Parting Shot.

Don’t you love the “last page” of magazines? the one that has the final words to balance out the Editor’s opening words at the other end of the rag? Well. That’s what this is. Just for TODAY, not for myself or my Blog. Funny.I was watching the debate tonight and was reminded of an issue I seem to forget in public. And that’s the environment. I was reminded by an article in Backpacker (I’ll try to link this later) this month where a snowmobile biz in Yelllowstone was hoping for Bush because his policy gives them room to continue to rent snowmobiles to those visiting Yellowstone National Park. Well, while I hiked in the Chugach National Forest on Alaska’s Kenai peninsula in July of 2003, I saw FIRSTHAND what these snowmobiles do to the tundra. I can think of at LEAST three specific times while we were hiking or resting when we encountered pieces broken off of the vinyl bodies, sections of plastic windshield fairings, and emblems for that snowmobile’s make and model that had been shorn off on the rocks or broke from an errant landing. Not to mention 2 specific times when I encountered aluminum cans piles from a “beer break” while these good ole boys tore it up in the winter months. This debris was FAR different from the scraps you find in the woods of Michigan or Indiana. Granted, I hate that trash too, it was strange that you could be walking off trail above the treeline, crossing glacier meltwater streams and find this crap that came off of one of these snowmobiles.Bottom line: I do NOT think I’d base my vote on just this hot button, but I’m made aware of how important it is to me that envirnomental responsibility be made a priority by the President. It ALWAYS comes down to a compromise between making more money (renting snowmobiles, drilling for oil in ANWR, NOT forcing plants to reduce emissions) and preserving the natural resources which we can enjoy today but future generations may not because of our decisions NOW. Make money now (or let our constituents make money now) or deliberately FAST from that because there are OTHER ways to make money.That said, I’m NOT such a green freak that I lose sight of other issues, or find myself comfortable in the presence of genuine tree-huggers. But I see it as a bigger, core issue of making decisions with the end in mind. Being able to forecast the TRUE opportunity costs. And therefore Kerry gets my vote becaues he’ll continue what Clinton started on tightening the belt with those things that have negative impact on the environment, and Bush is more concerned about Self-Preservation. End of rant.I had a catch-up conversation with my buddy Chris Manus tonight. He’s in the homestretch of his MFA in Acting out in California and we stay in touch. He’s still a good friend and we always pick up where we left off. I was inspired talking to him. He and his brother Matt are both out there in LA, working on the question, “What’s next?” We all want to make movies and are chomping at the bit to do so. We all have ideas and aspirations and continue to work at them. I get stale when I don’t touch base with these comrades.Kim’s heading out of town to Ohio tomorrow. I’m going to work on the flooring in the house. That should take all weekend. I might have to lure some buds over to help. Gourmet food and plenty of beer will probably work as bait.