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Emptying Reservoirs in the Middle of a Drought

California's privileged species lord it over the endangered farmer.

(Page 2 of 2)

As California farmers lose their jobs by the tens of thousands to protect a tiny fish, the sad irony is that the delta smelt may not be faring much better. That's not because of inadequate protections against humans offered by state and federal officials, but rather because those officials seem incapable of saving the delta smelt from nature's predators. The smelt rarely grows much longer than three inches, and it is prey for any number of other creatures that inhabit the rivers of the San Joaquin Valley. As Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA), noted at a recent congressional hearing, the water diversions have not helped the delta smelt populations. There are quite a few officials who believe that the delta smelt is on Darwin's fast track to extinction, despite the feel-good efforts of human environmentalists. McClintock's congressional colleague, George Radanovich, is even rooting it on, calling the smelt "a worthless little worm that needs to go the way of the dinosaur."

For their part, environmentalists who sue on behalf of the delta smelt consider the tiny fish to be an absolutely critical part of the food chain, feeding on plankton and in turn serving as food for larger fish and birds. If the delta smelt disappears, they warn ominously, the local food chain collapses. Whether that's true or not, what the policies boil down to should be a matter of picking your calamity: should the fish (and others in the food chain) suffer, or should humans?

PERHAPS THE MOST MYSTIFYING ELEMENT of California's farms-versus-fish imbroglio is the unwillingness of the media and the state's political establishment (other than the elected representatives of the region) to confront the issue head-on. Sidestepping the tough questions involved, they refer instead to California's lengthy drought as the cause of much of the state's misfortune.

"California is in its third year of drought, and many farmers in the state's crop-rich Central Valley are looking at dusty fields, or worse, are cutting down their orchards before the trees die," according to National Public Radio in a report typical of the media coverage. "This year, farmers have been told they are getting only a small fraction of the water they need." The alarm over California's drought spread on both coasts. In Sacramento, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency, while in Washington Congress held hearings at which Democrats decried "California's Katrina."

Not surprisingly, global warming is being blamed for California's drought. California's drought was regularly invoked on Capitol Hill as Congress debated cap and trade legislation this summer. Energy Secretary Steven Chu gave this storyline a boost in February when he warned that drought will cause California's vineyards and farms to vanish by the end of the 21st century if we fail to combat warming. "We're looking at a scenario where there's no more agriculture in California," he told the Los Angeles Times.

The only problem with the idea of drought driving California's misery is that it is largely a fiction. There has been very mild drought in recent years, but not enough to account for the current massive cuts in water to Central Valley farmers. This spring, the state's Department of Water Resources revealed that the mountain snowpack feeding California reservoirs was at 80 percent of normal levels, while precipitation in the northern and southern Sierra was 90 percent of average. This prompted California's chief hydrologist to tell reporters writing about the supposedly epic conditions that while, sure, there had been some drought, it was "not the worst we ever had." By the conventional definitions his office employs, he said, 2007 and 2008 barely qualified as drought years at all.

Drought isn't the reason the Central Valley's farmers aren't getting water. "There's plenty of water," says congressman Devin Nunes, a Republican who represents part of the Central Valley. "But the courts say it can't be touched, so it's flowing out to sea under the Golden Gate Bridge."

The false drought meme has conveniently allowed policy makers as well as the media to sidestep the uncomfortable issues surrounding Endangered Species Act regulation. It permits them to avoid confronting what Nunes refers to as "the fundamental wrongness of choosing fish over people." And it permits them to avoid taking responsibility for the consequences of government policies and regulations that have tremendously adverse impacts on ordinary people's lives. When cornered, blame the weather.

