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Climate Change: Fact or Fiction?

Jan 15th - 15:41pm | Anonymous

To think that the mass amount of man made carbon carbon input does nothing to the planet is hubris.

Jan 15th - 11:42am | Dan

Remember that a glacier is a constantly changing system. Advance and retreat is inherent to their nature. A glacier that isn't moving is called an "ice field."

Jan 15th - 11:35am | Kurt Repanshek

Hubris? There are more than a few scientists who think otherwise, and who have compiled reams and reams of data to support that contention.

Jan 15th - 11:24am | RAH

Clinate change is constant on this planet. The idea that man is responsible seems to me to be hubris. I believes the sun has a lot more to do with that. Besides greater increase is usable land is generally a good thing. The last two years have had more sever winters so maybe warming needs to be rethought?

Yosemite National Park Officials Looking For Suggestions on Preserving Badger Pass Ski Lodge

Jan 15th - 15:37pm | Taggart

I fully agree. Badger Pass is a gem, and constitutes a fairly low-impact use of park land. It doesn't compare to the mega-resort that Disney envisioned for Mineral King.

Lodging Discounts Available At Furnace Creek at Death Valley National Park

Jan 15th - 15:37pm | Anonymous

The link is not clear. Can't see any special promotions.

Jan 15th - 12:14pm | Kurt Repanshek

Bob, no turn-down service, but if you're at the "inn" they do leave chocolate mints on the night-table! Be sure to check out the donut-shaped soaps they employ.

Jan 15th - 12:10pm | Bob Janiskee

Beginning Monday, I will be ensconced at Furnace Creek Inn for three nights, enjoying my thirty percent discount. Being a certified Olde Pharte has its distinct advantages. Will there be a turn-down service and a mint on my pillow?

Park Rangers, Active and Retired, Lament Change in Gun Rules for National Parks

Jan 15th - 15:22pm | Taggart

Rick - Concealed weapons permit holders are, by definition, law-abiding citizens. You can't get a CCW if you have a criminal record. Note that I didn't specify permit holders in my comments. I just said that firearms were being carried by anyone with half a brain. If you wish to exclude yourself from that group, feel free.

Jan 15th - 14:22pm | Rick Smith

Taggert-- So much for the old, tired refrain that all concealed weapons permit holders with half a brain are law abiding if they were all carrying illegally. Rick Smith

Jan 15th - 12:37pm | Taggart

The new rules won't result in any real change in the national parks. Anyone with half a brain who goes in the back country has already been carrying, illegally, while the old ban was in effect. The vast majority of national park visitors who see the park by car and wouldn't dream of treading where flush toilets and hot dog stands aren't immediately available, wouldn't and won't be carrying.

Sen. Salazar Sails Through Confirmation Hearing

Jan 15th - 14:41pm | jsmacdonald

Did he say anything about the wolf de-listing? Was he asked?

National Park System Would Gain Official Wilderness Under Omnibus Lands Bill

Jan 15th - 14:12pm | outdoorbill

How can such a small percentage of our population, cry so loud about not having enough quiet back-country trails to walk. God made beauty for everyone, not just a handful. And for those who are crying to protect it for your grandkids, Good Luck! The Wilderness Designation will only tighten the security to some of our most beautiful scenic places.

Yellowstone National Park: Poster Child For Goofy Gun Laws

Jan 15th - 13:44pm | Anonymous

Beamis, I am a native-born, been-here-all-my-life Tennessean. I wear my camo and drive my pickup truck with pride. I come from a rural, agricultural background, and live in a community of less than 5,000 people in one of the reddest counties in the state. I shop at WalMart nearly everyday and spend most of my money there. I am a 'redneck Southerner', more or less.

Jan 15th - 13:42pm | RAH

James Watts, DOI secretary under Reagan put the regulation that guns had to be dissambled and not available . If Anonymous knows better please post the link so I can verify. I would agree that many parks had a patchwork of rules about firearms prior to that. My information I beleive is correct but I will be glad to check out any other claims.

Jan 15th - 13:24pm | RAH

I also know of the attitude Beamis speaks. Humans are social animals and as such social position is very important. City folk throughout time have ridiculed the country bumpkin cousin. Hunting was a cultural tradition that both city and country folk enjoyed and it lead to a lot of conservation efforts and many of the NPS. Roosevelt is a classic example.

