Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? Coyote Visits Pacifica Backyard
LARRY ROSENSTEIN PHOTO
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September 2007
September 30, 2007
Belmont Speedway, Circa 1951
BOB PILGRIM PHOTO
That's Amore
When the moon hits your eye,
Like a big pizza pie,
That's amore.
When an eel bites your hand,
And that's not what you planned,
That's a moray.
When our habits are strange,
And our customs deranged,
That's our mores.
When your horse munches straw,
And the bales total four,
That's some more hay.
When Othello's poor wife,
Becomes stabbed with a knife,
That's a Moor, eh?
When a Japanese knight,
Wields his sword in a fight,
That's Samurai.
When your sheep go to graze,
In a damp marshy place,
That's a moor, eh?
When your boat comes home fine,
And you tie up her line,
That's a moor, eh?
When you ace your last tests,
Like you did all the rest,
That's some more "A"s!
When on Mt. Cook you see,
An aborigine,
That's a Maori.
Alley Oop's homeland has,
A space gun with pizzazz,
That's a Moo ray...
A comedian ham,
With the name Amsterdam,
That's a Morey.
When your chocolate graham,
Is so full and so crammed,
That s'more, eh.
When you've had quite enough,
Of this dumb rhyming stuff,
That's "No more!", eh?
Faux Jerky
What's the greatest faux jerky of them all?
The Bite
We put 'em to the taste-test, and selected some clear champions. Fake jerky (made from soy) isn't usually associated with the word mouthwatering, but we found a few real winners.
The Benefits
Winning tastes. We tried 'em and liked 'em...well, some of 'em.
Less energy waste. Curing fake jerky takes much less dehydration time (read: energy) than meat. If we Americans reduce our meat consumption by just 10%, we'll free up enough grain to feed 60 mil people each year.
Like a patch for smokers, this stuff makes the transition to vegetarianism easier for meat-eaters.
Personally Speaking
Jerky-obsessed Toshio ordered a 10 lb bulk bag of vegan jerky (that didn't make our list) when he was in college. After a couple of months, he had to dispose of it when dorm mates complained about the stench.
Wanna Try?
Vegan Dream Hickory Pepper Jerky - just a little peppery, it's jerky's answer to fruit leather ($14/6-pack).
Cactus Jerky - sweet-and-tangy teriyaki goodness - on dried cactus ($4).
Tofurky Peppered Jurky - slightly sweet tofurky marinated with ingredients like GMO-free soy sauce ($3).
[from idealbite.com]
Humpback Whale Washes Up on Beach off Esplanade, DOA
Hi -
I saw your blog, and wondered if you'd heard about the dead whale off of Esplanade Avenue, in Pacifica Manor district. It's a 1-year-old Humpback that came ashore this morning. The Marine Mammal Center is down there, and will attempt to collect samples from it. It's curious that, in Southern California 3 large Blue Whales have come ashore in the last few weeks and the Marine Mammal Center has also been involved. They are quite concerned what is going on with the whales. I haven't found any news online yet about this humpback given it has just happened. We did a ceremony honoring the whales passing, with flowers and a poem.
Thanks,
Jenna
==============
Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 18:14:27 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jenna <yemayajenna@yahoo.com>
Subject: Photos: Another dead whale..
To: HLee@sfchronicle.com
My name is Jenna, age 37. I live at Lands End apartments, right where the whale came ashore. Having lived here since 2002, every year I see the whales swim by. I have a love of nature, specifically the whales and dolphins. I currently work at a high-tech silicon valley company, coordinating the companywide philanthropic giving efforts. As an animal lover, I am a vegan. As a photographer, I hope to inspire the love of nature in others. Below are photos taken today at approx. 2:00 p.m. today, from the whale who washed ashore on Pacifica's beach. Feeling a spiritual connection with whales, I took it upon myself to hold a small ceremony for the whale, grabbing a few people who were on the beach. You'll see a few photos with the flowers. I shared a poem entitled "Whales Weep Not" by DH Lawrence, and we blessed the whale's spirit. I took all photos.
Sincerely,
Jenna
Let's Go Hang Out at My Pad
The lily pads are part of the Audubon Nature Preserve on the north shore of Oahu. We spent about three hours there. Not so many birds, but a bazillion plants. Lots to gawk at and appreciate.
