Look what I found!

We find a lot of stuff each time my wife and I walk. Today, it was that feather and I wondered which bird it belonged to. At first, I thought it was large enough to come from a bird of prey, but when I asked Gemini (AI) it said that the 12 1/3” (31.5 cm) long feather was a primary flight feather from a Canada Goose (Branta canadensis).

​Here are the key characteristics from the image that point to this identification: ​

Coloration: It has a uniform, dark grayish-brown to charcoal vane, which transitions into a distinctly pale, almost white translucent calamus (the quill) at the base.

 ​Shape: The asymmetrical vane (where one side is much narrower than the other) is classic for a primary wing feather, designed to provide lift and aerodynamics during flight. ​

Texture and Size: The sturdy, rigid structure of the rachis (center shaft) and the dense, interlocking barbs are typical of large, powerful waterfowl. ​

AI also reminded me that a lost feather like that one found in the United States, fell (no pun intended) under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). As a result, it’s technically illegal to keep, possess, or collect feathers from protected migratory birds (which includes Canada Geese, eagles, hawks, and songbirds), even if it’s just found dropped on the ground. So now you’re warned !

Jesus and a hot planet

I used to communicate with Jesus through Skype, but since this service is closed, we’ve both switched to WhatsApp. A week ago, as Europe was under an unseasonable heat wave, we talked about global warming. The conversation went like this: 

Go 11: Hi, Jesus! How are things upstairs? 

Jesus: Not bad, we’re trying to cool France and England at the moment… 

Go 11: As I tell my countrymen, that early heatwave is good training for the time they get to Hell 

Jesus: You might be kidding, but we have the same cooling problem in Heaven. The facilities are very old. Poor insulation, leaks everywhere with the heat that seeps from downstairs. It’s becoming a problem there too… 

Go 11: What are your plans for earth warming in the future? 

Jesus: We’ll probably relocate part of the population to another planet. I mean the Evangelists. I was thinking of sucking them up with a big hose over another spot… 

Go 11: You meant like the rapture? 

Jesus: That’s exactly the idea… 

Go 11: What do you do with the rest? 

Jesus: You mean the other seven and a half billion? 

Go 11: Yeah, if you say so… 

Jesus: We’ll let them roast and use them for fertilizing planet Earth 2.0 

Go 11: And you’ll let the creation start again? 

Jesus: Not quite like the first time, we’d do it the Charles Darwin way, it’s more credible 

Go 11: What about the Evangelists, then? 

Jesus: We’ll suck them over to Mars and let them fight out with Elon Musk, that might bring some good entertainment value!

Michel Rudigoz, 1944-2026

The legendary ski coach and restaurateur Michel Rudigoz passed away Friday, May 29, from Alzheimer disease, at his home north of Ketchum, Idaho. He was 81. Born on July 29, 1944 in France, became one of the most successful US Olympic Alpine ski coaches in history, leading both the men’s and women’s national teams in the late 1970s and 1980s. 

In 1982, he led the American women’s team to the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Nations Cup, a season-long competition in which points are tallied by individual nations. At the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, he guided racers Debbie Armstrong and Christin Cooper to gold and silver medals, respectively, in giant slalom and slalom. 

He began his ski coaching career in Tignes. He also preceded me at Mt. Buller where he taught skiing in 1967 and 1968. In 1972, Sun Valley ski coach Lane Monroe met Rudigoz in the Alps and asked him to come to the US to coach. Rudigoz landed in Sun Valley, and eventually took on the role of coach of the US men’s Alpine team in 1978, leading accomplished racers such Phil Mahre, Steve Mahre and Andy Mill. 

He then assumed leadership of the women’s team, becoming known as a master motivator who praised his skiers’ talents but pushed them to always ski faster. In the mid-1980s, Rudigoz bought “La Provence” from our longtime friends, the Dussers in Ketchum, before opening “Chez Michel” down the road, and got involved as a coach for the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation. 

In 2011, Rudigoz was inducted into the Sun Valley Winter Sports Hall of Fame, one of a variety of awards and accolades he would receive.

A great communication tool (Part Two)

Here’s a handy toolkit of clarifying questions we can use when conversations start to heat up.

They’re short, neutral, and designed to slow things down, invite reflection, and keep the dialogue both civil and constructive: 

• “What do you mean by that?” This signals curiosity, not confrontation. Helps the other person unpack their words. 
• “Can you tell me more about how you see it?” Opens space for explanation, shows we’re listening. 
• “Why is this important to you?” It moves the focus from the argument to underlying values or concerns. 
• “I’m not sure I understand — could you explain differently?” This one buys time, lowers tension, and invites rephrasing. 
• “What outcome would feel fair to you?” This response shifts from conflict to problem solving. 
• “How does this situation affect you personally?” One to humanizes the issue, making it less abstract and more empathetic. 

Again, tone matters a lot: Ask calmly, not sarcastically. Timing matters: Use this questioning technique right when we feel the conversation tipping toward escalation. Follow‑up matters: After asking, listen actively and never, never rush to counter. 

