Category: utah

tuesday thoughts: stuff that makes me scratch my head and say “wha?”

author randomduck | timestamp 31/03/2009 | categories 4 Comments

Here are a few things that have me asking what’s the matter with society:

  • Please, please, please send Marion Barry to the political pasture – preferably to jail! His continued “devil could care” attitude toward paying back taxes sets a ridiculously bad example, and violates his current probation. That the people of Ward 8 continue to vote for this guy – who brings zero to the table in terms of valid, progressive legislation – is simply sad.
  • If politics between the United States and Russia have devolved to this level, I hope President Obama knows what’s in store with U.S.-Russian relations. The world is too small for such silly arguments – especially when the entire “functional world” is barely bigger than two city buses!
  • Then again, right now is as good a time as any to ponder the other G20 – the one in Glasgow.
  • We’re still dangling the bailout carrot in front of GM and Chrysler – why, exactly, I do not know. Wouldn’t it be refreshing to see the business cycle actually play out, where big companies can – and do – fail every so often? If there’s a lesson to be learned, it’s that past failures of giant corporations have often brought about new creativity and innovation that, in the long run, has helped the economy diversify, grow and prosper. So let’s stop propping up these ancient Goliaths, Mr. President, and let them fail and rise from the ashes as new, fleet, innovative and future-looking enterprises. The Big 3 are dead! Long live their progeny!
  • And while I commend the newly-enacted changes in Utah’s liquor laws that abolish the arcane and less-than-welcoming “private club” system, one of the other plans of the newly-signed legislation is simply baffling: the requirement that all mixed drinks be prepared “out of sight of persons under the age of 21.” What the hell? This is progress? This is obviously the direct result of the meddling of the LDS Church, to whom I say this: remember that those things you repress become your secret vices (read: internet porn, betting on horse races, high-stakes gambling, lottery, et al).

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the coming of spring to the District. The grass is no longer dormant, the daffodils, tulips and hyacinths are rising from their winter slumber in the soil, and the magnolias and cherry blossoms are quickly reaching peak beauty.

And with all these wonders come the things that we DC residents both love and hate: the tourists who can’t buy a clue. They block the escalators at Metro stations and stop to gawk and talk in the middle of busy sidewalks. They overrun areas that are usually the domain of DC locals (e.g. Hains Point during the Cherry Blossom Festival) and take away all of the elusive parking places throughout downtown and Georgetown. They cut off cyclists and pedestrians as they try to navigate our sometimes baffling streets, and get confused when locals give them directions that wouldn’t make sense to non-locals.

And they bring us the money that we desperately need to keep our city going. So welcome, fair tourists! Enjoy your stay, but keep an eye on how the locals do things, and try to emulate us. We all learned the hard way, in the beginning, so a bit of copycat behavior might save you some awkward humiliation.

categories politics, theocons, utah, washington, dc

out out, brief candle (r.i.p. tony)

author randomduck | timestamp 04/03/2009 | categories 2 Comments

Emmet “Tony” Larimer died last night, aged 79.

And for the past 27 hours, I’ve been at a loss for words.

Tony was more than a teacher to me. He was a friend and mentor, a role model for conducting one’s self at all times. He was a gentleman among giants, a kind Grinch, a master thespian and constructive acting coach, a master of two bards (Shakespeare and Seuss), and an icon to everybody who had the chance to work with or learn from him.

When I first learned he’d developed lung cancer, I posted about it. And those words still apply – all of ‘em.

But there’s one other thing that Tony taught us all in his English classroom all those years ago, another one of those things that’s impossible to forget:

metonymy

According to Webster’s, metonymy is:

A trope in which one word is put for another that suggests it.

It’s not one of the most often-used terms of the English language, but Tony made sure we never, ever would forget it. And why? As Tony would say:

“It contains my three favorite words: ‘me,’ ‘Tony’ and ‘my.’”

