The Ojai Post

Today the Post is four years old. Thanks to all of you for reading, contributing and sharing it with our greater community.

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)

Captured this image recently while walking through the back alley hide-aways of Upper Ojai.

The Guernsey and the Raven: Neverm00000re

Posted by Chris Wilson at 02:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

from Camille Sears for the Green Coalition:

The film "Our Seeds: Seeds Blong Yumi" is being screened as a fundraiser ($10) for the Ojai Valley Green Coalition, on Saturday February 27th, 4:30 pm, at the Ojai Theater. I encourage everyone to come see how we can preserve one of our most important birthrights – growing our own gardens with seeds that we can freely share.

I believe my earliest memory is of me being given seeds. It was at night, in a barn, somewhere outside Stafford, Kansas. Mr. Russell, a friend of my grandparents, reached into a huge bag of alfalfa seed, and then poured some into my cupped hands. I know I wasn’t dreaming, because I kept those seeds for years.

I was fortunate to have had that experience – one’s first seeds should always be a gift, free from any thought of payment. By his simple gesture, Mr. Russell was reenacting a timeless ritual, and reflecting the goodness of the earth by freely presenting it to others. The magic of that memory is in the transaction.

After the film there will be a seed-swap for those who have extra seeds to share. Even if you don’t have seeds, please stay and pick up some heirlooms. I’ll bring some of my favorites that I’ve collected over the years and be there for answering questions about seed saving.

Please come and create new memories that can then be shared with those you love, generation after generation.

Camille Sears

I plan to bring seeds of these varieties:

Basil:
Rosetta – a small leafed, very fragrant variety that I’ve been growing and selecting for 30 years.

Parsley:
Gigante d’Italia – a large flat leaf, fragrant Italian parsley.

Bean:
Mrs. Moody’s Long Sicilian green beans – given to me by a neighbor (Mrs. Moody) decades ago. She got it from a Sicilian woman years before that, who brought it from (where else?) Sicilia.

Cucumber:
Shintokiwa – a long green cuke, very sweet and crisp.

Melon:
Sharlyn – extremely fragrant and sweet in Ojai.
Hearts of Gold – Famous heirloom once grown around Fallon, Nevada.
Schoon’s Hardshell – a large, sweet netted muskmelon. Great in Ojai.

Pepper:
Aji Amarillo (capsicum baccatum) – I’ve grown this in Ojai for about 25 years. It’s my favorite pepper and will live for years if protected from a hard freeze. Fruity and spicy.

Pumpkin:
Small Sugar – a good all around pie pumpkin.
Winter Luxury Pie – a small netted pumpkin, and one of the best for pies.

Squash, winter:
Lunga di Napoli (cucurbita moschata) – a huge moschata squash. Good for pies. Lots of pies.
Sucrine du Berry (c. moschata) – very productive, and perfect for winter soups.
Crown (c. maxima) – a beautiful grey winter squash – sweet and a long keeper.
Yakima Marblehead (c. maxima) – a large, white-seeded variant of Marblehead from Yakima, Washington.

Tomato:
Druzba – grows like a weed at our place and has very nice round, firm fruits. It’s from Bulgaria (a former ambassador to Bulgaria told me it means “comrade” in Bulgarian).

Watermelon:
Chilean Black Seeded – a medium-sized sweet watermelon that does very well in Ojai.
Moon & Stars (Van Doren) – a large very sweet watermelon that is one of the best. This variety is great when grown in Ojai!

Sunflower:
Autumn Beauty – a tall multi-colored sunflower that I like to grow in my melon patches.
Tarahumara – a very tall, large sunflower. I like to grow Mrs. Moody’s Long Sicilian green beans at the base of these and let them climb the stout stalks.

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 01:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

From ojaipeace.org:

Tonight, just like nearly every Friday night since George W. Bush was re-elected in 2004, a tiny and committed group of Citizens will gather under the Pergola in front of Libbey Park for one hour beginning at 5pm, to vigil for an end to War. Tonight's vigil carries an extra message: we mark the grotesque milestone of 1,000 U.S. military deaths in Afghanistan. (1,007 as of today, according to icasualties.org).

Please consider adding your voice and body to our community's visual call for an end to war, by coming to Libbey Park at 5pm. Signs and candles are welcome, though optional. Dress warmly, and know that it might be sprinkling by then. In addition, a visitor from New York City who will be joining us sends along the image above, which is to be used as an armband at vigils like ours. Click on the image to visit the page where several versions are available for download and printing.

Posted by evan austin at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

from Sergeant Randy and CityWatch, passed on from the Santa Barbara PD:

THE SCAM

This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU with all the information, except the one piece they want. Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it... This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA & Master Card Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect yourself.

One of our employees was called on Wednesday from 'VISA', and I was called on Thursday from 'Master Card'.. The scam works like this:

Caller: 'This is (name), and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497..99 from a Marketing company based in ?'

When you say 'No', the caller continues with, 'Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), i s that correct?'

You say 'yes'. The caller continues - 'I will be starting a Fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number listed on the back of your card (1-800 -VISA) and ask for Security.'

You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. 'Do you need me to read it again?'

Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works. The caller then says, 'I need to verify you are in possession of your card'. He'll ask you to 'turn your card over and look for some numbers'. There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security Numbers that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he'll say, 'That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?' After you say No, the caller then thanks you and states, 'Don't hesitate to call back if you do, and hangs up.

You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the Card number.. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question.. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA Security Department told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of $497.99 was charged to our card.

Long story - short - we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA account. VISA is reissuing us a new number. What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card Don't give it to them.

Instead, tell them you'll call VISA or Master card directly for verification of their conversation.

The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you're receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your statement you'll see charges for purchases you didn't make, and by then it's almost too late and/or more difficult to actually file a fraud report.

=========================================

If this has recently happened to you, immediately call your credit card company and ask to speak to their security office. They will be able to check for any fraudulent charges based on your statement and advise you further. If you do have a fraudulent charge, your credit card company will usually require a police report to verify the facts before removing the fraudulent charge(s).

PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES. THE POWER OF CITYWATCH IS THAT EACH OF US NETWORKING CAN COLLECTIVELY REACH THOUSANDS OF OTHERS BY FORWARDING THIS EMAIL.

Be Safe,

Randy

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 09:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Did anyone else hear that loud boom or explosion at around 11 AM? I've heard from people as far as Mira Monte and Meiners Oaks who heard it as clearly as we did here in downtown Ojai. Current theories are that it was a sonic boom. Anyone have any other ideas? My 4 year old thinks it was an alien spaceship.

