New congress gives new Forest Service chief a grilling in committee hearing.

New Forest Service chief gets rough treatment in Congress. By Matthew Daly, Associated Press.

Good!

Hopefully the new Congress will finally rein in the land management agencies which have become increasing lawless during the Bush Administration. The new commitee chairman, however, is a supporter of cutting more timber, and he played an unsavory role in the flap over the Oregon State University’s graduate student’s article in Science Magazine showing the ill effects of  post-forest fire salvage logging on forest regeneration.

Ron Gilette lets Canadian Broadcasting know about the havoc their “Canadian” wolves have wrought in Idaho

Listen to Ron Gilette tell CBC’s “As It Happens” about what Canadian wolves have done 400 miles to the south in Idaho. Go to about 13:30 on your media player at this link.

It is always a kick to hear Ron, and he leaves quite impression about folks here in the Gem State. I hope my residency doesn’t it spoil it to much for him.

I can’t imagine why he doesn’t fill his cabins with visitors. Yes it’s the wolves, although I learned there were about 100 elk in the vicinity of Stanley today.

Both sides cry wolf. Politics of wolf is similiar to politics of abortion

Political scientists call them “symbolic issues,” as opposed to tangible issues.

Symbolic issues have become more and more prominent in recent years in the United States, not just in Wyoming. Such issues that evoke non-economic values eclipse economic issues — the issues that really affect the material welfare of individual people and the nation. This development is, according to some, not an accident.

The Jackson Hole News and Guide has a pretty good analysis. Both sides cry wolf. In the debate over wolf management, politics and values prove as compelling as science. By Noah Brenner.

Other issues like this are where the Ten Commandments may or may not be located, debates over the Flag, the Pledge of Allegiance, etc.  Those groups who are superior in social rank would often rather have people taking about this kind of issue than why so many lack medical insurance or the extreme inequality of wealth in the present day United States.

Hunters, elk ranchers take stands on bills in the Idaho Legislature

 There is finally some action in the state legislature on the many bills introduced to regulate/self-regulate/or crack down on the domestic elk industry in Idaho.

Hunters, elk ranchers take stands on bills. Senate committee hears testimony on measures that would restrict elk-ranching industry. By Roger Phillips. Idaho Statesman