Go 11

Looking under the hood

2012-02-12T07:18:00.002-07:00

Yesterday, the largest non profit health organization in Utah, known under the moniker IHC was offering a free heart screening to the greater Salt Lake City area population. Specifically, the heath care facility was measuring the cholesterol and glucose levels of patients as well as taking an individual EKG.

A wonderful preventive initiative that, as one could imagine, largely sold out. Of course, letting physicians peek “under the hood” always lead to some unpleasant surprises, but there's always a price to be paid with a “free” evaluation!

Contraception and Obama

2012-02-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

President Obama wasn't quite paying attention the other day when he made a major error in forcing the catholic church to cover contraception in some of its ancillary organizations. Since then, the administration back-pedaled and re-framed the rules to (almost) Church's satisfaction.

While I think that providing free contraception is a wonderful idea to limit population growth, I'm still wondering if it should be free to more affluent folks who can afford the cost. When you think about about it, this is not a health related expense, but put simply a cost of entertainment, like paying for cable TV subscription or a movie ticket. What do you think?

Shopping for a new car

2012-02-10T07:18:00.001-07:00

The last time I bought an automobile for myself, I did it irrationally. I fell for the looks, the brand's prestige and most importantly, I succumbed to the salesman's persuasive charm. This time, I decided, would be drastically different. I know, deep inside, what car I really need and is right for me.

As a result, I have looked at that very model under many angles, have test-driven it and have also looked at alternatives that quite don't measure up against that vehicle. Since we're still more than a month away from the fateful acquisition will my head remain clear and my thought-process objective? We'll see, but so far it looks that it will be a marriage of reason instead of passion as so often is the case with wheels...

What's that?

2012-02-09T07:13:00.000-07:00

During the last Freestyle World Cup at Deer Valley Resorts, some of the major sponsors had tents or booths extolling their product and services and giving out the expected “schwag.” The Delta Air Lines booth was giving away an object that looked like a sleeve made of stretch fabric and since it didn't come with instructions, I scratched my head for a while trying to figure out what it was for.

Fortunately, I found the wrapper that said “The Original Yowie, multifunction head-wear.” After doing some research, I discovered that the product originated from Spain, Original Buff SA. Of course, in the process I also figured out how to use it in a great “face-saving” fashion!

Freestyle World Cup including “behind the scenes…”

2012-02-09T06:50:00.003-07:00

Since the beginning of the millennium, Deer Valley Resort has embraced freestyle skiing by hosting Freestyle World Cups, Olympics and World Championship events. This year was no exception and while the Utah resort bested itself once again, the top international freestyle athletes met at what is, without much debate, their favorite venue in the word.

With its mogul and aerial events, freestyle is one of the very few ski competitions that can be seen and enjoyed by the public from top to bottom, without solely relying upon a giant TV screen. Deer Valley’s venue is quite unique in the way it is shaped and configured and is designed to accommodate close to 7,000 cheering spectators. A number in that vicinity could have been counted on both the Friday and Saturday evenings that, by far, attracted the largest crowds.

I’m a bit partial to the mogul competition which is a true test in edge-to-edge quickness, rolling bumps that come at the competitors like a monster conveyor belt eager to swallow them, where there’s a need for electric knee-action interspersed with a couple of high powered jumps where athleticism, balance, sporting creativity and a lot of good luck combine to offering a breathtaking show. As a single event, moguls is plenty entertaining but in its dual format, the whole spectacle truly comes to life, builds up additional pressure, intensifies the excitement and let the athletes’ raw talent explode in full view of a cheering public.

The aerial competition on the other hand is like a high-speed elevator lift that boosts a skier high into the air, which materializes into seemingly unending airtime that can be used to execute all kinds of twisting and rotating maneuvers while the flight lasts and until it becomes time to land the skis securely and stylishly on a steep and short reception area. Each jump is another opportunity for the athlete to deeply concentrate; balance apprehension versus desire to excel and almost go for broke, hoping to better the last best jump!

Oh yes, while the world’s elite was delivering their perfect show, and the adults were riveted on their awesome performance, another “unofficial world cup” was being held just below the tent and the television house, right on the edge of the immense spectators platform, where the slope is steep. The 5 to 10 years old who are between 3 and 5 feet tall and might have been a bit too small to see everything World Cup, decided to hold their own snow-ball throwing contest and testing the low friction of their ski suits on Deer Valley’s famous great snow, and thinking they were champions in their own right!

Each evening has been marked with big crowds, loud cheers, and pressurized atmosphere with spectators and athletes in communion for pushing the envelope and chasing excellence. A wonderful way for our entire community of visitors, residents and visiting athletes from the world over to bond over a sport we all love!

Lift lines and Greek crisis

2012-02-08T10:23:00.000-07:00

Why are some countries more economically successful that others? The answers can be many and depend on natural resources, traditions, social customs, political system rule of law, religion or lack thereof and much, much more.

There's however a sign that tells a lot about a country's prospect for future social and economical success; it can be seen in the lift lines. When I compare the organization and discipline at North American ski lifts to that of European mountains, I feel somehow reassured...

Politicians, the people's enemy!

2012-02-07T07:28:00.000-07:00

The world would be a much, much better place without our politicians. From Iran to Israel and all the way to the United States, their mission in life seems to be steering trouble, making people mad at each other and engaging in continuing deception, obstruction and war mongering.

Sure, they seem to need to be the polarizing forces and can't seem to survive in a world of tranquility. They need pain, chaos and turmoil to thrive, so if it's not there, they'll create it and invent it. I don't need to name names, it's all around us. A politician is a curse; at least, ours are.

“Floating” on the political spectrum...

2012-02-06T07:28:00.004-07:00

If you have an extremist political orientation, left or right, chances are you won't be convinced of anything other than what you're convinced of. You fall into – what I would term is - a steady supporter of the extreme wing of political thinking.

The rest of us “float” or “bounce” back and forth in this indescribable zone that is influenced by the slogans of the day or the most compelling case that catches our values, our social position or our aspirations at the time. That large group of people is the one in fact that politicians should address well, but generally fail to understand and of course, speak to in terms that touch us.

The end result is that we are drifting away from that political connection and are feeling increasingly cynical when the “extreme” speak to us. It feels more like harassment than conversation and that's what we're tired of that...

Staying current with my skiing

2012-02-05T20:41:00.000-07:00

Last Friday was one of my best day in a rather dismal season. It wasn't good because of the snow, but because I pushed myself and my legs stood the punishment. After sixty, it certainly becomes necessary to push the physical envelope in order to remain relevant on skis as well as in any other sport.

Yeah, relevance, just like in professional or intellectual matters; that elusive quality must be maintained in all matters, including physical ones. Sometimes, getting there feels close to impossible but with the extra bit of will power can be reached – at least for the moment!

Home prices still going down...

2012-02-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

If you are hopeful for a turn around in real estate, think again! A McClatchy analysis of four years of foreclosure data and thousands of property records has found record-high levels of shadow inventory in several housing markets across the nation.

Even though real estate industry analysts routinely leave this “shadow inventory” out of their reports, their influence on home values is growing. Consider this: In the supply-and-demand-reliant real estate market, the national supply of homes is officially listed at about 3.5 million, or about nine months' worth; sales are on track to reach about 5 million this year.

But once shadow inventory is added, that supply more than doubles, to at least 7.5 million. A healthy housing market has about a six-month supply of properties, which would be about 2.4 million. This would suggest that the market is oversupplied by a factor of three. Watch these prices continue to go down!

Freestyle skiing and me...

2012-02-02T11:26:00.003-07:00

My new job as a videographer is taking me into all types of activities that are the part and parcel of a mountain resort's life. These days, I'm covering the world cup freestyle events that involve aerials and mogul competitions. It is fun and informative to see these world class athlete compete in a sport that has been for years overshadowed by its alpine counterpart, at least in Europe, but as far as the fame, press coverage and money are concerned all over the world.

Yet, freestyle skiing is quite a spectator sport, can be seen by the public without relying on a large TV screen as is the case for downhill and giant slalom races and can be showcase on a relatively small venue. So why isn't it more successful? This is of course a key question that has to do with the plethora of events offered by the sports of skiing and snowboarding. Too atomized and having to fight on their own for recognition seem to be the answer.

Also, events, like “slopeside” keep on being added, further diluting the impact of the existing ones. The FIS, the international federation of skiing and snowboarding hasn't been as of yet able to wrap it all together and propose a formula that would be able to better promote these sports more in line with what the X-Games have been doing...

Wide skis and hard snow...

2012-02-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

So far, this has not been a great winter for extra-wide powder skis in Utah. That time may come, but each day that goes without a dump is a lost one for “face-shots” and a tough reminder that on hard-pack, wide skis don't hold much, are slow to react and can be a drag.

Time to get some narrow waist back, right? The wide ski craze that has exploded and that we've witnessed over the past three winter season maybe a sign that the fad pendulum has swung a bit too much towards the soft and fluffy side of snow and that it's now time to return to more manageable sidecut. What would you think? No more than 90 mm for an all-around ski?

France viewed from Lausanne, Switzerland...

2012-01-31T09:12:00.002-07:00

Back in June of 1983, we were touring Switzerland and Italy with the U.S. Lange sales force and as I we were on the Swiss side of Geneva Lake, around Lausanne, I pointed to one of them (Rob Mucci from Boston, to be exact) where I came from and had lived for a quarter of a century and at that point, I remember feeling an intense nostalgia about my roots, my country, my hometown and a whole piece of my life that I was about to leave behind.

It looked so close, almost palpable, yet it was already too far to reach for. This probably was a seminal moment in letting go of my origins, of Europe and of a long chapter in my personal history. It happen there and then and that was it...

End of Fest

2012-01-30T17:53:00.000-07:00

By this evening we'll have seen 14 movies during the Sundance Film Festival that has officially closed yesterday. Tonight screenings are for locals only, but overall, this year's event was a very good one with excellent movies, lots of inspiration and never a dull moment!

We are glad it's over though because we're tired of running from theater to theater, to stand in line and to somehow stress out too much. Plus, we need to go back to our routine, go skiing again and live “normally” for a change...

I've absorbed a lot of ideas that will help me enhance my video work and will also help me take my favorite hobby way further. This experience is – once more – telling me that everything is possible, which I knew, but feel good being reminded of!

