Your Sunday Poem
This is from BillyCollins’ new book of poems, Ballistics, which can be ordered from your local bookstore. Support a poet today; buy his book. And a dictionary to look up the title of this poem.
Aubade
If I lived across the street from myself
and I was sitting in the dark
on the edge of the bed
at five o’clock in the morning,
I might be wondering what the light
was doing on in my study at this hour,
yet here I am at my desk
in the study wondering the very same thing.
I know I did not have to rise so early
to cut open with a penknife
the bundles of papers at a newsstand
as the man across the street might be thinking.
Clearly, I am not a farmer or milkman.
And I am not the man across the street
who sits in the dark because sleep
is his mother and he is one of her many orphans.
Maybe I am awake just to listen
to the faint, high-pitched ringing
of tungsten in the single lightbulb
which sounds like the rustling of trees.
Or is it my job simply to sit as still
as the glass of water on the night table
of the man across the street,
as still as a photograph of my wife in a frame?
But there’s the first bird to deliver his call,
and there’s the reason I am up –
to catch the three-note song of that bird
and now to wait with him for some reply.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Calhoun’s Can(n)ons for June 26, 09
Bummer
Ed McMahon, Johnny Carson’s long time setup man as well as pitchman for a variety of products, including the American Family Publishers sweepstakes operation, is dead. I’m sorry to hear of his passing, but I still gotta ask: Ed, where’s my money?
For years, Ed would regularly send me these huge envelopes stuffed with all kinds of ads for geegaws and doodads and promises of millions – hundreds of millions! – more money than I could imagine if only I would paste in the little stamps so he could send me, at the bargain basement price of half-off, such magazines as “Knitting Today,” or the latest exercise video promising I’d lose my love handles and have six-pack abs in just 30 days for only $39.95. Or instead of buying magazines, all the money would be mine if I’d find and paste in all the little hidden certificates and return the whole packet in a big hurry. A real big hurry, which was always such a bother since I never would have any postage stamps in the house and would have to get out of my slippers and get dressed and walk all the way to the post office and then sometimes I’d miss the deadline anyway.
But it was wonderful, our relationship. Something special. And enduring. Very enduring. Year after year he promised, all that money, all those riches were just for me! Oh, sure, he’d sometimes address the envelope to Miss Al Calhoun, or sometimes, Mr. Ann Calhoun. But it didn’t matter. Everybody knew Ed couldn’t spell a lick anyway, bless his heart.
So there’s I’d wait, standing by the postbox on the corner in my ratty slippers, in the rain, sleet and snow, waiting for my millions. Or I’d spend days standing by the front window waiting for the Prize Patrol with their balloons to bounce up my rutted dirt road and pull into my driveway. But the only thing that would arrive from Ed would be more sweepstakes entries, even bulkier envelopes with even more stamps and more little coupons and even more promises. Pretty soon my tongue ran out of spit to lick the little stamps so I got the dogs to do it. But when I couldn’t afford new glasses, let me tell you, the dogs were no help finding all those little hidden special coupons. Dogs can’t read. Not the fine print, at least.
But I didn’t care. Ed was special. Ed was my friend. Ed promised me and me alone that he would personally deliver giant sacks of money right to my door and do it on September 6, 1988 or July 14, 2006, so I knew he wasn’t lying. He had the date right there!
So on we toiled. When they shut off the electricity for non-payment, the dogs and I sat by the light of a fire fueled by all of Ed’s left-over sweepstake entries. Piles and piles of them. Some I hadn’t had time to fill out yet, they came so often. It was hard to keep up. So many, in fact that I had to pile them up neatly in stacks and pretty soon it was often hard for me to get through the front door and the neighbors complained which caused the county nuisance abatement people to come out and try to give me a citation. But I fooled them. Wouldn’t let them in the door.
But it all worked out well when winter came because I could heat the whole house with those left-over envelopes. So you can see how good Ed was to me – supplying both heat and light. And he did that because he loved me and wanted me to be rich. Just me. Said so right there on that envelope.
And then the dream began to crumble. I found out he had been sending the same promises to other people besides me. Oh, Ed, Ed! How could you! After all those years telling me that you would make me rich beyond my wildest dreams of avarice. Rich enough, in fact to buy some of the crummy magazines you were selling. And there you were canoodling up to other people, promising the same thing. Feckless, Ed. You were feckless.
And now you’re dead. I’m sorry for that, though at 86 years, you had a wonderful run and gave a lot of people a lot of laughs, and I hope God blesses you forever, wherever you are.
But a promise is a promise, so I still gotta ask: Where’s my money?
