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Energy Development in the PICEANCE BASIN

April 17, 2008

The PICEANCE BASIN, my stomping grounds. That is where I learned to hunt branch antlered Mule Deer and Rocky Mountain Elk, the hard way. During the seemingly never ending  drought years, and later during years when multiple Doe Deer tags were available in an attempt to keep the deer from eating themselves out of house and home.

It is the place where I learned that a flat shooting 280 rifle was plenty enough to bring home the venison, and that shoulder canons just cost more money. I’ll cover that at a later time in more depth.

It is where the last energy boom brought the boom / bust cycle back to an area that was only to familiar with those economics. Oil shale was going to save us all. Not…

Then the development had little negative impact on the land that I could detect. That was also a different type of mining though. I have been privileged to draw more than one license for the Forrest of the Bear, Bosque Del Oso State Wildlife Area near Westcliff, Colorado. The area is covered with natural gas wells, and the deer and elk don’t seem bothered by them in the least. Nor do the Wild Turkeys that abound there. The noise from them is something else though, you have to hear it to understand what I mean though, as words simply cannot convey what it is like to put a good sneak on a big tom then to have your nerves suddenly shattered by the load screech from a nearby well…

I have no idea what the impact on the Sage Grouse will be, as noted below, the species is under review for EPA protection as endangered. If those birds are endangered it is because no one actually went out and took a look for them, perhaps with the help of a good flushing dog. Find the right pockets, and you will be into thousands of those birds. Hint* Ryans Gulch, go to the top of the hill heading west from Piceance Creek road. Park, and hike due west. You will find birds…
WILDLIFE RESEARCHERS TURN ATTENTION TO ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN PICEANCE BASIN

Energy experts say Colorado’s Piceance Basin is one of the largest natural gas reserves in North America. Biologists, conservationists and sportsmen value the Piceance Basin because for its incredible diversity and abundance of wildlife. As the energy industry makes a move to tap the gas resource, wildlife experts are examining ways to avoid, minimize and mitigate impacts to wildlife and habitat.
 
The Piceance Basin is home to one of the largest migratory mule deer herds in the nation. It winters thousands of elk. The basin is also home to a high-elevation population of greater sage-grouse, Colorado River cutthroat trout, and numerous other species, both rare and common.
 
Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) researchers are working with the energy industry and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to study ways to reduce and mitigate the impacts that thousands of gas wells may have in the Piceance Basin. The DOW’s Central Piceance Basin Project brings together a strong team of researchers that will implement a comprehensive, multi-species, landscape-based approach to understanding the success of existing mitigation efforts and helping to craft new mitigation strategies.
 
“We’re looking for solutions,” explained Ron Velarde, northwest regional manager for the DOW. “We want to advise energy companies on ways to minimize their impacts. As a wildlife agency, our role is to make sure that the wildlife resource survives and thrives while this work is occurring and after the gas is gone.”
 
Collaboration
 
The Central Piceance Basin Project is one of the largest comprehensive energy and wildlife studies proposed to date, with an estimated cost of more than $1.3 million dollars a year over the next five to ten years. Initial support for the project is strong.
 
“As an agency, we stepped out on a limb and hired researchers to conduct the studies, but we aren’t going to get the work done without help,” added Velarde. “It isn’t just money. We’re asking companies, conservation groups and other agencies to work with us by providing things like volunteers, expertise, permission to access land, and agreements to allow habitat manipulations that might be outside of the norm.”
 
The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, the agency that regulates drilling activity in the state, has contributed $150,000 towards the research project. The Colorado Mule Deer Association has made a $100,000 pledge to support deer research in the Piceance Basin. The national Mule Deer Foundation has also contributed $15,000. BLM is requesting $100,000 a year for five years through their budget process to support this project.
 
Three natural gas industry leaders – EnCana, Shell and Williams – have committed to assist with the project. In addition to pledging significant financial support, the companies have agreed to allow researchers to access thousands of acres of land the companies own in the research area.
 
EnCana, one of the largest natural gas firms operating in western Colorado, has pledged $900,000 in financial support for the research effort.

“Supporting a program that will ultimately inform our industry about additional ways to minimize the impacts to wildlife and their habitat while still providing a much needed clean-burning resource is an important part of doing business in Colorado,” said Byron Gale, North Piceance Team Lead, EnCana Oil & Gas (USA). “As a community, we all enjoy what this great State has to offer – we want to preserve its great landscape and heritage for the generations that will follow.”
 
Williams, another large producer in the region, has committed $550,000 to the project.
 
“Williams is committed to working in partnership with DOW, BLM and other agencies to conduct ground-breaking research that will provide critical data concerning Colorado’s wildlife,” added Rob Bleil, Williams’ principal environmental specialist.
 
