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|  Perseid Meteor Shower
Each year come August I start to look forward to the Perseid
Meteor Shower. The Perseids are an annual event that comes each year as the
Earth passes through the orbital path of the Comet Swift-Tuttle. The debris
from the comet’s path causes little pieces of the comet to fall through the
Earth’s atmosphere at over 100,000 miles per hour, creating an amazing amount
of falling stars, sometimes up to 200 per hour. The Perseid Meteor Shower of
2018 was helped by its occur-rence during the dark skies of a New Moon.
Another occasion that’s becoming an annual August event is
my Dead Ox Ranch Photographer’s Campout. Last year we dedicated the event to
capturing photos of the Solar Eclipse. This year we were there to capture
photos of the Perseid Meteor Shower.
The Dead Ox Ranch isn’t as morbid of a place as it sounds.
The name was given to the ranch by the chance occurrence of there being a dead
cow on the property when it changed hands in a sale in its past. The ranch is
more than 100 years old and is located east of Baker City near Vir-tue Flats
and ruts from the old Oregon Trail. It’s just an hour drive from Hell’s Canyon
and the Wallowa Mountains. It’s also the location for some of the darkest skies
in the state.
Disregarding all of the above, the ranch itself is like
going back in time to an era of outdoor group socials, picnics and sitting
around in the yard in the summertime heat visiting and talking to friends and
family with an ice-cold beverage. Once everyone arrives and we are all set up
in our camps we mix and mingle and discuss our common purpose for being there,
photography.
The only chance that we take is being there in the summer
during the peak wildfire season, and this year has been a bad one. The state
was covered with smoke from fires originating not only in Oregon, but from
fires in both California and British Columbia. It’s been terrible indeed, but
we somehow lucked out with clear skies and only traces of smoke that came and
went for the whole three-day event. If we would have had smoky skies, we would
have somehow made the best of it anyway but that wasn’t the case.
Our mission for the workshop was to create what is called a
composite image; one that is made from several photos to create one single
image. Our goal was to make an image that included a group of meteors gathered
over a three-hour period.
To do that we wanted to create the photo using a base layer
taken at twilight so we can have focus and definition and yet still have dim
and cool light like night time. Then a photo of the sky later at night when the
Milky Way was fill-ing the sky.
After that we set up our cameras to take 30 second exposures
one after the other for three hours to gather photos of as many meteors as
possible. Once we gathered all these photos we then went into our digital
darkroom to blend them all together.
To composite the photos, we made our basic adjustments in
Adobe Lightroom and then opened all of the files into Adobe Photoshop as
layers. Once we had them in Photoshop it was a matter of creating masks and
selecting a blend mode to allow each layer to show through in its place and
order.
After some final adjustments the whole stack of layers was
merged together into a single image. Although this is a general description, I
felt compelled to explain the process to those who aren’t aware of how these
images are made. In today’s world of digital photography certain lines can be
blurred between art and photography.
The whole group of photographers had a great time. I’m
convinced that when we were out playing at sunset and into the dark we reverted
to kids again.
And when we gathered to process our photos, we were all
amazed at the results. I included the image that I created as an example of the
composite image that the class came to create for themselves.
Even if you don’t create a complex composite image in
Photoshop, a beautiful single image of a meteor is reward enough for a night
under the stars.
Keep this in mind next August when the stars start falling
during the Perseid Meteor Shower. Perhaps you can join us at the Dead Ox Ranch
for a workshop.
|
| A fond farewell, even to those who sent fruitcake by Ned Hickson on 09/01/2018
They say all good things must come to an end.
Pompeii.
The “Die Hard” films.
Gluten.
And after today, this humor column.
For 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of being a part of more
than 30 community newspapers around the country, sharing a laugh or two
(sometimes three, if I was really on my game) with folks each week, from Boca
Raton, Fla., to Watsonville, Calif., and Tempe., Ariz., to Marietta, Ga.
I’ve learned a few things from the last two decades of being
a part of your communities, particularly about all the things that bring us
together rather than divide us. For example, our shared belief that Kenny
Rogers is one plastic surgery away from becoming a truly frightening Halloween
mask. Or not understanding how we have become more afraid of gluten than …
well, Kenny Rogers. Or that apes taking over the world will eventually happen because,
without opposable thumbs, they can’t become addicted to iPhones. And that our
government should have a Secretary of Bacon.
OK, maybe that’s just me.
But the most important thing I’ve learned over the years is
that humor is a language everyone understands and, in most cases, can agree on.
In today’s world, it’s easy to forget the many common, everyday experiences
that, while making us uniquely human, are things we all share in our daily
lives that unite us. Over the past 20 years I’ve experienced divorce,
re-marriage, the challenges of being a father to four teenagers, successes and
failures in my personal life as well as my professional life — all things that
aren’t particularly unique to me but that I tried to view and share through the
lens of humor. And not counting my teenagers, the rest of us had a good laugh
together as we shared in the common experiences of being human.
As this chapter of my writing career comes to an end, I am
moving on to the editorship of two small community newspapers — in a sense
coming full circle back to my journalism roots. Coincidentally, just as
marijuana has become legal here in Oregon.
I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for
allowing me the privilege of, in a small way, being a part of your communities
for so many years. Your letters and emails have meant a lot, and I will always
appreciate your taking the time to write them. Even when they arrived inside of
— or wrapped around — loaves of fruitcake.
Thank you again, and if you’re ever in Florence, Ore.,
please stop in. I still have fruitcake.
