StevenSeagal

WTF are you talking about? Do you think the NW Forest pass actually pass for anything other than the salary of the ranger driving around to give tickets? In any case, even someone who believes in smaller government, must acknowledge that one of the roles of the government is management of public lands. And that managements must be adequately funded and paid for by everyone. Just because everyone does not use it is irrelevant. There are lots of things our taxes go towards that each of us does not use. If we are going to go exclusively by usage fees for the NPS, NFS etc, then let's do it for every single thing, period. Gotta give you a for this post. A whole lot of so-called conservatives espouse the attitude of "if I don't see it or use it I shouldn't have to pay for it". There may be instances where this is valid, but around this state for example, it's most often heard in eastern Washington town meetings protesting against statewide dollars funding road projects in the Puget Sound area on the basis of "I don't drive there"; ignoring not only all the subsidies they receive but the fact that the state's economic center is there and if that slows down, so does everything else statewide. The forest pass is nothing more than a form of theft from the public, how this made it into policy is beyond me.

I have to second the motion to shop at Trader Joe's- personally I like a lot of their proprietory products (though I don't like their produce- often sold in bulk-). TJ's prices are at times hard to believe compared to other stores. If shopping carefully, you can cover yourself for a week with $40. The best value there without a doubt is their wine- and I'm not talking Charles Shaw (which ain't too bad...). There are good Chilean/Argentinean and Spanish wines for $4-$7, that taste like something you'd pay $15 for elsewhere. I'm better off, FW, but not because of anything the gov't has done for us; more like some luck, some good timing, and a good place of employment. But having said that, I also notice that paychecks just don't go as far as they used to; the main problem now is that without some severe cutbacks to my lifestyle, putting away money for savings is pretty much impossible compared to 4 years ago. We're UNDER SIEGE!

Alaska parks are a grey area due to the remoteness and abundance of potentially dangerous wildlife, and one where I think an exception for carrying firearms into the backcountry for protection could be negotiated. I think there already some provisions in Denali and Wrangell perhaps? The examples of trail murders you offered invoke emotional reactions, yet the reality is that being assaulted by a psychopath on a hiking trail is statistically extremely improbable. It would, on the other hand, seem much more statistically probable to experience a violent assault while on the campus of a high school or college campus. Is denying students the right to bring guns to class a violation of their constitutional rights? Same with airports and airplanes. As to your question about problems arising on USFS land; well most directly, I can offer my own personal experience. There are at least 4 or 5 times I can recall feeling truly threatened or otherwise in an uncomfortable situation in the mountains. Each of these involved being bivied at a trailhead or camping in an actual campground, when a truckload of drunk rednecks arrived late at night blasting country music, poured out of the truck, began smashing bottles, and then brandishing guns or even firing them randomly into the forest and at objects for target practice. I don't mean to distract the argument with the redneck reference, but it's relevant, along with them being drunk, rowdy, and armed, in the level of (im) possibility of engaging them in conversation and trying to get them to quiet down and be respectful. So I always hear about "law abiding gun owners", and I know there are plenty of them, but is this sort of situation fair for the rest of us who do not feel the need to carry a gun either for protection, or for the simple entertainment value of it- being put into a disadvantaged situation? Sure, I could solve the problem by arming myself at trailheads- or does that solve it really? What, am I going to get out and have a standoff or a shootout with them next time? Anyway, this doesn't need to turn into an anti-gun rant. I actually enjoy shooting guns. But I like my chances in the national parks and I don't see the need for them there. I'm not sure it is an accident that the "crazies" are most often to be found lurking around in USFS and BLM land, and much more likely to be armed as well. All but one of the examples you cited were in non-NPS land. The parks are patrolled by law enforcement rangers and in this regard, I trust them to do the job they have been commissioned to do, even if I'm not particularly fond of their methods or their attitude.

And a poster in the Denver Post forum pointed out a tangible by product: Enabling poachers. Unless of course, the whole idea is to open up the parks to hunting? Another result will be even further increase in emphasis on law enforcement in the parks-- already way too much of that and nowhere near enough funding for maintainance, trails, road repair, interpretation, biologists, etc. I'm sorry, but what a crock of shit. Paranoid hyperbole with a political agenda behind it. Humans and animals have co-existed within the parks for a hundred years with a minimal number of serious incidents. And violent assaults?!? Most of those if you ever read NPS crime reports come from drunk BillyBobs beating each other up after one too many around a campfire. Now imagine the same demographic with a bunch of loaded weapons. Then everyone else really would want a gun. I'm not against guns, or hunting, but the National Parks are and should remain free of these activities.

