For many, the tree comes down when the grandparents/grandchildren leave, but what of the tree? There are numerous 'green' options for the disposal of a holiday tree. You can call your local ODFW office and see if they are doing any log placements, the trees have been used in the past as part of these projects. You can chop it up and burn it, if you have a wood stove or any other type of fire place. You can use it to build something like a stool or a table. Don't forget to save the needles which can be used to spice food (use them in a sachet or cheese cloth so you don't have to pick the needles out).
Stick it in your yard, either on its side or standing up in a hole or other stand, for the birds and other wildlife. You could also use it to construct a raised bed. Think of the saved trip to the lumber store!
Please don't put it against your neighbors door and ring the bell. This is very rude and nobody wants to deal with this type of shinanagins after the holidays!
Merry Christmas and a happy new year :)
12.26.2010
12.19.2010
Can You Be in Fashion and Still Get a Man?
Can You Be in Fashion and Still Get a Man?
To which I would reply yes, as long as you nice and fun to be around. Most men probably don't really care what you wear.
To which I would reply yes, as long as you nice and fun to be around. Most men probably don't really care what you wear.
12.10.2010
Demeter Design is Opening Not-for-Profit Arm
Demeter Design was structured as a non-profit organization. As of 2011 we will be converting to a 501(c)3 non-profit in order To provide assessment, mapping, and reporting services for individuals, environmental non-profits and watershed councils, educationsal and eccumenical groups, universities and school districts, and government agencies; To provide scholarships for Tillamook County high school and community college students; To Provide internships for university students; To provide grants and grant writng assistance to private researchers conducting non-speculative habitat research; To support environmental restoration and conservation; To support local economies and healthy farms.
Let us know what you think!
Let us know what you think!
Neat Blog to Check Out
http://threebeats.wordpress.com/
Very cool blog, check it out if you get the chance.
Very cool blog, check it out if you get the chance.
11.24.2010
Today in some good news (for some, although I imagine there are those that don't consider this good...)
"The Fish and Wildlife Service set aside 187,000 square miles (484,000 square kilometers) off Alaska as the threatened bears' habitat, which means any project that could impact the animals' way of life must undergo careful review. 'This critical habitat designation enables us to work with federal partners to ensure their actions within its boundaries do not harm polar bear populations,' said Tom Strickland, Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks."
From the AFP
"The Fish and Wildlife Service set aside 187,000 square miles (484,000 square kilometers) off Alaska as the threatened bears' habitat, which means any project that could impact the animals' way of life must undergo careful review. 'This critical habitat designation enables us to work with federal partners to ensure their actions within its boundaries do not harm polar bear populations,' said Tom Strickland, Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks."
From the AFP
11.18.2010
Today in More Reasons to Appreciate the Freedoms I Have
"In June 2009, Asia was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields. But Muslim women labourers objected, saying that as a non-Muslim, she should not touch the water bowl.
A few days later the women went to a local cleric and alleged that Asia made derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammed." Now she is sentenced to a hanging.
Full Story Here http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h7wwqd-U511ibnXJeBP5MB9ev6Lg?docId=CNG.34d413ddaf37cdcea164fb9b026494b1.401
A few days later the women went to a local cleric and alleged that Asia made derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammed." Now she is sentenced to a hanging.
Full Story Here http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h7wwqd-U511ibnXJeBP5MB9ev6Lg?docId=CNG.34d413ddaf37cdcea164fb9b026494b1.401
11.17.2010
Mushroom gardening
When you live on a mostly treed property in Coastal Oregon, the most logical thing to farm has to be mushrooms. Over the past few years, I have tried a variety of approaches to inoculation - plugs, chip spawn, scattering whole fruiting bodies, stacking new wood next to producing wood, transplanting trees from fruiting areas, etc.
After a few years of this, we have successfully established one thriving chantrelle patch and another nascent one. Additionally, we noticed a large patch of large (about the size of my palm) oysters fruiting in the upper portion of a living alder snag. We did a lot of watering in the summer, and I believe this is what did the trick - I have had trouble with my plugged logs drying out. Live and learn I guess.
After a few years of this, we have successfully established one thriving chantrelle patch and another nascent one. Additionally, we noticed a large patch of large (about the size of my palm) oysters fruiting in the upper portion of a living alder snag. We did a lot of watering in the summer, and I believe this is what did the trick - I have had trouble with my plugged logs drying out. Live and learn I guess.
11.16.2010
Haiti Cholera Outbreak
This image is from the BBC at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11767795
11.12.2010
Funniest quote ever, "He like tenses up and he's like grrr and I'm like what in the world is going on and I look across the street and there's a coyote," explains Multnomah County Chair Jeff Cogen describing an encounter between his dog and the coyote." From KGW
11.08.2010
NCLC News
North Coast Land Conservancy staff just spotted the first coastal coho of the season making their way up Thompson Creek on one of NCLC’s favorite properties in Seaside. Fall is a beautiful time of year on the Oregon Coast, and this month we have some great programs to engage and inform you about this amazing landscape we all treasure- hope to see you there!
Listening to the Land: Foraging on the North Coast
With Carla Cole, Natural Resource Manager, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
Wednesday, November 17, 7-9 pm at the Seaside Public Library
People living along Oregon's North Coast have been eating locally for thousands of years, and indigenous foods – from berries and mushrooms to seafood and elk – continue to be an important part of our region's food system. Carla Cole is a local food enthusiast with an adventurous taste for indigenous foods. Her tales of foraging for truly local food will inspire you to look at coastal native plants in a whole new, and tasty, way. She will also share stories about how native plants have traditionally been harvested and prepared by the Clatsop and Nehalem tribes that have lived on the coast for generations.
Locally harvested refreshments will be provided by North Coast Food Web.
Listening to the Land is a monthly Winter Natural History lecture series presented by North Coast Land Conservancy and The Necanicum Watershed Council. You can find our full schedule here.
Saturday Morning Stewardship: Thompson Creek Invasive Plant Removal
Saturday, November 20, 9am-Noon, Thompson Creek in Seaside
Contact Celeste Coulter at celestec@nclctrust.org or (503) 739-2355 for information and location directions
Remember to bring gloves, rain gear, a snack and water. Tools will be provided. We will not have access to public restrooms.
Save the Date!
Gifts that Make a Difference 2010
Saturday December 11, 11 am -5 pm
Mc Tavish Room at the Liberty Theatre, Astoria
Give the gift of land conservation this holiday season! NCLC volunteers and staff will be at the Gifts that Make a Difference fair in Astoria on December 11 from 11am -5pm, along with volunteers from over two dozen other North Coast organizations that all work to make our North Coast Community a better place. Come say hello, and enjoy refreshments, music and lots of good cheer to get you in the holiday spirit.
You can honor friends and relatives with a gift to NCLC in their name, and receive a lovely acknowledgment card to give letting them know that their holiday gift is the continued conservation and protection of this beautiful Oregon Coast that we all love and treasure.
If you can't make it to the Gift Fair, but want to give a gift to NCLC in honor of someone this season, please contact our Development Director Teresa Retzlaff at (503) 738-9126 or teresar@nclctrust.org. You can also make a donation either by mail or online. Please indicate who the gift is in honor of, and provide an address if you want the acknowledgement card sent directly to them. We can also send the card to you if you wish to hand deliver it.
We are so thankful for all our wonderful supporters and volunteers! You are the key to helping NCLC work towards our shared vision: a healthy, connected Oregon coastal landscape where people, plants and wildlife all thrive.
Best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at North Coast Land Conservancy!
North Coast Land Conservancy is supported in large part by donations from people like you. Please consider supporting us!
More sadness, when will we get some good news?
"Returned runaways are often shot or stabbed in honor killings because the families fear they have spent time unchaperoned with a man. Women and girls are still stoned to death. Those who burn themselves but survive are often relegated to grinding Cinderella existences while their husbands marry other, untainted women."
This is horrible and I don't recommend reading it. It is really sad. Here is the link http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/08/world/asia/08burn.html?ref=world
This is horrible and I don't recommend reading it. It is really sad. Here is the link http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/08/world/asia/08burn.html?ref=world
This Just In - Journalism Rife with Plagiarism!
Check out this piece in the Mercury about plagiarism, oh wait it is actually in the Consumerist... or find it in many other articles on Google, written all slightly differently but the content is basically the same.
Like millions of other bloggers I collect bits and pieces of news I find interesting, important, or relevant to share with the world, or the small bit of world that reads this blog. Digital gossip. The republishing of works is sometimes illegal and sometimes not. For instance the statesman journal states no reproduction, republication, or rewritting. While other news posts give you a track back code automatically when you copy part of the articles, encouraging bloggers to talk about their works! What a concept, word-of-mouth advertising.
As an author almost nothing I write is new. I am a private environmental research scientist and I am often (not always) reporting on methods other people devised, implemented, and/or analyzed. That is what good journalism is. The ability to synthesize and distill out the junk, engage the reader, and get the point across.
The world is in turmoil. Millions of people are starving, a great part of our human community is living in oppression, people can't feed their families, etc. Although I would like to travel the world and report on the Aung San Suu Kyi's of the world, I can't. I am a white, middle-class, American female mostly pre-occupied with paying my bills, running a company, and being a wife. But do I need to travel to Myanmar to report first person? There are scores of people already doing just that and doing a better job than I ever would because remaining objective is difficult. But by re-reporting their work I am cataloging this information with a slightly different index. Not every person watches Comedy Central or reads Slate. Readers may not get to every article that I do. Certainly not all of the email lists, private subscriptions (which for obvious reasons I do not republish in entirety), or conference/meeting minutes.
Above all else truth, justice, peace, and goodwill. Journalism should promote literacy (both language and politics) in whatever form to as many people as possible. This is the only way to a sustained peace.
Now straight-up high-jacking a piece without proper credit and then making money through adverts or commission is totes un-cool. There isn't anything wrong with re-reporting, just be honest. It doesn't really make sense to publish the internet either, that is kind of the point, we should be digitizing more print media.
Like millions of other bloggers I collect bits and pieces of news I find interesting, important, or relevant to share with the world, or the small bit of world that reads this blog. Digital gossip. The republishing of works is sometimes illegal and sometimes not. For instance the statesman journal states no reproduction, republication, or rewritting. While other news posts give you a track back code automatically when you copy part of the articles, encouraging bloggers to talk about their works! What a concept, word-of-mouth advertising.
As an author almost nothing I write is new. I am a private environmental research scientist and I am often (not always) reporting on methods other people devised, implemented, and/or analyzed. That is what good journalism is. The ability to synthesize and distill out the junk, engage the reader, and get the point across.
The world is in turmoil. Millions of people are starving, a great part of our human community is living in oppression, people can't feed their families, etc. Although I would like to travel the world and report on the Aung San Suu Kyi's of the world, I can't. I am a white, middle-class, American female mostly pre-occupied with paying my bills, running a company, and being a wife. But do I need to travel to Myanmar to report first person? There are scores of people already doing just that and doing a better job than I ever would because remaining objective is difficult. But by re-reporting their work I am cataloging this information with a slightly different index. Not every person watches Comedy Central or reads Slate. Readers may not get to every article that I do. Certainly not all of the email lists, private subscriptions (which for obvious reasons I do not republish in entirety), or conference/meeting minutes.
Above all else truth, justice, peace, and goodwill. Journalism should promote literacy (both language and politics) in whatever form to as many people as possible. This is the only way to a sustained peace.
