Weather Alert : SNOW

     We haven't seen this type of forecast in quite awhile:  snow, snow, and more snow.  Despite somewhat warm temps 32-34 degrees F, some should stick.  The danger is the warmer temps.  Some melting could occur during the day if the temps get higher than freezing with some melt and ice formation at night as temps drop.  The usual scenario.   So, make sure you put on your snow tires/studded, etc. and slow down.
     Don't try to make up time driving; that's a recipe for a sideways spin into the lake.  Or worse: oncoming traffic.
   Be Safe, Be careful. Plan your trips; stock up, and wax your skis, boards, sleds, dishes, Etc.  Have enough propane?   Rock salt?  Batteries?  Winter is here.

Drought Over?

    Back to back storms are slamming into California's coast, dumping copious amounts of much needed rainfall.  Farmers are to be seen standing in the rain with mouths agape, swallowing as much as they can, quenching their thirst.  This on top of substantial amounts of roast turkey from Thursday.
     Forecasters predict 3"-5" of rainfall by next Wednesday.   This amount will flow directly into the state's reservoirs, raising levels from near zero.
     Farmers and ranchers are adapting planting schedules for next spring.   Consumers across the state can only hope the winter continues to return to normal levels of rain and snowfall.
     Ski resorts may not get all they want this week, but it does extend the storm door opening well into December, a critical month for storage of snowpack.

Russiya Puts Out More Propaganda

     Households across the USA were treated to a Russiyan gift this morning: a large dose of propaganda from the Kremlin's office of Official Lies and Falsehoods.  These lies came in the form of a 4 page supplement found in the folds of today's Wall Street Journal, delivered to the doorstep of 2+ million American households.   What a great way to gain some much needed revenue for the USA's top print media publication.  Obviously, the owners of the WSJ care about their bottom line, and this injection of cash(roubles converted to dollars) helps out quite a bit.
      Now adding a supplement to a daily paper requires all that you can assume: journalists' costs, editorial content, layout and publication, and the money fronted to the WSJ.
     A quick read of the content leaves a reader wondering:  what are they smoking in the Kremlin?  Within its pages, Russiyans profess to disapprove of relaxing of marijuana control laws, but clearly, in the Kremlin, they are smoking bales of the weed.   How else does one publish such items as: the Russyian economy is sinking because of US sanctions?   Hmmmm.  Maybe Mad Vlad is combining his weed with vodka.  Every high school teenager knows this combo produces all kinds of fantasies of the mind.
      Well, today's supplement underscores the Russyian comedic mind set: nothing can be too amusing to send to American households from Mad Vlad's dacha in Moscova.
     Way to go Vlad.  Loved the foto with Chinese Pres. Xi, Pres. Obama, Pres. Putin, and the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, all dressed in deep purple silk Mao jackets in Beijing.  This amiable gathering predates the OPEC meeting of Thursday and Friday's 10% drop in oil prices.  Pres. Obama was heard chuckling to himself this morning on Pennsylvania Avenue.   The US taxpayer just received a 10% tax cut!   "I'm the greatest", he said to self.  Wonder if he took a selfie to share the moment on Twitter?

Charles Schwab Gets It!

