Are Putin Nuclear warheads still good?

In the event Putin decides to use tactical nuclear weapon against Ukraine, this move might create some unforeseen events for him. 

First, the world might find out if his impressive nuclear arsenal has been maintained as it should have and still is operational. 

Remember when he first invaded Ukraine, more than seven months ago, the operation should be expedited in just four or five days. If his post World War II atomic warhead stills work (would you take a 1954 Renault Dauphine on a road trip to the autobahn today?), 

Putin will instantly become the world’s enemy number one, rather the planet’s absolute pariah. Even his present buddies like China and India would turn their back to him and the rest who still support him would withdraw their support too. 

When he finally loses the war, he would be forced to surrender all of his nuclear arsenal and this would accelerate the demise of his country, Russia, he says he love so much, and this would bring the end of himself and his cronies. 

We’ll see what happens. Even though I fear it, I don’t think he’ll be that crazy, this time around.

Population decline? Seriously?

Overpopulation has always been my main fear, only to be displaced now by Putin’s 7,000 nuclear warheads. 

This said, back this summer, James Pomeroy, a young British economist has been claiming that the 8 billion people will reach by November 15 will drop to 4 billion in 2100 instead of the more than 10 billion and a half forecast by the United Nations. 

His assertion is based on a sharply declining birth rate (which in some countries is a current trend) plus an aging population, that would make birth curve and death curve intersect between the years 2080 and 2090. This would bring the world population at the end of the century to 4 billion instead of 10.5. 

This drop in fertility is explained by many factors like a delayed average age of pregnancy in societies where women enter the labor market later, but also too high rents. in rich countries or a down-trend for large families. 

This might sound re-assuring, but I don’t think my grandson’s, if he lives to be at least 92, will see it. That is unless, of course, Putin decides to play God with his atomic arsenal (if it’s still in good working order), and forces the US to respond in kind, something Pomeroy didn’t think of including in his reasons for a drastic population decline. 

Do you also buy into his magical theory that suddenly will come out of nowhere and heal the planet?

More on the Tesla “hubcap”…

The Tesla “Aero” hubcap is a throwback to the good old days that certainly got my attention, especially when it’s said to extend the range of the car by at least 3% since range is such a big deal in gaining EV acceptance among consumers. 

So, the other day, I observed that the molded plastic wheel cover was exactly the same on the 4 wheels on the vehicle, as I had (wrongly) assumed that its curvaceous design was meant to stir up the air turbulence into a certain pattern and would have required a different design on both sides of the car, as the hubcap pattern is on the outside of the wheel if you see what I mean. 

This was therefore no the case and somehow I wondered if a totally flat hubcap shouldn’t be the way to go, especially on a Tesla, on which brakes are seldom used if one knows how to drive that car effectively.

Of course, car racing has been exposed for a while to the so-called “aero disc wheels” (see video below), but on a more down-to-earth level, I found this guy who did it on his Toyota Prius (pictured above) as evidence it can be done, including adding skirts over the rear wheels à la Citroën DS or Honda Insight, so Tesla might still have some progress to make in that department!

Our visiting Canadian geese

Park City is under the path of migrating Canadian geese in the spring and fall season. The love to land around our golf courses because there is plenty of water with fish and grass to feed on they are part of our yearly life. 

The other night we were wondering how far the go and how long it takes them to complete their migratory journey. These birds are native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and some can be found during migration across the Atlantic in northern Europe. 

So where do they go? Well somewhere in the southern US where winter is not as cold and more comfortable. I assume our visiting birds push into southern Utah, Arizona or Nevada. Since they’re afraid of Trump’s wall and don’t quack in Spanish they avoid going south of the border into Mexico. 

Now how far? Well, its something like between 2,000 miles (3 200 km) and 2,500 (4 000 km) and it takes up to 10 weeks to get to their destination. How high do they fly? Canada geese fly in their distinctive V-shaped flight pattern, with a usual cruising altitude of 3,000 feet (1 000 meters) for migration flight in non mountainous regions. 

No one is sure about their maximum flight ceiling, but some have been reported flying as high as 29,000 feet (9 000 meters). The geese flying in “V formation” has been the subject of many studies, especially now by aircraft manufacturers and airlines. The front position is rotated since the bird flying there consumes the most energy. 

