After more than six decades of ski manufacturing, the Sallanches’ Dynastar factory is closing its doors today and some hapless 57 employees are also losing their jobs.
I remember when I used to drive my Citroën 2cv to the factory’s back door where the Instructors’ Pro Sales was located and leave with a spanking brand new pair of RG5 or S430 skis or some lightweight prototype skis that would disintegrate within one week of skiing...
Rossignol cited the factory's lack of profitability as the reason for the closure. Despite three rounds of investments in 2021, 2022, and 2024 aimed at revitalizing the Sallanches site, the facility couldn’t make the numbers in a falling global ski market.
Rossignol will only continue to make skis in Artés, Spain, and a few at the Saint-Jean-de-Moirans site in France where Rossignol and Dynastar racing ski and prototype workshops are locating, churning out 10,000 pairs of competition skis, including 3,000 for athletes. Launched as a joint venture between
Dynamic and Starflex skis in 1963 and acquired by Rossignol in 1967, Dynastar quickly established itself as a producer of high-performance skis, building a solid reputation in the ski business. The Sallanches factory became synonymous with the brand's quality, innovation, sometimes marketing gimmicks like the “Dr. Barnard” anti-vibration red heart or the “airflow” tip among others…
The last waltz, one ultimate turn, the end of an era.
An old friend of mine responded very eloquently to my previous blog, by saying that for him, investment consisted more in following a process than using a strategy. Strategy often implies forecasting and reacting to external forces (markets, central bank policies, macro trends), while Process is about discipline, consistency, and focusing on what’s controllable—like asset allocation, risk tolerance, and re-balancing.
This echoes the thinking of many seasoned investors and behavioral economists: you can’t control the wind, but you can adjust your sails. He then distinguished between “Extra Wealth” and Savings. Extra wealth is truly surplus—not earmarked for emergencies or lifestyle needs, it’s capital that be invested and exposed to market risk without jeopardizing one’s well-being.
Savings however are the very important safety net. That’s were cash, bonds, stocks, and real estate—all with cash flow—come into play in a classic income-oriented approach. It avoids speculative assets and prioritizes predictability, liquidity and tangible returns mirroring the philosophy behind many retirement portfolios and endowments, in other words that cash flow is king.
In his plan, there’s no room for speculation and avoiding assets like gold, crypto, oil, and currencies is a deliberate choice to sidestep assets that don’t produce income, are often driven by sentiment or macro shocks and are both volatile and hard to value. Finally there’s a constant re-balancing activity which consists in maintaining the strategic target between cash, bonds, stocks and real-estate following market ups (sell) and down (buy).
By doing this, my friend is reducing emotional decision-making, avoiding overexposure to any one asset class and practicing a form of systematic contrarianism. A conservative and emotionally intelligent way to delineate financial roles.
It’s not without apprehension that I wonder what investors should do when faced with the unsustainable US government debt our Trump Congress recently endorsed and what are the best strategies, if any, available at the moment?
When I stare into the “black hole” of unsustainable US government debt, I remind myself to adapt with foresight instead of panicking. For one thing, I should make sure to diversify beyond traditional assets by looking at gold, commodities and carefully watching currency debasement.
Since cryptocurrencies aren’t my cup of tea, I’ll pass on these ones. In terms of equities, I should prefer to go global and reduce my exposure to US risk by investing instead in international markets with stronger fiscal positions.
There and in the US, I should favor industries that benefit from fiscal spending (defense and AI) while avoiding those sensitive to interest rate hikes.
As for cash positions, I should prioritize shorter duration bonds and pass on long-term treasuries as these might be vulnerable to rising rates.
Another good strategy might be to consider exposure to currencies from countries with lower debt-to-GDP ratios (Northern Europe, Switzerland, Australia).
My portfolio should be flexible enough and move beyond the classically recommended splits. More equities, real estate, and alternatives might hedge me against fiscal realities. Bottom line is that I should think long-term, act proactively and look for tax-efficient investing: Rising debt may lead to higher taxes, another good reason to use tax-advantaged accounts and strategies. Finally staying informed is key by watching debt-to-GDP trends, interest rate shifts, and policy changes.
The tipping point may be gradual, but preparation is essential!
I just ended reading an excellent book, "John & Paul: A Love Story in Song", by Ian Leslie. This book traces the complex, compulsive, tender, and tumultuous relationship of the two most famous Beatles, John and Paul, also marked by desire and jealousy. Like many men, they had difficulties in expressing directly their feeling, even though this measure was were often found in their songs.
Beyond this book, which I encourage my male readers to discover, the importance of better managing our emotions jumped out at me. I already discussed the subject about a month ago, along with methods for achieving it. For beginners and most of us who have difficulty identifying them, there’s a method developed by Dr. Daniel Siegel, a psychiatrist, which simply involves taking the time to name our emotions.
This will go a long way in calming us a bit and shed light on what we feel. When I first discussed this topic at the end of June, it was probably buried among a lot of other elements that did do it any justice. Today, if we just focus on identifying our emotions, things should go better. Let's start by getting into the habit of stopping once or twice a day and asking ourselves, "What am I feeling right now?"
We can choose from basic emotions, such as joy, sadness, anger, anxiety, calmness, or boredom. Once identified, we can ask ourselves, "Why am I feeling this way?" As an answer, we can choose from physical sensations, recent events, or thoughts that might be related to them. We can then record these emotions in a journal or express them aloud, even in private. For example, "I feel this or that because..." This allows the emotions to be perceived and heard, even if only by ourselves. The next question is, “What did this emotion teach me?” Over time, patterns will emerge that will help us understand all the everyday events that can trigger these feelings.
We could also try using the emotion wheel I mentioned a month ago, as it will help us better nuance our feelings, beyond basic definitions, like “disappointment” or “sadness” or “nervousness” or even “fear.”