(Ned is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corporation.
Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com, or c/o Siuslaw News, 148 Maple St.,
Florence, Ore. 97439)
|
| Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way: Health & Wealth Part 3 by Paula Walker on 09/01/2018
Part 3 in the series addressing aspects of the Durable Power
of Attorney, an essential element of a comprehensive estate plan, answers a few
questions commonly asked about this legal instrument: Why the term “Durable?”
What is the difference between a “Power of Attorney” and a “Durable Power of
Attorney?” When do the Durable Powers of Attorney (DPOA) become effective? When
do the Durable Powers of Attorney end?
Why the term “Durable?” The use of this term is specifically
directed to the viability of the power during a time of incapacity. That the
powers granted are durable means that they remain in effect during and despite
a time of incapacity for the principal, i.e. the person who created the Durable
Power of Attorney document, assigning another person (the “Agent”) to act on
their behalf when needed.
What is the difference between a “Power of Attorney” and a
“Durable Power of Attorney?” You can establish a Power of Attorney for limited
purposes of limited duration, as well as establishing a power of attorney that
is durable. You may anticipate circumstances, such as travelling abroad, or
surgery and recovery, which will prevent you from directly managing your
financial affairs for a limited time. In such circumstances you may designate a
person, granting them authority to act as your agent for a limited duration.
The power concludes at a specified time, however long you set, or at your
incapacity if such a condition occurs before the specified end time. A durable
power of attorney remains in effect until you revoke it or at your death.
When does the Durable Power of Attorney become effective?
This depends on the choices you make in creating your Durable Power of
Attorney. You can designate that it is effective immediately upon your signing
the document or alternatively that it “springs” into effect when you are
determined to be incapacitated.
When does the Durable Power of Attorney end? That is in part up to you. As
mentioned, your Durable Power of Attorney ends when you die, but it also ends
if and when you revoke it. In addition, there is the potential for
effectiveness to come and go. If you have set the power to “spring” into effect
upon your incapacity, it becomes ineffective again when you are determined
returned to capacity, as though becoming dormant, waiting in the wings should
there be another time of incapacity in which it will be needed.
Stories of the Stars… If Only
Gene Wilder, known for iconic comic performances in “Blazing
Saddles,” “Young Frankenstein” and “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,”
died of Alzheimer’s in 2016. His is not a story of “if only” but an example for
others learn from who face such a prognosis of debilitation. From accounts of
the family’s decisions of how and when to publicize the news of Wilder’s
illness we can infer that his family was involved early on in understanding and
planning for the eventual course of this illness. With Alzheimer’s or other
types of dementia, time is of the essence. Early action can allow a person to
review or create an estate plan, or components of an estate plan like the
Durable Power of Attorney while that person can still make legally valid
decisions. This course can reduce the potential for a family fight and possible
court contests over inheritance as well as ensure that the person and their
family have confronted the issues and set in place what is needed for care
giving as the disease advances. In these days when there is seemingly much to
worry about, it’s a loss when someone who had such an ability to make us laugh
is no longer here. The gentle-humored Wilder, who dedicated his life to making
us smile, left us with a legacy for another source of happiness — a model for
peace and harmony in how he faced his last act.
Dear Reader… we welcome your questions on matters related to
estate planning. These will provide grist for future articles and enhance the
potential for those articles to be of interest and value to you.
Please submit your questions to Garth Guibord, at
garth@mountaintimesoregon.com.
Paula Walker is the founding attorney of Confluence Law
Center in Welches, www.confluencelawcenter.com.
|
| Hwy. 26 safety one of the high priorities for Mountain community by Rep. Jeffrey Helfrich on 09/01/2018
Hello Hoodland Community and other Mountain Times Readers.
For those of you who are new to my column, my name is Rep.
Jeff Helfrich and I am the State Representative for House District 52 in the
Oregon Legislative Assembly/Oregon Legislature, which includes North Clackamas
County, the entirety of Hood River County, and parts of east Multnomah County.
I was appointed in late 2017 and have been honorably serving our beautiful
district ever since. I am a member of the House Economic Development and Trade
committee as well as the Joint (House & Senate) Ways and Means Public
Safety Subcommittee.
I have been a public servant for over 30 years, beginning
with my service in the U.S. Air Force. I firmly believe that the best
legislation is developed in collaboration and through communication with the
community, and it is responsive to the challenges and needs of the communities
within the district, because a better district truly makes a better Oregon.
For the 2018 Regular Session, my bipartisan and bicameral
work included proposing and passing the maximally allowed two bills: House Bill
(HB) 4152, an Eagle Creek Fire Recovery-related bill; and HB 4044, an education
bill identifying the most effective programs in Oregon for recruiting,
retaining, mentoring and providing professional development to educators
working with our most vulnerable students.
As I shared in my August Mountain Times article, for the
2019 Session, I am proposing bills that focus on education, economic
development, environmental stewardship and emergency preparedness/planning.
These 4Es intersect and have both direct and indirect impacts on the well-being
and outcomes of our families, community, district and State.
To learn more about some of the bills I have proposed thus
far or make suggestions for legislation in time for the Sept. 28 bill
proposal/Pre-2019 Session Filing deadline, please contact me directly via email
at Rep.JeffHelfrich@OregonLegislature.gov, my personal cellphone at
541-392-4546, or find me on Facebook and message me @RepJeffHelfrich.
