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Rob Smoke doesn't like motorized vehicles on Boulder reservoir
Dec 16th
Council:
Over the past two years, and certainly in the lead-up to the decision on the reservoir, I offered my two bits
regarding the various master plan issues at stake.
The key issue was certainly whether council would continue to allow high-impact motorized recreation, and while that’s still
important, the more significant gap exists in that council simply “passed over” the opportunity to both preserve the wildlife
and make the reservoir a better spot for the average Boulder resident’s recreational interests.
(Try to remember…every statistical element available indicates that the “average” Boulder resident does not own or operate
a fuel-powered motor boat.)
The council passed over the opportunity to put in a beach or a swimmer’s dock. The council passed over the opportunity to
improve the facilities with a locker room or other amenity typical of a recreation center and found presently at
existing city-owned rec centers. The council passed over the opportunity to improve the water quality, or at least maintain it
at its existing level with the possibility of improvement. The council passed over the opportunity to seek out and create partnerships
with upstream water sources to improve the quality of the water.
These decisions — in addition to the decision on boating — reflect very poorly on council. In fact, it is a disgrace that there
were no members of council willing to commit the small amount of time necessary to “flesh out” the various options.
At the finish, from staff and apparently — council’s perspective — the options I mention simply did not exist or have any valid
basis for full investigation by staff and/or the other participants interested in securing the future of Boulder res.
The final issue here is that no one deserves to drink water contaminated — not by sources within the purview and control of the municipal water authority. For instance, if we lived in an area where some water came from a mountain source that was pure — and another source that was less pure — but by virtue of no actions taken upon it by government — that would be one thing.
Here, we’re looking at a horse of a different color. The quality of the water IS IMPACTED BY POLICY. Further, it is not policy dictated by health and safety concerns. You can’t stand in front of a jury and tell them and the rest of the world that people need to skl or they will die — however, if people do not have uncontaminated water, they can either get ill or possibly die of that cause.
The reservoir needs to be thoroughly tested forensically. If there are heavy metals at the bottom of the reservoir, the standard
treatment includes not creating turbid water with motor boats.
We’re going to get there with this — I’m sorry to see that there is not a shred of responsibility the Boulder city council would
choose to share with those who seek — quite simply — a better result for all of the city’s residents.
Rob
720-982-2439
FLASH! 15 electric cars debut LA Auto show; electric car era begins
Dec 15th
Record Number of Debuts and Largest
Press Days Attendance
Press Days Attendance
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Photo source: Convention Photo
Land Rover hosts the World Premiere of the 5-door Range Rover Evoque with help from fashion journalist and television personality Louise Roe.
With a final count of 30 world and 25 North American debuts, the 2010 LA Auto Show was the most newsworthy in the show’s history. Press days were also the best attended ever—up more than 25 percent.
Click here for a photo gallery from a few of the 25 press conferences on Nov. 17 & 18.
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Auto Makers Debut Vehicles with Help from Hollywood Elite
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Hyundai debuts its Elantra at the historic Hotel Figueroa in Downtown LA.
LA and its celebrity residents helped the automakers debut vehicles at nearly a dozen VIP evening events throughout the city.
Click here for a photo gallery of evening events.
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Modern Electric Car Era Begins in LA
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Photo source: Convention Photo
The Chevrolet Volt wins 2011 Green Car of the Year®.
News of the highly-anticipated arrival of the modern electric car era made LA a focal point for important green news.
Click here for a photo gallery of events and press conferences.
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CU-BOULDER PROFESSOR WALEED ABDALATI NAMED CHIEF SCIENTIST AT NASA
Dec 13th
NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden has selected University of Colorado at Boulder faculty member Waleed Abdalati to serve as the agency’s chief scientist effective Jan. 3 for a two-year appointment.
Abdalati, 46, is an associate professor in CU-Boulder’s geography department and a fellow of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, or CIRES, a joint institute of CU-Boulder and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Abdalati, who directs the Earth Science Observation Center at CIRES, will oversee and advocate for NASA science.
Abdalati’s research focuses on understanding changes in Earth’s ice cover and what they mean for life on our planet. Abdalati and his CIRES colleagues use satellite and airborne remote sensing techniques along with field observations and modeling to learn about ice sheets and high-latitude glaciers, their vulnerability to climate change and their contributions to sea-level rise.
“It is an honor for a research institution such as CIRES to have one of our own chosen as an elite in a national science agency,” said CIRES Director Konrad Steffen. “It’s especially helpful now given that the White House has strengthened NASA’s focus on Earth science research.”
“I’m very happy here and I hope to return from Washington, D.C., in a position to serve my CU-Boulder colleagues and students even more effectively,” said Abdalati, who will retain his faculty appointment at CU-Boulder. “But this is an opportunity I want to take advantage of because I so strongly believe in the importance of what NASA does for the nation, society and the world.”
In his new position, Abdalati will serve as chief adviser to Bolden on matters relating to agency science programs, strategic planning and the evaluation of NASA’s current science investments. Abdalati also will work with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Office of Management and Budget.
The new position marks his return to NASA. During his first tenure at the space agency Abdalati served as the head of the Cryospheric Sciences Branch of NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt, Md. He also managed the Cryospheric Sciences Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He returned to CU-Boulder from NASA more than two years ago.
“We are excited to have Waleed return to the agency during such a critical transition period,” Bolden said. “His experience, wide range of scientific knowledge and familiarity with NASA will greatly benefit the agency. He will be a true advocate for our many and diverse science research and exploration programs.”
Abdalati will continue advising his graduate students, returning a few days a month to Boulder from the Washington, D.C., area, where he will move with his family. “The administrator has told me that my university ties are very important to him, and he has been very supportive of my desire to actively maintain them throughout the assignment,” he said
Abdalati received a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Syracuse University in 1986, a Master of Science in aerospace engineering sciences from CU-Boulder in 1991 and a doctorate in CU-Boulder’s geography department in 1996. During this period he spent four years in Steffen’s laboratory.
Abdalati has received numerous awards for his research and service to NASA, including the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, a NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal and two NASA Group Achievement Awards.
“I will be representing all of the science in the agency, ensuring that it is aligned with and fulfills the administration’s science objectives, and advocating for NASA science in the context of those broader government science agendas,” he said.