Posted by Sean P. Keenan at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (21)

My nephew, Das Williams, is running for California State Assembly. Das grew up in Ojai and attended local schools. Old-timers may recall that as a young lad Das played the lead role in Badger Claws, an Illusions Theatre production based on the book, Badger Claws of Ojai, a story about a Chumash Indian boy. His mother (my middle sister) and I are looking forward to attending the debate.

Ventura County Democratic Party: 35th Assembly District Debate
On Thursday, February 25th at 6:30 p.m. the Democratic Club of Ventura will host a debate between 35th Assembly District candidates Susan Jordan and Das Williams. The debate will be moderated by local business owner and political consultant David Maron. CAPS will film the debate for future broadcast.

The debate will be held in the Topping Room of E.P. Foster Library at 651 Main Street, Ventura, CA 93001. Ample parking is available in the public lot behind the library. Members and non-members are invited. The event is free of charge though a $5 donation is requested to help the club cover expenses. Doors will open at 6 pm and the meeting will start at 6:30 pm. Snacks will be served.

The debate format will be as follows:
A Club member will time the debate using a yellow 30-second-warning sign and red sign to stop the speaker.

Candidates will be given three questions in advance, two of which will be asked at the outset of the debate and determined by the moderator.

Opening remarks: The first speaker will be determined by coin toss. Speakers will alternate from there. Each will have 5 minutes for an opening remark.

Questions: The moderator will ask a question. The speakers will have 3 minutes each followed by 1-minute rebuttals.

Following the first two questions, screened, written questions from the audience, starting with Club members, will be read by the moderator according to the aforementioned format, despite that it may have been directed specifically to one candidate.

Concluding remarks: 3 minutes in reverse order to the opening remarks.

About the book, Badger Claws of Ojai
http://www.vcoe.org/Portals/VcssoPortals/cici/users/Library%20LRDC/Documents/BadgerClawsPromo.pdf

About the 35th Assembly District
California's 35th State Assembly District is one of 80 districts in the California State Assembly. It is currently represented by Democrat Pedro Nava of Santa Barbara.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California%27s_35th_State_Assembly_district

About Das Williams
Das Williams has dedicated his life to the protection of the coastal environment and working families. In 15 years he has done this in a variety of capacities: serving 4 years as legislative aide, 5 years teaching, 6 years on the Santa Barbara City Council, and working in over 26 elections for progressive candidates and causes.

Das knows the people of the South Coast and understands their priorities. He grew up locally, moving to the Ojai Valley as an infant and attended local schools in Ojai, Ventura and Santa Barbara. He left high school early to attend Santa Barbara City College before transferring to U.C. Berkeley, where he earned his degree in Political Science.

Soon afterward, Das was inspired by the first Democratic elections in South Africa and flew to Cape Town in 1994 to work for Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress. During this time he experienced the transforming power of grassroots action. It’s this deep belief in the power of community and neighbors reaching out to neighbors that has helped Das become an accomplished and respected Santa Barbara City Councilmember.

Since being elected, Das has worked closely with the community and his colleagues to get results for the residents of Santa Barbara. Das spearheaded the successful effort to pass some of the toughest energy efficiency standards in the state and require that 30% of the city’s energy comes from renewable sources by 2011. He has been a leader in the effort to stop off-shore oil drilling, protecting the coast and local water supplies by working to restore local creeks and wetlands, and fighting to preserve open space. He led the push to expand the city’s public transit system - reducing traffic and pollution. While the state’s school system has come under increasing stress, Das helped craft a plan to avoid layoffs at local schools and expand critical after-school programs. Recently, he helped balance the city budget without cutting vital city services, like police and firefighters, and protecting middle class jobs. He has earned a reputation for independent leadership, offering new ideas and approaches to conventional problems and getting things done.

Das will take his innovative leadership and focus on local priorities to the California State Assembly to tackle the most pressing challenges facing our state and community. Das’ years of public service at the local level provide him with a unique perspective on issues ranging from public safety and budgets to education and the environment – making him an effective voice for local communities. Das understands how poor planning and leadership in Sacramento hurts local communities. He will fight to ensure local governments are always able to provide the critical public services that citizens expect and deserve. Das plans to work on renewable energy legislation that will put our state on the path to reach our potential to be the birthplace of the green economy and create thousands of new jobs. Access to affordable, quality public education is a top priority for Das. His experience as a teacher and school board member give him the background to work with teachers, policy makers, parents and education experts to rebuild our school system and ensure every child has access to a world class education.

In addition to his service on the Santa Barbara City Council, Das has been active in a variety of capacities in the community. Das is a community organizer for CAUSE, a Ventura based non-profit, and is heading the group’s efforts to stop a proposed Wal-Mart development in Ventura. Das currently serves as a Trustee of Peabody Charter School. Das is also a national board member of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Das currently teaches at Antioch University in Santa Barbara.

Das holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science & Management, with a focus in water pollution, planning processes, and land-use law at UC Santa Barbara’s Bren School of Environmental Science.

Posted by Suza Francina at 07:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Olivia and F&C featured on Huffington Post... an excerpt [h/t: Peake]):

A trained nutritionist, Chase found it much more satisfying to cook healthy food for people than to stand around in a lab coat discussing the nutritional benefits of vegetables. After stints in San Francisco and Seattle, she returned to Ojai and opened the City Bakery-Cafe in Ventura in 1989. After much success, she opened The Farmer and The Cook in 2001, and it has since evolved into a community hang out where locals regularly gather to sample her fresh farm-to-table cuisine and a truly stunning array of baked goods.

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 01:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Journalist Nomi Morris will take a dispassionate look at an issue that continues to polarize communities: the decriminalization of marijuana.

This event takes place March 1, 2010, 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Theater 150, 316 E. Matilija, Ojai, California Admission $10, $7 students and seniors.

It has been 15 years since California municipalities began enacting medical marijuana laws, enough time to examine the effects on the state’s economy and social well-being. What does California’s experience tell us? Is the state in the vanguard of enlightened drug policies or a cautionary tale that should serve as a warning to rest of the country?
Morris’ current events series is part of Theater 150’s Local Access initiative, which hosts events of value to the greater Ojai Valley area. .
Her previous talks were on ‘Haiti’ and ‘Islam’.
On March 1st Morris will offer information and insight, not advocacy for or against any positions on marijuana. Teachers and students, parents and teens are all welcome.

