Week Ending Oct 7

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What a dream.

To all of you who think you have a "sense" of Keweenaw County...those young souls left behind because of adjudication in probate court, families savvy about welfare, or other indiscretions "built into the system..." let's see the truth.

These Young Folk love to "ski" or love to have someone tell them that they know how to do it. After all, they quit high school or dropped out as soon as they realized no one in the local high school would make excuses for their visits as felons in court..;

What sort of local base are the crossbear folks drawing on?

Slovenian Becomes First Person to Ski Down Everest
By REUTERS
Filed at 6:49 a.m. ET
LJUBLJANA (Reuters) - A 38-year-old Slovenian became the first person ever to ski non-stop down the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest, on Saturday.
``I feel only absolute happiness and absolute fatigue,'' Davo Karnicar told Reuters by satellite phone after the descent from the 8,850-meter (29,035-feet) peak.
He said some four kilometers of skiing on his custom-made skis took him nearly five hours and went without any major problems.
``At some sections I had to ski very fast to escape from the breaking ice,'' the exhausted ski instructor said immediately after arrival at the base camp at 5,340 meters.
Karnicar said he came across a frozen body of a dead climber during his descent. The identity of the dead climber was not known.
``This mountain is always full of surprises, seeing a dead man out there was a really shocking experience for me,'' he said.
Karnicar's descent was captured on video by cameras set up along the way and on his helmet and was broadcast on the Internet (www.everest.simobil.si).
The father of three has already skied down Mont Blanc and Annapurna in the Himalayas, but lost two fingers to frostbite when skiing down Everest in a failed attempt in 1996.
From the New York Times website

It's been twenty-some years since the young dog headed south and found himself in Florida hunkered down on a stack of white wood with Mr. Law (his employer) and G. Hatfield (from Kentucky).
"What kinda zoning y'all got up north?"
"I don't think there's any zoning," replied the young dog.
"No zoning! Woo-wee! So everyone just builds whatever they want?"
The young dog shrugged and sipped his coffee.
"How often does the building inspector come by?"
Full of shrugs, the young dog replied, "Dad never bothered with permits, much. He even built a garage in Dollar Bay within sight of the building inspector's house. Was he surprised when he found out."
"Gawdalmighty!"

Strange, isn't it, that an area that wants to boast of being a tourist destination has many opposed to a project that hopes to attract tourists to the area. Stranger still is the idea that an area that has become accustomed to building what it wants, when it wants, where it wants, is now deciding that the pink paint the neighbor is painting the siding may not do.
In the recent past, we read about one person who was going to build in the Keweenaw, though there were problems with the ground being suitable for a septic system, who was going to build, by golly, even it meant putting in a lagoon system for the (A. Camp B. Home C. Residence D. A, B &C)
In the recent past we heard the phrase, "this isn't about a ski hill," but much of the argument has centered on that, a ski hill. And though it isn't about a ski hill, runs have been created, lift apparatus has been readied, and three area ski hills have reached a consensus to promote the area ski hills.
And then we hear talk about a shopping mall. Perhaps the Keweenaw Mall will have open doors, and skiers can breeze through, on their way downhill, to purchase a jar of thimbleberry jam?
But we did hear the argument that the ski lodge and cabins would be better suited to the area away from the shoreline, not right in downtown LacLaBelle, if you will.
And we heard this is about condos.
Open your eyes. People don't live in condos around here. They build on their own private half-acre, (or ten acres) away from anyone else, and if they build close to anyone, it is because they want to build on the shoreline so they can be by the water.
People have been going down Mt. Bohemia on skis or snowboards or some padded or unpadded part of their anatomy for years. I'm willing to bet that more and more people will be doing the same in years to come.
We've heard over and over again that the ski hill will fail. That the hill will be ruin't for years and years. And some happy campers took up the cause to deface Mt. Houghton, if Scott's news is true, cut trees on Mt. Houghton. (I thought the Mt. Houghton area had been logged (clear-cut?) twenty-some years ago?) There'll be no snowmaking equipment for five years and we know because they haven't shown us their plans. (October 7, 2000, Saturday, a bit after 8 in the morning and when I look outside I see rooftops covered with snow. Think about it. You get all warm and fuzzy feeling, eh?)
If you people are really concerned about preserving the environment of the Keweenaw, why don't I hear more about the concern of the ancient septic systems that I will say are polluting the big lake? Oh, sure, you ranting fool, we've been talking about it at the restaurant till we're sick of it. That's why the Gazette article by Roger Wickstrom that quoted Mr. LaFleur from the Health Department who suggested pumping septic systems every 3-5 years was so quickly forgotten. Don't tell us what to do; we care about the Keweenaw. Or will someone now accuse me of sleazing y'all with guilt? Why is it wrong for a company to take an interest in doing something in the area that may actually help the economy, but it is okay for us to continue to ignore what our •••• and •••• is doing to the water?
Well, sure, we should oppose a ski hill. After all, look at all the companies that are lined up at the door willing to come in and provide well-paying jobs creating products from wood from trees that we don't want cut, that we don't use when we build on our little half-acre (or is it ten?).
What difference does it make, really, if the Keweenaw is covered, from shore to shining shore, with Mom and Pop camps, cabins, and sometime-homes in a year, or fifty years? Covered with rural sprawl, by golly, if a private lagoon needs to be installed to make it so?
All out of breath
Your "Anonymous" Ranting Fool,
Engaging, once again, in completely irresponsible behavior
Who now turns her eye to the Celestron
To see if the Neverglades can be spotted up north.

