crow stencil

I love crows. They are intelligent beautiful birds. The other day there were two crows at the feeder and they became my inspiration for a stencil. I found a stencil tutorial at kitty buttons. It's easy to make a stencil using word. See the tutorial at stencil tutorial. I took a photo of a crow and made that into a stencil.

original photo

stencil photo

scrappy potatoes

It's cold in the northland and I'm craving comfort food like potatoes. This recipe makes use of the last of season thyme and rosemary from the garden and left over pico de gallo.

chopped rosemary and thyme & pico de gallo

scrappy potatoes
yum, don't ya want to eat some?

scrappy potatoes (suggested recipe-feel free to change)

2 large potatoes (organic and locally grown if possible)
1 cup chopped red onions
1/2 cup tomatoes or pico de gallo
1/4 cup or more of finely chopped rosemary and thyme.
sea salt to taste


1. Chop potatoes into chunks.
2. Microwave potatoes until soft or saute in olive oil until soft and slightly brown.
3. Saute red onions on low in olive oil until almost clear.
4. Add potatoes to onions.
5. Saute until potatoes are soft and slightly brown.
6. Add tomatoes or pico de gallo.
7. Saute for a minute.
8. Add chopped rosemary and thyme.
9. Add sea salt to taste.
10. Stir and saute for a minute or two. Saute long enough for it to taste good but not long enough for the rosemary and thyme to turn brown.

eat.

This summer I grew thyme and rosemary in containers. They survived into November without being damaged by freezing temperatures. The herbs won't make it through the winter that's why I wanted to use of the last of the plants. These herbs are great for potatoes and for making croutons.

worst president stencil

Stencils from www.worstpresident.org

Go to www.worstpresident.org, download, and let the fun begin.

a tipped response

My last entry (hillary, not tipping is bad karma) is not a slam on Hillary. I would love it if we had a woman president. (Although my preferred woman president is Winona LaDuke.) It's more of a heads up to Senator Clinton and her campaign about compassion and good public relations. A reader commented, "I don't see why people are getting caught up about this, its only a tip for god sake! People make mistakes all the time, and I'm sure she simply forgot to make the tip!"

The waitress from Maid-Rite Anita Esterday when asked by the press said, "You people are really nuts. There's kids dying in the war, the price of oil right now -- there's better things in this world to be thinking about than who served Hillary Clinton at Maid-Rite and who got a tip and who didn't get a tip." She's right, There are important issues that the press should be focusing on than a tip. People are getting caught up in this because they don't like Hillary Clinton or they are people like me, who are or were a waitress/waiter/server/waitron.

Waitressing is a tough job. I've been a busgirl, waitress, cocktail waitress, and bartender. I know from experience what it means to work your ass off for tips. I haven't waitressed or had a tipped job in years but I know getting a tip is important. I never forget to leave a tip. Anyone who has had a tipped job will have this ethic. If you have a tip dependent job you earn minimum wage plus tips. Take into account that there is "non-tipped" work as well. For example; prep work, cleaning, restocking supplied, and break down (end of shift) work. If you work a six-hour shift you might have two hours of non-tipped work. That means you have four hours to make money. It's back breaking work. Waiting on people, attending to what they want, and whatever mood they may happen to be in. Basically putting up with a lot of bullshit. In an article in the New York Times The Waiter You Stiffed Has Not Forgotten one of the interviewees said, "I'd say waiting tables is one of the most stressful jobs you can have, short of being a firefighter or an inner-city police officer...You have no control over anything, but you are responsible for everything. You are always being squeezed by three immutable forces: the customer, the kitchen and the management." Very true.


According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average waiter or waitress in the U.S. makes just over $17,000 per year including tips. The federal minimum wage is $5.85. For tipped employees its $2.13. According to The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), "it requires payment of at least the federal minimum wage to covered, nonexempt employees. An employer of a tipped employee is only required to pay $2.13 an hour in direct wages if that amount plus the tips received equals at least the federal minimum wage, the employee retains all tips and the employee customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips. If an employee's tips combined with the employer's direct wages of at least $2.13 an hour do not equal the federal minimum hourly wage, the employer must make up the difference." I wonder how that process would go - asking your employer to make up the difference of a lack of tips. Do you think you might get fired? hmm. Employers expect their tipped employees will earn tips. If they had to pay the difference they would cry all the way to Washington. Employers are expecting that you will leave a tip.


