Badlands Journal
Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
That's what environmentalists are saying. But, at last, Julie MacDonald, corrupt political appointee to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, is gone. She will long be remembered for her energetic assistance to the ESA-gutting Pomboza, composed of former Rep. Richard Pombo, Buffalo Slayer-Tracy, and the still seated Rep. Dennis Cardoza, Shrimp Slayer-Merced.
The Merced Sun-Star and the noble crusaders against WalMart wildly endorsed UC Merced, anchor tenant for the largest speculative housing boom in Merced history. The Merced Sun-Star endorsed Riverside Motorsparts Pork, which Mike Nelson, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, described as his legacy. After the project was approved, due to some backroom financial dealings, disgruntled investors persuaded the paper to run some negative history of RMP boss John Condren's financial dealings.
...We need inspiration,
we need to define our dreams,
overcome challenges and frustrations
and give birth to something newIs this evolution or revolution?
-- "Sacred Convergence" Group Poem, Merced High School, April 27, 2007
…People the color of my cravings
Chocolate skin, caramel tones, cinnamon
(Alameda County Supervisor Scott) Haggerty to (Mark) Melville and (John) Condren: "From the beginning, I told you that you needed to bring the community along on this. But for some reason, you decided it's better to give everyone the finger and do whatever the hell you want. Well, that ends today." -- Merced Sun-Star, April 27, 2007
There is an estimated $2.5 trillion in subprimes and Alt-A loans---20% of which are expected enter foreclosure in the next few years. Any up-tick in interest rates or unemployment will only aggravate the situation. -- Mike Whitney, Counterpunch.com, April 24, 2007
Sale of modified seed corn stopped
GE_NEWS@eco-farm.org
Associated Press -- April 23, 2007
Minnesota has stopped the distribution and sale of a certain genetically modified variety of Syngenta seed corn because it doesn't comply with state regulations. Farmers were told not to plant the root-worm resistant seed.
Syngenta officials told the Minnesota Department of Agriculture on Friday that 7,480 units of "Agrisure RW MIR 604" seed were distributed to 99 seed dealers in Minnesota.
It has been proved beyond doubt that Iraq contained no weapons of mass destruction, therefore the excuse for the occupation was a lie. The nation was traumatized by the incredible violence of September 11th. Seven days later, it was further traumatized by letters laced with lethal strains of anthrax delivered to two US senators, Tom Daschle and Patrick Leahy, both trying to debate the Patriot Act being rammed down Congress’ throat by the Bush administration. Five people who handled the letters died and 17 were sickened. The strain of anthrax was traced to the US Army Ft.
There are 58 counties in California. Each is the land-use authority for all the unincorporated land within its boundaries. Some do not share the development pressure the UC Merced campus brought to Merced County. Others are richer and more clever than Merced County. If the California Environmental Quality Act is conceived as a well marked public path through a pasture, Merced local government can be seen to frequently stray from that path and step in something. Its tracks have "precedential value."
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The California Transportation Commission distributed $975 million of the fund, created when voters approved Proposition 1B in November. San Joaquin County received $282.4 million...San Joaquin County's share is the biggest. Among regions through which Highway 99 runs, only Merced County landed nearly as much, with $248.3 million. -- Stockton Record, 3-16-07
They haven't even learned yet how to project in public anything but blind greed by fleecing the people. It is their only tune.
More evidence of chaos in the financial, insurance and real estate financial cabal (FIRE) is news, however late, the the Virginia home of Rep. John Doolittle, R-Rocklin, was raided last Friday by the FBI. Investigators were looking for evidence of the congressman and his wife's connections with Jack Abramoff. They didn't have to look too far. According to The Hill, Kevin Ring, Doolittle's former chief of staff, left his office to work for Abramoff, who subsequently hired Doolittle's wife, Julie's consulting firm.