For those who have been stuck in traffic in Tahoe City and who have altered plans because of the congestion on North Lake Blvd during the summer and winter weekends, relief may be on the way.
Caltrans announced another hearing date for public input regarding a complete makeover at the wye in Tahoe City. Long a source of community irritation, the traffic plan for change could be a winner. Lots of different ways to make improvements, especially now after the remake of the Bridgetenders' House and parking area/museum; the relocation of the main firehouse to the north side of town(1 block off the main highway) near the TCPUD office.
Any improvement would be welcomed, especially after sitting through one of those 2-3 mile backups on 89 that drive people to crazy alternatives.
Check out the CalTrans web site for meeting updates. Let's hope they get this done before the Homewood Mountain Resort begins construction.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Washoe Tribe Community Meeting
Local property owners received a notice from the tribal council of a public meeting at the USFS building headquarters in South Lake yesterday. Unfortunately, the notice arrives too late for most residents to attend. Hmmmm. Business as usual for the tribe?
The notice includes a survey questionnaire seeking input for future changes at the meeks Bay Resort. The Forest Service has probably initiated plans to make some improvements, including an extension of the bike path all the way to the resort. This plan has been going on forever and may finally be imminent.
The tribe's address is included, and I would assume any reply would be included in their study of opinions/comments. For our neighborhood's sake, send in the survey-it can only help the West Shore.
The address:
919 Highway 395 South,
Gardnerville, NV 89410
phone (775)265-8600
So, if you enjoy a summer's day at our own sandy beach, complete with snack bar and small boat harbor, answer the ?'s, send it in.
The notice includes a survey questionnaire seeking input for future changes at the meeks Bay Resort. The Forest Service has probably initiated plans to make some improvements, including an extension of the bike path all the way to the resort. This plan has been going on forever and may finally be imminent.
The tribe's address is included, and I would assume any reply would be included in their study of opinions/comments. For our neighborhood's sake, send in the survey-it can only help the West Shore.
The address:
919 Highway 395 South,
Gardnerville, NV 89410
phone (775)265-8600
So, if you enjoy a summer's day at our own sandy beach, complete with snack bar and small boat harbor, answer the ?'s, send it in.
Thanksgiving Week 2014, Firewood Tip
Well, children, here we are again: the beginning of the "Holiday"season, 2014. The weather is changing, Caltrans has picked up most, if not all, their signage from Highway 89, and there's not a tourist in sight. The "'Tween" season we call it here in Tahoma. It's very quiet. Yesterday was gorgeous around the basin. It began well: a stunning sunrise up over the Carson Valley that brought ricocheting rays bouncing off of Rubicon Peak, Jakes Peak, Mount Tallac, and our own Eagle Rock. Actually, the Mayor was up in the wee hours, around 3am, to throw a log into the fireplace to keep a nice set of coals burning into the dawn. A glance to the outside revealed a clear night sky with an array of stars, some configured in constellation order. A predictor of a fine autumn day in the basin.
Some contractors were seen hurrying to their work, taking advantage of another snowless day that affords easy job site access and manageable temps. It's all good, they like to say.
The 2014/15 seasonal guides have been distributed far and wide. The Ski Sport guide is very well done this year-great resort maps and facility descriptions. The Homewood Ski resort looks huge on the graphic layout- are there really that many runs in Homewood? An added feature this year will be snowcat tours of the mountain. I got a closeup look at the vehicle(which doubles as a grader) since it is on display in front of the lodge. It will seat 8 adults comfortably + driver. For a non-skier with an adventurous spirit, it would be a nice experience, warm and cozy.
Obexers is making progress on the restaurant/lodge remodel across from the store-it's tevak wrapped, waiting for siding. No takers for the restaurant space yet, still hoping for some daring soul to take a considerable risk on on a high risk location in a high risk area. Does Obexers get it? I don't think so, given their recent history of tenants in the space. Hey, it's a resort location with a very limited market for 4 1/2 months of the year split between summer(2 months) and winter(maybe 2 1/2 months if lucky).
