Groceries...Food Shopping...Holidays...

I just completed the grocery shopping for Thanksgiving. So many thoughts occured, as I saw so many people making poor choices, expensive choices, unwise purchases, and not, of course, knowing what you already know, thought I'd blog on this.

Usually I shop at Trader Joe's on Hyperian. If they don't get 'cute' I know where everything is--Please Stop moving the coffee!--and I can zip through, gather two weeks worth of groceries --in, out in :45, usually.

Since the Certified Farmer's Markets closest to Silver Lake, the Friday afternoon Echo Park and the Saturday morning Sunset Junction, weren't going to work, for various reasons. So this week I chose the TJ's on La Brea & 3rd because for the things I needed that TJ's doesn't have: there is another market directly across the street, just a brief walk over. There are three other Ralph's Markets closer to Silver Lake, but the one on 3rd Street is particularly nice, clean, has good varierty.

The other market, Ralph's, on calling them first: I learned several useful things,
such as: purchasing $25. worth of groceries would get a turkey at a bargain price. I asked to speak to the butcher --a turkey loaded with growth hormones, then pumped full of anti-biotics when it got sick from force-feeding, was no bargain.

The butcher gave me the run-down on all the turkey brands available.
One brand: an old-line reliable, tasty bird, from growers offering birds since the 1940s;
one: known for "butter" in it's name --nobody should eat --since it changed practices in the early 1970s. --Bigger white breast: does not equate to taste, it's just big white stuff --not all that different than, well paste.
one brand: I never heard of, all natural -no hormones and according to the butcher: tasty; he said he thought it was Zacky-farm raised, as it is delivered in the same box as the Zackeys.

$25. spent on groceries: got the last one for $.37 a pound --compared to "all natural" in other markets for $1.68 a pound and up, a Very good deal.

I thought it wouldn't be hard to get to $25. for the things I wanted that TJ's wouldn't have, and started at the Produce section:

-Celery 10 lbs for $10
--a very good deal; though they want you to think you must buy 10 pounds, not so, so just $1. for a bunch;
choose darkest green available, if the ends are cut: check that they aren't brownish which indicates 'old' --but don't fuss over finding "perfect" unblemished stalks

-brussel sprouts
a little pricey but worth it; the French have a saying which roughly translates to:
'choose the sprouts the size of Marie Antoinette's nipples' --don't ask me why they use that phrase, but the premise is correct: in sprouts Small is better --the larger the sprout the more bitterness;
Prep: cut off the hard stem end, make a deep X through the center from the end stem was cut;
Cook: either steam until soft, or lightly saute over a burner with a enamel or heavy skillet and oil with a high burn point, like grape seed oil -allow several minutes to soften, I like the sprouts to get a little brown, for a rich roasted flavor, into a bowl then sprinkle with grated Parmasian cheese, thin pat of butter, toss well

-bread
whether bakery or commercially made: read the label; if the first ingredient is "bleached white flour" it does NOT get "better" when the bakery used flour stripped of all nutrients (the outter hull) then "enriched" it --that's just the same as eating whole tablespoons of sugar, to the body; you also don't want long list of ingredients or ones you can't pronounce -purchase for your kitchen, so skip those brands also
I make the same stuffing every year, since I was a teen, it's The Definition of the holiday, for me, made of whole wheat, sage, thyme, celery, onion...I will come back later and post the recipe, it's heaven.

