Beautiful

Robin Hood Tax?

Winter Olympian

I've enjoyed watching this guy since the first time I saw him compete back in 2002. There's something about the bad boy head to head sports that sets them apart from glitter and judge events. His dad got him into sports to keep him from being a latch key kid after the mom left. He was chunky as a kid and still fights the weight problem if he's not training. He's been involved in international controversy and accused of throwing a race so a friend could make the Olympic team (exonerated totally). He seems to be one of those nice polite people who morph into an animal when the gun goes off. His sport is one of those where the slightest slip can cost you everything and yet he's tied for the most Olympic medals (5) won by an American male. He could easily pick up the two medals he needs to be the most successful Winter Olympian in American History or make the tiniest of errors and fall flat. It's like that for all of the head to head sports and it is agonizing for anyone close to an athlete, knowing how hard they train, how difficult it is to win, and how easy it is to lose.

Apolo_Anton_Ohno

It's too bad these kids have to shill so hard to pay the bills.

And because you probably missed Rachel Maddow's eviceration of the idiots who deny climate change because it snowed in Washington, D.C.



The Winter Olympics are facing a problem because it is in the 50's in Canada right now. All climate change models predict the extremes will get more extreme. Why is that so hard to get across to some people?

Damn the Stimulus...Full Speed Ahead!

There's a message, a moral, and a mission here. See this to the end.

Ernest Shackleton's Scotch Stash Recovered With Brandy Bonus

There's no limit to what some people will do in search of a good single malt Scotch:

The alcohol was removed from the ice by the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust, which had initially believed there to be just two crates.
Al Fastier from the trust said: "To our amazement we found five crates, three labelled as containing whisky and two labelled as containing brandy."

Famed Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton led an expedition to be the first to reach the South Pole. He failed by 100 miles. When his ship was trapped in ice he took a small crew in a life boat and rowed 800 miles across the Arctic Ocean too South Georgia Island to obtain help and rescue his entire crew. He saved every man but tragically lost his stash of Scotch and Brandy. A distiller hopes to analyze the Scotch and replicate the recipe which has been lost to mankind until now.

Noble work, that!

Not Bad Shine Crazy...Nope, Nope, Nope

That's a Georgia accent if I ever heard one. Matter of fact, I'm from Georgia and I sound just like that...And if you believe that, I've got some TVA fertilizer I want to sell you.

Every Child Outdoors

With video game and HD Tv turning out kids into couch potatoes destined for an old age fighting type 2 diabetes, some folks are trying to reverse a really unhealthy trend. Yesterday the Tennessee State Senate adopted SR705 in support of:

Tennessee Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights

With recent concerns about youth detachment from the outdoors, lack of physical exercise and increased health risks, “Every Child Outdoors – Tennessee” has adopted The Tennessee Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights (TCOBOR).

“Every Child Outdoors – Tennessee” is a coalition of more than 100 supporting organizations including local, state and national organizations and agencies, governments, non-profits and businesses representing health, natural resource, education, hunting and fishing, recreation and youth stakeholders.

TCOBOR is a list of experiences from which every child in Tennessee would benefit.

Studies document that children who engage in these activities are healthier, perform better in school, have better social skills and self-image, and lead more fulfilled lives.

The Tennessee Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights states that Tennessee every child, before entering high school, should have the opportunity to:

Walk in the woods

Play outside

Explore nature

Watch wildlife

Grow a garden

Splash in the water

Camp under the stars

Learn to swim

Climb a tree

Go fishing

Fly a kite

Visit a farm

Mission of “Every Child Outdoors – Tennessee”

To promote and support opportunities that encourage children to engage with and experience the outdoors.

Winter Light

The far ridge has put on a light show all day today.

In the sunset light the trees on the ridge top seem to have been plugged in. My photography does not do this justice. I guess you have to be glad I tried to capture it instead of just going for another glass of wine and the binoculars.

Obama Goes to the Lions Den (And Kick some Lion Rear)

President Obama went to the Republican retreat today. He stood there, took their questions (including a really stupid blathering from TN Congressperson Marsha Blackman), and fed them some humble pie. It was televised on CNN and several Republicans are complaining that was a big mistake.

Obama stands and delivers.

The spin started before Obama was even finished. The Republicans kept trying to end it saying, "Mr. President, We're sure you have other commitments."

"Nah, I'm having fun," said Barack Obama.

Listen

Back Home on a Winter Walk

So enough about New Zealand. We're home again after an epic flight and the delivery guy just brought our luggage home after the airline lost it. All is good and we cemented our homecoming with a little walk up the creek. Even though we've been hiking around glaciers the local cold is, um, refreshing.

Ice on the swimming hole...

In a very few weeks, several fish species will start their mating season in the creek. Deep in this pool the temperature is nearly the same year round, with the cold only affecting the upper 15 feet. Down deep it is always 58 to 64 degrees when the water flows are below those required to stir things up.