From a speed standpoint, Canada geese leave the winter grounds more quickly than the summer grounds. The birds, that live between 10 to 24 years, nest in always use the same route and the same sports for their migrations even though some decide to quit migrating and stay put in a fair weather place all year round.

Finally, breeding season for Canada geese is between February and April, depending on the climate. Geese mate once a year. So, now you’ve got the full story about these migrating birds that visit Park City!

Inside Vladimir Putin’s head…

Putin is a pure product of the USSR and certainly was one to lament its demise. Ever since he acceded to power, his goal has been to return his country to its former dominant figure. 

Sochi Olympic Games were a first display of that pursuit and it went on with messing around with Russia’s satellite countries like Georgia and Ukraine among other. 

Sitting on 7,000 nuclear warheads also gives Putin some bragging rights that force the world’s attention on his person and allow him to “bluff” as he says he’s not doing. 

When he recently asserted that “he wasn’t bluffing”, the entire world read that he was indeed bluffing, but who is to say what may go into his head if he feel cornered, humiliated or God forbid, about to get vanquished? 

This might lead the small man to despair and push him into making desperate choices in opting for a final solution, at least as far as the planet’s northern hemisphere is concerned. Would he care about his family and children, young and old? 

Probably no, the guy remains set on “KGB mode”, namely without principles nor human conscience. I’ve heard of a mother jumping to her death from a cliff holding her two kids in each arm, so some people prefer death over have their offspring seeing their parent failing. 

Never, have I suggested that the Russian dictator is crazy, but he’s irrational, unpredictable and therefore dangerous and this is why geopolitics have never scared me so much in my entire life...

Mysterious symptoms

A few days ago, we got our 4th Covid-Omicron booster shot. I wanted to have it along with my flu shot, but my doctor said that one immunization at a time was plenty and I shouldn’t do both. So I followed his advice and limited myself to the Covid booster shot.

At the same time we were busy doing our “spring clean-up” around the house, so at the end of the day I remarked to my wife that my muscles and bones were sore and attributed that to the chores we had been involved with that day, even though I had worked significantly less than the previous days. 

Then she corrected me and said, “It’s you Covid shot!” She was right, I had totally forgotten about it and all of my previous shots were followed by a few unpleasant days were I felt flu symptoms all over my body. 

As the evening progressed, my condition got much worse, to the point that, when I went to bed I felt like a real zombie. I was totally exhausted and about to pass out. I slept well though, but the next morning, I wasn’t totally myself yet and it took most of that day to regain a semblance of energy. 

I’m not anti-vax, but still my body and the Covid vaccines don’t seem to get along well. I only can hope that next year it will get packaged together with the flu shot!

Not easy to draw blood from me

When it comes to drawing blood out of me, I behave like a turnip. Yesterday was my annual check up and it was no different when I was asked to submit to the unavoidable blood test. 

There, the phlebotomist (the name of the nurse in charge of that job) always ends up sticking me more than once, four times isn’t unusual and 2 or 3 persons can be called to show their know-how on me for a miserable blood draw. No wonder, I’ve long learned that I’m a "difficult stick." 

Apparently this can happen for a number of reasons, including small or deep veins, rolling veins, dehydration, collapsing veins, constricted vessels, and I’ve kept the most likely cause for last, the inexperience, ineptitude or even lack of luck on the part of the drawing technician. 

 Well, I’ve seen them all and I always give them a fair warning that I’m an “extremely difficult stick”. 

I’ve only been impressed a couple of time but for the rest I believe that healthcare workers are poorly trained, don’t think enough before they poke their patients, don’t do the procedure nearly often enough and, yes, some very special ones must attract bad luck! 

As for me, I’ve done nothing wrong to deserve a death by one thousand pricks!

An effective strategy for French folks

French people aren't universally liked as they're often found arrogant and conceited. Last night, we saw a news program about how hated the French that come everyday to work in Geneva, are. 

For those Gallic workers working abroad, whether they are "frontaliers" living on the French side of the border and working in Switzerland, or an expat like me living in an Anglo-saxon country, the right attitude at work can either spell failure or success depending on one's individual social style. 

I've always been keenly aware of that state of affairs and have consistently opted for a more humble, vulnerable, self-depreciating and helpful attitude at work. I found it to be highly effective as it induced trust, respect and admiration from my co-workers as well as my bosses and subordinates. 

