Snow on Claremont Avenue in Oakland/Berkeley hills
Snow in Claremont Canyon, December 7, 2009
Claremont just west of Grizzly Peak Blvd.
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New East Span Bay Bridge earthquake simulation video
Sorry, I couldn’t get the video below to not autostart. Click the Pause button to stop it if you don’t want it to run.
Posted 4 months, 3 weeks ago. Add a comment
Loma Prieta 20 year anniversary
USGS map showing relative shaking intensities
This Saturday (October 17, 2009) marks the 20th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake. Everyone who was in the Santa Cruz/SF Bay Area has their story of where they were, and KQED’s Forum call-in program had a great hour yesterday. It’s been long enough ago that for my students (juniors and seniors in high school) the earthquake is now only history. Following is my story of life with Loma Prieta.
When the earthquake struck at 5:04 PM, I had just returned from my workday delivering bread for Uprisings Baking Collective. We baked in the basement of Casa Zimbabwe, a four story building in the Berkeley Students Cooperative. My general reaction to earthquakes is “Cool, feel the shaking,” and that’s just what I did for the first several seconds of Loma Prieta. After several seconds (5, 10, 15??), my earthquake drill training started to kick in as I realized this was not ending as quickly as usual. I headed for the door between our office and the hall, placing my self in the “safest place in the building.” There were probably about 5-10 of us in the bakery area, and I remember some people were heading outside.
When the earth stopped shaking, we all sort of said “Wow, that was big,” and headed back to work. Nothing had fallen off shelves, or any other obvious damage, so we had bread to bake and paperwork to complete.
A few minutes later, the bakers started saying that they had heard on the news that the Bay Bridge had fallen down. “No way” I thought, they must be exaggerating (in the end, “fallen down” was a bit of an exaggeration, but part of it had). Some of us headed up the block to the Pacific School of Religion (at the top of Berkeley’s “Holy Hill”) to see what we could see. I remember seeing smoke from the SF Marina District, but not much else is in my memory (we probably could see the smoke from Hustead’s Towing in downtown Berkeley, but I can’t remember this).
I finished up my paperwork, and left the bakers to their work. On my way home, I stopped by my sister’s apartment (on Vine, just west of Shattuck) to see how she was doing. She was fine, and I faintly remember hanging out for a while with her and some of her neighbors/friends, watching news on the TV.
In the course of the next few days, at the bakery we had to redesign our routes to get to SF, Marin, and the Peninsula using the Richmond/San Rafael and the San Mateo bridges. I think we took a couple days off, but were quickly back getting food to the people. At one point I heard that an organization that cooked dinners for people with AIDS needed help getting prepared food from West Oakland BART to the Red Cross center in Oakland (they were cooking it in SF, then bringing it over on BART). Our vans, with their racks, were perfect for this, so I helped out for a couple days after work. I remember lots of vans showing up at the BART station, shuttling the food to the Red Cross.
As I drove around the Bay Area on my bakery route (I drove our SF/South Bay routes), I was able to get a tour of the minor destruction area (the heavy destruction areas were closed off). I remember seeing many houses damaged in the Richmond and Sunset districts in SF.
That about sums up my memories at this time. I’ll probably come back and add more as the anniversary refreshes my memory.
Posted 4 months, 4 weeks ago. 1 comment
A short poem about love
In my life, every time that I've found it, love appears in a different way sometimes it's right where I'm looking other times in an fog shrouded bay
How love is is also quite varied erotic or gentle or wild I don't know how the next one will appear old soul or youthful child
For me love is like chocolate you can be happy if its not in sight but a dinner is not quite as sumptious as when accompanied by that wonderful bite.
Lee Trampleasure
September 2009
Posted 5 months, 2 weeks ago. Add a comment
Uprisings: The Whole Grain Bakers’ Book
In 1983, the Cooperative Whole Grain Educational Association published Uprisings; The Whole Grain Bakers’ Book. The Foreword of the book is at the bottom of this page.
As a former collective member of Uprisings Baking Collective in Berkeley (one of the contributors to the book), I didn’t want this book and organization to just fade away. There were 32 collective/cooperative bakeries who contributed to the book, many of which are still in business. Collected below are a list of links to the bakeries that are still operating. If I missed any, please fill in the form at the bottom so I can update the page.
