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Park History: Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Nov 17th - 15:53pm | justinh

Since mackenzie has revived this thread . . .   Between camping with wild horses in the Painted Canyon and narrowly escaping a bison stampede in the Achenbach Hills, I have to say this is my favorite national park.

Nov 17th - 13:52pm | mackenzie

i love the park i want to come and see the wild horses there i love horses to much i have one of my own she is a palinminow named honey and i love her so much she is the best horse ever she is 20 years old so she cant do much but i am teachen her how to jump and she is also a drillteam horse. and she is used for showing.

Interior, Wyoming Officials Reach Agreement On Hunting Wolves; Critics Say It Will Be Devastating

Nov 17th - 10:28am | Sara Neeley

Twenty-six confirmed kills of cattle in Wyoming in 2010 equals .00195%; 33 confirmed kills of sheep equals .009%.  These numbers far from justify any killing of wolves, much less the killings that are condoned under the August agreement!

Four Men Given Jail Time For Digging Up Gingseng In Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Nov 17th - 09:20am | y_p_w

Certainly there are places in the world where poverty and/or opportunity includes poaching for small cash sales or perhaps substance. The hunting of great apes for bushmeat is rather controversial.

Nov 17th - 08:13am | Econ

A truer statement has never been spoken although it's truer now than when Clinton said it almost 20 years ago.  "It's the economy stupid!" http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/11/15/desperate-dad-robs-gamestop-st...

Nov 15th - 21:46pm | Lee Dalton

People need to remember that there are two kinds of "redistribution of wealth."  Upward and downward. In the past few years, we've seen a lot of both.  It all depends upon where you stand in the economic spectrum.

Nov 15th - 18:09pm | Anonymous

Correction:  If a family NEEDED meat or fish to feed their families....

Nov 15th - 17:52pm | Anonymous

Rick, not endorsing anything but taking steps to encourage, not discourage this economy. Look around the world at depressed or nearly nonexistent economies and what options people look to.  Congratulations on your proper use of Food Stamps.  That's what it was designed for.   I believe it's very serious out there and things just can't be explained away.

Nov 15th - 17:27pm | Anonymous

No Lee, again no.  Redistribution of wealth is definitely not a conservative tenet.   Exclusively a Democratic, class warfare exercise at buying votes, period!  I'm at least, respectful.  Can't believe you posted what you did.  Certainly not deserving of posting on this site, I would think.  

Nov 15th - 16:09pm | Lee Dalton

Poaching and stealing are conservative methods of exercising personal responbility.  As long as you don't take anything that might belong to one of them. 

Nov 15th - 14:51pm | Rick B.

Am I understanding your anonymous comment correctly? You defend poaching because of the economy? And you say that poaching is more dignified than using a social safety net that is legal and available?

Nov 15th - 11:53am | Anonymous

Always been some form and quantity of poaching but I don't think we've seen anything yet when you factor in the worsening economics and anti-reasonable job creation politics.   People's idea of reason changes when the obstacles to their survival are increasingly seen as discouraging if not impossible.  Food Stamps safety net?

What's A Buck Get You These Days? President James Garfield In Your Pocket

Nov 17th - 09:12am | Garfield as Garfield

Finally, a coin for America's funniest President! And here is the proof: www.garfieldasgarfield.com

National Park Quiz 100: Ringer VI

Nov 17th - 08:54am | Lee Dalton

Well I liked the quiz.  First time I've gotten 100%.

Nov 17th - 08:26am | MRC

I second Mellosy. It's not much fun, if you already know the answer to the whole quiz while reading #2. Otherwise: Thanks a lot to the quizmeister. I really liked the mix of topics and parks.

Nov 17th - 05:16am | Bob Janiskee

Tell you what, Mellosy; If you will forgive me for making the ringer quiz too easy, I'll forgive you for misspelling Bighorn. :o) 

Nov 16th - 21:15pm | Mellosy

That was just too easy. You should have put that question near the bottom. Anybody who has been to the Little Big Horn, knows that Custer is not buried there. Even though the Obelisk still has his name on it, showing were he died.  

