Even in France, some pundits seem to be surprised by the fact that even though France is a welfare state, it is described as a social nightmare. I’m sorry but how is this surprising? A welfare state is only valuable to those who need one. The reality of our society is that a very small minority of individuals benefit from it and that’s almost never the one paying the bill. Yes, in the short term it is really easy for Socialism to high-jack a Democracy by promising plenty to the majority of voters but soon enough the main mechanical flaw of that system reveals itself; the majority simply doesn’t benefit from it on a daily basis. Ask yourself this simple question; would you buy insurance for absolutely everything in your life? That’s what a welfare state is. Yes, France is a great country if absolutely everything that could possibly go wrong in someone’s life actually goes wrong. What is the probability of that actually happening? None. The yellow vest movement is the product of a simple realization; life in France is a daily struggle of hellish proportion for the majority of those paying for the welfare state. Getting ten cents on the dollar in the oft chance that they might need help at some point in their lives is simply not good enough.
St Mary’s Glacier
A short hike up St Mary’s Glacier, Colorado
Low snowy cloud and lots of wind.
Not the greatest setup for a hike but very good for my training 🙂
House remodel
Part of the basement remodel involves digging down to get more ceiling height. After cutting the concrete slab with a concrete saw I rented a jackhammer and broke down the entire slab. Now I just have to get rid of all that concrete and start digging…
Square Top Mountain
Square Top Mountain is not quite a 14er at 13900ft but great 7.5 mile hike nonetheless. It was actually more difficult than Mount Bierstadt for some reason. Fantastic views of Grays & Torreys from the summit.
Sunrise over Mount Bierstadt
View of Square Top Mountain in the distance from below the lake
Summit View
Argentine Peak in the foreground. Grays and Torreys Peak in the background.
Mount Bierstadt, Sawtooth path and Mount Evans on the other side of Guanella Pass.
Pâté en croûte
Trying do make a “Pâté en croûte” for the first time.
I took some random recipe from the web. Not necessarily the best one. It’s good though.
Following loosely this recipe:
https://www.lexpress.fr/styles/saveurs/recette/recette-de-pate-en-croute-inspire-de-guy-martin_1569814.html
Mount Bierstadt
Rough hike up Mt Bierstadt, Colorado on Sunday morning.
Very windy & cold but good workout
Mount Rainier
I rarely plan my vacation time in advance but I’m making an exception for 2019
I just signed up for an expedition to climb Mount Rainier in Washington.
I remember the first time I saw a photo of a mountain called Cerro Aconcagua in early 2009 my first thought was; “I have to climb that mountain.” After 5 months of training (2 hour daily workout + 20 Colorado 14ers) getting my weight down to a ridiculous 132 pounds I went for it and reached the summit at 22,841ft on December 17th, 2009.
Mount Rainier is a much simpler and easier climb but it should give me some good snow experience. The end goal is to climb Mount Denali, Alaska in 2020.
Cerro Aconcagua (The very same photo I saw in 2009)
Simone Dinnerstein, Tift Merritt – Colors
Two artists from very different backgrounds. Just stunning.
The Vanishing American Adult
I just started reading Ben Sasse’s book “The Vanishing American Adult” and I have to say I agree with every single word. It’s uncanny really.
Quick personal note while I’m here. Every adult I know has lived a lifetime of experiences. They have made friends and enemies. They had kids, they’ve lost parents, friends and other loved ones. They have dealt with terminal illnesses and suicides, unemployment, homelessness and other hardships. They’ve traveled the world and witnessed a thousand things, some ugly and some beautiful. All of this helped shape their world view, their idea about society and their political stance.
The idea that a handful of angry tweets or a series of unhinged posts on Facebook will somehow influence their vote in any way is laughable. Save yourself the embarrassment. Be better.
Grays Peak Summit
Little revenge after last week 🙂
Magnificent hiking day. Perfect weather.
This time I made it to the summit. Snowshoes + Gaiters definitely helped.
Blue Colorado sky