While not producing large quantities of natural gas in the Piceance, Shell is actively researching oil shale possibilities in the basin and has pledged $325,000 to the Piceance wildlife research thus far.
 
“We especially appreciate the cooperative and collaborative approach taken by DOW to develop real partnerships that will benefit wildlife and habitat but also accommodate the development and production of the energy Colorado needs,” commented Terry O’Connor, Manager of Government Affairs for Shell Exploration and Production Company. “We plan to continue to partner with the DOW and others to develop the knowledge, understanding and expertise to not only minimize impacts to wildlife but make real improvements in management and recreation related to wildlife in Colorado.”
 
It isn’t just large companies that are supporting the effort. Delta Petroleum has pledged $25,000 over the next five years to help fund the research.
 
Another critical show of support for the DOW research project has come from the BLM, the federal agency that manages the majority of land and wildlife habitat in the Piceance Basin and oversees federal oil and gas leasing.
 
“BLM looks forward to working very closely with the Colorado Division of Wildlife and industry partners in developing these research proposals for the Piceance Basin,” said Kent Walter, Field Manager for the BLM’s White River Field Office. “Close coordination from the beginning and continued flexibility from all partners will ensure this research provides the most useful information to best minimize future impacts to wildlife and wildlife habitat.”
 
Assistance for the project has also been provided by environmental consulting firm Buys and Associates. Dave Diss with Buys and Associates has donated considerable time and effort to coordinate communication efforts with the dozens of energy companies operating in the region.
 
“The energy industry understands that better science helps everyone,” explained Kim Kaal, DOW energy liaison for northwest Colorado. “This research is designed to educate all of us on how development can occur while impacts are minimized or eliminated, and that’s something everyone seems willing to support.”
 
Mule deer and elk
 
Big game hunting is a critical part of the tradition and the economy of many western Colorado counties. A 2002 economic study commissioned by the DOW found that big game hunting contributes more than one million dollars annually in direct expenditures to the economies of Mesa, Garfield, Rio Blanco and Moffat County. Hunters are generally from outside of the area and, unlike other revenue streams, hunters’ activities generate revenue year-after-year without burdening government services or infrastructure.
 
Thousands of deer utilize the Piceance Basin during the year. In the winter, this critical area becomes home to even more deer as herds from the surrounding mountain areas move into the lower parts of the basin in search of food and relief from the snow.  
 
“Our study is designed to examine mule deer response to positive changes in development practices and habitat enhancement projects,” explained Chuck Anderson, DOW mule deer researcher.
 
To assess deer benefits, researchers will monitor factors including over-winter fawn survival, over-winter body condition of does and fawns, movement patterns and deer densities over time. The study will utilize GPS and radio telemetry collars to monitor and track the deer.
 
In addition to the deer population, biologists estimate that about 9,000 elk call the Piceance Basin home year around. Thousands more elk winter in the basin’s lower elevation lands before returning to higher ground for the summer.
 
Greater sage-grouse
 
The greater sage-grouse has become a key focus for state and federal wildlife agencies, ranchers, energy companies and environmentalists as the bird undergoes a new review for potential inclusion under the protection of the federal Endangered Species Act.
 
“Ultimately, it is in everyone’s best interest to do everything possible to keep populations healthy and avoid a listing,” said Velarde. “Scientific data is needed and that’s what the research aims to provide.”
 
Avian researchers involved in the Piceance Project are starting with a project to generate detailed seasonal habitat-use maps for greater sage-grouse to help industry avoid, minimize and mitigate impacts. Researchers hope to assess sage-grouse response to removal of pinyon-juniper that has encroached into former sage-grouse habitat.
 
“We’re also hoping to continue and expand existing greater sage-grouse monitoring efforts,” explained researcher Brett Walker. “We’ll be monitoring changes in survival, reproduction, habitat use and movement.”
 
Much of the monitoring work is being done with permission on private land owned by energy companies. The companies own hundreds of thousands of acres of land and without access to these large sections, the research effort is much more difficult.
 
Habitat
 
Ask any real estate professional the three keys to real estate investing success and they’ll tell you “location, location, location”. It a similar story when you ask about wildlife. The three key things for wildlife to thrive are “habitat, habitat, habitat”.
 
DOW Researcher Danielle Johnston is taking a comprehensive look at habitat factors in the Piceance Basin.
 
“We want to examine ways to promote restoration practices that most benefit wildlife,” Johnston said. “Beyond the area around well pads, we’re also interested in assessing weed control, soil manipulation and herbicide use as they apply to pipeline reclamation success.”
 
Major pipelines crisscross the Piceance Basin with several future pipelines in the planning stages. While these pipelines raise concerns, they also provide an opportunity to determine what reclamation efforts are best in the dry, high, sage lands of the West.
 
