If I should buy jellybeans
Have to eat them all in just one sitting
Everything it seems I likes a little bit sweeter
A little bit fatter, a little bit harmful for me
- ruffus wainwright

So. . .  If one guy says, “I hate Chihuahuas” His rival will say, “Look, he said he hates dogs!!!!”.  Of course, he didn’t say that, but who cares!  As long as enough chumps believe it. . . The accuser wins.  What’s worse even if the poor accused chap was sitting there petting his German Sheppard, the accuser would claim he wasn’t lying.  Beautiful!   That’s the nature of elections.  The games afoot!!

This weekend I am going up to Green Bay to do a presentation for the paddling group up there.  I’ve done my share of presentations over the years. They seem to go quite well, even though I’m not always the most comfortable behind the podium. I just keep in mind how boring I’ve always found it to sit through a presentation.  Then my goal is to figure out some way to keep people like me entertained, while at the same hoping they retain something of the hour.  Maybe I’ll take a hula-hoop!

With spring coming eventually, now is a good time to start thinking about gear.  I know I need to buy a new pair of water shoes, paddling gloves, and a waterproof still camera (again).  So as I do each year around this time, I started sending out emails to companies looking for more information about their products that I can share with you here.  Usually they are very good about providing information for us.  Sometimes they just blow me off.  You’ve got to expect that.   Still, over the coming weeks I will be presenting you with some new boats, gear, and such that you may worth a look.  Let’s see what we can find.

Paddling coaches never make money.  Well, not usually.  Of course they’re not looking to either.  For the student that’s a benefit.  You know your coach would not be there unless they really enjoyed working with you.  On the other side though costs are going up.  Coaches don’t mind teaching for nothing, but on the other hand they don’t want to pay to teach either.   I have a feeling more shops across the country are going to have to review this a bit as the price of gas keeps climbing.

I read a thread decrying kayaks being made in China.  Well, they are made in North America and all over Europe as well.  Personally I don’t care where kayaks are made as long as they are made well.  My wish list would include that the employees are paid fairly, and the boats are made in an environmentally sound way.   What do you think?

Ah, I’m sure this will be fodder for the “no risk” mindset.   Black Diamond sponsored extreme skier, Billy Poole died from injuries sustained while jumping of a cliff for a scene in a documentary film.  According to one article it is said that he had wanted to ski in a Warren Miller Entertainment film his whole life.  Obviously to make the cut for these sorts of videos you have to push the envelope.  His supporters would be the first to tell you the jump was risky, but well thought out and calculated.  Of course you’ll never get me jumping off a cliff (literally anyway) . . . but on the other hand I’ve a had a couple surf landings that felt like it.

So there’s me sorting the odd socks of my mind this morning.  I’ve got a nice flaming fever and I may just go curl up under a blanket.  You wanna talk about risk. . send your kids to a public school, and let them come home again.  They bring every sort of sickness back with them.  That whole coughing into your elbow thing just does not work. 

Im the dandy highwayman who youre too scared to mention
I spend my cash on looking flash and grabbing your attention
The devil take your stereo and your record collection!
The way you look youll qualify for next years old age pension!

Stand and deliver your money or your life!
Try and use a mirror no bullet or a knife!
- adam and the ants

Now here’s the thing.  If you were going to start manufacturing Pizza Boxes, you’d go for the generic version wouldn’t you?   I mean, when you think about it, Pizza joints come and go and they all need delivery boxes.  If you started putting their names on them, you’d slowly go out of business making custom pizza boxes.  Generic is best.  That way, they work for everyone.  And considering there’s not a lot of competition in the Generic Pizza Box business you may find more than one delivery service in any given town using your box with the cool art deco Italian flag on the top.  Talk about branding!!  “Honey, this pizza tastes strange, but I swear we’ve ordered it before. . . I remember the box. . . .” 

Sorry, I was off in my own little world for a moment.  I’m back now.  Have you seen the ad for Kayak Trek kayaks by Kayak Pro?  They say, “Friends don’t let friends paddle Tupperware”.  Well, the odd thing is that this line of “cost-conscious” composite recreational kayaks are the most “Tupperware” looking boats I think I’ve ever seen.  Of course the prices are economical, most coming in well under $1000.  That will certainly get them into the hands of first timers and rec boaters.  There’s nothing wrong with building in-expensive boats as long as they are made well, and safe.   One thing though, anyone who kayaks at all should know how important those deck lines are.  Well, at least on boats 12 feet or over where a paddler in the water can easily get away from the cockpit.  Both the Expedition & Flite boats could use deck lines on the bow section. These ultra smooth new kayaks can be a bear to grab a hold off without them.  You don’t want a paddler in the water watching their pretty boat slip away from them.  Most coaches would recommend Tupperware with good safety features over a pretty boat without.  Just a thought.

Globes and maps I see surround you here
Why won’t you believe me?
Globes and maps they charter your way back home
Do you wanna leave or somethin?
-something corporate

Today Justine Curgenven and Barry Shaw are on their way to New Zealand to take their shot at the South Island.  As most of you know, there were 3 major expeditions planned over the last few months.  Freya Hoffmiester completed the trip solo just a couple weeks back, Barbro Lindman is currently somewhere near Tautuku Beach and of course Justine & Barry are on their way.  when you add in the "Crossing The Ditch" expedition, you can’t help but notice New Zealand is certainly getting it’s share of attention from the kayak world recently.  Probobly something to do with that big white canoe in Lord of the Rings. . . .

