My election take-away

As the month comes to a close, I really feel that we, the folks that have voted Democrats, have been taken for a ride by the Democratic National Committee that “rigged” the election so Trump couldn’t lose. 

Picking the old man like Biden to run against a monster like Trump, without serious opposition, was the original sin and the Clintons, Obamas, Pelosi, Biden and Harris should now fade into the sunset for an indefinite leave of absence! 

What’s needed to head the Democratic party is a 45 to 50 year old personality that is fierce and inspiring, that won’t let the opposition define who that person is and won’t turn the other cheek. Someone who will fight Fire by twice the amount of Fire! 

That’s the only way to communicate with a Trump-style opposition, not by an individual adopting a non-violence attitude expected by bullies the world over. 

That profile should be multiplied down ballot for all seats up for reelection. 

I guess it’s called raw courage, and if the Democrats fail to field such candidates, their party is doomed for good!

A la Carte life expectancy

Over the years, life expectancy has been climbing. Japan stands at the top of the heap with 85 years followed by Italy and Spain at 84. At the bottom are African countries like Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso at about 61 years. 

France is at 83, but the US, “the most prosperous country in the world” stands at just below 80 years! Sure, in every nation, life expectancy can vary substantially across places and populations, and the United States is no exception according to the Lancet’s recent study “Ten Americas: a systematic analysis of life expectancy disparities in the USA”. 

It shows that, as in most countries, male individuals generally have shorter lifespans than females. If one is rich life will be longer than if poor. Same thing with geographical location. In 2019, life expectancy varied by 7·1 years across the 50 states, from 74·7 years in Mississippi to 81·8 years in Hawaii. 

Across US counties, a smaller geographical scale, life expectancy in 2014 differed by up to 20 years! The study defined the 10 parts of the country as: 

1. Asian individuals 
2. Latino individuals in counties other than the Southwest 
3. White (majority), Asian, and American Indian or Alaska Native (AIAN) individuals in other counties 
4. White individuals in non-metropolitan and low-income Northlands
5. Latino individuals in the Southwest 
6. Black individuals in other counties
7. Black individuals in highly segregated metropolitan areas
8. White individuals in low-income Appalachia and Lower Mississippi 
9. Black individuals in the non-metropolitan and low-income South
10. AIAN individuals in the West. 

Large disparities in life expectancy between American ethnic groups were apparent throughout the duration of study, but grew even more over time, particularly during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

So, once more, America still has some way to go before becoming the country of equality!

These bullies that define us

In ending our previous discussion, I suggested that bullies that are confronting us also try to define who we really are and deal with us accordingly. At least this is my observation after observing Trump’s behavior for almost twenty years. 

True, Trump is a born-bully that understands this kind of M.O. better than anyone. It’s hard to deny that bullies often try to define their victims. By targeting specific vulnerabilities, bullies attempt to find a perceived or real weak trait, seize it and then control as well as manipulate their victims' self-perception. This can lead to significant emotional and psychological harm, as victims may internalize the negative labels and stereotypes imposed upon them.

As Donald Trump has shown us, bullies often use a variety of tactics to define their victims, including name-calling by applying hurtful or derogatory labels. There’s also a form of exclusion, in which the victim is pushed away from social groups or activities. When circumstances are favorable, physical aggression can at times be used by applying physical force to intimidate or harm the victim. 

These days, of course there’s also the power of cyberbullying by using technology to harass or humiliate the victim through various social media platforms. During the last elections, Trump has used most of these techniques to define his opponents and each time, all of them have accepted his definitions of them with docility, often by “turning the other cheek” or ignoring their humiliating sting. They should never have allowed it. 

Contrarily to what “well-educated” folks will profess, one should always fight fire by two-times the amount of fire delivered and call bullies for what they are. Had Jeb Bush, when he was called “Low energy Jeb” by Trump, should have grabbed him by his coat lapels and punched him in the face. He would have ended up with a dismissed law-suit and Donald Trump returning to the “Apprentice Show” with his tail between his legs...

Should we ever let others define us?

This question should obviously call for a negative answer. Yet, there’s always someone, hidden in some corner, ready to tell us and the world who we are. 

What we’ve done and who we are, no matter what third parties feel about you or me, should definitely define us! If there is someone that should know us better than our bosses, neighbors or even members of our family it’s us, unless we never were in touch with our own self or are still searching who we are. 

