FSB: Massive Incompetence Lead By Sycophants

        The terrorist attack in Moskva is egg on the face of Putin and his Kremlinistas, aka the Ship of Fools. After a warning from the USA, the yes-Men in Red Square told Mad Vlad that an attack would soon take place in Moskva, probably at a concert venue. So, Mad Vlad ignored the warning. Result: the world got a close-up view of Russyan incompetence at the highest level.

      Then, the Kremlin blames Ukraine. Ha, they are really underlining massive, nationwide fraud perpetrated by the Kremlin. What would Yevgeny Prighozin have done? Well, the late Wagner group leader would have dispatched a few troops to guard the various venues. Not Mad Vlad. He likes chaos and then awards responsibility to a favored enemy. Here he went after Ukraine, his current fave.

      The captured terrorists will now(after being subjected to the requisite beatings while in custody) face the well-known Russyan justice system where they will collectively be condemned to death for their actions when they murdered civilians at the concert. The trial will last a few minutes. Russyan justice is swift. Ask Alexei Navalny.

Or ask Evan Gershkovich, now a year in prison without charges. His crime? Nobody knows but Putin. And the terrorists? Hmmmm. Hired by some branch of Islam; hired to do one job, paid a pittance for their efforts because they had no skills, no education, no life, no hope. They were intended to die and become the promised martyrs, Iran's front line soldiers of fortune.

Thank you, Iran and your mullahs. Good work. Your reputation is intact.

Book Review: The Wager, by David Grann, 2023

       The Age of Exploration, the Age of Discovery, the Age of Colonization, the Age of Pirates and Slaves, the Age of Wooden Ships and Iron Men- these are some of the many names of that period of human history that has been well documented and written about for centuries. When Christopher Columbus set out from Portugal to find a new route to China, little did he know what he might find other than the goal of a new route for the ships that might follow. Thus, in 1492, Columbus sailed "the Ocean Blue" into history.

      What followed has become a cornerstone of western culture: explorers/searchers discovered lands unknown to historians, but well known to those peoples that had lived in the 'new world' for millenium: native peoples living in splendid isolation as they had always lived. Yes, they did not enjoy many of the modern assets found in Europe and Asia, but they did enjoy many other shared attributes: civic life, cultural tradition(s), religions, agriculture, architecture and engineering skills to name a few. No, they did not have the ability to design and construct ocean going vessels other than canoes. Europeans however had already built massive ships that could sail on any ocean powered by the wind, able to carry increasing heavy loads. They also developed ships that could engage an opponent with high powered weapons: iron cannons. Of course, countries contested one another for control/domination of the 7 seas. All was not peaceful during these 'ages'.

      England was wary of Spain and France; Portugal challenged Holland/Dutch; The Pope in Rome had to be reckoned with; and Germany would not be left behind. As more of the world opened up, more players entered the fray, seeking wealth and empire. Naval power was the tool that allowed one country to stay ahead, and none was as successful as the British Royal Navy. In the 1700's, all the seas were open to contest-pick one. Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and South Pacific were coursed by various fleets and flotillas eager to acquire a dominant role among those various nations flying flags of the reigning sovereign, most often crowned with a cross. Beneath the flags were men, those sailors skilled in the art of ships and all its ramifications. It was a hard life aboard these vessels: wandering across the boundless seas, charts most often useless; leaders who hardly knew where they were going or how long it would take to get "there". And worst of all: they crews were at the mercy of the Captain whose word(s) were law.

To be continued 

      In 1741, a flotilla was assembled in Portsmouth, England, to go on a mission into the Pacific Ocean. The secret mission was told to Commodore George Anson, a respected naval officer. The mission: intercept a Spanish galleon known to be carrying huge amounts of treasure in the form of gold and silver after selling goods from Asia in South America. The location of the mission would most likely be in the vic. of the Phillipine Islands. The flagship would be the HMS CENTURION, a 4th ranked ship of 66 guns. Four other vessels would join the flag as support. Total men aboard amounted to 2000 souls. The route would take the ships south in the Atlantic and around its southern tip: Cape Horn, the cape all sailors feared with good reason. Terrible winds, freezing temperatures, narrow passages, contrary tides, and thick fogs waited for the crews. Among the 5 ships was the HMS WAGER, 22 guns, 222 men aboard. The duration: unknown, probably several years. Families understood the lives of those men: shipboard life was grim, especially for the sailors whose living conditions were worse than farm animals.

     First stop: the Azores Islands to top off supplies and water.

