How Oil Gets to North Korea

      Satellite photos revealed a shocking fact:  oil tankers are being interrupted at sea and transferring oil to North Korean ships.  Four ships have been sanctioned by the UN and will be prevented from entering any harbor of a UN country.  Several Chinese flagged ships have been named as possibilities for sanctions, but the Chinese government asked for more time to check on the disposition of said ships and a review of their recent activities in the Sea of Japan.
     The US government is taking a new position on North Korean suppliers of all types of goods and services.  At this point, the availability of new sanctions is limited.   The Pentagon and Dept. of State are privy to the latest effects of sanctions and thay do not appear to have changed anybody's behavior.
     Perhaps the Chinese government will make a civilized move.  Maybe not.

US Navy Puts Sailors on New Circadian Schedules

       After two collisions in the last year, the US Navy had a 24 hour stand down from all missions.  An assessment of the situation was taken, and a new alert status was imposed temporarily to deal with the fall out.  17 sailors and crew members died in the two wrecks, one involving the USS John McCain, a destroyer named for the father/son admirals who were grandfather and father of the the current Senator from Arizona, John McCain.
      An investigation revealed that the sailors throughout the 7th Fleet, the largest in the US Navy, are under trained and over worked.  The fleet has openings that far exceed normal limits.  Recruiting has been a problem in a work force that is essentially fully employed.  An analyst who has studied  sleep habits aboard deployed ships has noted that crew members lack sufficient sleep, more than any other military force.  Oft times they cannot log more than 5 hours of decent rest.  Their schedules are such that they more often than not sleep at different times, meaning the crew member has no regular circadian rythyms, which are necessary for restful sleep and good mental alertness.  Both collisions occurred in busy straits in East Asia.
     Starting this week, all crew members will be given new schedules that will allow sufficient time for 8 hours of continuous rest.
     This is a sad statement of results of Defense Department manpower budgets and an overall lack of concern for staffing needs in the overworked Navy.  Maybe the new President will address these issues through his Secretary of Defense Mattis.  Maybe not.

Putin: A Scoring Machine

       Well, he's at it again, folks.  Mad Vlad on ice skates.  It has been reported by Reuters that in a pickup game near the Kremlin, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, Premier of the largest country in the world, can score at will when given the puck.  The man knows how to move the puck around the goal mouth(La Porta) and push the disc past the goalie.   IN an impressive display to celebrate the New Year, he donned his blades and hit the pond ice with some of his Kremlin Bros.  He scored not one, not two, but 5-F-I-V-E goals.  He is the M A N!   Among the fans were family and friends from various precincts of Moscova.  A few folks were said to have come all the way from St. Petersburg to see the man in action.
      How many heads of State could put on such a perfomance.  I believe the man is in a class all by hisself.   Certainly he has no equal in Asia or North America.  Maybe in Finland, or Norway, or Sweden, or even little Switzerland, but that's it.  I can't wait to see the pictures.

A Lake View :Day After Christmas

     Does this view look familiar?  It is another beautiful sunrise over the Tahoe landscape-even nicer than the day before(Dec. 25th).  Notice the mirror surfaces-no wind, not even a breeze.  Later in the day, a few sailboats graced the lake.  This is most unusual in late December.   Tahoe City has been very busy, with more visitors than we've seen in many Decembers.  The ice skating rink at the Golf center was hosting quite a few of those guests, with families in the fore.  The Mayor's family made a significant impact as the younger members donned their skates.  Even the toddler hit the ice with dual bladed skates.  She had a ball.
      Downtown Tahoma was somewhat busy as early  birds took advantage of the new breakfast program at West Side Pizza.  A review will soon follow.   The coffee bar is closedfor lack of staff, a common situation among Tahoe businesses.  Too expensive to rent and not enough rentals available with no changes projected anytime soon.
     Homewood resort is only open on the lower slope since the snow level above is too skimpy for any skiers.  Maybe the storm forecast for next week will change the situation and set up a great weekend for the MLK holiday.  We hope so.
     Roads are dry and clean and have been so for weeks.  Snow on the ground is hard to see, but we expect much more in January, our traditional heavy weather month.   Maybe a few feet above normal would be nice.