Looking at the press coverage of Hillary's tip
The U.S. culture is a celebrity culture. If you are a celebrity, which Hillary Clinton is, word gets around if you are a bad tipper. There are websites that expose the tipping practices of celebrities. The website stained apron has celebrity tipping list of good and bad tippers. In Doug Moe's article The Candidates need some tips on how to tip the waitress he says, "THIS ALL started Thursday when a waitress at a diner in Iowa went on National Public Radio and said that Hillary Clinton had failed to leave a tip after eating the diner's "loose meat sandwich" during a campaign stop in early October... The Clinton campaign fired back that they had indeed left a tip -- $100 on a total bill of $157." He goes on to discuss how restaurant etiquette can reveal character. Moe says, "Or if not character -- which is asking a lot where politicians are concerned -- it can at least reveal a candidate who is smart enough to act like he has character. Part of the deal is making sure the service people get tipped." Thinking back to when I was a waitress if there was a celebrity who ate at the restaurant or a large group as soon as they left the wait staff discussed how big or little the tip was. If I was Hillary or someone from her campaign I would have made it clear to the wait staff that a group tip was left. The wait staff is not stupid they know if there was a tip or not. I would have tipped the waitress at the counter separately and left a handwritten note thanking her for her time. Moe talks about Bill Clinton doing just that in 1988. From Bill Clinton's letter to a restaurant employee, "Dear Gus...I enjoyed meeting you and stopping by your restaurant when I went to Madison to speak at the Democratic fundraiser. Thank you for opening early for a group of hungry and thirsty Democrats. I always enjoy going to Wisconsin, and I certainly plan to go to Kosta's again for a meal on a future trip. I hope to see you again." The letter was signed Bill. Getting back to Hillary's tip and the importance of leaving a tip. A tip reflects how you treat someone. It's a cultural norm in America. I wish we didn't need to tip. I wish we had a national healthcare system so everyone had healthcare. I wish that everyone made a livable wage.



Back to the karma issue


In an article at Beliefnet Tipping Etiquette: It's Good Karma and Good Christianity Ken Gross talks about the importance from a Christian religious perspective and the good karma that comes with good tipping. Even if I have had bad service I tip. Hopefully it will make that person's day or life a little better.


If you have never had a tipped job you should try it. Even if it's a seasonal restaurant or bar job for a month. You would gain a new perspective on social communication and social structures. Like I said it's a very tough job but you learn a lot about people. You learn how to handle difficult situations. You learn the importance of how to leave a good tip and how to tip properly. 



And that is why it is important to tip.

check out these articles or websites
Waiting Tables And Still Waiting for a Raise
Drudgery: Gratuity Story Grows Gratuitous
waiter rant
shameless restaurants

hillary, skipping the tip is bad karma

Recently Hillary Clinton made a campaign stop the Maid-Rite restaurant in Iowa. She talked with Anita Esterday, a waitress at Maid-Rite. Hillary's meal was "on the house" as well as her entourage's meals. Anita and the other waitress never received a tip from Hillary and co.

Hillary used her conversation with Anita in a campaign speech. An excerpt from Hillary’s campaign speech on NPR news.

"The woman waiting on us — it was her first day," she said, adding, "She was a little nervous. Single mom, raised two boys, works at a nursing home and always has a second job." If she's elected president, Clinton promised, people like her waitress will have it better."

Note to Hillary, skipping out on a tip is a huge faux pas, huge. Many of us have done a waitressing or bartending gig. If you have a job where you count on earning tips as income when someone stiffs you on a tip you are pissed off. Especially if that person received a free meal and can afford to leave a tip.

sex education, birth control and kids

There is a nationwide debate about access to birth control in schools. On Oct. 17, 2007 the Portland School Committee voted to allow the Health Center at King Middle School in Portland, Maine to offer birth control to students, who range from 10 to 15.