Was it hard to implement at times? You bet it was, but my low-profile helped me navigate the hurdles and perils of holding a job in America and effectively climb the corporate ladder. Not only this kind of approach works well in that context where different cultures are involved, but also for life in general. 

We should always to remember to focus on the collective goal, and forget about our individual bragging rights.

We should also recognize that creativity, wisdom and brilliance are packaged in many different forms, and all individuals should always be welcome to contribute to the discussion, the ensuing debate and the execution of the plan. 

Checking one’s ego at the door can work wonder, no matter what we do in life, love or recreation!

Crab apples anyone?

There so-called crab apple trees (malus) that grow in Park City and bear mini-apples that taste extremely bitter at first bite but that I love to eat. My wife is even starting to love them too. 

The trees are planted because of their beautiful flowers in the spring. The tree are typically 13–39 feet tall at maturity, with a dense, twiggy crown. 

The flower have five petals, which may be white, pink, or red, are blooming in the spring and look wonderful. 

Good looks, great taste, just avoid eating the seeds, like I do, there’s cyanide inside!

Monarchy at a dead-end?

Now that QE II is gone, time to reprint or mint all the currency anew, change the mail-boxes or update the Royal Warrants (yeah, these accredited official supplier labels). 

That’s gonna cost a pretty penny but everyone seems to suggest that it’s part of the cost of UK’s tourism promotion, so everything’s okay, regardless of the actual hard cost. 

Well, that wouldn’t be so bad if the new banknotes replacing the Queen showed each member of the Rolling Stones, Beatles and Spice Girls, but the likeness of Charles is another story. 

Not only the guy releases negative charisma in his wake, but who can tell how long he’ll be able to live, let alone survive his son’s pressure to take his job, not to mention the inevitable debate about Monarchy’s questionable future? 

That perspective makes me see such a move as a dubious investment. Instead, I’d let the banknotes wear out, replacing them with likenesses of Mickey Mouse or Boris Johnson if my above suggestions fail to convince the Royal Bank of England. 

Besides, nobody uses coins or mail letters anymore and as for product endorsements, folks prefer glancing at their smart-phone rather check if Heinz ketchup is approved by Buckingham Palace!

An alternative to demolition?

For a while now, I’ve been lamenting about existing houses that are demolished and trashed to make room for a new, much bigger one instead. 

This stuff isn’t really ecological and to me the good alternative would be remodeling or extending a home, if that’s what is needed, instead of throwing all these once precious construction material in the overflowing public landfill. 

There’s however an alternative to that and its call “deconstruction”. The process entails taking a house apart, piece by piece, down to the foundation. This assumes that the majority of what is removed from a house via deconstruction should be recycled or reused.

The house that stood on that picture and has been taken apart is located not far from where I live. These materials removed from the house can be donated to a qualified non-profit (501(c)3) charity and its market or estimated value can be claimed by the property owners on their taxes as a donation at fair market value. 

Demolition costs are much higher than when a house is simply trashed. In the case of the above example it took several months to “deconstruct” the home and must have led to a pricey bill. For instance, for someone in a 30% tax bracket could claim $200,000 worth of recyclable goods and get a $60,000 tax credit. 

That only requires that the owners tax bill is over that amount, so easy to see that this tax maneuver is not designed with the poor in mind. It’s also highly questionable the quantity of material that can truly be recycled. 

So in essence, the operation is mostly shouldered by the average taxpayer, which in light of what can be actually recycled ends up being not so efficient. Nice on paper and in principal, but not so fair to the less fortunate taxpayers!

A unique and historical ski-binding combination

Recently, Marielle Goitschel, the boisterous French ski champion, gave away to some charity one of the skis (200 cm long) she used when her sister Christine and herself got a gold and silver medals at the 1964 Innsbruck Winter Olympics. 

What is striking in the ski shown here by Christine is that it’s a Dynamic Compound RG5, not the iconic VR7, manufactured in at the Dynamic factory in Sillans, France, but also made further north in Sallanches by Starflex in what would become the Dynastar factory. 

What’s even more meaningful to me is that one year later I purchased a pair of a similar Compound RG5 model sold under the new Dynastar brand, that was a contraction (Dyna-Star) of Dynamic and Starflex. 

