Water Withheld From Texas Rice Growers
Decision Exacerbates Economic, Migratory Bird Problems
RICHMOND, Texas – Although not unexpected in the face of ongoing drought conditions, Ducks Unlimited is once again disappointed in the decision to restrict the water supply to rice growers for the coming growing season. Waterfowl, wading birds and other wetland wildlife will face yet another year of reduced habitat availability in the critical wintering area of the Texas Mid-Coast. Severe drought continues to plague the region, including the Highland Lakes watershed that supplies irrigation water for agriculture on the Texas Mid-Coast.
“We understand that the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) must take a conservative approach when dealing with limited and unpredictable water resources, and we continue to support LCRA’s proactive decision to move forward with the construction of a proposed off-channel reservoir in the lower basin. However, withholding water from rice growers for a second straight year represents another setback for wintering waterfowl and an insurmountable economic challenge for local economies dependent on agriculture and waterfowl hunting,” said Dr. Todd Merendino, Ducks Unlimited manager of conservation programs.
According to a Texas AgriLife economic impact analysis, on average, rice contributes $374.3 million and more than 3,300 jobs annually in Colorado, Wharton and Matagorda counties alone. Those numbers do not include rice farming’s substantial contribution to the revenue and jobs generated from waterfowl hunting and other outdoor recreation.
Those same rice-producing lands provide important waterfowl habitat that is the basis for the region’s waterfowl hunting heritage. The loss of that rice acreage will not only be a substantial economic blow to the many farmers, communities and service industries related to rice agriculture; it will double current waterfowl habitat shortfalls along the Gulf Coast.
Recent research already indicates that lack of adequate habitat along the Gulf Coast is impacting the health of some species. Approximately 60 percent of the estimated 1.96-million-bird midwinter waterfowl population for the Texas Mid-Coast is expected to rely on ricelands (active and idle flooded rice fields) to meet their food needs. In addition, the Gulf Coast Joint Venture identifies specific population objectives for more than 12 million shorebirds and wading birds that are highly dependent on water in ricelands for nesting, migration and wintering habitat.
“A recent suggestion by the Central Texas Water Coalition (CTWC) indicating that wildlife would be better served by LCRA simply buying out the rice farmers is completely unrealistic,” said Kirby Brown, DU conservation outreach biologist.
The effort would require the outright purchase of approximately 58,000 acres that are farmed for rice each year. With land costs of approximately $3,000-4,000 per acre, such a buyout would require between $174 and $232 million. Rice is grown on a three-year rotation in Texas, meaning the buyout of all 150,000 acres managed for rice would cost between $450 million and $600 million.
“Even if the financial resources for such a buyout were available, the land would still require intensive annual management (now provided by rice growers as part of annual growing operations) to provide the needed resources for waterfowl and other migratory birds. Additionally, water would still be needed to flood the habitat beginning with the arrival of early migrant shorebirds and waterfowl in August—so we do not view the CTWC suggestion as a feasible solution to provide habitat for waterfowl nor to increase water resources,” Brown said.
For every 10,000 acres of flooded ricelands lost, the region loses the ability to support 120,000 waterfowl. While the current impact of the LCRA decision cuts off water to more than 50,000 acres of ricelands used by waterfowl, setting aside 10,000 acres of idle land as CTWC recommends will not provide anywhere near the same habitat values for waterfowl and other wildlife.
“The resources provided by these flooded agricultural habitats are critical to waterfowl for overwinter survival and subsequent reproduction in the spring. Even if landowners are interested in selling, buying them out and allowing the land to go fallow and dry will drastically reduce available waterfowl habitat. Without annual management to promote favorable waterfowl habitat conditions, these acres would essentially provide no resources for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent wildlife. Equally important, the suggestion does nothing to address the long-term need to develop additional water supplies in the region,” Brown said.