In previous articles, I have mentioned the public safety
concerns Hoodland Area community members, leaders, and organizations have
shared with me or that I have heard from attending community meetings. Last
month, I shared that I had submitted a bill proposal for the 2019 Session that
would make the safety corridor in the Hoodland Area along Hwy. 26 permanent.
In late August, I met with the Oregon Department of
Transportation (ODOT) Director Matt Garrett to discuss the Hwy. 26 safety
corridor, how the safety corridor can be improved and enforcement. My biggest
takeaways from the meeting with Director Garrett was how approachable he is,
that he truly wants to work with community stakeholders to address the Hwy. 26
safety issues affecting the Hoodland Area, and understands that the Hoodland
Area’s portion of Hwy. 26 is unique and expectedly faces unique challenges
requiring input from and collaboration with this community. I look forward to
meeting with ODOT Director Garrett again in the coming months to discuss plans
for a Transportation Forum with Sen. Thomsen,
Hoodland Area community and organization members and leaders, Clackamas
County government and agency leadership, and other area stakeholders.
In addition, I hosted a community conversation event in late
August. Thank you to those who attended, it was great to meet everyone there
and discuss the issues that are facing the Hoodland Area. As expected, Hwy. 26
and public safety were two of the major topics, but so too were affordable
housing, school funding and PERS reform among many others. I look forward to
working with you and many others in our community to address these concerns and
others you bring forth.
I look forward to seeing and hearing from you soon,
(Jeff Helfrich is the representative for House District 52)
|
| MHGS: protecting our drinking water by Mary Soots on 09/01/2018
We live in what is called a temperate rainforest. While
there are many temperate forests around the world, ours is one of a handful of
unique sites characterized by temperate temperatures and heavy rainfall.
England, New Zealand, Chile and a few others are found around the world in
oceanic regions.
While we may think that sometimes the amount of rainfall we
receive is more than abundant — especially in the midst of the long winters —
we also have other climate regions in our state. The southeastern portion is
largely desert. And so, it may seem that our state, especially in the beautiful
cascade-laden broadleaf forest where we live, will never run out of water, we
only need to look around us to see that we are experiencing water shortages.
For decades those shortages have only seemed to affect the
southern Oregon region around Klamath County where there has been the annual
conflict around the distribution of water between ranchers and farmers and
environmentalists trying to keep enough water in the rivers for fish and
wildlife. But other things affect our water supply as well. In central Oregon,
the burgeoning population in an area that does not have enough water to support
a large population will create larger problems over time.
Incredible as it seems, at the time of this writing, 80
percent of our state is experiencing drought. We currently have eight major
wildfires burning throughout the state. At the same time, we have been in a
period of insufficient snowfall for the past several years. That means that
each summer, we experience shortages of water due to a lack of snowpack melting
into the rivers. The result is that the rivers run low, the trees do not get
enough water, smaller streams begin to dry up and eventually there will be a
change in our ecosystem. That in turn affects our economy – the Christmas tree
industry, for example, suffers from lack of healthy trees. Also, the drought
brings invasive pests such as beetles that prey on unhealthy trees.
Did you know that at this time, 40 percent of the rivers
around the world no longer have sufficient water in them to reach the ocean?
Water is diverted from the rivers for the purposes of agriculture and ranching,
for manufacturing, since everything we produce requires water. Most recently,
an emerging problem is the use of water for fracking. The fossil fuel industry
invests heavily in trying to convince us that gas extracted from shale is not
harmful. According to Food and Water Watch, “The fracking industry itself
consumes space and water on a large scale. Through the construction of a
network of thousands of wells, it has a significant impact on the development
of the targeted regions and inevitably affects areas where either settlements
or environmentally and culturally sensitive zones can be found.”
What’s more, once they have used the water, it becomes
contaminated with toxins. Fracking waste includes rock and drilling lubricant
left over from the process of drilling a well, as well as wastewater and sand
from the fracking and production processes. This toxic cocktail is reinserted
into the earth. Sadly, state laws exempt those companies from having to make
reparations for the contamination.
There are things we can do to protect our environment and
our drinking water. We can plant native trees so that they are more likely to
survive droughts. We can take shorter showers, we can conserve water whenever
possible (don’t leave the sink running while we brush our teeth, etc.) and we
can raise awareness in others. Having a healthy ecosystem with enough water is
good for wildlife, good for the prevention of wildfires that threaten our own
health, but it will also decrease the risk of conflict over water, just as
those conflicts that are currently raging across the world as our most important
natural resource becomes more and more scarce.
|
| A Taste of Paradise by Taeler Butel on 09/01/2018
I’m currently eating my way through Miami and the Florida
Keys.
This is a place to taste history from the flavors of key
lime pie to the flavors of Cuba, and I’ve got the recipes for you.
Cuban roast pork
4 to 5-pound pork roast shoulder
2 cups orange, lime or lemon juice
bay leaf
2 t dried oregano
2 t cumin powder
2 T salt
1/2 t black pepper
10 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
1/2 cup mojo sauce
2 large onions sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
Make a dry rub with the pepper, salt, cumin and oregano,
then poke holes all over roast and rub in spices. Heat oil in large pot and
brown pork all around, then set on plate, turn heat to med high and add onion
and garlic to pot. Cook 3-4 minutes, then add bay leaf, mojo and juice to pan.
Add in pork roast, cover and cook over medium-low heat at
least one hour until meat pulls apart easily with fork.
Key lime pie with coconut crust
Crust:
3 T melted butter
1/2 t salt
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup shredded coconut
Mix together and press into pie pan, bake at 350 degrees 15
mins set aside to cool.
