EVIL - National Park proposed rule changes
Mon Aug 29 2005 20:06 MDT #The NYTimes has a editorial, Destroying the National Parks, on a leaked proposal to systematically and comprehensively alter the rules, but not the laws, under which the national parks operate. As the rules, not the laws, do much of the protecting this is some very shocking reading. Written by a former a Congressional aide to Dick Cheney the "rewrite would open up nearly every park in the nation to off-road vehicles, snowmobiles and Jet Skis."
More information is available from The Coalition of National Park Service Retirees website and an MSNBC article . The MSNBC article mentions that "Grazing and mining would be elevated to "park purposes," thus ensuring their continuation." and the NPS Retirees site has huge amounts of info and some inflammatory examples. Nevertheless - changes to protection policies requiring proof of irreversible damage before measures are taken are scary enough even without the examples.
As the NYTimes editorial concludes:
In short, this is not a policy for protecting the parks. It is a policy for destroying them.
Salman Ranch Gardens
Sat Aug 27 2005 21:18 MDT #Today we drove all over Northern New Mexico. But our first and most important destination was the Salman Ranch Raspberry Farm where we picked some Raspberries and walked in the wonderful gardens.
Sometimes even I admire Bush
Wed Aug 24 2005 11:13 MDT #As The Financial Times noted, Mr. Bush is acting positively French in his love of le loafing, with 339 days at his ranch since he took office - nearly a year out of his five. Most Americans, on the other hand, take fewer vacations than anyone else in the developed world (even the Japanese), averaging only 13 to 16 days off a year.
As they say That ain't workin', that's the way you do it. I mean, I really truly wish I had that gig. And without even moving to France :)
Cousin David in the news
Tue Aug 23 2005 10:34 MDT #My Uncle Lee's son, my cousin David Moyland, had a very nice write up in last Tuesdays Des Moines Register. It's cool human interest story on his volunteering with the Iowa Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and how him having MS helps him make a connection with those he's helping. Well worth the time - so go read it!
SF Opera: Ainadamar
Mon Aug 22 2005 20:28 MDT #So last Thursday Rachel and I saw our last opera of the season, Golijov's thouroughly modern Ainadamar. It made Peter Grimes seem old school. There was recorded music, no prop, nearly every character was onstage the entirety of the one act .... But it was every bit as excellent as the Washington Post says here . Though I think the plot would have been quite difficult to follow if you were not familliar with Lorca, his life, and works :) Thankfully Rachel and I had ushered at a staged reading of Mariana Pineda, Lorca’s first real play, about a month ago. That had got us up to speed, and familiarized us with that play which was central to this opera - so a very good move.
Anyhow if you can get to see this - DO!
And if you find a recording of any of the 3 stagings tell me -- I want a copy.
Hummingbirds
Mon Aug 15 2005 08:20 MDT #The Trumpet vine a bloomed - and bloomed amazingly - so the humming birds are back. There are quite a number of them, buzzing around, hoovering in place, plaing humming bird games, and occationanally getting thier beaks stuck in the screen door. Anyhow they are fun, and a great part of summer hear.
Cat walk
Fri Aug 12 2005 19:29 MDT #Last weekend we took the cat for a walk in SF. He's getting really good at this :)
Rachel & (my) Brooke's Jobs intersect
Wed Aug 3 2005 10:45 MDT #This very cool article is about UAF tracking migratory birds in alaska, and tracing their interactions - as a way to study bird flu. It's really quite cool - as a number of wild migratory bird all meet up in AK, it can potentially be a vector for flu spreading in the wild populations. Of course much of the real concern is in captive populations , particularly in SE Asia, but what's in captive can spread to wild, and understanding what is going on here looks to be an interesting challenge.