Fairweather

I distinctly recall the environmental community citing the economic value of recreation whilst trying to salve the gaping wounds of timber communities on the penninsula and elsewhere during The Spotted Owl controversy. OK; The Spotted Owl won the day and timber harvests are a mere fraction of what they once were. So one would rightly expect the environmental community to support recreation economies in these devestated enclaves per their earlier proclamations... right?? HELL NO! Now the enemy is recreation itself! The environmentalist of the 80's has gone back on his word to the good people in Brinnon, Forks, Darrington, and Randle. But this fight is only over if we give up.

Sad news, indeed. Westside Road, Middle Fork Snoqualmie (soon), Carbon River Road (soon), and the list goes on..... I sincerely hope that these enviro kooks will succeed in closing down a popular access like Cascade River Road, Mountain Loop Road, or Icicle Creek Road beyond the private holdings. Maybe then the hiking/climbing community will finally wake up and realize these envirionmental nazis are NOT the same friends they knew back in the 70's!

Wow! Had to read this one twice. Seems you just made the case for Bush. Does this mean you'll be voting for GW this November??

This photo was taken today over Baghdad and posted as a header for another story on the FOX website. Anyone find the skyline interesting? Comments?

John, When you fly out here for your Stone Ponds trip this summer I hope you will entertain this thought: The Hamma Hamma Road has washed out at least three times the past 25 years. What if an enviro-lawyer group from Califionia/New Jersey/wherever decided that the road should fall into disrepair or be shut down outright? The time required for your trip would put it out of your reach...and the reach of most who work. You would be forced to join the masses on the few trails that would be left for such 3-5 day adventures. What fun. These groups have already managed to shut down several popular roads/trailhead access' by suing to prevent their repair. It is time for people who do love wild areas to say ENOUGH! I, for one, am fed up with this shit.

Obviously, none of us has seen Moore's new film. But if it is as it is being billed - accusing Bush of complicity in the attacks of 9/11/01, then the fat fuck Moore should be sued for slander or libel. He is a lying fat fuck with no artistic or socially redeeming qualities of which to speak. Only those most radically in concert with his agenda would review his work with any praise whatsoever. Michael Moore: feeding the tools...making $$$$ telling them what they want to hear. BTW! Did you hear the fat bastard is being sued by Ray Bradbury, author of Farenheit 451? Apparently he doesn't like the copyright infrigement...or the message! GO Ray!!!!

How's the mountain biking? Thinking about a trip up that way in late July.

The only reason I'd venture into the freak show that is Freemont is to have my boots resoled. That will be at least a couple more years.

You sound as sympathetic as ever, Winter. Maybe you should be their new spokesman when that Rosebloom prick finally has his ass thrown in jail where it belongs.

They're already busy in Afghanistan, fighting the "War on Terror" - remember that one? Just 'cause your boss decided to start up a bar fight on the side to settle an old grudge, don't expect us to drop what we're doing and dive in with you. Actually, I agree with Murray. Canada did come to help us in Afghanistan, as did the French. For that, we must not be ungreatful. The French, however, are a special case. Not content to just step aside, they actively thwarted our Iraq efforts at every turn....and NOT for moral or ultruistic reasons! Chirac had some serious $$$$$(Francs, Euro's, Dinars don't appear on my keyboard) going on with his good buddy Saddam. And in case you haven't noticed, Chirac is trying to set himself and France up as the leaders of the new European Union. But to Canada, I DO believe our nation owes a thankyou re their help fighting The War on Terror. ....and you Canuks have some mighty good snipers too! Including a confirmed killed AQ member from over 4000 meters! Nice shooting!! I guess he got a little carried away by Canadian standards and actually posed for a photo with the deceased. Got sent home for that one...not very civilized!

Good post, Gotterdamerung! We truly have lost our mettle. In WWII, newsreels were usually seen by the public three months after-the-fact. Even then, Roosevelt was worried about the American public discovering the true horrors that the firebombing of Japanese cities was wreaking. I sincerely believe the press is at least in part responsible for our premature departure from Vietnam. Now they are trying to wield their power in Iraq. Kick the press out of Iraq, get the dirty work done, re-establish order by force, and get out.

Was that guy taken out by US soldiers or Iraqi Security Forces? Was that taken by another Al Jezeera cameraman who "just happened to be in the same place Americans were being attacked" once again? If it was, then good. I hope this sends a message. Josh, you are truly a paradox: One entry found for paradox. Main Entry: par·a·dox Pronunciation: 'par-&-"däks Function: noun Etymology: Latin paradoxum, from Greek paradoxon, from neuter of paradoxos contrary to expectation, from para- + dokein to think, seem -- more at DECENT 1 : a tenet contrary to received opinion 2 a : a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true b : a self-contradictory statement that at first seems true c : an argument that apparently derives self-contradictory conclusions by valid deduction from acceptable premises 3 : one that possesses seemingly contradictory qualities or phases

Meanwhile, a UNANIMOUS US Supreme Court ruling today that will limit enviro group's penchants for twisting the intent of good law and putting the cart before the horse! Court restricts scope of environmental lawsuits Los Angeles Times The Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit by environmental groups Monday that accused the federal government of failing to safeguard Western wilderness areas from an onslaught of off-road vehicles. The unanimous decision said environmental groups cannot use the courts to compel the federal Bureau of Land Management to take more aggressive action to protect land that is under study for protection as wilderness. The case directly involved about 2 million acres of "wilderness study areas" in Utah, but legal experts said the decision could more broadly affect the legal treatment of wild lands across the West. The ruling will significantly limit the ability of citizen groups to use the courts to enforce a broad range of environmental protections, the legal experts said. Los Angeles Times

Woa! Do you no longer believe in "innocent until proven guilty"? I, for one, in Kobe's case believe the former. The fact that the judge is disallowing every piece of evidence regarding his (messed-up) accuser with which Mr Bryant has to defend himself...is a fucking OUTRAGE! Based on what I've seen/read, Kobe Bryant is not guilty!

