National Parks

Final Tuolumne River Plan and EIS Available

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Yosemite National Park Announces the Release of the Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River Final Comprehensive Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

Yosemite National Park announces the release of the Final Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The plan is the result of using the best available science, resource stewardship, and public input to create a robust vision for the Tuolumne River Corridor for the next 15-20 years.   The Tuolumne River flows through the northern portion of Yosemite National Park and is one of the two federally designated Wild and Scenic rivers within Yosemite.

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Dead Tree Books, eBook, General

Chili Cooking the Ninja Cooking System way

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

I’m a chili snob.  There.  I said it.  A little personal insight into the twisted mind of Shawn E. Bell.

For decades I’ve cooked chili, attended chili cook-offs, sampled great (and not so great) chili, and traveled wherever there was chili to be had.  I’ve amassed hand-written notebooks and computer directories that are chock full of recipes for every kind of chili known to man.  I’ve had quinoa chili, white chili, black bean chili, bison chili, squirrel chili, varmint chili, Texas chili, Cincinnati chili, con carne and straight chili.  Chili from Pink’s, Tommy’s, Hemingway’s, Wienerschnitzel, and many other restaurants that touted this awesome food.

Wherever there is chili to be had, I am there.

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Dead Tree Books, eBook

Self-Publishers Should Not Be Called Authors

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

…and other stupid blog post titles.

To say that the landscape of publishing has dramatically changed over the last five years is an idiotic statement.  The landscape of publishing has been dramatically changing since it’s inception.  Just because someone finally noticed — after the printing press dramatically changed the landscape; after offset printing dramatically changed the landscape; after the computer dramatically changed the landscape; after the desktop computer dramatically changed the landscape; after Amazon dramatically changed the landscape; after Mobi dramatically changed the landscape; the Kindle dramatically changed the landscape; etc. — that there are no longer any walls stopping a writer from becoming a published author and that the gatekeeper concept is passe, it doesn’t mean the landscape has ‘dramatically changed.’

It just means that they’re not particularly observant.

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General Aviation

White House budget contains user fees despite opposition from, well, everyone except the guy in the White House

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Wednesday morning, the White House released it’s requested budget for the 2015 Fiscal Year. The epic tome is almost 250 pages, and was delivered to Congress considerably later than any other time in the history of the United States.

Once again, user fees for aviation were part of the president’s new budget proposal, even though there is blowback and a strong opposition from Congress and the aviation community.

Apparently, nobody in the White House listens to the American people.

From the AOPA:

“We are disappointed that the President doesn’t seem to have gotten the message” said AOPA President Mark Baker. “With Congress on our side, I am confident we can prevent this arbitrary proposal from becoming a reality, but we have to stay vigilant. We are working hard to make general aviation more accessible and affordable, and whether you call it a user fee or a surcharge, we will keep fighting against proposals like this that would raise the cost of flying.”

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Dead Tree Books, eBook

Camp NaNoWriMo set to start up in April and July of 2014!

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

campnanowrimoparticipant2014Chris Angotti, the Director of Programs over at NaNoWriMo sent out an email blast to everyone on the mailing list for NaNoWriMo about the summer program.  If you’ve never tried to write 50,000 words in month you should.  That’s what NaNoWriMo is all about.  Camp NaNoWriMo is the off-season alternative to the ginormous November writing event, and it offers much more in the way of flexibility – but just as much fun and excitement.  The word goal is up to you – anywhere from 10,000 to just shy of 1,000,000 words – and it’s up to you to make it happen!

From the email:

You’re invited to return to Camp NaNoWriMo, running this April and July!

We first imagined Camp simply as an off-season alternative to National Novel Writing Month, but it’s evolved into much more than that: writers choose their own projects—from novel sequels to scripts to pop-up books—and find cabin communities (and often new friends) to support them. Continue reading →