Celebrating freedom
It's time to do our happy dance, with fireworks!
Today we celebrate liberty. This year, we may have a new friend of liberty to cheer. It has been barely mentioned, subtle and remote to the Triad, but it is the herald of better things to come in the world.
The largest Arab country is Egypt. Egypt has a troubled recent history. Of its three recent "presidents," one was a friend of the Soviet Union, one was assassinated, and one now is serving a life sentence. The Arab Spring came, and the old regime left. Egypt held free-ish and fair-ish elections and chose Mohammed Morsi, a dissident, for president. We probably won't like his policies (and wouldn't have liked his opponent), but in the land of Pharaoh, the people have spoken. Fragile as it is, democracy in Egypt is good for the Egyptians, for the Arab world and for friends of freedom everywhere.
Yet here and now, what matters is: Who gets the credit? Did America make this happen? Hardly, but we did help. In 2009, President Obama led with a brilliant speech in Cairo backing democracy, and our government has been quietly engaged ever since. Washington Republicans don't talk about it because they can't claim it. Washington Democrats don't talk about it either, because if America claims credit for Egypt, that helps our enemies.
But know this: President Obama said, "Let the people speak!" For the first time ever, in Egypt, they did. Share a sparkler with me!
STEVE SCROGGIN
Winston-Salem
The private sector
Those who watch TV these days have surely seen, over and over, ads with President Obama saying, "The private sector is doing fine," followed by negative images, concluding with, "I'm Mitt Romney and I approved this message."
I'd like former Gov. Romney to look at that part of the private sector that is not addressed in these ads: that part of the private sector composed of corporate executives that is doing better than fine.
While these executives are enjoying profits, corporate tax breaks and bonuses, their employees are suffering. Many of them have received no raises in several years, have lost benefits and have become part-time employees or worse. This is the part of the private sector that is not doing fine.
Perhaps President Obama should have said, "The upper echelon of the private sector is doing fine." That would have been a more accurate statement.
BARBARA WATKINS DAYE
Boone
Telling the truth
State Sen. Pete Brunstetter told the truth whether he meant to or not. Explaining why the N.C. Senate did not even put reparations to victims of the state-run eugenics project in its budget after the House had recommended a generous compensation, he said, "There are any number of things that governments have been involved in that may or could lead to liability. The question is, where does it lead you once you start paying reparations?" ("Senate rejects paying victims" June 21).
You've got to give it to him. He has a point. Once you start compensating citizens for the atrocities government inflicts on them — and what was the eugenics project if not an atrocity? — where will it end? Dare we start down that slippery slope?
We routinely hold other governments responsible for their despicable treatment of their own citizens. We say nasty things about them. We sanction them. We haul them off to the world court. But in these tough economic times, we cannot afford to hold our own government to that same standard. At least in the eyes of Brunstetter, our government probably could not live up to it.
RICHARD GROVES
Winston-Salem
Finish the Thought
Saturday, we asked readers to complete the sentence: "Americans celebrate July 4 because ..."
"... to mark our liberation from oppression."
WILLIAM SAMS
"… well, honestly? Most Americans celebrate the 4th of July because it is a paid day off of work and it's a great summer holiday and a time to get together with family and friends. But we should all remember that July 4, 1776, was the day that our courageous forefathers began signing the Declaration of Independence. Our leaders had to be very brave and they risked being hanged for treason by the leaders in Great Britain. So every time we celebrate July 4, we should think about all of the effort and the courage it took for those leaders to stand up for what they knew was right — our independence and our freedom!"
CAROLE E. ROSENBAUM
An historical note:
ReplyDeleteThe Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4th by the Congress which ordered it printed and sent out to be proclaimed before the army and in the states. Fifteen days later, after the New York legislature added its consent to the decision for independence, Congress resolved that "the Declaration passed on the 4th, be fairly engrossed on parchment, with the title and stile of 'the unaminous declaration of the thirteen United States of America,' and that the same when engrossed, be signed by every member of Congress." The formal signing occurred on August 2nd-although some members added their signatures at later times.
