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California To Drop State Rock Over Asbestos Concerns
Diamonddavej writes "The LA Times reports that Californian legislators are close to dropping the translucent green rock Serpentine as the state rock of California because of its tenuous association with chrysotile asbestos. Sen. Gloria Romero declares in her bill (SB 624) that Serpentine should be dropped as California's state rock because it 'contains the deadly mineral chrysotile asbestos, a known carcinogen, exposure to which increases the risk of the cancer mesothelioma.' The bill has backing from mesothelioma support groups. Critics point out that Serpentine is a group of 20 different minerals, and Californian Serpentine rarely contains much chrysotile, never mind its dangerous fibrous asbestos form. Its is suspected that lawyers involved in asbestos compensation claims and cleanup companies will profit from the bill. Vast tracts of California where bedrock is made of Serpentine could be declared hazardous to health... even if it contains no crysotile at all! It looks like SB 624 will be passed; it won unanimous bi-partisan support from an Assembly committee last week."
I find it amusing that a state rock even exists, let alone the fact that it's causing such a ruckus! You Americans!
*ruffles hair*
I thought California was bankrupt or something. But I guess this is the biggest problem.
This is precisely the sort of thing that politicians do when the economic and financial situation pretty much destroys any capacity at meaningful change. It's a classic stunt, where they ban things or make pointless proclamations, because these sort of actions are cheap, allow them to look populist and all governmental, even as, as you point out, Rome burns around them.
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
Fools Gold seems appropriate for California these days.
This is akin to the "all puppies are lovely act" - anyone who doesn't vote yes on it is a communist.
Seriously - doesn't California have bigger problems to tackle? It really is a testament to how broken government is when the only thing they can pass is a change to the state rock.
More than a testament to broken government, it's a reflection of the state and its people too. This is yet another sign of how California, once the greatest most glamorous state in the union, has become the nation's laughingstock. California looks more and more like Rome at the end of its life. Unfortunately, what happens to California is often a precursor of where the rest of the country is going.
Life is hard, and the world is cruel