        The founder and chairman of the company that bears his name, Charles Schwab, wrote an opinion column 9 days ago that still resonates: he gets it.  The it being the cost of the ongoing bailout of Wall Street by Mr. and Mrs. American Middle Class.  With interest rates at historic lows and banks and investment companies paying near zero on deposit savings account, certain Americans are paying a high price for the government's position on the rescue of Wall St. banks and investment companies.
     Since 2008, seniors 65-74 years old, have lost $1,900/year in income over 6 years according to the McKinsey Global Institute report.  For seniors 75 years or older, they have lost $7,500 annually since 2008.  In total, seniors have lost $58 billions annually since 2008.   WE are talking of families and households that are retired, living on accumulated savings, social security, and maybe a pension of some kind.  This group makes up about 13.3% of the population in the country.  In other words, we have 13.3% of the population losing billions in annual income while at the same time dealing with a professed government policy of maintaining an annual inflation rate of 2%.  So they get stabbed twice by Fed Policy and Government fiscal policy of "controlled " inflation.
     Mr. Schwab's article heralded the FED's professed intent to raise interest rates soon, and return monetary policy to the former normal when a 1 year annual CD paid 6.5% interest.  Remember those days?  The good, old days?
      Hmmmmm?  Seems like forever ago.  Mr. Schwab also noted that investors often look at current returns available and move funds into higher risk instruments, e.g. stocks and equity instruments.  Is that a place for a retiree's money that will be safe?  Hardly, despite record setting territory of late.
     It's about time somebody put the real numbers in front of everybody to shine some more light on those sad souls who have funded the "REAL" bailout: the bailout of the big banks and their shareholders.   Shame on the FED and all its members.

Travel Warning: Mexico

       We don't often post travel advisories on this site; but in this instance, it is warranted.  Our own Deputy Minister of Aviation has just returned from an extensive trip(flying by private aircraft) to Mexico.  He had been invited by a local organization to lecture on trends in Health Issues for pilots in upper age cohorts.   During his travels, he was advised not to land or fly close to Durango State.  We could add Lower Baja State, Sinaloa, of course, and Michoacan.
      Recent murders have placed Mexico on our watch list for travelers.   Find another place to spend your time and dollars.   Too risky, despite the lack of official announcements from our State Department.   That wouldn't sit well with businesses dependent on cross border traffic, legal cross border traffic, that is.
     On top of it all, Pres. Obama's recent Executive Order altering immigration rules and policies will certainly affect the economy here and there.
     So, be aware of the situation in our next door neighbor to the south, across the Rio Grande.  Don't rely on opinions of travel agents for information about safety.  Do your own research from several available sites.

Oil Prices Plummet: Arabs Refuse to Stop Pumping

       Mad Vlad of Kremlin fame must be wondering  "What does a man have to do to get respect?".  His rouble has crashed to new lows against the infernal dollar, and his oligarchs are crying out for relief.  Meanwhile, down in Ukraine, the prime minister as been reaffirmed in his position after a parliamentary vote this week.   His job secure, he can now deal with the countries sick economy.  The IMF may have to revise its estimates of how much money will be needed to shore up the country's economy.
      As long as the Russian Bear sits on its doorstep and continues to threaten a complete takeover, the country will remain unstable and a source of emigrants seeking refugee status in the west.  As the price of oil continues going south, the outlook for Russia remains bleak.   With 50% of her economy dependent on the sale of oil and natural gas, the slide in GDP will continue and western sanctions will forestall most if not all foreign investments.
      This week, in France, prime minister Francois Hollande confirmed his country will not deliver the Mistral amphibious assault ship built for Russia and sold for $1.5 billions.  Despite Russian sailors in France getting familiar with the operations of the ship, they will have to leave and go on a vacation, maybe to Crimea's beaches.  Oh, too cold right now for holiday traffic.
     Mad Vlad was in Vladivostok on the Russian east coast, talking to locals about What?   Maybe he heard Scottish-like rumblings of independence, maybe not.   But Vladivostok is a long, long, long way from Moscova, but close to Seoul, Beijing, Tokyo, and Pyongyang.
     I expect Mad Vlad to visit Iran this week or next, to put another thumb in the eye of the West after the West's announcement that nuclear disarmament talks were extended past Monday's deadline for 7 more months.  Good luck dealing with religious crazies under any circumstances, Vlad included.