-onion
The 'regular': choose 'yellow' --which means it has light brown skin and will NOT be "sweet" --unpleasant thing, in onion, to me; press lightly to make sure it is not soft --which would mean sweet and most likely rotted

-green onion 2/$1.
Two bunches, only $.50 each, Very good price, and beautiful rich bright green stems, thin --which is way I like them, too thick and they go to bitter side; these were exceptional

-potato
Only choose: organic, which means they were not grown with growth hormones or pesticide; potatoes are one of the most heavily-pesticided crops grown in the US, but if you don't care to have disease --do want to eat the skin --find the organic; Ralph's has: small sack of five, around $3. If you think that is expensive: how much will it cost to treat you for cancer --after eating potatoes laced with pesticide --month after month, for decades?
Prep: scrub well under cold water with a firm brush
Cook: to boil: choose a pot twice the volume as the number of potatoes --too small a pot will mean starch will form; better to boil a few at a time or bake them;
place in pot from the start, with cold water, bring to boil, start to cooked: about :40 --a fork should have just slight bit of resistance

To get a 12 lb turkey for only $4.
you will need a Ralph's card --easy to get, just stop at front counter before shopping.

--Oh and: turkey will be frozen, so you can defrost by putting in the fridge, highest shelf for few days, or tub of water, or, ugh, into a microwave oven. I have more to post, will return later to finish.

Nobody Has Sung: SL Election Ain't Over --Yet

Results
Results of Silver Lake Neighborhood Council Election, held September 29, 2007, have been held up, as already noted in this blog, due to challenge.

LOS FELIZ LEDGER revealed details of the hold-up to seating the new Board: two challenges.

Rules...
First Challenge: involves Region #7 with candidates Noah Stein and Renne Nahum; Stein charging opponent campaigned in a polling area. All the previous years the voting booth was set up at the school, with candidates permitted only on the sidewalk, not past a posted sign, so it was easy for everyone to see, follow the rules. This year voting was moved to Bellevue Park --a stop on the proposed DASH bus route, to make voting accessible, easy for new voters, which possibly caused some natural (?) confusion? We will see.

The other shoe...
Though similarly about violations, the nature of the other challenge is quite different sort. Did a candidate spam voters? The Chair of SLNC Election Committee, Leanna Dickstein has Filed Challenge in an At-Large race. Did the candidate use protected e-mail addresses to spam stakeholders during the campaign?

Election Challenge filed by the Chair is surprising, for a few reasons.

The Challenge: did candidate Jason Lyons use SLNC mailing list --e-mail addresses of those who subscribed to SLNC Notices --to turn subscribers into potential voters?

Jason Lyons was elected to a seat on the first Silver Lake Neighborhood Council board and also ran for a second term on the board. Wanting to continue, apparently, but as per provisions of the charter, was Termed out, so this year he ran for one of the At-Large seats on the board. He has been charged with using the mailing list of SLNC for campaign purposes --to solicit votes.

During both of the first two elections: Jason Lyons sent e-mail asking for votes --more than once, in each election, with some e-mail also reminding 'to vote.' After those elections: Lyons used the same e-mail addresses to thank stakeholders for his election to the board.

If Lyons was not allowed to use e-mail addresses of SLNC in his third election run: why did he use the Council's e-mail list the first two elections?

If he was not permitted to use SLNC's e-mail list at all: Why wasn't he challenged in either/both previous election?

Why No Other board members or candidates running in first two elections sent e-mail solicitation for votes?

Why was Jason Lyons the only candidate to use the SLNC mailing list --in three elections?

Were candidates in first two elections and Election Committee chair unaware of Lyons' use of SLNC's mailing list?

Jason Lyons received enough votes to get elected to the board a third time. If his opponents had also had access to the SLNC mailing list: what would have been the out-come?

Chair Dickstein has made an important challenge: if Silver Lake stakeholders sign up/subscribe to receive SLNC notices , but addresses are used in other --non-sanctioned ways --as spam --who will be willing to subscribe?

Stakeholders: don't expect to be spammed --by their 'own' --privacy compromised, not even for a local election --at least: not without being asked/giving permission --First.

