Sierra Sun Interview

The editor of the Sierra Sun was interviewed on KCBS radio today. The reporter was working the "heavy snow/ spring skiing angle". It became evident that yes, there is a whole lot of snow on the ground around the Lake Tahoe resort area. The resorts have almost completely committed to a lengthy extension of the current season, staying open until at least May 15th. Squaw vallet will stay open until May 30, with the possibility of a 4th of July special.
Gov. Jerry Brown declared california's drought officially over. Perhaps we'll be able to enjoy a "normal " summer without the daily rags screaming for conservation, bemoaning some poor animal somewhere whose tongue is swollen for lack of moisture, or some poor fish who can't spawn or migrate or swim unconstrained. It becomes quite tedious to read the pleading and whining about the lack of water. The poor farmer, the thirsty cities, the poor.........., the smelt, the salmon, the bass, the trout, and on and on and on.
Maybe we can get by this year until October or even November. Wouldn't that be nice, boys and girls? Of course it would.

Read an interesting article about conservation on Santa Cruz Island, part of Channel Islands National Park, 20 miles off the coast of southern California. Having spent quite a bit of time there abouts, it provided an update on conditions since the feds took over management some years ago. It is a rarely visited park due to its offshore location and its lack of big draws, ie. tourist attractions. Hiking opportunities abound, great camping can be had, and a very peaceful environmental experience is affordable to all.
Fishing is good, and snorkeling is fine as long as you not spooked by the occasional shark fin cutting the water nearby.
The Nature Conservancy, the mag,for spring 2011, also had an intersting article about Tahoe's most interesting local, the American Black Bear. Yes, those multi-colored ambling oafs are "black" bears, aka Ursus americanus. They cover a wide range,from Northern Mexico to northern Alaska. They live on average about 10 years. They don't cover as much range as their cousins, the Brown bears(grizzlies,etc) who can be found on several continents. The blacl bear is the smaller of the two species, thankfully.
The issue also highlighted a find in Peru, on a Conservancy expedition-an armored cat fish that eats wood. Yes, eats wood. See page 14 for photo- an ugly thing, like most catfish.
The featured article discusses the lands of Costa Rica, one of our Latin American neighbors.

Caffe Fairfax

Visiting Fairfax ,California is always a "trip". This morning was no exception. In need of a morning shot of caffeine, the assistant Mayor and His Honor stopped on the corner for a latte. We were greeted with a folk music playing guitarist who sang his own version of folk music. Within minutes, he was accompanied by an outstanding harmonica player who knew how to work that thing. The coofee house was busy, even by Saturday morning standards. Locals and visitors mingled with their coffees, reading, listening, and just hanging out on a rainy, spring morning.
The Latino barrista greeted me in Italian-how did he know-Italian? Did I look Italian? hardly.
But, it's Fairfax-people speak many languages here.
Later this morning, the sun came through, finally. Maybe we'll see it for awhile and things will start to dry out. Plastic sheets grace many a hillside in the county, and nervous homeowners.

Mid East Furor Continues

NATO aviation elements continue to pound the forces of Libyan leader Moammar Kaddafi. Leadership and control issues seem to have been resolved among NATO partners, and Pres. Obama addressed Congress informing representatives of his plans and policies in the North African/Middle East area. As Syria begins to take on a similar situation, the world watches and waits to see if western powers address aggressive suppression of dissenters in that country.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabian leaders continue their efforts in Bahrain to prevent outside meddling by Iran. Leaders in Yemen appear poised to step down in the face of continued rebellion against the leaders there.
Egyptian voters will be asked to vote again on a new more representative government. The United States is walking a fine line in North Africa where France, Italy and Great Britain have taken a more active role than the US. The decision to use aircraft against Kaddafi forces can easily escalate to the incursion of ground troops "to protect" civilians from government reprisals. The world is holding its collective breathe on the outcome of all the insurrections across the region. Stay tuned.

