Federal Government
Election 2012 Boils Down To Physics
A reader directed us to a “creative commons” website created by a University of Michigan Prof who has created a series of red and blue maps which explain in vivid color why Obama won the election. Mark Newman, Department of Physics and Center for the Study of Complex Systems, University of Michigan shows us why [...]
Guv Observes Free Speech
We don’t normally drop “f-bombs” on the GUARDIAN, but this display of free speech with the familiar face of Idaho Guv Butch Otter is an example of democracy in action. It was sent to us by a reader who got the viral image from Face Book.
Share Your Voting Stories
As an election day special the GUARDIAN will post your stories about voting today. Just make a comment and we will transfer it to this page. Tells us about meeting friends, long lines, short lines, parking, ANYTHING about the election. PHIL McCRANE, Ada election chief–Reminder to Voters: Early reports show that some voters are heading [...]
No Income Tax For Major Ada Employers
NOTE–Boise State Radio is part of a project called “StateImpact Idaho” which does some good non-partisan research. A recent post at Boise State PUBLIC RADIO provides an interesting interactive map of Idaho counties which shows just how much government impact we have when it comes to jobs. Of particular note was Ada County where the [...]
Dynamis Hot Potato Investigation Flipped (or mashed) Yet Again
The “Hot Potato” investigation of the Ada County-Dynamis trash to energy deal has been tossed once again thanks to the withdrawal of Boise PD from the case. Sadly, it was only after the GUARDIAN informed readers of the BPD involvement that Mayor Dave Bieter called them off the case. Several potential witnesses contacted the GUARDIAN, [...]
Bieter Ignores Public, Seeks More Tax Money From Feds For Pet Train
Ignoring at least two public opinion SURVEYS funded by the city and one conducted by the Idaho Statesman, Team Dave has continued its short sighted quest engineer expensive trains in the Treasure Valley. Mayor Dave Bieter gave away an autographed Kristin Armstrong bike helmet to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and got a promise of [...]
Alternative Energy Firms Don’t Have Power To Succeed
The thought of generating electricity using the natural power of the sun and wind struck a cord with environmentalists, investors, and legislators about 30 years ago. Federal and state tax dollars poured into the “alternative fuel” industry and laws requiring power companies to purchase the electricity from these sources came out of Washington and state [...]
Battling Smoke And Flames With Words And Images
Flying into Boise Tuesday we noticed hundreds of black spots on the desert from past fires as well as the smoke we are all seeing and breathing. The task of protecting lives and property while battling wildfires has taken on a new face over the past decade or so, thanks to the internet, social media [...]
Thoughts On Movie Mass Murder Mania
Early reports of the tragedy in Aurora point to a deranged madman entering a theater during a Batman movie and opening fire on the audience. No indication of foreign terrorist involvement. –Sadly, one of the risks–and benefits–of living in a free society is people have access to guns and you can’t make every theater, retail [...]
Hoku On Trickle, Zonda Misses The Bus
The Pocatello Hoku plant that was set to make photovoltaic cells is in its death throes as the NASDAQ stock exchange has forced the firm to delist its stock which most recently has been listed for less than a dime. While it is sad to see any company go under, the GUARDIAN feels we don’t [...]
Dynamis Power Project Continues To Short Circuit
The group calling itself Idaho Citizens for a Safe Environment and a Transparent Government (Idaho Citizens) Thursday requested State County and Federal attorneys to investigate the Ada County Commission-Dynamis deal. The six page document prepared by private attorney Andrew T. Schoppe appears to have enough substance to warrant an investigation. However, under Idaho law only [...]
Boise Copper Banned From Idaho Law Enforcement
After two years of investigation, internal hearings, and a formal complaint filed with the Idaho Peace Officers Standards and Training Council (POST) a former Boise copper has been banned from ever holding a law enforcement job in Idaho. The case involved officer Robert M. Berrier, who worked in a narcotics unit with city, state, and [...]
Former Politicos McGee And Craig Charged
It hasn’t been a good week for GOP lawmakers. Former Repub state Senator John McGee and U.S. Senator Larry Craig were the object of formal charges filed in separate court cases this week. McGee, still on probation for his infamous D.U.I. in a stolen motorhome, has been hit with “disturbing the peace,” by the same [...]
Politico Takes Dynamis And Beer Seller Payments
Looks like freshman Congressman Raul Labrador has taken money from Lloyd Mahaffey, the controversial CEO of Dynamis. Interesting to note back taxes in Boise County go unpaid while political payments are made. Betsy Russell of the SPOKESMAN-Review lists Mahaffey as a contributor to Labrador–who happens to live in Eagle where Dynamis is based–to the the [...]
Sparks Fly As Dynamis Deal Short Circuits
Several interesting developments today in the saga of Dynamis Energy’s proposed waste-to-energy project at the Ada County landfill. Commissioner Sharon Ullman has publicly claimed Ada County spent $2 million for design plans for the waste-to-energy facility and the money will be repaid once construction begins or is approved. Today after long consideration the GUARDIAN has [...]
Assets vs Liabilities In Banking, A lesson
Boise’s SYRINGA BANK is in trouble and faces a merger or takeover from state and federal regulators because it’s capital level is less than 10% of its assets. Terms used to describe banks are somewhat reverse of what we normally think. When we DEPOSIT funds in a bank–savings, checking, or CDs–the institution shows that as [...]
Republicans Hijack Primary Election At High Cost
When U.S. District Judge Lynn Winmill ruled that Republicans had a right to determine their candidates at at closed primary election, few people understood the ramifications of that decision. The net result is massive confusion about who can vote for what or whom. Also we predict many voters will be so overwhelmed they will simply [...]
Thoughts From The Road
The day job has the GUARDIAN on the road making photographs and observing the “American Condition.” We share some random observations. –The new bridge across the Coloorado River below Hoover Dam is a great time saver if you are headed south of Las Vegas, but you can’t see it (or the dam) as you drive [...]
U.S. Corp. Taxes High, But Few Actually Pay
Senior Sen Mike Crapo put out a PRESS RELEASE today claiming the USA Corporate tax rate is the highest on earth and called the U.S. Government “antagonistic” toward job creators. Crapo claims there is also growing evidence that high taxes stifle business growth and employee wages. We see it a little differently. The following come [...]
Of Ethics, Conflicts, Right and Wrong
We are left shaking our head almost daily asking the rhetorical questions, “What were they thinking?” and “doesn’t anyone know the difference between right and wrong?” Mom and Dad would be aghast. The recent mess incident at the City-owned Idaho Ice World was a disaster waiting to happen. It all started back in 2008 when [...]
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