Finally, these boards of mine, just like the Goitschel sisters’ were mounted with a crude Salomon single pivot “Emile Allais” toe, combined with a lightweight Look turntable. 

Use of such a bear-trap by bona fide champions had been enough to valide my choice. Purists who know ski-bindings well, an illustrious group I would belong to later on, would have called this a “recipe for disaster or a bone-breaker”. 

This said, if the Salomon toe-unit couldn’t release the boot by overpowering the pressure from the ball under tension, it could still break if the skier were facing a live-and-die situation as evidenced on the photograph!

California’s attractiveness and Proposition 13

As we’ve seen recently in Park City, real estate taxes that pay for school, police, fire protection, road maintenance, other public things can be an irritant to a lot of people. Some folks feel the system should be scrapped and changed altogether. 

California dealt with that back in 1978 by enacting Proposition 13, an amendment of its State Constitution, by popular vote of California residents. Its aim was to limit the tax rate for real estate by guaranteeing that “The maximum amount of any ad valorem tax on real property shall not exceed one percent (1%) of the full cash value of such property.” 

A significant aspect of that initiative is that it requires a two-thirds majority in both legislative houses for future increases of any state tax rates or amounts of revenue collected, including income tax rates. It also requires a two-thirds vote majority in local elections for local governments wishing to increase special taxes (to pay for specific issues like homelessness or road repair; that don’t belong into a general fund.) 

Today, some say that the system is unfair as new homeowners are taxed much more than established ones, which technically is true, and also that the system benefits the older and richer citizens, which also makes sense. 

The fact that California has now lost much of its luster and that its population is declining should also serve as an indicator that not is perfect in the Golden State. Placing the blame on Prop 13 might be going to fast and too far, but when it come to placing blame nothing is ever easy...

On-line order nightmare

I woke up at 4:00 am and since that was too early to get up, I did my daily meditation, then at around 5:00 am, I decided to sleep a little more. 

I opened my front door and first saw what looked like a dozen pair of skis, in boxes, that have just been delivered to my house, then I glanced farther and to my shock, I saw dozens of surfboards and a bunch of boats, all in their delivery packaging, piled up in the driveway and on my front yard. 

At first, I felt that might day was ruined. “Where would I put all that stuff?” Briefly, I remembered that I got the same delivery the day before, but UPS must have removed it. 

Then, I thought about the cost of that online order that was one million or more and that would have to pay for it. I felt totally helpless. 

That’s when I woke up. I’m glad I did. If I had not, I would have died from a heart attack!

If I were Charles III...

...I would want I would like my reign – however short – to be totally different. I’d want to be a different Head of State, make a big splash and be an agent for change. 

I would declare that it is time to put an end to this anachronistic practice called monarchy, and put an end to this costly and unproductive institution which focuses only on pageantry and tradition. 

Of course, I would set aside enough money for the entire royal family to live decently and with dignity during their transition to normal life. This would be an opportunity for Charles to leave a strong mark on our present civilization.

He will just have to do that in 2023, because if he decided to announce this good news this year, he would be largely eclipsed for the award of the Time’s Man of the Year title announced end of December and that Volodymyr Zelenskyy will undoubtedly receive...

A surprise meeting

My close-to-next door neighbor asked me a few days ago if I was interesting in attending a meeting about our ballooning real estate taxes. 

Even though I know that there was no way we could hope that our county would lower the rate of the taxes it announced, I reluctantly acquiesced. We got in the city’s library 250 seat auditorium and were lucky if we were 30 attendants at that meeting. 

Unbeknownst to me, it was organized by the Republican Party who wanted to “make hay” out of the dissatisfaction caused by higher taxes. Not only was the presentation chaotic and ill-informed, they made us start by praying to God (no my thing) and saying the Pledge of Allegiance. 

After my third suggestion to my (Republican) neighbor to leave, as I felt the presentation was a wast of my time, I successfully dragged him out of that stupid meeting. I felt very good about it (probably because of the prayer)!

Fifty years ago at Mt. Buller

Another enjoyable spring afternoon, relaxing and waiting for the start of the afternoon group lessons by the Blue Lift chairlift. 