These simple step might be a much more effective entrance to gradually learning to manage our feelings…
As an older man I often say that I think just as clearly as a 25 year old, yet, my thoughts are much more organized, richer and filled with greater experience than when I was 25. My mind was a dysfunctional mess then. What’s been happening in the following 50 years is an accumulation of mental clarity shaped by experience.
At 25, my brain seemed quick and gave me a distinct picture of what it wanted me to see, but it was often filled with distraction, ego, incoherence, contradiction, hesitation and anxiety about “figuring things out.” With age, came hard-knocks, failures, criticisms, that led me to become less reactive in my thinking, better at spotting patterns, and prioritizing.
After living through decades of trial, error, reflection, and refinement this is what opened the way to more structured thoughts. What might have felt like chaos in youth has been tamed by perspective and practice—like a messy garage that slowly becomes a well-labeled workshop or a plate of messed up jambalaya against some pristine looking nigiri sushi.
That‘ s wisdom taking hold, not just intelligence. Of course, this gain is gradual and may happen in 4, 5 decades or even more depending on the individual.
Over that time span, if we pay attention, we can accumulate a mental library made of stories, insights, and emotional nuances that will enrich our thinking.
Our creativity isn’t left behind either, with more depth, irony, and empathy replacing the frenetic mental hurricanes of our youth. We’re not just comparing mental horsepower, but we’re distinguishing between raw processing and cultivated wisdom. That’s a milestone worth celebrating!
Can we really say that we are the product of our life experiences, good and bad? Do they all add up and contribute to make us who we are in an uninterrupted process? This, apparently, is a widely debated concept in philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience. While admitting some truth to it, many dispute that assertion.
I am of the opinion that we’re mostly the reflection of “our experiences”, having lived for extended periods of times in various geographic, cultural and professional environments (France, Germany, Australia, Italy and now America), I believe that our brains physically rewire based on experiences. Traumas, joys, habits, and relationships literally transform neural pathways as many studies on PTSD or meditation have shown.
We also learn through conditioning, like with rewards and punishments. Our knowledge is also built cumulatively through experiences and our early relationships are defining our emotional templates for life. Further, we build our identity by weaving experiences into a personal "story" like Sartre has long argued. For instance, a failure might become a "turning point" or "proof I’m a loser," depending on how we narrate it.
Sure, our genetics play a role as our temperament, predispositions, and talents are biologically influenced, but in my view it remains an “identity core” around which experiences build up, like barnacles accumulate on a sunk ship. I also agree that not all experiences are created equal, as a trauma during childhood often has more impact than as an adult.
Likewise, a single chance event, like meeting a mentor, can alter one’s path disproportionately and the exact same experience will affect people vastly differently. Perhaps it would be good to say that “we’re the artisans of our experience but also the clay that produces it”, implying less passivity as well as less fatality.
Still, I remain convinced that we’re deeply shaped by our experiences, but agree that it’s not the sole influence that impacts us, albeit at different degrees depending on the personalities. The interplay of nature, nurture, and agency creates a dynamic self, always in flux, a real “work in progress!”
This is something I just read recently and wish I had known a long time ago. It just came to me as I was looking at my news-feed and it got my immediate attention. It’s pretty essential, as it deals with our purpose in life.
Some research claims that when we know why we wake up in the morning and have a purpose in our day-to-day life, we can add up to seven years to our life expectancy. I’ll take this!
There’s a Japanese concept called Ikigai that encourages us to find our personal calling or purpose. It’s recommended that we ask ourselves four questions and try to find where these answers intersect:
What do I love? (Passion) Skiing, I guess
What am I good at? (Profession) Writing might be one of my forte
What does the world need? (Mission) I wish for more peace and tranquility
What can I be compensated for? (Vocation) Well, I’ll do it for free!
When I look at these conflicting relationships that must be tied together, I’d tend to say that it would make sense to merge passion, profession and remuneration (which I was lucky enough to do), and that in all cases the "mission" part sits in a bit of limbo (and did not work at all in my case) and that it is not easy to create enough "Ikigai" space.
Therein seems to lie all the difficulty, well, we can always try, but it won’t be easy! I am told that it requires plenty of work, so I wonder if it is really worth my while to engage in this personal quest for an Ikigai that’s worth it. I think I will think about it a little more before taking the plunge!
You may remember that experiment involving a frog placed in a vessel filled with water and that is slowly heated up. This is commonly referred to as the boiling frog metaphor or syndrome. While not a rigorous scientific experiment, it’s a powerful allegory used to illustrate how people (or systems) can fail to respond to gradual threats until it’s too late.
To all my American friends, this illustrates exactly and perfectly the situation Trump has put us into at the moment. As you know or can imagine, a frog placed in boiling water would immediately jump out, but if it’s placed in cool water that’s slowly heated, the frog supposedly won’t notice the danger and will eventually be boiled alive.
Likewise, while no one with a right mind would move to Afghanistan, 340 million American appear to be okay with what Trump is concocting for them. Sure, modern science debunks the literal truth of this analogy as real frogs would likely jump out—but the metaphor persists because it resonates psychologically and socially. In our particular case under the Trump regime, it speaks to creeping normality, meaning that when small changes accumulate, they remain unnoticed until they result into a major shift, leading to undesirable or even catastrophic outcomes.
This is precisely what is slowly unfolding for an American population that has become too complacent in the face of what Trump and his sycophants are serving them, especially when “illegal” immigrants are deported without due process, an imbecile is put in charge of health care, when climate change is suddenly denied, when our civil liberties are getting eroded and when a MAGA Congress vote for lowering the taxes on the richest while increasing the Nation’s debt.
All these small changes don’t seem too significant to the American populace until a cataclysmic threshold is crossed. All this stands as a cautionary tale. Just because change is slow doesn’t mean it’s harmless. Wake up America!
If there’s a person who knows a few things about keeping the contact going with old friends and relatives in spite of distance, time, embarrassment and other weird considerations, I must be the one. It’s a subject I know very well for having practiced it over an extended period of time, say, almost half a century! It’s a subtle art of mixing vulnerability, specific intentions, enough forgiveness not to mention a good sense of humor to keep it light.