Stating How an e-mail address will be honored, Privacy Policy: a basic tenet of even the most primitive, basic website. It is why, for example, no one should use Yahoo.com for e-mail, as they state that their Policy is to gather personal information on users --and give it to advertisers. --Yahoo also: gave personal information of e-mail users to: the feds --when the feds merely asked for it, enabled spying on American citizens in violation of Bill of Rights and the Constitution and federal law, nevermind decency, without court supervision or warrant. Now: their lobbyists, along with AT&T are lobbying to get Congress to give them Immunity from prosecution for breaking those laws. If At&T, Yahoo, Verizon, etc. thought they didn't break any laws: why do they want Immunity now?

If SLNC mailing could be used for a candidate running for elected office, could someone else decide it would be "okay" --to give the mailing list to a political Party --to sell it --to trade it for some personal gain? --Just to 'cover' expenses for running campaign? Where is: End Point of that "logic"?

Over the past few years: Jason Lyons has sent e-mail about subjects separate from SLNC elections, e.g., regarding City political and election issues. On complaint of receiving such e-mail: Lyons has criticized those who complained. This author has had First-hand experience with this.

Region #7 Challenge to election: if error committed, might have been caused by ordinary human error, not calculated intent, depending on the details.

On the At-Large election: the community owes Chair Dickstein
'thanks' for making no doubt difficult formal Challenge on an important issue, whether or not it involves a neighbor.

Silver Lake daVine remedy?
-Either ALL obey the rules or none of us will.

-When the Final Judge issues decision: it will set precedent. If the Final Judge determines Jason Lyons used SLNC mailing List improperly --without permission, unfairly, he should step out, not be allowed to hold office, and relinquish the seat to the candidate with next-highest number of votes.

-I don't know what the Charter says, but it seems reasonable: if Final Judge decides for Challenge/against Jason Lyons he should not be allowed to stand in the next election either, for any office on the SLNC Board.

-There are people on the Board, including ex board member Jason Lyons, who bring a great deal to the job of running Silver Lake's Neighborhood Council, including knowledge, passion, intelligence, experience and not least: willingness to do the job. Should they be 'dropped' because of a sentence in the Charter on limits of term?

Limiting the term of a job in Sacramento: has resulted in no networking or long-term relationships; constant inexperience/ignorance of procedures, no over-view, no accountability and Interminable "seat-hopping" --people hop from office to office, even to a job/office for which they are un-suited. Chaos, irresponsible spending, disaster and rise in unnatural amount of power ceded to governorship.

Could a newbie have stepped into the presidency and successfully won WW II?

Could a SLNC board made up of newbie members: successfully oppose Los Angeles City Council mis-management of funds --proposed DWP 22% tax rise to pay already over-paid DWP managers; challenge mis-management and archaic DWP practices? Do stakeholders need experienced people to represent neighborhood issues to City Council? --Take back power --force City Council members to Pay Serious Attention to local preferences? Once elected: a City Council member isn't even reachable, nevermind responsive to local issues --after the votes are counted.

This blog calls for:
Strengthening, empowering Neighborhood Councils by deleting Term Limits from Silver Lake's NC charter --and all NC charters. If passionate intelligent knowledgeable stakeholders are allowed to stand for re-election --and succeed, they may be able to present a united front to challenge elected city politicians --challenge things like Mayor V's intention to slap 10% tax on Los Angeles telephones --City Council's intention hit us with 22% hike for garbage, services, etc., while they do nothing to streamline government or make it efficient.

-Let's put elimination of Term Limits on our next SLNC election ballot. New people can always stand for election against any member and if a member stops being effective or responsive, can easily be voted off the board.

But let's Not decide in advance that a person doing well at a job they want to continue doing: should be arbitrarily removed. Let's make some lemonade out of some nasty lemons. That would be, yup, Silver Lake daVine....

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Did you drive a car today? --Turn on electric lights? You CAN off-set the amount of carbon you generated here:
Join Care2.com's Race to Stop Global Warming!

