Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

On this, the day after Thanksgiving, two things:

1. Continue to be thankful, a commitment which should exist on more than one day a year.

• I return to commenting on Donald Trump because his approach creates huge risks for our country, even as I continue to be thankful to live here.

There should be no surprise about what we are seeing these days from Trump.

He is doing what he said he would do as he ran for president and, against my fond homes, won the office.

For one thing, Trump has announced that, on the first day of his presidency, now about two months away, he will impose new tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China through an executive order.

No one knows how those countries will respond to Trump’s order, but one thing seems clear:  Various prices will go up for Americans, including those who voted for Trump knowing about his fealty for tariffs, which he made abundantly clear.

More than $1.3 trillion worth of goods came from the three countries in 2023, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, including gas, cars and smartphones.

Here from the Washington Post is a breakdown of goods from the three countries, which means higher prices across-the-board:

Mexico/  “The United States conducts more trade with Mexico than any other country.  It imported $475 billion in goods from Mexico last year and exported almost $323 billion.

“The United States imported more than $400 billion worth of manufactured goods, compared with about $20 billion of products from the Mexican agriculture, forestry and livestock sectors; and about the same from the oil, gas and mining sectors, according to the bank. Goods included cars and car parts, computers and other electrical equipment, beverages, medical instruments and household appliances.”

Canada/  “Canada is the United States’ second-ranked trading partner:  The United States imported more than $418 billion in goods from Canada in 2023, and exported $354 billion.

“The top goods from Canada are crude oil and related products such as petroleum gas; vehicles such as cars and car parts; and machinery such as turbines, engines and construction equipment parts, according to global research firm Trading Economics.

“The U.S. also imports billions in plastics, pharmaceuticals, metals such as aluminum, iron and gold, wood and paper, and agricultural products from Canada.”

China/  “China is the United States’ third-largest trading partner. The U.S. imported almost $427 billion in goods last year and exported almost $148 billion.

“The top imports were electronics, including phones; machinery such as computers; toys, games, and sporting equipment; furniture; and plastics, medical equipment, clothes and shoes, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.”

Apart from tariffs, Trump gained the most publicity in the last few weeks for his executive appointments.

It is easy for many of us who favor good government to ridicule many of those appointees because they have almost no experience managing anything as large or diverse as a federal agency.  What they do appear to have is loyalty to Trump and, on one hand, that’s not bad for any president-elect.  It’s just bad when loyalty is combined with no other credentials.

In many cases, Trump simply turned to hosts of reality TV shows, especially on FOX News, in the apparent belief that looking good – at least to Trump – on camera was good enough.

Tom Nichols, writing in The Atlantic Magazine, put it this way as he tried to analyze what is motivating Trump:

“By overwhelming people with the sheer volume and vulgarity of his antics, Trump and his team are trying to burn out the part of our brains that can discern truth from fiction, right from wrong, good from evil.

“Trump isn’t worried that all of this will cause voters to have a kind of mental meltdown:  He’s counting on it.  He needs ordinary citizens to become so mired in moral chaos and so cognitively paralyzed that they are unable to comprehend the disasters that would ensue if he returns to the White House.”

I put the word “if” in bold face because Nichols should have said “when” he returns to the White House, since Trump, unfortunately, is going there.

More from Nichols:

“Trump will now dominate the news cycle almost every day with some new smoke bomb that is meant to distract from his attempts to stock the government with a strange conglomeration of nihilistic opportunists and self-styled revolutionaries.  He will propose plans that he has no real hope of accomplishing quickly, while trying to build an aura of inevitability and omnipotence around himself.

“His vow to begin mass deportations on his first day, for example, is a logistical impossibility, unless by mass he means slightly more than usual.  He may be able to set in motion some sort of planning on day one, but he has no way to execute a large-scale operation yet, and it will be some time before he has anywhere to put so many people marked for deportation.”

The other reality, Nichols adds, is that Trump has already accomplished the one thing he really cared about:  Staying out of jail. That’s because Special Counsel Jack Smith, who has announced his intention to leave government before Trump can fire him, has moved to dismiss the January 6 case against Trump.