DALE RIEHART
Liberal Brain, Conservative Brain
"Exploring the neurobiology of politics, scientists have found that liberals tolerate ambiguity and conflict better than conservatives because of how their brains work. In a simple experiment reported in the journal Nature Neuroscience, scientists at New York University and UCLA show that political orientation is related to differences in how the brain processes information. Previous psychological studies have found that conservatives tend to be more structured and persistent in their judgments whereas liberals are more open to new experiences. The latest study found those traits are not confined to political situations but also influence everyday decisions. The results show "there are two cognitive styles—a liberal style and a conservative style," said UCLA neurologist Dr. Marco Iacoboni, who was not connected to the latest research. Frank J. Sulloway, a researcher at UC Berkeley's Institute of Personality and Social Research who was not connected to the study, said the results "provided an elegant demonstration that individual differences on a conservative-liberal dimension are strongly related to brain activity." Analyzing the data, Sulloway said liberals were 4.9 times as likely as conservatives to show activity in the brain circuits that deal with conflicts, and 2.2 times as likely to score in the top half of the distribution for accuracy. Sulloway said the results could explain why President Bush demonstrated a single-minded commitment to the Iraq war and why some people perceived Sen. John F. Kerry, the liberal Massachusetts Democrat who opposed Bush in the 2004 presidential race, as a "flip-flopper" for changing his mind about the conflict. Based on the results, he said, liberals could be expected to more readily accept new social, scientific or religious ideas. "There is ample data from the history of science showing that social and political liberals indeed do tend to support major revolutions in science," said Sulloway, who has written about the history of science and has studied behavioral differences between conservatives and liberals. Lead author David Amodio, an assistant professor of psychology at New York University, cautioned that the study looked at a narrow range of human behavior and that it would be a mistake to conclude that one political orientation was better. The tendency of conservatives to block distracting information could be a good thing depending on the situation, he said. Political orientation, he noted, occurs along a spectrum, and positions on specific issues, such as taxes, are influenced by many factors, including education and wealth. Some liberals oppose higher taxes and some conservatives favor abortion rights. Still, he acknowledged that a meeting of the minds between conservatives and liberals looked difficult given the study results. "Does this mean liberals and conservatives are never going to agree?" Amodio asked. "Maybe it suggests one reason why they tend not to get along." (Denise Gellene, LOS ANGELES TIMES, September 10)
Like a 757: Recordbreaker Photo Souvenir for Brokenhearted Barry Bonds Fans
PHOTO BY RUSS ANDERSON
Coyote Sighted on Mori Point, Rockaway Quarry
Coyote sighting in the Quarry and Mori Point, Saturday, September 29. I've seen him/her before. Couple walking on the ridge that separates the two properties saw the coyote.
JIM CURRIE
September 29, 2007
Harley-Davidson in Trouble?
1925 Harley-Davidson, retail price about $375. I'm guessing, but I don't think any of the large-displacement Harleys currently available sell for less than $15,000. I understand that Harley-Davidson is having some large-displacement machines made in Italy. They may be on the market now (I'm not sure). I'm told that the large-displacement engines in the Italian-made chassis will cost between $10K & $13.5K for the two different models. Talk has it that H-D lost about 30% of its retail business over the past year and the people at the factory are very unhappy.
BOB PILGRIM
What If Everyone Consumed as Much as We Do?
Find out what the world would look like if everyone lived like you. Play Consumer Consequences, a game from American Public Media. If everyone on the planet consumed like me, we'd need 3.9 Earths to support us all. Apparently I eat too much and live in too big a house. Recycling and biking to work are "helpful" but not sufficient. Find out how your lifestyle stacks up against me -- and other players, too. To play the game, click this: CONSUMER CONSEQUENCES
What Fog? Fog Fest Basked in Warm Sunshine
PHOTOS BY MARGARET AHERN
Cost of Iraq War: Fiscal Impact on Pacifica
Graphic by Steve Patton of Pacifica Peace People shows what the war in Iraq costs us locally. This is part of PPP's campaign to convince the City Council to join hundreds of other city, county, and state governments that have come out against the war because of its huge negative impact on local programs and resources.