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tag: silver lake neighborhood council election September 2007 challenge board candidates committe Los feliz Ledger newspaper At-Large remedy charter Brown Act Los Angeles City Council

Silver Lake Calendar 2007: November

NOVEMBER 2007
Two national holidays this month so: don't assume --pre-confirm event date, time

~3 Saturday~
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Silver Lake Art Collective Tour
Local artists, open studio, Seventh Annual Tour. Continues to Nov. 4
www.SilverLakeArts.com

Daylight Savings: Ends --turn Clock back one hour

~4 Sunday~
10 AM - 4 PM Mainly Main: A Tour
Historic Main Street
http://www.laconservancy.org/

~5 Monday~
7:30 PM “Oscar’s Docs: Part Three”
Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Series showcasing films winning the Oscar for documentary focusing on: 1977-88. Tonight A triple feature:
Witness to War: Dr. Charlie Clements (1985)
Vietnam War pilot turned pacifist activist in El Salvador, including a post-film discussion with director Deborah Shaffer and Dr. Charlie Clements.
Broken Rainbow (1985)
polemic against treatment of Native Americans during 1970s, early 1980s, a post-film discussion with producers Maria Florio and Victoria Mudd.
Women — for America, for the World (1986)
viewpoints from 22 prominent American women on the need to end the arms race.
Linwood Dunn Theater, 1313 Vine St., Hollywood (310) 247-3600

~7 Wednesday~
7:00 PM Take a Hike!
Griffith Park with the Sierra Club
Website: angeles.sierraclub.org/griffith/index.asp

7:00 PM - 9:30 PM Silver Lake Neighborhood Council
Board Meeting
Micheltorena School, Auditorium, 1511 Micheltorena Street, Silver Lake CA 90026 www.silverlakenc.org


~8 Thursday~
6:30 - 9:00 PM Silver Lake Neighborhood Council
Urban Design & Preservation Committee
SLNC Office, 2898 Rowena Avenue, Silver Lake CA 90039 2nd Thursday the month www.silverlakenc.org

6:30 PM Los Angeles Ballet Fundraiser
Artists' work including Ed Ruscha, Ed Moses, John Baldessari, Larry Bell, Jennifer Steinkamp, many others on auction block to raise money for the new ballet company. Troupe performance, food by top restaurants.
Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica (310) 226-8002


~9 Friday~
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM 'Moving On'
Support Group for Widows & Widowers
second Friday of the month, Bob Friedman (323) 662-9686 or Email: bandbfr[at]sbcglobal.net


~10 Saturday~
2:00 pm "Dr. Duncan Dog on Duty"
Author Lisa Dunn-Dern “children’s lifestyle expert” signs book about a dog who visits hospitalized children. Special guest: Dennis Cajili & Riley, certified therapy dog. Eso Won Books, 4331 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles (323) 290-1048

7:00 PM The Lint Roller Party
Gourmet buffet, open bar, live and silent auctions and gift bag, all to benefit Best Friends Animal Society.
The Jim Henson Company Lot 1416 N. La Brea Ave., Hollywood

A Night of Hollywood Glamour
Regency-style estate, cocktails & hors d'oeuvres, Diane Keaton; benefit showcasing historic architecture for
Los Angeles Conservancy: Event
Preserve Los Angeles heritage --no more Ambassador Hotel disasters


~11 Sunday~
11 AM - 4 PM Flights of Fancy: The Stairway Homes of Echo Park
Self-guided tour of historic Echo Park stairs & homes --some with 100 steps, narrow streets: originally intended for horses, Note: restricted access Stairway Tour $20. call: (323) 860-8874
Send Yourself a Reminder
Preserve treasures --prevent LAUSD destruction of two blocks of historic houses http://www.historicechopark.org/

Veteran's Day

10:45 AM Veteran's Day Program
A salute to the Military Order of the Purple Heart with emcee Stan Chambers, plus Golden Starts Skydiving Team; Notre Dame High School Irish Knight Marching Band and more. Forest Lawn, 6300 Forest Lawn Dr., Los Angeles (800) 204-3131 http://www.forestlawn.com/