Filling:
1 cup key lime juice
Zest of one line
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
Whisk together filling ingredients until smooth and pour
over cooked crust.
Topping:
1 cup whipping cream
2 T powdered sugar
Whip together with an electric mixer, then spread or pipe
over filling.
(Taeler Butel writes exclusively for The Mountain Times.)
|
| Episode XXV A Mansion and Marley by Max Malone, Private Eye on 09/01/2018
Dolly Teagarden’s idea of hanging out with Max would make
him more of an asset than a target for Beau Kimatian-turned-Andy Campanaro
remained an unresolved strategy even though the pair made certain they were seen
everywhere around the glitziest hangouts of Grand Cayman – boosted by Dolly’s
seemingly inexhaustible MI6 expense account and the island’s equal supply of
ritzy restaurants and natty nightclubs.
Max played the game but maintained his private-eye notions.
Dolly had her eye on the ultimate prize of bringing down Campanaro at the
point-of-sale for the arms and military hardware at some far-off
unpronounceable desert rendezvous, while Max, being reminded constantly by the
tug of pain from his gunshot wound, remained motivated by his burning desire
for revenge against the man who defiled a seemingly innocent woman in
Wildewood, held Max’s hometown hostage all the while, then had the hubris to
have a slug delivered to Max’s midsection.
This Campanaro chap had a date with destiny.
* * *
Max sat in what should have been the driver’s seat of a
rental car being driven by Dolly from the passenger’s seat, only she had the
brakes, clutch pedal, accelerator, stick shift and steering wheel, while Max
had a distant dashboard and homeless glove compartment.
Max thought: How did Sterling Moss ever learn to drive a
Formula I race car?
The hair-raising ride was amplified by the fact that Dolly
spent precious little time paying attention to the road, road signs, or speed
limits, keeping up a running commentary on the politics of England vs. Cayman,
all of which totally escaped Max as he was riveted on the palm trees flying by
like a picket fence, monuments to his impending doom, on their way to a yet
undeclared destination.
Dolly wheeled around a corner and jerked the car over a
culvert and guided her missile off-road through and around banyan trees, up a
mossy hill with hidden rocks each of which Dolly managed to find, before they
bounced to a stop with a breathtaking view of the sea and a white mansion atop
the next hill over, followed by a precipitous drop onto a rocky shore below.
“Whattya think?” Dolly asked breathlessly as she killed the
engine.
“Nice view,” Max offered, gathering what was left of his
wits.
“That’s his,” she said.
Max gazed at Campanaro’s digs, gleaming white atop the
grassy hill, the sea in stark blue contrast as backdrop over the orange-tiled
roof, sculpted hedges, manicured lawns, three distinct floors, each one
slightly smaller than the one beneath giving off the simultaneous sympathies of
sumptuousness as well as a fortress to foil any foe. Guards with automatic
weapons slung over their shoulders were a finishing touch, two on the grounds,
one by the pool, and two more on the catwalk clinging to the third floor, their
gazes unwaveringly fixed on the immediate grounds.
Two dark-complexioned women dangled their feet in the pool –
Caymans? Jamaicans? – while two goons parked their suffocatingly ample bodies
on lounge chairs providing a convenient view of the diffident women.
Despite the temptation, Max paid more attention to the
fortress aspect. Surely there are floodlights. Surely there are 24-hour guards.
And surely, somewhere behind one of those windows, sleeps this Campanaro.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Dolly said, interrupting
Max’s reconnaissance. “Stealth will not get you in there, Max. But we’ve been
seen by Campanaro’s people. They’ve reported to him. He knows MI6 is here. He
wants to enlist you.”
Max squinted in Dolly’s general direction. “How do you
know?”
“Believe me.”
To Max’s way of thinking, a female British agent, who not
that long ago, had spent days cozying up to a band of European terrorists while
Max was cuffed to a radiator, had no collateral in the “believe me” bank.
However, that resort on the hill looked impregnable.
* * *
Max was spread out on the cot gazing up at the clapboard
ceiling, hearing the rummy voice of Jemma’s Rastafarian neighbor making his way
through another island tune, accompanied by the spiritual drumming of a
sidekick, taking the rhythms into a reggae bent that made shades of Bob Marley
dance in Max’s head.
Like a shadow on the wall, Jemma was there.
“You still here Mister Stubborn Americano?”
He certainly was.
After all …
Then, two more shadows washed the room. Max went for the
borrowed revolver on the nightstand. Too late.
|
| The three D’s: downsizing, destressing and de-teching life by Victoria Larson on 09/01/2018
Several years ago, I wrote a column of this same title. And
I began the process of doing so. Changes can come fast, or they can take years.
Life changes in an instant with a job loss, a move, health challenges, divorce
or death. These kinds of changes are unexpected and there is little we can do
to prepare for them.
Other kinds of changes take months or years, depending on
circumstances. I began downsizing five years ago. I started by getting as much
plastic as possible out of my house. Then books were donated to the library,
the local Montessori school and my friend’s rural “library box” alongside her
driveway. Bags and bags of recently unworn clothing went to local churches.
Household goods went to Salvation Army and local Senior Centers. This made a
considerable dent in “stuff” but not so much.
That reminds me of one of my favorite new sayings,
“everything matters, but not that much.” Similar to, “don’t sweat the small
stuff, it’s all small stuff,” but easier to say and usually gets a laugh as
people think about it. Ultimately, we are not the ones “in charge.” The Big Guy
(or Gal) upstairs is in charge, not us. Just realizing that we’re not really in
charge of everything goes a long way towards destressing.