I thought, as promised, he left the country when GW was elected?

Actually, dipshit, the Quinaults, Yakima's, and Skokomish tribes ancestors were immigrants too. There are no humans native to the americas that I'm aware of. And my close(er) proximity to the Dose does give me a stronger position with which to express my views on the matter. IMHO. Shall I rally the enviro-troops back east to close access to The Gunks? Or the road to Mount Marcy? Certainly, JDJr would have greater standing in such a debate.

Better DEAD, than red.

Skeezix, The paragraph clearly begins with "The idea in conflict with American freedom......", and only then goes on to describe the antithesis thereof.

Aaaamm Rrrick James, Bitch! Now lemmee see them titties!

Emmons Glacier on Rainier 6 times (Plus several other routes) Little Tahoma 4 times So Side on Hood 20+ times (Plus several other routes) Pinnacle Peak 20+ times Mount Ellinor at least a dozen times So Face Tooth several times ...What can I say? I'm a slogger.

For good policy! Hope the folks down at Mount Hood RD are listening to that.

I still prefer the fuc over the Hummer.

Some modern economists now believe that FDR's policies may have prolonged The Great Depression.

Here's something you probably don't know about the Bush Administration: (You won't read about it in Slate, or Salon.com) EPA Issuing Tough New Diesel Rules Harmful Emissions Curbed In Bulldozers and Tractors By Juliet Eilperin Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, May 11, 2004; Page A03 The Bush administration announced tough new rules yesterday to curb harmful emissions from off-road diesel-powered vehicles, pleasing environmentalists after brokering a compromise with industry on deadlines. Off-road diesel-powered vehicles, such as bulldozers, tractors and irrigation equipment, are among the largest sources of pollutants that scientists have linked to premature deaths, lung cancer, asthma and other serious respiratory illnesses. The regulations, which Environmental Protection Agency director Mike Leavitt will sign today, would reduce the emissions of nitrogen oxide and other pollutants from diesel engines by more than 90 percent over the next eight years. "This is a big deal," Leavitt said, standing outside the White House after he briefed President Bush on the matter. "Nearly everyone will remember when we took the lead out of gasoline. We are now going to take sulfur out of diesel. The black puff of smoke will be a thing of the past." Although the administration usually comes under criticism from environmentalists, yesterday's announcement brought plaudits from members of the green community, who said the rules would protect public health by preventing deaths, heart attacks and asthma-related emergencies. "It's remarkable that these strong rules come from the same administration that has otherwise turned back the clock on 30 years of environmental progress," said Emily Figdor, a clean-air advocate for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. "It's great to see science win out over the special interests for a change." In recent years, scientists and environmentalists have focused on the dangers associated with high sulfur levels in non-road diesel fuel, which produce microscopic particles that invade the lungs and can cause cancer, asthma and other respiratory illnesses. EPA officials predict that within 30 years, the new regulations will prevent more than 12,000 premature deaths and will save billions of dollars in hospital and medical costs. The new rules require oil refiners to reduce the sulfur in non-road diesel fuel by 99 percent from its current level of 3,400 parts per million to 500 parts per million in 2007 and to 15 parts per million in 2010. It allows a slightly longer timeline for locomotive and marine engines, reducing sulfur to 15 parts per million in 2012. Figdor and other environmentalists criticized this delay, saying it was the one area in which the administration bowed to industry's wishes. "With an opportunity to score a slam-dunk, at the last minute the Bush administration committed an unnecessary foul," said Frank O'Donnell, executive director of the Clean Air Trust. "It caved in behind closed doors to political pressure from oil companies and delayed cleanup for fuel used in marine and train engines." For the most part, public health advocates and environmentalists embraced the administration's move. "This rule will help protect seniors, children and people with lung diseases including asthma, who are the most vulnerable to the harm from air pollution," said John L. Kirkwood, chief executive of the American Lung Association. "According to the American Lung Association State of the Air 2004 report, more than one in four Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of particle pollution. Exposure to particle pollution leads to premature death." Leavitt said the health benefits resulting from the regulations are worth $80 billion a year, "nearly 40 times the cost" of compliance. Diesel industry representatives voiced guarded praise for the policy shift. The National Association of Manufacturers praised the EPA for engaging in "a collaborative process with interested parties." "While the rule has some problems, including stringent locomotive and marine fuel limits, blended fuel transportation and storage obstacles, and problematic compliance dates, the overall rule is a testament to how collaboration among affected parties can lead to a better way of achieving air quality reductions," said Jeffrey Marks, NAM's director of air quality. Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, an industry advocacy group, said that despite challenges ahead in meeting the new requirements, "there is no question about industry's commitment to meet these aggressive standards." The administration left some questions unanswered yesterday, however, such as what changes locomotive and marine engine manufacturers would have to make to comply with the new rules. © 2004 The Washington Post Company