NC Media Watch

Enjoy your 4th of July (upated with parade photos)

Russ Steele

Ellen and I are marching in the 4th of July Parade with the Friends of the Nevada County Military. Friends will be near the front of the Parade, with the Tea Party Patriots near the tail end. Logistically it does not look like we can march in both groups, though we would like to support both. I heard yesterday that the Tea Party group had grown so large they would be taking out a second parade application. We will try to take some pictures and post them later today. 

Update #1:  Ellen and I matched with the Friends, but there were not that many of us. A number of Friend's members came by the launching point in their red Tea Party Patriot T-shirts, explaining it was impossible to be in two places at once. I would say most of us in the Friends groups would have like to have been in two places at once, joining the Tea Party.  



We have been told by the local Democrat Bloggers that they will soon be the majority party in Nevada County. They managed to round up about 15 for the parade.



The Republics had a few more, about 24, including Tom McClintock the US 4th District Representative.




The Tea Party Patriots were the largest group in the parade, I counted over a 100 marchers. 

There were over 100 angry Republicans, Democrats and Independents marching as Tea Party Patriots. Patriots who are sick and tired of paying taxes so that Congress can spend it on vacations, pet projects, bank bailouts, auto companies and the greening of America.  I hope the Republicans and Democats that preceeded the Tea Party in the parade heard the sound marching feet and are scared, real scared. There is a revolution coming and the Tea Parties are just the opening skirmishes.

Update#2:  One picture I did not get was George Rebane's fly over with Jim Booth at the controls of MYAT-6.  My camera does not have a view finder and with polarized sun glass on the screen is blank. Cannot see thing. Fred Buhler, snapped a picture as the formation flew over the Parade Route the second time. He will send if turns out OK.  George has fly over details at Rebanes Ruminations, and the problems of cameras without view finders.

Looking through a crooked glass

Russ Steele

According to a former Union Editor, Nevada County Voices is the go to starting place for the News in Nevada County. He claims that people are starting their day at Nevada County Voices.  I have always admired Anna Haynes initiative in creating the Nevada County Voices. It was something that I always thought The Union might do. But, alas it was Anna that took up the challenge.

However, the news and views presented at Nevada County Voices are not with out some distortion. Most of the blogs are listed with out editorial baggage, however those blogs that do not conform to Anna's view of the world are subject to her editorial views. "Read with caution/Climate action delayers"  Where? You did not see it?  On the far right of the page.

Anna is currently pushing Paul Krugman op-ed in Monday's New York Times in which he called anyone who's skeptical of man-made global warming a “traitor to the Earth.” Here is an alternative view by James Anderson, who writes:

The key to good science -- not good politics -- is understanding the scientific method. Richard Feynmann, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist, put it this way: “It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is; it doesn't matter how smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong.”

Here is some of the latest data from Mother Earth:

However, if you accept the above as fact, the earth is cooling, you are a "traitor to the earth."  Try looking at this graphic through a crooked glass, and you might see what Krugman and Anna sees. Global Warming!   

The Feds at our doorstep?

Russ Steele

Could the Federal Government take over and operate the Empire Mine State Park?  Maybe.

The federal government is threatening to take possession of several of California's most prominent state parks — including Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, the top of Mt. Diablo and four miles of beaches at Fort Ord Dunes near Monterey — if Sacramento lawmakers close them to balance the budget. The warnings came in a letter from John Jarvis, the Pacific regional director of the National Park Service to Schwarzenegger on 8 June 2009. Details here.

George Rebane has been warning us about the Federalization of California. Was this one of the first steppes toward the federal government taking over the state? Details here and here.

Your thoughts?  Are we about to lose our State Park to the Feds?

The Role of Sierra College

Russ Steele

George Rebane has a thought provoking column in the Union this morning, though the Union's Server seems to be down at this writing. You can read George's column at Rebane's Ruminations. I hope George can give us some follow up articles providing more depth on the specific jobs that lead to wealth creation, rather than wealth consumption.  Modern day entrepreneurs need to "think out side the box" to create the products we are still unaware that we really need. Students coming from our high schools are conditioned to be in the box thinkers, those that keep going astray are punished. My experience was no critical thinking allow in high school, only regurgitation. I wonder if entrepreneurship can be taught at the Community College level, or should the focus be on developing critical thinking skill sets that lead to entrepreneurship. Your thoughts.  