Now straight-up high-jacking a piece without proper credit and then making money through adverts or commission is totes un-cool. There isn't anything wrong with re-reporting, just be honest. It doesn't really make sense to publish the internet either, that is kind of the point, we should be digitizing more print media.
Radioactive Rabbit
Original Post By Annette Cary, Herald staff writer
A radioactive rabbit caught at Hanford just north of Richland had Washington State Department of Health workers looking for contaminated droppings Thursday. Contaminated animals occasionally are found at the nuclear reservation, but more often they are in the center of Hanford, far from town. The rabbit trapped at the 300 Area caught the Department of Health's attention because it was close enough to the site's boundaries to potentially come in contact with the public -- such as if it had been caught by a dog or if its droppings were deposited in an area open to the public.
Read more: here
A radioactive rabbit caught at Hanford just north of Richland had Washington State Department of Health workers looking for contaminated droppings Thursday. Contaminated animals occasionally are found at the nuclear reservation, but more often they are in the center of Hanford, far from town. The rabbit trapped at the 300 Area caught the Department of Health's attention because it was close enough to the site's boundaries to potentially come in contact with the public -- such as if it had been caught by a dog or if its droppings were deposited in an area open to the public.
Read more: here
If you have time, you should really read this piece in the Portland Mercury, http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/one-fine-day-in-the-swamp/Content?oid=3005863
The following quote is very thought provoking...
"In hedging between the political and entertainment worlds, Stewart [Jon] is able to have his cake and eat it too. He can engage on his own terms without being forced to answer for or speak out on any issues outside his wheelhouse. Those who govern are not so lucky. Politics are corrupting, or so they say. So, too, is celebrity. And here Stewart stands, with one foot in each, doing an admirable job resisting the pratfalls. But is that enough?"
The following quote is very thought provoking...
"In hedging between the political and entertainment worlds, Stewart [Jon] is able to have his cake and eat it too. He can engage on his own terms without being forced to answer for or speak out on any issues outside his wheelhouse. Those who govern are not so lucky. Politics are corrupting, or so they say. So, too, is celebrity. And here Stewart stands, with one foot in each, doing an admirable job resisting the pratfalls. But is that enough?"
Burma Election Fraud - No Surprise Really
Aung San Suu Kyi the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has been in detention for 15 of the last 21 years, urged citizens not to vote, saying she "would not dream" of taking part. Her latest house arrest is set to expire Saturday. In recent days, security has tightened, with uniformed and undercover security more evident and the Internet slowing to a crawl, leading organizers to delay nonessential meetings. The opposition's performance wasn't helped by infighting. After Suu Kyi's party decided not to contest the election, leading to its forced disbandment, former members formed the National Democratic Force that fielded candidates in just 164 constituencies. That led to squabbling over, among other issues, who had rights to the bamboo hat symbol.But the two pro-military parties, the Union Solidarity and Development Party that fielded candidates for all 1,171 seats, and the National Unity Party that competed for about 900 seats, also displayed differences over economic and social issues. The national parliament will name a president, almost certain to be a former general. Theories differ on why Senior Gen. Than Shwe, reportedly in his late 70s, created two centers of power, the president and the head of the military. Some say it was an attempt to bolster his tepid legacy as a reformer. Others say it was part of a divide-and-conquer strategy to ensure no single leader could topple ..."
See the article in its entirety here
See the article in its entirety here
11.07.2010
More mortgage craziness
We recently reviewed an account of Bank of America's continuing struggles and the byzantine accounting methods they use to describe the value of the company. As a business owner, I know how hard it can be characterize the true value of a company. What is confusing to me is that for banks, it seems as if there tangible assets, ie real estate and houses, and seen as a liability.
Bank of America acquired Countrywide Financial in 2008 for ~4 billion, despite the fact that they viewed it actual worth at less than zero. They made up the difference by adding a 4.4 billion line item of 'Goodwill'. I am not sure how goodwill is really valued, but that is a lot. I read this to mean that they viewed the long-term value of their purchase as higher than the to date market value.
At the time we moved into our house, we had just recently started consulting full time. As a result, we did not have the employment history required to get a mortgage. Our family graciously took on the mortgage itself, which we pay each month. The mortgage was sold back and forth between Wells Fargo, Countrywide, and another group I can't recall now - ultimately falling under the BofA umbrella I believe. It is strange to have the ownership of our home be tied to such large groups who treat individual mortgages the way they do.
Bank of America acquired Countrywide Financial in 2008 for ~4 billion, despite the fact that they viewed it actual worth at less than zero. They made up the difference by adding a 4.4 billion line item of 'Goodwill'. I am not sure how goodwill is really valued, but that is a lot. I read this to mean that they viewed the long-term value of their purchase as higher than the to date market value.
At the time we moved into our house, we had just recently started consulting full time. As a result, we did not have the employment history required to get a mortgage. Our family graciously took on the mortgage itself, which we pay each month. The mortgage was sold back and forth between Wells Fargo, Countrywide, and another group I can't recall now - ultimately falling under the BofA umbrella I believe. It is strange to have the ownership of our home be tied to such large groups who treat individual mortgages the way they do.
Myanmar/Burma Held First Elections in 20 Years
"The former political party of Aung San Suu Kyi – the imprisoned democracy icon who won in a landslide in 1990 but was prevented from ruling and has been under off-and-on house arrest ever since – had urged a national boycott to protest the unfair rules. But some opposition candidates and informal monitors claimed that turnout, which has only symbolic importance, may have been around 60 percent, despite the boycott campaign."
11.06.2010
Sealions Contracting Leptospirosis at Alarming Rate - Can Transmit Disease to Humans, Dogs, Rats
This is pretty important so I decided to repost the entire article, "
Rise in sea lion deaths traced to disease
By MARK FLOYD, OSU News & Communications gazettetimes.com | Posted: Saturday, November 6, 2010 2:45 am
A sharp increase in the number of sick and dead California sea lions has been reported along the Oregon Coast in recent weeks, and necropsies conducted on dozens of the animals suggest that many may have died from leptospirosis.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease found in a variety of animal species and can be transmitted to humans, said Jim Rice, an Oregon State University scientist who coordinates the statewide Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network.
"We are now getting calls for multiple sick or dead sea lions daily, which is higher than normal," said Rice, an OSU Marine Mammal Institute researcher who works at the university's Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. "The overall number of sea lions also has risen, so it's difficult to compare mortality rates from year to year, but certainly we're seeing an increase in animals that test positive for leptospirosis."
Rice and his colleagues at the stranding network have sent dozens of dead animals to the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in OSU's College of Veterinary Medicine. And though not all of the animals have tested positive, many showed clear signs of leptospirosis, which raises concern about human health.
Kathy O'Reilly, who heads the bacterial section of the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, said leptospirosis can be virulent.
"There have been 50 to 100 cases per year in the United States reported to the Centers for Disease Control," O'Reilly said, "and in 31 percent of the human cases it is traced back to contact with infected rats, and in 30 percent of the cases, it is tracked to infected dogs."
Dogs can be infected with leptospirosis through contact with stricken seal lions. Rice said coastal visitors should always avoid sea lions on the beach and during outbreaks of leptospirosis should keep their dogs on a leash. The disease can be transmitted by direct contact, or even through contact with damp sand, soil or vegetation contaminated by the urine of infected animals.
Rice said that in 2009, the network had 350 reports of California sea lions stranded on Oregon beaches - either dead or severely ill and presumed to have died. And Oregon is on pace to surpass that total this year, he said.
"Typically, sea lions with leptospirosis are quite emaciated and lethargic," Rice said. "Those that don't die on the beach may get washed out to sea and die, or they may move elsewhere. It's possible that some recover, but these are very sick animals."
Persons seeing dead or sick marine mammals on Oregon beaches can call the Oregon State Police at 800-452-7888."
Find the article here.
Rise in sea lion deaths traced to disease
By MARK FLOYD, OSU News & Communications gazettetimes.com | Posted: Saturday, November 6, 2010 2:45 am
A sharp increase in the number of sick and dead California sea lions has been reported along the Oregon Coast in recent weeks, and necropsies conducted on dozens of the animals suggest that many may have died from leptospirosis.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease found in a variety of animal species and can be transmitted to humans, said Jim Rice, an Oregon State University scientist who coordinates the statewide Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network.
"We are now getting calls for multiple sick or dead sea lions daily, which is higher than normal," said Rice, an OSU Marine Mammal Institute researcher who works at the university's Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. "The overall number of sea lions also has risen, so it's difficult to compare mortality rates from year to year, but certainly we're seeing an increase in animals that test positive for leptospirosis."
Rice and his colleagues at the stranding network have sent dozens of dead animals to the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in OSU's College of Veterinary Medicine. And though not all of the animals have tested positive, many showed clear signs of leptospirosis, which raises concern about human health.
Kathy O'Reilly, who heads the bacterial section of the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, said leptospirosis can be virulent.
"There have been 50 to 100 cases per year in the United States reported to the Centers for Disease Control," O'Reilly said, "and in 31 percent of the human cases it is traced back to contact with infected rats, and in 30 percent of the cases, it is tracked to infected dogs."
Dogs can be infected with leptospirosis through contact with stricken seal lions. Rice said coastal visitors should always avoid sea lions on the beach and during outbreaks of leptospirosis should keep their dogs on a leash. The disease can be transmitted by direct contact, or even through contact with damp sand, soil or vegetation contaminated by the urine of infected animals.
Rice said that in 2009, the network had 350 reports of California sea lions stranded on Oregon beaches - either dead or severely ill and presumed to have died. And Oregon is on pace to surpass that total this year, he said.
"Typically, sea lions with leptospirosis are quite emaciated and lethargic," Rice said. "Those that don't die on the beach may get washed out to sea and die, or they may move elsewhere. It's possible that some recover, but these are very sick animals."
Persons seeing dead or sick marine mammals on Oregon beaches can call the Oregon State Police at 800-452-7888."
Find the article here.
11.04.2010
BLM to Spend $32 Million in Stimulus on Oregon Projects
"The U.S. Bureau of Land Management will be spending $32 million from the federal economic stimulus program on projects in Oregon. The money is part of a total of $305 million going to BLM projects around the country, and $3 billion to the U.S."
Check out the full article here http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard/2009/05/oregon_blm_details_stimulus_mo.html
Check out the full article here http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard/2009/05/oregon_blm_details_stimulus_mo.html
Tansy Ragwort Officially Scourge of the 70s
From the ODA, full article at, "http://oregon.gov/ODA/news/100818tansy.shtml"
"08/18/2010 Biocontrol should keep the noxious weed in check
Farmers and ranchers in Western Oregon this summer are noticing patches of the telltale bright yellow flowers of tansy ragwort- a noxious weed once the scourge of the 1970s. But the experts at the Oregon Department of Agriculture say it's no cause for alarm as successful biological control agents should keep the plant from making an unwelcome comeback to prior levels.
The equation is simple- as the tansy ragwort population grows, so do the populations of flea beetles and cinnabar moths that feed off the weed. It's all part of a natural cycle, and ODA's Noxious Weed Control Program believes the good insects will maintain the upper hand.
In the last couple of weeks, ODA has been receiving calls from landowners or their neighbors anxious about the return of tansy ragwort, now in a very visible stage. The outbreaks are spotty and localized. Still, many Oregonians remember the bad old days when tansy was so invasive in Western Oregon that cattle and horse owners reported more than $4 million in losses each year as their animals grazed on infected pastures. Too often, the leaves of tansy grew among the grasses consumed by livestock in the spring, leading to sickness and death."
