Dear True,
I am sure you remember the horrific cat beating murder at the campground a few years ago. Awful as it was, to me it was even worse that the perpetrator was never prosecuted and the county attorney deliberately mis-interpreted the animal cruelty statute for Minnesota. I was and still am so appalled. But it is good to know that some one else is out there who might in future help those of us who complained bitterly but without success after that incident, which was actually witnessed unlike most murders. Read the following excerpt from the ASPCA news alert at
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=media_newsalert011808#1.
ASPCA also urges us to take special care of our companion friends in this severe cold weather. Frostbite in 15 minutes. Stay home and keep the dog and the cat indoors too.
Anonymous
ASPCA ANNOUNCES ARREST OF SUSPECT IN BRONX KITTEN KILLING
In late November 2007, the ASPCA was alerted to suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of a stray kitten who had been socialized, cared for and fed by the residents and employees of a building at 1581 Fulton Avenue, The Bronx. Witnesses told ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement investigators that 17-year-old Robert Tull, a resident of the area, struck the 4 1/2-month-old male kitten with a garbage pail lid on the night of the kitten's death. Back at ASPCA headquarters in Manhattan, an examination of the kitten's remains proved that he had suffered head trauma and that he had been drowned.
ASPCA Special Agent Patrick Breen arrested Tull without incident on December 17, just a short distance away from the Fulton Avenue building. At 17, Tull is considered an adult by New York City law. He has been charged with felony aggravated animal cruelty and faces up to two years in prison and a $2,000 fine.
It is a well-documented phenomenon that those who hurt animals without provocation—especially young people—often move on to commit acts of violence against humans. Please report animal abuse in New York City by contacting the ASPCA's anonymous tip line at (877) THE-ASPCA. To learn how to report cruelty elsewhere, visit our Report Cruelty section.
Because we can, we once again plagiarize, and print this poem in today's News Herald. So, sue us:
Anonymous Poems (bold in headline type)
Anonymous poems
And the papers that print them
Speak volumes about
The people who write them
Though you did not attend, or
Stand or defend them
Your opinions you "Herald" regardless
Anonymous poets write
Anonymous poems about
Anonymous unfounded fears
Let go of the past because
Time moves so fast, and
You cannot go back to the '70's
Bummer!
John Gorski
Grand Marais
Like dear Emily, a great poet, we at True believe that Anonymous (Nobody) are the yeast that rises the creative spirit. Certainly not the bad, bad poetry of locals with agendas.
Consider Emily's really good poem:
I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us — don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know. How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
We love being nobody, aka Anonymous. We celebrate our freedom from nya nya, shamey shame politics as usual. And we hope and pray we are better poets, though nobody could top Emily.
Seriously, the issue here is not anonymity. No, it is being able to speak out in the public media on a critical issue without losing personal credibility and income in a county where Texas-style Bidness calls the shots. That's why True decided to blog without revealing any of its individual contributors.
And at the end of the day, most people either do not want downtown residential or they don't give a shit. That's a documented fact by those so-called visionary planners who really wanted it to happen along with a 35 foot height limit that would have been manna from heaven for downtown bidness owners but NOBODY else liked.
So. It's the issues, stupid. Who cares who said it? The News Herald caved by apologizing. We all need to be able to speak out freely, both locally and globally.
True
True here. This is what Bush really wants for his "legacy": endless war. If you aren't a MoveOn member, you can still sign the petition before Monday. It's easy. Just a small step for peace that we can all take.
Dear MoveOn member, Did you see the New York Times editorial today? Here's how it starts:
President Bush is discussing a new agreement with Baghdad that would govern the deployment of American troops in Iraq. With so many Americans adamant about bringing our forces home as soon as possible, a sentiment we strongly share, Mr. Bush must not be allowed to tie the hands of his successor and ensure the country's continued involvement in an open-ended war.
MoveOn sounded the alarm about the disastrous agreement early on, and more than 150,000 MoveOn members have signed a petition demanding that Congress stop President Bush from tying us down in Iraq.
Since then Representative Rosa DeLauro and Senator Hillary Clinton have introduced legislation to do just that. This morning's editorial in the Times will build momentum for action—now we need to push it over the top. If we can reach 250,000 signatures this week, the petitions will go straight to Congress on Monday.
Clicking here will add your name:
http://pol.moveon.org/endless/o.pl?id=11923-7609874-kO1KOc&t=89
The petition reads:
"Congress must not let President Bush commit America to an endless military presence in Iraq."
