Around here....the truth is....

         Another atmospheric river is pointed this way so we got out to look around before more drenching and snow on top what is a history making winter in California.

        It was too muddy for the hill climb and even the hard trail used by mountain bikers wore winter's damp.

        

        We noticed pockets of gold.

        The coastal trail also in full spring resurrection. 

       ** It has been written that "truth is a golden thread, seen here and there..."

The sweet truth of recent is that Fox News deliberately broadcast known lies and deceptions because, they reasoned, that is what Fox News viewers wanted. 

        I thought of Jack Nicholson in a famed scene "You want the truth, you can't handle the truth!" And so the golden truth seen here is that Fox News is never to be trusted. They violated the truth for the sake of money and in the rotten act made it worse by cheating their own audience, manipulating and patronizing them. 

        That comes as no surprise to informed citizens. Many years ago a nationally prominent American politician who has since gone on to other international prominence dropped a dime on me to say that Fox News might be interested in hiring me. This was before they had hit the air. When I pushed him about who's involved he told me "Roger Ailes" with whom he had worked. I knew then no good was to come from Fox News. It was to be a propaganda service. Propagandists lie and have no respect for truth. 

    Now the world knows that Hannity, Carlson, Ingram, Piro and the other clowns are also phonies and liars. They are also anti American. Quoting from another blow hard "enemies of the people. Fake news!"

        Looks as if these boys are practicing their high and dry stances.

        **The line was written by English poet Arthur Hugh Clough who was also an assistant to Florence Nightingale.

        Stay safe. See you down the trail.

Around here...and as always....

Cambria court wash

        April rain is rare on the California central coast, not being an"April showers brings May flowers" kind of place. 

    Blooms begin in February, during the fall and winter rain season. The .7 from this storm put our rain for the year at a little over 16 inches. That's a decent total during a drought year. 

    During our time on Pineridge we've swung from 42 inches to as little as 8. The coastal weather is vulnerable to ocean influence, mountains, and a high atmosphere intrigue called a Pacific Decadal Oscillation. 

          A spring moon on Pineridge may have helped turn on a cactus. Its bloom was dazzling. 

        An Oyster mushroom is back for a third harvest. A kit, given as a Christmas gift produced a batch of mushrooms and a surprising second batch. Even more suprisingly number three volunteered itself.

        Lana's magic in the saute' pan was a fitting, even if a less beautiful disposition of the artful fungus. Delicious! 

         

        As we've begun to return to the more robust style of pre pandemic life, a lot of folks have begun to say they feel aged, or unsettled by the last 2 years. A piece of life was held hostage, and now we attempt to come again to what was before, but we and life itself have been changed by it. 

        The simple rhythm of life has the assurance of normal, while absurdities of the human fall menace from our screens.

     World leaders must task themselves to find a better way to prevent barbarism and aggression and to punish those who perpetrate it.

        American voters certainly are wise to the soulless and ripping attack to the constitutional heart of the American system by the gang of cowards, liars, low-life, hustlers and haters who have stolen or who remain as condonation in the republican party.

        Savoring the quiet life has distracted from the brutality of  war crimes and the attack on our democratic republic.

    

        In volunteer work this week I was fortunate to see lights of human decency. Our capacity to care, to serve and to be about common good is hopeful.

        I'm coming to understand a constant. 

        As we probe more deeply into our majority years, we come upon truths of life in personal and cosmic ways. It is ever so. 

        We see now our good old days were myopic. As old girls and boys we tread in times of war, regressive ideas, uncertainty and threat. They were never far away in our middle years, nor have they ever been in the rise of humanity.

        We are where those before us have been, wondering what is to become of humanity. 

       Life is always on a razor's edge. 

                   

             Always spring comes and hope is alive.

            And there is always dinner....

        Peace

        See you down the trail.

        

         

 

Truth is...

from Shamel Park, Cambria, Ca

zings

    Those zings that whiz by are the buckle bolts of a decent and civil process. Those flying pillars hurtling into the sky are the girders and braces of historic balance of power supports. That vibration you feel, that disequilibrium in your mind is part of a welling force. Time for that in moment. 

the faces of hemingway

     Mr Hemingway, our beloved polydactyl (6 on each of the 4 paws) entertained a recent photo shoot with his "range" of looks.