September 28, 2007
The Butler Did It: Ian Laughs Locally, Pacifica Tribune Humor Column, Half Moon Baywatch Video
It's been quite a while since I sent one of these out. (I thought you needed some space.) But lest we drift too far apart, here is an update on all things Ian Butler Newsletter worthy:
HALF MOON BAYWATCH
I made a video short called Half Moon Baywatch that was screened at Pacifica film night. You can see it on YOU TUBE.
IAN BUTLER: NEWSPAPER COLUMNIST?
I have begun writing a column for the Pacifica Tribune called Laughing Locally with Ian Butler. It appears every other week or so. You can find it online at: PACIFICA TRIBUNE.
LAUGH LOCALLY
Chris Rocco and I are tentatively scheduled to tape more Laugh Locally episodes in Nov. and Dec. I'll keep you posted! That's all, folks!
Meanwhile, check me out on IAN BUTLER MUSIC.
Biker Pops a Wheelie in El Cerrito Hill Climb
The California contingent of motorcycle racers would go back East and really smoke the Eastern riders. This went on for decades (1925-1960). It's a long and somewhat involved story with more than its share of intrigue. Some of the key players from 1910 to 1975 were Ray Elam, Dudley Perkins, and Bob Chaves. The above picture was taken at the National Championship hill climb at El Cerrito. You can see San Pablo Bay in the background.
(Bob Pilgrim is working on a history of California motorcycling.)
Audubon Looking for Volunteers to Teach Kids About Birds
Sequoia Audubon, the local chapter of the Audubon Society, is starting up its education programs again. Would you like to visit with a school group in the classroom or on a field trip to teach kids about birds and birding? Commitment would be one weekday a month at different schools in San Mateo County. Help introduce kids to nature and birding. You don’t need to be an expert, just enjoy kids and birding. Contact Rita Jennings at rjenhmb@hotmail.com. Info on other volunteer jobs with AUDUBON SOCIETY.
Fight for Your Rights, Blaze a Trail, Go Bird-Watching, Change Your Commute
•Protect your civil liberties: email npenaclu@comcast.net or call 650-579-1789
•Local Audubon Society field trips, birding and conservation news: click Sequoia Audubon
•GGNRA park trailkeepers: click Parks Conservancy or call 415-561-3068
•Improve your commute: click Commute or call 650-588-8170
Death of a Thousand Cuts: Segmentation
annotated by Bob Pilgrim
Neighborrow: It's Green to Share
NEIGHBORROW is a free Web site for borrowing/sharing books, videos, music, tools, and other stuff with neighbors, friends, and colleagues. The tagline is "Save money. Save time. Save the environment." There are Neighborrow online groups for most cities on the Peninsula.
Pilgrim's Progress: Transportation Authority
The effort to "voice your choice" appears to be a temporary retreat by the TA from their attempt to quickly mobilize public opinion in support of urbanizing the coast. Appearances are that they're going to take a little more time to connect SR1 with the tunnels & the midcoast as they move in the direction of induced population growth south of the tunnels. I have the 45-page document in my possession, and the planners are quite explicit in their requirement that Coastal Act Section 30250 be repealed. That act would open up the entire California coast to Daly City-type development. There's much more to the document than simply the statement concerning the repeal of 30250. I don't know if you've read it yet, but it's a "dilly."
BOB PILGRIM
Pilgrim's Progress: Further Facts on Fassler Fubar
annotated by Bob Pilgrim
"Little Boxes" Wins Book Design Award: Spotlight on Coastal Architecture
Graphic Design USA Magazine's 30th annual awards have just been announced, and Robert Kell's "Little Boxes" has been honored in their book design category. The book will be included in Graphic Design USA's Awards Annual, a 300-page edition published in December, which will be seen by an estimated 100,000 people at ad agencies, graphic design firms, and in-house departments during the course of the year. For more info: GRAPHIC DESIGN MAGAZINE
Why Beeswax Candles Are Better Than Paraffin
Renewability. Regular paraffin candles are made from petroleum byproducts - a finite resource.
Longer-lasting light. Beeswax candles have a higher melting point than other candles, so they keep the flame burning up to three times longer than other waxes.
A cleaner burn. Beeswax candles produce less soot than petroleum-based ones.
Options for the soy-allergic. Soy is one of the most common allergens (one of eight ingredients that must be listed on food labels).