Early morning: Dec. 26th, 2017, looking Southeast

Christmas Morning in Tahoma

      Well, have a look at a California winter's day in the high Sierra.  A nice view over the lake toward Carson City, Nevada, the capitol city of the Silver State.

Just before local dawn @ 07:31am

Amnesty International and Mr. Alexei Pichugin

      London resident Mikhail Khodorkovsky wrote a piece for a national newspaper that asked that AI add a name to their list of "prisoners of Conscience."  The name Alexei Pichugin probably doesn't ring a bell, but it should.  He was arrested by Russyan police in 2003. Since then-over 5000 days- he has been held in prison after being convicted of "several murders".  Western democracies and Interpol have deemed these convictions bogus.   Russya hopes that his continued incarcerarion will lead him to turn staes evidence against Mikhail Kodorkovsky who was released from prison after pressure from AI and other international players/states.
      Four years ago, Mr. Kodorkovsky was allowed to leave prison and the country after 10 long years behind bars.  This is how V.V. Putin plays the 'control' game among his chosen people.  "C  ross me at your peril'.  Mr. Pichugin wil not and has not deviated from his position: he will not lie to win his own freedom.  This is the srgument for his name to be added to the list of prisoners of conscience.  It is a sound argument in the face of Putin's continued efforts to control his revisinist policies regarding the government of the country-largest country in the world.
     Contact Amnesty International and ask for the name to be added. 

Book Review: Assembling California, John McPhee

      Are you a geologist?  I'm not, not many of us are.  Were you aware of the revolution that took place in the hard science around 50 years ago?  50 years is hardly a whisker in geologic time, but we're talking humans here.
Plate Tectonics and Floating Continents
      For those with a smattering of education, geography is among those subjects that sound familiar to many.   Within geography is the study of landforms or geomorphology.  Until the late 60's, landforms were thought to be the result of surface dynamics with influences from volcanic activity often found in belts around the globe.   The Pacific Rim of Fire is one well known area of vulcanism and island building.  Now all these theories have been placed under the title "Plate Tectonics".

Going to China? We Have Yu Covered

      Big Brother is alive and well in China.  Recently, information has come to the world that new state security measures have been put in place in China.   Individuals will now be given a "social acceptance" score which the state will use to monitor and control activities of even its most lowly citizens.  All in the name of national security.  Of course.  This is the most often used excuse for widespread control of a population anywhere-state security trumps all.  as Mr. Xi consolidates power, he must resort to tactics to gain even more control.  These new methods underscore other state moves.  This past week the government has sent fighter jets over the South China Sea to serve continuing notice that the Chinese are expanding their zone(s) of influence.  Other South East Asia governments and the US are on notice that Mr. Xi is widening his sphere of control.
    So, we know what will happen soon: gate keepers will appear to control even more territory.  Sound familiar?