With projections predicting a doubling of the population in the state over the next 50 years, water availability will become an increasingly difficult issue. Ducks Unlimited is committed to ensuring wildlife habitat needs are fully communicated so that decision makers can make the most informed water allocation choices.
“If there is any silver lining, perhaps it is that the ongoing drought has increased awareness of the urgency with which the state should address water needs. We need to be working together across all user groups and geographies to conserve water resources every step of the way, and to ensure that future generations of Texans, business owners, wildlife and waterfowl all have sufficient water resources to thrive in the Lone Star State,” Brown said.
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 13 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information, visit www.ducks.org.
Let The Punishment Fit The Crime?
Haiti, Baby Doc, GWB & Obama: Let The Punishment Fit The Crime?
http://jpstillwater.blogspot.com/2013/03/haiti-baby-doc-gwb-obama-let-punishment.html
David Pratt, my favorite war correspondent (besides myself, of course), just wrote an excellent article describing the BBC’s recent interview with Tony Blair — wherein Blair repeatedly made embarrassingly ineffective attempts to excuse and defend his indefensible and inexcusable actions regarding the illegal invasion of Iraq 10 years ago.
But one particular thing that Pratt wrote caught my eye bigtime. “Challenged in the interview [emphasis mine] on what kind of mandate or legal basis would be required for military action in Syria,” wrote Pratt, “Mr. Blair dismissed the role of the UN as readily now as he did back in the days leading up to the Iraq war.” http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/world-news/blair-still-misleading-on-the-middle-east.20380809
Might this actually mean that somebody in the British mainstream media actually came up with the integrity and guts to actually challenge Tony Blair live on national TV? That’s amazing.
But where, exactly, was this brave and intrepid reporter back when we needed him most — back in 2003, when nobody in the mainstream media ever challenged Tony Blair or even thought of challenging him. Nobody. And also, where were the intrepid reporters back then who had the cojones to challenge George W. Bush as well? 2003 was definitely not our mainstream media’s finest hour.
But it’s still not too late. Our mainstream media can still spring into action and demand the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth from Mr. Blair (and also from Mr. Bush and even from Mr. Obama as well) — and win a Pulitzer Prize doing it too.
And then perhaps some intrepid souls in the mainstream media might even demand that the punishment fit the crime as well.
But Bush, Blair and Obama aren’t the only ones who have happily murdered folks for fun and profit — and gotten away with it too. Various courts in Haiti are, even as we speak, still trying to bring Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier into the dock of justice for his crimes — and are equally having no luck.
Twenty-seven years after committing innumerable horrible atrocities between 1979 and 1986, Baby Doc is finally being subpoenaed for his crimes. Hey, maybe 27 years from now, Blair, Bush and Obama may finally get subpoenaed for their crimes too!
However, Baby Doc’s lawyers are apparently trying to postpone his trial, claiming that Duvalier’s statute of limitations are up. According to IPS News Service, “Duvalier was first indicted for crimes against humanity in 2008 and then again in 2011. But last year, the court suddenly ruled that he would only be tried for embezzlement, saying that the alleged abuses had taken place too long ago.” http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/02/all-eyes-in-haiti-on-duvalier-hearing/
No, no, no and no.
The statute of limitations for torture and murder are never, ever up — no matter what “Zero Dark Thirty” might lead us to believe. Baby Doc must pay for his crimes. And so must Blair, Bush, Cheney and even Obama.
PS: I’m still trying to get to Haiti by the end of March, but so far things aren’t looking so good. Why? Because of problems with money, transportation, in-country contacts and even hotel accommodations. But wouldn’t it be any (non-mainstream-media) reporter’s dream come true to sit in on Baby Doc’s trial for murder in Haiti? That would be almost as good as being here in an American courtroom when Cheney, Bush and Obama go on trial for murder in the Middle East!
PPS: Since War Street has so obviously screwed up our own American interests in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Palestine and Syria, what makes us think that a war on Iran is gonna go any better?
