They came to Mesquite from all around the country to participate in long distance running races on top of the Flat Top Mesa. Thirty-six runners gathered at the Virgin Valley water tank around sunrise and began their 50-km, 50-mile, 100-km and 100-mile (actually 104 miles) races by ascending the one-mile steep winding trail to the top of Flat Top Mesa.
Fast forward to late afternoon and the 50-km and 50-mile contestants who were nearing the finish line. Here are some thoughts from the finishers of those amazing accomplishments:
Following the sunset, the temperature plummeted, and the chill was further intensified by the winds kicking up from the northwest. Despite the cold, the dark and treacherous terrain, the runners continued their quest to throughout the night and the next day.
We returned the next day around sunset to cheer on the final runners along with their fans and supporters during this 35 hour+ push to the finish. The runners shared their experience with their comments:
The complete results of the 4 races and the 36 ultra-runners may be viewed on the ultrarunning website: Ultra Running Website
And so, the spring 2022 Flat Top Mesa Ultra Marathon comes to an end, and we celebrate this remarkable event and this beautiful end of the day with this:
The Southern Nevada Symphony Orchestra is back. It is the title of the Symphony’s first performance since March 2020 and a dazzling performance was turned in by the conductor Dr. Selmer Spitzer and the many talented orchestra performers.
Dr. Selmer Spitzer and his team of the Southern Nevada Symphony Orchestra (SNSO) have been providing a world class symphony for more than eight years. Much of the talent that is recruited by Dr. Spitzer is from the Mesquite, Moapa and Virgin River Valley. The November 13, 2021 “The Symphony is Back” provided a fantastic musical performance to a sold-out crowd at the Mesquite Community Theatre.
The performance was dedicated to Dr. Ann Rice. Dr. Rice has championed the cause of bringing world class entertainment to our local community and supported the symphony since its founding some eight years ago by serving on the SNSO board of directors and with generous financial contributions.
If you were not able to see and hear our symphony on November 13, 2021, here is a video of the entire performance for your viewing and listening pleasure.
The early rumblings of the 2022 political campaigns call for some serious soul searching including an in depth look at WTF (What the F..) or HTF (How the F..) did this happen. Martha C. Nussbaum presents a philosopher look at our current political crisis and the retributive response to fear that has polarized American for the last twenty years. In the book titled “The Monarchy of Fear”, Nussbaum untangles the web of emotions and fear and articulates the politics of constructive work and hope.
Nussbaum first look at fear begins at the everyone’s beginnings, when we first enter the world and are confronted with unknowns that we can’t understand but only respond with emotional outbursts that apparently always gets someone’s attention. The author draws from historical and contemporary examples of fear-based motivations and traces likes and dislikes and value assignations to emotional responses to fear. It is a fascinating read and may upend the world as you know it and understand it and it will take you out of your engrained comfort zone.
Dr. Nussbaum discusses the book at length at a Politics and Prose event at the Bookstore Coffeehouse. Please watch this short video:
Martha C. Nussbaum is the Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics, appointed in the Philosophy Department and Law School of the University of Chicago.
Combined Non-Partisan and Minor Party Registration Approaching Leading Voter Share
By Doug Goodman -Founder & Executive Director Nevadans for Election Reform
Less than three percent now remains until those not registered to vote as either Democratic or Republican become the largest voting bloc in Nevada. That group is already the largest bloc among voters 18 to 34 years of age by over seven percent. The voter registration numbers for April 2021 continue to show no change to this trend.
Just how strong is this change in voter party preference? This table shows the voter share as of April 2011, 2016, and 2021. Note the change from 2016 to 2021 is more than double the change from 2011 to 2016.
Party
2011
2016
Diff
2021
Diff
D
42.09%
40.08%
-2.01%
35.78%
-4.30%
R
36.38%
35.02%
-1.36%
31.27%
-3.75%
NP
15.82%
18.93%
+3.11%
25.13%
+6.20%
Other
5.71%
5.98%
+0.27%
7.82%
+1.84%
Total Not D or R
21.53%
24.91%
+3.38%
32.95%
+8.04%
Here are the March to April 2021 changes
State-Wide
Party
Change in # Voters
% Change
% Voter Share
Difference in Voter Share %
D
-1,183
-0.18%
35.78%
-0.23%
R
-2,311
-0.41%
31.27%
-0.27%
NP
8,006
1.79%
25.13%
0.33%
IAP
158
0.19%
4.55%
-0.01%
LIB
44
0.25%
0.97%
0.00%
Other
3,574
9.42%
2.29%
0.19%
Total not D or R
32.95%
0.51%
Other includes Green Party, Natural Law Party, other or not specified.