Nov 16th - 11:04am | Bob Janiskee

We've been over this ground before. Each of the 397 units of the National Park System is prperly termed a national park. There are consequently 397 national parks. Of these 397 national parks, only 58 are National Park-designated. The rest are designated something else. For example, 10 national parks are National Seashore-designated and 11 national parks are National Battlefield-designated.

Nov 16th - 10:11am | Kurt Repanshek

The professor's away today, Anonymous, so I'll have to stand in for him. In theory, you're correct...but it might have been more incorrect if the question had been written, "...in a unit of the National Park System designated as a 'national park.'"

Nov 16th - 09:32am | Anonymous

Your question # 3 is also false as it was written.  There are only 58 National Parks and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park is not one of them.  If the question had asked "....which....ship...in the San Francisco waterfront is a national park service area or used the term National Historical Park"  then the answer would be true.

Survey Says National Park Service Is Far from the Best Government Agency to Work For

Nov 17th - 08:49am | Lee Dalton

To the last two anonymous posters -- these words I clipped from this morning's NPS Digest still ring true for the vast majority of NPS personnel:

Nov 16th - 21:18pm | Anonymous

"[size= 14px; line-height: 18px]Our senior "leadership" is dismal. Never in a 30+ year career has there been such shallow field experience at both WASO and in most of the regional offices. Regions have reverted back to the bloated entities that they once were and yes, jobs still get created out of thin air for the spouses of regional office employees.

Nov 16th - 19:37pm | Anonymous

I am a park ranger and I agree entirely with the description of issues above.

Guest Column: The Keystone XL Pipelines And Coal Hollow Mines Of America

Nov 16th - 19:07pm | Kurt Repanshek

OK folks, we're going to cut things off with that last comment. Things are straying a wee bit too far from the parks. Also, that Fox story fails to mention, I believe, that the Solyndra loan actually started with the Bush administration, so there's likely enough blame to go around.

Nov 16th - 18:39pm | Anonymous

Keeper:  This is related because it's a part of the bigger picture about the decisions involving the Keystone effort. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/11/16/solyndra-case-reveals-gateway...

Nov 16th - 16:06pm | Keeper

There's a bigger picture here to be considered.  Seriously hope the environmental  community and their representatives can experience a breakthrough of reason.  

Nov 15th - 09:58am | justinh

ecbuck,  

Nov 15th - 09:56am | David Crowl

Keystone XL officials have now agreed to reroute the pipeline and avoid the sand hills of Nebraska. Again, this was accomplished by enviromental groups putting their message out there...and gaining public support, which in the end prompted a debate in the State Legislature.

Nov 15th - 09:40am | ecbuck

You can't say they have hidden evidence but you claim I can't see how they have.  It is perplexing how you can't see the difference.  Alarmists have clearly made attempts to suppress data and quiet the skeptics.  Alarmists are the ones trying to hide the real science.  The skeptic side hasn't done that.  You say I haven't seen it because of my ideology but by our own admissions, it (hiding evid

License Tag Law Threatens Support for Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Nov 16th - 16:26pm | smokey

The conspiracy theorists, like the poor, will always be with us. If you question the need for this law, just look t the photo of the bottom plate. Anything missing .... like the state name? Anyone think black numbers on a dark green background are easily seen? ... at night ? G et a grip.

Nov 16th - 16:17pm | Virtual Blue Ri...

Hey Ridinwind... just wanted to let you know that such a plate for motorcycles does exist for the Blue Ridge Parkway.  We were involved with helping the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation get enough initial plate signups so that it could be produced.  It's now been in production for a little over a year.

Nov 16th - 15:58pm | John

What does this have to do with it?????? .... Yes it's all about politics. The state rep who introduced this bill wants to get rid of plates such as Friends of the Smokies, Blue Ridge Parkway and the ATC. Yet he wants to keep his anti abortion plate.

