The Friendly Skies: Getting Pricey!

     So, sports fans, you've decided to get back in the saddle as countries reopen to travelers.  Rules vary, Covid-19 conditions vary greatly; but one is vaccinated and ready to navigate the globe.

    So, you plan a trip.  You read up on vaccination requirements. Then you book your flight to the chosen destination(wherever).  Then, the numbers begin to spin, like those on a slot machine.  You pick one that works.  Then the fun begins.  How much is it really going to cost you?  There's the list.  Let's look it over.

Airfare......................$2545.

•  tax.................... 38.20
•       ...................950.00  International use fee
  
•          ................    5.60  9/11 security fee
  
•                              3.96  U.S. APHIS User Fee
  
•                            19.60   Germany Passenger Service Fee          
•                              5.99   U.S. Customs User Fee
  
•                              7.00   U.S. Immigration User Fee
  
•                            19.60   France Airport Tax
  
•                              7.30   France Passenger Service Charge
  
•                             53.20  France Air Passenger Solidarity Tax
  
•                              21.30  France Air Passenger Solidarity Fee
  

total                $3685.75

       So, it will cost you more.  Now what is not shown are the airlines operational changes that will affect most if not all travelers, local and international.  The airlines needed bailout money from the taxpayers, their customers.  So, we shoveled billions of dollars to keep some jobs, keep aircraft maintained, and keep the stockholders a bit less shocked.   Now, reservations have rebounded and what do the airlines do to their customers?  They crucify us with cancellations, flight changes, seat changes, bumps, dumps, and just about every insult imaginable.  Is this any way to run a business?  It is the American corporate way.  Let the public take heed:  our FAA is not your friend.  The SEC is not your friend.  We have no friends.

Good luck this summer.

The Dog and Bear: Tahoma Pizza Palace Update

       Our soon-to-be resurrected pizza palace in downtown Tahoma is well on its way.  Construction continues apace.   El Dorado building inspectors passed on the plumbing repairs and upgrades on Tuesday and the owners' interior remodeling will soon include sheetrocked walls and ceilings.  Electrical rough has been completed, too.   

     The north corner of the parking lot remains fenced around the open trench.  Several yards of sand fill was dropped yesterday and paving is on the calendar.   The Mayor had a nice chat with both owners and they are confident that the reopening will happen on October 1st.   They mentioned their marketing strategy:  cater to 3 different groups:  local Tahoma residents; cater to lakefront property owners; and, not least, our regular seasonal visitors and second home owners.  Something for everybody!

Can't wait.

Senate Passes Trade Act of 2021: What Gives?

     Senators in our Congress passed a bill that reduces the effectiveness of efforts to rein in China's goal of stifling the US economy.  Former US Trade representative and ambassador Robert Lighthizer wrote an insightful article describing the elements of the Senate bill which will now go the the House of Representatives for review.  Essentially,  the bill guts recent past legislative efforts to confront China's state-run enterprises and also to limit the ability of China to steal trade secrets and force American companies to give proprietary industrial information to the Chinese government as the price of doing business in China(see Apple's recent decision to form a Chinese company in order to evade this trade law).

      Mr. Lighthizer skillfully guides the reader through the various mechinations of the Senate bill to illuminate its goals: a reduction in over 2,300 tariffs on Chinese goods and products that unfairly compete in the US with domestic business and production.  The Trade Act of 2021 would resurrect the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill to cut the tariffs. It is an amendment, and cleverly designed to flip the original goals.  Senators, again, have fallen for all the usual arguments put forth by the likes of Beltway Bandits, aka the hyenas and jackals we politely call corporate lobbyists.  It has been apparent for decades that these scumbags, hired to pitch the programs of large corporations are nothing more than shills whose purposes are to promote profits at the expense of consumers and competitors.

       President Joe Biden praised the Senate's efforts which will now go to the House.  Hopefully, in Mr. Lighthizer's view, the House will send it back to the Senate for further consideration and review.  In these times, it must be recognized at all levels of government that China is not our friend, doesn't want our friendship, and will continue to abuse human rights at home and around the world(see Hong Kong).