"08/18/2010 Biocontrol should keep the noxious weed in check
The equation is simple- as the tansy ragwort population grows, so do the populations of flea beetles and cinnabar moths that feed off the weed. It's all part of a natural cycle, and ODA's Noxious Weed Control Program believes the good insects will maintain the upper hand.
In the last couple of weeks, ODA has been receiving calls from landowners or their neighbors anxious about the return of tansy ragwort, now in a very visible stage. The outbreaks are spotty and localized. Still, many Oregonians remember the bad old days when tansy was so invasive in Western Oregon that cattle and horse owners reported more than $4 million in losses each year as their animals grazed on infected pastures. Too often, the leaves of tansy grew among the grasses consumed by livestock in the spring, leading to sickness and death."
Kitzhaber Oregon Governor
I am happy, he is a very conservative governor. I prefer experience to height. Not to say that height was all Dudley had to offer, although if his governance is anything like his game than maybe it was. Congrats Kitzhaber.
Bradwood Landing Project Cancelled
From OPB News, "
Find the original post here, http://news.opb.org/article/17585-bradwood-landing-decision-may-affect-other-lng-projects/
The Oregon Court of Appeals has ruled against a county’s approval of a liquefied natural gas project, likely ending what dim chances it still had of construction.
The Bradwood Landing project was already on hold, because its backers had gone bankrupt.
The appeals’ court decision upholds two big objections to the project: that the terminal would be too big for the local zoning and that mitigating for salmon habitat destruction isn’t the same as “protecting” it.
Columbia Riverkeeper director, Brett VandenHeuvel, says the decision sets a clear standard for other big projects on salmon-bearing rivers.
Brett VandenHeuvel: “Protect means protect. So, when state and local law requires the protection of vital salmon habitat and the protection of access by fishing boats to salmon, it’s not ok to destroy that habitat and destroy that access say ‘well, we’re going to try to make it better someplace else’.”
VandenHeuvel says the ruling is especially relevant for the Oregon LNG project, proposed down the Columbia River in Warrenton."
I wonder if this will apply to landuses other than petroleum...Find the original post here, http://news.opb.org/article/17585-bradwood-landing-decision-may-affect-other-lng-projects/
11.03.2010
Telepathic Actuator (Emotive) Built in Portland Oregon!
With the invention of the Emotive you put on a headset – and concentrate. The maker of the Emotiv says your brain waves power a fan, which then moves a ball up and down at your whim.
And researchers say this is just the beginning of what you eventually will be able to move with your mind. The future is being created right in Old Town Portland. "
Check out the full article here http://www.katu.com/news/tech/106625274.html
Chinese Activist Detained for Subversion, Again
"Activists say a Chinese man has been detained on suspicion of subversion while handing out fliers about imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo.
Many Liu supporters have reported police harassment, but the new case is more severe because a trial and prison sentence are possible.
Guo Xianliang is an engineer who writes online about democratic reform but is not a well-known activist. The China-based rights group China Human Rights Defenders said Wednesday he has not been in trouble before.
The rights group and fellow activist Ye Du said Guo disappeared Thursday while handing out fliers in the southern city of Guangzhou. They say police told his wife Tuesday he was being detained.
Police in Guangzhou had no immediate comment."
Aghhh! Also regarding this topic "According to London's Daily Mail, reports are surfacing that Chinese officials pressured judges into giving lower scores to [Miss World] competitor and early favorite, Norway's Mariann Birkedal. The article suggests that tensions between China and Norway, resulting from a controversial Nobel Peace Prize choice, led to the decision. Officials were upset that the Oslo-based Nobel Prize committee honored Liu Xiabobo, a democracy campaigner jailed in China, the Daily Mail reports. Birkedal made it to the top seven, but was cut before the top five."
According to London's Daily Mail, reports are surfacing that Chinese officials pressured judges into giving lower scores to competitor and early favorite, Norway's Mariann Birkedal. The article suggests that tensions between China and Norway, resulting from a controversial Nobel Peace Prize choice, led to the decision.
Officials were upset that the Oslo-based Nobel Prize committee honored Liu Xiabobo, a democracy campaigner jailed in China, the Daily Mail reports.
Birkedal made it to the top seven, but was cut before the top five."
Double Aghhh.
Grey to Green Initiative
Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services' Grey to Green Initiative is a five year plan dedicated to achieving the following environmental targets in the city of Portland:
- 43 acres of new eco-roofs
- 83,000 new street and yard trees
- 920 new green street facilities
- 800 acres of treatment for new invasive species
- 419 acres of natural areas acquired
- 350 acres of re-vegetation
- 8 culverts removed or reconstructed to enhance fish passage
We are currently about halfway through the timeline. You can see periodic progress reports on the BES website.
- 43 acres of new eco-roofs
- 83,000 new street and yard trees
- 920 new green street facilities
- 800 acres of treatment for new invasive species
- 419 acres of natural areas acquired
- 350 acres of re-vegetation
- 8 culverts removed or reconstructed to enhance fish passage
We are currently about halfway through the timeline. You can see periodic progress reports on the BES website.
11.01.2010
Love Your River
The Oregon Environmental Council has put together a great program to get everyday citizens invested in their health of their own watersheds. Each month, Love Your River presents a different set of (very basic) challenges citizens can agree to follow that month. In doing so, you're entered into a drawing - this month, the prize is a set of bike saddlebags! If you enter six challenges a year, you're entered into the grand prize drawing: a family size tent from REI, a set of camping kitchen gear, and two inflatable camping pads.
10.29.2010
PNAMP
Greetings PNAMP Participant,
PNAMP is hosting the following meetings during the months of November and December 2010:
o November TBD - PNAMP Steering Committee Meeting
Please check the PNAMP calendar for recently added meetings as well as meeting updates, agendas, directions, and contact information.
Other meetings of interest for November and December 2010:
o November 2 - SalDAWG 2010 Meeting, Juneau, AK (see below for more information)
o November 5 - Analysis of Linkages and Trends in Climate, Stream Flow, Vegetation, Salmon, and Ocean Conditions Webinar (see below for more information)
o November 16 - Upper Columbia Habitat Adaptive Management 2010 Science Conference, Wenatchee, WA (see below for more information)
o November 17 - 18 - Northwest Power and Conservation Council Meeting, Portland
o November 18 - Oregon Invasive Species Council Summit, Salem (see below for more information)
o November 18 - 19 WABC Chapter AFS Special Workshop on Salmon Escapement Goal Science, Portland (see below for more information)
o December 1 - Washington Forum on Monitoring, Olympia, WA
o December 9 - 10 - Salmon Recovery Funding Board Meeting, Olympia, WA
o December 14 - 16 - Northwest Power and Conservation Council Meeting, Portland
If you would like your meetings posted on the PNAMP calendar or if you would like to be removed from this email list, please reply to jschei@usgs.gov.
Additional information. See below for the following conference information:
· SalDAWG 2010 Meeting (November 2)
· Analysis of Linkages and Trends Webinar (November 5)
· Upper Columbia Habitat Adaptive Management 2010 Science Conference (November 16)
· Oregon Invasive Species Council Summit (November 18)
· WABC Chapter AFS Special Workshop on Salmon Escapement Goal Science (November 18-19)
November 2 - SalDAWG 2010 Meeting (ADFG Headquarters, Juneau, AK)
http://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=0b9d4588acdc0629c7898388c&id=a5d758fa20&e=4211064a37
Join us for the third Salmon Data Access Working Group Meeting. We've partnered with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game's Computer Services group in the Commercial Fish Division. They're holding their annual conference and we get to be a part of it. It's a great chance to learn more about data management, web application development, and much more from near and far. ***PNAMP will be presenting information about the Monitoring Methods Project at this meeting.***
November 5 - Analysis of Linkages and Trends in Climate, Stream Flow, Vegetation, Salmon, and Ocean Conditions Webinar
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/252582201
Daily, seasonal, and decadal variation in abiotic drivers (e.g., precipitation, fog, stream flow, and temperatures of air, ocean, and streams) regulate many ecological processes. However, the exact nature of the linkages between abiotic drivers and the direct and indirect effect of these drivers on species of concern and their habitat are not well understood. Specifically, abiotic drivers are commonly analyzed as individual elements and the linkages between drivers are poorly defined. In addition to understanding the basic linkages between abiotic and biotic ecosystem elements, the question of climate change is of increasing concern to land managers in the national parks. They need to understand how climate change has already affected natural resources and whether other changes may be looming. Without this understanding it is increasingly difficult to judge the effects of management efforts (e.g., stream restoration), evaluate the resilience of existing habitats, or plan future management actions. Climate change has been linked to more rain and less snow in the Sierras, identifying the need for management to address long-term water storage. In contrast, there has been a paucity of information depicting the effects of natural climatic cycles and anthropogenic climate change, aside from sea level rise, in coastal California and Oregon. Complicating a manager’s ability to respond to climate change effects is the common assumption of stationarity – the idea that natural systems fluctuate within an unchanging envelope of variability. The stationarity assumption is being compromised by major shifts in background environmental conditions.
In this webinar we will present our progress to date in assessing trends in climate, stream flow, stream temperature, and salmon populations in the San Francisco Bay Area and Klamath I&M Networks. For example, we are examining the linkages among air temperature, stream flow, stream temperature, and a documented fish kill in Redwood Creek in Redwood National Park.
November 16 - Upper Columbia Habitat Adaptive Management 2010 Science Conference (Wenatchee Convention Center, Wenatchee, WA)
Status of Spring Chinook, Steelhead & their Habitat
Please join the Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board (UCSRB) and the Upper Columbia Regional Technical Team (UCRTT) as we host the first Upper Columbia Habitat Adaptive Management Science Conference. The Adaptive Management Science Conference is an opportunity for stakeholders from the public, project implementers, local government, state and federal agencies, and tribes to learn about and discuss the UCRTT 2010 Analysis Workshop Synthesis Report, which evaluates the current status of spring Chinook salmon and steelhead, and the implementation of actions to sustain and improve their habitat.
Register now! Free registration at uchabitatconference.eventbrite.com
For more information, please visit www.ucsrb.com
November 18 - Oregon Invasive Species Council Summit (Chemeketa Eola Viticulture Center, Salem, OR)
The Oregon Invasive Species Council is hosting a statewide invasive species summit on November 18, 2010 at the Chemeketa Eola Viticulture Center on Doaks Ferry Road in Salem from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The purpose of the summit is to share and discuss the recent results of Oregon's statewide management assessment of invasive species, develop and identify high priority strategies to address invasive species management issues as part of a statewide strategic plan, and introduce and discuss invasive species legislative concepts that will be proposed during the 2011 Oregon legislative session. Your presence and active participation at this one-day summit is needed to ensure the discussion is representative of local issues around the state, but moves Oregon towards articulating the highest priorities to monitor and manage invasive species.
Please RSVP to OISC Coordinator Lisa DeBruyckere at lisad@createstrat.com if you are attending the summit. Thank you.
P.S. Lunch will be provided, and an agenda is forthcoming.
November 18 - 19 WABC Chapter AFS Special Workshop on Salmon Escapement Goal Science (Hotel Monaco, Portland, OR)
http://www.wabc-afs.org/?s=Salmon+Escapement
Trout Unlimited will host this scientific workshop as part of a project funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and several other collaborators. The workshop will assemble technical experts who are working toward finding innovative ways to estimate the number and diversity of salmon that would fully utilize all available spawning, rearing, and migration habitats.