Among the later signers were Elbridge Gerry, Oliver Wolcott, Lewis Morris, Thomas McKean, and Matthew Thornton, who found that he had no room to sign with the other New Hampshire delegates. A few delegates who voted for adoption of the Declaration on July 4 were never to sign in spite of the July 19 order of Congress that the engrossed document "be signed by every member of Congress." Nonsigners included John Dickinson, who clung to the idea of reconciliation with Britain, and Robert R. Livingston, one of the Committee of Five, who thought the Declaration was premature.
DeleteWe should also take a moment this day to thank our ally, the French, who not only gave us the Statue of Liberty, but without whose help during the Revolutionary War, this day may not have been possible.
DeleteI saw the light.
ReplyDeleteRepublican Governor of Michigan, Snyder rejects GOP voting laws
Synder is obviously a brilliant man based on his academic achievements. However, it appears, he has succumb to political pressure. There's no doubt we have voter fraud all over the county, and the lack of voter I.D. laws will just increase those problems in the months and years to come.
DeleteDemocrats must want corruption in our electoral process in order to maintain power.
Political pressure from whom?
DeleteThe Democrats in Detroit.
DeleteSo Republicans are weak and succumb to Democratic pressure. I have a bridge to no-where to sell you.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteAn Israeli company says it is growing medical marijuana with a special twist -- it offers some of the same therapeutic benefits without the high.
ReplyDelete__________
Let's see if the medical 'pot heads' in California and other states embrace this kind of marijuana. My bet is no. They just want the high, any medical benefit is secondary.
Well just have to see if "some" of the same therapeutic benefits are enough. Marinol offers some of the benefits, but not all. Anyone living in chronic and often acute pain which even the opiates do not lessen, should be thrilled, I know I am. Avidekel is a new strain of a plant that is already permitted for medical use so there is nothing stopping patients who are already being treated with marijuana from trying Avidekel. Despite Avidekel's highless benefit, Klein, one of the developers, does not see regular marijuana disappearing any time soon. THC has its own unique effects that alleviate illness symptoms.
Delete“Do not tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don't tell them where they know the fish” Mark Twain
DeleteBob, you should read the case law that Rush cited for his commerce clause justification on the ACA. It just supports my position that Rush was or is a 'pot head'.
DeletePlus, his irrational writings also support my position.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonzales_v._Raich
O.T. clarified his statement. Actually the Taxing, Duties, Imposts and Excises Clause is in the same Article and Section as the Commerce Clause. Article I, section 8. The former is the first clause and the latter is the 3rd.
DeleteYet another horrific story about a homosexual pedophile.
ReplyDeleteBoth ABCNews and FoxNews are reporting this story.
__________
A man on parole for trying to infect children with HIV nearly 20 years ago, pulled a boy into a Portland restaurant 'bathroom' over the weekend, attempted to sexually assault him and then stabbed him several times, police said.
____________
Semi-private/public bathrooms and showers represent an extremely dangerous area to young males from homosexual predators.
Something needs to be done.
I read that story the other day and it sickens me.
Delete"Something needs to be done." What do you propose?
DeleteKenneth Miller, 35 Miller was an "HIV-positive predatory sex offender" with "a history of intentionally exposing women to HIV through unprotected sex."
DeleteIn 1993 he was convicted of having sex with a 15-year old, one of four females he exposed to HIV.
In 1996, after his release from prison, he was convicted of assault for exposing another woman to HIV. He was released in 2004.
In August of 2005, he was sentenced to 75 days for fleeing post-prison supervision.
Seem disgusting behavior is universal.
The operative word in that story is 'bathroom', Bob. Homosexuals gravitate towards these areas. And homosexual pedophiles seem to gravitate even more to these areas to choose and/or victimize their victims.
