Candace Gingrich writes to her brother Newt

Letter to My Brother Newt Gingrich



I recently had the displeasure of watching you bash the protestors of the Prop 8 marriage ban to Bill O'Reilly on FOX News. I must say, after years of watching you build your career by stirring up the fears and prejudices of the far right, I feel compelled to use the words of your idol, Ronald Reagan, "There you go, again."

However, I realize that you may have been a little preoccupied lately with planning your resurrection as the savior of your party, so I thought I would fill you in on a few important developments you might have overlooked.

The truth is that you're living in a world that no longer exists. I, along with millions of Americans, clearly see the world the way it as -- and we embrace what it can be. You, on the other hand, seem incapable of looking for new ideas or moving beyond what worked in the past.

Welcome to the 21st century, big bro. I can understand why you're so afraid of the energy that has been unleashed after gay and lesbian couples had their rights stripped away from them by a hateful campaign. I can see why you're sounding the alarm against the activists who use all the latest tech tools to build these rallies from the ground up in cities across the country.

This unstoppable progress has at its core a group we at HRC call Generation Equality. They are the most supportive of full LGBT equality than any American generation ever -- and when it comes to the politics of division, well, they don't roll that way. 18-24 year olds voted overwhelmingly against Prop 8 and overwhelmingly for Barack Obama. And the numbers of young progressive voters will only continue to grow. According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning, about 23 million 18-29 year olds voted on Nov. 4, 2008 -- the most young voters ever to cast a ballot in a presidential election. That's an increase of 3 million more voters compared to 2004.

These are the same people who helped elect Barack Obama and sent a decisive message to your party. These young people are the future and their energy will continue to drive our country forward. Even older Americans are turning their backs on the politics of fear and demagoguery that you and your cronies have perfected over the years.

This is a movement of the people that you most fear. It's a movement of progress -- and your words on FOX News only show how truly desperate you are to maintain control of a world that is changing before your very eyes.

Then again, we've seen these tactics before. We know how much the right likes to play political and cultural hardball, and then turn around and accuse us of lashing out first. You give a pass to a religious group -- one that looks down upon minorities and women -- when they use their money and membership roles to roll back the rights of others, and then you label us "fascists" when we fight back. You belittle the relationships of gay and lesbian couples, and yet somehow neglect to explain who anointed you the protector of "traditional" marriage. And, of course, you've also mastered taking the foolish actions of a few people and then indicting an entire population based on those mistakes. I fail to see how any of these patterns coincide with the values of "historic Christianity" you claim to champion.

Again, nothing new here. This is just more of the blatant hypocrisy we're used to hearing.

What really worries me is that you are always willing to use LGBT Americans as political weapons to further your ambitions. That's really so '90s, Newt. In this day and age, it's embarrassing to watch you talk like that. You should be more afraid of the new political climate in America, because, there is no place for you in it.

In other words, stop being a hater, big bro.

Angora Burn area closures in Dec. 08

ANGORA HAZARD TREE REMOVAL BEGINS, CLOSURES IN EFFECT

The Forest Service will begin work on the Angora Hazard Tree Removal Project as early as next Monday, Dec. 1, 2008. The contract to perform hazard tree removal was awarded to Smith Crane and Rigging Inc. The project involves removing hazard trees that are within striking distance of National Forest System managed roads and trails.

Forest Supervisor Terri Marceron has issued forest orders to temporarily close public access to the areas where the contractor is working, due to public safety concerns. As the contractor completes work in an area, the Forest Service will reopen it to public access. The contractor will begin working along Angora Ridge Road and Forest Road 12N31 near Tahoe Mountain Road. Closures will be in effect Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m., beginning December 1 and ending December 31, 2008.

The total project area encompasses about 256 acres of highly used roads and trails within the 3,100 acre Angora Fire area. Approximately one hundred sixty seven acres will be treated through a combination of mechanical removal and hand felling of hazard trees, and the remaining 89 acres will be treated through hand felling and monitoring tree mortality for future removal.

Hazard trees removed will primarily be utilized as biomass but sawlogs and fuelwood may be available. Some trees will be left in place to provide habitat for wildlife. The project includes extensive measures to protect water quality, particularly in stream environment zones, as well as sensitive wildlife habitat.

The Decision Memo for this project is available at http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/ltbmu/projects/. Specifics of forest closure orders will be posted on the web site.

