Save the Gunpowder: Use the Electric Gun

     Well, it was bound to happen.  After all, gun powder has been around too long.  Now the U.S. Navy research department has unveiled(maybe revealed is the better word today) a modern take on an old concept.  The physicists came up with a design that allows the munition to be expelled from the gun barrel at a high rate of speed using an impulse generated by-----electricity?  Yes.  Electricity.
Game changer.  New tactics must be developed.  New defenses must be thought of.  Old missiles must be shelved.  Old boats must be scrapped.  And coastal installations must now be relocated maybe 50-100 miles back of the coast.  Oh, the labors!  The costs.  Wait, wait, don't tell me.  It's not ready yet.  More research necessary.  Costs still astronomical.  Who can afford to make it work.  Hmmm.  How does it work, really?
      The two rails of the gun develop an electromagnetic field which then forces the bullet out the length of the 32' barrel.  Seems simple enough.  But the power required is equivalent to that required to power 18, 750 homes-that is, 25 megawatts.  A power plant that can do that is not a small power plant, by conventional standards.  So the range is close to 135 miles for the regular munition.  This munition has already been tested on conventional 6" and 155mm  Navy and Army artillery rifles, extending their ranges.  The weapon will take another 10 years before it could bedeployed against an array of missiles; but it could be placed on today's Zumwalt Class destroyers, using the 6" on board rifles.
     The Pentagon has spent about one half billion dollars on development, and wants to spend anothe $800 billion to get it ready for various uses.  Hmmm.  Not cheap to design/develop a new gun.   I guess that's why China and and Russya have hackers working night and day to penetrate the computers of the Pentagon and developers to get more electric gun information so they can make their own versions.  Of course.

California Primary in Spotlight

      The primary season is about over.  Front runners Hillary Clinton and Darn Old Trump are consolidating their campaigns, getting ready for the general election in November.  Independent/Democrat Bernie Sanders refuses to retire and will contest the vote on June 7th among California's independents/Democrats.   Meanwhile, the State Dept.'s Inspector General released his report on the Clinton emails and essentially said she lied about everything.  This report was egg on the face of the presumed Democratic Party candidate.   All her comments have proven to be false or outright lies.   This sounds good to Bernie and the Darn Old.   But, let's be real here:  her opponents are unelectable.   Those 2 goofs should go home and shut up.   But, that won't happen.  We will have to endure another 5 months of political theater here in the Golden State and around Lake Tahoe.  No other election cycle compares to 2016.   It will be interesting and the whole world is watching.

Mr. Putin Goes to Greece

      Mr. Vlad Putin traipsed on down to the Med to see his bosom pal, Alex Tsipiras, PM of Greece.  Greece has been getting more ink these days as it again is the focus of financial efforts by the EU to fix this intractable problem.  Think of it: here we have a bankrupt nation, a member in Good(?) standing in the EU; a center of refugees fleeing Syria and Afghanistan; a population adrift with varying degrees of despair and hopelessness-10 million citizens with a bleak future; and now sending back the very refugees that landed on their shores.
     And now, the Mad Russyan comes calling.  No doubt, it's a finger in the eye of Angela Merkel of Germany, and David Cameron of the U.K., and Francois Hollande of France.  Mr. Tsipiras, the far left leaning politico, hopes to get some help from the economically depressed Russyan state.  Good luck with that, Alex.  Mr. Putin arrives with empty pockets.  Yes, the price of oil has rebounded back up to $50/barrel.  This means the national recession will ease somewhat.  But it will not go away anytime soon.   Mr. Putin had made commitments in Syria with troops and equipment on the ground.  He can realistically offer very little to the Greeks.  It's a show in Athens for the IMF and the rest of the EU.
As summer of 2016 fast approaches with its long days and short nights, the world is watching for some changes.  Don't hold your breath.