DURING THE 1930s, the Dust Bowl tragedy pitted hapless farmers against the vagaries of weather and climate, as the Great Plains endured a horrific seven-year drought the likes of which no one could recall. California, too, has suffered drought in recent years. No one denies that. Yet however much the drought gets blamed for so many of the state's problems, the disaster unfolding in the Central Valley is almost entirely man-made. Fields lie fallow. Families in some of America's richest cropland face crushing poverty. Businesses go belly-up. The fact that this is spurred by government policies designed to protect endangered species from dying off is an irony tinged with tragedy.

Missing in this sad affair has been any element of common sense. But that may be changing. In response this summer to an appeal of the last year's Fish and Wildlife Service ruling, Judge Wanger signaled a change of course. He hinted that the USFWS's decision supporting the shutting off of pumps to Central Valley farmers (not to mention his initial order to do so) may have erred by not taking into account the impact on the human populations. As the issue winds its way through the courts, it remains to be seen whether Judge Wanger's newfound logic holds up. If so, there may be protection for the endangered farmer after all.

Page:   12

About the Author

Max Schulz is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (166) | Leave a comment

Melvin| 9.11.09 @ 7:52AM

When in the hell are the sane people of this Country going to put a stop to this madness? Americans are losing their way of life, livelihoods, and freedoms to chose ,at the hands the hands of an abusive authoritarian government.

california bob| 9.11.09 @ 8:43AM

he asks: "should the fish (and others in the food chain) suffer, or should humans?" Phrased that way, there is only one answer and it is the same answer every time regardless of the circumstances. Humans should not suffer a downturn and all the species must die before any such loss occurs. Therefore, we choose ecological collapse.

Irene Flick| 9.23.09 @ 1:20AM

This is great, now Chinese cabbage will genuinely come from China. None of this phony stuff grown in California. It should be fresh enough after a week or two on a ship, right? And China has such superior environmental practices compared to the USA after all.

John Rohan| 10.11.09 @ 10:00PM

The problem with the "either or" way of thinking is that if you choose humans every time, then you eventually end up on a planet with all humans and no wild animals whatsoever. That's not the kind of world I want my children to live in.
It's unfortunate, that people are losing their farms, but the reality is that there is a limited supply of water to go around, and maybe California was supposed to be a desert in the first place. At the very least, it's a wake up call to rethink population numbers in the Western USA, and allowing about 1 million immigrants to cross the southern border every year.

TwayneA| 7.22.10 @ 3:23PM

Perhaps the water should be cutoff to SOUTHERN CALIFORNNIA?

Of course these greedy developer bastards will continue to build houses allowing MILLIONS to move despite being out of water. HELLO?

The "Green Beans" are being used to attack the food supply of America; simple as that!

These bastards have been controlling supply and demand all over the place; jobs, oil, electricity in Cal, etc. etc.

That's their best trick in their game called "Capitalism".

JP| 9.11.09 @ 8:51AM

"Humans should not suffer a downturn and all the species must die before any such loss occurs. Therefore, we choose ecological collapse."

That is something to ponder the next time you are shopping at Walmart for out of season vegtables.

2Anglico| 9.11.09 @ 8:59AM

Total insanity. Liberalism is a mental disorder.

Michael L. Hauschild| 9.11.09 @ 9:12AM

The western border of my property exists as a base flow stream, certainly polluted but distillable nonetheless. With a posthole digger, two ten-foot extensions, a rope and coffee can (I have done this) I can get potable H2O from the water table below my yard.
When the feces hits the vertical hard surface my exchange rate will be 20:1, twenty gallons of gasoline for one gallon of water.
I may go commercial on this; I have two disassembled 1930 era Air Motors in storage, complete with tower, pump jacks and original wooden hexagon push rods. (The pumps DO work because the vandals HAVE NOT stolen the handles.)
The two most valuable commodities in that barely imaginable future will be, not diamonds or flesh, but the aforementioned posthole digger and a firearm.
Footnote: Some of those water resources will be diverted to horse tanks where I will aquaculture Delta Smelt to be used as sushi snacks for the Della Cowboy Cheerleaders in the back seat of my HumVee when we are cruising.

