2. Living with Urban Coyotes - discuss proposed state legislation Friday the 19th in San Francisco
3. New habitat restoration group in South San Francisco - join them Wednesday 17 - and monthly
4. Late summer sampler walk in Arastradero Preserve Saturday 20th
5. Fall biodiversity plant sale in Occidental Sat-Sun 20-21
6. Hope is with you when you believe...that sight, touch, and hearing do not lie
7. Christopher Columbus's impact on the world
8. Bay-Delta Conservation Plan starts necessary analyses of Delta alternatives
9. Roundup herbicide research shows plant, soil problems
10. Feedback: clapper rails at Heron's Head/"ultra-liberal Democratic base"
11. Warren Buffett advocates millionaire tax
12. Birthdays: Napoleon Bonaparte and Mae West
13. "Be careful with headlines"/why?
14. Notes & Queries: What would a right-brain dictionary look like?
1.
Bikeway Community Workshop for JFK Drive
Tuesday 16 August, 6.30 pm - 8 pm
SF County Fair Bldg
9th Av & Lincoln Way
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2.
Living with Urban Coyotes
Friday, August 19
10 am to noon - Richmond District Neighborhood Center, 741 - 30th Av, Bldg B
2 pm to 4 pm - Susan B Anthony Elementary School, 575 Abbott Av, Daly City
Learn how to share habitat with these beautiful wild aniamls. Discuss state legislation regarding feeding or local requirements that can protect you and your family.
Call 415-557-2312 for more information, or go to www.asmdc.org/kq
Sponsored by Keep Me Wild, www.keepmewild.org
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3. A new habitat restoration group in South San Francisco!
Wednesday, Aug. 17th, from 9am to noon we will be having a Weed Warriors session on the south side of San Bruno Mtn, removing invasive radish and mustard to enhance endangered butterfly habitat. We park behind the Mills Montessori school on Hillside Blvd. in South San Francisco, tools and gloves provided; please contact <lorettaandchuck(at)sbcglobal.net> for more information.
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4.
"Late Summer Sampler Walk" at the Pearson-Arastradero Preserve
Saturday, August 20, 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Pearson-Arastradero Preserve - Gateway Facility
1530 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto [map]
Late summer is often characterized as the fifth season for California's native plants in that they are going through their period of dormancy. If you look closely, you can see animals creating their shelters, plants setting seed and even some blooming.
Come walk with us through the Pearson-Arastradero Preserve to see these late summer activities. Registration is free and open to the first 20 people who sign up. Bring a small snack to share for a light picnic at the end.
For more information and to register, please visit the Stewardship Events website.
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5. Occidental Arts & Ecology Center - Fall Biodiversity Plant Sale
Saturday and Sunday Aug. 20 & 21 9am-5pm
This is the time to put fall and winter seedlings in the ground while the soil is still warm! Choose from hundreds of varieties of heirloom brassicas, lettuces, salad greens, chards, leeks, and herbs as well as old-fashioned annual flowers. We will also have a wide selection of perennials: food crops, culinary and medicinal herbs, ethnobotanicals and butterfly and bee plants.
Click here for more information and to see plant lists.
Our Second Chance Sale is the following weekend: Aug. 27 & 28 9am-5pm.
There will be a smaller selection of plants, limited staff, and no tours, just plants, plants plants!
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6.
Hope
Hope is with you when you believe
The earth is not a dream but living flesh,
That sight, touch, and hearing do not lie,
That all things you have ever seen here
Are like a garden looked at from a gate.
You cannot enter. But you're sure it's there.
Could we but look more clearly and wisely
We might discover somewhere in the garden
A strange new flower and an unnamed star.
Some people say we should not trust our eyes,
That there is nothing, just a seeming,
These are the ones who have no hope.
They think that the moment we turn away,
The world, behind our backs, ceases to exist,
As if snatched up by the hands of thieves.