Conclusion
 
While researchers have already begun radio-tracking sage-grouse and mule deer in the Piceance Basin, the DOW continues to meet with potential donors to raise the remaining funds necessary for the project. Groups or companies interested in partnering on the research should contact Kim Kaal, DOW energy liaison for northwest Colorado at kimberly.kaal@state.co.us.
 
Ask any of the ranchers who call the Piceance Basin home and they can tell you that the area has changed dramatically in the last five years. Not many of them would hazard a guess as to what the basin will look like in another thirty years. But if a team of wildlife researchers are successful, the area’s abundant wildlife resource will stand witness to a unique collaborative research effort.
 
### 
 
The Colorado Division of Wildlife is the state agency responsible for managing wildlife and its habitat, as well as providing wildlife related recreation. The Division is funded through hunting and fishing license fees, federal grants and Colorado Lottery proceeds through Great Outdoors Colorado.
 
Editor’s note: Photos to accompany this story are available using the following links. Photo credit: Colorado Division of Wildlife
Photo 1: A drainage in the Piceance Basin shows the intermix of sage and agricultural lands http://dnr.state.co.us/imagedb/images/3822.jpg
Photo 2: A deer fawn wears a radio collar as part of Division of Wildlife efforts to track the animals in the Piceance Basin http://dnr.state.co.us/imagedb/images/3823.jpg
Photo 3: Pipelines, roads and well pad in the Central Piceance Basin Study area http://dnr.state.co.us/imagedb/images/3824.jpg
Photo 4: A gas well in the Central Piceance Basin Study area http://dnr.state.co.us/imagedb/images/3825.jpg
Photo 5: Deer from the Piceance Basin gather on sagebrush winter range
http://dnr.state.co.us/imagedb/images/3826.jpg
 

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

Be sure to click on the photo links! Great work! 🙂

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Posted in Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Education, Local Politics Colorado, News, Politics, Uncategorized | 15 Comments »

Front Range fishing forecast: Bottom line? Big fun

April 17, 2008

Anyone that reads this blog on a regular basis knows how I love the outdoors. This is an excellent piece by Ed Dentry, with link, about what to expect in the very near future. Also, from the field, Wild Turkey season is in full swing and this looks to be a banner year, including the over the counter license areas. The book that is written about in the Rocky Mountain News article is a must have. Local fishing has improved so much over the past twenty or so years that even those that live here should grab this reference, on sale from the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

Big snowpacks combined with the high price of fuel should focus anglers’ attention on fishing within earshot of home this year, at least for a while.

Thanks to a wealth of well-groomed fishing spots up and down the Front Range, wetting a short line could be a good thing.

It’s likely that a tasty bass pond, also stocked with catchable trout, waits not far from your lawn mower. Just follow the daily flights of Canada geese.

Larger reservoirs in nearby state parks add to the bounty. Might as well stick close and let the deluge roll from the mountains while we apply for a second mortgage to fuel more exotic outings later in summer.

Runoff will stretch long this year (hopefully, or there will be floods). Trout streams could be high and murky until August. Trails leading to many high lakes will be blocked by stubborn snow whales.

Meanwhile, those backyard fishing holes beckon. More than 200 reservoirs, ponds and some streams are detailed in Fishing Close to Home, a $7 publication of the state Division of Wildlife’s Colorado Outdoors magazine.

With maps, directions, fish species and access information, the booklet is unequaled as a guide to metro and mountain waters along the northern Front Range.

“I use it all the time,” said biologist Paul Winkle, who manages Denver-area fisheries for the DOW.

Other DOW biologists who spilled the beans for this preview were Kurt Davies (North Park and northern Front Range), Ben Swigle (northern foothills and lower South Platte reservoirs) and Jeff Spohn (Upper South Platte River).

No one is better qualified to forecast what the fishing fates might deliver hereabouts than the professional team of Winkle, Swigle, Davies and Spohn (their hot spots are noted below by an asterisk).

Source: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/apr/16/front-range-fishing-forecast-bottom-line-big-fun/

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Posted in Education, Local Politics Colorado, Men's Issues, News, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

The Feminists Who Forgot To Laugh

April 16, 2008

Radicalism run amok? No, it indeed the status quo in this day and age. I held off on reprinting this because a friend wanted to take it into the fray of non political correctness as a launching point for his new blog. He decided to wait, so I am going to strike while the iron is luke warm. I have to wonder how long it will take for me to be labeled a misogynist?

By Jessica Peck Corry

One of the most pressing problems in higher education today: No one in power knows how to laugh. Especially women, and particularly the radical, man-hating sort.

