Govind To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (TW) Turtle farmers protest cholera report Message-ID: <199708300644.OAA09981@eastgate.cyberway.com.sg> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >CNA Daily English News Wire TURTLE FARMERS PROTEST CHOLERA REPORT Taipei, Aug. 29 (CNA) Local fresh-water turtle farmers have been telephoning their indignation to the government since a report on Thursday said a turtle feast is suspected of causing the first cholera case in Taiwan in 35 years. Calling the accusation hasty and reckless, the turtle farm owners complained that the report, released by the Department of Health (DOH), has caused the price of live cultivated fresh-water turtles to plummet from NT$300 (US$10.40) to NT$150 per 600 grams. The DOH held a press conference Thursday announcing that an elderly man was confirmed as having the acute 0139 cholera virus. The 71-year-old was diagnosed with the disease after being admitted to the Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital suffering from serious diarrhea and dehydration. The patient, surnamed Yang, told doctors that the symptoms appeared one day after he participated in a feast of turtle meat and turtle blood organized by a tourist agency. An estimated 340 tourists from different parts of the island were present at the turtle feast. The meal featured cooked turtle meat, turtle eggs and raw turtle blood, the latter considered "good for men," according to DOH officials. The DOH suspects the patient contracted the infectious disease from a turtle, although it noted other foods could also be responsible. Yang also ate cold bamboo shoots, watermelon and other dishes. Although turtles are cultivated domestically, some of those he ingested may have been imported illegally from Southeast Asia, the officials noted. Cholera last struck Taiwan in 1962, when it killed 24 of the 383 people here who contracted the disease and brought immeasurable losses to the island's aquaculture farms. The DOH officials warned that Taiwan risks being declared a new cholera infection area if it fails to prove that no second such case is reported in 12 days. They estimated that the island's aquaculture industry may incur losses as high as NT$30 billion (US$1.04 billion) a year if Taiwan is indeed declared a cholera infection area. (By Debbie Kuo) Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 14:44:22 +0800 (SST) From: Vadivu Govind To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (TH) Green and stinking sea is natural, says mayor of Pattaya Message-ID: <199708300644.OAA09987@eastgate.cyberway.com.sg> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >Bangkok Post 29 Aug 97 Green and stinking sea is natural, says mayor of Pattaya Pattaya The sea here has turned a sickly dark green, emits a foul stench, has killed large numbers of fish and other aquatic creatures, and has caused bathers to suffer rashes and severe itching. But according to the mayor, "there's nothing to worry about". Tourists and locals shouldn't panic about this "natural phenomenon", said Phairat Sutthithamrongsawat. Everything will return to normal in a few weeks, said Mr Phairat. "This happened three or four years ago on Si Racha and Sattahip beaches. It disappeared in a few days," he said. But according to Piamsak Menasveta, head of Chulalongkorn University's aquatic resources research institute, the situation reflects a failure of pollution control in this country. Large quantities of waste water remain untreated. In Pattaya alone, about 50,000 cubic metres of untreated waste water are discharged into the sea daily. Mr Piamsak said the phenomenon at South Pattaya and Jomtien is "plankton bloom." The plankton noc tiluca sp. is causing the sea to turn green because of its big green cell. Plankton consumes oxygen in sea water and depletes oxygen, especially at night, killing other aquatic creatures. After a week, the plankton dies and discharges ammonia, which causes allergies. The bloom in this plankton has been caused by an increase in pollutant nutrients flushed from main rivers into the inner Gulf, especially during the beginning of the monsoon. Mr Piamsak said plankton bloom often happens at Bang Saen, Pattaya, and Si Racha, since the current at this time of year brings nutrients from the Chao Phraya and other rivers. Officials inspected the beaches yesterday and sent samples of water to a lab for testing. The results will be ready in a few days. Preeda Vairojpan, head of the Pattaya environmental health office, said the plankton is growing quickly and fish have died because of the reduction of oxygen in the sea water. Mr Preeda claimed the plankton is not dangerous and will cause only skin irritations. "Those who suffer from rashes and itching are allergic to the seaweed. But they are not harmful or deadly. They cause only skin irritations," he said. Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 09:55:19 +0000 From: "Miggi" To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Barry Horne update. Message-ID: <199708300853.JAA14345@serv4.vossnet.co.uk> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Several updates have been sent out by Barry Hornes Hunger Strike Support Campaign. I am sorry but I haven't got time to forward all to the list, but for the latest news (and a letter from Barry) please go to: http://village.vossnet.co.uk/m/miggi/barry.htm - Miggi Type Bits/KeyID Date User ID pub 1024/BBFB4A25 1997/08/01 Mark Ridley -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Version: 2.6.3ia mQCNAzPiI3EAAAEEAJZIPxOpGxtbbLQVEb1kCebF/v7W3x36n5VxfIv1s7iY0l1V CniPJ3YkbdEswBHUzBBUcEG1ImE9ZwHYnUatK1v7hMwxzZbH+iXK6vJw1pmwE9Bg XachOc9sgu+WD3drVO1mcQOmOoT7uvAKPcsPwLfmvkJ/oeod22wi7Ea7+0olAAUR tCFNYXJrIFJpZGxleSA8bWlnZ2lAdm9zc25ldC5jby51az6JAJUDBRAz4iNxbCLs Rrv7SiUBASwPA/9Mqf6nCpS3Tdmpkkdx2ej+YEpQxMaZfYcfP8Ib+/lPzH6qD+aD JbUj8lbgV+3IEs5EXQL3/isUZIQC974w1b9QnFOu2eNmP4E0fZODwyylvMsJS6VP N8wGpRub6LD8IEVprGozKUQyagUT/CnSmY+rQbv1sqibeo27C2+5HMIxZQ== =gkSI -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 07:09:05 -0400 From: Greg Thomisee To: AR News Subject: beating duck to death Message-ID: <199708300709_MC2-1E9F-7FC3@compuserve.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Disposition: inline Updated: Thursday, Aug. 28, 1997 at 22:13 CDT © 1997 Fort Worth Star-Telegram -- send us your Feedback. Send comments on any of today's Metroplex stories to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram News Desk: INTERNET:harral@startext.net or call (817) 390-7905 or metro (817) 429-2655, ext. 905. **************************************** 11-year-old didn't violate law requirement in beating duck to death By Gabrielle Crist Star-Telegram Staff Writer FORT WORTH -- Efforts to have an 11-year-old boy punished for beating a duck to death didn't fly in juvenile court yesterday because prosecutors could not prove that the fowl was domesticated. The boy had faced a misdemeanor charge of cruelty to animals in a hearing before State District Judge Jean Hudson Boyd. Had the sixth-grader been found delinquent -- the equivalent of conviction in adult court -- he could have been placed on probation, removed from his home or placed in Texas Youth Commission custody. The boy was so unfamiliar with court proceedings that Boyd had to explain what a trial was and what it meant to testify. The child told Boyd that he was planning to fish at a pond in White Settlement's City Park on July 14 when he approached a duck to pet it. When the duck bit him and ran away, the boy got mad, he testified. "I threw a net over it and I hit it with a stick," said the boy, who was 10 at the time. He said he didn't mean to kill the duck. "It didn't deserve to lose its life like that," said the boy, whose name is not being published because he is a juvenile. Shawna Provence, 20, of White Settlement, testified that she and a friend were driving by the pond when they saw the boy hit the duck at least 10 times. "He is just whaling on this duck," Provence testified, adding that the duck was motionless. "He was bleeding out of the eye. It was sad. It was horrible." White Settlement animal control officer Fernando Molinar said the duck, which was born at the pond, was taken to an animal shelter for medical care. When it had not recovered a week later, it was euthanized, he said. Defense attorney Marilyn Belew told Boyd in her closing argument that no law had been violated because the duck was not domesticated, an element required by law. "This was a wild creature owned by no one," Belew said. But prosecutor Joetta Keene argued that the city and its residents owned the duck because city employees fed and cared for it. After the hearing, Provence and her friend, Laura Littlefield, said the boy should have been punished for his actions, perhaps by being ordered to work in an animal shelter. Now, they said, the child has been given the message that what he did is acceptable. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © 1997 Fort Worth Star-Telegram -- send us your Feedback. Send comments on any of today's Metroplex stories to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram News Desk: INTERNET:harral@startext.net or call (817) 390-7905 or metro (817) 429-2655, ext. 905. **************************************** Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 19:29:36 +0800 (SST) From: Vadivu Govind To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (NZ) Super beef Message-ID: <199708301129.TAA25537@eastgate.cyberway.com.sg> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >The Straits Times AUG 27 1997 Hey, beef-cake! WELLINGTON -- New Zealand scientists said yesterday they had made a breakthrough that could pave the