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An interesting development...

3414 Views 24 Replies 17 Participants Last post by  jazzbluescat
Yesterday afternoon, on the local NPR affiliate, there was an interesting piece about how soccer players ("football" to our friends in the rest of the world) in the great state of California are going to have to get by without soccer shoes made of kangaroo skin.

It seems that kangaroos are one of many animals listed on a State Of California "prohibited list", and that any portion of a kangaroo used in the state for "unapproved purposes" (which I am given to understand are restricted to scientific uses only) would be in violation of the law.

While no doubt the most visible use here is the kangaroo hide in shoes and other clothing purposes, it's also pretty clear that kangaroo skin saxophone pads would fall under the same prohibitions. And, to add a little spice to the whole thing, the end user would be as culpable as the repair person who puts them on the horn in the first place.

It's not the first time a trap like this has been laid. Genuine ivory rings on bassoon bells have the same sort of restrictions placed on them, although they would have far less effect on the sound and "performability" (to coin a word where none was found before) of the instrument as a whole. And, with Federal enforcement of the Endangered Species Act over such issues as single feathers used in American Indian artwork, it's just as possible that the powers that be in California might get as touchy with their own law.

Another argument for cork pads...
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Is this a retroactive law or are you culpable if you had the pads put on 3 years ago and happen to travel there?
There was some discussion of the roo thing in the lounge. its all a storm in a tea cup as far as i can tell as the roo should no longer be on the california endangered list...although I guess they are still pretty scarce... if only in california.

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?t=63506
I heard that article, too. I've also seen bike gloves that were advertised as having kangaroo leather palms. But I thought I'd heard that they have restaurants in Australia that have kangaroo on the menu. Why California?
If an Autralian travels to California with undigested Kangaroo meat in his intestines (small or large) is he culpable?

Sidenote. If a person employs a house staff are the allowed to smoke in their own home if there is no smoking allowed in the workplace?
Perhaps it's time for California to succeed from the Union and become it's own country.
Yeah, it's all fun and games to snipe and snigger, but hey man..........


I gotta live here!


I really hate looking like the "crazy" state



What am I thinking, we don't LOOK like the crazy state, we ARE the crazy state.



For the record, I have NEVER seen a wild kangaroo in California, so they MUST be endangered!!!!


I hate elected officials and lobbyists.....and know-it-all's........and government.........and silly laws......
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I've never seen a Kangaroo in California either. But this really is a hurricane in a teapot. For one thing, it would not be retroactive. For another, do you really think there will be herds of inspectors prowling the clubs looking at the pads on your saxophone? Relax......
Yeah, but the way they seem to like their colonics there, they may be looking for that sliver of kangaroo meat.
Come Down under, these buggers are everywhere.......We spend more time avoiding hitting them with the car. I know where there are thousands within 30 minutes drive of my place in the city. Emu's too.

Roo leather is very, very, very tough and there needs to be a usage found for these creatures which aren't endangered. They taste good too on the BBQ.
Kangaroos endangered yeah right! the things are everywhere they are a pest for farmers as they damage fences (they dig under them, you would think they would jump over them but no they have to dig and then the sheep get out)

You can Buy Roo Steaks in any supermarket here and they are really nice low fat high protein steaks and if cooked right are the most tender steak you will ever eat. I have served them to overseas visitors and they thought they where eating Beef.:twisted:
I heard that one too and I started thinking it will be like booze sales in states where there are/were restrictions and people crossed into the next state to shop. I can see all the shops lined up on the AZ and NV borders with signs "only 2 miles to Crazy Eddy's fireworks, whiskey and Roo pads". People with cars filled with saxes making treks across the desert to get their pad fixes. I had better develope the Armadillo pad ("lasts like metal!") before the FL lawmakers get involved.
If it is in any way similar to the Endangered Species Acts, it would be retroactive. There are considerable legal hassles encountered by owners of artifacts (Native American) regarding the materials of which they are made.

Similarly, I once knew a bassoonist who encountered troubles with an older bassoon being brought into the country, this due to the ivory ring at the bell. He had the misfortune to encounter someone who knew a little about musical instruments, and had no end of difficulty due to the bell ring.

There is one hockey equipment repair company (up in Ottawa, I think) that does glove re-palms with kangaroo leather. (Due to the sweat, abrasion and force issues, hockey glove palms generally wear out about halfway through the life of the rest of the glove's leather.) It is supposed to add good "feel" for the stick while still wearing like iron, so more than just the soccer folks believe in it. Me, I have my palms done in regular leather by Toronto Hockey Repair, thank you...
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bruce bailey said:
I heard that one too and I started thinking it will be like booze sales in states where there are/were restrictions.....
Thankfully, the booze restrictions are not on in California. As to whether these types of restrictions are retroactive, maybe they are. I did see some program not long ago about Indian artifacts, feathers & such, used in art and on some antiques. They were saying something to the effect that a collector who has owned something like this for some time can keep the artifact but can't sell it. So evidently it isn't illegal to own the object if you have proof you didn't buy it after the restrictions went into effect. But who knows, with the bureaucratic maze that this must be mired in?

Anyway, it sorta sounds to me like restricting roo leather isn't much different from restricting rat hides. Not that there is much demand for the later. Hey, if I ever get Down Under, the first thing I'll do is order a Roo-burger!
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I've got the perfect answer, don't go to California!:twisted:
Ducking for cover.
Eating 'roo

Aren't they a rodent, kin to a rat? I ain't eating a rat or his kin.:rabbit:
SAXISMYAXE said:
I've got the perfect answer, don't go to California!:twisted:
Ducking for cover.
If only people would act on this. Too &*% many people here now! The fact is, nobody in CA has the least notion that roo-products are banned, if it's really true; I wouldn't doubt if this whole thing is a joke of some sort. Then again, nothing surprises me anymore.

FWIW, I think the ivory & Indian artifact ban is not a California law, but a federal one.
curly said:
Interesting link!

Mr. Kangaroo said:
Why don't joeys fly out of mum's pouch when she's hopping?
The female kangaroo can control the muscles that control the size of her pouch and the size of the opening. She can contract the muscles, pulling the pouch tight against the body. If she wants to clean her pouch and wants the joey out, she can also relax the opening allowing the joey to fall out
Peoples Republik Kalifornski

The smart and trustworthy people in the government will protect everyone from every evil. All it costs is half the money you ever make and a few civil liberties. Well ,more than a few.
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