Now this is an interesting business approach...  Costa Rica is widely known for its superior coffee, and now their coffee producers could help bail out Starbucks during this downturn. Costa Rica Pages reports:

After a difficult year of sales, Starbucks is looking to widen its sphere of coffee associates within Central and South America... The idea would be to sell shares of the company to the local growers, so that they can have a share in the final profits produced by their own product.

Coffee, in its pre-cup phase!

Starbucks share prices have dropped dramatically during 2008, from $20.45 to $7.17.  It's easy to understand why.  With consumers in the US and elsewhere feeling an economic pinch, they're apt to cut back on pricey lattes.  Like the Planet Money podcast has been reporting, it's one of the small choices consumers make that have a big effect.

Some Costa Rican coffee producers already sell beans to Starbucks, but arrangements like this could possibly increase the number of producers or their quantities.  It wasn't explained in the article, but it seems that since Starbucks' total coffee purchases would go down with demand, this would mean giving preference to suppliers who buy into the system with purchases of Starbucks stock.

For Costa Rican producers (or those in many other countries), buying stock and thereby protecting or increasing their sales could seem like a good solution.  Assuming that Starbucks' fortunes turn around with the economy, they'd be protecting their sales channel while also buying an investment that could make them a profit.

This could be a great solution that benefits all parties involved in the long run, and really bails Starbucks out in the short term. The producers would have a new distribution channel and get shares at a low price and Starbucks will receive a mini bailout, adding more value to the company.

It sounds like an innovative plan that could provide a lot of benefits.  The only thing I'm not sure of is how this would work for smaller growers.  Is it going to benefit mostly the large producers with enough capital to invest?  Or could smaller growers also participate, even though they might have little in the way of investment funds?

I'll be interested to see how it works.  For more, see
Costa Rica Pages: Coffee Producers Could Join Starbucks Brand

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We've just announced a special deal on our women's trip to Costa Rica -- book by Jan 14 and get an extra night free in San Jose.  And if you're going to Costa Rica, could you bring me back a pound of coffee?  Pretty please?
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Related posts:

1. Costa Rica ex-president and corruption charges
2. Costa Rica graduates to middle class
3. Costa Rica finds volcano 250

There was an amazing sailboat in the bay at the time -- the Maltese Falcon, reportedly the largest sailing yacht in the world.

Here's the "before" picture, taken on Saturday, with the Maltese Falcon, and Angel Island in the background.

Maltese Falcon & Angel Island - day before fire

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Boat, Island, Fire

Here's the "after picture, taken on Sunday. Same boat, same island. What a difference a day makes!

Burning photo is at Sailing Anarchy.  Click the thumbnail for the full amazing photo.

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I was in San Francisco for our annual Napa Valley & San Francisco tour, and stayed an extra day to go sailing.  Little did I realize that about the time I was getting home from my trip, this fire was starting on Angel Island.

Related posts:

1. So there we were... with a gazillion boats
2. So there we were.. power lounging at White Bay
3. Photo: Napa Valley, vine-covered winery

The famous, historic resort on Orcas Island - Rosario Resort - is up for auction this month. We were just there last month as part of our San Juan Islands tours.

There's a beautiful mansion built by retired tycoon Robert Moran back in the early 1900s, that's the heart of the resort. It's well worth a stop - a beautiful place, with historical exhibits and an amazing pipe organ, and it gives you a sense of how the very wealthy lived in those days. (Of course, once the property is sold, who knows if the mansion will still be open for visitors?  I sure hope so!)

Moran was a man ahead of his time.  Much of Orcas Island is now protected as a State Park due to the fact that he was tenacious in his desire to donate the land.  The state didn't want to accept his donation, but he kept trying.  It took 10 years before they accepted his gift!

View from Mt. Constitution

Thank goodness he kept trying, because today Moran State Park is a wonderful place to visit, with camping, boating, and miles of hiking trails.  The high point (!) is Mt. Constitution. As the tallest peak in the islands, it offers terrific vistas.
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Nobody knows right now what will happen with the Moran Mansion and Rosario Resort.  But thanks to Robert Moran, we know that we'll still be able to hike up (or down) Mt. Constitution - a memorable part of all our San Juan Islands trips.

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I've been contemplating expansion options, so what do you think -- should we buy Rosario? It is a very cool place. And hey, we'd never need to wonder where the Adventurous Wenches would stay when we visit Orcas Island!
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Related posts:

1. Photo: Ferry boat arriving Orcas Island
2. Killer whales and navy sonar
3. Mysterious tremors near Seattle

And not any of the Adventurous Wenches on our trip, either. It was thousands of other people...

One morning on our recent Ireland tour, the morning news reported that thousands of people were getting naked outside, in nearby Cork. This was just a wee way from where our group was staying, and it was pretty dang cold outside right around sunrise!

