123Idaho's blog

Now stop staring:

No one has been able to say how long U.S. Forest Service Officer Scott Cairnes and Deputy Derek Hamm stood watching the trio, but in Cairnes’ report he wrote that he saw Dennison and Adkins engage in three sex acts and then Adkins and Walsh began to fondle Dennison.

Sheriff fires deputies caught naked in forest

"I regret that I have but one vote to give Mr. Labrador," writes Dan Welker on the Facebook page of Labrador for Idaho. "Great position statement. Now lets go get you elected!"

Welker is referring to the 1st Congressional District Candidate's position statement on illegal immigration.

"I agree with Dan," added Angela Ippolito-Cross "I regret that I have but one vote to give Mr. Labrador."

But apparently, Republican words regarding their candidate are not worth the blog windows they are printed on.

According to KBOI:  read more »

Our post Hostility to minorities is held by the far right majority of the Republican Party was picked up by several reference sites, including Topix.com.

In this discussion, kodbager writes (among other things):

Here's a valid question. As a "minority" ... just what the hell is it that really distinguishes YOUR want's and wishes from that of MINE???  read more »

Maybe Harry Reid should consider adding the thought: I don't know how any woman could be a Republican, OK? ... Do I need to say more?

A Minnesota Republican Party operative yesterday waded into one of the signature political issues of our time: "Who's hotter — Republican women or Democratic women?" writes Rachel Rose Hartman on Yahoo News.  read more »

No matter the group, one can almost feel the seething disgust the GOP has for people they don't like.

Simply put, there is one party that welcomes people of all colors and faiths, and there is one that does not.

- brooklynbadboy

***

Harry Reid really touched a nerve when he said: "I don't know how anyone of Latino heritage could be a Republican, OK?" ... "Do I need to say more?"

Out of necessity, 1st Congressional District Republican candidate Raul Labrador, who was born in Puerto Rico, weighed in:

“Harry Reid’s latest race-baited words are simply unacceptable to all members of the Hispanic community and I fully expect his party and Walt Minnick to condemn these terrible comments immediately.” he said

Calling Reid's comments "ill-tempered," and "ignorant," Labrador issued the following statement:

I cannot believe an elected leader of Harry Reid’s stature can continue to make racist comments about huge numbers of Americans. Harry Reid’s latest race-baited comments are simply unacceptable to all members of the Hispanic community. Denigrating the entire Republican Hispanic community, including myself, is simply outrageous. Contrary to Senator Reid’s beliefs, the Latino community is perfectly capable of making choices of political affiliation that are in its best interests, including being Republicans.  read more »

And see the crosspost with a poll on Daily Kos:
Labrador Scores! Labrador Lies! Labrador Spins!

After commenting under the original story below, we realized that this issue deserves its own cohesive post.

Why do we feel like this, now three part saga, is going to have many more parts?

To begin with:

LABRADOR SCORES  read more »

"U.S. House hopeful Raul Labrador’s cash-strapped campaign has moved to downtown Boise to conserve resources, setting up a new headquarters outside the congressional district he wants to represent," the Idaho Press Tribune Reports.

Give Labrador credit for being frugal. He's promoting Idaho grittiness and thrift!  read more »

Former Congressman Tim Walberg is in the midst of an expensive and competitive primary in Michigan's 7th district, as he tries to reclaim the seat he lost to Democrat Mark Schauer in 2008.

Clearly, if one thing has been made clear this electoral cycle, Republican candidates are required to exercise proper fealty to the teabagger movement,

writes Steve Singiser on Daily Kos.  read more »

UPDATE: In late March, 1st Congressional District Candidate Raul Labrador, then an underdog contender against National Republican Congressional Committee-favored candidate Vaughn Ward, told a group of conservative activists that Republican leaders in Washington were responsible for the rise of the Democratic congressional majority, and mentioned House Republican Leader John Boehner by name, Politico reports.

"The problem is that John Boehner and the establishment in Washington D.C. failed us a few years back. That's why we have Obama and a Democratic Congress right now," Labrador said to applause. "If they would have stood up on principles from the beginning, we wouldn't have Obama in the White House right now."

A Democratic source provided POLITICO with an audio recording of Labrador's remarks, which came during a question-and-answer session with the Treasure Valley Pachyderms, a local GOP club.

But Washington, DC is not like good ole Idaho, and Labrador is now attempting to soften his anti-insider stance.

It will be interesting to see how the candidate, who built his house on being extremist and divisive, wades through these treacherous waters on the big stage.

*****

Did you watch the Republican delegation on the night Obama won?

Several Idaho Republicans won that night too.

And the big boys, Otter, Risch, Simpson etc. all exchanged various rounds of "thank yous" and gave gratitude to colleagues.

But one name was noticeably absent from the thank you list:  read more »

We have faith in Wayne!