Think of these tips as conversational “pressure valves.” They don’t end disagreements, but they keep them from exploding. To conclude, here’s a simple step‑by‑step “flow” we can use in real time when a conversation starts to get tense. Think of it as a de‑escalation sequence we can run through: 

1. Pause and breathe. Before responding, take a beat. Even a 2‑second pause can reset the tone. 
2. Clarify gently. Use a neutral question: “What do you mean by that?” This slows the pace and signals curiosity instead of confrontation. 
3. Explore feelings Invite them to share: “Why does this feel important to you?” This shifts the focus from the argument to underlying values. 
4. Reflect back Paraphrase what you heard: “So you’re saying you feel overlooked?” Reflection shows you’re listening, even if you disagree. 
5. Redirect to solutions Ask: “What outcome would feel fair to you?” This moves the conversation from conflict to problem solving. 
6. Close with respect End with a calm statement: “I appreciate you explaining that — let’s see how we can work on it.” 

This shows us a fabulous alternative to Trump’s insulting technique as it reinforces dignity while always keeping the door open. Now you’ve got all the tools from the toolbox that are needed to try this method. Good luck!

A great communication tool (Part One)

Here’s a great strategy to stop most disagreements by asking simple questions like: “What do you mean?”, “Why do you feel that way?”, “I don’t quite understand?”, etc. When there is tension and whether it is perceived or real, very little can take a conversation south and take it into a very intense and combative exchange. Some questions are meant to “push someone’s button” or provoke, either accidentally or through some existing stress or a deliberate mean streak.

It seems to me that responding by asking a question that seek to clarify or perhaps buy some time is a good strategy. Indeed, those clarifying questions can be a surprisingly powerful tool in tense conversations and here is why they work. First, they slow the pace when emotions run high, as people often speak faster and more forcefully. 

A simple “What do you mean?” forces a pause, giving both sides a moment to breathe. They also shift the focus, so instead of counter‑attacking or defending, we’re inviting the other person to explain themselves. That moves the dynamic from confrontation to exploration. In addition, they can help validate without agreeing. Indeed when we ask “Why do you feel that way?” we show that we’re listening, even if we don’t share the view. That recognition alone helps defuse any hostility. 

As suggested above, these questions also buy us time. For instance, “I don’t quite understand” is a gentle way of saying: I need a moment before I respond. It prevents knee‑jerk reactions that often escalate a conflict. Finally, they expose intent if people are deliberately trying to provoke as the clarifying question reveals that we detected the provocative intent and diffused it skillfully. 

In communication theory, this approach is called active listening / defensive questioning. It’s a way of turning potential arguments into dialogue. One of the keys is tone: the same words can sound curious or sarcastic depending on their delivery. While this smart strategy doesn’t guarantee agreement, it can often prevents conversations from degenerating and keeps them in a space where mutual respect remains possible. 

In the next blog we review a toolkit of questions for specific situations, so please stay tuned...

What’s this cloud?

On two occasions, I’ve observed these particular clouds, first when we drove to California late April, and this morning as we were out on our morning walk. 

At first, I thought it was a cirrus cloud, but cirrus clouds are detached clouds in the form of white, delicate filaments, mostly in patches or narrow bands. They may have a fibrous, hair-like, and sometimes silky sheen appearance. 

Since I don’t know much about clouds, I had to do some research and found out that based on the distinct smooth, lens-like, and somewhat aerodynamic shape of that cloud, it was a lenticular cloud (technically classified as Altocumulus lenticularis). These clouds are famous for looking like flying saucers, pancakes, or lenses. 

The one I photographed has incredibly clean, smooth edges, which happens when the air is moving in a stable, consistent flow (that day was quite windy). The lenticular clouds typically form when moist air is forced upward over a mountain range or large hill. As the air drops back down, a standing wave is created on the downwind side of the mountain (similar to water rippling over a pebble in a stream). 

If the temperature at the crest of the wave drops to the dew point, the moisture condenses into this beautiful, stationary cloud. Even though the cloud looks like it's just sitting there perfectly still, air is actually constantly flowing through it, in fact, condensing into a cloud as it hits the peak of the wave and evaporating as it moves down the other side. 

​These clouds are a favorite for photographers, but pilots generally give them a wide berth because they indicate strong, bumpy turbulence hiding in the upper atmosphere.

A special graduation

This past Friday, our grandson Finn graduated from high school and for us it was the third time we attended such an event following our two children’s in the late 80s and early 90s. For people coming from Europe, like us, the event was unique because it combines medieval academic rituals with modern cultural celebration, turning a school milestone into a major public rite of passage. 

Unlike what doesn’t happen in most countries, a high school graduation is treated as a large-scale community event with distinctive symbols, music, and personal expression. It’s often held in large venues (stadiums, auditoriums) with hundreds or even thousands of attendees and treated like a once-in-a-lifetime public ceremony, not just an administrative step. 

Students wear caps and gowns (mortarboards and robes), a tradition borrowed from medieval European universities but rarely used for secondary school in other countries. The tassel turning (right to left) and cap tossing are iconic rituals symbolizing the transition from student to graduate. The processional is often accompanied by “Pomp and Circumstance”, a piece that became a uniquely American graduation anthem after Yale adopted it in 1905. 

At that point, diplomas are handed out individually on stage, with each student’s name announced — emphasizing personal recognition. Finally there are the speeches delivered by valedictorians, salutatorians, principals, and guest speakers. These addresses are generally inspirational, often touching on broader social issues (justice, climate, identity). This transforms the graduation into a platform for civic dialogue, not just a school event. 

After the ceremony, families often host graduation parties, or like we did enjoy a good meal at the graduate’s favorite restaurant. sometimes with cultural themes, food, and music. By contrast, in much of Europe, finishing secondary school is acknowledged with exam results or certificates, but no formal ceremony. 

The North American model elevates graduation into a cultural milestone, blending academic tradition, civic ritual, and personal celebration in a way that is rare elsewhere.