~ Czeslaw Milosz ~
(The World)
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7. On Aug 14, 2011, at 11:07 PM, Robert Hall wrote:
Have you listened to this story about Columbus's impact on the world?
http://www.npr.org/2011/08/08/138924127/in-1493-columbus-shaped-a-world-to-be
Thanks, Bob. I'll paste the URL in my newsletter;. However, the story is an old one--I first heard it in the 1960s or '70s--and I'm surprised that Terry Gross (apparently) thinks it's new. Nevertheless, it's interesting and a good reminder of history. We need history for perspective.
There were some details I never heard before (like the plantain-enabled fire ant surge, West African malaria immunity compounding the slave trade and how bat guano helped cause the potato famine). I knew disease ravaged the Native American population but I didn't know it happened to that extent. Two-thirds died from disease? I guess that fact doesn't make for exciting cowboy and indian movies.
I guess I skimmed through this too fast, as I missed these. Sorry; I'll have to revisit it when I get a moment.
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8. Planning & Conservation League
BAY-DELTA CONSERVATION PLAN STARTS NECESSARY ANALYSES OF DELTA ALTERNATIVES
Four years ago, PCL went to Governor Schwarzenegger’s Bay Delta Conservation Plan manager and told her the Administration needed to start the BDCP process by objectively analyzing all alternatives for restoring the Bay Delta ecosystem and increasing water supply reliability. Regrettably, this advice was ignored and $140 million was wasted by fruitlessly pursuing the massive canal/tunnel project preselected by water exporters.
Just a few days ago, Governor Brown’s new BDCP manager, Jerry Meral,announced that this time they were going to start with an analysis of a broad range of alternatives, including the one PCL recommend they consider (see “8 Affordable Water Solutions for California”).
While BDCP has a long way to go on important issues including financing, governance and adaptive management, this is a great first step.
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9. Roundup herbicide research shows plant, soil problems, By Carey Gillam, Fri Aug 12, 2011 3:32pm EDT
(JS: This piece is good news. However, the anti-chemical crazies will seize on it as corroboration of what they have been saying; they've been gunning for Roundup for a very long time. [We all hate Monsanto, don't we? Yes, and with good reason.] Genetically-modified crops engineered for resistance to glyphosate is a depressing development, and it is good to see that it is running into predictable kickbacks from nature. Nature can be coaxed but she can't be controlled, something we seem to never learn. People trying to discredit herbicides will not make the distinction between monocultural production's regularly-scheduled Roundup applications vs occasional use, as in slowing invasion of wildlands by aggressive weeds, where it is a valuable and necessary ally.)
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - The heavy use of Monsanto's Roundup herbicide appears to be causing harmful changes in soil and potentially hindering yields of the genetically modified crops that farmers are cultivating, a government scientist said on Friday.
Repeated use of the chemical glyphosate, the key ingredient in Roundup herbicide, impacts the root structure of plants, and 15 years of research indicates that the chemical could be causing fungal root disease, said Bob Kremer, a microbiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service.
Roundup is the world's best-selling herbicide and its use has increased as Monsanto, the world's biggest seed company, continues to roll out herbicide-tolerant "Roundup Ready" crops.
Roundup Ready corn, soybeans and other crops are beloved by farmers because farmers can spray the herbicide directly onto their crops to kill surrounding weeds, and Roundup Ready corn and soybeans varieties make up the vast majority of those crops grown in the United States.
But as farmers have increased their use of Roundup Ready crops and Roundup herbicide, problems have started to rise. One of the biggest problems currently is spreading weed resistance to Roundup. But Kremer said the less visible problems below the soil should also be noted and researched more extensively.
Though Kremer said research to date has not shown that glyphosate directly causes fungal diseases that limit crop health and production, but the data suggests that could be the case.
"We're suggesting that that potential certainly exists," Kremer said in a presentation to the annual conference of the Organization for Competitive Markets, held Friday in Kansas City.
As well, Kremer said that research shows that these genetically altered crops do not yield more than conventional crops, and nutrient deficiencies tied to the root disease problems is likely a limiting factor.
