Humboldt County, California

It Was Intimidation

We are becoming a dictatorship!

From the Los Angeles Times

‘Are you from California?’ Political advisor said he was detained at airport after confirming he’s from L.A.

Longtime L.A. political consultant Rick Taylor was returning from a weeklong vacation in Turks and Caicos with his wife and daughter when he was held by Customs and Border Protection for 45 minutes without reason.
He believes he was unjustly targeted and was intimidated during his holding.

Veteran Los Angeles political consultant Rick Taylor said he was pulled aside by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents while returning from a trip abroad, asked if he was from California and then separated from his family and put in a holding room with several Latino travelers for nearly an hour.

“I know how the system works and have pretty good connections and I was still freaking out,” said Taylor, 71. “I could only imagine how I would be feeling if I didn’t understand the language and I didn’t know anyone.”

Taylor said he was at a loss to explain why he was singled out for extra questioning, but he speculated that perhaps it was because of the Obama-Biden T-shirt packed in his suitcase.

Taylor was returning from a weeklong vacation in Turks and Caicos with his wife and daughter, who were in a separate customs line, when a CBP agent asked, “Are you from California?” He said he answered, “Yeah, I live in Los Angeles.”

The man who ran campaigns for L.A.’s last Republican mayor and for current Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla when he was a budding Los Angeles City Council candidate in the 1990s found himself escorted to a waiting room and separated from his family.

There, Taylor said he waited 45 minutes without being released, alleging he was unjustly marked for detention and intimidated by CBP agents.

“I have no idea why I was targeted,” said Taylor, a consultant with the campaign to reelect L.A. City Councilwoman Traci Park. “They don’t talk to you. They don’t give you a reason. You’re just left confused, angry and worried.”

Former Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said the incident brought to mind Sen. Alex Padilla, who was arrested and handcuffed June 12 while trying to ask a question during a Los Angeles press conference by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

“My former chief of staff and political consultant, Rick Taylor, was detained at Miami International Airport by federal authorities after returning from an international vacation,” he said in an email. “As Senator Alex Padilla said a couple of weeks ago, ‘if it could happen to me, it could happen to anyone.’ This Federal government operation is OUT OF CONTROL! Where will it end?!”

A representative from the Customs and Border Protection in Florida said an inquiry made by the Los Angeles Times and received late Friday afternoon will likely be answered next week.

“If Mr. Taylor feels the need to, he is more than welcome to file a complaint online on our website and someone will reach out to him to try and get to the bottom of things,” CBP Public Affairs Specialist Alan Regalado said in an email.

Taylor, a partner at Dakota Communications, a strategic communications and marketing firm, said he was more concerned about traveling and returning to the U.S. with his wife, a U.S. citizen and native of Vietnam.

He said he reached out to a Trump administration member before leaving on vacation, asking if he could contact that individual in case his wife was detained.

The family flew American Airlines and landed in Miami on June 20, where he planned to visit friends before returning to Los Angeles on Tuesday.

In a twist, Taylor’s wife and daughter, both Global Entry cardholders, breezed through security while Taylor, who does not have Global Entry, was detained, he said.

He said after the agent confirmed he was a Los Angeles resident, he placed a small orange tag on his passport and was told to follow a green line. That led him to another agent and his eventual holding room.

Taylor described “95% of the population” inside the room as Latino and largely Spanish-speaking.

“I was one of three white dudes in the room,” he said. “I just kept wondering, ‘What I am doing here?’”

He said the lack of communication was “very intimidating,” though he was allowed to keep his phone and did send text message updates to his family.

“I have traveled a fair amount internationally and have never been pulled aside,” he said.

About 45 minutes into his holding, Taylor said an agent asked him to collect his luggage and hand it over for inspection.

He said he was released shortly after.

“The agents have succeeded in making me reassess travel,” Taylor said. “I would tell others to really think twice about traveling internationally while you have this administration in charge.”

Canadian snowbirds love Palm Springs. But Trump is making them say: Sorry! We’re leaving

By Hailey Branson-Potts, Staff Writer for Los Angeles Times

This is an abridged article.

Since his reelection in November, Trump has upended the typically friendly relationship between the U.S. and its northern neighbor. He has mocked Canada by calling it America’s “51st state” and repeatedly referred to former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “governor.” And he has threatened to use “economic force” to annex the country, whose population of 40 million is about the same as California’s.

