Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Salazar Names Former Richardson Aide, Ned Farquhar, DAS for Land and Minerals Management
Bingaman introduces mining law reform
PLC Applauds Congressional Letter On The Endangered Species Act
Forty-four House Democrats Call on Obama Administration to Repeal Harmful Bush Endangered Species Regulations
Investigating the Death of Macho B, America’s Last Known Wild Jaguar
The desert that breaks Annie Proulx's heart
Idaho, Cody wolves ‘pair’
Plan aims to get 1000 wild horses adopted
Officials: Arson cause of BLM land fires
Permanent Conservation Easement Incentives
Horse problem is man-made and fixable
Here info from the website:
America's horse-processing industry was effectively outlawed in 2007. Actions taken within the states of Texas and Illinois closed three facilities where unneeded, unwanted, and infirmed horses were processed for human consumption, pet food, and for zoo carnivores.
The year before the plant closures, 102,260(1) horses were processed in America. Since the closings, there has been an up-tick in the reports of neglected, starved, abandoned, and abused horses.
It costs approximately $1,825 annually(2) to provide basic care for a horse, not including veterinary medical or farrier (hoof) care. The average lifespan of a horse is 30 years (30 yrs x $1,825/yr = $54,750).
Current economic conditions are compounding the problem for cash-strapped owners who find it nearly impossible to sell their animals, regardless of age and condition. Few people are buying.
It is not unusual for a horse to sell for as little as $5 (below), if they sell at all. Commission fees charged owners are frequently more than the selling price. The average fee(4) for a veterinarian to chemically euthanize a horse by intravenous injection is $66, which does not include carcass disposal.
Lacking a market for horses that otherwise would have been utilized through processing (102,260 head in 2006), in 10 years time, America could be faced with caring for a million horses.
Cowboys preserve Californio vaquero ranch-style roping
Song Of The Day #013
Candy Kisses, which Morgan wrote, was released in 1949 and went to the top of the charts, spending three weeks at #1. 1949 was a great year for Morgan, as seven of his singles placed in the top ten.
One of those was today's selection, Please Don't Let Me Love You. It's available on the Bear Family 8 cd collection Candy Kisses, or you can download the single for 99 cents at Amazon.com.
Monday, April 06, 2009
Youth ATV and Motorcycle Ban
One Small Word Is Tying Up ATV, Motorcycle Industry
Riders rally against CPSIA; Six year old promises not to eat dirtbike
New BLM Director ?
Some insiders feel the Abbey pick is a good one, the best you'll get out of the Obama administration.
Others will remember the way he went after Wayne Hage and his family, only being stopped by the county sheriff.
Feds agree to look at jaguar's capture
Navajos want to run river trips at Grand Canyon
Eco Barons
Everglades Restoration Plan Shrinks
Soda Mountain wilderness could be cow-free
Budget Brings Back Death Tax
The Great Biodiesel Shutdown
Montana Governor Offers Partial Veto of Horse Slaughter
The Myth of 90 Percent: Only a Small Fraction of Guns in Mexico Come From U.S.
Ranch Tours: Family hopes to pass on ranching tradition
A great big thanks to Holly Wise for this excellent series.
Let's hope at a future date she'll start a new series, possibly focusing on ranching in the regional wilderness areas, or the impact the wolf introduction program is having on ranching, or whatever she feels is important.
It's nice to have an objective journalist with ranching knowledge reporting on the industry.
Sheep ranches' shear madness
Song Of The Day #012
Today's selecton is Zeb Turner's 1951 recording of Chew Tobacco Rag.
Wake Up, It's Monday!
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Cowgirl Sass and Savvy
Julie Carter
Some of my favorite people are Texans. In a world where we are not supposed to recognize color, creed, gender or nationality differences, the rules don't apply for Texans.
Texans are not wealthy by chance. There was a fair amount of sweat involved in the early days - getting the somewhat unruly Indians shipped off to Oklahoma and New Mexico, the wild longhorns trailed to Kansas railheads and turned into money and, of course, getting the oil wells pumping at a steady rate.
Nevertheless, they have their own list of priorities when handling wealth. You won't find it buried in fruit jars in the backyard. They put it in circulation in a conscientious manner and a good bit of it is still involved in the cattle business - pastures, feedlots and the roping arena.
Texas is home to 130 feed yards of 100,000 head or more and many more of them with a 50,000 carrying capacity. With more than five million Texas cattle marketed annually, the numbers represent more than 30 percent of the nation's fed cattle.
Texas Cattle Feeders Association statistics document 14 million cattle in Texas. Neighboring New Mexico, fifth-largest state in the nation and also a large cattle business state, reports between one and two million head.
These businesses have a trickle-down effect on the economy representing millions of dollars. The cowboys who take care of the cattle and the owners who profit from the enterprise are a vastly different economic group, but both are part and parcel of the industry.
Of the nation's dedicated team ropers, about 25,000 are active in Texas. In the rodeo world, in the team roping event alone, ropers that call Texas home regularly capture 30 percent of the top 50 professional rodeo slots.
