We checked out veteran RGJ columnist and radio personality Cory Farley's blog - What Gibbons Has In Mind for the Mustangs. It's definitely worth reading. Here are a couple of excerpts.

Lesperance, who's been called "one of the most radical members" of the anti-government movement, has vowed to get the mustangs off the range, claiming that they're not native to the area, that they're starving, and that each one contains a tiny little Al Qaeda terrorist armed with weapons of mass destruction. I made that last part up.

(snip)

And if you feel yourself beginning to be swayed by Lesperance's arguments--which, I will say as plainly as I can, are mostly crap--look here for undercover footage of horses sent to Mexico for slaughter: Undercover Footage of U.S. Horses Exported to Mexico for Slaughter
A final warning: It is not for the faint of heart, stomach or will. Or for children.

(Entertainer Will Strickland, a Virginia City fixture, snorted when he heard Lesperance's remarks. Strickland responded, "If his problem is that horses aren't native to the area, well, neither are white people.")

Gibbons the Environmentalist

We find it interesting that Governor Gibbons and his appointee Tony Lesperance claim to be so concerned about the range environment. The League of Conservation Voters Gave Gibbons a score of 0 (zero) in his last stint in Congress. That's their lowest possible score. Here's a screen shot of how the Nevada delegation did.

Living History

Nevada's state fossil is the Ichthyosaur, a large marine reptile the size of a whale. All that is left of them are fossilized bones. But we have reminders among us of our ancient past living today in Nevada's wild horses.

The modern horse evolved in North America and is genetically related to fossil remains of the Pleistocene Epoch. When not interfered with by humans, the survival behaviors and characteristics of the Virginia Range horses are very likely a window into our ancient past.

Not only do these horses provide a cultural link to our recent history, but they provide a glimpse at a very old mammalian species - one that that lives close enough to us for us to actually observe in this high desert environment.

Clean Up Demonstration

About 60 people turned out with brooms, mops, plungers and manure forks for the "Clean up the Department of Agriculture" demonstration at the Nevada State Capitol in Carson City. Photos and details will be posted on tomorrow's edition of this report.