A few for sale signs pepper the roadway, but not much happening in real estate. That's normal for Tahoma in November.
Firewood Tip
One last note for those who still have to replenish your firewood bin. A cord of wood is a cord, is a cord, is a cord. A cord is a "tightly packed stack of split pieces 8' X 4' X 4'= 128 cubic feet of wood!
Not 110'cu. ft., not 100'cu. ft., not 115'cu.ft., but 128' cubic feet. I get constant complaints about " short cords". Take the time to measure out the load. Most sellers/ splitters give little effort to accuracy, except in their favor. Few, if any suppliers have uniform lengths in the mix. Sizes can range from 12" to 15" or 16". 3 rows of 16" pieces= 48" inches or 4' feet. When a delivery is made, grab a few sample pieces, measure the length of each, and make an estimate of overall sizes. If less than 16" on average, an adjustment is necessary to add up to a full cord. Why pay for less than delivered? It's good business to be accurate, on both sides of the transaction.
Some contractors were seen hurrying to their work, taking advantage of another snowless day that affords easy job site access and manageable temps. It's all good, they like to say.
The 2014/15 seasonal guides have been distributed far and wide. The Ski Sport guide is very well done this year-great resort maps and facility descriptions. The Homewood Ski resort looks huge on the graphic layout- are there really that many runs in Homewood? An added feature this year will be snowcat tours of the mountain. I got a closeup look at the vehicle(which doubles as a grader) since it is on display in front of the lodge. It will seat 8 adults comfortably + driver. For a non-skier with an adventurous spirit, it would be a nice experience, warm and cozy.
Obexers is making progress on the restaurant/lodge remodel across from the store-it's tevak wrapped, waiting for siding. No takers for the restaurant space yet, still hoping for some daring soul to take a considerable risk on on a high risk location in a high risk area. Does Obexers get it? I don't think so, given their recent history of tenants in the space. Hey, it's a resort location with a very limited market for 4 1/2 months of the year split between summer(2 months) and winter(maybe 2 1/2 months if lucky).
A few for sale signs pepper the roadway, but not much happening in real estate. That's normal for Tahoma in November.
Firewood Tip
One last note for those who still have to replenish your firewood bin. A cord of wood is a cord, is a cord, is a cord. A cord is a "tightly packed stack of split pieces 8' X 4' X 4'= 128 cubic feet of wood!
Not 110'cu. ft., not 100'cu. ft., not 115'cu.ft., but 128' cubic feet. I get constant complaints about " short cords". Take the time to measure out the load. Most sellers/ splitters give little effort to accuracy, except in their favor. Few, if any suppliers have uniform lengths in the mix. Sizes can range from 12" to 15" or 16". 3 rows of 16" pieces= 48" inches or 4' feet. When a delivery is made, grab a few sample pieces, measure the length of each, and make an estimate of overall sizes. If less than 16" on average, an adjustment is necessary to add up to a full cord. Why pay for less than delivered? It's good business to be accurate, on both sides of the transaction.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Book Review: "Black May", Michael Gannon,1998, Part 2
England was alone against the Nazis in the early years of the war, totally dependent on resupply from the United States by way of the convoy train that stretched across the North Atlantic. Faced with terrible weather, little or non existent air cover, and inconsistent naval escort service, the merchant marine ships were at the mercy of the U-Boat. For years, the convoy concept was a subject of debate, despite the mounting losses among independently routed ships. It was a cat and mouse game between 7 knot per hour ships and 12 knot per hour subs(on surface). As the tonnage figures climbed, Allied leaders needed to come up with a better plan. That plan was the convoy and an increase of small escort ships trained in aggressive anti-submarine warfare. Coupled with a break through in decryption, the solving of the ENIGMA coding machine used by the German Navy to signal its subs, the Allies were now ready to reverse the fortunes of its convoys and put the U-Boats on the defensive.