The book is a valuable resource for bakers and wannabe bakers. One of its strengths is the index—including the traditional categories of major ingredients and types of foods, but also including a special section on Recipes by Special Dietary Characteristics such as No Eggs or Dairy; No Dairy (but contains Eggs); No Eggs (but contains Dairy); No Wheat; No Sweetener, or Fruit-sweetened; No Added Oils or Fats (may contain high-fat ingredients); No Baking; and No Salt, or Optional Salt.
While Uprisings is out of print, many used copies are available. If you can’t find it at your local bookstore, try abebooks.com using the search box here. abebooks.com is a network of independent bookstores around the country, your independent alternative to Amazon.com.
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Click this link to search for Uprisings on AbeBooks:0938432125 There is another book out there with the exact same name, but a different author. If abebooks doesn’t return any books using the ISBN number provided here, try a search for the title Uprisings Bakers to get the other book. I’m not sure if this is the same book, re-published by a new group of authors. If anyone knows about this, please let me know. Bakeries in Uprisings
Other Collective/Cooperative Bakeries
Foreword from UprisingsWelcome to Uprisings, the whole grain bakers’ book. Uprisings has been collectively compiled by expieneced bakers from many small independent bakeries. If draws its inspiration from a number of uprisings—of grain, of bread, and of people. The most basic of these is the grain growing from the earth, nourished by the rain and sun. Wheat, rye, corn, barley, buckwheat, millet, rice—these are the fundamental ingredients of whole grain baked goods. Bakers, with a little help from yeast and other leaveners, create another uprising, as dough rises to produce fresh-baked loaves, filling our senses. The third uprising is the cooperative ethic of the bakeries we work in. There are no bosses, no employees. Instead we all do the work toegher, sharing the responsibilities and the rewards. Our businesses put priority on serving the needs of the community, not on making profits for a select few. We think it’s a great loss that so many of us are unfamiliar with these uprisings. Few people enjoy the delights of eating fresh whole grain bread, let alone those of making it themselves. It’s also a loss that so few people have the satisfaction of helping to run their own workplaces, doing interesting work that meets real needs. Cooperative whole grain bakeries are part of a rising tide of people taking more responsibility for what goes on in our lives. We want more and more of us to regain power over our food, our work, our health and well-being—in short, our personal, social, and economic existence. To achieve this, we heartily encourage these and other kinds of uprisings in all areas or our lives.Published 1983 |
Posted 8 months, 2 weeks ago. 4 comments
Free shoppping?
It’s that time again. Time to wander the aisles of the college town “free stores.”
These stores don’t pay rent, and the aisles move daily (if not hourly). The merchandise are the items the students don’t feel like taking with them. Walk around student neighborhoods as finals and graduation come to an end, and you’ll find all sorts of treasures. A couple months ago I got a “new” CD/tape/radio player that a neighbor had nicely set out on the curb (replaced with an iPod and speakers?). Then, a couple bike wheels. Today, a nice hand-vacuum.
So, help keep these items from the scrapbin of history; give them another life in your house.
Posted 9 months, 4 weeks ago. Add a comment
Interesting “ESP” site
The test
A friend sent me this. I was surprised at first, but then it didn’t take me too long to figure it out.
Here’s the test: http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/Pickover/esp.html
Try it out (it will open in a new window), then return here if you can’t figure it out.
Scroll down for the solution.
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The solution
Hint: there is only one image for the “before” and only one for the “after.”
Scroll down for more details.
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Here’s the “before” image:
Here’s the “after” image:
Can you solve it now?
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Notice there are NO identical cards from the first set to the second.
Folks will focus so much on the card they want, that they don’t notice that none of the original cards are present.
Posted 9 months, 4 weeks ago. Add a comment
Studio open in my limited equity coop in Berkeley
There’s an opening in the limited equity coop apartment building I live it. Her’s the description:
Studio Apartment Available June 1st in Limited Equity Housing Co-op
Building is 120’s Spanish style, located close to UCB, Berkeley BART, shopping, and the “Gourmet Ghetto.”
Together, we govern, manage, and maintain this 22-unit building. Monthly assessments cover everything except your electricity. Co-op reviews assessments annually with the goal of having well-maintained housing at moderate cost.
Down payment (member share-value) is approximately $8,800, recoverable with interest on departure. 2009 Assessments are $462/month.
For information and an application, please email walnuthouseselections@yahoo.com or leave a message at 510-59-3140 with an email addres or fax number where we can send you information and an application (email communication is prefered).