How can you argue with that? Three easy words for any of his students to keep in mind for a bit of grammar that is used every day (search the ‘net for examples if you need a refresher course – I’ll wait).

So to use a metonymy here that only fellow Winged Lions will recognize: the Lincoln Street Marching Band & Chowder Society raises a glass to a fallen comrade, mentor, leader and friend.

So Tony is no longer giving the cancer hell – he’s moved on to a new journey.

He fought the good fight, and we fought it with him. It can be seen in the outpouring of kind words on Tony’s Facebook page just how much he meant to his students, colleagues and friends.

Tony’s death strikes a chord within me and leaves a tangible void. He respected me, warts and all. He allowed second chances, but not without a lesson involved. He loved unconditionally, and triumphs of his students actually meant something to him, whether or not they were in his class. And I know he always marveled in what his pupils went on to do after graduation – he would live through them, and continues to live on through them.

His face conveyed a range of emotions that could run the gamut from elation to despair, fear to aggression, fatigue to hyper within a matter of seconds (and the eyebrows always played a role – who can forget them?). His voice – oh, that voice – resonated around the halls of both RHSM campus locations, becoming an intrinsic part of the bricks, boards, books and desks.

It’s impossible for me to think about RHSM without Tony in the hall, or in his office, or in the auditorium asking for the 14th take of a scene from Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, or walking between Van Evra Hall and the main lobby at the old Avenues campus, or playing the Grinch for generations of students and colleagues.

And his impact reached far beyond the school, deep into Utah’s arts culture. That community grieves, as well.

Tony, yours was certainly not a tale told by an idiot, signifying nothing. Yours was a tale told by a kind and wise master, signifying much more than you will ever know.

I will never forget you – or your loving, caring wife, Marie, who always comes to mind when I have a biking mishap and have to crack open the first-aid kit.

Tony, you were, and are, my Captain.

Bless you and thank you, Tony Larimer.

categories random, utah

categories , ,

easter skiing in utah

author randomduck | timestamp 25/03/2008 | categories 1 Comment

Rudi at SnowbirdI spent a lovely Easter weekend out in Utah, visiting my mom and skiing the Wasatch.

It was fun to ski back in the hills where I learned the sport – and this year was especially great, as the snowfall in Utah has been record-setting this year. So I brought my new skis (Head Supershape Magnums) with little fear of “mineral interference” (a.k.a. hitting rocks).

And I’m glad I brought ‘em, as the first day’s journey to Deer Valley dawned cold, with some clouds and hanging snowflakes (see this photo to see what I mean). As the previous days had been warm (save for a small snowstorm that dropped 7 inches of fresh powder), the base was hard-set and very “eastern” in feel. Thus, my carving skis, which excel on the boilerplate ice we get in the east, were just the trick for the buffed-out surfaces at Deer Valley. I also had some fun in the bumps and the trees, though the non-groomed surfaces either had the consistency of a concrete-set rockslide or porridge (depending on sun exposure).

Over the past few years, Deer Valley has shored up what was once its biggest weakness by adding expert terrain in Empire Canyon. The Daly Chutes are some of the most rugged of their kind in the greater Park City area, and they often retain fresh snow longer than similar terrain at other areas due to the relative paucity of expert skiers. And they added more to the equation with the opening of the Lady Morgan chair, which serves steep glades and rocky outcroppings that provide a good challenge. It’s too bad that there wasn’t much soft snow in these areas – had I been on longer, wider skis, I might’ve given them more time for exploration.

But it was fun, and the food, as is always the case at Deer Valley, was top-notch. There’s a good reason that they get written up in Gourmet, Food & Wine and Zagat’s: the food is that good.

Day two took me to Little Cottonwood Canyon, and the neighboring resorts of Snowbird and Alta. For the past few years, skiers have had the option of purchasing a ticket that is good at both resorts. To cross, you pass through a gate that’s perched on Sugarloaf pass, between Alta’s Sugarloaf lift and Snowbird’s Baldy Express lift. This meant that I had over 7,000 skiable acres of terrain to explore.