Kurt| 9.22.09 @ 9:21PM

Cool, the pump works because the vandals didn't get the handle.

John Goldman| 6.25.11 @ 2:19AM

Why the surprise? It has been evident for years that the environmental movement is profoundly anti human being. Everytime a puma eats a camper there are more contributions for the puma cubs than support for the campers family.

Tim| 9.11.09 @ 9:35AM

On a deeper level, wasn't it government that decided decades ago that it would be a good idea to change desert to farmland? A lot of family farms in the east (abundant water, shorter growing season) were put out of business by federally subsidized water projects for the desert west.

Tim| 9.11.09 @ 9:38AM

Which is not to say that I oppose turning the water back on. It's just that it seems once Gubmint gets into the game, insanity piles up on top of insanity. Like the old lady swallowing the fly.

owyheewine| 9.11.09 @ 9:48AM

Something like 99% of all species that have existed on the earth are now extinct. Most of this happened before humans existed. The silliness of the ESA suggests that man can change the Darwinian march to eliminate less fit species.
This needs to become a metaphor for the unintended consequences resulting from the ever expanding body of legislation that seeks to extend governmental control of every aspect of, not only our lives, but also natural processes that are beyond our current understanding.

Northern Rebel| 9.11.09 @ 10:04AM

Perhaps we can elect a few Delta Smelts (is that the name of a famous female sitcom star?) to congress. They're probably smarter than most politicians, and I'm sure their IQ easily doubles that of California Bob's.

Pingback| 9.11.09 @ 10:16AM

Statist Enviro Nazi's: Save The Smelt, Kill The Farmers... - Politics and Other Contr links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…The Farmers... This is what you get when the liberal statist enviro nazi's get their way... Forget about the food supply / lives of humans, we must save the smelt.... The American Spectator : Emptying Reservoirs in the Middle of a Drought City-Data Forum Message   Cancel Changes Quick Reply The following errors occurred with your submission Okay Message:  Posting Quick Reply - Please Wait…

Galen| 9.11.09 @ 10:38AM

Why the surprise? It has been evident for years that the environmental movement is profoundly anti human being. Everytime a puma eats a camper there are more contributions for the puma cubs than support for the campers family.

Tim| 9.11.09 @ 10:55AM

99% of all species that have existed are extinct? Really?
Too bad regulations can't go extinct....

Michael L. Hauschild| 9.11.09 @ 11:47AM

Abandoning levity (maybe I never possessed any), the same aspects of environmental concern are occurring on the most water rich environment in the world, the Ogalala and Dakota Aquifers, upon their juncture I reside. Hundred year leases, irrigation contracts, inter state compacts here in the Midwest are in turmoil and those in charge are forgoing any pretense of tort reform. This is the real issue we as a nation face, not the "Global Warming" brouhaha. Water will be the next "petroleum" and I praise the Lord that I will not have to develop the hygiene regimen of Europe or the rest of the non-Asian masses. (We have a BO problem but it is not olfactory. )

DeltaResident| 9.11.09 @ 12:23PM

Perhaps the gentleman of the Manhattan Institute would prefer to drain the Hudson River to enable irrigation farming of the plains of New Jersey. How about farming where there is abundant water and good soil, and not just cheap illegal alien labor? We live here on the Delta, and are not legally allowed to use the water flowing in our backyard. This issue is more complicated that the smelt, and it stinks just as bad.

Dave| 9.11.09 @ 12:26PM

I have to mention one other large enviromental hypocrisy that is going on in the delta. The pollution in the form of partially treated sewage and pesticides coming from cities around the delta. Also many invasive and non-native species living in the delta. Is anything being done about these other health effects for the delta? Mostly No. They just want the water to go to the ocean. I beleive so they can use other peoples water to flush out the pollution out of the delta.