This is a short overview of how I’m doing it. It start with reaching-out intentionally. I see something very specific, I think of a friend and say to myself “Robert would love seeing that” and I quickly pass it on to him. It’s also often over special occasions like birthdays or reminiscences of all kinds, or even a random “do-you-remember” day, all these are great excuses to break the silence.
I keep it warm and simple and my message goes right to the heart of that person. I don’t hesitate either to acknowledge my interminable “news black-out”, instead of avoiding it. I don’t have to apologize as one sincere nod to the time-gap is enough. Most of all, I focus on overcoming embarrassment or “weirdness” factors to address any awkward event that might have happened in the past, like anger, misunderstood feelings or drifting away and just acknowledge with gracious and appropriate humor.
After a relationship is reignited, I let consistency rebuild it, not intensity as it should redevelop organically. In most cases the “glue” I use is shared interests or memories, things I cared about and shared with that person. Finally, I’m not afraid to challenge my vulnerability by saying why I’m reaching out: Whether it’s nostalgia, needing support, or curiosity, honesty builds bridges and clears up the messiness of the process: “I wasn’t sure how to reach out, but I didn’t want to lose touch!”
Remember, staying in touch is one the best preventive medicine available to all of us and if you value relationships and want to rekindle old ones, try to follow these steps. At the very least, give it a try!
Very rarely, I happen to get discouraged. It just happened to me last week, and it didn't last long, just a few hours. I know it’s a normal feeling and that’s how I manage it. I realize that moments of discouragement are normal for most of us, even when they occur rarely.
When it happens to me, I don’t try to deny it, I just acknowledge it since it’s in me, and take advantage of that moment to turn this seemingly negative experience into an opportunity to constructively regain a sense of purpose and motivation. I would say that the toughest part of this process is to acknowledge and validate that feeling, even more so for men than for women.
I try to just observe the feeling, reminding myself that it won’t last long and that it’s pretty usual. It doesn't mean I've failed or that my efforts are worthless, I simply try to ask myself what put me in that mental state? Was it a setback, a piece of news, a feeling of being stuck, or something else? In my case, it never fails, it's always falling short from executing correctly, under-performing or being beaten by someone else. Both perfectionism and competitiveness at work!
Understanding all this helps me address the root cause of my problems or just gain clarity and place the event into proper perspective within the grand scheme of things. If there’s something I can learn out of discouragement, it’s to draw the lessons that will benefit me and move quickly away from it. Since for me, this happens quite rarely, these strategies have been working fine.
Having constantly something to do, everyday, like advancing or bringing to fruition a project starts by first placing it into our “task pipeline”. If we fail to do so, we’ll end up with nothing to do, and even worse, nothing ready when we absolutely need it. Momentum doesn't just come from motivation—it’s built by habit, structure, and clarity.
The “task pipeline” concept is powerful, and it requires us to think systemically. Let’s explore how it should work. As much as possible, I try to plan ahead and avoid letting projects or tasks pile up, without my deciding on them and dropping them into my pipeline. I avoid procrastinating and don’t let the seed of an idea or a project idle for too long outside of the fertile and resilient environment that my pipeline is. It begins with placing only tasks that belong there and need this nurturing space.
That filtering process takes into consideration the task’s impact, urgency, and alignment with our broader goals. It’s not much different than tending a veggie garden like I do. In addition, we must review these projects regularly and update them, based upon ideas, opportunities, surprises and unexpected changes. Using a system, either digitally or on paper is also critical to track what’s inside our pipeline. Its contents must also be broken into progressive “mini victories” instead of vague goals like “just finish the project”.
This way it can turn into a much more detailed plan that is reviewed and iterated frequently. Pipelines stagnate when we forget and stop refining them. We must end each week with a short reflection: What moved forward? What stalled? What shifted in priority? This practice gives some life and rhythm to our strategy. Of course, we must leave room for the unforeseen, as an overly rigid pipeline can blow up when bad surprises show up along the way. Let’s remember to build slack or “open blocks” into our days to absorb unexpected tasks or spontaneous creativity.
Good luck with creating and maintaining your own “task pipelines” if you haven’t already done so!
When I ask myself or when someone asks me that question, I generally answer: “I’ve no regret whatsoever”, which, let’s face it, isn’t totally true. Still, I won’t get about what I regret at this point, as I prefer to minimize it.
This said, last Sunday, as we were walking by the Mormon Church, my heart went for all these people that were spoiling their free time worshiping a man-made, highly doubtful and irrational deity. I was thinking they’d benefit more from going mountain-biking, fishing, golfing or skiing in winter.
Then, my thoughts shifted to my life and that’s when I realized all the skiing and other fun I missed because of my church attendance while I was a kid. How much better a skier would I have been in my youth had it not been for my church attendance, with the promise of perhaps having made the French ski team and not having to perform my boring 16 month of compulsory military service, etc, etc.
Right, my Catholic upbringing was a royal waste of my precious time and I do regret that I was forced by my parents, my local culture and tradition to have to attend catechism, go to church and serve as an altar boy as much as I have, do my confirmation, communion and the like instead of going skiing or roaming the mountain by foot in the off season!
Do I mention all the fear that my religious experience brought to me and all the guilt it let seep into my mind, screwing up most of my life, as it’s only now, at the end of my life, that I begin to see things more clearly. Yes, a tragic waste of time and a major regret of mine!
We’re long time subscribers to Time magazine and over the years we kept our subscription current by renewing regularly. This year, we’ll receive the weekly publication through this coming August.
Yet, I’ve been bombarded with letters and emails pushing me to renew since the beginning of the year, efforts I find excessive and really annoying.
The renewal for our yearly subscription is only $34.75 for 44 issues, amount that I find to be quite reasonable, but when I go to the magazine’s website, Time.com, it lists the cost of subscriptions at $19 for one year and $34 for two, which make not much sense for anyone who masters basic arithmetic.
