Federal Government
Politicos Fare Poorly In Statesman
Primary election season is upon us–the time of year for bickering within the parties and outrageous explanations from the various campaigns. The DAILY PAPER is a treasure trove of good stuff this Thursday. Dan Popkey figuratively caught another politician with his “pants down” in a page one story about Congressional candidate Vaugh Ward vowing to […]
All Public Records Should Remain PUBLIC
Freedom of Information in Idaho is being attacked by some of the people who have taken an oath to uphold the constitution and the laws of Idaho–coppers. The police bill approved last week by the senate state affairs committee would allow police, prosecutors, and prison guards to conceal their private phone and home address numbers […]
We Are In Midst Of Economic Civil War
The Daily Paper’s print edition has competing headlines on the front page today that offer a prophetic sign of the times. “SOME EDUCATORS GET RAISES IN IDAHO” screams the bold type on the left. The message to the right is “FURLOUGHS COMING TO U of I” . Bottom line in good stories by Statesman reporters […]
F-35 Fighter By Unanimous Consent
Congressman Mike Simpson apparently doesn’t care what people think about locating the F-35 in Idaho. He recently used his free mail privilege to send folks a colorful mailer with a return post card. He said, “If you support bringing this mission to Idaho, please fill out the attached postcard and return it to me. I […]
No Stopping a Runaway Train (Trolley) Enthusiast
Team Dave is still pushing for a trolley, and can’t seem to understand the meaning of NO, despite public opinion and denial of U.S. Government funds. Last week the Feds turned down Boise’s request for about $40 million in “TIGER” funds for the Desire Named Street Car (also affectionately known as the “Trolley Folly”). The […]
F-35 Could Double F-15 Noise Level At Gowen
An interesting report on the noise levels of the F-35 fighter jet proposed for Boise’s Gowen Field. According to the AIR FORCE TIMES–the unofficial newspaper of the Air Force–noise levels of the F-35 are double those of the F-15s which were here this past summer from the Oregon Air Guard. The AF Times went on […]
Governments Fight Each Other With PR Efforts
The last minute “panic attack” to to get the Air Force to locate not one, but two bases of F-35 fighter jets in Idaho brings to mind some the other ill fated government-funded Public Relations efforts we have seen over the years. If the F-35 follows in the footsteps of most of the other projects […]
Simplot Threatens To Leave Canyon County
J.R. Simplot Company’s environmental director threatened to “go somewhere else” in testimony before the Idaho Senate last week. The legislature has pretty much decided to allow the DEQ to implement plans for vehicle emission testing in Canyon County as the valley comes closer to “non attainment” of federal regulations…which will potentially affect how the Simplot […]
Driving, Texting Don’t Mix–For Anyone!
The Feds have just come out with strict rules against texting while driving for truckers. Meanwhile, cities and states across the nation have weighed in as well. Idaho legislators will probably consider a bill against texting and driving this session. The GUARDIAN previously WEIGHED IN on all the talk against texting while driving (we hereby […]
Boise Purchases More Out of County Land
When it comes to phosphorous, a plethora of people and pots of poop puts plenty of pressure for proper procedure to prevent pollution and provide protection. A plan by Boise’s Public Works Dept. to reduce phosphorous in the Boise River sounds like a good environmental move on the face of it and one that could […]
“Non-Partisan” Think Tank Issues Pork Report
An outfit called the Idaho Freedom Foundation is gaining traction billing itself as a “think tank” and offering the public a variety of “reports” and op-ed pieces. While they call themselves non-partisan, it is fair to say there probably aren’t too many liberal Democrats within the ranks. Wayne Hoffman, an able journalist and former press […]
Macy’s Departure Is Due To Inept Government
Macy’s leaving downtown Boise comes as no surprise. For more than 40 years we have watched officials tout their “vision for the future” in downtown Boise. It changes with each new planner and consultant. The Bon Marche (Macy’s today), J.C. Penney’s, The Mode, Falk’s I.D. and many smaller merchants vanished, thanks to the far and […]
Spam Yields Brilliant Idea
We opened our spam file at the GUARDIAN to make sure we weren’t missing anything on this last year of the decade and a little gem sparkled in the mix about how WE should run our own government. While it is aimed at the Washington politicos, it applies just as well at city, county and […]
GUARDIAN Top 2009 Stories By Month
As the legacy media does its annual TOP TEN stories to fill space between the holidays, the GUARDIAN has done the same thing based on what we have posted in the past year. In rereading some of the posts and comments, it appears we have an inordinate number of comments on police and fire stories. […]
Politicos Seek To Mandate FAA Decisions
A story in the DAILY PAPER today by Joe Estrella says the Federal Aviation Administration is scurrying to get ahead of the politicos in their desire to move the local approach radar facility from Boise to Salt Lake City. Idaho and Boise politicians cite “economic and safety concerns” in their opposition to the move. After […]
Historic Public Health Event Fighting The Flu We Don’t Call Swine
The free vaccine program for the H1N1 flu–the one we don’t call swine–is being billed as the most massive public health effort in more than 50 years in the USA. For anyone over 60 it brought back childhood memories of when we stood in line for the first polio vaccine in 1955. Fearful parents throughout […]
Flu and Health System Make Us Sick
We are not impressed with the way any of the players have handled the “pandemic” assosciated with either the seasonal flu or the one we don’t call swine flu. On one hand we read that it is a worldwide disease that could kill millions and on the other hand we hear it is no worse […]
STATESMAN Readers Bash Bieter Trolley
Mayor Dave Bieter continued his pitch for a trolley in the narrow streets of Downtown Boise with an op-ed piece in the Daily Paper Wednesday. Out of 10 comments posted so far, there was one flat out supporter, one “sorta for it” and eight who flat out were against it. Count the GUARDIAN in the […]
Who Can Drive Safely AND Text?
Lots of buzz today about proposed laws to ban texting while driving. One source claimed truck drivers were 23 times more likely to crash while texting than not texting. The Idaho branch of the American Automobile Association, AAA, endorses the idea of Idaho joining 13 other states banning texting while driving. But like everything else […]
AMBUS Every Minute For Cost Of AMTRAK
For the cost of a daily AMTRAK train or two, the GUARDIAN can provide bus service that would run a bus EVERY MINUTE 24/7. That’s right. We got out the ol’ electronic calculator and punched in the numbers for the cost of the GUARDIAN’s fantasy AMBUS plan versus the cost of AMTRAK. Here’s how it […]
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