DeleteCops: Man Intentionally Infected Women With HIV
DeleteAwful story out of Michigan: Authorities say a 51-year-old man who is HIV-positive confessed to intentionally exposing hundreds of people to the disease through unprotected sex
"he claimed to have slept with 3,000."
Then what do you propose, bucky? I agree with you that all sexual predators, homosexual or heterosexual need to be dealt with severely.
DeleteAs someone who seems to be connected in some way to law enforcement, either through experience or simply spiritually, surely You must have some suggestions.
DeleteI'm sorry Bucky, but the operative word to me is not the bathroom but the victim.
DeleteLet me think about that Bob. I don't want to just give you a flippant response.
DeleteI am connected to law enforcement in that I believe in the rule of law, and the protection of people from these types of predators.
Bob........haven't you noticed? There ALWAYS seems to be a 'bathroom' or a 'shower' somewhere in these stories? I sure have.
DeleteI agree that people should be protected from all sexual predators, but since most sexual predators are men, and men seem to have a corner on making the laws, ...
DeleteBoy, 7, Spotted Couple Having Sex In Walmart Bathroom Police in Wilkesboro, NC are searching for a couple spotted having sex in the Walmart bathroom on ... video, which showed the man walk into the restroom, followed by the woman.
DeleteHeterosexuals represent some 97% of the population Bob.
DeleteHomosexuals males only represent some 3%. Why are we ALWAYS hearing about the 3 percenters Bob?
Because that's all you report about, or look for Bucky.
DeleteLEO's probably make up about 3% of the population too. Want to hear about some more LEO crimes?
Delete“I live alone, and this is just ridiculous,” the woman said. “His pants are off again. He’s naked as a jaybird.”
Delete___________
I've never said some heterosexuals are not perverts Bob.
Outlaw motorcycle gangs are called the 1%'ers. I think I'm going to start calling these homosexual predators/perverts the 3%'ers.
DeleteWell Bucky Poo, there are no dummies here. You know what you're doing here and we all know what you're doing here. We also know that you know that we know what you are doing here (Ronald Dumsfeld has nothing on me). And if we were not open minded and tolerant and all get a little chuckle at your expense behind your back, then "POOF" you'd be gone.
DeleteI told you a long time ago how I got interested in this forum. It was back when you guys hijacked the LTEs forum in the Journal, and began promoting the gay agenda. I decided I'd give the other side of story.
DeleteI'm sure everybody wants me gone, except for you and Stab. If you ever change your mind, I'm sure you can make me go away with just a click of a button.
But remember Bob, everybody needs a 'demon' in their life.
Why does everyone need a 'demon' in their life? Explain.
DeleteBucky, giving any side of a story is fine. It's how one presents it that is telling.
DeleteTo long to get into. I'm sure you know given your brain power Bob.
DeleteI learned a long ago Bob, that one must tell a story, or report something with 'impact', or people just don't pay attention.
DeleteI've obviously gotten your attention, now haven't I?
You know I had you figured out within days after you started posting as LindseyGraham with you're constant diatribes against Sheriff Schatzman and the YMCA family issue. I said then that you constantly use and badger with key words and phrases to illicit and emotional (lymbic) response, an old detective trick.
DeleteOf course you have my attention, I am the executor of this blog. But you only get my attention when and where I choose. That you know well.
DeleteI'm a real trickster all right. It takes a lot to fool a fool.
DeleteHave a good 4th Bob. Gotta run.
DeleteAnd you too, Bucky, thanks.
DeleteThis year, officials believe target shooting or other firearms use have sparked at least 21 wildfires in Utah and nearly a dozen in Idaho. Shooting is also believed to have caused fires in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57466270/guns-blamed-for-sparking-some-wildfires-in-west/?tag=stack
__________
Another story by the liberal media to demonize guns. Notice the words 'believe/believed' are used. The officials don't know for sure if '21' fires were started by guns or not or the wording would have been stronger.