Relevance

2012-01-29T07:28:00.002-07:00

As we grow older we often become less relevant. That's not an absolute truth, but a well accepted reality. What's relevant anyway though? Communism is no more relevant today than alchemy was still a few centuries ago and so are the “good reasons” for going to war against, and invade Iraq, right?

Relevance is like the wind, it can blow hard, turn and fade away. Staying relevant might be a way to remain present, active and very much alive. Then the question we ought to ask ourselves, everyday, might be like this one: “What have I done today to remain relevant tomorrow?”

Movie envy

2012-01-28T08:13:00.005-07:00

Seeing all these great movies during the festival is not tempering or slowing down my new-found passion for video and filming. Quite the contrary! Now, I'd love to produce a full-length documentary.

I almost know what it will be about, but I'm not ready to tell anyone just yet. For the moment, simply be patient; you'll know in time!

Can video also kill skiing?

2012-01-27T08:06:00.002-07:00

You may remember the 1979 song “video killed the radio star,” well the same is happening with my skiing. My addiction to video is now doing some serious damage to my skiing as I spend more time shooting and editing video footage that I used to spend skiing into deep powder and around skis.

It's true that winter chose to come one good month later this year. Maybe will I be able to juggle my two dependencies. We'll tally the whole thing and draw some conclusions at the end of the season...

Exhausted!

2012-01-26T08:03:00.004-07:00

The Sundance Film Festival is no picnic. Even if you are well organized, you must go from point A to point B, make sure you miss not screening time, look up for the bus, your schedule and juggle with the rest of your life.

The fact we're volunteering early in the morning from 7 am to 10 am adds to the stress and is another subtle reminder that we're not twenty anymore!

Leaks: How frustrating!

2012-01-25T10:38:00.002-07:00

Imagine there's a leak in the house that originates somewhere in the roof, but you can't locate it with any precision as the bead of water runs along some piece of wood and the place where the drop happens is just at some other location. If it's winter, there's even snow and ice to remove and this make the chase even more confusing and frustrating. What's one to do in a situation like this?

The answer is as deceptively simple as the problem is deeply complicated: Observe very attentively, be patient, methodical and keep moving in the investigative work. There's no rush solution available; it's another test for our atrophied, 21st century patience!

Skiing doesn't have to be difficult!

2012-01-25T10:00:00.010-07:00

If you still believe that skiing is hard to learn, long to master and also is expensive, there is a way to change this misconception. During the month of January, ski mountains around the country, offer a learn-to-ski program specially targeted to those who never had a chance to pick up the sport during their early years or when they couldn't quite afford it.

I wish I had been able to learn skiing by taking some easier way and didn't have struggle as much as I did when I first encountered the sport. At that time, even though I lived in the Alps, there was no convenient and affordable program available for school-age kids like me and my modest beginnings on snow were placed under the banner of “teach yourself to ski,” with a wooden pair of skis handcrafted by my own dad, including a set of basic bear trap bindings with non releasable cable clasps.

As for the conveniently located “beginner slope” next to the family house, it offered no lift of any kind to carry us to the top of a hill that consisted of a short and fairly steep slope, cut into the forest that surrounded a fairly large meadow. That ski run, a trench into the trees, was crowned with a makeshift jump. That's right, it was almost as if I was expected to jump before I could even learn how to ski, but that's how it was in these days. Then, the line between modern alpine skiing and Nordic remained still a bit blurred and jumping continued to be considered as being part of the total ski experience.

I don't even remember exactly what I did, but I must have somehow practiced sliding on the snow and perfected a semblance of “hockey stop” before I dared to launch off that crude jumping hill. That's right; I could descent and stop by making one single right-hand turn at the bottom of the hill (I'm a lefty...) In addition to my forays into catching big air off that jump, I also had to participate into some cross-country races which I hated with a passion, as my crude wooden skis and their bare bases could not perform nearly as well as the real cross-country skis owned by my most fortunate school mates.

So that's how things began for me. Later, I remember working as a lift attendant during the school holidays. This entitled me to a free ski pass and that's how I seriously learned how to ski - never with formal lessons - but through simple observation, imitation and sheer mileage. I wish I could have had access to some formal type of instruction, but it never came until the time I decided to become a ski instructor. Only then, did my technique got “corrected” and my terrible skiing “habits” unbent by some high ranking and very dogmatic “ski professors.”

Just a few days ago, as I was shooting a video about Katie Fredrickson taking her very first steps on skis, I was amazed by the evolution of the ski equipment now made available to beginners and by the markedly improved teaching methods that can, in just a couple of hours, turn a non-skier into someone able to evolve independently on snow and enjoy the thrills of sliding down some pretty long runs...

January is almost over, but it's not too late for seizing the opportunity of learning how to ski in the very best environment and under the guidance of the most conscientious and talented ski instructors in America. If you or someone you know has been putting off that first day on skis forever, now might be the time to make that life-changing move. You'll be glad you did it and your friends will thank you for it!

Another “green” film

2012-01-24T16:25:00.001-07:00

Last night we saw “A fierce green fire” at the Sundance Film Festival. This excellent documentary sums up decade of combat by environmentalists in the US and abroad.

What it also showed was that “green” movements are counted by the million but fail to always act in concert. It also missed the issue of overpopulation and couldn't obviously see the “elephant in the room.” It said however that we can't trust politics to achieve anything in that domain and we should just count on ourselves. No secret weapon, no miracle!

Turning drudgery into fun!

2012-01-23T16:43:00.001-07:00

We all are faced with unpleasant situations that can ruin a moment, a few hour, a day or more. Generally, we tend to be hard on ourselves and beside self-flagellation and all kinds of recriminations directed into a wide number of different directions, we get down in the dump, prone to despair and depression.

After having followed that path far too many times, I have now changed my way and “distract” my negative feelings by engineering a number of approaches that will make the problem-solving more fun, more creative and more efficient.

Instead of casting a shadow of negativity upon an unpleasant reality, I bring a number of novel solutions that will take my mind out of the demoralizing side of the situation and bring a spirit of adventure into these non-desired, but nonetheless very present circumstances. Try it, it works wonder for me!

I could be their grandpa!

2012-01-22T16:41:00.000-07:00

Not so long ago, when I observed young adults and college students, I was always amazed at their youth, their energy and their potential. My kids were still smaller and perhaps only in high-school, but I often said to myself, “these youngsters could be my own kids!”

Today, when I'm faced with the same encounters, I'm still as amazed as I was then, but this time I can almost say, “this guys and girls could be my grand-kids!”

Film school

2012-01-21T16:36:00.000-07:00

The Sundance Film Festival just begun this week and while I intend to attend quite a few screening this year, my attention for the first-time will be that of a videographer, not just that of a regular movie-goer.

After a year of learning the art of filming and putting image, sound and stories together, it will be refreshing to watch attentively how others (much more professional than me) go about producing the kinds of films we love!

The tyranny of carving...

2012-01-20T16:01:00.002-07:00

Carving goes back a long way; I remember carving, or trying to, back in the early 70s after reading Georges Joubert's book which arguably were the first published work to shine a light on a technique that ski racers of that period would use occasionally with the equipment that was available at the moment and on the best prepared racing courses of the times.

With ski sidecut and construction not yet optimized, carving was hard to achieve and it took the tail end of the 20th century to give that technique both the notoriety it needed and the legitimacy it deserved. Yet, all along, carving has just been a mean to and end (skiing) and not the sport's holy grail as many would have us to believe.

That's right carving works best in certain snow and terrain conditions and can totally lose its meaning and purpose in deep snow, bumps crud and challenging conditions, not to mention extremely steep terrain. Yet there are those fanatics who seem to think that there's no salvation without carving.

Of course, I can't disagree more with that view and was reminded of it, a few days ago as I was skiing with a group of local “expert” skiers that couldn't keep up with me on some very steep, yet perfectly groomed Deer Valley ski runs. While they were stuck to their regimented “carving” maneuvers I was free to fly, be my natural self, and maximize the speed that this particular ski run would allow. That's right, whatever it took; not just carving!

The love boat?

2012-01-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

The stricken cruise ship Costa Concordia reminds me of my first cruise that took place more than 40 years ago, sailing out of Genoa, Italy to Melbourne, Australia via Durban, South Africa. The whole adventure was in second class, on an Italian liner in which the crew decided to go on strike three days in everyone of our nine ports of call.

The ship was big, looked safe and while the mostly Italian crew was colorful and quite Italian we made it safely to our destination. We practiced a safety drill more than 20 days into the voyage, but that was okay as nothing bad happened to us. Would I ever do a cruise today? Perhaps to peek at some Alaskan glaciers, but otherwise, absolutely not.

I'm repulsed by this modern form mass-tourism, all you can eat mentality and the fact that these cruise lines that not only evade taxes, also exploit cheap and untrained labor from all the struggling world nations. A form of imperialism at its worst.

Printer, ink-jet cartridge and price logic...

2012-01-18T16:07:00.001-07:00

Those of you that are using a printer, especially one with ink-jet cartridges know the paradox; the refill is almost as expensive as the printer. Case in point, I looked at the HP website and could find a cheap printer for $29.99 while the matching replacement cartridge was priced at $27.99... This is an example of how crazy our society is going.

Closer to home, so to speak, I had to recently replace a failed water heater that only had 3 years of service. While the unit, still under warranty, was replaced at no charge, I had to fork the astronomical installation cost that was higher than the price of the brand-new unit. This insane situation is leading us into a wasteful, throw-away society. We used to joke about the Sheik that would get a new Cadillac when the gas tank of his old own would reach a dangerous low level. We aren't far from that level of insanity anymore...

Snow and stock market...

2012-01-17T07:41:00.003-07:00

Snow conditions and the stock market work the same. When crowds are getting desperate, it signals that we've never been so close to turn-around time. When we're elated, it generally is the time for not-so-good conditions to rear their ugly heads. Today we're standing at the bottom of the barrel. Tomorrow snow is coming over Utah and the turn-around will begin.

Human psychology however has a tough time dealing with these cyclical ups and downs. We should all spend more time reading Lao Tse and finally understand life's wavy nature... Wise leaders seem to grasp that concept. Will we ever learn?

Do you trust “economists?”

2012-01-16T09:14:00.000-07:00

By now, you probably know that I don't trust politicians and have them all in very, very low esteem. The category that comes close to them in mediocrity are economists, all trained by prestigious schools and professors who seem to know far less than what they infer.