War Street, however, has not screwed up their own interests in these countries at all — only ours. Trillions of dollars in profits have been pouring into War Street as a result of these cruel and unnecessary invasions. “Keep it coming!” cries War Street. And so Iran is now next. And once again all of us poor “sequestered” fools in America will be paying for this whole new war adventure for the rest of our lives as well.
Here’s an article from the Washington Post that a friend of mine just sent me — her sons have served in Iraq and Afghanistan as Marines so she keeps on top of this kind of stuff. The article’s headline reads, “The U.S. may not have money for infrastructure repairs, but Afghanistan does.” Maybe some people in the MSM are finally getting it right after all. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/the-us-may-not-have-money-for-infrastructure-repairs-but-afghanistan-does/2013/02/27/c11b475e-7f9c-11e2-8074-b26a871b165a_story.html
Time To Dismantle SBOE In Texas
It fascinates me that legislators continue to believe and tell the public that they “aim to ensure quality” of public education. They simply do NOT know how to do that and they do NOT have the training to do that. Neither do business people who constantly direct legislators on how to provide quality to public education and who in turn are asked to join committees on public education. Neither can The State Board of Education, which is too political and special interest driven to do it.
Only parents, students, school administrators and teachers have the knowledge and/or training to get public education back on track.
The SBOE should be dismantled. School-Based Management should replaced the SBOE at each district because management should be at the local level.
Get rid of the nonsense State tests that prove nothing about what a child has learned. Educational progress should be determined by the schools via a child’s entire record by each teacher who observes each child and administers tests in the classroom. Teach learning for learning’s sake and not for some obscure and unsubstantiated test. Help children better learn the basics: reading, writing and mathematics.
Treat teachers as professionals, give them a reasonable salary and ensure they get the proper training. Provide mentors, a.k.a., established teachers, for every new teacher hired into the system. Parents should be involved in their children’s learning. Establish business collaboratives so children may be mentored by members of the business community.
All of these things will provide a better quality of education.
Peter Stern of Driftwood, Texas is a former Director of Information Services in private industry and government, a University Professor, Public School Administrator and Teacher, is a disabled Vietnam Veteran and holds three post-graduate degrees.
Wayne Newton’s Gift and Watching the Girls
Wayne Newton hired Jamie Phillips, after her equine apprenticeship program, to run his Arabian Horse Farms. Jamie says Wayne is a nice, generous man. She still sends him pictures of her kids at Christmas time.
Wayne made his wedding gift to her Ali Design, an Arab horse. Ali, like most Arabs, is friendly and would love to come in the house and sleep at the end of their bed. Bedouins raise their horses to live inside their tents.
That was 15 years ago now, before her two children and the “girls” arrived in her life.
Jamie and her husband bought a farm in Rock Creek so Ali would have room to run. It is located at 3948 State Route 45.
The “girls” entered Jamie’s life as an alternative to a day job.
Even early a few chickens were running around the yard. Folks would stop and ask if they could buy eggs. From this grew Phillips Egg Company.
The girls are Golden Comets, and each can lay 360 brown eggs a year. Jamie’s chickens, who she calls, “her girls,” go out a lot when the garden is not yielding. If it is, they have to stay in their yard, as the garden is a real magnet for them. So you could say the “girls” are a combination of “pasture raised,” and “free range.” They are always “cage-free.”
The girls chase and catch frogs and whatever they can find. In the summer they peck at the toes of visitors, too, being especially attracted to painted toe-nails, especially red ones.
Raising chickens and eggs commercially was easy to do, Jamie says. The inspection to be certified was free. The food inspector man came out, looked around and signed off. Jamie rigorously follows the rules, labeling instructions on the cartons of eggs, typed and printed out on recycled cartons. The only other requirement is having a thermometer in her refrigerator.
Jamie has also had Rhode Island Reds and Plymouth Barred Rocks but prefers the Comets. The flock is not as pretty but their personalities are friendly and they are very, very brave. When she goes out to clean the coop as many as four chickens will try to ride on her because she appears to be roost-able.
