James Swan Documentary Proposal: “Uneasy Neighbors”
by Tom RemingtonSeptember 3, 2010
*Editor’s Note* I can personally vouch for those involved in this production proposal. I have communicated with both Dr. Valerius Geist and Will Graves on a regular, ongoing basis and are quite familiar with their work. Regular readers are very much aware of the number of times I reference their work. My knowledge and experience with Mr. Swan is limited but I can assure you that Geist and Graves speak very highly of him and would not consider such an adventure if he was not of the utmost trustworthiness.
Several months ago I shared with you a proposal for a 90-minute documentary “Uneasy Neighbors: Wolves, Coyotes and Modern Man.” I am contacting you at this time with a new, revised proposal that is attached.
While I have been doing research, writing and teaching about conservation and ecology for over 40 years, I’ve been working on this project for well over a year. Conversations with new resource people, in part triggered by my May ESPNOutdoors.com column, “The Myth of the Harmless Wolf,” have resulted in a flood of new material coming in that I have integrated into this new document, which includes an Appendix describing a comprehensive way to maximize the impact of this documentary to influence the court of public opinion, which is fundamental to getting wildlife management policy and law into practice..
We plan to begin by producing a 12-15 minute trailer that should be done by Christmas. This trailer will begin with a brief history of wolves and coyotes in North America and then focus on Dr. Valerius Geist’s seven-stage habituation model, supported by the research on wolves in Eurasia by Will Graves. The trailer will be filmed on location in British Columbia, the Northern Rockies and the Midwest using state of the art hi-def equipment. A celebrity narrator is possible.
The trailer, like the entire documentary, will be compelling, visually entertaining and grounded in science, as well as offering considerable perspective into the wide range people and their attitudes on this extremely volatile issue. I can provide more details if you would like.
We are seeking $65,000 to produce the trailer. Production costs for half-hour outdoor TV shows, which are typically shot in 1-3 days on one location, start at $35,000 and go up to $100,000. Any group that donates $15,000 or more will get a version of the trailer that will especially be edited to meet their needs.
This trailer will be of immediate value to groups to educate audiences about the Geist model and its application to wildlife management, ranching and farming, and growing potential for attacks on people. It will also introduce concepts of wolf population dynamics and behavior; interbreeding among wolves, coyotes and dogs; and various zoonotic diseases that can be carried by wolves and coyotes. The trailer will also be crucial to present to networks and/or funding sources to acquire completion funding, as well as to begin the process of educating thousands of people about the realities of co-existing with wolves and coyotes in modern times.
The complete production budget for this 90-minute documentary is $650,000. Details are in the proposal. [Click here for pdf of Proposal] This is less than half of what most mainstream wildlife documentaries cost. For example, a similar-length documentary about the life of Aldo Leopold that is currently in production has a budget of $1.4 million. PBS/BBC wildlife documentaries like the NOVA series easily run over $1 million per hour. A recent hour-long documentary about Annie Oakley that ran on PBS cost $545,000. Reality TV shows that are shot in a week or so on one location cost from $200,000 to $500,000 and up per hour.
The pro-wolf folks understand the importance of winning in the court of public opinion. Last year as a judge in the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, I had the chance to view a number of romanticized tales with staged wolves and carefully selected on-camera people that paint an unbalanced, and often unscientific version of the realities. All of these, as well as many other documentaries that we have screened during our research have expensive productions with budgets 2-3 times what we are seeking.
The version of the proposal that is attached is for donors [Click here for pdf of Proposal] Several non-profit groups are available to serve as fiduciaries. We are also open to working with investors, offering them limited partnerships. As the SEC regulates how many copies of the investors proposal can be out, if you want to go this route I would be happy to send you one on request.
If you would like references about me, several people who are leaders in conservation, law and film-making have offered to vouch for us and our work. I can provide their names if necessary.
The recent court decision in Montana to re-list wolves in Idaho and Montana, and the petition to the US Fish and Wildlife Service calling for expanding and introducing wolf populations all across the US have widespread support because of previous productions that have sold this message to mainstream America. The widespread support for such actions is ample evidence of public opinion in general, and the need for this documentary to redirect people’s attitudes and understanding of wolves and coyotes.
Thank you for considering supporting this project.
Sincerely,
James Swan, Ph.D.
Co-Executive Producer, “Wild Justice,” Nat. Geo. Channel
& CEO, Snow Goose Productions
P.O. Box 2460
Mill Valley, CA 94942
415-383-5064 tel/fax
www.jamesswan.com
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Lead Ammo, The EPA And Don’t Get Conned By Scammers Wanting Your Money
by Tom RemingtonAugust 31, 2010
Many of you will be aware that the Center for Biological Diversity submitted a petition to the Environmental Protection Agency asking the EPA to ban the use of lead for ammunition as a toxic material.