Our original email about this petition, with more details, is here.
Please sign today.
Thanks for all you do.
–Nita, Justin, Wes, Joan, and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Thursday, January 17th, 2008
P.S. Here's a longer excerpt from the editorial:
Don't Tie the Next President's Hands
President Bush is discussing a new agreement with Baghdad that would govern the deployment of American troops in Iraq. With so many Americans adamant about bringing our forces home as soon as possible, a sentiment we strongly share, Mr. Bush must not be allowed to tie the hands of his successor and ensure the country's continued involvement in an open-ended war.
Given what's at stake in Iraq in terms of American and Iraqi lives lost, national treasure and broad national security interests, the negotiations on any new agreement must be fully transparent—which they are not. The national debate must be vigorous and thoughtful, and then Congress must vote on whatever deal results.
Formal negotiations won't start until February and few details are known, but already the two sides are laying down markers. The Iraqi defense minister, Abdul Qadir—apparently tone-deaf to the American political debate—told The Times's Thom Shanker that his nation would not be able to take full responsibility for its internal security until 2012 or be able to defend its own borders from external threat at least until 2018.
That is far too long for most Americans, but not for Mr. Bush, who is quite comfortable leaving American troops fighting in Iraq for another decade.
...
Mr. Bush is rushing to complete a deal before he leaves office in January 2009. That is just as reckless and irresponsible as most of his decisions regarding Iraq. America's interests demand that his successor has maximum flexibility to plot a course, which we hope includes a quick and orderly withdrawal of troops.
One way to ensure that flexibility is to make sure that Congress approves any deal with Iraq, as leading Democrats, including Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, are insisting. The time for Congressional intervention is now.
The whole editorial is here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/17/opinion/17thu1.html
Support our member-driven organization: MoveOn.org Political Action is entirely funded by our 3.2 million members. We have no corporate contributors, no foundation grants, no money from unions. Our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. If you'd like to support our work, you can give now at:
http://political.moveon.org/donate/email.html?id=11923-7609874-kO1KOc&t=91
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Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Most Minnesotans grew up with a warm feeling for the folks at the DNR. Their usual interaction was with a conservation officer, most often when being checked while fishing, hunting, or perhaps just a casual encounter while hiking a state park or forest. I always came away with certain knowledge that these were folks who could be trusted to protect the state’s natural heritage. No more.
In recent years we have seen the politicization of the DNR as it has become an arm of industry and force for development. In terms of ill conceived and disastrously executed development programs, all one has to do is look to its trashing of Minnesota’s North Shore under the guise of its docks at all costs Safe Harbor program. In respect to its having become a toady of industry one need only look to its ongoing efforts to open every forest, trash every wetland, ruin every stream, and tear up every trail at the behest of Arctic Cat, Polaris and those ATV riders who believe literally that no stone should remain unturned in the pursuit of their so-called ‘sport”.
The latest exposition by the DNR of the loss of its soul is on display in north central Minnesota as it peddles its plan for the Mississippi Headwaters State Forest. To view the draft plan, maps and other documents, visit: www.dnr.state.mn.us/input/mgmtplans/ohv/designation/status.html. Scroll to West Central Group — North Unit for documents.
The MN DNR would have us believe it has a mandate from heaven – in our state that is St. Paul – to allow ATVers to trammel the forest and banks that cradle the Mississippi. Keep in mind that this, the Mississippi Headwaters, is the only stretch of river in the state that is designated “wild” and that for generations the state, through the DNR has pledge to maintain it as such.
How did the DNR wander so far off its path? The reasons are complex, but basically it strayed because of prevailing attitude in St. Paul under the Pawlenty administration that the business of the state is business. This has been combined with the governor’s right wing religious conservative republican twisted idea that biblical stewardship equates to domination and destruction. Add to this the essentially corrupt pandering by Iron Range elected state politicians whose supporters demand unrestricted access to and use of the North Woods, along with weak and ineffectual leadership at the top of the DNR and you end up with a badly compromised DNR.
On a practical level, it translates into the trashing of out-state Minnesota. Unfortunately, we are not at the start of the process, but some where past its middle, especially in regard to the DNR ATV trail plan. This is because in countering the DNR’s efforts, the state’s environmental groups have, in part, been asleep at the switch, but mainly have not been able to muster the resources to counter the combined weight of the DNR and the ATV industry.
