Reaction Time and The Dream

      It's subjective and no one knows, but I think if Martin Luther King Jr were alive, his primary focus would be economic disparity. He raised the issue of poverty and since his death the gap has widened. The rich have gotten richer and the middle class is crumbling. Like prophets he spoke truth to power. As Aristotle noted, inequality leads to instability. Instability looms and the rich are deaf.

curiosity

      For the record, I was never appointed a special consultant to the UN. I found this telegram as I sorted through old files. I had forgotten about it. I remember it showing up at my residence when I was at college. I chuckled about it but never learned its source. For almost 50 years I thought it was the prank of my fraternity brother known as "Cool Breeze." John Schleeter was a true political junkie and a jokester. As recently as this fall John denies he sent it, or produced it . The Mystery remains.

in a time of social media that means....

       The recent skirmishes over a Buzz Feed report that Robert Mueller broke his stone silence to refute and the flap over a viral video from the weekend are testament to how we should miss "the good old days," those would be the good old days when the news media was in the hands of men and women who were experienced and were professional.

       Back in the day before social media and smart phones, adults attended to the aggregation, editing and distribution of "news."  Yes mistakes were made, but they were rare and they were always corrected. Now with millions of phones and media feeds and instant comment and reaction there is a lot of garbage in the flow. And we don't seem to be very smart about what to believe and why. 

      What about the source? What about the intent? Is it real? How many sources do you have? In the pre digital world those kind of issues were important. Now, I can post a video or tweet something and it's out there and being reacted to without any qualifications, validations or certifications. It's not just individuals, it is also organizations who act so carelessly.

       When I saw the video of the so called confrontation in Washington I thought it was dubious, but I was amazed at the conflagration that surrounded it. Over reaction prompted more overreaction and the decibel level of America escalated again.

       It's bad enough we have partisan so called "news" networks operating, now we have a multitude of other voices adding to the hysteria. My advice-trust no one. Make them prove they are right before you buy in. Don't react to the first thing you see or hear, think about it. Look for other sources, weight what others think or say or interpret. As unlikely as it is, I paraphrase former President Reagan-watch it, read it but "Verify."  

      And as for news sources--if the bulk of their content, broadcast, print or on line, is commentary and analysis and personality-be very, very skeptical.  For example, compare Fox News and MSNBC to the BBC. 

      

a playwright in the field

    Actor, producer, director and playwright Tom Alvarez is a long time friend. He and his creative partner have written and staged Calder, The Musical. It seemed only appropriate that he pay respect to the nearest Calder, here on the central coast.

     Halter Ranch Winery in the Paso Robles appellation provided Tom a close up visit.

       Tom also got a close up look at the sun dropping at a western chunk of the US, in this case a little spot in Cambria known fondly as Griffin Park, because it is 110 steps from the Griffin's front door. 

       See you down the trail

A MIRACLE and FREAKY NATURE

BIG BLUE

    A scientist who has studied Monterey Bay for 50 years says he doesn't know if he should be more worried than fascinated.  He was on KQED and the BBC's extraordinary live series Big Blue and was referring to the absolutely freaky and unprecedented events in the bay this summer.

    Birds that have never been this far north are roosting, Orcas and Humpbacks defining who's in control of a part of the bay, Dolphin behaving in skittish ways, great white sharks in unprecedented number, anomalies in harbor seal behavior, more otters being attacked by great whites and ocean water that is at least 5 degrees warmer than normal.

     The scientists are a bit stunned. It's a laboratory full of new behavior and experiences, but the down side is what it all means. Some of those options do not bode well.

     In addition to the warmer water there is also the Blob, a mass of even warmer water. Combine that with the predictions of an historic El Nino, the west coast is entering new territory. Mother Nature always has the last word.

MIRACLE IN KINGS CANYON

   It's being called a "miracle rescue."  62 year old Miyuki Harwood spent nine days clinging to life in the massive and rough Kings Canyon wilderness.

   King's Canyon is one of our favorite spots in the Sierra, but it gives me chills to think of Harwood's ordeal.  She separated from her hiking party. In attempting to get back she fractured her leg.  