way for the breeding of super stock. A husband-and-wife team has discovered a gene that causes a mutation in cattle, prompting double muscle growth, the scientists said. The discovery by Madam Mridula Sharma and Mr Ravi Kambadur could have far-reaching implications for meat production and wider implications for science and medicine, team leader John Bass said. The discovery relates to the gene myostatin, an inhibiting regulator of muscle growth. The pair, working at the government Ruakura Agriculture Research Centre in the heart of New Zealand's dairy country in the central North Island, showed that a mutation in myostatin produced a 40-per-cent increase in muscle mass in certain breeds of cattle, notably Belgian Blue. "The discovery opens the flood gates for further work on the effects of myostatin and the factors which control muscle growth," Mr Bass said. Until now, the only way of increasing meat production in cattle was through selective breeding and diet. The discovery gives the first specific genetic information on the inheritance of agriculturally desirable traits in cattle and could lead to the development of breeds with improved yield and quality, Mr Bass said. Mr Kambadur said he was also attempting to repeat the experiment on sheep. The gene, which is present in humans, may have applications in medicine, including the treatment of musculo-degenerative diseases or in tissue repair, Mr Bass said. Madam Sharma and Mr Kambadur followed up a report in the scientific journal Nature in May, which described the double-sized muscles of mice that lacked myostatin. They showed that part of the gene was missing in Belgian Blue cattle, allowing muscle mass to continue to develop well beyond normal. "We have cloned the gene and isolated the mutation that is responsible for this condition," said Mr Kambadur. The advantage of double muscles is that they yield more meat that is also more tender than normal breeds. Farmer returns would be higher. Mr Kambadur said they had taken the first step in cloning the same gene from sheep and were attempting to make mutations in the gene to bring about the same double-muscling condition. -- Reuter. Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 19:31:58 +0800 (SST) From: Vadivu Govind To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (IN) Snake control Message-ID: <199708301131.TAA25816@eastgate.cyberway.com.sg> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >The Straits Times 27 Aug 97 SNAKE TRAIL: The authorities in Madhya Pradesh state plan to raise mongooses and peacocks to kill snakes, following 40 deaths due to snake bites in the last three months, the United News of India said in New Delhi yesterday. The incidence of bites was reported to have increased during the monsoon, when snakes were washed into villages by flood waters. -- AFP. Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 19:34:34 +0800 (SST) From: Vadivu Govind To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (CN) Jailed for selling fur Message-ID: <199708301134.TAA27101@eastgate.cyberway.com.sg> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >The Straits Times 28 Aug 97 FUR TRADE: A Chinese court has jailed five men for up to 14 years each for selling the coat of an endangered giant panda, court officials said yesterday. An official said that the five were convicted by the Tongxian District People's Court outside Beijing on Aug 15 for peddling the fur. -- Reuter. Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 19:38:08 +0800 (SST) From: Vadivu Govind To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (US) Only bullfighting school in US Message-ID: <199708301138.TAA27082@eastgate.cyberway.com.sg> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >The Straits Times 29 Aug 97 No bull but fight is passion-charged SUPPORTERS and detractors of the only bullfighting school in the United States are facing off in the public arena to determine the fate of the fledgling California Academy of Tauromaquia. The school was founded recently in the southern California city of San Diego, which boasts a rich Latin culture and has always provided enthusiastic fans for the bullfights in nearby Tijuana, Mexico. For US$500 (S$740), Mr Peter Romboldt and Mr Coleman Cooney, the academy's founders, teach students the use of the cape, brandishing horns on their heads and playing the bulls in the city's public parks. The academy aims to convert its students into eager fans, deepening their knowledge of bullfighting through physical training, videos and trips to Mexico to attend corridas (bullfights). But bullfighting and promoting the sport are illegal in California, where it stirs strong passions. The academy's founders and students claim the US Constitution protects their freedom of expression. Mr Romboldt, whose torero alias in Tijuana is Pedro Romero, has