De-teching came next for me. I cannot tell you how many
people respond to that by saying, “I can’t do that.” But you can. Start small.
When so-called time-saving devices wear out, don’t replace them. Don’t replace
the electric coffee grinder, dishwasher, microwave or TV when they break down.
By the time I was seriously into downsizing, all the above had broken down. I never
replaced them. And I’ve never owned a clothes dryer. I dry my clothes outside
on the line in the summer and inside by the woodstove during the winter. Do you
really need to upgrade an expensive phone? Or will a simple but portable one
do? They all do texting and photos now. If you are serious about “slow food”
instead of fast food, don’t eat out more than once or twice a week. Learn to
cook and save money besides.
Destressing happens when you tackle the above “stressors.”
Of course, you need to make decisions for yourself and your circumstances. A
large family may need a dishwasher or clothes dryers, and career addicts may
choose to keep their fancy phones and computers. But many “devices” lead to
stress. However, I remember an amusing incident when someone asked me why I
owned a bread machine. Well, my oven was broken, that’s why!
We need to remember that humans lived without any “devices”
for literally millions of years. Electricity only hit most of the US in the
late 1800s and was pretty much universal by 1940. Smart phones and computers
are relatively new. We’re encouraged, advertised to and given incentives to
modernize. But does everyone need to?
In seeking a slower-paced life, rather than pursuing the
frazzle-dazzle, I’ve spent most of my life cooking at home, doing dishes by
hand and drying clothes on the line outside. Over time I’ve become happier and
less stressed. Lots of alternative publications recommend destressing by
getting out of debt. First, pay off all your credit cards - then cut them up.
Then pay off your car or trade it in on a used car you can pay for outright.
Then pay off your mortgage. This is how my parents and grandparents did it.
Even those on fixed income or at poverty level may be able to survive on less.
Studies show that people are most content right at or just above poverty level.
Pots of money don’t necessarily make people happier. In fact, those who win
lotteries are often depressed within just a few years.
The decision to retire and live on a low income was not as
difficult as one might think. Especially since my level of life satisfaction
went up with every step towards self-sufficiency. My life is easier without so
much stuff, especially stuff that breaks down and becomes instant garbage.
After careers in radio, television and record promotion (back when we still had
records), I chose a career in natural medicine. I’ve loved the more than twenty
years of practicing and writing. Some people took my advice, some didn’t. Such
is the nature of human beings. But by continuing to write the columns I can
continue to disseminate information, maybe even controversies. I’m kept up to
date on current information and trends. And that’s a good thing, for all of us.
Several studies show that crises in mid-life are real. I’m
well beyond “mid-life,” and in fact beyond retirement age, but in order to live
the lifestyle I desire I’m choosing to no longer practice, other than to
provide information via these columns. Surveying people in 72 developed
countries found that people are at their happiest after age fifty. With our
youth culture that curve of happiness may even start later. While aging has its
attendant unpleasantness, the decrease in anger, worry and stress generally
gives way to an increase in laughter, wisdom and acceptance as we age. I look
forward to continuing to bring you my monthly columns.
|
|  A Jennie Welch landscape
We’re all photographers in the 21st century. In 2018, the
day of cell phones and their cameras, we hardly think about it when we pull out
the phone to get a photo of friends, family and places that we visit.
A hundred years ago it wasn’t so easy. Back then cameras
were bulky and film was inconvenient. Not all photos turned out and you didn’t
know what results you would end up with for a long time while your film was
away being developed, if you didn’t develop your own. But, of course, there
were enthusiasts.
There were photographers that ranged from full-fledged
professionals to home hobbyists with their own darkrooms. Most professional
photographers provided services to those who didn’t have their own photography
gear. They would travel and offer their services, sometimes door to door. They
would photograph anything from individual portraits to family groups. Even photos
of prize possessions such as their home, pets or a brand-new automobile.
At the early part of the 20th century postcards were a big
deal. Many people would order a set of the photos printed as a postcard to send
a photo to a friend or a family member that lived away.
Many of these same photographers provided photo postcards to
souvenir shops of local iconic landmarks frequented by tourists. After all, it
was easier to just buy some picture postcards than it was to fuss with a camera
and the subsequent rolls of film.
Some of these photographers made a name for themselves that
has endured through the years but some of them were a little bit obscure. Some
churned out massive amounts of these photo postcards while others only made
enough to sell in their own roadhouse gift shops or country stores. Billy
Welch’s Hotel was no exception.
Back in 1905 the Welches post office was established at
Billy’s Ranch with Billy as postmaster. Billy married Jennie Faubion, the
daughter of Oregon Trail pioneers and local homesteaders, and in 1940 became
the Welches postmaster. Jennie was the Welches postmaster until 1960. Jennie
Welch loved antiques and enjoyed collecting daguerreotype, ambrotype and
tintype examples of early photography. It’s obvious that Jennie enjoyed
photography.
Most people who remember Jennie remember her primary passion
being antiques, but what a lot of people don’t know is that Jennie Welch was
also one of the first local photographers of her day. She took photos and most
likely had someone else develop them and apply them to postcard backs to be
sold to tourists in the Welches Store and Post Office. They’re quite rare as
she didn’t make volumes of them like some of the other pro photographers did
and they’re hard to take notice of when you see one, but every now and then one
is recognized by the keen-eyed postcard collector.