State Department Publishes Report on Russyan Consulate in San Francisco

      A major news item graced the national and local publications recently after a sudden order from the White House that gave Russya 48 hours to leave their consulate in the city of San Francisco.  This long established position has been a thorn in the side of the F.B.I., the C.I.A., the N.S.A., the State Dept., the D.E.A., the F.A.A., and just about every other government agency in the state of California and the U/S. of A.
     Estimates are that over 50 % of the assigned staff were in fact, bald spies sent to gather tech data from nearby Silicon Valley.  The moves in and out have been monitired by these secret agencies for all the decades since the consulate opened in the 50's.
     The 5 story building occupied a unique location well out of the mainstream of civic activities.  It is nestled in a residential neighborhood of the most exclusive properties in the City.  Most homes in the area sell for the many millions, when put up for sale which is not often.  Often called the "Gold Coast" where old money goes to die.   Pacific Heights is the home of many a well known personage and more than a few who are unknown and wish to stay that way.  (Warren Buffet has a residence nearby).   Politicians, lawyers, retail magnates, and assorted billionaires walk the streets with their pups.
     The spy brigades don't walk the streets but carry out their assignments from the inner offices, going far afield to gather intelligence useful in the "new" Cold War" instigated by Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.   Many of the spies were sent home.  Many were relocated to Wash., D.C.  A few to other more central offices.  Given the short notice of the order, it seems the White House wished to upstage Mr. Putin's efforts in__________________(fill in blank).
     Pundits writing about the incident were able to glean quite a bit of fodder from the many notes from various organizational publications.  What will happen here in the future? It's anybody's guess, but while cyber hackers are running rampant around the globe, I suggest nothing will happen here soon. 

Paul Ryan Says We Will Pay Less Taxes Next Year

      The WSJ published a column by the young Congressman from the upper midwest.  As majority leader of the House of Representatives, it's Paul Ryan's  job to sell the legislation that will cross Mr. Trump's desk tomorrow or Friday for a signature putting it into law.  This is the first major tax law in over 30 years.   The Republican majority used the reconciliation method for passage, meaning they did not have to consult with the minority party because they hold a majority.  However, they will have to revisit the law w/i 7 years or it will sunset off the books.  Considering that the Republicans have a slim chance of holding on to their majority position beyond November of 2018, it is likely that this law will crash and burn within 18 months.  Dem Nancy Pelosi calls it the worst bill ever to come out of the House.
     It appears, in the opinions of most economists, that this new tax law revision does not simplify anything, and at the same time creates a whole hosts of targets for tax lawyers around the country, whether in business or ordinary tax filer.
    The meat of the law is too long to summarize here in the Mayor's column, but any survey of business publications, magazines, blogs, and reports will certainly  itemize the many sections that will affect small businesses and employees everywhere.   The big winners: large corporations and that includes banks and trading houses on Wall St.   Home owners and prospective buyers will take it in the shorts.  Live in a high tax state(NY, CA, NJ, CT, MA): get ready.
      I can only imagine the furor that will be raised in 2018 as the Congress takes aim at entitlements(SocSec, Medicare, Medicaid, etc).  The uproar will be heard in Europe.  The new tax law eliminates the Obamacare mandate, or that portion of the health law that requires a penalty if one does not buy health insurance.  This takes the young and healthy out of the paying sector of healthcare.  Insurers see this coming and have been raising premiums wholesale across the landscape.
Give us single payer, now.
More after the Trumpster signs tomorrow.

Skiing is Believing

      Night time temps are approaching 0 degrees-ideal if you are a resort owner.  Your man made snow can be added to all night long.  A bit of snow fell overnight around the basin, maybe 6"-8" total.  This is enough to paint the slopes white for the coming holiday.  This past Sunday, the NY TImes devoted its Travel Section to those ski resorts often overlooked by outdoorsmen.  Let's look.
     Northern Michigan?  You must be kidding.  NO, people ski there.  Actually, lots of folks go to northern Michigan just to ski.  Boyne Highlands is the name of one resort with powder snow and good access.   This area is also called "the Up North".  Another nearby resort is located at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville, about 30 miles south of Traverse City.   There are 58 runs here and 29 are lit for night skiing.   Hmmm.  Would you?
      Another sleeper is the Green Mountain area of Vermont.  THe US Forest Service has designated the area as a locale for backcountry skiing.   Making trail is the byword here and many entusiasts embrace the opportunity to make a fresh trail in the wilderness setting.  The trails are well planned by the USFS and the layout is easily followed.   Nearby state New Hampshire has its own version of backcountry skiing at Granite Mountain.  An advantage in New Hampshire are high mountains in the Presidential Mountains.  However, they are not accompanied by trail networks as those in Vermont.
     Say you would like some off season skiing.  Let's go down south, waaaaay down south.  Patagonia, that remote region of southern Argentina once noted for its sheep and gauchos.   The area is now more accessible than ever, with flights from Buenos Aries to the Andes Mountains via San Martin de los Andes and Bariloche to the south.   Nearby San Martin is the resort town of Chapelco, 11 miles from the town.  Here one can enjoy skiing among the trees on well groomed trails.
     One great spot in the US is often forgotten by skiers, thinking that Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is a summer esort(good for fishing and hiking.  But it also has a great winter season with Rocky Mountain powder and lots of it.   There's quite a bit of action focused in the 'hood, much of it centered on watering holes for after ski.
     Check out the entire Sunday Travel Section(nytimes/travel.com).

