6 Years Ago: Yosemite National Park

Above, following my walk to the base of Lower Yosemite Falls.

Leave it to Facebook to remind me of where I was and doing six years ago this week.

In was in April 2016 that my cat Sierra and I took a little trip to Yosemite National Park for some camping at North Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley.

Above, The Beast at North Pines Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The trip was in the middle of the trademark dispute between the government and Delaware North, the former concessionaire of Yosemite's visitor services. Several of Yosemite's attractions were renamed due to the dispute and lawsuit. The names were reverted back following the settlement of the lawsuit.

Above, a view of Half Dome from North Pines Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Still, I had a good time enjoying the park, even though it rained there much of the time. I made good use of the shuttle system to get around Yosemite Valley. I made my camping reservations the previous November then they opened up. Thanks to my senior lifetime national park pass, I didn't have to pay to enter.

The night before arriving at Yosemite, I stayed at the Blackstone North RV Park in Fresno. It was a nice RV park, one that I would stay at again should the opportunity arises. 

Above, a cigar store Indian at Bravo Farms. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Along the way, I stopped for a break and lunch at Bravo Farms Cheese Factory in Traver. If was a fun stopover with good food and shops to explore.

Above, Sierra enjoying the coffeemaker box. She couldn't fit in it now. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was an enjoyable trip, one that I would recommend.

Pearl Milling Company, Aunt Jemima's New Name, Gets Battered

Above, the new brand name replacing Aunt Jemima.

Of all the stupid things to come out of the Marxist-driven Black Lives Matter frenzy last year, it is renaming iconic product symbols that takes the cake (pun intended).

The name change for the Aunt Jemima brand is getting slammed. Deservedly so!

The New York Post reported:

Aunt Jemima’s new name, Pearl Milling Company, is getting battered online for sounding like an unappetizing “gravel mining company” or “a James Bond villain.”

The unsavory reviews are pouring in from Twitter, with some breakfast buffs threatening to switch to Pearl Milling’s competitors, Mrs. Butterworth’s or Log Cabin, over the revamp.

“I think it sounds like a gravel mining company,” lawyer Michelle Rozovics wrote.

Another said Pearl Milling Company sounded like “something owned by a James Bond Villain.”

Meanwhile, one critic noted, “Pearl Milling Company? Sounds like a generic house brand for Dollar General.”

Some even vowed to boycott the brand altogether.

 

Above, probably my last box of Aunt Jemima pancake mix. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

That includes me. I have a box of Aunt Jemima pancake mix in my kitchen cupboard. Once that's gone, unless the company comes to its senses, no Pearl Milling Company pancake mix will grace my kitchen. 

The family of Aunt Jemima is steadfastly opposed to the name change.

Hopefully, the name change will go into the "ash heap of history" like new Coke. Aunt Jemima/Pearl Milling Company brands are owned by PepsiCo.

To read more, go here.

Havana Club Rum

Above, the Havana Club rum I bought in Cuba. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in April, I went on, what eventually turned out to be one of the last, cruises to Cuba. While in Havana, I picked up a dozen cigars and a litre of Havana Club rum from a government-run shop.

I was reading about the current state of travel to Cuba and stumbled upon the story of Havana Club rum. I was unfamiliar with the story, so I read as much as I could find online this evening.

In a nutshell, here's the basic story as presented by Wikipedia:

Havana Club is a brand of rum created in Cuba in 1934. Originally produced in Cárdenas, Cuba by family-owned Jose Arechabala S.A., the brand was nationalized after the Cuban Revolution of 1959. In 1993, French owned Pernod Ricard and the government of Cuba created a state-run 50:50 joint venture called Corporación Cuba Ron. They began exporting this version of Havana Club globally, except for the United States due to the embargo put in place by the U.S. government. 

Bacardi, another Cuban family exiled due to the Cuban revolution, also began producing Havana Club Rum in 1994 after purchasing the original Arechabala family Havana Club recipe, a competing product made in exile in Puerto Rico and sold only in the United States. 

