California To Drop State Rock Over Asbestos Concerns 256
Posted
by
Soulskill
from the your-tax-dollars-at-work dept.
from the your-tax-dollars-at-work dept.
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."
Well then... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:fp (Score:3, Funny)
Beaten by my iPhone 3G. Can you feel the burn? Oh yes.
And I even snuck in a PUN! FP with humor!
The new state rock - crack. (Score:5, Funny)
In other news... (Score:3, Funny)
California has a State rock.
That's California for you. (Score:2, Funny)
Even their state rock is known by the state of California to cause cancer.
Pet rock (Score:5, Funny)
I had a pet rock. It wasn't as maintenance-free as you'd expect.
Also, is this part of the Daily Mail's efforts to categorise all known substances/things/ideas into those that cause and those that cure cancer?
Hmmm... (Score:5, Funny)
Isn't ALL rock hazardous to your health if you breathe it?
Known to the state of California... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Pet rock (Score:4, Funny)
How would they categorize radiation! The opposite of a shovel... is a shovel!
All joking aside the California state rock should be foam spray painted to look like rock until it bounces off of Captain Kirk's head. MOVIE MAGIC!
Either that or whatever rock is most commonly found in Bronson Canyon.
Re:Known to the state of California... (Score:3, Funny)
Maybe they should just put warning labels on all the rocks. "Serpentine, the state rock of California, contains substances known to the state of California to cause cancer".
"Serpentine, the state rock of California, may contain substances known to the state of California to cause cancer".
Re:That's California for you. (Score:3, Funny)
Fits right in with the air, at least.
Re:In case there was any doubt (Score:3, Funny)
Oh yeah? [dumblaws.com]
Highlights:
Bear wrestling matches are prohibited.
Incestuous marriages are legal.
Boogers may not be flicked into the wind.
Well, OK, I sort of agree with that last one.
Now wait a minute (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Funny thing is this is the non-cancerious asbes (Score:1, Funny)
While your second point is spot-on, this is incorrect: cancerious denotes something that is seriously cancerous.
Suggestion for an Alternative (Score:3, Funny)
I have a suggestion for an alternative all natural, eco-friendly solution: Coprolite [wikipedia.org]
It even fits well given the politics of California.
Californicators (Score:1, Funny)
Maybe californians should stop being such a bunch of candy assed weenie whackers and find something productive to do with their time. Like incite flamewars on slashdot to give the pussy moderators something worth modding down instead of spending mod points promoting their personal agenda.
Re:Funny thing is this is the non-cancerious asbes (Score:3, Funny)