    Before the flotilla arrived off Patagonia, the ship's crew began to experience scurvy: that uncontrollable condition that no one understood at the time, a condition brought on humans that lacked vitamin C or ascorbic acid. Soon, crew members began the wasting: weight loss, dehydration, vision loss, teeth falling out and death. However, the Commodore, George Anson, was not to be deterred from carrying out the mission: to cross the Pacific Ocean in pursuit of a Spanish treasure galleon. On to Cape Horn with all its hazards. Because of insufficient charts and navigation aids of any type, Anson rounded the Horn overcoming many weather-related difficulties. The flotilla was dispersed and separated, losing contact with the CENTURION. The Wager was among those lost and now operated independently, a common condition at sea. The captain struggled not only with weather but with an ailing crew and diminished supplies. The hull and its condition now became a dominant factor facing all decisions: go on, or turn around to seek shelter and repair.

     The captain decided to go on entrusting his ship with his own skill and the crew he commanded. They made it around and headed north to locate the flagship HMS Centurion and Commodore Geo. Anson. In that effort, they would fail and HMS WAGER would go alone into the Pacific Ocean.  Plying these coastal waters without navigation aids, reliable charts and maps underscored the multiple hazards as the ship struggled northward. The south coast of Chile contains many islands, coves and bays; there is also a constant swell of the seas that buffet these same positions. The WAGER did not possess sufficient provisons or a healthy crew which was being depleted by scurvy on a daily basis. The chief boatswain, Bulkeley began to assert his leadership role as he was able to motivate the sailors accomplish many tasks necessary for survival. He also brought questions to the master regarding decisions concerning navigation and sheltering in protective waters.

Truckee Says No More Water Bottles

        Finally, some civic action that will affect Lake Tahoe and its residents. The town of Truckee has passed an ordnance that will ban the sale of single-use plastic water bottles. These ubiquitous pieces of trash have been polluting not just the Tahoe Basin, but the entire State of California. Mass produced for a few corporate giants, these products are not recycled. Consumers assume because they are "plastic" they are returned and melted into another usable form. Wrong: they are not. They stay in the environment where they are left and decompose into microplastic beads, infiltrating organisms including human beings. Research indicates that these micro-plastics are found in most living beings today.

     Additionally, the city of South Lake Tahoe has also banned the use of plastic single use water bottles in their city. This move will help eliminate the tons of garbage left behind by thoughtless visitors who have no clue about the environment and could care less about local residents who have to clean up after these cretins from down the valley. 

    Perhaps the "Solons" in Sacramento will follow this path to help clean up the state's trash problem with water bottles- there should be a state-wide ban. Are you listening Governor Gruesom? Can you hear anything that makes sense? Or are you still too self absorbed to hear anything outside of the Governor's mansion?

Congrats to the town of Truckee and the City of South Lake Tahoe. Well done.

Book Review: The Peking Express, 2023: J. Zimmerman

          Over 100 years ago in China, the country was emerging onto the world stage. It wasn't easy. There were lots of foreign players on the scene, each with its own agenda that sought profit from involvement with the vast geography that had now begun to take its place on the world stage. France, Great Britain, the United States were among those key players. Other countries did not get overly involved as they, too, were stepping up their respective international position(s), albeit, smaller.

     The industrial revolution was rolling along, expanding globally as new technology surged as the big machines began to make the world over. Electricity, steam, and iron and steel became a necessary component of industrial might. Across the Sea of Japan, a powerhouse of industry was making significant industrial progress. Japan had defeated the Russians in the Battle of Tsushima Straits in 1905, humbling the Czar and crushing the former naval might of the country, sinking capital ships with entire crews onboard.

     During this time period, railroads marked progress for any country that invested in interconnected rail lines. However, China was late to the game with barely 500 miles of track on the ground. In 1923, a new line was opened, linking Shanghai on the east coast with Peiping in the north plain of China.  This 200+ stretch of track would provide rapid service between the capitol city and the dynamic business center on the coast. Simultaneously, foreign business had become entrenched in Shanghai and after much negotiations, certain portions of the city were enclaves of foreign countries where the Chinese government had ceded control to said foreign countries. Here we had Germany, France, Great Britain, the United States operating independent territories under their home governments. What could go wrong? Hmmm.

   Concurrently, the central government of China was in upheaval: the dynastic model had been overthrown, the result of revolution(s). Outside of the cities, warlords and their followers held sway and ruthlessly maintained a loose order based on their aggressive military activities. While not threatening major cities, the rebels/pirates used various methods to survive, to include the capture of hostages for ransom. Thus the table was set in 1923 for one of the most notorious train holdups in history. The Peking Express Affair.

more later

3 Stooges in Russya

      Well, now. How's the borsch-for-lunch bunch doing today in Moskva? No doubt, suffering from dyspepsia or something similar. The latest news carries various messages to their round table, none of them would prompt cheers of glee, more like cries of anguish.