Although not recognized as such, Jennie Welch should be
included in the list of early 20th century female photographers. Her photos
capture the history and beauty of Welches. Without her photos many early scenes
would be lost with the passing of time.
Today her photos are considered rare and collectable. Gone
are the days of picture postcards and travelling photography salesmen, but
thankfully their work lives on.
|
| MHGS: eco-friendly options to dry clothes by Mary Soots on 08/01/2018
Another incredibly hot summer and as I did laundry
yesterday, it just felt wrong to be using the clothes dryer on a day when the
temperature was in the 90s. I wondered for the umpteenth time how much energy
is being used simply by so many households doing laundry over the course of the
day? Or the week? Or the year? It turns out that next to refrigerators,
lighting and water heaters, electric dryers are the top energy-consumers in our
homes. The average dryer uses 875 kilowatt hours of electricity a year. The
environmental impact of clothes dryers is especially severe in the US and
Canada, since more than 80 percent of all homes have a clothes dryer.
Treehugger.com states, “There are upward of 88 million dryers in the U.S., each
emitting more than a ton of carbon dioxide per year.” According to the US
Environmental Protection Agency, if all residential clothes dryers sold in the
U.S. were energy efficient, the utility cost savings would grow to more than
$1.5 billion each year and more than 22 billion pounds of annual greenhouse gas
emissions would be prevented.
So, what can we do about it? Well, the obvious thing would
be to use the clothes dryer less frequently. As I researched the answer to my
question, I found that there is a nascent movement to bring back one type of
solar clothes dryer (also affectionately known as a clothesline). Drying
clothes this way actually extends the life of your clothes because tumbling dry
breaks down the soft fibers (lint is the byproduct of this). For decades, I
lived in a house that was built in 1905 that had a wonderful clothesline in the
back yard. Clothes smelled fresh, and the sun added some additional whiteness
to the laundry. If I needed a little softening, I could tumble them in the cool
dryer for a few minutes. Also, the old Portland house had a clothesline in the
basement for rainy day use. I miss that old house! Now, when I do a load of
laundry, I try to do it in the morning. Instead of putting the clothes directly
into the dryer, I use a drying rack either outdoors or indoors. If I need to,
when I return from work in the evening, I toss things in the dryer for a few
minutes.
Even if you prefer to use a clothes dryer, there are ways
you can make it operate more efficiently to reduce the amount of energy it
uses. There are some great new innovations, such as solar powered dryers, which
in the future might become the norm. While we wait, you can choose a more
energy-efficient heat pump or condensing dryer. It condenses the moisture out
of the dryer air, then reheats it. This design is great because it doesn’t
require any additional air – it’s a closed loop. Key to any new dryer would be
a moisture-detection feature that will shut the dryer off when the clothes have
dried.
Here’s some other tips to save energy:
– You should also place the dryer in a warm spot in your
house so that it uses less energy to heat the air inside the dryer.
– Dry full loads, but don’t overload the dryer as you need
the air to circulate around the clothing.
– Try to wash several loads one after the other to maximize
the warm air and warm drum.
– Make sure that you clean the lint filter every time you
use it to keep the hot air moving more efficiently through the dryer and
shorten the drying time.
– Also, home maintenance experts recommend cleaning out the
dryer vents both from the inside and from outside the home to maximize air
flow. This will also prevent lint from accumulating inside the ducts which
could potentially create a fire hazard.
– And while you’re drying your clothes, you might consider
leaving out the dryer sheets. They’re full of cancer-causing chemicals.
Instead, go natural.
|
| Episode XXIV: It’s not nirvana to be an iguana by Max Malone, Private Eye on 08/01/2018
Max sat alone under a faded umbrella at a veranda bar
supported by tired timbers overlooking a working harbor – no luxury liners here
– as the moaning of ship horns testified to the tankers and container ships
that stood guard, all under the scrutiny of an unblinking indigo-blue iguana
that belonged in a Charles Darwin documentary.
Even Max’s most menacing glare was no match for the
redoubtable reptile, reclining a few feet away.
Rolling the remains of a defeated mojito around in its
glass, Max shifted an unfocused eye on a hazy horizon with lumps of briquet
clouds. He thought: Dolly Teagarden is MI6 – British for CIA – Jemma Gayle is a
Jamaican nurse providing him shelter from the storm during his rehab from a
gunshot wound inflicted by, doubtlessly, Beau Kimatian cum Andy Campanaro, or
one of his henchmen, and despite all the distractions – Dolly and Jemma – the unaccompanied
thought that bubbled up with every wince of pain from his abdomen was revenge.
That rage was deeper than the wound.
The more Max tarried, the more he blended in with his island
shirt, white slacks, huaraches, topped by a stylish Panama hat held in
captivity by a murky brown band. Or so he thought.
A dark, slender arm plopped down a fresh mojito, and one for
herself as well. Max followed the arm all the way to a beguiling Jamaican
smile.
“Believe I will, Jemma, thanks,” Max said, lifting his fresh
glass to his sponsor. “Have a seat.”
Jemma was already seated. “It’s OK for you to go home now,
Max.”
Max squints through the Caribbean sun, smirks, says “Jemma.
You don’t know me that well. I …”
“I know Grand Cayman, Max,” she interrupts, somehow without
raising her voice above the Jamaican cadence. “I don’t know what you’ve done,
or even why you’re here, or who that British woman is you’ve been talking to,
but I know that when the people who own Grand Cayman have unfinished business,
they find a way to finish it. This is not a democracy. It is a country of
billionaire bankers, drug dealers, money launderers, arms dealers, and corrupt
authorities. People mean nothing. Money means everything.”