killed 39 bulls over 29 years of bullfighting and does not hide that he would enjoy it if one of his students were to follow in his footsteps. His most promising student is Tricia Slane, 23, an actress with a part in Hollywood's much anticipated film Titanic. She has already faced a young bull but dreams of someday facing a bigger challenge, saying the object of the sport is to honour the life of the bull ... and that you can always give the meat to a good cause. -- AFP Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 20:21:05 +0800 From: bunny To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: NZ Considering legalising deadly rabbit virus Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970830200319.2b3f729c@wantree.com.au> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Channel One News 6pm 30/8/97 (New Zealand) MAF have just suspended and employee for aiding South Island farmers in the spread of RHD. MAF believe the virus is now widespread in the South Island. All containment measures have now ceased and eradication of the disease may not be possible. There have been no confirmed reports of rabbits dying of RHD in the North Island but farmers are saying it has already made its way up to the North Island. On Monday cabinet will decide whether or not to legalise RHD as a biocontrol. =========================================== Rabbit Information Service, P.O.Box 30, Riverton, Western Australia 6148 Email> rabbit@wantree.com.au http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm (Rabbit Information Service website updated frequently) /`\ /`\ (/\ \-/ /\) )6 6( >{= Y =}< /'-^-'\ (_) (_) | . | | |} jgs \_/^\_/ Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 09:23:53 -0700 From: Sean Thomas To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Animal Action EMAIL Address Change Message-ID: <34084919.6E4F@sympatico.ca> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The new contact email address for Animal Action (Ottawa, Canada) is cb968@freenet.carleton.ca Our snail mail address remains the same Box 64284 Ottawa, Canada K1Y 4V2 Sean Thomas Co-Director, Animal Action Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 11:08:56 -0400 From: allen schubert To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (US) Six-year-old recovers from E. coli contamination Message-ID: <3.0.32.19970830110853.006e2a00@clark.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" more on the e-coli thing...also, check out the last paragraph (kids learn more quickly than adults) from Mercury Center web page: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted at 8:30 p.m. PDT Friday, August 29, 1997 Six-year-old recovers from E. coli contamination LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A 6-year-old San Luis Obispo girl was recovering Friday from a nearly fatal bout of food poisoning she may have contracted from eating a Burger King hamburger during a Utah vacation, her father said. Jessica was in stable condition at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, sleeping peacefully in a room decorated with flowers, balloons, pictures and cards from well-wishers. ``She's being a champ,'' said her father, Robert, who asked the family's last name not be used. Jessica, who was hospitalized Aug. 17, could be released in the next few days, her father said in a telephone interview from the medical center, where family members have remained around the clock. ``It's basically day to day. But the last few days she's shown improvements,'' he said. ``She's very alert and in very good spirits.'' Her father said tests showed that Jessica was sickened by E. coli, a potentially deadly bacteria that can cause diarrhea and dehydration. It can be ingested in contaminated, undercooked beef. A wave of E. coli infections prompted Hudson Foods Inc. last week to recall 25 million pounds of potentially contaminated beef from a Nebraska facility. Burger King was Hudson's largest customer but pulled meat supplied by the company from its stores, including those in Utah. No E. coli illnesses have been tied to Burger King hamburgers but Robert said he suspects a link to his daughter's illness. Jessica ate at a Burger King restaurant near a Utah interstate during the family's vacation trip through Utah, Wyoming and Idaho, her father said. ``She only ate one hamburger in a two-week period,'' he said. ``Twelve days later, she's in the hospital fighting for her life.'' The girl had diarrhea, cramping, and became pale. Her mother, a nurse, felt the girl had something more serious than a ``bug.'' It was. Jessica was hospitalized in critical condition. She underwent a blood transfusion and may need another to dilute toxins from the bacteria in her bloodstream. Further testing will determine whether she may have permanent kidney damage, her father said. Health agencies in San Luis