Commercial Pilot| 6.25.11 @ 2:20AM

The problem with our regulatory systems is one of checks and balances as well as accountability. The ability for any government agency to regulate anything comes ultimately from Congress; not the Excutive; and most certainly not the Courts.

TennesseeVolunteer| 9.11.09 @ 2:11PM

My brother in law is a geological engineer in Wyoming. two of his natural gas wells have been closed for 6 months per year for the Grouse mating season. I asked him if the wells impeded the grouse and he said "Hell no", they gravitate to the wells!
He says this is happening all over the West for oil and natural gas. and, oh by the way, now investment for new wells is way down because investors don't want to take the chance of having their investment shut down for 6 months a year.
THIS IS A SYSTEMATIC STRATEGY OF THE EPA TO STIFLE DRILLING AND ENERGY PRODUCTION IN THE US!
When do wake up to the liberal strategy to shut us down busing environmental law?
Look for news about the fact that protected herds of wild horses are being placed where the largest shale oil deposits are in the West. They are throttling our ability to produce our own energy unless it uses their type of energy (wind and solar) which anyone that has studied it ...knows that they cannot replace our coal and natural gas. It is time we wake up.

JP| 9.11.09 @ 3:44PM

The problem with our regulatory systems is one of checks and balances as well as accountability. The ability for any government agency to regulate anything comes ultimately from Congress; not the Excutive; and most certainly not the Courts.

It is a congressional act such as the Clean Air Act the established the EPA and its regulatory infrastructure. It is also Congress that infused the EPA with the legal armour to regulate things like fossil fuel emissions that are poisonous to humans.

When the courts through its diktats ordered the EPA to begin regulating CO2 as a poisonous gas, it not only circumvented Congress, but common sense as well. There is no recourse to the law now (that is, unless one petitions the courts; however, in this case it is Congress and not the courts that are empowered to write laws).

All of these enviormental issues seem to be tied directly to judges who have taken upon themselves to not only decide policy, but to write it.

Richard Smith| 9.11.09 @ 4:10PM

You people are so removed from the natural world, you think it was made for us to do what we will, because you "own" it. Clueless. The ecological downfall will be because of your short sightedness.

Die Fledermaus| 9.11.09 @ 5:20PM

Gee Richard, that's quite an accusation coming from someone sitting behind a computer using electricity. Why didn't you save the ecology and write a letter with charcoal on tree bark and have a carrier pigeon send it to the editors?

Richard Baker| 9.11.09 @ 5:40PM

Smith:
You clowns have been saying for over 100 years that the end is near. It ain't coming. Lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way. Leave the rest of us alone and go sulk on your enviro-communes.

Curtis| 9.11.09 @ 5:58PM

The problem with environmentalists, ecologists, biologists, and archeologists, is that they set out to teach me, and I listened.

I learned that Evolution is an ongoing process that allows animals to change to thier environment. Whether that be hurricanes, ice ages, meteors, or mankind drilling holes in the ground.

I've learned that nature has a robust system in place for adapting to changes and rewarding successs. I've also learned that failures are not tolerated.

I've learned that the earth is a dynamic place, marked by meteor strikes, moving continents, shifting deserts, and roaming ice shelves.

I've learned that extinction is just as much a product of evolution as adaptation.

I've learned that change is inevitable. All of these things happened and continue to happen, oblivious to mans presence. But you, you're the one who's convinced that its all mans fault if the clouds are not to your liking, and if a species blinks out of existence.

robert turley| 9.11.09 @ 7:20PM

what we must all remember is that millions of years ago that smelt crawled out of the water.Grew a backbone and the human evolution chain started .
you will never stop evolution ,be it man or animal made.

Richard Baker| 9.11.09 @ 7:32PM

Entropy says that everything goes from a higher order to a lower order. Can you get iron from rust? Evolution is a fraud.