You can follow along with Justine & Barry Right Here.

Good luck guys!  Have fun!

Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,
Everything that’s wonderful is what I feel when we’re together,
Brighter than a lucky penny,
When you’re near the rain cloud disappears, dear,
And I feel so fine just to know that you are mine.
- Lesley Gore

This is it. The road to the infernal region. . .

 According to Dr. Cliff Arnall of Cardiff University, January 21^st is the most depressing day of the year.  Apparently the happy doctor takes a look at a number of factors each year and then comes up with his annual prediction.  January 21^st, 2008, the most depressing day of the year.   Today Depressing?

Well, spring is coming. April 21^st is defiantly spring and is only 3 months away. . .  wait.  . 3 months?  That’s depressing. .

The Packers lost yesterday.  However, next year they can start all over again! (and the next, and the next and the next)

Our economy is in the dumper, but these things are usually cyclical. . . . usually. But take hope,  Rome took 500 years to fall. (we’ve got some time left) 

It is said that people in the United States are the most positive people in the world. Here in the states we always say nice things like “Have a nice day!” and we ask strangers, “How are you?” . . . of course we never wait around for the answer.

We are lucky enough to live in a Democracy. Democracy means if we don’t like our leaders, we can vote them out. . . Lucky us! Of course then we replace them with the  most cynical and negative campaigners we can find!

Ah, but then there’s paddling.  The Delta 17 kayak is a “Paddler’s Pick” according to Paddler Magazine’s 2008 buyer’s guide.  The perfect craft. . . . perfect they say, for the guy who dreams of taking great adventures but who never actually fulfills his dreams.  Cheerful.  I want that one!

Take heart! Rome wasn’t built in a day!  On the other hand, Rome not only introduced us the concept of a “Republic”, plumbing & highway systems, But they also enjoyed such things as military conquest, religious intolerance, publicly popular leaders like Caliqula, and of course, 101 ways to spend your afternoon with lions.  What was I saying again??

Oh well, nothing a dose of Lexapro won’t cure. Lexapro??  Now that cheers me up!

Well, not really. . . but it was a fun headline!!!

The news this week in the ongoing battle between the US and those pesky Polar bears has taken an interesting turn.  The US Department of the Interior has announced that it will soon sell oil and gas leases on nearly 30 million acres of polar bear habitat in the Chukchi sea, while at the same time the Department of Fish and Wildlife announced its decision to postpone a ruling on whether to add Polar bears to the list of threatened species.  Of course I’m a bit jaded, but these two announcements coming together as they did does look a bit, dare I say. . . fishy!?

This is a case where “who goes first”, does actually matter and it looks like the chess game is afoot.  By getting the leases sold before the announcement on the Polar bears, you put the environmental groups on weaker ground.  Legal wrangling can go on for years, but in the mean time the oil companies most likely can move ahead with their plans.  It would be hard to turn back once they get going.  If on the other hand the ruling on the bears came first, then the Department of the Interior would have to re-examine its policies and the ensuing legal battles would work in favor of conservation.  It’s all a matter of who goes first.  That of course assumes that the Polar bear is actually determined to be “threatened”.  The  Department of the Interior says they have enough protection in place to  make  oil  drilling in the region safe regardless.

The problem for most of us common folk is that we don’t know who is right.  Opinion and “feel” are not the same as facts. We have to trust the powers that be to get the facts, then make good decisions. Sadly it’s pretty tough to trust those guys. . .  But it does seem logical to let the researchers do their work before we start divvying up the land.

It’s -11 F Here in Wisconsin today.  Maybe the bears would like to come live here. . .

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Winter has frozen us
Let love take hold of us
(Cold cold cold)
Now we are shivering
Blue ice is glittering
(Cold cold cold)
- annie lennox

Now this is cold.  In Los Angeles lawyers have filed a lawsuit on behave of a paraplegic man who was dumped on the street in LA’s skid row still dressed in a hospital gown.  This has been going on for some time now and this case only became part of the public consciousness because a camera caught images of the poor soul crawling in the gutter with a colostomy bag.  The practice of course is nothing new and was featured in Michael Moore’s film Sicko.  In another news story hospitals are working with a company to provide fast credit reports for patients. This way of course they will know right away who can pay them. Maybe if they can decide who can pay them in advance they can avoid the bad press of dumping them on street after their poor credit rating is fully diagnosed.  Of course the hospitals accused of such practices sport such fine names as; “Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center” or “Martin Luther King-Harbor Hospital” (which is now shut down).  Something tells me their namesakes would not be all that pleased.

It’s the nature of life to go along each day doing as we do and addressing each issue as it becomes a real problem.  It’s like patching a leaky roof.  Over time though, after years of patching the roof becomes no longer stable.  Patches only delay the inevitable.  Eventually, you have no choice but to rebuild. 

Makes ya just want to load up the boat and go for a paddle, doesn’t it??