The ever changing Halloween

Over the years, the way folks in Park City decorate the front of their houses has changed an awful lot. 

From the only few ordinary pumpkins adorning the front door area to a raggedy straw doll and later on to inflatable black cats and seasonal monsters, it’s now time for a full display of human skeletons of all sizes. 

These items, while not really cheap (count to spend about $70 for a 5’6” tall skeleton) and probably made in China, are teaching kids and adults about basic bone knowledge and are helping them tell the difference between a tibia and a fibula as well as visualizing rib cages and the precise location of our floating ones. 

One downside about these skeletons is how, and where does one store them from year to year, especially if there’s a herd of them, as taking each one apart would represent a nightmarish job. 

No matter what though, this is a fantastic step towards building a Nation of intelligent individuals that may not vote for Trump if this man was still delusional enough to seeking re-election... 

Happy Halloween!

Who’s got the best Fall colors?

Living in the Utah’s Wasatch back, I’m extremely proud of our wonderful fall foliage with its beautiful reds (mountain maple) and golden aspens. I’m not bashful either to share pictures of our technicolor falls and boost about them with friends and family. 

Of course, this emulates responses from my Alpine friends and relatives that show me theirs in return. This is how I started to wonder, when all is said and done which special places or region can claim to have the best foliage in the world and that led me to this… 

To begin that discussion, we need to understand what makes a region “Best”? Things like tree diversity, with the more species the likelihood of many more color variation. Elevation and climate also play a huge role with sharp temperature shifts enhancing pigment intensity. 

Then there’s the picturesque nature of a place or backdrop, including mountains, lakes, and historic architecture that will amplify the visual drama. Timing is also crucial; some regions offer longer or more predictable foliage seasons. 

Our Utah pride is well-earned with our fiery mountain maples and golden aspens with breathtaking contrast and when it comes to our friendly foliage rivalry with my Alpine friends, this perfectly illustrates how autumn becomes a global celebration of color. 

Sure the best foliage isn’t just about colors, it’s also about context. It’s the way the light hits our favorite trail, the scent of crisp air, and the stories we share with those who see it with us. 

So while Vermont or Kyoto might win on postcard perfection, my biased Wasatch technicolor landscapes, shared with the people I love and echoed by the Alpine kin are fully part of a global tapestry of autumn wonder.

What it means to see Amish in America?

During our recent passage through Pennsylvania and Ohio we ran into a significant number of Amish and Mennonites in public spaces and stores. This by the way isn’t much different than the “plural” Mormon fundamentalist housewives in 19th century garb, we often see at the Salt Lake City’s Costco store. 

As I was observing these folks, I couldn’t help wondering why they're still Amish and Mennonites in America and not in Europe, where they originally came from, and what it tells us about a frozen social evolution in the US? It’s true that many Amish and Mennonites fled Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries to escape religious persecution. 

The US, Pennsylvania and Ohio, offered land and constitutional protections for their religious expression. Further, unlike Europe, that underwent aggressive modernization and secularization after World War II, these pockets of cultural autonomy were able to preserve their traditions without being absorbed or dismantled by US national policies. It’s also true that American pluralism, while far from perfect, has historically been more tolerant of counter cultural lifestyles. 

To me, this constitutes a hurdle to societal evolution or modernization, from a technological or cultural homogenization that makes life needlessly more complicated just to accommodate every extreme diversity. Of course, the opposite view is that the persistence of Amish and Mennonite communities could instead reflect a resilience of choice in a society that allows people to opt out of modernity without being erased. 

Finally, I believe that a lack of education and too much religiosity are perfect ingredients for maintaining these odd cultures. It’s a fact that some traditional communities, including Amish and Old Order Mennonites, often limit formal education to around 8th grade as a deliberate choice to preserve community values and resist assimilation. 

Their education emphasizes practical skills, moral instruction, and communal responsibility. I also believe that deep religious beliefs often equate to gullibility. Some will push back saying that these communities have highly structured theological systems, rigorous moral codes, and strong internal logic. 

As you can appreciate it, a huge heap of subjects to debate...

A darker Oracle from Omaha…

In recent weeks, it appears that Warren Buffett, our famous “Oracle from Omaha”, is going “dark” with pressing and alarmist messages and videos about the economy and the dark future of US seniors Of course, some of these videos are third-party content obviously designed to maximize views and often exaggerate or sensationalize his actual comments. 

They often compile old or recent quotes from Buffett's annual shareholder meetings or interviews regarding the national debt, inflation, and the solvency of Social Security (a major concern for seniors). It’s evident that the creators of these videos, like the one below, seek to generate ad revenue by leveraging his authority to discuss serious, but often complex, macroeconomic issues in a dramatic, urgent tone. 

This said, Warren Buffett’s recent warnings about the U.S. economy and the future of seniors stem from growing concerns over the financial stability of Social Security and broader economic uncertainty under Trump haphazard leadership. For quite a while, Buffett has highlighted that the Social Security trust fund is projected to be depleted by 2033, which could result in a 23% reduction in benefits for retirees. 

Then, there’s the rising cost of living: He’s pointed out that many seniors are already struggling with inflation, housing costs, real estate taxes, insurance costs and medical expenses, making any cut in benefits potentially devastating. Buffet is creating a sense of urgency in planning, by urging seniors to act before December 2025, suggesting they review their finances, optimize retirement plans, and prepare for possible changes in federal support. 

His advice isn’t just for retirees as Buffett has issued a broader warning about a potential market downturn, referencing historical patterns and signaling caution to investors. He’s also concerned that political gridlock and rising debt could lead to austerity measures that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including seniors. 