Ice on Ford Branch.

Cheers to all in the new year. Glad to be home!

Hanging with the Stars

Some stars wear sun glasses when they go out in public, this one wears clouds. Mt. Ngauruhoe, one of the cameo stars of "Lord of the Rings" known on screen as Mt. Doom, refused to put in an appearance for us. I think that Orc thing has left it a bit shy. We're on the sunny side so the snow cap didn't make the shot.

And now the big star...Mordor! Mount Tongariro gives its name to the National park that contains these volcanoes. One of them, Mt. Ruapehu, has erupted as recently as 2007 and killed 153 people in 1996. Doesn't stop the locals from building a ski village right up on the slopes in the volcanic detritus.

The Kiwis have a certain dry humor that abounds in everything, even the highway signs.

We never saw a live kiwi but the warning signs for their signature bird were everywhere in the parks. Introduced mammals, the possum and a weasel, may be the end of kiwis in the wild.

Home Stretch

We're on the way back to Aukland to fly home in three days. We gain back the day we lost crossing the date line but the jet lag will be the same. Here's a few more pix to make you jealous.

Sunset at Glenhu Bay near Mt Aspiring.

Reversible Falls going the right way. We named it that.

Here's why...

They had a trampoline at the campground near Mt. Cook. There were 140 kph wind gusts at 3000 meters that night. We were only at 1500 but our tent got flattened anyway.

New Year in New Zealand

This is the Glacier Burn track in the Holden Range across from Glenorchy. The glacial lakes are mind bogglingly aqua and massive. This was roughly a 1500 meter ascent through an ancient forest. We were sure we were going to have to start fighting Orcs any second. More pictures later when I get to an internet connection that actually works.

Merry Christmas to All

We're in the land of the Kea, a gorgeous and overly inquisitive bird.

This is one of the more common flightless birds in New Zealand called a Weka. This one was eating road kill and dodging cars at the last second like it was no big deal.

Arthur's Pass looking up the Otira river. The flowers are one of the Foxgloves, I think.
This is the Devil's Punchbowl falls, my first hike in NZ if you don't count the Christchurch botanical gardens.

Pororari river walk on Christmas morning...

I'm not used to looking up and seeing ferns as big as palm trees. There are some Hobbits in there somewhere.

The NZ Christmas tree grows all over the place. I don't know if people plant them in their yards or just leave them in place when they build the houses. There's no need to plant exotic ornamentals when the weeds look like this.

Merry Christmas from all of us. We wish you were here...And so do you!

Santa...Bad Role Model

Santa Claus is the only fictional character in the world with a higher recognition factor than Ronald McDonald. Children love him and dream of his visit to their home in the wee hours of Christmas.

In many cultures snacks are traditionally left for Santa. These can be cookies and milk or they can include a small snifter of brandy along with a few carrots and celery sticks for the reindeer. After a night of house to house careening around the planet and pounding brandy to stay warm, Santa is probably totally toasted as he sits in the driver's seat. Think about the structural soundness of your roof and the possibility of a drunken fat guy crashing a team of reindeer through your attic.

Santa is an obvious communist as well. I know of no more entrenched wealth redistribution system than his lavishing billions of dollars worth of merchandise upon children who haven't paid a dime for any of it, and thanks to those danged Liberals and their child labor laws, it is not even legal to make them work to earn that new play station, even though it was probably assembled by children in some Asian nation with sensible worker protection laws, like say China. Elves, you say? Yeah right. Santa wears a lot of red, have you noticed?

Santa's fat and proud of it. At least he hides one of his worst habits from the kids. He still smokes. You only catch him with his pipe on older traditional cards but we know it and he should own up to it. He rides around shouting at his poor reindeer drinking, feasting, and spreading the wealth like a madman, and what's with all the ho's?

I'm guessing that like so many other wives of celebrities, Mrs. Claus stays with the old coot for the good of the elves. There's no other reason.

All in all, except for that junk food thing of his, Ronald McDonald might be the better role model. Except he hangs around with puppets and children and no adults. Hmmm?

Cheers,

Steve

PS: There's even some research

"I Am Your Enemy"

Understanding brings a certain sadness and realization about the cowardice of those we elect and how our country works. It is a continuing theme of mine that we are being constantly lied to and that these lies are abetted by a disabled media whose main duty is to praise Pollyanna for emptying the chamberpots. Today's reading assignment is an insider's dish on why, in the fight for "Truth, Justice, and the American Way," It is the Joker who is winning.

I am your enemy. That you don't know this is understandable: after all, people like me prefer it that way. But until you understand just what you're up against and why, you're going to continue to lose, and look like fools in the process

.

No One is Going to Save You Fools

Since the Liberal Media Didn't Bring you This...

Just last week, Republican leaders in the House summoned more than 100 key lobbyists for the financial industry to a "pep rally," and urged them to redouble their efforts to block meaningful financial reform. Not that they needed the encouragement. These industry lobbyists have already spent more than $300 million on lobbying the debate this year.