Just ask Chris Robinson, a student at Colorado College, a small private liberal arts school located in picturesque Colorado Springs. Robinson, originally from Maine, has been found guilty of violating the school’s anti-violence conduct code.

His crime? Daring to mock “The Monthly Rag,” a leaflet produced by the school’s Feminist and Gender Studies program, and one in which references to male castration, instructions on “packing,” defined as the act of “creating the appearance of a phallus under clothing,” and an advertisement for the book “Dr. Sprinkle’s Spectacular Sex” were all included.

Robinson, together with a friend who has asked that his name not be used, produced a leaflet titled “The Monthly Bag,” a clearly satirical response to the aforementioned publication.

Published under the pseudonym of “The Coalition of Some Dudes,” Robinson’s leaflet used a similar format, but included statistics dispelling the gender wage gap, a quotation about a sexual position (a play on one referenced in The Monthly Bag), and information about female violence and abuse against men. Most notably — at least to the college’s leftists, the leaflet jokingly referenced “chainsaw etiquette.”

The satire was, apparently, too sophisticated for the school’s liberals. President Richard Celeste wasn’t laughing. In fact, he sent out a campus-wide email condemning the work. “The flyers include threatening and demeaning content, which is categorically unacceptable in this community. . . .Anonymous acts mean to demean and intimidate others are not [welcome].” Celeste then asked the authors to come forward, which they did less than an hour later.

To reward their honesty, the college charged the two male students with violating the college’s anti-violence code. Both were put on trial, a terrifying two-week process where their accusers were allowed to question them about everything from whether they’d ever taken a gender studies course to how they saw their roles in society as white men. “I was terrified,” said Robinson, a 3.9 student who will spend next semester in Syria studying Arabic and who plans to apply to Yale for law school after graduating next year. “These people had the power to sanction me for something roughly equivalent to hate speech. That’s very serious.”

After waiting 17 days “in a Kafkaesque waiting room,” a verdict was given. Last month, Dean of Students Mike Edmonds found both men guilty of “violating the student code of conduct policy on violence.”

For their punishment, Robinson and his friend will now have to wear the metaphorical scarlet letter, with the administration insisting that they initiate a campus dialogue on the issues brought up by their actions. Although Edmonds acknowledged that the intent of the publication was to satirize “The Monthly Rag,” he wrote to the students that “in the climate in which we find ourselves today, violence — implied violence — of any kind cannot be tolerated on a college campus.”

Edmonds feebly tried to justify his censorship by telling the students that “the juxtaposition of weaponry and sexuality” in an anonymous parody made students subjectively feel threatened by chainsaws or rifles.

In other words, Edmonds believes college students are too weak and too impressionable to handle a good politically-incorrect laugh at the expense of liberals who take themselves way too seriously.

Political satire — even when intended to provoke an active discussion on diversity-related issues, is too scary for insecure leftists who have been coddled their entire lives. Never mind the college’s own “diversity and anti-discrimination policy” that mandates that “no idea can be banned or forbidden. No viewpoint or message may be deemed so hateful that it may not be expressed.”

Colorado College, like schools across the country, has built an entire industry around perpetuating the self-victimization of minorities and women, believing both groups are weaklings in need of special protection and isolation.

The college boasts of its “Glass House,” a “nurturing living environment for ethnic minority and supportive majority students.” The college also maintains its active Diversity Task Force, a 22-person diversity police working to establish “processes for voicing and addressing complaints, and monitoring the effectiveness of these processes.”

In a response to Inside Higher Ed, an online education site, Celeste defended the verdict against the students. “The students involved in creating this publication were found to have violated the college community’s standards, but they were not sanctioned or punished,” he said.

Apparently, being forced to “engage the college community in more inclusive dialogue, debate and discussion on freedom of speech” isn’t meant as punishment. Sounds like fun. Maybe the campus feminists can even reenact the Salem Witch Trials while they are at it.

According to Colorado College’s Web site, a year at the school costs more than $44,000.

I pity the parents paying for their daughters to major in Feminist Studies. These young women must be so busy “packing” that they don’t have time to study the great works of Western Civilization. And why would they want to study Plato or Socrates? After all, according to radical feminists, the West has only perpetuated the oppression of women.

At least Robinson has kept his sense of humor. I asked him if the case has helped him get dates. While he is in a committed relationship, he says it has helped his co-author-in-crime tremendously. “Women flock to him like wild game,” he said. “They say they like him because he’s a real man.”

All of this would be funny if it weren’t quite so sad. While the feminist rhetoric polluting our colleges is laughable, its effect on ordinary students — and especially young men — is something we can no longer ignore.

This column originally appeared at http://www.HumanEvents.com on April 10, 2008.

SOURCE: http://www.i2i.org/main/article.php?article_id=1462

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Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Education, Local Politics Colorado, Men's Issues, News, Politics, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | 4 Comments »

It’s that day again!

