No dump, but nearly a foot of white, not-quite-as-fluffy as that which arrived in January, laden as it is with spring moisture. But enough to guarantee another good week on the mountain. Then I suspect Mother Nature will wave her celestial wand and transform the winter wonderland into a summer paradise, replete with mosquitoes, tourists, and other friends of the earth.
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Municipal elections take place here next week, and the hot mayoral issue appears to rest on which candidate is more adroit at securing “grant” funds for the town. A fascinating concept whereby the government collects taxes then returns a portion to those most adept at masterful prose and mystical mathematical manipulation. I have seen enormous grant largess reposing untouched in government closets while pleas for essentials from those less proficient at milking the public bosom are rejected or ignored.
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In true AlGorian fashion the feel-good world last Saturday turned out the lights in homage to Earth Hour. Just imagine –the Sydney Opera House, the Egyptian Pyramids, meme le Tour Eiffel, dark -- for an entire 60 minutes! Be still my heart.
Emblematic of our former VEEP commandeering a private jet and winging across the country to give a one hour speech lecturing me on my unconscionable despoliation of the planet. I’ve said before, your carbon footprint against mine any day Al. When last I made this observation, an intrepid watchdog responded that Al’s contributions dwarf mine and therefore he should be granted leeway. Point debatable, but accepted. It is precisely this argument that liberals haughtily reject when Americans note that our advanced level of productivity should cut us some slack in comparison to a developing world that pollutes with abandon. Touché
Earth Hour is empty symbolism run amok. For a solid decade the EU warned and threatened several member nations over violations of end-of-life vehicle disposal (i.e. junk car) regulations. Finally they had enough and fined the miscreants a full 10,000 Euros each!!! Showed them, didn’t they! Press releases crowed over this courageous stand, and myriad additional examples have since tumbled forth describing similar merciless EU crackdowns on recalcitrant national scoundrels.
Now imagine taking a shiny penny (or EU centime if you will) and chopping it into a hundred pieces, then fining you or me one of these snippets. Roughly the equivalent of fining a sovereign European state 10,000 Euros. But it sure seems to help these folks sleep better at night, and encourage morally superior wagging of accusatory fingers at the North American and Asian nations that refuse to participate in the charade.
France – the City of Light – that shines a spotlight on everything from statuary genitalia to tulips in the Tuileries, could show serious commitment by bathing itself in darkness one day a week, or perhaps stifling diplomacy (the greatest planetary contribution to carbon dioxide emissions) on occasion.
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How fast the winds do shift. Europe fell into near delirium over candidate Obama, anointing him “President of the World,” but now he is “leading the way to hell” according to the EU President. Yet his wit, smile, and soaring rhetoric keeps the throngs in thrall, even as thousands march demanding an end to Capitalism.
He remains a rock star for the masses, and elicits interesting parallels to events on our shores. Both here and in Europe the man (and woman) in the street is mesmerized by his exceptional oratory, while the business and professional communities remain skeptical. But he did a number on the other 19 G’s, extracting a $2 trillion promise to aid in the global fix.
A note of caution here. Governments have a vexing way of reneging on promises, largely because they are not accountable, at least (for politicians) until the next election cycle, and for functionaries, never. I deem it a metaphysical certainty that much of the $2 trillion largess proffered by the G-20 will never find its way into the planetary pocket.
As to my President’s reception in Europe, as enthusiastic (or arguably more) than he receives here -- surprising? D‘ya think? When his words suggest that America will be moving closer to or even (shudder) adopting the European model, should anyone be surprised that Europeans respond with raucous approval?
Europe has become quite comfortable allowing the USA to lead the charge and pay the bills (doubters: witness Afghanistan, a war that Europe supports by mouth but not with boots on the ground). It will be quite a shock when Europe twigs that replacing the despised “go it alone” Bush with a multilateral Obama means it will now be expected to assume a leadership role in fiscal and human commitment as well as by means of oratory. Be careful what you wish for.
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Bird strikes are much in the news at the moment, and it occurred to me that the prime malefactors appear to be Canadian Geese. Not, mind you, Mexican geese, nor Al Qaeda geese. The French wisely consume the edible parts of these winged terrorists and I have never heard of a collision over Lille or Toulouse. Something to think about –A?
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The adventure transitions to Springtime in the Rockies…one can almost hear the Von Trapp family singing in the background…
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