That’s why just for the sake of principle and lack of logic, I will let our subscription lapse and start a new one, a week later, for half the price and for two years. I wonder what the individual in charge of subscription was thinking?
It’s quite probable that this particular person has stopped thinking long ago…
As a born optimist, and barring a major worldwide financial catastrophe or nuclear conflict, I believe that Artificial Intelligence will transform our lives very fast, far quicker than specialists predict as it can learn from itself and act on the same principles of accrued interests, but at much higher, I should say lighting speed.
There’s also a huge confluence forming between AI, receding birth rates in developed countries, a challenging labor market (workers availability, cost of labor), quality control, trust or lack-thereof. All these trends will be pushing society and boosting investments towards automatizing menial tasks as soon as technologically (not humanly anymore) possible.
Through careful observation of how to accomplish tasks, it will become possible to design tools (robots) that can accomplish all kinds of predictable or observable tasks much better, probably faster and certainly more consistently than if they were done by humans. At any rate, if it doesn't come from America, it's problably going to emerge in China and well ahead of schedule!
When you see what Google has done with Waymo, I’m convinced that with growing economic incentives and an unstoppable AI, it will take far less time than most “experts” still think, before robots become fully part of our daily lives!
When I think about future trends, I see a convergence between the availability, the cost of menial help and the strides made by Artificial Intelligence (AI), so I’m thinking it’s only a matter of a few years (within a decade, I believe) before we had domestic robots performing household shores from making beds to cleaning the house and cooking us meals.
That’s not quite what the expert says, but like me, they’ve been wrong many times, so let’s read what they’re saying… While its generally admitted that the dream of a robotic housekeeper is inching closer—experts don’t believe it’s quite ready yet to fold our laundry. Here's what they tell it might take and when we could hope to see it.
First, advanced robotics hardware robots must still be perfected to physically handle a variety of tasks, like gripping delicate objects, navigating cluttered spaces, and adapting to unpredictable environments. This means better sensors, dexterity, and mobility. Further, these robots will need to understand context like we can. For example, knowing not to put a cat in the washing machine or how to respond to a spill while cooking.
This kind of intuitive reasoning is still a major challenge according to what I hear. Some say that AI systems that learn from videos of humans doing tasks, like peeling potatoes or watering plants, will be able to adapt what their camera see into robotic actions. I’m told that companies like Toyota and Google are actively developing these models. When and if that technology works, it needs to be affordable and socially accepted. Privacy concerns, reliability, and cost are said to be big hurdles, but frankly I’ve got my doubts about it.
My sources indicate that within the next 5 years we might see more specialized robots—like vacuums, mops, and maybe grocery delivery bots. In fact these already exist and we would see improvements creep up rapidly. Within 10 years, around 40% of household chores could be automated, especially repetitive tasks like cleaning and shopping.
Robots might assist with cooking or organizing, but don’t expect complex care-giving to be possible. Within 15 years, would be the time when fully autonomous, general-purpose household robots would become a reality. The ones that can do laundry, cook meals, and adapt to our preferences would still be decades away.
I don’t quite agree with that timeline, and tomorrow, I will attempt to explain why these delays might be cut in two. Stay tuned…
Under Biden, the US economy was pretty good, but this started to drastically change with Trump. With his focus on social issues like canceling Diversity-Equity-Inclusion (DEI), going after antisemitism for no good reason, harassing trans and other non-conforming ‘sexes’, our born-businessman has wandered and let the economy down.
Just consider this: Trump’s election has not been good economic news, so far, in spite of the suggestions that the man is a “seasoned deal-maker”. His on, off, and on again tariffs, are creating deep and lasting incertitude in the business community, leading the United States dollar to have its worst first six months of the year since 1973, as Donald Trump's economic policies have prompted global investors to sell their greenback holdings, threatening the currency's “safe-haven” status.
The wealth loss sustained by the US and the result of that uncertainty, as between November 1, 2024 (just before the election) to date, the US dollar has plunged 7.5% against the Euro. Causing its current $29.18 trillion GDP to lose $2.19 trillion in world value! This policy of widespread tariffs will continue to be a net negative for the US economy, leading to higher costs for consumers (inflation), reduced overall consumption, and a dampening of business and investor confidence due to increased uncertainty in trade policy.
Next, a promised deportation of millions of undocumented individuals will be an economic shock characterized by a significant reduction in labor supply, lost consumer demand, decreased tax revenues, and widespread price increases, ultimately leading to a contraction in GDP and a lower standard of living for many Americans. Economic models on similar scales of deportation often project billions or even trillions of dollars, that haven’t yet been accounted for, in lost GDP over time.
Finally, the significant reversal of climate change policy by the Trump and his fellow MAGA Republicans will likely have cascading negative effects, from increasing domestic environmental and health challenges to severely complicating and potentially derailing the global effort to combat climate change, leading to more severe and widespread climate impacts worldwide and more financial cost to humanity!
Today is France’s Bastille Day and that country’s national holiday. The US had its own event ten days ago and this gets me thinking about the relation that could exist between these events and the sense of “patriotism” the general population can have in various countries.
If there’s one measure that hard to quantify, it’s got to be Patriotism. In fact, it’s a blend of pride, loyalty, and willingness to defend one’s country, and it varies depending on how it’s measured. Several global surveys have tried to rank countries based on different indicators like national pride, belief in national superiority, and willingness to fight to defend it.
Here’s a quick summary of what I found by looking at a variety of sources and surveys like YouGov, WIN/Gallup and ISSP among others...
These rankings reflect more than just flag-waving—they’re shaped by history, conflict, national narratives, and even how comfortable people feel expressing pride.
For instance, countries with recent wars or strong independence movements often show higher patriotism, while some developed nations may express pride more subtly or critically. And you, how intense is your own patriotism?
