Re: “ ” (Page B1, Dec. 7). The Mercury News article on the Earthquakes’ commitment to build eight soccer fields at the fairgrounds captured the support of elected officials — well and good.
I would like to add that for many years the Fairgrounds Management Corporation (FMC) has been working to expand the impact and value of this county-owned land. Executive Director Abe Andrade and the board deserve recognition for their patient, persistent work with county and Earthquakes’ leadership that made this possible. Their contributions go beyond grounds enhancements and the recently expanded fair.
After the county announced its COVID mandates, the FMC sidelined its public venue operations and transformed the fairgrounds into a major center for testing and inoculation. We have been well served … well served indeed. California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife annually issues import permits for 2 million live American bullfrogs and 300,000 freshwater turtles for human consumption, non-natives all, sold in various “Chinatowns” throughout the state.
The market animals are routinely bought en masse by “do-gooders” and released into local waters, where they prey upon and displace our native species while spreading diseases and parasites. Numerous necropsies have documented cases of E. coli, salmonella and Pasteurella (all potentially fatal in humans), giardia, blood parasites, even one case of malaria.
Where are the local health departments, pray? The State Fish and Game Commission meets this week in San Diego. This issue is on Wednesday’s agenda. Express your concerns to CDFW and .
An easy partial fix: no live imports, frozen frog/turtle parts only. As the son of a wonderful woman who died from Alzheimer’s, I want to express my gratitude to Rep. Zoe Lofgren for co-sponsoring the , which will update and expand our national plan to address Alzheimer’s as well as the which will build on the progress made in research.
This year marked a critical turning point in the fight against Alzheimer’s with the FDA approval of the first treatment unequivocally proven to slow the progress of the disease. If these two bills are signed into law, more breakthroughs are sure to result in the coming years. The number of Californians with Alzheimer’s is projected to double in the next 20 years if we don’t find a way to prevent or slow the disease.
There can be no backsliding in our national commitment to fight this devastating disease. The loss of life in the Gaza Strip is tragic, but let’s not be hypocritical. In World War II the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese resulted in the United States dropping two atom bombs on cities in Japan resulting in the deaths of an estimated .
That is also tragic, but we do what we must when our country is under attack. We cannot fault Israel in defending against a terrorist group that uses civilians as a shield. We all recoil from the horrific violence of Oct.
7, but the over-the-top response by Israel has made us complicit in what amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity — not to mention the seeding of the ground for future adherents of similar violent organizations. It appears that the current Israeli government has been so humiliated by Oct 7 that it would be willing to see the hostages counted as war dead rather than having to negotiate for their lives. Cutting off food, water and medicine and bombing tunnels in which they are probably being held will surely bring that about.
That is the way of the Hamas organization, not a responsible nation-state. We need a complete cease-fire and meaningful negotiations to settle the 75 years of discrimination and dispossession of the Palestinian population. No other path offers long-term peace and mutual security going forward.
Almost every country that ever won its independence, did so through a combination of a strong military and alliances with stronger countries that supported it. Palestine has neither. Unlike Israel it never gained the support of the United Nations or local Arab states or formed the strong international ties necessary to become a state.
Hamas’ default was to launch a civil war against the Palestinian Authority, set up by the Arab League as a framework for an independent government in Palestine. Hamas has now plunged Palestine into an unwinnable, suicidal war against Israel. It has neither the alliances nor the military to prevail as it causes the deaths of thousands of Palestinians by hiding its uniformed military among civilians and hospitals.
Hamas has sealed its own fate by putting Israel in an existential situation in which it must defeat Hamas to save itself. Fifty years ago the was passed. It marked an inflection point where Americans realized that human-caused habitat destruction, exploitation, pesticides and pollution were driving iconic species toward extinction.
Since its passage, it has prevented the extinction of almost 300 species. But a 2019 United Nations report found human activity is pushing more than 1 million species toward extinction. Despite the act’s success, it needs help.
The law must be fully funded by Congress. Conservative and industrial political pressure to weaken it must stop. The Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries need regulatory improvements to limit improper political interference, lackluster enforcement and bureaucratic delays.
The act requires proactive cooperation among federal agencies. It is time to restore scientific integrity and adopt ecosystem-based recovery plans to save our natural habitats. Increasing human population (3.
7 billion to 8. 1 billion in 50 years) is the main driver of habitat loss. .
From: mercurynews
URL: https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/12/11/letters-1524/