Our self-perception and self-worth must come from within us. While it’s undeniable that the opinions of others may, at times, influence us, it’s us and only us who ultimately have the power to determine our own identity and value. 

 Like every 8 billion people living on Planet Earth, each one of us is unique, with our own strengths, weaknesses, and experiences. Letting others define who we are will lead us to a loss of individuality. Likewise, we ought to avoid unhealthy comparisons to others. It can only lead to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. 

 If on the contrary we are the ones defining ourselves, we will build self-confidence and resilience. Finally, if we are true to ourselves, if we are our very own person, we’ll attract genuine and meaningful relationships. While it’s always good and important to listen to feedback and learn from others, ultimately, we must do everything in our power to be the authors of our own stories! 

Next time, we’ll discuss how bullies always try to be the ones defining us...

Getting my feet cold…

Last Friday, Park City Mountain opened up a few trails and I felt obliged to go in order to keep my ski Mojo and get my “feet cold”. It was mid-afternoon when I showed up at the parking lot to begin my 72nd ski season. 

The temperature was balmy, the crowd thin and my greatest difficulty was for my old feet to return inside my stiff ski boots. It was very, very hard at first. Eventually, my feet managed to do it, but wondered “How much longer will I be able to go through that?” 

I choose not to answer that question and ambled to the chairlift carrying my skis on my shoulder that at first felt too heavy. 

Then, miraculously, it all came back as I had hoped, including the fact that man-made snow isn’t for me anymore and probably never was. Skiing wasn’t good, but my last day of skiing was less than 6 months ago at Snowbird and I absolutely felt the urge to get back to it.

Against all odds, I stood on my ski like a big boy and at no time was my balance precarious (I put that on the account of one-legged tooth brushing). After four runs, I had enough, was done, returned to my car and felt like a ponderous load had been lifted off my shoulders!

My foundational “slope”

This photo shows the hamlet and the house where I grew up. My parents’ house, built in 1938, was sitting on the edge of a first slope that was followed by a much flatter part before plunging into a yet steeper incline that ended near a last flat area where the Dranse creek flowed. 

As you can see on this picture from the mid 1950s, this two-stage slope would have a significant impact on me. First, as a five year old, I would travel the 200 + vertical feet of that steep slope as an unwitting passenger of a three-wheeled contraption that would eject me at the ultimate slope transition before stopping shy of the creek bank. I was lucky to be alive! 

Then, as my skiing skills developed, I used both sections of the slope (but stayed mostly on the upper one) to train for slalom, with big twigs I had collected instead of real slalom poles (wood was the material in those days). 

Setting the course was much tighter than a modern slalom course is, as I would make four turns in the physical space used for just one. But remember, I was a small kid, it made me turn a lot and it was excellent practice. 

I side-stepped to climb back the slope, which also kept me warm and packed the snow a little bit harder at each passage, a true win-win situation! I did that when I had no regular access to lift-served slopes and well into my teenage years. 

I thought it was a good substitute and that probably was right as it helped me develop into the resilient and resourceful skier I still remain today. So as you can see this slope was placed by the Creator in the right spot at the right time. How lucky was I!

Replacing wiper blades

Before winter, when I remember it, I make a point of checking, and if necessary, changing my car’s wiper blades. In the past, I asked the garage to do that when I got an oil change, but since many stores have a replacement wiper blades display in prominent locations, I have developed the habit of buying them just there and saving some good money in the process. 

The problem with that practice – Yes, there’s a problem – is in installing the darn blades on their respective stems. 

First, forget about making any sense out of the brochure that comes with these replacement parts. Since there are so many types of attachments on the market, there are a multitude of options that require removing and adding small parts that come inside the package if you’ve not lost them while opening it. 

The instructions are totally senseless and impossible to make heads or tails of! I’ve tried and failed each time I have attempted to do this before and have even returned the whole package to the store for a refund, so the best is to go to YouTube and watch a few decent enough videos in an attempt to grasp the best way to install the darn things on your specific car model. 

I had so many difficulties with my last car that I was fearing for my sanity before replacing the wipers on the car that replaced it, after enduring the original ones for two and a half years. 

Yet, after watching 2 or 3 incomplete videos, I was able to piece them together and re-create a practical scenario. It got to work, and after 30 minutes, it all worked beautifully and I was so proud of myself!