Estimating salmon escapement goals in the 21st century has become very different than in the past. We now understand that escapement goals are multi-dimensional and should include habitat capacity, salmon life history, biological diversity, ecological values, and environmental variation, as well as the simple number of spawners. Further, computational and simulation techniques are rapidly evolving. Researchers are engaged in a variety of technical investigations that are advancing understanding of the number and diversity of salmon needed to fill their various habitats.
There are three goals for the workshop:
· To briefly identify and summarize current methods used to set
escapement goals.
· To identify emerging research and modeling tools that can help improve
the scientific basis for establishing escapement goals.
· To identify opportunities to coordinate research and modeling efforts
for a new approaches to setting escapement goals that are
scientifically rigorous and address diversity as well as abundance.
The format of this workshop will include one day of overview and technical presentations on the state of the science of salmon escapement goal estimation under the topic: Current methods and recent developments in modeling techniques for advancing escapement goal estimation. This will include how escapement goals are currently set, but will emphasize emerging tools that could be used to incorporate the latest scientific information in the establishment of escapement goals. The second day will consist of a facilitated brainstorming session on the topic: What is the most promising course for further development of capacity- and life-history-based escapement goal estimation?
We plan to document the findings and conclusions of the workshop. The results will be used to formulate a research plan for the research project. Additionally, some of the findings will feed into a publishable manuscript about the past, present, and potential future
of escapement goal estimation and its importance to wild salmon recovery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jacque Schei
5501A Cook-Underwood Road
Cook, WA 98605
office: 509.538.2299 x282
PNAMP is hosting the following meetings during the months of November and December 2010:
o November TBD - PNAMP Steering Committee Meeting
Please check the PNAMP calendar for recently added meetings as well as meeting updates, agendas, directions, and contact information.
Other meetings of interest for November and December 2010:
o November 2 - SalDAWG 2010 Meeting, Juneau, AK (see below for more information)
o November 5 - Analysis of Linkages and Trends in Climate, Stream Flow, Vegetation, Salmon, and Ocean Conditions Webinar (see below for more information)
o November 16 - Upper Columbia Habitat Adaptive Management 2010 Science Conference, Wenatchee, WA (see below for more information)
o November 17 - 18 - Northwest Power and Conservation Council Meeting, Portland
o November 18 - Oregon Invasive Species Council Summit, Salem (see below for more information)
o November 18 - 19 WABC Chapter AFS Special Workshop on Salmon Escapement Goal Science, Portland (see below for more information)
o December 1 - Washington Forum on Monitoring, Olympia, WA
o December 9 - 10 - Salmon Recovery Funding Board Meeting, Olympia, WA
o December 14 - 16 - Northwest Power and Conservation Council Meeting, Portland
If you would like your meetings posted on the PNAMP calendar or if you would like to be removed from this email list, please reply to jschei@usgs.gov.
Additional information. See below for the following conference information:
· SalDAWG 2010 Meeting (November 2)
· Analysis of Linkages and Trends Webinar (November 5)
· Upper Columbia Habitat Adaptive Management 2010 Science Conference (November 16)
· Oregon Invasive Species Council Summit (November 18)
· WABC Chapter AFS Special Workshop on Salmon Escapement Goal Science (November 18-19)
November 2 - SalDAWG 2010 Meeting (ADFG Headquarters, Juneau, AK)
http://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=0b9d4588acdc0629c7898388c&id=a5d758fa20&e=4211064a37
Join us for the third Salmon Data Access Working Group Meeting. We've partnered with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game's Computer Services group in the Commercial Fish Division. They're holding their annual conference and we get to be a part of it. It's a great chance to learn more about data management, web application development, and much more from near and far. ***PNAMP will be presenting information about the Monitoring Methods Project at this meeting.***
November 5 - Analysis of Linkages and Trends in Climate, Stream Flow, Vegetation, Salmon, and Ocean Conditions Webinar
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/252582201
Daily, seasonal, and decadal variation in abiotic drivers (e.g., precipitation, fog, stream flow, and temperatures of air, ocean, and streams) regulate many ecological processes. However, the exact nature of the linkages between abiotic drivers and the direct and indirect effect of these drivers on species of concern and their habitat are not well understood. Specifically, abiotic drivers are commonly analyzed as individual elements and the linkages between drivers are poorly defined. In addition to understanding the basic linkages between abiotic and biotic ecosystem elements, the question of climate change is of increasing concern to land managers in the national parks. They need to understand how climate change has already affected natural resources and whether other changes may be looming. Without this understanding it is increasingly difficult to judge the effects of management efforts (e.g., stream restoration), evaluate the resilience of existing habitats, or plan future management actions. Climate change has been linked to more rain and less snow in the Sierras, identifying the need for management to address long-term water storage. In contrast, there has been a paucity of information depicting the effects of natural climatic cycles and anthropogenic climate change, aside from sea level rise, in coastal California and Oregon. Complicating a manager’s ability to respond to climate change effects is the common assumption of stationarity – the idea that natural systems fluctuate within an unchanging envelope of variability. The stationarity assumption is being compromised by major shifts in background environmental conditions.
In this webinar we will present our progress to date in assessing trends in climate, stream flow, stream temperature, and salmon populations in the San Francisco Bay Area and Klamath I&M Networks. For example, we are examining the linkages among air temperature, stream flow, stream temperature, and a documented fish kill in Redwood Creek in Redwood National Park.
November 16 - Upper Columbia Habitat Adaptive Management 2010 Science Conference (Wenatchee Convention Center, Wenatchee, WA)
Status of Spring Chinook, Steelhead & their Habitat
Please join the Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board (UCSRB) and the Upper Columbia Regional Technical Team (UCRTT) as we host the first Upper Columbia Habitat Adaptive Management Science Conference. The Adaptive Management Science Conference is an opportunity for stakeholders from the public, project implementers, local government, state and federal agencies, and tribes to learn about and discuss the UCRTT 2010 Analysis Workshop Synthesis Report, which evaluates the current status of spring Chinook salmon and steelhead, and the implementation of actions to sustain and improve their habitat.
Register now! Free registration at uchabitatconference.eventbrite.com
For more information, please visit www.ucsrb.com
November 18 - Oregon Invasive Species Council Summit (Chemeketa Eola Viticulture Center, Salem, OR)
The Oregon Invasive Species Council is hosting a statewide invasive species summit on November 18, 2010 at the Chemeketa Eola Viticulture Center on Doaks Ferry Road in Salem from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The purpose of the summit is to share and discuss the recent results of Oregon's statewide management assessment of invasive species, develop and identify high priority strategies to address invasive species management issues as part of a statewide strategic plan, and introduce and discuss invasive species legislative concepts that will be proposed during the 2011 Oregon legislative session. Your presence and active participation at this one-day summit is needed to ensure the discussion is representative of local issues around the state, but moves Oregon towards articulating the highest priorities to monitor and manage invasive species.
Please RSVP to OISC Coordinator Lisa DeBruyckere at lisad@createstrat.com if you are attending the summit. Thank you.
P.S. Lunch will be provided, and an agenda is forthcoming.
November 18 - 19 WABC Chapter AFS Special Workshop on Salmon Escapement Goal Science (Hotel Monaco, Portland, OR)
http://www.wabc-afs.org/?s=Salmon+Escapement
Trout Unlimited will host this scientific workshop as part of a project funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and several other collaborators. The workshop will assemble technical experts who are working toward finding innovative ways to estimate the number and diversity of salmon that would fully utilize all available spawning, rearing, and migration habitats.
Estimating salmon escapement goals in the 21st century has become very different than in the past. We now understand that escapement goals are multi-dimensional and should include habitat capacity, salmon life history, biological diversity, ecological values, and environmental variation, as well as the simple number of spawners. Further, computational and simulation techniques are rapidly evolving. Researchers are engaged in a variety of technical investigations that are advancing understanding of the number and diversity of salmon needed to fill their various habitats.
There are three goals for the workshop:
· To briefly identify and summarize current methods used to set
escapement goals.
· To identify emerging research and modeling tools that can help improve
the scientific basis for establishing escapement goals.
· To identify opportunities to coordinate research and modeling efforts
for a new approaches to setting escapement goals that are
scientifically rigorous and address diversity as well as abundance.
The format of this workshop will include one day of overview and technical presentations on the state of the science of salmon escapement goal estimation under the topic: Current methods and recent developments in modeling techniques for advancing escapement goal estimation. This will include how escapement goals are currently set, but will emphasize emerging tools that could be used to incorporate the latest scientific information in the establishment of escapement goals. The second day will consist of a facilitated brainstorming session on the topic: What is the most promising course for further development of capacity- and life-history-based escapement goal estimation?
We plan to document the findings and conclusions of the workshop. The results will be used to formulate a research plan for the research project. Additionally, some of the findings will feed into a publishable manuscript about the past, present, and potential future
of escapement goal estimation and its importance to wild salmon recovery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jacque Schei
5501A Cook-Underwood Road
Cook, WA 98605
office: 509.538.2299 x282
10.28.2010
Good News
Finally some good news from Burma
"Burma has said it plans to release Aung San Suu Kyi, the imprisoned opposition leader, after it stages widely derided parliamentary elections next month ... Burma has kept the opposition leader under confinement or arrest for almost all of the two decades since her National League for Democracy (NLD) won a landslide in the elections in 1990 that were later annulled."
Of course she will be released after the elections, but hey, that is a start.In other good news the wife of the Nobel peace prize recipient was able to tell her husband (who is in jail for speaking out against the human rights policies of China) of the award.
Finally "Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia and the first woman ever elected head of state on the continent of Africa...She has a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard and a reputation for fiscal vigilance dating back to her rise through Liberia’s financial ministry in the late 1960s and ’70s. By the ’80s, her stances against dictatorial repression and official plundering earned her a sentence to prison and years in exile. " http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/magazine/24sirleaf-t.html
Although well-behaved women rarely make history, they rarely go to jail.
10.27.2010
Gulf Oil Still Present
Large swaths of oil were discovered floating toward Louisiana marshes earlier this month. Follow the link to read more.
Global Food Crisis and Food Security
From the Guardian ".. opinions are sharply divided over whether these prices signal a world food crisis like the one in 2008 that helped cause riots in 25 countries, or simply reflect volatility in global commodity markets as countries claw their way through recession... A food crisis on the scale of two or three years ago is not imminent, but the underlying causes [of what happened then] are still there," said Chris Leather, Oxfam's food policy adviser... Prices are volatile and there is a lot of nervousness in the market. There are big differences between now and 2008. Harvests are generally better, global food stocks are better... But other analysts highlight the food riots in Mozambique that killed 12 people last month and claim that spiralling prices could promote further political turmoil."
Food is very expensive on the coast, if you want to eat well. There is, like most of America, an abundance of cheap, nutrient poor foods, or foods from around the world, but local garlic can run from $1-2 a head!!! Local, sustainable, filling, is really expensive.
10.25.2010
2 cents
Disclaimer* - We are an a-political organization!!! The following is meant for information only. Please don't take offense, and if you are join the discussion and have your say :)
I ran across two interesting pieces regarding the tea-party. The first from the wall street journal basically stating that the tea-party movement is fundamentally American the other from a small newspaper in Louisiana basically stating that the tea-party movement is racist.
