The Other Canadian at PERC

When I arrived at PERC in early May, I meet many of the PERC staff and fellows. It took awhile, however, for me to learn that one of my new associates was also a Canadian. In fact, he is from Alberta! H.A. Vore, who goes by "Herb" or, affectionately, as "Herbie," occupies a prominent position at PERC and watches over most of the organization's activities. Most PERCies will tell you that he keeps a close eye on the use of the photocopier; most of us think twice before incurring his glassy stare by making university or personal copies.

My quiet enquiries about Herb among the PERC staff (he personally is not given to frequent conversation) provided the following info: Herb joined PERC about two years ago. He returned to Bozeman with Terry Anderson, PERC executive director, after Terry had been on a visit to Alberta. No one knew quite what to do with Herb when he arrived, but his transition was eased by PERC's recent move to new offices. Shortly after his arrival, Herb was given his prominent place in the new office.

A picture of Herb A. Vore appears below.

As you realize by now, Herb is a Canadian moose. Terry Anderson is a bow hunter, and took Herb while on a hunting trip in Alberta (he also returned with a wolf rug). According to Terry, Herb ranks as the third largest moose shot with a bow in Canada. For those of you who haven't had the benefit of visiting PERC, Terry's office is adorned with no less than 9 trophies from his hunts, mostly on African safaris. Not surprisingly, Terry is one of the foremost advocates of private game reserves and other conservation efforts that combine conservation of resources with hunting and fishing.

Herb A. Vore 

Back in Bozeman

We arrived back in Bozeman on Tuesday. A brief synopsis of the past week's events follows.

I co-lead the discussions at a small conference for graduate students, sponsored by ISI and Liberty Fund, at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal in Mecosta, Michigan from June 9 - 12 (Our lodgings were at The Inn at St. Ives). The conference was on free trade and globalization, and the students were all non-economists (discipline represented included history, sociology, philosophy, political theory, and education). Very good group and lots of great conversation. Doug Bandow of the Cato Institute was the other discussion leader.

We then drove from East Lansing to Bozeman, June 12 - 14. Aside from thunderstorms across South Dakota on the 13th, it was an uneventful trip. Arrived mid-afternoon in Bozeman, unpacked and unwound. On Wednesday, I spent the day at PERC finishing my presentation for today and attending a presentation by one of the graduate students I'm mentoring here.