100% on food price increase? lemme guess: you went from shopping at albertson's to shopping at whole foods? plus, i wasn't speaking from my own experiences. my gas bill has gone up to about 200 a month, but over half of that is business-related. i do want to get an electric car though, maybe the zenn.... and food: i just don't pay attention. seems like the produce i buy (organic) is close to what it was a few years ago....along with everything else at pcc and WF. mebbe i'm wrong though.... Here's a very good article I read back in December about food price increases: Food Price Increase

Ahh, Cali. Well, they charge more there because it's higher usage and they can get away with it. People will pay it. Or not...you can drive out a short bit over Tioga and camp at the cheaper, nicer, and less crowded eastside USFS campgrounds, or better, just hike out in the woods and dirtbag it. Unfortunately, most people going camping in California are such gapers at just being in the mountains and out of the comforts of home, they'd probably pay $100 just for the experience of sleeping on the ground for the first time in their lives and getting "back to nature"...

It's $20 (or more?) if you reserve in some National Parks, like Tuolumne, where you almost have to reserve if you want a spot in high season. I was wrong about $25, I was confusing that with the entrance fees. Nonetheless- expect $15-18 at the major NPS sites- for an extended trip that adds up. There's a couple of private campgrounds near Squamish- they are $24!!! Better to sleep out on the spit with all the drunk rednecks.

I think some usage fees are reasonable. Campgrounds with toilets to clean or paper to stock, firepits to be cleaned, trashcans to be emptied. But that doesn't mean usage fees alone should be paying for maintenance and upkeep of our parks. I was amazed actually that Joshua Tree campgrounds were free for as long as they were, with all the above mentioned facilities in place and being regularly serviced. Agreed, campground fees are reasonable; although with most National Parks charging as much as $25 for camping sites, I am pretty sure that not all that money is going to campground related expenses. As well- $20 or so is not really very cheap for an activity that is supposed to enable extended budget travel...considering cheap motels in many areas run from $30-45.

Oh, but why spend precious government budget on parks and recreation when we can just install "special use" fees for climbing, hiking, parking, looking, enjoying? What, are people going to stop going to the mountains if we do that? Of course not! Then "free market choices" will end up determining how the parks are maintained. Except that the money mostly will go to paying for regulations enforcement, so then we can have a good excuse to raise the fees even more. Problem solved.

Yup, I don't take no lip: Here's Kelly making a joke about me: Yeah, that's funny Kelly. Okay everyone...ready? Watch closely now...

Mine's up, has been since yesterday afternoon. Thankfully I was able to email back to the guy in Nigeria to get him my account info, so hopefully my money will be in the bank by this friday!

Be sure to give us a good TR! Friday: Periods of rain, mainly after 10am. High near 48. East southeast wind 7 to 13 mph becoming south southwest. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Friday Night: Periods of showers. Low around 36. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Saturday: Periods of rain showers. High near 42. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Saturday Night: Snow or rain showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45.

Related Article Baseless propaganda, or worth inclusion in consideration?

Good lord. Are you speaking Quechua?

quarter inch? I'm a solid 6 1/2 inches. Do I get to round up to 7? I've heard differing opinions on this topic. TIA! Sorry, your balls don't count.

Go up to Capitol Hill- there's wingnuts everywhere you look!

I've noticed you acknowledging the other side's point of view on more than one occasion. HEY! I try to be fair and balanced too. It's just harder when you're on the board because the trolling is soooooo easy!

If you want justice, look no further. I exact it, free of charge.

Not immediately. And like I said, he did far worse. What, sucking cock in hotel rooms is far worse than in airport bathrooms? What standard do you uphold here? I'm a bastion of justice and truth, motherfucker. I'm out slaying bad guys all the time, but not in the way you think, perv. No one is Above the Law, even those with a Fire Down Below.

Actually, I didn't really laugh at that. It was just the fastest and most offensive thing I could google that I knew would get a reaction out of you. And to answer your question- actually yes. Martin Van Buren was a really shitty president. I'm glad that fucker is 6 feet under.

actually the issue is he has an "R" by his name, not a "D", that's really all you care about. Ah, and around from side he comes once again, with the totally unexpected "you're just a partisan hack who wouldn't say a thing if it was a democrat..." finger pointing. I'm so defeated, I'll concede to you now, Mister Neutrality. Thank you for keeping this a "no-spin zone"! Just admit it - the reason you are so concerned is because the dude's a Republican. It's really not so hard to admit. There have been sex scandals with D's. Remember the MA governor with his boy-toy? Did you get so upset about that guy's hypocrisy? And he went well beyond what Craig did. No, I don't think you weren't so upset. It was the NJ gov, and actually, he did go well beyond what Craig did- he RESIGNED. While we're citing examples, how about old Ted Haggard? He went even further- he went to therapy and got CURED of his fagitude, now he's normal again and back to telling his sheeple that you can admire a man's penis in the shower but that once you put it in your mouth you have crossed some sort of line with God.

actually the issue is he has an "R" by his name, not a "D", that's really all you care about. Ah, and around from side he comes once again, with the totally unexpected "you're just a partisan hack who wouldn't say a thing if it was a democrat..." finger pointing. I'm so defeated, I'll concede to you now, Mister Neutrality. Thank you for keeping this a "no-spin zone"!

Trust? I think there's a tangible difference between being an openly gay senator, and a being a closeted gay senator leading a conservative district, and also being into anonymous toilet sex in airport stalls.

Man, his eyes look so high in this photo.