I'm only posting this for your information, so please don't shoot the messenger.

[Fair Use.]

http://www.times.spb.ru/current/opinion/o_2915.htm

Global Eye

Grass Roots

As the world knows, Texas is one of most polluted places on the face of the earth. There, countless poisons boil and bubble beneath the harsh sun, belching out of vast industrial citadels excused from environmental regulation by the grace of the former governor, now translated to glory. There the children play on stubbly grass scorched by tons of pesticides, which ooze foul toxins into the pores of tiny bare knees, into the curious fingers and mouths, into the nicks and scratches of innocent play. And which Texas town is the most polluted, where the city parks - common pleasures for the free citizenry to walk abroad and recreate themselves - are seeping the greatest amount of toxic pesticides? Why, that would be Midland, of course - the putative hometown of George W. Bush, the place that "shaped his heartland values," according to his campaign literature. A new study by the Texas Pesticide Information Network reveals that Midland leads the state in the amount of pesticide per hectare, and the percentage of toxic pesticide, TomPaine.com reports. Almost 75 percent of the bug-killer and weed-choker used in Midland parks carry a "Danger" warning from the Environmental Protection Agency. But Big Poison is Big Business in Bush Country. While towns in other states across the country have started restricting or banning the use of toxic pesticides, Texas law specifically prohibits cities from regulating pesticide sales and usage, even in children's playgrounds. One of the most popular Texas toxins is the insecticide Dursban, based on the chemical chlorpyrifos. This little ring-tailed scientific wonder was banned by the EPA last year for its adverse effects on brain development and nervous systems in children. It's unlikely that little Georgie - who actually passed most of his childhood and youth in exclusive New England private schools, and at the family's mansion in Kennebunkport, Maine - was ever exposed to the playground poisons that infected grubby little proles. However, there was one aspect of the report that might give him pause: Golf courses used four times more pesticides per hectare than parks, the study said - including even more of the most toxic poisons. What was that bit about "adverse effects on brain development" again?

-- Bandrui (giveitup@yaaintgetting.it), April 08, 2001

Answers

Ah yes, one of the world's premier journalistic enterprises, The St Petersburg (RUSSIA) Tomes

-- Lars (larsguy@yahoo.com), April 08, 2001.

Lars, I had rather assumed that people would know that a newspaper called The St. Petersburg Times, would be Russian. Somewhat obvious, wouldn't you think?

-- Bandrui (giveitup@yaaintgetting.it), April 08, 2001.

Not to me. I figured it was St Pete, FL. (about which I would have made the same comment). I still refer to St Pete, Russia as "Leningrad".

-- Lars (larsguy@yahoo.com), April 08, 2001.

Lars,

My mistake, actually. I just found out about the St. Petersburg Times newspaper a few minutes ago. I wasn't aware of its existence.

Okay... so any thoughts on why a russian newspaper would publish an article like this? Pushing the ol' "decadent American west" propoganda again, perhaps?

Bandrui

-- Bandrui (giveitup@yaaintgetting.it), April 08, 2001.

Sheesh!

I meant to say, "I just found out about the Floridian St. Petersburg Times newspaper..."

Think I need another cup of coffee!

-- Bandrui (giveitup@yaaintgetting.it), April 08, 2001.

I may be way wrong but I have an impression that the English language St Pete (Russia) Times is published by ex-patriate Americans. Do you know?

-- Lars (larsguy@yahoo.com), April 08, 2001.

Lars,

Good thought. No, I don't, but it'll make for some interesting research. Thanks. I'll get back to you with what I find.

Question for you, and I really don't mean this unkindly, but I've noticed that most of the "informational" articles get very little traffic, as opposed to "chit-chat-and-all-that" type posts.

I know this is an open forum, but are there any thinkers here?

Bandrui

-- Bandrui (youare@getting.closer), April 08, 2001.

There are some thinkers here, but Flint usually comes along and puts a stop to that.

-- (facts only @ no. thinking allowed), April 08, 2001.

Bandrui--

Yes, I have wondered on that too. I am never sure how a post will be received, especially a copy n paste post. I know I don't respect myself in the morning if the only thing I do is copy n paste posts.

But some copy n pastes stimulate mucho response. It's like throwing shit against the wall. Some sticks, some does not.

-- Lars (larsguy@yahoo.com), April 08, 2001.

facts only,

Well, I don't know who Flint is, so I'll have to just take your word on that. Too bad. Thinking is, on the whole, a lost art.

Free speech doesn't mean a thing, when it's only used as a tool to demonstrate how eloquently one can cuss/curse/swear/whatever. Free speech is not required in order to demonstrate the depth of ones' foolishness.

Bandrui

-- Bandrui (giveitup@yaaintgetting.it), April 08, 2001.