Nichols adds, and I agree:  “So be it; if enough voters have decided they can live with a convicted felon in the White House, there’s nothing the rest of us can do about it.”

Finally, Nichols adds a piece of advice that is good for me and all Americans – or at least those who are worried about Trump.

“None of the things Trump is trying to do will happen all at once.  So, give yourself a break.

“Remember the great privilege and blessing it is to be an American and have faith in the American Constitution and the freedoms safeguarded within it.

“If your Uncle Ned shows up and still wants to argue about how the election was stolen from Trump four years ago, my advice is the same as it’s been for every holiday:  Tell him he’s wrong, that you love him anyway, that you’re not having this conversation today, and to pass the potatoes.”

Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

I found myself wondering this morning about the question in this blog headline, even as I contemplate a great Thanksgiving with my family here in the California desert.

The impetus for wondering was two-fold:  (a) having had the privilege of playing golf five times in Scotland where the title “Royal” abounds; and (b) reading again “A Season in Dornoch,” a book which touts the “Royal Dornoch” golf course, one of my favorite courses in the world.

So, golfer that I am, I turned to Golf Digest and I found that there is no simple way to answer the question.

Here is a summary from the Digest in a story written by Ryan Herrington:

“By definition, the title is authoritatively regal.  Royal Troon, host of the 152nd British Open Championship (golfers in Europe would call this “The Open”) is one of 69 clubs from around the world that can claim the label ‘Royal.’  Seven of them are in ‘The Open’ rotation.”

“’Royal,’ the Digest adds, is a distinction brimming with pageantry and, in most cases, import.

“Indeed, having the distinction brings with it an added level of authority. But it also begs the question:   Just how does a course earn the right to call itself ‘Royal?’”

More from the Digest:

“According to Scott Macpherson’s definitive 2013 book, Golf’s Royal Clubs, the designation of Royal clubs began in 1833.  The captain of the Perth Golfing Society, Lord Kinnaird, went on a trip to London to address King William IV, who had recently taken up the game.  While there, Kinnaird asked the King if he would become a patron of the Society and if the club could, in turn, call itself the Royal Perth Golfing Society.  William agreed, and a movement was born.

“A year later, the Society of St. Andrews Golfers, with royalty among its membership, renamed itself the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.”

Earning “Royal” status, however, has not been as simple as having royal figures as part of your club.  Royal Aberdeen in Scotland, for instance,  which did not have royalty as members, added the label in the 1870s only to be turned down by the crown when officials at the course requested the official designation.  It wasn’t until 1903 that Aberdeen finally was approved.

So, there now is a formal application process for the designation.  The reigning monarch has final approval.  

Back to Macpherson for the moment.

He said the title was restricted to “institutions of eminence, long standing and secure financial position, and devoted to national, charitable and scientific objects.”

So, the designation recognizes excellence and that is what I have seen in Scotland as I have played several “Royal” courses – Royal Aberdeen, Royal St. Andrews, Royal Troon – and, as I said, my favorite, Royal Dornoch.

Beyond Europe, “Royal” status also has been given to six courses in Canada (first to Royal Montreal in 1884 where the recent President’s Cup was played), eight in Australia (first to Royal Melbourne in 1895), six in Africa, three in Asia, two in New Zealand, and two in continental Europe.

So, as a monarch – yes, I am a monarch – I hereby convey “Royal” status on my home course in Salem, Oregon, Illahe Hills Golf and Country Club.

Now and forever more, it will be named Royal Illahe.

Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

One of my thoughts on a day such as this – or it would be true, as well, tomorrow on Thanksgiving Day – is that being thankful should not be limited to one day.

We have much to be thankful for every day.

So, today, I list several of my main reasons for being thankful – and the list appears in no particular order of priority:

For God Who Calls Me One of His Children:  My faith sustains me every day and I am thankful that “my heavenly father” – and I use that phrase intentionally because it calls to mind my great relationship with my earthly father whom I remember fondly and lovingly every day – counts me as one of “His children” without me having to earn that status.

