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Monday, June 4, 2007
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Iraq
NYT: "Three months after the start of the Baghdad security plan that has added thousands of American and Iraqi troops to the capital, they control fewer than one-third of the city's neighborhoods, far short of the initial goal for the operation, according to some commanders and an internal military assessment."
"2008 pres"
6:48:08 PM 
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Corruption
TalkLeft: "Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson has been indicted on corruption charges."
"2008 pres"
6:30:20 PM
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Schaffer for U.S. Senate?
Club for Growth: "Today, the political action arm of the Club for Growth, the nation's leading free-market advocacy organization, endorsed former Republican Congressman Bob Schaffer in Colorado's 2008 Senate race."
Thanks to Colorado Pols for the link.
"denver 2008"
6:27:41 PM
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Super-Duper Tuesday
Colorado Confidential: "On Friday, Governor Bill Ritter signed HB 1376, which allows Colorado's political parties to move the date of their precinct caucuses from the third Tuesday in March to the first Tuesday in February. Colorado will be joined by at least 15 other states holding their presidential delegate selection events that date."
"2008 pres"
6:22:21 PM
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Healthcare
Captain's Quarters: "In the debate over health care, many people support the idea of a government-run, single-payor system that will supposedly guarantee equitable distribution of treatment. However, in granting government the authority to ration all medical care, we grant them the power to withhold it for whatever purpose they see fit. The British have begun to discover this dynamic, as the Daily Mail reports that the National Health Service will begin denying smokers access to medical care until they prove they have quit -- through a blood test."
"2008 pres"
6:19:34 PM
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War on terror
Left in the West: "Unfortunately it's like the effects of the Bush administration look to linger long after the last member of this corrupt and imperial bunch will be ushered from Washington D.C. I'm talking not just about the Iraq War, which looks like it might go on for decades, but about other, more subtle shifts in our nation's dialog on power, the executive, and the U.S. Constitution. Take torture. Once a condemned practice in this country, it's now being used by U.S. officials. The fact that I even have to write this post attacking torture is an indication of how President Bush has misused his office, contaminated the rule of law, and set an ugly precedent for executives that follow."
Wash Park Prophet: "A Canadian boy who was detained at Guantanamo Bay starting at age 15 was tried as a war criminal in a U.S. military tribunal. The charges against him were dismissed on procedural grounds, but are likely to be reinstated. The notion that a 15 year pushed into military service as a child soldier is a victim, rather than a criminal has escaped the Department of Defense.
"2008 pres"
6:17:50 PM
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Gay rights
Andrew Sullivan: "As so often in the past, the Human Rights Campaign finds a way to protect Democrats who oppose immigration equality - for b.s. reasons of the potential for "fraud" by gay couples. Why are gay couples more likely to be fraudulent in their immigration applications than straight ones? Amazingly, HRC didn't even ask the Democrats about the Jesse Helms ban on HIV-positive immigrants or tourists. The questionnaire is also revealing. Notice how civil unions get prime billing - and civil marriage is way down the list. HRC's long record of failing to back marriage equality in order to placate their Democratic pay-masters continues. How do we expect politicians to favor our equality if the Human Rights Campaign doesn't have the courage to stand up for it?"
"2008 pres"
5:54:57 PM
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? for President?
Pollster.com: "A new InsiderAdvantage/Majority Opinion national survey of 1,000 likely Republican primary voters (conducted 5/30 through 5/31) finds former Mayor Rudy Giuliani leading Sen. Fred Thompson (28% to 19%) in a national primary; former Gov. Mitt Romney trails at 17%, Sen. John McCain at 16%."
TalkLeft: "Democratic debate: The morning after."
Political Wire: "According to a new Public Policy Polling survey of likely Iowa caucus-goers, John Edwards and Mitt Romney hold double digit leads in the first major contest of the 2008 presidential race. Edwards leads the Democratic field with the support of 31% of respondents, followed by Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama with 17% each, with Bill Richardson receiving 10%. On the Republican side, Romney is at the front with 31% support, while Fred Thompson comes in second with 15%, followed by Newt Gingrich with 10%, John McCain with 9% and Rudy Giuliani with 8%."
"2008 pres"
5:52:56 PM
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War on terror
Josh Marshall: "Newsday: Caribbean 'another region of the world that increasingly poses a terrorism threat.'"
"2008 pres"
7:06:05 AM
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Gravitational Vortex power plant is safe for fish
![A picture named gravitationalvortexplant.jpg](http://radio.weblogs.com/0101170/images/science/gravitationalvortexplant.jpg")
An Austrian inventor has developed a prototype for power generation that is safe for fish, according to Tree Hugger. From the article:
While trying to find a method for aerating water without energy input, Austrian engineer Franz Zotlöterer stumbled across the idea of a mini-power plant which is simple to construct and has a turbine efficiency of 80% but which is safe for fish due to low turbine speed and improves water quality by oxygenation. Needless to say, he quickly applied for the patents. The technology can be applied with water drop as little as 0.7 meters. Zotlöterer's website suggests an idyllic installation along a modern stream that has had its meanders rudely obliterated in the interest of human civilization. His vision is to restore the health of the running water to where it was before human intervention led to reduced oxygenation due to laminar flows--while winning power at the same time.