Bacardi & Pernod Ricard have engaged in ongoing litigation about ownership of the name “Havana Club”.

Before the Cuban revolution in 1959, the Bacardi and Arechabala rum families were fierce competitors. Their saga is quite interesting and one people should take the time to read.

The story still has many twists and turns due to the ongoing litigation. Which is the "real" Havana Club rum?

The way I see it, since Bacardi is producing rum with the original Arechabala recipe, it is the true Havana Club rum (although produced in Puerto Rico). However, the Havana Club rum I bought while in Cuba is a popular rum marketed worldwide. It is pretty good (but I am not a trained rum expert, so what do I know?) and I usually mix it with Coca Cola anyway.

I still have over half of the rum left.

Yosemite Trademark Settlement Details Revealed

Above, the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It has been a little over a month since it was announced that the Yosemite National Park trademark dispute between the former concessionaire, Delaware North, the National Park Service and the new concessionaire, Aramark, had been settled.

Through a Freedom of Information request, the San Francisco Chronicle has obtained the details of the settlement.

They wrote:

Yosemite National Park recently settled one of the nation’s oddest intellectual property disputes, teaming up with the company that manages the park’s hotels and restaurants to pay the former operator for trademarks the company notoriously claimed were its own. 

Turns out, Yosemite got a lot more in the $12 million deal than a few famous place names in the park, like Ahwahnee and Curry Village. 

According to newly released legal documents, the global hospitality company Delaware North handed over more than 30 park-related names, designs and logos that it had quietly registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office when it operated Yosemite’s visitor facilities. 

The relinquished property includes seven images of the iconic Half Dome cliff face, symbols like pine cones and badger paws associated with Yosemite and slogans used for park marketing, such as “Girls on Granite” and “Go Climb a Rock.”

To read more, go here. 

Yosemite Trademark Lawsuit Settlement

Above, one of the sitting rooms of the Ahwahnee Hotel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As mentioned last week on this blog, the long Yosemite National Park trademark lawsuit between Delaware North and the U.S. Government has been settled and attractions that had their names changed have reverted back to their original names.

Here's some details on the settlement.

Travel + Leisure posted:

After a long-fought trademark dispute, Yosemite National Park is getting back some of its most iconic names. 

In particular, according to CNN, the Majestic Yosemite Hotel can finally be called the Ahwahnee Hotel again. The same goes for Half Dome Village (formerly Curry Village), Big Trees Lodge (formerly the Wawona Hotel), and Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area (formerly Badger Pass Ski Area). 

A civil lawsuit filed in 2015 when the national park changed its contract from its former concessionaire DNC Parks & Resorts, owned by Delaware North, to Yosemite Hospitality, owned by Aramark, according to NPR. As a result, Delaware North sued for $50 million for the trademarks to the names of some of Yosemite’s historic hotels and sites, CNN reported. 

A concessionaire company is in charge of the park’s lodging, as well as food and retail services, according to CNN. 

During the dispute, the before mentioned park locations had to be temporarily renamed. According to CNN, the park has signed a $12 million settlement with Delaware North, which, in turn, means that Yosemite has its original attraction and hotel names back.

To read more, go here. 

Yosemite Iconic Names Restored In Settlement

Above, the sign renaming Curry Village as "Half Dome Village" in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During my trek to Chicago for G-FEST XXVI, I caught the news report that a settlement had been reached between the federal government and Delaware North over the trademark issues on Yosemite National Park.

This is excellent news!

According to the Fresno Bee:

Yosemite National Park will get the historic names of its properties back in a civil lawsuit settlement reached between the National Park Service and Yosemite’s former concessionaire, DNC Parks and Resorts at Yosemite. 

Place names to be restored include the Ahwahnee Hotel, Curry Village, the Wawona Hotel, and Badger Pass Ski Area, Yosemite spokesman Scott Gediman said. 

Some place name signs in Yosemite Valley were returned within hours of the settlement being signed Monday morning, including the Curry Village sign, which was hidden by a covering that said Half Dome Village.