The good news is that when Congress gave the EPA the authority to regulate toxic materials in the environment, Congress specifically excepted lead ammunition from that EPA regulatory authority.
So, the EPA has reviewed the petition from the CBD and has rejected the request to regulate lead ammo, stating that it lacks authority to do so.
So, this round is over, for now. Much ado about nothing, this time.
Despite that this fight is now history, a less than scrupulous entity is trying to raise scare money off this episode, claiming that ammunition will be banned if you don’t send them money to engage a fight over lead. This entity also sent out a fundraising pitch a couple of months ago claiming that they desperately needed funds to support the Firearms Freedom Act effort. I don’t know if anyone sent them any money, but they sure never offered to assist us with the FFA fight. I suspect this entity doesn’t really exist, and the effort is just raising money for the guy who writes the fundraising letters.
If you have money to donate to the “cause,” I highly recommend that you donate to an entity that has a track record of actually doing something, such as MSSA, SAF, GOA or the NRA.
Best wishes,
Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com
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Firearms Tax Improvement Act That’s A Tax On Guns
by Tom RemingtonAugust 30, 2010
Why do I have to be the one to ask the tough questions and come across as though I am picking on the NRA again? I have to ask certain questions when I don’t understand. I am willing to entertain serious comments on why the newly passed into law “Firearms Tax Improvement Act” is being hailed as not a tax but yet certainly appears like a tax to me, no matter how small that tax is?
First let’s set the record straight. I sounds as though the bill will make the job of tax accounting for those people selling firearms, ammunition and certain other recreational equipment a whole lot easier. These vendors have paid federal excise tax bi-weekly and now it will be able to be done quarterly, like all other manufacturers. Great! Reducing the bureaucratic nonsense is good.
The NRA and others are hailing their victory and stating that this change is being done without increasing taxes.
This legislation will neither raise taxes nor exempt firearm and ammunition manufacturers from paying federal excise taxes into the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund.
Great!
However, the Bill text says this:
The percentage under paragraph (2) of section 561 of the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act is increased by 0.25 percentage points.
Hmmmmm!
And the NRA says this:
The Joint Committee on Taxation has estimated that this legislation will create a net revenue increase of $4 million over 10 years.
Not so great! If this Act does not increase taxes, then where is the $4 million revenue increase going to come from? I’m struggling with this concept. Is this a battle of semantics where by definition an increase is not a tax? Is this a matter of the Act itself didn’t cause an increase but the Restore Unemployment Act did? Therefore it’s not a tax?
It matters not whether this Act complies or doesn’t comply with the Paygo. It matters not whether supporters of the bill think it doesn’t matter this tiny tax. What matters is that people should be told the truth and I don’t feel that we have been.
I don’t understand the Joint Committee on Taxation’s calculations as to how they arrived at a net revenue increase of $4 million over ten years and then to be able to say this isn’t a new tax.
Help me!
I almost walk alone as the vote was 412-6. The following people voted against the bill but I don’t know their reasoning for doing so. More homework for me.
Reps. John Conyers (D-MI), Sam Farr (D-CA), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Ron Paul (R-TX) and Maxine Waters (D-CA)
Tom Remington
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Does EPA Actually Have Authority To Ban Lead Ammunition?
by Tom RemingtonAugust 26, 2010
*Scroll for an Update*
Cyberspace yesterday looked like an all out assault against Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Center for Biological Diversity, the environmental, anti-American radical group who filed a petition with the EPA to ban the sale and use of lead ammunition.
I must point out that regardless of the information I will provide, I strongly suggest that everyone kick it into high gear and mount a strong campaign against this action. However, the question remains, does Lisa Jackson and the EPA have the authority, as claimed in the petition to ban lead ammunition under the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976?
The repeated phrase everywhere I went yesterday online was that the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976 (TSCA) exempted ammunition from this kind of regulation. Finding that exemption is not easy.
Within the TSCA, Section 3, (B), (v):
(v) any article the sale of which is subject to the tax imposed by section 4181 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (determined without regard to any exemptions from such tax provided by section 4182 or 4221 or any other provision of such Code)
So where is the firearms and ammunition exemption clause? Good question. You have to go look at Section 4181 of the Internal Revenue Service Code of 1954. This code regulates the sale and taxation of firearms and ammunition.
LAW AND ANALYSIS
Section 4181 of the Internal Revenue Code imposes a tax on the sale by the manufacturer, producer, or importer of pistols, revolvers, firearms, shells, and cartridges.
Unless there are amendments and later laws passed that supersede this Act and the exemptions, I think we can safely say that the TSCA does not apply to lead ammunition.
Section 21 of TSCA does allow for citizens to petition the Administrator of the EPA for consideration of controlling a substance.
SEC. 21. CITIZENS’ PETITIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Any person may petition the Administrator to initiate a proceeding for the issuance, amendment, or repeal of a rule under section 4, 6, or 8 or an order under section 5(e) or (6)(b)(2).