~12 Monday~
Veteran's Day Observed
US Federal holiday, originally: respect to veterans of World War I; all the usual things: closed.
In the fields where people killed each other: first spring after the killing stopped poppies sprang up. In England: country with the largest losses of any, to honor their dead --Poppies appear everywhere. Though it doesn't sound it: stunning, heart-breaking sight, takes one's breath away....bright red Poppies --on graves --entrance to churches and temples --in lapels...sellers all over London street corners... World War I ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month: "The war to end all wars."
Too bad it didn't stick: twenty years later nazis, the original terrorists, wanted to get 'even' --slaughtered, gassed, performed lethal medical experiments and mass murder on eleven million un-armed Jewish children, mothers, fathers and grandparents, Gypsies, scholars, artists, authors, scientists, homosexuals, clerks, clergy, professors, doctors, poets, bankers, carpenters, rabbis, disabled, Europeans, non-blond and communist civilians in addition to Allied military personnel. german civilians: "we didn't know why Jewish neighbors all disappeared or where they went; hitler wasn't all bad: he made trains run on time." Head of Catholics: Nothing to say. New 'haters' didn't learn: attacked unarmed innocent citizens of the US 64 years later --without provocation, justification or warning.


~15 Thursday~
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM Filmore & Western Railroad Train Ride
Only with RSVP to: Silver Lake Seniors Club. Vintage train ride to Heritage Valley; transportion, lunch on board the train $45. RSVP to: Doris Slater, Trips Coordinator (323) 667-1879 Email: vendig[at]sbcgobal.net

7:30 PM The Official Punk Rock Book of Lists
Editor Amy Wallace hosts an evening of live music, beer, contests, prizes and pizza from Palermos!
Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz (323) 660-1175

7:00 PM Beaujolais Passions
Season of beaujolais nouveau fever, sample the winners at this event presented by the Consul General of France. Shrine Auditorium, 700 W. 32nd St., Los Angeles (818) 954-8432


~17 Saturday
8:00 AM - 2:00 PM HomeWalkLA
-5k walk to end homelessness; non-competitive family walk to raise awareness and resources to prevent, end homelessness in LA County. Organized by United Way of Greater Los Angeles in partnership with Fannie Mae Foundation. Registration begins at 8am: Adults $25. Youth $15. (age 9-15) Under 9 free
Exposition Park, 700 Exposition Park Drive, LA CA 90037 http://www.homewalkla.org/ or 888-243-5757


~20 Tuesday~
7:00 PM Silver Lake Neighborhood Council
Outreach Committee, SLNC Office, 2898 Rowena Avenue, Silver Lake CA 90039
Confirm: 3rd Tuesday of the month, Website: www.silverlakenc.org


~21 Wednesday~
7:00 PM Silver Lake Neighborhood Council
Community Liaison Committee, SLNC Office, 2898 Rowena Avenue, Silver Lake, CA 90039 Confirm meeting: 3rd Thursday of the month, Website: http://www.silverlakenc.org/


~22 Thursday~
Thanksgiving Day
This year: same day as the 44th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's assasination, November 22, 1963, RIP....


~23 Friday~
Join the: Avoid the Mall club
Initiation: stay home, make your own coffee, lift the covers, burrow in, remain until the urge to shop among the Madding Crowd passes. Winner: preserves money, gasoline, sanity.


~28 Wednesday~
6:00 PM - 7:45 PM Positive Energy Group / Crime Prevention
MEETING: LAPD, SLSA, Gang Intervention and City Council Deputies. Echo Park & Silver Lake Distircts.
Edendale Public Library, 2011 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026 Verify: 213-417-8816 www.positiveenergygroup.blogspot.com Email: positive_energygroup@yahoo.com

Next Month:
Saturday December 1
City Hall - First Saturday, 11 a.m. 1-3/4 hour tour explores architecture, history of now fully restored landmark. Including important public spaces, magnificent rotunda, City Council chambers, Public Works session room. Reservation: required

Sunday December 2
2:00 PM Holiday Matinee at the Historic restored 1911 Palace Theatre --to purchase tickets early
Palace Theatre, 630 South Broadway, Downtown L.A.

