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Astronaut Edgar Mitchell Claims Alien Cover-up

Dr. Edgar Mitchell is a veteran of the Apollo 14 mission and he was the sixth man to walk on the Moon. Dr. Mitchell also insists that aliens have visited Earth and that governments are actively covering it up. "I happen to have been privileged enough to be in on the fact that we've been visited on this planet and the UFO phenomena is real," Dr Mitchell said. "It's been well covered up by all our governments for the last 60 years or so, but slowly it's leaked out and some of us have been privileged to have been briefed on some of it. "I've been in military and intelligence circles, who know that beneath the surface of what has been public knowledge, yes - we have been visited. Reading the papers recently, it's been happening quite a bit." Dr Mitchell, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering and a Doctor of Science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics claimed Roswell was real and similar alien visits continue to be investigated. He told the astonished Kerrang! radio host Nick Margerrison: "This is really starting to open up. I think we're headed for real disclosure and some serious organisations are moving in that direction." NASA issued a quick denial. In a statement, a spokesman said: "NASA does not track UFOs. NASA is not involved in any sort of cover up about alien life on this planet or anywhere in the universe. "Dr Mitchell is a great American, but we do not share his opinions on this issue." If Dr. Mitchell is correct about a cover-up than this is exactly the type of denial one would expect NASA to make. You can listen to the interview with Dr. Mitchell where he discusses the UFO phenomena here. Permalink | Recent Headlines | News Feeds Read more…

Jumbo row over US zoo elephants (AFP)

20.12.2006 04:16 Science - Source: Yahoo Science

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Debate is raging over the plight of US zoo elephants, with activists charging confinement destroys their feet and even kills them, and the industry fiercely defending their top crowd pleaser.

The controversy, which prompted the federal government to seek public comment on the issue, mounted earlier this year after several elephants died in zoos across the country, some from complications of sore feet.

Animal rights groups say elephants are stuck in tight enclosures and stand for hours on concrete floors that cause arthritis or painful and often fatal foot infections.

"The state of elephant health in the US is appallingly poor," said Elliott Katz, a veterinarian and president of California-based In Defense of Animals.

"Just about every expert I've spoken with feels that elephants need to be in sanctuaries or preserves where they could walk on soil, walk on hundreds of acres and be in a herd situation that is so much better."

Katz told AFP he reviewed records of 35 zoos between 2000 and 2005 and came away disgusted and convinced the facilities were killing the elephants.

"I am sickened by members of my own profession who know the (sick) elephants need to be on soft soil to have any chance of getting better and yet they never speak out," he said.

But the zoo industry rejects such charges saying that while much could be said about elephant care in years past, zoos have gradually upgraded facilities and the almost 300 elephants in state zoos today are doing quite well.

"We have the equivalent of 3,880 years of current elephant expertise if you count all of the people that work with elephants everyday and you have one or two people who are not working with elephants everyday, making assertions that are not based on science," said Steve Feldman, spokesman for the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

"They are trying to close down zoos but that has nothing to do with the welfare of the animals."

In a bid to defuse the situation and set the record straight, the Animal and Plant Inspection Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in August sought advice from the public on what to do about foot and joint problems in elephants.

More than 1,500 comments were filed by the December 11 deadline and the USDA now has several months to review the data before deciding on any major changes to elephant care in US zoos.

"The staff veterinarians will review the comments and there will be a determination if any action needs to be taken regarding mending the regulations," said Darby Holladay, a USDA spokesman.

Willie Theisson, head elephant keeper at the Pittsburgh Zoo, acknowledged that several zoos have lost elephants in recent years due to foot infections resulting from poor care but insisted such cases were exceptions.

"Every zoo is upgrading the standards for the animals," said Theisson, who has been on the job for 29 years and cares for six elephants.

Several zoos unable to spend millions of dollars for bigger barns and more room to roam have decided to shut down their elephant exhibits, which are usually the among the biggest draws at zoos.

Theisson said elephants with severe foot infections are usually older and probably contracted the disease at a much younger age, when there was little awareness in zoos about the importance of tending to elephant feet.

"When zoos first got started, it was like stamp collecting, it was as many different animals as we can have just so people can see them," he said. "Elephant facilities at that time were probably not adequate.

"Today, you should not have an animal under the age of 30 that is having foot infections just because in the last 20 years there has been a lot more information on how to care for elephants."