Pingback| 9.11.09 @ 8:09PM

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Obie Wan| 9.11.09 @ 8:12PM

Well for every issue there's two ways,the right way or the liberal way. I've been around a while now and I've yet to see the liberal way work for anything unless failure is your goal !!!

Let's eat| 9.11.09 @ 9:46PM

I'd like to invite ya'll over for a delta smelt fish fry!

chi flat iron| 9.11.09 @ 10:05PM

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Ted| 9.11.09 @ 11:11PM

As to the Delta smelt not faring so well after the imposition of ESA regulations, could it be the case of unintended consequences? Perhaps a landowner who finds the delta smelt on his land and faced with the prospect of burdensome regulation would want to kill off all of the fishes prior to their discovery by an overzealous regulator. It's just a thought.

stacey reiner| 9.11.09 @ 11:20PM

Yes ,definetly,with a posthole digger Bailey Button Ugg Boots , two ten-foot extensions, a rope and coffee can (I have done this) I can get potable H2O from the water table below my yard.
When the feces hits the vertical hard surface my exchange rate will be 20:1, twenty gallons of gasoline for one gallon of water.I may go commercial on this; I have two disassembled 1930 era Air Motors in storage cheap ugg boots , complete with tower, pump jacks and original wooden hexagon push rods.

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brandon parker| 9.11.09 @ 11:23PM

Whatever geological engineer in Wyoming ugg boots uk . two of his natural gas wells have been closed for 6 months per year for the Grouse mating season. I asked him if the wells impeded the grouse and he said "Hell no", they gravitate to the wells!He says this is happening all over the West for oil and natural gas. and cheap ugg boots , oh by the way, now investment for new wells is way down because investors don't want to take the chance of having their investment shut down for 6 months a year.

p.harris| 9.12.09 @ 2:00AM

The solution is to research how many species of wildlife and wild plants are dying from this man made drought, I am sure if someone can prove a dung beetle has died from letting the water just go out to sea film it dying in slo-mo with dramatic music, an ad campaign and news coverage of it's plight it will save the agi. What in the heck is wrong with these people? Can't farm, fresh water being diverted right out to sea, can't drill our own oil, etc.. because big daddy government is going to think for us and the dung beetle too, it knows best. We just all need to cooperate a little more and shut up and drink our koolaide.

Pingback| 9.12.09 @ 3:15AM

The American Spectator : Emptying Reservoirs in the Middle of a … | H2O Report links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…and I praise the Lord that I will not have to develop the hygiene regimen of Europe or the rest of the non-Asian masses. Here is the original post: The American Spectator : Emptying Reservoirs in the Middle of a … american, central, central-valley, congress, courts, endangered, global-warming, home, middle, money-business, new-articles, project, september-2009, water This post was…

ExZonie| 9.12.09 @ 4:03AM

This species "collapse" argument is specious. The Central Valley was at one time (hundreds/thousands of years ago) a huge inland sea. There was no Delta, no rivers... nothing but a huge body of fresh water fed by the snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada.

During that time (if you believe in evolution), smelt, salmon, steelheads, longfin tuna, killer whales etc. all managed to evolve just fine, thank you, without the Delta and its tributaries flowing anywhere.

The earth ages, the species adapt or die out.

It also doesn't help that Sacramento, Martinez and Stockton dump millions of gallons of barely-treated sewage directly into the Delta. That water is then pumped to Los Angeles for the Angelinos to drink... ewwwwww!

D Jones| 9.12.09 @ 9:36AM

I lived in California the vast majority of my life and could only watch as this kind of liberal insanity overwhelmed any common sense in the state. Seems like everything the liberal politicians, including most of the Republicans, have been cooking up in Sacramento is coming to a boil all at once this year: punitive taxing has caused more and more people to move away; wasteful spending, despite having the highest tax rates in the nation on most things, has left the state coffers empty; environmental mismanagement has left vast areas ripe for burning and drought.