When I seriously consider it, Speed Skiing to me is nothing more than gliding into a straight line and ending with a hockey stop. A very crude exercise to which are added fearlessness, huge strength and balance to withstand high speeds, but no skills comparable to those used in Alpine skiing or even freestyle.
Another observation is that in spite of being a demonstration event at the 1992 Olympics, the decision not to keep it in future winter Olympics was made for several key reasons. Speed Skiing was found to be incredibly dangerous. Even with the best safety measures, the speeds involved (well over 200 km/h or 120 mph) can lead to extremely high-impact forces in the event of a crash.
A tragic death occurred during a training run at the 1992 Albertville Games when Swiss skier Nicolas Bochatay crashed. This accident, along with numerous other serious injuries in the sport, caused the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to renounce.
A lack of widespread participation also stood against making Speed Skiing an Olympic event. The limited number and access to the venues didn’t help either and the spectator appeal was quite limited compared to other downhill events. It was essentially a straight line, without the turns and jumps making it visually entertaining for mass audiences.
At the end of the day, the extreme danger, limited global participation, and specialized venue requirements ultimately led the IOC to decide against including Speed Skiing as a permanent Olympic discipline, despite its thrilling nature for some.
So if in spite of all these considerations, this side of skiing still attracts you, and you’re a young speed demon with strength and balance galore, why not challenge this record? You only need guts, time and money and you should be all set. Good luck!
The "Kilometro Lanciato" (Italian for "Flying Kilometer"), now widely known as Speed Skiing, is one of the oldest and most exhilarating extreme winter sports, with a history rooted in the pursuit of pure velocity on skis. That quest for speed on skis began almost as soon as the sport developed. However, the "Kilometro Lanciato" emerged as a recognized discipline in the 1930s. The concept was simple: skiers descended a straight, steep, and well prepared slope, aiming to reach the highest possible Speed. Early records took place at St. Moritz, Switzerland, in the 1930s on The Corviglia. Mürren, in that same country, became another important early venue.
Early records were set in the range of 100-130 km/h (60-80 mph) using basic wooden skis and leather boots, a testament to the raw skill and daring of the pioneers. After World War II, the sport continued to evolve and remained limited to the Alpine countries.
Cervinia in Italy, Les Arcs and Vars in France and earlier on, Portillo in Chile became the places where these events were held on a 1.5 km long run with 762 meters of vertical with a start at 3,310 meters. What’s notable about that South American ski resort is that in 1963 North American skiers Dick Dorworth and C.B. Vaughn set a world record at 171.428 kph. This event happened in September 1963, reportedly "on the last day that Portillo was open that season". On October 1st, 1978: Another American Steve McKinney exceeded 200 km/hr for the first time, setting a new world record of 200.222 kph. On October 2nd 1987, Michael Prufer of Monaco set a new world record of 217.68 Kph. For a while,
Cime Blanche at Cervinia was the place with its 1.6 km run with 860 meters vertical and a slope steepness of 31 to 35° and recorded quite a few World records as well (see yesterday’s blog). At Les Arcs, France, the KL took place on the Aiguille Rouge speed run, 2 km long with a vertical of 565 meters. That run was used when Speed Skiing was part of the 1992 Winter Olympics. World records we also set on this course, including speeds of 251 km/h by Simon Origone and 242 km/h by Sanna Tidstrand.
Today, this event is now run in Vars, France on the Chabrières run 1.4 km long for a vertical of 435 meters. Its steep start (45°), makes it not only one of the steepest in the world, but also the fastest with a current world’s speed record of 255.5 km/h is held by France’s Simon Billy since March 23, 2023.
The women’s record is held by Italy’s Valentina Greggio since March 26, 2016, with a speed of 247.083 km/h. Unquestionably, the Chabrières run is cut for speed, with a launch ramp and ultra-steep upper section. It’s the gold standard for speed skiing. Tomorrow, we’ll see why this form of skiing remains so marginal...
Just half a century ago today, we concluded a short stay in Entrèves, near Cervinia, Italy where the “Kilometro Lanciato” or Speed skiing, took place. In this event, skiers descend a steep, specially designed course aiming to ski as fast as possible.
Speeds are measured over the last 100 meters of the course. The Cervinia track hosted many early competitions and record attempts. Speed skiing required specialized equipment, including aerodynamic suits and helmets, and specially designed skis.
This was the tail end of my first year with Look as their head of racing and we had the American Steve McKinney on our bindings; he had won last year’s event, setting a record of 194.384 km/h.
Joël Gros, who knew Steve and was familiar with the US Pro Tour, asked to come for the occasion accompanied by his wife Jane. Evelyne, my soon to be wife, was there too.
The weather was beautiful and the Matterhorn, breathtaking, as always, but in the end, it’s Bernard “Pino” Meynet that won the day clocking at 194.384 km/h, beating Steve McKinney who reached 192.719 km/h. If you want to know more about places where Speed Skiing is practiced, read tomorrow’s blog.
After Pope Francis ignored the perk during his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV is at Castel Gandolfo for a break to restore his “body and spirit” as he recently said. It’s a return to a centuries-old tradition that brings the new pope to that summer residence perched at 425 meters, above Lake Albano, offering cooler air and calmer atmosphere than Rome’s summer heat.
Aside from this cool news, the new Pope has been vocal and consistent in addressing the conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran since the start of his papacy in May 2025. On the War in Ukraine he condemned the war as “senseless”. He also expressed solidarity with Ukrainian Greek Catholics during a Jubilee pilgrimage, acknowledging their suffering and urging faith amid adversity. In his very first Sunday address as pope, Leo called for a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, and unrestricted humanitarian aid.
Following US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June, Pope Leo issued a plea for peace, warning that war only “amplifies problems” and causes “deep wounds”. He’s also condemned the logic of “bullying and revenge”, urging all parties—including Israel, Iran, and the US—to pursue dialogue and diplomacy. Not much of the Papal interventions have been reported through a media that’s been largely obsessed with Trump.
