Coyote Gulch

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Runoff to decrease?

During the series Wringing Water from the Rocks Chips Barry warned that water supply unpredictability was his biggest worry going forward. Here's an article about atmospheric warming and the possible effects on supply from today's Rocky Mountain News [November 17, 2005, "Snowmelt may dwindle"]. From the article, "Until now, much of the analysis done on the complex interrelationships between temperature and climate have indicated that winter snowpacks are likely to melt earlier, that more rain and less snow will fall, but that overall amounts of precipitation would stay about the same in the West. But the new findings indicate that there will be a marked decrease in the total amount of water in streams in some regions, said Christopher Milly, an author of the Nature report and a research hydrologist for the United States Geological Survey in Princeton, N.J...The precision is thanks largely to new international data collection and coordinated international modeling efforts. That work has resulted in much more reliable global and regional analyses. Milly said it isn't entirely clear why runoff is shrinking in some regions, but he believes that one plausible explanation for its occurrence in the West is this: As the atmosphere warms above the ocean, it is able to hold more water. As these warm ocean winds blow across the hot, semi-arid West, they warm even more, holding more water and ultimately carrying that water out of the region rather than allowing it to fall. Those findings don't necessarily conflict with a recent report by Boulder climate researcher Gerald Meehl, who published a paper in September indicating that total annual precipitation in Colorado would change little over the next century. But even a slight decrease in precipitation can trigger a much more dramatic decrease in runoff, Milly said."

Category: Colorado Water

6:22:52 AM

Dem Convention in Denver?
State dems are hoping to convince the Democratic party to hold their national convention in Denver, according to the Denver Post [November 17, 2005, "Denver considers bid for Dems' 2008 convention"]. From the article, "If Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper gives the go-ahead, lobbying will start next month to woo the 2008 Democratic National Convention to Denver. Dan Slater, vice chairman of the state Democratic party, said the push would start at the Democratic National Committee's December meeting in Phoenix. The first and only time Denver hosted a national convention was in 1908. Slater and city Councilwoman Elbra Wedgeworth are spearheading the effort to attract the convention, the third attempt in less than a decade. The two talked with Hickenlooper last month about a possible bid. Slater said Hickenlooper is studying the issue."

Here's an opinion piece from today's Denver Post dealing with conservative opinion about immigration [November 17, 2005, "Recovering from falling numbers"]. Cal Thomas writes, "Conservatives, and the Bush administration, if it wants to save itself, should get behind the TRUE Enforcement and Border Security Act introduced by Reps. Duncan Hunter, California Republican and chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Virgil Goode, Virginia Republican. The bill seeks to deter illegal immigration by enforcing laws that sanction employers for hiring illegals, ends the automatic citizenship for children of illegals born in America (this might also take some constitutional reinterpretation by the Supreme Court), and removes other incentives for people who would break our laws. If the Bush administration and Republican members of Congress fail to support this measure, it will show how empty their rhetoric is on the subject and give conservatives plenty of time to find candidates for office who do support it before the next two elections. Supporting real immigration reform would surely raise the president's job approval rating, especially if he explained it as a national security and cultural issue that gets to the heart of our identity."

You've got to love the Intenet. This week we're witness to dueling videos about the run up to the Iraqi war. The first is on the GOP Website. (Coyote Gulch could not find a way to deep link to it.) Thanks to Blogs for Bush for the link.

Next up is a new video from Progress Now. Thanks to TalkLeft for the link.

Category: 2008 Presidential Election

4:57:46 AM

Immigration Reform?
The state GOP caucus is attempting to be out in front on the subject of illegal immigration, according to the Denver Post [November 17, 2005, "GOP taking on illegal immigration"]. From the article, "Conservative Republican lawmakers are pursuing legislation that would make Colorado a less attractive destination for illegal immigrants and punish companies that hire undocumented workers, they said Wednesday at the Capitol. Meanwhile, a like-minded citizens group intent on immigration reform will start collecting signatures in January for a November 2006 ballot question asking voters to require residency checks of all applicants for state services, its leader said. The senators and representatives heard from immigration-policy experts and activists from around the country Wednesday at a Republican Study Committee of Colorado event."

Here's the coverage from the Rocky Mountain News [November 17, 2005, "Illegals focus of GOP hearing"]. From the article, "The meeting in the old state Supreme Court at the Capitol was set up by the Republican Study Committee of Colorado, formed this year to help Republican politicians in state government focus on such issues as lower taxes, personal responsibility and limited government. It was chaired by state Rep. David Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, who joined two colleagues last month on a trip to Arizona to meet with lawmakers, talk with border residents and patrol the border with members of Minutemen Civil Defense Corps, a citizens group. The hearing was billed as an effort to give legislators expert testimony on immigration issues. The Colorado legislature is expected this year to see bills to limit state services to illegal immigrants, and a citizen initiative to do the same is in the works."

Representatives of several conservative Christian groups met this week in Colorado Springs to discuss political strategy for elections next fall, according to the Denver Post [November 17, 2005, "Conservative Christians strategize for '06 elections"]. From the article, "Seeking to build on national election victories of 2004, conservative Christian activists met this week in Colorado Springs to plot a 2006 strategy that includes expanding voter registration, wooing Latino voters and helping conservative candidates in critical Senate races, a participant said Wednesday. The summit on Tuesday was hosted by Focus on the Family, the powerful radio and media ministry that took an active role in the 2004 campaign. The gathering provides an early glimpse into what a powerful political constituency is thinking."

Category: Denver November 2006 Election

4:51:33 AM

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