April 15, 2008

April 15th, tax day for yet another year! I knew that everyone would be happy about that. How do I feel about taxes? Well that would probably best be summed up by a quote that I found;

“The war against illegal plunder has been fought since the beginning of the world. But how is… legal plunder to be identified? Quite simply. See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime. Then abolish this law without delay… If such a law is not abolished immediately it will spread, multiply and develop into a system.” —Frederic Bastiat

Our Constitution is pretty blunt about taxation, at least in the beginning it was. Now, after several generations of politicians have tweaked it, and such. We have an income tax, a this tax, a that tax, then there is the seemingly ever broadening base of state and local taxation. Is there a perfect answer? I seriously doubt that there is one.

The “Flat tax” is a step in the right direction but really has very little support in the places where it counts. Pretty much the same for the other tax theories that I have heard about.

One thing is certain though. As the tax burden grows constantly, the already existent black market will expand tremendously, along with the resultant crime that follows. That will be something that affects people on an everyday basis, not just in mid-April. It certainly is sad that in “the land of the free” you can buy a full auto AK47 for less, substantially less, than the legal semi-automatic version. That cargo theft is one of the fastest growing crimes, with cigarettes and booze being the most targeted goods. Those just happen to be things that are heavily restricted, and in many places taxed at outrageous levels. But, when you have a government that has to add “explosives” to the name and duties of a rogue agency that fairly regularly killed Americans for practicing their rights what can you expect?

For those among us that are collectivist’s and think that Free market Economics are a pipe dream, think about this: Aesop’s fable about The Goose that laid the Golden Egg.

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Posted in Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Education, Local Politics Colorado, News, Politics, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | 2 Comments »

Obama: Change For The Sake Of Expediency

April 13, 2008

Well folks, we have more to show you about this epitome of hypocrisy that is endeavoring to become the President of these United States.

source: NRA-ILA

Copyright 2008, National Rifle Association of America, Institute for Legislative Action.
This may be reproduced. It may not be reproduced for commercial purposes.

Friday, April 11, 2008
 
When it comes to the Second Amendment, it’s somehow appropriate that Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is running on a platform of “change.”  Because when it comes to his rhetoric on the issue of gun rights, “change” is an apt description. Last month, we reported on Obama’s hypocrisy.  We detailed his advocacy of a law to forbid federally licensed gun dealers from legally selling constitutionally-protected products (firearms) in huge geographical areas, without holding purveyors of pornography to the same standard. 

Last week, we reported on Obama’s attempt at reassuring pro-gun voters by telling them, “I have no intention of taking away folks’ guns,” then telling the Pittsburgh Tribune “I am not in favor of concealed weapons,” and that he favors “…reasonable, thoughtful gun control measure[s]….”  

Obama is savvy, and he’s a quick study.  His politically expedient stance on the gun issues has morphed from “a ban on all handguns” to his now frequent use of phrases like “protecting sportsmen.”  

Lately, in an effort to curry votes from America’s gun owners, he’s even claiming to believe in the Second Amendment.  A recent campaign “fact sheet” touting Obama’s support for sportsmen claims that Obama “greatly respects the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms” (note the failure to say “keep” and bear arms).  But read further–to the “fine print” at the end of the statement–and you’ll see his political safety net…an easily down-played but highly significant “qualifier” that he almost always includes in some form.  It reads, “He also believes that the right is subject to reasonable and commonsense regulation.”  In other words, “I support your gun rights, so long as that includes “reasonable” restrictions (wink, wink).”  Very slick.

The next time you hear Obama talking about “protecting sportsmen’s rights,” remember that, among other things, he endorses the D.C. gun ban–which outlaws armed self-defense in the home–declaring that the ban doesn’t violate the Second Amendment.  And that in a “1998 National Political Awareness Test,” he pledged to support a “Ban [on] the sale or transfer of all forms of semi-automatic weapons.”  That includes most handguns and many rifles and shotguns. 

Obama’s alleged support of the Second Amendment is utterly cynical and false.  Barack Obama is not for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms; he’s out to destroy it. 

For more information on Barack Obama’s gun control record, please click here.

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Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Education, Gun Control, Local Politics Colorado, Men's Issues, News, Politics, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | 2 Comments »

Colorado Senate Bill 49 utterly destroyed!

