Light/Breezes

Light/Breezes
SUNRISE AT DEATH VALLEY-Photo by Tom Cochrun
Showing posts with label Pipestone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pipestone. Show all posts

Monday, March 5, 2012

LIMBAUGH, SANTORUM & PUTIN-WHO IS THE JERK & WHO IS THE IDIOT? PLUS LOVELY SCENES

RUSH IS THE JERK 
     Advertisers continue to bail out on the gas bag. At his
best Limbaugh was a mildly amusing talker who knew a little
about marketing from his days as a pr flack and baseball pimp.  That he went from a goof ball to a political force is
merely a testament to how low brow American politics has
descended.  But this latest episode of his verbal assault on a woman has caused many to begin to smell the coffee. Why 
anyone took his views as serious is mystifying, maybe now
some of those followers will see him for what he really is.
He is only a performer, a phony, playing to a crowd. He is 
just a talker.
     What he said was wrong by any definition.  He will probably survive this meltdown, but the trash heap of over stuffed egos would be too good a place for the jerk.  He's mean, devious, laughing all the way to the bank and should be water boarded  until Dick Cheney runs to his rescue. That is run, physically, in person.
RICK SANTORUM MUST BE STUPID TOO
     This doofus is the worst thing for Republicans since
since mold on bread.  In this democratic republic even extremists or idiots are entitled to their view, but no one should draw political boundaries or build a following based on the assumption their theology is better than anyone else's. That's the province of the wacko brand of Islamic fundamentalist Imams who train young boys to be bombers.  Santorum is actually dangerous.  His brand Catholicism embarrasses many Roman Catholics and diverges from the church's larger view.
      Why moderate, centrist, intelligent Republicans have not spoken out against him defies explanation. Even the religious right should sanction this fool.
NOW LETS SEE HOW THE STRONG MAN WILL PLAY IT. 
VLADIMIR THAT IS
     Putin, who is light years more intelligent and enlightened than either of the cretins referred to above, now faces a tough spot.  Elected to a 6 year term, to his old post as President of Russia, he will have to confront the rapidly growing opposition movement.  The anti Putin demonstrations were the most significant public outpouring of that kind in decades in Russia.  
     Putin was an unlikely candidate to begin with. Before his earlier rise to political influence he had been one of those gray, faceless, technocrats in the old KGB.  Putin is smart,
has demonstrated he knows how to wield power and he is tough.  But this challenge is something new. Will he result to old Soviet ways of dealing with the growing opposition movement, or will he pushed to find a more rational way? Regardless, it appears he's going to have some homegrown issues to occupy his new Presidency.
DAY BOOK
CALIFORNIA SPRING, GREEN & MORRO ROCK
     An almond tree in March bloom at the Pipestone Vineyard.
     In the distant horizon, the famed Morro Rock. Shot from
Highway 46, Green Valley Road, earning its name.
      Look at the difference of a couple of hours in the frame 
above and below.

   Shadows play nicely on the undulations of the Santa Lucia highlands.
    One more frame of almond blooms.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

SUSTAINABLE PLEASURE & BOB SCORES 100%

A NEW KID IN THE APPELLATION
The great looking design by San Luis Obispo
architect Heidi Gibson is the tasting room of
the new Shale Oak winery.
It's on a turn on Oakdale Road that just a 
couple of years ago was acreage for sale.
When ever I passed it I would tell Lana
"There's a great spot for a new winery."
New indeed!  And forward thinking.
As the Shale Oak philosophy states
"Sustainability in every facet."  They talk of
"holistic stewardship" of the vineyards.
Those are concepts and practices that 
are dear to Paso Robles wine growers and
drinkers.
Visible are the rain harvesting and water run-off
reclamation systems.
Their LEED certification is pending. Shale Oak
employs solar photovoltaic panels.
Regional natives are being used in landscaping.
Their beautiful tasting room looks out at vineyards
and Red Soles, a great "mom & pop" winery of distinction and elegant charm.
The winemaker, Kevin Riley, is known in the area
for a quality product. We left with a couple of bottles
and look forward to future visits and purchases.
Products from re-cycled, local and "green"
sources are sold.  We like the "ethos" of Shale Oak
and the commitment to doing it properly.
Even at that, I probably would not have posted
like this, had it not been for that "dream" that
always occurred as I drove by, usually on the 
way to Pipestone, another sustainable, organic
and top quality Paso wine.
Shale Oak promises to be a great addition to 
California's best appellation.

UPDATE FROM BOB
Frequent readers of LightBreezes have followed Bob Foster's 
progress in living with leukemia. As he undergoes pre-treatment
for a bone marrow transplant he is keeping busy.  He and 
I have begun preliminary work on a film treatment and
he's "tested" his brain cells.
I passed the "Amateur Extra Class" license exam today with a grade of 
100%. By upgrading my license to the highest level of Ham radio, I  
fulfilled a promise I once made to my father.

In 1964, Dad purchased a "BC-348-Q" WW 2 shortwave radio receiver for 
me. It cost $45, a lot of money for us at the time. The fact the radio 
came from a B-17 aircraft made it seem magical. Dad bought the radio 
only after I sincerely - as sincerely as a 14-year old boy can be - 
promised to one day earn the highest grade of Ham license. The old "348" 
opened the world to me. Many a night I sat, headphones clamped to my 
ears, listening to voices from Europe, Africa and South America. 
Interest in becoming a Ham would come and go. Slowly, I learned the 
Morse code. By age 20, I earned a "Novice" Ham license. By age 30, I was 
a "General Class" operator. Today, 47 1/2 years later, I fulfilled my 
promise to my father.  I am now an "Extra Class" operator. Thank you, Jesus.

Oh, Dad died last summer. I sure wish I could have called him today with 
the news.

--Foster
See you down the trail.