Air Pollution Workshop

This week it's time to reflect what being a Tree-hugger can mean.

Last weekend was the "big event" I had been helping plan for about 6 months on behalf of the Sierra Club. We called it the "West Oakland Air Pollution Workshop." The idea was to focus some community attention on the issue of air pollution, which in Oakland, has not been getting as much attention as I felt it deserved. Basically I felt the club was ignoring the issue, so I promoted this event and got "tasked" to organize it. And what do you get for volunteering? A lot of work!

Needless to say, I was happy when it was over on Saturday. The participants included some local regulatory bigshots. For instance, the director of an agency called the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, or BAAQMD for short. He came and spoke with all the folks in the room, including one community activist type who came to the event, it seemed, for the sole purpose of venting steam at the director. It may have been a legitimate gripe - I'm still not sure. Better not to dig too deep there ...

The rest of the speakers either conducted short presentations (the first two speakers) or participated in panel discussions. The presentations on air pollution focused on topics such as why it's bad to live close to a major road in the bay area, or, where are all the toxics sites in West Oakland (and why you wouldn't want to bring up small children there). It was very informative. Actually, sometimes I get the feeling it's not a good idea to pay too much attention to these presentations or statistics. After all, we are all living with a certain amount of pollution, so why trouble the mind or make oneself feel bad for living where one lives? If you think about it, though, if no one is scaring the public and the regulatory directors, then little motivation for action exists ... right?

A small success in this event is it gave the Sierra Club a little PR.
The club is regarded in environmental circles as somewhat stodgy and "white" (due to the fact, perhaps, that a lot of the club's activity centers around legal action). We were trying to counter this image. Never mind that all the people who came from the club, with one exception (my co-organizer Margaret) fit this description. The main thing was, to sponsor the event, to plan it, and just do it.


One of the presenters at the beginning, Azibuike Akaba / Cal EPA, explains the dynamics of toxicity in West Oakland (shown on map). Note the empty seats. Too bad we couldn't get more people to show up. If you want to have a hard sales job, try motivating the public to spend 4 hours on a May Saturday listening to people - even good speakers like Azibuike here - talk about air pollution!


I moderated two panel discussions featuring local activists or regulators. It was challening trying to manage a discussion where everyone had a lot to say...

On a side note, I am reading a really good book with environmental themes at the moment. It is called Garbage Land, by Elizabeth Royte. Discusses the "trail of trash" that we are leaving as a society as we move from the recycling-friendly 90s into an era where we have become the world's leading trash exporter. Pick up a copy at your local bookstore. You will not be disappointed!

Can you afford to retire? on PBS Frontline

I saw an excellent documentary tonight on PBS' Frontline titled "Can you afford to retire?" It started by examining the case of United Airlines in the post-9/11 recession. United was deep in debt and declared bankruptcy. Using its bankruptcy status as leverage, it was able to extract more than $3 billion in concessions from employees in their pay, benefits, and retirement. Plus, it slashed retirement checks to currently retired workers by 1/3. The most shocking thing to me was, that the bankruptcy agreement which the lawyers prepared for United guarantees that all the creditors (meaning the big banks) got paid back all their money, plus interest, plus fees. The laywers, of course, got theirs. It was estimated that "professional fees" for guiding United through retirement (i.e. payments to lawyers) was $400 million. So, the final equation ... banks make billions, lawyers millions, workers get shafted. Sounds pretty much like Reaganomics to me.

The show then went on to examine the current model of retirement in place at many companies. It seems most Americans, IF they are lucky to have any retirement benefits at all, are relying on their 401K plan (where the company contributes some sort of dollar for dollar amount) for their retirement. Company-sponsored "retirement plans" are history. My company, the HMO Kaiser Permanente, has some sort of retirement plan. I guess I should feel lucky that I qualify. What I found interesting on Frontline was the analysis of data from current holders of 401Ks age 55-65. The top wage earners manage their money better. So, they are getting 20-30% annual returns in their funds. The "bottom" wage earners, those in the $35-$50 K annual salary range, manage their money worse. They are making like 5% a year. So, the rich get richer. What a great system.