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tag: stairs stairway art ballet book books historic treasures houses estate Veteran's Thanksgiving holiday benefit preservation destruction protect senior adults children homeless tour trip reading walk run train meeting SLNC calendar event November 2007 Silver Lake CA

Squeeze the Planet: into Silver Lake Saturday Errands

If your Saturday To Do List is all the usual errands: Put the Planet first on the List --to do something that will make a difference.

--We can't wait --any more, for dithering politicians to 'decide' which way the 'wind' is blowing --to get out of their stupor --to stop fiddling with the lobbyists of the Oval Office occupant's pals. --While he panders to them --uses the Nation's parks, pristine land and resources as His piggy pot --the oily boys network jacks up the price of oil and gasoline, blows the tops off mountains, puts miners lives in jeopardy for coal: Leave the whole crowd, and their front man, the President of Vice, in their soot. WE have to Go Around them --look to ourselves to stop the pollution, destruction of planet and species.

Step It Up Saturday November 3, 2007
All over the US people in tiny communities, large cities, teens to eldsters are thinking up ways to change the wasteful way of life to save the planet. Across the political spectrum, across the country: events will happen that you can Step Up and join.

It started: with one man and six volunteers, students, who put up a website. It grew: 1,400 events in one day. Saturday November 3: second chance to participate --to put your body where your thoughts are.

"Step It Up" --is a message to members of Congress --to Step UP cutting carbon emissions. Thousands sent messages to their representatives. Without Pressure from us, the voters --the donors --the usually 'quiet' ones, Congress won't MOVE.

In Silver Lake this past summer: temperature climbed to 106 --then hit 109 --soared to 112 degrees, broke 177-year record --did you forget? How many More days like that do you want? --Sitting, sweltering --waiting for electricity to go back on....

Or: join neighbors taking action, Demanding that our reps take Steps that will make a difference? The time of letting giant corporations do whatever they want to the environment to make money: Over --passe. Now: we must control our destiny. Time for sitting around, indifferent or hoping: also Over.

The people in Washington DC --City Hall --City Council: Serve Us --they --ALL serve at OUR pleasure, NOT the other way round. We need to Remind them of that. Each of us: must request a response from representatives--

What will they do --to Reduce carbon emissions
--to improve mass transportation
--and When do we have DASH buses --more bicycle lanes, bicycle racks in neighborhoods and downtown
--to get electric/bio-fuel/solar cars --and rentals available locally
--to get solar panels on apartment buildings and single family dwellings
--about DWP and coal-fired energy
--to see that we go All Green in southern California

Protect the Environment?
OUR representatives can somehow, allow affordable buildings to convert to high-end condos --find the money to purchase cameras to spy on us --parking meters to charge us for using already-paid space. But cameras and meters that make money for the corporations that make the cameras and write the parking tickets: NOT on OUR Agenda. --More condos --cameras --meters --won't help if the planet is fried. WHEN will they STOP wasting Our money? --START working on OUR agenda?

Eric Garcetti, council member for Silver Lake: has participated with the Silver Lake neighbors who have worked to get DASH in Silver Lake. Bureaucrats put Silver Lake on the DASH List: LAST. What difference has he made? Where would Silver Lake be on the List without his participation?

What has the Mayor done: to improve mass transit --get DASH to neighborhoods --REDUCE traffic in Los Angeles? He made campaign promises. When do those happen?

If Janice Hahn, the City Council rep for Los Angeles and San Pedro ports, or the governor behaved like leaders: called on Congress to unite to have ALL US ports go Green --power up with Clean energy, at every port, would the rate of asthma and cancer go down --along with the carbon emissions and toxic waste thrown into the atmosphere?

Find links to Contact the Mayor --Los Angeles City Council members --Washington representatives: in Sidebar.