Future dates for “Behind the Headlines” with Nomi Morris are: March 1, 22, April 12, 26, May 10, 24.

Posted by Chris Wilson at 10:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Posted by Chris Wilson at 06:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department - Ojai Detectives...

On the afternoon of February 11, 2010, a juvenile passenger was traveling on a Gold Coast Transit Bus when the bus stopped at the Santa Ana Boulevard bus stop on North Ventura Avenue. The listed suspect grabbed the victim’s iPod from his hand and fled the area on foot. The victim completed his bus ride home and reported the crime to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.

During the investigation, Ojai detectives reviewed video surveillance footage of the incident to identify the suspect. The suspect was arrested and the victim’s property was recovered and returned to the victim. The suspect was booked at the Ventura County Jail and is facing charges for Grand Theft from Person.

The Ventura County Sheriff Department’s Ojai Valley Station Detective Bureau would like to remind the public to maintain awareness of their surroundings and to keep personal property secured whenever possible.

Location: N. Ventura Ave. @ Santa Ana Blvd, Oak View
Date & Time / RB#: 02/11/10 @ 1630 hours / 10-3552
Suspects: 1) Luis Fernando Duarte, Age 18

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 03:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

from the fine folk at the Ojai Valley Museum...

2010 marks the 9th consecutive year that the annual student art exhibit, “AWESOME ART” is mounted in the changing gallery at the Ojai Valley Museum, Ojai, California. The exhibition runs March 4 through April 11, 2010 and showcases upper level student artwork from Nordhoff High, Thacher, Besant Hill, Ojai Valley, Villanova, and Oak Grove schools.

9th Annual “AWESOME ART” Exhibition at the Ojai Valley Museum
Thursday, March 4 through Sunday, April 11, 2010
Reception and Awards: Thursday, March 11, 4 – 6 p.m.

On average, the AWESOME ART group exhibition features 150 works of art, including ceramics, sculpture, drawings, paintings, photography, graphic design, digital, and mixed media pieces. PLEASE NOTE: many of the artworks are available for sale. This is an opportune time to collect new talent, purchase a special & affordable original gift, and support the Ojai Valley Museum programs.

In addition to museum exposure for the burgeoning Ojai student artists, the “AWESOME ART” show is an award opportunity for the participants. Each year since 2005, siblings Karen O’Neill and Michael Burgos have granted monetary awards to selected exhibiting students in memory of their mother, Marion E. Smith. Mrs. Smith was a longtime Ojai resident, an Ojai Valley Museum docent and a youth art supporter. The monetary awards, given in her name, are for merit and scholarship. The judges of “AWESOME ART, 2010” will be Ojai Studio Artist members: Bruce Tomkinson, Ceramicist; Shahastra, Painter; and Valerie Freeman, Photography/Digital Arts.

The O’Neill and Burgos grant also allows free admission to all students visiting the exhibit.

The Award Reception will be held Thursday, March 11, 2010 at the Ojai Valley Museum between 4 and 6 p.m. This special event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Please remember exhibited work is available for purchase, and that donations to the Museum are always welcome.

The Ojai Valley Museum is located at 130 W. Ojai Avenue and is open Thursday and Friday from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from Noon to 4 p.m. Specials tours can be arranged for Wednesdays.

Adult admission is $4.00. For more information call the museum at (805) 640-1390, email ojaimuseum@sbcglobal.net or visit the museum website at http://www.ojaivalleymuseum.org

WRITTEN BY MICHELE PRACY, MUSEUM DIRECTOR
Photography: Dean Zatkowsky

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Since earlier this afternoon, Highway 150 to Carpinteria has been closed just past the Lake Casitas Recreation Area entrance due to a downed tree and power lines. According to the Cal-Trans associate at the closure, they expect to have it reopened later tonight.

Posted by evan austin at 05:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yesterday morning, as I was about to turn off my computer and fly out the door for an early morning yoga class, I received an email from one of my students with the following editorial in the New York Times.
OPINION February 19, 2010
Op-Ed Contributor: Not Grass-Fed, but at Least Pain-Free

The author, Adam Shriver, is a doctoral student in the philosophy-neuroscience-psychology program at Washington University. According to his editorial, "Recent advances in neuroscience suggest it may soon be possible to genetically engineer livestock so that they suffer much less."

I contemplated the insidious implications of removing the ability to feel pain all the way to my yoga class. By the time I arrived I was fed up with the arrogance of the human race.

When I first started teaching forty years ago I had this innocent hope that yoga would lead to enlightenment. Enlightenment begins with empathy. Empathy encompasses the ability to experience the pain and suffering of other living things. Empathy is the first step. And, as J. Krishnamurt pointed out, "The first step is the last step."

Not a word in this New York Times editorial about an animal's innate emotional and physical needs.

The whole time I was teaching I was thinking in the back of my mind, "How can these scientists be certain that just because an animal no longer expresses a reaction to pain, that it no longer feels pain? What makes these arrogant neuroscientists think they know what the animal is actually experiencing? Just because they can genetically engineer a creature that does not respond in a normal way to pain, does that mean the pain itself does not exist?"

And also, consider the absurdity: this whole project is predicated on the assumption that animals in factory farms are inevitably destined to experience horrible pain. Did it ever dawn on these scientific geniuses that they could solve the problem a lot more simply and directly by just fixing the damn factory farms?

Plus I can't help but wonder, "If the animal does not feel pain, how does it keep from hurting itself?"

Related links:
Should Animals Be Genetically Engineered So They Don't Feel Pain:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/19/should-animals-be-genetic_n_469135.html

Below is a link to a six-minute video produced by Compassionate World Farming. http://www.ciwf.org.uk/about_us/history_achievements/default.aspx

Posted by Suza Francina at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 11:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Some touching photos of the service at Meditation Mount this last weekend, with 300 or so in attendance. Photos are courtesy Timothy Teague, with the blessing of Marty's husband, Chuck Cook. There's a short video I took at the end of the post, sharing the song sung at the end of the service featuring Jack Johnson and Perla Batalla. And a link to the Food For Thought memorial page.

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 04:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

from Sergeant Randy:

Good Morning Watchers,

On behalf of Ojai Police Chief Chris Dunn, I am pleased to announce that we will be offering a Citizens Academy next month. The Academy starts Wednesday, March 24th, and will consist of 11 sessions held every Wednesday evening from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. If you ever wanted to learn more about law enforcement and how your local police station operates, this is the ticket!