I have to put my foot down on this one. Yes, kids/adolescents should have access to knowledge of birth control and birth control itself. Kids/adolescents should learn about sex and birth control in school long before they are sexually active. This might mean before middle school or junior high. By age 11 kids/adolescents are having sex. Parents may not want think about or acknowledge that 11 years olds are having sex. They are. Would you rather have an 11 year old using birth control or a pregnant 11 year old? If you give kids/adolescents education about sex, about birth control, about pregnancy, you will arm them with knowledge of the consequences of their actions.

When I was in collage I worked at a women's resource center. Part of my work involved birth control education. We would teach women and men how to use condoms. If a man would say he was to large to wear a condom we would demonstrate putting a condom over a two liter bottle. Try this yourself. The condom will fit over the entire bottle. I would say, "You are not as large as a two liter bottle, a condom WILL fit you."

My point is, not all kids/adolescents under 18 are having sex. The reality is that many are. I don't endorse anyone under 18 having sex. There are so many things to do when you are in high school besides getting laid. I think it's important for young women to know that they don't have to get pregnant if they do have sex. Pregnancy shouldn't be forced on anyone. And it's not a "punishment" for "pre-marital" sex. For the kids that are going to have sex then by all means learn how to use a condom. Learn about all of the methods of birth control. Learn how to avoid getting a sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Practice, practice, practice how to use a condom. Get a box of condoms and a banana and practice. See the following websites condom information.

condom overview
how to use a condom
adolescent health

a refugee camp is coming to a city near you

In September and October 2007, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) will be taking its outdoor educational exhibit A Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City to Milwaukee, Chicago, Minneapolis, Houston, and Dallas.

Guided by MSF aid workers, visitors are asked to imagine that they are among the millions of people fleeing violence and persecution in, for example, Afghanistan, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, or Sudan.
The exhibit is made up of materials used by MSF in its emergency medical work around the world, including emergency refugee housing, a food distribution tent, water pump, health clinic, vaccination tent, therapeutic feeding center, and a cholera treatment center.

the camp will be at Loring Park, Minneapolis from September 27-30, 2007, 9 am–5:30 pm.

Doctors without Borders refugee camp

diy fire pit

Here is an easy to make fire pit for that at-home camping experience. I built this fire pit with found bricks and cement from an old sidewalk. Other found, liberated, or re-appropriated materials, were rocks, sand, and gravel. I added a copper bowl later. It took me a few hours to make.


Materials: pea gravel, sand, bricks (enough to make a circle), rocks, and reused sidewalk cement
Tools: shovel and trowel


1. Choose a location for the fire pit that is 25 feet away from trees, buildings, etc. 

2. Mark the area you will dig for the fire pit. Dig out the hole for the pit. Dig down about 10 inches. If you are using a fire ring, dig the hole to the size of the ring.

3. Fill the hole with pea gravel and then a layer of sand. This will stop any fire from spreading out of the pit to tree roots.

4. If you are using a fire ring place the ring in the pit. Place bricks around the pit. It helps to have the type of bricks that form a circle. See the photos. I used one row of bricks but you could use two layers. 
5. Place broken pieces of concrete abound the brick (this can be substituted with flagstone but used and discarded concrete is much much cheeper or free). Place the concrete or stone like a jigsaw puzzle so the pieces fit together like a sun shape around the pit. See photo. Place smaller rocks in the spaces between the concrete. Put sand over the concrete and rocks. This will "lock in" the rocks and concrete. The idea of this is to make an "apron" or area around the fire pit that is not flammable. But it will also look nice. The more rustic the better.


Add some tree stumps to sit on or a hay bale with a flannel blanket. Open a glass of good red wine and enjoy the fire. This is a sure fire way to stay warm on a late fall night.

rally for peace - end the war

Today we marched in solidarity with many peace activists throughout the country. We marched for an end to the war with Iraq and for peace in the world. We marched in solidarity with ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) and protesters throughout the United States that want the war to end.

al franken supports afscme strike

Al Franken, Minnesota candidate for U.S. Senate, spoke at an AFSCME rally on Aug 10. He spoke from his experience having been in four unions.

"Students.....unions gave us the middle class. Unions gave us the weekend"

students shut down regents meeting

Thank you students! I had to appropriate this from "this kills fascists blog" Original story at http://thisblogkillsfascists.blogspot.com/2007/09/
shutting-down-board-of-regents-101.html
photo from "Workday Minnesota" online. (See sidebar)

"Shutting down the Board of Regents, 101 - In a community-service learning project this morning, the Student Solidarity Committee stormed the weekly Board of Regents meeting with the demand that the University meet the terms the striking AFSCME clerical, technical, and medical staff have asked for.

