LETTERMAN AND OPRAH & THE HIGH VALLEY

LOOKING  UP

     If you are not a "cat person" you may think those of us who are kept by cats are a bit silly. I was taken by the expression of our poly dactyl, Hemingway. (Ernest Hemingway's cats at Key West had six toes.  Our little guy has six toes on each paw.) 

     A feral kitten, dropped by his mother as she ferried her litter over a fence, he was rescued by a Paso Robles woman.  He's the first of his line to be "domesticated." He is a link between wild DNA and being a pet. He seems perpetually curious and maybe a little bewildered. He's got an easy going personality with his greatest interests being eating and napping. He's learning quickly isn't he?

NOT SO STUPID HUMAN TRICKS

    Our old college friend was back at our Alma Mater and making news.  David Letterman's interview with Oprah created lots of interest.

Link to a CBS video of the chat here.

    In so many important ways, Dave and Oprah are people

to look up to.  

GEOGRAPHY THAT BLOWS YOUR MIND

   An easy first impression of these frames is that the valley and lake are a low altitude flatness surrounded by the distant peaks which surround and frame the images.

   Partially correct. The valley and the lake are at 7,000 to 8,000 feet.  This is the northern edge of the Owen Valley and Mono Lake which nestle, if such a massive space can indeed nestle, in the Sierra Nevada high country, bounded by the Sierra and the Excelsior mountains in Nevada to the east.  

     The peaks of the Excelsior range between 7 and 13 thousand. The Sierra Nevada peaks are at 13 and 14 thousand.  

      As the settlers trekked west they climbed to reach the big valley, only to face the more rugged eastern slope of the Sierra. Beyond that lay the central valley. 

      What an extraordinary inner drive to lift and buoy the spirit to overcome the sheer struggle.  

      See you down the trail.

THE TORTURE OF NORQUIST & A CHRISTMAS GIFT

WHO HAS THE NERVE?

     A few Republican lawmakers are doing what should have been done years ago, telling the self righteous and dangerous Grover Norquist to go pound sand.

      Dangerous?  How else would you describe an ego freak who collects "pledges" from federal lawmakers to abide by his view of government or else face a challenge by a Norquist lackey, funded with millions of dollars. Norquist really believes that a pledge to him is more sacred than any oath of office, or the unfettered performance of the duties of the office to which his "pledgees" were elected. He likes to strut, bantam rooster like, before a weekly gathering of political operatives, mostly conservative and mostly Republican, who are there to kiss his keister.

PRIDE BEFORE THE FALL

      Really, where does Grover Norquist get off thinking that he alone can control Republican tax policy and votes?

Who appointed him to this extraordinary power?  By the way, Norquist is a bit of a fraud.

      He's been an associate of Jack Abramoff, the convicted power broker who found plenty of ways to use and divert federal tax funds.  He's also an associate of the phony Ralph Reed, who has ripped off and manipulated Christian rightists with his own brand of sleaze.  Why Norquist has not been tossed over simply because his association with those scum probably goes back to those pledges that he collects and his threats to unseat anyone who challenges his view.

      Norquist calls himself a boring Methodist. He is of a particular ilk of Methodist though, one who is married to a Palestinian Muslim who worked for the Islamic Free Market Institute. The Islamic Free Market Institute was founded by Norquist.  That's cozy isn't it?  The Institute also took money from two organizations that were linked to SAAR-the organization with ties to international terrorism.  Norquist should feel right at home since he employs a kind of political terror on the Republican party.  And Norquist's wife worked with USAID.  USAID of course pumps US tax dollars into foreign venues and initiatives. Boring Methodist hardly seems an apt description for such a master of double talk, phoniness, duplicity, sleaze, self aggrandizement and zealousness.  

       If the late director Alan Pakula were doing the film, Norquist would be brought down by his own self importance and fraud.  If the Wachowski's were directing Norquist would be vaporized by a drone  as he preened before the Wednesday gathering of sycophants.  But since this is real life it is men like Senator John McCain, Speaker John Boehner, Senator Lindsey Graham, Senator Tom Coburn and Senator Bob Corker who may be the founding architects of the movement to depose the self exalted would be dictator.

       Senator Tom Coburn called Norquist's pledge "a tortured vision of tax purity."  The inclusion of torture and Norquist in the same sentence seems to bring this screed full circle. What goes around, comes around. 

      

SOMETHING NEW

     Proprietors of the historic Cambria Pines Lodge have 

added to their already well visited Christmas lights display.

This year they have added a Christmas Bazaar. 

     See you down the trail.

THE WEEKENDER-Singing Anchors

TALENT WITH TALENT

     In the television news business, the anchors, correspondents and reporters are referred to as "Talent." Some are, as in talented.

     The gold standard used to be experience in the field, as a reporter. The influence of consultants-they used to be called news doctors-and the advent of cable news led to a sea of talent who were essentially good at looking good.  In some cases, little else accompanied the package.

      There are still good, intelligent and skilled journalistic talent working.  As a news executive I looked for life experience and journalistic experience ahead of the cosmetic factors. I was able to hire many good talent. And then there was the extraordinary guy.

      He was a young guy still, not too long out of school and was working in one of our broadcast divsion's smaller markets.  I had known his father, when we were street reporters, back in our youth. Since then Phil had gone on to a solid and illustrious broadcast career in the tough Chicago market.  Phil had another son Dan who also had followed him into broadcasting.  So I knew Anthony had great news "genes," on top of his own intelligent and capable work. It was an easy hire.  

