Category Archives: What’s Up With That?

National Cheeseburger Day

What’s Up With That?

I disdain holidays. Almost all of them have become a means to market stuff. Many have been bastardized so government employees get a 3-day weekend (think President’s Day). Most holidays are created by folks wanting to sell you something. The only redeeming value of holidays is that I normally go camping or backpacking when they pop up on my calendar.

This morning my first email of the day was from a co-worker announcing that September 18th is National Cheeseburger Day. Never heard of it. But I can get behind this holiday. I am known as a Cheeseburger aficionado. When traveling with co-workers I try to eat at least one meal a day that consists of a Cheeseburger. Sometimes I eat one for both lunch and breakfast. Joyce doesn’t let me eat many Cheeseburgers when I’m home.

So I forwarded the National Cheeseburger Day email to Joyce and she said we could go out to dinner and get a Cheeseburger. God bless Tiny Tim!

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California’s Water Nazis

swatzika

What’s Up With That?

sein_soup_nazi

Remember the Soup Nazi in the TV series, Seinfeld? Well, we have a new soup Nazi today. It is the Water Nazis and their chant is “No water for you today.”

Unless you are an ostrich with your head in the ground, you probably know that California is in the midst of a severe long-term drought.

In Palms Springs, California and other cities you can now be a water-Nazi, or now the politically correct term, Water Watchdog.

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Palm Springs Leaves Citizens ‘Holding the Bag’

sicle and sythe
The People’s Republic of California

 

 

 

What’s Up With That?

An ordinance went into effect on Jan 1, 2015 in Palm Springs that makes it illegal for stores to provide “single use” plastic bags to customers. Instead they must sell customers a plastic or paper bag at a minimum cost of 10 cents, or the customer must supply their own bag, which can be purchased at much higher price point. I can purchase large paper grocery bags with handles in bulk for a little over 3 cents each. A large grocery chain can get an even cheaper price. So where is all the extra money going?

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TGO Awards Controversy

What’s Up With That?

TGO annual awards I don’t read magazines or newspapers. I don’t read much on the Internet, unless I am researching something and most of the time you can’t trust what you read. I do, as time permits, read a few backpacking blogs, mostly those based in the UK, and especially a few Scottish hill walkers (apparently they don’t call themselves backpackers). What appeals to me about these UK walkers is the usually dreadful weather they walk in, their propensity to ignore bad weather, and their blog posts seem to focus more on their trips; not their gear.

It has been a while since the big “blow out” over the TGO awards, but I just read about it because I was on vacation for an extended period, during which time all of this transpired.

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Backpacking and the Grinch Who Stole Time

What’s Up With That?

Airport 3 2014-10-24

Can you think of a place more time reliant than an airport? Thousands of flights each day all struggling for on-time take offs. Baggage and cargo that must be moved from terminal to plane, or plane to plane, or plane to terminal. Fuel trucks and ground crews maneuvered and dispatched to meet the airships and ensure their timely turnaround. Inside the bowels of the airport flight crews scurry to take command of their airy steads; to gallop upward; to depart – on time.

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The Liebster Award

What’s Up With That?

Okay, I haven’t posted much during the past couple of months. I have been busy using up my inventory of recreational time by hiking and camping.

I saw a post over on backpackinglight.com that I had been “tagged” for the Liebster Award. Of course that is the only way I could find out because this website doesn’t allow comments or emails to me. I value my privacy too much to have to deal with other people who might want to communicate their thoughts here.

The fellow who “tagged” me is a nice guy who happens to live in Sweden. So I thought I would discuss this Liebster thing.

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Grounded :(

What’s Up With That?

No kitchen pass this weekend. A Honey-Do List instead!

Just because we have been camping 8 weeks in a row doesn’t seem like a good reason to stay home this weekend — but those decisions aren’t always made by me.

So I thought I would just go backpacking.

Nope.

New blinds to hang. What’s wrong with the old curtains? I think they are fine. Oh, and other tasks created; not by me of course.

Ah well, it’s okay. I had a touch of the flu earlier this week any how and a little rest might be good.

Cease and Desist

What’s Up With That?

Stop Sign

In The Business of Backpacking I took a jab at gear reviews on personal blogs. Specific blogs were not identified, as I have no interest in pointing out any individual.

Apparently a blogger was put off by my observations, and a “Cease and Desist” email was sent to me via a PM (private message) hosted by an Internet forum. Since there are no Comment or Email capabilities on this Website, it is rather difficult to contact me unless you are a friend or a business client. This is intentional. I really don’t care about what others think.

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Black Friday? Go Camping or Backpacking Instead!

What’s Up With That?

I live in a small town and don’t have any personal experience with the Black Friday phenomenon. To be honest, I don’t know a lot about it.

Last year, one week before Thanksgiving, I was working in the Los Angeles area and went to Best Buy the Friday before Thanksgiving. There were several tents set up in front of the store and people were inside them. I thought it was some sort of store display, as most of the tents had music playing inside of them. When I entered the store, I asked one of the employees about the tents outside. He told me they were shoppers who were camped out waiting to be the first ones in the door next week, when the store would open early Friday morning, the day after Thanksgiving. These people were going to live at Best Buy for a week just so they could buy stuff!! I don’t get it.

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