Jan 15th - 13:24pm | Anonymous

RAH, as I stated over at another article in response to your misinformation, firearms have been disallowed in national park service units since the thirties. The change in the seventies was simply one of several revisions in the intervening years that actually weakened previous protections. This recent change in large measure overturned a lot more than just thirty years of precedent.

Jan 15th - 12:05pm | Kurt Repanshek

I still think you're brushing with an awfully big brush and can of paint. Some no doubt would describe me in some conversations as left-leaning, yet in others right of center. And I experience no shock and horror over gun ownership. In other words, I don't neatly fit your stereotype, and I don't think I'm alone in my views.

Jan 15th - 11:56am | Rick Smith

Beamis-- You have posted another over-the-top comment. Why not chill a little? Rick Smith

Jan 15th - 11:19am | Anonymous

I suggest you check the real history of Tombstone and Dodge City and not the fiction that was written by the penny dreadfuls that popularized the gunslinger image.

Jan 15th - 11:13am | JimB

re: the comment by RAH: As to the varying state laws I would enforce the most liberal state law. A law enforcement officer's job would be a lot easier if he or she decided which laws to enforce - or ignore - but that's generally considered unacceptable performance.

Jan 15th - 11:03am | Kurt Repanshek

"Urban professional left-leaning elites." Now there's a label. Does one size fit all?

Jan 15th - 10:33am | RAH

The is just belly aching about the NPS having to adjust to the rule. Prior to 1976 there was no problem, of course nobody opened carry in visitor centers Since this is for CCW only, NPS should presume that CCW citizens are no worse when carrying then they are when not, and treat all visitors the same, because they will not know who is and who isn’t.

Jan 15th - 10:24am | Bill

The point of conceled weapons laws originally was simply this: if you had a reason to have a weapon, you wore it openly for all to see. If you had a reason to hide your weapon, it was assumed you were up to mischief.

Jan 15th - 09:48am | Anonymous

Any concealed weapon carry has the responsibility to know the laws of the state(s) they are traveling through or in or suffer the consequences of being an idiot.

Jan 15th - 01:02am | Anonymous

This is what happens when you have too many cooks with their hands in the pot. It happens to many laws that cause federal law to bump heads with state laws. One reason why the overabundance of lawyers in this country can stay in such high income brackets.

Jan 14th - 23:16pm | J. D.

The second Amendment is an individuals right to CCW, or for that matter open carry of a fire arm, it is the law of the land.

Jan 14th - 22:34pm | JimB

Sounds to me like the "training" for CCL holders touted by some proponents of concealed carry failed to address good techniques for securing his "piece". Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good - or competent.

Jan 14th - 18:43pm | Rick Smith

CENTERVILLE, Utah - The man escaped with a few cuts to his arm, but the toilet made out much worse. Police say a man's gun fell out of its holster while he pulled up his pants after using the bathroom at a Carl's Jr. restaurant Tuesday. The gun fired when it hit the floor and shattered the commode.

Jan 14th - 17:20pm | Kurt Repanshek

Actually, anonymous, the point is whether park visitors will be familiar with what state they're in and what laws apply. Is there a sign along the West Boundary Trail delineating the Wyoming-Idaho border, or one along the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone Trail to denote the Wyoming-Montana border?

Jan 14th - 17:00pm | Anonymous

Surely it is not asking too much that our LE rangers know the most relevant laws for the states they are likely to operate in, and know what state they are in when in a border area? I would have thought this was standard practice. Else, how can they call for assistance in case of need? How can they assist other local LE agencies when asked?

Jan 14th - 15:41pm | Anonymous

And, of course, there are other parks that span multiple states: Death Valley, Great Smoky Mountains, Natchez Trail Parkway. Blue Ridge Parkway just to name four.

Jan 14th - 15:23pm | Richard Moore

Actually, Jim, Yellowstone is not a unique circumstance. Some other parks have what is colloquially called "exclusive" Federal jurisdiction (though to be technically correct each actually has partial legislative jurisdiction but let's not get hung up over terms.) A famous example being the original portions of what is now Denali National Park.

Jan 14th - 13:13pm | Random Walker

I thought Yellowstone National Park did not recognize state border lines within its boundaries since it was established as a National Park a decade and more before Wyoming, Montana and Idaho became states :-)

Jan 14th - 13:00pm | jsmacdonald

And, here is another thing - judicial jurisdiction in Yellowstone is in the federal court. I guess they are supposed to apply to state law to the federal regulation, but it seems to me there would have to be all kinds of complications involved with that. How do they figure out punishment, etc.? Yellowstone is a unique judicial circumstance. Does anyone know how that's supposed to work?