The business is growing. They are branching out with their garden, cut flowers, and meat chickens. And every day has its little adventures with the “girls.”
Jet Fighter Wings Into Wind Turbine Blades
The real security of our society and our world depends upon changing how we produce and use energy. We need to get off fossil fuels, change how we farm and refit our buildings. There is a strong consensus among our scientists that this is necessary to prevent catastrophic climate change. We listened to our scientists when they said they could build a weapon to defeat Hitler and we should listen to them now.
This is a huge project and contrary to the current thinking in Washington D.C. which demands more and more privatization, this project should be done with government spending on the scale that occurred during World War II because defeating this problem is just as important as the Manhattan Project and far more moral. There is a research paper at the Institute for Policy Studies website entitled “The Green Dividend” which should be better known.
This report explains how the government could move the money it now spends on weapons systems at large companies like Boeing, to projects that help us get off of fossil fuels. Done right, no jobs would be lost and the industrial part of the military-industrial complex would become less dependent on military contracts; instead those companies would become part of the effort to prevent the worst effects of global climate change. There could even be cost-plus contracts if they are closely regulated. This involves addressing the deeper threats to national security, which are not solely from violence. The Pentagon hurts in this struggle—it is the largest consumer of fossil fuel in the world. It cannot help—firing our expensive missiles into the rising sea levels that will flood our cities or flying sorties against the more and more destructive hurricanes produced by climate change is a silly example of how powerless armed might is against some threats to our national security.
When I worked at Boeing during the Carter Administration, I watched the fabrication of a huge windmill in a building near where I worked in Seattle, the same building where thousands of B-17 bombers were built during World War II. In the 1970s, Boeing engineers also developed solar cells that generated electricity from the infrared spectrum as well as the visible spectrum, but the company sold the patent when the push for diversification ended.
Preventing global climate change would be less expensive than trying to mitigate the effects of climate chaos, e.g. building sea walls around our vulnerable cities. If we do this right, we could have full employment for several generations. There are only two places the U.S. government can get the money to do this: from the super wealthy and the huge Pentagon budget. We did not hesitate to use very steep progressive taxation during World War II to fund our mobilization. We must do the same now and we should not hesitate to shift enough funds from the Pentagon to get this job done.
John M Repp, jmrepp@q.com Seattle, WA, is syndicated by PeaceVoice.
New Peach Varieties Available In Texas
Peach tree blossoms in the research plots of Dr. David Byrne in College Station, Texas. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Kathleen Phillips)
COLLEGE STATION – Southerners who have been anxiously awaiting a peach tree that will produce in warmer climates – just chill.
Four new varieties being released for production in nurseries this year will soon be available for growers where cold temperatures – a necessity for peach trees – are less likely, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Research stone fruit breeder Dr. David Byrne.
“This is a first,” Byrne said. “These are unique because there are few low-acid white peaches available to be grown in our adaptation zone.”
Most white flesh peaches found in the produce section in grocery stores are grown in California, he said. White fleshed peaches are preferred in China, Japan Taiwan, and white fleshed peaches were initially planted in California to supply those markets.
According to the California Fruit Tree Agreement statistics, white fleshed peaches began to appear as a niche product in the U.S. market by 2000 and are now commonly found in grocery stores throughout the season.
“The four varieties — called White Delight series — are named for their excellent flavor and color of their flesh, which ranges from creamy white to as much as 80 percent striped red or orange-red,” Byrne said.
Three of the new varieties are clingstone while one is semi-freestone, and they ripen consecutively from late-May through mid-July, Byrne noted.
The seed for these new crosses were originally planted in 1998 and had shown consistent production in three locations – Fairfield and College Station, Texas, and Fresno, Calif. – since 2006. Fruit from the research trees scored high in taste tests, Byrne said.