Lazy day for sure, half-a-century ago, no rush to get to work, when ignorance was certainly bliss and when we were about ready to wrap the season up. 

That would be my second and last ski season, teaching down-under at Mt. Buller. I would consider coming a third one, but didn’t have the motivation to, as I had to deal with a bunch of unsavory issues after I returned to the Avoriaz ski school. 

Ski instructors from left to right: Serge †, Roland, Peewee, Heather, me, Coucou... 

 

California dreams…

While in California, I slept well as I was driving a lot, but still had time for several dreams during my sleep that I was exceptionally able to remember and one of them was bizarre enough to be worth noting. It started at hometown village of La Ranche, in Montriond, France. 

I was with my younger neighbor François Muffat, whom I’ve known since he was a tiny baby. He was taking me, and an unknown lady, to ski at Avoriaz in his Range Rover. There was a roof rack and what looked like a ladder-shaped ski rack in the back. 

I escalated that vertical rack, or tried to, saying: “That’s always the way I do it; I hang-on to the rack while the vehicle is running, I don’t like riding inside a car…” Somehow, I love to complicated things in my dreams, while systematically doing the opposite in my daily life. 

Unfortunately, my female companion couldn’t do the same and I reluctantly sat in the back seat of the SUV. We rode the 3S gondola there, and when we got to the top, we decided to ski “Le Crot”, that popular run that takes skiers back to the base of the gondola. 

First, I wanted to ski in my sneakers, but somehow was given a pair of ski boots that fit me well enough to ski in them. There, made a few sweeping turns under the “grillages” and continued on through the rough terrain of “Les Cables”, right underneath the 3S gondola and all the way to the bottom. I thought that François would be impressed. 

Maybe he was…

Has California changed for the better?

After all these years, California, like the rest of the planet has evolved and evidently not for the better. 

Overcrowding in metro areas plays a big part in that, as well as its aging infrastructure, older homes, buildings, high taxes and disillusioned Californian.

Traffic is awful, everything is expensive and the weather is getting worse (hotter). Would I ever live there if I could? Absolutely not, even though its natural beauty in areas that are protected is still as stunning as ever. 

It also seems to me that after its boom years, California is tired, out of resources and motivation to keep reinventing and sprucing itself up. 

It’s becoming moldy, stogy and can’t hold a candle to some regions like Colorado, Utah or Idaho that are young, dynamic, that can only go up and continue (for a while) in there growth pattern…

California hotel troubles and despicable sushi

When we got to our Comfort Inn hotel in Ventura Beach, California, we realized we couldn’t connect to the internet in the room. I called the front desk and was told by the receptionist to call their service provider who wasn’t able to help us, as there was no signal. 

I came down to the front desk and was told there was no internet coming to the room because of an impending rainstorm. I asked to be moved to another room with that service but the young lady refused. 

We go into a pretty heated argument and since it didn’t go anywhere, we decided to go for dinner. We went to a nearby sushi place where the food was absolutely terrible, we ate outside but had to fight a swarm of flies in trying to eat the inedible, but the good news in that disaster is that the god-awful sushi didn’t make us sick! 

Upon returning to our hotel, I asked if there were rooms with internet, the lady said yes, but since ours was a cheap room she couldn’t move us there. 

I then called Priceline, the booking agent and as I was explaining the situation, I got a call from the front desk that offered a $40 discount on the room price or said that I could leave the hotel and get a total refund. 

I said I couldn’t leave because it was already nightfall and had no reservations anywhere else. I started to get pretty mad and demanded that the Priceline agent get me a $75 credit and I would move on. He succeeded, we stayed sans internet but live happy ever after!

My mom and Queen Elizabeth

These two very important women share one thing: Their age of their death at 96. Both didn’t choose their preordained destiny. 

My mom was born in a poverty-stricken, remote alpine valley of France, with little hope of good things to happen, while Elizabeth got lucky and received a golden, royal spoon in her mouth from the get go. It wasn’t the fault of any of them, though, and those were the cards they were dealt. 

My mom worked physically very hard, had no break, got her body worn out by too much work and her mind flooded by too much worries. 

Her British counterpart was cocooned, fully taken care of and could pretend she was running an Empire for a while, but by no personal merit at all.

My mother loved her three kids while the Monarch could hardly touch them and impart her full feelings toward them. Charles had to wait till he became half-dead to step on the throne. That sucks!

