Politics
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The very rich funding political causes is not new, but the billionaire Koch Brothers are finally getting much deserved publicity- That money is the “mothers milk of politics” is well known, but the identify of the mothers often isn’t. In recent years the role of really rich people funding their causes has mushroomed. Rightwingers will…
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Defenders of Wildlife answers Butch Otter’s “political grandstanding”- The writer of the Defender’s response is Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife. Ranchers will still get money for livestock losses. Rodger Schlickeisen guest editorial in the Idaho Statesman. I can’t help but compare Otter’s red-faced response on this relatively small amount of money to his…
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As mega-dairies and feedlots make up more of Idaho’s dairy industry, the conflicts between people and cattle are increasing Guess what. There’s shit in the air and water around these facilities and people are getting sick. “High nitrate levels in water can cause brain damage in infants and has been associated with reproductive problems and…
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All Defenders payments for dead livestock ends in September- It really seemed like a good idea. Wolves will kill some livestock, but a public spirited conservation group will pay generously for all verified losses and even 50% for unverified, but probable losses to wolves. Defenders has been paying these claims for well over 15 years…
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Don’t color outside the lines The Idaho Department of Fish and Game has released its Draft Bighorn Sheep Management Plan which essentially draws lines around existing bighorn sheep populations and prevents recovery to historical habitat. This is a big problem because the bighorn population has been in steep decline due to diseases spread by domestic…
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August 20, 2010 update– Here is the latest wolf news latest wolf news from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for Wyoming where the feds still officially manage wolves. There are links to other resources. I converted their news from .doc to a pdf file in an effort to make it readable here. Unfortunately the…
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Well, at least a delay on the oil company monopolization of U.S. Highway 12 across north central Idaho. The suit was brought by aggrieved local residents such as Peter Grubb, a guide and lodge owner on Highway 12. Advocates for the West represented the plaintiffs. IDOT was clearly violating its own regulations in issuing these…
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Manipulation of science remains the same or worse. In the first year and a half of the Obama Administration nothing has really changed with regard to environmental policy across several agencies. In fact, I think it has gotten worse for two reasons. One, things haven’t changed, and two, people just want to believe that Obama…