  She spent two days crawling to a stream where she stayed, drinking water she filtered in her bottle. She survived the cold nights, avoided bears, mountain lions, coyote and snakes. The area is treacherous, rocky and dense and the idea of dragging yourself with a shattered leg to nestle near a creek bed is staggering.

   Harwood is not a big woman. A computer specialist she is an experienced hiker and clearly had a survival instinct. Teams of rescuers were hampered by a fire that was burning nearby limiting access and visibility. After nine days she heard rescuers and blew a whistle she carried, as all hikers should. She was rescued just in time. She is reported to be in stable condition and recovering.

   It maybe the 21st century, but it is still the wild west out here. Wilder than we understand, and maybe on the verge of getting even more so.

   See you down the trail.

   

THE WEEKENDER-PRINCELY WORK & SHADOW PLAY

TIS APPRECIATED

     Well, I didn't expect it.  Thanks to those of you have responded publicly, or by email or like my friend and fellow tennis warrior Janos, in person.

      I noted that my old pal Griff, chided me about the number of flowers captured in these posts.  It was nice to hear that you have taken the time to look at my snaps.  I'm simply dazzled by the beauty and as the old saying goes

"can't help myself!"  So, more pics of floral color still to come. Sorry Griff!

A PRINCE OF A FORECAST

     The Weekender fun video comes from YouTube and is an unusual take on a local weather report.  

      Having hired, coached and managed television "talent" I think the Prince is a natural! Apparently I'm not alone. Here's a quick behind the scenes evaluation of his royalness in tv land.

WHO DO YOU THINK LIVES HERE?

WARM DAY SHADOW PLAY

    Enjoy your Weekend.  See you down the trail.

AN OLYMPIC MEDIA DIVIDE

TECHNOLOGY HAS PASSED THE OLD WAY

     It is probably time for Olympic organizers, the IOC, and their media partners to get fully into the 21st Century.  Their old fashioned approach is silly.

       CASES IN POINT

       Viewers are already all over NBC for their multi hour tape delay of the opening ceremony and the rounds of competition.  I was angry, because as a regular BBC Internet viewer/reader, I was unable to see the Beeb's stuff because of the US deal with NBC.  

       Still tape delay in the the age of Twitter creates a real problem as Fred Wilson of AVC writes in this blog.

        Techcrunch.com weighs in on the flap calling the delay STUPID in this link.

       It's a fascinating, even if painful example of how social media platforms have outdated the thinking of Network executives and business hustlers.  Why tape delay in a 24/7 world of instant media?  Sure, the answer is ad dollars are higher if the Olympics play in prime time, instead of real time, which half way around the world could mean the middle of the night or the middle of the afternoon when viewership is down. But that old business model, may be just that-old and out of date.

      PaidContent.org, which watches the economics of digital content reports in this link how Twitter activity has jeopardized broadcast coverage.

        Here is Reuter's take on the embarrassment.

        If nothing else, this Olympiad should signal a new way to approach coverage of the games.  Instead of add ons or afterthoughts, new media platforms should be a key strategy for those nations where time zone differences

are important.

     

DAY FILE

BLOOMS ADD CHEER

See you down the trail.

THE WEEKENDER :) IT IS WONDERFUL

IMMERSE YOURSELF

    I can't help myself.  When I see a solitary boat in a cove

my mind starts leaping through, where did it sail from, where is it bound, how did they choose this berth and those

all lead to the perpetual question, what would it have been like to sail into a new land for the first time?

    BTW sailing this part of the California coast is tricky and dangerous, so anyone putting into San Simeon has navigated   some difficult water and shoals.

SPEAKING OF THE WATER

   A dear friend visited from the Washington DC area recently.  Before coming he inquired about swimming in the Pacific. He and I have both shared the Atlantic chill, but when I told him the average water temperature was mid to high 50's he opted out.   Hey Frank-look at these guys-

 --they are either too young to know better or from some 

northern clime, where 59 degree water feels good!!!!

  My thanks to the BBC and several friends who suggested

this video would make a great WEEKENDER :) treat.

IT REALLY IS A WONDERFUL WORLD

Thanks to Sir David as well.

Enjoy the weekend.

See you down the trail.