Check labels for 100% beeswax, since manufacturers are allowed to label candles as beeswax even if the content is only 51%, and opt for less-refined, yellow candles over white.
Sunbeam Honeycomb Pillar Candles - these honeycomb-shaped pillars are produced in a solar-powered factory and can burn up to 100 hours ($9-$26).
Big Dipper Wax Works Aromatherapy Candles - come in refillable glass holders and burn for up to 30 hours; available in nine scents ($11-$26).
Blue Corn Naturals Tea Lights - ivory tea lights that burn up to six hours; available with or without reusable plastic or glass cups ($6/6 candles).
Local Harvest - find your local farmer's market. Many offer locally produced beeswax candles.
September 27, 2007
Besan's International Market: Middle Eastern Bazaar
Besan's International Market is a treasure trove of Middle Eastern food, including fresh halal (Islamic equivalent of kosher) beef, lamb, and chicken. The meat is sourced from Niman Ranch and Fulton Valley (organic). Owner Ahmad Alkhatib, a Jordanian-American, is a friendly guide to the delicacies of the Middle East. On the evening we visited his store, he was playing some upbeat music in celebration of Ramadan, and as we browsed the aisles and brought our purchases up to the register, Ahmad broke out a box of sweet semiramis (mini baklavas, pistachio rolls, and other Syrian treats) for us to sample. This kind of gracious hospitality is very typically Middle Eastern.
Besan's also sells a variety of spices, desserts, coffees, teas, seeds, nuts, beans, dairy products, condiments, cereals, rice, jam and jellies, fruits, vegetables, incense, staple goods, soaps, hookahs, CDs, DVDs—a veritable Middle Eastern bazaar.
Besan's is at 480 San Mateo Avenue in San Bruno (two blocks east of El Camino Real), just minutes from Pacifica. Phone 650-872-7741.
Ahmad says he is opening a Middle Eastern restaurant right next door. Coming soon. So stop by and stock up, and tell him you read about it on Pacifica Riptide.
September 26, 2007
Green Guide to Good Coffee
Tired of spending a lot on coffee? Feel guilty for buying coffee that destroys forests and bird habitat?
I used to. Then I found THE GREEN GUIDE. Buy your coffee from an approved, sustainable, fair-trade, forest-friendly, bird-friendly grower: GOOD COFFEE GROWERS
SUMMER RHODES
Ban the Bag: Plastic Not Good to Go
Pacifican Pete Nielsen forwards this news item from the Guardian. Pete visits Denmark every year, where he says people are used to taking their own shopping bags to the store. Right here in Pacifica on the Pacific, we can see the environmental impact of plastic bags blowing everywhere. But give Safeway credit for paying customers 3 cents per bag for bringing paper bags back to reuse for shopping. Meanwhile, in New Jersey, they call the plastic bag the state flag (and the state flower).
=====================================================
From Scotland to the Channel Islands the cry goes up: Banish the plastic bag.
John Vidal, environment editor, The Guardian
Saturday September 22 2007
When the small Devon town of Modbury became the first in Europe to reject plastic bags in its shops six months ago, cynics said traders and the public would soon tire of their experiment and go back to oil-based polyethylene normality. Anything but. Not only has the self-imposed ban by the 40-odd shopkeepers held firm with the public accepting alternatives, but now 50 other cities, towns and villages are following Modbury and are in the process of ditching the eponymous symbol of the throwaway society.
They range from London, where the 33 boroughs last week proposed a city-wide ban on all throwaway bags starting in 2009, to the islands of Mull, Arran and Guernsey, which are racing to become the first plastic bag-free island in the world. Some of the initiatives come from individuals, others from councils, and many from shopkeepers themselves. All were inspired by Modbury and Rebecca Hosking, the young wildlife camerawoman whose outrage at the pollution of Pacific ocean marine life by plastic bags led to Modbury changing. [read full story at BAN THE BAG]
Rebecca Hosking, PLASTIC BAG FREE
Water Shortages, Rate Increases to Come: Why Complain? Why Not Prepare?
As the San Mateo County Times reported yesterday, as the San Francisco authorities begin upgrading our water system, water prices are going to skyrocket. You can complain, or you can prepare. I'm choosing "prepare." Here are a few ways to reduce water usage. Some are cheap and fast, some are more difficult and more expensive.
