By ,
Published January 13, 2015
Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:
Fanning the Flames
Bonfires along the Pacific Northwest coast are a long-standing tradition. But the Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper reports the Parks and Recreation Department there might be dousing the custom.
Why? Because of global warming.
Park staff is recommending reducing fires at both Alki Park and Golden Gardens Park. A memo from staff to the city's Parks and Recreation Board says the question is "whether it is good policy for Seattle parks to continue public beach fires when the carbon emissions contributes to global warming."
But the idea has irked some regular visitors. Linda Garcia says, "They have to try to take everything away."
Raising the Stakes
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is calling for a security watch over the race horse Big Brown ahead of Saturday's Belmont Stakes. The organization sent a letter to the track urging that the potential Triple Crown winner is, "protected from legal and illegal drug abuse."
Big Brown is currently undergoing treatment for a cracked front-left hoof. Underscoring the death of Eight Belles in last month's Kentucky derby, PETA says the breakdown of another horse could "finish off the horse racing industry."
The letter also notes that Big Brown's trainer, Richard Dutrow, has been suspended for illegally doping horses in the past. But, Dutrow insists that Big Brown will not run on steroids, even ones that are legal. He says "it's just too much for three races in five weeks" and insists that Big Brown is "doing absolutely fabulous."
Boxers or Briefs?
Underwear designer Andrew Christian began selling Barack Obama boxer briefs Friday. The New York Daily News reports that the slim-fit undies sport a silhouette of the presumptive Democratic nominee on the front and the numerals "08" on the back.
Upon seeing the undergarments, Obama's communications director Robert Gibbs said, "I'm not sure I'd wear those even underneath my clothes." The designer mailed a complimentary set to Obama. But Gibbs says Obama won't wear them because "that would be really weird."
Christian said the Obama bottoms are his only election-related underwear right now. But that if Hillary Clinton became the vice presidential candidate he would definitely create a Hillary bra or camisole.
Sowing the Seeds
A private university in Oakland, California, is giving new meaning to the term higher education.
Oaksterdam University teaches students how to grow, harvest, cook and dispense marijuana. School administrators say the goal is to teach consumers about the benefits of marijuana and encourage graduates to start their own dispensaries.
The French Press Agency reports more than 500 students have enrolled and so far 200 have graduated. But, the curriculum has not been greeted warmly by the Drug Enforcement Agency. DEA agent Michael Chapman says, "It reinforces a very complacent attitude by the public that marijuana is safe and effective when it's not."
The school's Chancellor Danielle Schumacher says her students are "using their degrees to lobby different levels of government."
— FOX News Channel's Martin Hill contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/story/will-beach-bonfires-be-banned-along-pacific-northwest