Nov 16th - 15:43pm | Regina

Hello, I myself LOVE the  Friends of the Smokies Tags and will continue to Support the  Smokies.Besides the purchase of the tags I also a  member of the Friends of the Smokies.My Family  and I  do alot of  Camping at Cades Cove.So the money is  well spent on the camp grounds and bathrooms ect.The tags are really cool looking and I will continue to support the Smokies.Thank you

Nov 16th - 15:27pm | Danny Bernstein

Hi ecbuck:   Yes, I am referring to NC house bill 289. Thanks for clarifying this. The Friends groups most affected by this legislation has been meeting with various legislators to see if there's any kind of a compromise. Any North Carolinian can write to their legislators and voice their opinion. Danny Bernstein

Nov 16th - 14:29pm | Concerned Taxpayer

The author in support of their position wrote: "The legislature has added a "Respect Life" plate without adding a "Respect Choice" plate. Mitch Gillespie, the Republican who sponsored the legislation, really wanted an anti-choice plate and some say it's all a cover for getting an anti-choice plate approved. Of course, the

Nov 16th - 12:49pm | PRoyer

To find the reason for such legislation, one should always "follow the money." I suspect that campaign contributions by the companies that profit from traffic camera fines are the real motivation behind this legislation.

Nov 16th - 12:00pm | RidinWind

I would hate to see those plates go away. It would be cool to have one similar for a Motorcycle. Now that's the way to enjoy the Blue Ridge Pkwy!

Nov 16th - 08:31am | ecbuck

I assume you are referring to  SESSION LAW 2011-392  HOUSE BILL 289?  I must say it is very confusing.  At one point it says they (the existing specialty plates you refer to) are exempt and then it seems to say they need to be replaced but they are not listed on the acceptible replacements.  Are you sure the intent is to replace these plates?  Have you talked to the sponsoring legislators to ge

How Much Did Those New Units Of The National Park System Cost You?

Nov 16th - 12:34pm | d-2

-- a sustainable strategy SHOULD be a factor in considering new parks, especially in urban areas or in the midst of places people live. 

Nov 15th - 21:48pm | Lee Dalton

But on the other hand, if we don't preserve them now, when will we? And on the other hand, how do we determine which are really worthy of park status and which are political pork? Where is Solomon when you need him?

Nov 15th - 20:17pm | KayGeeJay

Back to the original question: it does seem unwise to be creating new financial liabilities when we are not sure how to support the existing parks.

Nov 15th - 18:21pm | Rick Smith

Gee, Anon 1, think about this.

Nov 15th - 16:12pm | Lee Dalton

d-2 -- an excellent and sensible reply.  But sensible answers and facts are no match for ideology.

Nov 15th - 15:26pm | d-2

Several needed clarifications:

Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Underrated and Understated

Nov 16th - 10:59am | Anonymous

Cuyahoga Valley ISN'T worthing of being a National Park. In fact, designating it as a National Park denigrates the other parks which are worthy. CV is not a bad place, has some nice places, but overall doesn't meet the grandeur, majestic or uniqueness criteria for being a National Park (think Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Glacier, Arcadia, Crater Lake, Denali, etc).

BLM Considering Proposal To Expand Coal Mine Near Bryce Canyon National Park

Nov 16th - 09:34am | MarkM

Please don't let them "ignore it to death". Investigate it. Report it. We want to know the whole truth!

Blue Ridge Parkway Management Alternatives Draw More Than A Little Debate

Nov 15th - 18:12pm | Zebulon

What a surprise.  The horseriders are getting preferential treatment (without any kind of rational argumentation) while cyclists get the shaft...

Celebrate Earth Day With A Trip To Florida Bay And Everglades National Park

Nov 15th - 17:20pm | Anonymous

I LOOOVVEE THE FLORIDA BAY

Call To Action: Building A $1 Billion Endowment For The National Parks

Nov 15th - 16:12pm | Kurt Repanshek

It's all in the chalkboard stage at this point to the best of my knowledge, Ted. Hopefully in the coming months some structure will start to materialize.

Nov 15th - 16:08pm | Ted

Kurt, with all the controversy swirling around about the integreity of the Park Service (Drakes Bay Oyster Company, corporate influence to keep plastic bottles in Grand Canyon, Billy Malone Indian Trader) it seems there should be transparency and oversight outside of Interior/NPS for a multi-billion dollar endowment. Any thoughts or insight as to the structure of such?

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