Obispo and Utah will conduct DNA tests to determine if Jessica's E. coli contamination is linked to Hudson beef, he said. Meanwhile, Jessica's illness has made her a picky eater. ``She definitely doesn't want any meat. She's been asking for all veggie trays,'' her father said. ------------------------------------- Date: 30 Aug 97 17:26:55 EDT From: 0 <74754.654@CompuServe.COM> To: Ian Lance Taylor Subject: ISRAELI KIBBUTZ PLANS TO BREED BABOONS FOR CHEMICAL WARFARE Message-ID: <970830212654_74754.654_EHL74-1@CompuServe.COM> ISRAELI KIBBUTZ PLANS TO OPEN BABOON BREEDING FACILITY TO SUPPLY SUBJECTS FOR U.S. MILITARY CHEMICAL WEAPONS TESTING. PROTEST FAXES REQUESTED. Animal activists in Israel have notified us that Kibbutz (farm settlement) Or Haner plans to open a baboon breeding facility to breed and subsequently ship baboons to the U.S. military for chemical warfare experiments. Many of you may have seen the story on the Associated Press wire. Sources in Israel believe American animal dealer Matthew Block is behind the contract with the Kibbutz that provides baboons for breeding purposes will be supplied to the kibbutz, which will breed them for 2 years and then sell the offspring to the U.S. armed forces for chemical warfare testing. The International Primate Protection League (IPPL) secured Matthew Block's felony conviction, with a sentence of 13 months in jail and a fine $30,000, after he plead guilty to conspiring to violate the U.S. Endangered Species Act and an international treaty barring the trade of protected animals. Six starving baby orangutans were found stuffed in a crate marked "live birds" at the Bangkok, Thailand airport. They were stuffed so tightly that one was upside down. Four of them died in transit. In January, 1994, the U.S. Department of Agriculture revoked the import/export license of Worldwide Primates, the company owned by Matthew Block, for failing to provide food, water, adequate housing and veterinary care. Animal activists in Israel are conducting an investigation to determine whether Matthew Block or his company Worldwide Primates or any company owned by Matthew Block or Worldwide Primates are involved in the deal with Kibbutz Or Haner. A meeting is scheduled with the Director of the kibbutz this coming Wednesday, September 3rd. Israeli animal activists are hoping to bring pressure on the Kibbutz Director by showing him a large number protest faxes from animal groups worldwide. The final vote as to whether the kibbutz will go ahead with plans to undertake the baboon breeding facility or whether they will break the contract will be up to all the members of the kibbutz, based on the facts presented to them by kibbutz's Director. The facts are being provided by U.S. animal groups, including a great deal of information from IPPL. Faxes urging the Kibbutz' Director to abandon plans to launch the breeding facility have already been sent by Concern for Helping Animals in Israel (CHAI), In Defense of Animals, ISAR, Jews for Animal Rights (JAR), the Medical Research Modernization Committee (MRMC), NEAVS, and PETA. FAXES PROTESTING THE OPENING OF A BABOON BREEDING FACILITY ARE REQUESTED FROM INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS. Please try to send the faxes ASAP. The fax number in Israel is 011 972 7 680-2602. 011 is the code for an international call. 972 is the country code for Israel. 7 is the city code. The rest is the fax number. If you have trouble sending your fax directly to Israel, fax it to CHAI in the U.S. on (703) 941-6132 and we will fax it over. Dr. Shirley MaGreal, President of IPPL, recommends omitting Matthew Block's name from your letter until we have documentation proving he and/or a company he owns is, in fact, behind this deal. Arguments you can make in your fax: 1. The moral, ethical arguments to be made against experimenting on animals in general, and on primates, in particular because they are so close to us genetically. 2. This investment will prove to be economically unsound. The number of animals used in laboratories is dwindling as better methodologies become available and as people increasingly realize the immorality of experimenting on sentient beings. The U.S. government already has about 1,000 "surplus" chimpanzees that are costing $5 million per year to house and care for. 3. Housing primates presents a public health threat to the community since primates can transmit many deadly viruses to humans. 4. It would be harmful to Israel's image for the country to be involved in promoting chemical warfare, which will ultimately result in the destruction of human life, or to be involved in deliberately inflicting horrific suffering from nerve toxins, for example, on innocent animals, which would violate the Jewish mandate of "tsaar ba'alei chayyim". If you have questions or need additional information, please call Nina Natelson at CHAI, e-mail:74754,654.compuserve.com or (703) 658-9650 tel., (703) 941-6132 fax. THANK YOU!!! Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 12:59:33 -0700 From: farmusa@erols.com To: AR-News Subject: Letters to Editor About E coli Message-ID: <34087BA5.7F7E@erols.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Dear Fellow Activists: The bad news is that 50,000 more cattle will have to suffer and die to replace the 25 million pounds of tainted hamburger meat that has been recalled and destroyed. The good news is that the recall provides us another opportunity to drive home our message. To that end, we have provided below the drafts of three letters to the editor that we ask you to send to your local newspaper(s) at your very earliest opportunity, while the recall is still in the news. Note that many newspapers now accept letters by e-mail and/or fax. Send one, send all three (under different names, of course), change them as you see fit, but, for the sake of the 50,000 cattle, do it. Please! We would appreciate an e-mail (farmusa@erols.com) with the date and the first word of the letter(s) you sent. Also, let us know if you would like to join our regular 'Letters From FARM' network. Finally, please send the full page containing your published letter to FARM, 10101 Ashburton Lane, Bethesda, MD 20817. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Editor Last week’s headlines have brought alarming news about the sorry state of our public and planetary health. · The USDA has forced the recall of 25 million pounds of hamburger meat that may be contaminated with deadly E. coli bacteria and the closure of the offending plant. · Excessive use of antibiotics in raising farm animals and in medical practice has forged a Staphylococcus bacterium that is immune to all these drugs. · Effluents from farm animal waste have nurtured toxic algae that have killed billions of fish and devastated fisheries throughout the eastern seaboard, from Delaware to Louisiana. · Cornell University Professor David Pimentel told a national animal science meeting that our soil, water, and energy resources can not sustain current levels of animal agriculture. · The Worldwatch Institute has warned that world grain production is falling behind meat consumption, leading to higher grain and meat prices and widespread famines in developing countries. Surely, the time has come for consumers to see the handwriting on the wall and to adopt a plant-based diet advocated by leading health and environmental authorities for the past 25 years. Sincerely, ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Editor: Your report that USDA is recalling 1.2 million pounds of hamburger meat tainted with deadly E. coli bacteria was shocking, but not surprising. This problem first captured public attention in 1993, when four people died from eating E. coli-tainted burgers in Washington state. The US Public Health Service estimates that each year several million Americans have been afflicted and up to 9,000 killed by mostly meat-borne infectious diseases. Yet, few of these cases made the news. Indeed, the current contamination came to light only because of the alertness of Colorado health officials. Nowadays, hardly a week goes by without a report of another public health or environmental disaster associated with production or consumption of meat. Last year, it was the ‘Mad Cow’ disease in beef. Last month, it was the fish-eating ‘cell from hell,’ nurtured by hog and chicken farming waste. Last week, it was the Staphylococcus bacterium rendered resistant to all known antibiotics by excessive use of these drugs in raising farm animals. Now it’s the return engagement of E. coli-tainted hamburgers. What ever happened to the good old days, when meat eating was linked only with heart disease, cancer, stroke, and a host of other chronic diseases responsible for the deaths of 1.4 million Americans annually? It’s enough to make one look wistfully to the Garden of Eden and its governing injunction: “Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed . . . and fruit; to you it shall be for meat.” Sincerely, ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Editor: Here are the top ten tricks to avoid contaminated hamburgers: #10. Get a job at a slaughterhouse, so you know how the stuff gets to your plate # 9. Cook the hamburgers at 160F, or till they turn black, whichever comes first # 8. Soak them in laundry bleach overnight and add artificial coloring # 7. Call the Meat and Poultry Hot Line and take down more detailed instructions # 6. Stay away from foods that have to carry warning labels # 5. Try a veggie burger or a veggie hot dog from your local supermarket # 4. How about a veggie pizza at your favorite hangout? # 3. Treat yourself to a meatless dinner at a Chinese or Middle Eastern restaurant # 2. Crash a dinner party at a vegetarian friend’s house # 1. Kick the meat habit - go vegetarian! Sincerely, ------------------- end of long, urgent message ---------------------- Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 19:40:26 -0400 (EDT) From: ARAishere@aol.com To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Unsuscribe Message-ID: <970830193901_332432513@emout12.mail.aol.com> Unsuscribe ar-news Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 19:43:22 -0700 From: farmusa@erols.com To: Veg-News , AR-News Subject: Letters to Fast Food Chains Message-ID: <3408DA4A.2216@erols.