Utilizing number crunching mathematicians and convincing arguments, the Allied air forces began attacking U- Boats as they transited the Bay of Biscay into the Atlantic. On the open sea, patrol planes now aggressively attacked surfaced subs discovered by radar that was most recently added to their aircraft. In the end, 41 U-Boats were sunk in May, 1943, with a loss of most of their crews. This was double the replacement rate and acknowledged by Donitz as unsustainable losses.
Thus, the outcome of the war was pressed to its future end as a victory for the Allies over nazi Germany. Mr. Gannon made good use of German naval archives and was able to interview several surviving German Naval personnel who agreed to talk of their experiences. Not all would care to recall those days. Many claims, on both sides of the periscope, had these claims altered after post conflict examination. Claims of sinkings were changed to damaged or better. Sizes of merchant ships were drastically altered in many cases, reducing losses by considerable amounts.
A great read that captures the North Atlantic naval war against the submarine in all its aspects.
5 *****
Utilizing number crunching mathematicians and convincing arguments, the Allied air forces began attacking U- Boats as they transited the Bay of Biscay into the Atlantic. On the open sea, patrol planes now aggressively attacked surfaced subs discovered by radar that was most recently added to their aircraft. In the end, 41 U-Boats were sunk in May, 1943, with a loss of most of their crews. This was double the replacement rate and acknowledged by Donitz as unsustainable losses.
Thus, the outcome of the war was pressed to its future end as a victory for the Allies over nazi Germany. Mr. Gannon made good use of German naval archives and was able to interview several surviving German Naval personnel who agreed to talk of their experiences. Not all would care to recall those days. Many claims, on both sides of the periscope, had these claims altered after post conflict examination. Claims of sinkings were changed to damaged or better. Sizes of merchant ships were drastically altered in many cases, reducing losses by considerable amounts.
A great read that captures the North Atlantic naval war against the submarine in all its aspects.
5 *****
Obama on Immigration: November 20, 2014
President Obama will go before the nation tonight to outline his executive order that will give a framework to a new Federal Policy on Immigration. This is not a law but a policy. There's a difference not often understood by anyone, including the president. A simmering issue that has long divided the 2 major parties will now come to a boiling point and take over the headlines for months if not years as the country wrestles with this thorny topic which refuses to go away.
Coming as it does on the tail of the ACA of 2012, this immigration order will polarize an already polarized public. Dems and Republicans, already adjusting to election results from November 4th, 2014, will take the new order as the starting gun for Obama's last 2 years in office. While many immigrants, legal and illegal, will hail the order as progress, many will look askance at the affect on minorities across the country. Will it make a difference? How will that translate in terms of jobs, education, and border control. Will the border become calm and serene? Will the I.C.E. agents go home?
Hmmmm. It will be interesting. Just watch. Tonight, on TV.
Coming as it does on the tail of the ACA of 2012, this immigration order will polarize an already polarized public. Dems and Republicans, already adjusting to election results from November 4th, 2014, will take the new order as the starting gun for Obama's last 2 years in office. While many immigrants, legal and illegal, will hail the order as progress, many will look askance at the affect on minorities across the country. Will it make a difference? How will that translate in terms of jobs, education, and border control. Will the border become calm and serene? Will the I.C.E. agents go home?
Hmmmm. It will be interesting. Just watch. Tonight, on TV.
Book Review: "Black May" by Michael Gannon, Dell Books, 1998.
Reading a history written by an accomplished historian is always worth the effort and Michael Gannon's work is no exception. BLACK MAY , published in 1998, is an epic story of a brief period during the naval war of World War II. The story examines the events of May 1943 which marked the turning of the tide in the North Atlantic against Nazi Germany's U-Boats, which had been the scourge of all shipping since the outbreak of war in September, 1939.