Bummer
Ed McMahon, Johnny Carson’s long time setup man as well as pitchman for a variety of products, including the American Family Publishers sweepstakes operation, is dead. I’m sorry to hear of his passing, but I still gotta ask: Ed, where’s my money?
For years, Ed would regularly send me these huge envelopes stuffed with all kinds of ads for geegaws and doodads and promises of millions – hundreds of millions! – more money than I could imagine if only I would paste in the little stamps so he could send me, at the bargain basement price of half-off, such magazines as “Knitting Today,” or the latest exercise video promising I’d lose my love handles and have six-pack abs in just 30 days for only $39.95. Or instead of buying magazines, all the money would be mine if I’d find and paste in all the little hidden certificates and return the whole packet in a big hurry. A real big hurry, which was always such a bother since I never would have any postage stamps in the house and would have to get out of my slippers and get dressed and walk all the way to the post office and then sometimes I’d miss the deadline anyway.
But it was wonderful, our relationship. Something special. And enduring. Very enduring. Year after year he promised, all that money, all those riches were just for me! Oh, sure, he’d sometimes address the envelope to Miss Al Calhoun, or sometimes, Mr. Ann Calhoun. But it didn’t matter. Everybody knew Ed couldn’t spell a lick anyway, bless his heart.
So there’s I’d wait, standing by the postbox on the corner in my ratty slippers, in the rain, sleet and snow, waiting for my millions. Or I’d spend days standing by the front window waiting for the Prize Patrol with their balloons to bounce up my rutted dirt road and pull into my driveway. But the only thing that would arrive from Ed would be more sweepstakes entries, even bulkier envelopes with even more stamps and more little coupons and even more promises. Pretty soon my tongue ran out of spit to lick the little stamps so I got the dogs to do it. But when I couldn’t afford new glasses, let me tell you, the dogs were no help finding all those little hidden special coupons. Dogs can’t read. Not the fine print, at least.
But I didn’t care. Ed was special. Ed was my friend. Ed promised me and me alone that he would personally deliver giant sacks of money right to my door and do it on September 6, 1988 or July 14, 2006, so I knew he wasn’t lying. He had the date right there!
So on we toiled. When they shut off the electricity for non-payment, the dogs and I sat by the light of a fire fueled by all of Ed’s left-over sweepstake entries. Piles and piles of them. Some I hadn’t had time to fill out yet, they came so often. It was hard to keep up. So many, in fact that I had to pile them up neatly in stacks and pretty soon it was often hard for me to get through the front door and the neighbors complained which caused the county nuisance abatement people to come out and try to give me a citation. But I fooled them. Wouldn’t let them in the door.
But it all worked out well when winter came because I could heat the whole house with those left-over envelopes. So you can see how good Ed was to me – supplying both heat and light. And he did that because he loved me and wanted me to be rich. Just me. Said so right there on that envelope.
And then the dream began to crumble. I found out he had been sending the same promises to other people besides me. Oh, Ed, Ed! How could you! After all those years telling me that you would make me rich beyond my wildest dreams of avarice. Rich enough, in fact to buy some of the crummy magazines you were selling. And there you were canoodling up to other people, promising the same thing. Feckless, Ed. You were feckless.
And now you’re dead. I’m sorry for that, though at 86 years, you had a wonderful run and gave a lot of people a lot of laughs, and I hope God blesses you forever, wherever you are.
But a promise is a promise, so I still gotta ask: Where’s my money?
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Dog Days At Waller Park in Santa Maria.
If you haven’t visited Santa Maria’s off-leash dog park, here’s great opportunity to do so. The park is wonderful, separate small and large dog areas, all in grass, plenty of room to run. They have an annual fund-raising event which is a lot of fun. Bring yourself and your dog for a day of fun, lots of information booths, demonstrations and a good time for all.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For Information Contact:
Rick Corbo (805) 878-4010
Carol Gross (805) 938-7865
WOOFSTOCK-AT-WALLER,
A GROOVY DOG FESTIVAL FOR PEACE-LOVING HOUNDS AND THEIR HIPPIES
Seventh Annual Celebration for WOOF! PAC PARK in Waller Park
Saturday, June 27, 2009 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
On June 27, 2009, (the last Saturday of June) from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Winners Of Off-Leash Freedom, Inc. (WOOF!) will hold WOOFSTOCK-AT-WALLER, A GROOVY DOG FESTIVAL FOR PEACE-LOVING HOUNDS AND THEIR HIPPIES. It is the Seventh Annual Celebration at WOOF! PAC PARK in Waller Park. The event will be held in the Don Potter Picnic Area of Waller Park adjacent to Woof Pac Park off-leash dog park. Friendly dogs and their people are invited to attend the event and must be on-leash in the event area.