Though not impossible to stop, those who love northern Minnesota are forced to fight against the very agency most of the state likely still mistakenly thinks is protecting our natural bounty. In fact, however, the DNR is not just cheerleading the destruction of lake, stream, field and forest, it is actively abetting it as it not only echoes those who say we just want a little bit here and a little bit there and a little bit everywhere to destroy in our legitimate quest for fun. No, the DNR is taking up the call itself saying it’s only fair for these good folks on their wonderful machines to totally destroy all that we have worked so hard to protect.
And all of this will soon be coming to Cook County courtesy of our own branch of the ATV industry, our local ATV club, working hand in hand with the DNR as they work to likewise drag us down the same rutted trail. Hopefully, the county board will stop this insanity.
If you are interested in just what the DNR is mind for the Mississippi Headwaters, and what impact ATV’s have on people, communities, and our natural areas, go to www.atvreport.blogspot.com.
True
The Iron Range Resources Board gives so much to us here on the North Shore, like a really nice grant for Birch Grove to fix their septic system. But with the other hand they gave exactly 10 times that amount to privately owned and filthy rich Lutsen Mountain so they can build sidewalks, gutters, etc. for free. IRRB also just published a glowing newsletter about the many new mining projects they expect will bring great prosperity to us poor folks in northeastern Minnesota. One of these projects is also expected to bring death of all life surrounding it, i.e., the proposed Polymet copper mine just a skip and a jump away from us up here on the Shore.
Our mining correspondent Lori Andersen sent this batch of very interesting stories about mining, copper, a similar project in Michigan and other questions the environmental folks are asking. Settle in for a good winter night's read here:
MI DNR delays decision/ Ely forum highlights threats from climate change/ Murphy Oil expansion/ GROWING FUEL
http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/business-14/1200012851270700.xml&storylist=michigannews
DNR delays decision on permits for Upper Peninsula mine
1/10/2008, 7:49 p.m. ET
By JOHN FLESHER
The Associated Press
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A proposed nickel and copper mine in Michigan's Upper Peninsula hit at least a temporary snag Thursday when the state Department of Natural Resources postponed a ruling on the company's plan.
Director Rebecca Humphries was scheduled to announce whether the DNR would let Kennecott Minerals Co. build and operate the mine in northwestern Marquette County. Instead, she requested more information, a process that could take months. She set no deadline.
The Department of Environmental Quality, the agency that regulates mining in Michigan, granted permits for the project in December. But Kennecott wants to lease 120 acres of state land for its aboveground operations, which requires DNR approval.
DNR staffers have endorsed the mine. Humphries was not signaling the project was in jeopardy by delaying a decision, spokeswoman Mary Dettloff said.
But with opponents having filed a lawsuit and administrative challenges to the DEQ's approval, Humphries wants to be sure the DNR's eventual decision will "stand up to any scrutiny," Dettloff said.
"It's a yellow light, not a red light," said Lynne Boyd, chief of the Forest, Minerals and Fire Management Division.
Opponents were hopeful that further review would defeat the mine.
"Director Humphries is one of the first people willing to look at this objectively and not just rubber-stamp it," said Michelle Halley, attorney for the National Wildlife Federation. "She is asking good questions and I don't think the company is able to provide satisfactory answers."
Jon Cherry, project manager for Kennecott, said the DEQ already considered many of the same issues raised by the DNR and was satisfied with the company's responses.
"We want to make sure the DNR has all the information it needs and we want the process to be transparent and thorough," Cherry said.
The mine would be located in a remote area called the Yellow Dog Plains, renowned for its backwoods trails and trout streams. Foes say the mine could pollute groundwater and the nearby Salmon Trout River with sulfuric acid. Kennecott says it would protect the environment while boosting the regional economy and creating jobs.
The company is targeting an underground ore deposit expected to yield up to 300 million pounds of nickel and about 200 million pounds of copper, plus smaller amounts of other metals.
It would be Michigan's first nickel mine, and the only U.S. mine where nickel is the primary mineral generated instead of a byproduct.
Humphries told the state Natural Resources Commission on Thursday she wanted Kennecott to further explain why it needs to lease state land for its surface facilities when the company owns adjacent property.
Cherry said Kennecott had considered another location that it owns, but the preferred site is farther from the river and provides additional environmental protection.
Marvin Roberson, a Sierra Club spokesman, said the state should demand additional evidence to back up that claim.