My take-away is that Buffett’s tone may feel unusually stark because he’s trying to mobilize public awareness before policy changes become irreversible. He also sees a disconnect between political promises and fiscal realities while emphasizing personal responsibility in financial planning, especially for those nearing or in retirement. I admit that without being paranoid, I take his advice more seriously than our government-approved propaganda.  

The video message I mentioned was since then taking down by YouTube. Unauthorized? Probably. 

 

What’s up with Gini? (Part Two)

What follows is a selection of countries I was particularly interested in. Here’s a detailed look at how the Gini coefficients—which measure income inequality—have evolved over time in the countries you asked about, along with how they compare to the global average: 

The global average for 2025 is around 38.0, with the highest inequality found in South Africa at 63.0, Namibia with 59.1 and Colombia at 53.9. The lowest inequality is found in Slovenia at around 23.9, the Czech Republic at around 24.0 and Belgium at 24.2. 

What comes out is that the USA remains above the global average, with persistent inequality that won’t get any better under the Trump regime. Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Denmark) show slight increases but still rank among the most equal. Surprisingly, Belgium stands out as one of the most equal societies globally. 

This said, global inequality remains high in many developing countries, but some European nations maintain low Gini scores through strong social policies. Now, I can only hope that you know a lot more about Gini and how to judge a country by analyzing its Lorenz curve!

What’s up with Gini? (Part One)

Gini isn’t an old girlfriend of mine, but a statistical measure used to calculate income inequality within a country or population, and expressed as a coefficient. It ranges from 0% (perfect equality) to 100% (total inequality) and is calculated by comparing an actual income distribution to a perfectly equal one. This index was developed by the Italian statistician Corrado Gini in 1912. 

A useful tool for analyzing the wealth or income distribution in a country, it does not indicate however that country’s overall wealth or income. Some of the world’s poorest countries like the Central African Republic, have some of the highest Gini coefficients (61.3 in this case). 

A high-income country like the US can have the same Gini coefficient as a poor one. There’s plenty of room to debate whether it’s better to live in a country with a high Gini coefficient with very high average income or in one where equality is perfect but average income is dismal. 

Additionally, when reliable GDP and income numbers are hard to get, the Gini index accuracy will suffer. Let me put it this way, it’s not something easy for anyone to see and is just like someone’s blood pressure. It’s only when we see the measurement that you realize the extent of the social or cardiovascular problem! 

I have already discussed the Gini index in this blog in 2012 and 2016, but wanted to provide a more complete interpretation. Mathematically, the Gini coefficient is defined based on the Lorenz curve and isn’t always easy to grasp, so I wanted to share the video below that goes a long way to clearly explain how the concept works with all the nuances it implies. 

Tomorrow, we discover what the index is up to recently! 

Blue Banana?

If you’re a botanist, you’re probably thinking about the blue Java banana, also called “Ice Cream banana”, a variety known for its silvery-blue skin when unripe and its creamy, vanilla-like flavor and consistency when ripe, but that’s not the point of this question. 

The answer is about the economic "Blue Banana", a banana-shaped corridor in Europe stretching from northwest England to northern Italy, representing a densely populated, heavily urbanized, and industrialized region. It’s considered Europe's economic backbone, containing a high concentration of major cities, financial centers, and a dense network of transport and trade routes. 

The term "economic blue banana" was coined by the media in 1989, inspired by a French geographers’ study led by Roger Brunet, conducted for the French government, in which he identified this powerful urban and economic corridor called the Dorsale européenne (European backbone).  

That region included major cities like London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Cologne, Frankfurt, Zurich, and Milan. It covered areas including northwest England, the Benelux countries, the Rhine-Ruhr area in Germany, Switzerland, and northern Italy. 

The whole area was said to be a major contributor to Europe's economy due to its high density of industrial production, financial services, and trade. It also had a significant share of the European population and featured dense infrastructure and interconnected economic networks. 

This study was conducted during a time of rapid urbanization and industrialization in Western Europe, which created this "economic backbone". Later iterations of that originally banana-shaped region was extended into a fork covering the French south-east and going all the way to Barcelona, Spain. 

So, if you didn’t know or remember about that story, keep in mind that all bananas aren’t yellow, or edible! 

Questions as a gateway to education?

Some people often ask me, “Where do you get your ideas to write this blog?” A fair question, and I often dismiss it by saying: “I don’t know it, they just come to me…” when in fact I should say that in the final analysis, every unanswered thought that inhabits my mind pushes me to find more about it and, one thing leading to the other, this is how I research and discover something that I didn’t know well or that I just ignored. 

Questions are the starting point for learning and discovery. As Albert Einstein said, the important thing is not to stop questioning and never lose a "holy curiosity". 

Our questions identify what we don't know, creating a natural motivation to seek answers Does this make any sense? 

Is this the essence of inquiry-driven learning: the idea that questions, especially the lingering, half-formed ones, are not obstacles but gateways. They tug at the edges of your awareness, nudging you toward discovery. 

The fact that a thought remains unanswered suggests it’s still fertile. It hasn’t been dismissed or resolved, instead, it’s alive, waiting for attention. Rather than starting with answers, I often wonder, and one question leads to another, and very soon I’m following a thread that reveals connections I hadn’t anticipated. 

This is perhaps how deep learning happens, not through linear instructions, but through exploration. This could also mirror how our brain works: it’s wired to resolve ambiguity. When a question lingers, the mind keeps returning to it, seeking patterns, insights, and closure. That’s why when I respond “I don’t know, they just come to me”, I might be telling the truth because the ideas do come to me, but only after my mind has been quietly working on them. 

