Foreign

This category contains 18 posts

Will Politicos Squelch China Demo Bus?

It will be interesting to see if Idaho politicos are as adamant about enforcing the “Buy America Act” when it comes to a demonstration electric bus for Camarillo, California as they were when Boston sought a waiver of the federal rules to get a demo locomotive in 2008. Zonda USA–which sounds a lot more like [...]

Communist China Learns Capitalism From USA Government Subsidies

In this modern day of Communist China leading the world in capitalist business ventures funded by U.S. Government taxpayers, we are not surprised to learn of Chinese plans to seek cheap labor in Idaho. The latest scheme is an electric BUS FACTORY to be built in the Treasure Valley. GUARDIAN GROWTHOPHOBES caution the enthusiastic Chamber [...]

Yogurt Plant Represents A Different Culture

The announcement that a Greek company is building a yogurt processing plant in Twin Falls was greeted with understandable excitment in the Magic Valley–it means JOBS! The yogurt plant represents a different culture. One that knows how to milk taxpayers as well as the local cows. Magic Valley is one of the biggest dairy producing [...]

Libya Has History In Idaho Politics

Moammar Gadhafi once had ties to Idaho when politicos stood in line to sign deals with the Libyan strongman who was in power during the Frank Church tenure as chairman of the U.S. Senate foreign relations committee. The GUARDIAN editor worked on assignment for the New York TIMES during the circus-like atmosphere when a delegation [...]

United Water Seeks $7,616,015 Annual Fee Hike

Interesting how one can spin the numbers when it comes to making millions upon millions of dollars for a French-owned monopoly company like Suez United Water. We got our water bill today which includes a notice the company has filed for “rate relief” with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission asking for a mere “19 cents [...]

Jobless Woes Persist, Government Can’t Fix

By DAVID R. FRAZIER, editor BOISE GUARDIAN We visited a “job fair” recently, but rather than an arena full of employers recruiting workers, we found countless private and public educational institutions vying to take the last nickel from the pockets of the unemployed through assorted training offers. There were several charitable organizations seeking volunteers, verterans [...]

Serious Attitude On Speeding In Canada

The day job took the GUARDIAN editor on a lengthy road trip during the past couple of weeks, including a spin around the North Shore of Lke Superior in Canada. The 90 kph speed limit translates to 55 mph. These big blue and yellow signs were an intimidating factor when it came to passing someone [...]

Frazier Slide Show At Hillcrest Library!

GUARDIAN editor David R. Frazier has a day job that takes him around the world making educational and travel pictures for everyone from National Geographic books to World Book Encyclopedia. The good folks at the new Hillcrest Library! requested a slide show about Argentina which will be presented THURSDAY JULY 14 at 7 p.m. We [...]

Chinese “Takeover” Is Like Japanese Boom Of 1980′s

Conservative American blogs have created a significant buzz over the issue of a “Chinese Takeover” of America and much of the fear mongering is centered in Boise–thanks to statements by politicos seeking the almighty Renminbi. Some of those concerns have a foundation in fact. In reality, the situation so far is much like the Japanese [...]

State Senator Sits In Slammer

“UNDER PAR” took on a new meaning for Idaho State Senator John McGee, 38, after he left a Boise golf course Saturday night/Sunday morning and ended up in the Ada County slammer charged with DUI and Grand Theft of a 20 foot trailer and SUV. His blood alcohol level was reported at .15 which is [...]

Boise Bistro Bustles At Bin Laden Buzz

An audible hush fell over the dining room at Papa Joe’s eatery on Capitol Blvd. Sunday night as the TV screen normally running silently with sports action suddenly came alive with a BREAKING NEWS! message that Bin Laden was dead. A waiter quickly turned up the sound and soon an eclectic mix of college students, [...]

Yuba City Councilor Disses Idaho

One of our California GUARDIAN readers sent us a story from the APPEAL-DEMOCRAT newspaper which proves that politicos at all levels have a propensity for eating shoe leather. During an April 13 meeting encouraging racial and cultural tolerance attended by local Sikh Indian-Americans and officials including the U.S. Attorney for the area, a Yuba City [...]

Civil Unrest Looks The Same In Boise or Pakistan

Two images of civil unrest looked shockingly similar Friday. The Guardian shot of teachers and students in Boise doesn’t have the same passion as the Google News/Reuters image in Pakistan, but then again, the education folks weren’t protesting about murder either.

F-35 May Not Fly In Congress (or Boise)

Despite the endorsement of the Boise City Council and Team Dave, it looks like the skies over Boise won’t soon be bothered by F-35 fighter jets. The program is grossly over budget. Here is a WEBPOST from last Friday detailing the problems. http://spectrum.ieee.org/riskfactor/aerospace/military/us-joint-strike-fighter-f35-hits-afterburners-on-cost-overrun No word from the State, Feds, or Boise about mixing military fighters [...]

Chamber Seeks Bankrupt Firms, Asian Boutiques

The DAILY PAPER ran a page one story Monday about a new guy at the helm of the Chamber of Commerce’s “Boise Valley Economic Partnership.” It’s a scheme aimed at attracting new businesses to the Valley. We certainly wish him luck, but after reading some of his plans and knowing the dismal failure of the [...]

Memories of My Father-In-Law and Freedom

The recent election with the nasty ads and the issue of citizen rights to vote on debt prompted GUARDIAN reader Victor Van Durme to pen the following message. As you read it, imagine the thick Flemmish accent of this proud American as he recounts memories from WWII. By VICTOR VAN DURME 1938–German kids are joining [...]

Anne Frank Chestnut Topples In Amsterdam

As Boiseans clean up downed trees following the weekend windstorm, the cleanup of a single tree in Holland has gathered worldwide attention…and like most world events, there is a Boise angle. The giant chestnut tree that gave comfort to Anne Frank while she was in hiding from the Nazis was toppled by wind and heavy [...]

Germans Engineer Stealthy Detox Approach

One of our German readers sent along a link from DER SPIEGEL about a town that offers unemployed boozers their own “Cheers-type” gathering spot. A decidedly different approach to “detox.” The short version is the city spends money on soft drinks, coffee, etc. and allows the boozers to bring their own bottles to the bar. [...]

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