The DNR also wants more information about the mine's effect on a bedrock outcrop with spiritual significance for the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Humphries said.
The mine would tunnel underneath the outcrop. It would be fenced off for safety reasons but tribal members would be granted access, Cherry said.
___
On the Net:
_Michigan Department of Natural Resources: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr
_Kennecott Minerals Co.: http://www.kennecottminerals.com
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/articles/index.cfm?id=57908§ion=Opinion
Iron Range view: In imaginary boardroom, mining execs cook up propaganda to feed Iron Rangers
Joseph Legueri, Duluth News Tribune
Published Friday, January 11, 2008
This lifelong Iron Ranger is no friend of the mining companies. Members of my family have labored in the mines for the better part of 100 years; some of them died there.
My grandfather told me stories about Cousin Jacks, Pinkertons, company houses, the company store and one atrocity after another committed by the uncaring mining companies at the expense of the men whose labors made the companies rich. When he was 85, my father’s pension and supplementary health insurance were taken away by the mining company. The look on his face when he received the news is etched deeply in my mind.
Yes, things have changed in 100 years. However, human nature doesn’t change. The nature of greed doesn’t change. Based on what has happened to us at the hands of the mining companies and based on what they taught me about greed, I have formed an opinion about what might have happened at a board meeting that might have taken place in Toronto, Ontario, recently when the fictitious MollyMetalMining made its decision to mine copper/nickel on Minnesota’s Iron Range:
John Foster Dulls, president and CEO of MollyMetalMining, sits at the head of a huge, deeply polished oak meeting-room table. His six-member management team is just entering the room.
Fossy, as he’s known to his team, takes charge. “Gentlemen,” he says, “I’ve been reading a report that was just completed by the Minnesota DNR. The report says that there are more than 4 billion tons of non-ferrous [non-iron bearing] copper and nickel ore near Aurora, Babbitt and Ely.
“I’ve also just looked at a study that I asked our corporate planners to complete. The price for copper right now is $3.50 a pound; nickel is $12.06 a pound. Our people think that we can mine copper for $1.50 a pound and nickel for $6.50 a pound. I’d like to hear what you gentlemen have to say about this.”
Hubert Mumphrey, MMM’s best metallurgical engineer and the only former Minnesotan in the Canadian company, speaks up right away. “I don’t know, Fossy. Wisconsin has all but outlawed the mining of copper and nickel because it’s encased in sulfide rock that emits sulfuric acid when it’s exposed to air and water.”
“That’s no problem,” counters John Dubois, the company’s chief mining engineer. “You know that we can dig up that sulfide rock and stockpile it on an impermeable membrane. Then when we’re done extracting the minerals, we can dump the sulfide back into the mine pit and cover it up. Then it can’t get air. No air — no sulfuric acid.”
“That sounds like a good plan,” Mumphrey says, “but you know it didn’t work at Kennecott’s Flambeau Copper/Nickel Mine in Ladysmith, Wisconsin. The Flambeau mine closed in 1997, and years later that mine is still leeching out Yellow Boy [sulfuric acid]. They don’t know if or when it will ever stop.”
“So what you’re saying,” Fossy says, “is that there’s no 100 percent safe way to mine copper and nickel without creating sulfuric acid contamination of the surrounding air and water?”
“That’s right,” Mumphrey answers. “There’s no known 100 percent safe way to mine the stuff.”
“The hell with it,” harrumphs Fossy. “Aurora and Babbitt are a long way from Toronto. What do we care if there’s a little sulfuric acid contamination? Get a truck full of cheap respirators and another truck full of Sam’s Club bottled water and park them in the Hoyt Lakes arena parking lot in case anything happens.”
“But how are we going to get our permits and convince those Rangers how nice we are?” asks Michael St.-John-Smith, MMM’s personnel director.
“I’ve got that all figured out,” Fossy says. “We’ll form a group of corporations and individuals, headed by a Ranger, to propagandize the locals with sayings like ‘the bad old, good old days of mining are gone’ and ‘we are the front guard, or the right guard, not the rear guard.’
“Rangers are stupid; they’ll believe anything we say for the chance to employ 800 people in what, most likely, will be short-term jobs. They let the old mining companies rape their land. They swallowed those lies about 100 more years of mining and passed the taconite amendment. They let the old mining companies give them mesothelioma and take away their pensions and health insurance, and then they believed the companies went bankrupt.”
