Monday, December 22, 2008

No News Hour

The Canadian Cousins don't have T.V. so no News Hour today. Didn't like that Pakistan headline about warplane scramble. I seem to recall that every role play scenario from my undergrad days ended in a India-Pakistan nuclear exchange. Other topics: California budget, the weather, Caroline K, and Stephen H appointing Senators. N.F.L. football picture looks more clear. San Diego is hot, Indy is hot Baltimore, N.Y. Giants looked better this week than last week. Love to see Chad P & Miami beat the N.Y. Jets next Sunday.

Today's Mood: Powder Skiing!

Glad we got out of Portland when we did, because it looks like all the highways closed just after we got through the Gorge. Beautiful powder skiing here in Castlegar B.C. Visiting the cousins for the holidays, is great fun. Eating, reading, sleeping, and skiing. Doesn't get any better than this, except for when I can replace the skis with my golf clubs. Hopefully the snow will be melted by the time we get back to Portland, and I can get some golf in before the next term starts.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Today's Mood: Phew... Made it

Drove up to Castlegar B.C. to visit the cousins for Chistmas and skiiing of course. Last year I snoboarded for the first time. Took an afternoon lesson and then hit the slopes with my teenagers. Ew-wee...My abdominals hurt for months! This year I think I'll stick to the skis.

Like many immigrants to Oregon I have a high regard for for my winter driving skills. I would have to say that this trip to Canada drew on all my experience. We left on Friday to avoid the storm coming in, But the previous storm was still hanging around. We chained up in Cascade Locks and chained off in The Dalles. Snowed all the way to Tri-Cities, where we got a hotel room for the night. Today was beautiful, blue skys all the way to the border. More snow coming so I think we are going to be here for a while.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

News Hour

Missed the Top Stories. Leading with Jeff B on Obama's Cabinet picks for today - Kirk at Trade, Solis at Labor, and Mary Shapiro at SEC. The three talking heads I did not know. One from American Prospect. They all seemed to think that Mary S has the regulatory chops. If they mentioned the other two picks I must of missed it. Solis is a good pick from what I have read about her in the past.

Next, Detriot crisis. Bush is worried about three things. Ummm...yeah. But the last one was leaving a critical mess for his inheritor? what's the opposite od predicessor? Judy W had a couple of heads, one local Detroit, same old.

Next was scary Tijauna story about drug gangs and their turf wars. death rates approaching Bagdad levels. Really gross dismemberment stuff. Columbian traffic now ruled by Mexicans, Federales cracking down on the cartels, cartels cracking down on each other. Translated quote: There used to be honor, if you needed to be killed and were with your kids, the killers would come back later. Now not so. Everybody needs to have thier revenge. U.S. needs to decriminalize and end the war on drugs. Cui Bono?

Last a long segment on Pastor Rick Warren chosen for Invocation at the Inauguration. Rev Lowry will give the Benediction. I would of course hope that we can some day stop giving superstitios thanks to make believe figments of our immagination. I don't think we are there yet. The gay rights activist was rightly pissed that the O-man would pick this Neanderthal. The other talking head was more: Oh Rick is so well respected all over the world, Oh he's the new Billy Grahm, Oh it not even a cabinet postsn't it a great thing!!! The people protesting this choice are trying to portray Rick W as a right wing nut job because of his beliefs. Well if the shoe fits, ya know. All believers are nut jobs. Gay Rights talking head responds with Rick W story about how the attempts to have a dialog with Rick W have been rebuffed, so protestors have been picketting Rick W's church. Rick says he brought 'those peple' coffee and donuts at thier last protest. Activist replies, we don't want coffee and donots we want a rational discussion of very important discrimination issue, and do not want to be characteized as criminals by Americ's Pastor. Ended with nonsense about how high there prayers will go. Ummmm...not very far. obama can choose who he wants because it doesn't matter. It would only matter if he said, "We don't need this anymore, it doesn't make any sense. We are going to solve our problems through hard work, not by waiting for the intersession of a creation of our own imagination.

News Hour

Arrgh... Missed the beginning.. Back soon.

Snow Melted

Sweetie is home but not enough snow for skiing.

Now the sun is out

Waiting for my sweetie to come come home, and then we'll go skiiing.

Today's Mood: Call In Healthy!

No Snow day but it is snowing.  Mick went in for late opening and called to say school was closed by the time he got there.  Margo called but she will stay at work till they are sent home.  More Later.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

oh yeah the weather

No Snow yet, but it is predicted all nite. Today was a bust, so tomorrow will be a work day and the snow will come.

News Hour Update and Weather check

News Hour led with Madoff story and related SEC self investigation story. Didn't know the talking heads on who talked about how shocked they were...that this could go on so long. Most Ponzis come a cropper much sooner than Bernie M's.

U.S Senators - 4 of 'em - need appointing. All Demos - curse you Barack Obama! Whata conumdrum you have given the Governors of these states. a fifth one is still counting the votes in Minnesota. A two year place holder in Deleware seems to be the easy out. The lions will be circling the kill in Illinois for a while. Can Carloline K grab the ring. And now Colorado to replace Ken S.

The Womans 10-bean soup project was one of those cool things that gives me hope. Small changes affect,

Somali piracy - what to do? U.S. Admiral (Ret) says we can now go asore per U.N. resolution to chase the pirates and free the raNSOMMED crew members. Somali Human Right workedr says the U.N. and U.S. need to created the kind of gOvernment so that self ruled people cannot be living in the fear and povderty that is the breeding ground fo \\ r this type of 'alleged' piracy. Bad all around really. Again I think a casde for early and force full intervention byb the world community.

A perfect example of where the fire fighter model is for. Isn't this exactly what a firefighter is called upon tgo do? They are in the Firehouse and fready to go with supplies and pumpers. they have been driving around testing pumps and pressure, training and waiting forf tnhe earliest warning that a conflagretion is breaking out. then they rush to that place and immediatly bring the situation under control, stgop the spread and put it out. Stazrt an investigation if it looks like there i s a crime. return to the Fire house, debref, and prepare to put out the next fire. FIrefighters are so well respecte, society pays them well, insurance, health care, survivor benifits- because it ids a dangerous job.

News Hour

Well 7:00pm time for my daily dose of the talking heads. No cable in my house, we will be shopping for new TeeVee after the holiday. The U.S. will be switching to HD TV. Still Raining.

Today's Mood: Snow Day!

16 December 2008

the snow has turned to rain, and we are going to go to Mac’s condo. Back from the condo, Rained but cold. Still looks like more snow tomorrow.

Homde with a snow day spent alot of time surfing and reading about the Madoff deal. That just seems like alot of money to be investing and no idea of how it was really invested. Thet's why Margo and I are in Real Estate. That's whay they call it Real!!! It really exists.

Today's Mood: Snow Day!

16 December 2008

the snow has turned to rain, and we are going to go to Mac’s condo. Back from the condo, Rained but cold. Still looks like more snow tomorrow.

Homde with a snow day spent alot of time surfing and reading about the Madoff deal. That just seems like alot of money to be investing and no idea of how it was really invested. Thet's why Margo and I are in Real Estate. That's whay they call it Real!!! It really exists.