Sunday, November 26, 2006

Cancelled Birthday Challenge

I cancelled my plans to do the b-day challenge today due to the cold and the rain! I am sure I will do it. Just not today! I feel terrible about cancelling, but . . . didn't want to do it so I didn't. I am going to go to my happy place now . . .

Friday, November 17, 2006

Birthday Challenge Update

This information probably isn't necessary since I don't think anyone, except myself of course, is planning on coming to my Birthday Challenge. But just in case it matters to anyone, I think I will change the date of the challenge to Sunday Nov. 26. That way I can spend more time up in Bellingham for the holiday, my birthday, and for some possible skiing. I plan on trying to start the challenge at 8 AM on Sunday Nov. 26 at Enatai Beach park. I am guessing that the challenge segments will take the following time periods: bike 3 to 3.5 hours, kayak 3.5 to 4 hours, run 1.5 to 2 hours. I was going to try and create google maps of the segments, but this was not working out so well today. Maybe I will do this later. Happy Weekend!!

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

An Oppressively Dark Winter Beginning


Last weekend Matt and I ventured out to the mountains for what will probably be the last mountain hike before the winter. We encountered quite a dark and somewhat ominous sight. A couple of feet of snow had recently fallen and massive dark clouds were preparing to dump more rain in the lowlands and snow on the peaks. We went on a short hike up near Mt. Washington, on the western side of the Cascades. It was fun to get to hang with Matt again, now that he is no longer tied up with his firefighting job applications and paramedic school. Congratulations again Matt! And thanks so much for letting me break trail through 2 feet of snow!!

I am starting to get a little tired of the darkness and rain already! It seems like it has been so wet and dark this November. In fact I am not sure I have really seen the sun since the beginning of the month. Just buckets of rain, buckets of rain, got all them buckets coming out of my ears!

Looking at the positive side, there is going to be a lot of snow soon and I just got a new ski setup. I can't wait to try out my new AT boots, bindings and used skis!!

Friday, November 10, 2006

Beware of the Mob

Since the election is over now and there isn't quite as much punditry, I will vent some of my own political frustration. I am not a big fan of Federalism, big government, Oligarchy or non-progressive politics, but the explosion of initiative politics is starting to piss me off! I think initiatives have their place, but currently they are being used as a political tool by extreme right-wing nutjobs. Take for instance Initiative 933 which was put before voters in Washington State. Basically the proponents of this initiative feel that government regulation of their property is an unfair "taking" of property. Therefore, these so-called private property defenders put up this initiative which would require government to pay private property owners if regulations diminish the value of their property or the potential value of their property as a result of their development schemes.

Unfortunately, for these idiots, nowhere in the constitution does it state that an individual has an inalienable right to build a nuclear power plant on their property. Government, when overseen correctly by elected representatives, has the right and the obligation to regulate the use of private property and it's effect on the general public. Should your neighbor be allowed to build a coal-fired power plant next door without the government protecting you from the health effects of the development. To take the argument even further, shouldn't the larger community have the right to decide what sort of development they will tolerate. Right now we do this by electing representative government which, when working correctly, is supposed to reflect the majority views. Sometimes these views aren't even the most rational ones. Look at school board decisions to teach Intelligent Design as an example.

What is new is that the extreme right-wingers have taken the initiative approach since they are a minority and their views will not be reflected in the elected representation. The idea seems to be write up an initiative which makes the government out to be an over-bearing bad guy and maybe, just maybe, enough stupid or un-informed voters will knee-jerk vote in their favor. Fortunately, in the case of I-933, the Washington State voters were smart enough to smell the rats, and soundly defeated the measure.

I am afraid, however, that someday someone, or some minority interest, will hijack our state's policies through the initiative process. It only takes some careful marketing to create a powerful "mob" rule. We live in a democracy not an ochlocracy!

Ok, I will get off my soapbox now!

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

I Found My Chin!!


It has been nearly a year since I let the goat loose.

I've finally cleaned up my image, as shown below:

Hopefully this will make me more aerodynamic! I must have got into the habit of straightening the goatee or stroking the goatee (for the wise man effect) since I have found myself reaching for it a couple times today!