During a question and answer session, one student asked president Bob Bruininks why he won't give the workers a decent wage. When the Board refused to acknowledge the question, the students chanted "Shame on you! Shame on you! Give a fair contract at the U!" at which point in time the Board cowardly fled the room rather than answer for their money-grubbing practices. Then 5 of the demonstrators were arrested apparently for being the 5 closest to the police, because no explanation was given as to why 5 random people from the crowd of over 100 were arrested.

One board member, Steven Hunter, had the guts to stay and talk to the students, though it must be noted that he is the Treasurer/Secretary of the AFL-CIO in Minnesota. Through him, the students negotiated a truce with the Board that held that the students would sit quietly and not disrupt the meeting as long as the Board agreed to at least discuss the strike.

When the Board members finally returned to the room almost an hour later, Hunter read a weak, 3 minute long statement about how all sides want the strike to end as soon as possible, and that maybe the U should think about giving the workers a decent wage. After this, Board of Regents Chair Patricia Simmons called the meeting back to its regular schedule. When the students became upset at the bold-face lie of the Board in its refusal to even discuss the strike and began chanting "Shame on you!", the Board cowardly fled again down a back elevator to a van waiting for them and called off the rest of their meeting.

All of the students then left with a vague sense of wonder as to why the Board of Regents can't even answer the simple question of why they refuse to intervene on behalf of the workers, who are only asking for the pay the state Legislature already earmarked for them.

mr. stripey

Mr. Stripey is an English Heirloom tomato. Jen grew this huge "Mr. Stripey" tomato. I added a little character to him.

afscme locals 3260, 3800, 3801 and 3937 strike

About 3,500 clerical, technical, and health care workers went on strike today after talks with the U of M broke down. Union members are striking for a fair wage. For example every public employer in the state of Minnesota has put at least 3.25% plus step increases on the negotiating table except the U of M. They offered a 2.25% across-the-boards for clerical and technical workers, and a 2.5 percent across-the-boards for health care workers. And offered the Teamsters a 3% raise. (The Teamsters are still in negotiations with the U of M.)

I support the AFSCME strike. Four years ago I went on strike as an AFSCME union member and a U of M employee. We went on strike for economic justice. We were tired of working our butts off and being at the bottom end of the pay scale. I also see it as a gender issue. Most of the clerical workers are women and women are historically paid less than men. Working women today earn and average of 80 cents for every dollar earned by men.

Four years later the issue for the strike is still the same, economic justice. This time I have a different job and I'm no longer in a union represented job. I stand in solidarity with AFSCME and all unions. It's difficult to stand on the picket line - but you know it needs to be done. AFSCME members You have my respect and unwavering support.

news of the stupid - suv stuck on pedestrian bridge

News helicopters have been flying over Minneapolis again. This time it's because an SUV (Cadillac Escalade) got stuck on a pedestrian bridge that runs parallel to the Mississippi River, between the Washington and Franklin Avenue bridges, in Minneapolis. Let me repeat, yes a pedestrian bridge. The driver fled the scene. To get to the bridge the drive had to drive off road to get to the bridge.

News reports said, "The bridge is only about two-arm lengths wide and is not a straight path. The SUV and bridge were seriously damaged as the driver forced the large automobile several hundred feet down the path. The vehicle is registered to a woman living in Hudson. She told police that she lent the vehicle to a friend a few days ago. She said she is going to try to convince the man to turn himself into police"  

The SUV is reported to be a month old and worth $70,000. Police are not sure how they will remove the SUV but it won't be easy. They may need to use a barge to remove the vehicle. If that happens the cost to the driver could top $100,000. Yikes. The driver is being sought for suspicion of a DUI. (no really - can we all say GOSH IDIOT!)

afscme takes a stand to reject and strike

AFSCME locals representing 3,500 campus workers in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Crookston, and Duluth voted Thursday August 23 to authorize a strike. 72% of AFSCME clerical, health care and technical workers voted to reject the University of Minnesota's offer and strike.