There are several minimum requirements for the Citizens Academy prior to enrollment. Please refer to the attachments for more details. If you still have questions, please call Deputy Sara Valenzuela at (805) 646-1414.

Be Safe,
Randy

Citizen Academy Application.pdf

Citizen Academy Info.pdf

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

from the fine folk at the Ojai Valley Museum...

HISTORIC LIBBEY BOWL EXHIBIT LOOKING TO PUBLIC FOR DISPLAY ITEMS: You can contribute to the "Our Libbey Bowl” exhibit at the Ojai Valley Museum set for April 29 through July 11. Your photos, programs, items and memorabilia from events held at Libbey Bowl will help present a complete and rich picture of the history and use of Libbey Bowl. The exhibit will also include the new plans for the Bowl.

The curators already have plenty of items from the Ojai Music Festival. They are seeking items having to do with other events, such as the Bowlful of Blues, the Poetry Festival, the Shakespeare Festival, the Illusions Theater, the Peace Festival, Mexican Fiesta, Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Ojai Beauty Pageant, Storytelling Festival, and other events and performances in the Bowl.

You can drop off your items right away and up until April 1 at the Ojai Music Festival office, 201 S. Signal Street, or mail them to the Ojai Music Festival at P.O. Box 831, Ojai 93024. Anna Cho (646-3117) of the Ojai Music Festival can answer any questions. The Music Festival office is open M-F from 8 to 5. Provide your name, address, phone number and email on each item for easy return.

Be a part of this historic display of one of Ojai’s most famous spots.

WRITTEN BY DIANA KELLY

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

California Fish and Game Commission,

Dear California Fish and Game Commission:

Only recently did I learn my home state of California lists the Black Bear as a 'game' animal and permits killing of cubs as small as 50 pounds. I am horrified! Bears are shy, gentle animals that only come into contact with humans when they are looking for food or water or when people enter their territory.

I have seen these magnificent creatures in the Sierras and in natural habitat close to Ojai. Usually the bears climb a tree and wait until people have left - mom sends her cubs up first.

Supposedly we are a 'civilized' society – it's time Fish and Game decisions are made that demonstrate compassion and your mission “to ensure the long term sustainability of California's fish and wildlife resources by” - “establishing appropriate fish and wildlife resource management rules and regulations” - “building active wildlife resource management partnerships with ....the public and interest groups...”

I strongly urge you to reject the proposed plan of California Department of Fish and Game to expand bear hunting. Do not permit bears to be hunted by dogs, especially those with electronic devices – nothing 'sporting' about shooting a frightened animal that has climbed a tree to get away from the hounds. This kind of 'hunting' is cruel, inhumane and unethical. Bears hunted with bows and arrows result in many wounded animals. The best decision would be to protect this 'gentle giant' by completely banning hunting of bears.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Marjorie C. Emerson
Ojai, California

Notes:
The CA Dept. of Fish and Game is asking for an increase in the annual “bear harvest” from the current 1700 to 2500. They also want to allow GPS collars on bear hunting dogs. Use of dogs is already outlawed in some states.

Go to the Ojai Wildlife League “HELP” section below for more information and a link to where you can learn how to take action.
http://www.ojaiwildlifeleague.com/dfg-increase-in-bear-harvest/

Fact Sheet, Videos on Hound Hunting, related links to follow
Related Stories From the L.A. Times
Wildlife advocacy group against proposed changes to California bear hunting regulations
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2010/02/bear-hunting-opposition.html

The Department of Fish and Game is seeking written comments from the public on the proposed changes through March 13. They should be submitted to: Dr. Eric Loft, Chief, Department of Fish and Game, Wildlife Branch, 1812 Ninth St., Sacramento, CA 95818.
Email: fgc@fgc.ca.gov

"Bear hunting is a blood sport, and permitting hunters to use hounds to chase bears to exhaustion is glorified dog fighting that pits hounds against bears."

Fact Sheet on Hound Hunting
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife_abuse/campaigns/bears/hounding/hound_hunting.html

Posted by Suza Francina at 08:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)

Today is Day 18 of the 64-Day Season for Nonviolence that spans the death dates of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. One source lists the following as today's Quotation, Affirmation, and Practice, and i thought the OP community might enjoy participating!:

FREEDOM:

Quotation: "Every human has four endowments - self awareness, conscience, independent will, and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change." -Stephen Covey

Affirmation: Freedom means that we have the independent will to act and respond creatively, that we have the self-awareness to self-reflect and to change as dictated by the compass of conscience. Moment by moment today, I become conscious of my freedom.

Practice: Claim your definition of freedom. Write a haiku poem about freedom.

Posted by evan austin at 07:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A sensitively written story in the LA Times, by Steve Chawkins.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ojaibear13-2010feb13,0,2128142.story

Story of the Bear Sculpture
http://www.ojaipost.com/2009/10/aliso_street_bear_sculpture.shtml

Note: Thanks to Robert Peake for calling our attention to the LA Times story.
Robert read the poem he wrote the morning after the bear was killed, at the Bear Art Dedication.

To the Bear in a Neighbor’s Tree

How quickly we become accustomed to the light,
blinking through discomfort, standing upright,
when our claws break, we fashion tools, use
them, and then just as easily put them down.

We discover clumps of hair on the ground,
and see our lack of fur as a great improvement,
stamping and shivering, we like a cold wind!
When our night vision fades, we stumble a dance.

Now, we have lost you too, primeval cousin,
lost the instinct that might have guided us
in shooing you back where you came from.
We can no longer smell what is on the wind.

You sat all day in a tree, learning our gestures.
You waved at the crowds and considered making a speech.
When you became too much like us, we brought you down,
and hauled your massive blackness into the night.

The truth is that we lost you long ago, long before
our friends loaded up their guns. Look how far
we have come! Our fingers fit the triggers.
And still we remember not to look in an animal’s eyes.

I looked, and became frozen on my couch.
I blinked into the sunlight, and you were gone.
The black spot in the tree is no longer you.
It is the place that you have burned into my mind.

Poems and other writings by Robert Peake can be viewed on his website:
http://www.robertpeake.com/archives/642-aliso-street-bear-poem.html

Related Stories From the L.A. Times
Wildlife advocacy group against proposed changes to California bear hunting regulations
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2010/02/bear-hunting-opposition.html

Posted by Suza Francina at 06:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Bear Artist Mark Benkert above, and more photos after the jump, courtesy Randy Graham.