      The most egregious aspect of the Trade Act of 2021 is the provision that gives US trade policy over to the World Trade Org.(WTO).  China has been a member for almost 20 years and continues to violate many of the policies of the group.  We should not do this.

     Write to Senators Feinstein and Padilla, tell them to cancel the bill.

Tokyo Olympics

     Seems like a few athletes have tested positive.  Officials are trying to keep athletes safe: keeping groups from gathering anywhere within the village.  Locals are effectively shut out all sites, as they should be.  The Japanese government is hoping they can continue without a shut down.  Nobody can predict the outcome.

Tahoma Air Quality/Lake Tahoe

       Well, west shore residents, seeing is believing: look across the lake.  Hmmm.  Can't see Nevada or the South Shore?   How about Rubicon Peak?  No, not that either.  Too much smoke.  The temperatures are still hovering in the 80's, so no relief in that regard.  The reports on the two major fires with local impacts are the Dixie Fire in Alpine County which has temporarily closed Highway 395 on the Nevada side.  Containment is in the vic. of 30%.  The Beckwouth Complex in Plumas County and Butte county is now about 40% contained with about 5000 firefighters on the ground, in addition to aviation assets, heavy equipment, and support units.   

      Actual control remains elusive as humidity is low, temperatures remain high, and there remains the possibility of thunderstorms/lightning this week.  And, this is the early part of the fire season.  The AQI(air quality index) remains high, north of 130 to 135 and higher, or in simple terms: unhealthy for all groups.  There is no anticipated relief in sight, only more of the same.

     In Tahoma, downtown, construction continues on the sight of the future pizza restaurant-The Dog and Bear.   Inside the sight, workers are working on the new electrical set up, installing conduit/circuits to accommodate the design.  Plumbing improvements in the waste system continue and appear almost completed.  The owner of the "Where We Met" espresso/gelato venue noted that her plumbing services were cut out last week and she lost a day of revenue-$700 +/-.  Owner will have to make an adjustment for sure.

      Guests appear to have been reduced given the smoke and high heat forecasts.  Just getting around is not without difficulty as people are in motion in an attempt to avoid smoke here and there.  Conditions change hour to hour, and can often frustrate the best planners.  Such is the State of California: resourcesare stretched thin with little help available, no matter where the assets are located.   Perhaps another week or so will make a difference.

We hope.

Fires in California Again

   There's smoke in them thar hills.  Gov. Gavin Newsom, facing a recall in September, announced a state of emergency in 4 counties in the north state.  The fires burning there indicate that the fire season will be long and dangerous.  Have a mask ready; you'll need one for smoke filtration soon.

Sink Holes in Manhattan?

       As news has focused on the condo collapse in Miami,  a street collapse in New York City caused locals to ponder what's happening in their town.  A large hole opened up in the middle of E. 89th Street in Manhattan.  As the gaping maw yawned at passersby, one could only guess what next?  Mayor Bill DeBlasio, former presidential candidate and soon-to-be termed out mayor, announced an investigation.

     A few clowns suggested that it revealed a tunnel dug by the drug cartel to import illegals into New York to facilitate the reopening of the business community.  Others suggested it was an attempt to free "El Chapo" Guzman from prison(and his wife).

     More information is forth coming as the city tries to figure out how to fix the subway system.

Write a Children's Story: Go to Jail in Hong Kong

       My, my, Beijing is getting even more touchy.   This week, police arrested 5 members of a publisher that produced a children's book that contained allegory, or so it was interpreted by the "thought" pollice.  Hence, the police put out a warrant for the arrests.  The interpretation went like this: animals were said to have been depicted as abused members of the larger group, abused by authority figures.  Not good in China these days as dissent in any of its multitude of forms could cause Communists to feel threatened.(Aren't all Communists everywhere threatened?). (see Cuba, et.al.).