Application deadline: Saturday, May 16, 2009
Posted 10 months, 2 weeks ago. Add a comment
California Action Alert on Employment & Disability
Dear Advocates,
AB 1269 is important for Californians with disabilities who want to or do work. If you’re unfamiliar with Medi-Cal’s California Working Disabled Program, please see the following text link that describes the current program. http://www.chiip.org/longdesc/medi-cal_brochure_english.html
AB 1269 adds desperately needed improvements to California’s Medicaid Buy-In Program that were vetoed by the governor two legislative cycles ago because of legal language flaws, and again during the last legislative cycle because of the budget. Advocates have worked closely with the governor’s staff and the state’s fiscal actuaries, and are confident that we have addressed concerns expressed by this administration.
Please let Assemblymember Brownley know that you support her bill as she ushers it through the committee process. It is important to ask people in your personal life and business associates to also send letters of support. Please spread the word.
ACTION ALERT!
Write Letters to Members of the Assembly Committee on Health by April 16, 2009
AB 1269-Fundamental Fairness!
CALIFORNIA WORK GROUP On Work Incentives and Health Care the CWG
PLEASE SEND TO YOUR COLLEAGUES AND NETWORKS
Dear CWG Participants & AB 1269 Supporters,
We need you, your friends, family, and colleagues to write letters of support by the end of this week!
ACTION STEPS:
1. Write your letter of support! See our sample letter below that you can edit with your own stories, Assembly contact person, and your personal contact information.
2. Please send or fax a letter of support to Julia Brownley, the bill’s author attention Irene Ho.
Office of Assembly Member Julia Brownley
Attn: Irene Ho
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0041
Tel: (916) 319-2041
Fax: (916) 319-2141
3. Send or fax a copy of your letter to Ginny Murphy:
Ginny Murphy
World Institute on Disability
510 16th St. Ste 100
Oakland CA 94612
Ginny@wid.org
Phone: (510) 251-4340
Fax: (510) 763-4109
4. Forward this email to a friend or colleague who can join us in supporting AB 1269. Consider sending them your letter so they can see why you support the California Working Disabled Program.
Thank you for your action and support! Please contact us if you have any questions. If you need any assistance with this AB 1269 letter of support over the next two days please contact Burns Vick, Policy Consultant, at fburnsvick@sbcglobal.net.
Sincerely,
Bryon MacDonald
Program Director
California Work Incentives Initiative
The World Institute on Disability
Ginny Murphy
Projects Coordinator
California Work Incentives Initiative
World Institute on Disability
Sample letter
“Cut and paste” the following letter into your word processor, then make the needed changes to personalize it:
April ____, 2009
The Honorable Julia Brownley
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0041
Dear Assembly Member Brownley:
YOUR NAME or ORGANIZATION in YOUR CITY is deeply committed to support the improvement of Medi-Cal’s California Working Disabled Program with the features and the fundamental fairness found in your pending legislation AB 1269. ____________A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF WHY YOU SUPPORT AB 1269… ________________________.
Medi-Cal’s California Working Disabled program (CWD) came about so California workers with a disability who have earned income under 250% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) can buy into Medi-Cal by paying an affordable monthly premium. This bill would reform the program to enable more disabled individuals to save their earnings without consequence, and enable them to retain their health coverage and hard-earned savings when changing employment during these hard economic times, and when they receive retirement income.
AB 1269 improvements to the California Working Disabled Program:
- Allow enrollees who are temporarily unemployed to remain in the program for up to 26 weeks (6 ½ months) during a work transition;
- Allow enrollees to save their earnings without any limit or ceiling as long as they save them in a separate bank account; and
- Allow enrollees to stay in the program and work by exempting Social Security disability income that converts to retirement income.
In 1999, California passed legislation (AB 155-Migden) that established the California Working Disabled program. While creation of the California Working Disabled program successfully facilitated the return to work for some workers with a disability, program enrollment rates have been much lower than every state projection since 1999. These long sought, non-controversial improvements, and promotion of them by the State of California, can improve employment outcomes for many more California residents working and living with a significant disability.
Thank you for your leadership.
Sincerely,
YOUR SIGNATURE, PRINTED NAME AND ADDRESS or ORGANIZATION’S INFORMATION
—
Ginny Murphy
Projects Coordinator
California Work Incentives Initiative
World Institute on Disability
Phone: (510) 251-4340
Fax: (510) 763-4109
Ginny@wid.org