NID is part of living in Nevada County

Russ Steele

Growing up in Nevada County "NID" has always been part of my life. My two brothers and I fished in the Cascade Ditch, walked the flumes, raced home made wooden boats in the ditch, and some times just jumped in on hot summer days. In the 1950s there was big lanky NID ditch tender who dressed in bib overalls and hip boots who would come by my Grandmother Thomas' house every once in a while. "Francis, you tell those Steele boys to stop throwing sticks in the ditch." A message that was often relayed with a stern warning from my Grandmother.

One time in the 1960s we pulled a dead deer from the ditch and then got blamed for throwing it in the first place. We liked to fish in the ditch especially where it crossed under the Banner Lava Cap, the man-made water fall prevented the trout from swimming back up stream. There seem to be more fish in the ditch in the 1950s, than there are today.

My Grandfather Steele was an NID Ditch Tender at Camp 19 in the early 1960s. My Grandmother and Grandfather lived at Camp 19 year round, bring in supplies to last through the winter. We spent one summer with them fishing in the canal, picking blackberries, and learning how shoot a .22 caliber rifle and pistol. Grandpa set up cans on a rail between two posts and took turns shooting the can off the rail. Grandpa was an excellent shot, often putting a rabbit or two on the table. In the winter the Army Rangers training in the Sierra would come by and my Grandmother would bake apple pies for the Officers and give them a bottle of blackberry preserves for the enlisted troopers camping in the canyon below the camp. 

Crank science results in crank policy

Russ Steele

Anna at NC Focus has been promoting a scary MIT study and the work of Joe Romm, but she is unwilling to accept any contrary views. See below, and click for a larger image. This is not how science is done.

Now consider this analysis of the MIT study by Kesten C. Green and J. Scott Armstrong at the Financial Post. Armstrong and Green are co-directors of the public service Web site  forecastingprinciples.com, sponsored by the International Institute of Forecasters.

According to Armstrong and Green the MIT modelers violated 49 principles of forecasting in coming up with their very unscientific and catastrophic climate forecast.  

The MIT report authors predicted that, without massive government action, global warming could be twice as severe as previously forecast, and more severe than the official projections of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The MIT authors said their report is based in part on 400 runs of a computer model of the global climate and economic activity.

Mobile broadband linked to local economy(edited)

Russ Steele

Below is my column published in The Union on 13 June 2009, with links added to enhance the information content of the column for the reader.

I am a mobile broadband user, I carry an Apple iPod Touch and Palm Treo 700p. I use the iPod Touch to access WiFi sites, and the Palm Treo as PDA and cell phone on the Verizon network, which has excellent local broadband coverage.

When traveling, I often access my e-mail and surf the net for information on the Palm, or the iPod, depending on my location and the availability of WiFi. When WiFi is not available, I use the Palm to search for information about my current location, places to dine for example.

If AT&T had better broadband coverage in the area I would buy an iPhone, and only have one device to carry. (Note: Local AT&T coverage has improved, but Verizon is more robust, see the details here.)

Accessing the Internet from mobile devices is a lot more wide spread than many local businesses realize. That creates some challenges for mobile device users visiting the area. Many local businesses and business related organizations have Web sites that are not very mobile device friendly.

As the region struggles economically, the downtown associations and chambers are encouraging more tourists to visit. They are hoping these tourists will bolster our leisure and tourism economy. All of those visitors are potential mobile phone broadband users.

How is your TV this morning?

Russ Steele

The US is switching to digital TV today, be sure to rescan your converter box. Channel 3, one of the strongest local stations will switch off their analog signal at 9:00 this morning, some of the UHF stations will stay on until the very last minute, there viewers problems will start tomorrow.

Western Nevada County is a poor reception area for the the new digital TV according to the FCC web site.  I would like to hear about your experience. What happened at your house?  

Nevada County Tea Party gets national recognition

Russ Steele

The Union coverage of the Saturday Tea Party was mentioned on Glenn Reynolds blog Instapundit. This is a well read national blog.

Great Tea Party - Patriotism is alive in Nevada County

Russ Steele

Here are some pictures I took of the Tea Party at the Fair Grounds on 6 June 2009.

 

The makeshift stage with Turquoise, a band from Reno Playing patriotic music. They were excellent!

The crowd gathering for the program about 15 minutes before the program starts. About 200 to 250 people attended the Tea Party. Ellen is in the center taking pictures.