Cobwebby but still Voyaging

Well it looks like this personal blog is only updating about once a year. Given we're above ground let's at least take stock. The world still seems headed for more heartache as we primates contnue to favor gold over love ( to reverse the old Dire Straits song ). A few postive candles like progress in fusion etc. On the self front some positives - I'm been using CPAP treatment for eight months. That combined with exercise, cardiologist intervention, and watching the desserts has got me 50 pounds lighter. My heart health much improved, out of afib and ejection fraction twice before. Feeling like my old self. Since I don't believe in the Disneyland in the Sky, I would love a few more years or even decades. Still no one gets out alive. Well maybe the new grandson will - who knows where tech may go for lengthening the lifespan. The same kid of mine saluting at my father's burial has grown up. He and his wife now have my grandson and a family all their own.

Cute little devil and a good reason to keep fighting the good fight!

A few notes for when I'm gone

This blog has covered changes in my world - it particular changes that humanities increase to 7.9 Billion people have caused. I'd also like to have a simple record of one life - mine. For my descendants as they find their way and try to keep this good Earth viable for life in general and man in particular. So this one is just a few notes about me and high points I see in my life. I like to think it's been pretty full. Born in the territory of Hawaii I was a baby when it became a US state. A Navy Brat I moved around and flew on planes in a time when these were not that common. So I've visited most US states with exception of Washington state and Alaska. Might still happen grin. Later in life I visited Japan with my son and I've been to Europe as a young man - Germany - where I flew in a Sailplane and saw the armed border, dogs, and guards of East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall. I flew with my dad in a private plane but never had a license. I did crash an A frame hang glider though. "Surf the Sky baby!" as our hang gliding instructor used to say - before I crushed his hang glider. Hey any landing you can walk away from! I did Advanced Free Fall skydiving (not tethered) but busted up my ankle landing well enough that I don't jump out of planes I ride in anymore. I have a Motorcycle license but my favorite two wheeling was always on a bicycle. Maybe my motorcycle crashes were part of that - hey is there a theme here? I bicycled from Frederick MD to Boston and back - not exactly a record but a fun adventure. I was also have Divemasters scuba rating from both PADI and IDEA and have dove Tahiti and the Carribean extensively. Amazing dives mostly before a lot of the current ocean decline. I sailed my own 30' Alberg on the Bay and sailed a great deal while working for the Navy in Puerto Rico. I was fortunate to be married for 19 years and took my wife to Saint Lucia for the honeymoon of a lifetime as well as cruises together in the Carribean, Hawaii, and Tahiti. Tahiti from both a balcony room and underwater was probably the most romantic adventure a couple could ask for. I still remember the giant boat gliding slowly though flower perfumed sunset as we relaxed on the balcony. My Ex also built two fine boys with a little help from me and we raised men I am so proud to call sons today. Best of all the accomplishments. I had a good career in computer programming, deployment, administration, and maintenance. Mainly due to good mentors and a mind for puzzles. I was privledged to work for private industry, as a federal civilian for the Navy, and as a Federal employee of NOAA and the National Weather Service. I retired at relatively young age and live on a modest but adequate pension. I spend winters at the beach and summers at the mountains. So if I should depart unexpectedly or early, don't cry for me. I've had good times and good friends. I have been honored to be an adopted member of the extended Sincevich family and a brother to Cathy, Jim, Mike, Matt, Marcy, Mel, Terry, Michele, Russ, Mary, Missy, and Maureen. As for Mike Henry I was richer for our time together. For every single bump in the ride there have two rays of sunshine, dozens of mates, and lots of love.

Change IV : Fire

The West Coast was always prone to some drought and fire issues. During many work and personal visits one mainly worried about other things - especially as the nice sunshine filled weather and beautiful coastal sceanery are so unmatched. My Coast to Coast Tesla EV trip was fortunate. Now it seems large areas are smothering in smoke from yearly record fires. The suffering and loss of life have been truly sad for Americans, yet many conservatives continue to hide their heads in the sand. Denying climate change or deciding loss of jobs is more important than heating the Earth to cook their own grandkids. I often wonder in forrested PA, how long will we be safe from giant fires as temperature increases? Will I be a witness not just on TV, but in person to the devouring power of Fire?

Personal interlude - A little disappointment

I'm a little down to see so few people I know buying Electric Vehicles.  I know it's only one piece of the lowering emissions puzzle.  Smaller family size, more sustainable food production, clean energy, low carbon materials production.  These are all part of the puzzle too. My youngest son graduates college in May 2019. I'm so proud he has done this where I could not. My older son has an AA and great job as well. Both boys flying higher than the 20th Century voyager.

So we helped the youngest with the most base model of the Tesla 3 for graduation. Kevin for years had gone to Electric Vehicle shows and EV outreach meetings. I was proud to help him and his smile at driving an environmentally better vehicle is unmistakable.

