December 20, 2011

SandBox Comments: Power Line "The Last Refuge of a Scoundrel"

He has not even picked up the phone to speak directly to Brian Terry's family.


John Hinderaker:
"In today’s world, it is playing the race card. There are two notable miscreants in the news today. The first is Eric Holder, who, in a weekend interview, suggested that criticism of his job performance in relation to Fast and Furious and other issues is–sometimes, anyway–racist:

"Mr. Holder contended that many of his other critics — not only elected Republicans but also a broader universe of conservative commentators and bloggers — were instead playing “Washington gotcha” games, portraying them as frequently “conflating things, conveniently leaving some stuff out, construing things to make it seem not quite what it was” to paint him and other department figures in the worst possible light.


Of that group of critics, Mr. Holder said he believed that a few — the “more extreme segment” — were motivated by animus against Mr. Obama and that he served as a stand-in for him. “This is a way to get at the president because of the way I can be identified with him,” he said, “both due to the nature of our relationship and, you know, the fact that we’re both African-American....”

Why are Colorado's Independent Conservatives sending Texas Governor Rick Perry to the White House in 2012?

He's hitting every mark.

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SandBox Comments: Aspen Times "Basalt library board urged to challenge ex-director's severance demand"

Sort of figured this was coming.  And it is rightful.  As someone who has observed the entire story of Kristen Becker and her relationship with Basalt; there is no surprise to see Kristen react as she did with the demand of a severance package when reality, is that there was no wrong committed in revising her contract offer and she quit rather than having been fired.

To demand a severance package, when her spending of library funds is legitimately in question, is pretty arrogant under all the circumstances of Kristen Becker and her relationship with Basalt.

Strong people, especially women in leadership or key roles, are often misunderstood by the general population when and if they ever are thrust into the spotlight.

A very good barometer to use when gauging someone like that and their motivation when they fight back, is to go back to the beginning of their exposure and take a look at 'why' they're in the spotlight.

In Kristen's case, she chose to be.  And has done absolutely nothing to help people get to know her personally.  Controversy flares up, spotlight grows intense, Kristen's back goes up against the wall.

Instead of finding some kind of medium to flow alongside all the controversy, she instead chooses to make more demands and never really comes out with a targeted and appropriate to the level directed at her of 'push back'.

Only to end up not being a team player after all and losing all of her fairly big talk of having the library's interests at heart by up and quitting.  Yes, that's her right to choose.

But the severance demand?

Might as well have taken jet fuel and just carelessly toss it on the smoldering coals.

Sometimes, the best thing to do if you're a similar style as Kristen Becker, is to let people come to know the real you instead of what they've been led to believe.

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SandBox Comments: Glenwood Springs Post Independent "BOCC proceeds with land-use code revisions"

SandBox sends out another special thank you to GarCo commissioners for setting the pace on uprooting and overhaul of all our county land use, building and development codes.

People who are not in the industry of construction and development have no idea how bad it was.  Like trying to run in mud.

So many business ventures have passed us by over the years for that very reason.

This is all very, very good news.

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SandBox Comments: Summit County Citizens Voice "USFS approves Aspen ski area forest health work"

"SUMMIT COUNTY — The Aspen Skiing Company will try to stay ahead of the forest health curve with treatments across more than 4,000 acres aimed at encouraging the growth of new trees and maintaining forest cover where it exists.

The U.S. Forest Service last week approved the forest health project, set to proceed during the next 10 years.

“Maintaining a diversity of tree species and age classes in an area can help encourage stand resilience, thereby improving forest health,” said District Ranger Scott Snelson. “Age class diversity is one way to assure future resilience of a forest ecosystem to a threat such as mountain pine beetle.”

According to the Forest Service, the projects are designed to maintain or improve forest health conditions in timber stands located within each of the four SkiCo permitted ski areas. Forest health has deteriorated regionally due to a combination of problems such as mountain pine and spruce beetle infestations, aspen decline, mistletoe, and past drought. Without intervention, stand resilience and overall forest health is likely to continue deteriorating.

Copies of the environmental assessment and Decision Notice and FONSI are available on-line at the White River National Forest website...."
(Summit Voice)

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