A Casper institution:
I used to occasionally order food through the drive through window when I was a sophomore in high school. The cafeteria was being rebuilt at the time.
One of my aunts loved the place. A cousin and I used to take her there for lunch. She's passed, but sometimes we still will eat there.
The Andrew Sisters song Rum and Coca Cola hit the No. 1 position on the Billboard charts. It was a song I recall as my Quebecois mother liked it.
This song was in the nature of cute at the time, but frankly it's about as accidentally imperialist as possible.
When I was 19 years old, which was the drinking age at the time, this was the first mixed drink I ever ordered in a bar, for the reason it was the only one I'd ever heard of. I was out on the town with a group of my high school friends.
In my view, it's awful. I can't stand rum. Frankly, I wish I was like one of my close friends and never developed a taste for alcohol at all. I do like beer.
The SAS launched Operation Cold Comfort in Italy.
German scientists evacuated the Peenemünde Army Research Center.
One of my (Canadian) cousins lives on Peenemünde today. He's a scientist. Much of the Western world outside of the United States is still keen on science, including our recent allies, and or enemies. Now that J.D. Vance has indicated that we intend to crawl in a hole and pretend the rest of the world doesn't exist, science stands a chance again.
Scopes monkey trials anyone? American being second rate hick nation anyone?
Speaking of Canadians, who entered World War Two in 1939 when the US was still pretending that it could live on a seperate planet, Canadian troops reached the Rhine along a ten mile front.
They were all volunteers.
If I seem bitter, well yes I'm bitter that a Baby Boomer who is morally reprehensible and a South African whose sorry ass should be kicked back to Johannesburg are wrecking the nation, well yes I am.
And, if he's so nifty, why isn't that South African (who, I'll note, emigrated to Canada and incidnetally didn't have to serve in the, mostly black, South African Army as a result) making piles of cash, and producing piles of children, there?
US troops, who were not all volunteers, launched attacks from Luxembourg and near Saarbrucken.
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Dutch resistance fighter Gabrielle Widner died in Königsberg/Neumark concentration camp from starvation. Unusually, she was a Seventh Day Adventist.
The Italian battleship Conte di Cavour and the unfinished Impero were sunk in Trieste harbor by the RAF.
The British landed at Ru-Ya sought of Myebon, Burma.
The U.S. Navy's Task Force 58 hit Tokyo and Yokohama. That the Japanese home island are fatally exposed is now evident.
Pre invasion bombardments continued at Iwo Jima. Counter battery fire damaged several US ships, including the USS Tennessee.
Last edition:
January 1, 2025
Wyoming wise, brewing seems to be the most distributist business going.
Cygnet Brewing Company opened in downtown Casper last night, joining Skull Tree, Oil City Brewing, Gruner Brothers, Frontier Brewing, Mountain Hops, Stahoos, and Bull Horn as Casper breweries, and larger Wyoming regional brewery Black Tooth.
Rent shaming is breaking out in various parts of the country to attack absurdly high rents.
January 9, 2025
President Joe Biden blocked the acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan’s Nippon Steel.
January 10, 2025
BlackRock, the world's biggest asset manager, is leaving the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative under pressure from Republican politicians, which believes that man made climate change is a fib.
Ironically, Republicans trying to justify the demented ravings o. president elect Donald Trump have stated that we need it for the sea lanes once the ice melts.
The Ski Patrol strike at Park City, Utah, ended after the resort agreed to raise their pay by $2 an hour.
January 18, 2025
TikTok will go dark tomorrow.
Good riddance.
January 21, 2025
If the President does choose to proceed with tariffs on Canada, Canada will respond, and everything is on the table.
Prime Minister Trudeau.
Trump's going to wreck the economy after having not even been in office for a month.
January 28, 2025
Welcome to the Trump Economy:
Columbia refused to accept U.S. military flights carrying Columbian deportees.
I don't blame it for refusing military flights. Would we accept military flights?
So now we're slapping 25%, going to 50%, tariffs on Columbian goods.
27% of US coffee comes from Columbia.