Ok it's a first world solution, a fast fun EV.  Still considering it's impact why aren't more people I know buying EVs.  Base models can be had for $35K but despite my efforts to get the word out few if any friends are buying EVs yet. A mystery to me why folks aren't spending an extra 5K over that Avalon or Camry to get a fun car with no emissions. Well I guess I'm not a vegan either so we all have some improvement to go. Still Solar Panels on my roof, EV in the driveway - parts of this are not that hard people. Now - recycling with less plastic and local food - that's a challenge for me I admit.

Don't give up. A used Volt, Bolt, or Tesla is also possible for those short on funds. Source your electric Get on board.

On a personal note Opportunity on Mars finally was declared dead.  The 20th Century Voyager is lonely out here, signalling back to friends on the iceberg ahead and trying to tell the net about a critical change in course we must make to save our grandchildren.

S O S .         S O S

Change III - Weather

For years I was with the National Weather Service at NOAA and had the privilege of working alongside their scientists as a computer guy.   I can also tell you ten years before I left the overwhelming agreement was indeed climate change was real and a warmer planet was inevitable - the question was how far. The 97% agreement figure among scientists in climate is if anything low.  People brainwashed by petrodollar propaganda masquerading as science will pipe up to contradict this yelling 'No it's not I have a website or Breitbart article.".

They are wrong. But the Koch brothers and Big Oil money make sure there are plenty of them.

These scientists would rather slap their mommas then see one data point corrupted. They live for data and therefore science. We all know they are the big guns of the objective science chronicling what is happening.

As October ends and my 60th birthday passes I'd like to note the subjective - as a resident near the US eastern seaboard. The first snows I would see before my birthday now come after it.  Increases in moisture uptake leading to higher inches of precipitation of rain and snow.  More regular and higher floods. Powerful hurricanes in from the Atlantic more often due to ocean warming.

The recent UN report tells us the timeframe for action isn't 100 years but 10 years. That's to turn a giant fossil fuel burning power back and move to renewable energy, probably with a core of nuclear fission until we get to fusion. Fission has serious issues but carbon emission isn't one and we need a bridge to fusion before we cook ourselves.

If you can see it coming too, vote for better environmental stewardship this November in the US. Citizens of the world beyond the US, please work for a government that will help reduce carbon emissions.

Another Intermission - Politics

My father was a conservative before his death in 2003. He admired Reagan and didn't believe the darker stuff about Nixon.

I on the other hand have always been a liberal. I do think that we each appreciated parts of each other's point of view. I liked Dad's insistence on fiscal responsibility, I think he appreciated my desire for a society where your color or creed didn't define you.  He was perhaps a product of white Iowa farm country but the Navy taught him to work across race lines. As for religion he believed in something bigger than himself but was not a dogmatic type. I think his deepest passion, like a religious fervor, was for his country.

We not only saw each others sides we saw the flaws in our own.  I know my views on sexual orientation had to change from my youthful views only knowing standard roles and slurs for outsiders. Slowly I came to understand these outsiders were friends, coworkers, and family.  I'm a long way from good at life but I'm trying - a big part of that is tolerance.

Lately I'd like to be tolerant, but I'm really stressed by the new populist conservative movement.  White power movements, aggression towards immigrants, slavish tribalism, and hostility to science.  Led by a game show host with a creepy background funded by a bad foreign dictator.  Who seems to have corrupted the good parts of conservatism - such as they were.

The GOP elected by a minority of America is playing the power game beyond all limits. This minority backed party controls all three branches of power and is working on further packing the court with a very dishonest idealogue with secretive track record of perjury and on the record vindictive declaration against half the country. His on the record statements are clear he will rule to keep a permanent lock on power and presidency.  Finally for the subjective part about women in general and an attempted assault in particular - having listened to both I believe she is more credible and he definitely has lies in testimony. Again.

It is hard to separate the conservative supporters in my life from the creeps at the top controlling them. I will try.

Change II - Temperature

A trope of climate change is any one incident is relatively meaningless - just a cold snap or a hot week doesn't prove a lot - the long term averages do.  I've got to say world records for heat seem to be following me around - most painfully an all time record in humid Tokyo Japan.  Seeing Haichiko and other sites just about put me down - not pretty. A fat man does not get rid of heat quickly.

Now I do think that even a couple of degrees since the seventies is a noticeable change on the East Coast. I've talked about impact under the ocean - this is noticeable difference in above ground climate. There is a great graphic of high temp records across the decades which goes from a rainbow to all red in the 2000's.  I notice things like ponds and ice skating which has gone from waiting for  date well into winter to no longer safe anytime in the year. I was never a great ice skater (I cleaned the ice backside first - ha!) but like other kids it was one of those things you looked forward too. Sadly like the snows caps of Kilimanjaro - no more.

Once again a bad change I can bear witness to. I try to stay hopeful. Today about 35 Model 3 owners got together in Canada - I was there and it was exciting to see the optimism. Too little too late? Only time will tell. My son saw Tokyo up close - his generation will see worse but I remain confident they will help turn it around.

Here's a great XKCD timeline of temperature variation to bring it home to our ostrich in sand climate deniers.

https://xkcd.com/1732/