All these volunteers were happily disrobing to take part in a big artistic "installation" by Spencer Tunick. This is his specialty -- arranging thousands of naked people in outdoor settings, and taking photographs. He's done it around the world, and Ireland was his latest.

Check it out here: http://www.spencertunick.com/

They don't have the results of this shoot, but they DO show some of his other work.

So... I've got to wonder, how does a person get into this line of work? Do you start by taking nude photos of your friends in the park? Perhaps a couple at first, then a foursome, working your way up to 30 people at a time? Or do you just start with a group scene right off the bat, perhaps picking up participants at a frat party??

However he does it, there was no shortage of willing volunteers, happy to get up close and personal with their fellow countrymen/women. I suppose sharing body heat would have been a good thing at that point!

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This was a morning on our recent women's tour of Ireland. Frankly, I was glad to be fully dressed that day, and not shivering outside! I can't see myself ever volunteering for one of those installations, but the odds would go up in the tropics!
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Related posts:

1. Ireland: Forlorn lion of Ballyseedy
2. Ireland must do EU revote - says who?
3. Ireland says NO to EU

Now Sarkozy, the president of France, has said that Ireland should revote. Needless to say, this has caused a furor in Ireland. The leader of Sinn Fein called it "deeply insulting".

The vote was a big deal. The Lisbon Treaty is the successor to the failed EU Constitution, which was voted down by France and the Netherlands in 2005. Back to the drawing board, and they came up with a new version, called the Lisbon Treaty. This time, people in France and the Netherlands didn't get to vote -- their governments just approved it for them. This time, the only country that gave their citizens the right to vote on it was Ireland, and those citizens said no.

It's understandable that other EU leaders are frustrated that the Irish threw a monkey wrench into their plans. But for Sarkozy to say that Ireland has to vote again seems less than diplomatic.

The clear subtext is "You people got it wrong - keep doing it over until you get it right." That's going to go over well, isn't it?

And for NO voters who fear giving too much control to heavy-handed foreign leaders without their best interests at heart -- well, this gives them an example to point to.

A comment on the BNP blog summed up some people's feelings:

Perhaps we can also have a re-run of the French Presidential Elections as well - to get 'the right' result?"

AFP: Sarkozy call for second EU vote provokes storm in Ireland

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We were in Ireland for our annual women's tour to Ireland, and happened to be there during the referendum. The country was plastered with Yes and No signs, and it turned out the No's won. It will be interesting to watch what happens from here!
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Related posts:

1. Ireland says NO to EU
2. Ireland: Prime Minister resigns in corruption scandal
3. Ireland: Forlorn lion of Ballyseedy

"YES - Put Ireland at the heart of Europe."

"NO - Ireland can do better"

I quickly realized that this was more than just a minor election; Ireland was voting on whether to accept the Lisbon Treaty - the new version of the European Union (EU) constitution. The first day of our women's Ireland tour was the day the results were announced, and we discovered that Ireland said NO to Europe.

From what we've heard here, the No votes were largely a result of
... a) fears (fueled by the No backers), that a Yes could lead to anything from EU taxes to abortion to conscription into an EU army, and
... b) general protest vote of unhappiness with gas prices, food prices, immigration, and any other problems.

The treaty had to be ratified by all 27 member nations. Other countries approved it by government action without a referendum, but Ireland's constitution required voter approval. Their No vote is effectively a veto.

So what's the world's reaction? And what happens next?

• EU government leaders are shaking their heads in frustration, but many citizens of other countries are happy. They say they would have voted No too, but their governments didn't give them a chance to vote.
  Associated Press: Would-be voters support Irish veto of EU treaty
• Many of the treaty measures are likely to be passed "by stealth", via existing EU powers, bypassing the veto.
  Telegraph: EU Treaty likely to be imposed by stealth
• Some countries are considering splitting the EU into tiers: Those that want closer integration could form their own "club of the few", while countries like Ireland would be delegated to a lower tier of involvement.
  International Herald Tribune: Split emerges in EU after Irish rejection of Lisbon Treaty

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I'm in Ireland right now for our Ireland tour for women. We're having a great time, and all the political doings are adding a little extra excitement. I know we'll all be watching this more closely once we get home!

Related posts:

1. Ireland must do EU revote - says who?
2. Ireland: Prime Minister resigns in corruption scandal
3. Ireland: Forlorn lion of Ballyseedy

The former Costa Rican president, Miguel Angel Rodriguez (1998-2002) is being investigated on corruption charges. Now his bank accounts, 4 properties and 2 cars have been embargoed by the courts, and there’s a lien on his salary.

Rodriguez appears to be a shady character. He was involved in a questionable deal that granted cell phone contracts to French company Alcatel. Now he’s also suspected of involvement with a Panamanian company, which supposedly paid out $2.1M to Rodriguez and other officials.