Clark County
Party
Change in # Voters
% Change
% Voter Share
Difference in Voter Share %
D
20
0.00%
38.83%
-0.32%
R
-154
-0.04%
27.44%
-0.24%
NP
7,367
2.26%
25.97%
0.36%
IAP
328
0.59%
4.40%
-0.01%
LIB
114
1.03%
0.87%
0.00%
Other
2,948
10.18%
2.49%
0.21%
Total not D or R
33.73%
0.56%
18 – 34 Year Old
Party
Change in # Voters
% Change
% Voter Share
Difference in Voter Share %
D
-530
-0.29%
36.17%
-0.35%
R
-1,066
-1.02%
20.33%
-0.35%
NP
3,653
2.14%
34.19%
0.49%
IAP
-28
-0.12%
4.65%
-0.04%
LIB
-2
-0.02%
1.59%
-0.01%
Other
1,396
9.76%
3.08%
0.25%
Total not D or R
43.50%
0.69%
Other includes Green Party, Natural Law Party, other or not specified.
55+
Party
Change in # Voters
% Change
% Voter Share
Difference in Voter Share %
D
-379
-0.14%
36.70%
-0.15%
R
-581
-0.20%
39.84%
-0.18%
NP
1,887
1.52%
17.26%
0.21%
IAP
86
0.27%
4.31%
0.00%
LIB
12
0.38%
0.44%
0.00%
Other
894
9.20%
1.45%
0.12%
Total not D or R
23.46%
0.33%
Other includes Green Party, Natural Law Party, other or not specified.
A Republican-sponsored bill (SB121) to address this growing shift in the political landscape was denied a hearing by Democratic leadership.
I am a frequent visitor to the Flat Top Mesa and have explored the area for more than 12 years. The Flat Top Mesa is exemplary of the magnificent beauty the Colorado Plateau and the river valleys that carved through the sandstone formations of the plateau. The mesa provides a spiritual reprieve from all that is below and one can easily be immersed and in complete solitude in this immense expanse.
Just below the Flat Top Mesa is a recently constructed road which I have frequented traveled. The road was cut through several small hills forming sandstone walls along that road.
A local artist noted that these walls provided an ideal medium for (“sandcastles” – remember how easy it was to sculpt and build in the sand on the beach) carving two and even three-dimensional images. The sandstone carvings were completed over the last three years with the grandest of them finished the end of February 2021.
Here is the Mesquite Weekly exclusive interview with the artist Pete Karns:
Last week I stumbled upon rock arrangement forming a small circular enclosure. Another nearby larger rock arrangement formed the writing “LOVE IS FOREVER”. And indeed, from the perspective of this expanse and from the viewpoint of the Mojave Desert flatness of the mesa with majestic mountains in the background and sweeping views of the mesa cliffs and the valley below, we are easily deceived by our senses and the temporal dimensions of our influence on this eternal place. The Anasazi, Hopi and the Paiutes have also left reminders of their presence in the area. More recent artistic endeavors were also noted by painted rocks left behind on and below the mesa by other unknown local artists.
Markers on our Mesa include a giant white V painted on a southeastern flat top mesa slope overlooking I15 by our current local population. The sense of permanence fades just like the fade of the petroglyphs and the realization that the V requires upkeep for its fresh appearance.
Kurt Vonnegut’s journey through time detailed in the authors book “Slaughterhouse 5” and my journey on the top of the flattop inspired these thoughts on time and our temporal influence on this place:
An event attended by some 100 and about 40 endurance run participants was held on the Flat Top Mesa on February 20 and 21, 2021. Please join me in our next edition of the Mesquite Weekly for the MW’s coverage of an event that is inspiring and exemplifies the apparent permanence and endurance of the flat top mesa.
Solar Power, Wind power, Tidal and Wave power, Water Mills, and etc., it is the new Energy Infrastructure shaping our future and and our tomorrow and it is in play as of today. Energy Capturing technologies have been around almost as long as mankind itself. Energy storage however is only a very recent activity (aside from dams and natural resourced carbon). Electric transmission lines have been the flywheel that kept the electric power flowing and reliable. Transmission lines are very costly and power losses increase with transmission distance.