Nurseries can obtain budwood under a license agreement with AgriLife Research.
Peach tree blossoms in the research plots of Dr. David Byrne in College Station, Texas. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Kathleen Phillips)
Getting More Texas Wind Power On The Grid
Wind turbines near Sweetwater, Texas. The Center for Rural Affairs says more high voltage transmission lines will help get wind generated electricity on the grid. — Photo By Sheila Scarborough
AUSTIN, Texas – There is a treasure trove of renewable energy in the U.S., but the obstacles and barriers to getting it on the grid are many. Johnathan Hladik, energy policy advocate with the Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA), said the biggest hurdle right now is the lack of high voltage transmission lines. Adding to that infrastructure would allow for the use of more renewable resources, he said, while helping with rural economic development.
“There is so much opportunity associated with increased property tax paid by wind-turbine owners and by those building transmission lines, with the actual construction jobs associated with both the wind turbines and the transmission lines,” he explained. “We’re looking at a good way to rejuvenate a lot of our smaller communities.”
Currently, less than 1 percent of the country’s transmission lines with the greatest capacity are located in the states with the most wind-energy potential.
The problem, Hladik pointed out, is that when lines were built historically, they focused on one big power plant, serving one large municipal area, while smaller lines were put up in rural areas.
“This old model led to a situation where the only high-capacity transmission lines in the United States, quite literally, are located in areas of very high population density,” he said “which are the exact opposite areas of where our wind resources are most robust.”
As for Texas in particular, Hladik said the wind energy potential is very rich.
“There’s been so much effort to really develop the wind resources in Texas and a lot of that has been successful,” he said, “but they’re running into serious brick walls at this point with that transmission bottleneck, with not having enough transmission to tap those resources.”
Electricity generation from renewable energy resources in the U.S. is currently at about 10 percent of the total. That is expected to grow to 15 percent over the next 20 years.
More information is available at www.cfra.org.
Wind turbines near Sweetwater, Texas. The Center for Rural Affairs says more high voltage transmission lines will help get wind generated electricity on the grid. — Photo By Sheila Scarborough
Kerrville Folk Festival May 23 – June 9
KERRVILLE, Texas — The Kerrville Folk Festival at Quiet Valley Ranch, nine miles South of the Texas Hill Country resort community of Kerrville, is getting ready for the 2013 42nd annual event.
This legendary songwriter’s festival will run for 18 straight days, beginning Memorial Day weekend from Thursday, May 23, through Sunday, June 9.
Season ticket packages and day tickets are on sale now.
The first weekend’s performers will include Joy Kills Sorrow for their first appearance at Kerrville.
The second weekend brings back Dala, Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary fame; and David Broza back after a long absence. New is Max Gomez, back is Trout Fishing in America, The Steel Wheels, and Bill Staines.
The third weekend will include The Roys whose awards and accolades just keep rolling in. New to Kerrville will be The Stray Birds. Returning to the festival will be Birds of Chicago and Ray Bonneville.
Other performers will be announced later. As usual, the 2013 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition for emerging songwriters will be held on the first Saturday and Sunday of the festival (May 25 and 26), from 1 to 4 p.m. From the almost 800 entries, 32 finalists have been selected to perform in this prestigious annual competition, hosted by Steve Gillette and Festival Founder Rod Kennedy.
Several former New Folk finalists and winners include Lucinda Williams, Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, David Wilcox, John Gorka, Jimmy LaFave, Tish Hinojosa, BettySoo, Tom Prasada-Rao, Danny Schmidt, Jonathan Byrd, Tom Russell, Ray Bonneville, Steve Earle, Hal Ketchum, Robert Earl Keen and many hundreds of others.
Held each year since 1972, the Kerrville Folk Festival is the longest continuously running festival of its kind in North America. Over the years it has become known internationally as a Mecca for singer songwriters of varying musical styles… a place where those just beginning to develop their skills have the opportunity to play their music alongside those who are masters.