And explore I did. I started my day with some fast runs on the Peruvian quad, which was the easy way to get to the spectators’ gallery for the US Freeskiing Championships (simply put: insane skiers doing incredible feats as they ski down some of the craziest terrain at Snowbird). But I really wanted to explore the Mineral Basin side of the Bird, as my last visit featured some nasty weather and thin snow that made Mineral Basin a poor choice of places to ski.

So I rode the conveyor belt through the tunnel at the top of the Peruvian chair (called the “Basshole” by locals) and proceeded to ski into a cliff-laden area between the two chairs that serve Mineral Basin. I made my way down, dropping off an 8-foot cliff in the process, and enjoyed some perfect corn snow in the lovely, open southern exposure. Mineral Basin is relatively treeless, very European in feel, and has some great, steep, rolling terrain.

After sampling Mineral Basin, I decided to cross over to Alta via their connector gate, and cruised down Sugarloaf and over to the Supreme lift. After a quick run down Challenger, I went back up the Sugarloaf lift and decided to go on a hike. I hiked up to the top of Mt. Baldy, along with three other easterners, and after checking out the view from the top, I took the plunge down one of the Baldy Chutes. What a treat! The chutes were in the shade for most of the day, and as the rope had only been dropped on this area earlier in the day, there was still fresh powder to be found. After a small leap into the chute, I skied some fun turns down to the Ballroom area, and then to the Watson Shelter for lunch and rehydration.

I then returned to Snowbird, skiing a run off the Little Cloud lift, then heading down to Wilbere Ridge and remembering all of the races I had on said trail when I was a kid. I knocked off a couple of runs off the Gadzoom chair, and I returned to Peruvian to enjoy a few runs down Primrose Path (another race trail) and watch some of the incredible freeskiers compete at West Baldy.

Two days, three areas, magnificent skiing all around.

(You can click on the photo of me skiing at Snowbird to see more pictures from the trip.)

categories outdoors, skiing, travel, utah

give ‘em hell, tony!

author randomduck | timestamp 06/09/2007 | categories 2 Comments

I learned today that one of my favorite high school teachers, Tony Larimer, is battling lung cancer. He’s currently in hospital back in Utah, trying to overcome a bout with pneumonia.

Tony always loomed large to me. He is one of my most vivid memories of my time at Rowland Hall-St. Mark’s School: a tall man with distinct, owl-like eyebrows, a wide smile and a deep, commanding voice. He was easily the tallest person on campus back in the days when RHSM’s entire student body (pre-K through grade 12) was shoe-horned at 205 First Avenue. And he must’ve been something, because he was the one who married Mrs. Newman – the “Band-Aid Lady” – and created the power couple of acting on the school campus.

To generations of RHSM lower school students, Mr. Larimer is the Grinch, with his wicked facial expressions bringing Dr. Seuss’ character to deliciously wicked life. He was also equally at ease talking to a 6 year-old or a 16 year-old, and always made sure to reassure the young folk that he was, indeed, a kind Grinch.

To similar generations of RHSM upper school students, Mr. Larimer is the man who instilled in them a love of The Bard, who relished sharing his love of acting and marrying it to a love of English literature. For any RHSM upper school student who happened to take Mr. Larimer’s “British Foundations” course, the following Shakespearian passage is permanently etched into his mind:

“To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow; a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”

– Macbeth (V, v, 19)

He also was the director of the upper school musical for many years, and I’m honored that I was the set designer and first chair pit orchestra for the last work he directed, The Pajama Game.

And he has always been a vocal supporter of RHSM. As co-chair of the alumni association, Tony and Marie are often traveling cross-country to catch up with alumni who have made homes in other parts of the USA. I’m really glad that sprite got to meet Tony and Marie in Boston a few years ago.

And now Tony is fighting against a most cruel foe. He is strong, he is determined, and he knows that he does not fight alone.