Highly promising energy storage batteries have provided an answer as to what do we have when the sun don’t shine or the wind don’t blow. Batteries have been around for quite a while, however a major enabler of the electronics world were batteries that could store and transmit(discharge) and deliver power to where needed. Small size and powerful, credentials that led the Lithium Ion battery to the undisputed leader position in the energy storage world.
On a larger scale, a battery suited for the electric grids could not be produced without financially unstainable cost, environmental instability, and exhaustion of raw material resources.
In the 1990’s MIT’s Prof. Don Sadoway progressed from a theoretical position to a practical solution which led to the development the Ambri liquid metal battery. For a quick video to help explain why this battery will dramatically impact the energy industry and literally turn it it on its head please watch this.
Technologically advanced and with its sight on a sustainable and economical power plant in Nevada is Terrascale and its partner Ambri and the Energos Reno Project. TerraScale, a clean infrastructure design and development firm committed to transforming and modernizing digital infrastructure, announced in 2021 that it has signed an agreement with Ambri, to deploy its proprietary Liquid Metal Battery technology. As part of the agreement, TerraScale and its data center development partners will integrate an Ambri energy storage system for its Energos Reno project. The project will include the development of a data center that will capitalize on the site’s renewable energy infrastructure. The reduced carbon operations are of strong interest to TerraScale’s data center future tenants including large commercial and government data users, as sustainable data center demands continue to rise.
Together with its partners, TerraScale’s Energos Reno Project intends to deploy green data center technologies that are based on proprietary, high-performance energy production and data computing processes. Energos Reno is a 3,700 acre mixed-use development near Reno, Nevada that aims to enable secure, swift storage and transmission of data between government agencies and commercial clients. TerraScale intends to develop a data center with 500MW of renewable power on-site generation within ten years to power an inside-the-fence microgrid.
“Our data center technology partners are looking forward to deploying Ambri’s technology to enable high-volume, reliable, and resilient energy storage with potentially the lowest levelized cost of storage in the industry,” said Danny Hayes, Chief Executive Officer, TerraScale. “TerraScale is very excited to deploy Ambri’s technology into our Energos Reno project.”
“The collaboration is underway and includes delivery of 250 MWh of Ambri systems to TerraScale’s first project in Reno, Nevada starting in 2021,” said Adam Briggs, Ambri’s Chief Commercial Officer. “The Ambri systems are particularly well suited for the project’s high-desert operations, for the shifting of its large amounts of renewable solar load, and for its grid-system peak shaving capability.”
Ambri’s batteries utilize a calcium – antimony based cell chemistry that began at MIT in the lab of Professor Donald Sadoway. Ambri’s investors include Bill Gates, Khosla Ventures and TOTAL SE.
Ambri’s long-duration systems, which are based on its patented chemistry, can deliver daily 100% depth of discharge cycling performance for more than 20 years with negligible degradation at a significantly lower system cost than other battery storage technologies. Systems built with Ambri’s cells can operate safely under all environmental conditions without the need for air conditioning or fire suppression equipment—increasing the system’s efficiency while reducing project cost and maintenance.
About Ambri
Ambri Inc. is developing and commercializing a new long duration battery technology that will enable widespread use of renewable energy sources, reduce electricity costs and enable power systems to operate more reliably and efficiently. The liquid metal battery project began at MIT in the lab of Professor Donald Sadoway and the company was formed in 2010, when the project achieved significant technical breakthroughs. Ambri’s investors include Khosla Ventures, Bill Gates and TOTAL SE. More information is available at:
About TerraScale
TerraScale is a clean infrastructure design and development firm that is transforming and modernizing digital infrastructures around the world. Through the company’s consortium, TerraScale takes a unique approach to future-proofing our planet by collaborating with the best in class green engineering, technology, real estate, fiber and energy construction firms globally, to ensure maximum value delivery across the lifecycle of its projects. Whether site development or build-to-suit, colocation, hyperscale or regional strategies, TerraScale’s projects and programs are designed to meet the needs of government and industry in the most responsible, secure and sustainable manner.
The Magic begins every year in January with the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and as always The Mesquite Weekly was in attendance. The entire show was completely digital in 2021.
More than 150,000 from all over the world participated virtually in twenty-four different time zones.
