Spring conditions in October is a new concept in skiing, but we may have to get used to it in a very near future.
Do you see just like me a mere coincidence or is there more to it?
Monday, October 28, 2019
A new ski racing season…
This weekend, I woke up early to watch both second runs of the men’s and women’s GS in Sölden, Austria and enjoyed it a great deal.
Spring conditions in October is a new concept in skiing, but we may have to get used to it in a very near future.
At any rate, I enjoyed the victory of Alice Robinson and was pleased to see a return of Mathieu Faivre in form and what is quite ironical is that the ex-lovebirds, Shiffrin and Faivre, both finished second of the season’s opener.
Do you see just like me a mere coincidence or is there more to it?
Spring conditions in October is a new concept in skiing, but we may have to get used to it in a very near future.
Do you see just like me a mere coincidence or is there more to it?
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Discovering St. George, Utah
For a long time, our son and daughter in law have been saying wonderful things about the are of St. George in Southern, Utah.
We weren't too convinced, simply because we had not spent any time there and only saw the place as another town between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. A weekend spent in that region has completely changed our mindset about the place.
Now, we can appreciate their infatuation for the place, its picturesque red rock canyon and it desert atmosphere just four and a half hour from Park City.
We’ll be back!
We weren't too convinced, simply because we had not spent any time there and only saw the place as another town between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. A weekend spent in that region has completely changed our mindset about the place.
We’ll be back!
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Three generations…
The Tour of St. George is a road bike race available in a variety of lengths.
First there’s the 35 mile version (56 km), then a stretched 50 mile (80 km) and finally for the fearless, there’s a full100 mile (161 km). We decided to align the 3 generations that our family counts in the 35 mile course, by including Finn (11 years old), his Dad (40), and the Grandpa (yeah, that’s me at a mature 71).
Even though St. George is located in the far southern corner of Utah, it was freezing, this morning, at the 8 am start time, just a measly 43 degree F (6 degree Celsius), but we managed to overcome that grueling hurdle and worked together as a strong and efficient team.
What's remarkable is that Finn finished 1st in his age group (up to 14) and that we all made it, together, to the finish line.
What's next? Fifty miles in 2020?
First there’s the 35 mile version (56 km), then a stretched 50 mile (80 km) and finally for the fearless, there’s a full100 mile (161 km). We decided to align the 3 generations that our family counts in the 35 mile course, by including Finn (11 years old), his Dad (40), and the Grandpa (yeah, that’s me at a mature 71).
Even though St. George is located in the far southern corner of Utah, it was freezing, this morning, at the 8 am start time, just a measly 43 degree F (6 degree Celsius), but we managed to overcome that grueling hurdle and worked together as a strong and efficient team.
Friday, October 25, 2019
Bannon, the Puppet Master
As a follow up to my previous blog, I took the time to watch the “Zero-Tolerance” show from PBS, that details how deftly Trump was installed at the helm of the United States by a nefarious trio made of Steve Bannon, Jeff Sessions and Steve Miller.
Bannon, was in fact the architect of the entire scheme under the guise of a new Nationalist dogma hinged around immigration and trade, and how he happened to pick Trump, a providential candidate, with “lots of flaws” as he admits, that has pretty much become Bannon’s puppet.
In fact, the film shows that Bannon “used” both Sessions and Miller in installing them in key positions to advance his agenda, secure Trump in place and also demonstrates that “businessman”
The documentary also shows that Trump was in fact totally clueless when it came to the business of leading the country.
Yet, this was okay, as long as Steve Bannon could excel at the art of manipulating the egocentric man who believed he was fully in charge.
Whether I like it or not, Bannon isn’t just a “Big Mouth”, but he’s also an effective Machiavellian.
In fact, the film shows that Bannon “used” both Sessions and Miller in installing them in key positions to advance his agenda, secure Trump in place and also demonstrates that “businessman”
The documentary also shows that Trump was in fact totally clueless when it came to the business of leading the country.
Yet, this was okay, as long as Steve Bannon could excel at the art of manipulating the egocentric man who believed he was fully in charge.