My mom was anonymous while the Queen was famous, but at the end they both became perfectly equal, which speak volumes about the silly things human invent for hoisting some of their kind above everything when in fact we’re all equal.

A memorable drive…

Driving from Monterey to Big Sur is an experience of a lifetime, or a least it should be. 

I had anticipated for a few years and yesterday it happened to me exactly as I had expected it, which is a lot to say in these fleeting days, often filled with frustration and disappointment.

We got our “fill” of wonderful scenery and came to the conclusion that when all is said and done, California still is a wonderful place. 

We think we’ll never forget that magic drive. Few tourist take it though, and they should!

California, no longer what it used to be!

I remember how impressed I was when I discovered California more than 50 years ago and subsequently in the late 70s after I moved to America.

It felt like it was ahead of every place on earth and in place to remain a trailblazer for years to come. 

Now, it looks more worn out and tired. Particularly its houses, its infrastructure and the general feeling I get out of everything. 

Maybe I’ve grown to be a bit jaded, or may be it’s because of too many years of leaving in the Shangri-La that Park City as turned out to become? 

I don’t know for sure, but my dreamy California of yesteryear is no longer the same for me…

When buying a ski pass made me smile!

As time goes on, things keep on changing, and among many things, I remember when I was excited to get a ski season pass in September, date at which they were available at the greatest discount possible. These days are long gone!

Today, I do not like the ski resort company I have to ski on. Sure, we’re blessed to have two competing ski resorts in Park City, with one bearing that name and Deer Valley. Skiing the later has become prohibitive, it would cost me $1,995 to get a discounted Senior Pass while Park City Mountain is just $859. 

I prefer the ski in Park City, even though the company is despicable, but that’s where the compromise get in the mix and turn what to use my big seasonal smile into a permanent frown (until I’m back on skis, of course)...

Perfect morning routine!

All my mornings might seem boring to some, but after waking up and meditating, I go and turn on my phone and my PC, then prepare coffee and, at about the same time, crush a pair of bananas for breakfast. 

We love to eat bananas this way and have been doing so for more than a quarter century. So this daily routine goes on, unchanged, except when we get on the road and stay in hotels. 

If we are lucky enough to be in a condo or a house, it can seamlessly continue and I find it a lot easier on my morning brain that’s slowly waking up to another day filled with surprises and learning opportunities. 

Vail Resorts’ slippery slope

On Saturday, I reluctantly purchased a couple of season passes from Vail Resorts to ski at Park City. I said reluctantly, because I deeply dislike Vail Resorts. Calling is extremely difficult as phone numbers are hard to locate and Vail Resorts want customers to only use its website. 

After successfully locating that number though, I spoke to a nice sounding customer agent called Heather who guided me through the process that wasn’t very user-friendly for me, through the company’s unwieldy website. When we came to the total amount, it didn’t quite add up as I realized that I was charged an extra $4.95 per pass as an alleged “shipping charge”. 

The next day I called again and got Jane on the phone, all the way in the Philippines that confirmed that the $4.95 amount was indeed for each pass purchased. We are not talking about much money but if one computes the 2.1 million Epic passes sold by Vail Resorts in 2021-22, that charge could mushroom into more than $10 million extra revenues! 

The day before I couldn’t see that charge anywhere on the Vail Resorts website, so when I vehemently protested she said “Okay, just pick up your passes at the resort ticket counter and I’ll waive these charges. I told her to mention to her superiors that Vail Resorts’ way of doing business was sneaky and dishonest. 

Then, according to Heather, my card didn’t go through, yet, at the same time America Express emailed me its usual “Large Purchase Approved” notice for the full, correct amount. I told her this was proof the card had been accepted. She couldn’t comprehend it and she struggled for another 20 minutes leaving me on hold and finally saying, “I’ll call you tomorrow (she eventually sent me the message below). 

The next day, I checked my American Express account and saw the transaction amount had been charged four times in addition to a lesser amount. Eventually after spending two or three more hours on the phone between Boulder, Park City and the Philippines, I received an email confirmation thanks to the Philippines’ customer service reps who was better than their western counterparts. 