April 13, 2008

COLORADO:   Mandatory Storage Defeated in Committee!  Friday, April 11, Senate Bill 49, Colorado’s mandatory storage bill, was defeated by a vote of 9 to 1 in the Senate Appropriations Committee.  SB49 would have forced adults to store all their firearms under lock and key or face an undetermined misdemeanor penalty if a firearm was later used in a suicide or crime.  This dangerous bill would have rendered homeowners defenseless and given criminals a clear advantage in home invasions.  If passed, SB49 would have added to the already cumbersome bureaucracy that affects gun shops, gun shows, or anywhere else firearms are sold, by requiring them to post a sign informing gun owners that they must lock up their guns. Thank you to all of the NRA members and gun owners who called their elected officials in opposition to this bill. 

source: NRA-ILA

Special thanks to Senator Brophy for his personal updates on this dangerous bill that would have resulted in an unknown number of successful home invasions, rapes, and killings.

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Firearms News from GOA

April 13, 2008

As The Senate Postpones The National Parks Amendment
— There is a great opportunity for your kids to appear on Nickelodeon!

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org

Friday, April 11, 2008

Gun Owners of America alerted you on Tuesday to the looming battle over
Senate legislation that will determine whether or not you will be able to
carry a gun on lands controlled by the National Park Service.

The showdown has been postponed until later, as Senator Tom Coburn of
Oklahoma (who had planned to offer the pro-gun amendment) determined he
didn’t have enough votes.  Senator Coburn does plan to find another vehicle
to offer his amendment at a later date.  So please stay tuned.

In other news, here’s an update on what else is happening on Capitol Hill.

* Several bills have been introduced in the House of Representatives to
recognize the right of Americans to carry firearms in national parks:  HR
1897 (Paul), HR 5434 (Hensarling) and HR 5646 (Broun).  All three bills do
basically the same thing, except for Broun’s bill which would also encourage
hunting on federal lands.

* Rep. John Boozman (R-AR) will soon be introducing a solid concealed carry
reciprocity bill.  Modeling the old Hostettler bill from previous
Congresses, this bill would allow anyone — who is recognized by his state
of residence to carry a firearm concealed — to carry his gun anywhere in
the country.  This bill means that even residents of Vermont and Alaska, who
can legally carry without a permit, would be given reciprocity by the
Boozman bill.

* GOA members should be looking for our next mailing, which will be landing
in your mailbox over the next week or so.  It’s a special issue which covers
the Supreme Court case dealing with the DC gun ban.  Gun Owners of America
has been heavily involved in this case, and its brief before the Court is,
to our knowledge, the ONLY one which challenged the Solicitor General’s gun
control brief.

The newsletter also analyzes the Second Amendment views of the top-two
leading contenders in the presidential race:  Senators Barack Obama and John
McCain.

Finally, as next week marks the anniversary of the Virginia Tech killings,
GOA’s newsletter also contains an excellent article from Dr. John Lott, who
demonstrates the REAL solution for stopping murder sprees on college
campuses.

NICK NEWS WANTS YOUR KID

Nickelodeon has contacted Gun Owners of America and offered us a wonderful
opportunity to get out the pro-gun message to young people.

They want some teenagers (between 11-15 years of age) to appear on the May
13 taping of Nick News which will run later that month.  Specifically, they
would like to interview kids from all over the nation:

1. Who can talk about the right to keep and bear arms, or
2. Who have seen an example of armed self-defense in their home.

They need about ten kids.  In some cases, Nickelodeon will fly a team out to
your home to film your kids taking target practice, answering questions,
etc.  In some cases, they will fly your child (along with one parent) for an
all-expenses paid trip to New York on May 12, for the taping which will
occur the following day.

No doubt, they will probably have kids who tout the anti-gun position.  But
if you think you have a well-spoken teen who can handle this challenge,
please contact Gun Owners of America at goamail@gunowners.org or at
703-321-8585.
 

Posted in Education, Gun Control, News, Politics, Wordpress Political Blogs | 2 Comments »

If you fly fish, make the pilgrimage to Colorado

April 12, 2008

Colorado is well known as the Elk hunting Mecca, and for huge Mule Deer. But not to many people know about the fishing here other than the Frying Pan and South Platte rivers. Truth of the matter is though, this entire state is filled with excellent fishing. What follows is from the DOW, and, I think barely touches the frantic way that the fish go after Caddis flys during early April and into May, weather dependent. The trick is, stay just above the actual hatch, about one to two days. The fish are warming up for the feast, and you can have a blast catching them.

FISHING THE CADDISFLY HATCH ON THE ARKANSAS RIVER


Every April, a natural phenomenon draws throngs of anglers to the Arkansas River between Canon City and Leadville. It’s the annual caddisfly hatch.
 
The starting time can vary from year to year depending on the weather, but make no mistake, once it starts, the air with be thick with millions of insects buzzing about — and the fly fishing community will be abuzz with details of where the hatch is thickest on any given day.
 
Caddisflies look like tiny moths. They belong to the insect order Trichoptera (hair wings). There are over 11,000 types of caddisflies world-wide, but they all have the same insect life pattern: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. They all require water for the larval stage, and trout love them in whatever stage they are in.
 