Patti Moylan of Caldwell penned an open letter to Idaho Freedom Foundation Executive Director Wayne Hoffman.

"Dear Mr. Hoffman, I propose a challenge: I sincerely invite you to come to my classroom for a day next fall. Any day, you can name the day" she wrote.

"I would like for you to stay the whole day in my classroom, through all seven periods, meeting all the children I have — somewhere between 120 and 130.

You are welcome to come prepared with a lesson, any lesson of your choosing — one that matches my curriculum or not. I’m making it easy for you. The content of the lesson may be anything you wish, and since I teach composition and literature, the former should be right up your alley."

The teacher continued:  read more »

Idaho State Republican Chairman Norm Semanko said he’d "never seen anything like the rise and fall of Vaughn Ward’s campaign. Ward, a decorated Iraq war veteran, was making his first run for office; he’d piled up endorsements from much of Idaho’s GOP mainstream, including two former governors.

“I think social media is playing a significant role in politics in general,” Semanko said. “Even though it was a low turnout, what drove people to vote was the social media. … Things are changing before our eyes.”

And we are that social media.

Good job, 43sb.  read more »

Political observers could see this one coming a mile away.

Too much time on the Nintendo and XBox 360 can be detrimental to legislative efficiency.

Steven (Steve) Kren Jr. "earned the Idaho Press-Tribune endorsement two years ago, but with this warning:

We expect him to flex his political muscle more this term. If he doesn’t, he’ll need to be replaced,” reads today's IPT editorial.

Hi, my name is Steve Kren, I am your Representative from District 13. I am a small business owner, and committed to making government as efficient as my business.  read more »

Written by Donna Emert

For 43 years at the University of Idaho, the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival has brought jazz masters together with elementary, junior high, high school and college students to share and celebrate this truly American art form. It has featured hundreds of musicians from around the world, including China, the Czech Republic, Portugal and Peru, as well as students from Canada, Japan, Russia and Kyrgyzstan.  read more »

“Intelligence plus character is the true meaning of education.” -- Martin Luther King

In a comment under today's Idaho Statesman story entitled:

Hundreds celebrate MLK Day in Boise ...

A commenter named Galena responded to this quote:

“Legislative acts are needed to improve the disparity (between whites and people of color),” William Rainford, a professor of social work at Boise State University, told the gathering which included many students who traveled from Southcentral Idaho.

... by saying:  read more »

Feeling left out?

Fear no more.

Rex Rammell, an Idaho gubernatorial candidate, issued a formal apology last week about his exclusion of non-Mormons from his upcoming meetings dealing with the so-called "White Horse Prophecy," the Idaho Statesman reported.

Rammell said he was wrong to assume that nonmembers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wouldn't be interested in hearing his message regarding a prophecy about saving the United States Constitution. He said he hopes the meetings bring people of all faiths together.  read more »

According to The Boise Picayune:

BOISE, Idaho -- The Boise Picayune has received unsubstantiated reports - Rumors - that although he will attempt to finish his term, Idaho Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter will probably be announcing his resignation at the end of the present Legislative Session, citing "Personal Reasons".

 read more »

Technology industry veteran to help improve nation’s military and civilian cybersecurity

POCATELLO — Howard A. Schmidt, research professor of information assurance policy at Idaho State University, has been appointed White House Cybersecurity Coordinator by President Barack Obama. In this role, Schmidt will report to the National Security Council and closely support the National Economic Council on cyber issues.

Schmidt is an integral member of the Informatics Research Institute (IRI) faculty whose continued input into curriculum and policy in the IRI and the College of Business is essential. He guides the students in the nationally-recognized academic and research program at ISU and works with students in the CyberCorps program on a regular basis.

Howard Schmidt with President Barack Obama. White House photo by Lawrence Jackson  read more »

Boise State University’s Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Celebration will honor the slain civil rights leader’s legacy with a number of events beginning with a march and rally Jan. 18 and including a keynote address by Dr. Cornel West Jan. 25.

All events are free and open to the public.

This year’s theme is “Back to Basics: Expanding the Dream.” A full schedule of events, including a poetry reading, workshops and a Legacy of Faith breakfast, will be posted  read more »

Some call him crazy, for espousing that "White Horse Prophecy."

But if this video does not convince you to follow Rex, nothing will:

Written by Sue McMurray

Improving our understanding of risks to threatened species populations worldwide is the ambition of Jan Schipper, a University of Idaho graduate student. He is the recent winner of the William T. Hornaday Conservation Award, a national award from the American Society of Mammalogists that recognizes Schipper's significant contribution as a student to the conservation of mammals and their habitats.

"It is truly an honor to receive the Hornaday Award from the American Society of Mammalogists," said Schipper. "I hope my research and conservation ethic will be positive examples for others and inspire in them the same passion I feel for the preservation of imperiled species and habitats."  read more »