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 03:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

An Invitation from Marcia Benkert

Although the notice is short, I’m excited to share the news, and invite you to an important Public Art Dedication, in Ojai, California, Friday, February 12, 2010, at 4:00 p.m., 328 E. Ojai Avenue (fountain plaza behind Bonnie Lu’s).

This majestic, steel sculpture of a Black Bear represents a memorial to our respected wildlife, and a reminder to ourselves, of the painful lessons that we, as a community, have needed to learn in order to effect a change in the way we respond to innocent animals wandering into our neighborhoods.

On October 9, 2009, a 400 pound Black Bear came into town looking for water, after a series of local wildfires, and several days of 107*F, in his natural habitat. When police were notified and began “observation”, our wooly friend climbed thirty feet up a pine tree, across the street from sculptor/artist, Mark Benkert. A mere 24 hours later, “our bear,” who we’ve named Elliot, was lethally sedated by the Department of Fish & Game.

Touched by the fateful plight, Mr. Benkert lay sleepless in angst and compassion. A few hours after daybreak the next morning, the artist had sculpted, hoisted and secured in the pine tree, in the exact location, a shadow replica of “Elliot”. See YouTube: (“Climb the Pine”) or visit http://www.ojaiwildlifeleague.com/video/

The City of Ojai, has commissioned Mark Benkert to raise public awareness through his thought provoking, abstraction of the bear. Interfaced with cryptic meaning, Beatles lyrics to “A Hard Day’s Night”, and grand stature, this majestic piece stands eight feet tall, in the center of the Arcade Plaza, downtown Ojai.

“It’s as if the Bear’s Soul has spoken; appealing to the community for a truce! Beautiful!! Moving!!”, an onlooker commented.

You’re welcome to join us this Friday for the official dedication. We’d be delighted if you were to share the story to broaden awareness and demonstrate how passionate feelings, expressed through art, can shift and awaken consciousness.

Note: For more information, visit the Ojai Wildlife League website, www.OjaiWildlifeleague.com.
Since the bear incident, Ojai Wildlife League members have had several constructive meetings with California Department of Fish & Game officials. Our new "Bear Aware" educational brochures will be available at the Public Art Dedication, Mardi Gras, other events and locations.

Ojai Wildlife League
1129 Maricopa Hwy. #109
Ojai, CA 93023
Phone: 805-640-0187
Email: sue@ojaiwildlifeleague.com

Posted by Suza Francina at 08:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

F O R A G E R
Marty Fujita

9 February 2010

Marty Fujita died yesterday. She left much unfinished business for us to continue and an example of dedication and inspiration that will serve to guide us in fulfilling the work she began. Death mitigates one’s lack of focus and exposes the false calm of procrastination, neither of which afflicted Marty Fujita, whose goals are now ours more than ever. She was a co-founder of Food For Thought, the non-profit group aiming to improve children’s diets in and out of school as well as educate people in the Ojai Valley about the importance of local food production.

Farmers and their friends in Ojai lost an influential champion in Marty’s passing. She truly loved food from the ground up. Money was hardly the motivation for selling fruit with Jim Churchill and Lisa Breneis at the farmers market on Sunday. Neither was it the reason she helped pack fruit with them at their orchard, or why she organized countless meetings and events, networking with other groups, businesses and government to bring people together. Marty frequently held working lunches at The Farmer and The Cook, particularly when out-of-town somebodies were in attendance. I would thank her for the honor, and she would respond with “ Where else am I going to go?”

I thought she would survive cancer. Now I am asking “ What else can I do?” I would have continued on in the work in any case, but I feel like a big sail has been torn in half when the boat is merely halfway home. The work she did, and how she did it, still stands, like the empty mast, but the energy is lost. Replicating her vitality is impossible. Keeping on course is more likely. Making arrival a certainty depends on what some call manifestation. Marty Fujita’s dream is already upon us, unfolding in small ways that will probably make the grander plans fall into place. The hurt of it is that its way past time.

During life’s fretful journey through death, you’ll lose me and I’ll lose you. When I do, I will use your passing to make my own remaining steps a bit bolder, if for only a moment. The perfection of humanity is unlikely but with gratitude enjoyed piecemeal. Nonetheless there is some thanks in that gift of blazing early death, like shooting stars that light up cold space. Marty’s leaving was earlier than deserved, these words inspired not only because she’s gone, but also because of her spirit. Her family pays her greater honor. I expect to still see her daughters, Taylor and Dana, filling bags with tangerines and celery on Sundays. You may be there also to commune with the good sharing to be made then at the tables Marty helped set.

Posted by Steve Sprinkel at 04:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

It's never a bad time to talk about music. Here's a group of songs (song, artist, release) that I've put together as a playlist for myself.

• The Road, Nick Cave & Warren Ellis, The Road Original Film Score
• Flume, Peter Gabriel, Scratch My Back
• Summer Fog, The Album Leaf, A Chorus of Storytellers
• Broken Horse, Freelance Whales, Weathervanes
• All the Way, David Ahlen, All the Way the Savior Leads Me
• The Department of Dead Letters, David Sylvian, Manafon
• VCR, The xx, xx
• Plastic People, Four Tet, There is Love in You
• Joy Maker Machinery, Sweet Billy Pilgrim, Twice Born Men
• Wooden Arms, Patrik Watson, Wooden Arms
• Harm, Loney Dear, Dear John
• Bellwether, Joe Henry, Blood From Stars
• Canvas, Imogen Heap, Ellipse
• Mean to Me, Nellie McKay, Normal As Blueberry Pie

You could probably find most of this on myspace, last.fm, or MOG but I may also put together a recording to share. Look in the comments in the future. For the record, Joe Henry, Four Tet, The Album Leaf, and Peter Gabriel are all playing in Los Angeles in the near future.

What are you listening to?

Posted by Kenley Neufeld at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

I'm very saddened to hear of the passing of Marty Fujita, co-founder of Food for Thought and a vital contributor to the Ojai community. (VC Star article)

Marty Fujita of Ojai, co-founder of the Food for Thought nutritional program, died of lung cancer Monday morning. She was 56. Fujita was an author, environmental scientist and community organizer.

A public celebration of Fujita’s life will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday on Meditation Mount, 10340 Reeves Road in Ojai. Contributions in her name can be made to Food for Thought Ojai, P.O. Box 1645, Ojai, CA 93024. For more information on the group, visit www.foodforthoughtojai.org.