This lawsuit should never have happened. I, for one, am glad that it is finally over.

To read more go here.

Roswell Trademarks New Logo

Above, the previous Roswell logo on a city vehicle. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The city of Roswell, New Mexico, famous for the 1947 UFO crash (actually, the crash occurred closer to the town of Corona), has a new logo and the city has it trademarked.

KRQE reported:

ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) - The city of Roswell now has exclusive rights to its new logo.  

The city secured a trademark on the green "R" with a flying saucer, protecting it from unauthorized use.

The trademark is good for ten years.

To see the new logo, go here. 

Yosemite Tradmark Fight To Drag Into 2019

Above, the former Ahwahnee Hotel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It appears that the legal fight between Delaware North and the federal government will drag on into 2019.

National Parks Traveler reported:

It could easily be mid-2019 before any clarity is shed on the dispute between DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite and the National Park Service over who owns the rights to such iconic Yosemite National Park names as The Ahwahnee, Curry Village, and the Wawona Hotel. 

Court documents in the standoff that dates to 2014 show that the two sides have until July 23, 2019, to report back to U.S. District Judge Patricia E. Campbell-Smith on whether they are optimistic that they can negotiate a settlement. 

The issue of trademarking words attached to properties in the National Park System arose in 2014 year when the Park Service released a prospectus for a 15-year contract involving lodging and dining concessions at Yosemite. During the process, DNC, which had held the concessions business in Yosemite since 1993, notified the Park Service that it owned "intellectual property" rights in the form of trademarks attached to lodgings in the park. 

Yosemite National Park officials, looking to avoid a costly trademark fight with DNC Parks & Resorts, announced in January 2016 that they would change the names of iconic lodges in the park. The Ahwahnee Hotel, for instance, would be known going forward as the Majestic Yosemite Hotel. The new names were chosen in order to minimize the impact on visitors, the park announced, and include: 

● Yosemite Lodge at the Falls to become: Yosemite Valley Lodge
● The Ahwahnee to become: The Majestic Yosemite Hotel
● Curry Village to become: Half Dome Village
● Wawona Hotel to become: Big Trees Lodge
● Badger Pass Ski Area to become: Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area

To read more, go here.

Yosemite Trademark Lawsuit: Hints of Progress?

Above, will the Curry Village name be soon restored? Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A good sign has been noticed concerning the Yosemite National Park trademark legal battle between the federal government and Delaware North.

According to E & E News:

Negotiations appear to have quietly resumed in a big Yosemite National Park trademark dispute, renewing the possibility of a peaceful settlement to a multimillion-dollar fight that's drawn in some heavy hitters.

If a settlement can be reached, the historic and rightful names of Yosemite's attractions would be restored. 

Sounds Like Something From The Onion

Above, Haruo Nakajima and yours truly at the 2013 Mad Monster Party.

The Onion is a satirical website of fake, but humorous news. What was posted today on Facebook sounds like something The Onion would post, but it is real.

Eben McGarr, the organizer of the Mad Monster Party conventions, posted a legal action document filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that was apparently put forth by Monster Energy Company (the maker of Monster energy drinks). They contend that Mad Monster Party is in some sort of infringement of their alleged trademark of the word "monster". I kid you not!

Here it is:

Supposedly, they contend that Mad Monster Party's use of the word "monster" is a trademark infringement. Really? If that's the case, then anyone (such as the TV show, Monster Madhouse) using the word "monster" would also be infringing on their trademark. [Since we don't have the full document, it looks like that McGarr may have applied to trademark the "Mad Monster Party" convention name (which is a reasonable thing to do), but Monster Energy Company is opposing it.]

[I attended the 2013 Mad Monster Party convention as the "wrangler" for Godzilla suit actor Haruo Nakajima.]

This reminds me of what the state of Kentucky did years ago. They obtained a trademark for the word "Kentucky" and that anyone using that word is infringing. That's why Kentucky Fried Chicken changed their name to KFC.