For My Family:  Family means a lot to me.  I also know many people are not able to point with fondness and love to their family.  First, growing up with four siblings and a Mother and Father who loved me gave me a great start on life.

Then, I lucked out and married Nancy and, together, we produced two great children, Eric and Lissy, and then three grandchildren came along.

All of them – either in person or in spirt – will join us tomorrow for a Thanksgiving feast…for which I also am thankful that we have enough wherewithal to gather together.

Great to be part of a family!

For Friends:  Many of my friends (no names here, just a reference to “many”) these days play the game all of us love, golf, no matter how we manage to play or score on a given day.

“Real golf “is supposed to be like this, according to information in the 25^th anniversary of my favorite golf book of all time, “A Season in Dornoch,” an ode to folks and golf in the far north of Scotland written by one of the best golf writers around, Lorne Rubenstein.

I cannot but help but refer to this book because I am thankful for it – today and on other days.  Here are a couple quotes from the book just for a reminder about what golf is really about instead of the commercialism which dominates golf news these days:

“Even as they were coming to grips with the region’s history of turmoil, Rubenstein and his wife, Nell, (who accompanied him on his four-month sojourn in Dornoch, a small town in the far north of Scotland where Rubenstein found enough fodder this this produced) found themselves succumbing to the charms that have drawn so many to Dornoch. 

“They slowed down, let go of the urgency that drove life back in Toronto, and took time to savor the beauty of the landscape all around them; from the hills resplendent in purple heather to the golden sands of Dornoch beach.

“More and more often, Rubenstein found himself doing the things that made him love golf in the first place.  Playing alone at sunrise or sunset.  Playing by feel and sight, rather than by yardages.  Playing the ball on the ground, rather than through the air.  Playing beside the sea, in rain or wind, often with a half set.” 

And, Rubenstein often played without keeping score – just to love the game.

To get back to the point of this blog, my sense of thankfulness for the game I love draws me to many friends where I live in Salem, Oregon, and where I have the good fortune to live and play in the winter, La Quinta, California.

So, today and every day, be thankful for all things!

Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

Those of who are not very smart had to read the story in the Oregonian twice to understand the new information on Oregon’s “kicker law.”

The story appeared under this headline:  “Good-bye to record-breaking kicker tax rebates?  Oregon’s new state economist revamps revenue forecast.”

Let me put it this way:  As tax revenue predictions get more accurate, the amount of the “kicker rebate” will go down.

Here is the situation, according to the Oregonian:

“Official forecasters have been underestimating state revenues for more than a decade, a chronic issue Oregon’s new state economist (Carl Riccadonna) says he plans to fix by reforming the economic model his office uses to predict the state’s finances.

“My mandate joining the office back in September was to really get to the bottom of what’s happening here.

“His conclusion:  Oregon’s old forecasting model has been too pessimistic about the state’s economy and has done a lousy job accounting for how Oregon’s unique tax kicker affects its predictions.”

So, the point, as I noted above — which required the two-time reading — is that forecasts gete closer to reality, the “kicker” amount will go down.

That’s because Oregon’s kicker law – which, depending on your point of view, is either very good or very bad – is triggered when personal income taxes and some other revenue streams come in at least 2 per cent higher than was predicted as legislators set a two-year budget.  When that happens, the “excess money” is “kicked-back” to taxpayers.

Politically, the law has been controversial since it was enacted more than 20 years ago.

Here’s the tension.

• Many Democrats want all the tax money to fund the programs they hold dear, some of which, of course, are supported by other than Democrats.

• Many Republicans contend tax money belongs to payers, so when money arrives above estimates, taxpayers deserve a refund, which many taxpayers want.

That’s oversimplified, but the tension is clear. 

Plus, efforts to get rid of the kicker, either at the Legislature or at the ballot, always have failed.

