Living in Shanghai

Lindsay Vonn WINS AGAIN!!

2010-03-12T16:57:00Z

A record 33 races won, more than even Bode Miller, and a 3rd World Cup in a row!!!

Yes, she has won Olympic gold and bronze, but more to the point, she is the most decorated American skier ever!!

Rain, rain and more ... no it's SNOW now!

2010-03-09T11:40:00Z

Yes! We have had days and days of wonderful rain with intermittent cloudy weather - clear, clean air and relatively low temps!

NOW SNOW - on MARCH 9!!! Yep! Grin - we would call them flurries (though sometimes they flew so much as making it hard to see and collected a little bit on the road - but still really flurries)!!

Everyone decks out for the rain, Shanghai is used to rain! Laughing ...

The temps are -2 C with a wind chill of -5 degrees.

The workers (at an extension to the hospital just down the street) were hard at it, rain or no rain!

Day of RAIN!!! grin

2010-03-05T02:16:00Z

Light rain and 7.7 degrees Celcius at 10:00 am, 92% humidity with 100% probability of rain today. We will have 8 degrees for a high temperature and more rain, followed by more rain and by week's beginning maybe even a little snow!! Laughing out loud!

Nice trip to the grocery store this morning with time to relax before trekking on down to the bread store. I SURE AM GLAD that I love the rain! GRIN

By the way - the temps are mid-40s (46 to 48) in Fahrenheit temperatures for a high today. Down to 42 for the low and then ALL THE WAY up to 43 for a high tomorrow!! Nice time to sit on the 12th floor looking over Shanghai with plenty of food, books, and DVDs. Relax, grade papers, relax, grade papers ... grinnin'

Winter AGAIN!! YES!

2010-03-01T20:51:00Z

TEMPS: Not above 10 in the near future - almost back to freezing at night!

Well we ARE barely into March, eh?!!? grin

Buds were beginning to show - a real warmth had come into Shanghai. Yesterday surprised many ... the temperature was 11.8 degrees Celsius at 5 am and fell ALL day with nice gusty and strong winds. An early rain set the day off fairly clean in the atmosphere so the weather was very clean, if not bitter for many! ... The topic of the day, of course! GRIN

Today's forecast: 6 degrees this morning, with a wind chill temp of 3. Rain probable with cloudy skies and 14 km per hour wind.

I am SO glad that I took time to snap these pictures a few days ago in People's Square - the trees were so wonderfully blooming! grinning

Then there was this ...

2010-02-28T20:25:00Z

Standing in the subway car I was confronted with literally over 10 of the following ... pasted on the walls, doors of the car, etc.

Laughing out loud - guess it is Barbie time! Laughing!

Back in Shanghai - still trying to adjust!

2010-02-24T22:45:00Z

Sometimes you think you have a GREAT handle on the time zone - jet lag thing ... then you don't!!!

That's where I am now - I DON'T .... sleeping from 2 pm to midnight is not in my schedule - let alone close to the times the sun sleeps!!!

Laughing ... luckily I have until Monday to adjust!!

Off to begin shopping, etc.

Alta in the Snow!

2010-02-16T01:14:00Z

I love skiing in the snow ...

President's Day and no one is here ... wonderful powder!! Nice ...

Some of the steepest and deepest in the nation, no doubt!

View of the Wasatch Mountains

2010-02-15T01:38:00Z

On the way back from Vancouver to Salt Lake City I came around the bend in the road and through the valley upon the Wasatch Mountains ...

They are so abrupt and majestic ...

IN VANCOUVER!!!!

2010-02-11T04:55:00Z

The Olympic Torch passed by the street just down from my Uncle and Aunt's house today!!!

We'll head downtown to get right into the center of the excitement, tomorrow!

GO CANADA!!! grin

NO TIME!!! So enjoying ...

2010-02-07T14:58:00Z

No time to post - 4 weeks just ISN'T enough time for a REAL vacation - laughing, that's why *I* really enjoy the summers!

A quick picture from heading over to the East Greeley area, was awesome skiing!! On to the Monashees, Selkirks, and British Columbia!

Yesterday was a snowy day ...

2010-02-06T16:17:00Z

Nice fluffy powder on top of the cuts already made. Not untracked but at least softening up the slopes quite nicely!

Sovereigns, Discouraged Workers, and the markets

2010-02-05T15:22:00Z

OK - hard to miss all of the "hullabaloo" so a few comments here:

Firstly, the Greek, Portuguese, Spanish, and other European debt (sovereign) issues are coming to a head finally. Most belief is that very soon the European Government will begin a bailout - though Greece has been hiding the problem a bit and perhaps ... well, we shall see, but it would be quite interesting if Greece was eventually cut out of the Euro as the government will be very hard to get to a 3% deficit soon (especially given the peoples' propensity to demonstrate when they do not like what's happening).