It's clear to me that the anti-gun writer just fluffed up the wording a little so the article would come out 'right', I mean 'left'.
"Notice the word 'believe/believed'" would that be anything like "seem to gravitate" seem/seemed.
DeleteSo liberals "believe" and conservatives "seem"
DeleteMy point Bob is that liberals control the media. They can make stories come out like they want.
DeleteDon't play coy with me. You're no dummy, like Rush is.
DeleteI didn't realize that Rupert Murdoch was a liberal.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteDo you think he controls the majority of all the media outlets? Also do you think he vets every story?
Delete"We're not trying to pull away anyone's right to bear arms. I want to emphasize that," said Louinda Downs, a county commissioner in fire-prone Davis County, Utah. "We're just saying, target practice in winter. Target practice on the gun range. When your pleasure hobby is infringing or threatening someone else's right to have property or life, shouldn't we be able to somehow have some authority so we can restrict that?"
DeleteThe state's Republican Gov. Gary Herbert took the unusual step of authorizing the top state forest official to impose gun restrictions on public lands after a gunfire-sparked fire. Herbert said his decision doesn't limit gun rights, but is a common-sense response to dry conditions. These don't sound like liberals to me.
but neither do I believe that " liberals control the media." They control that which they control. Are conservatives so helpless that they allow liberals to control everything?
DeleteAre conservatives so poor, they cannot afford media? Perhaps they should take some "personal responsibility" and get into the media business rather than just claim that liberals control the media.
DeleteThese radical left-wing reporters are out of control Bob. They are suppose to be reporting the news, not advancing a political agenda.
DeleteLook out, Bucky, there is one behind that tree.
DeleteBucky, the press, as everyone knows, has always been political. Perhaps you've heard of Thurlow Weed or Henry Jarvis Raymond.
DeleteIt's gotten worse.
DeleteActually, it's improved. If you know the history of the Bureau and engraving and printing, first authorized informally in June of 1861. Prior to that time, newspapers were all connected to political agendas as each wanted to be awarded with the very lucrative federal government printing.
DeleteBucky July 4, 2012 9:14 AM
DeleteIt's gotten worse.
As always, a vast repository of ignorance.
After the Civil War, there were three weekly newspapers in Winston and one in Salem. As with most newspapers in the US, all were single party papers. One was Democratic, one Republican, one Whig (even though the Whig party itself had died at the end of the 1850s) and one agriculturalist/populist.
There was little, if any "news" on the first few pages. Those were taken up with editorials, reprints of speeches, jokes (sometimes difficult to distinguish from the editorials), poetry, short stories and excerpts or serializations of novels and travel pieces.
There was usually a full page of state and regional news around page 3.
Local news was confined to a small portion of another page...there was really no need for extensive local reporting because most people already knew what was going on via word of mouth.
All "news" was slanted to the benefit of the party represented by the paper. There was a significant amount of name calling.
In the run-up to the Civil War, the Western Sentinel, the Democratic paper in Winston, which favored secession, took to referring to the People's Press in Salem, unionist to the core, as "the Salem crowd." The People's Press reciprocated by referring to the Sentinel as "the courthouse crowd".
The leading unionist and the editor of the Sentinel lived next door to each other in what is now the Washington Park neighborhood. According to my expert source, there is no record of them actually having a fist fight, but there were threats and more than enough acrimony to go around.
Compared to those days, almost all newspapers are neutral.
As to the "liberal press" nonsense, virtually all of the newspapers in the US are owned by large corporations, almost all of which are quite conservative. The leftwing communist Winston-Salem Journal endorsed George W. Bush for president in 2000, and after an acrimonious debate, endorsed no one in 2004.
DeleteThe myth that certain news sources ignore certain news items is just that, a myth, spread by the likes of Limbaugh and Beck, who prey upon the ignorance of their listeners.
The New York Times is by far the best newspaper in the world. If something is not reported in the Times it probably didn't happen...either that or it is irrelevant. And no other newspaper spends as much time and money ensuring that it's reporting is accurate.
