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I recently ran across an old tape of a speech, by Willi Unsoeld. It was about the spiritual value of wilderness. Words like “brilliant”, “poetic” and “transcendent” come to mind. I’ve heard it before and after hearing it again, I decided to “google” around to figure out who this guy was.

Short Bio: Lead climbing guide in the Tetons during the 50’s Smokejumper. One of the first Americans to climb Everest the hard way (He lost 9 toes) in 1963. President John F. Kennedy gave him National Geographic’s Hubbard Medal. Peace Corps director, Nepal Nationwide, Outward Bound Promoter. Founding Faculty, The Evergreen State College. Known as the Father of Experiential Learning. Died on Mt. Rainier, doing what he loved.

Check it out for yourself:

wikipedia

smokejumpers.com

Willi, you are my hero for the day and the next time someone slams Evergreen, I might just mention your life. Willi Unsoeld rocked!

“It doesn't matter what it is, you have to have something to fight. Doesn't have to be a mountain, but it has to be something. And it isn't important whether you win or lose. Only that you keep fighting." – Willi Unsoeld

(submitted by moreinterestingstuff)

October 13-14, 2007

As minorities, marginalized people, activists and progressive members of the community, we already realize that corporate media censors news about marginalized people. But what exactly do we do when progressive newspapers, magazines and media groups also ignore marginalized people?

Recent scientific research has demonstrated that biases thought to be absent or extinguished remain as "mental residue" in most of us.

Studies show people can be consciously committed to egalitarianism, and deliberately work to behave without prejudice, yet still possess hidden negative prejudices or stereotypes.

So even though we believe we see and treat people as equals, hidden biases may still influence our perceptions and actions.

Psychologists at Harvard, the University of Virginia and the University of Washington created "Project Implicit" to develop Hidden Bias Tests — called Implicit Association Tests, or IATs, in the academic world — to measure unconscious bias.

Here in Olympia, Washington we plan to talk in detail about these hidden biases that exist in Progressive Northwest Publications.

I am saddened again by Benroya pulling their bid for the old, and newer Olympia Brewery. It seems that there never seems to be a straight answer about why different interested parties pass over the brewery property.

The Schmidt family ran a very successful brewery business until consolidation in the brewing industry took its toll. The Schmidts tried to fight this by buying the ailing Theo. Hamm Brewing Company in 1975 and than merging with Lone Star Brewing in 1976. Unfotunately, Hamm's was too far gone, sales had slumped in a huge way and the fight with old Hamm distributors cost millions of dollars in legal fees that could have gone other places, like developing a new brew, or pushing advertising.

Pabst bought Olympia Brewing in 1983, and then was the target of Paul Kalmanovitz and his brewery wrecking empire in 1985. After this, it was all downhill and fast. Under Kalmanovitz and the new business model, advertising was slashed and only the minimum of brewery maintainance was done. This would haunt the brewery later on. Under the Pabst/Stroh/Miller deal in early 1999, it seemed that the Tumwater Brewery would be reborn. In an asset swap, Miller bought the brewery and the Hamm's label from Pabst, for the best it would seem. New spending happened at the brewery, new machinery was installed, more workers hired and the grounds improved.

About 4 short years later, Miller had turned into SABMiller and Tumwater was shut down. Numerous reasons made the rounds, the brewery was too small to fit into SABMiller's system, the fight with LOTT, Union unrest, and the years of neglect by Pabst of the brewery. Huge money needed to be spent to bring the brewery up to what SABMiller wanted and then it was still too small.

Spent some time at Lakefair last night, mostly taking photos. It smelled like something dying...perhaps the fair itself...but it yielded some nice images. More at http://www.flickr.com/photos/earball/

I offered a new Olyblogger a cup of coffee.  It was really a whimsical gesture for her efforts and yet it brought back a great memory I'd like to share.

I was in Portland for business and had a hour or so to blow before a networking meeting, so I decided to hit one of the downtown coffee spots for an injection.

It was a beautiful day and decided to take the coffee out to the street tables, where I came upon a man enjoying his coffee and a fine cigar.  Since I don't really smoke them anylonger (since my heart attack) I asked if I could sit by him and enjoy his enjoyment.  He invited me to sit and we began to talk.

It turned out that he had lost his wife in the past few years, thus was on his own, as his daughter was an attorney in another city.  He had made his money with 11 McDonald's franchises and sold them back to corporate.  He was now enjoying the sunset of his life with a female companion that called during our conversation (he put her off in lieu of talking to me).  We sat there in the sun and talked for about an hour.  I asked where the Elephant Deli was, told him why I was going there, he gave me great directions and said to say hi to several people (I was going to an event planners meeting).

We both set out walking down the street to our cars.  We came upon a shop and he invited me to come in.  The shop keepers recognized in and he said "you know what I want" and waited.  They came back with a carton of fine chocolates that he handed to me and said "take these home to your wife and tell her how much you love her and missed her while you were gone".  Obviously, "no thanks" was not going to work.

I'm not sure why he made that gesture, but I know I sure enjoyed my conversation with that gentleman and often wonder how he's doing.

Maybe I need to go to Portland for a cup of coffee.