New Owners at Westside Pizza

      The anticipated sale of our local pizza place has been accomplished.   Joaquin completed the sale to a new partnership as of last month.  This could mean some changes are on the way.  Maybe the new owners will tackle the problems with their pizza dough issue.   Comments on Yelp continue to mention the pizza dough as unpalatable.   This is not a new problem and it won't go away.  Maybe property owner Mr. Mariani will offer some sage advice; he knows good pizza when he tastes it.   He's Italian.
      The "New Ownership" sign offers the idea of changes and IMPROVEMENT.  Could it be true or just a come on?  Time will tell, and hopefully, changes will be good and accepted by the local customer base in Tahoma.
     If the Norfolk Inn Hotel's new restaurant gets rolling soon, maybe Tahoma will become a mecca(sorry for using that generic term, if a little politically incorrect) for West Shore foodies.   Tom Keller's iconic restaurant in St. Helena, The French Laundry, is closing soon for a remodel addition.  Those customers need a place to go-Tahoma's opportunity!
    Good luck to the new owners of West Side Pizza.

Storm on Way: Too Warm For Snow

     Another system is hours away, but skiers are not expecting much white stuff.  Unlike a recent East Coast dump, this Western version is wet but warm.  As a result, not much powder for the powder boys to enjoy this weekend.  maybe next time.  the classic storm door appears to be open, but we have to wait for lower temperatures to get our snow quotas up.
     The Lake level is low, as one can see in front of Fanny Bridge:  all but one gate are closed and there is no water flow through the one.   Gravel beds are exposed along the stretch from Tahoe City to Truckee and Donner Creek is dry as Donner lake is low again.
     So, enjoy the turkey leftovers, go out and spend your low gasoline price savings bonanza.  Buy something useful, something with long term value, like a book, or a fishing pole, or a snow blower.  Yes, you've wanted a new snow blower for years.  Now.
     There's more squabbling among OPEC members and no resolution or compromise in the offing.   Bankers estimate that the spending public has just received an $85 billion dollar tax cut via the reduction in gasoline prices.  Don't you feel better?  Don't you feel like life is good, again?  Yes, you might feel this way, but what of poor Mad Vlad Putin?   He feels sick.  Too bad for you, Mad Vlad.

Fanny Bridge and the Wye

       For those who have been stuck in traffic in Tahoe City and who have altered plans because of the congestion on North Lake Blvd during the summer and winter weekends, relief may be on the way.
Caltrans announced another hearing date for public input regarding a complete makeover at the wye in Tahoe City.  Long a source of community irritation, the traffic plan for change could be a winner.  Lots of different ways to make improvements, especially now after the remake of the Bridgetenders' House and parking area/museum; the relocation of the main firehouse to the north side of town(1 block off the main highway) near the TCPUD office.
     Any improvement would be welcomed, especially after sitting through one of those 2-3 mile backups on 89 that drive people to crazy alternatives.
     Check out the CalTrans web site for meeting updates.  Let's hope they get this done before the Homewood Mountain Resort begins construction.

Washoe Tribe Community Meeting

       Local property owners received a notice from the tribal council of a public meeting at the USFS building headquarters in South Lake yesterday.  Unfortunately, the notice arrives too late for most residents to attend.  Hmmmm.  Business as usual for the tribe?
     The notice includes a survey questionnaire seeking input for future changes at the meeks Bay Resort.   The Forest Service has probably initiated plans to make some improvements, including an extension of the bike path all the way to the resort.  This plan has been going on forever and may finally be imminent.
     The tribe's address is included, and I would assume any reply would be included in their study of opinions/comments.  For our neighborhood's sake, send in the survey-it can only help the West Shore.
The address:
919 Highway 395 South,
Gardnerville, NV 89410
phone (775)265-8600
    So, if you enjoy a summer's day at our own sandy beach, complete with snack bar and small boat harbor, answer the ?'s, send it in.

