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One thing you can count on like the phases of the moon each month are letters by Kurt Lauenstein & Gay Cheney telling us the world is coming to an end and it's Bush's fault. I wonder if these two know each other?

As for the roadless rule, here is what I heard on NPR, which is not exactly a susidiary of the RNC. Clinton signed this rule in the last days in office. Bush has changed it to allow each state, mostly Western states, decide if they want to do something with their land other than let it sit there. If they do, a plan has to be made including envirnmental impact, and submitted to the Feds for approval.

This rule does not mean, Ms. Cheney, that the sky is falling and 58 million acres are going to be bought by WalMart & Target.

I have attended many meetings in the course of my business both locally and nationally. I tend to find that while as full of good ideas they are very few actually get implemented to justify the money I spend to attend. I do usually enjoy the socializing and the chance to break the routine.
I would challenge the previous attendies to provide benifits that attending the past meetings have come to be implemented. I do feel there are benifits but more would be arrived by all of the commisioners being to attend in Richmond for less cost than a few going to Hawaii. I wonder if this was in Detroit would Mr. Davis be on the Plane?

I agree with Gay Cheney on this issue. I believe in protecting the environment. I don't think, however, that it is at all productive to criticize Bush or any other politician for the problem. In fact, it is really divisive. If you want to fight for saving trees, it is going to take a grass-root effort that starts on the local level and moves up. By polarizing an issue along democrat/republican lines, you make forming that grass-root effort much more difficult.

Like Drew Troutman besieged Christians, the same could be done here. Stop talking about it and pointing the finger, and go do something about it.

jonathan Rigsbee,

Huh?

I don't believe I ever said the "world is coming to an end". That quote came from someone in chicken little's family. I have implied that many people's worlds have come to an end as a result of Bush's policies. We read about them every day as we toss over $400 billion into Iraq to prove the point.
The Bush administration has gutted the budgets for the EPA and the Department of the Interior. One might suppose that weakening enforcement of these bodies would constitute and attack on the environment. And consistent leadership in Washington, we continue cutting trees along the nature path by Grimsley HS, the Burlington Industries parcel, as well as the airport. Problems with water and air are well known in Guilford County.
It's certainly not the end of the world. The sky is not falling. It's the natural beauty and resources that are falling, along with respect for people who care about this beautiful area.

Kurt, you didn't answer my burning question. Do you and Gay Cheney know each other? If not you should so you could Bush bash together.

I had two clients visit today from very rural Maine. They had never been to NC, much less Greensboro. Out of courtesy, I took them around the city. Their comment was they could not believe how many trees there were and how "green" the city looked. Just to be fair, I took them by the old Burlington headquarters and a few developments where they mowed down all the trees to build houses.

Kurt "And consistent leadership in Washington, we continue cutting trees along the nature path by Grimsley HS, the Burlington Industries parcel, as well as the airport". Does that mean Bush and his administration ordered trees to be cut in these areas? Talk about micromanagement, I didn't know GW ordered those trees cut!!

I made a typographical error. It should have read "And consistent with leadership in Washington..." I don't pretend to know whether Bush micromanages. He certainly has had an interesting group of advisors, many of whom have resigned or been forced out because of their views on the environment (eg Christie Todd Whitman). I don't know Gay Cheney. Perhaps you could introduce us.

I don't know Gay Cheney either, but find it ironic that she shares the same last name with a VP she despises. Just thought you guys might travel in the same circles, as your letters are like clockwork and always the same, bash Bush.

I do know you however, former pt of yours. You seem like a nice guy even though you're a liberal ;)

I agree, Gay. Before W. was elected, I used to have woods behind my house. Now there are none. It used to be that when I went for a drive I might find the occassional possum in the road. Now, the roads are nearly impassable for all the eagles littering the highway. I had planned on taking my kids to see the great sequoia's out west but now, since this administration, I'll just have to settle for showing them pictures.

And finally, someone else sees those nasty bulldozers as I do. The nerve of some people to want to use those things to create roads, jobs and newspapers to print paranoid letters is beyond me. I wonder if I could rent one to build me a bunker.

Folks should talk with professional foresters, both in industry and academia, about the real state of our nations forests. The Sierra Club's point of view is often presented for one purpose...to raise money.