Kaspersky Labs Sues US Government

        Well, now, Merry Christmas, direct from the Kremlin.  That's the message sent by Russya to the US Government via a lawsuit filed in federal court this week alleging that the US Government had no right to order all government agencies and departments to erase all Kaspersky Labs software from their respective computers and IT systems.   The action by the US follows disclosures that hackers of East European origin were breaking into IT systems in various countries, including the USA, and compromised high security operations networks.
      Mr. Kaspersky himself says this is illegal.  Mr. Kaspersky is not a lawyer.  Mr. Kaspersky needs a little comeuppance.   It doesn't take a brain surgeon to see the connection between the Kremlin and Kaspersky Labs.  The man must think the world thinks like people from St. Petersburg, the seaport used by Russyans for a quick vaca.   Perhaps he thinks he will benefit by the publicity stunt he's pulling to get his name out in front of the world again.   Maybe Mr. Kaspersky should immigrate to Ukraine(no, too close).
     After a brief review, I'm sure Mr. McMasters will exert his influence here and the issue will be thrown out into some filthy street where the lawsuit belongs.
     Merrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry Christmas

Minister of Latin American Affairs Report

   Our Minister of Latin American Affairs will be in town and is expected to present his annual report to the Mayor.  He will focus on Venezuela, Brazil, and Argentina.  He will also include an analysis of the election results in Chile where they elected a new president this week.
    We look forward to his arrival.  Our Minister of Aviation is in New Mexico, looking over some terrain in the vicinity of Bezos' 10000 year clock project, very interesting project, indeed.   The Minister of manufacturing will present a report on the completion of the hydraulic press in Los Angeles.
     The Minister of Arts and Culture will present a report on latest developments in her field.  The Deputy Mayor will give a report on the Federal Conference on Lake Tahoe held this past summer and give an update on the various environmental projects around the Lake(TRPA).  TRPA recently sent out their annual news letter with updates.

Snow on the way

     Finally.  Some snow in the forecast.  Yes, the weather has been excellent, but we "want" snow.  It won't be much, but it should cover the trees and the ground for Christmas.  Perfect, that's just what is needed for a "white" Christmas.
     Make sure you have your backup supplies in place: batteries, radio, iphones, generators w/ fuel. firewood, flashlights and lanterns, and don't forget 4 days of food and water!.   I'm ready.
All resorts are open and ready for a big holiday season-the premier winter vacation time.
Stay well, drive safely(tires have tread?), and  DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE.
Merry Christmas

Alabama Election Results

     The vote has been tallied down South.  Republicans :0,  Democrats: 1.  A new Senator has been chosen to replace Jeff Sessions and his name is Doug Jones.  His margin of victory was thin, but enough.   About 20,000 write-in votes carried Mr. Jones to victory, thereby putting to rest the idea that Alabamans would vote against their own best interests.
     Of course, with the Republicans in Congress slapping each other on the back because they put together a new Tax Law that should end up on Trump's desk next week, the new senator will not have a chance to vote on this gift to corporate fat cats.
     By this time next years, voters will know that this tax bill is nothing more than a sham: a gift to reigning power and financial interests of Wall Street.  It won't last because people will learn sooner rather than later that they are getting screwed, again.