This is a popular event and will be well attended by many friendly, photogenic dogs and their people. All proceeds from the celebration will benefit WOOF!, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. At the event, WOOF! will have doggie pools and booths will be decorated in a groovy theme.
“As this year’s event is themed WOOFSTOCK-AT-WALLER, we ask that dog owners come prepared to celebrate the freedom of our Off-leash dog park. If you have peace or hippie 60/70's-ish clothing or costumes or wigs and sunglasses, dust them off and get ready. This is sure to be a groovy event.”
“Last year, Dog Fancy magazine, the world’s most widely read dog magazine voted Woof Pac Park as one of our Nation’s best dog parks. There were ten parks in the whole country they selected and we were one,” said event chairman Rick Corbo.
“Each year we celebrate our off-leash freedom with a Dogs’ Day of Summer event and try to raise a little money for our group. There is no charge to go to the dog park and we use donations brought in through this event to make improvements at the park. There are a number of raffle items for the event including gift baskets, gift certificates, Frontline Plus, Advantage, t-shirts, Kong toys, treats, and many, many other things. Remember this is a fundraising event for the park, so bring some money and get some raffles tickets, food, doggie treats and other goodies from our vendors. Winners need not be present.
“We are also blessed to have so many groups, vendors and demonstrators coming together this year making a total of 30 booths, five more up from last year. The list is great.” They include Information & Registration, Contest and Raffle Tickets, Face Painting, Dogma the Magnificent Paw Reading, Sparks Photographic Arts- Dog Photos, Vaccinations & microchips-Dr. Ruth’s Vet2Pet Mobile Holistic Veterinary Services, Belly Up & Bark Bar, Acoustic Hounds, American Red Cross Pet First Aid, Care Bear’s All Pets Service, Debbie Philley- DJ, Doggie Salon & Spa, Doglicious Goodies, Doggie Do Good, Fetch! Pet Care, Fins and Critters, California Hot Dog Company, Lemos Feed & Pet Supply, Lost World Pets, Love Dogs Camp, Paw Stones, Planet Blue Dog, Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation, Adoptions, Santa Barbara County Animal Services, Adoptions and Licensing, Santa Barbara County K-9 Unit, Deputy McNeil and Betti, Sa nta Maria Valley Humane Society, Adoptions, The Chewin Dog, The Kennels of Springdale, and Woods Humane Society – Adoptions.
“For those who can extend a hand to dogs in need, there will be dog adoptions by many agencies and groups. WOOF! will also be doing vaccinations and microchips by Dr. Ruth Corbo, DVM, CVCP, CVA and licensing by Santa Barbara County Animal Services. There will be face painting for the kids, paw reading for the dogs, and if your dog would like to imbibe on some tasty H20, they can go to our Belly Up & Bark Bar. There will also be paw reading by Dogma the Magnificent.”
There will be at least three dog demonstrations including SB County Sheriff K-9 Unit with Deputy Mike McNeil and his dog Betti doing narcotic search demo, an American Red Cross dog first aid and CPR demo, and Doggie Do Good service dog and obedience demos.
There will be over 10 contests with prizes including the world famous "Mug vs. Mug" dog/human look-a-like, dog tricks, dog vocals, cutest dog, ugliest dog, biggest dog, smallest dog, dog kissing, child barking and adult barking and dog costume. Judging for the contests will be Katie Marzullo, from KCOY 12 and radio personality Ben Heighes from AM1440 KUHL radio.
Event opens at 10am and contests will begin at 12:30pm.
If you haven’t visited Santa Maria’s off-leash dog park, here’s great opportunity to do so. The park is wonderful, separate small and large dog areas, all in grass, plenty of room to run. They have an annual fund-raising event which is a lot of fun. Bring yourself and your dog for a day of fun, lots of information booths, demonstrations and a good time for all.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For Information Contact:
Rick Corbo (805) 878-4010
Carol Gross (805) 938-7865
WOOFSTOCK-AT-WALLER,
A GROOVY DOG FESTIVAL FOR PEACE-LOVING HOUNDS AND THEIR HIPPIES
Seventh Annual Celebration for WOOF! PAC PARK in Waller Park
Saturday, June 27, 2009 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
On June 27, 2009, (the last Saturday of June) from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Winners Of Off-Leash Freedom, Inc. (WOOF!) will hold WOOFSTOCK-AT-WALLER, A GROOVY DOG FESTIVAL FOR PEACE-LOVING HOUNDS AND THEIR HIPPIES. It is the Seventh Annual Celebration at WOOF! PAC PARK in Waller Park. The event will be held in the Don Potter Picnic Area of Waller Park adjacent to Woof Pac Park off-leash dog park. Friendly dogs and their people are invited to attend the event and must be on-leash in the event area.