Mr. Gannon is a professor emeritus of history at Univ. of Florida where he has taught for many years. He is the author of 7 other histories, including a history of Spanish Borderlands which garnered awards from the Spanish government. His timely effort led him to interviews with many of the surviving participants who were able to recall specific events and give personal recollections that add considerable color to the facts as they unfolded.
Prior to May '43, Allies were still struggling against Adm. Karl Donitz' submarines which had been operating from bases in occupied France. These base locations enabled the sub fleet to avoid the choke points in the Baltic Sea and the Iceland Gap. It also lowered turn around times for the boats, increasing an overall presence along convoy routes from North America to Western Europe and Russia's northern ports(Murmansk).
Much of this war-at-sea chronicle has been told, mentioned as a back story to the land and air war that captured headlines during the same period. Part of this can be explained by a few pertinent factors: few if any sailors on board a sub, survived a sinking; most didn't. Successful sub commanders usually were eventual casualties themselves as continued service would negate a good outcome. A majority of German subs never encountered a viable target. Gannon places the figure at over 50 per cent.
More later.
Mr. Gannon is a professor emeritus of history at Univ. of Florida where he has taught for many years. He is the author of 7 other histories, including a history of Spanish Borderlands which garnered awards from the Spanish government. His timely effort led him to interviews with many of the surviving participants who were able to recall specific events and give personal recollections that add considerable color to the facts as they unfolded.
Prior to May '43, Allies were still struggling against Adm. Karl Donitz' submarines which had been operating from bases in occupied France. These base locations enabled the sub fleet to avoid the choke points in the Baltic Sea and the Iceland Gap. It also lowered turn around times for the boats, increasing an overall presence along convoy routes from North America to Western Europe and Russia's northern ports(Murmansk).
Much of this war-at-sea chronicle has been told, mentioned as a back story to the land and air war that captured headlines during the same period. Part of this can be explained by a few pertinent factors: few if any sailors on board a sub, survived a sinking; most didn't. Successful sub commanders usually were eventual casualties themselves as continued service would negate a good outcome. A majority of German subs never encountered a viable target. Gannon places the figure at over 50 per cent.
More later.
Minister of Latin American Affairs Hits Road Again
Our indefatigable Minister continues his amazing 2014 schedule. Last week he visited Surinam at the request of their government office of Central Intelligence. Meetings were held over several days that discussed local and regional topics concerned with internet security. The weather was hot, humid, and generally normal for November. His hosts were very grateful for the timely response to their requests for "current state of affairs" discussions that came on short notice.
Our Minister was feted at a closing night social gathering where he was gifted with several tribute gifts.
He then hustled home to Washington, DC., where he met the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for a round of discussions about the calendar for 2015, which has to be on the next Tahoma Civic Affairs committee meeting in December. The discussions went well and specific details will be included on the agenda for that meeting. He then mentioned a departure time of Monday morning for a trip to Bogota'. No rest for the wicked.
Talk about timing: apparently, while his plane was in the air, an Army general from Colombia was kidnapped by FARC guerillas in eastern Colombia, even as their representatives were involved in peace talks with the national leaders of Colombia. What are they thinking?
We wait anxiously for his updated status report from Bogota'. He also noted before he departed that Bogota' is his favorite city in South America.
Updates later in the week.
Our Minister was feted at a closing night social gathering where he was gifted with several tribute gifts.
He then hustled home to Washington, DC., where he met the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for a round of discussions about the calendar for 2015, which has to be on the next Tahoma Civic Affairs committee meeting in December. The discussions went well and specific details will be included on the agenda for that meeting. He then mentioned a departure time of Monday morning for a trip to Bogota'. No rest for the wicked.
Talk about timing: apparently, while his plane was in the air, an Army general from Colombia was kidnapped by FARC guerillas in eastern Colombia, even as their representatives were involved in peace talks with the national leaders of Colombia. What are they thinking?
We wait anxiously for his updated status report from Bogota'. He also noted before he departed that Bogota' is his favorite city in South America.
Updates later in the week.
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