HEAVY WET SNOWICE FLOWSICE FLOWS PACKED AGAINST THE SEAWALLGHOSTLY IMAGEICE ON THE BAYARCTIC MISTFROZEN SPRAYCOATED TREES
The beginning of winter is not yet officially here, but winter has made it’s appearance. While we did not have nearly the snow the rest of the Northeast had; we have been put on notice. More snow Tuesday, and then again on the weekend.
BEVERLY DINGHY ON STEROIDSSUNFISHBILL JOHNSON AND STEPHEN LIRAKIS AT MIT
LUDERS 44
URI SAILING TEAMMIT TECHS
College sailing in my day was very competitive, but we had a lot of fun. I have the best memories of those years. Today’s college sailing is much more disciplined. I hope they are having as much fun and making memories.
I consider college sailing the best because it is many short races, one design, rotating boats. Your skills must be sharp.
San Francisco sees little economic benefit from America’s Cup
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San Francisco is still in the red from hosting the 34th America’s Cup, which so far has cost taxpayers at least $5.5 million.
That’s according to draft financial figures from the regatta that the San Francisco Chronicle reviewed Monday.
However, that spending allowed the city to host an event that drew more than 700,000 people to the waterfront over roughly three months of sailing and generated at least $364 million in total economic impact, according to draft figures from the Bay Area Council Economic Institute.
That figure rises to more than $550 million if the long-planned construction of a new cruise ship terminal, which the regatta served as a catalyst to finally get built, is factored in, according to the Chronicle.
But even the higher number is well below the $902 million in economic benefit that was projected in March, a few months before the races were held, the newspaper reported. And it’s a far cry from the $1.4 billion economic boost that was originally predicted in 2010, when the races were billed as trailing only the Olympics and soccer’s World Cup in terms of economic impact.
The real costs and benefits of hosting the regatta — which the Chronicle called the most prestigious competition in competitive sailing and this year was the source of one of the most stunning comebacks in international sports — are expected to be in the spotlight as Mayor Ed Lee prepares to submit a preliminary proposal for hosting the next Cup by a Dec. 22 deadline.
The city spent $20.7 million to hold the event, according to the latest figures from Lee’s office. That number does not include more than $180 million in long-planned improvements around the waterfront that were finally completed in advance of the event. The most notable was the new cruise ship terminal at Pier 27, which is only partially finished.
Ongoing private fundraising, which was intended to help cover the city’s event costs and initially pegged at $32 million, has so far only reimbursed $8.65 million to taxpayers while also covering other obligations. If the net increase in city tax revenue of $6.6 million during the event is factored in, that still leaves taxpayers $5.5 million in the red.
SHAPES OF SPEED 2SHAPES OF SPEEDRAGAMUFFIN AT THE NEEDLESAMERICAN EAGLE REACHING THROUGH THE ANCHORAGEUFFA FOX AND COWSLIPDICK CARTER AND RED ROOSTERTHE GRAND PRIZE “THE ADMIRAL’S CUP”THE NEW BENCHMARKSPEEDBOATVOLVO 70
Every sailor wants a boat that is faster than his opponent. An edge that allows for errors in judgment. The achievement has been interrupted often because of rating rules; which attempt to make unequal boats equal. The disparity has now grown to a point where it is silly. Not that it was ever perfect.
Uffa Fox sitting on the upper balcony of his house in Cowes watching over the boats returning from a day’s racing, worked towards planing hulls, light and strong.
Dick Carter, so well known for fast boats that two of his designs were chosen for Admiral’s Cup teams before they were finished; i.e. untested.
Süd Fischer’s “Ragamuffin” , for me was not only the fastest of her time but the best sailed.
The just finished America’s Cup has changed the paradigm of the search for speed under sail.
Ben Franklin was one of the most accomplished men of America. He appears to have been not just a jack of all trades, but a master of all trades. He filled his days and his social life. Rumor has it he was a great hit with the women in France.
Tonight, CNN awarded it’s selection of heroes, people who made a difference in the world. All good choices of course. The one that stood out for me was the woman who is cultivating 9 acres of land outside of Charlotte, NC, so that inexpensive fresh fruits and vegetables could be accessible to people who might not be able to afford them. Even if we can afford them we tend to make poor choices because we do not know better.
We depend on others to distinguish non-gmo grown food from the gmo grown food. I acknowledge the problem of feeding a growing population and diminishing farmlands. Increasing the need to improve the yield per acre.
My trip across the country this past summer convinced me it is possible that we can feed the population without resorting to gmo seeds.
FARMING SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE 19TH CENTURY
The women in the above photograph, from the Central Valley of California, still framing where their forefathers settled at the beginning of the 19th century; arriving from Pennsylvania. I spoke with them for a while; they would stand out in any crowd. Happy with farm life and anxious to continue and improve.
