>Coffee and the Papers

>Quaggas here. Quaggas there, Quaggas, Quaggas everywhere — in Nevada — at Hoover Dam, Lake Mojave, and in the Lake Havasu intake. [LVRJ] Since these invasive critters don’t walk from one waterway to another, the onus falls on irresponsible boaters who don’t clean up before relaunching — so, now we can all expect check points where vessels are hauled to California from infested waters.
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While we’re on the subject of protection on the water — the Washington Post reports that the U.S. Coast Guard’s newest cutter suffers from “significant design flaws.” Further, the “service has failed to properly supervise the contractors doing the work.” Back in December the Coast Guard had to pull 8 other cutters after finding out they weren’t seaworthy. According to Lockheed-Northrop, “There are no flaws in the design…the Coast Guard is the technical authority…if the report claims otherwise then the report is flawed.” Rep. Bernie Thompson, chair of the House Homeland Security Committee isn’t buying their explanation: “We will not tolerate the spending of $775 million of the taxpayer’s money on a boat that will not perform its intended function, will have a shortened service life and will cost another fortune to maintain.”
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Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed is proposing to make it a crime to pay initiative signature gatherers on a per-signature basis, saying the practice “creates an incentive for fraud.” [ST]
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Future Klan leader (?) or Tancredo staffer (?) Bryce Archambo of Farmington, Missouri only managed to attract about 100 people to his “Southern Heritage Night” Confederate Flag Celebration. Bryce has been suspended from Farmington HS for wearing a confederate cap to school. Other teens in Farmington reject his message: “I see the flag and know what it stands for,” said Tony (Caruthers), who was on his way to the basketball game. “To me, it’s about oppression and hate.” Senior class President Jake Goff agreed, and said he has seen kids cruising around town with Confederate flags propped on their trucks right next to Klu Klux Klan symbols. If it’s so obviously hurting others, what’s the reason for having it?” Jake asked.” [STLPD]
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Pfizer Wants You! Or, Pfizer, Inc. wants to create an “astro-turf” movement to push back against calls for negotiated drug prices and any other regulation of the pharmaceutical industry. The corporation is sending packets of information to patients who use Pfizer drugs that include pre-written letters to Senators, all the recipient has to do is fold and send. “Dr. Jerry Avorn , a Harvard Medical School professor , condemned the covert campaign as “a distortion of the democratic process.” Avorn, who tracks drug company marketing, said the industry has already “succeeded in making patients into sales reps through direct-to-consumer advertising. Now, apparently, the next step is to make patients into lobbyists.” [BG] has the details.
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The State of Pennsylvania has ordered the closure of the Buck Mountain Slope Mine in Tremont following an investigation into the fatal explosion there last October. “DEP officials say the methane explosion that killed Dale Reightler, 43, “was very similar” to a 2004 accident at the mine “and that circumstances of that accident had been misrepresented by mine management.” [Pittsburgh PG]
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Another one bites the dust. Honeywell International plans to move its Autolite Spark Plug plant to Mexico. The move will cost approximately 500 jobs in Fostoria, Ohio. [TB]
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Nevada State/Local at Blue Sage Views

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