Consider some recently released transcripts of Fed meetings when Ben Bernanke began his first year as new chairman. Even though he was the only one, among Fed officials to express the most concern about housing, he didn't think it was cause for alarm.

When Bernanke presided over his first meeting as Federal Reserve chairman in March 2006, he stated that the nation’s economy could pull off a “soft landing” from falling home prices. It took him another three months to begin grasping that, he and his colleagues, had underestimated the risk housing posed to the economy. This is a striking example among many.

The list could go on and I don't even want to go into his predecessor's “expertise,” Mr. Greenspan. Most economists don't get it and if you want to make your own good predictions, simply rely on that seldom-used resource we all have inside us, called common sense. Then tell all these economists to become... politicians. They all might stand out like heroes inside this dismal field!

A “Good” job

2012-01-15T11:41:00.004-07:00

Yesterday, our grandson Finn spent a few moments with us and we used most of it to play in the backyard with a small snow shovel that he can use when he visits us in Park City. After watching him for a while, I can attest that he'll become a remarkable snow remover when he's grown up.

He sees what needs to be done and shows some real talent with hand tools. What's best though, is that he not only does a very good job, but doesn't hesitate to taste Utah snow. It seems as if it's delectable; after all isn't it called “The Greatest Snow on Earth?”

Main Street, heart of Park City

2012-01-14T11:44:00.001-07:00

There are no many places like Main Street, Park City. This is the bustling heart of our small mountain community and while there is action all year round, it truly comes alive during the winter months.

Normally, snow banks on either sides of the street complete the usual decor. This year, I'm told to remain patient and wait till next week for the “white stuff...”

A fun job is no work!

2012-01-13T11:30:00.004-07:00

Making video has become an-all consuming job. As I delve into the subject, I keep on learning more and time does fly between scheduling my shoots, going in the field and making them happen, and piecing everything back together during the editing process.

Since I'm so engrossed with what I do, it's as far remote as working as one could even imagine. I do wish that all people who still need to work for a living can be as lucky as me with a job they love, because it never feels like work!

The Corporate Raider zero-sum game...

2012-01-12T11:29:00.002-07:00

While Romney is being attacked on his “success” with Bain Capital, the mainstay of the Republican Party is trying to cleanse what corporate raiders are doing by labeling the activity as “good capitalism.”

The problem with that approach is that when a private equity firm like Bain makes money out of turn-around activity, someone has to bleed in order to produce the glorious profits. Either the seller lost money in the deal, the employees are getting laid off or the creditors are forced to take a fraction of their due. This, at the end of the day, is a zero-sum game and someone has to pay for the gain of the investors...

Motivating myself to ski?

2012-01-11T07:22:00.001-07:00

With no off-piste option to speak off, even less AT possibilities, it becomes very hard to get motivated to get out and ski, especially when we live in a ski resort and can always hope for a momentous change in snow conditions within a week or so.

That's pretty much where I stand now, and aside from a few on-snow work assignments (thanks God for these), my desire to go out and ski is at a all time low. Further, I still need to nurse my right leg after what happened to it in December. Yeah, there's the terrain park, but I wonder if it's a proper place for a 60+ old man like me?

Skiing like helicopter flying?

2012-01-10T06:48:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I had the questionable idea of skiing 9990 at Canyons. The place is only covered with natural snow and even though it's higher up and quite sheltered, there's not much of it. In fact, it's quite dangerous to ski there if you are less than a bona-fide expert skier. Today, I did my very best in terms of obstacle (read big boulders and stumps) avoidance and still managed to hit plenty of rocks that I couldn't see but definitely felt under my skis.

Just like for helicopters, the ratio of man-hour maintenance to flight time - in that case, to repairing base and edges versus on-snow fun - is likely to be between 3 and 4, which will give me plenty to do this afternoon!

A good book

2012-01-09T09:28:00.001-07:00

For quite a while, I had been looking for a good book on video and discovered one totally out of luck last week as I was just browsing inside a large book store.

I picked it up and realized that I really had found the rare gem I wanted all along. A very rare occurrence and another proof that serendipity is alive and well...

Old ski racers

2012-01-09T09:25:00.000-07:00

Today, I was a volunteer at the first master ski race of the year and had a chance to watch the not-so-young racers in action. Clearly, out of a field of some 90 participants, the majority were in their 50 and 60s with some younger and also some older folks.

In fact the oldest man was an 83 years old and his female counterpart was about 70. They all made it decently down the slick GS course and that was another positive inspiration!

Improving methods...

2012-01-07T15:07:00.000-07:00

It's been at least 38 years since I haven't taught an adult beginner skiing, and it was quite refreshing yesterday to shoot a video showing a morning private lesson with a young adult who had never skied before.

I was amazed how both the equipment and also decades of accumulated best practices and thoughtful ideas have shortened the learning curve and allowed a rank beginner to go from zero to independence on snow in less than three hours.

Is the method that I saw used by all instructors in Deer Valley Resort? Is the PSIA ahead of the French ENSA in terms of teaching methodology? I don't have the answer to either question, but I'd love to know...

Seize the moment!

2012-01-06T19:25:00.002-07:00

The more time flies, the more the time we've got left becomes precious. The problem is that we're never fully aware of that reality and continue spoiling the time allocated to us as it were plentiful and could last forever. If that wasn't enough, we could also throw into the equation that our bodies are aging at the same alarming pace.

So, if you wanted to trek the Himalayas in your 60s, could you afford to still do it in your 70s? The morale of that story is that day after day, we should become much more savvy and industrious in the way we burn that diminishing precious commodity that's our time. If we knew it, understood it and took it more seriously, what drastic changes would we make in our lives?
To be definitely continued...

The Good Side of Hard Snow

2012-01-06T16:40:00.000-07:00

For those of us who’ve only known fluffy, powdery snow, this early season may bring a different experience, and while our snow-makers and groomers have worked wonders all over Deer Valley Resort, it may be difficult to fully experience these brand new “rocker skis” that some us got from Santa, until heaven dumps its next supply of bottomless powder. For one, I’m far from complaining. I’ve been more than twenty times on my skis this season and on each occasion; my actual experience has exceeded my expectations.

The added benefit of this year’s capricious weather is that the harder ski surface has forced me to pay greater attention to my technique and to the tuning of my equipment. It’s absolutely true that skiing in Utah makes all of us a little bit lazy and complacent. We lean or bank into a turn and that’s generally what it takes. Our minimalist technique often provokes sarcasm from Eastern skiers that sometimes don’t mince their words and will go as far as saying that Utahans can’t ski. Granted, New England skiers are generally speaking better technicians, as most of them have learned to get a good grip on ice and make all of the right moves that a hard snow-pack requires. In the West and particularly in the Rockies where blue ice doesn’t even exist, our compacted powder is often called “ice,” and most of us have little idea about the hard-facts of hard-snow.

Perhaps this particular moment is another great opportunity to make sure our equipment is in tip-top shape, with skis tuned right for these more exacting conditions, boots fit snugly, custom insoles updated and buckles shut tight so there is nothing that can flop around or is left to chance. Nothing that a qualified ski shop technician couldn’t do for us. From a skier’s standpoint, we’re still building up our skiing legs in this early part of the season and are often the product of a those bad habits picked here and there, all these years on our legendary bottomless powder.

Now is the perfect opportunity to spend some time learning, or reviewing, the hard facts about super solid snow. Learning what “keeping an edge” means, getting familiar with what “chattering skis” mean and what can be done about it, learning how to be brief, quick and finally getting the upper hand on that gentler cousin of “ice” that is Utah hard snow. After all, a visit to the Deer Valley Ski School might be an excellent idea to review all these important basic elements…

That’s right, a good refresher course might be all what’s needed, because as we all know, great skiers don’t need to be told, they just have to be reminded, from time to time. I for one, have decided to focus all of my skiing efforts to becoming a real ace on our gentler version of “ice.” But don’t delay; do it now before the next snow fall spoils all these great plans!

Skiers don't limp!

2012-01-05T06:53:00.001-07:00

Two days ago, I was back on my skis after my brush off with a big tree. I was still limping around, especially just after I got up from a sitting position or when I walked down the stairs, and was still a bit apprehensive. Further, I still can't run. After picking an easy run to test that the main systems were still running and were fully operational, I was surprised that nothing happened.

In fact, I skied the whole afternoon and my only problem was getting up when unloading the chair. While skiing I forgot that I had recently been injured and no one on the slopes could detect any limp. I didn't know skiing was such a wonderful therapy!

Between the rock and the hard place

2012-01-04T07:00:00.003-07:00

Only a few days ago, I temporarily ran out of luck and, to my total surprise, went off-piste against my will. The path was tight (Edgard's Alley for those readers who know my playground,) filled with skiers and to passing them, had no other alternative but squeezing to the extreme right which happened to hang over a steep forested slope.

Over that particular area, the snow was soft and gave way under my skis, throwing me into a rocky ravine where I fell and was brutally stopped by a twin pine tree which dry branches almost poked my eye, scratched my goggle lens, scrapped my left wrist and my right armpit and since my left thigh was already jammed against a big rock, got pined down when my right leg ended up wedged against that massive pine tree.

My right thigh muscle got crushed, the femur painfully bruised and it took me quite a bit of time before I could recover my spirits, fight a bad nausea, get back on my feet and very, very slowly, climb out of my predicament. Once more I was very lucky. I could hardly walk, even less ski, but was whole and alive.

After that incident, I realized that piloting an aging body, just like an old clunker, might require more kindness, less speed and a much more relaxed attitude. The big competition is now over, so it might be time to take is easy and care much more for that aging frame of mine. I think I'll be wise enough to follow that precept and ski well into my sunset that should only happen many, many years from now!

The end of politics?

2012-01-03T09:35:00.001-07:00

The three-ring circus offered to us by Republican hopefuls and the continuous gridlock and negative narrative in congress are clear signs that we might finally see the end of politics as we know them. What I mean by all this is that the political system – not so much Washington as politicians like to say – is broken.

It's corrupt, rotten from inside and can't be fixed as it stands. Its current paradigm needs to go through a drastic metamorphosis, like photography went from rolls of film into digital pictures. While I can't articulate yet the shape a new politic landscape should take, it must become in tune with our digital age, respond faster, look farther down the long-term horizon, return to true public service and leave more actual time to governance than to attending unceasing election and re-election cycles.

