Jim Hightower Asks: "What's That Smell?"

[DemBones DemBones]

Ever been around hogs? Pigshit makes chickenshit smell like Chanel #5. Jim Hightower is talking about hog factories and hogshit here:

http://www.jimhightower.com/

"These hog factories are huge, cramming tens of thousands of hogs inside and channeling hog urine and feces into open-air cesspools the size of football fields. Oh, the stink! Think of rancid road kill mixed with overloaded Port-a-Potty on a hot day. It's a knee buckling, mind-melting, pass-out stink.

But the stench is not just an "odor" – it's a substance. In particular, it's fecal dust, and hundreds of tons of these invisible hog-stuff particles drift through the air for residents of the area to breathe. Scientific studies now are proving that the stink is poisonous, ruining people's health."

The cesspool gases from hog farms have been shown to cause nerve damage. So, isn't the EPA doing anything about this health hazard? Well, this is George W. Bush*'s EPA, so of course they're doing something. Something for the polluters! They've met privately with industry reps to negotiate a policy written by the industries. . .

"Hold your nose, because the plan agreed to by Bush & Company is even stinkier than hog stuff. One, the corporate hog factories are to be given amnesty for any past violations of the Clean Air Act – even violations that poisoned people. Two, the EPA will pursue no new cases against polluters, and control of factory-farm pollution will be moved from the EPA's enforcement professionals to its political office.

Three, in exchange for this Get-out-of-jail-free card, the industry agrees to have its pollution "monitored" by the EPA on a voluntary basis. But only 30 of the thousands of hog factories will be monitored, and even if they're found to be rank violators of the law, they will not have to make changes in their practices."

Jim suggests that to fight Bushstink, you should call the GRACE Factory Farm Project at 212-726-9161.

[soupkitchen]

1. I love the smell of hog farms in the morning

They smell like, like GOP politics

[roughsatori]

2. My grandfather worked much of his life in a hog slaughter-house

Once when my father needed work my grandfather got him a job. My father says he vomited everyday during the short time he was there. He is having pork-chops tonight, however. And I am the vegetarian.

[realFedUp]

3. Al Franken talked about hog farms in his new book

guess the subject's getting some long due attention.

[OneBlueSky]

4. just ask Lynard Skynard . . .

"Ooh, ooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell?
Ooh, ooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you."