So Long 2022, Hello 2023

        Well, we all have about 90 minutes left of 2022. Quite a year, wasn't it? I know we've heard too much about Trumpy; too much about Elon Muskrat; not enough about the Qatar World Cup; not enough about Covid; not enough about the Supreme Court; not enough about the January 6th Attempted Coup Insurrection by Trumpy supporters(including R. Stone, Steve Bannon, Mark Meadows, and everybody's fave: Rudy Giuliani, the pathetic former NYC Mayor. 

     We all look forward to a year of getting back to what we want to call normal. Southwest Airlines has a different take on "normal". Normal for the airlines is customer abuse on a grand scale at exorbitant price points for a cramped, very uncomfortable seat. The tach world will attempt a recovery from crashing stock prices. The FED will raise interest rates; and republicans will continue to slide into oblivion.

Happy New Year

Russyan Oligarchs Have Problems on Vacation.

        News media outlets have begun reporting numerous accounts of the deaths of certain Russyans abroad, in foreign settings. It seems there is a pattern among the deaths. Most of those Russyans involved were high ranking businessmen who had been close to or had been owner/operators of large businesses in Russya. Most of them had been recently critical of the Russyan army's invasion of Ukraine. Wherever they were staying abroad, often luxury hotels and condominiums, the oligarch on the premises decided to jump out a window to his death from several floors above street level. Some were victims of what appeared to be suicide. Some murdered their own families before turning the gun on themselves. Hmmmm. Sound familiar? We should ask the Skrival family of London park fame. Or perhaps we should inquire of Mr. Navalny while he is in prison serving his sentence. This all smells of FSB involvement.

       In INdia, where one of the recent incidents took place, authorities are conducting a thorough investigation in what was called "unusual circumstances". Maybe the Kremlin calls this collateral damage. Maybe Sergie Peskov has a different answer. Maybe not.

     You Russyans can run, but you can't hide. Nothing new here.

Happy New Year

Georgia v. Ohio State Bowl Game

       It had the press build up. It had the place: Atlanta, GA. It had the quarterbacks: Stroud v. Bennett III. Georgia would like to repeat as national champion. Ohio St. would like to replace the Bulldogs as champions of college football. The winner would face TCU, the team that beat Michigan earlier on New Years Eve day, Saturday, December 31, 2022.

      What a game! It came down to the last seconds: Ohio, with less than 2 minutes to go, started the drive on their own 25 yardline. They were behind after Georgia engineered a scoring drive that put them ahead, 42-41. Stetson Bennett threw two touchdowns in the 4th quarter to have his team retake the lead. Ohio St. gave up a huge lead they had after the 3rd quarter. But, their defense could not handle the Bulldog offensive game. With a few seconds to go, Ohio St. lined up for a 50 yard field goal attempt to win the game. Their kicker approached the ball and missed the right contact point and the ball shanked to the left, missing the uprights completely. Georgia fans reacted appropriately.

    Bulldogs versus the Horned Frogs for the championship next week.

Comrade: Let's Go to Turkey and Join Our Other Comrades

        So, Turkey is accepting those "tourists" from Moskova who don't like the weather near the Kremlin. Now when they say "weather", they really mean the occupants of the Kremlin.  They don't like Mad Vlad and his oligarky insider murderers. So, they end up owning an apartment condo overlooking the sea. It's calming. But, the shopping is easier here than the streets around Red Square.

      The Turks in and around the  large resort city of Antalya on Turkey's southern coast have mixed feelings about the arrival of so many Russyans who have money(rubles) to exchange for lira. These former vacationers now are staying for the duration. No more return flights "home" to Mad Vlad's wartime scenario; no more listening to "fake news" via RT radio and tv. No more listening to the puppet voice of Sergey Peskov or former president Medvedev. These Russyan expats want peace and quiet which are unavailable west of the Ural Mountains(the European Russya border). Here they walk the beaches in the greyscape of winter, shaking the rabble rocks underfoot, gazing across a calm Mediterranean Sea to Cyprus east or Crete to the west.

        Obvious signs of local  change can be found in the price of real estate: prices have gone up, up, and fast. Locals sell at unimaginable figures to new arrivals who are loaded down with the rubles they received when they sold their homes in St. Petersburg or Moskova. They sipped a few shots of state produced vodka, swore they would never return to this god-forsaken country, and fled to Turkey. This story can be retold all over the world as it seems people are in motion on every continent, trying to flee oppressive regimes,  violent rebels, and state actors funded by oligarchs and dictators. And then there's North America.

      But for now, Turks must accept the northerners with money: the Turkish government under Erdogan needs foreign exchange: desperately. Inflation is rampant, and Erdogan wants to turn the clock back. Hmmmmm. Sounds familiar to all the Russyans walking around Antalya.

Luka Doncic: He Can Make a Basket

       Luka, the 23 year old, 6'7" guard on the NBA team, scored 60 points in a game the other night. Not too bad a night. He also had double numbers in rebounds and assists, known as the triple double. Some folks think this is just the beginning of a Hall of Fame career. His Dad was a player and a coach, and Luka seems to have the athletic ability he inherited from Pops. He's fun to watch; not as much as Steph Curry, but almost. Fans like watching players that can do just about anything on the court. That's why they pay high ticket prices: for the love of the game and the artists who make it such great entertainment.

       He's from Slovenia: his parents are both Slovenian and Serbian. And he was born with that indispensable feature: HEIGHT. Oh, well, we all can't be 6'7". But, he is a joy to watch as moves about the boards and under the hoop. Keep up the good work; we all need a lift!

Weather Watch: Sierra @ End of 2022

       We wanted snow/rain: and here it comes. Just be ready: we have about 60 hours to get ready as the forecast  says Saturday morning or New Years Eve day. Maybe upwards of 5+' of fresh snow, more at the highest peaks above the Lake. Good for the future but not the holiday weekend. Stay home. Already here-ski tomorrow and Friday then go home. 

     Driving will be impossible on I-80 and US 50(Placerville). Highway 89(West Shore Blvd. will close around Emerald Bay and Cascade Lake. So, don't gamble. People are freezing to death in their cars in the Northeast. Be smart. Don't be a victim. Stay warm AT HOME! Please.

      Tahoma is not going anywhere. We will be here, as always. If you will be here, then have emergency supplies ready: firewood, spare propane tank(s). Food, water, batteries, the usual stuff we mountain folk have on hand. It's vacationers that need the advice.

Happy New Year

End of the Year Stock Selloff

      December can be good for the market; or not. Look at the tech sector-scary! Look at the energy sector: marvelous-up >20%, almost 30% for some. So, you bought chip stocks and sold oil in February. Too bad for you; Jerome Powell, FED head had another rate increase in his wallet just for you. And now the banks have to adjust to the end of the easy money era. About time. Maybe now speculators and retirees can park some meager funds into federally insured institutions and not chase crypto hoping for a return that will allow them to live without fear.

     Buy Bonds; let the banks eat poop. Sell tech, sell consumables.