Thanks to Simon Phipps for the link.
"colorado water"
7:01:20 AM
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Iraq
Captain's Quarters: "Iraqis who have worked with the US to help bring peace and stability to their country now want some guarantees about their future if the troops start withdrawing in the face of terrorists. They want assurances that they will not become the second Montagnards."
TalkLeft: "The surge is flopping."
"2008 pres"
6:48:09 AM
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Democratic presidential debate
Political Wire has some links and a recap of last night's Democratic Presidential Debate. They write:
"The three frontrunners in the Democratic race for president -- John Edwards, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama -- emerged as the winners of Sunday night's debate in New Hampshire," reports David Yepsen.
The Politico notes the debate "affirmed the centrality -- literally, on CNN's stage -- of the three leading candidates... they occupied the bulk of CNN's airtime," while The Hotline put it this way: "Another debate and the front runners remain the frontrunners."
According to the Washington Post, Obama "gave a more commanding performance Sunday night than he did during the first Democratic debate, in South Carolina in April." Clinton "seemed as forceful as she was in the first debate, while Edwards played the role of the aggressor in drawing distinctions with the others."
Meanwhile, "although there was no consensus on the winner of Sunday night's Democratic presidential debate, CNN analysts were largely impressed with Sen. Joe Biden and disappointed with Gov. Bill Richardson."
Meanwhile, Sen. Chris Dodd's campaign tracked how long each candidate (and the moderator) spoke for in the debate.
Juan Cole writes:
The Democratic Party candidates for president debated on Sunday evening. Iraq dominated the first half of the debate. Shorter versions:
Biden: We can't get out of Iraq because we don't have the votes to end the war in the Senate. Since Congress cannot force Bush to withdraw, we have to vote money to support the troops while Bush unilaterally keeps them there. We need a new president to get the troops out.
Edwards: We need to admit openly that voting to authorize and Iraq War was a "mistake" and then we have to withdraw US troops from Iraq. (This was a slam at Hillary, who voted to authorize the Iraq War and will not apologize for it]. Clinton and Obama didn't come out strong enough or early enough against authorizing more money for Bush's war in the supplemental.
(Barack replied: Edwards voted for the war in the first place and is 4 1/2 years late to provide leadership on this issue.)
Clinton: The vote to authorize the president to fight the "war on terror" seemed reasonable at the time. We are safer than we were before 9/11 but not safe enough.
Obama: I was against the war in 2002 when Edwards and Clinton voted for it. Get out by March 31, 2008, but keep troops in Kuwait.
Kucinich: The way to end the war is to end the war.
Christopher Dodd: Was first to sign on to the Feingold-Reid-Dodd bill to set a timetable for US withdrawal. He also stressed energy independence.) (Dodd's campaign complained that he was given very little time to speak by Wolf Blitzer).
Mike Gravel: The way to end the war is to end the war.
Daily Kos: "It was kind of nice seeing the candidates trying to one-up each other on gays in the military and hate crimes legislation. It would've been nice to see the candidates pressed more on civil unions and gay marriage, but progress is progress."
Oliver Willis: "Hillary will win. That is, if the campaigns of Obama and Edwards continue to kind of dither and spin their wheels in the mud like they essentially did during the debate tonight, Senator Clinton will be the Democratic nominee. She took up a role of leadership and they deferred to her. If those three candidates continue on the paths that they're currently on, she will win that fight."
Andrew Sullivan:
She did well, it seems to me. There were times when her robo-lecture act began to wear down my ear-drums, but, in general, Senator Clinton bestrode the debate as an authoritative figure. In fact, I've never witnessed a U.S. political debate in which a woman clearly dominated as she did tonight. She was hawkish, and I was frankly surprised to hear her state baldly that "we are safer than we were," referring to the Bush administration's counter-terrorism policies.
"2008 pres"
6:44:56 AM
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Immigration
From today's Denver Post, "U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar told Bob Schieffer that the country needs a comprehensive immigration plan when the Colorado Democrat appeared on CBS News' 'Face the Nation' on Sunday...Salazar defended the immigration reform bill that would create a guest-worker program that could lead to permanent legal status for some. A CBS News/New York Times poll that said 67 percent of Americans believe illegal immigrants should be allowed to apply for a visa and 66 percent support a guest-worker program."
"2008 pres"
6:39:12 AM
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2008 Democratic National Convention
Officials representing Denver and the 2008 Democratic National Convention are hoping to preserve First Amendment rights while avoiding trouble during the convention in Denver, according to the Denver Post. From the article:
With thousands of demonstrators expected to descend on Denver for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, top city officials have been meeting with a protest group in hopes of minimizing the potential for conflict.
