February 4, 2014

That last cruise. Here is a quote for life: “Old and young, we are all on our last cruise.” Robert Louis Stevenson

Recent cruise news, though, leads one to believe that more than a few modern-day travelers now rue having set sail only to become sickened with a bug which turned a longed-for vacation into what many must be calling the “trip to hell and back.” Undoubtedly, many are thinking, better to trust the kitchen at home.

Fukushima, the forgotten horror story. Check the linked story for reasons to be concerned about a story that has largely disappeared from the news. http://ecowatch.com/2014/02/02/50-reasons-fear-fukushima/

The big letdown. Alas, despite all the local, cowtown hype and hopes, the Broncos did not bring home the Super Bowl trophy. On Monday morning, Mourning Black seemed to be the preferred color. Or, was Shakespeare right, that it was all just Much Ado About Nothing. Was the republic, the universe adversely affected? One hopes not.

The “student-athlete” Athletes from Northwestern University – not your typical “jock school” – have petitioned the NCAA to form a union. Even though the powers that be have now been put on notice, it will likely be a long time before sense and order are brought to the college athletic scene.

The CA drought, the midwest, CO snowfall, and Sochi. In CA, the rainfall and mountain snow pack are sorely lacking, with little prospect for relief. In addressing the problem and calling for voluntary conservation, “second time around” Governor Jerry Brown might well have harkened back to the last drought when the saying was, “If it's yellow, let it mellow......” Of course, he did not use those exact words, far too politically incorrect.

     The midwest and east coast are hunkering down for yet another blast from the Arctic Vortex. Here in CO, most mountain areas got a bountiful dump during the last week in January, with more expected this first week of February.

    The Winter Olympics – Vladimir's Games – are set to begin October 6h and one can only hope for the best. The weather people classify Sochi as “sub-tropical” and to date the nearby mountain venues have not been unduly blessed with the white stuff. But hope springs eternal.

The Farm Bill. Here in CO, a steadily dwindling number small farmers as well as huge agribusinesses watch the progress of this bill, passed once every five years. The bill, which got its start during the Dust Bowl years, was meant as temporary emergency assistance for beleaguered family farms. But since then, it has become a permanent fixture of the agricultural landscape, with three-quarters of its subsidy assistance going to giant agribusiness corporations. It has also become a major source of nutrition assistance for the poor and children – 80 percent of the bill’s funding goes to food programs. This year's proposed cuts for food programs have become 2014's first political football.

Stay warm. Thanks for reading.