Thanksgiving Week 2014, Firewood Tip

      Well, children, here we are again: the beginning of the "Holiday"season, 2014.  The weather is changing, Caltrans has picked up most, if not all, their signage from Highway 89, and there's not a tourist in sight.  The "'Tween" season we call it here in Tahoma.   It's very quiet.   Yesterday was gorgeous around the basin.  It began well: a stunning sunrise up over the Carson Valley that brought ricocheting rays bouncing off of Rubicon Peak, Jakes Peak, Mount Tallac, and our own Eagle Rock.  Actually, the Mayor was up in the wee hours, around 3am, to throw a log into the fireplace to keep a nice set of coals burning into the dawn.  A glance to the outside revealed a clear night sky with an array of stars, some configured in constellation order.   A predictor of a fine autumn day in the basin.
     Some contractors were seen hurrying to their work, taking advantage of another snowless day that affords easy job site access and manageable temps.   It's all good, they like to say.
       The 2014/15 seasonal guides have been distributed far and wide.   The Ski Sport guide is very well done this year-great resort maps and facility descriptions.   The Homewood Ski resort looks huge on the graphic layout- are there really that many runs in Homewood?   An added feature this year will be  snowcat tours of the mountain.  I got a closeup look at the vehicle(which doubles as a grader) since it is on display in front of the lodge.  It will seat 8 adults comfortably + driver.  For a non-skier with an adventurous spirit, it would be a nice experience, warm and cozy.
      Obexers is making progress on the restaurant/lodge remodel across from the store-it's tevak wrapped, waiting for siding.  No takers for the restaurant space yet, still hoping for some daring soul to take a considerable risk on on a high risk location in a high risk area.  Does Obexers get it?  I don't think so, given their recent history of tenants in the space.  Hey, it's a resort location with a very limited market for  4 1/2 months of the year split between summer(2 months) and winter(maybe  2 1/2 months if lucky).
     A few for sale signs pepper the roadway, but not much happening in real estate.  That's normal for Tahoma in November.

 Firewood Tip

         One last note for those who still have to replenish your firewood bin.   A cord of wood is a cord, is a cord, is a cord.  A cord is a "tightly packed stack of split pieces 8' X 4' X 4'= 128 cubic feet of wood!
Not 110'cu. ft., not 100'cu. ft., not 115'cu.ft., but 128' cubic feet.   I get constant complaints about " short cords".  Take the time to measure out the load.   Most sellers/ splitters  give little effort to accuracy, except in their favor.  Few, if any suppliers have uniform lengths in the mix.  Sizes can range from 12" to 15" or 16".   3 rows of 16" pieces= 48" inches or 4' feet.   When a delivery is made, grab a few sample pieces, measure the length of each, and make an estimate of overall sizes.  If less than 16" on average, an adjustment is necessary to add up to a full cord.  Why pay for less than delivered?   It's good business to be accurate, on both sides of the transaction.

Book Review: "Black May", Michael Gannon,1998, Part 2

      England was alone against the Nazis in the early years of the war, totally dependent on resupply from the United States by way of the convoy train that stretched across the North Atlantic.  Faced with terrible weather, little or non existent air cover, and inconsistent naval escort service, the merchant marine ships were at the mercy of the U-Boat.  For years, the convoy concept was a subject of debate, despite the mounting losses among independently routed ships.  It was a cat and mouse game between 7 knot per hour ships and 12 knot per hour subs(on surface).  As the tonnage figures climbed, Allied leaders needed to come up with a better plan.  That plan was the convoy and an increase of small escort ships trained in aggressive anti-submarine warfare.   Coupled with a break through in decryption, the solving of the ENIGMA coding machine used by the German Navy to signal its subs, the Allies were now ready to reverse the fortunes of its convoys and put the U-Boats on the defensive.
      Utilizing number crunching mathematicians and convincing arguments, the Allied air forces began attacking U- Boats as they transited the Bay of Biscay into the Atlantic.  On the open sea, patrol planes now aggressively attacked surfaced subs discovered by radar that was most recently added to their aircraft.   In the end, 41 U-Boats were sunk in May, 1943, with a loss of most of their crews.  This was double the replacement rate and acknowledged by Donitz as unsustainable losses.
     Thus, the outcome of the war was pressed to its future end as a victory for the Allies over nazi Germany.   Mr. Gannon made good use of German naval archives and was able to interview several surviving German Naval personnel who agreed to talk of their experiences.  Not all would care to recall those days.   Many claims, on both sides of the periscope, had these claims altered after post conflict examination.   Claims of sinkings were changed to damaged or better.  Sizes of merchant ships were drastically altered in many cases, reducing losses by considerable amounts.
    A great read that captures the North Atlantic naval war against the submarine in all its aspects.
5 *****  

