Unemployment

Unemployment rate still hovers around 10% in the United States.  In Nevada, where I live, it is 14% - the highest in the nation.

I was unemployed for four months in 2009.  With two masters degrees (in engineering and business) and over 20-years of experience, nearly 10 in the company, and successfully running a 100M segment of the business I was laid off.  My rant ends here with un effing believable!  This only because I am again gainfully employed and in a job much better suited to my talents.  Also in an industry (Gold Mining) that is thriving.

This unemployment rate is but one indicator of our economic health.  But it's a big one and things are not likely to get better very quickly.  Why?  Because jobs have been outsourced overseas and American labor is expensive.  Are we too expensive for what we offer?  Not sure on that one because I keep hearing alarming statistics of increasing high school dropout rates.  Still, as the dollar is devalued it is possible that American goods will once again become attractive, pricewise.  We'll see. 

Snowshoes

I used to do a lot of x-country skiing.  Great way to see the winter outdoors.  But then I got dogs.  Dogs that I didn't want to let loose around the countryside and thus were on leash.  Hard to ski with a dog on leash.  So, I got snowshoes.  Here are some tips for beginning snowshoe walkers.

1)  rent before you buy.  Talk to snowshoeing friends before you buy.  Snowshoes come in different sizes and styles that are appropriate for different weights of people and steepness of terrain.  Bindings can vary as well and you want to get something that you are comfortable with.  If you are a traditionalist you may want some wooden ones.  The newer snowshoe models have steel crampons on the bottom that grip the hardest crust.

2)  If you a regular hiker and in good shape, then you won't need to have snowshoe lessons.  You basically strap the things to your boots and start walking.  That's it.  Hopefully the snow is dense enough so you don't have to plow through too deeply on your first go at it.  I recommend using at least one ski pole or even two to help keep you stable.  But you can snowshoe without any poles at all.

Eclipse - Dec 20/21, 2010

 The picture above shows what the sky will look like at the START of the eclipse - about 10:30 pm pacific standard time on Dec 20, 2010.  The full moon will be shining brightly above the constellation Orion - who faces Taurus the bull.  You should be able to see the Pleiades as well.

Key points of the eclipse are (these are universal times, subtract 8 hours to convert to pacific standard time):

Penumbral Eclipse Begins:   05:29:17 UT
Partial Eclipse Begins:     06:32:37 UT
Total Eclipse Begins:       07:40:47 UT
Greatest Eclipse:           08:16:57 UT (this is 12:16am, PST)
Total Eclipse Ends:         08:53:08 UT
Partial Eclipse Ends:       10:01:20 UT
Penumbral Eclipse Ends:     11:04:31 UT

But the real action won't occur until around 11:30 pm when the moon will enter the earths umbral shadow - and slowly turn a deep gauzy red.  It's an amazing sight.  Once the moon is fully eclipsed, the full glory of the night-time sky will be revealed with stars and stars and stars!

I made this video to give you an idea of what the eclipse could look like - and it only takes less than a minute to watch the entire sequence.  The music is La Volta, from Elizabethan times.  The Queen was said to enjoy dancing to the Volta.

My video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQi5WzaK6V0
 And if you need a lot more information, here is a link to NASA's official website on the eclipse:
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2010.html#LE2010Dec21T

 Hope for clear weather wherever you are!

Cold Weather

It's been cold here recently.  Of course, that's a relative perspective.  But for me it has been cold.  Part of that is I have lived for many years in a warm desert climate - where the very coldest of temperatures were around 25F at night.  Now, in Northern Nevada, it can easily be 0 or below zero at night and stay in the teens all day.  On the very coldest days, the high can be 5!  But even this time of year there are days when the low is 25 and the high is 35 or 40.  Won't get much warmer than that until March.

There are degrees of cold.  It seems to feel worse when the temps are just above freezing.  Or when it is raining and cold.  The wind blowing makes it feel colder to your exposed skin. 

So bundle up.  I have what I term my "Idaho Jacket" which is extremely heavy but amazingly warm to even well below zero.  It is a double jacket with a collar that when zipped up extends above my chin.  It is long, and extends below my bottom.  If the temps are above freezing it is too hot and I either don't wear it or keep it unzipped.  On really cold days I wear a sweater underneath it and pull the hood over my hat.  And of course I wear gloves or mittens.

I like hot chocolate as well.