Am I a dreamer? I don't think so; the system is so badly shocked that it can't recover from its wounds.

Resolution? (continued...)

2012-01-02T08:21:00.003-07:00

I've found a good, creative approach towards making a new year resolution that make sense, when nothing comes automatically to mind. This situation isn't unusual as we age, have everything we think we need and are generally satisfied with ourselves. Ask yourself about your want and needs. More or less, we all want OR need something.

When you see the answers flash into your mind, write them down, then make a selection. As always, the shorter the list the better, and personally, I'd prefer go with just one single resolution that I can attain.

I have already framed what mine will be and it's just a matter of days between my yearly goal is set in... stone!

Resolution?

2012-01-01T16:47:00.000-07:00

Nope. I haven't yet set my new year resolution yet, and while I should have, I tend to rationalize that it's better to take my time and come up with something really good that I have a chance to reach, rather than making a quick list of good wishes I'd like to adorn my life in 2012, and soon forget or get discouraged about it.

I need some time for that something important that I want, need and is worth reaching this year. Just give me the entire week to come up with something!

My (updated) inspiration...

2011-12-31T16:46:00.000-07:00

As a kid, my inspirations were comic books heroes and Jean-Claude Killy. Since ski has played such a high role and continues to occupies a major spot in my personal life, I'd like to stick with it as a frame o reference for my future inspiration.

Today, my heroes are the one that last as long as they can and, in so doing retain most of their stamina. One of them is Emile Allais a French ski champion, ski industry pioneer and visionary. This man is scheduled to turn 100 next February. I do hope he'll make it! Another one is an unknown French skier whom I learned about in my hometown newspaper and that still skis in his 100th year. This guy not just impress me, I admire them and want to emulate them!

Will snow ever return?

2011-12-30T16:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the pits. With already very little snow, the temperature shot up and snow began to melt like it would on a sunny April day. I skied alone, went into natural snow covered runs, ruined the ski I had been so diligently working on the day before, but still had a wonderful time.

My question today is how low do we have to wait until some decent snow will come to us? The answer is “we don't know.” Unsettling as it can be that is the reality of life and we should better accept it and get used to it. Even though I say that I set my expectations down to the lowest possible level, this discipline is hard to practice indeed...

Bring your daughter to the slopes

2011-12-29T17:17:00.003-07:00

Yesterday was a special father-daughter ski day. We went to Canyons and boy, did we have some fun! In spite of meager snow conditions this early season, we managed to ski over 30,000 vertical and didn't have to ski among too big a crowd.

The only line we had on the rope tow going back home at night and even that experience was fun. I find that my daughter is both a smooth and fast skier and think she should spend more time on the slopes, but that's an old ski-fanatic's opinion...

Riding the waves of life...

2011-12-28T17:42:00.002-07:00

We begin life with very little in terms of physical force, skills, intellect and wisdom. As time goes on, each one of these elements grows, peaks and decline. I think I'm done with growing my physical force and it's slowly but surely declining. I hope I'm still okay with my skills in general and still hope to still grow more than a few, but I maybe running out of time for spectacular results.

I still hold hope for expending my intellect and feels that I'm still a long way away from reaching my peak in terms of human wisdom. Since I couldn't find any table that would illustrate these different evolving trends, I've made up my own. Being an optimist by nature and one who loves round numbers, I've made it covering a 100 year span. At least, I hope this works for me. Now I'd like to hear about your reaction to this graphic representation!

The air we breathe...

2011-12-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to understand what goes into air pollution and how governments are attempting to regulate the air we're supposed to breathe? It ain't simple. In my feeble attempts to understand, I've tried to concentrate in one specific area, that of particulates – also known as particulate matter (PM), the tiny little buggers that are tiny subdivisions of solid matter floating around.

While some of these particulates occur naturally (volcanoes, dust storms, forest and grass fires among others,) they're also the by-product of human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels in cars and trucks, wood fireplaces, power plants and various industrial emissions that can generate significant amounts of particulates. These are supposed to be measured in micrograms per cubic meter and it seems to be quite difficult to find good tables that help folks like us compare where they stand. Has anyone any good suggestions on that topic?

Doing more... with less!

2011-12-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a few years since we began our ski season with so little snow and as we were skiing yesterday I was amazed at how well we were able to adjust our expectations to less-than-optimal conditions. So far, skiing around Park City has mostly been possible on man-made snow and as we were skiing on a few runs only covered with thin, rare and precious “natural” stuff, I was reminiscing the “good old days,” during early seasons, long, long ago, when “roughing it” was the sole option.

When hope that one-of-these-days snow would finally fall was part of everyone's expectations, period. Even as we all threaded yesterday on that thin, natural cover, we all had a great time and were quite pleased with what we could get. Following a year of “feast” with above-normal snowfalls, the period of “famine” that befalls us at the moment may constitute that healthy dose of reality that we require, from time to time!

The meaning of Christmas...

2011-12-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

I'm not that religious a person, but the celebration of Christmas gives me a chance to realize how lucky I am to be alive and to participate in this wonderful world that surrounds us. Life is a wonderful gift indeed. To me, it's sacred, never ceases to amaze me and it's irreplaceable. We need sometime to pinch ourselves in order to fully appreciate the luck we have!

Spreading it...

2011-12-25T09:28:00.000-07:00

The French have a saying that I love: “La culture, c'est comme la confiture, le moins on en a, le plus on l’étend.” This means that “culture is like jam; the less you've got, the more you spread it.” Okay, we can extend that comparison to snow making. There are three ski mountains in Park City. The best one, every one will agree, including the readers of Ski Magazine, is Deer Valley. The number one ski resort in North America makes lots of snow and doesn't spread it around too much. It lays it very thick and that makes all the difference.

Its next door neighbor, Park City, does a real good job too. Huge snow production and thick cover. Then, there's Canyons that doesn't have the chance of having access to much water and lacks the impressive infrastructure of its neighboring competitors. Whatever snow is made there is spread as much as possible and since snow cats do the best they can, it's hard for them not to churn the ground below and imbed all these pebbles that are trademark of skiing Canyons. That's right, when you don't that much snow to work with, you've got to spread it!

Spreading it...

2011-12-24T09:26:00.000-07:00

Politicians, not Government!

2011-12-23T09:29:00.001-07:00

The Republican Party always complain that there's too much government. I don't think that's where the problem lies. We need good government and our cities, counties and even states are for the most part able to achieve it.

What screws things up at the Federal lever are these incompetent and corrupt congressmen running our government, that, as politicians, are part of the problem. As a pro-active New Year resolution, let them all go and replace them with non-affiliated representatives!

What's left to travel

2011-12-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

Each day brings us a brand new beginning. What doesn't change is the end-zone and while we (thankfully) don't know when it is, we can be carefree about it. Yet, we have one of two choices. Cruise through that time-span by letting events pummel us around and shape us as they please - quite a passive way of managing our future - or chart a road, set goals, make plans and take daily corrective action.

Of course, to make the later possible there has to be some form of motivation or desire. It's up to us to identify what that motoring fuel can be. Often time, we don't about it or simply don't look for it, even though it's not really far from our grasp. So here we are! We just need to introspect a bit, find that little flickering flame and act on it between now and the “end-zone.” The secret is to begin today!

Mental block...

2011-12-21T08:24:00.001-07:00

It seem to happen more and more, at least as far as I'm concerned. Yesterday, while running, my wife was evoking that biography about the famous Las Vegas tennis player. Yeah, the one with a toupee, the one who married Steffi Graf, you see which one... Of course, I knew! My mind was churning up, looking for some easy answer and when we returned, even after we ate breakfast, I was still desperately looking, mentally running the alphabet of possible names, but all to no avail; I said that I wouldn't look up the internet for it.

It would have to come back naturally, one way or the other. Eventually, I forgot about that rather trivial search. In the afternoon, as we went for a walk, a car passed us by, the driver waved to us and I told my wife, this is Chris. She say no, that's not Chris, it's Ken. I said “you're right!” then I remembered our fruitless search in the morning and the words “Andre Agassi” flashed into my mind!

Skiing with the “pack...”

2011-12-20T07:38:00.002-07:00

For years now, we've been lucky. We've roamed empty slopes, skied where there was almost no one else. When I'd send a video illustrating our ski adventures to my good friend Francois Feuz in Switzerland, he would exclaim: “Where are the other skiers?” and it was true. For the past five years (ever since I've been retired) we had the whole mountain to ourselves. So far, this year isn't the same anymore as we can only ski on man-made snow and must mingle and share a crowded run with other users and it's hard.

You can call it collision-avoidance, I'll call it Russian roulette, because it's no longer a matter of “if” but just a matter of “when” someone will collide with you. I understand better while many of my European friends don't enjoy skiing anymore. While we wait for some abundant new snow, I'll keep my fingers crossed and my skis... parallel!

Providential break

2011-12-19T20:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my last day volunteering at the Park City junior races. Since the weather was beautiful and I had one free hour for lunch, I decided to go skiing. I took about three runs on a couple of lifts and since I still had time for some more, I proceeded to ride another chair when I pushed hard on my ski and my Look turntable heel unit pulled out of my left ski.

Two hundred ski-days later, that can be understood if not totally acceptable. I think the Scott Mission skis on which the bindings were mounted are of pretty bad quality, but what counts is that none of that incident took place when I was barreling down the slope at a high rate of speed. That's what I call a providential break and feel extremely fortunate!

Bringing a kid to be ski champion

2011-12-18T17:42:00.001-07:00

These four days of volunteering at the junior ski races gave me quite a bit of time to observe young racers. Many are pushed by their parents, and have acquiesced to get on with the program just with their head, not their heart.

For the first two days of my volunteering assignment this year, I was the Finish hand-timer and could observe attitudes, whether they were wining or not so high in the aggressive category. The ones that were half convinced about their purpose on skis crossed the finish line with very little energy and enthusiasm. It could very well be that a “finish line” location could be the best tell-tale place to assess skiers' motivation and future potential...

Iraq. The end of waste.

2011-12-17T17:41:00.002-07:00

As we exit Iraq, my parting thoughts are that the idiotic idea to invade and occupy that country for no single good reason has cost between over 100,000 and 500,000 lives, and by the time the dust settles and we take care of our 32,000 wounded, the war end up costing us, taxpayers, 1.8 trillion dollar, all that with absurdly borrowed money from mostly – the Chinese.

