Bee wrote: > These little guys are kinda cute; I've heard the squeek -- its > LOUD > > B charismatic microfauna?by Frank Furter - General Discussion
> That's a pretty tall grizzly... Rare too. It would be quite an achievement for the NPS to re-introduce grizzlies. Impossible of course. Would be like re-introducing small pox.by Frank Furter - General Discussion
>>It begs the larger question of will we wait to deplete ALL the resources before seriously delving into viable alternate methods.<< Conservatives have retained significant control and the country is generally right of center. Arguments need to address the essential concern of the interest group. Cupidity, xenophobia, and self-interest are factors that usually persuade and influenceby Frank Furter - General Discussion
Two points of light: 1. Interesting NPR story Feb 5 dealing with college student disrupting auction by bidding on leases and eventually "owning/owing" more than 1million to feds. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100301366 2. I wonder why the neo-cons always think we should drill and deplete our own resources. I would think that they would be in favor of preserviby Frank Furter - General Discussion
The controversy on global warming seems to derive from the following observations: 1. the earth is a huge system and the change in CO2 has been miniscule (actually I think the third most common non-water gas in the atmosphere is still argon, not CO2) 2. many land masses on the earth were warmer than they are currently 3. Global warming, if it is occuring, is due to sunspot activity. However coby Frank Furter - General Discussion
I guess we need to add "global warming" to the list of "deniable events": 1. evolution 2. holocaust 3.________ We know that people can go blind slowly in one eye and never be aware of the change in vision. In an analogous situation, although the frog in hot water scenario is ironically similar to the global warming denying behavior, unfortunately it is probably an urban legeby Frank Furter - General Discussion
After hiking and camping solo in grizzly country, I felt nothing about Yosemite trails seemed risky. What is the cell phone coverage like these days in the High Country? Good thoughts on the stream crossings; bushwacking is an obviously ill-advise action but if you are on the usual trails, you should do fine. The preparation must be more precise as you would not have someone to borrow matchesby Frank Furter - General Discussion
Regarding fall and falls. It appears that a cataract or waterfall is more correctly called a falls. This may be a situation like "scissors" or "pants"-- plural treated as singular. Scissor and pant are not the standard term for a single unit (scissors or pants). Most definitions of "fall" indicate that the usual usage is "falls" pressumably even for a sby Frank Furter - General Discussion
Regarding "yo semite" vs "yosemite" The article suggests that the correct pronunciation is something like yo-SE-mea-tea. A pronunciation I have never heard. Also, interesting that the phrase means "Those who kill" (maybe appropiate given the rockfalls?) -------------------- http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/origin_of_word_yosemite..html Origin of the Word Yby Frank Furter - General Discussion
When did the Yo Semite become Yosemite? http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/in_the_heart_of_the_sierras/map_of_routes_to_yo_semite_valley.htmlby Frank Furter - General Discussion
There should be enough to drink(processed by chemical or filtered) in August if that was part of your question. Not much after Little Yosemite Valley. FFby Frank Furter - General Discussion
Hey, Here's an interesting possibility. If the gun rule is introduced before the bike rule, perhaps a person could enforce a citizen's arrest of the offending biker! insert smilely face here[ ] 2Fby Frank Furter - General Discussion
There is an interesting civics lesson here. Much federal law is created not by passage of laws in Congress, but by the administrative arm of government via the Executive Branch. Various congressional bills must be interpreted and reconsiled with existing law and various areas are actually regulated by rules. The rulemaking process involves an interest group request or presidential instructionby Frank Furter - General Discussion
Great photos! Thanks much.by Frank Furter - General Discussion
I find it hard to disassociate my dislike for the Bush adminstration from this rule which was certainly advanced by mountain biking interests and perhaps the President himself. Nevertheless, anything that could encourage less use of gas powered vehicles in parks however indirectly may not be all bad. "I am mindful not only of preserving executive powers for myself, but for predecessors asby Frank Furter - General Discussion
FYI, Current proposed rule published in Federal Register Dec. 18, 2008 may be accessed here: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-29892.pdf Comment period ends Feb. 17, 2009. Address for comment included in document.by Frank Furter - General Discussion