As to those liberal reporters, they do not decide what they are going to cover. That decision is made by the editors, who make their decisions based on what they think will be of most interest to most of their readers.
They don't really worry about what crackpots like the Dunce and the handful of other malcontents think...in fact, the fact that there are so few malcontents tells us that it is them, not the vast majority of readers, who are out of step with reality.
N.C. Dems refuse to endorse Obama
ReplyDeletehttp://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/07/nc-dems-decline-to-endorse-obama/1
_________
Thank Goodness! It's about time people woke up!
Ha, ha...typical Dunce half-truth. Two guys who got gerrymandered into red neck GOP districts so are trying to disguise themselves as Republicans for November.
DeleteThe fact is that a politician will do whatever it takes to get re-elected. Party, principles, right, wrong, none of that matters. Only re-election. That is the real problem that the nation faces.
Celebrating freedom? Egypt? Anyone who wants to stand out in front of that snake pit is a fool.
ReplyDeleteSorry, but Egypt is the largest and one of the most important nations in the Arab world, which is where World War III will begin, so they are important.
DeleteI seriously doubt that American citizens of today would have the guts to do what the Egyptian people recently did. Their fate is now in their hands, which is where it belongs.
Egypt is the oldest country in the world. The recent elections were the first time in history that Egyptian citizens have been allowed to vote. That too is important.
Egypt is all those things, but WW3?. I doubt it. More like factional civil wars and only as far as the army allows. Their recent elections, while new to them, may only have the effect of recent Palestinian elections...exhilarating, telling and then troubling. Long way to go.
DeleteI didn't say that WW III would start in Egypt.
DeleteIsrael will start it, sooner or later.
My misreading. Personally I believe WW3 has already begun in the form of cyber/currency wars.
DeleteI agree. And it is going to get very ugly before whatever happens happens.
DeleteThe private sector. "Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavours to live at the expense of everybody else"(FB). We seem well on our way.
ReplyDeleteTelling the truth. He may be right but I believe I would have taken this chance to erase a blight on the state. Then erect your firewall.
ReplyDeleteWhose idea was it to put the 4th on a wednesday?
ReplyDeleteI think that is obvious...Obama did it.
Delete@Phargo: I hope you read and understood my response to your question from a few days ago. I've taken a full-time job to replace the part-time one I used to have and so I have less time to spend on commenting (and responding) here, on fb, and on JournalNow.
ReplyDeleteLaSombra...congrats!
Deletethat's great LaSombra, hmm the other day, I'll do my best Romney: Whatever the question was I am sure I understood it fully.
DeleteThanks for the well wishes, guys.
DeleteGreat impersonation, Phargo; now, will you do Bucky? :D
Please don't.
Delete:-D
DeleteGov. Bev. Perdue (D) vetoes were overridden three times recently. And guess what? A Democrat helped pass the vote with Republicans on fracking. But now the Democrat wants a do-over. Her name is Tanya Harding (D) from Charlotte.
ReplyDelete_____________
Rep. Becky Carney, a five-term Democrat from Charlotte, burst into tears after mistakenly voting with Republicans to override Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue’s veto of the contentious legislation. The measure lifts the ban on hydraulic fracturing as a means for mining for natural gas, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Carney and other Democrats asked for a do-over, as is common when a member pushes the wrong button. But in this instance, Republicans said no. A change in Carney’s vote would have changed the outcome, which is against the House rules. But Ms. Carney asked for the rules to be suspended so she could change her vote, but got nowhere.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/07/04/nc-lawmaker-hits-wrong-button-approves-fracking/?test=latestnews#ixzz1zfk6fX00
__________
You gotta love liberals, they're always doing something wacky.
Hmm...now what was her name?
DeleteTanya Harding? Becky Carney? Bucky Ducky?
Somebody must have hit the wrong button. But then, every time he hits the "Publish" button it's the wrong button.