The union said it would file its intent to strike Friday at the state Bureau of Mediation Services, the state agency that provides oversight on public employee bargaining. A walkout could start the first day of fall semester classes on Sept. 4.
I'm proud of union members for taking a stand against what the University is offering. It is very difficult to go on strike and go without to take a stand. I went out on strike the last time AFCSME 3800 clericals went on strike at the University of Minnesota. It was difficult but at the same time it was empowering to stand up for your rights together with your union brothers and sisters. Striking union members will get support from the community. You can count on that.
Help AFSCME and learn about the issues and what you can do at http://www.uworkers.org/
Stop the University from acting like a corporation and racing to the bottom.

a small harvest

This is the gardening season I live for, tomato season. Last weekend I went to the Dowling Garden Heirloom Festival and tried lots of different kinds of heirloom tomatoes and some peppers. If you have never tried heirloom tomatoes go to your local farmers market, co-op, natural, or yuppish grocery store and get yourself some. And if you have you know what I'm talking about.

Earlier in the season I planted four Pik Red tomato plants and one Black Russian heirloom tomato. I also planted swiss chard, lettuce, French sorrel, and herbs (chocolate mint, thyme, rosemary, basil, lavender, and catnip). It has been great to be able to walk outside and pick fresh herbs, salad, and tomato for dinner.

Everything has been very tasty. The French sorrel can be added to salad. The basil can be added to pasta or salads. The thyme and rosemary can be added to roasted vegetables. And of course all of the cats love the catnip.

city of bridges

is the closing of bridge #9 a power struggle between the mayor and the sheriff?

Yesterday on my lunch break I walked out on the Northern Pacific Bridge #9, which had been closed since the 35W bridge collapsed on August 1. The bridge was reopened by Mayor Rybak for a brief time on August 15. Then the bridge was closed the same day after recovery workers called the move "disrespectful to families of those still missing." According to MPR, "Hennepin County Sheriff Stanek opposed opening the pedestian bridge." Stanek said through a spokesperson, "Victims' families "do not want to see another picture of a body bag in a newspaper." On August 15, Sheriff Stanek emailed Mayor Rybak and asked him to close the bridge again. According to a Minneapolis spokesperson, "Rybak felt it important to give the public a better view of the remains of the bridge." I think Mayor Rybak was in the right to reopen the bridge. I think he understood that the residents of Minneapolis are truly grieving a major tragedy in our city.

As for the victims' families who "do not want to see another picture of a body bag in a newspaper" I agree. But who has printed and televised the "body bag" photos? THE MEDIA. Average people are curious, yes, but don't have any ill will towards the victims or their families. Many people have viewed the remains of bridge collapse because they have driven on that stretch of road or know someone who has driven across the bridge. Personally, members of my family drove over the bridge at 5:57 minutes before the collapse. A friend, had just driven over the bridge only to see a collapsed bridge and smoke in her rear view mirror. So this collapse has hit very close to home for myself and many of us.

I ask people to look at the mainstream media. If it bleeds it leads. I ask, how did the family of Chris Jenkins feel when they watched the local news to see their son's body being brought out of the Mississippi river in a body bag? How did Trevor Marsh's family feel when the media described in detail how he was murdered? Or when they televised the blood soaked place where his body was found. How do we as Americans view seeing dead Iraqis almost every night on television? They have families too. We see a lot of death. Why then are we not questioning the ethics of the media? Why?

The average citizens of Minneapolis are being punished because of the actions of the media. Sheriff Stanek and his cronies have average people confused with the media. As tax paying citizens of Minneapolis we own bridge #9. This is our city which if you haven't noticed has been hijacked by the media, the feds, the State of MN, and Sheriff Stanek. The paranoid actions of those in power will only lead to mistrust and conspiracy theories. People have asked, "what are they hiding?"

as an aside..........the "believability" of the sheriff
On a personal level, I have a hard time believing the Sheriff Stanek has sympathy for the collapse victims. Here is some background on Rick Stanek and why I think the man is a creep. Governor Tim Pawlenty appointed Stanek as public safety commissioner in 2003. After a year and a half he resigned because of a racial slur he made in 1992. There was outrage in the African American community in Minneapolis about his past actions as a Minneapolis police officer. In a deposition in 1992 Stanek admitted that he had told racist jokes and made derogatory statements about blacks while on duty as a Minneapolis police officer. During the time of his resignation one member of the St. Paul NAACP told the Star Tribune, "Anybody who makes racial statements like he did doesn't have any citizen's rights in mind."