Weekend Sports Wrap

       Well, it's Memorial Day Weekend here in California and the US of A.  President Obama made headlines as he visited Hiroshima , Japan as part of his Far East tour.  Photos showed him at the national shrine that includes the still standing surviving building of the atomic bomb that was dropped there to end WW II.  Very emotional for the Japanese people, as it reminds them of their pain.
      Now Sports
     Golden State Warriors rebound.  The scrappy Warriors, on the brink of elimination in Oklahoma City, turned the game around late in the contest, pulling ahead in the last minutes and held on, forcing a  game 7 at Oracle Arena in Oakland.  Klay Thompson stepped up with 11 -3 pointers(NBA record) and had 41 total points.  Steph Curry had 29.  The Western Conference final game will be fun to watch.
Champions League Final
     Milano, Italy was the seen of a long awaited matchup between 2 Spanish icons:  Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid(Red and White).  Real scored first and late in the 2nd half, Atletico put in the equalizer: 1-1.  Then, nothing.  After 30 minutes of extra time, it came down to penalty kicks.  Each made the first 3, then, Atletico bounced one off the bar.  Star player, Ronaldo, made the final shot for the win.  Lots of challenges during the fray, many yellow cards assigned.  Late in the game, players left for cramped legs, a common problem in extended time.  For Atletico, the dream ended.
   Tennis
    The French Open contest, a closely watched event in Europe and the rest of the tennis world, saw Rafay Nadal withdraw for an injured wrist.  Other upsets continued as the Williams sisters performed for the crowds.  It continues.
    Stanley Cup
     The San Jose Sharks will pursue their dream championship as they enter the finals for the first time.  Silicon Valley fans will be treated to their long awaited dream of playing for the trophy for the first time.  They will be opposed by the Penguins(Penguini).
    Baseball
      The team most closely watched by Tahoma residents, the SF GIants, put on a show in the Mile High City at Coors Field.  Madison Bumgarner, their ace pitcher, went 6 innings, and left with a 4-1 lead.   Then, the bull pen took over.  Hmmmm.  What's wrong with the bullpen?  Next thing you know, it was 4-4!   Then, 5-4, Rockies, as the Coors Field Curse came into play. The Denver  Rockies started knocking the ball all over the place.
      Then, the Giants bats came alive.  Singles opened up the 7th and Buster Posey came up.  He had already hit a 3-run home run in the 1st.  A slider came up and over at belt high and Buster drilled it into the seats.  Giants up: 7-5.  When it was over, it was 10-5, Giants.  Finally, the City boys hit a few.  Posey had 6 RBI's on the day.

       OLYMPICS
      World Health officials asked the I.O.C. to cancel the Games or relocate them in the interest of health, not just for athletes and fans, but the world population as the Zika virus spreads.   No comments came in response, but the problem remains the No. 1 concern of Brazil at this moment.
Water sports are especially vexing as venues on the water(sailing, swimming, etc.) are to be held in the polluted waters of RIO's bay side.
      On top of these issues, the doping scandals continue to expand.  29 more athletes will be identified for doping in Beijing or London and banned from Rio de Janeiro.  The entire Russyan team could be suspended as the admissions of doping continue to flow from Russya.
Had enough sports?  Enjoy the holiday; careful out in the sun-wear sunscreen, careful around the fire

sport fishing in Patagonia

pit.
     Indianapolis 500
      That great American Classic, the Indy 500 saw a rookie from California capture the prize.  Alexander Rossi, the 24 year old from Auburn, California, got the checkered flag after 500 miles on the brickyard track.  As part of the Andretti racing team, the rookie driver slowed down during the last lap to conserve fuel and won by 4.5 seconds.   This win comes on the heels of his win just 2 weeks ago at the Angies List Indy run.  Not bad for a rook!

Obama Likes Ph^o!

      President Obama has paid a visit to Vietnam, to Hanoi, the capitol, and to Ho Chi Minh City, the southern commercial center(former Saigon).  He made a formal visit with the president and also with dissidents who were allowed to visit with the prez.
     Needless to say, this is a geopolitical move that sends a message to the dragon in the north, Vietnam's traditional enemy: China.  Given China's recent activities in the South China Sea(island building, naval base building, and airport building, along with territorial claims over the entire sea and the covering airspace) it is telling that a sitting POTUS would make a house call in the backyard of Mr. Xi's house.
     Well, it's about time.  Here we've had the China military hacking into US computer networks, failing to rein in North Korea's cookoo's nest, and aggressive violations of the WTO agreement.
more later

On the Road in West Africa

      Well, he's moving-again.  He's heading north, up the coast of West Africa.  The mayor told him: avoid the beaches-too much security.  Why?  Why diamonds, of course.  Long known as a source of river gravels laden with diamond crystals, the beaches of Namibia have been a surface source for precious stones.  But, not to worry; he'll be inland, visiting local officials, and talking shop with government representatives.  Doing his job.
     That's our Minister.  He'll be spending a week or a month depending on the weather.  This is an off budget trip- no cost to taxpayers.  That's a good thing.  But, he will be taking notes to share with his office upon his return by the end of June.
    Good luck, Mr. Minister.

Brexit, Smexit. Leicester Who?

