The Kazmer Report

China wants to deal

The Red giant in the East is awake.
China has told the United Nations that it wants an active and constructive role in negotiating new climate change protocols for the world. The current 1997 Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.
There is a reason why China wants to be a big player in this discussion and it goes further than keeping the globe cool. The smog that fills China’s cities are forcing the country’s leaders to develop smogless energy. Once they develop the technology they can sell it to the world. Leading the lawmaking group that will govern global energy consumption will only aid in their efforts, hence the recent desire to play an “active” role in developing protocols. The United States could patent the technology and beat China to the punch. The idea is outlined in this debate that recently ran in the Daily American, www.dailyamerican.com/articles/2009/07/09/opinion/columns/column473.txt. If America’s leaders sit idle we will be buying everything from China.

Some other notable events in 2012:
— Mayans predict the end of the world
— State’s teachers retirement plan goes bankrupt
— Pirates trade professional players for little league all-stars who have potential. (I told you they were going to trade Sanchez and Wilson)

—Rick Kazmer

rickk@dailyamerican.com

Northbound

The worst part about traveling on I-99 is the construction. A friend who was riding with me to a bachelors party on Lake Ontario this weekend joked that our state slogan should be “A State of Construction.” He exaggerates, however, the constant orange-barrel dodging cost us about two hours of driving time.
But I am not writing tonight to complain. Aside from the (understandably needed) road work, upstate New York is great.
It’s my second trip in the past three months to the Auburn area. Hundreds of wineries line the Finger Lakes and most of them provide free samples. This weekend I camped with three other friends right beside Lake Ontario. The Great Lake is much like the ocean. Sure, it has smaller waves, but you can’t see land on the other side.
The landscape is riddled with waterfalls, gorges and hiking and biking opportunities. It’s a great place if your looking for a weekend away and don’t mind a five-hour drive — and it’s fairly cheap. Our campsite was $60 for the weekend.
My friends and I have decided to make “Lake Camp” an annual outing. Next year I am going to invite them to Somerset County to try one of our local lakes or dams.
Anyone camping at the Laurel Hill State Park should say hello to Orran and Ruth Kelley. They are the camp hosts there and have recently won a state award for their efforts. An article on their recognition can be found here, www.dailyamerican.com/articles/2009/07/19/news/local/news165.txt

—Rick Kazmer

rickk@dailyamerican.com

The Pirates

A few weeks ago a colleague and I debated in the daily about the probability that the Pirates would finish with a .500 record.
The debate can be found here, www.dailyamerican.com/articles/2009/04/28/opinion/columns/column573.txt.
I believed then that the Buccos will have another folly-filled season ending with a losing record. So far, my prediction is accurate, they are somewhere around 10 games below .500. Going into the season I could see why some might believe the Pirates would break a 16-season losing streak. They had some good talent including Nate McLouth and Niger Morgan. But those players were traded away before half of the 2009 season was even finished. Now rumors of trade talks involving Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson are out there. Today the Bucco’s management traded Adam LaRoche. They never learn and seem to revel in being a farm squad for other teams.
If they would have kept those players and Jason Bay, who they traded to Boston in 2008, the Pirates would arguably have the best outfield in baseball. But it’s not to be. Pirate’s fans will have to be content with seeing talent walk through town on their way to other cities where winning baseball games is the priority for ball clubs.

-Rick Kazmer

rickk@dailyamerican.com