THE WEEKENDER :) DAZZLING AND AMAZING

 STAR SHINE

     Looking at the stars must make us a bit smarter.  Just seeing those celestial lights certainly must launch a combination of curiosity and wonder that imbues our little gray cells with something good. Don't look for any substantiating science, but do look up when you can. 

     Before moving to the central California coast, the best star field I beheld was on the northern plains of the Serengeti near the Great Rift Valley in Africa and at the Simplon Pass in the Alps. In both cases it was as though the stars were dropped down around me, to the horizon front and back. A blessing of this part of California is stars that run from mountain top to horizon line in 360 degrees.  They have depth as there is very little light pollution, due in part to the massive darkness over the Pacific and in the mountains.

      For a guy who endured scores of mid western winters, there is a child like thrill to sitting in the spa, looking into a star laden stream of the milky way and hearing the engine like song of the ocean.  In moments of such "illumination" it's hard to figure why in the history of bipeds, ambling under those same stars, we haven't learned more about them.  We've learned a bit, and we theorize but every night we are reminded of a grand mystery that plays out over head.

REEL THOUGHTS

PINA

     The Academy Award Nominated German film, PINA is a sight and sound feast.  It's a documentary in dance that is a tribute to the late modern dance choreographer Pina Bausch.

The story is told by the dancers of Bausch's Tanztheater Wuppertal, in an extraordinary series of performances with brief commentary.  Director Wim Wenders, who did the Buena Vista Social Club, has created a visual wonder with a marvelous score that will probably have you keeping beat in your seat. Here's a sample in the trailer.

AMAZING AND BREATHTAKING

     Here's another marvelous weekend diversion for your

viewing, courtesy of the BBC.  The next time you have mussels you may recall this thrilling experience of diving under sea ice.

THE CAMBRIA LOCAL

     The weekly gathering of the Friday Lunch Flash mob

produced a couple of twists.  A low key celebration of 

Sadie Hawkins Day was conjured by Tess and Ruth.

     Not sure who Sadie Hawkins is or what her day is all about?  Google it.  It will give you a little more fun time

this weekend.

     The second twist was the rapid onset of a chilly marine fog.  We began under cobalt blue and warm sun, but with in minutes, the mob was scrambling for jackets, sweaters and caps.  So it goes on the coast.

     Enjoy your weekend.  And if you've got clear skies, take a peek at those stars.

      See you down the trail.

THE DAY THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

IT WAS 40 YEARS AGO TODAY

Photo courtesy of Opera News

      Richard Nixon's flawed character and Presidency was not

without moments of greatness.  Today is the anniversary of his historic visit to China.  It was the great rapprochement

and new opening. 

Photo courtesy of BBC.com

     Nixon was the first President I met, though I had seen and covered Lyndon Johnson. I thought Nixon had earned his nickname "Tricky Dick" and there was much about the man of which to disapprove.  But when he told Chinese Premier Cho En Lai in China "What we do here can change the world" he 

was indeed correct.  His move to open relations was brilliant.

     This clip from a BBC documentary captures the history

and speaks to its impact.

ACCOMPANIED BY REDWOOD

     Lana has immediately gone to work utilizing the new redwood fencing as an element in her "garden compositions" as I refer to her creative landscape work.

     The limbs of the paperbark tree in the frame below gain dimension against the fence.

     The little trellis to the right seems simple as it
stands ready to guide and receive the vine we recently trimmed, however----It was a joint project, certainly not overly complicated but when two headstrong people bring their vastly different styles of building to the table, well, it was spirited.  If you've been married or in a relationship for many years, you may understand.  Nonetheless-we are both satisfied with our little addition to the, we hope soon to be, vine covered gate.

See you down the trail.

WINSTON CHURCHILL

THE FINEST HOUR

Several years ago a few of us then in the 

heartland, created a Churchill Society.

Impressed with his wit, love of adult

beverages and cigars, that alone was

enough to prompt our beginning.

But we were history nuts as well and

it is there we found the "serious" reason

for our gathering.  We've been 

trading communication in the last several

hours about the new Churchill Center coming

to Washington, even proposing field trips.

So, I've spent some time looking at Churchill clips, and 
thinking how my high school and college research
papers would have been different given the 
tools of youtube and search engines.

See you down the trail.