UNNATURAL EVENTS IN THE GALAPAGOS

UNNATURAL EVENTS IN THE GALAPAGOS
Chicago Tribune: When Charles Darwin wrote "On the Origin of Species," he couldn't have imagined that an oil spill might play an unnatural role in his notion of natural selection. Let alone an oil spill in the Galapagos, the islands that helped inspire his theory of evolution.
Darwin's ship, HMS Beagle, sailed among the pristine volcanic islands in the 1830s. Back then, the survival of the fittest hadn't yet pitted nature's creatures against tankers of the oil that fuels our modern world. If only because of the Galapagos' influence on the great naturalist's work, it's galling that a spill fouled this unique archipelago 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador.
Luckily, the Galapagos dodged a bullet. The damage was severe, not catastrophic, when the Ecuadoran tanker Jessica hit a coral reef Jan. 16 and spewed most of its 240,000-gallon cargo of diesel and bunker fuel into the waters off San Cristobal Island, the chain's easternmost. But the wreck ought to wake up the ill-prepared government of Ecuador to its responsibilities in administering a national park and marine reserve that are treasured by nature-lovers around the world.
Blue-footed boobies: The remoteness of the "Enchanted Isles" made them a perfect laboratory for Darwin's theories and a natural sanctuary for giant tortoises, finches, sea lions, iguanas, penguins and blue-footed boobies, to name a few. In all, there are 5,000 species of plants and animals on the islands, 80 percent of them found nowhere else on earth.
Shifts of wind and current carried most of the spill away from the coasts and spared the wildlife. Only a few dozen affected animals, most of them pelicans and sea lions, had to be treated.
But Ecuador had no emergency plan and had to rely heavily on the island community, U.S. agencies and international volunteers for cleanup help. Ecuador's government must fulfill its pledge to ready a plan for future emergencies, and require that all tankers have double hulls by next July. It also must pass laws requiring special permits and insurance for all vessels that visit.
There is no alternative. This was only the latest threat to the islands, where the population has doubled to 16,000 in the past 15 years. Only 60,000 tourists are allowed to visit each year, but some economically pressed islanders want the limit raised to 100,000.
Ecuador has problems; President Gustavo Noboa has said "overthrowing presidents is the national sport." But the next spill could be far worse than this one. That would raise the ire of conservationists, who are already demanding that Ecuador give up the islands and let the United Nations or some other body administer them.
BUSH LAYS ON THE CHARM
San Francisco Chronicle: Charm offensives have their uses, as demonstrated by President Bush's campaign to woo Washington and the world. But he shouldn't confuse style with substance, and he should know there are angry, ugly battles to come.
In his first weeks, Bush has reached out to Democrats and blacks -- and ultraconservatives. He's made looked at providing prescription drugs for seniors, expanding opportunities for the disabled and cutting taxes for just about everyone. By standing tough against the military-industrial complex, he showed a willingness to challenge friend and foe alike.
He campaigned on changing the culture in Washington and, superficially at least, he's doing it. He's taken his case directly to Democratic conclaves, invited the Kennedys over to watch a movie and joked with Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass.
Partly, Bush has benefited from good luck. Bill Clinton's ungracious exit made his presidency an easy act to follow. Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan helped lend credibility to the Bush tax plan. Another $1 trillion was tacked on to the estimated federal budget surplus over the next decade.
Incipient nirvana: But experience teaches that expectations of incipient nirvana, as well as impending disaster, are often oversold. Intimations of unpleasantness to come were contained in Bush's nomination of John Ashcroft as attorney general and a presidential ban on funds for overseas family-planning groups that advocate abortion.
To think Bush's politics plays well universally is delusional. He couldn't be elected dog catcher in San Francisco (well, at the moment, some sadists might like that idea).
If he wants to wage war on abortion rights, he'll have a national crisis on his hands. He'd better remember his pledge to be a "uniter, not a divider" when he makes his first Supreme Court nomination. The Justice Department can't slack off on enforcing civil rights laws. Bush can't entirely abandon debt reduction in favor of cheap tax tricks. And when faced with the choice of funds for a missile defense or inner-city programs, he should reflect on his promises of "inclusiveness."
We applaud the fact that Bush has brought some civility back to Washington. Now maybe he can work on restoring good sense. He's got years to make his mark.