Now, you know the main source of my inspiration!

Deer Valley gutsy expansion

When it opens this December 1, Deer Valley will double its terrain by adding 100 new runs and 10 new chairlifts in a single year, bringing its total skiable terrain to more than 4,300 acres. 

This comes at the confluence of two disquieting elements, global warming and a new area with a base at 6,450 feet elevation with a south eastern orientation making it difficult to get and keep snow over its slopes. 

True, the Deer Valley East Village base elevation is 6,530 feet, a relatively low one for a major Utah ski resort base, especially when considering the effects of a warming climate. In addition, the terrain, particularly near the base and lower mountain, includes many south- and east-facing slopes. 

This orientation receives more direct sun, which can accelerate snow melt and create slushy conditions later in the day and season compared to what happens on north-facing slopes. These are factors that the resort staff has acknowledged will be challenging for natural snow retention. 

Sure there will be state-of-the-art artificial snow including 1,200 snow guns fed by 350,000 feet of pipes, 3 new pump houses and a new 10-million-gallon snow-making pond. That infrastructure is specifically designed to provide consistent coverage on the lower, sun-exposed terrain (mostly under 7,700 feet). 

Higher up on the mountain, things will be easier starting from the top, Park Peak, at 9,350 feet elevation providing about 2,900-foot vertical drop. Further, a new East Village Gondola will whisk skiers 2,570 feet up from the low base to the mid-mountain and a summit option near 9,100 feet, allowing skiers to quickly bypass the lowest and potentially warmest sections. 

Time will tell if that gamble is eventually likely to make it with a low and sunny base area heavily relying on the effectiveness of new snow-making technology and cold enough temperatures throughout the season to make and conserve snow.

Meditation tapping into cosmic energies (Part Three)

Beyond religious beliefs there are also many forms of meditation that are aiming at tapping into cosmic energy. Mindfulness or meditation practices across cultures look to channel these cosmic, divine, or universal forces. 

The idea is to align the individual with a greater spiritual force, whether it's called Chi, Prana, the Holy Spirit, or simply “cosmic consciousness.” The table below displays some of the most prominent types of meditations using universal energies. 

All these practices offer common threads, like breath and stillness, using breathing as a gateway to subtle energy. 

There’s also visualization and intention as many techniques involve imagining light, energy, or divine presence flowing through the body. 

Sounds can be used too, through mantras, chants, or prayers that are often used to attune the mind to higher frequencies. 

Finally, many of the movement-based meditations like Tai Chi or Qigong are there to integrate body and spirit. 

As my meditation practice evolved and thank also to good luck, as that pathway is difficult to enter, my own meditation practice has evolved into the realm of cosmic energy and over time, appears to have helped me a lot with my personal mental balance, natural energy, good health and creativity.

Holy Spirit, Prana, Chi and more (Part Two)

The Holy Spirit (Christianity), Prana (Hinduism), and Chi/Qi (Chinese philosophy) are distinct yet intriguingly parallel concepts that reflect humanity’s yearning to understand and harness the invisible forces that animate life. While they arise from different cultural and theological frameworks, they share profound similarities in origin, function, and spiritual significance. 

As we’ve seen in the previous blog, the Holy Spirit emerges from Greek tradition, Jewish and Christian scriptures as the breath (ruach) of God. In Christian theology, it becomes the third person of the Trinity, which is God’s active presence in the world. The Holy Spirit, also called “giver of life”, is central to salvation in Christian belief. Prana on the other hand, rooted in Vedic texts, represents the breath of life and cosmic energy. 

It flows through nadis (energy channels) and is cultivated through practices like pranayama (breath control). Prana is also linked to liberation (moksha) and spiritual evolution. China offers its Chi/Qi, which in Taoist and Confucian thought is the vital energy that flows through all things. It is harmonized through practices like Tai Chi, acupuncture, and Qigong. Chi is seen as healing and liberating, freeing individuals from imbalance and oppression. 

All three are seen as transformative forces. For instance, the Holy Spirit transforms hearts, grants spiritual gifts, and connects believers to God. Prana energizes the body and mind, enabling spiritual awakening and physical health. Chi maintains balance and vitality, and its flow is essential for well-being. 

 

The above table lists eight additional religious concepts from other parts of the world that pretty much have the same virtues and effects. Each tradition offering a lens into the mystery of being alive, connected, and spiritually attuned. Some theologians and spiritual thinkers propose that these concepts may reflect a universal spiritual reality issued from different cultural expressions that express the same divine breath or life force. 

This idea is especially explored in interfaith dialogues and global theology, where the Holy Spirit is sometimes interpreted as analogous to Chi or Prana in terms of its immanence and vitality. A thoughtful analogy would go like this: “If the Holy Spirit is the wind that fills the sails of the soul, then Prana is the breath that animates the body, and Chi is the current that flows through the river of life.” 

In the next blog we’ll explore certain forms of meditation across cultures claim to tap into cosmic, divine, or universal energies.

Origin of the Holly Spirit (Part One)

When I was an Altar boy, I’ve never understood nor supported the Holy Spirit concept. I saw it as needless “Joker” in an already useless partition of power between God and his son, Jesus. If you prefer, a convenient “filler” for some unforeseen needs, somewhere, sometime. 

Apparently, the Holy Spirit has roots that stretch from the earliest pages of the Hebrew Bible to the theological debates of the early Church and into modern Christian practice. Some of its origins can be found in the Old Testament, where in Genesis 1:2, the Spirit of God (ruach elohim) is described as "hovering over the waters" during creation. 