      First, we have the announcement from the ICC-the International Criminal Court that 2 Russyan army generals have had warrants issued for their arrest. The charges involve their role as commanders whose units carried out operations against Ukraine's infrastructure-namely, the power grid, during the invasion ongoing. Lt. Gen.Sergei Ivanovich Kobylash, 58, is head of the bombing unit at the time of attacks. His naval counterpart, Adm.Viktor Niklayevich Kobylevich Sokolov, 61, commander of the Black Sea Fleet, directed missile attacks from his ships against power plants and distribution stations. These attacks are in violation of international law.

    Second, a Russyan naval ship(under the command of the Black Sea fleet) was sunk with ALL hands after being struck by a Ukrainian anti-ship drone, complete with video shared worldwide. Musyt have been a shock to all the babushkas whose family members were onboard the ship. This ship cost the Kremlin $65 millions+/-. Hmmmmm. Maybe they'll hire a salvage company to bring it back for repairs. A source of jobs for the faltering Russyn economy, struggling under newest sanctions put in place after Alexei Navalny was murdered while incarcerated in the Arctic penal prison.

    Third, the warrants were added to a growing list that includes the name Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, a Kremlin official  that was responsible for the mass deportation of Ukrainian children taken from their homes in the DonBas region after "Little Green" men invaded the area 2 years ago. Mad Vlad's name is also on the list. Since October, 2022, more than 1000 attacks have targeted Ukraine's infrastructure using missiles and drones.

     Ah, the Russyans-very interesting peoples. Still trying to revive the czarist era, for whatever reason.

Have a nice lunch boys.

Sierra Snow Blowing

   As forecast, a late winter snow storm, blizzard slammed the Sierra Nevada this weekend. The CHP closed I-80 at Colfax yesterday; and is now closed only to tractor-trailor vehicles. All others need chains and or snow tires and 4-wheel drive. Many events have been cancelled or postponed due to this weather. Locals did their best to adjust their daily lives: work, schools, events, shopping, etc. Power outages hit many communities including our own Tahoma. Liberty Power is working on improving the situation. Tahoma's own Ed Miller, dedicated civil servant of El  DO county was interviewed for an article published today in the New York Times. He was quoted , stating that when the power went out, his backup generator kicked in almost immediately; a system he says is an absolute necessity for living in the mountains.

      The storm is moving east as this is written, and will dissipate as it blows across the Basin and Range of Nevada and Utah befor reaching the Great Plains.

Stay warm.

Update: 1915hours

Liberty Energy has reported electric outages all along the West Shore from Tahoe City south along Highway 89 to Rubicon. Homewood has multiple outages across the energy grid. No specific time frame has been announced for restoration of services. Tune into the internet or use your iphone for updates.

Stranded in El Dorado

       The American Embassy in Colombia has been advised that immigration officials of the Colombian government are dealing with a local problem at the country's capitol city airport: El Dorado. A number of passengers arriving there are not the usual tourists: they are passengers stopped there as they layover on their journey elsewhere.

     Elsewhere? Where is elsewhere? As the world knows and has known for sometime, America is the "Elsewhere" referred to today. The modern communications revolution has informed the population of even the most backward 3rd world nation that opportunity exists in America. Opportunity does not exist in China, Russya, Iran, Cuba, North Korea, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, and the rest. Only 1 country offers hope to these economic migrants and the doorway is illuminated by the torch-bearing lady known as "Miss Liberty', standing alone in New York harbor.  Hmmmm. And why is this?

     So, today, one can see an example of what happens to some of the migrants who have coughed up the funds to buy a ticket to get to the Mexican border/Rio Grande river. These migrants come from various 3rd world countries in Africa, most are sub-Saharan entities, countries with generational conflicts that continue to evade peace and stability. Take your pick, there are a plethora of examples that one can choose from: Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Congo, Mauritania, Chad, Cote d'Voire, etc. Somehow, a number of residents there were able to buy an airline ticket and pay for a guide to the real El Dorado-America. Hmmm. And then what happen?

     Like many international passengers these days, they missed their connection or were "bumped" for unexplained reasons(sound familiar?). And now stuck, like glue, to the airport in Colombia: El Dorado. The Colombian government has many problems, and this particular problem is hard to overlook because anyone can see it because: it's obvious-the passengers are black and they only speak French and they have no money to spend on anything. Maybe the Red Cross will help. How about the Russyans? Ha. Or the Chinese? Ha. Maybe Iran? Ha, again.

Have a nice day in El Dorado.