Obama on Immigration: November 20, 2014

     President Obama will go before the nation tonight to outline his executive order that will give a framework to a new Federal Policy on Immigration.   This is not a law but a policy.  There's a difference not often understood by anyone, including the president.  A simmering issue that has long divided the 2 major parties will now come to a boiling point and take over the headlines for months if not years as the country wrestles with this thorny topic which refuses to go away.
     Coming as it does on the tail of the ACA of 2012, this immigration order will polarize an already polarized public.  Dems and Republicans, already adjusting to election results from November 4th, 2014, will take the new order as the starting gun for Obama's last 2 years in office.   While many immigrants, legal and illegal, will hail the order as progress, many will look askance at the affect on minorities across the country.  Will it make a difference?  How will that translate in terms of jobs, education,  and border control.   Will the border become calm and serene?  Will the I.C.E. agents go home?
    Hmmmm.   It will be interesting.  Just watch.  Tonight, on TV.

Book Review: "Black May" by Michael Gannon, Dell Books, 1998.

      Reading a history written by an accomplished historian is always worth the effort and Michael Gannon's work is no exception.  BLACK MAY , published in 1998, is an epic story of a brief period during the naval war of World War II.  The story examines the events of May 1943 which marked the turning of the tide in the North Atlantic against Nazi Germany's U-Boats, which had been the scourge of all shipping since the outbreak of war in September, 1939.
      Mr. Gannon is a professor emeritus of history at Univ. of Florida where he has taught for many years.  He is the author of 7 other histories, including a history of Spanish Borderlands which garnered awards from the Spanish government.   His timely effort led him to interviews with many of the surviving participants who were able to recall specific events and give personal recollections that add considerable color to the facts as they unfolded.
      Prior to May '43, Allies were still struggling against Adm. Karl Donitz' submarines which had been operating from bases in occupied France.  These base locations enabled the sub fleet to avoid the choke points in the Baltic Sea and the Iceland Gap.   It also lowered turn around times for the boats, increasing an overall presence along convoy routes from North America to Western Europe and Russia's northern ports(Murmansk).
     Much of this war-at-sea chronicle has been told, mentioned as a back story to the land and air war that captured headlines during the same period.  Part of this can be explained by a few pertinent factors:  few if any sailors on board a sub, survived a sinking; most didn't.   Successful sub commanders usually were eventual casualties themselves as continued service would negate a good outcome.  A majority of German subs never encountered a viable target.  Gannon places the figure at over 50 per cent.
More later.

Minister of Latin American Affairs Hits Road Again

      Our indefatigable Minister continues his amazing 2014 schedule.  Last week he visited Surinam at the request of their government office of Central Intelligence.   Meetings were held over several days that discussed local and regional topics concerned with internet security.  The weather was hot, humid, and generally normal for November.  His hosts were very grateful for the timely response to their requests for "current state of affairs" discussions that came on short notice.
     Our Minister was feted at a closing night social gathering where he was gifted with several tribute gifts.
     He then hustled home to Washington, DC., where he met the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for a round of discussions about the calendar for 2015, which has to be on the next Tahoma Civic Affairs committee meeting in December.   The discussions went well and specific details will be included on the agenda for that meeting.  He then mentioned a departure time of Monday morning for a trip to Bogota'.   No rest for the wicked.
     Talk about timing: apparently, while his plane was in the air, an Army general from Colombia was kidnapped by FARC guerillas in eastern Colombia, even as their representatives were involved in peace talks with the national leaders of Colombia.  What are they thinking?
     We wait anxiously for his updated status report from Bogota'.  He also noted before he departed that Bogota' is his favorite city in South America.
    Updates later in the week.