It’s also portrayed as a divine force that empowers individuals like Moses, the judges, and prophets. In that early period, the Spirit is more a manifestation of God's power or presence than a distinct person. As Christianity began to take hold, the Holy Spirit played a central role in Jesus’ life, present at his baptism (as a dove), guiding his ministry, and promising to help his followers. 

Then, the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, empowering them to speak in tongues and spread the gospel. Quite a a shift from selective empowerment to universal availability for believers! In his Epistles, Paul emphasizes the Spirit as the source of spiritual gifts (charismata), inner transformation, and unity in the body of Christ. In 381, the Holy Spirit becomes the third person of the Trinity, both co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son. 

This soon would lead to a major theological dispute over whether the Spirit proceeds from the Father alone instead of the Father and the Son, contributing to the East–West Schism in 1054. From medieval mystics to modern Pentecostalism, the Holy Spirit has been central to movements emphasizing direct experience of God through prophecy, healing, and ecstatic worship. 

As a matter of fact, extracting something from the universal energy appeals to all religions and all of them have a vehicle to do just that. From a Catholic perspective, the Spirit’s role is found in sacraments, Church teaching, and personal sanctification, while Protestants see its focus on the Spirit’s role in Scripture interpretation and personal conviction. 

Finally, Pentecostals emphasize spiritual gifts and baptism in the Spirit, while my Mormon neighbors and Jeovah’s Witnesses often see the Spirit more as a divine influence or force than a person. Tomorrow, we’ll explore it’s relationship with Prana Chi and other cosmic manifestation of energy...

Games Putin and Trump play…

It’s hard to dissociate the push for a Trump led Ukraine peace effort from his Nobel Prize fantasy that was that primarily driven by political allies capitalizing on short-term diplomatic wins, but lacked the broad international consensus or lasting impact typically required for the award.

This said, Trump’s naivete hit a major speed-bump when he tried his rapprochement with the Russian dictator. Putin is super-smart and can tell a bully when he meets one and went tit for tat against Trump, humiliating him and showing him who “had the cards” among the two of them. 

I believe that Trump dislikes Zelensky, doesn’t want him to win and agrees to “play the time” along with Putin’s strategy. In the greater scheme of things, Putin has a plan and Trump none, preferring “knee-jerk” moves that keep his visibility high on the world scene, and he obviously fears Putin. 

With his trademark cruelty, Trump is wasting Ukraine’s precious time and is only interested at exploiting the lingering stalemate to sell arms in order to keep that war alive. If the theory you might hold is different, I’d like to hear from it...

What makes us age prematurely? (Part Two)

If we’re serious about not giving up the most precious years that still are ahead of us, and reclaiming our vitality while slowing our psychological aging, we must begin by re-framing our aging process positively. 

I must admit that I have a tendency of thinking: “Well, I’m getting old and there’s no remedy for it!” Instead, I should focus on what I gain with age, particularly wisdom, perspective and emotional depth and remind myself everyday, that I’m on my way to increase this precious capital. 

This shift in mindset will go a long way in improving our daily spirit, our health outcomes and even our longevity. Don’t fall for limiting beliefs by getting rid of internalized stereotypes. Instead, we should ask ourselves: “What would I do if I believed aging was empowering?” 

Of course, we MUST move and stay physically active as it will boost our mood, cognition, and cellular health. Even a short walk is proven to reduce stress and bring us improvement. We also need to build a structured routine to create stability and reduce anxiety. Include time for reflection, creativity, and connection. 

Let’s not underestimate social bonds, like emotional support and meaningful relationships that will protect us against stress and reinforce a sense of belonging. Don’t hesitate to face, name and challenge our daily fears instead of ignoring them, this will release their grip on us. We all must reclaim time as a tool for growth instead of a countdown technique. 

Aging becomes a journey towards new and exciting things, it’s not a decline and as I like to say, let’s live the rest of our life as a crescendo so we can leave this world happier than ever!

What makes us age prematurely? (Part One)

Often, I wonder what makes us age faster than we normally should, as I believe fear and apprehension of future events is what puts a brake of what we consider doing, and the next question that comes to mind if there are ways we can follow to turn this around or at least slow down our reluctance to leap forward. 

From what I was able to read, learn and gather, psychological stress, especially chronic fear and apprehension about the future, can indeed accelerate the way we age both biologically and emotionally.

Research and expert insights also tell us that persistent worry triggers the release of cortisol, a stress hormone that, over time, damages cells, shortens telomeres (these protective caps on DNA), and accelerates aging. 

In addition, internalizing societal beliefs that aging equals decline is a dangerous self-fulfilling prophecy that reduces our motivation and weakens our resilience. The same can be said about fear of failure or future loss and the social withdrawal they cause, that’s often linked to cognitive decline and emotional stagnation. 

Finally, a deep-rooted fear of aging itself (it’s called gerontophobia) can cause people to shy away from growth opportunities by reinforcing a sense of helplessness. 

Tomorrow, we’ll explore ways we can avoid falling into this too common trap, so stay tuned!

Early snow incursion

We misw incursionsed the first snowflakes of the season in Park City as we were on the road, but today was a more serious opportunity to see snow on the ground as we woke up. 

In fact this was Mother Nature’s way of rolling out its own first white carpet of the season just for us! 

Let’s hope it’s a harbinger of more snow to come and of another good ski season...

 

Return home

The last stage in our trip was also the most scenic as the landscape quickly morphed from Prairie to the typical Rocky Mountain scenery we’re used to. The weather stayed beautiful with the exceptions of a few strong but brief rain-showers that providentially cleaned up our car windshield.