Maybe it's time to just give the state back to Mexico...they can have Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein and Arnold Schwarzenegger, too...we'll keep Tom McClintock, though...he's one of the only politicians from the Tarnished State that makes any sense anymore.

jr| 9.12.09 @ 5:04PM

The states north of Kalifornia should dam up the water, including the aqueducts, and allow the Golden state to become a desert. They can then feast on the rattlers and lizards. When will that big earthquake split them off so they can become the Independent Country of Socialism and quit stinking up the rest of the US?

Richard Baker| 9.12.09 @ 7:28PM

jr:
Soon, hopefully.

red| 9.14.09 @ 6:10PM

I’m so glad I found this. I have become so much smarter by reading all the wisdom put down here in these comments e.g., evolution is a fraud because iron rusts; California’s water comes from aqueducts from “states north”; the Central Valley was an inland sea until “hundreds/thousands” of years ago; government is placing restrictions on agribusiness use of water that government provided in the first place and that’s really unfair; some water is still being allowed to “flow out to sea” and that’s unacceptable when we could be diverting the last drop too; we need to “wake up” and get the wild horses off the shale oil deposits.

Now that I learned all this stuff I can go tell the enviro-dummies how clueless they are.

Pingback| 9.17.09 @ 11:11PM

delta smelt – 海运女 links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…doesn't eat crops. No, it doesn't carry any known transmittable diseases. So why is it a scourge, you ask? … Commentarama – http://commentarama.blogspot.com/ ||| Emptying Reservoirs in the Middle of a Drought Its cudgel is the federal Endangered Species Act and supporting California statutes wielded on behalf of fish such as the tiny delta smelt. In 1993, the delta smelt was listed as…

Pingback| 9.18.09 @ 5:08AM

Emptying Reservoirs in the Middle of a Drought | Images and all!! links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…\n Hello, I’m Mark Levin.\n \n The far left hates Spectator.org.\n That’s why I love reading it.\n Help spread their message.\n \n CLICK HERE and\n Donate\n Read more at http://spectator.org/archives/2009/09/11/emptying-reservoirs-in-the-mid The water shortage on the Valley’s west side got thrust into the national spotlight Thursday as conservative commentator Sean Hannity broadcast his Fox News…

Pingback| 9.18.09 @ 10:39AM

delta smelt links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…Smelt fish. Congressman George Radanovich (CA-19) noted that “the draconian regulations that turn simple … merriemarie’s clog – http://merriemarie.amplify.com/ ||| Emptying Reservoirs in the Middle of a Drought Its cudgel is the federal Endangered Species Act and supporting California statutes wielded on behalf of fish such as the tiny delta smelt. In 1993, the delta smelt was listed as…

Nuno Furtado| 9.19.09 @ 7:11PM

I toured the fields of California. It is unbelievable what congress has done to these people. We must get the water back on NOW! Thank you for the great article. I have saved this site to my fav's.

http://www.pokeandnudge.com

Pingback| 9.22.09 @ 10:53PM

Michelle Malkin » Cali’s man-caused drought: Senate rejects water restoration effort; links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…2009 10:53 PM Last week, FNC’s Sean Hannity traveled to the San Joaquin Valley to report on the man-made drought that’s wreaking havoc on farmers in the name of saving the Delta smelt: Max Schulz has an excellent piece in this month’s issue of the American Spectator on the crisis — and the MSM’s unwillingness to confront it: As California farmers lose their jobs by the tens…

Pingback| 9.22.09 @ 11:26PM

Random Thoughts » As California farmers lose their jobs by the tens of thousands to p links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…fish From Michelle Malkin: Last week, FNC’s Sean Hannity traveled to the San Joaquin Valley to report on the man-made drought that’s wreaking havoc on farmers in the name of saving the  Delta smelt: Max Schulz has an excellent piece in this month’s issue of the American Spectator on the crisis — and the MSM’s unwillingness to confront it: As California farmers lose their jobs by the tens of thousands to…