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 06:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Very sad news on the passing of Shari Skinner... she was very nice, very smart and a pillar of this community.

Dear all,
For those of us who knew Shari personally or had their lives touched by her through the Ojai Valley or Ojai Community banks, it is the time to honor a great woman and mourn her passing. She fought the good fight against breast cancer for (7?) years. When the pain became too much to bear a week or two ago, she went on a morphine drip to make her more comfortable. In the few moments she was awake, Shari's light shined bright and she was in good spirits to the end. A memorial is being planned.
Sincerely,
Edie Smith

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 06:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Interesting article from the VC Star on buying businesses during the downturn. Featured is the Mother's Guild and Ojai resident Renee Mandala.

Some creative thinking led to the sale of Mother’s Guild to two local entrepreneurs nearly a year ago. After moving to Wisconsin, the owner wanted to sell. Renee Mandala and Monica Marshall, who had both worked for the company, were graduates of the Self-Employment Training course at Women’s Economic Ventures and were looking for their own businesses.

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Today, February 8th, 2010, is my mother's eighty-ninth birthday. I feel fortunate that she is in good health and able to live independently and enjoy her life.

As I watch her doing housework, playing the piano, laughing with her great grandchildren and taking walks, I am reminded of how four years ago my father called to tell me that my mother was in the Ojai Valley Community Hospital. I cannot recall ever hearing his voice sound so broken and sad. At first I could not even understand what he was saying - something about, "If only I had fixed the hallway carpet."

He was trying to tell me that my mother had slipped and fallen in the hallway just before going to bed. Despite terrible pain, she did not grasp the severity of her predicament. She stayed on the floor where she fell and asked my father to prop her leg up with a pillow -- not yet realizing that her thigh bone was fractured like an egg shell in twenty places! She waited and hoped the pain would subside. Two hours later, my father finally called the ambulance.

Fortunately, I live close to my parents and the Ojai hospital is just a few minutes away. It gave me a shock to see my mother in a hospital bed. Without her dentures, in her gown, she suddenly looked about a hundred years old. She had a morphine drip in one arm and a urine bag hung by the bed. A machine was monitoring her vital signs. She had surgery the next day.

A fall that causes a bump on the bottom for someone with strong bones can result in a broken bone for a person with osteoporosis. But, as I saw while taking care of my mother, the broken bone itself was not the biggest problem. My mother's fractured thigh triggered a whole series of events related to the aging process - a downward spiral that could have resulted in spending the rest of her life in a wheel chair.

Already thin before she broke her leg, she lost her appetite and began to look as if she was wasting away. When you are bedridden, all the systems of the body become weaker and more susceptible to infection and illness. With less exercise, your arteries become less elastic and more prone to injury. Consequently, your immune system is compromised and you are even more vulnerable to infections and disease.

After surgery to repair the fracture, the bone healed in about six months. I visited her daily throughout this period, at first helping her from the bed to the bedside commode and back. After the doctor and physical therapist instructed her to begin bearing weight on the bone, I encouraged her to stand upright and put weight on the leg, even if only for ten seconds.

At first my mother was understandably afraid to "test" whether her leg could bear weight again. In fact, she felt depressed and talked about wanting to die. Without the doctor, physical therapist and our whole family encouraging her, she might never have regained her ability to walk.

In yoga exercise classes for both active seniors and the frail elderly, weight-bearing standing poses (with the support of a wall and a chair, if necessary) are critical for strengthening the bones. I decided to make a game out of getting her to stand upright by counting to ten... next day fifteen... then twenty... thirty... until she could stand for a full minute.

Standing itself was the first milestone. It gave us all a boost of confidence to see our mother stand again, with my sister and I supporting her. A few days later she began taking two steps from her bed to the bedside commode. Progress was in small increments - two steps, five, ten. For several weeks she walked around a table, holding on to the table as needed, with me close behind her.

During the weeks that my mother cautiously walked around the house, we installed ramps and railings by the front and back door so she could safely go out in her wheelchair. It was a happy day when she made it all the way to the back yard with a walker. Gradually she began to get around without a walker, except for walking long distances on uneven terrain.

Seeing my mother walk again after a fall that landed her in the hospital and in a wheelchair, has given me new appreciation for the body's healing power. Weight-bearing exercise, combined with plenty of love and moral support, can make the difference between walking and living independently, or spending the last years of life in a wheelchair.

Posted by Suza Francina at 11:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Ojai Creek Riparian Habitat Restoration Project Phase 2
Saturday, February 20 and 27 - 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Rain or shine, Libbey Park Gazebo
Join the Watershed Committee in a native planting and non-native plant removal project, to reestablish a functioning wetland and riparian ecosystem that supports a diversity of fish and wildlife species and to improve the flow of water. How: wear sturdy shoes, long-sleeved shirts, and pants, and bring gloves. Tools will be provided, but if you can bring your own shovel and/or trowel, that would help. Call 805-669-8445 for more info.

Our Seeds: come to the film, stay for the seed swap
Saturday, February 27, 4:30pm, Ojai Theatre
Join the Green Coalition at the theatre for a movie on Seeds, generously sponsored by Nutiva. All are welcome, $10 suggested donation. For more info call 805-669-8445.

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 09:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Morning Walk Up the Horn Creek Canyon trail behind Thacher school ...

Sung by the Waters,

The Alders,

The Stone Elders ...

Many Faces of the Canyon, recognizing,

Returned Me,

Returned Thee.

Midst Scented Chaparral, Pine Trees,

Approaching 'Chief TopaTopa', "The Sisar", Sisa Village Divinity ...

Posted by Millennium Twain at 05:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Just in from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services...

Testing of the Casitas Dam Warning System will be discontinued, effective immediately. The system was most recently tested on January 13, 2010, when only two of the eleven units reported a successful test. System performance has been degraded by age, lack of maintenance, theft and vandalism.

In 2009, following a dam failure exercise, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services implemented an emergency notification system using Reverse 911. Officials and residents can now receive a telephonic emergency message alerting of a dam failure. The City of Ventura has implemented Code Red, a similar telenotification system. Evacuation routes and other information can be viewed on the Sheriff’s OES Web Site: http://www.vcsd.org/oes .