The American vs. Italian, Brazilian dream, etc?

As economic conditions are becoming much closer and similar worldwide, at least inside developed and emerging nations, the term "American dream" appears to be losing some of its uniqueness, potency, and appeal. 

It’s no longer what it used to be. Initially and historically, the American Dream was associated with the idea that anyone, regardless of their background, could achieve success through hard work and determination. This notion has often been tied to the promise of upward mobility, material affluence like home ownership, and financial security. 

However, a number of elements have changed over the years while economic disparities have widened both within the US and globally, and as other countries have experienced economic growth, the perception of the American dream as a uniquely attainable ideal has diminished. 

Factors such as reduced life expectancy, social inequality, lingering racism, religiosity, huge health costs, spread of firearms and mass killings, stagnating wages for many, raising Gini index and runaway costs of living, have begun to seriously erode into what the traditional notion of the American dream used to be. 

Now that Trump is preparing his dreaded return to offer us a supercharged American nightmare, he’ll further destroy what had become to be a myth.

This, in conclusion, means that the ___________ dream (plug in your favorite country) might be every bit as good as its heralded American version. One just has to work harder by a few percentage points than their peers, take more risks, be more visionary and of course, be lucky!

Israli drone snipers

This week, NPR (our National Public Radio) reported that eyewitnesses in Gaza have said that Israel's military is using guns attached to drones to carry out attacks on Civilians. Quadcopters are equipped with a video camera, a long gun and their propellers are programmed to compensate for recoil when the gun gets remotely fired. 

Earlier, in April 2024, claims emerged that the Israeli Defense Forces have used armed quadcopter drones against residents of Gaza's Al Nuseirat refugee camp to shoot and kill would-be good Samaritan Palestinians. These drones were using the sounds of crying infants as bait. 

An article by journalist Spencer Ackerman argued that this despicable practice was turning Gaza into "a laboratory of wars for the future." While the IDF's use of armed drones in Gaza has been well-documented, the specific claim of using recorded noises of infants or others in distress stems from an April 16, 2024 report by Maha Hussaini in the Middle East Eye. 

Beyond the obvious human right violation it represents, this new escalation suggests this kind of development is highly concerning for our own safety in general. Think of common criminals and terrorists. What if an enemy of yours (a neighbor, your government) want you dead ? This is as close to a traceless crime there could be ? Are states even thinking of regulating the spread of that kind of device when they hit the buying public ? 

Another new danger to worry about for those who like to...

Risky Holiday lights!

As the end of year’s Holidays are around the corner, the fashionable thing to do, nowadays, is to transform trees into large, illuminated objects and while we thought for a while that too many lights wrapped around trees might hurt them, the advent of LED bulbs has minimized that risk a great deal. 

If we factor the low consumption of these new lights along with the use of a timer, tree illuminations shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. 

There are of course safety issues to take into consideration. Like the type of wiring used, a weatherproof light box and, obviously, how the lights get attached to the tree, which leads me to a seasonal observation of Latino workers literally taking their lives into their frail, poorly secured 48 feet ladders in ways that would make OSHA scream. 

This is the scene we witnessed the other night, ten unsecured workers scrambling to attache strings of light on a barren aspen tree!

Time for tuning those skis!

As I do every year, last week was ski tune-up time. I had four pairs of skis to work on. My wife and daughter’s and mine. I spread the work over 3 to 4 days and it was both efficient and enjoyable. 

Enjoyable ? Yes I adore doing that work. It makes me reflect upon the rocks and sharp objects we skied over during the season, either because we didn’t see them or were too lazy or unskilled to avoid them. 

Every skier should make a point to work on their own skis, at least once in their lifetime, to fully appreciate their respective levels of recklessness or lack of attention. If you carefully observe the video, I’m highly concentrating on the job. 

I don’t smile and while I’m listening to a podcast, I remain fixated on what I’m doing the whole time. Filing metal is a skill I learned in high school, when I was young, that I’ll probably still master until my last days, and hopefully many more ski seasons to come! 

What to do now that Trump has full power?

Following two weeks of mourning, despair and hand-wringing about the outcome of the US Presidential Election, it’s certainly a bad idea to start haphazardly on one random path. Instead, it might be time to ask questions like “What’s next” and “What workable options are there?” 

We have in fact many choices. 