Bona fides established, a look at the day-to-day Texan reveals that he is loyal to his friends, his country and both kinds of Lone Star. You might find him in charge of a bank or managing a stock portfolio that represents a couple million dollars. This, right after he lines up his partners for the next weekend's ropings.
Absolutely, a priority for him will be feeding the horses and taking care of the practice steers. Every afternoon, unless it's raining right straight down, he will give the Corrientes a little exercise. In some cases, if it continues to rain a while, he might put a roof over the arena.
The rodeo rigs, pickups and trailers were designed with the Texas competitor in mind. When cost is not an issue, comfort and convenience is. Top of the list? The close proximity of a bathroom facility, right where his horse is tied and his beer is cold.
The women of the roping arena are just dedicated as the men and, whether they admit it or not, the cowboys tend to get a little tense when some of them ride in the arena.
These women are not just beautiful, but always competent roping hands. They will be fashion trendsetters and are never without their customary jewelry.
Comfort is a priority and it has become stylish for them to wear T-shirts while roping. T-shirts and diamonds big enough to blind the competition.
Shy and understated are not terms normally applied to Texas women. They, like the men, figure if you get too much money you can just trade it for something you would like to have.
Julie, the one without the diamonds, can be reached for comment at www.julie-carter.com
It’s The Pitts: Revolution
We are always hearing that what we need to do to solve all of our problems is “come together.” I hope I don’t get hung for treason for suggesting this but maybe what we need to do is come apart. Pardon me, Thomas Jefferson, for saying this but maybe these 50 United States should break up into 50 separate countries. The USSR did it and look how well it’s working for them. Well, never mind. But before you rush to have the FBI tap my phone or throw me in jail as a subversive please hear me out.
I did something the other day I haven’t done since high school: I read the Declaration of Independence. You know, that document that starts out, “When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve their political bands which have connected them...” and so forth. The Declaration gives the reasons why it was okay for us to break away from England. Here are some of those reasons. See if they don’t also apply to today:
• He (the King) has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable and distant,” (You ever hear of a better definition of Washington D.C?) “for the purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measure.”
• “He has erected a multitude of new offices and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.”
• “For imposing taxes on us without our consent.”
• “For destroying the lives of our people.”
It goes and on and on like this. Maybe one size doesn’t fit all any more.
If people in Connecticut want marauding bands of wolves turned loose to eat out their substance let them do it in their own nation/state but residents in Wyoming would rather not, thank, you very much. If the hedge fund traders think the government should own 90% of the land in New York, hey, knock yourself out, but folks in the nation of Nevada would rather have a say as to what they can do on their own land. If people in Rhode Island don’t want to drill for oil or chop down trees, fine, they don’t have to in their nation/state. But leave us the heck alone.
When the idiots in a particular suburb of Virginia known as Washington D.C want to sign environmental treaties and NAFTA, CAFTA, and SHAFTA, go right ahead. We hope you starve to death. Why the freezing folks in Delaware would want to strangle their economy by passing global warming legislation I have no idea, but leave the good people in the Dakotas and Minnesota alone. They could use a little global warming!
If the Yankees up North don’t like the color of the southerner’s necks, fine, you’re cordially invited to go somewhere else for vacation. If you want to make fun of residents of Idaho, fine, no more French fries for you.
With 50 separate nation states there would be something for everyone. If you like cows and cowboys you could move to Texas. If you don’t, go to Hades, for all they care. If you like Mexican food and want to speak Spanish all the time you can move to California. If you want to smoke dope, marry your same sex partner and kill yourself when you get too old, fine, move to Oregon. If the undefeated football folks in Utah feel shafted by the BCS they could declare war on Florida. (I’m betting on Utah.)
We would have a one year grace period where anyone can move to the state they prefer but after that there would be strict immigration laws and states could charge anyone wanting to move in. Some states (Montana, Wyoming and Colorado) could get as much as $100,000 per new resident while others (Taxachusetts) would have to pay people to move there. We would officially declare the United States bankrupt, skip out on our debts to China and start all over. Each nation/state would have their own banks, gun laws, President and language.
Anybody got a better idea?
I didn’t think so.
Rugged Ranchland - Wally & Anne Ferguson - American Heartland video
Here's the video from the tv show:
Song Of The Day #011
Today's selection by the group is Old Camp Meeting.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
'Green' Lobby Outnumbers Congress 4 to 1
Wind turbines could more than meet U.S. electricity needs, report says
Go here (pdf) for the executive summary.
Drastic water cuts expected for the Bay Area
Canadian exports at risk from U.S. climate change bill
Friday, April 03, 2009
Senate votes to kill cap-and-trade?
Greening the White House
Nice to see recycling, handier water fountains, and green swings for the girls...but what is the carbon footprint of those 500 staff accompanying Obama to the G-20 meeting?
Gray wolf delisting formalized
Bill aims to avoid coal-bed methane chaos
Report: More of western Oregon is forested today than a century ago
MIT to Republicans: Lay off the Scaremongering on Climate Costs
Study: Arctic Sea Ice Melting Faster Than Anticipated
Funny how these studies seem to always be published while international meetings are being conducted.