What ideas do You have for slashing glacier-destroying carbon emissions? How do You think we should prevent 200 threatened species from going extinct in the next 20 years? --HOW do we leave the sort of planet we have --to grandchildren of today's newborns? --Do we owe them --a planet as splendid as we have? Or is our legacy to future generations to be: heat --shriveled plants, vegetables, fruit, grain --food that cannot survive outdoors --everyone fighting for water --that is, for those not already overtaken by rising sea water, hurricanes and flood?

The volunteers have a Plan --others joined them --to plan an event, you can drop into Saturday --find a local event to join here

Who is a leader? Find here
Green Fingers - Resources

After Step It Up --Call Congress from November 5th call List: Senate and House of Representatives

Remember The oily boys spent millions on fake scientists, PR people and hacks ---to plant fake and derisive stories in local and national newspapers and on the Internet --for Years. That delayed, confused and muddied public debate. "How could one degree hotter matter" --remember that one? They spent multi-millions more on: our representatives in Congress --on campaign donations, trips, pricey dinners --junkets to exotic destinations to convince them to ignore mounting evidence.

Oily boys don't make fun of stakeholders --or scientists any more. They Ooze and coo and spam TV --with oily messages about 'how Green they are' --how much they "care." They "forget" to mention: THEY invented the term "Green " --as a way to belittle, discount those alarmed at their actions and at the evidence of it.

Now: We ALL are out of time, thanks to them and their pals: auto makers. --Remember GM: ORDERING Recall --Demanding that buyers return --then crushed already-made Electric cars? American auto-makers: Earned the trouble they have now. --Except they put us: in the stew with them.

Now: we have to pressure editors, reporters and representatives --and we have to pool resources and send to those who Are making a difference.

If you think the solution: to broken levies, broken promises and an Administration looking out for the wealthy, the old energy solutions and the old boy network --is Our power, donate to those who are making it happen --either on-line (secure link) or through snail mail. --Even Gandhi needed funds, give something or a lot. The oily boys do --all the time. --That's how oil could get to $100. a barrel by Christmas and they can pay themselves $400 million bonuses. We Have to pool OUR resources --to take power away from them --take back our Power.

Polar Bears
I've come to dread BBC news stories about melting icecaps --disappearing flowers, plants, insects, birds.... I don't know How to save a polar bear --any better than I know how to stop glaciers from melting. Even if I Knew How: I cannot go to the Other side of the Planet --DO a thing. I hate it and I can't "fix it" --any of it, by myself.

What I can do: send this group $20. or $25. --Sierra Club and numerous other environmental organizations already have. You can send but $10.? --That's $10. more than they have now. --You can send $1,000. --without hurting your budget: then you help All get where we need to go, faster.

Maybe a Good combination: send them a contribution --in someone else's name, for their holiday gift. --Then you will be doing a Green thing, helping, supporting them --save on wasteful packaging -shipping -on some wasteful gift. With every dollar you're thinking of sending remember: the oily boys are sending money, but representatives rarely hear from us, so your dollars will mean more. "Step It Up" --Silver Lake daVine --for sure.

I found out about this organization and this event: by e-mail from VP Al Gore, which only just arrived. --If I had received it earlier: would have posted sooner. --If you cannot squeeze the Planet into your day: at least make a call on Monday --and send them a donation --it is tax deductible. --Both: better than feeling bad about polar bears, avoiding the news --or traveling thousands of miles without skills or tools to help.

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tag: local environment event pollution mass transportation DASH Silver Lake, oil gasoline price waste clean Green carbon neutral carbon emissions toxic waste heat global planet warming endangered species, grassroots Sierra Club political lobbyist spectrum left-wing right-wing administration network propaganda reporters editors Congress local national representation politics

Silver Lake: Art Time!

It's time for the annual Art Studio Walking Tour. A year's worth of creativity --showing up all over Silver Lake --artists' studio doors: Open. From Friday evening: Reception, through the week-end.