Double digit inflation, here we come.
And runs on coffee? Yep. I'm buying some coffee tomorrow, I'm sure I'm not the only one.
Oh, on that, the price of coffee went up today.
| Coffee | 346.67 | 1.53 | 0.44% | 5.19% | 85.44% | Jan/24 |
January 27, 2025
Columbian amazingly backed down and the tariffs are off.
January 31, 2025
25% tariffs kick on on Canadian and Mexican imports tomorrow.
This is insane.
February 1, 2025
The Insurrectionist signed an executive order imposing 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and 10% on China.
This horrible person isn't legally the President now. Congress needs to do something.
Cont:
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Invoke the 25th Amendment now. Trump is insane.
This is absolutely reprehensible. Trump belonged in prison to start with. Now we'll all pay the price for his not being.'
Cont:
Oh, and Mexico too. They're also imposing tariffs.
Thanks MAGA. Great job there.
Last edition:
The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (Organisation Internationale de la vigne et du vin; OIV), and international organization of wine making countries, formed.
The first fax was sent across the ocean, transmitted from New York City to London. The transmission was a photograph of Calvin Coolidge.
Last edition:
Friedrich Johannes Miller was born in Riedlingen, Kingdom of Württemberg, German Confederation.
An immigrant to the U.S., he founded Miller Brewing.
June 18, 2024
Governor Gordon, who has spoken on his decarbonization initiative, has released his report.
Governor Gordon Releases WGA Decarbonization Initiative Findings
June 12, 2024
Governor Mark Gordon, Chair of the Western Governors’ Association (WGA), today released the report containing findings of his Decarbonizing the West initiative during the association’s 40th Anniversary meeting in Olympic Valley, CA. Governor Gordon launched the initiative a year ago to examine how decarbonization strategies can position western states at the forefront of innovation, reduce CO2 in the atmosphere, and strengthen their economies. The initiative explored a wide range of engineered decarbonization approaches as well as natural sequestration through enhanced land and agriculture management practices.
“Western Governors have a longstanding tradition of addressing complicated issues in thoughtful and bipartisan ways that often lead to national policy reform,” Governor Gordon said, “This topic is not simple. I chose it because it’s important to gain a comprehensive understanding of strategies and technologies that can be utilized in managing carbon.”
Governor Gordon’s hope is to advance environmentally sound and economically reasonable, practical paths to address decarbonization. He is an all-of-the-above energy policy leader, focused on the necessity of ensuring hungry power grids continue to be fed — for the good of his home state and the nation. Yesterday, the Governor joined community leaders and power industry executives, including Bill Gates, in Kemmerer, Wyo. at a groundbreaking for Terra Power’s Natrium reactor demonstration project.
While introducing the initiative at the conference, Governor Gordon thanked Governors Brad Little (R-ID), Jared Polis (D-CO), and Tina Kotek (D-OR) for hosting workshops in their respective states this year. The decarbonization report is a culmination of information gathered at the four workshops and existing WGA policy.
“The diversity of our states represents opportunities for each of us to pursue as we collectively work toward decarbonizing the west,” Governor Gordon wrote in a letter to WGA members, Governor Gordon noted the range of pathways on display at each of the workshops including:
- Gillette, WY: Tour of Integrated Test Center, where cutting edge carbon capture technologies are being tested.
- Boise, ID: Focus discussions of Forestry, agriculture, and soil management can play a role in sequestration.
- Denver, CO: Focus discussions on innovative direct air capture technologies currently being tested in western states.
- Portland, OR: Focus discussions regarding carbon sequestration potential of coastal ecosystems and how biomass can be utilized to remove carbon dioxide.
“These conversations formed the basis for the policy recommendations outlined in the report,” Governor Gordon said, “It’s my hope they spur common-sense policy reform. We can rally around those and work with our partners in the federal government to accelerate developing these carbon management methods without compromising livelihoods.”
Governor Gordon has been critical of federal agency regulations failing to give states and utility companies time and adequate incentives to develop cost-effective CO2 capture technologies.