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) installed the system in 1999 during the seismic retrofit of Casitas Dam. The system was never intended to be a permanent part of the local alert and warning system. It was intended to serve only during the construction period. Control points for the system were installed at the USBR Construction Office, Ventura City Police Dispatch, and Ventura County Sheriff’s Dispatch. Upon completion of the project, the USBR abandoned the system in place. The control points at the USBR Construction Office and Ventura Police Department were disconnected and stored. Sheriff’s OES continued to perform the quarterly tests due to public demand by residents.

In 2004, after several incidents of theft and vandalism, an estimate to repair the system was solicited. The Bureau of Reclamation, City of Ventura, Casitas Municipal Water District and the County were asked to support the repair of the system, however all declined to participate. In 2007, Sheriff’s OES began the process of requesting approval to dismantle the system. Input and agreement was sought from the District, City and County to dismantle the system. The County Disaster Council approved removal of the system at their meeting September 5, 2008. In late 2009, Sheriff’s OES received final written confirmation from the Bureau of Reclamation that the system was no longer required, or supported by them.

Sheriff’s OES will be attempting to solicit interested parties to remove the system components at no cost to the County.

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Watershed U - Ventura River is a course for those who live, work, or spend time in the Ventura River Watershed. If you are interested in understanding how the river works for you, and how you can help improve the river, then come and learn from experts and colleagues, and meet others involved in the watershed. Sessions will take place every Thursday for six weeks, Apr. 22 - May 27, 2010 from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm at Patagonia’s Grand Room in Ventura.

Download a PDF flyer, and get the agenda for tonight's Municipal Advisory Council meeting on our MAC page...

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A year ago, D.K. wrote about Treasure Beach. At the time it was a combination dress shop and cafe, which seemed to close as quickly as it opened. Perhaps recognizing the concept wasn't taking hold, it re-opened recently, and has really transformed since it's inception. Bill and I dined there last night and had a very pleasant meal.

While a shopping component remains, it's been pushed to the back, and the merchandise has been reduced to cookbooks and a few gourmet food items. A nice comfy bright orange sofa set adjacent to the bookshelves creates a cozy living room vibe (as if you are dining in someone's home). The restaurant seating - rattan chairs and a combination of clothed or tile mosaic tables surrounded by slate gray banquettes - feels modern and minimalist, almost hip. The crowd was the well-dressed hippie set, buzzing with lively intellectual conversations.

The menu, though sparse, is well appointed. We shared a plate of caponata (eggplant, pinenuts, raisins, celery root), peporonata (roasted sweet red peppers and capers) and hummus (a fresher version than I'm used to), which was bursting with fresh flavors (not weighed down with olive oils and garlic). In fact, I would have even enjoyed the caponata on a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Spread atop their freshly baked breads and paired with glasses of local Vino V's "Confundido," it proved to be an excellent start to our meal.

My entree was the fish special: a small local seabass stuffed with breadcrumbs and shrimp, and served with delicious basil risotto and rapini. The fish was presented whole (sans head), and was fun to pick apart. Bill chose the lasagna of the day: a generously portioned cheesy beef Bolognese lasagna.

Dessert was hard to choose since they all sounded so wonderful (and, as with everything on the menu, is homemade) - lemon chiffon tart, chocolate bread pudding, warm apple tart with cinnamon gelato - but we finally decided on the panna cotta topped with chocolate and caramel sauces. Bill's coffee was presented in a French press.

For the shared starter course, two entrees, three glasses of wine and shared dessert, the bill came to about $100 plus tip - a bit higher than we're used to, which may put this in the "special occasion" category, but we'll be back.

Treasure Beach
928 East Ojai Avenue
Ojai, California 93023
(805) 640-0611

Clicking here for more Dishing Ojai columns.

Posted by Lisa Snider at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

I'm a recovering Windows-aholic, and am happy to report that I have been Windows-free for two years. Though I'm off the Microsoft juice, I've substituted a big gulp of Apple Kool-Aid in its place. Apple's user-centric design, reliability, and style all mouseclick neatly with my techno-Zen sensibilities.

I say that to preface what comes next.

I've taken a look at the new iPad. As pads go, I think it's beautiful -- typical game-changing Apple elegance. The only problem I have is that I don't know what problem pads solve.

I've been watching various pads and ebook readers for about 20 years. It seems like every few years, a company will rediscover e-book readers for the very first time, dump a boatload of money into them, get beat up, then beat a hasty retreat from the market to lick their wounds and assign blame. Amazon is responsible for the latest ebook cluster frenzy, with the launch of their Kindle. Of course, the iPad is more than an ebook -- it's a computer without a keyboard or a monitor stand.

Before I speculate about whether there's a market for keyboardless computers, I'll first say a few words about ebooks. Will people read an ebook on the beach? I doubt it, but then again, fewer and fewer people read anything on the beach (or anyplace else). I think the fundamental problem with ebooks has been positioning -- historically, they've been positioned as content for mainstream recreational consumption, entirely missing their true calling in education. I think etextbooks are a no-brainer. Who wants to haul a backpack full of books when you can tote a Kindle instead? There are caveats, of course, such as whether the market for students that can't afford an ebook-reading laptop is large enough to float an ebook reader industry. There are also usability issues, including the ability to easily highlight text, dog-ear pages, and add marginalia, though these seem to have been addressed in the iPad. Amazon appears to be making an attempt to speak to academia with the Kindle DX, though this seems like more of an e-afterthought than a mission statement.

Now to the iPad. The iPad is much more than an ebook reader. It's more like a floor wax/desert topping combo. Some analysts have tried to wedge the iPad into a fictional computing market somewhere between smartphones and laptops. I don't think a market resides at that address, but we'll see.

Similar to ebook readers, I think the issue (and opportunity) with the iPad is in its positioning. While I don't think it's likely that people are going to prop pads on their knees for two hours to watch a movie (iStand, anyone?), I do think there's a real opportunity in vertical markets for smart clipboards. Smart clipboards could be used to capture data, interact with company databases, call up information (such as profiles and MRI images), and perform simple computing chores such as email and web searches. The potential problem is that historically, Apple has not been big on enterprise applications. Much of the success of the iPad may come down to the availability of these kinds of third party vertical apps. As the success of the iPhone App Store suggests, these apps will come, provided that Apple provides a sufficiently liberal API for iPad developers.

It may not be the mass consumer market Apple wants, but I hope it opts to guide its iPad down this enterprise path anyway. Though Apple has been circumspect about this market in the past, it could hold even greater potential than iPad sales alone, enabling Apple to extend its extraordinary second-coming-of-Jobs winning streak well into another decade.