From the Wall Street Journal, 'Why Liberals Don't Get the Tea Party Movement - Our universities haven't taught much political history for decades. No wonder so many progressives have disdain for the principles that animated the Federalist debates... the tea party movement is inspired above all by a commitment to limited government. And that does distinguish it from the competition... Those who doubt that the failings of higher education in America have political consequences need only reflect on the quality of progressive commentary on the tea party movement. Our universities have produced two generations of highly educated people who seem unable to recognize the spirited defense of fundamental American principles, even when it takes place for more than a year and a half right in front of their noses."
From the Louisiana Weekly, "The TeaParty.org faction is led by the executive director of the Minuteman Project, a nativist organization that has in the past been associated with the murder of migrant Mexican workers as part of its vigilante "border operations." Roan Garcia-Quintana, "advisor and media spokesman" for the 2010 Tax Day Tea Party and member of ResistNet, also serves on the National Board of Directors of the Council of Conservative Citizens (CofCC), the lineal descendent of the Council of White Citizens. In Texas, Wood County Tea Party leader Karen Pack was once listed as an "official supporter" of Thom Robb's Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, a modern-day white supremacist organization."
I guess Peter Berkowitz (author of the WSJ article) is unfortunately right. The desire to limit government has always been there from the beginning. American's wanted to limit the power of a foreign government to subjugate its citizens. Then they wanted to limit the vote to only white men with land, then black men were allowed but they were only worth 3/5 of what white men were worth. And of course they wanted/want to limit women for being the weaker sex.
I can't get behind a party that doesn't believe that all people are born equal and that the government should protect these freedoms. Racism is not something I support. Maybe not each person in the tea-party is a racist, but they are complicit in their parties support of racism.
I think the only reason to have big government is to protect our human rights: the right to a good education, good health care, good food, and good shelter. I also believe that we all have to work hard to secure these rights. Sometimes we have to work hard to secure these rights for others, but at the end of the day, do unto others. Thank you Berkowitz, I get the Tea Party, I even share some views, but at the end of the day it doesn't matter if I understand them, what matters is if I, and others join them. I may get it, but I won't buy it.
www.teapartytracker.org
http://www.louisianaweekly.com/news.php?viewStory=3451
http://theweek.com/article/index/208573/why-liberals-dont-get-the-tea-party-movement
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704631504575531913602803980.html
Finally, I think the US government could use a little shake up. Maybe increase the senate to 400 and the house to 1000? With a larger congress more voices would be heard which might or might not be better.
I ran across two interesting pieces regarding the tea-party. The first from the wall street journal basically stating that the tea-party movement is fundamentally American the other from a small newspaper in Louisiana basically stating that the tea-party movement is racist.
From the Wall Street Journal, 'Why Liberals Don't Get the Tea Party Movement - Our universities haven't taught much political history for decades. No wonder so many progressives have disdain for the principles that animated the Federalist debates... the tea party movement is inspired above all by a commitment to limited government. And that does distinguish it from the competition... Those who doubt that the failings of higher education in America have political consequences need only reflect on the quality of progressive commentary on the tea party movement. Our universities have produced two generations of highly educated people who seem unable to recognize the spirited defense of fundamental American principles, even when it takes place for more than a year and a half right in front of their noses."
From the Louisiana Weekly, "The TeaParty.org faction is led by the executive director of the Minuteman Project, a nativist organization that has in the past been associated with the murder of migrant Mexican workers as part of its vigilante "border operations." Roan Garcia-Quintana, "advisor and media spokesman" for the 2010 Tax Day Tea Party and member of ResistNet, also serves on the National Board of Directors of the Council of Conservative Citizens (CofCC), the lineal descendent of the Council of White Citizens. In Texas, Wood County Tea Party leader Karen Pack was once listed as an "official supporter" of Thom Robb's Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, a modern-day white supremacist organization."
I guess Peter Berkowitz (author of the WSJ article) is unfortunately right. The desire to limit government has always been there from the beginning. American's wanted to limit the power of a foreign government to subjugate its citizens. Then they wanted to limit the vote to only white men with land, then black men were allowed but they were only worth 3/5 of what white men were worth. And of course they wanted/want to limit women for being the weaker sex.
I can't get behind a party that doesn't believe that all people are born equal and that the government should protect these freedoms. Racism is not something I support. Maybe not each person in the tea-party is a racist, but they are complicit in their parties support of racism.
I think the only reason to have big government is to protect our human rights: the right to a good education, good health care, good food, and good shelter. I also believe that we all have to work hard to secure these rights. Sometimes we have to work hard to secure these rights for others, but at the end of the day, do unto others. Thank you Berkowitz, I get the Tea Party, I even share some views, but at the end of the day it doesn't matter if I understand them, what matters is if I, and others join them. I may get it, but I won't buy it.
www.teapartytracker.org
http://www.louisianaweekly.com/news.php?viewStory=3451
http://theweek.com/article/index/208573/why-liberals-dont-get-the-tea-party-movement
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704631504575531913602803980.html
Finally, I think the US government could use a little shake up. Maybe increase the senate to 400 and the house to 1000? With a larger congress more voices would be heard which might or might not be better.
10.24.2010
10.23.2010
Religious Law vs. Secular State ... in New Jersey?
This is really sad. A woman was denied the restraining order she requested against her husband in New Jersey. She sought legal protection after he beat and raped her for a period of weeks. The judge denied the request and protection citing that the husband couldn't be held accountable for his actions (which are illegal in all 50 states mind you) because they were permitted in Islam (which they are NOT mind you), the religion which the couple practiced. This is crazy, obviously, and was corrected later. I don't know what law school this judge went to but I hope this judge is an outlier in our criminal justice system and not the standard.
Oklahoma is poised to ban courts from citing Sharia (Islamic) law (I don't know if that includes only Islam or if they included all religions). Here is the real kicker: England already has five of these courts!!! I had no idea. It is amazing what you learn in a day.
I personally feel that religion and law have to be separate. Law is convoluted so that there is no misinterpretation, and there is still a huge grey area, people argue about what the word "it" means. Religion is black and white which is okay so long as we don't enforce it on others. Religion is most beautiful when it allows a person private communication with the devine which by definition is unique to each individual. This disappears when it becomes prescribed by the government, or any group of people for that matter.
I think western law works, mostly ... there is a lot of room for improvement. If we enforce the laws we already have in place then we don't have to make constitutional amendments like the one Oklahoma is about to make.
See the original article here http://www.gopusa.com/theloft/2010/10/go-ahead-beat-your-wife-just-dont-leave-a-mark.php
Oklahoma is poised to ban courts from citing Sharia (Islamic) law (I don't know if that includes only Islam or if they included all religions). Here is the real kicker: England already has five of these courts!!! I had no idea. It is amazing what you learn in a day.
I personally feel that religion and law have to be separate. Law is convoluted so that there is no misinterpretation, and there is still a huge grey area, people argue about what the word "it" means. Religion is black and white which is okay so long as we don't enforce it on others. Religion is most beautiful when it allows a person private communication with the devine which by definition is unique to each individual. This disappears when it becomes prescribed by the government, or any group of people for that matter.
I think western law works, mostly ... there is a lot of room for improvement. If we enforce the laws we already have in place then we don't have to make constitutional amendments like the one Oklahoma is about to make.
See the original article here http://www.gopusa.com/theloft/2010/10/go-ahead-beat-your-wife-just-dont-leave-a-mark.php
10.22.2010
Mining Site Restoration
From the AP and KATU News,
RE: Restoration of an old mining site in the Applegate River Watershed.
"...the goal this year is to "weatherize" the operation before winter weather begins ... Rock catch basins have been built immediately downhill from where mining debris once lay... Those have rip-rap, then high density polyethylene liner and a couple feet of limestone ... We've drilled holes into the liner. As the water sits in the basin, it will percolate through and get the acid neutralized by the limestone. Each basin is intended to catch the sediment while neutralizing the water ... Original plans had called for a clay liner to be placed under the repository as well as on top, but it was decided the tough plastic liner would do a better job of enveloping the toxic material ... Slash is being used to provide erosion control in many areas. However, native grass seed has been broadcast in areas where soil remains. They also plan to plant some 15,000 young, native trees and shrubs at the old Blue Ledge Mine. "
Check out the entire article here http://www.katu.com/news/local/105523478.html
RE: Restoration of an old mining site in the Applegate River Watershed.
"...the goal this year is to "weatherize" the operation before winter weather begins ... Rock catch basins have been built immediately downhill from where mining debris once lay... Those have rip-rap, then high density polyethylene liner and a couple feet of limestone ... We've drilled holes into the liner. As the water sits in the basin, it will percolate through and get the acid neutralized by the limestone. Each basin is intended to catch the sediment while neutralizing the water ... Original plans had called for a clay liner to be placed under the repository as well as on top, but it was decided the tough plastic liner would do a better job of enveloping the toxic material ... Slash is being used to provide erosion control in many areas. However, native grass seed has been broadcast in areas where soil remains. They also plan to plant some 15,000 young, native trees and shrubs at the old Blue Ledge Mine. "
Check out the entire article here http://www.katu.com/news/local/105523478.html
A to-do for the Columbia Slough
Save the date! The Slough Celebration will be held on Friday, February 4, 2011 at the Melody Ballroom. Help us celebrate our 2010 Slough Award winners in style, with a sit-down dinner, drinks, silent auction, and special entertainment. Reservations will be available for purchase in November.
But there is something we need your help with today - nominating people and projects for a 2010 Slough Award. Do you know of someone who has shown an extraordinary committment to the Slough? Or a project in 2010 that significantly improved the watershed? Please nominate these people for an award so we can recognize their excellence. All nomination forms are due on November 17th at 4pm.Upcoming Events
Brew on the Slough
Thursday, Nov 4th, 6 - 7:30pm
Groundwater 101
Saturday, Nov 13th, 8:45am - 1:30pm
10.20.2010
Time for some good news?
Finally - some good news for the Appalachians: Blowing Big Coal's Top on Mountaintop Coal Mining
Let's hope the same for those beautiful yellow aspen: Killer of Aspen Slows, but Worries about a Beloved Tree Remain
Let's hope the same for those beautiful yellow aspen: Killer of Aspen Slows, but Worries about a Beloved Tree Remain
10.13.2010
Text-based communication control for personal communication device
The company on Tuesday was approved for a patent for technology that would prevent people from sending or receiving text messages with objectionable content. Apple applied for a patent in 2008 that would allow for the censorship of text messages. Messages containing information deemed inappropriate would be altered or removed.
Find the patent here, http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7814163.html. Via Apple, either "a message will be blocked (incoming or outgoing) if the message includes forbidden content," or, "the objectionable content is removed from the message prior to transmission or as part of the receiving process." WOW!
Who defines objectionable? I am assuming this will be primarily used by parents, schools, the government, China (ha ha ha). Apple lost my business. I know that we are censored everyday but really? Censorship is a dark path to tread, a missed step or stumble and we are jailing people for speaking out against tyranny, I think this falls into the first definition found on dictionary.com , 1. arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power; despotic abuse of authority. Now, in no way am I saying that the actions of a true tyrant are in anyway comparable to the censorship of text messages, but I am saying that all of the tyrants in the world are tyrants for many reasons, one of which is that they censor others.
