Salazar Steps Down & Obama On Gun Control

Salazar Steps Down & Obama On Gun Control plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

It’s going to be a fight. One with words and actions if the President has his way. Yesterday he announced a set of proposals based on work that Vice President Joe Biden has been putting together. It includes background checks and a ban on military assault type weapons.

OBAMA: Let me be absolutely clear.  Like most Americans, I believe the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. I respect our strong tradition of gun ownership and the rights of hunters and sportsmen.  There are millions of responsible, law-abiding gun owners in America who cherish their right to bear arms for hunting, or sport, or protection, or collection.  I also believe most gun owners agree that we can respect the Second Amendment while keeping an irresponsible, law-breaking few from inflicting harm on a massive scale.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced yesterday that he has fulfilled his promise to President Obama to serve four years as Secretary and that he intends to leave the Department by the end of March. Secretary Salazar has helped usher in a new era of conservation to protect America’s lands, wildlife, and heritage. Under the current Administration Salazar has helped established ten national wildlife refuges and seven national parks since 2009. The White House of course will soon be announcing his replacement.

Now with today’s Food Forethought, here’s Lacy Gray.

Is it true that for most people happiness isn’t in the “having”, but in the “wanting”? Apparently so. Studies at the University of Missouri evaluating the emotional state of consumers before and after they made important purchases have shown that consumers express joy, excitement, optimism, and even a sense of peacefulness during their purchasing quest - whether they’re focused on finding the perfect house, sports car, waffle iron, or hairdryer. In other words, it’s all about the chase. While searching for that perfect “something” we assure ourselves that when we find it our lives will be changed in a pleasurable and meaningful way. Honestly, who hasn’t been super charged about getting something only to find out that the eventual having it wasn’t nearly as satisfying as the wanting of it. Funny enough, technology can help us with this particular conundrum. I confess to spending considerable time “window shopping” on the internet. While sipping a cup of hot tea in the comfort of my own home I pick things out and put them in my virtual shopping cart. Then more often than not I simply delete those choices or close my browser. This way I have the thrill and pleasure of the pursuit without the buyer’s remorse.

Thanks Lacy. That’s today’s Northwest Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.