Whether I like it or not, Bannon isn’t just a “Big Mouth”, but he’s also an effective Machiavellian.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Bannon, the American Big Mouth
I just viewed Steve Bannon’s interview by Ann Coulter on PBS Frontline. The man is a master of BS and follows a tactic used by many folks in that category, like Trump, Berlusconi (Italy) or Tapie (France).
He reminded me of three individuals that I worked with, who used to drawn their listeners in a deluge of gab, never interacting, never responding precisely at questions or backing up their statements, but always including a few intriguing words into the sauce to make their speech sound more elaborate and credible.
The key for these Big Mouths to succeed is the use of monologue, as they can’t afford to let dissenting voices debunk their unfounded theories. Of course, in that case, the right-wing interviewer just let him unload his Nationalistic dogma as if it were Gospel. People like Bannon are malevolent weather-vanes that use any convenient cause to advance themselves.
For instance, what are the benefits of the kind of fierce Nationalism Bannon advocates, in a planet that is dying of over-exploitation and overpopulation? None whatsoever. Globalism is the answer. Globalism can work if well regulated.
Bannon and his disciples are master at stirring the pot of anger and frustration that lay in the common man by oversimplifying issues and blurting out simple-minded, but unpractical truths. The large number of folks that approve his theories are evidently lazy, dumb, mean, or a combination of the three.
Interestingly, and because it is founded on a piling up of meaningless words and gobbledygook, this kind of Big Mouth communication that relies solely on a verbal tsunami doesn’t export itself too well. Berlusconi and Tapie could only work in Italy or France, and if Steve Bannon succeeded somewhat in the U.K. in validating Brexit, he failed miserably during his recent Italian of French indoctrination campaigns.
Finally, I much prefer Steve Bannon’s upgraded new look. It’s definitely more civilized, even though it retains his record number of shirt layers!
He reminded me of three individuals that I worked with, who used to drawn their listeners in a deluge of gab, never interacting, never responding precisely at questions or backing up their statements, but always including a few intriguing words into the sauce to make their speech sound more elaborate and credible.
The key for these Big Mouths to succeed is the use of monologue, as they can’t afford to let dissenting voices debunk their unfounded theories. Of course, in that case, the right-wing interviewer just let him unload his Nationalistic dogma as if it were Gospel. People like Bannon are malevolent weather-vanes that use any convenient cause to advance themselves.
For instance, what are the benefits of the kind of fierce Nationalism Bannon advocates, in a planet that is dying of over-exploitation and overpopulation? None whatsoever. Globalism is the answer. Globalism can work if well regulated.
Bannon and his disciples are master at stirring the pot of anger and frustration that lay in the common man by oversimplifying issues and blurting out simple-minded, but unpractical truths. The large number of folks that approve his theories are evidently lazy, dumb, mean, or a combination of the three.
Interestingly, and because it is founded on a piling up of meaningless words and gobbledygook, this kind of Big Mouth communication that relies solely on a verbal tsunami doesn’t export itself too well. Berlusconi and Tapie could only work in Italy or France, and if Steve Bannon succeeded somewhat in the U.K. in validating Brexit, he failed miserably during his recent Italian of French indoctrination campaigns.
Finally, I much prefer Steve Bannon’s upgraded new look. It’s definitely more civilized, even though it retains his record number of shirt layers!
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
My Dad, the entrepreneur
I’ve never looked at my Dad under the light of an entrepreneur, but he really was. From a very young age, growing up in Montriond, a remote village in the French Alps, he once was attracted, as a little boy, by a shiny object on the ground, sparkling in the sun as if it were a providential treasure. As he almost reached out for it, the treasure turned into a viper that escaped his fingers…
Later on, my Dad went to Chamonix to learn woodworking, but didn’t carry on and instead of laboring for others, decided instead to by his own boss and started his own cheese making business. This was tough, unsatisfying and didn’t make him rich, but kept him going, trading, purchasing and selling.
Of course, he built himself the family home that would welcome my parents as newlyweds and in which they’d spend the rest of their lives.
