WE SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO THOMAS JEFFERSON

Tucson, Arizona 12-30-08

Our forefathers were so wise why have we chosen to forsake them?

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous then standing armies.
If the Americans ever allow private banks to control the issue of currency.
The banks and corporations that grow up around them will deprive
the people of their property until their children wake up homeless on the
Continent their fathers conquered" --- Thomas Jefferson

It was another beautiful day in Tucson. Must have maxed out at around 75. I checked in on the Eureka web-cam and it was 14. Uhmmm, I think I like 75 better.

The news wasn’t so hot again today. The Israelis and the Palestinians were hard at it. I just can’t figure out how that mess is ever going to get settled.

Here are some figures I stumbled on as regards the National Debt. They will watered my eyeballs. The National Debt. And, here’s a companion piece that suggests Bernard Madoff was very small potatoes The Dollar Ponzi Scheme.

The markets were in their usual pre-holiday range of boredom. The main averages managed to close up even though consumer confidence fell through the floor. Consumer Confidence Lowest on Record.

This quote from they article made me laugh out loud. “The Consumer Confidence Index measured by the Conference Board, a private research group, fell to 38 in December from a revised 44.7 in November. That is its lowest point since the group began compiling the index in 1967, and below the previous low of 38.8 in October. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters had expected the index to rise incrementally to 45.” Let’s hear it for those economists! They really know their stuff. They are so wrong so much of the time they could almost be used as contrary indicators i.e. whatever they say act as though the opposite will happen. Man have we been bamboozeled by these so called “experts”.

On the other hand I think Mark Faber had a pretty good handle on events before they happened. Of course, he was mocked a lot for being so “gloomy”. I’m certainly glad I listened and got out of the US equity markets before the crash. It’s funny, when people hear what they want to hear the speaker is a guru. But, when the speaker says things that are not so sunny, that person is negative and just doesn’t get it.
Marc Faber Interview.

I can't find much to photograph when the sky is straight sunny and cloudless so Koty and I took a walk to Pet Smart and I let him drag me around the store whilst he sniffed everything in site. I really prefer PetCo "Where the pets go." But, the nearest one is 10 miles away! I don't think koty give s fig one way or the other.

I spent a little time this morning going through some photos of last years shoot. We surely did love that trip. It was cold and rainy but the surf and ocean was breathtaking. We could shoot everyday and come up with something that dropped the jaw. The photo below is of Monterey in January.

WAVES, WAVES & MORE WAVES + WE GOT A GARMIN

I think mom has gone a little slap happy with these waves. But, I have to admit they are beautiful. I think winter must be especially good for waves because we have seen some doozies.

I must tell you. That GPS thingy we bought, it is really neat and it cuts down significantly on mom's stress level which is good for me as well! :)

To give you an idea of what you can do, here's what we did. The other day mom decided we needed to clean up poor little Shadow who has been on the receiving end of a lot of sand. So, she types in "car wash" and the GPS takes us right to one of those do it yourself places. Naturally, the coin changer thing wouldn't work. So, we typed in "bank" and it took us right to the nearest bank where we bought a roll of quarters. After cleaning up Shadow mom typed in Costco and it took us right to Costco.

Anyone who does any car travel has got to have one of these things. Of course, my mom is generally behind the curve on technology so probably everyone already has one. But, if you are a techno slow poke, like my mom, you really need to look into one. We bought the Garmin Nuv i 260 for around $300. There are more expensive ones equipped with Bluetooth. Anyway, check them out. You'll never get lost again! :)

© Kinsey Barnard

SURF ALERT!

Surf's up in Monterey!

Mom took this photo at Marina Beach on Monterey Bay. There have been numerous storms through here since we arrived in the area and the waves have been amazing. Well at least to a Montanan! I think these guys are crazy to be out on those big, wild things in that freezing cold water. I like freezing cold but sure as heck not in the water!

I felt like running up to all of them and telling them they should head for Nicaragua! Mom's nephew, Lance Barnard Moss and his wife Kristin, run a first class surf camp there. And, it's warm and toasty! Serious surfers should check it out Surfari Charters. They also do fishing charters.

I would never have thought the waves could get so big in the bay. But, there they are!

© Kinsey Barnard

MONTEREY BAY & PACIFIC GROVE

Wow! We've struck the Mother Lode again!

I thought Marin was beautiful. Monterey may be even more so, if that's possible!

The drive down was pretty uneventful. We crossed over the Richmond Bridge and came down past Oakland. Mom was glad we did cuz it's a lot simpler than going across the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Marina dunes are just fantastic, pristine and colorful. I got my first good romp in them and mom got her first photographs. We were both very happy!

We went over to Pacific Grove with the idea of seeing the Monarch butterflies. We found the sanctuary but found very few butterflies. Pacific Grove is famous for this butterfly migration. I don't know where they were hiding.

More to my liking we took the walk along the bay. It goes quite a long way and is beautiful as well as interesting. There were lots of seals sunning and napping on the rocks below. They are so funny to watch as they perch on tiny rock points and seem to pose. They bark and chase one another around. They seem so very happy. I sure would have liked to join in the fun but I just hate the water. I'll go in as far as my tummy but that's it for me!

In other news. Mom has joined the 21st century and gotten herself a GPS. As much traveling around as we do I can't believe it took her so long. She chose a Garmin and the thing is amazing. It talks to us and tells us exactly when and where to go.

© Kinsey Barnard