Cairo Hosts Meeting Between HAMAS and Israel

     The Egyptian government invited delegates from HAMAS, the Iranian supported terrorist murderers, and the Israeli government. It had been reported that both sides would discuss terms for an exchange: in this case the Israeli's would release Palestinian terrorist murderers and HAMAS would release a few innocent civilians taken hostage when HAMAS  terrorists invaded Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel asked that a list of "living hostages" held by HAMAS murderers be provided. The HAMAS murderers delegates-pirate leaders, refused to consider this request.

     Dealing with PIRATES is always the same-there is no 'dealing' with pirates/murderers. The only method is the traditional manner that is effective: kill the pirates.

Canada Research Center Infected by Chinese Spies

      Hmmmmm. What's going on across our northern border, the land of the Liberal government of Justin Trudeau? There's been a spate of bad news filtering south that Americans generally have noted and Americans near the border have noted in many instances of grave concern. It was reported that Canada will now require visas from visitors from Mexico due to information regarding those same Mexicans arriving then taking Uber south to enter the USA where they then disappear forever.

      And then, a long article high lighted the serious problem of auto theft in the country's major cities. Thieves target fancy cars and SUVs, place them in containers which are then shipped to various destinations in Europe and the Middle East where waiting buyers jump at the chance to own a modern vehicle as opposed to a horse, a cow, a mule, or a camel.

    And then, we hear/read of a problem at the top secret health laboratory where scientists study current issues regarding viruses and genetic modification of same. Two Chinese scientists were found to have been sharing information with their counterparts in China. One of them told supervisors she was going to Shanghai to visit family. It was discovered that she, in fact, went to the PLA/government lab to exchange secret information taken from Canada. Her partner was also accused of the same. They have since disappeared. The Canadian government went to great lengths to hide this information which has been known for over 2 years. It was only after formal requests were resubmitted did this become public information. There's some 'splaining due, but not much has come forth from Mr. trudeau's office(s).

Alexei Navalny Laid to Rest

       Renowned Russyan dissident, Alexei Navalny was surrounded by mourners in Moskva yesterday as locals and supporters convened to pay their espects to this modern day martyr, who died in prison where he was serving a life sentence for opposing the Little Dictator, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, Wannabe Soviet Retro Leader.

      His story is a classic Russyan tragedy with all the elements necessary to make it so. Handsome, young, gifted with charisma and high intelligence, this individual would not buckle to Putin's insistence that he remain silent. After a failed attempt at poisoning, the Kremlin decided enough: let's put him away where we can keep an eye on him. When Alexei returned from hospital in Germany where he miraculously recovered from Novichuk, he ascended the throne of sainthood because he knew he would be arrested immediately; and he was.

     His widow, Julia, will carry on his work. His two young children will go through their lives knowing the lessons of protest and the evils of Putin, Peskov, and the thousands of others who support the Kremlin's Mad Idiot.

Stormin' in Sierra

     By now, most folks vic. Tahoma are aware of the surrounding weather: SNOW Falling. This probably the heaviest dump of the '23-'24 winter precipitation cycle.  Today, now, I-80 is closed east bound @ Colfax, fairly low elevation. West bound, closed @ Truckee. Planning; there's no excuse these days for becoming stranded and endangering life and limb. As we also know, there are "rock Heads " everywhere who think the warnings are for others and they are "too smart" to become victims of their own stupidity.

     So, sit back by the fire, ensure that your roof is not sagging inward, and enjoy the quiet. This storm's totals will insure a great bit of spring skiing/boarding across the northern Sierra. Ski Week/ Easter Week will bring lots of folks to our 'hood. Keep your eyes on the road.

Cole Brauer: First Woman to Circumnavigate the Globe-SOLO

         It won't be long before the world greets a new hero: Ms. Cole Brauer,29. She'll arrive in Spain where she began her epic journey more than 5 months ago; the journey that involved crossing the world's oceans all by herself in a sailboat. Yes, a sailboat. This sprite of a human at 5'1" tall and barely 50 kilograms, has done what no other woman has done before: soloed a sailboat around the world. This very experienced sailor shared her experience on Instagram garnering a following of more than 400,000 followers. Her personality shines through as she overcame significant problems enroute, a few unexpected and many anticipated as part of sailing anywhere.

      She is adept at communicating her situation(s) and is able to inspire followers with her pluck and mental strength. Her 40' sloop requires constant care while at the same time, she requires constant self care-read sleep, food, maintenance of self needs, and self control to navigate her route. Her story is not an "Eras Tour" story but one of self discovery, learning, and gathering a one-in-a-lifetime experience she'll keep for the rest of her life.

     She is truly an American hero and an inspiration for all, especially young women who may harbor self doubts about "what am I here for"(thank you, Billie E.)

Check her out on Instagram and her 40' sloop- FIRST LIGHT