      Can the UK be compared to the new champion, Leicester City?  Can the UK recover itself going forward as an outlier from all EU connections?  The discussions about the referendum vote next month are becoming more serious.  Just today, pundits are reporting that the UK will certainly slip into recession after a departure from the EU.   The loss of financial institutional headquarters alone is enough to shake business types, both foreign and domestic.  The ex-mayor of the City of London,  Boris Johnson, supports the Brexit.  Mr. Cameron, the PM, opposes the Brexit.  Both are politically motivated.  Labor v. Conservatives.  Same old, same old.
   Those favoring Brexit tout the Turkey question.  If Turkey was allowed to join the EU, Turks would gain privileges, such as free movement, residency, benefits, jobs, and recognition as EU members; this serves to unnerve domestic job seekers and members of the Exchequer.  Who will pay the costs?
    Mr. Cameron likes to point out that Turkey has applied for membership in 1987.  He suspects nothing will happen until 3030.   Exaggeration?  Locals are concerned about the introduction of large numbers of muslims, adding to their own home-grown muslim population.  Is this justified?  Nobody can say for sure.  But, looking at Mr. Erdogan's recent political moves, that in itself should be cause for concern.  Given the Turkish government's recent dealings with Germany and the EU over immigration policy(holding the recent arrivals from Syria as hostage bargaining chips), it seems the payment of 6.8 billions of Euros was no more than a bribe to slow the flow of refugees to Greece and Germany.   With Turkey's government turning more fundamentalist, EU members can only be more concerned.
     So, Brexit?  Not yet.  Given the EU's slow growth and recent terrorist activity, the UK will not vote exit.  Leicester City, notwithstanding.

Wine Tasting in South Africa

      Well, it's late fall down under; winter a month away.  That means it's grape harvest time(maybe, maybe not).  The region that surrounds Capetown is known for world class wines, and has been for years.  Europeans more so than wine drinkers in the USA.  So, today, our indefatigable Minster of Latin American Affairs is sampling some fine South African vintages.  He is on holiday, taking advantage of some Brazilian celebrations, etc. He has met up with a few friends from around the Dark Continent who also have some time and an opportunity to travel.
      With a nod to the Internet of things, Capetown is known for its remarkable geomorphology and climate.   The climate closely resembles---ta da- the Mediterrenean climate we know so well- Spain, Greece, Italy, Egypt, Algeria, Crete, Cyprus, etc.  Wet winters, warm summers, long growing season for fruits and nuts, and, with adequate irrigation, garden crops and grape vines.
      The landscape is dominated by Table Mountain, which levels off at 3000' above the nearby ocean.  The ocean features the joining of the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Oceans right off the beach.  Penguins are notable on the shore as are various pinnipeds of different sizes and species.  The beach life is well regarded here; surfers enjoy great waves of varying heights.  Brazilians have discovered Capetown and low priced airfares put it within reach for many travelers from Rio and Sao Paolo.  However, the recent economic downturn has no doubt cut down those numbers.  Requests for visas to the USA have dropped from 6000/day to <1000 day.="" p="">       So, our Minister will kickback for awhile, then on to Botswana.

Snow, Again

     Well, children, it's snowing outside.  Where's the snow blower?  Who took the chains off the tires and hid them?   Why snow in late May?   What's going on?  Global warming?  Global cooling?  Global snowing?  Is it the Russyans again?  Where's Mr. Putin this weekend?
     Is this an early winter?   Hmmmm.   White Memorial day?  Oh, Please, no!
Drive carefully this weekend. Plan your trips.   Be safe.  Summer is just around the corner(1 month away).

     Squaw Valley Resort is the last ski slope standing this season.  Still open for business at High Camp, the Sierra site remains an attractive destination for 2016 season skiers.  The resort will stay open through the Memorial day weekend.  This is the longest season in 10 years.  Good for local businesses and the local work force.  This economy gives some hope to those drought stricken businesses.

Russyan Boxer Declared Ineligible for Title Bout

      Well, well, well.  Another Russyan athlete found to be "dirty"- that is, polluted with performance enhancing drugs.   As his American opponent was prepared to leave for Moscova and his appointment with fame and fortune, boxing authorities announced that Alexander Povetkin, the WBC's top-ranked heavy weight,  had tested positive for meldonium, a banned drug. (remember the Sharapova excuse?)  How sad.
     Can the Russyans compete on a level playing field anywhere?  Are they culturally disposed to cheat?  How desperate is Mr. Putin for a title?  Hmmm.  How will this play out when the I.O.C. decides if the Russyan track and field team should be allowed to compete in Rio later this summer?
     I believe the Russyans will only learn if they are banned from international competitions completely, in all sports.  Amateurs and professionals alike.  In Rio, Brazilian officials built a $60 million dollar drug testing lab to replace its older facility.  Maybe they will revise those plans after the Russyan lab director at the Sochi Games admitted rigging all the Russyan team urine samples.  Maybe they will have to have glass walls; 24 hour a day cameras focused on everything.  The samples will be kept for 10 years.  Do we want to wait another 10 years to find out the team from the largest country in the world was largely dirty during the competition?  Have the athletes from Russya have no shame?  Apparently, not.
       Are the citizens ashamed of their team's behavior?  Who would speak out?  Nobody.  Maybe the American boxer, Deontay Wilder will speak out.