To add humor to the whole situation, the Park City customer service agent emailed me that “We are unable to purchase your Epic passes through our reservation system for you at this time”, at the exact same time I received the confirmation! This entire sitcom simply confirms Vail Resorts’ squirrelly reputation, sticky fingers, poor infrastructure and terrible business practices.

Seeking the ideal place...

You see the one I mean, the real end of the proverbial rainbow! 

Yet, there’s hardly a month that goes by without seeing another ranking of the “best places to live” in the US, any country, continent or in the whole wide world and with it, rankings of all kinds scattered all over the map, with plenty of room for discussion and some fiery debates.

In fact the more I think about it, the more I believe that this ideal place is now just a figment of our imagination or the by-product of our most distorted fantasies. It might be nowhere to be found, because all of these iconic, idealized places that sometimes jump out from our creative and restless brains don’t exist anymore or might simply have never been,

They’re all tremendously affected by a sneaking, consistent and relentless virus called change, and since change is no longer always for the best, there’s probably nothing we can do to change that somber reality.

Another high altitude danger!

I know about about the grave dangers posed by being in high-altitude, like pulmonary edema or cerebral edema suffered, more notably by mountain climbers in the Himalayas. 

What I didn’t know much about though, was the parallel effect of high altitude on flatulence, more commonly known as "passing wind", or "farting". Evidently, it seems that the higher one gets (on the mountain), the more one will be likely to fart. I recently read an article on SnowBrains that opened up my mind and my nostrils to that eminent and unpleasant danger. 

According to the article, the syndrome, to use a more scientific term, is known as High Altitude Flatus Expulsion or HAFE. Yes, you are reading correctly, high mountain living can make people fart more and could be a handy excuse when climbing with other folks in a social setting. One just needs to remember that article.

Unlike its debilitating pulmonary version, this syndrome is mostly a benign inconvenience, unless you are following very closely a serial farter. Further, informal studies have shown that skiers prefer Park City to most Colorado resorts located at a higher altitude, not just because they can breathe easier, but the air smells much, much better. 

Sure, if one happens to pass wind, we’re not talking about an exculpatory evidence if it happens at low altitude, like anything below 11,000 feet as the research results assert, but it’s always good to keep that powerful, scientific excuse in mind next time it could be needed!

Disruption? An opportunity to learn!

It’s already past diner time, I prepare some lamb and a couple of corn on the cob, bring everything on the deck by my gas barbeque, attempt to light up the machine and nothing starts. Still, there’s plenty of propane in the bottle and when I reach out to see what’s going with my gas connections everything looks okay. 

Yet, after half a dozen unsuccessful attempts, I give up and my wife has to cook everything in her kitchen, I’m frustrated, so what’s next? While diner is getting ready, I go on YouTube, find a trouble-shooting video about that particular barbecue brand, and, as I chill out, I realize that a small incident is giving me an opportunity to learn something new and big by (hopefully) fixing my grill. 

Yesterday, I followed the procedure for cleaning the burners and I had a working grill! In the future, I’ll do my best to avoid the frustration part and immediately switch to anticipate the extra knowledge or expertise I will be gaining by solving the problem. That’s right, problem solved! 

Striking photos, symbols of life and death

For years and since 1935, a small cabin, stood as a high altitude refuge at 12,057 feet (3 675 meters) at the col de la Fourche, on the Küffner ridge, on the French-Italian border near Mont-Blanc. It stood there in perfect defiance of its precarious look and fragile setting, hanging about 1,000 feet (300 meters) over the Brenva glacier below. 

 

This refuge (also called Bivouac de la Fourche) was a key shelter for climbers attempting the Mont Maudit or the Mont Blanc. On August 24 the small structure ceased to exist as melting permafrost unsettled the structure’s frail foundations and sent it tumbling down and scattering its construction materials on the glacier below. 

 

Thank god, no one was inside and no victim were reported. To me these pictures and that story remind me of human life and death and on how we cling on some brittle foundations in defiance of danger and stand on a perilous setting for a lifetime, often times fulfilling a sound purpose or a mission, with its share of joy, suffering futility and memorable events. 

Then, with very little warning, tumble and disappear to leave almost nothing behind, but a few scattered remnant and just a few fierce memories linger on.

In keeping these images in mind, let’s be grateful to be given the privilege to live, as precarious as it maybe and in defiance of all odds!