Besides these stances, Pope Leo XIV could drastically deepen his impact by leaning into the Vatican’s unique role as a neutral body and spiritual authority. He could for instance convene an Interfaith Peace Summit by bringing together senior leaders from Christianity, Islam, and Judaism—especially those with influence in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, and use it to condemn violence and call for ceasefires, humanitarian corridors, and negotiations.
He could also launch a Global “Peace Pilgrimage” Campaign with interfaith partners to host synchronized events—prayers, fasts, and public forums—focused on peace in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran. Then there’s always a more active, direct engagement with political leaders challenging arms buildup and the erosion of international law. From a religious standpoint, he could also support bishops, imams, and rabbis in conflict zones with resources and platforms to counter hate speech, promote reconciliation, and protect civilians.
Likewise, encourage interreligious councils in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran to issue joint statements and mediate local tensions. With strengths in moral clarity and global reach, it’s my belief that Pope Leo holds the power to translate his words into coordinated action, especially with other faith leaders and be instrumental in shifting the narrative from retaliation to reconciliation.
As Pope Leo gets ready to intervene more forcefully for peace, I wish him a rejuvenating sojourn at Castel Gandolfo!
By now, some of my reader may think “I just don’t ever want to deal with, or live among snobs!”
While I recognize that dealing with snobs can be incredibly frustrating, there are some strategies that can help us, ranging from full disengagement to subtle redirection.
My first recommendation would be not to take their stinking behavior personally. Instead, understand that the way they act is usually a reflection of their own insecurities, not a true assessment of your worth. They need to belittle others in order to rise over them, and this comes from their own issues.
Now, don’t ever forget that big, handy tool: Never, ever engage or argue with snobs! Debating with them is pointless. They're not usually interested in a genuine exchange of ideas; they want to assert their superiority. You'll rarely "win" by arguing their specific point of "superiority." Instead, use humor (gentle or disarming if possible, never mean).
A lighthearted, non-confrontational, or self-deprecating joke can sometimes neutralize a snob. For instance:
Snob: "I can't believe you've never heard of [obscure band/author/dish]."
You: "My cultural education clearly shows some gaping holes! What else am I missing out on?" (Can be genuinely curious or subtly ironic).
You can also change the subject, when the snobbery starts, steer the conversation to a neutral topic or one where you know they have no basis for snobbery. You can also try a polite, indifferent, bland agreement by responding with a noncommittal "Oh, really?" or "That's interesting" without giving them the satisfaction of a reaction or argument. Don't provide fuel for their fire!
When the snob becomes genuinely offensive or crosses a line, you might want to address it directly but calmly with responses like, "I'm not comfortable with conversations that put people down." or "We seem to have very different tastes, and that's okay." As always, try also to find common ground or areas where their snobbery can't apply. If they're a food snob, maybe you can talk about the universal experience of enjoying a simple meal with loved ones.
Avoid seeking their approval and don't fall into the trap of trying to impress them or prove your worth. Their approval isn't valuable because it's based on superficial and often false metrics. Finally, limit your exposure to this category of human beings. If a particular snob is consistently draining you or eating your time, it's okay to limit your interactions with them.
Ultimately, dealing with snobs effectively is about protecting your own peace of mind and self-esteem by refusing to play their game of hierarchical judgment. Good success!
To do a good job, I should put my “Shrink Hat” on, but I can’t find it anywhere! Right, snobbery is usually rooted in a mix of psychology, insecurity, and social conditioning. Most of the time, it begins with insecurity and low self-esteem. That’s often the primary driver.
By putting others down or elevating oneself, a snob attempts to feel more secure and important. It's a defense mechanism to mask their own vulnerabilities or doubts about their worth. Besides that, there’s also a desire for status and belonging, we’re all social creatures, and the desire for rank, acceptance, and belonging is powerful.
Snobbery can be a misguided attempt to secure a place in a desired social group or climb a perceived social ladder. The trait can either be inherited or learned. Some can learn snobbish behaviors from their environment, families, or peer groups. If they grew up in an environment where status and judgment were highly valued, they might adopt similar attitudes. A lack of empathy also acts a fertile ground for turning into snob with a reduced ability to understand or share the feelings of others.
It then becomes a lot easier for snobs to dismiss or belittle people without feeling much remorse. Then, when people are ignorant, narrow-minded, have limited perspective, believe that their ways of doing are just superior instead of different, they become intolerant of alternative views.
To close that list, snobbery can also be a form of compensation for perceived lack in other areas of life; for instance people struggling professionally might overcompensate by being a snob about their hobbies or tastes. Similarly a deep fear of not blending in or not being special can lead to a desperate need to differentiate oneself, often by highlighting what others lack.
In the next blog, we’ll explore practical ways we can live with snob without getting too much aggravated...
If there’s a trait I dislike a lot, it’s snobbery, or snobism depending on how you want to call it. It irritates me to the nth degree. For those who have been living under some rock and never had a chance to experience it, snobism is about claiming superiority based on perceived status, taste, or knowledge in a particular domain, and then using that supposed superiority to belittle or exclude others. Nice, isn’t it?
Contrarily to what many are thinking, it's not just about liking expensive things; it's about making others feel inferior for not liking or having those things, or for not adhering to a specific (and often arbitrary) set of standards.
If you’re a keen observer of the society around you, snobbery manifests itself as a sick craving to belong, to a perceived "elite" group and to distance oneself from those considered "inferior" or "common."
Along the same lines, snobs are quick to judge others harshly based on their possessions, background, education, tastes, or adherence to certain social norms. You generally can tell a snob by their affected manner or exaggerated display of knowledge or sophistication to impress others or reinforce their perceived status. Snobs also display a strong belief in social hierarchies and one's place (usually at, or near the top) within them.