Recommendations in the WGA report of particular interest to Wyoming citizens include:
- Federal policies to limit CO2 emissions should be tailored to state needs, and promote, not impede, the development and deployment of CO2 capture technologies. Federal regulations should seek to expand cost-effective deployment of CO2 capture at power plants and other industrial sources.
- Congress should amend Section 45Q of the U.S. Tax Code to provide credit based on the amount of CO2 removed, regardless of whether it is stored or utilized.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture should develop innovative carbon finance mechanisms to provide upfront capital to landowners seeking to implement [natural sequestration] projects.
- The EPA should establish clear and consistent guidelines to states for obtaining primacy and should increase agency capacity to review state primacy applications in a more timely manner. EPA should include aquifer exemptions for Class VI wells.
Governor Gordon has also promoted the important role private landowners have in providing natural CO2 sequestration through management of grazing and forest lands.
A complete copy of the report can be found on WGA’s website.
Decarbonizing is coming, and soon, and probably not in an "all options" manner that Governor Gordon urges. The only question is whether there will be a bit of a hiatus due to a second Trump presidency or not. But it is coming.
In spite of that, there will be howls of derision from Wyoming's far right on this, which will refuse to be proactive and insist the past can be returned.
Related to this, and acknowledging that electric vehicles are coming, a draft bill for the 2025 legislature proposes to tax electric vehicle charging. While that sounds punitive, the thought it that it will make up for lost gasoline taxes used for roads. The introductory part of that bill:
Press Release
Contact:
APHISpress@usda.gov
Requires electronic ID for Certain Cattle and Bison Moving Interstate
WASHINGTON, April 26, 2024 – Today, by amending and strengthening its animal disease traceability regulations for certain cattle and bison, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is putting in place the technology, tools, and processes to help quickly pinpoint and respond to costly foreign animal diseases.
“Rapid traceability in a disease outbreak will not only limit how long farms are quarantined, keep more animals from getting sick, and help ranchers and farmers get back to selling their products more quickly – but will help keep our markets open,” said Dr. Michael Watson, APHIS Administrator.
One of the most significant benefits of the rule for farmers and ranchers will be the enhanced ability of the United States to limit impacts of animal disease outbreaks to certain regions, which is the key to maintaining our foreign markets. By being able to readily prove disease-free status in non-affected regions of the United States, we will be able to request foreign trading partners recognize disease-free regions or zones instead of cutting off trade for the entire country. Traceability of animals is necessary to establish these disease-free zones and facilitate reestablishment of foreign and domestic market access with minimum delay in the wake of an animal disease event.
This rule is the culmination of goals established by USDA to increase traceability, one of the best protections against disease outbreaks, and enhances a rule finalized in 2013 for the official identification of livestock and documentation for certain interstate movements of livestock.
USDA is committed to implementing a modern animal disease traceability system that tracks animals from birth to slaughter using affordable technology that allows for quick tracing of sick and exposed animals to stop disease spread. USDA will continue to provide tags to producers free of charge to jumpstart efforts to enable the fastest possible response to a foreign animal disease. For information on how to obtain these free tags, please see APHIS’ Animal Disease Traceability webpage.
The final rule applies to all sexually intact cattle and bison 18 months of age or older, all dairy cattle, cattle and bison of any age used for rodeo or recreation events, and cattle or bison of any age used for shows or exhibitions.
The rule requires official eartags to be visually and electronically readable for official use for interstate movement of certain cattle and bison, and revises and clarifies certain record requirements related to cattle.
A copy of this rule may be viewed today, and the rule will be published in the Federal Register in the coming weeks. This rule will be effective 180 days after publication in the Federal Register.
To learn more about animal disease traceability and how APHIS responds to animal disease outbreaks, visit www.aphis.usda.gov.
#
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions: Animal Disease Traceability Rule
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
June 20, 2024
June 26, 2024
Wyoming is setting aside $800,000 from the coal litigation funds to use to fight pollution rules.