Emerging songwriters as well as teachers are drawn to the festival’s many learning opportunities, such as the 33rd Annual Songwriters School, the Roots / Blues Guitar Workshop, Harmonica Workshop, Capo Workshops, a Music Law Panel Discussion, and the 12th Annual Professional Development Program for Teachers.
There’s something for everyone at this festival, from camping, campfire jam sessions, concerts and activities for kids, “Ballad Tree” song sharing sessions, Hill Country bike rides and canoe trips on the Guadalupe to Sunday Folk Song Services, Saturday Shabbat Services, and much more.
A complete festival schedule, information, and tickets can be found at www.kerrvillefolkfestival.org or by calling the festival office at (830) 257-3600. Ticket prices range from $25 to $40 depending on the particular day, although savings can be had by purchasing tickets early online.
Campground Access and Parking Lot fees are included in the ticket price.
The Kerrville Folk Festival is owned by the Texas Folk Music Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is dedicated to the support of emerging songwriters and folk music in all its forms. For more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Producer Dalis Allen, call the Festival Production Office at (830) 257-3600 or e-mail info@kerrville-music.com.
Spreading War Instead Of Democracy
Spreading War: Kerry’s Gift To Syria
We spent much of the 19th century spreading US hegemony in several directions, starting with owning slaves and stealing both native lands and Mexican lands, and, toward the end, invading and overthrowing governments in Central America. We only invaded Canada once.
We spent much of the 20th century making the world safe for democracy whoops US corporations. Mostly, we won–got rid of some threats to US interests who happened to be elected by their people but who were unfriendly to predatory capitalism. Mohammed Mossaddegh in Iran, Jacobo Arbenz in Guatemala, Patrice Lumumba in Congo, Salvador Allende in Chile come to mind. These are the sorts of cases that make the world somewhat suspicious and of course the illegal, immoral invasion of Iraq based on two Big Lies feed into that mistrust.
Why, then, would the Obama administration, in the person of John Kerry, offer to assist the Free Syrian Army? It looks like it fits the pattern, the Yes-he’s-a-son-of-a-bitch-but-he’s-our-son-of-a-bitch routine, where we pick an armed thug or a bunch of them, give them weapons and training, and expect them to be US-corporate-friendly at the end of the day, plus providing war profiteers upfront profits immediately by grabbing US taxpayer money, shoveling it into the accounts of corporations. Which corporations? All corporations. Seriously.
Just a tiny example, only a couple of brief notes from just one day of Pentagon contracts, from Friday, March 1, only a select few:
There were more, of course. I mean, when you are tasked with spending a half a $trillion each year, you need to keep it flowing out and flowing heavy in many directions. You’ll hear nothing but dire threat complaining from the military about their budget, of course–if a general fails to kvetch they can find another who will. Really, however, when will it finally become poor form to talk poor mouth with their mouths full?
Creating conflict, nurturing threat, all requires violence capacity-building, and John Kerry is fitting right into that groove right away. The results will be fabulous, no doubt. The contracts for more non lethal military aid to the Free Syrian Army will begin to appear in the DOD daily contract listings and already, just on the great news of Kerry’s support, the FSA is promising to widen the war into Lebanon and, while they are at it, Iraq! Nice going, John! We’ve done so so much to help inflame hatred and violence between Shia and Sunni in Iraq and now you’ve helped spread that more assuredly and now violently into Syria and Lebanon–and doubling back on Iraq yet again. What a Secretary of State.
President Obama, are you paying any attention to John? There are Syrians who still believe in nonviolence, know how to wage a nonviolent campaign, and every time we pay attention and pay money to the violent rebels we make it all worse. You thought it couldn’t get worse? It’s about to, thanks to US help. State Department should be about spreading real democracy, about enlightenment, about reason and rational discourse and indigenous decision, not about military aid to the least worst armed bunch.
Dr. Tom H. Hastings directs PeaceVoice.