• One is to do nothing, be just a spectator and watch the destruction of the American institutions at the hand of a disruptor who has no idea about his own end-game. 
• Another is to be angry and resentful for at least four years and self-destroy ourselves in the process. 
• A third is to find an actionable way that will make a difference, no matter how small or large, and will end up adding to similar efforts by others and account for some positive influence. 

By far, the latter approach seems preferable to me and I want to explore it fully. 

It will take some sorting out, a lot of creativity and, why not, might end up making a huge difference, even if it seems insignificant at the moment. Stay tuned!

When cars look the same…

Last week, we stopped by the library and its parking lot was full, except for one spot available in its EV charging area, so I pulled into that space, got my special Tesla adapter, connected my it to my car and we went into the library building where I was looking for a book I needed for my Spanish study. 

About 15 to 20 minutes later, my wife and I came out and walked to our car, I unplugged it, made sure I removed and kept the adapter (I once forgot to do that) and both of us opened the doors of what we thought was our automobile. 

What I saw was a guy sleeping in front seat and my wife saw a dirty interior, as well as the slumbering driver on the other side, I instantly realized that I missed my car that was next to the one I wanted to enter! We shut the doors close, the man who didn’t appear to wake up didn’t say a thing. 

There were three Tesla, same model, same color, side by side, with no front license plates... I immediately unplugged the car that wasn’t mine, then ours, and was left with two adapters in hand, so I realized that I had to re-plug his car, which I quickly did. At long last, we finally got into the right auto and we left...

Switching pain into knowledge

For a few years now, I’ve been looking at pain, hardship, difficulties, anguish and always searching for ways to turn these negative elements into positive outcomes, like knowledge and other assets that add to my personal growth. 

I have found, like many other people, that adversity can be a powerful catalyst for change and development. For one thing, I value my mistakes and never miss an opportunity not just to learn from them but to remember them. 

Mistakes and failures never fail to provide valuable lessons and insights. I’ve also found that the simple fact to overcoming challenges will strengthen my resilience and my ability to cope with future adversity. At the same time it acts as a fabulous switch turning a negative outlook into a positive one. It’s also true that experiencing hardship has helped me develop empathy for others who are going through similar difficulties.

Then, through tough times, I’ve gotten a deeper understanding of life's complexities and developed a more compassionate and understanding perspective. Will it mean that adversity can open us the doors to discovering a deeper sense of purpose and meaning in life? I don’t know for sure but it might. 

All these benefits are why I always make the necessary efforts to look at challenges like hidden treasures, with a growth mindset and a willingness to learn. By re-framing difficult experiences into opportunities for growth, I feel that I come out stronger and much more resilient.

“Forced out” of retirement?

When I heard that Lindsey Vonn was returning to ski racing at the age of 40, I thought to myself, “Her post-career plans didn’t pan out and she is now forced to come back to racing in order to maintain her lifestyle and celebrity status!” 

I might not be far from the truth, as Vonn was clearly eyeing a Hollywood career upon her stopping ski racing, but this didn’t pan out. Same thing for Hischer who thought he could prolong his lifestyle by entering the ski equipment activity with a splash, but soon found out that he needed Red Bull’s deep pockets to make it, and realized that manufacturing and selling skis isn’t a path immediately paved with gold.

These recent developments show that one can be a top ski athlete and enjoy some good earning for a while, but the post-career options aren’t that great or diverse, unlike they often are for widely accepted and followed sports like gymnastics or swimming. 

Worldwide, alpine skiing remains a micro-business with seemingly global dimensions, yet not enough appeal and horsepower to reach an equivalent celebrity status. I still wish Lindsey the very best!

Coming of age to be my very own (Part 2)

Today, we’ll explore how we can overcome the challenges we discussed in the previous blog and begin to embrace our true selves. 

As years pass, being less professionally involved frees more time to practice self-awareness and in the process better understand our thoughts, feelings, and values. Advancing in age also often challenges our self-limiting beliefs and stands as a great opportunity to learn how to replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations.

More importantly, we are less pressured to please others or follow their directions, especially when we don’t approve of them. That allows us to step back, examine the proposition in front of us and reject it sine die if it doesn’t line up with our values or our goals.This often leads the way to setting boundaries and giving us permission to just say no and prioritize your needs… 

This said becoming our own person and who we truly were meant to be doesn’t mean becoming a misanthrope or an unsociable character. On the contrary, it’s also a great opportunity to embrace our vulnerabilities when we share our true feelings and experiences with others. Finally, this realization opens the door to cultivating self-compassion, by starting to be kind to ourselves and avoiding self-criticism at every occasion ... 