Think of what that wasted treasure could have bought in terms of new and updated US infrastructure. Without one single doubt, we should fire all members of congress who authorized that pointless war and in a sane world George Bush and Dick Cheney belong in jail!

Last time I volunteer?

2011-12-16T09:51:00.000-07:00

For the past several years, I've been a volunteer at one of the kids race that opens up the season of ski competition in Park City. For four day, we handle between 200 and 250 young skiers each day. I kind of like doing this because it provides me with a stash of free lift tickets that I can use when my children or friends want to ski with at Park City Mountain Resort.

Yet, it's a tough job; the weather is cold and for the first two days this year, I'm a hand timer at the finish which forces me to be standing for hours on end and this breaks my back. Between you and me, and just because of my now delicate back, this might be my very last season volunteering on behalf of our young racers. Just mark my words!

Jesus revisited...

2011-12-15T17:08:00.002-07:00

A few nights ago, I watched an interesting show on TV that debunked a lot of dogmatic ideas about the historical aspect of Jesus' life. It was the first show in a series, and being based on historical evidence, it did challenge familiar assumptions and conventional notions about the whole story of Christianity.

Twelve scholars -New Testament theologians, archaeologists, and historians – contributed to this fresh view on Christianity and gave the viewer full latitude in reconciling their Christian faith with their iconoclastic approach. I welcomed it and the entire show as it made me thinking that with so little hard evidence about the origin of the large and long-lasting religion, that there was plenty of fuel to blow the whole story of Jesus into a powerful myth.

The Republican Sideshow...

2011-12-14T10:40:00.001-07:00

There are events in life that are totally irrelevant for most, and the current circus displayed by the Republican Presidential Candidates is one of them. Currently, Newt Gingrich leads the pack because he's emerged as being (perhaps) the least incompetent of the entire field, not because he's any good.

When I observe this political situation unfolding, I wonder who are the people that even get interested in supporting, let alone following this grotesque contest. Are these people from another planet, from another era? Do I understand America yet? Probably not...

Keeping up with the internet

2011-12-13T07:43:00.000-07:00

This could be a classical case of lopsided story between what we are physically able to absorb and what's available around us. Keeping up with news of all kind in this internet age is no small feat and can be impossible or downright overwhelming if we don't adhere to some form of strategic discipline and fine tune it day after day.

After fifteen internet years, I feel that I'm getting better at it all the time, but this process requires a permanent, deliberate effort. One of these days, I'll try to share my approach to that mind-boggling challenge!

Famous ski names

2011-12-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Stein Eriksen 84th birthday and this Norwegian ski champion has managed to make an incredible American career that is still going... He's especially famous in Deer Valley where a lodge bears his name and in Park City where he spends most of his time. My list of famous former ski champions has two more names, Toni Sailer (1935-2009) and Jean-Claude Killy.

If I had to list three of them still alive, I'd add Émile Allais, another Frenchman who participated in the development of a large number of ski resorts like Squaw-Valley, Portillo, Courchevel, La Plagne and Flaine. Mr. Allais who now lives in Megève, France will turn 100 on February 25, 2012!

Altitude, latitude, snow-line and tree-line

2011-12-11T11:32:00.000-07:00

There is hardly ever a conversation with a European friend of mine that doesn't go without my party asking me about the elevation at Park City. I say, “7,000 feet” and they think “Uh, that's very high, must be a really harsh climate where you live...” and then I need to go into the important relationship between latitude and altitude, the snow-line and the tree-line. Most of them hear what I'm trying to say, but most of them don't fully grasp it. This is the reason why I thought it was time to tackle that "existential" subject...

Let's first talk about how that relationship affects the so-called “snow line.” The climatic snow line is the point above which snow and ice cover the ground throughout the year. Of course, in winter, the actual snow line maybe significantly lower. At or near the equator, it is typically situated at approximately 15,000 feet above sea level. As one moves towards the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, the parameter at first increases: in the Himalayas the permanent snow line can be as high as 18,700 feet, while on the Tropic of Capricorn no permanent snow exists at all in the Andes because of their extreme aridity: Monte Pissis in Argentina is the highest mountain in the world to be free of glaciers to its summit.

Beyond the Tropics, the snow line becomes progressively lower as the latitude increases, to just below 10,000 feet in the Alps and falling all the way to sea level itself at the ice caps near the poles. In addition, the relative location to the nearest coastline can influence the altitude of the snow line. Areas near a coast, like for instance the Olympic Peninsula in the State of Washington might have a lower snow line than areas of the same altitude and latitude situated in a landmass interior due to more winter snowfall and because the average summer temperature of the surrounding lowlands would be warmer away from the sea.

This applies even in the tropics, since areas far from the sea will have larger diurnal temperature ranges and potentially less moisture, as observed with Kilimanjaro and presently glacier-free Mount Meru. A higher altitude is therefore necessary to lower the temperature further against the surroundings and keep the snow from melting.

The tree-line is also equally affected by this altitude-latitude relationship. Again, the “tree-line” is the edge of the habitat at which trees are capable of growing. Above that, they can't grow because of inappropriate environmental conditions (cold temperatures or lack of moisture). The tree-line generally appears well-defined from a distance, but closer-up, it's more of a gradual transition; trees generally grow shorter towards the inhospitable climate until they simply stop growing. Just like the snow-line, the tree-line is affected by local variables, like the type of slope, rain shadow and proximity to either geographical pole. In addition, in some tropical or island localities, where species diversity is limited, lower tree-lines can be observed than one would normally expect.

Conversely, Kerguelen Island, Île Saint-Paul, South Georgia, South Orkney, and other Sub-Antarctic islands are all so windy and have such a cold summer climate that none have any indigenous tree species. The Antarctic Peninsula is the northernmost point in Antarctica and also the one that offers the mildest weather. It is only located 670 mi from the Cape Horn, but no trees live on Antarctica. Averaging over many locations and local micro-climates, the tree-line rises 246 ft when moving 1 degree south from 70 to 50°N, and 430 ft per degree from 50 to 30°N. Between 30°N and 20°S, the treeline is roughly constant, between 11,500 and 13,000 ft.

Now, you can realize that altitude and latitude are really inseparable in gauging what altitude truly represents in terms of vegetation, weather and... most liveable conditions!

My take on the Euro crisis

2011-12-10T07:39:00.002-07:00

Now that a modicum of agreement has been found among the Euro-zone members and that heaps of stupid comments are been made on both sides of the Atlantic about it, today's blog is an attempt of mine to summarize the deal, including its shining aspects and all the dark clouds that still seem to be hanging over it. Generally speaking, each member nation will have to control its deficit and if doesn't, it will get slapped on the wrist.

Before the crisis they had to abide by the same rule, without the enforcement. Of course, if a country strays, will they be any kind of enforcement? I personally doubt it! Another big question is to see that if, by tightening their wallets, each member of the Euro-zone isn't likely to bring too much austerity into their economy, which might tremendously slowdown business activity and generate a continent-wide recession.

Another big uncertainty is the role of the European Central Bank (ECB) that won't be allowed to print money like the US Federal Bank does to soften everyone's pain. Even though European bank will be able to borrow from the ECB for three years at 1%, yet who is to say that European banks will offer all the loans needed by businesses and individuals?

As for the Brits, I think the die is cast. These guys should revert 100% to their insularity, curl-up, survive and die alone on their island Nation. While they do that, they should quit adding their snotty two-cent to a world that no longer care about their past or present!

Piece of our mind...

2011-12-09T09:28:00.003-07:00

Yesterday, as we stopped by the Library to drop a book, my wife noticed a tent sign indicating that our “Tea Party” Senator was holding office in Park City for a couple of hours. Without much hesitation, we went up the stairs to share what was on our mind with this elected official. We didn't find him in person, but his rep, Gary Beck, a retired attorney.

We began by thanking him for coming to us and proceeded on telling him how ticked-off we were at our government, which first and foremost is corrupt by design and asked that some meaningful step be taken to bring some true campaign finance reform. We then told him what we thought of the current GOP presidential candidates (all bad) and Obama (not nearly as dismal) and said that the quarreling that has become a fixture in Congress had to stop; we not paying these guys salaries for what we were getting...

We also told him the “tea party” didn't impress us at all and that independent-minded people like us who were fiscally responsive and socially liberal had no representation whatsoever. We told him we were wishing for an alternative to the current politicians we were offered and would gladly jump-ship if given that opportunity.

We warned him that “Occupy Wall Street” would return with a vengeance in the spring and that the major political party better get their act together in responding to that tidal wave which in fact speaks to 99% of the disaffected Americans. We went on and told him that American people are like the children of quarreling, rambling parents, the couple at odds being both sides of the aisle in Congress, and we were ashamed of them and seriously questionning the affiliation we were supposed to have to them.

I even managed to share my idea about a truly "balanced" trade policy. We concluded by saying that “writing to your Senator” was in pure waste as the recipient never directly answered the question and that we were equally mad at that. I don't know what Mr. Beck will have retained of our short visit, but we have very low expectations about an outcome that is likely to “move the needle...”

Managing what worries us

2011-12-08T06:22:00.001-07:00

As I have already discussed, we should never be worried by elements in our lives that we don't control. I was reminded of it by countless discussions about the lack of snow in the Alps. All my friends over there were already crying foul in the middle of November when snow is traditionally never there! Today it has arrived, plentifully...

As for us, in the Rocky Mountains, we could use more, much more; yet, we don't control the spigot so we can't worry about it. The only constructive thing that can be done, if for instance, one is a business person whose activity depends on plenty of snow, is start planning for a variety of outcomes. For example, Outcome One is if snow arrives on December 15, Outcome Two, if snow arrives on December 25, Outcome Three, if snow only arrives on January 10, etc.

These plans could include staffing, hour of operations, inventory management or anything that would optimize the foreseeable situation and lessen its consequences. This is a much more proactive way to manage something we don't control at all, in a manner that can have major consequences on our livelihood and comfort by drawing a specific plan for each foreseeable outcome! The rest, as we've seen before, is purely a waste of time.

How does my theories affect what I do? In practice, my alternative plans are much more limited than in the example I used, so I will reset my expectation to “no snow” through the entire Holidays, and perhaps receive a wonderful surprise!

The bliss of “not having...”