When Stanek was a legislator in Minnesota he slashed then eliminated the Minnesota's Office of Crime Victims Ombudsman. The Ombudsman's role was to advocate for victim's whose crimes were ignored by law enforcement or rights were violated by law enforcement. Sanek won the 2006 Hennepin County Sheriff election. He has apparently tried to make nice with the African American community sense then. I still don't trust him.

Some interesting articles about Stanek,
The Rehabilitation of Rich Stanek
http://citypages.com/databank/27/1352/article14837.asp

Stanek resigns as public safety commissioner over racial slur controversy April 6, 2004
http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2004/04/16_scheckt_stanek/

august 15, bridge #9 is open

restricted areas

crazy cat seeds

Cosmos are easy flowers to propagate. Last year we received Cosmos seeds from Ted, who had a garden of beautiful dark pink, pink, and white Cosmos flowers. Weeks after we had planted the Cosmos seeds, we had a garden of cosmos. Cosmos flowers are a good mix with a semi-native prairie garden and they attract butterflies.

Growing Cosmos
Obtain Cosmos seeds, from friends or garden store. In spring plant seeds indoors four to six weeks before your region's average last frost date to get earliest bloom. Or, plant outdoors directly in the soil after the last frost date, 8 inches apart in full sun in average soil with good drainage. (We basically scattered the seed in the garden. This worked for us. We had a lot of Cosmos flowers last year and this year.)

To harvest seeds:
1. Wait for the plant to flower and dry 
2. Cut the off the flower head
3. Dry the seed pods on newspaper
4. After the seed pods are dry the seeds "will fall out"
4. Put in a moisture resistant container and store until the following spring
5. Next spring...
plant seeds indoors four to six weeks before your region's average last frost date to get earliest bloom. Otherwise, plant outdoors directly in the soil after the last frost date, 8 inches apart in full sun in average soil with good drainage.
6. Next year repeat. Happy gardening.

police lines

still in shock

This photo was taken from a building close to the bridge. Click on photo to enlarge.

minneapolis mourns - i35w bridge collapsed into the mississippi river

On august 1st the I35W bridge over the mississippi collapsed into the river. I heard the news a little after 6 p.m. I panicked because my parents and some family members were headed to the Twins game at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. I called my parents and they had just driven over the bridge shortly before 6 p.m. They were safe but what about the others? I watched the news and was in disbelief.

I biked down to the scene, not to gawk but to understand what had happened in my city. It was surreal to see the entire bridge completely destroyed. Gone. I've traveled this bridge over the last 20 years. I've biked under this bridge, many many times.

Please pray for and keep the victims and families in your thoughts. Give to the Red Cross. Hug your loved ones. Don't take anyone for granted.

Thank you to my friends from across the country and around the world that have emailed me to make sure I was ok.

west coast trip, a.k.a. "left coast"

Train travel is more fuel efficient than planes or cars, although it is slow travel in comparison. We left Minneapolis Friday at 10:50 pm and arrived in Portland Sunday at 10:30 am. In total it's about 36 hours. At first I thought I would go stir crazy on the train without the comforts of home (a computer, television, DVD, stereo, etc.) On Friday night we traveled from Minneapolis through St. Cloud, Staples, Detroit Lake, Fargo, Grand Forks, and Devils Lake.

Saturday morning we arrived the geographical center of North America, Rugby, North Dakota. During the day we traveled through North Dakota and Montana. On Saturday evening evening we made it to Glacier Park. The train stoped at East Glacier Park, Essex, and West Glacier, all destination stops for campers.

We awoke Sunday morning to beautiful views of the Columbia River George. We arrived at Portland's Union Station on Sunday morning. The station was built in the Italian Renaissance style and opened in 1895. It's on the National Register of Historic Places.