Kremer said farmers should take heed and consider more crop rotations and tighter monitoring of glyphosate usage.
Kremer is among a group of scientists who have been turning up potential problems with glyphosate. Outside researchers have also raised concerns over the years that glyphosate use may be linked to cancer, miscarriages and other health problems in people and livestock.
Monsanto had no immediate comment on Friday, but has said in the past that glyphosate binds tightly to most types of soil, is not harmful and does not harm the crops.
The company has said that its research shows glyphosate is safe for humans and the environment.
Neither the USDA nor the Environmental Protection Agency, which is reviewing the registration of glyphosate for its safety and effectiveness, have shown interest in further exploring this area of research, Kremer said Friday.
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10. Feedback
John Anderson:
Hi Jake,
In response to Dominik Mosur’s comments on clapper rails: a co-worker of mine who’s an avid birder has a site for viewing clapper rails along the shore in South San Francisco. Sorry, he won’t tell me where, being protective of his spot. Over all, I agree with Mr. Mosur about Heron’s Head, especially the imbalance in attention and resources compared with Crissy Field. I’d also like to give propers to Literacy for Environmental Justice for their efforts in organizing community support for the site.
Arlene Gemmell:
Jake: This dissing of Crissy Field needs rebuttal.
Even before its restoration, while still a derelict site covered 70% with asphalt and concrete, Crissy Field was the most heavily used portion of GGNRA,
itself the most heavily used Park in the National system. By comparison, Herons' Head is tucked away in a quiet and invisible part of the City waterfront and little visited by humans.
Crissy was designed primarily for recreation and children's education. Wildlife habitat was confined to the tidal marsh, shielded from all that heavy foot traffic.
(The scheduled expansion of the marsh from its present 18 acres will doubtless increase its use by shorebirds).
And hey, Mr. Smarty Pants Mosur, Crissy has recorded about 150 species of birds. How many species at Heron's Head?
On Aug 13, 2011, at 8:25 AM, ML Carle wrote:
Re #12 "ultra liberal Democratic base" - I don't know who the author is talking about. Congress has gone so far to the right, that members who support environmental laws, Social Security and health care etc. are labeled extreme! Maybe the author hasn't been on the planet long enough to know what the left has meant.
I read this paragraph (*pasted below) several times, and find myself in substantial agreement with the writer. Although the phrase 'ultra-liberal' may be slightly over the top, it's clear that, although people like Obama--his poll numbers are relatively strong (ca 40%--not bad considering these times, and the fact that Congress is around 10%)--people for the most part are not keen on his policies. Witness the bloodbath of 2010 elections, which was directed not only at Congress.
I am very concerned about his getting re-elected. Rightly or wrongly, people hold The Man responsible if times are hard, and they are going to be much worse in Nov 2012 than they are now. You and I are perhaps thinking that if people are worried about jobs and their homes, surely they won't elect Republicans, whose only mantra is to cut taxes and spending. I don't know what they'll do. The only ones you can count on to vote for Obama are the Left, and they're a minority as of now. However, things change, and in Nov 2012 they may not feel comfortable voting Republican either.
My personal desire would be to have a viable alternative to Obama, who has proven to be easy to roll. (I don't oppose him because he didn't fight for liberal issues, because he would have taken a severe drubbing if he had tried.) However, we know that the GOP will not put up a candidate that I could consider, so I'm stuck with Obama who, likable as he is, is not strong enough to lead in dangerous times. But no one else is, either.
On the single issue of immigration, which I care about, neither party is willing to tackle it; both parties play along with the status quo, for different reasons--none of them honorable. Check another one up for a dysfunctional political system.
*Any serious evaluation of Obama’s 2012 prospects should include these four factors. First, Obama won’t have eight Bush years to rail against; second, his Republican opposition won’t be as inept as John McCain; third, the media cannot possibly be as adoring of him as it was in 2008 and fourth, the romantic aura that surrounded Obama’s campaign has already vanished.