Mato Grosso do Sul and the Pantanal

tapir-400+lbs and friend

     Where is wildlife to be seen in Brazil?  The Pantanal.  Where is the Pantanal?  In Mato Grosso do Sul, a southern Brazilian state that shares a border with Paraguay and Bolivia.  It lies west of Sao Paolo state, and south of Mato Grosso and Goias states.  The defining boundary on the east side is the Rio Parana'.   Some geographers refer to the area as a "mesopotamia" region, or the land between the rivers(referring to the better known region in the Middle east).
more later
     Our list of animals spotted during the trip to the Pantanal: 1. caiman
2. giant anteater(2)
3. macaws
4. toucans
5. capuchin monkey
6. boa constrictor
7. anaconda
8. armadillo
9. assorted parrots
10. tapir
11. brahma cattle
      All these creatures were spotted easily in the course of the visit.  All were seen within close proximity to locations visited by small numbers of tourists.  According to the locals, more wild life can be seen here than in the Amazon region, given the dense jungle of the Amazon River and its region.
      The regional town close to the river Parana' is Bonito.  The town has been an agricultural center for generations with local farmers providing a supporting population.  Crops developed nearby include corn, soybeans, and fodder for the vast herds of cattle, most often brahma cattle.   Bonito now is home to a thriving tourist trade.  The prevalence of animal life and features of the landscape make it an ideal destination for curious travelers willing to get out of Rio and Sao Paolo.   Caverns recently discovered by locals exist as a result of limestone formations and seasonal rains.   Natural springs provide habitat and clean water for animal life.   In 2010, the state governor, Mr. Puccinelli, and President Luis Da Silva helped finance a central town development renewal, paving streets, redirecting traffic, and making the streets user friendly.  All these assets have contributed to investment in hospitality business: hotels and restaurants are still a building.

On the Road in Africa

     Our own Minister of Latin American Affairs is on the road this week in----Africa!.  Yes, he is stepping out of his comfort zone-Latin America, and visiting Africa.  More specifically, Ghana.  He will be attending a conference for ministers to discuss administrative procedures concerning personnel and the use of locals in day-to-day operations.  After this conference, he will move on the South Africa, where he will engage local cultural ministers and also economic ministers regarding trade agreements.  After South Africa, he will visit Botswana on Africa's southwest coast.  This vast, dry, desert-like country has largely been over looked by the world and by Africa.  Our Minister will seek information as to its potential and its governmental operations.
     We look forward to his report and insights.

Brazil, Oh, Brazil.

      Here is the image of the national flag of Brazil.  It is recognizable almost everywhere for its unique colors and design: green signifies the tropical area of the Amazon jungle; the yellow signifies the southern section of the country with its agriculture and ranches; the blue with starry constellations known in the southern hemisphere signifies the global position of the nation.  Of course, it is also seen on the jerseys of the national soccer team.
      The President of the country Dilma Rousseff, has been suspended from office by the legislature and confirmed by the Supreme Court.  Her vice president is in her stead during the 6 months the court expects to take as to her impeachment and formal removal or not.  The country is undergoing its worst recession in almost 60 years.  Inflation has whipsawed the citizenry with accelerating prices for everything.  Unemployment continues to climb.  Charges have been filed against almost half the sitting legislators.  The future doesn't look so good.  And the beginning of the 2016 Olympics is barely 3 months away.    And maybe the Russyan team will be banned(as they should).
      The Mayor plunged into this milieu early this month, meeting with Tahoma's own Minister of Latin American Affairs in Sao Paolo, the country's Mega-City of 15 million+ souls.  While I've read and heard quite a bit about Sao Paolo, seeing is believing.  Just the ride from the airport was a revelation.  Traffic?  OMG, the traffic.  And the weather was just fine.  It entailed almost 2 hours of taxi time from the airport at Guarolhus.
     The size of the city is similar to our Los Angeles, excepting the proximity to the coastline in Southern California.  There are a few hills scattered around the city, but the highlands are off in the distance, about 45 miles from the city center.  The city has a subway system that extends across wide portions of the urban sector, reaching the fringes of the city proper.
     Neighborhoods are extensive, built up with large numbers of high rise apartments, one after the other.  Many are of mixed economic levels with modest structures set among more expensive structures, lending a disheveled, confused, and shabby appearance to the streets.  Getting around is dependent on time of day and destination.  UBER works quite well in S.P.
     We enjoyed a nice stay in the city, and then we went upcountry, putting aside fears of Zika virus.
More later on the Mato Grosso do Sul.