More march Madness

Today's action included the game between Florida State and Butler. Florida St. was favored, but the Bulldogs rallied and put the game into overtime. The Bulldogs pulled out a win, sinking 2 free throws with 10.6 seconds to go. Florida came back down court and got off a long 3 pointer that missed and Butler got the rebound which they launched down court. Florida chased the ball and made a desparation shot from mid-court that fell short as time expired. A great win for the young coach who brings his team, against the odds to the final four.
The Bulldogs now will claim the respect they deserve from more than a few detractors.
The NCAA Tournament has been the beneficiary of some great contests and several upsets. All the games contribute to the drama as the Final Four phase fast approaches. So far, great sports action in each division.

Snow bound I-80

CalTrans reports I-80 closed in both directions due to avalanche dangers in various parts between Colfax and Truckee. The highwY WILL REOPEN this afternoon to one lane traffic and no trucks. So, skiers, plan ahead, you don't want to waste $4.05/gal gas waiting for the traffic to move. Save time, gas, and aggravation:stay home one more day or just wait. It appears another system will piggyback the one that dumped all the snow last night.
Speaking of $4.05/gal gas; does the economy need this hit? No, not in resort areas. This spike in fuel prices, the result of continued Mideast tension/war and futures market speculation, could be the nail in the coffin of many small communities around the lake, including Tahoma. Small businesses have been whipsawed by the recession in real estate, business reduction, higher sales taxes, high property taxes, and the see-saw of gasoline prices. The result is, no sane person will risk his capital on an investment without the prospect of a decent return for the risk involved. Hardest hit areas will always be seasonal locations that are dependent on transient populations that can afford the cost of a vacation wherever it is.
Lake Tahoe residents are more than aware of the situation in South Lake Tahoe: vacant store fronts. shuttered office space, for sale signs showing the effects of extra long placement, and the decline in casino patrons as former visitors postpone most of their vacation spending. Until Sacramento figures out how to revive a stumbling economy(tackle 12.4% unemployment), how to promote investment, how to fund education, and how to maintain infrastructure, resort areas will suffer.
Young people in El Dorado county and Placer county will continue to relocate to places that offer opportunities unavailable at Tahoe. Don't hold your breath on a quick fix. Prepare for the long haul-we don't have much choice.

Digging out again

The Mayor's back is getting sore from all the shoveling: another dumping of the white stuff has put a crimp in the daily schedule. It takes awhile for the assistant Mayor to shovel all the powder while the chief executive sits in his truck with the heater on. Homewood Resort reports over 11' feet of snow in March and 32" in the last 24 hours! They also are offering a $29 day pass for college week- a real low price for the younger set who might want to enjoy one of the greatest spring ski seasons on record.
Homewood is also offering music this weekend as part of their music series: Saturday a band will play for visitors' enjoyment(Mar.26).
It appears that a weather break will allow guests to arrive Friday and Saturday - a bonus!!!
Enjoy the new powder.

Who were the OLMEC?

A rainy day at the end of winter, with hardly a hint of spring in the air, is a great time to visit a museum. In this case, a world class museum with a world class exhibition from Mexico. The exhibition is entitled "Olmec: Colossal Masterworks of Ancient Mexico". It can be found in the large gallery at theDe Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. The title is enough to warrant intense curiosity from all Californians. The display of more than 150 works of art, includes massive sculptures unearthed in mesoamerica during the early 20th century. Most of the objects were cut from volcanic material located in the hills west of Veracruz. A video in the gallery describes possible methods used by the carvers to carry the raw material about 20 kilometers to their resting sites on the plain.