2011-12-07T07:47:00.004-07:00

When we are in our twenties, thirties, forties and fifties, we always want more. More degrees, more career, more money, more car, more house, more toys. Then as we hit sixty, we start wanting less: Less taxes, less traffic, less pollution, less chronic pain, less noise, less superficial relationships, less stiffness, less cold, less heat.

I could go on and on with that list of items we want less of... Clearly, as we go through the sixties threshold, there's a reversal of desires and needs going on, and it's for the better. To these common trends I'd add that I feel fortunate not to own a second-home, an RV, a plane or a boat. Okay, there's just one thing I'd want more of, and it's time!

Piecing footage out

2011-12-06T06:28:00.000-07:00

As a budding videographer, there are good and bad days. The good days are when I get lucky and land that wonderful shot without doing or thinking much. The bad ones are those when nothing seem to be going right. In fact, when these moments happen, there was generally no good plan laid out before hand. Haphazard planning does guarantee bad results, right?

I was in that situation this weekend, and as I am parsing through images today in an effort to create a decent clip, each one reminds me of the moment I shot them, some begin to inspire me, I save a good sequence here, another one there, and my original story board begins to shift based on the character of the data I decide to keep.

I find myself discovering that movie editing is a journey and things begin to gel as they are pieced together. A totally new story can suddenly take place! The footage that I thought was so bad may yield something good in the end, exceeding by far my low expectations. Right, good things do happen...

GS Magic...

2011-12-05T08:18:00.001-07:00

Like many, I watched yesterday's suspenseful GS race in Beaver Creek. What a pleasure for the eyes! While the visibility could have been a tad better, the conditions were consistant and gave a fair chance to every participants. I was struck by the excellence of the field and by the zero-tolerance for the tiniest fault in this highly competitive event. The snow was super hard, the margin of error nil, and next to the perfect edge grip came... the “boot-grip,” not a good option at all, as Bennie Raich would attest.

What also made watching that event highly interesting is that the best guy, the 27 year old Ted Ligety, remains the key target, but as always, the field is evolving and making room for new and younger talents, like Fritz Dopfer 24, Marcel Hirscher 23, Giovanni Borsotti 21 and Alexis Pinturault only 20! These new, younger and quite talented racers are no doubt going to make a big dent into a group of already outstanding racers. Too bad there are so few GS events in the season. Time for the FIS to reconsider, deliver us from the drudgery of Super G and give us more Giant Slaloms instead!

Super G anyone?

2011-12-04T12:02:00.000-07:00

I've never been a fan of Super G as I always felt it was an unnecessary alpine event. Yesterday's surprising win by Sandro Viletta was another “nail” in the coffin of that bizarre competition. I see it as a bastard child (not a hybrid) between GS and Downhill and it maybe spectacular to some, but highly fickle and unable to render and reward a skier's true abilities.

Skiing is unpredictable enough, between snow quality, weather and visibility, all in changing increments, that the more it can be manageable, the fairer the outcome is likely to be. In slalom, that I'm not a fan of, ever since the introduction of the break-away gates, the multitude of turns increases the chances to exit, straddle or miss a gate, times two runs. Almost same situation in GS (by far, my favorite event, because it's the one all skiers can relate to) where the lesser number and more open gate scheme improves somewhat the odds, but where the right trajectory introduces a tremendous nuance.

Downhill is all about the perfect line and courage, at least on the best courses. Yet, athletes have a couple of opportunities to try the course before the competition, in so doing, fine-tune their approaches and strategies. In contrast, Super G is a bastardized Downhill event with absolutely no chance for the athletes to inspect or test before hand. That's why I don't like it and strongly feel it's totally unnecessary!

Fix it again Toni!

2011-12-03T16:09:00.003-07:00

Today, as I was driving up to Deer Valley, a small car was standing, without anyone inside, by the by the side of the highway. We don't see too many cars broken down and left on the roadways these days and this sighting got my attention. It was in fact a new Fiat 500 that had been left by his or her driver and was waiting to be rescued.

I wasn't shocked, just a bit surprised. The last time I had seen cars in that situation was in Bulgaria and they were Russian-made Volgas. It's not that I'm suggesting that Fiat is a bad automobile, but even now that it owns Chrysler, a Fiat is evidently still a Fiat...

Populist vs. Intellectual

2011-12-02T14:09:00.000-07:00

One of Barack Obama's problem is his difficulty in connecting with people; if you prefer, in being warm and fuzzy. You see, unlike Bill Clinton, he isn't a populist and not the kind of man you'd share a beer with and feel totally at ease in his company. I can see a split between the Intellectual-types like him, that tend to look down to the politicians who kisses babies and slap you in the back, and precisely these populist types that have no shame in doing whatever it takes to earn and keep their constituents' esteem.

In that class, you also had Reagan and in France you'd find a Sarkozy or a Berlusconi in Italy, even though the later is more a caricature of the genre. If intellect can get you elected, populism is a better ingredient to stay on the job and get re-elected. This said, considering the lackluster qualities of this year's Republican candidates, it would take an incredible charismatic guy or girl to overcome Obama's intellect!

Let's talk wooden shingles...

2011-12-01T07:39:00.000-07:00

I've always loved wooden shingles as a roofing material. Most probably because they were part of my environment growing up in Les Lindarets, a tiny alpine hamlet. Later, the modernistic Avoriaz ski resort adopted them, not just as roofing, but also as siding material, and that time they went for the luxury item, picking cedar shake shingles from British Columbia!

When I moved to America, I rediscovered that material in the East, used mostly as siding material and it's only when I arrived in Park City in the mid 80s that the material was at its peak, mostly used on all rooftops. We've owned two homes with that material and didn't have good experience with them. Since that time, the use of that rustic material has gone down.

Part of it is fire danger, but another reason it seems, is that the material fares poorly in Utah's extremely dry weather. After a while, the shingles bend, warp and twist on the sides most exposed to the elements and need to be replaced. The lack of humidity substantially weakens the wood and makes it vulnerable to drastic change in temperatures so the individual shingle loses its geometric shape and loses its functionality.

Warping might also be associated with the difference that exists between true shake shingles (split) that should last longer, but is more expensive, and the milled shingles that have lost their directional integrity and are free to bend back to any direction they want. That's too bad, because a shingle roof looks so rustic, organic and natural...

“Occupy...” takes a winter break!

2011-11-30T11:03:00.001-07:00

As the “Occupy movements” here and there are getting dismantled, I bet they're only going to morph into hibernation until waking up next spring. It's in fact a good thing that the local police forces are taking the protesters out of their potential cold misery, allow them to regroup, really get their act together and begin a serious national dialogue at the same time our two political parties get ready for their big 2012 campaign.

For the politicians, this couldn't have happened at a worst time. The “Occupy movements” just planted the seed, established the new “1-99” paradigm, convinced 75% of the American public that it makes sense and that our main problem is the work of corrupt politics, combined with the greed of both Wall Street and Big Business. The movements will now have to articulate their demands, if and when they do it, how and the big question is how will it play?

How can the Republican Party defend its “no new taxes” pledge? How can the Democrats tap into that discontent or jump onto that bandwagon without smelling bad or will these traditional parties' unease lead the way to a viable third-party movement? Of course, one could always surmise that this populist movement will peter out, but I don't believe the odds are in favor of that outcome....

Winterizing before skiing

2011-11-29T10:39:00.000-07:00

Getting back on skis is a very complex and tedious process. It's not just getting the skis ready and removing a toy from inside a ski boot; it's much more comprehensive than that... Following yesterday's “slip and fall” incident, my wife decided to accompany me skiing. That was a great idea. We had some sun, there was almost no a single soul on the ski runs, no errant plastic sheeting either, balmy temperatures and great snow.

All was just perfect, until my wife asked me to check the vents on her ski helmet. Hers were shut closed as they should have been in November. I asked her to reciprocate and tell me what the status of my helmet venting was. As expected, it was wide open, letting the cold winter air in, in spite of my recent haircut.

I must be close to brain-dead or in heat, because I didn't feel anything. Once this major failing was discovered, my spouse asked me to raise my arms enough for her to discover that both vents, under each arm, were fully unzipped. My climate control settings obviously demonstrated adjustments made back last spring when temperatures were vastly different than today. What would I do without my better half?

Plastic sheeting on snow!

2011-11-28T09:34:00.000-07:00

As I was skiing yesterday, I went over a loose piece of clear plastic sheeting that must have been blown around and had landed on the ski run. Because it was clear, I wasn't able to see it and, as I was putting my ski on edge and leaning accordingly, I felt a sliding sensation, having both my skis slip laterally from under me.

It was as if the carpet of snow was pulled away by some malevolent elves, and I took a brutal fall, the harsher, as the terrain was fairly flat in that particular area. That weird incident had never happened to me before so I guess I had to live through it to be able to tell the world and (perhaps) learn something in the process. After I picked myself up, I realized to my dismay that I had sprained my left thumb. Another hard lesson that I will remember!

Ah, that first time!

2011-11-27T05:41:00.000-07:00

On Friday, I summoned my courage, loaded my skis into the back of my car, grabbed a pair of still cold boots (they stayed by accident inside our cold mud room,) got the rest of my gear and drove to Canyons for a few hours of skiing fun. It had been less than five month since my last outing in Snowbird, on July 4th and here I was again, hoping to make a few turns on some brand-new snow.

The weather was snowy, the crowds gone shopping, and I did an impressive number of laps on one of the five lifts that were opened to the public. I still remembered how to “turn' em,” even though my first descents were a bit tentative, but now I believe that I can begin my 58th ski season with reasonable confidence!

Floppy-joint running

2011-11-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

A few days ago my wife was remarking that my running looks totally relaxed. I acknowledged that I follow the same precepts that help me so much when I ski, I try to stay as loose as possible in my joints, especially hips, knees and ankles. I'm also making a concerted mental effort in thinking I'm light and that I'm barely touching the ground, as if I were floating.

This of course is easy for me to say and put into practice when I'm running with my spouse who, by virtue of her gender alone, suffer the same handicap women do when dealing with men, a significant difference in performance due to weight and muscle mass. When I push myself, lightness yields to brute force and at that time, all these loosy-goosey benefits vaporize...

Checking-out Woody Allen's work

2011-11-25T06:57:00.000-07:00

After seeing a great documentary on Woody Allen, we decided to return to his work and watch one of his movies. As we got into the quirky show and as we patiently watched it to its bitter end, we were reminded why we are not super fans of the artist.