You knew all that, right? That was a quote from your President, after all. As near as I can tell, our President is a kind, thinking, literate, bad ass dude, and a great leader. If only he had some courageous people to lead!

Yeah! I'm talkin' to you! I'm talkin' to you!

US Government Report: China's #1 Export to the USA...Unemployment

Want some scary stories to read? This will frighten you as much as anything ever. This is from a report by the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission and frankly tells us where our jobs have gone...

China has consistently used the value added tax as an instrument of industrial policy, applying the VAT selectively to penalize imports and to encourage exports. The VAT, which has been adopted by 140 countries, including most industrialized countries other than the United States, is applied to manufactured goods at each
stage of production. China levies a 17 percent VAT on the value of most goods. However, this 17 percent rate is rebated selectively on exports and applied to all imports.

Ugly stuff and why have we stood around and let this happen?

Export-led growth policies pursued by China and other industrializing nations have inevitably led to excess capacity in many products, notably steel and automobiles, which has contributed to declining manufacturing jobs and production in
many market-oriented countries, including the United States. Problems arise for China’s trading partners as China exports its excess capacity at prices that the rest of the world cannot match. For example, in 2008, China accounted for 38 percent of the world’s crude steel production (about 500 million tons), compared to only 7 percent for the United States, and China’s excess capacity of steel is
greater then Japan’s entire yearly output.352 Such exports also exacerbate the global economic downturn, as China essentially exports unemployment

...

This is a long and wonky report but essentially says what the USA needs to do to turn around our employment picture:

Quit letting China steal our lunch!

The Report

And then there's this:

China’s Cyber Activities that Target the United States, and the Resulting Impacts on U.S. National Security

• The Commission recommends that Congress assess the effectiveness of and resourcing for law enforcement, defense, and intelligence community initiatives that aim to develop effective and reliable attribution techniques for computer exploitation and
computer attacks.
• The Commission recommends that Congress urge the administration to develop measures to deter malicious Chinese cyber activity directed at critical U.S. infrastructure and U.S. government information systems

.

Geez! There's report after report at this US Government web site that both scares and angers me. Pick a subject and read for yourself. We don't need to have a jobs summit. We need the gumption to do the obvious. Quit sending our manufacturing strength and jobs to China.

Dammit!

Steve

And now here's more scary topics posted at the links I gave you:

Among the topics addressed in the 367-page Report are:

China’s increasingly aggressive espionage efforts to obtain U.S. secrets and technology for the benefit of China’s military and its economy.
China’s stepped-up cyber espionage and cyber warfare capabilities that constitute a growing threat to U.S. computer networks.
China’s extensive use of foreign propaganda and China’s efforts to influence public opinion and policymaking in the United States.
China’s detailed industrial policy designed to attract foreign investment and production and to create “national champions” to compete on a global scale.
China’s use of subsidies and other trade-distorting measures in violation of its international commitments.
China’s role in the creation of the economic imbalances that that helped produce the global financial crisis.
The expansion and modernization of the Chinese navy and its effects on U.S. access to the waters around China and Taiwan and the likelihood of a maritime arms race.
The use of new and more sophisticated methods by Chinese authorities to control the Chinese news media and the Internet.
China’s activities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia.
Mainland China’s increasing influence in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The effect of China’s policies on the economy of the upstate New York region.

Thought for Today

On a day when a peer reviewed scientific publication notes that Miami, Savannah, Charleston, and New York City will be underwater in before this century is done, and conservatives have come out with pro rape and anti abortion votes in the Senate as another 30,000 combat troops are being committed to Afghanistan, the number one news story in America is, "Tiger Woods Got Women...Lots of 'em."

I don't play golf. It seems like a stupid game to me. There's no defense and everybody gets their own ball. It's sort of a grandiose version of pitching pennies combined with a drinking game.

The highest endorsement players over the last few years have been Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, who are seen as the good guys, and John Daly, seen as an out and out party boy, womanizer, and drunk. Tiger is undergoing a slight image modification at the moment. He's in trouble for getting caught using his driver in the rough.

Every day it seems another stunningly attractive bimbo pops up in front of the cameras playing a voice mail message from golf's golden boy. It remains to be seen how this will affect Tiger's billion dollar revenue stream of purses and endorsements. Publicly, sports and news pundits are "Tsk, tsking" about Tiger, but I've seen golf carts, and I know that they have spots for two golf bags and four beverage containers. You can try and tell me that male golfers as a whole are disappointed with Tiger but I know differently. They're thinking, "Dang! I've got to get me some of those clubs."

And I know danged well that Tiger's Nike golf shirts are flying off the shelf. That would be the ones with the slogan that says...

"Just Do It!"

Cheers,

Steve

Disclaimer: No Golf cliches were harmed in the making of this bog post.