Americans Want Street Named for Russyan Statesman

      A proposal has been submitted to the Washington, D.C. city council to name a section of Wisconsin Ave. for a famous Russian statesman.  What's this about, really?   Well, the section of Wisconsin under consideration is also the site of the Russian Embassy.  The name change would only be for the section in front of the embassy.   This is not without precedent.   This was done about 30 years ago when a section of the street(not Wisconsin) was named for Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov , a well know personage who had been imprisoned by the KGB for speaking out against the Communist government of the time.  This time the name is of famous statesman Boris Nemtsov, a physicist turned politician who gained considerable clout when the old U.S.S.R. collapsed and a new economy began, introducing capitalism to the moribund nation.
       When Mr. Putin took the reins of government about 17 years ago, Mr. Nemtsov seemed to fit right in.  But then he fell out of favor when he spoke out against the oligarchs and their insider dealing with the Kremlin.   Sadly, this turn around cost him his life.  He was murdered outside the kremlin by a group of thugs who claimed they had been hired.   Five men were convicted of this despicable incident.  Critics continue to point the finger right at the Kremlin and its occupants.
      Any name change to a street in DC has to be approved by the US Congress, which manages the district.   Time will tell if this obvious protest move has any legs.
We hope it comes to pass.

Alabama Election Tomorrow: Dec.13

      Well, voters will go to the polls tomorrow to vote for a replacement for the seat vacated by former Sen. Jeff Sessions.  The two candidates are Doug Jones(D), and Roy Moore(R).  Currently, Mr. Jones is leading in polls by 10%.  Perhaps a Democrat will be elected for the first time in the state in over 40 years.   Can it Happen?  Res. Trump sent out a robo call in support.  Former President. Obama put out a call in support of Jones.
      The margin of control could come down to 1 in the Senate and given the state of affairs in the Senate chambers, this seat could change everything for the republican party's control in Congress.   The unseemly behavior pattern of Roy Moore in his past serves as a warning to all other candidates:  nothing is forgiven, nothing is forgotten, and you own your past and everything in it.  It's bad enough that candidate Moore was removed from the State Supreme Court for his behavior, but his inability to confront his misdeeds is troubling to all the citizens of Alabama.  Hopefully, a light will come on in the state's polling booths and Jones will win the seat.

Russian Deputy Premier Banned

      Well, now, with the Winter Olympics just weeks away,  it seems the timing of a recent Olympic Committee ban is causing some anxieties within the largest country in the world(Russya).  Mr. Vitaly Mutko, the former Russian sports minister, now sits at the right hand(or left, depending) of V.V. Putin, Arch Kremlinista, dismissed Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, Russia's longtime chief antidoping chemist.    This action started another chain reaction(of sorts).  Dr. Rodchenkov began talking about his planned effort to undermine the laboratory that was to screen blood samples from Olympic athletes in Sochi in 2014.  The scheme involved substituting recent samples of blood taken during the games with samples taken beforehand that were clean of PED's.  Dr. Rodchenkov kept a daily diary of his actions.  His tell all account was documented in the film called "Icarus".  The good doctor now lives in the USA where he has some protection from the tentacles of the F.S.B.
     Now some Russian officials are backpeddling from their former position(s) that all of these accusations are no more than political posturing by the USA to demean V.V. Putin and all Russyans.  This position jells with the mental illness found everywhere in Russya: paranoia.   Two other Russyans involved are Yuliya and Vitaly Stepanov, a former runner and a former employee of the Russyan antidumping agency(ha).   They, too, live in the USA in an undisclosed location to thwart the efforts of the F.S.B. to silence them.
     Mr. Mutko has stated that efforts to demean the Russian athletes is nothing more than a political campaign against the nation.   But, as we have seen, the efforts of the Russyan government do not end with the Olympics.  It is now an accepted fact that Russian cybersecurity services made an attempt to influence the 2016 US Presidential election by hacking and providing innumerable false news items on social media platforms.
     Ahhhhhhhhh, Russya.  What a sad state.
     Mr. Mutko will resurface again next year.  He heads the World Cup 2018 in Russya.   Good luck, F.I.F.A.