Trump in February invoked emergency powers to justify stiff new tariffs on Canadian imports, arguing in an executive order that the trafficking of illegal drugs — namely, fentanyl — across the northern border constituted a dire threat to American security.

After Trump’s separate 25% tariff on imported automobiles went into effect last week, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who called the levies a “direct attack” on his country, slapped a 25% retaliatory levy on vehicles imported from the United States.

In Palm Springs, the snowbirds who were already here before Trump took office are leaving for the season. The question is: Will they return?

Two Canadian airlines this spring ended their seasonal service to and from Palm Springs International Airport earlier than initially planned, airport spokesman Jake Ingrassia said in a statement to The Times.

“Flair Airlines and WestJet have slightly shortened their seasonal service to Vancouver and Winnipeg, respectively,” Ingrassia said. “The airlines have advised the airport that these adjustments are in response to the current operating environment and shifts in demand.”

Kenny Cassady, director of business development for Acme House Co., which manages vacation rental properties in Palm Springs, said Canadians often book stays of one to three months a full year in advance, returning to the same properties annually.

“But when it comes to rebooking for next year? They’re just declining,” said Cassady, who also is a board member for Visit Greater Palm Springs, a tourism marketing agency for the Coachella Valley.

How to Plan a Trip to Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is the most stunning and diverse natural wonder in the United States. With hundreds of miles of trails, dozens of geysers, and 14 lakes, it offers something for everyone. Whether you want to hike, kayak, camp, or just enjoy the scenery, Yellowstone National Park along with adjoining Teton National Park is a destination you won’t forget.

But planning a trip to Yellowstone can be challenging, especially if you want to make the most of your time and avoid the crowds. Here are some of the best tips and tricks to help you plan a successful and memorable trip to Yellowstone.

## Lodging must be your first priority

My first piece of advice if you’re going to Grand Teton and Yellowstone is to plan early. Lodging inside the Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks books up quickly, with the most desirable lodging snapped up as soon as reservations become available, sometimes more than a year in advance. Our trips were driving to the parks and arranging for a camp site. I made reservations for both trips. The first trip we stayed at a campground in Grand Teton. The choice was made because it is at a lower elevation and that meant warmer weather. But at 6,800 feet it is cold even in the middle of the summer. Fishing Bridge RV Park in the middle of Yellowstone is at 7,800 feet and is definitely colder. I know. My first visit to Yellowstone was in a cabin there (cabins are now gone).

## Research to decide the things you want to see

Everyone drives very slowly in the parks because everyone in your car along with you wants to see everything. In addition bears, bison, moose and other animals like to walk along and across the roads.

For me a must-do activity in Grand Teton National Park is a float trip down the Snake River. It has beautiful views, opportunities for animal-sightings, and great park information from the tour guide. Several concessionaires offer these trips in the park, including Signal Mountain Lodge and Jackson Lake Lodge. You can book them right along with your accommodations.

All of these photos are old 35mm slides with the exception of the picture of the bear family.

Bison seen from the float down the Snake River

If you like hiking, you’ll love Grand Teton National Park. One of the best hikes—Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls—was closed while we visited because of a fissure in one of the rocks above the trail, but the trail re-opened in August 2018, after the park service found the area safe. If you go, don’t miss it.

You can take a short boat ride across Jenny Lake to access the Hidden Falls trailhead or you can hike around Jenny Lake to get there. The benefit of the hike around the lake is that you might see some wildlife you might not see elsewhere.

Everyone wants to see Old Faithful Geyser but in that area you may see many other geysers. They do not spray water on a daily basis. There are other geyser basins that also include hot pools. The Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park is the largest hot spring in the United States. Mammoth Hot Springs is a large complex of hot springs on a hill of travertine in Yellowstone National Park. Then there is Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It is another extraordinary thing to see.

## Be ready to change your trail plans

Yellowstone/Teton is home to a variety of wildlife, including grizzly bears, black bears, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and moose. While seeing these animals can be a highlight of your trip, it can also pose some risks. Sometimes, trails may close because of bear activity, or because of other hazards, such as snow, rockfall, or fire. To avoid disappointment, you should always check the trail status before you head out, and have some backup options in case your preferred trail is closed. You can check the trail status online, at the visitor centers, or by calling the park hotline.