In summary, while Obama can count on his ultra-liberal Democratic base, he’ll need to recapture Democrat and Republican moderates who in 2008 turned out for him in huge numbers. Without them and registered Independents, Obama won’t win.
Jake,
I voted for Obama because I thought well of his civilized intelligence and against Hillary because I thought her ruthless. I guess that was a mistake! I wonder if a Secretary of State has ever run for pres. I think she's a much stronger option despite her baggage, but I gather it's a no-no to run against a president of your own party.
Maybe now is the time to break with the past. Obama might even welcome her. He can't say anything without being attacked by both parties and he's looking tired.
Yes, I was listening to a program on NPR on the food crisis, and population was only mentioned to show how dire the food problem would be in the future, not that controlling population is essential to solve the problem. They trot out the idea that poor people will have fewer children as they become more educated and affluent - but given how people in power and the growing herd of ignorants behave, I think that's wishful thinking. Since pessimism is considered an unfortunate character trait, despite the evidence that it correlates better with with reality (Is "pessimism" used as a pejorative for "realism"?), pundits must find it hard to lay it on the line about what lies ahead. They assume that they have to leave us with a cheery message that doesn't threaten anyone. Almost no one suggests that supporting a growing population is going to be impossible. Already is. Investment in more modern farming practices and development of new resistant crops will save the day. Well there's a subject for a realistic essay!
D'accord.
A no-no to run against a sitting president? Yes. Time to break with the past? A futile exercise; this is a tribal thing, and killing the king is the greatest crime there is. Won't work, Hillary. Stay Secretary of State another four years, if you're lucky. And baggage? Remember, she voted for the Iraq war. And she can be rolled as easily as the next Democrat.
As to electing a pessimistic president--won't happen. People want their leaders optimistic and upbeat. That's only one of many reasons why Socrates, Plato, Freud, and any number of deep pessimists (I've joined them as a pessimist in recent years) wouldn't even think of running for political office. People say they want someone who will tell it like it is, but that's the last thing we want to hear. We are very selective in what we want to hear.
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11. NPR's Marketplace
Buffett advocates millionaire tax
Joining the ranks of those in favor of raising taxes on the rich today, one of the richest of them all. Warren Buffett.
“My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress. It’s time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice,” Buffett wrote in an opinion piece published by The New York Times today.
“Last year my federal tax bill — the income tax I paid, as well as payroll taxes paid by me and on my behalf — was $6,938,744,” Buffett wrote. “That sounds like a lot of money. But what I paid was only 17.4 percent of my taxable income — and that’s actually a lower percentage than was paid by any of the other 20 people in our office. Their tax burdens ranged from 33 percent to 41 percent and averaged 36 percent.”
Buffett scoffed at the idea that higher taxes on the rich will stop them investing. “People invest to make money, and potential taxes have never scared them off,” he wrote.
Buffett advocated an idea that’s been floating around since the end of the financial crisis*: a millionaire tax. In fact, he went one further, and advocated a second, multimilionaire tax, on the 8,274 Americans who earn more than $10 million a year.
Music to Democratic party ears!
(* End of the financial crisis? Hello?)
_____________________
The Economist front cover 13 Aug 2011
"Stand back, I'm a central banker"
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12. Two birthdays
Napoleon Bonaparte 15 August, 1769
Amusing sidelight on the tribulations of great leaders. This happened during the days before the Battle of Waterloo:
"...a rabbit hunt organized for Napoleon's enjoyment. A thousand rabbits were released to ensure a bountiful bag for the emperor, but gamekeepers used tame rather than wild rabbits, rabbits that mistook the emperor for their keeper with food. Instead of bounding away as challenging targets, they mobbed the conqueror of Europe as he fled to his carriage."
From Washington Post review of book Napoleon & Wellington: The Battle of Waterloo and the Great Commanders Who Fought It by Andrew Roberts.