Posted by Todd Miller at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

This shows the monthly job losses, which are horrendous, but improving. Of course the official job numbers don't tell the whole story, but I think the trend in general in promising. Regardless, its still an awful climate for job hunters out there. What's your story?

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 03:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Friend's Ranch and Ojai on NYTimes.com:

Last year my friend Mark turned me on to Friend’s Ranch, a citrus-growing concern in Ojai, Calif., that ships oranges and avocados from Decemberish through sometime in June. At first, I’d just cop a little fruit from Mark every now and again. Then we went Dutch on a few boxes. Soon I was buying my own stash. Every tangerine, every orange, every piece of fruit was a revelation: robustly aromatic, gushingly fresh, each one a discovery.

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 03:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lisa Snider interviews Sergeant Watkins here, and following is an intro I asked him to write for the Ojai Post audience. Sign up for his email alerts by sending a note to OjaiValley.CityWatch@ventura.org.

Thanks for the Warm Welcome!

As the Ojai Valley Station’s newest sergeant, I want to first extend my thanks for the warm welcome that I’ve received from the great people living and working in the valley. It’s been a pleasure meeting many of you in person and through our email-based City Watch program.

For those of us that have not met, here’s my snapshot. I’ve had the honor of working for the Sheriff’s Department for the past 22 years. This is my first assignment at the Ojai Station. I’ve now worked at all the Sheriff’s patrol stations at one time or another. I’ve also been a detective in Thousand Oaks, Fillmore and in the Major Crimes Bureau.

I want to extend to each of you an invitation to join City Watch. What is City Watch? City Watch utilizes today’s email technology to bring alerts, crime prevention tips and other information straight from the police quickly to your attention. The best part of City Watch is we work together as a team to fight crime. If you’re interested, please email me at ojaivalley.citywatch@ventura.org .

Be Safe,
Sergeant Randy Watkins

Posted by Tyler Suchman at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Political scientist Dr David Runciman, in comments made to the BBC, looks at why there is often such deep opposition to reforms that appear to be of obvious benefit to voters:

Last year, in a series of "town-hall meetings" across the country, Americans got the chance to debate President Obama's proposed healthcare reforms.

What happened was an explosion of rage and barely suppressed violence. Polling evidence suggests that the numbers who think the reforms go too far are nearly matched by those who think they do not go far enough.

But it is striking that the people who most dislike the whole idea of healthcare reform - the ones who think it is socialist, godless, a step on the road to a police state - are often the ones it seems designed to help.

In Texas, where barely two-thirds of the population have full health insurance and over a fifth of all children have no cover at all, opposition to the legislation is currently running at 87%.

Anger

Instead, to many of those who lose out under the existing system, reform still seems like the ultimate betrayal.
Why are so many American voters enraged by attempts to change a horribly inefficient system that leaves them with premiums they often cannot afford?

Why are they manning the barricades to defend insurance companies that routinely deny claims and cancel policies?

It might be tempting to put the whole thing down to what the historian Richard Hofstadter back in the 1960s called "the paranoid style" of American politics, in which God, guns and race get mixed into a toxic stew of resentment at anything coming out of Washington.

But that would be a mistake.

If people vote against their own interests, it is not because they do not understand what is in their interest or have not yet had it properly explained to them.

They do it because they resent having their interests decided for them by politicians who think they know best.
There is nothing voters hate more than having things explained to them as though they were idiots.
As the saying goes, in politics, when you are explaining, you are losing. And that makes anything as complex or as messy as healthcare reform a very hard sell.

Stories not facts

In his book The Political Brain, psychologist Drew Westen, an exasperated Democrat, tried to show why the Right often wins the argument even when the Left is confident that it has the facts on its side.

He uses the following exchange from the first presidential debate between Al Gore and George Bush in 2000 to illustrate the perils of trying to explain to voters what will make them better off:

Gore: "Under the governor's plan, if you kept the same fee for service that you have now under Medicare, your premiums would go up by between 18% and 47%, and that is the study of the Congressional plan that he's modelled his proposal on by the Medicare actuaries."

Bush: "Look, this is a man who has great numbers. He talks about numbers. I'm beginning to think not only did he invent the internet, but he invented the calculator. It's fuzzy math. It's trying to scare people in the voting booth."

Mr Gore was talking sense and Mr Bush nonsense - but Mr Bush won the debate. With statistics, the voters just hear a patronising policy wonk, and switch off.

For Mr Westen, stories always trump statistics, which means the politician with the best stories is going to win: "One of the fallacies that politicians often have on the Left is that things are obvious, when they are not obvious.
"Obama's administration made a tremendous mistake by not immediately branding the economic collapse that we had just had as the Republicans' Depression, caused by the Bush administration's ideology of unregulated greed. The result is that now people blame him."

Reverse revolution

Thomas Frank, the author of the best-selling book What's The Matter with Kansas, is an even more exasperated Democrat and he goes further than Mr Westen.

He believes that the voters' preference for emotional engagement over reasonable argument has allowed the Republican Party to blind them to their own real interests.

The Republicans have learnt how to stoke up resentment against the patronising liberal elite, all those do-gooders who assume they know what poor people ought to be thinking.

Right-wing politics has become a vehicle for channelling this popular anger against intellectual snobs. The result is that many of America's poorest citizens have a deep emotional attachment to a party that serves the interests of its richest.

Thomas Frank says that whatever disadvantaged Americans think they are voting for, they get something quite different:

"You vote to strike a blow against elitism and you receive a social order in which wealth is more concentrated than ever before in our life times, workers have been stripped of power, and CEOs are rewarded in a manner that is beyond imagining.

"It's like a French Revolution in reverse in which the workers come pouring down the street screaming more power to the aristocracy."

As Mr Frank sees it, authenticity has replaced economics as the driving force of modern politics. The authentic politicians are the ones who sound like they are speaking from the gut, not the cerebral cortex. Of course, they might be faking it, but it is no joke to say that in contemporary politics, if you can fake sincerity, you have got it made.

And the ultimate sin in modern politics is appearing to take the voters for granted.

This is a culture war but it is not simply being driven by differences over abortion, or religion, or patriotism. And it is not simply Red states vs. Blue states any more. It is a war on the entire political culture, on the arrogance of politicians, on their slipperiness and lack of principle, on their endless deal making and compromises.
And when the politicians say to the people protesting: 'But we're doing this for you', that just makes it worse. In fact, that seems to be what makes them angriest of all.

Posted by Howard Smith at 04:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (21)