Although one can clearly not say that Apple's actions are in anyway tyrannical, they do remind me to post the following:
The wife of the nobel peace prize recipient was disappeared by the Chinese police. Supposedly she was taken to the jail where her husband is kept, excuse me, serving an 11-year sentence for subversion in order to tell him he won. "Liu, the first Chinese citizen to win the Nobel peace prize, is a writer, 54, imprisoned since December after authoring Charter 08, a manifesto signed by thousands seeking greater democratic rights. His selection as this year's winner has enraged the government, which called him as a criminal and said the award was a violation of Nobel ideals and a discredit to the peace prize." From http://www.smh.com.au/world/mystery-over-peace-prize-winners-wife-20101010-16dzo.html
Find the patent here, http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7814163.html. Via Apple, either "a message will be blocked (incoming or outgoing) if the message includes forbidden content," or, "the objectionable content is removed from the message prior to transmission or as part of the receiving process." WOW!
Who defines objectionable? I am assuming this will be primarily used by parents, schools, the government, China (ha ha ha). Apple lost my business. I know that we are censored everyday but really? Censorship is a dark path to tread, a missed step or stumble and we are jailing people for speaking out against tyranny, I think this falls into the first definition found on dictionary.com , 1. arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power; despotic abuse of authority. Now, in no way am I saying that the actions of a true tyrant are in anyway comparable to the censorship of text messages, but I am saying that all of the tyrants in the world are tyrants for many reasons, one of which is that they censor others.
Although one can clearly not say that Apple's actions are in anyway tyrannical, they do remind me to post the following:
The wife of the nobel peace prize recipient was disappeared by the Chinese police. Supposedly she was taken to the jail where her husband is kept, excuse me, serving an 11-year sentence for subversion in order to tell him he won. "Liu, the first Chinese citizen to win the Nobel peace prize, is a writer, 54, imprisoned since December after authoring Charter 08, a manifesto signed by thousands seeking greater democratic rights. His selection as this year's winner has enraged the government, which called him as a criminal and said the award was a violation of Nobel ideals and a discredit to the peace prize." From http://www.smh.com.au/world/mystery-over-peace-prize-winners-wife-20101010-16dzo.html
10.11.2010
Dam Removal
River Design Group (a firm we are partnering with during a river restoration plan development in Baker County) are working to remove the last remnants of the Gold Ray Dam. What did they find when they removed the dam? Boats, a boat dock, unmentionables, and more mosquitoes than area residents care for. State and federal permits mandate that work in the water must be finished by Oct. 15 so that spawning fish are confused or hindered by sediment plumes and so that redds aren't buried as they are created. The deadline is for practical reasons as well for work in a river that can easily transport several full size Caterpillars during moderate flow is not safe during high winter flows.
From the AP "Gold Ray is the third dam in the past two years to be removed from the Rogue River to help salmon and steelhead runs. Its removal opened 157 miles of free-flowing river below Lost Creek Dam near Trail. 'It should make for a more stable, fish-friendly area," said John Vial, roads and parks manager for Jackson County. "Frankly, I think that stretch of Bear Creek and the Rogue River will look better than anybody's memories.'"
10.10.2010
"When confronted with the idea of Microsoft acquiring Adobe, my visceral reaction was not that of an analyst or a journalist, but as a user personally and professional dependent on a variety of Adobe applications. That reaction? "PLEASE. NO. DON'T."
10.09.2010
Habitat Restoration in the Coquille River Basin.
"This week, helicopters were used to put large logs in 16 miles of streams to create fish habitat in the Coquille River basin."
Check out the rest of the article at, "http://www.theworldlink.com/sports/outdoors/article_7a1ed880-d372-11df-bdec-001cc4c002e0.html"
Check out the rest of the article at, "http://www.theworldlink.com/sports/outdoors/article_7a1ed880-d372-11df-bdec-001cc4c002e0.html"
10.08.2010
Danube Update
From the Associated press "Monday's reservoir break at an alumina plant dumped up to 700,000 cubic meters (184 million gallons) of sludge onto three villages, government officials said, not much less in a few hours than the 200 million gallons the blown-out BP oil well gushed into the Gulf of Mexico over several months. The red sludge devastated creeks and rivers near the spill site and entered the Danube on Thursday, moving downstream toward Croatia, Serbia and Romania. Monitors were taking samples every few hours Friday to measure damage from the spill but the sheer volume of water in the mighty Danube appeared to be blunting the red sludge's immediate impact.
Test results released by Hungary's disaster agency show the pH level of the water where the slurry entered the Danube was under 9 — well below the 13.5 measured earlier in local waterways near the site of the catastrophe. That is diluted enough to prevent any biological damage, Interior Minister Sandor Pinter said.
Despite the apparent good news, the risk of pervasive and lasting environmental damage remained at the site of the spill, with Greenpeace presenting laboratory tests that it said showed high concentrations of heavy metals in the sludge."
10.07.2010
We need to find an alternative to this way of life.
From Reuters "Crews were working to reduce the alkalinity of the spill, which poured out of the burst containment reservoir of an alumina plant on Monday and tore through local villages, killing four people and injuring over 150. Three are still missing. The spill's alkaline content when it reached the Raba, the Mosoni-Danube and the Danube itself, was still around pH 9 -- above the normal, harmless level of between 6 and 8. Fresh data from the water authority on national news agency MTI showed pH levels peaking at 9.65 in the Mosoni-Danube river at the city of Gyor. They were measured at 8.4 in the Danube. Crews were pouring hundreds of tonnes of plaster and acetic acid into the rivers to neutralize the alkalinity. In Gyor, a city in the northwest of Hungary where the Raba flows into the Mosoni-Danube, a Reuters reporter saw white froth on the river and many dead fish washed ashore." Check out the full article at http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69415O20101007.
Also see the Christian Science Monitor http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2010/1007/Hungary-s-toxic-sludge-reminiscent-of-2000-Romania-disaster-but-much-worse
"Removing the sludge, let alone beginning to rehabilitate the area, will take years, says Szegfalvi, adding that drinking water could become polluted as the toxins seep into the ground and into the water table. Agriculture will likely be impossible for many years."
10.06.2010
New building for the Columbia Slough
The Columbia Slough Watershed Council has moved to a new building! Though still on the same parcel of land with great access to Whitaker Ponds, it was originally a private home that had sat vacant and boarded up for years. Thanks to a lot of work, several donations, and a furniture grant from Ikea, the council has been able to renovate the home into a much more functional working space. The largest improvement is a spacious flexible area for hosting workshops or other educational seminars.
Elemental Accounting
I heard an interview with professor Saleem H. Ali the other day, and was intrigued by his article on elemental recycling. He asks, "Many of us know what is inside our cereal boxes and other food items thanks to labeling guidelines, but how many of us know what elements are inside our computers or our clothes?" I certainly count myself among those who don't know how much boron is in their non-stick cookware.
10.05.2010
A message from the president...
of Demeter Design (ha ha).
After almost 6 years, I feel it is important to thank all of the people who have contributed to the success of Demeter Design. Although there are certainly more people than space, I think one big "Thank You" sums it up. To our clients who work hard *every day* to make the world a better place, thank you. To our staff, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU :) We couldn't have done it without you. I hope y'all feel it's worth it!
To our blog readers (there are over 400 now!), thanks. I am shocked you keep coming back ;>
Sincerely,
Cara Mico
CEO - Demeter Design
After almost 6 years, I feel it is important to thank all of the people who have contributed to the success of Demeter Design. Although there are certainly more people than space, I think one big "Thank You" sums it up. To our clients who work hard *every day* to make the world a better place, thank you. To our staff, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU :) We couldn't have done it without you. I hope y'all feel it's worth it!
To our blog readers (there are over 400 now!), thanks. I am shocked you keep coming back ;>
Sincerely,
Cara Mico
CEO - Demeter Design
9.30.2010
Yuppy Elites Fret Over Disposable Diapers
"Those who skim the surface of the earth’s crust in their needlessly huge fossil-fuel vehicles, tossing their foam coffee cups out the window, may never give such matters a second thought, focused as they are on getting to the mini-mart and saying to the clerk, “A six-pack of your finest spring water, my good fellow. And would you mind triple bagging it?” But for those who are concerned about green, life is fraught"
The article in the NY Times discusses the difficulties of blending convenience and sustainability. Danny Seo, author of Upcycling said (to the times of course :), "“A Patagonia jacket you might have worn out ... makes the chicest, most gorgeous Gore-Tex shower curtain. It will never mold or mildew. If you bought a Gore-Tex shower curtain, it would retail at $600.”
Now that is a really good idea, except when you are poor and have to work two full months to save enough to buy the jacket for your son who will then pass it down to their siblings... etc. etc.
Most of the worlds population probably can't afford a Patagonia jacket in the first place. It is a nice thought for middle classers but for those in poverty, sustainability is not always an option. I don't think this is true sustainability (for our selves, our planet, etc.). Most companies like Patagonia (although Patagonia is much more sustainable than other mass market sports wear companies utilizing recycled fabrics and such) utilize minimum wage labor (if in the US) or below poverty level child labor (uh-hum ... NIKE! As an aside, the goddess of victory probably crys just a little every time some one buys a new pair of Nike shoes... anyway...) outside the US. This is NOT sustainable. Most factories are not environmentally friendly, gobble up more resources than can be acquired locally, and provide nauseatingly horrid working conditions. How can this ever be sustainable? Just because buildings have lights that turn themselves off doesn't mean it's green!
You can have the greenest building in the world but if it is filled with people wearing products made of petrol and by children how sustainable can it ever be?
That isn't even addressing the consideration of what the people in the building do. Are they weapons manufacturers? Is it a uranium recycling facility? Is it a mill or other extractive business?
As the young couple in the article find out there are pitfalls to 'going green'. Theirs is disposible diapers.
This quote sums it up, “I don’t think the environmental movement should be about living in a cabin without electricity or running water — it isn’t a back-to-earth movement, it’s about redesigning everything, about being more sustainable.” Here is the question, what if that isn't enough?
The article in the NY Times discusses the difficulties of blending convenience and sustainability. Danny Seo, author of Upcycling said (to the times of course :), "“A Patagonia jacket you might have worn out ... makes the chicest, most gorgeous Gore-Tex shower curtain. It will never mold or mildew. If you bought a Gore-Tex shower curtain, it would retail at $600.”
Now that is a really good idea, except when you are poor and have to work two full months to save enough to buy the jacket for your son who will then pass it down to their siblings... etc. etc.
Most of the worlds population probably can't afford a Patagonia jacket in the first place. It is a nice thought for middle classers but for those in poverty, sustainability is not always an option. I don't think this is true sustainability (for our selves, our planet, etc.). Most companies like Patagonia (although Patagonia is much more sustainable than other mass market sports wear companies utilizing recycled fabrics and such) utilize minimum wage labor (if in the US) or below poverty level child labor (uh-hum ... NIKE! As an aside, the goddess of victory probably crys just a little every time some one buys a new pair of Nike shoes... anyway...) outside the US. This is NOT sustainable. Most factories are not environmentally friendly, gobble up more resources than can be acquired locally, and provide nauseatingly horrid working conditions. How can this ever be sustainable? Just because buildings have lights that turn themselves off doesn't mean it's green!
You can have the greenest building in the world but if it is filled with people wearing products made of petrol and by children how sustainable can it ever be?
That isn't even addressing the consideration of what the people in the building do. Are they weapons manufacturers? Is it a uranium recycling facility? Is it a mill or other extractive business?
As the young couple in the article find out there are pitfalls to 'going green'. Theirs is disposible diapers.
This quote sums it up, “I don’t think the environmental movement should be about living in a cabin without electricity or running water — it isn’t a back-to-earth movement, it’s about redesigning everything, about being more sustainable.” Here is the question, what if that isn't enough?
9.22.2010
March to Keep Fear Alive and Restore Sanity at the Same Time!