This is a popular event and will be well attended by many friendly, photogenic dogs and their people. All proceeds from the celebration will benefit WOOF!, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. At the event, WOOF! will have doggie pools and booths will be decorated in a groovy theme.
“As this year’s event is themed WOOFSTOCK-AT-WALLER, we ask that dog owners come prepared to celebrate the freedom of our Off-leash dog park. If you have peace or hippie 60/70's-ish clothing or costumes or wigs and sunglasses, dust them off and get ready. This is sure to be a groovy event.”
“Last year, Dog Fancy magazine, the world’s most widely read dog magazine voted Woof Pac Park as one of our Nation’s best dog parks. There were ten parks in the whole country they selected and we were one,” said event chairman Rick Corbo.
“Each year we celebrate our off-leash freedom with a Dogs’ Day of Summer event and try to raise a little money for our group. There is no charge to go to the dog park and we use donations brought in through this event to make improvements at the park. There are a number of raffle items for the event including gift baskets, gift certificates, Frontline Plus, Advantage, t-shirts, Kong toys, treats, and many, many other things. Remember this is a fundraising event for the park, so bring some money and get some raffles tickets, food, doggie treats and other goodies from our vendors. Winners need not be present.
“We are also blessed to have so many groups, vendors and demonstrators coming together this year making a total of 30 booths, five more up from last year. The list is great.” They include Information & Registration, Contest and Raffle Tickets, Face Painting, Dogma the Magnificent Paw Reading, Sparks Photographic Arts- Dog Photos, Vaccinations & microchips-Dr. Ruth’s Vet2Pet Mobile Holistic Veterinary Services, Belly Up & Bark Bar, Acoustic Hounds, American Red Cross Pet First Aid, Care Bear’s All Pets Service, Debbie Philley- DJ, Doggie Salon & Spa, Doglicious Goodies, Doggie Do Good, Fetch! Pet Care, Fins and Critters, California Hot Dog Company, Lemos Feed & Pet Supply, Lost World Pets, Love Dogs Camp, Paw Stones, Planet Blue Dog, Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation, Adoptions, Santa Barbara County Animal Services, Adoptions and Licensing, Santa Barbara County K-9 Unit, Deputy McNeil and Betti, Sa nta Maria Valley Humane Society, Adoptions, The Chewin Dog, The Kennels of Springdale, and Woods Humane Society – Adoptions.
“For those who can extend a hand to dogs in need, there will be dog adoptions by many agencies and groups. WOOF! will also be doing vaccinations and microchips by Dr. Ruth Corbo, DVM, CVCP, CVA and licensing by Santa Barbara County Animal Services. There will be face painting for the kids, paw reading for the dogs, and if your dog would like to imbibe on some tasty H20, they can go to our Belly Up & Bark Bar. There will also be paw reading by Dogma the Magnificent.”
There will be at least three dog demonstrations including SB County Sheriff K-9 Unit with Deputy Mike McNeil and his dog Betti doing narcotic search demo, an American Red Cross dog first aid and CPR demo, and Doggie Do Good service dog and obedience demos.
There will be over 10 contests with prizes including the world famous "Mug vs. Mug" dog/human look-a-like, dog tricks, dog vocals, cutest dog, ugliest dog, biggest dog, smallest dog, dog kissing, child barking and adult barking and dog costume. Judging for the contests will be Katie Marzullo, from KCOY 12 and radio personality Ben Heighes from AM1440 KUHL radio.
Event opens at 10am and contests will begin at 12:30pm.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Yes, Yes, Plluueeez Mull
The Tribune reported on the 23rd.(“Board mulls inquiry report), that The Board of Supervisors has received a draft report looking into the Edge/Wilcox Problem and they will make a decision on in a few weeks. Supervisor Gibson was reported as saying, “We have to be methodical. We’re taking care in how we do things.”
Oh, yes, please. And this time, BOS, no happy horse plucky about “philosophical differences” being the reason your CEO got fired. And while you’re “mulling” make sure that report includes a look at the system you’ve now got set up. Wilcox, in her lawsuit, alleges that the BOS knew about and turned a blind eye to her sexual harassment, that even the office of County Counsel knew, and that Human Resources was no help because THEY were serving at the pleasure of the CEO. Not a particularly good situation. So, it’s possible that the system needs some fine tuning.