U.P. EYE(Christchurch 10/07/00 5:00 pm)
New Zealand's High Court, upon consultation with local zoologists, has summarily decided to throw out our smuggling arrest. What Christchurch custom officials mistakenly thought were Australian platypii, was clearly in fact a home-canned jar of lamprey sushi(clearly legal under New Zealand law--though an impromptu tariff was eventually bartered between us).
"Anything that sucks on Good Ol' Mother Superior Lake Trout is good enough for me!" barked Ol' Shep in his peculiar U.P. accent.
Don't ask me to explain my pup's culinary preferences. It seems that lamprey make for a great pickled pasty condiment .
Well, after some reflection, I've decided to remain here in Christchurch and retain my U.S. citizenship while Naomi jets north to Wellington to help design a new Galadriel hair-do(apparently some nude shower scene that Mr. Tolkien stupidly neglected to include in his Middle Earth fantasy opus). It seems that Mr. Sam Gamgee has no need of a "personal assistant", by the way. He's doing quite well all by 'imself, thank you very much.
I emailed back this short retort:
"GOD BLESS THE HOBBIT THAT'S GOT HIS OWN!"

Your Intrepid Correspondent,
Nick Adams

ps: Keep the woodstove warm, Keweenaw! We'll make it back as soon as we can ...

Perhaps the lift-towers are being painted neon-green as a visual alert to the eyes of our lower-skill skiers. If the towers were painted the color of treetrunks or grass or another hue just as "natural", some poor soul, sooner or later, perhaps in a state of intoxication or high altitude oxygen deprivation, might be more likely to crash into one of them like a bird into a window, misperceiving it as just another part of the Keweenaw scenery.
My advice?
Don't paint them white!

Anyone hear anything about the rumor that a Howard Johnson's is going to be built in the Keweenaw? But instead of one of them fancy, hunter orange roofs, they are opting for a red/black plaid layout, more in-keeping with the Keweenaw character. I guess they are still reading news from way back when the DNR (blasts and fogs upon them!) began to require hunter orange as opposed to the red and black plaid worn by Bampa.

And how about we tell Black Bear to paint the lift metal camo-brown (tee-hee-hee) so it blends with that other local character.

Well reasoned, Eye to the Future! Perhaps it would be helpful indeed if the ZBA could clarify the CD-EP zoning language before November 7th. Perhaps they may choose to allow a limited # of cabins(per space available) or none at all. Or perhaps only a certain kind of cabin and/or other facilities(per sewage issues). Personally, I would prefer that the Mt. Bohemia zoning remain CD-EP with specifically written restrictions on what can and can't be there, giving the present developer some common-sense leeway. A ski-hill, after all, is a unique kind of development project and could be financially viable in many different kind of ways that won't have a deleterious effect on the local character

BEAR has walked in and over any local control on the zoning issue by constructing ski runs and installing lift tower bases. They are developers with a large financial investment in this project. If they had waited for the zoning issue to be cleared up it is possible that a ski hill/resort never would have been built. The referendum will determine whether the top portion of the hill is rezoned to RS which already essentially allows a ski hill/resort and accompanying uses. A rezoning of that section to RS also opens it up for further more intensive development which would have a greater impact on the character of the mountain. Be careful!

When the ZBA determines whether a ski hill is 'low impact' this will determine the fate of the project. If they vote a ski hill is 'low impact' they better be specific in the wording as to what is a ski HILL (runs and lifts or condos and highrises). This would be the best situation for everyone and provide local control over future projects on the most visible (upper) section of the hill. If this determination is made the voters SHOULD vote the rezoning of the parcel to RS down to prevent over development of the upper portion of Mt. Bohemia. If they determine that a ski hill is 'high' impact I would not try to predict the future (lawsuits, accusations, controversy, etc.)

Maybe allowing a variance for the construction of the lifts and runs would be an option.

Keweenaw County has had the development of the Mt. Bohemia area into a ski resort in many of its plans. For all practical purposes (terrain, vertical drop, etc. and the area, proximity to the lake, existing establishments, etc.) it is a great place for a ski resort. Will it survive due to distance from major population areas? lack of snow making? lack of employees? lack of lodging? too difficult of terrain for the majority of the skiing/boarding population? Only time will tell. The threat to the character of Lac La Belle is accompanying residential and commercial development not the ski hill itself. For everyone's sake keep an eye towards the future and realize that change is inevitable. The key is to plan for development that is fits, maintains, and improves the character of the Keweenaw.

Those who fail to plan, plan to fail!

