USA Overcomes Hacker Team

      The Women's World Cup tournament, underway, produced a significant winner today.  The US women's team, playing against a determined Chinese Team of Hacking Commies, produced the game-winning goal in the 51st minute of the 2nd half of play.  On a corner kick, US player Lloyd headed the ball over opponent and placed it into the back of the net.
      The rest of the game had the Hackers trying to catch up by intercepting passes, kicking long balls to reverse direction, all to no avail.  Veteran US player Abby Wambach was a late game substitute and helped keep possession for the team during regulation play and stoppage time.  US goalie, Hope Solo, continued her dominance in the "boca", holding the Reds to a 0 goal count.   Frustrated Chinese players will go home and do what they do best: hack US government computers.
     Now it's on to the semifinals for Team USA.

Washington Fire: Alpine County Update

     calFire reports that the fire near Markleeville is 0% contained.  Firefighters have been held back due to high winds and rugged terrain.   Locals are standing by, waiting for possible evacuation information.  High temperatures are forecast for Northern California tomorrow, possibly cooling by Friday.
     Stay tuned if you live anywhere in Alpine County.

Down in the Valley: Raisins

      Well, the US Supreme Court scored one for the little guy.  It warms the Mayor's heart when a farmer goes up against the Feds on principle and takes it all the way to Washington's Supremes.  In a nutshell: a grape grower/raisin producer in California accused the governments actions dictated by a depression-era board as an unlawful taking of private property, in this case, his raisin crop.  The board said they would take 40% in an effort to maintain crop prices.  He refused and was fined over  $480,000 and a penalty of $200,000.  Not chump change.
      Marvin Horne, the farmer decided to fight.   He lost at the 9th Federal Court, that bastion of liberal thought and legal indignation.  He continued with an appeal.  In an 8 to 1 decision, Chief Justice John Roberts said "the Constitution is concerned with means as well as ends," and the government's raisin program ran afoul of the Takings Clause.   Of concern was a dissenting opinion by Justice  Elena Kagin who stated that the Hornes retained property rights over the raisins after they were surrendered, thus it was not a taking.   Hmmmmm.   Sounds bogus to me.
       This has people thinking of Kelo v. City of New London, CT where the city used eminent domain to seize a private home from its owner to sell to a developer.   The homeowner lost this case; but cities responded by changing eminent domain laws across the country.
     Eat more raisins, the heck with the 9th Circuit.

Ashton Carter: Secretary of Defense

2 defense ministers discuss
world affairs

       President Obama sent his Secretary of Defense to Europe to assure our West European allies that, despite commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan, we still have plenty to share with our traditional partners.  This trip is an example of modern political maneuvering.  Russya/Putin moves into Crimea; North Korea fires a missile toward Japan; Myanmar kicks out Rahinga minorities; Sudanese President Bashir eludes arrest in South Africa; Iran continues support of international terrorism; China builds a new island military base in the South China Sea; Libya attempts to govern itself as smugglers cast refugees adrift toward Lampedusa Is.; and these are just the tip of the iceberg.
     For added spice: Chinese government sponsored hackers tap into the Office of Personnel Management computer data base and steal all the information of all federal employees, even retirees.
My, my.  Those Chinese of President Xi have been busy.  Down Hong Kong way, citizens have been upset over elections.  Seems Beijing set the list of candidates-all Communists approved by the Party.  I'd be upset ,too.   It's like elections in Russya when Putin is on the ballot: you must vote for him or else.  Funny how every Ryussyan knows Mad Vlad is a fraud: bought his position as president and stole the money to buy the votes.  Ahhh, Russya.  What would have happened to odern Russya if Napolean had a decent weather forecast?   French-speaking Slavs?
       But Ash Carter is just making the statement that the USA is putting a few antique pieces of armor somewhere in Slovakia and Slovenia in case some Ukrainians go wild and head west.  Speaking of Ukraines: who's in charge today-Putin?   Yes, as long as he has oil revenue.   

Smoke In The Basin

      Yes, that's smoke drifting into the lake basin as a major fire burns out of control south of the lake in rugged forest terrain near Markleeville.  CalFire has advised residents of Markleeville to pack up and be ready as an order for evacuation could be forthcoming.  The fire was started by lightening strike on Friday night when thunderstorms rolled through the Sierra.
      Markleeville, CA is the county seat of tiny Alpine county, one of the more remote political units of the entire state.  The population rests at about 210 folks which includes the county administrator, Sheriff, and county clerk/recorder/assessor.   Noteworthy for its location deep in the mountains, it attracts hikers, fishermen, photographers, naturalists(not nudists), and rock hounds.   Highway 89 serves the town and access to the Carson Valley  nearby.   Winters can be long, cold and snow at massive depths.  A forest fire sweeping through would devastate the community.   Winds have slowed and temperatures are holding which should give firefighters a chance to contain the 3400 hectare blaze.
      Here's to the firefighters on the line at the Washington Fire.  See photos on sfgate.com.

International Yoga Day

     A special day around the globe today-the 1st International Yoga Day, celebrating the ancient art of body work.  It was especially celebrated-where else- in India.  Prime Minister MOdi, with his mat laid out in front of thousands of others with their mats, assumed various positions to signal his support of the mind/body union sought by the many practitioners.  the mayor has become quite familiar with the practice, having a familial associate well versed in the art and science of yoga practice.   The mayor hisself tried it out only last year.   He was in pain(in the neck) for weeks after the 1 hour session.  Must have been the extra effort/wrong position/ beginner's bad luck or what ever.  Maybe he'll try again soon, given the international support.
     Thank you, Mr. Modi for your effort.  I'm sure it will help somebody, somewhere.

Five Russyans

label for Russian wine: like the horns/cherries/moon face

     The Mayor enjoys a glass of Pinot Noir every now and then.   He has his faves-those distinct velvety reds that come out of the Russyan River AVA, mostly on the west side of the blue line.  Now we have a new red to sample.  It's a Russyan red.  Wait a minute.  Is that redundant?  Can a red be red without being Russyan?   Good political question; good wine question; lousy topical question.   Anyway, while waltzing down the wine aisle at Whole Foods, a label caught my eyes:  5Russians.  Now that's a come on(not a "Come On!).
      Now we have the 5 offspring of a proud Russyan family rejecting vodka for red wine in a California style-a Pinot Noir.    The 3 sons: Dimitri, Stanaslav, and Vlad, join their twin sisters Natasha and Tatyana to produce a small number of cases(1439) of 100% Russian River pinot.  As we know, pinot noir depends more than most wines on terroir, or soil and location.   Hence, the wide variation among pinots, even among near neighbors.
      The Mayor didn't have enough Euros to buy a bottle on that day, but, soon, he'll spring for a taste.  It's only right, given the quest of these Slavic children  to become Californians.