Kinkikali

Ice Out Wooglin

Lake Winnipesaukee has its annual ice out when the MV Mt. Washington can make the circuit of ports without bumping into ice.  Wooglin has its own form of ice out when the walk from home to head of the driveway (where the Union Leader box sits) is ice free from end to end.  That day happened on Tuesday the 9th.  There is still snow on the ground and ice on the pond.  But the snow is dirty and the ice has open water pools.  Spring is just waiting to bust out all over.

New Lows

Prediction here. Come April 2010, the weather in the northern hemisphere will warm in a ramped up way.  The Gulf Stream will tie in with the Jet Stream.  By May it will be in the 80’s in Greenland where recent earthquake activity has shifted the world magnetism under Greenland.  A new low sits over Greenland–pounding it with twice daily “tropical” storms (due to long day lengths).  All summer long the heat sucked off continental USA gets pumped up the Gulf Stream and fed into the endless low above Greenland.  Lots of warm rain and brilliant sun turn the Greenland ice cap into mush.  The ocean waters rise, but a portion of the ice cap remain.  The global warming nayseyers get strangely silent—a dumb silence.  Putting tonnes of auto exhaust daily into the air eventually reaches a saturation point.  Putting lots of people within the sound of the surf leads to problems if the saturation point is pushed.

Winter returns in the north pole, but summers lengthen as the ice melts.

Intermission

There comes a time…The world seems to habe worked itself into a frenzy of self-destruction and no win situations where economies have lost all snese of perspective and only now is the worker seen as holding the hope.  And this after racing to bottom and impovering the worker–the engines of the economy.  Last week Peter Christian’s Tavern shut down.  Other local stores are contemplating or doing the same.

The true bright spot is my brother is to be married this fall.  Not only am I invited, but I get to be best man.  The first job offer I’ve had, with lousy pay, but man the benes!!  Thomas, Amy…cheers, cheers, cheers!!!

But why “Intermission”? I feel like taking a break—but will probably ignore myself and soldier on.  In addition to the above—unemployment persists, the winter has reached the “no longer” welcome stage, a recent series of storms that despite wrath amd roar has left Wooglin and my Cardboard Castle untouched and with power (damn miracle)—a close friend of mine who has not been a patient in a hospital in 40 years has found himself facing major brain surgery and recovery.  Heavy, heavy stuff—Dartmouth Hitchcock is first class all the way—especially when your visit includes a helio flight, lengthy stay, and all those tests (I spent a single night at the Elliot a few years back with insurance coverage and the whole bill came to $10,000—$3000 my responsibility).  Good Luck and Best Wishes John!

Andy

United States of Semitica

The Middle East is a part of the world with a violent rap sheet ages long–lots of boiling oil to fight over.  And then there is the land. Nothing is straightforward in this land of milk and honey.  The main conflict is described as Jews versus Arabs.  Of course the Jews are a religious group and the Arabs are a linguistic group—apples and oranges and reason enough there is no feng shui balance.

Taking the old patriarch route let the Solomon method, sort things out.  Divide the disputed Holy Land into two “states”.  That way each can claim ownership as land title seems more important than eternal peace.  Jerusalem will be under International control.  The new entity will be called United States of Semitica.  “Semitica” or rather the Semitic language family is what unites these quarreling cousins.  And the idea is to find unity, not wanton apartheid.  Each state will be self governing.  A ruling council of thirds (Arabs, Hebrews, and Internationals) will handle larger national and international affairs.  From them, one of each group will be part of a three person ruling junta (President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister).  All three thirds will of course have their own sub political divisions, left to right—so the choice will be, from top to bottom, cooperate or collapse.

Getting peace out of 4,000 year old desert spat will take extreme courage and lots of bullet biting.  But otherwise what value is peace when peace is not valued?

Making Haiti (Out of Nothing at All)

Trouble in paradise, real bad stuff.  We all know about–2010 earthquake.  But sure as sap will run, the vaporous minds of TV media will feed on the tragedy like vultures:

Survivor (Haiti): Talk about “reality TV”.  This has streets full of stories.  I am still waiting to hear about the woman selling dirt cakes.  Fox News did a piece on her a while back.

Extreme Makeover (Haiti): Hey Ty do we have a project for you.  How are your urban redevelopment skills.  Why not get all the tool dudes (This Old House, Extreme Makeover, etc,) together lead by Tim Allen to go down and do a celebrity Haiti makeover.  I know someone who can handle the catering.

CSI (Haiti):  A crime scene, a real bad one. Here comes Ducky.  Things will get sorted out.

Your Fired (Haiti):  Great, the Trumpmeister is here.  I think we need POSITIVE feedback here.  Better to get some hiring down here.

Real World (Haiti):  Pretty authentic in my book. Beyond extreme poverty and terrible natural disasters, not much to change.

Lost (Haiti): “Hey man, where are we?” bout sums it up after the land you stand on gives way.  Makes the plane crash seem minor.