While he's a wonderful observer of human behavior and can weave a few good jokes around his deep understanding of human nature, he is a very poor story teller and that's where he loses most of his public, except perhaps for the French who tend to like the inherent absurdity of some of Allen's films. This was another rich experience reminding us that without a good story, there's not much entertainment left!

Tahrir square revisited...

2011-11-24T09:24:00.002-07:00

The military government that has been ruling Egypt since Mubarak exit is not really ready to relinquish the power. As demonstrators are reminding the arm forces that it's now time for them to leave the scene, they get butchered. Yet, we're giving 1.5 billion in military aid and another 0.5 billion in civilian assistance to that country.

We should have plenty of leverage in telling the military that they need to control themselves and stop killing their civilians. Yet, our Department of State remains conspicuously silent on that topic. I might very well be that Israel prefers to see the Egyptian Army in power instead of the Muslim Brotherhood and is extremely effective in steering our foreign policy to its utmost convenience...

Deer Valley food update

2011-11-24T07:25:00.000-07:00

Interview with Jodie Rogers Executive Chef of Snow Park and Empire Canyon Lodges

Go 11: First Jodie, remind us what’s your philosophy at Deer Valley Resort?
JR: The biggest thing we’ve done in the past two year was to turn to three fundamental principles: Local, sustainable and fresh ingredients. Fresh ingredients have always been a big concern for us. This year I was lucky enough to be invited on a couple ranch tours, in Bear Lake and in South Dakota. We work with Niman Ranch where traceability is available and easy to check. They work very closely with us and make the effort to understand our needs. For instance, all of our lamb, in all in our menus, comes from Bear Lake. Our beef comes from many of the Niman associate farms. We’re staying away from unnecessary antibiotic, steroids or things like that. Freshness is paramount with us.

Go 11: Do you treat seafood the same way?
JR: Absolutely! Heather, our seafood chef at the Seafood Buffet, has been leading that way for many years already. She follows the “Seafood Watch” at the Monterey Bay Aquarium daily and purchases accordingly. For instance, we can trace back all of our oysters to their origin and to the actual fishermen. Now, our guest have come to expect this kind of quality from us! Not only are we doing the right things, but our guest expect us to keep that lead.

Go 11: So tell me, what’s new this winter at Deer Valley?
JR: First at the Grocery~Café, we are working very closely with Copper Moose Farm for our field greens, beets, herbs and other vegetables that can be grown in our harsh environment. As far as the Seafood Buffet is concerned, Heather having her crew go back to the roots of some classic dishes. As an example, this season Heather had the idea of serving Pazole with the DV twist. Instead of buying ready-made cans of Hominy, she’s taking the dried corn and making it from scratch. The seafood Buffet chefs will continue to follow what’s sustainable and we’ll advise the chefs be creative within that parameter. The Day Lodges will continue with Niman burgers and homemade bratwursts. We’ll keep everyone focused on these goals so that our chefs understand our local sourcing, make sure it remains a priority and use it as creatively as possible.

Fireside Dining is opening an extra night, Saturday, and that will go from three to four nights. All the lamb will be sourced locally, from Bear Lake. We’ve also gone local with some of Salt Lake’s Creminelli cured meat instead of importing them; Creminelli is really good, they source Berkshire pork and other high quality ingredients as local as possible… The Mariposa is going to offer a great southwest sturgeon dish this winter to continue our quest in trying to stay sustainable. Royal Street Café is focusing on using lots of local cheeses, like Beehive, Rock Hill Creamery and Gold Creek. Our Day Restaurants will incorporate all of these into our other menus as well. Royal Street Café will also still serve their fabulous homemade meatballs, that by the way are also sold at the Deer Valley Grocery~Café…

Our big focus as far as management is to see even more consistency out of our three Days Lodges. Now that we’re Number One for the fifth year in a row, it behooves us to maintain our lead, ahead of the competition by continuing to strive for culinary perfection.

We’ve had a lot of construction going on this summer and some of it involved rebuilding the whole employee dining area at the Snow Park Lodge as we had outgrown it. Since it caters to our own staff, it also gave us the opportunity to offer an extended menu along with faster service, and this is not small stuff as, if we’re able to make our own people happy, we can be sure that they will make our guests even happier. That may sound like “back of the house” but it will have a huge impact on the “front of the house” and their interaction with our guests!

On the cocktail front, the Park City Area Restaurant Association had upped the ante by organizing a cocktail contest twice a year and we’re participating along with the other Main Street establishments. We’ll be featuring the winner of the last contest, the Easy Street Cocktail, that will be on all our menus. We will also feature more seasonal drinks and cocktail and we’ve also upgraded our wine and liquor list. Finally, we’ll be offering more live entertainment in the afternoon at the EBS Lounge, during weekends, with some of our best local musicians…

Go 11: Sounds wonderful! Where do you get all that inspiration?
JR: Our guests drive us to become better, especially when they do vote us continually Number One in Food and Beverage, on-mountain dining, specially. The good comments we get from our guests make us want to be better. Our chefs are also a very creative team that is always on the lookout for new things and are key in keeping our lead. I want to give them every opportunity to try something new and wow our guests.

Go 11: How do you gather that feedback?
JR: Our guests are pretty verbal, and we get lots of comments, phone calls and emails, helping us to steer our offerings in the right direction. We’re are labeling our menus to indicate all the gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian items as we get these questions all the time, and it’s sometimes hard for waiters to keep up with all these details even though we keep on educating them as well on all these issues.

We have an eight-day rotating menu for our kids ski school, and while we’ve always cater to Kosher, this year our menus will also display the gluten-free options. Further, our ski school menus are all nut-free and we take all the necessary care in the kitchens to avoid cross-contamination so kids can eat with total peace of mind. The bottom line is that if anyone has some special needs, we’ll take care of them!

Go 11: Is the improving level of the Park City, Main Street restaurant benefiting Deer Valley?

JR: We all help each other. The more demand we place on certain ingredients, the more choice we get from suppliers and the more that quality improves. That’s a huge help from all of us. When I first came to Deer Valley I couldn’t get coconut milk; you know, I come from Australia and I couldn’t get any of it and I got so frustrated! Because we have such a diverse and talented pool of chefs between Main Street and Deer Valley, there’s a friendly and highly productive emulation that elevates the quality of the food served and benefits everyone. Our guests too are very diverse and come to us with pretty sophisticated tastes and a fine palate that push us all to become better!

Go 11: You’ve wet my appetite; when can guest samples all that wonderful food?
JR: Very soon! While our Grocery~Café is always serving food, Royal Street Café will open the last weekend of November and then the weekend of December 3, all Day Lodges will welcome the skiing public. Then on Friday, December 9, our Seafood Buffet will be available to diners, followed by Fireside, the last one to open, on Wednesday, December 14. Mark your calendar and come sample our wonderful food!

Presidential Candidates

2011-11-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

It's almost like the weather forecast; unpredictable and changing all the time... Among the eight remaining presidential republican candidates, the leader of the pack keeps on changing depending on the last stupidity uttered or the most blatant act of misconduct. The front-runner has gone from Sarah Palin to Donald Trump, then to Michelle Bachmann, Texas Governor Rick Perry and marketing guru Herman Cain.

At some point last week, it was Ron Paul's turn, and now Newt Gingrich gets the advantage. The truth is that they all share one common feature: They stink! Still left to take the lead are Rick Santorum and Jon Hunstman (the less mediocre of that dismal group!) So no wonder their right-wing electorate doesn't quite like what is offered to them and pray for a miracle when it's time for the winner to duel with Obama.

The candidates fielded by the Grand Old Party are in line with its ideology: Tired and passé. As they keep on making fools of themselves and showing out they are so out of touch with the world we live in, they are likely to cast a very negative shadow on the members of congress and senate that claim the same ideology and need to be re-elected. At least, I hope so!

Top of the board

2011-11-22T05:54:00.000-07:00

When I worked in a ski school, back in the late sixties to mid-seventies, in the French Alps, the pecking order was defined by seniority. The more senior a ski instructor would be, the better and more business he or she would receive. As time would go on, and through attrition, one would crawl up the board – yeah, there was such a thing as a board in full view of everyone who happened to walk into the booking office! - and as your name would climb up, business would improve significantly.

I didn't stay long enough to live through the glory of being at the top or the infamy of retirement, but that day would happen when a ski instructor reached 61 (at my former ski-school anyway.) By then, your name would be erased from the board, you would become a non-entity and could only work when former students requested you specifically, or during peak season when overflow demand would allow it.

Today, I was wondering were I would stand in the “planetary board,” if there were such a tool, to rank the earth population. Out of 7 billion, what would my rank be? After a long afternoon or research, I computed that out of a planetary average life expectancy of 67.2 year, I would rank as the 462,327,112th oldest person living on the planet. That's still quite a sizable group and I won't worry too much about my ranks getting overly thin, at least for the next couple of weeks...

How should I say it?

2011-11-22T05:52:00.002-07:00

As an independent voter, I feel extremely frustrated at the failure of negotiating a debt reduction agreement by the bi-partisan “group of twelve.” This bleak outcome clearly is the fault of the Republican Party. I wrote to my congressman and my two senators to tell them the same and added that I simply hoped the GOP would get a bruising defeat at the 2012 election!

Their regressive party is costing investors money, hampering the economy, remains stuck in its dogma, backwards and out of touch with reality. Enough is enough and now, I need to make a video that is compelling enough to rally the troops!

Are we laughing enough?

2011-11-21T11:33:00.001-07:00

The answer to that question is probably a resounding “no.” Last night, we saw a bizarre if not downright bad movie at the Park City Film Series (Beginners) and returned home to watch the first part a wonderful documentary on Woody Allen that made us laugh to the point that we forgot everything about the mediocre film we just saw. This went a long way to reminding us what our daily problem is: We just don't laugh enough.

Our politicians (Republicans, particularly) are spoiling our life with their leaders crying foul for nothing and their focus on the glass being half-empty. These people are rotting the country and should all be deported! What we need is balance the budget, get rid of all American religious and tax-adverse right-wingers by sending them to Afghanistan, and start laughing while we watch them put on the funny clothes folks wear over there, including burkas for the ladies, and while finally John Boehner crying for a good reason. Only then, will we be liberated from the scum of the earth and able to laugh more!