The traffic was light, composed for 95% of large semi trucks, literally “owning” that portion of the road and the skies appeared to us as super big, with huge cumulus clouds hanging low on that interminable 7,000 feet plateau. 

We loved the fact that we didn’t encounter any major problem on the road, traveled at a very high rate of speed except for quite a few construction zones peppered along the way. 

The car held up well in spite of its 23 years of age and 125,000 miles under the hood and so did its human cargo, as I did my best to stay focused on the goal to safely reach home, adding 2,207 to the car mileage. 

Mid afternoon we were back in Park City and soon, we parked the car smoothly inside our garage where it’s likely to rest for many, many weeks!

Re-entering the Rockies…

To balance our itinerary, we decided to stop in Kearny, Nebraska. This small city of 34,000 people is home to the University of Nebraska. The westward push of the railroad as the Civil War ended gave new birth to that community.

What we didn’t know though, was that 500,000 sandhill cranes annually descend on Kearney, along with thousands of birders, making the place the number spot to observe and study this species of birds. 

One thing we were lucky with, so far, was the weather that remained sunny, but not too hot and just perfect, it’s only when we woke up in Kearny, that we realized that it had rained overnight. As we got back on the road, we encountered a few light showers that turned into partially sunny skies as we approached Wyoming and ended up the day in Laramie. 

This is a typical western town as they exist all over the Rockies with wide streets, wild business signage and hodgepodge activity and architecture. Still, Laramie seems to be a vibrant college town (university of Wyoming) and a hub for outdoor recreation and Western culture. 

Probably not a gastronomic spot, but its hard to have it all! However, its 7,200 feet high elevation and harsh, windy winters and limited access means a tough life for people who live there. With our trip now coming to a close with just one-fifth left to travel, we were seriously looking forward to reaching our Park City home tomorrow night…

Trip first impressions…

Saying that a trip through three-quarters of the country shows us that the United States is indeed a very large country offers nothing new and original, but saying that it constitutes a tapestry of immense variety would be more to the point. 

From the Amish folks encountered in both Pennsylvania and Indiana to the “in your face” pro-Trump signs, the cornucopia of Christian churches of denominations to its right-wing politico-Christian radio stations and endless cornfields, the Midwest shows its attachment to traditional living, conservative values and easy brainwashing.

I’d say that I find this region both static and blend. That’s right, with very little spice to excite the attention or make us think for ourselves (except perhaps for its myriad of local brew pubs that we found to be pretty good), it should probably, as a region, be ceded to Russia or China along with the entire South! 

Just kidding…

Rough start to a trip

Getting out of Washington DC in my daughter’s car on a Holiday weekend (Columbus Day) was a terrible idea and turned into a true nightmare that ended up costing us more than one hour in useless delays.

Without expanding too much on the subject it made me realize that I never was cut out for any form of urban living! 

Once on the road and all the way to Brookville, a small Amish town of Pennsylvania where we stopped and spent the night, it was one of these crowded, “accordion style” traffic experiences that I loathe, but still we made it okay in getting to our destination off Interstate 80. 

The next day, that fell on Saturday October 12, we pursued our trip with another six hour and a half driving to Elkhart, in Indiana, a location bordering the state of Ohio that we crossed in full. 

Unbeknownst to me that mid-size town has been referenced as the "RV Capital of the World" and the "Band Instrument Capital of the World" and looks like a pretty forward-looking 55,000 people community! 

Traffic was light in cars but extremely heavy in terms of tractor trailers…

On the road again?

Being on the road holds a profound and irresistible appeal for me. It began when I was a toddler and ran away from home to a remote lake almost 2 miles away. Later on, that wanderlust blossomed when aged 10 ½, I traveled by train, bus and air around Europe as the prize for a school contest. 

It went on until I became hooked on hitch-hiking while in boarding school and in the military, sailed from Europe to Australia and once there, hitch-hiked 1,700 miles through the Nullabor Plain that wasn’t even paved in the early 70s… 

At that time I also managed to squeeze in my first US cross-country trip from LA, then San Francisco, Salt Lake, Chicago, New York and Montreal. Later, as I emigrated to America, in 1985 drove my family from New York to Park City and repeated that same feat in 2012.

Today, once more, I’m standing behind the wheel for a similar adventure, yet on a different road, but with the same mixture of apprehension, excitement and hunger for adventure and discovery! 

How many more times will I go on such a road trip during the rest of my life? Hard to tell, but I see this yet as another challenge that is right up my alley to verify that I’m still young enough at heart to attempt it!

Determinism vs. Free Will? (Part Two)

My second question as to whether our paths are defined by "natural dispositions and DNA" and if control over destiny is a "myth" stands as the classic philosophical conflict between Determinism and Free Will. If we begin with the deterministic argument (our DNA as the guide), this view suggests that our fundamental satisfaction with a tumultuous life is rooted in our natural disposition. 

Research in behavioral genetics suggests that traits like novelty-seeking, risk-taking, and introversion/extraversion have a strong heritable component (they are in our DNA). Based on this, our preference for the "tumultuous life" may be as innate as our eye color. If a restless spirit is our nature, the "tumultuous life" is, paradoxically, our path of least psychological resistance and the most natural as well as the easiest way to achieve contentment.

 Conversely, the person who seeks routine is similarly following their innate path. If our core choices are defined by our nature at birth, then the path is largely predetermined, not by fate, but by biology. Then comes the case controlling our destiny. While biology sets the stage for possible behaviors, the choices we make within that range and the effort needed to have the life we seek is where our control resides. 