Being an fan of Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart I am happy to say that at least two of Demeter Design's staff members will be attending this much needed rally. I can't wait to report from Washington DC day of!
Neighborhood Forest Management Plans
Portland Parks and Recreation recently accepted a grant from the East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District for the purpose of creating Neighborhood Forest Management Plans within the city. This allows citizens to inventory and evaluate existing neighborhood street trees. It also provides for the establishment and implementation of tree goals for each area. Goals often include increasing canopy cover, planting site appropriate trees, and ensuring that urban growth/development does not adversely affect existing tree counts.
9.16.2010
Garminfone
We have recently added a Garminfone to our arsenal of GPS devices, and given the lack of info on it on the web, thought I'd give a recount of our experience. The display is great, the interface convenient, and the GPS itself is great (really good resolution and pickup). The phone service is limited by the T-mobile network however, which is not the best.
The hardest thing has been the interface with our PC. Getting data off, and more specifically on, is not always easy, and our normal GPS program (ExpertGPS) was not compatible. You can use ExpertGPS to read the spatially tagged photos however, which is nice.
It also does all of the normal smartphone, android things, with the limit of Android 1.6 (for now at least). All in all it is a good product for us, but may be less so for anyone not needing the standalone GPS capacity.
The hardest thing has been the interface with our PC. Getting data off, and more specifically on, is not always easy, and our normal GPS program (ExpertGPS) was not compatible. You can use ExpertGPS to read the spatially tagged photos however, which is nice.
It also does all of the normal smartphone, android things, with the limit of Android 1.6 (for now at least). All in all it is a good product for us, but may be less so for anyone not needing the standalone GPS capacity.
9.14.2010
Wildwood
Autumn has been anxiously beating at the door of summer, certainly trying to get in earlier than usual - earlier than I'd normally allow. Generally, I've felt that September was solidly considered part of the summer - but this year, I'm not so sure.
Therefore, it seemed fitting that my recent dinner at Wildwood felt the very definition of fall. The russet potato gnocchi with bacon, lobster mushrooms, and Sauvie Island sweet corn was exceptionally earthy. The mesquite roasted Carlton Farms pork chop with summer squash, cherry tomatoes, sweet corn and cilantro butter was a terrific follow up, a little more rustic than the gnocchi. I finished the meal by going out on a limb from my normal chocoholic leanings, and had the sourdough donuts with candied applies and caramel corn ice cream. That may have been taking it a bit too far, as I don't even like candied apples or caramel corn - but it just seemed like the perfect end to a fall day. Except on my plate.
Therefore, it seemed fitting that my recent dinner at Wildwood felt the very definition of fall. The russet potato gnocchi with bacon, lobster mushrooms, and Sauvie Island sweet corn was exceptionally earthy. The mesquite roasted Carlton Farms pork chop with summer squash, cherry tomatoes, sweet corn and cilantro butter was a terrific follow up, a little more rustic than the gnocchi. I finished the meal by going out on a limb from my normal chocoholic leanings, and had the sourdough donuts with candied applies and caramel corn ice cream. That may have been taking it a bit too far, as I don't even like candied apples or caramel corn - but it just seemed like the perfect end to a fall day. Except on my plate.
8.17.2010
The Upper James River
While in Virginia, I had the chance to canoe a nine mile portion of the Upper James River. Though it was pretty placid (one class II, and a handful of class I), it was nice to be on a different type of river than I'm used to in the Pacific Northwest. At one time, George Washington envisioned creating a navigable east-west connection by utilizing the James River; in fact, he personally surveyed sites for locks and canals from the Chesapeake Bay to about 12 miles west of where the photograph above was taken (Eagle Rock, VA). There are still remains of locks that can be seen along the river today, though I wasn't lucky enough to see any of them on my float. 8.10.2010
Summer in the South
I'm currently spending some time in the Southern Appalachians, experiencing (and - oddly enough - loving) all of the humidity, lightning bugs, and black snakes that the region has to offer. Came across quite the algae bloom on one of my walks. Kind of unsettling, the way the water looks like land....
8.06.2010
Most Obvious Statement Award Goes To ...
"The sun's constant interaction with Earth makes it important for solar physicists to keep track of solar activity."
No more needs to be said.
No more needs to be said.
8.04.2010
haste makes...
Did you know the commercial sector generates 75% of Portland's waste stream? Portland City Council recently adopted a resolution with one of the goals being to maximize the recovery of all commercial waste with a target of 75% by 2015. Along with Metro, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability will assist Portland's businesses (more than 20,000!) to increase participation in the city's commercial recycling and waste prevention programs.
On the other hand, we may be seeing Hawaiian waste make its way down the Columbia to a landfill in Klickitat county....who knows what invasives might be along for the ride.
On the other hand, we may be seeing Hawaiian waste make its way down the Columbia to a landfill in Klickitat county....who knows what invasives might be along for the ride.
8.01.2010
More oil just somewhere else
"As with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, last week's spill that sent more than 800,000 gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River has public advocates and policy-makers questioning whether the agency that oversees the industry is too easy on the pipeline owners it regulates."
7.30.2010
Fire in the John Day River Area - 4000 acres
The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. —
The wildfire burning in the John Day River canyon in Eastern Oregon continues to grow, but firefighters are getting closer to containment.
The Northwest Interagency Coordination Center reports Friday that the Buckhorn complex is at 4,000 acres as it burns through juniper, sagebrush and grass in the remote area about 13 miles north of Clarno.
It is 60 percent contained, with full containment expected by Sunday.
A total of 210 people, four helicopters, and five engines are fighting the fire. Fire camp is at Wheeler High School in Fossil.
...
"NOAA administrator Jane Lubchenco said a strong eddy is preventing oil from reaching the loop current."
Good News :)
Good News :)
7.22.2010
The Farm Cafe
As I've been impatiently waiting for my own tomatoes to do their thing so I can start to somehow incorporate them into every single meal, I was so happy to have my first tomato of the season on the back patio of The Farm Cafe. Obviously a local farmer, armed with a lot more tomato knowledge than myself, has already had luck - and I was the happy beneficiary.
The Farm Cafe has a rotating selection of seasonal raviolis, and I've never once been disappointed. The most recent version was a set of their handmade ravioli stuffed with goat cheese, pecorino, Parmigiano Reggiano,and ricotta, served with blistered cherry tomatoes. And much like how anticipation makes things even better, those tomatoes were absolutely awesome. Likely because it had been so long since I'd had any fresh local tomatoes, but I'm so happy they're about to burst onto my dinner plate from here until our vines dry up and we've exhausted our repertoire of tomato canning recipes.
But apparently there's more to life (and dinner) than tomatoes. Keeping with my red theme, I had the beet carpaccio and enjoyed the combination of beets, goat cheese, and mint. Goat cheese was kind of the other big hit of the evening, as the sauteed goat cheese on greens with caper dressing was excellent. Other recommendations would include the hazelnut encrusted cheese ball and the mascarpone cheesecake with pecans and Dulce de Leche.
The Farm Cafe has a rotating selection of seasonal raviolis, and I've never once been disappointed. The most recent version was a set of their handmade ravioli stuffed with goat cheese, pecorino, Parmigiano Reggiano,and ricotta, served with blistered cherry tomatoes. And much like how anticipation makes things even better, those tomatoes were absolutely awesome. Likely because it had been so long since I'd had any fresh local tomatoes, but I'm so happy they're about to burst onto my dinner plate from here until our vines dry up and we've exhausted our repertoire of tomato canning recipes.
But apparently there's more to life (and dinner) than tomatoes. Keeping with my red theme, I had the beet carpaccio and enjoyed the combination of beets, goat cheese, and mint. Goat cheese was kind of the other big hit of the evening, as the sauteed goat cheese on greens with caper dressing was excellent. Other recommendations would include the hazelnut encrusted cheese ball and the mascarpone cheesecake with pecans and Dulce de Leche.
7.15.2010
A long time coming...
I can't believe it's taken us so long to finally follow the lead of San Francisco and enact a plastic bag ban in Portland. Though there will be the legislative drag until 2012, at least it's finally in the works. I'm having a hard time understanding the suggestion of opponents, which essentially is that if people don't want plastic bags to end up in landfills or become litter, then simply recycle them! Statistics show that less than 5% of existing plastic bags are, in fact, recycled. In what way is that more sustainable than not even producing the bags in the first place?
http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2010/07/bag_ban_backed_by_business.html?surround=lfn
When I think about the larger picture of something like this, it's hard not to get down about it. For example - will less plastic bags from Multnomah County really have that great of an influence on something like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? I don't know, but have to choose to think so.
http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2010/07/bag_ban_backed_by_business.html?surround=lfn
When I think about the larger picture of something like this, it's hard not to get down about it. For example - will less plastic bags from Multnomah County really have that great of an influence on something like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? I don't know, but have to choose to think so.
7.13.2010
Best Quote Ever.
“We’ve known for a long time gravity doesn’t exist,” Dr. Verlinde said, “It’s time to yell it.”
Check out the article in the NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/13/science/13gravity.html?pagewanted=1&ref=science
His logic is flawless ;~)
Check out the article in the NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/13/science/13gravity.html?pagewanted=1&ref=science
His logic is flawless ;~)
7.12.2010
Canoe Trip
Greetings Science Work Group Members,
Just a reminder about our Science Work Group big canoe trip coming up on July 27. We're still working out logistics and need to get an estimate on how many people will participate in the paddle. Please let us know if you plan to come on our paddle by emailing me at corbett@lcrep.org. Please RSVP by Friday, July 23.
Keep in mind that the paddle is important for networking with colleagues working in the lower Columbia River, for more hands-on experience on the water/resource we’re all working to protect and for expanding your knowledge of natural history from other Science Work Group members. It is a great way to learn what others are working on and possible collaboration opportunities. And some times it is just important to insert a day in the field to keep oneself happy and motivated.
The basic agenda for the paddle is as follows:
9:00 - Meet at the Estuary Partnership office for a van pool to Ridgefield, WA (meeting at the boat ramp will also be an option)
9:45 - Arrive at Ridgefield Boat Ramp
10:00 - Start the paddle
11:30 – Stop for Picnic (Estuary Partnership provided box lunch) and Swim (if 100 degrees again!)
1:30 Arrive back at Ridgefield Boat Ramp
1:45 - Leave Ridgefield Boat Ramp
2:45 - Arrive back at the Estuary Partnership office.
We'll follow up with additional details next week. We will be providing both lunch and transportation to and from the boat ramp.
Should be a great trip! Hope many of you can participate. To see photos of the Big Canoes - check out the Estuary Partnership's On-River Experience Page: http://www.lcrep.org/experience-lower-columbia-river-big-canoes
Please let us know if we can answer any questions!
Catherine Corbett
Technical Programs Manager
Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership
811 SW Naito Parkway, Suite 410
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 226-1565 ext 240
This sounds like a lot of fun!
7.07.2010
Come to the Beach!
Grab your boots and join us by the pond this Saturday July 10 at 10:00 A.M. as we use dip nets, buckets and magnifying glasses to explore the web of life in a coastal pond. The Mill Ponds event is great for kids of all ages!
The weather forecast looks good at this point, neverthless we recommend shoes and clothing that can get wet / dirty. This is a hands-on event after all. The walk around the ponds is about 1 mile, level ground with a well maintained trail, but we may be going off-trail a bit. Please leave pets at home.
The Seaside Mill Ponds are right in town, just south of the Public Works department off Avenue S. For more details and directions, follow this link.