But what of the authority granted to the Administrator by Congress to administer this Act?
The Act clearly states in its “Findings, Policy and Intent” section at the beginning that even though it is recognized that there are and will be substances Americans will be subjected to in our lifetimes, it is the intent of Government to provide for the regulation of those substances through the manufacturers and producers. The Act also points out that, “(3) authority over chemical substances and mixtures should be exercised in such a manner as not to impede unduly or create unnecessary economic barriers to technological innovation while fulfilling the primary purpose of this Act”
The intent by Congress in passage of the Act was that:
the Administrator shall carry out this Act in a reasonable and prudent manner, and that the Administrator shall consider the environmental, economic, and social impact of any action the Administrator takes or proposes to take under this Act.
While it is the duty and responsibility of Lisa Jackson to administer this petition presented by the Center for Biological Diversity, it is my opinion that she does not have the authority to ban lead ammunition. Even though the Act clearly exempts ammunition from regulation of toxic substances, Jackson would need to, I assume with the assistance of CBD, present a very compelling case that the use of lead ammunition is posing such a health risk that it outweighs the “reasonable” considerations intended by Congress.
We cannot assume anything however, and as I said right off, that all efforts need to go into mounting a serious campaign to block this petition and send a clear message the shooting, shooting sports and gun and ammunition manufacturers aren’t going to stand for this nonsense.
*Update* I was remiss in not providing further information to assist readers who wish to submit comments or protests against this action. The National Shooting Sports Foundation has mounted a formal program that will provide people with a couple different avenues in which they can easily get involved. Simply follow this link.
*Update* Aug. 27, 6:30 p.m. EPA denies lead ban petition from CBD.
Tom Remington
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The Fed’s yearly pow-wow – Oh, God.
by Al RemingtonAugust 26, 2010
photo by Al Remington
(Reuters) – For a country that has earned a reputation for no longer producing very much, the fate of the world economy is still curiously dependent on the fortunes of U.S. workers.
A renewed spike in U.S. unemployment could spell trouble for the global economic recovery and spark a fresh push into unconventional monetary easing from the Federal Reserve, affecting everything from a frothy yen to fast-growing emerging markets.
Everyone should get nervous at this point. The Feds are thinking.
The Fed’s yearly pow-wow at Jackson Hole, Wyoming this week will take place against the backdrop of U.S. gross domestic product revisions likely to show the world’s largest economy grew much more slowly in the second quarter than originally reported.
But more important than where the economy was then, figures pointing more directly at where things stand now — and what will likely transpire in coming months — hold the key to business sentiment.
On that front, neither reports on housing or weekly jobless claims are expected to provide too much comfort in the week ahead. Applications for unemployment benefits last week jumped back up to half a million last week, their highest in nine months.
“I don’t think we’ll get a double-dip recession but the rate of growth will be so slow that it will feel like a recession,” said Malcolm Polley, chief investment officer at Stewart Capital Advisors in Indiana, Pennsylvania.
Forecasts for U.S. second quarter GDP growth have been revised down to 1.5 percent, the Commerce Department’s first estimate of 2.4 percent. “You need at least 2.0 percent GDP growth to get job growth and we’re going be below that,” said Polley.
Worries about weakening U.S. economic activity and dangerously low inflation will be highlighted this week by data on Japanese consumer prices that will show the country is still mired in a deflationary rut.
These and other omens of disinflation, the first hints of the dreaded threat of deflation, will dominate discussions at the Federal Reserve’s yearly policy pow-wow in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Lack of skilled workers threatens recovery: Manpower
by Al RemingtonAugust 26, 2010
Folks are so clever, are they not?
Rueters:
“By Nick Zieminski
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Workers with specialized skills like electricians, carpenters and welders are in critically short supply in many large economies, a shortfall that marks another obstacle to the global economic recovery, a research paper by Manpower Inc (NYSE:MAN – News) concludes.
“It becomes a real choke-point in future economic growth,” Manpower Chief Executive Jeff Joerres said. “We believe strongly this is really an issue in the labor market.”
Fat in America, Part 1
by Al RemingtonAugust 26, 2010
What are we eating, anyway?
“”There is a lot of innovation going on in America at all levels, whether it be organic or at a genetically engineered activity,” said David Snively, the general council for agro-giant Monsanto.
Monsanto is the former manufacture of the killer herbicide, Agent Orange, which was sprayed through the jungles of Vietnam during its war with the US in the 1960′s and 1970′s. Exposure to Agent Orange resulted in illness and birth defects that were only recognized decades later. But Monsanto is now responsible for more than half of the US food and produce supply.
The United States also holds the record for the largest production of genetically modified products in the world. Ninety-five percent of American corn and 85 percent of soybeans are genetically modified. All processed foods contain GM ingredients, which means that 70 to 75 percent of the food we eat every day is genetically engineered.”
full story and video: courtesy RT.
