| |
|
Sunday, February 11, 2007
|
|
Henson for mayor?
Four years ago today, Dwight Henson couldn't get any respect from the news sources covering the mayoral election. This election he gets two lines in an early election article from the Rocky Mountain News.
"denver 2007"
10:59:30 AM 
|
|
Obama for president?
Western Democrat: "And how will Barack play out in the West? Barack Obama does not fit the stereotype of an Easterner, an elitist, or a member of the establishment; whatever you may conceive those things to be. He doesn't fit any stereotypes at all. But if I had to describe his style, the words that come to mind are from the poet Genevieve Taggard: natural, American, sweet and easy.
"Above all, Barack is a candidate who can transcend boundaries. He can transcend race and party and region. He is not running as a man of color, or as a liberal Democrat, or as a blue-state Senator from the Midwest. He is running as a candidate for Americans of all races, parties, and regions. And that will appeal to a lot of Western Democrats."
Blogs for Bush: "Official Blogs for Bush commentary on Sen. Obama's presidential announcement: He hasn't the experience; Certainly the most impertinent Presidential campaign since Wilke in 1940; Should he get elected, his ultra-liberal policy proposals will just be more-of-the-same political gamesmanship when placed into practice; Democrats would be monumentally stupid to nominate anyone else because ONLY Obama can win at least two or three States won by President Bush twice."
Curious Stranger: "I'm not sure he's got the experience needed to clean up the broken mess the Republicans will be leaving us all in 2008, but he's certainly an intriguing candidate."
Andrew Sullivan: "Mark Steyn makes a predictable jab at Barack Obama's defense of his foreign policy credentials."
Captains Quarter's: "He only has two years of national office under his belt, and has not even faced a credible opponent. He has few legislative accomplishments for his resumé, and no executive experience at all. For the Democratic Party in 2008, that apparently makes Barack Obama the #2 candidate for the Presidential nomination behind Hillary Clinton, a position Obama assumed with his official announcement of candidacy."
"2008 pres"
9:05:08 AM
|
|
War on terror
Austin Cline (via Jesus' General): "This week I'd like to write about the same topic I was going to address last week -- it was more timely last week, perhaps, but it never goes out of style: the conservative, Republican use of fear as a political weapon against internal enemies, dissenters, and political opponents."
Deep Blade Journal: "Prepping public for attack on Iran."
Daily Kos: "John McCain thinks he knows why things aren't going so well in Afghanistan. [From a Reuters article:] 'Senator John McCain, a Republican contender for the White House in 2008, chastised Europe on Saturday for failing to supply the troops and money to win in Afghanistan and said NATO's future was at stake. In tough comments that singled out specific countries, McCain told NATO allies to move beyond the 'false debate' over security and development priorities in Afghanistan -- a dispute that dominated a defense ministers' meeting earlier this week. Instead, Europe should follow Washington's lead and put more forces and resources into the war effort.'"
Arnaud de Borchgrave: "At a farewell reception at Blair House for the retiring chief of protocol, Don Ensenat, who was President Bush's Yale roommate, the president shook hands with Washington Life Magazine's Soroush Shehabi. 'I'm the grandson of one of the late Shah's ministers,' said Soroush, 'and I simply want to say one U.S. bomb on Iran and the regime we all despise will remain in power for another 20 or 30 years and 70 million Iranians will become radicalized.'
"'I know,' President Bush answered.
"'But does Vice President Cheney know?' asked Soroush.
"President Bush chuckled and walked away."
Thanks to Talking Points Memo for the link.
"2008 pres"
8:46:36 AM
|
|
Busy week for the Arkansas River Roundtable?
It looks to be a busy week coming up for the Arkansas River Roundtable, according to the Pueblo Chieftain. From the article, "The Arkansas Basin Roundtable will look at three funding proposals this week that pose questions of whether a new source of state funding should be applied to a project affecting a small area, a plan that covers a wide part of the valley or in a way that helps the state as a whole and may benefit farmers down the road. A needs assessment committee dug and scratched through the tangle of ideas at its meeting last week, voting to move all three projects to the full roundtable. The roundtable will meet at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Occhiato Ballroom of the Student Center at Colorado State University-Pueblo.