Pingback| 9.23.09 @ 2:46AM

GayPatriot » Boxer Votes to Prevent California Farmers from Working links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…in the Golden State, Max Schulz gives a brief background on how massive irrigation projects helped transform the desert of the San Joaquin Valley “ into a paradise, providing much of the fruits and vegetables and dairy products Americans consume. ”  Today, with the help of the entire Democratic caucus of the United States Senate, including the two senators from California, environmentalists…

Pingback| 9.23.09 @ 9:32AM

Delta Smelt links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…in the Golden State, Max Schulz gives a brief background on how massive irrigation projects helped transform the desert of the San Joaquin Valley “ into a paradise, providing much of the fruits and vegetables and dairy products Americans consume. ” Today, with the help of the entire Democratic caucus of the United States Senate, including the two senators from California, environmentalists may well…

Pingback| 9.23.09 @ 10:00AM

Moe Lane » This fish cost California almost a billion dollars. links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…monitor, the picture (via Michelle Malkin ) may be the actual size: That’s the delta smelt – or, as Rep. George Radanovich (R, CA-19) likes to call it, “ a worthless little worm that needs to go the way of the dinosaur ” – and it’s the reason why direct farm losses in California’s San Joaquin valley are being estimated at a high of 647 million (against a backdrop…

Pingback| 9.23.09 @ 10:03AM

This fish cost California almost a billion dollars. - Moe_Lane’s blog - RedState links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…on your monitor, the picture (via Michelle Malkin ) may be the actual size: That’s the delta smelt - or, as Rep. George Radanovich (R, CA-19) likes to call it, “ a worthless little worm that needs to go the way of the dinosaur ” - and it’s the reason why direct farm losses in California’s San Joaquin valley are being estimated at a high of 647 million (against a backdrop of a 3…

Pingback| 9.23.09 @ 10:04AM

This fish cost California almost a billion dollars. - Moe_Lane’s blog - RedState links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…on your monitor, the picture (via Michelle Malkin ) may be the actual size: That’s the delta smelt - or, as Rep. George Radanovich (R, CA-19) likes to call it, “ a worthless little worm that needs to go the way of the dinosaur ” - and it’s the reason why direct farm losses in California’s San Joaquin valley are being estimated at a high of 647 million (against a backdrop of a 3…

Steve In Tulsa| 9.23.09 @ 2:19PM

This is what happens when liberals run things. The state has a twenty billion dollar deficit on their loan payments so they raise expenditures and taxes driving business out of state and then they shut down the water so the farmers are forced out of business and the state loses more revenue. And now Oklahoma citizens have to pay for the pensions of ex school teachers in California who get more than $100,000 a year. Hell teachers here don't earn half that. California is a great example of what liberal policies do to a state: Liberals on destroy things. They have made nothing and saved no one. But they sure do like congratulating themselves after they screw every thing up.

Chris| 9.23.09 @ 10:05PM

When are the Mexican laborers going to stop automatically voting for the Democrat/Socialist party? There is a reason they left Socialist Mexico. Now where can one go to escape Socialism? Delta Smelt can die-off I do not care!

Pingback| 9.27.09 @ 3:02AM

TURN ON THE DAMN WATER, DEMOCRATS « Snark And Boobs links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…Man up and deal. On the 22nd of September, the Democrats killed Senator DeMint’s Amendment that would have turned the water back on for California farmers (and the hundreds of thousands of  jobs they supply) by a vote of 61 to 36.  The Democrats were joined by three of the usual Republican suspects, Snowe, Collins and Alexander. IN A RECESSION. What, not enough people on food…

Pingback| 9.27.09 @ 1:56PM

TURN ON THE DARN WATER, DEMOCRATS - snarkandboobs’s Diary - RedState links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…Man up and deal. On the 22nd of September, the Democrats killed Senator DeMint’s Amendment that would have turned the water back on for California farmers (and the hundreds of thousands of  jobs they supply) by a vote of 61 to 36.  The Democrats were joined by three of the usual Republican suspects, Snowe, Collins and Alexander. IN A RECESSION. What, not enough people on food…