Give those cancer cells hell, Tony!

categories random, utah

my $0.02: mining safety, disasters, etc.

author randomduck | timestamp 20/08/2007 | categories 1 Comment

It’s been hard to avoid stories of the mining disaster in Huntington, Utah. With six miners still missing and (at this point) presumed dead, and three rescuers killed in a subsequent cave-in, there is a lot of sadness, anger and questions created in the aftermath.

It’s well known that the owner of the mine, Robert Murray, is known for putting profits ahead of safety. In his Illinois mines alone, he’s had nearly 2,800 documented safety violations since 2005. I’d imagine that his track record for the Huntington mine, as well as his other Utah holdings, is equally terrible.

Furthermore, Richard Stickler, chair of the Mining Safety and Health Adminstration (MSHA), was a 2006 recess appointment by President Bush. Bush knew full well that Stickler’s record on safety was abysmal, and that he would never pass the scrutiny of the then-GOP congress in the wake of the then-recent Sago disaster in West Virginia (12 dead, one survivor). So Bush, in his infinite smugness, appointed Stickler during a time where no scrutiny was possible.

Deep level mining is a dangerous trade. Miners put their lives on the line every day, with the short-term danger of explosions and cave-ins a constant sword over their heads, and the long-term risks of exposure to carcinogens (coal dust, radon, lead and arsenic, to name a few) being a floor of surgical-steel spikes on which they have to walk. They work for pay that is very low, often supporting families that can barely scrape by in times of increasing costs of living.

And they do this for owners who seldom care for anything more than profit margins that continue to dwindle as two forces drive the old-school energy market into a tailspin:

  1. Increasing production from foreign countries that have lower operational costs (usually with inherently lower safety standards) and therefore lower market costs; and
  2. A move away from high-pollutant, carbon-rich fuels, which contribute highly to both global warming and low-atmosphere particulant pollution.

This latter factor was used as a point of tantrum by Murray, who blamed the “global warming militants” for the problems that led to the initial cave-in.

Whatever, Mr. Murray, but you’re way off base – by about a country mile, give or take.

Coal mining is a dying enterprise in the United States. It is a form of fuel that is increasingly obsolete due to the very legitimate threat of human-influenced climate change, and the true need to reduce the impact of industry on the ecosystem. While some influential people are still in denial of global warming, the scientific consensus is that it is happening and that there’s precious little time left for mankind to stave off a rapid – and likely catastrophic – increase in global temperature and decrease in air quality.

So rather than cry over lost profits, Mr. Murray, perhaps you should think about looking for clean, next-generation energy sources for your investment. Build a wind farm in central Utah, where conditions are most favorable. Start a solar array. Buy a few thousand acres and grow corn or soy that can be converted to clean-burning oil and petrol. Invest in science that could hold the key to clean energy for generations to come.

And shut down your mines. Do so while educating your miners (through investment in the miners’ pursuit of GEDs and college diplomas) so that they can get jobs in the new economy. And make sure that the closed mines are not eco-disasters in waiting: close up the tunnels properly.

And finally, both you and Mr. Stickler must come clean with your intentions about further rescue operations. You’ve dragged around the hearts of the missing miners’ families for far too long, building up hope and stringing them along for weeks. Simply state your intent, as painful as it may be, and allow the grieving families to start the healing process.

categories government, politics, random, utah

workout log: 25 june 2007

author randomduck | timestamp 26/06/2007 | categories 1 Comment

Me and my rideActivity: road cycling
Location: Emigration Canyon, UT
Distance: 20.2 miles (hilly)
Duration: 1:20
Weather: sunny, 58-70 degrees
Avg HR: 143 (max 171)
Type: aerobic

A quick, early morning ride up Emigration Canyon into a stiff headwind. Managed to ride the canyon in 29:55, regardless, so I’m definitely in shape to break my personal record before I leave SLC (barring calamity, naturally). I managed to get a flat 1.2 miles from home while traversing the University of Utah campus, so I walked the remainder of the distance to home (not counted in the mileage total).

categories cycling, utah, workout

kitchen almost done!

author randomduck | timestamp 24/06/2007 | categories Comments Off

I’m very close to having an accessible kitchen ready for mom – yes!