Obama Condemns Corporate Money While Using It To Promote Agenda
by Tom RemingtonAugust 24, 2010
President Obama’s Radio Address “No Corporate Takeover of Our Democracy” Exposes President’s Double Standard Regarding Corporate Influence
Big Business Played a Major Role In Passing ObamaCare and the Waxman-Markey Cap-and-Trade Legislation, says the Free Enterprise Project
Washington, D.C. – The Free Enterprise Project is charging President Obama with having a double standard on corporate money and influence.
“After using big business to advance his political agenda, suddenly President Obama is expressing concerns about corporate money in the political process. The fact is corporations played a crucial role in making ObamaCare law and getting the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill passed in the House of Representatives,” said Tom Borelli, Ph.D., director of the National Center for Public Policy Research‘s Free Enterprise Project.
During his radio address Saturday, President Obama expressed fear that the Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United case would allow corporate special interests to spend unlimited amounts of money to sway elections. The president warned that companies could “hide behind a phony name like ‘Citizens for a Better Future,’” since a business entity paying for TV advertising is not required to disclose its name. The president added that the business could be a foreign corporation: “You don’t know if it’s BP,” said Obama.
Borelli notes that President Obama was the sole spokesperson in a television advertisement touting the benefits of his health care plan — an advertisement sponsored by Americans for Stable Quality Care, an organization funded by the drug industry and SEIU, the service employees’ union. In addition, Politico reported that PhRMA, the drug industry trade group, at one point planned to spend “as much as $150 million for advertising and grass-roots activity to help pass the president’s plan.”
“President Obama’s selective outrage about corporate influence is alarming. It’s ironic that the president himself appeared in a TV advertisement sponsored by what he now calls “shadowy groups with harmless-sounding names,” added Borelli.
“The President’s reference to BP is also disturbing. While Obama is trying to frighten the public by depicting BP as a ‘foreign-controlled corporation,’ he failed to mention the company was an ally in lobbying for his cherished cap-and-trade legislation. BP was a founding member of the United States Climate Action Partnership – a lobbying group that was largely responsible for passing the Waxman-Markey bill in the House of Representatives in 2009,” said Borelli.
Borelli notes that corporate interests such as General Electric have been a key ally of President Obama: “GE CEO Jeff Immelt has been a cheerleader for Obama’s political plan including the president’s green energy agenda. Immelt has partnered with Obama in seeking the so-called green energy economy and the company has aggressively lobbied for the president’s $ 787 billion stimulus plan. Hundreds of millions of dollars of the stimulus money was subsequently steered to GE’s customers. It’s disingenuous for the president to challenge corporate influence when he has actively partnered with big business when it served his political purposes,” added Borelli.
In a radio address last year, Obama cited the important role corporations were playing in pressing for cap-and-trade, saying, “Utility companies and corporate leaders are working with environmental advocates and labor leaders to find a way to reduce dependence on foreign oil, to fight climate change, and to create millions of new jobs in America.”
Borelli concludes, “Corporate special interests such as GE and the drug industry can be as much as a risk to liberty as progressive politicians. This is especially true when the agenda of big business aligns with progressive elected officials and labor unions. This is why Tea Party activists need to challenge politicians and business leaders.”
Get Your Outdoor World Headlines At CamoUnderground
by Tom RemingtonAugust 23, 2010
Of course readers know that the Black Bear Blog is the greatest and most informative hunting, fishing, trapping and general outdoor blog in existence, but I would strongly suggest that readers also bookmark CamoUnderground. This website carries headlines and links to the outdoor world. These headlines get posted as soon as they happen and sometimes with breaking news before the details are in.
It is formatted in style similar to the Drudge Report and is automatically updated every few seconds. I would suggest, as I do each morning, to open up CamoUnderground and keep it open throughout the day so you can easily open the tab and check the latest headlines. This is sure to be a great resource.
Tom Remington
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Philadelphia Bloggers Must Pony Up $300 License Fee To Blog
by Tom RemingtonAugust 23, 2010
The levying of taxes has been known to start revolutions but these days the Federal Government, State and Local entities are desperately seeking ways to suck every drop of money you earn from your pocket and deposit it into their coffers, mostly to use on corrupt and illegal programs that violate the U.S. Constitution. By what the hell! Socialists have yet to find a tax they didn’t like.
Philadelphia has what is called a “Business Privilege Tax” – now doesn’t that just sound communistic – and because of their tax law, anyone running a business for profit much cough up $300 for a license……which I guess extends to them the “privilege” of now having to pay even more taxes, even if it means paying more in license fees and taxes than someone earns. Such is the case for one hobby blogger, out of many in the City of Brotherly Love. Yeah, right!
Tom Remington