Pingback| 9.27.09 @ 1:56PM

TURN ON THE DARN WATER, DEMOCRATS - snarkandboobs’s Diary - RedState links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…Man up and deal. On the 22nd of September, the Democrats killed Senator DeMint’s Amendment that would have turned the water back on for California farmers (and the hundreds of thousands of  jobs they supply) by a vote of 61 to 36.  The Democrats were joined by three of the usual Republican suspects, Snowe, Collins and Alexander. IN A RECESSION. What, not enough people on food…

Pingback| 9.28.09 @ 6:29AM

Is the Delta Smelt a Red Herring in Disguise? :: The 912 Project Fan Site links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…and fishing groups that sued to protect a tiny fish, the delta smelt.” One of the tightest, precise details of the effect of no water on the California Central Valley: Emptying Reservoirs in the Middle of a Drought “ANYONE DOUBTING THAT OUR nation’s environmental and economic policies can get seriously out of whack from time to time need only look to the Sacramento-San Joaquin…

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October 10 roundup links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…“Religious group sued for allegedly inciting harm through prayers” [ USA Today ] Legally driven waste of water in parched California should reopen Endangered Species Act debate [ Max Schulz, American Spectator ] “More Unintended Consequences — Endangered Species Edition” [ Ronald Bailey, Reason ; related AEI panel ] “Apple v Woolworth re Apple Logos In Australia” […

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Obama the Messiah? Try Moses in the Desert: CA Congressmen Enticed With Water Provisi links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

… Fish! Dead and Dying–California’s Central Valley Dust Bowl Those who want to know the latest outrage on the Central Valley water front, check this story from the American Spectator: Emptying Reservoirs in the Middle of a Drought By Max Schulz ANYONE DOUBTING THAT OUR nation’s environmental and economic policies can get seriously out of whack from time to time need only look to the Sacramento-San…

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I’ll have a Poptropica full written walkthrough very soon, but in the meantime, here are some answers to some of the frequently asked questions about Mythology Island. Having trouble? Post a question in the comments and I’ll try to answer it!
Getting Hercules to Help You

You can see how to do this in the videos, but basically you need to jump up when the Hydra is about to strike. He will rear one of his heads back to attack and his eyes will bulge out. When this happens, jump up in the air and then try to land on top of his head. That head will get knocked out. PoptropicaWhen all five heads get knocked out, the Hydra will be asleep and you can click on him to get one of the scales. Poptropica I’ll have a Poptropica full written walkthrough very soon, but in the meantime, here are some answers to some of the frequently asked questions about Mythology Island. Having trouble? Post a question in the comments and I’ll try to answer it!
Getting Hercules to Help You

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Hercules won’t help you until you have all five items from Zeus’ quest. Once you have the five items, bring them to Athena. PoptropicaZeus will appear and steal them. The big jerk! Once this happens, talk to Athena and she will tell you that Hercules will help you. You’ll need to have the magic mirror from Aphrodite because Hercules doesn’t want to have to walk. He’s so lazy!
Getting the Hydra Scale Poptropica

You can see how to do this in the videos, but basically you need to jump up when the Hydra is about to strike. PoptropicaHe will rear one of his heads back to attack and his eyes will bulge out. When this happens, jump up in the air and then try to land on top of his head. That head will get knocked out. When all five heads get knocked out, the Hydra will be asleep and you can click on him to get one of the scales. Poptropica

Humans Above All| 6.13.10 @ 5:03PM

Yes, let's use every drop of water to support farming in the desert. We don't need those silly ecosystems- what we need is more and more humans! Besides, which would you rather have, a planet entirely devoted to us or a planet rich in diversity? It's a no-brainer all right.

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