These massive heads weighed more than 5 tons! Just moving them to San Francisco from Mexico was a major effort- but well worth it. Perhaps one can recall the monoliths of Easter Island, or Stonehenge, or carvings from the Upper Nile River valley. These carvings are of similar vintage, having been dated almost four millenia ago. They were made without the aid of metal tools, meaning they were ground and polished using only paste of crushed rock and mud or other binder- a very laborious process! The sculptures included human heads and figures, zoomorphic figures that often included the head of the jaguar, a constant theme of the Olmec culture, reflecting the reverence held of the jungle cat common to their environment.
Jadeite was another material used as matter for carving and can be found among many of the smaller objects on display. Many of the small objects were displayed in positions as they were discovered in the field. Anthropologists believe that these small sculptures were religious offerings to various deities of the culture.
Most of the objects on display were provided with a pedestal positioned so a 360 degree view was possible to facilitate observation and inspection of incised carving on the rear and sides of the pieces. The focused lighting made close inspections easy for viewers.
Many in the groups of visitors appeared to be from Latin America. I'm sure they felt a tinge of pride at the handiwork of these ancient sculptors and artisans.
The exhibit continues until May 8th. Well worth the effort.

Where is Mt. Morris?

Where is Mt. Morris? Who cares? What is Mt. Morris? Well, let's take a look. On Sunday, the New York Times magazine did a story on the town of Mt. Morris, New York: a very small town of only 2800 souls, living on the fringes of American life in an attempt to preserve a small town lifestyle. The focus of the story is a retired NY City detective turned real estate developer: Greg O'Connell, a 68 year old Irishman from Queens,NY. He grew up in a family of cops, firemen, and teachers. He attended college at the SUNY campus in Geneseo, and got a degree in education. He started buying property along Brooklyn 's waterfront, an area known as Red Hook. He bought, bought some more, and then bought even more almost 30 years ago. And he's made money-lots of it. Now he is assisted by his two sons, who run things in Brooklyn while he works in upstate New York, 40 miles south of Rochester, where he now lives with his wife.
He owns 20 building in Mt. Morris, and is looked upon as the town's savior. Maybe. While a new look begins to take form, it will take time before the citizens of Mt. Morris will render a decision. Why does this matter? Why should we even look twice at Mt. Morris?
Tucked into a corner of Mt. Morris is a monument. Not a large monument, but a well designed, tastefully built memorial to American military veterans of all wars, one in particular.
The monument was the work of a group of locals and one in particular: Roger Yencer, a former Marine who served in Vietnam with the 3rd Marine Division around Khe Sahn and Danang. He never forgot his buddies, four Marines who did not return home. A contractor, he helped place the stones, the plaques, and the flags that commemorate the service of those Marines almost 43 years ago. The memorial was dedicated 4 years ago with many Marines in attendance along with family members of some of those named on the stones. In particular, the Riordan family of new Hampshire, the relatives of George Riordan, Navy corpsman who served with Fox Co. 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine regiment.
So, it is appropriate that Mt. Morris is recognized today as a place to know.

A New Mayor

No, not a new mayor in Tahoma. Miami, Florida has recalled its mayor. Why, you ask? The fool thought he could raise property taxes and folks would go along with it, sucking it up even as their property values continue to move south, job creation is zero, growth is negative, and there is no relief in sight. So, a successful recall was carried out, he has been removed, and an election is coming up with several candidates vying for the post.
Now, will these candidates listen to the voters? Will there be some recognition of voters concerns? Time will tell. Miami is an interesting city: a vibrant, coastal location, beyond the cotton belt, home to cruise ships, the Dolphins, and a large population of recent immigrants. The next mayor may be a Latino, with roots beyond our borders: nothing new here-welcome to the club.
We will watch developments in Miami and prepare for the election of the new mayor of the city.

War 1,War 2, War 3 -and War 4?