       So Xi and Co. will insist on all citizens to follow the new rules.  As the Chinese government continues its quest for a larger portion of the world's commerce, making sure things at home are not neglected.    The marriage of capitalism and socialism/Communism must always be reinvented.  Now there's a crossing point from the old to the new : called by various names to obscure the plan, Belt and Road is one,  these plans are established to have economic influence country wide.  The rest of the world can only adapt while it attempts to decode the true meaning.

more later

New Chinese Hack Attack

        Good morning,  looking out over the Lake, one sees placid waters and some visible smoke dust in the air.  Yes, there are fires close by, but not, fortunately, close at hand. Our CalFire task forces are working overtime to surppress the Beckwourth Fire Complex north of Truckee.   The Biden White House has been on the job well before our dawn, informing all Americans that our Chinese "friends" are at it again: that is, hacking our computer systems on a broad front without concern for signed agreements,  without concerns for retaliatory actions on our part, or the part of all members of the international community.  And so it goes.  Until these acts of financial piracy are costly to the Chinese people and their Communist governments, they will continue, unabated.

        The White House deputy for cybersecurity, Ms. Neuberger, announced that the Microsoft email systems in wide use around the globe were hacked by the MSS of Beijing.   The Ministry of State Security has taken the bold step of hiring criminal gangs of hackers to carry out its plans.   That's like having the Pentagon hire ransomware specialists to hack state-run and corporate computers. Public acknowledgement around the world came from many entities:  NATO made public statements, very unusual; the E.U. issued statements calling out the Chinese government for its role;  the U.S. Secretary of State, Mr. Anthony Blinken, issued a statement calling on Beijing to cease and desist these state-sponsored attacks;  Microsoft Corp. itself issued a statement, identifying the methods used to attack flaws in the email systems that needed patches to prevent hackers from accessing systems; and several national governments joined in.  None of the statements called for sanctions, but all identified China as the perpetrator.   No comments from the Communists have been heard.  Don't expect any: they are Communists.

         So, the tactics and strategy of Beijing continue to roil the world's efforts at cyber security.   Recall, it was about 3 years ago that Beijing hacked into the personnel files of the 22 million Federal US  employees.  This was done to examine the characteristics of those hired in an attempt to analyze those individuals working in government for the US.  THis could lead and will lead to advanced methods of exploitation of US government systems via individuals working across the federal landscape whether or not in the military or some obscure bureau in the vast bureaucracy.

        Pres. Joe Biden has obviously has made the effort to raise awareness of China's brazen tactics.  No silence such as that of his lame-brained predecessor, Donald Trump.  We have a whole lot of catching up to do.  And how will the White House accomplish anything meaningful in this game of cybersecurity?   Hmmm.  I'm sure the Pentagon has its own ideas, carefully planned and put into a "red book" for the president's perusal.   The C.I.A. has its red book.  The NSA has their own.   Microsoft has one.  Who doesn't?  The hold up is answering the question: are any of these plans going to work and are any of them worth the costs?   How will countering these attacks affect the Chinese economy and the US economy?  How will it effect the policy of restricting Huawei?   Most of all: how will it affect Apple Corporation as it continues to evade commercial restrictions on doing business with Beijing.  It was only recently disclosed that Apple CEO,

 Tim Cook,  formed a separate China-based corporation to conduct its business with the goal of circumventing US government  business restrictions when dealing with China.  Really?  An American company going against its own government?  Sounds like something a "traitor" would do, yes?

     Soon, will Americans fear China when they open their laptops, turn on their iphones, log on to their company's networks?   It's already happening, thanks to the unrestrained efforts of Chinese Communists.