I'm sure it's just coincidence.
Save the planet: Get rid of your cat
And oh yes, please don't tell my mom I posted this.
Obama's Own Report on GM Says Plan to Build Non-Gas-Burning Car Would Not Save Company
Congress Proposes ‘Cash for Clunkers’ to Kickstart Auto Sales
Wonder what kind of mileage Reid & Pelosi's limousines get?
The real "clunkers" are in Congress. Think I'll open a Westerner's Congressional Salvage Yard, and you can send me the "clunkers" from your district.
Come to think of it, Junk Yard would be a more accurate title.
In either case I'd be guilty of establishing a toxic waste dump.
However, this would be a Superfund site that actually cleans up the environment.
I know some landowners in Carlsbad...
Financial Rescue Nears GDP as Pledges Top $12.8 Trillion
Plenty of candidates here for The Westerner's Congressional Superfund Site.
Rogue River dam removal moves forward
Shale Oil Estimates Grow; Likelihood of Extraction, Not So Much
Illinois House Rejects Horse Slaughter Bill
ND rancher carries 32 calves from flooded barn
Bigfoot kin may have made tracks for sunny Arizona
Song Of The Day #010
This is their 1946 recording of Going Back To The Blue Ridge Mountains. It's available on Classic Cuts, Vol. 2: The Later Years 1933-52
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Justice Dept. Moves to Void Stevens Case
Stevens case dismissal raises questions of Justice Dept. integrity
They don't seem to be reporting on the "inappropriate personal relationship" between the lead FBI agent in charge of the case, Mary Beth Kepner, and the prosecutions key witness, Bill Allen.
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A 2003 Study by the Center For Public Integrity titled Harmful Error states:
Prosecutorial misconduct falls into several categories, including:
* Courtroom misconduct (making inappropriate or inflammatory comments in the presence of the jury; introducing or attempting to introduce inadmissible, inappropriate or inflammatory evidence; mischaracterizing the evidence or the facts of the case to the court or jury; committing violations pertaining to the selection of the jury; or making improper closing arguments);
* Mishandling of physical evidence (hiding, destroying or tampering with evidence, case files or court records);
* Failing to disclose exculpatory evidence;
* Threatening, badgering or tampering with witnesses;
* Using false or misleading evidence;
* Harassing, displaying bias toward, or having a vendetta against the defendant or defendant's counsel (including selective or vindictive prosecution, which includes instances of denial of a speedy trial);
* Improper behavior during grand jury proceedings.
A June 26, 2003 Associated Press article about the Center's study has the following:
State and local prosecutors bent or broke the rules to help put 32 innocent people in prison, some under death sentence, since 1970, according to the first nationwide study of prosecutorial misconduct. Prosecutors misbehaved so badly in more than 2,000 cases during that period that appellate judges dismissed criminal charges, reversed convictions or reduced sentences, the study also found. The study, "Harmful Error," found 223 prosecutors around the nation who had been cited by judges for two or more cases of unfair conduct but only two prosecutors who had been disbarred in the past 33 years for mishandling criminal cases. There are about 30,000 local prosecutors in 2,341 jurisdictions. The report said convictions of an undetermined number of guilty defendants also were undoubtedly overturned because of unfair prosecutor tactics. Some of those defendants could not be retried and were set free, so prosecutor misconduct "has severe consequences for the entire citizenry," the report said. In 2,017 cases, appellate judges found misconduct serious enough to order dismissal of charges, reversal of convictions or reduction of sentences. In an additional 513 cases, at least one judge filing a separate concurring or dissenting opinion thought the misconduct warranted reversal...
Key players in the case of former Sen. Ted Stevens
BRENDA MORRIS: A career prosecutor with the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section, Morris now serves as its principal deputy.
NICHOLAS MARSH: One of two Public Integrity trial attorneys on the Stevens case, Marsh handled much of the courtroom work during the trials of Alaska lawmakers caught up in the scandal.
EDWARD SULLIVAN: The other Public Integrity trial attorney in the case, Sullivan was part of the trial team that won convictions of several Alaska lawmakers caught up in the corruption scandal.
JOSEPH BOTTINI: One of two assistant prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Anchorage assigned to work with Public Integrity on the Stevens case. Bottini went to high school in Anchorage and in 1993 served briefly as acting U.S. Attorney for Alaska.
JAMES GOEKE: The other prosecutor from U.S. Attorney's office.
WILLIAM WELCH: Head of the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section and the person with overall management of the prosecution. The Springfield, Mass., Republican reported last month that he's seeking appointment as the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts, his native state.
PAUL O'BRIEN: Chief of the Justice Department's Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section, he and two other Justice Department attorneys took over the post-trial phase of the Stevens case when Morris and Welch were held in contempt. He signed the motion seeking to dismiss the case.
Obama won't defend Bush spotted owl plan
Supremes: Environmental Rules Should Weigh Costs, Benefits
Alaska senator calls for national volcano monitoring
It's nice to see another Republican who wants to "nationalize" something and spend more money. Surely that's their path back to regaining a majority.