If you haven’t begun already, work at taking these steps, and good luck in recovering your authentic self !

Coming of age to be my very own (Part 1)

These days, after years of self-doubt, hesitations and uncertainty, I finally feel good and able to be my own man. Why is it such a big deal for me? Why is it so hard to truly become our own person? Well, it’s complicated as the challenge of being our true selves stems from a complex interplay of societal expectations, self-doubt, and fear of judgment. 

Here is a sample of the obstacles I had to navigate. First, there were all the societal pressures from my Catholic religion to my parents’ simple culture that drilled on me certain norms and expectations which didn’t go well with my ebullient little personality. Then, I was told to “please” as I was waiting on tables at the family restaurant or teaching skiing, that placed a brake on my development. 

Same thing when I was in school and had to change establishments, then get into the workforce, before becoming a “minority” of sort in America (limited command of the language, strong accent), there was the need even more than the desire to fit within with my peer group that often lead me to silence or subdue my authentic self or should I rather say my full self-confidence. 

At the same time and for the same reasons, I also didn’t want to be judged or criticized by others, and for that, I compromised more than once when I had to. There was also the fear of not meeting expectations first, from my parents, then some of my teachers and then my bosses, co-workers or employees that often lead to self-doubt, negative self-talk and a reluctance to take risks. 

Like for many of my peers, the fear of the unknown made me, at times, prefer the comfort of the familiar, even if it meant sacrificing my authenticity and prevented me from taking big chances and embracing change. As you can see, there were many hurdles along my way and tomorrow we’ll review how I dealt with all these obstacles… 

(To be continued...)

Dreams and meditation

People often wonder if meditation has an effect on the way they dream, their type and their quality, and it would appear that meditation can indeed influence them. After meditating everyday for almost five years, it has had an effect on my dreams, but before I get into this, let’s look at what general research says on the subject: 

Regular meditation is said to enhance awareness, making it easier to remember dreams upon waking. Dreams are also said to be more vivid and lucid, filled with details as the mind is more present and aware. They’re also said to occur more frequently and there’s the case of meditation increasing the likelihood of lucid dreaming, where we become aware we're dreaming and can sometimes control the dream narrative. 

I’d say that this latter aspect is something I have briefly experienced recently, but the preceding stuff hasn’t been part of what I can recall. However, what I’ve observed in the last two months is a much calmer dream pattern, devoid of stress, whereas, since I’ve been retired, most of my dreams were highly stressful, complicated and, at times, frightening, not to mention that they’d wake me up all the time.

Now I sleep much better and wake up fresh and ready to go. I haven’t had specific changes in my life to justify that drastic change and the only reason I can find is a higher mindfulness and better meditation. It’s obvious that individual experiences do vary and while meditation can positively influence dream patterns, there is no guarantee it will do the same for everyone…

Getting old and staying balanced on skis?

One of the “benefits” of growing old on skis is that our balance goes on vacation. Many older folks experience problems with balance and dizziness. This can be caused by certain medications, inner ear or labyrinth problems. 

For example, when the labyrinth becomes inflamed, it will cause vertigo and imbalance. Likewise certain ear diseases or infections can lead to that condition. Same thing if your ski day begins with alcohol in the blood, or if your lunch break includes a bottle of wine at 8,500 feet, you’ll experience dizziness and balance problems that affect that same inner ear. 

Other medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, or vision problems, thyroid, nerves, or blood vessels can cause dizziness that may also attack one’s balance. So the question is “What can we do to manage a precarious balance?” 

By far, my favorite is a simple, one-legged standing exercise, twice daily, when I brush my teeth. I began doing this 6 weeks ago and can attest that it’s starting to pay off. 

I use an electric toothbrush that emits a distinct sound every 30 seconds, prompting me to clean another quarter of my mouth and that I use to change legs. So the entire exercise lasts 4 minutes per day and forces me to stand for 30 seconds on a different leg. 

During my October vacation, I used a regular, manual toothbrush, and boy, was this much harder because of the amplified lateral motions! 

