Years of Poems and Spirits

Things I posted somewhere else but worth recording …

Rants against Daniel Snyder and the Redskins’ front office -

Winning, to Snyder, takes too long, requires too much investment, which distracts operational focus and thus incurs too much uncertainty. That is no way to make a quick buck.

Take a minute to ask yourself, why does Snyder choose to endear himself to LaVar Arrington, or Clinton Portis, but never to his QBs? If he cares about winning, wouldn’t he bond with his franchise players first? But why LaVar and Clinton, the perennial underachievers? Does Snyder have a whole lot in common with those two dudes? Did they grow up in the ‘hood together? Or were LaVar and Clinton present at his bar mitzvah?

Or is it because those two are “characters” and their jerseys move faster than others?

Can’t you see, people?! Go ahead, call yourself a true Redskins fan and go on talking about Campbell’s throwing action or why the blocking scheme doesn’t work for Portis, if that makes you feel so much a football insider. Or go on talking about why free agency wasn’t the way to go but building from draft choice is, as if Snyder is so dumb that he still hasn’t figured it out after so many years.

In fact, every free agent he brought in is just a billboard in the stadium. Every one of you who think you have an insight to the game is just a pixel in his demographic bar chart.

Enjoy the game. Life is too short to worry about someone else’s business.

My thoughts on the financial industry, excess compensation and the cause of financial crisis:

What is the mission/nature/function of the American financial industry – to make the overall economy more efficient or constantly generating liquidity for liquidity’s sake?

Why do we need so much liquidity for the economy to function at all?

Isn’t excess liquidity the root of our over-borrowing, over-spending and speculation?

Does any one think this tax-payer funded bailout will change the financial industry’s “reason-for-being”?

Does anyone really think there exists a set of regulation that can reign in the creativity of the financiers on the Wall Street?

If I have to pay sales tax for buying a hot dog or selling a used car, why are the financial transactions not taxed? What makes selling and buying derivative contracts so beyond taxation?

For those who decry such a tax would cost every Joe investor – did Joe investor get rich from not having to pay any tax? Was he able to escape from the financial ruins for not paying any such tax?

The more I live, the older I am, the more absurd a world I feel I live in.

Remember in a Jon Lee Anderson article he described walking in a neighborhood in Kabal, Afghanistan talking to people he can barely comprehend, then a guy walks up, speaking to him in English and telling him what a nonsensical world he’s living in. Then disappeared after that. That scene left a deep impression with me, although I didn’t know why then.

Now, I feel the same way as that guy does.

Moving swiftly in the first hours of free agency, the Washington Redskins opened their deep pockets and snagged perhaps the biggest name available: All-Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.

Thus reported morning news. My initial reaction was excitement–like any gamer would after acquiring a big gun. Then reason sets in and I know another few good years are slipping away from the team.

NONE of the recent champions, or any close contenders, made to the top by collecting big-name players only. On the other hand, the Skins have been doing so for decades but have little to show for. Danny Boy is supposed to be super smart–can’t he see this trend?

I guess Danny Boy figured out there is more than one way to make money in the league. One can do it the “old fashion way”, like the Krafts (the Patriots), or the Rooneys (the Steelers), who get their cut from winning. Or, one can do it like Danny Boy does–by keeping the fans entertained in other ways. He figured that winning or losing, in the end, is transient. People will get over it not soon enough. However, the promise of a good show will always be there.

I guess the last laugh is still on us.

Went with Haiyan’s family and friends to Lake Tahoe between 12/23-28 and skiied there for three days. I have to say these were the best skiing days ever.

Skiing is a sport that has heavy overhead and sunk-cost: before ever hitting the snow, one has to collect all the gears: helmet, goggle, gloves, pants, jackets, hats, poles, skis, boots, cell phone, and/or walkie-talkie, … what else I am missing here? Then driving hours on the road, then change, walking on boots with skis on shoulder for quarter a mile to buy tickets that cost hundreds of dollars. A good set of skis with boots and binding could easily go above a grand.

Learning skiing is also pretty tricky: the learning area (the green runs) are mostly in the lower part of the mountain where snow is either too thin or too slashy–either one could be a show stopper for a beginner.

So why do I ski?

A friend (Robinette? o bro where art thou) told me once, almost apologetically, “I know it is something I should do, but I never picked it up”. It certainly is a symbol of coolness. At least that is what drove me into it, against every thing I hold dear. The ice-rink-like runs in MD/PA/WV almost killed me many times over. I only started somewhat seriously when Song brought me to WA in 98, the year NW had record snow.

After Tahoe, however, I am a true skiier–skiing for skiing’s sake. Thanks a lot to YP and LS: their reputation as skilled and diehard skiiers preceded our acquaintance. They brought me to the back side of the Northstar, and I never looked back.

We spend the first day in Squaw, which was already very good. After two day’s of white-out snowing, the third day was heaven. Every wintery color was in its purest state under a bright sun shining through the thin air over Sierra Nevada. The contrast of colors is so strong that it physically hurts naked eyes. When a breeze blows by, the snow flakes fly off the trees and sparkle like billions of tiny crystals permeating the space around me.

Coming off the lift, standing at the top of the freshly groomed runs, I felt the calling. That sealed it for me.

Too bad that I didn’t explore Squaw more and didn’t go to Kirkwood as YP and LS recommended. But I gave it all on the last day.