"The shovel: The Round Mountain Water and Sanitation District is requesting $120,000 toward a project to drill a new well to supply the Westcliffe and Silver Cliff areas with water.
"The pencil: The Fountain Creek Vision Task Force wants $75,000 for a facilitator to help bring El Paso and Pueblo county interests together.
"A little of both: The state wants $50,000 toward its project to study water use with a weighing lysimeter at the Colorado State University Agricultural Research Center near Rocky Ford."
"colorado water"
8:15:56 AM
|
|
Tom Cech: It's terrible to watch
Diane Carman writes an update on the situation for farmers whose wells in the South Platte aquifer were shut down last spring, in her column in today's Denver Post. From the article, "This year likely will bring an end to Pope Farms Produce. They've been ordered to stop pumping water from their wells. They're done. 'I don't know the whole gist of it,' said Susan Pope, referring to the web of mind-numbing water laws that have pushed farms across the region to the brink of bankruptcy. 'Everybody was pumping wells, no problem, until a study came out in 1969 that said well usage was harming returning flows to the South Platte River.' Officially, that was the beginning of the end. A network of conservation districts was formed, charging farmers yearly fees to help them manage the water resources and to represent them in court. Tom Cech, executive director of one of them, the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District, said 'hundreds of millions' have been spent trying to resolve legal challenges over water rights in the state. One dispute involving Sakata and Petrocco farms is being heard in District 1 Water Court in Greeley...
"The planting season is approaching and the Popes still have no access to water - except from rain. They face the prospect of trying to get by on dryland farming alone or getting jobs in the city. Farmers from Denver to Julesburg who are dependent on wells are at risk of defaulting on their mortgages and abandoning their farms. The ripple effect on rural school districts, rural economies and consumers of local produce will soon follow. 'It's terrible to watch,' Cech said. 'The farm families are sitting in court, listening to lawyers argue over water rights while the fate of the livelihoods they've known for generations hangs in the balance. Their faces tell the story.' While several years of drought have created a growing awareness of the limits of the state's water resources, Cech said the 19th-century water laws do little to encourage meaningful conservation. 'The system does not lend itself to efficient use overall.' If a water district with senior rights wants to pump to excess to irrigate golf courses and suburban lawns at the expense of farmers, there's nothing in the law to prevent it."
"colorado water"
8:05:57 AM
|
|
Buddy Burns: I'd like to run an activated sludge plant
Congratulations to Buddy Burns who has been named the 2006 Waste Water Treatment Operator of the Year by the Colorado Rural Water Association. From the Glenwood Springs Independent "reg", "Burns is the superintendent of Water and Waste Water Treatment for Glenwood Springs. He started with the city in 1977...
"Glenwood Springs wants to get rid of the treatment plant on Seventh Street and move it into West Glenwood, Burns said. The city would build a new, regional facility with activated sludge technology where the Chatfield house used to be. The tentative plan is to begin in 2012 and complete it by 2017, he added. Activated sludge would make the job more challenging and interactive, Burns said. That mechanism affords increased opportunity for control compared to the rotating biological contactor technology at the current plant. 'I'd like to run an activated sludge plant,' Burns said." Wouldn't everyone?
"colorado water"
7:53:49 AM
|
|
First Dem Presidential debate February 21st
The Democratic presidential candidates are gearing up for a forum in Carson City, Nevada on the 21st. Here's an opinion piece about the new found western influence on presidential politics from the Nevada Appeal. From the article, "As a registered Democrat (believe it or not) who is thoroughly disillusioned with President Bush and the Republicans, I'm looking for a moderate Democrat to back for president in 2008 - someone like New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who made an early campaign stop in Minden late last month...
"During an early debate among Democratic presidential hopefuls in Carson City on Feb. 21, we'll have a firsthand opportunity to hear what they say about Yucca Mountain and other western regional issues, and we should rule out any of them who don't know how to pronounce the name of our state. To paraphrase an old movie, The politicians are coming! The politicians are coming! Run for the hills."
"2008 pres"
7:42:32 AM
|
|
|
© Copyright 2009 John Orr.
Last update: 3/14/09; 9:04:28 PM.
|
|
|