Back to the Oregonian story:

“Hired in September, Riccadonna holds a job that is both a low-profile one, but also has enormous impact on Oregon’s budget.  That’s because the job holder is in charge of estimating revenue from all taxes and the lottery.  Then, those estimates are used by the Legislature to form the next state two-year budget, as well as to determine the size of the kicker.

“More accurate forecasts would also mean an end to record-breaking kicker refunds, which have fattened taxpayers’ wallets but left Oregon with less money to spend on schools, health care, transportation, and other budget priorities.

“It will be years before it’s clear whether Riccadonna has successfully diagnosed the flaws of prior forecasts and whether his work will produce more accurate predictions, including for the kicker.”

So, as always, watch for your kicker refund.  It is relatively clear that there will be one, but it’s size is not known, at least not yet.

Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

One of my friends suggested that I try to find stuff to write about other than Donald Trump.

Good point.  But Trump is doing such outlandish things as he prepares to take office that I know I won’t be able to avoid writing about his bid to make what I label, “Make American Less Great Again.”

Going after immigrants is one of those cases.

No one in America should be surprised that Trump is following through on his campaign promises to deport as many of them as he can.

No matter that, in one way or the other, all of us either are immigrants or the descendants of immigrants.  Other than Native Americans, of course.

Hill.com dealt with the coming reality:

“Immigrants with humanitarian or temporary legal status in the United States are at risk of being rendered effectively undocumented by the incoming Trump administration.

“More than 1.5 million people can currently live and work in the country protected both by longtime programs including Temporary Protected Status and Biden Administration innovations such as the parole processes for Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan migrants.

“’Twilight’” or ‘liminal’ stati occupy a gray area between unauthorized presence in the United States and legal permanent immigration paperwork.  According to data compiled by the Migration Policy Institute, the federal government has 3,390,295 grants of liminal statuses, though the number of people protected is almost certainly lower because some foreign nationals may be protected by more than one program.”

Hill.com adds that, without the protections granted by these programs, immigrants who are accustomed to living and working in the United States legally could lose those rights overnight, risking their livelihoods and potentially being detained and deported.

Jennifer Rubin, writing in the Washington Post, puts it this way:

“The deportation process is legal and complicated for all but very recent arrivals, with oversight by courts.  The country of origin can make return nearly impossible, although doing so would risk the wrath of Trump.

“As for using the military, as Trump has threatened, U.S. Today says, ‘Multiple presidential administrations have used the U.S. military in border enforcement, but U.S. law strictly prevents the president from using the military as a domestic police force, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.’”

Still, just wait.  Trump will try to find a way to use the military for this purpose.

And one of the first targets could be the state of Florida where Trump lives.  USA Today writes this: 

“President-elect Trump is already laying the groundwork to fulfill one promise he made on the campaign trail:  Mass deportations.  In his current home state of Florida, immigration experts said that about 5 per cent of the state’s population – or 1.1 million people – live there without legal permission.  The impact on the state’s communities, workplaces and economy will depend on how far Trump goes with his plan.”

More specifically, according to hill.com, here is a list programs that could be at risk under the second Trump administration:

Temporary Protected Status:  TPS actually is not an immigration program at all.  It was set up in 1990 amid increased migration from El Salvador, where death squads run by the U.S.-supported government were terrorizing a segment of the population.

The program was approved with Salvadorans in mind, but it gave the federal government the ability to grant work permits and deferrals from deportation to nationals of any designated nation.  Countries can be designated for TPS for up to 18 months at a time to avoid deporting people to somewhere going through or recovering from natural or man-made disasters.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals:  If TPS is the highest-profile statutory humanitarian relief program for foreign nationals, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is its executive action counterpart.

DACA was the Obama administration’s most visible immigrant relief effort, an origin story that attracts Democrats and repels Republicans.

But through its lifetime, DACA has gained bipartisan clout because it protects a publicly sympathetic group of people known as “Dreamers.”

Dreamers are undocumented immigrants who arrived in the country as minors — DACA beneficiaries are a subset of Dreamers who fulfilled the program’s requirements, including being born on or after 1981, arriving before 2007 and passing the relevant background checks.

