More beer sales will boost the economy some, of course, but, instead, I think some of the millions of dollars for TV boxes should be spent on ski equipment. The trickle-down effect would be much greater than that of beer.

Here is how it could work. I know of a ski company that has a 300,000 square foot research & development factory. They also have an almost, shut down manufacturing facility, due to thin sales. Imagine if they could develop and manufacture a ski that would only last for three seasons, instead of the fifteen or twenty seasons that skis now last. And that the retail price of the new ski was under $150, with bindings. This would be a huge sales-booster.

Now suppose that federal bailout funds were used to supply every ski resort in America with 200 pair of the new skis, along with plastic ski boots and poles. Ski resorts would be required to rent the package for only ten dollars a day, including the lift ticket. The only catch would be that the renters could only use the beginners’ chairlifts.

With this pricing structure, beginners would flock to the mountains, even in today’s depressed economy. They could ski for $20-30 per day, a long stretch from what it currently costs. Soda pop and beer could be sold along with hot dogs and hamburgers. No harm would be done by the dogs & burgers because the novice skiers would be burning so many calories learning to ski. Obesity--another problem, like the economy--would melt away.

The skis do not have to be high-tech, $800 models, but something with a lot of side cut so they turn easily and hang on to man-made snow. This stimulus spent on ski equipment and distribution could create about two hundred million more winter sport enthusiasts. There could even be a new "epidemic," the "Sunburned gums (from smiling) and aching muscle virus."

With this program, soon we would need more ski resorts to handle the crowds. More clothes and lunch supplies would have to be manufactured and sold. In a short time all of the newcomers would stimulate a building boom at ski resorts, just as stretch pants did in the 1970’s.

There would also be a great market for updated equipment as more and more people flocked to the mountains and became better skiers. Places where mountains don’t even exist could be converted to ski resorts by digging holes and piling the dirt up in the summer months, thus creating even more jobs. Many years ago there was a ski resort in Michigan where the highest point on the farmer's land was only three feet higher than the lowest. Yet skiers flocked to it after a 150-foot deep hole was dug and rope tows were installed.

Soon obese bodies skied down the hill until they fit into skin-tight, stretch pants, and ski clubs once again flourished with mid-week get togethers.

It is my opinion that a lot more jobs would be created if the bailout money was spent on ski equipment than for a conversion kit so you can see everything on your old TV set, in digital format.


Editor’s Note: This is one in a Tahoetopia series written by Warren Miller, legendary ski cinematographer. For other columns by Warren, click on Warren Miller.