Rarely does the news bristle with such pyrotechnics,such martial intonations. Alas, have we experienced such a barrage as is now found in our everyday lives? Doubtful that has happened before. With Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Libya invading our space, we can only hope that the nuclear reactors in Japan, damaged by the tsunami, do not melt down and contaminate the island nation. The first US military loss was announced today: a Navy fighter jet was lost but the crew was rescued-good news!
Pundits speculate that Libyan leader, the nut case Kaddaafi, is holding out as rebels in Benghazi plot their counteroffensive against Muammar's army and air forces. George Will, the noted columnist, wonders out loud: how can Kaaddafi be considered legitimate in any sense? He seized power, held on to it for 41 years by terror and intimidation, and has promoted international terrorism with his oil fueled bank roll. He has the oil necessary to fuel a good portion of Europe and they have danced to his music all these years. Witness his dealings with Scotland and the UK over the Lockerbie bombing prisoner: he was able to secure his early release and cheered his homecoming, thumbing his nose at all westerners and their governments. Only last year, he was feted in Rome, given the podium to speak his rants in an attempt to gain some semblance of international stature. "If you want my oil, you must let me speak", seems to be his credo. Was it only 2 years ago he got cozy with the US after forswearing nuclear developments? And what of the CIA and its involvement in Libya, training Libyan security forces and intelligence operators-not widely known this.
And where is OBAMA? In South America, reassuring leaders in Brazil, Chile, and El Salvador that the US is promoting hemispheric ties, improving trade missions, and relieving tensions caused by illegal immigration. He is in Latin America while representatives of all Latin American countries are in Washington ,DC, attending the OAS meeting on anti-terrorism topics.
Can we expect any let up in this daily litany of flash points? It does not appear to be the case. With the rising tide of revolt across the Middle east, it will be some time before we can expect relief. Yemen is in turmoil, Bahrain is under siege from within and from without(Saudi's have sent in troops), Syria is punishing protesters, Israel is countering recent mortar attacks by the Palestinians, Egypt is voting on a new constitution, Tunisia is seeking assistance after replacing its leadership, Saudis are distributing billions to its citizens in an attempt to bribe away their disaffection, and the smell of Iran pervades the region as its network of spies and the reach of its leader rolls over the borders.
Interesting times and America is still absorbed with the Great Recession.
It could be worse.

Report from Minister of Latin American Affairs

It's conference time in Washington,DC, and the minister is on the job. The OAS Conference on Hemispheric Anti-Terrorism is being held in the city this week. Representatives of the member nations are meeting daily to discuss related issues, including strategies, tactics, financial obligations, and expansion of activities, especially in Latin America.
The minister indicated that the conference is proceeding as planned, and is taking a back seat to other international events in North Africa, the Middle east, and Japan. NATO units commenced combat operations yesterday against Libyan forces of Moammar Ghaddafy in an attempt to halt his attacks on civilians protesting his dictatorship. Rebel forces are holding the key city of Benghazi in the eastern section of Libya. 120 cruise missiles were launched against targets throughout Libya, focusing on air defenses, air bases, and supply and communication points. France is leading the charge with the U.K. in close association. The US is also involved significantly, but Obama says no ground troops will be deployed. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton appeared on TV this morning, confirming the role of US forces in the operation. President Obama is in Brazil talking with the new president of that country, discussing trade, security, and the economy throughout the Americas.
Tomorrows talk shows have many topics to discuss and congressional leaders can pick any one to make points with voters, media reps, and viewers. Watch it!

FBI in New Orleans

Just when you thought things were improving in the Crescent City, along comes the FBI report on the police department of NOLA. Not good. It seems that reform efforts have not accomplished much over the last 10 years. With 2 former officers on death row and fall out from Katrina related incidents lingering on, real improvements are still lacking. The report confirms what many locals know: dealing with the local police force has its own issues, beyond criminal statistics. The local police force is underpaid, overworked, ill trained, and lacking in modern methods. Mayor Landreaux welcomed the report as a starting point for needed reform. No doubt, the Feds will take over in the short term and turn the situation around.
Good Luck to all involved-the Crescent City needs a reliable and respectable force. And it won't be easy, despite all the funds pouring into the city coffers from Federal grants to private donations.