Echoes of the Cold War in the Tropical Warmth of Everglades National Park

Jan 15th - 13:37pm | The Anonymous Ranger

True 'nuff MRC, and the Golden Gate site looks awesome! Thanks for telling us about it. I certainly hope to go there now, but it is a full continent away from Everglades, which is one reason to preserve the Everglades Nike base. The second is that the Everglades site addresses a specific event, the Cuban Missile Crisis, while Goga is more generic.

Jan 15th - 12:06pm | Kurt Repanshek

Yeah, sorry it took so long for FF3. Hopefully we'll have more regular site maintenance going forward.

Jan 15th - 11:55am | MRC

The NPs has already one Nike site and interprets the history of the Cold War there.

Jan 15th - 11:14am | RAH

I think Nike missile bases are cool. I have horse back ridden on some old ones and seen the land used for other recreation, such as agility dog trainining in MD. These were not handed over to NPS but state and local counties.

Jan 15th - 10:46am | The Anonymous Ranger

When I worked as a ranger at Everglades aeons ago, they used the "Missile Site" essentially as a dump. As a child of the Cold War, I thought it was way cool. I have photos of the structures covered with weeds, with piles of trash covering them, etc.

Jan 15th - 10:14am | Warren Z

I'll be very interested to see some feedback on the Nike base, such as visitation numbers. My local NPS site has a Nike base within it's boundaries, which now serves as park headquarters, as well as other facilities. Needless to say it's being put to good use. The history buff in me has wondered what shape an interpretive program on this Nike site would take.

Jan 14th - 09:47am | Kurt Repanshek

Jim, your last sentence sums it all up.

Lost to Hurricanes, the Flamingo Lodge at Everglades National Park Will be Hard to Replace

Jan 15th - 12:18pm | Ohio Bill

Flamingo is one of the most magical and wonderful places on earth. People should be able to go there and live there for a few days, regardless of age, disability or inclination to camp. The Lodge served that purpose. I agree it should be larger, but I also want it to have a minimal impact on the fragile ecology of Florida Bay.

What Priorities Should The Next National Park Service Director Address?

Jan 15th - 12:01pm | MRC

Dear RAH, please go back and read a few of the former posts on the topic. Snowmobiles have been consistently debunked as noisy and a source for air pollution by the scientific NPS staff. They disturb the wildlife and diminish the quality of experience for all other visitors. And snowmobiles don't just leave tracks in the snow.

Jan 15th - 11:02am | RAH

NPS is meant to preserve the natural beauty of the parks and to enhance recreation. So I believe that snowmobile that only leaves tracks in snow that get covered or melted should be allowed and encouraged. Yellowstone could even issue permits and get some revenue during the slow period.

Brady Campaign Sues Interior Department over Concealed Carry in National Parks

Jan 15th - 01:13am | Joel

"The Bush Administration's last-minute gift to the gun lobby, allowing concealed semiautomatic weapons in national parks, jeopardizes the safety of park visitors in violation of federal law," said Mr. Helmke. "We should not be making it easier for dangerous people to carry concealed firearms in our parks."

Commentary: What Would An Economic Stimulus Package for the National Parks Buy Us?

Jan 14th - 21:04pm | Barky

Back on topic -- one thing I do want to point out is a lot of NPS sites are also in areas that don't have much else in the way of economic development other than tourism, and tourism does suffer during economic downturns.

Jan 14th - 17:25pm | Rick Smith

Come on, Bemis, how many real socialists are regular readers of NPT? And how many of us spell our country's name "Amerika"? The Pell deadbeats will protest your exaggerations. Rick Smith

University Researchers Suggest Solution To Yellowstone National Park's Bison Problem

Jan 14th - 17:19pm | jsmacdonald

The war on elk and brucellosis in Montana has just started. Elk were just killed near Gardiner. http://www.kxmc.com/News/319754.asp

NPCA, Park Retirees File Lawsuit to Halt Change in National Park Gun Rules

Jan 14th - 05:53am | Richard Moore

RAH, it is better when you come to an argument that you are possessed with the facts. The regulation in place in 1976 was simply another of several change in existing regulations that had existed since the 1930's prohibiting loaded firearms in parks.

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