“A single fish can devour hundreds of thousands of caddis during its lifetime,” said Greg Policky, an aquatic biologist for the Colorado Division of Wildlife from Salida.
 
The adult caddis live for several days to a few weeks, emerging to complete their life cycle and lay eggs back into the water again. After dropping their eggs, the females die and lay spent on the surface. It during this brief cycle each year that trout gorge themselves, and as most anglers know, the best time to catch fish is when they are feeding.
 
The caddis hatch usually starts in early April near Canon City, where the Arkansas spills out onto the eastern plains. Daily changes in the weather can cause the caddis hatch to progress in fits and starts, but once it begins, it gradually moves upriver as water temperatures warm to about 54 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold water from runoff can stall the hatch, but in years where runoff is delayed, the hatch will move upstream to Leadville – usually by the end of May.
 
“The hatch is sometimes called the ‘Mother’s Day” hatch, but it might be more appropriate to think of it as the ‘Tax Day’ hatch because that’s when it really gets going,” Policky said.
 
Due to heavy snowpack, flows will likely be higher than normal this spring on the Arkansas River. The colder, faster water might cause the hatch to end earlier than normal.
 
During the peak, the air is thick with insects. The soft bugs don’t bite, but the swarms can be annoying because they are everywhere, including in the ears, noses and behind the eyeglasses of anglers.
 
People are advised to wear bandanas, protective glasses, and earplugs or cotton in their ears to prevent the bugs from getting where you don’t want them to go, which includes up your pants and down your shirt.
 
Some anglers like to be on the leading edge of the hatch. Others like to be on the back edge, and a few hardy souls like to be right in the middle of it where the flies are the thickest.
 
Throw in blue-winged olive (BWO) mayflies on cool, cloudy days; and trout go into a feeding frenzy.
 
Policky offers the following tips to anglers during the spring caddisfly season. As water temperature warms, fish will move out of deeper, winter pool habitat into the head of 3-5 foot deep runs. Upstream riffles produce a lot of food that trout are keying into. The best runs have boulders scattered throughout them where fish can rest outside the current and dart out where food drifts closely by. Anglers will most successful when fishing these types of habitats.
 
A two fly setup is recommended, imitating two insect life stages or different species, thereby covering more water. The top fly often acts as an attractor or strike indicator for the trailer fly. Fishing close to the banks or habitats where the current is not as strong will produce the best results.
 
For those who have never experience it, the annual caddisfly hatch is something to see – millions of caddis buzzing about, some spent on the water, some on rocks, some emerging, while others are laying eggs. Adding to the experience are flocks of swallows and other birds enjoying a feast just above the water while trout are getting filled to the gills below.
 
 
Anglers are reminded that the following regulations are in effect on the Arkansas:

  • From the US 24 river overpass downstream to the lower boundary of the Hayden Ranch, fishing is by artificial flies and lures only and the bag and possession limit for trout is one fish under 12 inches in length.
  • From the Stockyard Bridge (Chaffee Co Rd 102) below Salida seven-and-a-half miles downstream to the confluence with Badger Creek, fishing is by artificial flies and lures only and all rainbow trout must be returned to the water immediately upon catch.

 

Additional Information: The Colorado Division of Wildlife is funded through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses. The Division does not receive tax dollars from the general fund.

 
For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

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April 11, 2008

CHARISMA WITH FLUFF AND ILLUSION
THERE IS STILL HOPE FOR AMERICA

By: Tom Rose

 

This past week my wife and I drove from Mercer, Pennsylvania, to attend a meeting at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where presidential candidate Dr. Ron Paul was invited to speak. It was a round trip of 170 miles or so, and it was very worth while to hear what he had to say. It was also very worth while to note the warm charisma he expressed in his freedom-oriented message that positively motivated his eager audience.

While there we met many down-to-earth people who expressed thorough disgust with the political leadership of our country. Not one person in attendance mentioned the media-spread lie that America is a “democracy;” but in contrast we often heard reference to America’s being a constitutional republic! “Freedom really works, if we will but give it a chance!” was an oft-repeated point that Ron Paul made during his talk.

Who was there? The auditorium was almost completely full [capacity about 450], and it was made up of:

1. Young students – from many walks and orientations of life, who are on fire in their search to restore the many freedoms that were once enjoyed in America by their parents;

2. Democrats – who are so disappointed in the lack of quality in the presidential candidates being offered by the Democratic party, that they had switched political parties in order to vote in the Pennsylvania primary election on April 22, 2008. [Some states allow cross-voting in primary elections, but Pennsylvania does not.] The persons we spoke to expressed strong support for Ron Paul and the principles of freedom he stands for, but expressed deep disappointment with the specious messages and dubious characters of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

3. Republicans – who are absolutely revolted by the Republican presidential candidate John McCain. Some had learned of his reckless and careless destruction, in five separate instances, of five airplanes on different aircraft carriers, causing loss of life of innocent sailors. Others also knew that McCain, while a prisoner of war in North Vietnam, was referred to by his fellow POWs as ” Songbird” because he colluded with the enemy to escape the torture that his fellow prisoners suffered.