Tornadoes in Santa Rosa

With the tsunami getting all the publicity these days, it seems hardly mentionable that a tornadoe touched down in Sonoma county Friday. It tore off the roof of a 150' long building in the blink of an eye. Nobody was hurt, and the national Weather service confirmed that it was, in fact, a twister. It's been 10 years since a bonafide twister touched down and damaged property here in the Golden State. It is unusual or the insurance rates would be higher and the Sacramento geniuses would require every homeowner to buy tornadoe insurance and the private insurers would abandon the state and we'd all be nervous whenever we heard the wind blow.

Interstate 80 was a real zoo yesterday as snow and wind combined to create the usual hazards that cause all the traffic to careen and slide into each other. What a mess! Sadly, there were several injuries and at least one fatality involving a big rig.
Reports of heavy snow throughout El Dorado county above 3000' and Placer County above 2500' appear to be true. Winter will continue to pound the Sierra, at least for another week.

Mardi Gras The After Party

Mardi Gras 2011 has come and gone. New Orleans can now relax and get along with the life they are used to: living in the Big Easy!!!! Drew Brees has been in the media spotlight, speaking out on the NFL owners' position regarding the Players' Union disagreement with the offer proposed by the team owners. It looks like a lock out is imminent and the 2011 season will not be played. Funny how a few billion dollars makes people crazy.
Here in New Orleans, the local folks could use a few billion to clean things up even further than they have. New construction is ongoing, but it is piecemeal and spread out. The Times Picayune newspaper reported that the US Census of 2010 counted an extraordinary number of vacant residences w/i the City limits. These figures count just about anything and everything that could be considered a living unit. NOLA still has along way to go. It hasn't helped that the Recession has dragged on and on and on.
But the weather has been nice-spring-like, warm, and with very low humidity.
More later

Boston Museum of Fine Art

As part of the East Coast swing, the Mayor makes every effort to absorb local culture found in various cities of New England. In Boston, it's easy-just open your eyes- it's everywhere. The MFA(museum of fine art) is a local icon, in the grand style like the MET in NYC.
The MFA recently expanded by building a massive addition that is the home of the American collection of the MFA. The 3-plus story structure is situated within the confines of the former interior courtyard on the west side of the main building. The new wing is really two buildings in one: the west wing houses the galleries, the east wing houses the atrium and various spaces/classrooms,etc.
The displays and gallery arrangements are some of the best I've seen-truly world class. With a timeline situation, the various developments in American art over the years are masterfully presented in accommodating space- small enough to be personal, large enough for the original intended space. The inclusion of various media greatly assists the viewer in his appreciation of the artists' work.
After almost 6 hours of continuous walking, the Mayor took a short break at one of several restaurants in the museum. A little hot soup on a winter's day- heart warming! One day is never enough, so another visit will have to happen sometime in the future. Next trip.
As an aside, the Mayor had the opportunity to visit the campus of Northeastern University, right down the street. The Huskies were bundled up against the cold, cold wind blowing over the campus from the south. The students were not hindered, moving about the campus as students do, hustling between classes, always late, always frazzled.
A great day in Boston. Oysters on the half shell at the old Union Oyster House, then to dinner in the North End at "Strega", a fine Italian Bistro on Hanover St.

Movie Review-The Fighter

When a film has several Oscar nominees in the cast and has been favorably reviewed by a number of critics, it can be considered for a look.
Of course, I'm thinking "Rocky", part V-sans Sylvester. No, I did not expect Mark Wahlberg to be a Rocky Balboa character, but the fight game genre often comes loaded with the personality we've come to expect(Raging Bull,etc.,etc.). Prior to watching the film, I had no knowledge of its setting, other than the required gym scenes. To my surprise it was shot in New England-Lowell, Mass to be exact. So, here I was, at the movies, watching a film and almost dead center in the setting.
The real life character, Micky Ward, and his brother, are well known Lowell locals. Real people who put Lowell on the map, for however brief. It was not really a fight flick, but actually, a family story. A story of changing circumstances, missed opportunities, hard work, bad luck, bad choices, good luck, and love. It also contains a host of minor characters: the Mom(Oscar award winner), the older brother(Oscar award winner Christian Bale), Micky's step father, and all his sisters. What a treat!
The city itself was not notably explored or featured-probably a good thing. It seems to be a place that has fallen on hard times, like Detroit, Flint, Cleveland, Buffalo, and such. The sport of boxing did not win many more fans after this effort, nor should it. But, the ending was satisfying, and the credits included a present day update of the brothers playing themselves in a good way.
**** review- spend the $$$$$-worth it.