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Dear Friends. Preparations for World Farm Animals Day are accelerating. For latest information check out our web site at http://www.farmusa.org/wfad1997. To receive a preliminary Action Kit, e-mail us at farmusa@erols.com or call 1-888-FARM-USA. Reproduced below is a letter that we sent to the world headquarters of McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, and KFC (formerly Kentucky Fried Chicken) to alert them to our World Farm Animals Day actions. We would appreciate it if you would send similar letters to the chains' consumer relations departments, requesting that they provide more meatless options and that they require suppliers to treat animals humanely. The addresses are: McDonald’s, 1 Kroc Drive, Oak Brook, IL 60523, 630-623-3000; Burger King, 17777 Old Cutler Rd, Miami, FL 33157, 305-378-3000; Wendy’s, PO Box 256, Dublin, OH 43017, 800-243-1846; KFC, 1900 Col Sanders Lane, Louisville, KY 40213, 800-544-5774. Sincere regards, Alex H. --------------------------------------- Dear ... On October 2, thousands of caring people will be conducting public education events in front of your outlets throughout the world. They will be asking that you provide a greater choice of meatless entrees and that you require your suppliers to treat their animals humanely. The occasion is the 15th annual observance of World Farm Animals Day, dedicated to exposing, memorializing, and ending the needless suffering and death of billions of cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, and other innocent, sentient animals raised for food. The events will include information tables, leafleting, picketing, and vigils. Your enormous success in the marketplace is due in large measure to your responsiveness to public demand. Consequently, you should be aware that public demand for meatless meals has grown explosively in the past two decades. · 33 million American consumers have explored a meatless diet · One in five consumers look for a restaurant that offers vegetarian items when they dine out, and one in three would order a vegetarian item on the menu · Over half of American consumers said they would be less likely to eat fast food hamburgers following the recent recall of Hudson’s ground beef · One in four teens consider vegetarianism to be ‘in’ and one in eight shun all meat · The American Dietetic Association, American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, and US Dietary Guidelines, have effectively endorsed vegetarianism · Major food processors and supermarket chains are marketing meatless entrees You should also realize that the public demands humane treatment of animals. · Nine in ten Americans would base their food choices on how animals are treated · US veal consumption has dropped by 70 percent because of cruel practices · The British High Court has ruled that McDonald's (and presumably other fast food chains) is responsible for cruel practices in raising broiler chickens, laying hens, and pigs We are pleased that some firms have already taken steps in the right direction. Dutch and Indian McDonald’s, British Burger King, and US Subway franchises offer meatless burgers. Wendy’s franchises feature baked potatoes and a special salad bar. McDonald's has directed its suppliers to comply with the Humane Slaughter Act. We believe that catering to the health-conscious and humane segments of the consuming public will only enhance your success and profits. We also believe that you need some public prompting to implement the necessary changes. This is why we are launching our public education campaign on World Farm Animals Day. Sincerely, Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 19:59:10 -0400 (EDT) From: CFOXAPI@aol.com To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: USFWS- REPORT ON WILDLIFE-RELATED RECREATION Message-ID: <970830195909_1159698166@emout09.mail.aol.com> --------------------- Forwarded message: From:mitch_snow@mail.fws.gov (Mitch Snow) Sender:owner-fws-news@dataadmin.irm.r9.fws.gov Reply-to:fws-news@dataadmin.irm.r9.fws.gov To:fws-news@dataadmin.irm.r9.fws.gov Date: 97-08-29 23:55:00 EDT This message is from the fws-news listserver. Please DO NOT REPLY (it just confuses the computers). Subscribers