“What if the price of copper drops to less than $2.25 a pound and nickel goes under $7.80 a pound and it’s not profitable to mine them anymore?” asks St.-John-Smith.
“That price drop can happen at any time,” Fossy replies. “The market fluctuates. The minute that happens, we’ll close the Minnesota mines. We’ll immediately declare bankruptcy. I have our people working on that plan as we speak. They’re camouflaging our assets. We’ll do the same if the sulfuric acid gets out of control. Our best thinkers have told me that copper and nickel will stay at or better than their present price for at least five years. After that, who cares? We’ll take our money and get out, eh?”
Mumphrey rises again to speak. “What about Teck Cominco?” he asks. “Didn’t they just invest $265 million in a copper-mining project and then pull out before it even started? Aren’t they part of the Minnesota group you’re forming to propagandize the Rangers?”
“I’ve heard enough out of you, Mumphrey,” Fossy growls. “We’re going ahead with the project. Just to satisfy the legalities, let’s do a show-of-hands vote.”
Five hands go up in favor and one opposed.
“Good,” Fossy says. “We’ll be mining by late 2008 or early 2009 … guaranteed.”
A round of applause erupts for Fossy.
“And Mumphrey,” Fossy turns to say, “will you stop in my office after the meeting for a moment, please?”
The other board members exchange knowing glances as they leave the room.
Joseph Legueri of Gilbert is a writer and a lifelong resident of the Iron Range.
Mum’s the word on high-level meetings at Minntac Mine
Lee Bloomquist Duluth News Tribune
Published Friday, January 11, 2008
Several top-level U.S. Steel executives made a rare visit to Minntac Mine in Mountain Iron this week to discuss company strategies with Iron Range legislators.
Such visits usually signal a major company decision. Iron Range legislators said U.S. Steel asked them to keep the subject of the meeting confidential.
State Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, characterized Wednesday’s meeting as positive, saying that U.S. Steel’s strategies could lead to a significant boost for the Iron Range.
U.S. Steel officials have also contacted steelworker leaders about company strategies.
U.S. Steel owns and operates two Iron Range taconite plants, Minntac Mine and KeeTac in Keewatin.
KeeTac produces about 5.4 million tons of iron ore pellets annually. However, it has one production line that has been mothballed for years. Minntac can produce about 14.6 million tons of iron ore pellets annually.
Scott Coleman, Minnesota Ore Operations general manager, said Thursday he could not comment on the nature of the discussion.
Iron ore pellets are in high demand globally as rapidly developing countries such as China and India build infrastructure. An 800,000-ton per year expansion at Northshore Mining Co. in Silver Bay is due to become operational near the end of the first quarter.
http://timberjay.com/current.php?article=4015
Well over 200 people packed the Vermilion Community College Fine Arts Theater in Ely, last Friday, to learn more about the threats posed from climate change. Photo by Scott Stowell
Thursday, January 10, 2001908
Volume 19, Issue 2
Ely forum highlights threats from climate change
By Marshall Helmberger
A diverse array of government, union, and business leaders described global climate change as both threat and opportunity to a standing room only crowd at the Vermilion Community College theater in Ely last Friday.
The forum, sponsored by the Will Steger Foundation, was the second of several to be held across the state to help raise public awareness of the local effects of climate change resulting from the burning of fossil fuels.
Friday's event, held in Steger's hometown, was the latest sign of the growing partnership between polar explorer Will Steger and Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who has become increasingly outspoken and active on the issue of climate change. Steger, who has witnessed first hand the dramatic changes now taking place in the polar regions, has spent the past several years focused on raising public awareness of the threat from climate change. Steger will be returning to the Far North in May, when he plans to visit Ellesmere Island to again draw attention to the issue. Pawlenty has said he may join Steger for part of that trip, although the governor said Friday that a final decision will depend on scheduling details and the demands of the upcoming legislative session.
Steger, who pointed to the large crowd in attendance at the Ely forum, called global warming “an enemy at our doorstep,” but said the public is starting to get the message. “Ely has sometimes been divided on political issues,” added Steger, “but it seems we’re united on the threats posed from global warming.”
Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who was in attendance at the forum along with U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, acknowledged that some in his own party remain skeptical of global warming. But Pawlenty said he finds the science persuasive and sees the reasons for action compelling. “Let’s say it’s a hoax, as some claim. The worst thing we’re going to do is clean up the world and improve things for our children and grandchildren. But what if we’re right?”
Klobuchar sai