Find the studios for viewing Here

A copy of the map to the Studios --in PDF Here

See a thumbnail sample of each artist's work Here

Then put on your high-heeled sneakers, your boater, maybe a neck scarf and start walkn.' --Or you could fill up the car with friends and gas and go have a gander. --Until Sunday November 4, 2007 --at 5 PM, whereupon the doors on all that creativity will swing shut --till next year.

Just in time --to go home and prepare/finish the other event: if your puter hasn't blown all its fuses-modems-portals, gaskets, Let the winding Begin. --The powers that be can't un-fund un-wanted war or fund un-insured US children, sagging infrastructure, missing fire trucks, holey hospitals, national campaigns or Agree on A Thing, but they Can, Did decree: Daylight --the "savings" of it, Ends --this week-end. Spring forward, fall back --is the only way I can remember it, so Backwards --an Hour, it is.

Sorry, Canada. If we get regime change next year: we will Definitely Ask what you all think --Before passing laws/rules/decrees --without checking with the neighbors first. --Or At Least: give Proper notice on stuff like this. Hey, maybe we could roll it back --the way it was, before the cowboy rode in to the Oval.

It's no Silver Lake daVine thing, if they 'make' more daylight, but more people get into more cars, use up more fuel, spend more money cuz it's still
'light outside'.... I wish: they would just leave the clocks alone --permanently, so we could live by natural time.

Maybe looking at original art --will make us forget the
'administration's' perfect record of past seven year's time...haven't done/got/hired one of them right yet.

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tag: Silver Lake art walk tour studio visit original painting sculpture design oil frame artists reception open, Daylight Savings Time fall back California US

Silver Lake Neighborhood Council: Election

A Challenge has been filed on the recent, September 29, 2007, election. No word on which Region or candidate is being Challenged. Is it possible: Region #3 Won't get represented by a 14-year old? Or is the Challenge something mundane, like a vote Total wasn't added correctly --a candidate should have gotten less/more votes?

2007 SLNC ELECTION UPDATE - CHALLENGE
"There has been a challenge/challenges filed regarding this year's SLNC Governing Board election. This may or may not have a bearing on the final election results.The challenge is reviewed by a "Final Decision Maker" (FDM). The FDM will have 30 days to investigate the challenge and may request up to two (2) 15-day extensions.As soon as the as FDM releases their results, the SLNC will announce the official final results for this year's election.Thank you again for all Silver Lake stakeholders who cast a vote this year. We appreciate your patience during this process."

Stay tuned....

While we wait:
Is Silver Lake Neighborhood Council --asking questions --doing homework? --Are they following what's happening? Will they do any Challenging? Los Angeles City Council: is fiddling with our phone bills --that includes CD 13 and CD 4. CC is debating: adding 9% tax to our phone charges.... If the tax gets approved: Where will the money go? Well, Somebody Has to Pay for all those "free" cars --"free" gasoline for those who represent us on City Council, AND their staffs, they need "free" cars too.

If LA City Council passes 9% tax: will SLNC unite with other NCs to protest? Or: will they say nothing, just go along? Will You care --if you have to pay 9% on top of all the other phone charges & taxes?

Guess $150,000 a year salary doesn't go far enough to pay for their own expenses, like you & me. Hmmm, if a person on the City Council --wasn't on the Council: wouldn't they need transportation anyway, like everyone? Wonder where it says in the City Charter --that citizens have to pay for representatives' & staffers' transportation --and fuel --plus maintenance, tires, parts, oil change, battery, too?

Maybe Laura Chick knows.

If SLNC doesn't protest tax hike on phone bill --and you don't call, write, fax --protest to Garcetti, Labonge, NC board, Mayor V or anyone, does that mean you Also: won't mind the 22% tax they are about to hit us with for "city services"? That fight: up next. CC needs traveln' money, doncha know...somebody gotta pay....