“We’ll see, won’t we?” Max says, shooting a sharp glance to
Jemma, uncomfortably impressed that she knew of Dolly Teagarden.
“Iguanas are overrunning Grand Cayman, you know?” she said.
“There’s even a bounty on them.”
Max nods, lifting his mojito, getting the point.
* * *
Max shuffled along the run-down Cayman neighborhood, far
from the eager eyes of tourists. Music drifted on a soft breeze, a striking
Cayman woman sauntered across the street with a baby on her hip, vegetables
mingled with live poultry in cages on makeshift stands. Max walked into the
dark inner bowels of an alcove that dripped with intrigue. Sitting at a table
in the hallway, carving up a mango, sat one of the twins that had guarded Max’s
hospital room.
Max nodded. The hulking Jamaican polished off the last slice
of mango, rose, opened a steamer trunk that rested against the wall, took out a
soiled rag and rested it on the table between the two men. Max slid the bulky
rag to his side of the table, tucked it in his belt, stood up, dropped a brown
envelope in the trunk, walked back up the hallway, drummed his fingers on the
wall in an expression of island gratitude.
* * *
Two shadows faced off, divided by a sky full of stars
freshly washed by an island rain.
“Why don’t you bust him?” Max rasped as sotto voce as he was
able.
Dolly whispered, whittling away at the few remaining inches
between them. “We need the ones on the receiving end more than him. They’re the
ones who start wars. He buys his arms from Americans. All we can do is watch,
and wait, and hopefully follow the shipment, and then act.”
Max shuddered. What was unsaid was the U.S. did not
intervene because of the supply line.
“You must have a plan,” Max said.
Dolly surrendered her crooked Queen of England smile. “We’re
going to make sure Campanaro sees us together. That will make you more of an
asset to him than a target.”
That was enough intrigue for one night. The intervening
stars fell into shadow.
After all, he is still Max Malone, private eye.
|
| Universe makes push-starting your car that much harder by Ned Hickson on 08/01/2018
I certainly feel a deep kinship with the surrounding universe.
Particularly after reading how, like my own waistline, it is continuing to
expand as it gets older. According to an article in TIME magazine, there are a
number of discoveries that answer fundamental questions about the mysteries of
space — beginning with a property called “dark gravity.”
It is something that parents have suspected for eons, and
that astrophysicists have only now proven the existence of: an invisible force
slightly stronger than normal gravity that pulls in the opposite direction. It is
this property that keeps the universe expanding in spite of the pull of planets
and constellations.
According to physicists at Princeton University, children
naturally possess this gravitational force, which explains their ability to
pull their parents in two directions at once.
The other effects of “dark” gravity aren’t as
straightforward. In fact, the difference between the two types of gravity are a
little hazy; both are invisible, and both earn their living by pulling things.
Here are a few examples to help illustrate their differences:
– A baseball landing in your mitt is gravity; a baseball
landing on your forehead is “dark gravity.”
– Push-starting your car by rolling it down a hill is
gravity; if the car doesn’t start before you get to the bottom, that’s “dark
gravity.”
– Weight-lifting, gravity; weight-gaining, “dark gravity.”
– Getting sick on the Tilt-a-Whirl, gravity; being strapped
next to the person getting sick on the Tilt-a-Whirl –
You get the idea.
And the discovery of light and “dark” doesn’t end there.
Apparently, physicists have discovered that matter also has
a bright and not-so-bright side.
While regular matter is easy to see, taste, touch and feel,
“dark” matter is an invisible substance that, by a ratio of 10 to 1, outweighs
all visible particles that stars, planets and people are made of.
This is why eating a three-ounce candy bar means that you
will gain — on average — 10 pounds. It’s all of that invisible “dark” matter
surrounding what we eat that’s causing America’s obesity problem, not the
calories or lack of exercise.
The trick is to find a way to remove the “dark” matter from
our food sources — something that is harder than it sounds since scientists
have no idea what the stuff is, what it looks like or where it came from.
The only thing we know for sure is that it was approved by
the FDA.
Though there were a handful of other revelations, nothing
compares with how the universe will eventually collapse. Much like the elastic
waistband in my swimming trunks, the universe will continue to stretch until it
reaches a point of critical mass known as “The Big Snap.”
What happens after that is anyone’s guess.
As for me, I’d rather not dwell on the gravity of such
matters.
(Ned is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corporation.
Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com, or c/o Siuslaw News, 148 Maple St.,
Florence, Ore. 97439)
|
| Proposed 2018 legislation by Rep. Jeffrey Helfrich on 08/01/2018
Hello Hoodland Community and other Mountain Times Readers,
It is an honor to serve as your State Representative and I
thank you all for taking the time to email, call, and share with me face-to-face
your questions, challenges and appreciation. Over the last month, I have had
the great opportunity to participate in and meet some of you at the Sandy
Mountain Festival and Parade and Mt. Hood Farmer’s Market, among other events
and venues. In response to these and other contacts, including those with
community, business, organization and government leaders across the district, I
have developed and submitted bills for the 2019 Session. The legislation I have
proposed has focused primarily on the 4E’s: education, economic development,
environmental stewardship and emergency preparedness/planning. Here are some of
the legislative concepts I submitted by Aug. 1:
Education
As a father with a daughter in public elementary school, a
son that is soon to start and multiple friends and family members who are or
have been teachers, I understand the importance of all students having access
to well-qualified and high quality teachers and a high quality education. For
the 2018 Regular Session, I proposed and passed House Bill (HB) 4044 which
commissioned a study to identify best practices for recruitment, retention and
mentoring our educators. For the 2019 Session, I have proposed full funding of
Measure 98, the High School Graduation and College and Career Readiness Act of
2016. Measure 98 provides funding for career and technical education (CTE),
dropout prevention programs and college credit courses. To learn more about
Measure 98, please visit
www.oregon.gov/ode/learning-options/CTE/statefund/Documents/Frequently%20Asked%20Questions%20(Updated%202-16-2017).pdf.