Tahoe Big Meadow restoration

Date: November 4, 2008

Contact: Public Affairs, Cheva Heck 530-543-2608 or Rex Norman 530-543-2627


BIG MEADOW RESTORATION PROPOSAL SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT


South Lake Tahoe Calif.-- The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) is seeking comments on the proposed action for the Big Meadow Creek Watershed Fire Regime Restoration Project. The proposed project would restore the ecological connections and functions between riparian corridors, aspen stands, meadows and adjacent Forest. Goals of the project include stimulating the growth of desirable native vegetation to sustain desirable plant and animal communities; reduce conifer encroachment, and reduce fuel loading to reduce the potential for high severity wildfires within the project area.
This project, it is currently in environmental analysis, and the Forest Service will be lead agency for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, and is in the initial scoping stage of analysis seeking public comment. If you have information the Forest Service may not be aware of, or feel you have issues regarding potential effects of the proposed action, please send your comments to Raul Sanchez, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, 35 College Dr., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150.

Written, facsimile, hand-delivered, oral, and electronic comments concerning this project will be most helpful if they are submitted by December 3, 2008. The office business hours for those providing hand-delivered comments are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Oral comments may be provided during normal business hours via telephone (530) 543-2600 or in person. Email comments may be sent to: comments-pacificsouthwest-ltbmu@fs.fed.us with the subject line: “Big Meadow Creek Watershed Fire Regime Restoration Project.”

If you would like to review the proposed action and map, they are posted on the LTBMU website, http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/ltbmu/projects. For further information regarding this proposed action, contact Raul Sanchez, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, at (530) 543-2679, email rsanchez@fs.fed.us.

Lake Tahoe ski resort openings

November 10, 2008


Partly cloudy skies will give way to sunny days later this week, with temperatures in the 40s and 50s and nights in the 30s.


Resorts and Towns' Update: The Lake Tahoe ski season is underway, with Boreal Mountain Resort opening last week on Donner Summit. Following are anticipated opening dates for North Lake Tahoe resorts:


Alpine Meadows – opening November 26

Boreal Mountain Resort – open

Diamond Peak – opening December 11

Homewood Mountain Ski Resort – no date

Mt. Rose – Ski Tahoe – opening this Thursday, November 13

Northstar-at-Tahoe – opening November 22

Spooner Lake Cross Country – no date

Squaw Valley USA – opening November 22

Sugar Bowl – opening November 27

Tahoe Cross Country – no date


North Tahoe Arts offers handmade, unique holiday presents at Holly Art, opening Saturday, November 15 and running through mid-January. Visitors can peruse and purchase gifts at the North Tahoe Arts Center in the heart of Tahoe City, next to the North Lake Tahoe Visitors Center.


Squaw Valley Institute hosts A Toast to Tahoe Skiing with filmmaking legend Warren Miller as the master of ceremonies, along with local Olympians and high-profile athletes, Saturday, November 15, 6 p.m., at the Resort at Squaw Creek in Olympic Valley. Tickets are $85 per person.


A very “R” rated Tahoe Comedy North presents at Lakeside Pizza in Tahoe City Wednesday, November 19 at 8 a.m. Steve Brewer will headline, featuring Jon Ueberroth and Tonya Kaye as hosts, with special guest appearance by local Aaron Wilson. Tickets are $15.


Alpenglow Sports kicks off its Winter Film Series Thursday, November 20, 7 p.m., with Andrew McLean of Mountain Hardware, who will share his 10-year quest to ski the seven continents. The event takes place at Sawtooth Ridge Café in Tahoe City and is free.


The 32nd Annual An Elegant Affair, a black tie event featuring hors d’oeuvres and desserts from North Tahoe’s finest restaurants, is Friday, November 21, 6:30 p.m., at the Boatworks Mall in Tahoe City. Tickets are $65 per person.


Get your holiday shopping done early. The Tahoe Biltmore Lodge & Casino in Crystal Bay hosts its inaugural Holiday Craft Fair and Flea Market Saturday, November 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.


Mark you calendar as jazz is on the menu this Thanksgiving at the Holiday Jazz Fest, November 28-29, at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino in Incline Village.


The North Lake Tahoe Express daily airport shuttle service is available to and from North Lake Tahoe and the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. The shuttle runs from 3:30 a.m. until 12 midnight. Fees are $35 per person, one-way, and O$60 round trip. Discounts available for groups of two or more. Reservations are required and can be made four hours in advance.


For a snapshot of upcoming special events, as well as recreational activities of recent scenes, go to www.GoTahoeNorth.com and click on the web video for the North Tahoe Minute.


North Lake Tahoe is a 45-minute drive from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, two hours from the Sacramento International Airport and just over three hours from the San Francisco International Airport. For lodging reservations and event details, call North Lake Tahoe at 1-877-949-3286 or visit www.GoTahoeNorth.com. Visitor information centers are located at 380 North Lake Boulevard in Tahoe City and 969 Tahoe Boulevard in Incline Village.


The North Lake Tahoe Recreation Update is part of a partnership between the North Lake Tahoe Visitors Bureaus, the Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau and the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association. The combined efforts of both entities are aimed to further promote North Lake Tahoe as a premier, year-round destination.