Costa Rica Blogs: Ex-president’s Holdings Embargoed by Courts

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Seems I just wrote about a corrupt leader in Ireland, and now it's Costa Rica! But that won't stop our women's travel to Costa Rica. We go there every year, and people love it!
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Related posts:

1. Costa Rica graduates to middle class
2. Costa Rica finds volcano 250
3. Costa Rica coffee growers bail out Starbucks?

For over 10 years the Mahon Tribunal has been investigating allegations of corruption involving Mr Ahern, who has always denied any wrong-doing. In recent months the tribunal has looked into the apparently bizarre nature of Mr Ahern's finances in the 1990s when he served as Ireland's Finance Minister. ...

In the 1990s, Mr Ahern, a trained accountant, did not hold a personal bank account preferring to cash his salary cheques in his local north Dublin pub.

It does seem fishy for the Finance Minister to not even have a bank account, doesn’t it?

Read the whole story at
Telegraph: Bertie Ahern resigns as Ireland's Prime Minister

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We'll be visiting the Emerald Isle soon for our women's tour of Ireland. I'm sure there will be some interesting political developments before then!
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Related posts:

1. Costa Rica ex-president and corruption charges
2. Ireland says NO to EU
3. Ireland: Forlorn lion of Ballyseedy

The traditional scientific view is that the Arizona canyon is 6 million years old, and the Colorado River is responsible for carving it. This new study proposes that the western reaches began forming 17 million years ago (before the river even existed), while the eastern portion formed in just the past 4 million years.

The scientists (Victor Polyak and University of New Mexico colleagues), base their research on clues from caves in the canyon walls. They argue that the traditional timelines based on geologic events are reliable only to about a million years ago. Instead, they're using a new technique -- looking at deposits in the caves. They reason that as the canyon cut deeper, it dropped the surrounding water tables. Specific mineral deposits in the caves then indicate different ages for different parts of the canyon.

Not all scientists agree. Ivo Lucchitta, an Arizona geologist, said he is "outraged".

Find the whole story at
National Geographic: Grand Canyon Millions of Years Older Than Thought?

Of course, such debates about 6 million vs. 17 million years seem minor compared to the religious argument that the canyon is just a few thousand years old, based on biblical interpretations. Very interesting how people can look at the exact same canyon walls and see such different things!

New York Times: Seeing Creation and Evolution in Grand Canyon

National Park employees say that the Bush administration has forced them to ignore geological evidence, and sell religious books instead.

In order to avoid offending religious fundamentalists, our National Park Service is under orders to suspend its belief in geology," stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch. "It is disconcerting that the official position of a national park as to the geologic age of the Grand Canyon is 'no comment.'"

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER): How old is the Grand Canyon? Park Service won't say

Personally, I've never understood this literal interpretation of the Bible in dating the earth. Why assume that a "God-day" is the same as a "person-day"? I guess that's my scientific skepticism showing.

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Arizona is the Grand Canyon state, and there's a lot more here, too! From saguaro forests in the desert, to pine forests in the mountains, it's an amazing place. We do Sedona tours here a few times a year, and it's simply spectacular.
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Related posts:

1. Arizona water policy = don't ask
2. Tuzigoot - Ancient Sinagua Ruins in Arizona
3. Tumacacori - Ruins and dancing

An otherwise lazy afternoon at Ambergris Caye was interrupted by the arrival of a boat full of Cuban refugees. It was a small open fishing boat, with improvised outriggers made of long branches sticking out to the sides with tires on the ends. 13 Cuban refugees had been out on the open sea of the Caribbean in this for 10 days.

They landed on the beach near my hotel. Some couldn't walk after that long scrunched up in the boat, and were helped to shore. They were all so happy to be on dry land in Belize -- some of them were hugging the trees, others kissing the ground. After their ordeal, they were finally free! But it was not to be...

The Belizean police showed up and took them all away. Everyone was in tears now, including many in the crowd who had gathered to watch the scene.

According to crowd knowledge, if they had landed in Mexico, the law would have let them stay in Mexico once they were on solid ground. If intercepted in Mexican waters, they would have been sent straight back to Cuba. However, the law in Belize is a bit different. Even though they hit solid ground, they're not allowed to stay there. Instead, they'll be patched up a bit, then put back on their boat & sent on their way again.

We're all hoping the authorities provide them with medical attention, food, water, fuel, and instructions on how to get to Honduras, before they tow that little boat back out through the reef and set them afloat. I hope they make it.

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From snorkeling on the barrier reef, to climbing Mayan pyramids, our women's trip to Belize is quite an adventure! I love Belize and the variety it has to offer, and can hardly wait to go back.
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Related posts:

1. Belize - Crushed at Caracol
2. Belize: Cave where the kids used to play
3. So there we were... snorkeling without a rope