   His response to our current state of affairs is either a nap in the sun, or a nap in the shade interrupted by a few stretches. 

for the love of spring

 The Cambria shoreline is electric

the dark side of the amateur hour

     As one reads of Alabama's abortion law, and John Bolton's dangerous, ill advised and foolish faux macho saber rattling on Iran, and the administration's lack of respect for American principle, one cannot escape the fact that mouth breathers and nincompoops have entirely too much power. This should and will likely change, but not soon enough.

    We can be sure that investigative talons will clutch the ringmaster. Either as a former president or perhaps an impeached or disgraced fool, justice will come for him.

    If you doubt that, tally the number of federal investigations now open and not restricted as Mueller was. Or ponder the numerous congressional probes. He will be disgraced and perhaps even broken, but the damage he does now is itself a crime of another sort.

   Like many of you, I have quit trying to reason or use logic, or cite historical precedence with those who refuse to acknowledge the rogue president is a sick and evil man motivated only by what's in it for him. 

    It's been unbelievable though that even given the specifics of the Mueller report, and Trump's traitorous, treasonous behavior in full view, his obvious incompetence, his being made a public bitch by Kim and Putin, his ruinous impact on American farmers, his thousands of documented lies, that congressional and Senate Republicans refuse to be Americans first. We can only hope they feel the vengeful sting of betrayed citizens at the ballot box. 

    Those who refused to call out this degenerate administration will be handled by history and they will be seen as the cowards and quislings they are. Their children and grandchildren will be embarrassed. If anything might bring these dead Republicans to life it is the sheer incompetence of Trump as commander in chief with a sneering and once marginalized Bolton at his side.

     There are many congressional and legal challenges ahead. What may be the most pathetic is that a draft dodging, military school flunky, a non reader, a man who knows almost no history, a bloated punk of a daddy boy liar is in a position to commit American troops to warfare. That is such a cosmic injustice the universe itself would be correct to smite the fool.

     Until the Russians rigged the election-and I don't mean merely influenced, this nation had a pact wherein Iran was on a leash, closely monitored, their weapons program was on ice and we were building favor with a growing percentage of Iranians who were growing discontent with the old fundamentalist zealots who controlled them. 

     Now America's biggest money looser and tax fraud, con man and reality TV show star and his failed and rejected advisor are talking war talk. If this doesn't motivate Senate Republicans to admit they are in bed with the devil, then perhaps the universe should smite them as well.

     That, or a few Sons of Liberty legacy patriots could do so.

     See you down the trail. 

     

FROM OUT WEST-LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT AND GOVERNOR BROWN

LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA AND
GOVERNOR JERRY BROWN

    Dear Sirs,

          California and the federal government have an opportunity to partner in problem solving while advancing technology, creating employment and improving quality of life. The state and federal government should design and build ocean desalination plants and a network of pipelines to deliver water to communities and the agricultural zones including of course the Central Valley.

          California abounds in technological and engineering knowledge and has been the crucible of innovation. California produces food that feeds America and much of the world but we can't make it rain nor end an historic drought. However we can respond with imagination and progress.

          A state and federal partnership accomplishes a great deal; regulatory compliance and clearance and a capacity to get it done. Think such a venture is impossible? Consider the extraordinary response of this nation to the crisis of WW II. Consider also the zeal and achievement of the American space program when the nation was committed to a moon landing. This nation could benefit from a good swift kick in the butt to get back on a path to excellence. This project would do that and you can make it happen.

          More good happens in California than in Washington DC. Bipartisan government occurs and while it is not perfect, things get done and problems are managed and solved. Aside from the public business of California, there is also the extraordinary success and life changing impact of technology, communication, transportation and space businesses. But we cannot make it rain. 

          Life depends on water and entering the fourth year of  historic drought clouds are on the horizon and they are not rain clouds. Historically this part of the US has sustained life altering droughts. There is meteorological and climate science now that suggests we could be in another such  period and that it could extend decades. It is arrogance to forget it has happened, repeatedly. Unlike previous eras and epochs we have science and technology to interact with the Ocean.