This is nuts! Will Mad Monster Party have to change their name to MMP if Monster Energy Company prevails?

What's Next? "Miller High Life Yosemite National Park"?

Above, the Ahwahnee Hotel, now called the Majestic Yosemite Hotel due to the lawsuit. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The legal fight over trademarks of features at Yosemite National Park between the federal government and the former concessionaire of Yosemite, Delaware North, drags on. It may be years before a resolution is reached.

Delaware North wants over $50 million and the government wants to settle at around $4 million. There's a "slight" gulf here.

If you are not familiar with the fight, City Watch has posted an article that should bring you up to speed.

(Did you know that there are plans to rename the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with "United Airlines" attached to it? Nothing is sacred these days.)

A snippet from the City Watch article:

Delaware North claims it owns the intellectual property rights to those names because they bought them from the YPCC when the deal was made back in the 1990s. There is a lawsuit over Delaware North's claims, which may eventually resolve the argument. But in the meanwhile, park visitors are getting a crash course in what it's like to be caught between warring giants.

***

The Park Service and the new concessionaire, instead of forking over a twentieth part of a billion dollars for the names, did something different. They decided to plaster up some replacement names and then carry on business as usual. Here is a glossary, giving the old name on the left and the new name on the right:  

Wawona = Big Trees Lodge  

Ahwahnee Hotel = Majestic Yosemite Hotel  

Yosemite Lodge = Yosemite Valley Lodge  

Curry Village = Half Dome Village  

Yes, I know that this is ridiculous. The original names are remembered by people who learned them as school children and are now of retirement age. They are remembered by visitors from all around the world.  

This fight makes our country look stupid. 

To read more, go here. 

New Hat

Above, having fun with sepia tone. 

Ever since I saw a Aussie "outback" hat at the gift shop at the Majestic Yosemite Hotel (best known as the Ahwahnee Hotel before Delaware North decided to act foolishly with trademarks) two years ago, I've been wanting to get one.

Finally, I did.

Above, the one I saw in Yosemite.

I spotted one in the gift shop at the Route 66 Casino in Albuquerque and bought it. It will come in handy against the blazing New Mexico sun and possibly at clampouts.

Yosemite's Identity Theft

The case involving the trademarked names of several of Yosemite National Park's attractions by former concessionaire Delaware North is dragging on in the courts. It really shouldn't be there in the first place.

Former Fresno Bee reporter Gene Rose covered the region's national parks for the newspaper for decades wrote an excellent opinion piece for the paper on Yosemite's identity theft by Delaware North.

He begins it with:

The current controversy over the Yosemite place names is a disgrace to many of our national institutions, especially to the National Park Service, the Patent and Trademark office and the courts. 

Imagine the confusion facing the first-time park visitor when arriving at park amid all the traffic, congestion and then to face the place name confusion. 

Admittedly, I have not seen that disputed contract, but the fallout is evident. The realization that the park service or concessionaire could write such language into a concessions contract defies logic and common sense. 

At the national level, the proliferation of trademark trolls underscores the reality that our very language and maps are at risk. 

Belatedly, the Trademark Office has recognized the pirating and formed the usual advisory committee – now that the horse is out of the barn.

Critics of the trademark dispute contend that place names from any approved government map of everyday usage should be off limits to the trademark opportunists.
Think of the fees I could garner if I could have trademarked my beloved California? 

Delaware North, the ousted Yosemite concessionaire, claims those place names have value and that is implicit to their contract. The company has even trademarked other locations, including such high profile sites as Grand Canyon.

To read more, go here.

Delaware North Yosemite Lawsuit Drags On

Above, a modified road sign in Yosemite Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It has been a while since the trademark lawsuit involving the federal government and former concessionaire Delaware North had been reported on.

Yesterday, the Fresno Bee has posted and article giving a status on the lawsuit (of sorts).

They begin with:

It has been 18 months since a white nylon sign reading “Half Dome Village” was stretched over the 103-year-old Camp Curry sign in Yosemite National Park, and it will probably be a while longer before it comes down. 