Airline Fees: Hee Haa, We Got You Now

       The airlines suffered acute reductions in travelers during the pandemic:  who wanted to sit in an aluminum tube surrounded by heavy breathing fellow passengers most of whom had the virus?  Nobody.  But now, travelers are back, and airlines, which took billions of taxpayer bailout funds to survive(keep employees working) , are making up for lost income by doing what they do best: screwing travelers with added FEES, more fees, any fees, expensive fees, useless fees, terrible fees, unexplained fees, fees on fees, and on and on.  Where is the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau?  Asleep at the wheel?   Wait until you see the current(partial) list.  It will make you croak.

More later.

Euro 2020: England v. Italy

       Ready for some Football?   In a few hours a clash of Titans will be televised and streamed around the world.  The outcome could be earthshaking.

Watch it: 12:00pm PT.

Argentina v. Brazil

Game over:  Argentina 1

                     Brazil       0

results yesterday of Copa Americana

Tang Ping or Lie Flat

       A new slogan has emerged among Chinese youth.   The slogan has been attached to a certain type of response to the modern "work" ethic in Chinese culture:  work 'til you drop.  This seems to be the modern mantra among workers:  work 'til you drop.  The counter is: tang ping- lie flat, or as it is demonstrated, quit your job, don't find or look for a new one,  move home with your parents, drink coffee and smoke while staring at the clouds.  Sounds nice if you're retired or enrolled in a university.  But these young men-and women- are at an age and place when they should be in the work force among the post-industrial masses addicted to the tech world and all its benefits.  What's happening?

        Could this be the inevitable reaction to mass hysteria fostered by Xi JP?  The Dictator for Life?  The Master Puppeteer at the helm of the Chinese Ship of State?  Or are the workers reacting to the Jack Ma's of China's tech revolution?  The phenomena exhibits its effects in the acknowledged slow down in the economy.  Yes, the pandemic that originated in Wuhan(somewhere) with the Covis-19 virus made everybody take notice.  Some businesses closed either temporarily or permanently, depending on government support or lack of same.   Now, workers are needed, but the workers are balking at looking for jobs and are reconsidering options.   Some say JAck Ma's world is too much.  12 hour days, 6 days a week is no fun.  It's the 996 situation: who needs it.?  Even Beijing is looking closer at Jack Ma, Inc.   Hmmm.  The Communist Party is also coming under some scrutiny:  has it followed Mao's Selected Volumes accurately?  What's the status of the workers contest with capitalists?  Who's winning?  Who's losing? Questions like these need answers if workers are to be informed of their futures.  Nowadays, with Hong Kong the shining example of Beijing's heavy-handed control efforts despite a signed treaty, workers will be wary of opposing Beijing and ending up in prison(w/ Mr. Lai).

       So, the Tang Ping attitude will persist as a solution to an unsolvable situation that might just resolve itself.   Can organized labor be just around the corner?  Will workers invoke Mao's revolution against the Party itself?  Let's wait and see.  Things Chinese are soon to be very interesting as Hong Kong residents flee the country with their British passports and American family members living in the US.

REvil: Ransomware Specialty Company From Russya

        So, President Biden mentions to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin that ransomware attacks are originating from Russyan soil.  No comment from the dictator for life.  Mr. Biden says that he expects the Russyan leader to take responsible action against these homegrown cyber-criminals.  No comment from the dictator for life, leader of the largest country in the world.

     So, what to do?   President Biden finally told  Mr. Putin that without any action to stop the attacks, the U.S. would now consider ransom ware attacks as a national security matter.  No longer would they be criminal acts alone, but now they would be considered a national threat.  These threats would then be followed by a comparable attack from the US CyberSecurity Command, the military arm of the US that is in charge of cybersecurity.

       The US has experienced attacks that caused the shutdown of a gasoline pipeline in the North East.  This forced locals to have their activities curtailed because they could not fill up the gas tank.  Prices went up.  People started hoarding.  Businesses could not acquire expected deliveries of goods.   A ransom was paid in Bitcoin.  The FBI was brought in and was able to retrieve some of the ransom, but not all.  REvil is only one of many Russyan operators of ransom attacks.  It's becoming the nation's go -to sporting activity.  Since they can't field a decent football team, they have moved into other competitions, where nefarious actors can compete without breaking a sweat.   Most Russyans only sweat vodka, so sitting at a laptop makes good sense.