As I mentioned earlier, snobbery isn't just about wealth; there are intellectual snobs that belittle others for not reading certain books or understanding complex theories. There are gourmet snobs that will make fun of those who don't appreciate haute-cuisine or specific vintages. Of course, there are also plenty of fashion snobs who judge others for not wearing designer labels or following specific trends, cultural snobs that look down on popular culture or mainstream entertainment and educational snobs that boast about their alma mater while dismissing others' education.
Finally, there’s the “Exception that confirms the rule” and come the “Reverse snobs" that are snobs about not being a snob, looking down on those who display conventional signs of wealth or status. This would suggest that we might all be snob. Really?
Tomorrow, we’ll study the deep roots of snobbery, so please stay tuned...
Sometimes, plastic ski boots break for no apparent reasons. I remember my days when I was in the ski boot business and we had warranty calls for “exploded” polyurethane (PU) ski boots shells. In December 2021, I bought a new pair of Nordica boots and after using it 21 times, it just broke at the toe.
Earlier this week a French friend of mine showed me how some Nordica boot shells after years of storage could be broken like one would break a large Easter egg chocolate in tiny parts. All that prompted me to investigate the technical origins of that mechanical breakdown. The culprit is called hydrolysis and it’s both a very common and frustrating form of failure for plastics, particularly PU, that are stored for long periods under certain conditions.
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction where water (hydro-) breaks (-lysis) chemical bonds. In the context of PU, we have a polymer made up of long chains of repeating units, linked by specific chemical bonds (often called ester or urethane linkages). Water has a huge influence on this material. Ambient air humidity slowly attacks and breaks the ester or urethane bonds within the polymer chains. When the bonds break, the long polymer chains that give the plastic its strength and flexibility become shorter and shorter.
As the chains degrade, the material loses its mechanical properties. It becomes brittle, loses its elasticity, and its strength dramatically decreases. Eventually, the material becomes so brittle and weak that even a small stress (like putting on the boot, or even just temperature fluctuations) can cause it to shatter into many small pieces, much like a dried-out, old piece of chocolate. While water is the primary agent, several factors accelerate this degradation, like higher temperatures that increase the rate of chemical reactions, to the point that storing ski boots in a hot attic, garage, or shed will significantly speed up hydrolysis.
Even moderate warmth over many years will contribute to its deterioration. Humidity plays an active role. The more moisture in the air, the more readily water molecules are available to attack the polymer bonds. Add the time element to that slow process (we’re talking years, like 5 to 15+ years depending on the specific plastic formulation and storage conditions). Then this will vary with specific PU formulations as not all PUs are equally susceptible. Some formulations are more resistant to hydrolysis than others, which is why certain ski boots hold up better than others.
Comes also exposure to ultraviolet (UV) Light. Sunlight and UV rays oxidize and further weaken the polymer, especially if boots were stored in an attic or garage with important temperature swings. Even in storage, UV exposure from fluorescent lights or brief outdoor use, creates free radicals that attack the PU’s molecular structure. If direct UV isn't the main cause for these problems, general environmental exposure can also play a minor role in degradation. PU often contains plasticizers (softening chemicals) that leach out over time. As they evaporate or migrate, the material hardens and cracks.
You might also notice a greasy film on old boots—this is degraded plasticizer seeping out. The problem is PU because of its specific properties. Boots need to be stiff but also have some flex and they must be solid enough as well as able withstand cold temperatures that make PU more brittle. If stored in a cold garage, cycles of freezing/thawing sped up the breakdown. Finally it seems that from the 1980s to the early 2000s many PU formulations were prone to hydrolysis.
Modern boots often blend TPU (thermoplastic PU), which slows degradation. The choice of PU, combined with typical storage conditions (often in cold/warm garages, or attics, where they experience huge temperature fluctuations and varying humidity), makes them prime candidates for hydrolysis over extended periods. Morale of this story:
Take much better care of your ski boots so they don’t blow up from under you while you’re launching down Corbet Couloir at Jackson!
Executing a plan, whether it is to achieve a dream or any goal, either personal, financial or business related is always fun. In fact, it’s more about the journey (in that case, the process) than the final destination where all the pleasure resides. Action is obviously what turns planning into results and the first step is often the hardest.
So, we shouldn’t wait for perfection to take it. Generally, I begin by identifying the absolute smallest thing I can do now to get the process started. I block out time for that in my calendar and I treat it like a non-negotiable appointment. I continue by breaking down what I have to do into small, repeatable tasks I can work on consistently. Even 15-30 minutes daily can lead to incredible progress over time.
I do my very best to focus on one thing at a time, I don’t let distractions mess me up, my dream gets my full attention. This said, I remained prepared for unexpected obstacles and adjusted my plan as needed without being too perfectionist. It's better to take imperfect steps than not moving at all. What’s crucial is to stay consistently motivated.
To do this, I track my progress and my completed steps; seeing how far I've come. To me, it’s a powerful motivator and I never fail to celebrate my victories, no matter how small they are. When I feel discouraged, I remind myself of the main reason I am expending so much effort and I keep my goal in mind, reminding myself of the benefits that will come out of my work.
Most importantly and that’s the hard part for most of us, I remain patient: Big dreams don't happen overnight. It's a marathon, not a sprint. I trust the process and consistently stick to it. It’s only by following these steps, that I can make my beautiful dream come true with actionable steps. The journey has become something I enjoy so much, to the point that I find it as fun as the ultimate destination should be!
Having a dream we want to see come through is one thing, but how do we go about planning it and executing it, if we want to see it fully realized? Having a dream is the spark, but planning and execution are the fuel and engine that get us there.
Today, we’ll explore the planning portion of the task and for that, we need to define our dream clearly, namely the "What" and the "Why". For instance don’t just say “I want to continue skiing” or “I want to travel more”, be more specific “I want to be in Portillo, Chile for a week, next August” or "I want to spend two weeks circumnavigating Corsica next spring on a sailboat”.
First of all, I must be serious about realizing my dream, that’s a crucial condition. It’s clear that if I just decide to learn Italian, the required steps might be far simpler. Of high importance is to always remember that simpler dreams are always the easiest to reach, so keep that in mind! If instead, I’m planning a two-month trip around Asia, I will need a more robust plan like the following one.