So, mull the current report and if you’ve got a system problem that needs tweaking or the report indicates you need to do some more snooping, then snoop. Time to fix this mess now so we’ll have another 10 years without canoodling and black lingerie.
Hooray for Don Ernst!
Don Ernst, a SLOTown trial lawyer, wrote a Viewpoint in the June 23 Tribune, for which I’d like to say: THANK YOU. He tossed down a challenge to Assemblyman Sam Blakelesee: Help save California or Save Your Behind – take your pick.
If you recall, the Republicans, during the last budget wrangle, took a blood oath to Grover Norquist (I know, you thought they too their blood oaths to the constitution, but No, it’s Grover.). Grover’s the ideologue who’s started his “No Tax Pledge,” because he wants government weak and small enough to drown in the bathtub. Several Republicans refused to sign the pledge and voted to go along with the first compromise and they were punished by being sent to Coventry. Sam, on the other hand, smelled the wind and which way he wanted his career to go, and fell into lock-step with Grover. In short, Sam picked his career over the good of the state of California and was rewarded by moving on up the committee/chairmanship ladder.
Now, here we are again and Ernst is now calling on Sam to Do The Right Thing. Wrote Earnst, “Throughout history, responsible Republicans have raised taxes when required to do so: Gov. Ronald Reagan did it in 1969, Gov Peter Wilson did it in 1992. Any rational person can see we need a balanced approach to this budget crisis.
“When our schools are destroyed, our teachers unemployed, when state parts close and felons roam free, and when sick children, the elderly and the disabled are unable to receive minimal medical care, you will know who to call. Blakeslee will tell you that he signed a “No Tax Pledge” because politics and ideology are more important than schools, parks, roads, public safety, health care and the future of California.”
Well, we shall see. The irony here is that Sam has always portrayed himself as Mr. Pragmatic, Mr. Git ‘r Done, Mr. Sensible Compromise. Until now. Perhaps the lure of more power and powerful Chairmanships were simply too much. Or maybe it was Grover’s aftershave.
Burp!
In the June 22 Tribune, was an AP story in the “Science” section. Since Global Warming is at the forefront of our international worries, one of the big contributions to the greenhouse gas build up is cow belches – actually lots of methane gas from both ends of the cow, and pigs and sheep, which add up to one-quarter of all the methane released in the U.S. Lotta methane. So, a group of Vermont dairy farms are discovering that changing the cow’s feed reduced the belching. Feed the cows flaxeed, alfalfa and grasses high in Omega 3 fatty acids instead of corn, and the methane amount drops. Change the natural bacteria in the cow’s rumen and the gas is reduced. In the case of the Coventry Valley farm, a reduction of 13 percent. At other farms, the gas has been reduced 18 percent.
What’s also interesting about this is that corn, which is subsidized by the government and fed to all critters to fatten them up in (totally unnatural, truly awful) feed yards, is for cows a totally unnatural “bad” food. The result, many feel, is sicker, weakened cows needing antibiotics which then get into the food chain and create problems all their own. Not to mention corn-fattened cows are, well, full of fat, which is exactly what this obese nation doesn’t need.
So, here’s a solution that kills two birds with one stone: change the cow’s diet up front, reduce greenhouse gasses and get a leaner, healthier dead cow for people who like to eat dead cows. Then, if people understood how bad too much meat in the diet is for their own health, perhaps they’d reduce their consumption (go for quality not quantity), which would further reduce the greenhouse gasses needed in the form of energy to raise all those cows in the first place. More win-win.
The Tribune reported on the 23rd.(“Board mulls inquiry report), that The Board of Supervisors has received a draft report looking into the Edge/Wilcox Problem and they will make a decision on in a few weeks. Supervisor Gibson was reported as saying, “We have to be methodical. We’re taking care in how we do things.”
Oh, yes, please. And this time, BOS, no happy horse plucky about “philosophical differences” being the reason your CEO got fired. And while you’re “mulling” make sure that report includes a look at the system you’ve now got set up. Wilcox, in her lawsuit, alleges that the BOS knew about and turned a blind eye to her sexual harassment, that even the office of County Counsel knew, and that Human Resources was no help because THEY were serving at the pleasure of the CEO. Not a particularly good situation. So, it’s possible that the system needs some fine tuning.
So, mull the current report and if you’ve got a system problem that needs tweaking or the report indicates you need to do some more snooping, then snoop. Time to fix this mess now so we’ll have another 10 years without canoodling and black lingerie.
Hooray for Don Ernst!
Don Ernst, a SLOTown trial lawyer, wrote a Viewpoint in the June 23 Tribune, for which I’d like to say: THANK YOU. He tossed down a challenge to Assemblyman Sam Blakelesee: Help save California or Save Your Behind – take your pick.