The National Park Service and Yosemite’s former concessionaire, Delaware North, remain embroiled in a legal battle over the names of some of the park’s most cherished landmarks: The Ahwahnee, Curry Village, Badger Pass, Wawona Hotel. 

Delaware North holds trademarks to these names with the U.S. Patent Office and has asked Aramark, the company that beat out Delaware North for the concessions contract in 2016, to pay for its trademarks and some building improvements as part of the changeover. Aramark and the government have maintained the names were never Delaware North’s to begin with, and the two sides are more than $40 million apart on the amount owed. 

Given the distance between the parties and how slowly the courts move in such cases, both sides agreed this week that it could be years before a resolution is reached.

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article170192292.html#storylink=cpy

Yosemite: One Year Ago Today 3

Above, Half Dome from North Pines Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A year ago today, I was camping in Yosemite National Park with my cat Sierra at the North Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley.

This turned out to be the most rain-free day while I was at the park. Instead of going to the Ahwahnee Hotel (renamed the Yosemite Majestic Hotel due to the trademark lawsuit with Delaware North) or somewhere else for breakfast, I decided to cook my own in The Beast. It was my usual bacon, eggs and toast.

After breakfast, I decided to head to the park's laundromat to do some laundry. The laundromat is located at the Housekeeping Camp. When I got there (thankfully, Housekeeping Camp is a shuttle stop), I found the camp pretty much deserted except for workers who are getting it ready for the summer vacation season. While my laundry was in the washer, I wandered around the camp to see what the accommodations looked like. They didn't look particularly inviting. I guess once they are cleaned up and occupied the tent-cabins would look much better. It is my guess that these tent cabins are occupied by the seasonal employees during the summer.

After doing my laundry, I headed back to camp. Later, I went to Yosemite Village and browsed around the store and the Visitor Center's gift shop. I picked up a few things. I went over to the Ahwahnee Hotel and decided to get some coffee and just sit around the lounge with my laptop since they have the most usable Wi-Fi in Yosemite that I found. Cell phone service in the park was spotty at best.

I went back over to the Yosemite Village store afterwards and saw some deer in front. I managed to get some fairly close pictures of them.

After picking up a few things at the store I headed back to camp to begin dinner.

Once dinner was done and the dishes cleaned, I headed over to the Ahwahnee to peruse their gift shop. I spotted an Indiana Jones-style hat that I was tempted to buy, but I ended up not getting it. I did get a commemorative copper drinking mug. It commemorated the Centennial of the National Park Service.

Once I was done in the Ahwahnee gift shop, I headed back to camp to get things put away for my departure the next morning.

Here's some photos of day 3:

Above, the laundromat located at the Housekeeping Camp. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Housekeeping Camp. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, one of the tent cabins at the Housekeeping Camp. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a view of Half Dome from North Pines Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, one of the granite rock formations. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a view of Yosemite Falls from Yosemite Village. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Visitor Center bookstore and gift shop. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, deer strolling in front of the Yosemite Village store. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, deer going under the Yosemite Village store walkway bridge. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, trying on a hat at the Ahwahnee gift shop. 

Above, Sierra enjoying the coffee maker box. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yosemite A Year Ago Today

Above, the South Entrance gate to Yosemite. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today marks one year since Sierra and I arrived in Yosemite National Park.

I woke up early and after putting things away after breakfast, we got back on the road and headed to Yosemite.

It was rainy in the park upon our arrival at the South Entrance and it continued to rain off and on for the couple of days. But the rain didn't dampen my enjoyment of the park.

The first stop after entering the park was along the road where there was a beautiful view of the mountains. They were shrouded with clouds, which made for some interesting photography. The next stop was at Tunnel View, which is an overlook next to Wawona Tunnel on the east end from the south entrance on Highway 41. Visitors can see the whole Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View on clear days. El Capitan, Bridalveil Falls, Half Dome and the Three Brothers can be easily seen. On this day, clouds covered Half Dome. The Wawona Tunnel, from which the overlook gets its name, was built in 1933 and renovated and re-dedicated in 2008.