Tanya, Tonya, or Becky.......who cares? All Democrats are the same.
DeleteHere is an example of the kind of morons who want to run the USA. Remind you of anyone you know?
ReplyDeleteGOP congressional candidate Chris Collins knows health care is expensive these days, but he argues it's for good reason: People are no longer dying from deadly forms of cancer.
"People now don't die from prostate cancer, breast cancer and some of the other things," he said in an interview with City & State NY. Collins was discussing his desire to repeal Obamacare.
An estimated 577,190 people in the United States will die from cancer this year, including about 39,920 deaths from breast cancer and 28,170 from prostate cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
I thought you liked generalized statistics and statements. Remember when you quoted the CBO and the PRC yesterday on taxes paid by illegals. Now you like exact stats.
ReplyDeleteYou're an absolute nitwit. You just can't help making a fool out of yourself everyday, can you?
1. A stupid & irrelevant comment which has nothing to do with my comment.
Delete2. Note that my post says "An estimated 577,190..."
In addition to remedial reading and writing, FTCC offers courses in statistics...I doubt if they would help in Dunce's case, but...
LaSombra, congrats on job. Your gain is several fora's loss.
ReplyDeleteFires and guns: I suspect cars parked over dried vegetation cause more. Hot catalytic converters can easily ignite tinder-dry brush. That said, years ago I was shooting with a friend who had purchased a custom-made muzzle-loading rifle. While I popped away with one anti-social semi-auto or another, he laboriously poured powder, stuffed wadding, and pounded the cast lead ball down the barrel. Then he affixed a percussion cap, cocked the weapon, aimed, and fired.
The rifle barked, and spewed smoke, and burning bits of powder and wadding that set the dried brooms sedge on fire. We had to adjourn the shooting session to put out the fire, and move to a less flammable area where he could continue to blast out his flaming plumes.
If I had to place a bet. I'd bet the jackasses started the fires from smoking or making a fire in those areas. The likelihood of a gun starting a fire is next to nothing.
Delete21 fires from guns! Puleaaaz! These liberal writers are just like Rush, they just can't help making a fool out themselves. The sad part of the story is that there are other liberal nitwits that believe what's written.
As Arthur would say: Pathetic!
You are now entering the Dunce Zone, the world's largest vacuum, containing more ignorance and misinformation than any other area in the universe:
Delete"Statistics on wildfires caused by firearms are incomplete because the federal government does not list "shooting" as a cause on its fire reports. But some officials write in 'target' or 'shoot' as a cause, said Jennifer Jones of the National Interagency Fire Center in Idaho.
On land managed by the U.S. Forest Service only, the center found 17 such wildfires in 2010, 28 last year and 13 so far this year.
This year, the federal Bureau of Land Management said 11 of 31 wildfires it has battled in Idaho have been sparked by shooting activities.
Officials at Arizona's Tonto National Forest had seven wildfires caused by firearms in 2010, 10 in 2011 and at least five so far this year. The potential for fire is so great that shooting for several years has been prohibited on BLM property in the Phoenix area.
In one case in the state, prosecutors said five friends at a campout and bachelor party set off a fire on May 12 when one loaded an incendiary shell, which burns rapidly and causes fires, into a shotgun and pulled the trigger."
You can read more on the fire caused by the Dunce's fellow Dunces during their "bachelor party" here:
Just a Bunch of Dunces Having Fun
It seems that guns have an affinity for stupid people.
As always...
Thanks, Stab. I just have ONE question: what is the connection between gun fires and liberal writers?
DeleteLaSombra, there is none, except in Dunce's fervid imagination. This all came about because the governor of Utah dared to suggest that target shooting on public lands might be banned during this high risk wildfire season, and the gun nuts, led by the usual suspects, began having hissy fits.
DeleteThey don't care if the whole west burns to a crisp; they have the right to shoot whatever they want, wherever they want, whenever they want.