Sure, there are also balance boards available for that, but I find this one exercise simple and filled with challenges, like doing it eyes closed, my goal in one year from now…

Our electoral disaster (part 2)

In my opinion, and unlike what’s been claimed by the press, Biden running for the second term without a serious primary and the full support of the DNC's decision makers (Obama, Pelosi, Clinton), are the main reasons for the Democrats’ failure. They all participated at serving Trump his second term on a silver platter. 

Most everywhere, his judgment was flawed, particularly when it came to underestimate Trump’s devilish force. He was too old and acting his age (unlike Sanders or Trump that had some juice left), which materialized in his debate meltdown and subsequent “gaffes”. 

The next reason was his inability to sell what he’d done for Infrastructure and Climate Change and more importantly his failure to explain what inflation was, what caused it (mostly Trump tax reform and Covid assistance) and that reducing it would never bring prices to their previous levels. 

His innate stubbornness was illustrated by his refusal to quit this last race and might be an indication that he never listened to anyone anyway, and was his own man. He should have never accepted being called things like “Crooked Biden” by Trump and respond appropriately with double intensity. Instead, he turned the other cheek which is a no-no with bullies. 

He was weak with Netanyhu, always came through too little too late in helping Ukraine like most overly careful old folks would do. He picked Harris because she wouldn't be a threat to him (she wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed), let her run so she wouldn't outclass him, and by delaying his decision left her no time to gain traction. 

The same happened when Harris picked Walz which speaks volume about her self-confidence. Back in July, I had recommended that Gavin Newsom run for president, with Liz Cheney as his VP! She would have also worked better for Harris. Furthermore, Biden was woefully unable to define what the Democrats stood for or against, and spread himself too thin to create that needed focal point. 

Biden's main goal was to score a second term as President. What he should do today, is resign before it’s too late so Harris becomes the 47th, first woman President of the United States for a few weeks, but I doubt that idea ever crossed his self-centered mind.

Our electoral disaster (part 1)

Most of the US press has been concentrating on finding the reasons why Harris lost to Trump. A majority of pundits have been focusing on demographics (see picture), media use and the money spent. 

What wasn't talked about was Trump’s enormous motivation not to go to prison and win, as well as his determination to use the experience of his first term and his second lost election to beef up his chances of winning, a crucial factor that was swept under the rug by the folks running the Democratic National Committee (DNC). 

To avoid prison, Trump would have to be formidable, but the DNC acquiesced to having a frail, 80 years old, run against a monster stopping at nothing. 

Trump’s tax cut and Covid support programs under both administrations also had a deleterious effect by tremendously increasing the money supply, which meant that they would fuel a severe inflation down the road. 

There was a precedent, runaway inflation had killed Carter’s chances of reelection in 1980, so one would have thought that the DNC and Biden, during his first mandate, would have “prepared the patient” by warning the American public that there would be, down the road, hell to pay for these largess. 

He forgot or was incompetent to do so, letting Trump jump on it and in fact with the election with it. Then, Trump went hell bent on insulting Biden first, and then Harris. I even suggested that Kamala present Trump with a bar of soap when the debated together, so he could wash his mouth! 

Both were nice with the convicted felon and turned the other cheek to receive more insult. Hard to believe! What was remarkable with Harris, as she took the mantle after Biden quit, Trump and Vance accused her of having run the administration on her own for 4 years, but she never bother to clarify that a Vice-President position isn’t to run the country, but more to shut up and assume the passive role of a “spare wheel” as everyone knows. 

The accusations leveled against Harris were totally uncalled for, but she didn’t object. As of yesterday, Harris only got 47.8% of the popular vote (70,258.814), vs. 50.5% (74,173,512) for Trump, a severe defeat, in spite of spending nearly 50% more than Trump on political ads, ($1.4 million vs. almost $1 million for Trump!) 

I compare this to the conclusion of a car race in which the experts claim that the losing automobile didn’t win because the mechanics were too slow to change the wheels in the pit, the public didn’t cheer loud enough, and the choice of fuel quality was suspect. 

The problem was that the winning car, was an old but still running Ferrari (Trump) facing a Citroën 2cv (Biden, then Harris). Only the product (candidate), not the program, the amount of money poured into the race, or any other excuse made the difference. 

We’ll explore this tomorrow (to be continued...)

“Let’s agree to disagree?”