Reservations were made the previous November for a campsite at North Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley, It was a nice campsite and it was just a short walk to Tenaya Creek.

Fortunately, the shuttle stop for the campground was nearby at the stables, so I was able to get around Yosemite Valley easily. The free shuttle stops at all the main attractions in Yosemite Valley. Although it was early spring, there were many people in the park, but they weren't overwhelming.

Above, one of the Yosemite shuttle buses. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Before checking in at the gate to North Pines Campground, I drove around Yosemite Valley to see some of the attractions such as Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Falls, Ahwahnee Hotel (now called the Majestic Yosemite Hotel due to the trademark lawsuit with Delaware North) and Tenaya Creek. I also stopped at Curry Village (now called Half Dome Village due to the lawsuit) for some groceries. After this, I was off to North Pines Campground.

After setting up camp, I spent most of the day relaxing before starting dinner (consisting of barbecued steak). After dinner, I caught a shuttle bus to go to Yosemite Village and the Ahwahnee Hotel. After roaming around the Village, the Visitor Center and the Ahwahnee, which had the only decent Wi-Fi in the park. I headed back to the campground on the shuttle. On the way, we spotted some deer.

Here's some photos of Yosemite on the first day:

Above, the first stop after entering Yosemite. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the view of Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Bridalveil Falls. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, The Beast at the stop at Bridalveil Falls. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the campsite at North Pines Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Visitor Center. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Degnan's snack bar in Yosemite Village. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the lounge in the Ahwahnee Hotel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a view of three deer from the shuttle bus. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

"Mistress of Disaster" Retained In Yosemite Trademark Fight

Above, the hotel formerly known as the Ahwahnee Hotel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A long-time Washington, D.C. attorney with ties to Hillary Clinton and the daughter and son-in-law to President Trump, has been retained by one of the parties in the trademark litigation of several attractions of Yosemite National Park brought on by the former concessionaire, Delaware North.

According to McClatchy DC Bureau:

WASHINGTON A Yosemite National Park trademark fight has an influential new combatant with the recruitment of a top D.C. lawyer whose clients include the daughter and son-in-law of President Donald Trump. 

Attorney Jamie S. Gorelick, a longtime D.C. power player since her years as deputy attorney general in the Clinton administration, now represents Yosemite’s current concessionaire in the trademark battle. Her hiring underscores the high-dollar stakes in a legal conflict that at one time seemed headed for a settlement but has since grown more complicated. 

In a succinct filing last Tuesday with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the Justice Department declared that Gorelick, a partner with the firm WilmerHale, has been retained by Yosemite Hospitality LLC. The latter is a subsidiary of the Philadelphia-based Aramark, which took over the lucrative primary Yosemite concessions contract last year.

Gorelick has a checkered past in our recent history as this article in The American Thinker attests. She is dubbed "the mistress of disaster" in that article.

To read more, go here.

What's The Value of A Yosemite Trademark?

Above, as sign pointing the way to the former Curry Village. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now that the administration of President Donald J. Trump is in place, maybe some movement in the years-long battle between the federal government and former concessionaire Delaware North over the trademark dispute of Yosemite National Park will take place.

Above, the former Ahwahnee Hotel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A new filing has been made by the government over the value of the trademarks.

According to the Star-Telegram:

WASHINGTON A Yosemite National Park trademark challenge now turns, in part, on two dramatically different estimates of what some famous names are worth. 

In a new court filing, the government made public more of its evidence for its claim that the park’s former concessionaire put an “improper and wildly inflated valuation” on its trademarks for such names as the Ahwahnee hotel. While the concessionaire valued its Yosemite intellectual property at $51.2 million, the government’s consultant said it’s more like $3.5 million. 

The vastly different estimates are more than just bargaining positions, though they may serve that purpose. They also illustrate the difficulties in putting pricetags on names associated with a park as beloved as Yosemite.

To read more, go here.