Not my photo but a great one of a family of bear

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is not to be missed

## Consider West Yellowstone as your home base

This is a town that is at the entrance to the park and provides a variety of stores, gift shops, motels and nearby campgrounds. There is a live theater there that provides entertainment.

## Conclusion

Yellowstone and Teton National Parks is a bucket-list destination for many travelers, and for good reason. It offers unparalleled beauty, diversity, and adventure. But to make the most of your trip, you have to plan ahead and be flexible. By following these tips and tricks, you can have a smooth and enjoyable trip to Yellowstone and Teton National Parks.

Happy travels!

We are just going to Mexico for some fun. What could possibly happen?

According to data from Mexico’s Tourism Secretary, 270-thousand students are set to visit Mexico during the spring break season. That number will translate to millions of dollars in income to the Mexican economy.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador knows how important that income is to his economy and so he comes out with a statement just before the spring break season “Mexico is safer than the United States. There is no problem in traveling safely in Mexico.”

Sadly the facts do not support the president’s contention. The Associated Press reports “Mexico’s nationwide homicide rate is about 28 per 100,000 inhabitants. By comparison, the U.S. homicide rate is barely one-quarter as high, at around 7 per 100,000.”

The Mexican president brushed off continued concern over violence. Currently, the U.S. State Department has “do not travel” advisories for six of Mexico’s 32 states plagued by drug cartel violence, and “reconsider travel” warnings for seven other states.

“This is a campaign against Mexico by these conservative politicians in the United States who do not want the transformation of our country to continue,” López Obrador said.

“This violence is not a reality,” he added. “It is pure, vile manipulation.”

Facts are hard to dispute. It is reported that late Saturday six men and two women at a club in the largely rural township of Apaseo El Grande, where rival cartels have been fighting for control for years.

How many students looking for a good time be dissuaded from changing their spring plans for a good time? Probably not many.

Minnesota’s weirdly shaped northern border

This strange border error resulted in a very small piece of land in the United States that can only be reached by land in Canada. The odd situation was brought to my attention by an article in Bloomberg BusinessWeek.

Reported in the MinnPost. “Minnesota’s Northwest Angle in Lake of the Woods is farther north than any other part of the contiguous United States. Logically, it would seem that this area of about 123 square miles should be in Canada. But this oddest feature of the entire U.S.–Canada boundary was the proper result of American treaties negotiated with Great Britain.”

Today the only way to reach the area without driving through Canada is by a boat traveling across Lake of the Woods. 119 Americans live in this area. Its economic survival is based on sports fisherman traveling there in both winter and summer because of the fish living in the lake.

Winter fisherman travel across the frozen lake and stay at an inn in the Angle. Why couldn’t they simply drive through Canada, not permitted now due to COVID-19, is not clear to me. In the summer the Angle could also be reached by boat from the town of Warroad, Minnesota.

Yosemite in the Winter

I’ve never been to Yosemite National Park in the winter. This picture appeared on my opening screen today. Yes that is Half Dome on the right with the Merced river flowing through the valley.

Cuiping village in Yangshuo County, China

Yangshuo County boasts a generous helping of the spiky karst hills and meandering rivers that southern China’s Guangxi region is renowned for. There are large cities and towns in Yangshuo, but also many small, extremely picturesque villages nestled along waterways and tucked below craggy peaks. We’re gazing down here on the village of Cuiping, not far from Yangshuo Town and a magnet for visitors equipped with lots of extra smartphone photo storage. They’re going to need it for all the images they’ll take of this fantastical landscape. And while views from a river raft will doubtless be charming, the real wows come from trekking up the hillsides and getting a birds-eye view of the scene.

I stumbled on this photo and description on the internet.

Now this is a Natonal Emergency

San Francisco’s cable cars will stop running for 10 days starting Friday for repairs. San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will be refurbishing gear boxes, braking systems, and everything else to ensure that everything is “running safely and reliably.” If you haven’t been to that city you should know that it is at least as exciting and interesting as Manhattan (NYC). The cable cars are more fun than anything at Disneyland. They connect downtown with Chinatown and Fisherman’s Wharf.

The cars will be back on service September 23.

Market and Powell in downtown