---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Carl Douglas
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 06:26:59 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Thames Tideway pollution - UK
To:

An interesting article here:
  http://tinyurl.com/nyvort

Regular sewage discharges into the Thames will continue for as long
as we accept the expedient of allowing human effluent to mix with
storm
water.  As ever, the defence is advanced that a little bit of human
effluent never hurt anyone.

Well worth anyone's attention is this piece from 50 years ago:
  http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/front_page/newsid_8221000/8221341.stm
The interview responses of the local councillor, at around 1:27, were
very rational.  The smart-arse interviewed just after 2:30 was a fine
example of the ignorant & arrogantly authoritarian alternative.

It was that latter kind that the great Dr. Snow had to contend with:
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Snow_%28physician%29
but he succeeded in getting the Broad Street pump handle removed to
curb a cholera outbreak.  But read on and see what government
officials
did later.  Nothing changes :(

Currently there are over 1300 signatures on this petition:
  http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/tidewaysewage/sign

It would be very helpful to the cause of a cleaner, safer Tideway if
all rowers (& canoeists!) who ever have cause to use it, even if only
at events such  as the HoRR, etc., would click on that link, read the
petition & then sign
themselves onto it.

Please do it, now!

Thanks -
Carl