First, capture rainfall from your roof during the coming rainy season and use it to water your plants and wash your car. One inch of rain on the average-size roof generates 600 gallons of water. A gutter diverter and a rain barrel (or a few!) can cost less than $50, take you less than an hour to install, and save hundreds of gallons of water a year. (See GARDEN WATER SAVER for diverters and conversion kits, and RAIN BARRELS AND MORE for pre-converted barrels, some of them extremely attractive.)
One of the biggest uses of water in your house is probably the washing machine. You can divert the rinse water from your washing machine into a rain barrel. Set up your washing machine so it drains into a laundry sink; after the main wash is done, move the hose to a rain barrel and save the water. Again, use it for landscaping or car washing.
If you replace your washing machine with a water-saving model by the end of the year, the North Coast County Water District will give you a rebate. See WASHING MACHINE REBATE for details on the program. If the model you buy is energy-saving as well, you may qualify for rebates from PG&E, too!
Toilets use a lot of water, as well. One interesting invention is the sink that replaces the top of your toilet tank (SINK POSITIVE). Every time you flush, the incoming fresh water runs through the toilet-top sink. If you wash your hands there instead of at the basin, you're saving water. Plus, you'll know right away if your toilet is leaking—another potential water saver.
Last, replace thirsty landscaping with drought-tolerant landscaping. I'm starting to replace my lawn with festuca rubra "Patrick's Point," a native grass that is very attractive (blue-green in winter, a little silvery in summer) and should require no water in a year or two. Maybe I'll interplant a few native bulbs or wildflowers. I'm trying it on a corner to see how it looks when it fills in. Admittedly, it's a lot of work and expense, but I let my lawn die in the summer rather than water it, so it'll certainly look better than that.
MATTHEW LEVIE
Waterworld: From the Tuolumne River to Your Tap
How and Where Should We Get Water?
Wednesday, September 26, 7:30 pm
We'll look at the possibilities of a radically different relationship to our local water supplies, including our aquifer, creeks and rainfall. But most of San Francisco/Pacifica water is supplied by the Tuolumne River, which flows through a series of reservoirs, aqueducts and tunnels to our taps. Joel Pomerantz, Spreck Rosenkrans (Environmental Defense Fund), Ruth Gravanis.
CounterPULSE, 1310 Mission (at 9th) in San Francisco
Sweeter Than Sugar: Natural Alternatives
The Benefits
Fewer cals. Xylitol's got 40% fewer calories than sugar, and stevia's calorie-free. Agave syrup has about the same number of cals per gram as sugar, but it's sweeter, so you can effectively use 25% less of it.
Sweet safety. Whether it comes in a blue, pink, or yellow little packet, the artificial sweeteners aspartame and sucralose may lead to headaches and heart palpitations.
Options for diabetics. People with diabetes can occasionally indulge their sweet tooth with natural alternatives, since they're lower on the glycemic index than sugar.
Eco-friendliness. Forgoing the packets by buying in bulk saves trees, and the less refined a sweetener is, the less energy is used during the production process.
Might sound too exotic for your morning cup, but after our most recent sweetener tests, agave syrup came out as the Biter team's fave coffee sweetener.
Madhava Agave Nectar - liquid sweetness tapped from the agave cactus (note: does contain fruit sugars, so diabetics should try the other options first) ($3).
Zsweet - no-calorie sweetener made using the plant-based sugar alcohol erythritol, it tastes a little like maple sugar and is way low on the glycemic index ($20).
Stevita Stevia Supreme - this refined stevia plant extract (powdered) is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, so use it in moderation. It does have a slight aftertaste ($8).
Now Stevia - liquid extracts like this one are generally less refined than powdered stevia ($7).
Now Xylitol - similar to sugar in consistency and taste, but a little less sweet, this extract comes from birch trees and actually helps fight cavities ($3).
INFO FROM IDEALBITE.COM
Eco-Chic Shopping Events: Spend Some Green on Green Stuff
Appel & Frank Eco-Chic Shopping Events., Regency Center, 1270 Sutter St. at Van Ness
Eyes Wide Open: Boots on the Beach
[cell phone camera shot by Brenda Girvin, above]
Also see the incredible sunset shot of Boots on the Beach, courtesy of our neighbor to the south COASTSIDER
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