This colloquial expression is believed to have originated in the 18th century. It was first used in print in 1770 by John Wesley, a prominent Methodist minister. He used the phrase to describe a respectful way to handle disagreements, particularly in religious matters. 

Since then, the phrase has become a common English idiom used in various contexts to acknowledge a difference of opinion without further argument. It's a polite way to end a discussion when both parties have reached a stalemate or when further discussion is unlikely to change anyone's mind. 

Just the day after Trump was reelected, we ran into a neighbor who is a Trumpist and who attempted to defend his questionable choice. All along the discussion held for 40 minutes, outside in a 24 degrees freezing cold, we both stayed courteous, listened to each other and “agreed to disagree”. 

It’s true that while "agree to disagree" is a common practice, it's not always the best way to resolve conflicts. Sometimes, it can be more productive to continue the discussion, seek common ground, or find a compromise. However, in certain situations, agreeing to disagree can be a pragmatic and respectful way to move forward.

This said, and in my opinion, “Agree to disagree” should be reserved for things like “I don’t like these skis, or that golf course sucks.” It has no place however when incessant lying, incivility, racism, homophobia, sexism, or human rights. 

Same thing for the right to be treated equally regardless of race, religion, color, country of origin or sexual orientation. At that point we no longer have a difference of opinion, we have a difference in morality, so let’s call a spade a spade.

One good reason for America’s hypocrisy

This past election, placed American hypocrisy in full display, particularly regarding anything Trump said or did as it revealed his own contradictions between his actual behavior and the value he pretends holding, showing that indeed, American religiosity far too often exacerbates hypocrisy.

It's quite current and frequent that religious individuals and groups in America often preach moral values and ethical principles, yet their actions or political stances may the polar opposite of what comes out of their mouths, contradicting those very principles. 

For example, some religious groups may advocate for traditional family values while conveniently overlooking issues of poverty, inequality, or environmental degradation. The discrepancy between professed beliefs and actual behavior is what puts in full display their hypocrisy. 

It’s true that it’s not unique to American society or to religion in general, but the United States is probably the place on earth where hypocrisy is king. Sure, individuals within any religious group will claim to have diverse interpretations of their faith and may hold differing opinions on social and political issues. 

While the vast majority does engage in hypocritical behavior, it’s also true that a minority strives to live according to their religious beliefs and promote positive social change. 

Still hypocrisy persists when the issues of Native abuse or Slavery is brought to the fore and that same majority of “moral” people choose to conveniently swipe them under the rug...

What’s my true country?

Sometimes I wonder whether a reasonable and fair choice exists for skiers like some top level skiers like Hirscher and Braathen that choose to be racing for other countries where they hold double citizenship, but still reside and train at their original home base, notwithstanding the crucial fact that it contributed to their athletic development from a very young age. 

I do wonder if this practice really makes any sense and if there should be guardrails to control it more tightly or just prevent it from happening on the athlete’s whim? Obviously the situations with Marc Girardelli, Estelle Alphand, Marcel Hirscher or Lucas Braathen among many others, are all unique and complex.

While they’re switching their national representation due to dual citizenship, it's important to take many factors into consideration. It seems obvious that athletes should be free to choose the country they want to represent, especially if they have strong ties to both. It’s also true that with sports being increasingly globalized, athletes often have easy connections to multiple countries. 

A lot rests on the relevant sports governing bodies and their choice of defining place of residence vs. the nationality under which they decide to compete. The case against allowing these kinds of “transfer” is that it could give certain countries an unfair advantage when they attract “already-made” top athletes from other nations. 

Not only that, but isn’t it a form of thievery against communities, sports clubs and volunteers that have contributed to the long and tortuous development of these athletes. This should call for a financial indemnity representing the cost of training and developing the athlete from the get go. Some people also rightfully believe that athletes should represent their country of birth or primary residence. 

This is why I’m not a fan of this practice that often originates from disagreements between the athletes, their parents, and their federation or more crassly, plain greed and the desire to make more money. 

Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to allow dual citizenship athletes is a complex one with valid arguments on both sides. It needs to be challenged in order to balance fairness, individual choice, and the spirit of international competition.

When obscurantism triumphs

Today is a very sad day indeed for America and for the entire planet. Trump’s reelection is a mirror of obscurantism winning over intelligence, of return to the Middle-Ages instead of continued progress, the embodiment of bad versus good. 