Biden parole programs:  A second Trump administration is certain to stop accepting migrants into the country under parole programs started under Biden, but it’s less clear what will happen to people who have already received parole.

According to Migration Policy Institute numbers, the current administration has granted parole to Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan nationals 531,000 times as of September.  But the Biden administration has also said it will not renew CHNV parole status, forcing beneficiaries to seek a different status, including asylum or TPS.

Asylum:  The United States asylum system is overwhelmed, with a backlog of more than 2 million cases.  But there is significant overlap between asylum, gray area statuses and visas, including green cards.

So, there it is.  Programs for immigrants where there is little doubt but that Trump and his cronies will go after them.

Which raises as final thought for me.

My wife and I, along with many others in Salem, Oregon, have been supporting Salem for Refugees, which makes heroic efforts to re-settle immigrants in and around Salem.  But, what will Trump anti-immigration thrusts mean for programs such as this good one in Salem?

Of course, no one knows yet. 

But what Trump cannot do is forbid individual citizens such as my wife and me from setting out to do good work in our cities and neighborhoods, including with refugees.

Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

Department of Pet Peeves is one of five I run with a free hand to manage as I see fit.

The others are the Department of Good Quotes Worth Remembering, the Department of “Just Saying,” the Department of Inquiring Minds Want to Know, and the Department of Words Matter.

If there is overlap between and among those departments, it doesn’t matter.  I am in charge of all things – like Donald Trump, though I add quickly, not in all ways like Trump – so overlap is of no concern.

Regarding the Department of Pet Peeves, it has not been open for some time, so it is now time to chronicle some peeves in this, a relatively long post.

“SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED:”  Those are tough words for all of us who have had to put something together – a swing set for our kids, furniture for our patio, etc.

If it was up to me, I would make companies that issue “some assembly required” equipment, to meet personally with those assigned to the assembly task.

Perhaps then the instructions would be revised to make more sense, plus this critical addition:  When screws or bolts are needed for the assembly, provide more than the supposed exact amount to do the job.

All of us have faced challenges when we lost a screw or bolt and, thus, were one short.

The solution:  Those who pack boxes should always all five more of each screw or bolt you will use.

Sounds good, right?

RELATIVELY NEW WEATHER TERMS:  I could have opened several of “my” other departments for this – the Department of “Just Saying” or the Department of Inquiring Minds Want to Know, but I’ll leave it to Pet Peeves this time.

Who invented the terms “atmospheric river” and “bomb cyclone?”  Probably bored weather forecasters.

Here is what the terms mean, thanks to Mr. Google:

Atmospheric river:  The steady rain currently pummeling most of California – call it an “atmosphere river” — is expected to flood roads and lower elevations in the state.   Accompanying heavy snowfall in the Sierra Mountain Range could bury some lower-elevation mountain roads, as well.

“Atmospheric rivers” are to blame.  These regions of humid air flow come from the tropics into colder climates as strong winds and condense when they encounter mountains.  The warm air rises and cools over elevated land, forming clouds that dump rain and snow onto the earth below.  

“Atmospheric rivers are literally rivers in the sky, the rivers of water vapor that transport massive amounts of water in the atmosphere,” according to Popular Mechanics magazine.

Bomb cyclone:  Also known as bombogenesis (never heard that word before), bomb cyclone is a fast-developing storm that occurs when atmospheric pressure drops at least 24 millibars over a 24-hour period, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“A bomb cyclone occurs when atmospheric pressure at the center of the cyclone drops rapidly.  To qualify, the pressure needs to drop about 1 [millibar], or more, every hour over a 24-hour period.”

There, now you know, though I still don’t know what a “millibar” is.

For me, I prefer using the terms “rain” and “wind.”  Add modifiers – high, low, lots of either, etc. if you need to do so — but, still, use the old words.

Finally, to this, I add words from a Washington Post story this morning defining the two terms, plus a new one, the “Fujiwhara effect.”  Which means that this pet peeves post achieves another objective – education.