          The Pacific must be protected and proper environmental and ecological management is mandatory. A state and federal oversight can work to those ends. The peril is too severe to leave such things to a free market, profit making set of values.

          The design and implementation can be founded on the best science and engineering and most of that is already here and could be augmented by others in a critical review and project management.

         As the project(s) move forward each community could  undertake an ascertainment of need including the calculation of a sustainability index. i.e., how much water is needed now vis a vis anticipated growth? how is that water used-commercially, in homes, for agriculture, etc.? what are optimum growth and expansion frames? what are fair water rates in a tiered system?  What is a community's sweet spot to be truly sustainable? All of this would be managed and navigated by an oversight process that is long on academics, scientists, economists, planners and engineers with project management expertise drawn from the best and brightest in business-e.g., Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Larry Ellison and such peers. Think of that quality of individual to be your managing partners.

         Notice who is peripheral to all of this?  Elected politicians. Once the public's business was the trust of the United States Congress and Senate. Recent history only disqualifies them from running and likely delaying or destroying such a venture. Of course this will take funding and in that way they will need to be stakeholders, but how to affect that and how to contain their negative influence  is what you both are being paid to do as Chief Executives.

         Private investment could be tapped, in lieu of tax or other incentives. All business has an interest in the viability and sustainability of life and agriculture.

         Mr. President, Mr Governor you wield power and influence and have the ability to summon the "best and brightest" and to establish and pursue vision.  Even if we can water ration and restrict and even if it suddenly starts to rain laying siege to the notion we are in extended drought or climate change, we know that on a strategic world stage, water supply is a critical pointer. We even plan for future wars being fought over water. California and the federal government could evince a scenario that tends to a present need and allows for good options in future need.

         Executives lead, this is your way to lead us through problem solving and to create a legacy that includes a better way of doing things.

APRIL OUT WEST

   See you down the trail.

COMEDY PUNCHES THE MUSLIM THUG & A PHOTO SPRING

DIPLOMACY BY RIDICULE

     Egyptian president Morsi, who is thugging his way along a path of repression and regression got mugged last night.  In a brilliant bit of "in your face" diplomacy, comedian and commentator Jon Stewart decimated the Muslim Brotherhood zealot.  Stewart defended his friend

Bassem Youssef, who has been called the Egyptian Jon Stewart.  

        Stewart's work, especially the last couple of minutes of the bit, beautifully demonstrates the difference between a nation of freedom and a place where zealots and fundamentalists would seek to blot free expression.

       This Washington Post piece provides good context, explanation and a link to Stewart's masterful defense of freedom.

       The visual quality is not quite as good, but this YouTube video also reprises the powerful performance.

      Do yourself a favor, spend a few minutes being entertained and come to see how precarious freedom can be.  

OUT AND ABOUT
TEXTURES & JUXTAPOSITION

SPRING TREES

See you down the trail.

TRUTH OF FARMER'S MARKETS & CALIFORNIA SPRING

TOUGH ODDS

     Michael Broadhurst who manages farmer's markets on the central California coast says less than 1/2 of 1% of America's food dollar is spent at farmer's markets.

     Depending on policies about where and how food is grown, farmer's markets provide the freshest, most local and sustainably grown food in America.

        Broadhurst spoke recently to a Cambria group and provided a kind of State of the Union of American food production.  He is a former chemist who worked in the pharmaceutical industry who became a farmer and grower of food.  He and his wife Carol operate Dragon Spring farms which enjoys a reputation for top quality produce and food products.

        Broadhurst said very few people can make a living in farming alone.  He sounded the dire warning that massive "food process systems" that control product from large farm operations to store shelves are responsible for food illness outbreaks "unlike any of us have ever seen before."   He said there are 7,000 fatal cases of food poisoning a year. A previous post details how one guy made a fortune and threatened your health.

        Broadhurst is a man of science and a farmer who says "food represents a gift in a world where we truly are what we eat."

CALIFORNIA SPRING
capturing blooms around Cambria

      See you down the trail.