And one quick contrast between DC and SLC: SLC has much better independent coffee houses than the District. They are plentiful, hold their own against Starbucks (i.e. they aren’t run out of town by them), the prices are better, the quality of coffee is better, and the free wireless is a norm. Also, the baristas don’t flinch at oddball orders, and can usually pull ‘em off with flair.

DC’s coffee folk should come out here on a fact-finding mission – they’d learn a ton.

Tomorrow morning I head out for a sunrise ride before taking mom to PT. Should me nice and brisk – I knew I brought the arm and leg warmers for a reason!

categories food, random, utah

just a quick vent

author randomduck | timestamp 23/06/2007 | categories Comments Off

I need a vacation after all of this.

The weather is so hot that it’s nigh-on-impossible to get anything done around the house. Aside from mom’s bedroom, the whole place is very, very warm. Even the little swamp coolers are proving somewhat useless to combat the heat. It’s supposed to break tomorrow Monday, which will be a welcome dose of relief.

And I need to remember to keep eating and keep hydrated – I hit a bit of a wall today, which wasn’t pleasant.

Doing the cleaning solo is a lot harder. The motivation level is a lot lower, with nobody to talk with as I clean. Sure, I could work on mom’s room, but there’s the concern that she’ll want to interrupt the proceedings.

But I’ve been able to talk with her about all kinds of things, which is good. Her hip and leg are getting stronger every day, and her appetite is quite good. She’s also looking forward to the further stages of recovery, though I need to remind her that it’s one day at a time for these things.

I’m ready to come home, but I won’t be back in DC for another week. I managed to change my return flight without any trouble, which is a big relief. And I’m sure that the next week will fly by, and that there’s a high likelihood that I won’t finish every task I’ve planned. Such is life.

Regardless, I’m glad that I came out and that the surgery happened in the first place. And I’m glad that things in the house are getting better.

And I can’t wait for a real vacation. Even work will seem like relief after all of this.

categories random, travel, utah

workout log: 22 june 2007

author randomduck | timestamp 22/06/2007 | categories Comments Off

Activity: road cycling
Location: Salt Lake City > Kaysville > Salt Lake City, UT
Distance: 62.5 miles (one big hill at the beginning, otherwise flat)
Duration: 1:28
Weather: sunny and warm, 83-86 degrees
Avg HR: 139 (max 173)
Type: aerobic

A long ride on a hot day. The first bit of the ride was a big hill (up to 11th Avenue and across the mouth of City Creek Canyon), but the rest of the course was essentially flat. This route followed the Cycle Salt Lake Century route, which is well-marked and primarily follows side streets. Saw a cool miniature coal-powered locomotive in Farmington, and gave a kid’s lemonade stand some business.

It’s a bit too hot in the kitchen to do anything – even the portable cooler doesn’t make a dent in things. So tomorrow morning is “finish the kitchen assault morning,” before the heat sets in.

categories cycling, utah, workout

yes, i’m still alive

author randomduck | timestamp 21/06/2007 | categories 3 Comments

Still in Utah, still writing from a local coffee emporium.

Mom’s recovery is going well, and the house cleaning is going along as well as it can. Mom is getting around well on crutches and she’s getting more and more mobile every day. The house is also becoming more crutch-friendly every day.

I’m keeping afloat. I’ve been out riding twice since arriving in Utah, and I’ll ride some more in the coming days. It’s a nice break, and while sprite has returned to DC, I’ve got little windows of time to go out and ride. Such is life.

Off to grab dinner and return home. I hope to get mom online soon – that’ll improve things quite a bit. She’s got the laptop, and I’m going to teach her the ways of the computer and the internet over the next week. Wish me luck!

categories cycling, random, utah

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