“While it may seem that meteorologists are pulling new descriptors out of their hats each week, terms like ‘bomb cyclone, ‘atmospheric river’ and ‘Fujiwhara effect have been around for a while and are rooted in science.

“The Fujiwhara effect is named for Japanese meteorologist Sakuhei Fujiwhara, who was the director of the Central Meteorological Observatory of Japan from 1941 to 1947.  Usage of the phrase dates back more than 70 years in scientific literature.

“The term ‘bomb cyclone”’ has been around for more than 40 years, since it was introduced by Frederick Sanders and John Gyakum in 1980.

“Bomb cyclones are mid-latitude cyclones — not hurricanes — that undergo explosive intensification within a 24-hour period.

“Even the term ‘atmospheric river’ is more than 30 years old, as coined in 1992 by Newell et al., though originally it was called a tropospheric river.  They were initially described as narrow but long filaments of water vapor that persist for many days.  Now we call them rivers in the sky and appreciate the important role they play in transporting water to almost all corners of the world.”

Back to pet peeves.

SLOW PLAY IN GOLF:  Several professional golfers on the Ladies Professional Golf Tour have gone on record advocating against slow play.

Two of them are Lexi Thompson and Nelly Korda.

They have a point.  Some professional rounds, they say, take almost six hours.

Slow play on the professional golf tours has been an issue for me for years.  Yet, there is an official golf rule which says that, when players reach the point of their next shot and pull a club, they have 40 seconds to play.  If, by chance, their ball is in a tough spot – near a tree, for instance – they are given a bit of extra time.

But is the 40-second rule ever enforced?  No.

Thus, my pet peeve.

Unless warnings, if not penalties, are imposed, slow play will never stop.

For me, obviously, not a pro golfer, I play at The Palms in La Quinta, California, in the winter.  There, players are given three hours and forty minutes to play 18 holes.

Easy if you set your mind to it.

Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

According to the New York Times, late night TV host Desi Lydic said this about Dr. Mohmet Oz named by Donald Trump to run the Medicaid and Medicare Services programs for the federal government:

 “At least Dr. Oz is an actual doctor.  I’m impressed Trump didn’t pick Dr Pepper.”

Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

People who know me know that, for some strange reason, I am interested in golf rules.

They usually are complicated and, with apologies to the United States Golf Association in the U.S. and the R & A in Europe, the rules are written in words that often don’t make sense.

Still, with all the complications, I enjoy focusing on and ins and outs of the game I love.

Here are two recent examples:

EXAMPLE #1:  WHEN IS A GOLF BALL REALLY LOST?:  A player named Emilio Gonzalez had been looking to make the weekend at the World Wide Technology Championship a week or so ago.  But, then, he was disqualified following a unusual rules incident.

Here is the way on-line golf magazine described the situation:

“After firing a one-over-par 73 on Thursday, Gonzalez would need a low round on Friday to make the cut at the tournament.

“Carding a one-under 71, he failed to make the weekend and, a few hours later, it turned out he was disqualified following a rules infringement at the par-4 15th!

“Signing his scorecard, the 27-year-old spoke to media and was likely on his way back to the hotel before rules officials revealed that he would be disqualified due to a rules’ breach of Rule 18.3 (Provisional Ball).”

“Being played at the Tiger Woods designed El Cardonal at Diamante, Gonzalez struck his tee shot on the 15th into the desert area and, a few seconds later, played a provisional.”

Now, this is where the rule infringement occurred because, after a brief search was conducted to find the first tee shot, a ball was found within the three-minute limit.  Then, officials claimed Gonzalez failed to make a “reasonable effort” to identify the ball once it was found.  He continued to play the provisional, making a bogey five.

Under Rule 18.3 – ‘Playing Provisional Ball After Search Has Started Is Allowed’, “A player may play a provisional ball for a ball that might be lost up until the point when the three-minute search time has ended.”

“For example, if a player is able to return to the spot of their previous stroke and play a provisional ball before the three-minute search time has ended, the player is allowed to do so.  If the player plays the provisional ball and the original ball is then found within the three-minute search time, the player must continue play with the original ball.”