We are planning to stay at Bear Paw HSC. Thanks for the feedback. Surely the trail situation and bugs will depend on the winter snow depth. FFby Frank Furter - General Discussion
For anyone interested the final rule (7 pages) is published and available at the URL below: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-29249.pdf 2Fby Frank Furter - General Discussion
Not specifically Yosemite, but would appreciate any info/comments about the BearPaw area/camp in Sequoia. Side trips, etc. or conditions anticipated 1st of July. Also anything about Crystal Cave. Thanks. FFby Frank Furter - General Discussion
Well, I don't have the final rule in front of me (this is a non-legislative lawmaking process that involves the executive branch of government through the various cabinet departments where a bureaucrat will formulate a change to the Code of Federal Regulations; there will be dicussion or publication process then a finalizing of the rule in writing in the Federal Register) but as I understand theby Frank Furter - General Discussion
Given that there is a conditional right to bear arms, and we currently have arms already carried by certain people in the parks (law enforcement) are there some circumstances that would seem acceptable (not necessarily ideal, but just acceptable)? If we agree that guns may be carried in parks by some people, what other groups might be empowered? Clearly the right to bear arms is not extended toby Frank Furter - General Discussion
>> >>There are no absolute rights defined in the constitution<< This is the 25,000 dollar interpretation, I mean question. The word "absolute" is not stated before the word "right" on any part of the document (to my loose memory of it), however, "right" always seemed to convey its own sort of absolute, (IMO of course). However, HOWEVER, one still cby Frank Furter - General Discussion
(A different approach?) Vince, Bee, Mike, Gary, Len, Jim, Rick, Others: Is there universal agreement on the following: 1. The 2nd amendment states "a well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." 2. There are no absolute rights defined in the constitution.by Frank Furter - General Discussion
>>I find myself asking if the topic at hand is 1) one of security in the Park system (you define security) 2) or one involving the high order of academics, Rights, and rhetoric involving the Second Amendment. While I am certainly not qualified to comment on the second, I do have a casual observation about the first: After reading the chapter labeled "Homicide" in the book calleby Frank Furter - General Discussion
Consider the history of the Brady Bill: James Scott “Jim” Brady (born August 29, 1940, Centralia, Illinois) is a former Assistant to the President and White House Press Secretary under President Ronald Reagan. After nearly being killed and becoming permanently disabled as a result of an assassination attempt on Reagan in 1981, Brady became an ardent supporter of gun control. (Wikipedia) I bby Frank Furter - General Discussion
This thread should not have been "More on Guns in Parks", but should have been titled " Moron Guns in Parks" Frankby Frank Furter - General Discussion
GROUP SAYS RULE VIOLATES SEVERAL FEDERAL LAWS Brady Campaign Sues to Stop National Park Gun Rule: The new rule applies to rural and urban national parks. If it goes into effect on January 9, it would allow concealed firearms on the National Mall just eleven days before the Obama Inaugural Celebration. By Bill Schneider, 12-30-08 The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, America’s largest antby Frank Furter - General Discussion
Think back on the last time you did half dome in the summer. By mid-day there are usually people going down "outside" the cables because someone has "frozen" in place and clogged up the whole line. If you're very tired, it will certainly be treacherous but it is by no means unusual to go down without using the boards. Going up is harder because the upper extremity has a lot tby Frank Furter - General Discussion
>> Bears do not hibernate. They just get kinda sleepy. Ever stay at the Cedar Lodge? They warn you not to leave stuff in your car. The bears are restless year-around.<< If you are describing Cedar Lodge in El Portel, that is at about 2000 ft elevation, even the valley is higher than that. I am dubious that backcountry bears at elevations greater than 8000ft do not hibernate. But I aby Frank Furter - General Discussion
<<P.S. Bears do not hibernate. They just get kinda sleepy.>> This appears to be a sweeping, generic statement. Is it scientifically supported (wikipedia not withstanding) that the all Yosemite bears do not hibernate? I do not doubt that some fraction of bears have dormancy that is not true hibernation; not aware that all bears in Yosemites do not hibernate. Clarify. FFby Frank Furter - General Discussion