can't reply or send their own messages to the fws-news listserver. This listserver is designed mainly as a "one way street" for the rapid dissemination of information concerning the Service and its activities, rather than for gathering feedback. To contact us, see the explanatory note at bottom of the message. ============================================================ August 27, 1997 Hugh Vickery 202-208-5634 SERVICE RELEASES PRELIMINARY STATE-BY-STATE REPORT ON WILDLIFE-RELATED RECREATION Michigan had the largest number of hunters in the country, Florida led the country in anglers, and California had the largest number of wildlife watchers, according to the preliminary state overview from the 1996 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. Meanwhile, the survey revealed that residents of the West North Central region--which includes Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and the Dakotas-had the highest participation rates of any region for hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching. The survey, which has been conducted every 5 years since 1955, was done for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by the Census Bureau. As part of the survey, the Census Bureau initially screened 80,000 households. From this, the bureau chose 28,000 sportsmen and -women and 14,400 wildlife-watching participants 16 years of age and older for detailed surveys throughout the year. The preliminary national results released earlier this summer showed that more than 39 million Americans 16 and older either hunted or fished in 1996 while 63 million enjoyed watching-2- wildlife. In all, 40 percent of the adult population enjoyed some form of wildlife-related recreation. "America's love affair with wildlife continues to be strong," said Service Director Jamie Rappaport Clark. "Whether they're anglers, hunters, or wildlife watchers, Americans enjoy wildlife and, equally importantly, commit their time and resources to its conservation. Our economy also benefits from the $100 billion spent on wildlife-related recreation." In the state-by-state breakout, Michigan had 934,000 hunters 16 years and older, edging out Texas and Pennsylvania, which had 913,000 and 879,000 respectively. Wisconsin was fourth with 665,000 hunters trailed by New York with 642,000. Florida led the way with 2.9 million anglers 16 and older, followed closely by California with 2.7 million. Texas had 2.6 million, Michigan 1.8 million and New York 1.7 million. The survey revealed that 5.7 million Californians 16 and older enjoyed observing, photographing, or feeding wildlife around their homes while 2.4 million took trips away from home to enjoy these activities. Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, and Illinois also were home to millions of adults who enjoy watching wildlife. >From a regional standpoint, 25 percent of the adults in the West North Central region fished, 14 percent hunted, and 37 percent participated in wildlife watching. That represented the highest participation in each category for any region in the country. The final national report will be issued in November. The 50 state reports will be issued as they become available starting in November. Copies of the preliminary report can be obtained by calling the Service's publications unit at 304-876-7660. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages 511 national wildlife refuges covering 92 million acres, as well as 68 national fish hatcheries. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, manages migratory bird populations, stocks recreational fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, administers the Endangered Species Act, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that funnels Federal excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state wildlife agencies. This program is a cornerstone of the Nation's wildlife management efforts, funding fish and wildlife restoration, boating access, hunter education, shooting ranges, and related projects across America. -FWS- ============================================================ News releases are also available on the World Wide Web at http://www.fws.gov/~r9extaff/pubaff.html They can be reviewed in chronological order or searched by keyword. Questions concerning a particular news release or item of information should be directed to the person listed as the contact. General comments or observations concerning the content of the information should be directed to Craig Rieben (craig_rieben@mail.fws.gov) in the Office of Public Affairs. ============================================================ To unsubscribe from the fws-news listserver, send e-mail to majordomo@www.fws.gov with "unsubscribe fws-news" (and omit the "quotes") in the **body** of the message. 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