Lift and separate

Today is a most sad day in the airline business. No, there wasn't another highjacking. No, there wasn't a crash. No, not another bankruptcy. Not even another pay cut or layoff. Today is a sad day because of this breaking story:

Hooters Air to Be Grounded in April

(03-29) 14:17 PST Myrtle Beach, S.C. (AP) -- Hooters Air, which featured women in orange short-shorts and tight T-shirts on flights, will be grounded beginning next month except for private charters out of Winston-Salem, N.C.

Bob Brooks, chairman of the Hooters restaurant chain, and president Mark Peterson told The (Myrtle Beach) Sun News for a story Wednesday that the company will focus on charters for tour groups and sports teams.

"The flying industry is in a terrible mess. ... I've got a fair amount of money, but I don't have enough to fix this animal," Brooks told the newspaper. "Now I think the best thing we can do is basically put it to bed, at least for right now, until the industry changes."

Hooters Air, which last summer served 15 destinations including non-stop flights to the Bahamas has been suspending and canceling flights since Christmas. Its Web site shows it as having three Boeing aircraft.

Industry analysts have said problems for the Myrtle Beach-based airline range from a highly competitive low-fare airline industry to rising fuel prices.

A woman who answered the phone at the airline's Myrtle Beach office said neither Brooks nor Peterson would give interviews and referred The Associated Press to The Sun News article. A woman who answered the airline's customer service line said Hooters would take reservations until April 17. Neither woman would give her name.

Peterson told the newspaper that some of the roughly 350 employees in Winston-Salem will be laid off, but he didn't say how many.

Brooks bought Pace Airlines in 2002 and launched its first scheduled flights from Myrtle Beach to Atlanta on March 6, 2003.

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If Hooters Air can't make an hosest living in the Airline business with their unique market segmentation, no one can.

Or maybe they just need to dump the damn pantyhose.

POWder

My ski buddy, Mike, and I got fresh tracks on Olympic Lady at Squaw Valley last Sunday after getting on the hill early that morning. Eventually we headed over to the Broken Arrow chair to check out Silverado, but no dice. They were still exploding dynamite charges on that part of the mountain to quell any chances of avalanche. So Mike and I skied up to Headwall and then Granite Chief before breaking for an early lunch.

After lunch, we decided to give Silverado another try. Sure enough, it just opened. We glided down on the fresh powder, although the snow was heavier now due to the abundant sunshine. We took another run and went back up the chair lift. As we made our third run down Silverado, I suggested to Mike that he build up some speed heading down this particular run because the mountain flattened out at the bottom, and without the proper speed, we'd have to pole through the flats. I went first.

True to my advice, I built up plenty of speed. But the heavy powder was skied-up, and it was a pretty rough ride. As I approached the bottom of the slope, I was flying. And due to the rough snow, I was having a hard time maintaining control. I could see my worst nightmare developing right before my eyes -- skiing at top speed and catching an edge. Except I wasn't envisioning it, it was happening.

As I lost my balance, I felt my left ski release as I fell forward. I seemed to levitate there for a second or two. "So far, so good," I thought to myself. Then BLAAAAMMM!!! POWW!!!

As I fell, I somehow got into cartwheel formation, but landed on my head and neck, then I slammed on my right knee. This could be ugly, I thought, as I lay in the snow taking inventory. Then I paused a few seconds to listen to the yells coming from the chair lift. Clearly my fall impressed those who witnessed it.

Mike skied up with my left ski and asked if I was okay. I was, but I could tell this would be a long recovery.

Three days and three prescriptions later, I write this blog.

Wow, it could be worse.

Fare Evasion 2, Electric Bugaloo

Let's face it, we live in a great country. One of the benefits of being a US citizen is that if you break the law, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Or so we like to think...

Looking forward to my day in court, I woke early to be sure I made it in time for my 8:30 a.m. date with the court. I drove to downtown Redwood City (a.k.a. "Redwood Titty" or "The Tit"), parked by City Hall where everything is being torn up and re-constructed, and made my way to the courthouse.

I arrived early, but the place was crowded. I could see a line forming in front of several service windows under the "Start Here" sign, so I followed the instructions. When I got up to a window, I handed the clerk my citation.

"Would you like to go to court today?" asked the clerk. "Yes," I said. "I received this citation for Fare Evasion unjustly because the train came early and I did not have enough time to buy a ticket."

The clerk entered my citation into her computer.

"I'm sorry, sir, but you won't be able to go to court today," she said. "Your convelope has not yet been received by the court. You'll need to come back after April 19. Would you like an extension?"

"Uh, sure," I said.

"Ok, just come back any time after April 19 and before May 19. By then we should have your convelope and you will be able to see the judge then," she instructed.

So even though I am presumed innocent, I have to come back to court again because they couldn't get the paperwork done in time. Seems like the burden should be placed on the court, not the defendant.

But I gotta admit, I love the word "convelope." Is that an envelope for cons?

Scaly situation

When I got home this evening and walked into my bedroom, what did I see? This...















What is this creature and why is it in my bedroom?

Upon further research, I identified this reptile as a juvenile California Alligator Lizard. Seems that all of this wet weather drove him indoors for shelter.