To help me accomplish this, I need to ask myself the “What", like what exactly do I want to achieve?
How will I know when I've achieved it? (date and duration), Does that dream fit my budget, my constraints and values? Then, examine the "Why": Why is this dream important to me? What need or desire does it fulfill? Understanding my "why" will be my greatest motivator when challenges arise. I then close my eyes and vividly imagine what it will feel like, look like, sound like, when that dream of mine is realized. This gives me emotional connection and clarity.
It’s now time to go over the "How" and get on with a proper plan. A big dream can be too much, so it must be cut into manageable bits. I think about all the steps involved, no matter how small without limiting myself. I categorize and organize the different categories like financial, research, skills needed, logistics. I keep a clear chronological view of what needs to happen first? What depends on other steps being completed? Is the flow both logical and complete? What are the significant checkpoints along the way that will keep me motivated and will track my progress.
Finally, I take the time to identify all the resources I’ll be needing, like time, money, knowledge, people, connections, tools and equipment. The key to my final success will be my ability to anticipate all the obstacles I’ll face and devise solutions for each, a Plan B of sort. That, along with a realistic timeline should set me on my way to success.
Next time, we’ll see how to execute that beautiful plan of yours!
Now that we know some of the reasons for these disappeared dreams and aspirations of ours, let’s see if we can revive them and what it will take to do it successfully. I’m told that it’s never too late to reignite our passions and pursue new dreams! I know many seniors around my age that are proving that vitality and curiosity are not constrained by age.
I’ve already been on that road before when I returned to meditating in 2020 and started to learn Spanish one year ago now, so I know lots of things can be activated no matter how old we are! The first move is to refresh our view by recognizing that dreams don't have to be huge or impressive. They can be about learning, personal growth, contributing to our community, enjoying simple pleasures, or deepening relationships.
That’s right, just quality dreams and aspirations! One way to get started is by breaking down any seemingly large aspirations into tiny, manageable steps. to build momentum and confidence (what I call the “salami technique”.) Then, I do my best to focus on "Meaning" and "Purpose". It could be volunteering, sharing my wisdom, creating a product, an idea, or piece of art or something else, and it could also be enjoying the beauty around me.
It might also be the moment to reconnect with old passions or hobbies we used to like earlier on. For instance, what did we love to do when we were younger that we had to let go of due to our job or other responsibilities? Could we rekindle these interests? We can also let our curiosity guide us based on what topics, subjects, or activities that naturally pique our interest now? By following these, we might discover some new passions.
Executing on our dreams will inevitably lead us to learn new skills, like researching, reading or taking a class in anything that interests us. It could be a new language (like what I’m doing right now with Spanish), painting, woodworking, playing an instrument, learning more about my computer or my smart phone, photo, video, cooking, gardening, etc.
What attracts us involves some regular physical activity like walking, exercise or a new sport, so much the better. It’s just what our doctors ordered us to do! If we can unearth just one exciting dream, we might be on our way to big changes in our lives.
Our golden years can be a great opportunity to pursue passions that we have forgotten, put on hold, and are now free for us to rediscover. It's about embracing a new chapter of growth and discovery.
Tomorrow, we’ll see our we can set up a plan of action...
As we grow older our dreams and aspirations seem to dry up, and this often leaves us aimless, bored and dissatisfied. So I wonder if that’s an inevitable price we’ve got to pay as we grow old, that signals a shift in priorities and circumstances rather than a complete loss of ambition.
It’s obvious that changing priorities, as we go through life, has a lot to do with that reality. Much of our adulthood is spent raising families, building careers, and ensuring financial stability. The "dreams" of youth might have been about achieving certain milestones that once achieved or significantly attained, extinguishing the dreams that fed them there’s nothing worthwhile ready to take their place.
As we become older, our priorities often shift towards stability, comfort, security, and enjoying free time, rather than the intense "grind" of chasing ambitious or risky, goals. The desire to avoid stress can outweigh the desire for grand new achievements. It’s also true that our dreams in youth were influenced by societal expectations, like getting a house, a good job, but as we gain life experience, we often discover that what truly fulfills us is quite different, and those old "dreams" no longer feel exciting to us.
Then there’s the brutal reality that, with age, our physical capabilities decline. This can make certain dreams like paragliding, bungee jumping or climbing Everest less feasible, opening the door to a real sense of limitation. Likewise, chronic health issues or the fear of poor health can also dampen enthusiasm for future-oriented goals. Finally the loss of loved ones (spouses, friends, family) can lead to grief, social isolation, and a profound sense of loss of purpose, making a hopeful future senseless.
We also should ignore society’s suggestions that after a certain age, especially retirement, it's time to "settle down" or wind down. To many of us, it can lead to believing that the time for dreaming big is irremediably gone. From a medical standpoint there’s also anhedonia – a decreased ability to experience pleasure in activities that used to be enjoyable, or a lack of motivation to engage in them. This is not an inevitable part of aging but can be a symptom of depression, which is unfortunately under-diagnosed in older adults.
Let me just conclude that long and depressing list that chasing dreams can be exhausting. Decades of working hard, having a family, and navigating life's challenges can lead to a general sense of being "tired of the grind," where there is no more energy left for new pursuits.
Tomorrow we’ll try to find out if there are ways we can get our dreams out of hibernation?
Mental energy has always amazed me and it’s been a very important part of my life since I was a little boy.
True, when I was in middle school, I wasn’t doing much and I couldn't say too much about my energy level, in those days, when I was 11, 12 and 13 years old. After that period, it changed drastically and I recovered what might have been my true self.
Today, as I am much older, I looked at what I consider the three pillars of mental energy in me, namely my ability to dream, plan and look forward to, or hope for both dreams and plans to come to fruition.
In the next few days, we’ll take apart this triad and explore ways to regenerate or increase the flow of mental energy in us...
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