Gear Mania

2011-11-21T06:54:00.005-07:00

As I was wondering if I should get some new skis this season, I saw a full ski rack inside my garage and the first order of business would be to make some room for a new pair. Since I can’t decide which pair I should get rid of, this becomes an easy decision to make. For a while, I had considered embarking on the rocker-ski adventure, but as I have shared before on this blog, I’m still hesitating about that design and while I can appreciate these skis might help me greatly in bottomless powder, I still have a few unresolved issues with them.

First, and as I’ve also said before, the longer rocker design won’t fit my car ski-box! The other part of my dilemma is that I have fallen in love with Deer Valley’s tree skiing and not just its nicely gladed runs, but the more challenging, tight turning skiing like the one found in Centennial trees. Rocker skis are a bit longer than regular boards, and when the turning radius gets tighter, every extra inch that stick in the front or in the back might be just enough to grab the next spruce or aspen that happens to be in the way.

To top it off, I still can’t picture myself riding these curvaceous boards on corduroy, moguls and hard-pack as I get to, or return from my powder stashes. All these good reasons mean that I’ll continue to use my semi-fat skis (90 mm under the foot) for another season. Hopefully, I’ll be able to eventually get used to the feeling and move to a shorter length as I also get a bit older, but frankly, I’m not ready yet and may have to labor at tiny bit more while in deep powder!

I hope you’ll fully understand my position with regard to double-ski-camber designs: I’m intellectually and practically not ready for them yet! Since I am all set and very happy with my current poles, the only area that is left for me to worry about is that other, all-important piece of equipment, the ski boots. Mine are still okay and I can see another full season in their sort-term future. This year, I will just add to my closet a pair of specialized boots that I’ll use for accomplishing other tasks. That’s right, I want to seriously get into alpine touring this season…

I already own a pair of skis dedicated to that pursuit, complete with skins and special bindings, and the only missing component is the pair of touring boots that I just purchased today. Will I use that “AT gear” – as it’s called – in the middle of winter? Probably not very often, but as April rolls around and Deer Valley Resort closes for the season, I intend to be all over the back-country, exploring ridges, bowls and glades where snow will continue to linger during the following weeks and even months. This will keep me fit and prolong a season that never begins early enough and always ends far too soon!

Yeah, just a break

2011-11-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

As we were strolling around the block yesterday, we literally “fell” on that flock of Canadian geese (Branta canadensis) that had landed during the snow storm and were taking a well deserved break before taking up in the air again in V-shaped formation. Like most geese, these ones are naturally migratory with the wintering range being most of the United States (I thought they went to Mexico, but these evidently didn't have the right visas for that!)

Perhaps they had heard of the local Wasatch Brew Pub and just wanted to sip a cold beer before resuming their trip. Apparently the early migrations in the seasons are quick and don't cause these long stop-overs. The one we saw were the usual stragglers, the ones never seem to get going and get their act together fast enough. We'll check today if they're still on the ground!

Travel safely!

2011-11-19T14:22:00.001-07:00

This morning as I was driving to Old Town, Park City, I was passed by a small Honda that sported a bumper sticker proclaiming: “Jesus is my car insurance.” It's not that I have anything against "Jesus" as insurance coverage, but it makes me a bit nervous to drive amidst folks that could trust the brand so much that it ends up being their only coverage, especially following a recent snowfall!

I love to drive on snow, but not around people like that. Makes me want to slow down a bit, let them get far away from me and even perhaps, instead of driving myself, ride the town free bus. I know, I can always cancel my current coverage and try this “other brand”

The inexorable passage of time...

2011-11-18T08:58:00.000-07:00

Recently, our son turned 33 and that other marker gave us a chance to get together with his family and friends and together, celebrate the passage of time. The evening was fun and festive and was another subtle reminder that time takes no break at all. Just like a formidable glacier, it keeps on pushing forward no matter what happens on the outside.

When we're young that crawling motion seems interminable and just feels like watching grass grow. As time goes on, the pace picks up and today, an entire day seems to be discarded before it can even be contemplated prior to putting it to good use.

It's true that we fill every possible opening in our day with some type of activity and we wedge even more stuff into it with our new penetrating technology that sucks even more time-space out of the equation.

Perhaps we should stop doing anything, go crazy for sure, but appreciate the silence, the time that goes nowhere and – again – would seem to last forever...

Learning a new skill

2011-11-17T16:17:00.001-07:00

Getting to learn a new craft takes time and this is precisely what I'm still doing with my video productions. Over the course of one year, I have produced more than 200 short clips and keep on learning daily about shooting them right, getting better organized, editing them faster, adding some creativity in the process and most importantly learning from my mistakes, errors, omissions and mediocre results.

My progress are not instantly translated into a spectacular learning curve and instead, I'm crawling along and it will take time for me to get better – which by the way is totally acceptable – and this is something I'm looking forward to on a daily basis. Knowing that I'll never reach that elusive “top,” that there will also be ample room for learning and improving my skills is incredibly stimulating and keeps me going. I'm really glad a came across that new hobby!

A complicated first step...

2011-11-16T15:37:00.002-07:00

Last evening, I attended a meeting about the newly proposed connection between Canyons Resort and Solitude, another Utah mountain resort located in Big Cottonwood Canyon, the adjoining valley to Park City. Talisker, the recent new owner of Canyons announced the plan sometime this summer. Since Park City Mountain Resort seems to be against the idea of connecting with their neighbor to the West as it (wrongly) fears a hemorrhage of skiers and riders to their struggling competitor, Canyons decided to jump over to the next canyon by just proposing a “people mover” under the form of a 8-passenger gondola that would go from the middle of their resort (around where the Dreamscape lift is located) up to the ridge and down into Solitude's base area.

The ride would take about 11 minutes. There would be no unloading at the top; this would strictly be a “people-mover” to deflect criticism from environmental activist groups like “Save our Canyons.” At first, the lift would be used for winter operations only. A combined day lift ticket (Canyons-Solitude and perhaps Canyons-Solbright) would be offered and a surcharge would apply to season pass owners who wish to ski the “other side.” If successful, the plan would be implemented for the 2013-2014 ski season, if Canyons is able to jump through the environmental hoops and other hearings that promise to be be quite formidable.

For that, Ted Wilson who for decades has been a leading champion of environmental causes in the Wasatch, served twice as the Mayor of Salt Lake City, and more recently was Utah Gov. Gary Herbert's senior environmental advisor, has just been hired as the environmental point-man for Talisker so he can better deflect the environmentalist pressures against the idea.

To me, this is a step in the right direction, albeit a very complicated one, that may serve as a catalyst to get Park City Mountain Resort out of its apparent lethargy, but true inertia and obstructionism, on that entire issue. If and when that first “connection” is achieved, the dominoes will start falling and the Utah Interconnect may slowly become a reality. Wouldn't that be nice in the country that put a man on the moon, invented the GPS, the Internet and the iPhone, to see that we're finally able to catch up – 45 years later – with the French Alps!

Senna, Prost and the rest...

2011-11-15T05:25:00.002-07:00

Last Sunday, we finally saw a great documentary that we missed during the last Sundance film festival and that ended up winning the Audience Award. This documentary made of actual footage pieced together retraces Ayrton Senna career, his rivalry with Alain Prost, and his political struggles with the then head of FISA Jean-Marie Balestre.

All protagonists come out – at least in my eyes - as pretty bad guys, rotten by money and ambition and paints a rather dismal picture of the world of Formula One. This said, a definite, must-see movie.

Steve Jobs: One last thing!

2011-11-14T06:38:00.001-07:00

As I was extolling the greatness of the latest and official biography of Steve Jobs, I omitted to link his professional life story with whatever is being teach in schools and particularly business schools, where the end – namely making money – still remains the name of the game. This means that every action a successful leader should take must be correlated with profits.

This stands in stark contrast with the best way to create a durable and successful enterprise by sheer forces of passion, commitment and focus on quality or any other unique characteristic an organization can generate. Companies that began and lasted by staying true to that approach have always been the most successful financially despite the foibles and idiosyncrasies of the their leaders that might not have been a textbook example of corporate behavior.

That passionate leader is the hot wire that let the current of success pass into the organization. Remove that leader through demotion, sale of the company or any other reason and the “magic” too often disappears. This elusive and potent life form is unfortunately a dimension that business schools and case studies haven't been able to put their fingers on...

Steve Jobs' biography

2011-11-13T06:58:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading that wonderful book yesterday. Right, I think this is a wonderful compilation of the life of someone that will stand tall for a very long time in the pantheon of modern economic history. It had other personal meaning for me, as Jobs' career coincided with my times in America. I witnessed that incredible story from the sidelines without fully understanding its impact on our society and our economy.

The book provides a balanced view of a man that was far from perfect but was relentless in his pursuits and who made a deliberate choice from the get-got, between changing himself and changing the world around him. He chose the later and it worked for Apple. During my entire professional life, I've never had the chance to encounter people of his caliber. I've worked with people that emulated Steve's brash approach but lacked his backbone or were more likely to take shortcuts; people like him were indeed not visible in my professional surroundings.

Would such a success story be possible outside of America? I doubt it very much... Reading that book re-enforced my belief that America is indeed the ideal place to get spectacular things done and go places. Thanks for showing the way, Steve!

11.11.11

2011-11-12T09:28:00.002-07:00

There was a moment yesterday – at 11:11:11 am to be precise, when all numbers of my prestigious Casio digital watch were all the same. Six pairs of number “1” across its LCD screen and I missed that! Later during the day, Claire Christensen Kippola, my former work colleague reminded me that if there were a “Go 11 Day,” that was it, and she proceeded with sending all her best wishes.

I had totally forgotten about the “Go 11” moniker, it's special meaning, like skiing with tips pointing down and going straight and braving fear, etc. Go 11 has become my guiding principle, something I practice everyday, whether there's snow on the ground or not. It's been now more than four years that I write this blog every day, both in English and French and it still goes strong; at least in my biased and so distracted mind!

Saving my dreams on... video!

2011-11-11T08:17:00.000-07:00

Last night I had a dream that's worth talking about. I was dreaming that I was “saving” a dream on some sort of computer memory card or drive, for review a a later time. What a cool deal that was! That dream lasted for a very long time and really worked me up and got me all excited as I floated between the conscious and unconscious state while not totally waking up.

I thought to myself: “Must write a blog about that one...” Of course this morning I had to come to the realization that it was just another dream of mine! But again, aren't we saying that “whatever the human mind can conceive, it can achieve?”