Russya Tossed From 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea

   Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is ready to walk to the Korean Peninsula to protest the I.O.C.'s decision to eliminate his country's participation in the 2018 Games.  His actions speak to his role as the Face of Russya, which has turned sour.
    The Olympic Committee decided to invoke its power as the arbiter of standards when it comes to Olympic Sports and drug usage.  Because of Russya's unprecedented program in Sochi Olympics where a conspiracy of Dunces bypassed the drug testing laboratories set up to prevent tampering and thereby compromised all the Russya team's athletes.
    So, now, only a few Russyan athletes will be "invited " to participate as "independents".  This means they will represent only themselves and their sport, not the country of their origin.  How sad.  Now all citizens of the largest country in the world will suffer because of the immoral behavior of the few.  And so it goes in Russya.  The 100 year old Communist curse comes back to haunt the Russyan peoples.

World Cup Divisions Selected for 2018 Cup in Russya

      Mr. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was a smiling potentate at the ceremonies Friday when the drawings were made under the tutelage of F.I.F.A. officials.  Russya will be under close scrutiny during the Cup's many matches starting in the spring of 2018.  This propaganda stunt meant to promote Russya's image to the civilized world serves to highlight Mr. Putin's efforts to make Russya seem like a 1st World Power.  The Kremlin would have the world overlook some of the country's more recent foreign excursions.
    There is no lacking of examples of Russya's efforts in this regard.  Let us look first at the Kremlin's efforts to destabilize the US by hacking into the DNC computers to search for information that could help the Republican candidate win the 2016 election.  This was accomplished with relative ease.  To piggyback on those efforts,  FSB staff made the overtures to the president-elect's family to inject discord among DNC staffers so as to sideline Hillary Clinton's campaign.  Just yesterday, former general Michael Flynn admitted lying to the F.B.I. in the course of their investigation of Russyan meddling in the election efforts in the USA.
    Then we have the Ukraine invasion efforts that have caused untold casualties in the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine.   The conflict continues to cause many civilian injuries in the region.  The Kremlin will not discuss this adventure by Mr. Putin who is up for election in 2018 and faces little if any organized opponent(s).
     Then, farther south, we have the Russyan army seizing control of Crimea, taking property from civilians who thought that the Russyans were comrades.  Wrong-they are just money grubbing Moscovites on a tear.   Mr. Putin has met in Sochi, site of the last Winter Olympics, with a number of players in the Syrian conflict where Mr. Putin has sided with the dictator Bashar Al Assad and his forces that have used chemical agents to kill opposing rebels in the country.
     Then we have the conflict on the Arabian Peninsula that has the Saudi army pushing against rebels in the country that are supported by Iran and the Kremlin.  At this point, it appears that millions of Yemeni civilians will starve to death before any aid reaches them this winter.
    So, yes, Russya is delighted to hold the World Cup: it makes Russya appear normal.   No doubt, when the Cup contests begin,  Russya will spin the whole affair as a great public showcase of Kremlin power.
    I can't wait for the response from Western Europe and the rest of the civilized world.

China and Steel: And the Story Goes On

      An international board announced that the world's largest steel producer, China, is selling steel at below cost, upending prices and creating international chaos among world producers and world markets.  This is not a new charge.  The US representative says that the administration will not sit back and accept this situation.
     So, now steel.  First, aluminum.  It seems that our Chinese friends who believe the South China Sea is "their" lake front property, don't understand international trade.   Hmmm. Doubt it.  Maybe they think they are holding all aces and the rest of the world is holding crap.
     Combine this situation with the inability of competitors to crack the Chinese market for anything that resembles a fair deal and we have a problem of global proportions.   Heap on the North Korea missile launch and you can see how the situation could easily escalate into trading wars.
     Your move, Mr. Xi.