Poor Planning - Anyone see the 'lovely' neon green color the lift towers are being painted? Is something wrong with a dark green that would blend in with the natural landscape or even black? Lets hope that BEAR realizes their success is based on being responsible developers that care for protecting the overall character of the Keweenaw and assures that the ski hill and accompanying development enhances the area not destroys it.

Paul: The water is briney here but deep. Just like the brown stuff that is there. Seems to me maybe your county attorney has something else going down. Well just a thought. Hope when I return the water is friendly and not shark infested. Tidy ho mate!!! Swim deep, swim silent swim, swim, swim.

Jeff B., I only can say that for right now there is no meeting set for our board of appeals. To go any futher I would be talking hearsay, the sources I get my opinions from are good sources and sometime come from the courthouse itself. I was at the hearing when Judge Hood told our atty to get it right and he would look the other way on some boderline criminal behavior.
Our county atty. is setting up the county for a massive lawsuit if her foolish ways don't stop. She should be out looking for a belt with a little more slack in it instead of trying to make herself out to be the second comming.!!!!!!!!

Orkilla. have you heard of any dates for a zoning board of appeals meeting. I don't think so. The county atty. is not getting this going at all. Now she was told by Judge Hood that there SHALL be a meeting and that there SHALL be a vote by the board. Now if I have misspoke then I must have heard wrong at the meeting. Our county atty. thinks she wears the pants in our county courthouse. If this board is not or does not vote on this issue in a prompt time frame then I myself will go to Judge Hood and ask him if contempt of court is in order not only by her but by our board members as well. This board as all boards of our county have a obligation. Now if our county atty needs a hearing aid or maybe the minutes of that meeting then she should get them and do what was ordered which is to tell our board to vote and make our decisions that they were put there to do!!!!!
Now I know that you may think that the hill is a bad thing and I think it is a good thing, that counts for sure but our board was told they SHALL have this vote!!!! So I ask of you Orkilla, he who has choosen far away waters to swim in why no board vote? SHOW ME THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS!!!!!

E-Bay Alert:
Former UK Olympic ski-jumper(and current Ishpeming resident) Eddie "The Eagle" will be landing at the Houghton Mall on Columbus Day to sell and sign copies of his tell-all IOC thriller "OK! So I didn't win a bloody gold medal! Sue me!"
In appliance with local law, unsold copies of "OK..." will not be available for sale on-line until the instant Eddie's rusty Studebaker departs Houghton County.
Thank YOU for YOUR support!

U.P. EYE (Christchurch 10/05/00 3:37 pm)
On our American Way to Athens, the Birthplace of Democracy and Sponsor of the 2004 Summer Olympics, it seems we've been detained by New Zealand customs officials and charged with platypii smuggling.
"Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie, Oy Oy Oy!"
From the frontier zone of New Cornwall to Christchurch, Ol' Shep has loyally carried his nanobot vaccine. Naomi now says she's in love and wants me to renounce my American citizenship to join her in the film crew of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings as Sam Gamgee's personal assistant( while she does Galadriel's hair).
Yet still the Keweenaw calls...(more when events warrant)

Paul, interesting post. Hmm, brown stuff on the fan blades. Who's brown stuff, gary's or crosswinds. Seems you and ted are some kind of two bit lawyers with all your legal rantings. What gives? You must be listening to frank elias too much, ted too. The one who laughs last laughs loudest, remember that. When it hits the fan, stand back, it probably will get you too as your so close to lonnie if he made a sharp turn you would break your neck. Happy the trout is able to swim free again. DUM DUM DUM DUM Theme music to jaws:::

I'm truly pleased that anonymous and ranting are used in conjunction here. I only hope that no flags are pulled, no windshields are shot out, no one is threatened with a neighborly boycott in the responsible and respectable section.

Yours Very Truly,
Sarah Mary Williams George Elexander Peters

Well its about time to get the brown stuff up against the fan blades. Gary if your viewing this then your paper is about out of the game. Your Keweenaw today was a good idea until you decided to go with a different server. That took the cake in my eyes. First you talk about all the e-commerece you will get going then you switch to a out of town link!!! That was stupid and your good idea went sour.Enough small talk about a small thing.
The last news I heard was that our county atty. is not going to let the board rule on the zoning till after the vote. Who the hell does she think she is, The judge clearly told her to have the board vote as they were suppose to. HE SAID THEY SHALL VOTE ON THIS ISSUE. Now I may be a dumb hick but I think SHALL means SHALL. Now if any of you tree huggers want to start up a little what does SHALL mean conversation I'm waiting for your words of wisdom. KEEP THE DOUGH LOCAL!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Fellow Anonymees!
I'm scant of rant so I'll wax poetic:

Indian Summer has come
Kindling for November's democracy-in-action
When woodsmoke streams from cabin chimneys
And an early snow brings satisfaction
To some...

Transplant:
As I understand it, the K-Commentary from K-Today will be archived on the revised K-Today site when the transition is completed there.

It's wonderful to be able to post again on a site that really works. I was wondering if it's possible to find some of the old Keweenaw Commentary that used to be here. There are lots of comments I'd like to refer to.

Olie! Come to bed already!