The facts above come not from "liberal reporters", whatever that is, but from the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
Having spent a lot of time hiking and camping in the arid west, plus two seasons as a volunteer wildfire fighter in Arizona, I know a lot of those people. Most are serious hunters and are about as liberal as my father, who was a member of the White Citizens Council and who, although a registered Democrat until the late 1960s, voted for Ike, Ike, Nixon, Goldwater, Nixon, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Reagan, Bush I, Bush I, Dole and Bush II.
I once spent 3 fun filled hours idling in the inside lane of the 405 Fwy in west L.A., watching a fire being fought in the Sepulveda Pass. Some dolt had pulled off the 405 and stopped in brush beside the breakdown lane. Brush caught fire, goodbye car, and the busiest road in the world was stopped for hours. Fortunately, Phil Hendry was on KFI and was at his funniest best.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're right about catalytic converters, Stab. It's nice to have a little sanity brought into the forum once in a while. Stop by more often, when you can.
DeleteRelentlessly remora...
DeleteRe wildfires in the US...let's try some facts for a change.
ReplyDeleteWildfires have always been around…they are a part of nature.
The USA experiences an average of over 80,000 wildfires annually. Once upon a time the majority of wildfires were due to natural causes, the leading ones in the US being lightning, sparks from rock falls and spontaneous combustion.
But since the 19th century, human causes have surpassed natural ones. Today, about 80% of all wildfires in the US are started by humans. Discarded cigarettes, catalytic converters and firearms account for a small percentage of those.
But by far the main causes are careless burning, whether it be of household debris or improperly extinguished campfires; or arson, which is also the number 1 cause of non-wildfire fires in the US. Half of all arson incidents are caused by juveniles.
The number of wildfires in the US has not increased appreciably over the last 50 years, but the acreage burned by wildfires has tripled since 1985.
Ironically, that is mostly because we have become much better at fighting wildfires. In the past, a wildfire consumed all of the available fuel, whereas today, when we stop a wildfire, some of the fuel that would have burned up remains, to burn again another day. The National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management now resort to costly "controlled burning" in the aftermath of serious wildfires to get rid of or isolate the remaining fuel.
The other problem is that modern hydraulic technology, in the form of dams, impoundments and water pipelines has enabled people to live in formerly uninhabitable areas.
The city of Los Angeles is by far the earliest and biggest example in the US. Phoenix is a tinderbox waiting to go up in flames. And all of us taxpayers are on the hook for the growing number of gated desert communities which always feature lush golf courses, as seen on the Golf Channel. Little or none of the water for any of these places is homegrown…it is imported from other people's supplies, thus putting the other people at risk as well.
And the problem of water is not confined to the US. As the population of the world continues to explode, water will become the number one source of conflict on every continent, simply because humans cannot survive without it.
A liberal commentor might try to use gun-fired fires as a pretext for gun restrictions, but that would be pretty thin, so the connection between liberal writers and this concern is vanishingly thin, also.
ReplyDeleteI think the gun-fired fires are caused by people like my muzzle-loading friend, and by the morons cited by OT. Idiots can indeed purchase pyrotechnics that can be shot from 12-gauges.
Then consider that the .223-caliber cartridge, popular with shooters (it is the cartridge fired in the M16 series of military rifles). It accelerates its bullet to around 2000 mph in about 16 inches of steel barrel. That is a lot of friction and propellant heat. Plus, when the bullet hits something solid at close range, a rock for instance, it breaks apart, with that energy of momentum converted into heat. There also may be sparking, depending on what the speeding bullet hits.
Note: most bullets do not fly as fast as the .223. A 9mm pistol bullet leaves its pistol at about 750 mph. An AK47 bullet probably launches around 1600. The idea is still the same: flame and friction = heat.
And besides from the very link that Bucky provided, I somehow don't think that the Republican Governor of UTAH and county commissioner of Davis County are liberals.
ReplyDelete