SEX & TENNIS and WHEN REAL MEN CRY

LEGACY

   Lone chimneys dot California wilderness and mountain areas. Sentries, guarding the past of what was once a place of life and settlement they are also powerful testament to enduring. Some things last and remain. So it is with life and human legacy.

REAL MEN TEARS

   The Detroit Free Press said it was his "most impressive moment after the worst loss," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo in tears, voice cracking after his highly ranked Spartans lost to little Middle Tennessee State. One of his key players Denzel Valentine said it had been his job to carry a team but he let them down and that's when a tearful Izzo reached out to touch the neck of an obviously hurting kid. Tom Izzo is one of the real and genuine guys in big time college coaching. Of course he was disappointed in the team's play and their loss but he was more concerned, even compassionate about how much it hurt his kids.

     Chris Mack coach of Xavier that lost on a last second shot  was interviewed live after trying to console his highly ranked team. He emerged solemn and shaken and was asked what it was like. He said, "that is a tough locker room right now, really hurting."

     There were other such moments as the NCAA tournament  played down to the Sweet 16. Even the professional analysts, Clark Kellogg, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley were moved by the emotion, especially the Izzo comments and concern. Some may poo poo the emotions but one needs to remember despite their size and skill, they are still  really kids, many in their teens and most will never go on to play professional ball, so a tourney loss is the end of a dream and the ruin of hope. A coach, a good coach, cares about that as well. And so it is healthy, I think, to see a man who has drilled and trained an athlete, to respond to the kid, or young man with concern and compassion at one of the worst moments of their young life. And if tears flow, that's not only human, real and caring, it is also manly. Real man, manly!

AND THERE ARE MINDLESS WORDS 

     It didn't take long for most of tennis and much of the media world to fire back at Raymond Moore. He is the now besieged CEO of the Indiana Wells Tennis Garden and BNP Paribas tournament, one of the prestige venues in the world.

      Players, commentators, journalists and fans heaped scorn on Moore for his comment, on the day of the Championship Finals, that women tennis players had ridden the coat tails of men and that women players should go down on their knees to thank players like Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal.  

      Even if that was true, and it is not, it certainly is not wise to make such a sexist and outrageous comment to anyone, especially the media. Patrick McEnroe quickly said Moore should resign. Serena Williams and others have called the comments offensive. 

       I have not seen marketing studies to verify it but my hunch is the women professionals are every bit as much a box office draw as men. The top ranked women, like their male counterparts are millionaires from prize money and endorsements. 

       Oracle mogul Larry Ellison who owns the complex and tourney is expected to have the last word on Moore's unfortunate comments.

OBSERVED

   We caught this lovely scene and sound as we drove home from dinner in Cambria.

      Someone hired Voces Tapatias Mariachi to serenade those living in this apartment just off Main Street.

   It was a lovely pre sunset desert.  

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.

HOP SKIP TO 2014

ONE AT A TIME

     Harvest carnivals, autumnal rites and the turning of the year.  

     Merchants launch Christmas longings even before we observe that night of dress up and masked extortion of candy where now social media provides a "safe house" map and GPS guide.

     In the last push of this 2013 we'll remember it has been 50 years since JFK inspired us. We remember vividly our own piece of history now a half century on. Boomers have become seasoned vets of the season. In Thanksgiving rituals we intuit another Yule, Holiday, Christmas, Advent and yet another rapid change of calendar.

      When days shorten and night becomes longer we reflect, remember and marvel at where it all goes, cued by  nature gone melancholy. Regret and hope ballet on our mood. This time of year is an acquired taste.  The more of it we sip, the better we appreciate the vintage. Still, can it really be time for this end of year run through the holidays and memories?  Already?

SECRETARY OF THE INTERNET

     So there in the photo of the cabinet, next to the pin striped Secretary of State is the secretary of the Internet in a black T shirt and jeans.  Intriguing?  

   As the Obama team, so slick at campaign social media, struggles to get the new Affordable Care market exchange computer system operating, maybe it's time to ask, should we elevate all federal government information and computer systems and programs to a single department or agency?  Do we need our own Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison or Steve Jobs?  Yea, I know the curse of a federal agency is first a growing bureaucracy and a diminishing efficiency, but if we imported some "google think"  or "oracle management" or "apple genius" it could spill over to the bloated federal mind set.  

     Better design and more efficient testing of the health care market place system probably would have been a product of a Facebook, or Google team.  And besides this embarrassment is the very real matter that most of everything today moves via technology platforms.  Should we trust the big picture, high altitude view on this to the snoops and investigators of the NSA and FBI or CIA or to the high platform warriors of the Pentagon?  Commerce certainly can't hack it?  Maybe we do need a son or daughter of silicon valley to mix it up with the Cabinet.

     See you down the trail.