     When he arrived I learned that he was also a concert pianist and a vocalist.  A talent with real talent.

     In what I think must be a book waiting to be written, Phil, Dan and Anthony practice their skill in Chicago. At this years Newzapalooza charitable fundraiser, brothers Dan and Anthony displayed a talent, deeper than that required on a news desk.  Ironically they perform their tune THE ANCHORMAN.  

    Enjoy the Ponce brothers, and have a great weekend.

Dan, Phil and Anthony Ponce in Chicago.
Photo courtesy of Yvette Marie Postani for The Chicago Tribune
See you down the trail. 

THANKS

THE GIFT

Dad used to remind us to make the most of each day.

This day, set aside as a special time for reflection, family, friends and celebration is a great pause on our journey.

Make the most of it. Enjoy.   

  May you all know the serenity and strength

of the ancient Sequoias.

 Happy Thanksgiving!  See you down the trail.

GRATITUDE IS UNDER VALUED

LOOKING FOR IT

      I'm grateful for a walk my mother took with me one autumn day as the oaks, sycamores, elms and maples were resplendent.  She said it was one of the most beautiful falls she had seen.  It was an unusual thing, a hike in the park with my busy and laboring mom. As we strolled beneath old and ancient trees ablaze in red, orange, yellow and crunched over the leaves on the path I noticed the world, maybe really for the first time.

     Natural beauty stirs a deep awe in those who are sensitive to it. 

 PIER LIGHT

Seeing it again

subtle changes in seconds

     Thank you to the cosmic set designers!!
     See you down the trail.

SOME CARE, SOME DON'T

WONDER WHAT IS SAYS ABOUT US

    Our mid 20's daughter offered as to how she is sick of hearing about the latest "sex scandal."  A wise and sensitive young lady, she suggested that perhaps America's sexual dysfunction leads to this prurient interest. May be. Might also be the historic interest in seeing people in power revealed as having feet of clay or human foibles like the rest of us.  And do you think there could also be a little truth to the adage "sex sells?"

      But, I also wonder about the betrayed spouses and children.  How do they live with the ignominy?  May well be some less than happy thanksgiving tables at a few homes.

     It could be a chapter in a book and maybe a turn in Cambria history.

     A popular young couple work hard, invest a lot of sweat equity turning an abandoned restaurant into a new and modern pub and steak house but in the first week of operation depart, the result of a break with their business partner.  

    There had been high hopes for the prime location.  Reviews were mixed. Now people are told the place will be headed in a new direction. What does that mean?  What was behind the split?  Locals are buzzing. 

     I've got an idea out of left field. Why doesn't Stephen Hearst, VP and General Manager of Hearst Corporation Western Properties, step in and create a real steak house, a premiere place for the world class Hearst Beef, grown just up the road?  It could also be the perfect venue for the Hearst Wine vintages that are also making an impact on the market.  Seems a perfect show place for their product, a unique dining spot in a somewhat crowded local restaurant scene. LA and San Francisco visitors beat a path to Cambria already, and a truly top quality steak house could add to the lure.  Marketing and Ad dollars are not a problem for the Hearst Corporation and this is after all their true "terroir."

    So from here in the peanut gallery, it's an easily offered option.
    BTW, for those who may not know.  Stephen is from the same clan as William Randolph Hearst-he of the Hearst Castle that tops a mountain just 6 miles away.  It is California State Parks most visited tourist spot. And the Hearst empires continues still.

    FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS ABOUT A GENERAL

    The headline is borrowed from my friend and fellow blogger Frank who send this interesting little bit of history.

Attention old surf rock fans-they may surprise you.

     See you down the trail.

      

THE WEEKENDER-VIDEO MAGIC

A CLOSER LOOK

     Thanks to those who either posted or emailed comments about Lana's first place award in the Cambria Allied Arts juried show.  For those who said they'd like a better look-here tis-

Lone Palm Trail

16 X 20 Oil

You can see more of Lana's art at her

blog by linking here.

REEL NOTES

SKY FALL

     50 years into the franchise, and the James Bond thrillers

are not only still entertaining, but perhaps better than ever.

     Gone are the campy innuendo lines, gratuitous Bond and gorgeous woman falling into bed scenes and the over the top special effects and weapons.  In it's place is a cleaner story line, real character development, cleverness and an aging Bond in a cyber security world.  Daniel Craig continues his chiseling of a life like Ian Flemming created MI 6 agent.  Where Sean Connery had charm, Craig has melancholy. Dame Judy Dench as M is wonderful and Javier Bardam as bad guy Silva is again deviously twisted and masterful.  Albert Finney and Ralph Fiennes both turn in great supporting character roles.

      This is the 23rd Bond film and director Sam Mendes provides you a thrill ride and taut drama.  Thomas Newman's music is brilliant, especially his ability to reprise classic Bond themes at appropriate moments of historical vignettes.  If you like big budget, big films that are pure entertainment, this is a great popcorn film.

HOW DID THEY DO THIS?

The Weekender Remaps time

    Here is a video mind boggler, that demonstrates a special effect edit technique called time remapping.  Thanks to Beverly for sending it along.

     Have a great weekend.  See you down the trail.