by Conrad Anker

Last week the news of job creation was upbeat. The economy registered an overall increase of 243,000 jobs in the month of January 2012. In a broad measure, January’s news adds to 27 consecutive months of job creation. Regardless of which side of the political spectrum you’re on, this is good news.

Compound this on a level in Montana, where each Sunday our local newspaper highlights recent job additions, and a state unemployment rate of 7.1%, it is fair to say things are looking pretty good here. According to our community Oracle, the new owners of Right Now Technology have pledged to increase their investment in Gallatin County. To be bullish on our local economy is the right way to be. We believe in the future and the future represented in young people.

The flywheel of our local economy in Bozeman is Montana State University. From the direct employees of our university to the businesses that cater to the students, MSU is an integral...

by Conrad Anker

Humans have a tendency to anthropomorphize animals.

Penguins, with their tuxedo like plumage and waddle, are a fine example of how we extend characteristics and behavior of humans to animals. The physical similarity makes the connection to animals is logical--- they are born, they die, and they share a brief time span on this planet. Obviously penguins, cute and adorable as they are, would not be granted personhood in the Bill of Rights. Less obvious are corporations and unions. Do groups of people speaking as corporations and unions have the same rights as individuals?

On the 21st of January 2012 the Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission observers its second anniversary. In 2010, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to allow corporations and unions to support political candidates. The ruling gave corporations First Amendment rights, under free speech, to favor or oppose candidates as they choose. The central theme is that corporations are people. However, the question should...

by Conrad Anker

Liquid transportation fuels, petroleum in particular, are essential to human civilization. The quality of life we cherish and defend is intrinsically linked to this volatile and global commodity. A liter of oil has approximately 36,000 British Thermal Units, the measure used to raise one liter of water one degree Celsius. This dense package of energy allows us near instant travel and has made our planet more connected via aircraft and automobile. However, the mobility, warmth, and consumer goods created by petroleum come at a cost.

When combusted, petroleum creates toxins that in concentrated amounts can kill life. The exhaust of an automobile when trapped in a garage is fatal and is a means some people use to take their life. As an analogy, the atmosphere enveloping the planet is similar to the garage. We’re filling it up with carbon dioxide and it is only a matter of time before we tap the carrying capacity and may reach an irreversible tipping point. While it isn’t going to happen...

by Conrad Anker

Garlic, a spicy cousin to the onion, offers a reliable source of B vitamins, enzymes and minerals, a strong aromatic presence and the purported ability to ward off vampires. As an ingredient in many of the world’s great cuisines coupled with its preventative and curative health benefits, garlic enjoys a prominent place in America’s kitchen. Gilroy, California, with an ideal climate and high quality processing facilities, has championed itself to be the Garlic Capital of the World. The city of 48,000 has staked its identity on what nature and the environment they live in has provided them.

Every year, the Gilroy Garlic Festival is held  during the last weekend of July. The people of Gilroy celebrate their community, build their local brand recognition, and welcome visitors who identify with garlic. While not all of the citizens of Gilroy are in the garlic business, it is a large local employer and creates a significant economic multiplier. The degree of team spirit generated by being...

Elite mountaineer, Conrad Anker, demonstrates how it is done on Hyalite, an ice climbing route in Montana. The video was provided courtesy of Black Diamond Equipment.

VIDEO PROFILE: BD athlete Conrad Anker ice climbing in Hyalite Canyon, Montana from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

Impressive!

by Conrad Anker

Richard Nixon, the 37th president of the United States is our most enigmatic leader of the 20th century. His administration inherited the Vietnam War and brokered the withdrawal, ending a costly conflict. On a global level he opened up relations with China in 1972. Nixon and his predecessor of 60 years Teddy Roosevelt were both nominated for the presidential platform five times by the Republican Party. In addition to the party favor they enjoyed, both Roosevelt and Nixon cared about the environment. How else could one interpret the establishment of the National Park system by Roosevelt and the forward thinking works of Nixon, the formation of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Endangered Species Act, and the Extension of the Clean Air Act between 1969 and 1973. For these two leaders, the environment and how it was handled was not a partisan issue. It was for the betterment of our nation and by extension the planet we depend upon for our existence.

The Clean Air Act, a result...