I have no other choice, but accept the results of that bruising defeat of light and reason, and the fact the United States has officially entered an era of darkness and decline. I’m just comforted by the way Park City and our County, as a community, rejected that idea. 

We now need to move on, adapt and resist the savage form of leadership that will be imposed upon us. Life will go on and we will have to make the best of everyday until that reactionary way of thinking and leadership style runs out of juice, can’t satisfy its people and is ultimately defeated.

At long last, a family visit!

Only my Dad and Mom came to see us in the United States in the 47 years we’ve lived here. My Dad and Mon once in New York, and my mother twice in Park City. They were our only direct family members who made the effort to come and see us. 

That was until my nephew Yves decided to pay us a visit last week with his wife Anne-Lise and their daughter Victoria, following a whirlwind trip through Florida, then to Las Vegas and our southern Utah National Parks.

After dining with our son and his family in the Salt Lake Valley on Halloween night, we tried to show them as much of Park City as we could in the two days they stayed with us. 

We had a wonderful time together, we convinced them of Park City’s uniqueness and from what we could detect, they’ll probably return and settle for good in our town!

Time for new skis…

On Saturday, upon our guests departure, I dropped by the annual Park City Ski Swap, which on an early afternoon seemed to me to be devoid of attendees. 

Quite a big surprise, in fact. Are the kind of people that flock to these events economically hurting this year? Sticker-shock all around might explain it. Most skis were priced upward of $500, which isn’t exactly cheap. 

Since I’m a Dynastar fan, I checked that brand closely and my eyes went to its M-Pro 85, an all-mountain ski that I thought might work for me.

Designed for short-to-medium radius turns, it has a hybrid core that combines a lightweight poplar core with a density of 450 g/m3, offering an excellent balance of liveliness, resistance, and weight. 

This central element is also wrapped into a fiberglass frame and Titanal sheets that are said to make the M-Pro very smooth and forgiving with a decent edge grip, but still easy to maneuver. 

I said “I buy it!” and only had to fork out less than $370 including my $16 entry fee...

No Halloween in Park City!

Even though we got some snow on the ground this year, we couldn’t stay home for Halloween and distribute the goodies we had stocked up for the occasion. 

So there won’t be any stats to review! My nephew, his wife and daughter were visiting and we all had dinner at night at our son’s home near Salt Lake City. 

We sure didn’t totally missed out on the festivities, as we took a stroll in my son’s neighboring streets where we saw Halloween creativity and action in full display. 

Celebrating in Park City has been rescheduled for next year!

 

Dealing with electoral uncertainty

This election season has been long, unpleasant and anxiety ridden. According to an article I read in the Atlantic magazine, that politics was the leading cause of stress for seven out of 10 adults across party lines. 

In a poll, a the same time, from a mental-health-care company, 79 percent of respondents reported that the presidential election made them feel very anxious. Now that we’re only a few days away from that election it’s only fair to assume that Americans’ anxiety is even higher… 

How can we best deal with this kind of stress depends on each individual, but we should remember to focus on what we can control and on the positive actions we take, like voting and helping candidates we support.

We need to ration the amount of political news we get exposed to. In theory, we should also try to separate the people from their viewpoints. That’s hard, I personally cannot do it, especially when normal looking folks are supporting a serial-liar like Trump. 

Of course, before beginning a discussion or a debate with someone holding an opposite opinion, we might want to think twice. Are we intent on changing their mind and getting them to admit that we’re right? Is it so important that we need to tell them what’s on our mind even if it’s just to maintain our own self respect? 

As always, it helps to acknowledge and validate our fears, anxieties and anger. It can feel scary if we believe our rights might be taken away, our values are being trampled on, or that our chances for a successful future might be damaged. It is always okay to feel angry in the face of what we perceive to be injustice and unfairness.

Winter’s early visit…

On Monday October 28, Mr. Winter made an impromptu visit, for a second time this season, to Park City. 

While an earlier first snow fall around the middle month didn’t last long, this one might be more serious and perhaps be “for good”, as the weather forecast that I’ve seen for the next couple of weeks calls for a string of snowy days. 

It’s rare that our snow season starts that early, but we’ve seen it before. Just let’s hope that it sets the stage for a snowy, powdery ski season. Our local ski resorts got the message and began blowing snow the very next day!