SummitPost.org

The Bush administration had planned to celebrate the centennial of the National Park Service with a "Centennial Initiative-2016." This was essentially a big construction project, an updated version of Mission 66. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_66). Not my cup of tea.

The Obama administration quietly stopped the program and took down the website and links. They've rolled out an alternative:

http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/

The professed idea is to start an online discussion about our public lands - - obviously a key issue for us SPers.

Apparently the off-road vehicle enthusiasts took over the discussion boards. The Sierra Club then sent out a message telling their members to shoot down the ORV topics. Right now the Sierra Club seems to be winning.

Miss PnP? Go log in and trash-talk all the proposals for our public lands. I haven't seen the issue of user fees on national forests pop up yet, but maybe our Coloradans can get that one going.

I'm sure some bureaucrat somewhere is tallying the responses. The exercise will have some effect on a future policy initiative.

Thanks for pointing this out, I'll go joint the shit-show. I hate it when there are roads built through National Parks, but also realize it's a necessary evil. With all of the people that visit the NP's, conservancy and awareness must also increase... I hope.

Arthur Digbee wrote:I'm sure some bureaucrat somewhere is tallying the responses. The exercise will have some effect on a future policy initiative.

Can we bribe said bureaucrat with SP points and REI dividends?

drjohnso1182 wrote:

Arthur Digbee wrote:I'm sure some bureaucrat somewhere is tallying the responses. The exercise will have some effect on a future policy initiative.

Can we bribe said bureaucrat with SP points and REI dividends?

Well, we can only hope that said bureaucrat knows what an REI is. Here in the Midwest, my students don't.

I haven't been able to dig up any info about whose baby this is. Obama doesn't seem to enjoy any outdoor activities other than body-surfing. His staff are heavy on Chicago people, which is not an outdoor-oriented town (though there's an REI in the burbs). Michelle is interested in reducing obesity, so maybe that's part of the agenda. Salazar is a mass of contradictory agendas.

On the other hand, somebody pushed a big wilderness bill through almost immediately after Obama took office -- despite the much greater visibility of the bailouts, stimulus, and health care bills.

Oh the irony.


http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoor ... C5D94.jpeg

Well, you don't think the whole universe works the way Earth does, do you? No! One species, one planet! There's a planet of deer, a planet of Asians, and so on! [...]
A few billion years ago we realized, "what if we took species from all different planets in the universe, and put them together, on the same planet?" Great TV, right? Asians, bears, ducks, Jews, deer and Hispanics, all trying to live side by side on one planet! It's great!

Arthur Digbee wrote:His staff are heavy on Chicago people, which is not an outdoor-oriented town (though there's an REI in the burbs).

There are actually 4 REI stores in the Chicagoland area (Lincoln Park, Northbrook, Oakbrook and Schaumburg). But who's counting?

Actually the Obama family regularly hikes in national parks while on vacation, for example

in April:
http://www.backpacker.com/hiker_preside ... _dirt/1770

and in July:
http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/president- ... d=11173577

Second link mentions previous trips to Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, etc

nartreb wrote:Actually the Obama family regularly hikes in national parks while on vacation, for example

in April:
http://www.backpacker.com/hiker_preside ... _dirt/1770

and in July:
http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/president- ... d=11173577

Second link mentions previous trips to Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, etc

I stand corrected.

But John McCain and his boys go backpacking in the Grand Canyon every year in August. Cindy stays home, though.

Wonder if Barack, Michelle and the girls could keep up?