If you recall, the Republicans, during the last budget wrangle, took a blood oath to Grover Norquist (I know, you thought they too their blood oaths to the constitution, but No, it’s Grover.). Grover’s the ideologue who’s started his “No Tax Pledge,” because he wants government weak and small enough to drown in the bathtub. Several Republicans refused to sign the pledge and voted to go along with the first compromise and they were punished by being sent to Coventry. Sam, on the other hand, smelled the wind and which way he wanted his career to go, and fell into lock-step with Grover. In short, Sam picked his career over the good of the state of California and was rewarded by moving on up the committee/chairmanship ladder.
Now, here we are again and Ernst is now calling on Sam to Do The Right Thing. Wrote Earnst, “Throughout history, responsible Republicans have raised taxes when required to do so: Gov. Ronald Reagan did it in 1969, Gov Peter Wilson did it in 1992. Any rational person can see we need a balanced approach to this budget crisis.
“When our schools are destroyed, our teachers unemployed, when state parts close and felons roam free, and when sick children, the elderly and the disabled are unable to receive minimal medical care, you will know who to call. Blakeslee will tell you that he signed a “No Tax Pledge” because politics and ideology are more important than schools, parks, roads, public safety, health care and the future of California.”
Well, we shall see. The irony here is that Sam has always portrayed himself as Mr. Pragmatic, Mr. Git ‘r Done, Mr. Sensible Compromise. Until now. Perhaps the lure of more power and powerful Chairmanships were simply too much. Or maybe it was Grover’s aftershave.
Burp!
In the June 22 Tribune, was an AP story in the “Science” section. Since Global Warming is at the forefront of our international worries, one of the big contributions to the greenhouse gas build up is cow belches – actually lots of methane gas from both ends of the cow, and pigs and sheep, which add up to one-quarter of all the methane released in the U.S. Lotta methane. So, a group of Vermont dairy farms are discovering that changing the cow’s feed reduced the belching. Feed the cows flaxeed, alfalfa and grasses high in Omega 3 fatty acids instead of corn, and the methane amount drops. Change the natural bacteria in the cow’s rumen and the gas is reduced. In the case of the Coventry Valley farm, a reduction of 13 percent. At other farms, the gas has been reduced 18 percent.
What’s also interesting about this is that corn, which is subsidized by the government and fed to all critters to fatten them up in (totally unnatural, truly awful) feed yards, is for cows a totally unnatural “bad” food. The result, many feel, is sicker, weakened cows needing antibiotics which then get into the food chain and create problems all their own. Not to mention corn-fattened cows are, well, full of fat, which is exactly what this obese nation doesn’t need.
So, here’s a solution that kills two birds with one stone: change the cow’s diet up front, reduce greenhouse gasses and get a leaner, healthier dead cow for people who like to eat dead cows. Then, if people understood how bad too much meat in the diet is for their own health, perhaps they’d reduce their consumption (go for quality not quantity), which would further reduce the greenhouse gasses needed in the form of energy to raise all those cows in the first place. More win-win.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
O.K. What’s The Tribune Up To This Time?
Uh, so what’s up with the Monday, June 22nd Tribune headline, “Former official says Osos sewer project director has conflict of interest.” Complete with picture of LOWWP director Paavo Ogren and former CSD director, Lisa Schicker. And a general discussion about the official complaint plus documents Schicker sent in to the BOS concerning the creating of the engineering short list for the Los Osos sewer project, among other issues.
All old news. Already been in the headlines. County Counsel Warren Jensen’s already said he’s working on a report in response. Old news. So what’s it doing back on the front page? What’s the Tribune up to? Did they read though the pile of documents Schicker sent along with the complaint? Did it seem to support a level of concern versus a dismissive snort? Is this Tribune story now some kind of prod to County Counsel that somebody may be paying attention?
Well, it’s all very odd, if you ask me. All Caesar’s Wife, and possible illegalities that aren’t really illegal, maybe. (If you violate a law and it isn’t found out until the statute of limitations has passed, have you broken the law? It’s the old tree falling in the forest routine?) And if you did something that was, well, technically “illegal” and are now legally in the clear (statute of limitations) can you claim that you’ve done nothing improper? Or would it be fairer to say, “Well, yeah, we screwed up technically, but it was o.k. since nobody took any money and went to France. The violation was merely a technical time saver and did nothing to violate the spirit of what was supposed to happen anyway.”
Well, to add to the discussion, below is a copy of an email sent by Lisa Schicker to Warren Jensen and BOS for the record, concerning this upcoming report. Published with permission.