Yesterday, I started by saying that my character and personality made me pick the “tumultuous life." Even if my personality is 90% determined, the act of choosing one path over another remains a conscious act of self-definition. The belief in a "full life" becomes a guiding narrative that we actively sustain. 

Many modern philosophers and psychologists adopt a view called “Compatibilism”, which suggests that free will and determinism can coexist. My temperament predisposed me to the tumultuous life, but my conscious choice to embrace it and the ongoing effort to manage its consequences is clearly the manifestation of my free will. 

Obviously, my own satisfaction is the ultimate measure of the wisdom of my choice. The true "case for living a full life" is that the fullest life is the one most aligned with one's authentic self. The right path is not one path, but the one defined by the unique mixture of my DNA, character, and conscious commitment. For me, the wisdom of choosing the tumultuous life is not a myth, but a reality, because it is the one I chose to follow. 

Do you agree?

The case for living a full life? (Part One)

Sometimes, I wonder about the wisdom of living a tumultuous life as opposed to one of calm, routine and tranquility. My character and personality made me pick the former and I’m quite pleased I did, so I wonder if our natural dispositions and DNA being as diverse as they are, aren’t defining the many paths that our lives can take, and if believing that we can control our destiny is more a myth than a reality? 

That philosophical and personal question touches on our fundamental human experience of agency against determinism and the meaning of a "good" life. My experience of choosing a "tumultuous" life and being satisfied with it provides a valid answer to the question.

The case for living a "Full" (Tumultuous) life is often associated with challenge, intense experience, and risk, making it a life of maximum experience. Now, if you switch gears to Aristotelian philosophy, the highest human good is eudaimonia, often translated as "flourishing" or "living well." 

This is not just pleasure or hedonism, but the active and successful exercise of one's rational and virtuous potential. For a person with a restless or adventurous disposition, a calm, routine life might feel like a failure by renouncing a life up to their nature. 

The tumultuous life becomes the path to authentic flourishing and its highs and lows, create sharp contrasts that deepen one's appreciation for life, resilience, and wisdom. As the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche suggested, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." A life that embraces change and challenge is a life that maximizes learning and growth. Travel, creative pursuits, or professional risk often creates a potent sense of meaning and purpose. 

The struggle and the personal achievement feel more earned and, therefore, more valuable than the contentment found in placid routines. Tomorrow, we’ll try to tackle the question of destiny, DNA, and free will, so please don’t miss that segment!

What’s organized crime in the USA?

Organized Crime is a common expression used a lot, but it’s easy to lose track of what it means and how it works. Today, we’ll do just that, so sit back, fasten your seat belt and enjoy the ride... A good, functional definition of organized crime in the US today, is that it’s structured, continuing and operates illegally to generate profits through illicit activities, using violence, corruption, and systematic intimidation to protect its operations and enforce its rules. 

To law enforcement, like the FBI, that it’s not a single crime, but an on-going criminal conspiracy with a structure, whose primary goals are economic gain, influence and power through illegal means. Over the years, organized crime has been defined less by a specific ethnicity (The Godfather) and more by a set of behaviors and structures. For instance, in terms of structure and organization, there’s a defined structure, often hierarchical (like the Mafia) or networked (like modern criminal groups). 

There is a chain of command with leaders, advisors, and foot soldiers. Even in the event of the arrest or death of any single member the organization continues and has systems for recruiting new members and transferring power. Unlike ideological terrorists, profit drives organized crime and the use of violence and intimidation is simply a business tool and isn’t random. It is used to eliminate rivals. enforce discipline, collect debts, silence witnesses and intimidate legitimate businesses through extortion. 

Frequently, it seeks to corrupt public officials (police, judges, politicians, union leaders) to gain protection, inside information, and immunity from prosecution. It also actively infiltrates legitimate businesses to launder money, gain social respectability, and exert control over industries like construction, trash hauling, or waterfront shipping. Of course, a crucial function of organized crime is to make illicit profits appear legitimate. 

This is done through cash-based businesses (restaurants, bars, laundromats), real estate investments, international wire transfers, and complex shell companies. To most of us, the image of organized crime is still the Italian-American Mafia (La Cosa Nostra), which dominated the 20th century (like the New York Five Families). While still active, their power has significantly declined due to the RICO Act. 

Today, it has become far more diverse and decentralized, with Mexican and Colombian cartels that control the flow of drugs, Russian and Eurasian groups specializing in cybercrime, fuel fraud, and financial scams, Asian criminal groups involved in human trafficking, counterfeit goods, and credit card fraud, plus a variety of groups like outlaw motorcycle gangs, Albanian, Nigerian, and Balkan organizations and the "Gig Economy" of crime that operates as fluid networks on specific projects rather than being part of a rigid, lifelong organization. 

Things keep on changing and organized crime in the US. has evolved from the highly structured, ethnic-based syndicates of the past into a more diffuse, globalized, and entrepreneurial ecosystem. Just be mindful of it!

Ski manufacturing isn’t for sissies…

Recently, the economic Austrian magazine Trend announced that Van Deer, the ski company Marcel Hirscher founded in 2020, has widened its retained loss to €17.9 million as of the end of 2024. This includes a loss carry-forward of €5.7 million from the previous year. Thus, more than €12 million was added in Hirscher's comeback year. 

As always numbers like these are meaningless if they are not in relation with a company’s total sales or EBITDA, but the annual sales of Van Deer skis, a private company, aren't publicly known and published. What we know is that the company was founded in 2021 by Hirscher. Its initial production was originally announced to be 1,500 skis produced in the first year.