All I can say is, if you read this blog, and you vote Republican, then watch Frontline every week (here it shows Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. usually). Then tell me in a year if you are still a Republican voter. And I hope you manage your money well.

Press Corps Dinner

You may have heard the talking heads talking about the press corps dinner last weekend in which an impersonator (his name is Steve Bridges I found out) got up on the podium alongside President Bush, and gave a "dual speech" with the President, followed by Steven Colbert making fun of everybody, especially the president. Someone I know forwarded me the link to the video of the dinner (on google video). I watched about 1 hour of it - far too much - and didn't like Colbert, but thought the Pres' was actually funny. Go figure. Usually I just cringe every time that man opens his mouth.

The most interesting segments I thought were actually at the beginning, when they showed footage from previous press corps dinners going all the way back to JFK. Seems like all the presidents could be funny, at one moment or the other. Clinton's crack about Jay Leno was pretty good. I also thought Lyndon Johnson was funny. Well I guess even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while....

World Cup Soccer schedule

The soccer world cup is right around the corner and no one seems to be noticing. This year, we even have a good team (ranked #4 in the world). But all the people talk about around here is the 49ers NFL draft!

Well, I for one, am glad the public will be getting so see some of the world cup games on ABC, as well as other tournament games on cable (ESPN and ESPN2). Since the games are all between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., I will do my best to ignore all internet sports results and instead watch the taped matches when I get home. For the official schedule go here. Fortunately, I won't have to watch FC Bayern München once again beat everybody, since they're not even in the tournament. (some of their players are, though) My early picks to win it all: Argentia, Brazil (as always), England, Czech Republic, Italy, and maybe, just maybe, the home team Germany will squeak into the finals again ...

Redcross filmfest

Tonight I had some time to surf again. I had an email in my inbox from RedCross.com and decided to check them out. They are doing a short filmfest and are asking the public to evaluate the films. It's worth a look if you are in the mood for some quick entertainment and like creative filmmaking. The first two short films - from Atlanta and L.A. - really stood out. The rest of them were, well, so-so - at least in my opinion. I think the characters really make a movie. The "Donut or Donate" movie is absolutely hilarious and had me laughing out loud at my computer.

In other news, I seem to have finally found a group I can play basketball here in Oakland with, without having to join an expensive gym. They meet Thurday nights in Rockridge and generally are around my age (late 20s to late 30s). Most of them kick my butt in hoops, but I can play some good "D" when I am motivated. Long arms and legs help. It does cost $10 a night, so I am playing it week-to-week for the time being.

Lots going on in local politics. There is the local mayoral election in June, which is turning into a 3-way horse race between 3 candidates who pretty much span the ethnic and gender spectrum here. We have the hispanic patriarch (Ignacio De La Fuente), the dark horse she-candidate (Nancy Nadel) and an african-american 60s-era political star, Ron Dellums (he served many years in Washington as a congressman). It looks at the moment like Dellums has a slight advantage. I saw them debate a couple weeks past and was impressed with Nancy Nadel.

Interesting that in Oakland, aging "stars" like Dellums and Jerry Brown (our current mayor) can so easily get elected mayor - and would want the job!

Last night, I was the M.C. at our speech club's panel discussion on impromptu speaking. This was not an especially difficult assignment, since the panelists did most of the talking. I got to try my cooking skills, though, which was the main organizational challenge for me. I am proud to say, the "quick and easy crostini" black olive toasties came out well and were quite the hit. You can read the recipe exclusively here, on Kent's blog.

Lastly, someone who occasionally reads this blog asked to see more Hawaii pictures. For you, my highly unloyal readership, I am posting a few more shots from Oahu. Hey, would someone fill up my guestbook please! I was actually debating shutting this blog down, but Godfather Jerry has convinced me to keep the thing going a little while longer.


On my day travelling alone, I visited the famous Hanauma Bay state park, which is kind of a snorkeler's paradise.


I took a swim in some muddy water near a waterfall with my cousin's girls. Here Sally is running away from me. That's JUST my experience lately with women!


Even following a garbage truck, you feel like you're in paradise, with all the lush green vegetation surrounding you.

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