Mitt Romney Speaks

In southeastern New Hampshire news media, former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney, was covered by reporters as he gave a talk on the current state of Obama's presidency. He did not mince words when he listed topics such as the ballooning deficit, stubborn high unemployment, the Health care law and all its controversy, and the fact he will not announce a run for the White House---it's too early.
New Hampshire is a bell weather state and, despite the cold winter weather here, Romney seemed prepared to chat and press the flesh at a GOP function. Good for him. No doubt, Newtie Gingrich is jump starting the campaign season and it'd hard for those interested parties to shy away when confronted with an early starter .
The Mayor arrived in New Hampshire to look at small town politics, up close and personal. Saturday morning was the day to visit with the mayor of Dover, New Hampshire, Scott Myers, at his morning Q & A in a local coffee located in the heart of town. A seasoned crowd of townspeople showed up to throw questions and enjoy the informal atmoshere of the setting with the full attention of Scott. Scott was assisted by the City manager who ably clarified details and certain numbers related to questions posed by those in attendance. In this old city(fd. in 1632), local folks are not shy about speaking up or speaking out. Perhaps that's why it has the reputation of making and breaking those pols seeking higher office. It was not as frigid as Wednesday or Thursday, so the curious and the concerned turned out for some old fashioned public participation-American style! I think Tahoma and El Dorado county could learn something from Doverites: get involved.
Dover is an old mill town, a town along the Fall Line-one of those eastern cities, not too far west of the coast, that benefitted from falling water power. The mills produced cotton fabric, thread, and other textiles in large, multi-storied brick buildings that straddled or channeled local rivers and streams that often tumbled over "falls" found in the region. One of the first mills in Dover was built in 1801. Others followed, and with them came workers, managers, owners, and their families. With the establishment of the Portsmouth Naval installation on the coast, these two contiguous cities prospered side by side for many years.
I walked the streets of the city for two days, observing details, inspecting buildings, listening to locals describe issues of concern. It was an education in small city geographical analysis. The library was hopping on Thursday, but it also was very cold outside- in the 20's and colder with the wind chill. It was a suitable refuge from the cold.
The double-rinked Dover Ice Arena was hosting a weekend long tournament- the New England Youth(girls) for U14,U12, U10 with 22 teams participating. It appeared that everybody was enjoying the experience. Dover is a sports loving town, especially at the youth level.
More later.

Avalanche Control

NPR(national public radio) did a piece yesterday on the avalanche control, avalanche formation, and avalanche science. Discussion included information from those dedicated resort employees whose job it is to prevent snow from accumulating in the vicinity of the slopes adjacent to resort areas frequented by skiers around Lake Tahoe/Truckee.
The reporter/interviewer talked with a hydrologist/snow expert who described the behavior of snow/water crystals that form the white stuff we ski upon. He mentioned light,powdery snow and, heavier, denser snow and the differences between the two.
While they did not offer particular safety tips, raising awareness is by itself, a safety tip.
Tune in to NPR or visit their website for complete content. This was a good one as it highlighted conditions around Squaw Valley and Lake Tahoe, the area most familiar to Tahomans.

Mayor on the Road,Again.
The MAYOR has put the broomstick back in the barcalounger until he returns from New England(Massachusetts). The Mayor will visit the Shaker Community of Canterbury,MA, and the Robert Frost House, and a few Boston pubs for in depth conversations on such lofty topics as the Celtics, the Pats, the Sox, and the Health Insurance debacle brewing in the Bay State. Keep your eyes on the blog for updates and weather reports direct from NE to Tahoe.