jenny cares 

Rubber Duckie Mothership
from SayNoToCrack July 15th, 2007 by Bunk Strutts

In 1992, 20 containers of almost 30,000 little yellow rubber duckies, were released into the wild due to a particularly violent storm in the Pacific. Over the years, the bleached and bloated toys have been washing up on beaches all over the world... and now they are showing up on the shores of the UK.
.What hasn’t been reported is that that the duckies have been breeding. And there are mutants. Some are reportedly as big as hounds, horses, hippos and houses, blocking docks, ports and shipping routes. Dockworker’s unions all around the UK are celebrating... “Work’s light, they can’t fire us, and the pubs are open. Cheers!”
.Meanwhile, the rubber duckies keep coming, unabated, with no end in sight...

Thousands of rubber ducks to land on British shores after 15 year journey
by Ben Clerkin, 27 June 2007 : The Daily Mail article 
...The toys have helped researchers to chart the great ocean currents because when they are spotted bobbing on the waves they are much more likely to be reported to the authorities than the floats which scientists normally use. Boxes of the bathtime toys - made in China for the U.S. firm The First Years Inc - were washed overboard in the eastern Pacific Ocean one stormy January night in 1992 and broke open.
.In the intervening time an oceanographer, Curtis Ebbesmeyer, has devoted his retirement to tracking the little yellow ducks and their friends over 17,000 miles... Read more   
SING-A-LONG : YouTube
"Quack" emoticon by Camilla, a Care2 member (millan.net)

Worst 10 for 2007

• The 10 sites lie in seven countries and affect more than 12 million people
• the listing criteria focuses on pollution's impact on human health — especially that of children.

The fact of the matter is that children are sick and dying in these polluted places, and it's not rocket science to fix them.
And despite more focus on pollution in the media, there hasn't been much happening to improve conditions.

The sites have been listed alphabetically

The areas were not tourist areas or capitals, rather remote areas where pollution controls don't exist or enforcement is considered weak.

e.g. Tianying was cited because of lead poisoning ...
Tianying city produces half of China's lead.

Vapi was described as a region overwhelmed by over 50 industrial estates —
which poison the local soils and groundwater with pesticides, PCBs, chromium, mercury, lead, and cadmium......

Sukinda has more than 97% of India’s chromite ore deposits.
"Twelve mines operate without environmental controls, leaching hexavalent chromium into drinking water supplies."

Sumgayit - a former Soviet industrial base is polluting the area with industrial chemicals and heavy metals. Cancer rates are 22%-51% higher than the national average, while genetic mutations and birth defects are commonplace.

Read the report details are online at
 www.worstpolluted.com

Nominate for 2008

China's Assault on Everest (and Tibet)
(news rec'd today from Students for a Free Tibet)

On Tuesday, a spokesman for the Beijing Olympic Committee issued an ominous threat:

"The command centre has given its order for the final assault tomorrow."

Imported from external blog

Australia Tibet Council

ATC would like to thank all of our members and supporters who are standing up for Tibet in unprecedented numbers at this crucial time. You can show your support in many ways - from getting to a rally or vigil, wearing your Free Tibet t-shirt, writing to your local politicians or simply asking your friends to have a look at www.atc.org.au

Here is some of the latest news ...

Our Man In Beijing ... & The Prime Minister

Australia's Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has spoken up about Tibet during his visit to China. An ATC representative is in Beijing to brief media and ensure that Tibet remains high on the agenda.
Visit www.atc.org.au to read his daily reports and video blogs.

Tutu Inspires In San Francisco

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has brought the house down with an inspirational speech in support of Tibet, the Dalai Lama and human rights.
Visit www.atc.org.au to view the YouTube footage.

Olympic Torch Farce

A last minute change to the torch route has reduced the San Francisco leg of the Olympic torch relay to a game of hide and seek.
Visit www.atc.org.au to read more.

Best regards,
Paul Bourke Executive Officer

Dalai Lama's Open Letter to Chinese "Brothers and Sisters"

Global Day of Action - Monday 31 March

A Open Letter to Hu Jintao From Tibetans Studies Scholars

BREAKING NEWS: Monks In Lhasa Disrupt Media Tour - "China Lying"

BBC Footage Of Initial Drepung Protests

GetUp and ATC - Sign The Petition To Rudd

Protests & Deaths In Eastern Tibetan Areas

Media Blackout A Grave Danger for Tibetans

Dalai Lama's Threat To Resign: Rudd Can Help

Dalai Lama Denies Chinese Allegations