Monthly Archives: July 2008

Help Wanted – Clean Record Not Required

Posted on July 31, 2008 by Ranger Bob

At least that seems to be the policy of the agency supposedly keeping our airways safe. Last year, when the I-35 bridge collapsed catastrophically in St. Paul, the Minnesota Department of Transportation Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management could … Continue reading →

Posted in Stuff | Comments Off

Fill Your Tank, Kill A Primate

Posted on July 30, 2008 by Ranger Bob

Proving once again that there are no simple answers, and that sloganeering does not make for good environmental policy. I’ll highlight the important parts so that even a busy park manager can get the gist: Orangutans and biofuel don’t mix … Continue reading →

Posted in Apostle Islands | Comments Off

Ya Think?

Posted on July 29, 2008 by Ranger Bob

Hard-hitting journalism from Newsday today: Body found on Long Beach shore may be missing swimmer Or it might be something else.

Posted in O Tempora! | Comments Off

This Guy Is Not Me

Posted on July 29, 2008 by Ranger Bob

There’s been lots of press coverage in the last couple of days about this upstart search engine, “Cuil,” supposedly poised to knock Google off its perch. Judging by my first experiment, the new kid has a lot of catching up … Continue reading →

Posted in Stuff | Comments Off

And At The Other End Of The Spectrum…

Posted on July 29, 2008 by Ranger Bob

Minutes after I posted the item about an 18-year-old rookie killed on his first day of fighting fire, we learn of a department chief with years of experience losing his life the next day: Fire chief feared dead in California … Continue reading →

Posted in Parks, National & Otherwise | Comments Off

R.I.P. Andrew Palmer

Posted on July 28, 2008 by Ranger Bob

Eighteen years old. First day of work on his first fire. Olympic National Park (WA)NPS Mourns Death Of Firefighter Andy Palmer NPS Morning Report, July 28, 2008: Andrew Palmer, an 18-year-old National Park Service firefighter based in Olympic National Park, … Continue reading →

Posted in Parks, National & Otherwise | Comments Off

“A Certain Breed, A Certain Kind Of Man…”

Posted on July 28, 2008 by Ranger Bob

I do love hokey old ranger memorabilia- the kind of stuff that formed my image of rangering back when I was a kid. Feast your eyes and ears on this gem from Stan Jones and the National Park Ranger Chorus: … Continue reading →

Posted in Parks, National & Otherwise | Comments Off

Life Imitates AbFab

Posted on July 27, 2008 by Ranger Bob

Drunk British passengers force plane to make emergency landing The Telegraph, July 27, 2008 A holiday jet bound for Britain was forced to make an emergency landing in Germany after two drunken British women threatened to open a passenger door … Continue reading →

Posted in Stuff | Comments Off

Excellence In Journalism

Posted on July 26, 2008 by Ranger Bob

Today’s award goes to KTNV ABC-News, Las Vegas: 3 Men Accused Of Vandalizing A National Park Near Reno July 25, 2008 Three northern Nevada men could spend some time behind bars for allegedly vandalizing a national forest near Reno. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Parks, National & Otherwise | Comments Off

Death By Whiz-Adventure

Posted on July 22, 2008 by Ranger Bob

Growing up near a busy commuter line powered by a 600-something volt DC third rail, it was an article of faith among my friends that, “Some kid died when he peed on the third rail and he was electrocuted!” In … Continue reading →

Posted in Weirdness | Comments Off

Hope They Do It Humanely

Posted on July 22, 2008 by Ranger Bob

Talk about extreme measures to reduce visitor impacts: Kruger Park looks at ‘culling’ tourists Sunday Independent, July 20, 2008: The Kruger National Park will consider “culling” its daily visitor numbers if research shows that excessive numbers of visitors are hurting … Continue reading →

Posted in Parks, National & Otherwise | Comments Off

One Way To Reduce Your Park’s Carbon Footprint

Posted on July 18, 2008 by Ranger Bob

“Hey! If there’s no visitors…“ Kind of quiet in the Little Sand Bay boat basin these days: The park’s only mainland marina, on a sunny midsummer day.(Click for closer look.) If there’s no piers for the public, you’re not going … Continue reading →

Posted in Apostle Islands | Comments Off