Meantime, here’s an idea: Why doesn’t the BOS hire a totally independent “auditor” and have them go over the contract procurement process and bidding selection process and issue a report on whether this was all done correctly and fairly. Wouldn’t that be a better way of restoring confidence that this whole design-build-bid-contract deal was done right?
Subject:
Your report on the Public Works Contract procurement process and design build process for Los Osos
Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:41:13 -0700
Good Morning Warren:
I am just checking in with you, I wanted to see how the report is coming along - there seems to be a lot of issues facing the county right now, and I think the conflict of interest/violation of design build/contract procurement process that many of us in Los Osos are concerned about - has far-reaching implications County-wide.
Before you complete your report, I want to make sure that these points of concern are addressed.
Our concerns relate to the promise that Los Osos taxpayers receive a fairly bid project, which includes an unbiased and legal contract procurement process. Evidence and activities thus far have occurred that suggest that there is trouble with these processes. My concerns are that the design build process as described by state law, the contract procurement process and a fair presentation of all options and costs has now been circumvented and tainted by the personal and business relationships of key people directing these efforts - there is history of this in Los Osos and at the County to support these concerns with Los Osos projects and other projects, too.
As part of your report and evaluation of the past facts about Paavo, MWH, Wallace and Lou Carella, I want to know if the current county project team (Paavo Ogren, Lou Carella, et al) have completed conflict of interest statements and if they have provided disclosure of all potential incompatible activities, including the disclosure of their prior business relationships in both public and private roles.
Have the previous business relationships been disclosed prior to putting former business partners (Carella/Carollo and Wallace) directly on a panel, tasked with interviewing, reference checking and short listing engineering teams for a very lucrative county contract - with their own former business associates (MWH?) - and including Paavo Ogren sitting on the appeal panel?
I believe the documentation submitted and your own County records demonstrate that the same people, working both for our county government and at the same engineering firms, have been "feeding" each other work, trading positions and hiring each other now for 10+ years, using the taxpayers' money to do so - in Los Osos (CSD and County), and on the Lopez Lake dam retrofit project, among others......
Of course it is legal to work on projects together with reputable firms, but if there is financial interest and former business relationships, they must be disclosed per the Sherman Act. Because many of these jobs have gone way over bid, increasing 100%, such as Lopez Lake, (when including contract amendments and construction change orders), citizens are rightfully concerned.
Since the County is responsible for using the peoples' money for these contracts that are being made among prior business partners, and there is plenty of evidence to show this, then at least some of the questions that your report needs to answer is,
Have all potential incompatible activities among the former business partners (Paavo Ogren, currently County Public Works Director (formerly of Canon and Wallace firms), Lou Carella, formerly of MWH, RMC and Carollo) and Wallace (previously employed by the County) been previously disclosed - before the contract procurement process was approved or before the design build process was allowed to accept costly change orders? Contract change orders are typically not allowed with design build contracts, that was the advantage of going that way, to guarantee that costs would be capped. These firms are known for amending their work numerous times, so contracts that cost very little up front, end up costing a bundle! (see my files submitted on MWH billing practices)
Is there a conflict of interest due to the relationships among the former business partners (Ogren, MWH, Carella and Wallace)? Have all firms completed conflict of interest and incompatible activities statements? Can the public review these statements?
In light of what we now know, is it legal to allow these former business partners to interview and sit on the appeal panel when interviewing their former business partners, who are competing with others for County Contracts?
How is fair competition assured in this type of environment - how are the taxpayers served best?
These are just some of the issues that concern me, I look forward to reading your report.
Despite what others may think or say about me, it has never been my intention to derail a project, but only to improve it -to deliver the most environmentally preferred, technically sound, affordable project for our town - I stand behind these words with dedicated effort, action and participation in the process for many years now. I hope you understand why these issues I bring before you are so important to reaching this goal.
Thanks very much from Lisa
Uh, so what’s up with the Monday, June 22nd Tribune headline, “Former official says Osos sewer project director has conflict of interest.” Complete with picture of LOWWP director Paavo Ogren and former CSD director, Lisa Schicker. And a general discussion about the official complaint plus documents Schicker sent in to the BOS concerning the creating of the engineering short list for the Los Osos sewer project, among other issues.
All old news. Already been in the headlines. County Counsel Warren Jensen’s already said he’s working on a report in response. Old news. So what’s it doing back on the front page? What’s the Tribune up to? Did they read though the pile of documents Schicker sent along with the complaint? Did it seem to support a level of concern versus a dismissive snort? Is this Tribune story now some kind of prod to County Counsel that somebody may be paying attention?
