Wilsons Sandbox

Al Gore states in is book "Earth in the Balance", that the internal combustion engine is the greatest threat to the planet. Now if that isn't a wacko statement I don't know what is. I don't "hate" Al Gore or Bill Clinton, but America deserves better than a sociopath or environmentalist kook running this country. Russelr' > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: > Sent: Friday, April 14, 2000 11:22 PM > Subject: Bridgestone Tire Boycott > > > > Please Boycott Bridgestone/Firestone Tire Company > > > > Below you will read a press release from Bridgestone/Firestone tire > > company about 6,000 of the 10,000 acres the company had donated to > the > > state of Tennessee (Vice President Al Gore's home state) to be > preserved > > as wilderness. Is it any wonder that the well-meaning majority of > > Americans apparently favor locking up our Public Lands to protect > them > > from off-highway vehicles. If the very manufacturer of the O.E.M. > tires > > that our OHVs ride would donate 10,000 acres to those who would > banish > > us, rather than providing that 10,000 acres for their customers to > ride > > and drive their OHVs, what is the rest of the industry that stands > > silently by thinking! > > > > Personally, I sometimes get a little weary of spending ALL of my > > "spare???" time working and fighting to provide the customers of OHV > > > manufacturers and their suppliers with places to ride while those > very > > companies stand virtually idly by as our OHV recreation > opportunities > > vanish! > > > > My Bridgestones are coming off tomorrow. How about yours? > > > > Happy trails? > > > > Al > > > > C. Al Roof > > Promoter - The Honda Hoot Carolina Dual Sport Adventure Ride > > Founder & President - The Blue Ridge Pathfinders Motorcycle Club, > Inc. > > Office Manager / Special Events Coordinator - Suzuki Kawasaki of > Gastonia > > Public Relations Officer - The North Carolina Off-Highway Vehicle > > Association, Inc. > > Alternate State Representative - The National Off-Highway Vehicle > > Conservation Council, Inc. > > > > > > ----------------------------------------------------- > > Thursday April 13, 12:02 pm Eastern Time > > Company Press Release > > Bridgestone/Firestone Makes Sizable Land Donation to > > State of Tennessee > > NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 13, 2000--In > > a move that will preserve thousands of acres of > > unspoiled wilderness area for generations to come, > > Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. (BFS) announced today the > > donation of approximately 6,000 acres of land in White > > and Van Buren counties to the state of Tennessee. > > > > The gift marks the company's second major land > > donation to the state, bringing the total area donated > > by BFS to about 10,000 acres. The combined donation, > > to be called the Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial > > Wilderness, represents one of the largest land > > donations in history to the state of Tennessee by a > > private company. > > > > Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. Chairman and CEO Masatoshi > > Ono presented Gov. Don Sundquist with the deed to the > > property at a news conference near the state Capitol. > > It includes a conservation easement, to be held by The > > Conservation Fund, a nationally recognized > > conservation organization. The conservation easement > > restricts development on the property to ensure that > > its natural beauty and environmental integrity will be > > preserved. > > > > The 6,000-acre tract of land includes a sizable > > portion of Scott's Gulf near Sparta. When combined > > with the previous donation, today's gift opens > > approximately 15 miles of the Caney Fork River and its > > tributaries to public access. > > > > The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), which > > manages the adjacent 4,000-acre tract donated to the > > state by BFS in 1998, will also manage the newly > > donated property. While specific land use will be > > determined by TWRA, the conservation easement permits > > public use of the property for low-impact activities > > such as fishing, canoeing, kayaking, hiking and > > hunting. Camping, cave exploration and horseback > > riding will be permitted with restrictions. > > > > ``This property is truly magnificent, and we felt very > > strongly about sharing this environmental treasure > > with the people of Tennessee,'' Ono said. ``We took > > the property off the market several years ago because > > we did not feel a private buyer could ensure that the > > natural beauty would be preserved. The Tennessee > > Wildlife Resources Agency has done an excellent job > > managing the first gift from Bridgestone/Firestone, so > > we feel confident about entrusting them with the > > management of a second and more substantial > > donation.'' > > > > BFS and the state of Tennessee worked with The > > Conservation Fund to develop a plan that ensures this > > property, the previously donated tract and remaining > > company holdings in the area will be managed in an > > environmentally sound manner. > > > > ``It's not every day that the state of Tennessee > > receives a gift of this nature, and we sincerely > > appreciate Bridgestone/Firestone's generosity and > > commitment to safeguarding the scenic beauty of our > > great state,'' Sundquist said. ``The company has been > > a major contributor to this state's economic > > well-being since moving its headquarters to Nashville > > in 1992. The donation today reinforces > > Bridgestone/Firestone as a major contributor to > > Tennessee's environmental stability as well.'' > > > > The Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness, a > > part of Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau, is home to a > > variety of wildlife - including a number of rare and > > endangered species. The peregrine falcon, gray bat, > > barking tree frog and jewel darter are among the rare > > species known to live in the area. Rare wildflowers > > found on the property include the Cumberland > > Rosemarry. The property is also a known habitat to > > wild turkey, quail, deer, timber rattlesnake, beaver, > > and large- and small-mouth bass. > > > > ``We salute Bridgestone/Firestone for celebrating its > > century of business leadership by giving this > > magnificent property to the American people,'' said > > John Turner, president of The Conservation Fund. ``We > > are proud to be their partner in creating this > > spectacular outdoor legacy in the heart of Tennessee. > > Current and future generations will be enriched by the > > breathtaking wildness and quiet wonders of the Caney > > Fork River gorge.'' > > > > The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company (acquired by > > Bridgestone in 1988) purchased the property between > > 1970-72 for $1.2 million. Since then, Firestone, and > > later, Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. have maintained the > > combination of meadows, hardwood forests, pasture > > land, white water, scenic bluffs, unexplored caves and > > mountains as private, protected land. > > > > To commemorate today's land donation, BFS commissioned > > a full-color photo book entitled ``Scott's Gulf: The > > Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness.'' The > > book, which captures some of the colorful history of > > Scott's Gulf, features works from former U.S. Sen. > > Howard Baker, Jr., and renowned nature photographer > > John Netherton. It will be available in Nashville-area > > bookstores and at the Tennessee State Museum. > > > > Today's gift is a part of Bridgestone/Firestone's > > centennial celebration. The company is celebrating 100 > > years of Firestone innovation that began in 1900 > > through the company founded by Harvey S. Firestone. > > Throughout the year 2000, ``Firestone: A Legend. A > > Century. A Celebration.'' recognizes the Firestone > > entrepreneurial spirit that built the brand admired > > worldwide. > > > > Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. is a subsidiary of > > Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest tire and > > rubber company. Bridgestone/Firestone manufactures and > > markets Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton and house and > > private brand tires. The company also produces > > Firestone air springs, roofing materials, synthetic > > rubber and industrial products. > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > ------- > > Contact: > > > > Bridgestone/Firestone Inc., Nashville > > Jill Miller, 615/872-1463 > > or > > Dye Van Mol & Lawrence, Nashville > > Brian Courtney/Alisa Donato, 615/244-1818 > > > > ________________________________________________________________ > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... > Let's keep this list SPAM free! > > Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com >