George’s slightly off-center view of the world
“The industry has reached the point of acute oversupply due to diminishing volumes sold. That will lead to vineyard removals — and fallowing in some cases — and reduced returns for growers.”
When I moved to Sonoma County in 1995, it seemed every bare patch of ground — and acres formerly planted with apples, hops and other crops — was being planted with new vineyards; until 2008, that is. The wine business recovered from the recession, but is now facing another downturn.
In its annual report on the wine business, Silicon Valley Bank stated that the industry is “in the midst of a consumer reset.”
Continue reading “Wine: Good News ~ Bad News”Boeing Company’s board of directors decided it was time for Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg to go. Muilenburg oversaw the 737-Max disaster, with a pattern of obstructing F.A.A. oversight. Two crashes of the now-and-still-grounded plane killed 346 persons. Recently-released internal company communications display employees ridiculing the design and safety of the 737-Max. One employee derided the jet as “designed by clowns, who in turn are supervised by monkeys.”
Continue reading “Failure Rewarded”But first, one bit of detritus from the national scene ~
The Trump administration wants to delay a Democratic effort that would require the Secret Service to disclose its spending on the protection of the current occupant of the White House and his family during their travels.
The Government Accountability Office estimated that travel by the former reality-TV performer cost taxpayers $13.6 million in one month of 2017. At that rate, travel costs in eight months would exceed the total — $96 million — for Barack Obama’s eight years. That projects to $1.3 billion for eight years of golfing.
Continue reading “Politics: Grass-Roots Miscellany”Fun Fact: Tesla Motors began the new year 2020 as the most valuable car company — ever — in the United States. Its market capitalization of $80+ billion is more than Ford Motor Company’s 1999 peak; almost as much as Ford and GM combined. Tesla’s stock price has been on a wild up-and-down ride along with loose-cannon founder and CEO Elon Musk’s much-publicized missteps. The latest stock surge follows vehicle deliveries in the fourth quarter 2019 greater than even Musk had predicted
There are enough Teslas on the road now that some are inevitably finding their way into collision-repair shops and scrapyards. Tesla batteries, motors and even drive trains are being rebirthed in vintage Volkswagens, Porsches, Mustangs and other favorites of car buffs. Their fathers and grandfathers increased horsepower of internal-combustion engines and tuned exhaust for just the right sound; today auto enthusiasts are building more powerful, but silent custom cars.
For entrepreneurs, mostly in California, electric vehicle (EV) conversions are a growing business. One shop offers training classes teaching do-it-yourselfers to do conversions. A rusted ’49 Mercury, dubbed the “Derelict,” fitted with electric motor, Tesla batteries, power steering, air conditioning and Bluetooth, has won awards at car shows.
When an unlikely-looking car blows by you — silently — it could be powered by Tesla.
The current occupant of the White House has generously shared his knowledge, offering advice to fire-ravaged California. He said their problem is poor forest management. If the Golden State raked its forest floors, as he stated is done in Finland, where they spend “a lot of time on raking and cleaning,” there would not be the devastation. #RakeAmericaGreatAgain and #RakeNews soon were flying around the Internet.
The fact is, California’s conflagrations were largely wild brush fires. Forest fires, not so much.
The Jimtown Store is closed. Not to reopen. On Highway 128, nestled amongst the vineyards of Alexander Valley, Jimtown has for nearly three decades been a stop for wine-country tourists as well as Sonoma-County locals.
James Patrick opened the store in 1893. He called it the Patrick Store, but locals referred to it as Jimtown. (Not “Jamestown;” Californians were less formal than their eastern counterparts.) The store was the beginning of a small community, soon with a post office, a blacksmith and wagon shop, a church, hop yards, orchards, vineyards, wineries and a half-dozen homes. By 1913, Patrick put in a gas pump to service the occasional automobile that traveled the rough, unpaved road.
Carrie Brown and her late husband came across the then-shuttered store in 1989 on a visit to Sonoma County. They bought it, moved from New York City and, after extensive renovation, opened in 1991.
The shaded patio behind the store was a pleasant place to enjoy a Jimtown sandwich, made to order, finished off with their homemade cookies. The catered special events in the adjacent barn. They produced condiments and spreads that were sold in stores along the west coast. (Jimtown Fig & Olive spread, has been described by discerning erpicures as “yummy.”)
While the Trader Joe’s store in nearby Santa Rosa was closed for a year and a half from damage by the devastating fires in 2017, Jimtown was unscathed. It also escaped fires in 2018 and 2019. What it didn’t escape was the loss of business from people avoiding the area during what was now seen as fire season. Their catered-events business suffered greatly.
Power outages finally did them in. Pacific Gas & Electric, liable for billions of dollars damages from fires sparked by their inadequate equipment maintenance, has recently been shutting off power when fire danger is high. (Yes, the same PG&E of Erin Brockovich and San Bruno-pipeline-explosion fame.) No power means no cooking. And no water. The store’s water requires pumping from its well.
Carrie Brown decided that after twenty-eight years, it was time to give in. Jimtown Store’s last day of business was December 30.