4. Independent-minded farmers – who have grown tired of the many socialist/fascist government programs that destroy farmers’ freedom to produce goods for the free market.

5. Ordinary workers – who have watched government programs and subsidies to business destroy America’s once-great industrial capacity, and who have seen their lost jobs transferred overseas.

6. Retirees – who are “young-enough-at-heart” to hope that America’s historic freedoms can be restored by electing a real believer in constitutional rule to the presidential office. Some in this category mentioned their hope for passing a better America on to their children and grandchildren.

7. Enthusiastic young people – who passionately want to opt out of the government-organized “robbery” they consider the Social Security tax to be.

8. Military members or their families – expressed strong support for Ron Paul because he believes that America should go to war only through appropriate constitutional action by the vote of Congress. In his talk Dr. Paul stressed that our country has troops stationed in over 130 foreign countries, and that this needless expense is bankrupting America!

It was truly a wholesome experience to meet and talk with so many like-minded people from different walks of life. Many had traveled long distances, and all, in one way or another, expressed their strong desire for less government intervention in their business and personal lives, as well as a deep passion to live as free and self-responsible individuals. The military are 100% in accord with presidential candidate Ron Paul when he suggests that it’s time “to try freedom” for a change!

It was very evident to everyone that Ron Paul speaks from his heart, which is what makes his political platform so winsome! It amounts to “Charisma with substance!” His consistent message of practical and workable freedom in economic matters, in social organization, and in political rule, all applied according to the binding limits of the Constitution, brought out repeated outbursts of enthusiastic applause and acceptance from the audience. There was no false fluff or clever illusion in his talk at all, like we hear in the talks given by the other candidates. The mainstream news media have readily touted the fluff and illusion so often spouted by other presidential candidates, but the media have done their best to establish a total news blackout concerning the meaningful messages of Ron Paul.

It is clear that Ron Paul has deeply touched and won the heart of those Americans who have heard his message; but the mainstream news media continue working feverishly to ignore Dr. Paul because they, and the special-interest groups with which the media collude, truly fear his workable freedom message, which carefully adheres to the role of limited government expressed in the United States Constitution. It is high time for the American public to wake up and see the civil and economic destruction which threatens our nation if we don’t turn from our current socialist/fascistic governmental rule and turn towards the rule of law that made America the envy of the world.

Since Dr. Paul was first elected to the U. S. House of Representatives in the 1970’s, he has faithfully upheld the Constitution against overwhelming odds – so much so as to have earned for him the enviable title of “Mr. No” because of his consistent vote against any bill that goes counter to the Constitution, which is true of most bills!

In closing his talk, Dr. Paul strongly emphasized, “I am not giving up!” He made it clear that he was going all the way to win the presidential nomination at the Republican convention in September! The news media have been ultra silent on the wonderful progress Dr. Paul’s grass-roots supporters have made in gaining needed delegate slots for his nomination at the Republican convention.

~snip~

SOURCE: http://etherzone.com/2008/rose041108.shtml

As noted elsewhere on this blog. Ron Paul has some good ideas. He also has some ideas that are absolutely insane!

Open fire … LMAO!

Posted in Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Education, Local Politics Colorado, Men's Issues, News, Politics, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | 3 Comments »

More on Absolut

April 11, 2008

A recent advertisement by Swedish vodka maker Absolut has left the company shaken after causing quite a stir. The Mexican ad depicts a map of North America with pre-1848 borders. The southwestern U.S. (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California and portions of other states) is shown as part of Mexico, beneath the slogan “In an Absolut World,” part of the company’s advertising portfolio illustrating “ideal” scenarios. After calls from U.S. citizens for a boycott, the vodka maker offered a limp-wristed faux apology: “In no way was it meant to offend or disparage, nor does it advocate an altering of borders, nor does it lend support to any anti-American sentiment, nor does it reflect immigration issues.” It concluded by saying, “This is a genuine and sincere apology.” El contrero, Absolut. When you have to say an apology is “genuine and sincere,” it’s pretty much guaranteed that the opposite is true.

source: Patriot Post

I like the “limp wristed” part, it is about the only thing that I had not heard about this so far! 🙂

Posted in Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Education, Local Politics Colorado, News, Politics, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | 3 Comments »

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