Well, it’s all very odd, if you ask me. All Caesar’s Wife, and possible illegalities that aren’t really illegal, maybe. (If you violate a law and it isn’t found out until the statute of limitations has passed, have you broken the law? It’s the old tree falling in the forest routine?) And if you did something that was, well, technically “illegal” and are now legally in the clear (statute of limitations) can you claim that you’ve done nothing improper? Or would it be fairer to say, “Well, yeah, we screwed up technically, but it was o.k. since nobody took any money and went to France. The violation was merely a technical time saver and did nothing to violate the spirit of what was supposed to happen anyway.”
Well, to add to the discussion, below is a copy of an email sent by Lisa Schicker to Warren Jensen and BOS for the record, concerning this upcoming report. Published with permission.
Meantime, here’s an idea: Why doesn’t the BOS hire a totally independent “auditor” and have them go over the contract procurement process and bidding selection process and issue a report on whether this was all done correctly and fairly. Wouldn’t that be a better way of restoring confidence that this whole design-build-bid-contract deal was done right?
Subject:
Your report on the Public Works Contract procurement process and design build process for Los Osos
Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:41:13 -0700
Good Morning Warren:
I am just checking in with you, I wanted to see how the report is coming along - there seems to be a lot of issues facing the county right now, and I think the conflict of interest/violation of design build/contract procurement process that many of us in Los Osos are concerned about - has far-reaching implications County-wide.
Before you complete your report, I want to make sure that these points of concern are addressed.
Our concerns relate to the promise that Los Osos taxpayers receive a fairly bid project, which includes an unbiased and legal contract procurement process. Evidence and activities thus far have occurred that suggest that there is trouble with these processes. My concerns are that the design build process as described by state law, the contract procurement process and a fair presentation of all options and costs has now been circumvented and tainted by the personal and business relationships of key people directing these efforts - there is history of this in Los Osos and at the County to support these concerns with Los Osos projects and other projects, too.
As part of your report and evaluation of the past facts about Paavo, MWH, Wallace and Lou Carella, I want to know if the current county project team (Paavo Ogren, Lou Carella, et al) have completed conflict of interest statements and if they have provided disclosure of all potential incompatible activities, including the disclosure of their prior business relationships in both public and private roles.
Have the previous business relationships been disclosed prior to putting former business partners (Carella/Carollo and Wallace) directly on a panel, tasked with interviewing, reference checking and short listing engineering teams for a very lucrative county contract - with their own former business associates (MWH?) - and including Paavo Ogren sitting on the appeal panel?
I believe the documentation submitted and your own County records demonstrate that the same people, working both for our county government and at the same engineering firms, have been "feeding" each other work, trading positions and hiring each other now for 10+ years, using the taxpayers' money to do so - in Los Osos (CSD and County), and on the Lopez Lake dam retrofit project, among others......
Of course it is legal to work on projects together with reputable firms, but if there is financial interest and former business relationships, they must be disclosed per the Sherman Act. Because many of these jobs have gone way over bid, increasing 100%, such as Lopez Lake, (when including contract amendments and construction change orders), citizens are rightfully concerned.
Since the County is responsible for using the peoples' money for these contracts that are being made among prior business partners, and there is plenty of evidence to show this, then at least some of the questions that your report needs to answer is,
Have all potential incompatible activities among the former business partners (Paavo Ogren, currently County Public Works Director (formerly of Canon and Wallace firms), Lou Carella, formerly of MWH, RMC and Carollo) and Wallace (previously employed by the County) been previously disclosed - before the contract procurement process was approved or before the design build process was allowed to accept costly change orders? Contract change orders are typically not allowed with design build contracts, that was the advantage of going that way, to guarantee that costs would be capped. These firms are known for amending their work numerous times, so contracts that cost very little up front, end up costing a bundle! (see my files submitted on MWH billing practices)
Is there a conflict of interest due to the relationships among the former business partners (Ogren, MWH, Carella and Wallace)? Have all firms completed conflict of interest and incompatible activities statements? Can the public review these statements?
In light of what we now know, is it legal to allow these former business partners to interview and sit on the appeal panel when interviewing their former business partners, who are competing with others for County Contracts?
How is fair competition assured in this type of environment - how are the taxpayers served best?
These are just some of the issues that concern me, I look forward to reading your report.
Despite what others may think or say about me, it has never been my intention to derail a project, but only to improve it -to deliver the most environmentally preferred, technically sound, affordable project for our town - I stand behind these words with dedicated effort, action and participation in the process for many years now. I hope you understand why these issues I bring before you are so important to reaching this goal.
Thanks very much from Lisa
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