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Mae West 17 August 1893
"Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before."
“I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.”
Every man I meet wants to protect me. I can't figure out what from.
A young female, on seeing all her diamonds: "Goodness gracious!"
Mae: "Honey, goodness had nothing to do with it."
A man can be short and dumpy and getting bald but if he has fire, women will like him.
(Uh, Mae...you didn't mention his wallet.)
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13. LTE, Guardian Weekly
Be careful with headlines
You are not the first, nor will you be the last, to provide incomplete information with a headline and text containing that word (Nike supplier linked to toxins, 22 July). The phrases "endocrine disruptor...adverse effect on liver and sperm count...accumulate to dangerous levels..." are obviously pasted in from websites. Please encourage journalists (with scientific credentials) to provide more depth and avoid the thoughtless hype that results with lack of understanding by the public.
As a fellow passenger on a recent flight responded to my answer to what I do: "I am a chemist" (no, not the English type but a real one). "Oh, you are one of those people that pollutes the world!" This is due, to a major extent, to not reading past headlines.
Victor Snieckus
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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Be careful with headlines? Why?
Teen-Age Girls Often Have Babies Fathered By Men
The Sunday Oregonian
Childbirth is Big Step to Parenthood
Newspaper headline
And two from the New York Times
Survey Finds Dirtier Subways After Cleaning Jobs Were Cut
They could choose a higher-cost plan, which would cost them more, or a lower-cost plan, which would cost them less
New York Times, on how Clinton Health-care Plan would affect a typical couple. (The Times is read by decision-makers. Shouldn't someone tell President Obama about this?)
But the Lexington (Kentucky) Herald-Leader scooped the NY Times on this revelation:
Free Advice: Bundle Up When Out in the Cold
From Lexicon of Stupidity
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14. Notes & Queries, Guardian Weekly
What's right-brain can't be wrong
The Persistence of Memory, 1931, Museum of Modern Art, New York, by Salvador Dali
What would a right-brain dictionary look like?
Its elegant design and lavish illustrations would be instantly recognisable. The layout would be spacious, word definitions would inspire intuitive interpretations, and a few bars of the song It's Only a Paper Moon would play when the book is opened.
Paul Ruddy, Montreal, Canada
• For starters, it wouldn't have entries on evolution or global climate change.
John Ralston, Mountain View, California, US
• A thesaurus.
Alan Williams-Key, Madrid, Spain
• According to the medical examiner, a bloody mess.
Les Dreyer, New York City, US
• Full of pictures – known as a Pictionary?
Margaret Wilkes, Perth, Western Australia
• Assuming the right is wrong, their dictionary would list propaganda lies in alphabetical order, for right-brained are verbally able.
Dick Hedges, Nairobi, Kenya
• A right-brain dictionary would only have definitions written on the left-sided pages.
Bernie Koenig, London, Ontario, Canada
It wasn't boring for Nelson
Why do South Africans not provide answers in Notes & Queries?
They read the Mail & Guardian, a distant relative. A notable exception is the former president, Nelson Mandela, for whom this paper was his window on the wider world during those long years of incarceration.
Kaihsu Tai, Helsinki, Finland
• They're all too busy playing cricket for England.
Jim Dewar, Gosford, NSW, Australia
• It's a bore.
Jim Neilan, Dunedin, New Zealand
• They're Boers.
Bill Coote, Canberra, Australia
Leaves and other make-up
Do any animals use artificial means to make themselves look more attractive?
Yes, the best example being the species Homo sapiens. This peculiar animal has created multibillion-dollar industries for just this purpose. It's believed by some that this penchant for the artificial began when a young couple living in a garden decided they should cover their genitals with fig leaves.
Fortunately, none of the other animals in the garden were quite so daft!
Terence Rowell, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
Any answers?
What and where is heaven?
Bryan Furnass, Canberra, ACT, Australia
What makes us cross our legs when we sit?
Mac Bradden, Port Hope, Ontario, Canada
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