The show continues to dazzle and the challenge to present live presentations were overcome with plenty of live and on-demand viewing opportunities for all twenty-four time zones in our global world represented by more than 100 countries.
Up first is Kohler and yes you may well ask: Faucets, Toilets and Bathtubs and Electronics ???
Watch the show.
Kohler Presents:.
Faucets, Toilets and Bathtubs at your command with technical features that will wow and make life easier.
Installation of plumbing will require new skills for the plumber or the IT specialist and possibly more players selling their services and wares.
The Kohler bathtub involves more than just plumbing. There is lighting, vaporizers, music and then some. It can be yours for about $ 16,000 plus installation and funds for bathroom remodeling and to retrofit plumbing and electric power.
The dazzle and king of all the buzz fascinating the gamers is again being generated by NVDIA at CES 2021.
Watch the NVIDEA razzle dazzle:
The gaming business may not be the main driver for NVIDEA. Although graphics innovations and the technology takeaways related to the artificial intelligence experience have spurred the growth of image recognition. The AI graphic elements are critical to autonomous vehicles, safety and security, law enforcement, automated home applications and … oh well let your imagination do the rest. The stock market is reacting more than just favorable.
A major driver for consumer electronics as you will note is entertainment and at the center of it all is home entertainment. All the players are focused on the tube, the telli or the TV and it is all flat and enormously large and gearing up for 8K resolution. We barely got 4k out into the wild and the streamers are flooding our view with beautiful content. But here they are again with 8K 8K and 8K. Samsung, Sony and LG are the players we will hear from including a newcomer or maybe in name only. Skyworth dazzles with 8K including a small cubic 8K video camera (a thought left over from GoPro?). Even Panasonic joins in, but we did note that Panasonic is not coming back to play in the US TV landscape.
8K Everywhere and coming Home in 2021:.
SAMSUNG:
LG:
SONY:
SKYWORTHY:
Watch this channel for updates and for more amazing news that have already changed the world and will continue to change our world at a mind numbing pace. Don’t pass it up by sleeping through it, stay awake drink the latest caffeinated protein shakes and take it all in. You will never be the same again.
The opportunities to put a voice to your choice will be gone in less than ten days. If don’t do it now what will you tell those that will write about it in the history books. What will they say about you if you decide not to be heard.
Is it clear that this is about voting for the good guys or the other guys. You know who they are! There is a lot of real information available.
Lets start with a speech made at Gettysburg
and end with one of the many episodes of the other guys deeds.
Don’t forget that there are others involved and they want you to help them get back into office. By now you know who they are and you know if they live on the bright or the dark side of the moon. Let sunshine always shine on those that have your back especially when you are hurting. This time may be the last time that you will be in a position to save the soul of the nation and the light of the world we still hope to have tomorrow.
Elections 2020 – America’s most consequential election contest will be decided in less than two weeks. The election will decide what the future will be for America and also for the world. We witnessed the best and the worst of Americans during this struggle.
However a plague is upon us and for many of us our entire being is focused on the existential matters presented by a pandemic that is raging in the United States and most of the world.
We are again looking at disasters facing us like never before and the dire situation in Utah appears to be only the beginning and an example of what is yet to come. Today, October 19, 2020 in the state of Utah began like the last three weeks with COVID cases in excess of 1,000 per day. COVID deaths have doubled in less than two months. The State of Utah and the Trump administration seem to want to stay the course. No change in plans or better stated: No plans at all. Utah hospitals are at or above capacity. Hospital ICU units may have to turn away, not just COVID patients, but patients with other potentially fatal conditions.
This drama has been reenacted since February 2020 in almost every state of the United States and in most of the world. Our fight against this pandemic and our climate crisis have not yielded a plan to resolve these critical life and death matters for every human being on our planet.
America and the world is in search of a plan. It is within our power to determine this plan and demand this plan of action to address our health and our ability to continue to thrive in our country and on our planet.
A proposal was made in July 2020. The proposal outlines the deliverables that will stop our downward spiral into an abyss that will darken our nation for generations to come.
It is we that must enable this plan. It is we that must demand this plans deliverables. It we that must work together to execute this plan. It is all within our power and all we need to do is just say so. We have less than two weeks to speak up.
Following the sunset, the temperature plummeted, and the chill was further intensified by the winds kicking up from the northwest. Despite the cold, the dark and treacherous terrain, the runners continued their quest to throughout the night and the next day.
