Little Minds Finally Defeat Hobgoblins

August 30, 2019

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s famous essay on self-reliance is often quoted to explain away inconsistent policies, or inconsistent law enforcement. “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,” Emerson wrote. “With consistency, a great soul has simply nothing to do.” Today’s politicians have plenty to do. Advocates of the Emerson view follow his advice – […]

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The World is Our Oyster

August 23, 2019

Consensus on natural resources issues is elusive, often because the real agenda is not agreed upon. For me, there have been a number of “ah-ha moments,” a realization that there are hidden agendas in play. Many of those moments have come during debates about endangered species, because so often the most obvious solution is not […]

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Let’s Decide How to Decide

August 16, 2019

An internationally respected geologist named John Clema recently published an article headlined with the simple truth that “Past, present and future progress requires mining.” That statement should not be controversial, since most people must surely be aware of the presence in their lives of metal and energy. Yet in their zeal to stop an industry […]

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Another Billion Dollars Should Do It

August 16, 2019

Folks who worry about the loss of threatened and endangered species should be relieved to know that Congress is finally considering an entirely new approach – creating a new federal fund, and a new committee. A bipartisan group led by Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) have re-introduced a languishing bill called the […]

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Perhaps They’ll Listen Now

August 2, 2019

Don McLean ended “Vincent,” his classic tribute to Van Gogh, with the famous line, “They would not listen, they’re not listening still – perhaps they never will.” The song was about the post-impressionist painter, but that line has been used in many political debates. It crosses my mind while hearing arguments against moving the Bureau […]

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An Idea Whose Time Has Come

July 23, 2019

Gustave Aimard famously wrote that “There is something more powerful than the brute force of bayonets: it is the idea whose time has come.” It could well be said of this week’s announcement that the Interior Department will, at long last, move the headquarters of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to Grand Junction. The […]

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Western Colorado’s Dymano

July 12, 2019

Occasionally you hear someone referred to as “a force to be reckoned with.” The Western Slope had a leader whose influence and personality were so powerful that, at Club 20, we only half-jokingly changed the expression to “a force to be Rectored with.” Peggy Rector’s passing this week in Rangely at the age of 80 […]

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Conservation v. the IRS

July 5, 2019

Governments own almost a fourth of the land in the United States, mostly federal, mostly in the West. We often wonder how much is enough, and worry about the constant growth in government ownership. Hundreds of millions are spent every year buying more. The most valuable private land is often subject to potential suburban development, […]

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Just a Little Bit More

June 27, 2019

The National Wildlife Refuge System began modestly in 1903, but today it is the largest wildlife conservation program in the world. It includes 562 refuges, totaling over 150 million acres, in all 50 states and numerous islands from the Caribbean to the South Pacific. That system just grew a bit more, thanks to a wealthy […]

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Consumer Products From Thin Air

June 21, 2019

I often write about where things come from, especially products we use in our daily lives, and what they are made of. No consumer products are made out of thin air. They all require manufacturing from raw materials that are either found, mined, or grown. In all cases, the raw elements are eventually returned back […]

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