To not be penalized and disqualified, Gonzalez needed to clearly determine whether the found ball was his or not.

And he failed, resulting in the DQ.

EXAMPLE #2:  WHEN IS OUT-OF-BOUNDS REALLY OUT-OF-BOUNDS:  In this example, the question is what to do if you hit your ball out-of-bounds off the tee, but discover the ball is in-bounds on a different hole?  Can you play it from its new spot.

The answer is that there is a Model Local Rule (A-5) that would treat a ball that crosses a boundary as out-of-bounds even if it comes to rest on another part of the course, which is in-bounds.

Without the Model Local Rule, if the ball comes to rest somewhere that’s on the course in-bounds, it doesn’t matter whether it crossed completely over a boundary or not.  The ball is on the course and it is in play without penalty.

If there is a moral here, it is this:  Know golf rules because, while they can penalize you on the course, they also can help you play better if you know them well.

Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

One of my friends suggested the other day that I could consider writing less about Donald Trump.  This friend has a point, but with Trump heading to the White House amidst many outlandish proposals, he might continue to be fodder for more blogs.

Not today, though.

I turn to the lure of big money that is driving sports these days.  The trend has bothered me on several counts:

• Professional golfers have been defecting from the PGA Tour, which gave them a solid place in golf.  Now, some of them head to LIV for insane amounts of money, even though LIV is funded by tainted money from Saudi Arabia.

• Four PAC 12 football teams have defected from the PAC 12 to the “Big Ten” (which I add is a inaccurate label because that conference now consists of 18 teams).  The teams are the University of Washington, the University of Southern California, the University of California at Los Angeles, and the University of Oregon.

• And, now, a third case:  U.S. players on the new Ryder Cup golf team, not yet selected, will now will be paid $400,000 each “to play for their country.”  This, at least in part, appears to be a response to a plea from certain players – read, Patrick Cantlay – to be paid for their “work” at the Ryder Cup.

Ron Green, Jr., a writer for Global Golf Post, wrote a recent column criticizing the decision by the PGA of America to pay players.

“It diminishes,” he said, “the notion that players in the Ryder Cup are playing for something other than themselves – for team and country.”

By contrast, the team from Europe won’t be paid for the 2025 event. 

A great player for Europe, Shane Lawry, said he doesn’t want to be paid.  He said it is more than enough to play for your country.

The announcement that U.S. Ryder Cup players would get $400,000 each came in the midst of another piece of controversial news – customer ticket prices for the 2025 event have skyrocketed to $750 apiece, which is likely to prompt some potential buyers to pass.

Again, it appears to be all about the money – in pro golf, in the Ryder Cup, in college sports.

For my part, if those getting the money would just admit they were doing it for the money rather than for some other exalted purpose, I would be fine with that declaration.

One example is pro golfer Harold Varner who said he was heading to LIV “because of the money and to set up his family up for life.”  Good for him to be honest and open.

Others said they were leaving “to grow the game of golf.” 

Hogwash!

Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

As I try to understand how Donald Trump won the campaign for president of the United States, I still find myself flummoxed.

First, don’t you like that word, “flummoxed?”

It sort of rolls off the tongue, and by that measure alone, summarizes the incredible status we face in the U.S. – a new president who is a felon, an abuser of women, a reality TV show host, and a person who always thinks he is the smartest person in any room.

So it is that I have wondered about the political strategy that produced the Trump win, if there was a strategy at all.

The New York Times helped me this morning with this:

“For much of the past decade, Trump has repeatedly swamped the system with provocations.  Steve Bannon (one of Trump’s long-time aides who just got out of prison for telling Congress to pound sand) memorably stated that their strategy for dealing with the news media was to ‘flood the zone’ with manure.

“The strategy has ensured that little focus stays on any single scandal.  The caravan moves quickly on to the next, and the next, creating an overall blurring and flattening effect. He (Trump) has survived them all, including 34 felony convictions and being held liable for sexual abuse.”

There you have it.

The Trump strategy.

And, we’re all worse for the wear and tear of it.