During World War II and the German occupation of France, no one wanted to be the mayor of his small town, and guess who ended up with the job? My Dad, again. Everyday he has to hide stuff from the Germans, forge false papers and guide escaping Jews through the mountains into the nearby safety of Switzerland.
Later on, in 1956, while he was still pursuing his pastoral cheese making business activity, he saw the first tourists come up on a newly paved road to the alpine hamlet where he worked during the summers months.
A neighbor had just began selling refreshments to the passers-by and my Dad was mesmerized by the small, colorful soft-drink bottles that were being delivered on a regular basis, so he decided to do the same and undertook to build the first phase of what would become our very successful family restaurant.
He remained a builder and developer till his late 60’s when he opened up a family small hostel for young skiers to better occupy the winter season.
No, my Dad was not warm and fuzzy with his wife and his family, but very few entrepreneurs are. He was all work and all development, and I can only respect his tumultuous life path and be immensely thankful for it, because without him, I wouldn’t be around.
Later on, my Dad went to Chamonix to learn woodworking, but didn’t carry on and instead of laboring for others, decided instead to by his own boss and started his own cheese making business. This was tough, unsatisfying and didn’t make him rich, but kept him going, trading, purchasing and selling.
Of course, he built himself the family home that would welcome my parents as newlyweds and in which they’d spend the rest of their lives.
During World War II and the German occupation of France, no one wanted to be the mayor of his small town, and guess who ended up with the job? My Dad, again. Everyday he has to hide stuff from the Germans, forge false papers and guide escaping Jews through the mountains into the nearby safety of Switzerland.
Later on, in 1956, while he was still pursuing his pastoral cheese making business activity, he saw the first tourists come up on a newly paved road to the alpine hamlet where he worked during the summers months.
A neighbor had just began selling refreshments to the passers-by and my Dad was mesmerized by the small, colorful soft-drink bottles that were being delivered on a regular basis, so he decided to do the same and undertook to build the first phase of what would become our very successful family restaurant.
No, my Dad was not warm and fuzzy with his wife and his family, but very few entrepreneurs are. He was all work and all development, and I can only respect his tumultuous life path and be immensely thankful for it, because without him, I wouldn’t be around.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
New snow to die for
Yesterday during our morning walk, we noticed some fresh snowboarding tracks at the Park City cemetery and were rightfully intrigued by them.
I also noticed that they all led to the same, modest, flat grave marker under the name of a certain Anna. I got closer, and using my secret but never disclosed talent of conversing with the dead, I stroke a conversation with the deceased that dwelt there.
After introducing myself, I asked: “Who are you”
“Anna,” she responded, “What’s up with you?”
I went: “I couldn’t help but notice the nice tracks someone made next to your marker. They look cool.”
She said: “It’s me yesterday, just after it had snowed. I simply couldn’t resist!”
Impressed, I blurted out: “Gee, you’re good! Do you often ride like that?”
She admitted: “Not often as I should, plus I tire really fast and it’s a real pain to get the board in and out of the grave, but when you like to ride, I guess nothing stops you!”
Since I needed to move on, I tried to conclude: “So, no riding today, right?”
She perfectly addressed my concern by saying: “You know, I’d rather not come out during daylight, I don’t look that pretty anymore!”
I also noticed that they all led to the same, modest, flat grave marker under the name of a certain Anna. I got closer, and using my secret but never disclosed talent of conversing with the dead, I stroke a conversation with the deceased that dwelt there.
I went: “I couldn’t help but notice the nice tracks someone made next to your marker. They look cool.”
She said: “It’s me yesterday, just after it had snowed. I simply couldn’t resist!”
Impressed, I blurted out: “Gee, you’re good! Do you often ride like that?”
She admitted: “Not often as I should, plus I tire really fast and it’s a real pain to get the board in and out of the grave, but when you like to ride, I guess nothing stops you!”
Since I needed to move on, I tried to conclude: “So, no riding today, right?”
She perfectly addressed my concern by saying: “You know, I’d rather not come out during daylight, I don’t look that pretty anymore!”
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