Fake Russyan Athletes at Sochi

       The Mayor has written a number of posts concerning the Russyan Federation and its athletes.  Or fake athletes.  What has recently come to light(exposed) places the largest country in the world in a separate category all by itself.  As reported in the nytimes.com by Juliet Macur, Russya's state-sponsored doping program has been institutionalized for years.  The whispering has given way to an outcry that will reshape the competitive environment at the international level.  It has been rumored, for years, that the program existed behind closed doors.   On rare occasions, evidence leaked out in the form of violations discovered among certain athletes.   Now the mastermind has come out publicly, exposing the whole rotten system promoted by Mad Vlad during his reign as King of Russya.
      Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, former lab director, was forced to resign his position after a November report by W.A.D.A. He has since fled the country and has turned up in------Los Angeles, California.  How can this be?  How can a crook arrive among us without a problem?  This gives a stretch to the command; "Give me your tired, hungry, and poor.......".   Where does he have enough friends that can put him at the head of the line?  Hmmmm.  Asylum seeker?  No doubt he had an easy time convincing somebody his life was in imminent danger.   Just this month it was announced that 2 of his lab colleagues were found dead w/i two weeks of one another.  Russya.  Gotta love that country.
      The doctor's lab was set up at Sochi, the site of the last Winter Olympics in 2014(near Crimea, where Mad Vlad decided he needed some space a short time later).  The anti-doping lab as it was called, took blood samples and analyzed them for banned substances.  With the help of the F.S.B.(former KGB), the doctor was able to switch out the tainted urine sample for clean samples, actually passing the bottles through a hole in the lab walls!  Can you believe it?  (Photo on page B11).
      The sordid story is spelled out in black and white.  W.A.D.A. officials were hoodwinked by careful planning and exploitation of systemic weaknesses.  Despite tight security, lapses at the facility allowed the F.S.B. program to work as designed in the Kremlin.
      At the Sochi Games, Russyan performers(don't call them athletes) collected 33 medals, 10 more than at previous games.  Bobsledder, Alexander Zubkov won 2 gold medals; Alexander Legkov, a cross-country skier, won a gold and a silver medal, and Alexander Tretyakov, won gold in the skeleton(sledding) competition.  Drug use did not guarantee a medal: the entire women's hockey team was doping and came in sixth.
      So, now, we have the Doper-in-Chief residing in sunny California: gardening, making borscht, looking at the Pacific Ocean.  He is also assisting in the making of the documentary "Icarus" which will be released in September and will, according to its maker, expose the entire Russyan state -sponsored doping program.
      All of this underscores the inability of the Russyan culture to abandon its recent history of fraud and duplicity.  The Russyan mind set continues to operate through a bifocal lens: true and false.
     The largest country in the world: true.  The largest fraud in the world: true.  Russya.  How sad.
       

Russya: new Concert Promoter

      Hey, all you newsies: join us for a free concert in Syria.  What?  Are you kidding me?  Syria?  Well,  it's PR: promotion of all good things Russyan-in Syria, where Mr. Putin is trying to showcase his new image for the largest country in the world.  This concert was staged in the ancient ruins in the city of Palmyra, where the ISIS pirates had taken great efforts to tear down many of the remaining structures.  It was held in an amphitheater with a raised stage for the musicians.  The orchestra played classics composed by renowned Russyan artists.
     The media was escorted to the site by the Russyan military in buses escorted by armored vehicles and aerial support in the form of armed helicopters.  The stated target of exposure to the  military results of a recent campaign to assist the regime of Bashar al-Assad, the regime targeted by rebels for the last 5 years.
      This dog-and-pony show put on for the international press, underscores the continuing efforts of the Kremlin to demonstrate to the world that Russya is a fitting player on the world stage, right up there with the USA and C.H.I.N.A., Inc(and Germany and the U.K., and the Swiss banks, and, and).
But when it was over, no vodka was served.  Media members were put back in their buses, and returned to the airbase where they had stayed for the last 72 hours.   All the Kremlinistas were convinced that they had achieved a great PR coup, overshadowing the US military claim of wiping out another top ISIS commander.
     Oh, Mr. Putin: Come, on!