The U.S. is MUCH stronger comparatively and therefore the dollar versus the Euro and Pound Sterling has exhibited that strength. I believe the dollar strength WILL continue. America was MUCH bolder in stimulus compared to Europe and the U.S. continues the tendency to help out the "average Joe" so far.

Secondly, the broadest measure of unemployment (U6) dropped from 17.5% to 16.8% in January!!! That is HUGE and shows the strength of future tendencies towards decreasing unemployment. AGAIN, one report does not make a trend, however there are many economists now seeing more of a "V" recovery than a "U" recovery. We shall see!! (U3 is the "official" rate of unemployment which does not include marginally attached, part time workers who would have been full time in "normal" times, or the discouraged worker.)

Finally, there is a market tendency to have a knee jerk reaction. Why, because everyone likes to follow the herd, so if you do wish to invest, listen to Warren Buffet, find stocks that have been beaten down but are VERY strong companies, with a special competitive advantage which can not easily be matched. Then buy those companies and hold, if no major surprises with the company occur.

Brief and to the point I hope - back to vacation and skiing! grin

A few pictures from Alta

2010-02-04T14:47:00Z

Goldminer's Daughter is the largest place to stay at Alta ... from up in the Wildcat area runs.

Skiing Blackjack - a little closer to Snowbird but still in Alta ...

Oh yes, these are the some of the cliff areas at Alta, which is why they are so wonderful to ski (if you are an expert skier, that is)!!!

One always skis with friends out here, you never know when you might need a little help or just have someone with which to enjoy the powder.

READY TO SKI ALTA!!

2010-02-03T14:34:00Z

I MADE IT AGAIN!!

Back to Alta, my vehicle's ready, I have skied one day at Powderhorn, one day on the Mesa (Cross Country) and had a day's break!

The snow is low for Alta at 85" and yet more is on the way for today, tomorrow and the weekend!!

Kannah Creek and the Pale Ale!

2010-02-02T19:03:00Z

No trip home can be complete without a visit to my "home-away-from-home" at Kannah Creek.

The Pale Ale won honors in 2008 - and *I* like it too! grin

New bottles for a "growler" - nice!

Cross Country Skiing on the Mesa

2010-02-02T03:23:00Z

Another beautiful day with a little topping of snow on the tracks ... about 2" or so ...

You can't beat these beautiful trails and views on Grand Mesa.

A little hard to dress as the sun is out sometimes, we are in the shade sometimes, and other times the wind kicked up a little. Peter (taking the picture) was pulling on and off his hat often!

Peter said, "can you catch the glistening of the sun on the snow?" - grin

Yes, a wonderful day in the mountains cross country skiing! grinning

Very nice light texture to the snow - a perfect day to do a little 9k trek along the Skyline trail.

Powderhorn - the Grand Mesa ski area

2010-02-01T02:12:00Z

Sun, snow, and beautiful views ...

A beautiful view of the Bookcliff Mountains and the Mesa from Powderhorn ...

At 1600 feet vertical, the ski area keeps living for another day in the tough economic environment - Thanks Steven and everyone at Powderhorn!

Sunset from San Diego

2010-01-24T02:15:00Z

Well, the rain has quit for now - in fact a BEAUTIFUL sunset!!! Cold morning (for southern California) but the sunset from my sister's place was magnificent last night ...

Yes, that is the Pacific Ocean on the horizon. The OTHER side from where I normally see it! Laughing!
ps ... Alta is at 102" though it WILL settle, that's my indication it is good to go and ski!! Grinning wildly!

MORE SNOW!!! Alta with 18" of POW!

2010-01-22T22:38:00Z

BACK IN THE U.S.A.!!! San Diego and RAIN?!!? WOW - more snow for Alta! grinning!!

Hello Alta Powder Hounds...

In the last 24 hours, Alta Ski Area received 18" of new snow.
In the next 24 hours, Alta Ski Area is forecasted to receive 7-14" of new snow.

The settled mid-mountain base is currently: 85".

So far this season we've received 210" of snow.
Check out the latest road and snow conditions on the Alta Snow Report: http://www.alta.com/pages/report.php

Leavin' On a Jet Plane!

2010-01-21T20:53:00Z

Leaving from Shanghai at 2:00 pm and arriving in the U.S. at 10:30 am!!! The SAME DAY!! Talk about re-living time ...

A little interesting stretch of Shanghai Pudong Airport terminal 1.