    Is this the beginning of a new Cold War?  Well, some military types say it's been going on for sometime, and now it has become public as actors have raised the ante.   Don't open that email- it could be REvil. 

UEFA 2020: SemiFinal

       Well, Futbal fans, Italia is going to the finals.  It wasn't easy.  They were playing a talented side from Espagna and it looked like it could go either way.   Italia scored first, and it looked like that's the way it would end.  But then, as often happens, a breakdown indefense led to a goal by the aggressive play of Spain  in the second half: now 1-1.

      The regulation time ended at a 1-1 tie.   Then 2 fifteen halves would extend time for an additional 30 minutes.   After the added time, it remained: 1-1.  Now, the shootout would decide the outcome.  These shootouts are always fraught:  one slip, and the game is won or lost.

      Initially, both goalies blocked the first penalty shots.  Then the next two by each side were completed.  2-2.   Then, Italy completed the 4th attempt.  3-2, Italia.  Now all Italy had to do was make the next attempt, which it did-Game over.   Italy will now play tomorrow's winner, either Denmark or England.   

Watch that game!

Independence Day: No Fireworks Please

         America hit the roads this weekend, unlike last year.  With vaccination rates north of 60% for those 12+ years old,  families, couples, singles did their best to get out of Dodge for some relief after 15 months of pandemic restrictions.  A heat wave in the Northwest did not affect California(yet), the only hurdle might have been a run up in the price of a gallon of gasoline.   While the rest of the nation is paying $3.35/gal of gas,  Californians are enjoying prices north of $4.45/gal.  (Thank you, Greenies/Gov.  Gruesom.)  Maybe Californians are "immune" to gas hikes, but during these times,  one dollar more per gallon seems like a harsh penalty to live in the Golden State.  But the Super Majority Legislature in Sacramento firmly believes that most locals are willing to pay the penalty to live along the coast(about 1/10th of the state's residents).  For those residents of the Inland Empire, these prices are burdensome.

       With the drought comes less recreational opportunities:  lower lake levels, decreased river flows, restricted water releases from storage dams, and local limits on all public and private  uses.   Such are the conditions on this holiday weekend.  It could be worse.  The Lava Fire near Mt. Shasta has destroyed 27 homes, at least.  Highway 5 has been closed at times as smoke and ash lowered visibility.   Lightning strikes continue to be a major cause of remote fire ignition.  On a good note, the Willow Fire just east of Big Sur has been 80% contained and crews have been relieved on the lines near CArmel VAlley and the Santa Lucia Range west of the Salinas Valley town of Arroyo Seco.

       Lake Tahoe had its share of visitors as boaters, hikers, swimmers, and other vacationers descended on the Sierra gem.   While many motels were booked solid,  there were vacancies in some campgrounds around the lake.  Highway 89 was busy as motorcycles and motor homes roamed the basin in search of a perfect resting spot.  The weather also cooperated bringing temperatures to the lakeshore in the 75-82 degree range: perfect.  The lake levels have fallen, but many feeder creeks continue to flow.  The Truckee River bridge was the scene of many river rafters taking a turn on a raft to make the slow flow to River Ranch.  Scores of groups paddled/ drifted along, basking in the sun while dipping a foot into the cold waters coming over the dam through 3 open gates.  No fishing allowed, thank you, w/i 1000' of the dam.

        Diners took advantage of open seating and cozied up to bar tables along the river, enjoying drinks and burgers at the Bridge Tender resto.  The visitors center across the highway had many a guest wandering through to pickup a brochure describing the many features of one of the state's most visited locales.

         Tomorrow, Tuesday, will slow things down a bit as weekenders head back to the Bay Area to work, to attend summer camps and summer schools where students will attempt to make up for lost time due to the pandemic.   The Mayor will take a survey to find out the sentiments at local Tahoma businesses.