China Cash-out

2011, the Hiroshima Hilton.  Obama, Clinton, Boenher, and retired Judd Gregg sit mournfully at the table. Oriental decor abounds.  The grouphas just returned from the Gulf where the oil states has just painfully extracted from the US delegation precious monies as part of payment on demand loans America so breezly accumulated.  The process was bitter, painful, and yet some what muted by towel headed dsicretion.

But not now.  This event was clear and transparent. On the wall was a giant map of the Pacific.  The Chinese marched in.

China announced it wanted to collect, all, everything. Protests erupted. China rolled out a simple “compromise”.  China will not ask for more than 50% of the total loans.  And China will “forgive” the rest of the debt FOR…

And then they rolled out some names  Midway, Outer Hawaiian Islands, Palmyra Island, Howland Island, Wake Island…most of America’s Pacific territories (and their zones of control) AND most of the Aleutian Islands–also to be transferred in perpetuity to the People’s Republic—OR the transference of 95% of the US Fleet including all but small coastal vessels and rescue and research vessels.  It was a tough no-win call.  Loss of US territory was bad, but in the Aleutians!.

So we signed.  Our debt and debt services burden lowered.  But overnight the Chinese were all over the Pacific.  And the Chinese ruled the waves.  Anti-Chinese sentiment rose to rabid heights.

Mitt to Haiti

Mitt Romney, former contender in the 2008 Presidential Olympiad, is known as Mr. Fixit.  He rescued companies, states, and Olympic games.  Despite his crippling good looks and bloated personal wealth, Mitt has himself a golden opportunity to set himself up for the next presidential race.

Haiti, a disaster with a disaster, is just about as bad as it gets.  Perfect for a go to guy with chin and muscle.  Bring your family.  Their fashionable good looks would beautify by mere presence.  But the Romneys bring more impressive ivories.  They have family teamwork and solid Christian values.

And then there is the money.  Not that it won’t end up in some foundation anyway.  Why not cut loose a slab of millions.  Show your mettle Mitt.  If you rescue Haiti think of accolades—Mitt the Messiah of Haiti.

People, the voting public, would be sold on your boldness and executive nerve—-you would be unbeatable.  But you need to get going.  Time and opportunity are wasting (as well as scores of human lives).

1% Success

Since 2001 the United States has been involved in two major wars as part of a world wide of nebulous nature. Despite pouring immense amount of treasure, among other resources tangible and intangible, we have not been able to link effort to long term success.

Looking back historically the wars we won came from full effort or “total war”. Despite one third for, one third against, and one third apathetic, we won the Revolution after 8 long years,  The War of 1812 was won in part because our war was part of a wider war—and even then many Americans and parts of America sat out the war.

The Indians Wars were uneven.  Despite this it took three bouts to make the Seminoles cry uncle.  The Apaches and Sioux were long term headaches.  The Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection were more uneven conflicts—yet costs, mostly financial, were easily burdened.

Both the World Wars were “total war” affairs.  America went full bore.  And even in the most complex Second World War, America made short order of the duece and a half threats.

Korea was a stalemate and Vietnam was a checkmate.  In both cases America took a more comfortable tact towards the wars faced.  And if the military was retarded in Vietnam, the Home Front never got out of the easy chair.

As I said above, we are coming on the decade anniversary of this war.  I would be curious to compare our expenditures to our enemies.  Not only do I suspect our body count ratios look bad, but our financials must be far much worse.

Despite our efforts the wars are being fought by less than 1% of the US population.  Are we doing it right? Are we placing technology, the darling of the last two decades, on such a “never fail” pedestal that we are losing wars.  Is it too late to harness the best of America’s resources, human and otherwise, to go all out and get the job done.

Technology has brought much, but it is no end all panacea for this complex war.  Nor does money solve matters.  We may be able to hold any line, except the bottom line.

The Twin Towers were a symbol of All Conquering Capitalism.  Unfortunately that same decade the captains of commerce not only destroyed lives worldwide, but they came close to destroying the very capitalism that brought them to the position of high and mighty.  Tyco, Enron, Madoff…were not commies with AK-47s.  Yet they did not lay patriotism ahead of profits.

Are we going to repeat ourselves? We had three rounds with the Seminoles.  Will we have to do Iraq Take 3?  1% seems awfully small of effort for the job at hand. Playing the percentages—is a very dangerous margin to bet on.

The Levee was Dry

The Pat’s are humbled.  Kurt Warner is retired.  And Brett Farve has taken his last hit.  Like a water logged phoenix, New Orleans has come back from a very bad date with Katrina.  True Indianapolis has been weathering tough times.  But being underwater financially is far different from being underwater like the folks of the bayou.  I give my cheers to the Saints.  So many greats in helmets came from the bayou.  Now it is time for victory of the Superbowl variety to come to the Saint’s crowd.

Deadlock Deadlock

America can ill afford more silliness from its egotistical “leaders”.  Know your history you of short sight and low bearing. Smug belligerency, schoolyard ethics, and blind complacency are ingredients for a very p.o.’d public.  Play games with our destinies at your own peril.  Common sense goes with common courtesy.  And if raising the ante is all that matters then I ache for future generations, should they be lucky enough to have some some sort of one.  Show some backbone and maturity—for yourselves if not for others.