Capitol Hill Blue Forums Misc. Topics Member Submitted Links Faith in our government

OK, a couple more notes regarding planes that didn’t work - I’m assuming this was a military project and to be honest, I didn’t even think about the military when I stepped into this thread. I just don’t have enough knowledge to address it.

On the other hand I do know a little bit about projects that exist only to create jobs; all over the area where I grew up there are bridges and buildings and playgrounds with little plaques: “built by the WPA.” So it’s not always a bad idea.

Finally, I think you might be referring to Senator Proxmire’s Golden Fleece awards.

The problem with the Golden Fleece awards was
that they often needed better explanations than they
got. Research programs, for example, that sounded
truly bizarre, actually made sense in their little tiny corner of the world - usually related to some sort of medical research. I’m not saying they were all that way; I’m saying a lot of these things actually make
sense when you don’t think they will.

By the way, I had a road trip today and I’m really tired so that lake information is probably less than accurate. The gist of it is correct, I think, but there are some gaps. If I remember in the morning I’ll try to double check it and correct any errors.

Sorry about that. Hoover Dam, Glen Canyon Dam, Meade, and Powell are all part of the Colorado River Storage Project, and I have a hard time remembering what’s upstream, so to speak.

Ran across a note that Barry Goldwater supported the project at the beginning but seriously regretted it upon completion.

What were his regrets?

I very much enjoy the Blue Ridge Parkway, in car or on bike, that was a WPA and CCC project, Blue Ridge Parkway
Hoover Damn not such much. But dont worry about Glen Canyon, as it may be reappearing due to the prolonged drought. The archeological sites are probably gone though, which is a big cultural loss for native Americans, but the Government never really took that seriously, ever!

TAT

The dam thing is interesting. Our Indians, for instance, want them all gone. When they were building the dams they had little interest in anything but agriculture and electricity and they did/do the job in that regard. Now, as far as electricity is concerned there are a number of choices. On the other hand there are a lot of people who need the dams, as they are, to survive. I think the thing that bothers me the most is taking out dams to save salmon. That does save the salmon but only to support the breeding of sea lions which are protected (they did give one tribe the right to kill them but, not too many of them).

There are communities that sea lions have virtually taken over. Astoria, Ore is one of those. For years commercial fishermen would kill any sea lion they saw (they are salmon eating machines). That never put the sea lions in danger just regulated the number of them.

Strangely...alligators are protected too. And they aren't even cute and cuddly. They breed like roaches and are far more dangerous than your cute, fish-hungry waterdogs.

In the everglades at least the invasive snakes are reducing their numbers(along with all other smallish wildlife) The only drawback there are the millions of dangerous invasive snakes.

Perhaps some form of geoengineering can introduce some disease or poison or apex predators to reduce the numbers of sea lions. Are they good to eat?

Hey. no problem! They can engineer anything! Don' need no nature to take care of thing things! A couple of other things might get poisoned too but then, who cares?

They got lots of fat and, I think, can also provide fur as well!

I very much enjoy the Blue Ridge Parkway, in car or on bike, that was a WPA and CCC project, Blue Ridge Parkway
Hoover Damn not such much. But dont worry about Glen Canyon, as it may be reappearing due to the prolonged drought. The archeological sites are probably gone though, which is a big cultural loss for native Americans, but the Government never really took that seriously, ever!

TAT[/quote]

A lot of sites are gone for good; even if the water goes completely, there’s a whole lot of silt covering up rock formations and petroglyphs and more; they’ll ever be seen again.

Jefferey, I’ll look for the Goldwater info.

I’m attaching a very good article, longish but clear. This is what it has to say about Goldwater:



https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/08/16/the-lost-canyon-under-lake-powell