[Geysers] Yellowstone Science article

[TSBryan at aol.com]

The Curmudgeon here, at least for item #1... this e-mail will also respond  
to some off-list stuff, on which I've been a bit delayed because of my  
step-daughter's surgery for a badly herniated disk. (She's much better today,  
thank you.)
 
1. The first 2009 issue of "Yellowstone Science" contains a nice article by 
 Alethea Steingisser and W. Andrew Marcus, titled "Human Impacts on Geyser  
Basins" (_www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/upload/ys17(1)p1.pdf_ 
(http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/upload/ys17(1)p1.pdf)   and click on the top 
(part 1) link -- the article starts on page 7). Good enough  (except for a 
couple of minor comments below)
 
BUT... how about that title photograph. If I was the authors I'd be  
severely disappointed; if I was anybody with the NPS who has anything to do with  
Yellowstone Science, I'd be really (really) upset. If you haven't seen it,  
here's a scan of that image (small jpg, embedded and attached)
I trust you see what is wrong. The scene might look better if you hold the  
picture to a mirror.
 
Sorry, folks, but that's bad.
 
2. In Table 1 of the article, several places are noted with asterisks ("No  
data available"). This is, I guess conservatism by the authors, but I must 
say  that since there has been zero geothermal development (other than use 
of natural  runoff) in Kamchatka's Valley of Geysers, then the asterisk in 
the table's first  column should be replaced with "No." Same for Umnak. Also, 
in this table, there  most definitely was a negative effect of tourism on 
the geysers and springs at  Steamboat Hot Springs (that, by the way, being the 
proper name for the place).  There were what amount to tourism activities 
there at least as early as the  1860s plus there was the resort (I don't 
recall its date offhand), and there  were some substantial alterations to the 
valley springs at Beowawe. I could make  note of some other asterisks but 
won't.
 
3. Here comes a point at which it is unfortunate that the annotated  
bibliography, that appeared in editions 1, 2, and 3 of my book had to be deleted  
from edition 4 (where the discussion about places around the world was  
significantly reduced, too) due to cost constraints. Anyhow, regarding the note  
on page 17 of the article, I wish it stated something a bit stronger -- not 
just  records, but written records. I possess numerous reports, often 
including maps,  that were never actually published -- I recall significant 
trials in obtaining  several unpublished reports from the National Library in 
Australia. Anyhow, if  it is in my book, it can be documented.
 
4. I know there are always delays from manuscript to print, but still --  
the 4th Edition of my book did come out around August 1, 2008, several months 
 prior to this publication, so I find it too bad that it did not find its 
way  into the "Literature Cited." I think some slightly-different numbers 
might be  found there.
 
T. Scott Bryan
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