Soon, Van Deer entered into a partnership with Red Bull to operate as "Van Deer-Red Bull Sports" and if its visibility was impressive from the get go with athletes like Henrik Kristoffersen and others, that along with its boss and founder Hirscher quickly increased brand awareness and sales. The company doesn’t give its product away, with prices between €589 and €1,329 per pair. 

Based on these factors, it can be estimated that the company generates sales in the millions, although an official figure is not available. Everyone is currently eagerly anticipating Marcel Hirscher's second comeback, perhaps as early as the World Cup opener in Sölden at the end of October. Hirscher, through his TMS Beteiligung GmbH, holds a 45% stake in the ski company while the 51% majority is held by Red Bull. A small 4% remaining percent is owned by Dominic Tritscher, a long-time Hirscher’s associate. 

The young company is currently undergoing a wave of investment. At the end of September, ski production for the Van Deer and Augment brands will relocate from Oberpinzgau to the newly constructed factory building in Scheffau in the Lammertal Valley, where production is expected to begin in the second half of October. 

Initially, around 80 employees will start, and according to local media, this could rise to 100 upon completion. Up to 30,000 pairs of skis per year are expected to be produced in the new factory. The global market for alpine skis is around 3 million pairs per year and is widely dominated by Rossignol, Atomic-Salomon, Head and Elan. 

Whether domestic, expensive manufacturing without mass production can be combined with commercial success will be one of the key questions for the young ski company. On skis, Hirscher became famous for his spectacular comebacks in the second run. As a businessman, he will have to show us that he can repeat that feat!

Second homes in mountain resorts

Like seaside and other vacation resorts, mountain towns hold a huge share of second homes. 

As my origins are from one of those locales and my current residence is also found in that particular setting, it’s a situation that I know quite well. 

This is of course very tempting to compare and draw comments between these mountain communities. 

To set up that comparison, we’ll look at four locations, two in the departement of Haute-Savoie, in the French Alps, Chamonix and Morzine (the town I grew up in) as well as Vail in Colorado and Park City in Utah (my current residence). 

What we can see when we look at the table, is that in all these resorts, the percentage of second home represents around 68 to 84% of the total housing available, with new condos commanding a definite price advantage over old ones and single family homes are no longer priced for “normal” people with workers salaries. 

In all cases and on both continents, finding affordable housing is all but impossible for “essential workers”. Will this change and if so, when? I don’t see any practical solution floating on the horizon except for a severe economic and/or climatic collapse...

Free passes for old skiers…

As skiers get older, there aren’t many good things to look forward to, at least in the United States. As far as I’m concerned, there was one opportunity nearby at Powder Mountain (one hour drive from Park City) that offered free skiing for people over 75, but that deal quickly vaporized after the ski resort was purchased by the Netflix CEO. 

This said, if I were willing to travel a little bit more, I could find compassionate resorts that still offer free skiing for seniors over 75, including Sunlight Mountain, Wolf Creek, Echo Mountain, Monarch Mountain, Purgatory, and Telluride in Colorado, as well as Mt. Hood in Oregon and White Pass in Washington, though specific policies can change at any time.

For those of us interested in living longer and still skiing when the magic big “8-0” comes around, there is still Alta Ski Area (a 45 minute drive from home) that still provides free skiing for octogenarians and above after disbursing a $50 one time fee. Mammoth Mountain in nearby California also lets seniors 80 and older ski for free at the moment. 

Again, it’s a good idea to verify before loading the ski in the car and driving away as skiing policies, especially for seniors, can change frequently. It's always best to confirm with the resort directly on their website or by phone. 

Less stingy, French and other Alpine ski resorts offer lower cut-off age for older skiers, the age varying by resort. For example, Courchevel, Tignes and Val d'Isère offer free passes to those over 75, while Val Cenis begins at 74 and others, such as Les 2 Alpes let those over 72 ski free. In the rest of the world, Japan’s Hakuba 47, offers free skiing for seniors over 80. 

In the southern hemisphere, some multi-resort pass-holders get free skiing at resorts in Chile, with the Power Pass offering free skiing for those 75 and older at Valle Nevado and La Parva. In Australia, The age for free skiing varies, but 70 is common, as seen with the “Over 70's Season Pass”. This perk, not offered at all resorts, is a benefit provided by some. 

Finally, some New Zealand ski resorts offer free skiing for seniors. For example, Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, and Mt Hutt offer free skiing for those aged 75 and over. If you know of better deals, let me know!

Contact lenses and me

It’s been a long time, almost 40 years, since I began wearing contact lenses. At first, given the current state of the technology it was a bit hard with the more rigid, first gas permeable lenses, but soon thereafter disposable contact lenses gained in popularity for their convenience and hygiene, including daily disposable options introduced in the late 1980s. 

That was followed by silicone hydrogel materials that further increased oxygen permeability and comfort, leading to their widespread use these days. While adapting to their use was a bit hard for me at first, I had no problem wearing them after a few weeks and during all these years. It may be that only an early death or cataract surgery will force me to stop wearing them. 

The history of contact lenses is pretty amazing. It evolved from theoretical concepts in the Renaissance, when Leonardo da Vinci proposed a device that could alter the eye's refractive power by submerging the eye in water, to the first glass lenses in the late 1800s. 

Yet humanity had to wait till the 1960s with the invention of soft, hydrogel lenses and the 1980s with the introduction of disposable lenses. 

Wearing contact lenses offers numerous benefits for vision correction and lifestyle compared to traditional eyeglasses. For one thing they offer a wider field of vision, total freedom for physical activities including biking and skiing, and various cosmetic advantages. 