And be sure to mark your calendars for our upcoming events, including Pollinators at Work July 24, and our yearly National Estuaries Day celebration September 25. Links to all our events can be found on our events page.
Thanks for your interest. See you outside!
The North Coast Land Conservancy is supported in large part by donations from people like you. Please consider supporting us!
7.04.2010
Permit Rules Enforeced in Texas
"He [Al Armendariz - new regional EPA Manager for Texas SW] pulled the permit issued to the Flint Hills Resources refinery in Corpus Christi, which has been operating under permits issued by the TCEQ since 1952. The 300,000-barrel-per-day refinery, which has spent more than $2.8 billion since 1981 on “significant environmental upgrades,” must try to get a federal permit for the first time in Texas history to stay in business." From the San Angelo Standard-Times at http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2010/jul/03/new-epa-official-shakes-up-environmental-scene/
Maybe this is a new era for peace, justice, and ... .why bother.
Maybe this is a new era for peace, justice, and ... .why bother.
7.01.2010
What are we up to?
Here at Demeter Design we have some exciting new developments to share. In addition to having a new staff member, Jessica Stitcher, we have many wonderful and interesting projects happening throughout Oregon.
We are working with the North Fork John Day Watershed Council to synthesize habitat data within the North and Middle Fork John Day River Basins. The result will be housed in an Access database and available for download from our website this winter. A fun additional component! We are working with Sitka Technologies in Portland to house a web version of this database and allow mapping and prioritization on the fly via the interwebs. Finally CERP is going to be online!!! Only three years after trying to implement MapServer we resorted to what every red-blooded American does when strapped for time, we paid some one else to do it!
Additionally we are finishing a project for OWEB. We looked at riparian restoration projects throughout the South Coast and Grande Ronde basins to see how they held up over time. Check out the final report this fall!
We have a bunch of other projects, check out our website!
We are working with the North Fork John Day Watershed Council to synthesize habitat data within the North and Middle Fork John Day River Basins. The result will be housed in an Access database and available for download from our website this winter. A fun additional component! We are working with Sitka Technologies in Portland to house a web version of this database and allow mapping and prioritization on the fly via the interwebs. Finally CERP is going to be online!!! Only three years after trying to implement MapServer we resorted to what every red-blooded American does when strapped for time, we paid some one else to do it!
Additionally we are finishing a project for OWEB. We looked at riparian restoration projects throughout the South Coast and Grande Ronde basins to see how they held up over time. Check out the final report this fall!
We have a bunch of other projects, check out our website!
6.21.2010
wine country notes
June 5 2010:
I am now in McMinnville, staying at a place that grows hay, straw, and a variety of fruit and veggies. My hosts, Barbara and Tom Boyer of Gourmet Hay, have been very kind to me so far. As well as serving customers here in the Yamhill Valley, the farm also sells to a few businesses that may be familiar to those of you in Portland. Two days ago we delivered a load of straw to Naomi's Organic Farm Supply in Sellwood. And earlier in the week I planted about 300 padrone peppers, which are sauteed and served whole at La Rumbla. The property fronts the South Yamhill, and I am glad to say that the riparian zone is well vegetated. Tom is converting some of his hay fields to conifer plantings, which should in the future provide that all important CWD. So it looks good from here, if we can just get some sunshine. Cheers.
June 21 2010:
Back in the metropolis after two weeks in wine country. Filled out my time with Ms. Jackie Dole at her farm. Three others and I shared a loft with twittering swallows. Enjoyed using compost toilet :) Jackie is an absolute sweetheart and if you are wwoofing the Yamhill Valley I encourage you to inquire with her. Her river frontage on the South Yamhill is weed dominated understory with decent native canopy...Premium pinot noirs are being sold below production costs under second or even third labels according to the NW Winepress. Vintners are concerned that this will affect consumer behavior even after this economic malaise lifts. I am sympathetic to this view, but when I buy a $7 bottle of Rascal at QFC, I recall fondly the days when Charles Shaw first sounded the call to bacchanal on the UC Berkeley campus...Overcast skies on the longest day of the year.
I am now in McMinnville, staying at a place that grows hay, straw, and a variety of fruit and veggies. My hosts, Barbara and Tom Boyer of Gourmet Hay, have been very kind to me so far. As well as serving customers here in the Yamhill Valley, the farm also sells to a few businesses that may be familiar to those of you in Portland. Two days ago we delivered a load of straw to Naomi's Organic Farm Supply in Sellwood. And earlier in the week I planted about 300 padrone peppers, which are sauteed and served whole at La Rumbla. The property fronts the South Yamhill, and I am glad to say that the riparian zone is well vegetated. Tom is converting some of his hay fields to conifer plantings, which should in the future provide that all important CWD. So it looks good from here, if we can just get some sunshine. Cheers.
June 21 2010:
Back in the metropolis after two weeks in wine country. Filled out my time with Ms. Jackie Dole at her farm. Three others and I shared a loft with twittering swallows. Enjoyed using compost toilet :) Jackie is an absolute sweetheart and if you are wwoofing the Yamhill Valley I encourage you to inquire with her. Her river frontage on the South Yamhill is weed dominated understory with decent native canopy...Premium pinot noirs are being sold below production costs under second or even third labels according to the NW Winepress. Vintners are concerned that this will affect consumer behavior even after this economic malaise lifts. I am sympathetic to this view, but when I buy a $7 bottle of Rascal at QFC, I recall fondly the days when Charles Shaw first sounded the call to bacchanal on the UC Berkeley campus...Overcast skies on the longest day of the year.
6.07.2010
Scenery Sellers
I've recently come upon Wallace Stegner's nonfiction writing. How he previously escaped my attention, I don't know, but I've been captivated by him this past month. He manages to weave his emotional connection to western lands in with his knowledge of regulatory history in such a graceful manner.
"The Westerner is less a person than a continuing adaptation. The West is less a place than a process. And the western landscape that it has taken us a century and three quarters to learn about, and partially adapt our farming, our social institutions, our laws, and our aesthetic perceptions to, has now become our most valuable natural resource, as subject to raid and ruin as the more concrete resources that have suffered from our rapacity. We are in danger of becoming scenery sellers - and scenery is subject to as much enthusiastic overuse and overdevelopment as grass and water....We should all be forced to file an environmental impact study before we build so much as a privy or a summer cottage, much less a motel, a freeway, or a resort....I really only want to say that we may love a place and still be dangerous to it."
- Excerpt from "Thoughts in a Dry Land", Where the Bluebird Sings to the Lemonade Springs: Living and Writing in the West
"The Westerner is less a person than a continuing adaptation. The West is less a place than a process. And the western landscape that it has taken us a century and three quarters to learn about, and partially adapt our farming, our social institutions, our laws, and our aesthetic perceptions to, has now become our most valuable natural resource, as subject to raid and ruin as the more concrete resources that have suffered from our rapacity. We are in danger of becoming scenery sellers - and scenery is subject to as much enthusiastic overuse and overdevelopment as grass and water....We should all be forced to file an environmental impact study before we build so much as a privy or a summer cottage, much less a motel, a freeway, or a resort....I really only want to say that we may love a place and still be dangerous to it."
- Excerpt from "Thoughts in a Dry Land", Where the Bluebird Sings to the Lemonade Springs: Living and Writing in the West
5.29.2010
Park Kitchen
Even though the sun hasn't been out for what seems like forever here in Portland, at least there's some good food around to make up for it. Park Kitchen is a terrific example of how great local cuisine can be, and it once again makes me thankful to live here (though this recent run of cloudy weather is doing its best to make me wish the sun would make an appearance once in a while).
Our server was incredibly knowledgeable and had even MET the actual pig being served for the braised pork plate (which - by the way - was terrific; a forager on staff gathers the nettles served alongside the pork, which really holds the flavor of the broth). Most of the food served at the restaurant comes from within 45 minutes of Portland (Sauvie Island, Square Peg Farm, etc.). However, they periodically serve Spanish fish rather than Northwestern; this may have been part of the problem with the poached halibut's lack of flavor, in that neither the halibut, cuttlefish, nor olive oil were local. Rogue River Blue Cheese turned the flank steak salad into something incredible (and I would expect nothing less from an award winning cheese). The chickpea fries with squash ketchup are certainly the healthiest version of french fries out there. If only mom had forced me to eat vegetables like that growing up, it may have been a different story at the dinner table!
Our server was incredibly knowledgeable and had even MET the actual pig being served for the braised pork plate (which - by the way - was terrific; a forager on staff gathers the nettles served alongside the pork, which really holds the flavor of the broth). Most of the food served at the restaurant comes from within 45 minutes of Portland (Sauvie Island, Square Peg Farm, etc.). However, they periodically serve Spanish fish rather than Northwestern; this may have been part of the problem with the poached halibut's lack of flavor, in that neither the halibut, cuttlefish, nor olive oil were local. Rogue River Blue Cheese turned the flank steak salad into something incredible (and I would expect nothing less from an award winning cheese). The chickpea fries with squash ketchup are certainly the healthiest version of french fries out there. If only mom had forced me to eat vegetables like that growing up, it may have been a different story at the dinner table!
5.24.2010
Awareness of what we do
As restoration professionals, we spend a lot of time thinking about how our actions can impact the future of our world. In light of the amazing disaster that is underway in the Gulf, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the immensity of the problems we face as a species. It is equally challenging to determine a meaningful way as individuals to improve the world around us. Ultimately we all want to make an impact, usually in a positive way.
For my own part I am striving to focus on the things around me, to give them care and consideration, and to treat all living things with care and compassion. Although we spend a great of time professionally collecting and analyzing data, the sentence above could form the basis for almost all restoration and conservation plans: treat your world and those in it with respect.
For my own part I am striving to focus on the things around me, to give them care and consideration, and to treat all living things with care and compassion. Although we spend a great of time professionally collecting and analyzing data, the sentence above could form the basis for almost all restoration and conservation plans: treat your world and those in it with respect.
5.21.2010
Public access & private rivers
Senate Bill 1060 was defeated in February of this year in the Oregon State Senate. It would have allowed recreationists using waterways that are either floatable or tidally influenced to access private property adjacent to the water for the purposes of portage or medical emergency. As professional researchers of streams and waterways, we deal with streamside landowners on a regular basis. Over the course of many years we have learned that the issue of gaining public access to privately owned streams and streambanks is complex and challenging.
Conflicts between recreation, land management, and private landowners are unavoidable given the complex overlap of interests which takes place within a stream network. A first step should be to clarify the law surrounding public access to privately owned waterways. This bill would have done this by sanctioning access to all of the ground around the stream channel for the purposes of recreation. From a certain perspective, this might potentially have simplified our professional work by increasing access to the stream corridor. Despite this I feel it would have been inconsiderate to owners to allow access their property. If recreational use is sufficient to allow legal access to private property, it opens the door to other future public uses.
We suggest that some ways to address the issue of public use of privately owned waterways are to clarify the wording and implementation of existing law, to make it easier to identify the location of property boundaries, and to develop ways for property owners and potential users of the stream to communicate with one another. In our own work surveying streams throughout
Currently those waterways designated as navigable are publicly owned, and generally have some limited public access. Logs and other debris are commonly removed from these waterways to ease boat passage, thus impacting stream health. It is concerning to think that expanded recreational usage of privately owner waterways might interfere with stream restoration and recovery. It is critical that any modification of existing laws consider the potential impacts to important stream and riparian habitat. The health and function of our streams and estuaries should be the first priority.
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