In local and semi local news:
1. Last Saturday evening, a Delta Airlines 757 bound from Atlanta to Salt Lake City lost cabin pressure and had to land at the Natrona County International Airport.
2. On June 17the Casper/Natrona County International Airport Board of Directors notified the Fly Casper Alliance (FCA) that it voted to withdraw support for the minimum revenue guarantee which has kept SkyWest flying as the Delta Connection to Salt Lake. This will almost surely end commercial air service from Casper to SLC.
Footnotes
* The reference is to the type of blues associated with the Missippii Delta.
And then there's this:
Governor
Gordon Applauds U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Chevron
CHEYENNE,
Wyo. – Governor Mark Gordon responded to the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of the
Chevron doctrine today, calling the decision a victory for common-sense
regulatory reform. The Governor’s statement follows:
“For years, unelected bureaucrats running
federal agencies in Washington D.C. have used “deference” as an excuse to
target certain industries based on politics. Wyoming has experienced that
firsthand,” Governor Gordon said. “Limiting their power to overreach is cause
for celebration, and this ruling begins that process.
The court has essentially removed the fox from
the hen house. This decision ensures that
agencies can no longer unilaterally expand their authority beyond the letter of
the law. It rejects the strategy of attacking a state’s industries through
rules and regulations like those advanced by the Biden Administration.”
Attorney
General Bridget Hill filed an amicus brief on the Loper Bright
Enterprises v. Raimondo case on behalf of the State of Wyoming in July of 2023.
In that filing, it was noted that the number of Federal regulations are at an
all-time high and the rules published by Federal agencies have outpaced the
laws Congress enacted at a rate of 26-to-1.
-END-
This will have enormous implications, but nobody really knows what they will be.
July 6, 2024
July 16, 2024
The price of oil fell due to predictions that Chinese demand has fallen.
The stock market has been dramatically climbing in expectation that Donald Trump will win the 2024 election.
July 19, 2024
The IMF warns the US should raise taxes.
This is patently obvious from an economic standpoint.
July 20, 2024
A computer bug caused massive computer failures globally.
Modelo Especial has overtaken Bud Light as the number one beer in the United States.
July 21, 2024
Nuclear technology company BWX is evaluating locations in Wyoming for commercial nuclear fuel production.
July 27, 2024
The world's largest soda ash company is planning a major expansion of operations in southwest Wyoming.
August 3, 2024
Kum & Go's in Wyoming are becoming Maverik's.
Maverik already has a presence here. The convenience store in their Mill's location sells Cinnabon's. . .
Related to this Big D's seem to be springing up in Natrona County.
August 4, 2024
Rocky Mountain Power filed a request to increase rates in order to underwrite new infrastructure and cover the rising costs insurance premiums relating to wildfire risk.
Another reminder of something we discussed yesterday:
August 6, 2024
US stocks crashed yesterday, something that would matter to me if I was every going to retire, which seems unlikely.
The price of oil also dropped.
All this due to recession fears.
All this was due to massive overreaction to job reports.
August 12, 2024
A Federal grant will be used to provide high speed internet to the parts of Wyoming lacking it.
August 14, 2024
Nearly 30% more passengers flew out of Casper/Natrona County International Airport in July than did a year ago, airport officials reported Monday.
Casper Star Tribune, August 14, 2024.
August 15, 2024
Inflation has hit a three year low.
From the Casper Star Tribune:
Total employment in Wyoming grew by a scant 1.3% from first quarter 2023 to first quarter 2024, but total payroll grew by 4.1% over the year, the Research and Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported Friday. Average weekly wage in the state grew by 2.8%.
August 16, 2024
California will ban the sale of new gasoline powered vehicles by 2035.
Starting in 2026, 35% of new vehicles sold in California will be required to be hybrids or fully electric.
August 18, 2024
A development we'll see more and more of.
Americans are moving away for coal generation, and no amount of Wyomingites denying its occuring, or trying to prevent it, is going to stop that.
August 23, 2024
The Canadian government has forced the Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National railroads into arbitration with their unions, so rail traffic in Canada will resume shortly.
Related threads:
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