In spite of Utah's extremely dry weather, they’ve worked well for me as contact lenses are good for most people, except for individuals with severe allergies, repeated eye infections, certain corneal conditions or eye diseases. Sometimes it’s a history of LASIK complications, or folks who can’t maintain proper lens hygiene. 

Environmental factors, such as a dusty work environment, and a very high prescription can also make contacts unsuitable. Finally men may experience more initial difficulties in adapting to contacts as women show more dexterity in handling them, as they’re used to applying make-up around their eyes...

Becoming Led Zeppelin

Never a fan of Led Zeppelin per se, I heard their music over the years without thinking much about it. That was until we decided to watch the documentary “Becoming Led Zeppelin” on Netflix, that I could form some opinion on a rock group that I had always found loud, eccentric and excessive, and did not quite understand what made it so popular. 

After making the effort to watch the film from start to finish, I began to appreciate the work they did, seemingly by osmosis, perseverance and lucky timing, of creating a complex and innovative sound blending acoustic folk, blues, and hard rock, augmented by their unique stage presence and production technique. 

This biopic covers the early years of the four founding members just before the death of their drummer, John Bonham. Each surviving member including vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones participated in reminiscing about these early days. 

All of them including John Bonham were kind of unique in their respective field, and the band's innovative, improvisational live performances further cemented its legacy of influencing both hard rock and heavy metal. Bands like Rush, Van Halen, Aerosmith & Queen were just a few that were inspired by Led Zeppelin. Not my favorite kind of music, but certainly a significant part of the ever changing popular music landscape. 

Interestingly, the band’s name Led Zeppelin came from a comment by Keith Moon of The Who, who jokingly told Jimmy Page that his group would "go down like a lead balloon" in expressing his pessimism about the band’s chances of success. 

John Entwistle, also with The Who, further suggested the name could be a "lead zeppelin". Page, inspired by the image, adopted the name for his new band. The 'a' was dropped from "lead" to ensure the correct pronunciation as "led," and "zeppelin" replaced "balloon" to illustrate the band’s powerful and one-of-a-kind sound...

Energizing our times ahead? (Part three)

Now that we know what to expect from the inexorable ticking clock of life, the choice is pretty clear. Either we decide to enjoy the ride down the valley of life without doing anything and just looking at the unfurling scenery and watching the overall experience like the vast majority of people do. 

This of course will vary with our current personal situation and condition, physical or otherwise. 

Nothing wrong either with enjoying the scenery, that’s an active and mindful appreciation and constitutes another form of engagement. Sure, before we’re able to envision this, we need to do the hardest part, which is to fully understand and accept our situation and our options.

Also, doing something, even just a tiny bit, in an effort to delay the inevitable and make that time more to our liking and getting some ultimate satisfaction in sensing that we still have some control over the situation. 

That "tiny bit" of doing something can encompass many forms from the physical, the emotional, intellectual, creative, and relational. This breadth is where true richness lives. Just doing nothing would be remiss! 

I say this because there’s still plenty of hope and if we can harness these disparate elements together, we might easily create that symphony that will end on a very high note and that I’m frequently talking about. 

This “high note” resonates with the ideas of fulfillment, presence, and connection, essential elements that too many neglect but which are precious and will help us pass through the “finish line” as happily as we possibly can!

Low energy times ahead? (Part two)

Obviously this drop in Watts as we age and its consequences comes as no surprise as VO₂ max declines due to reduced cardiac output and oxygen utilization. This also goes along a decrease of muscle mass and mitochondrial density decrease (that volume of mitochondria within a cell, represents the cell's capacity for energy production).

A higher mitochondrial density means more mitochondria are present, leading to a greater ability to produce ATP or adenosine triphosphate, an energy-carrying molecule found in all living cells, and that fuels our aerobic activities. To make matters worse, neuromuscular efficiency wanes, recovery time increases, thus limiting the time and frequency we devote to training. 

Now, to counteract a bit this depressing list, it’s true that older athletes often become more efficient as their pacing improves and they become smarter in the way they train and produce efforts. So while raw wattage may decline, performance per watt—especially in endurance events—can remain surprisingly high. 

While most athletic performance data tapers off around age 70, there’s now research and anecdotal evidence that extends into the 80s and 90s, especially from masters athletes and a long-term follow up of certain individuals. Again that data comes from cycling FTP (Functional Threshold Power) and VO₂ max studies, which correlate strongly with watt output. 

Check again the chart we showed yesterday as it applies to over 70 people. These are averages, and trained individuals can exceed them. 

The decline is roughly 20–25% per decade after 70 and accelerating due to a variety of factors, like sarcopenia (muscle loss), reduced mitochondrial efficiency, slower neuromuscular response and longer recovery times. 

This is where a philosophical lens should sharpen the picture. Physiologically, the decline is real, but not linear, and not purely physical. 

We need to look at a more layered view; our power output may drop below 100W in late 80s/90s and VO₂ max can fall to 15–20 ml/kg/min (from our younger 40s) and our daily energy feels like shrinking, with less reserve and slower recovery. Mentally, there’s also our cognitive and emotional energies, where mental clarity often remains surprisingly intact, especially in reflective individuals. 

At the same time our emotional resilience may deepen, even as physical capacity wanes and this is when a sense of purpose and the riches of our connection become key drivers of perceived vitality. In fine, we should see our last year as a path to a crescendo, when from 70 to 80 we’re still capable, but adapting. In the 80-90s we need to switch to more selective energy use, less output but often more wisdom and over our 90s – if we make it that far - the wattage may be low, but the signal can still be strong as long as the mind and heart remain engaged. 

There’s always a glimmer of hope, so tomorrow we’ll see how we can aim for it!