Portland has an amazing public transit system. Visitors to Portland's Union Station are greeted with a large neon sign, "Go By Train." Cars are not needed in Portland. You can travel in and around the city by bus, light rail, or street car. You can get a "free ride" on public transit in Portland's "fare-less square" where all public transit inside the square is free. Portland is also very walkable and bike-able.

viva la paris! paris introduces a bicycle transit system

Paris has debuted a new self-service "bicycle transit system" called Velib’. Parisians and visitors alike will be able to pick up and drop off bicycles throughout the city at 750 locations. Riders can rent a bike for one euro a day, a weekly card for five euros or an annual card for 29 euros. The city of Paris has over 371 km (230 miles) of cycling lanes.

west coast trip

I just got back from a two weeks on the west coast. A posting and photos of the west coast trip are coming soon.

furoshiki

A Furoshiki is a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth used for wrapping gifts and to carry things. A Furoshiki can have other uses, bags, hats, scarfs, hair bands, and skirts.

I'm always looking for ways to reuse fabric. You can make your own Furoshiki. It's great to use for gift wrapping. It's beautiful and there is no waste. It can be reused over and over. See this website for more info http://www.furoshiki.com/. The Japanese Ministry of the Environment has information on how to use a Furoshiki at http://www.env.go.jp/en/focus/attach/060403-5.html.

Could you see the EPA doing this? But then again the U.S. refuses to sign the Kyoto Treaty and the U.S. is the biggest producers of carbon emissions.

no impact man

Last night I watched "No Impact Man" on Nightline. See his blog at http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/ (also on the side bar). He and his family have taken on the project of creating no waste and producing zero carbon emissions for one year. I admire this family for committing to their project. I have done this "half ass" for years: I have bought almost everything second hand; reused items instead of throwing it into the garbage; my car is a small fuel efficient car; I bike; buy organic; and have a mostly vegetarian diet. But No Impact Man and family: create zero waste; compost their food; use no combustible engines (no public transportation, no elevators, etc); buy all things second hand, reduce their electric consumption; installed solar panels. This family inspires me to do more. I hope they inspire you too.
On his blog he has questions to ask about your city, state and national candidates to ensure that they take climate change seriously.
Ask these questions of yourself as well.
1. Do you support an 80% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050? (to read why this is important go to http://stepitup2007.org/article.php?id=29)
2. Are you willing to support a moratorium on building coal burning electricity pants to support that goal?
3. Do you support a a 40 miles per gallon standard for cars in the future?
4. Would you fund alternative energy projects?
5. How else do you see our moving toward the 80 percent cut?
Another good idea is to write to your congressperson to tell him and her that these issues are important to you. For a good guide on writing to your congressperson and asking for action on climate change see http://www.citizenscampaign.org/campaigns/global_warming.htm.


 
 

happy may day!

earth day "be green"

I celebrate earth day by putting my hands in the dirt, gardening, planting, and hugging trees. It is also a time to reflect on how I am living. Am I living up to my own green ideals?

Earth day is a day to honor our mother the earth. It is a time to celebrate accomplishments of the environmental movement. But, what troubles me on this day is the state of the planet and how we (as westerners) view our place on the planet. Never mind the long speech on how we over-consume. Let's look at the trend to "be green." It's a slogan that has moved into the mainstream consciousness.

People got a wake up call with the movie "An Inconvenient Truth." Under the surface I think we are aware and we know that the planet is changing, rapidly. Corporate America and the mainstream press has offered us a "Band aid" feel good solution called "being green" or at worst a marketing ploy to buy "green" products.

We need to do more than "be green." And what does "being green" mean? What it doesn't mean is shipping our toxic waste to much less wealthy countries than the U.S. Take a look at where you get your water, food, clothing, etc. Can you trace your water supply? Can you trace where your garbage goes? Is the clothing you are wearing filled with pesticides and formaldehyde. Do you know how your food is grown?

We need to take being green down to a fundamental level of all aspects of our lives if we want to truly "be green." Don't just say "be green" live it.

new at this "blog" thing

This is my first blog. I've wanted to do this for a while. I wanted to create a space online for info about sustainability, nature, design, human rights, left wing politics, women's rights, GLBT rights, looking at our place in the world (as americans), peace and justice, global warming/climate change, and looking at the world as a whole.

I'm not satisfied with the mainstream media. I've decided to become part of the media. If you don't like something change it. I think a better world is possible through creativity, understanding, compassion, and love.