And the City Council next week will consider a proclamation prepared by the group - dubbed Re-create '68 - that restates Denver's commitment to protecting First Amendment rights during the event. Re-create '68 says "tens of thousands" of peace and community activists hope to make Denver a pivotal political convention when the delegates come to town Aug. 25-28 next year. The group aims to demand a change from the country's two-party system by making the violence-marred Democratic convention of 1968 "look like a small get together in 2008!" according to its website.
A lead organizer, Glenn Spagnuolo, says he hopes to frame the debate from the outset in terms of nonviolence and to coordinate security planning in such a way that police and protesters interact peacefully. "I do have to give credit to the city of Denver," Spagnuolo said. "They were very welcoming and open to listening to our concerns." Spagnuolo said he crafted a proclamation based on similar measures passed by New York and St. Paul, Minn. After some editing and condensing, City Councilwoman Kathleen Mac Kenzie has a draft she intends to submit to the council June 11. The proclamation asks that the city "welcomes demonstrators with the same respect and honor accorded to convention delegates" and that "use of force, including the use of horses, pepper spray or other aggressive means to police public demonstrations, is restricted except to the minimal extent required by legitimate law-enforcement purposes."[...]
...following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the extra security measures used in both 2004 national political conventions were widely criticized as hostile to demonstrators. At the Republican convention in New York that year, protesters were kept to an area far from the site of the convention. More than 1,000 people were arrested and held for 24 hours when, critics say, a written citation and summons to appear would have sufficed. At the Democratic convention in Boston, demonstrators were kept near the delegates' entry to the security zone, but protesters like Spagnuolo complained that they were kept too far away to be heard. "It was a cage," he said of the chain-link fence topped with rolled barbed wire stretched before the demonstrators. "We were stuck under an overpass, out of sight, out of mind."[...]
At their first meeting with Denver city officials and police, Re-create '68 organizers and attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Lawyers Guild said they asked that such fencing not be used in Denver. Katherine Archuleta, Mayor John Hickenlooper's senior adviser for policy and initiatives, said the meetings were "friendly and congenial. We are not going to agree on everything," Archuleta said, "but we want to have a forum where we can disagree." Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson said security planning wasn't advanced enough to describe specific details.
"2008 pres"
6:36:40 AM
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Aurora's Prairie Waters Project
Here's an article about Aurora's Prairie Waters Project from the Pueblo Chieftain. They write:
Aurora is moving ahead with its $750 million plan to reuse return flows and provide enough additional water to support its needs well into the next two decades. In the process, its Prairie Waters Project is attracting attention across the West as a way to provide additional water without drying up more farms or increasing transmountain diversions. "More than 90 percent of our water supply can be used, and reused to extinction," said Mark Pifher, deputy director for Aurora Water.
Aurora brings in about 60 percent of its water from the Colorado River or Arkansas River basins. Additionally, most of its flows from the South Platte River basin are the consumptive use portion of former agricultural water. All of the return flows from that water are classified under state water law as "fully consumable," meaning the city can capture it and reuse it, Pifher said. Those flows are now primarily leased to downstream farmers, but after the drought of 2002-03 nearly drained Aurora's reservoir supplies, the city decided to look seriously at indirect reuse of the flows...
While Aurora is prevented from more transfers from the Arkansas River basin by intergovernmental agreements, it still has undeveloped rights in the Colorado River basin and could still claim additional rights. The city decided on Prairie Waters as the most cost-effective way to deliver new water. By 2010, the city will have finished a system capable of delivering up to 10,000 acre-feet annually - 3.26 billion gallons. Aurora reclaims water from the South Platte because its wastewater - like many other cities in and around Denver - is handled by the Denver Metro district. The discharge point is several miles upstream of where Aurora plans to build wells and recharge basins...
Ground will be broken for a $190 million treatment plant later this month. After that, a system of wells and pipelines will be completed. Water will be taken from alluvial wells northwest of Brighton, and pumped into nearby recharge basins that create an underground barrier 50 feet deep. The water from the wells is treated naturally through river bank filtration as it flows along the South Platte, as well as from the ground as it flows. The wells will be placed to allow about 10 days of travel time through the aquifer, according to engineers from CH2M Hill, consultants on the project. The two recharge basins, which cover about 200 acres each, provide additional filtration. From there, water will be pumped through a 60-inch-diameter pipeline 34 miles to Aurora Reservoir. Three pumping stations are required along the route, lifting the water about 1,000 feet in elevation. The treatment plant at the end of the line will use several processes - softening, ultraviolet light, filtration and charcoal adsorption - to further treat the water. At that point, it will be blended with fresh water sources for taste and odor issues...
Environmental groups have praised the project as a model for reuse, and Aurora has worked on agreements with agricultural users such as the Central Colorado Conservancy District to help meet farmers' augmentation needs...
Eventually, Aurora's current water rights could yield more than 100,000 acre-feet through Prairie Waters and other improvements. Prairie Waters is intended to meet Aurora needs through 2024. By that time, a second pipeline could be added and other improvements in the water system made. Aurora has plans to eventually build another reservoir east of Aurora Reservoir.
More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
"colorado water"
6:04:15 AM
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© Copyright 2009 John Orr.
Last update: 3/14/09; 9:17:42 PM.
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