rock creek in early january

From montana
From montana

Farts and Racism

One of Colbert's better "The Word" segments I have seen.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Word - He Who Smelt It, Dealt It
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical HumorTasers

unboxing the sneakerology 101 hookup

enjoy. i did.

unboxing the sneakerology 101 hookup from Ivan Orsic on Vimeo.

seventh short story

good morning from custer national forest

camping in the custer

while we were car camping, waking up in the morning reminded me of the month long geology field camp i took through the University of Arizona. This picture is taken looking northeast towards Black Pyramid Mountain. It was a pleasure to open up my tent to this in the morning.

sixth short story

camping in the custer national forest

fire, smores, chairs, trees, creek, mountains, water, camping

after finishing our drive over Beartooth Pass, we found a nice wide open 2-3 acres to camp in approximately 6 miles into the Custer National Forest. With Lost Picket Creek flowing into Rock Creek northeast of camp, the requirement for relaxing, natural white noise was met. A campsite that I would return to if I had the chance. The ride in was a little bumpy, but the mighty mighty crv and its fantastic clearance gave it just enough room to clear a couple emergent rocks.

Mineral Poaching in Brazil

A dear friend, Mark Trees, whom I spent an amazing month of geosciences field camp in Utah and Nevada has run into some legal issues in Brazil.

via USAToday

Three U.S. graduate students arrested last month for suspected poaching and visa violations could be stranded in a remote corner of Brazil for months as their case goes through the courts, their lawyer says.

University of Arizona geoscientists Michael McGlue, 31, and Mark Trees, 48, and University of Minnesota-Duluth student Kelly Wendt, 26, were arrested by federal police June 16 while working on a climate change project with the University of the State of Sao Paulo. The Americans spent eight nights in jail before being released on bail June 26. Police confiscated their passports as well as computers, research equipment, cellphones and cash.

Roberto Lins, the men's Brazilian lawyer, says the students may not go before a judge for six months and could face up to five years in prison if convicted of illegally prospecting for minerals.

The researchers "had permission, but everything was very informal," Lins said. They did not have "written permission" to do research in the Pantanal region, one of the world's largest freshwater wetlands.

Foreign poachers have long stolen minerals, plants and wildlife from Brazil's Pantanal region, says Larry Birns of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs. At a time of heightened nationalism, "trafficking commodities is a very sensitive matter," he said.

The men entered the country on tourist visas. Researchers are required to obtain scientific visas.

In a phone interview from their hotel room in Corumba, the remote southwest city where they are staying, the men said they were preparing their defense, which includes letters of support from Brazilian scientific groups. The University of Arizona is paying their expenses.
continued

you can help

a bike trip for the ages

my friend, laura, has commenced her 500 to 800 mile bike (and now apparently bus) ride of the pacific coast highway. follow her journey as she heads south through oregon and into california. while they have already run into some tire issues, it seems as though it should be quite an experience.