Economic Development
As your State Representative serving on the House Committee
on Economic Development and Trade, I feel very strongly about our need to
support, grow and retain small businesses and the family supporting jobs they
provide in Oregon. As such, I have proposed the repeal of Senate Bill (SB)
1528. SB1528 disconnected Oregon from the federal tax code and will prevent our
district’s businesses from receiving a tax deduction that could lead to
increased investment in the businesses, its employees and our community.
Environmental Stewardship
I am the son and grandson of farmers, a former farmworker
and avid fisher and hunter, I believe it is important to be a good neighbor and
environmental steward and am teaching my two young children to believe the
same. Across the district, many have expressed concern about responsible
forestry management practices and the next steps for the privately owned
timberlands that are in the National Scenic Area (NSA). The NSA sits squarely
within our district and to address these and other concerns, I have submitted a
bill to study the feasibility of the state purchasing privately held timber
lands in the NSA, their possible use and public benefit.
I believe that buying former timberlands in the NSA is a
great opportunity for Oregon to acquire lands to be repurposed for recreation
and maintained for current and future generations of community members and all
Oregonians to enjoy.
Emergency Preparedness/Planning and Public Safety
I am a former Cascade Locks City Councilor, retired police
sergeant, Air Force veteran, member of the Joint (House and Senate) Ways and
Means Public Safety Subcommittee and have a young family of my own. I believe
that emergency preparedness/planning and public safety are critically important
to the success and sustainability of our community. I have heard from many
across the district regarding earthquake preparedness and in the Hoodland Area
specifically about the concern for safety along Hwy. 26. In response, I am
proposing a bill to identify the best option for adding flexibility to the
school building seismic upgrades grant funding that would allow for cases where
a building’s upgrades are close to or exceed the cost of reconstruction. I have
also submitted a bill to make the safety corridor that runs through the
Hoodland Area permanent.
My goal is to propose legislation that is responsive and
effective for addressing the challenges you identify and the successes you want
to see. To share your questions, concerns or suggestions for legislation or
invite me to your community or other group to talk about my role as a
legislator or discuss legislation, please contact me via
Rep.JeffHelfrich@OregonLegislature.gov, cellphone 541-392-4546, my Salem office
at 503-986-1452 or message me through www.facebook.com/RepJeffHelfrich/.
I look forward to seeing you in the community and hearing
from you soon.
(Jeff Helfrich is the representative for House District 52)
|
| Bite size is the right size by Taeler Butel on 08/01/2018
When it’s hot and you just want a bite and you also have
lunches to pack, these bite sized snacks have your back.
Pulled chicken potato skins
1.5 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
6 small Yukon gold potatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
1 cup prepared BBQ sauce
1/4 cup sliced scallions
Heat oven to 365 degrees. Bake the potatoes tossed in olive
oil, salt and pepper for 40 minutes until tender and roasted.
Cool slightly, then scoop out to make room for the chicken
mixture.
Toss the chicken together with BBQ sauce and salt and pepper
to taste, then spoon about 1/4 of the mixture into the potato skins.
Bake for 15 minutes and top with scallions.
Cheese quinoa bites
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups quinoa prepared
1/2 t each onion & garlic pepper
1 T flour
1 cup milk
Salt & pepper to taste
Mix together the milk, cheese, flour and seasonings together
in a small bowl and add this mixture to the cooked quinoa.
Stir over medium heat until thickened slightly, then pour
into greased muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool slightly.
A bite-sized side note
Try salami ravioli flowers, by cooking packaged ravioli and
skewer with salami.
Or make apple “chips” with cinnamon almond butter by slicing
a green apple and dolloping on some almond butter with a drizzle of honey and
then sprinkle on cinnamon and sliced almonds.
(Taeler Butel writes exclusively for The Mountain Times.)
|
| Maintaining health during a staycation, vacation or relocation by Victoria Larson on 08/01/2018
Whether staying home for a vacation this year, driving
through our lovely state of Oregon or relocating and settling in, illness on
the road is far worse when in flux. How can we make moves more comfortable and
be prepared for the possible stress of travel or relocating?
The farther away you plan to travel or move, the sooner you
should begin preparations. You can begin shoring up your immune system up to a
month before to deal with any onslaughts. Sleep and diet are underappreciated
as “health aids.” Since sleep is difficult for many while travelling or under
the stress of relocating, consider doing all you can to make yourself and those
travelling with you as comfortable as possible.
Try one of those small travel pillows for each member of
your family and put a few drops of each person’s favorite essential oil on the
corners of the pillow. You do not want to put the essential oil on the middle
of the pillow where you put your head as you don’t want to cause any irritation
to eyes. Lavender is the go-to essential oil for promoting calmness and sleep
but not everyone likes the scent of lavender. My personal favorite is geranium,
as it resembles rose essential oil without the high cost.
Since car travel is up and many are travelling with
children, why not be prepared to calm both children and adults. A mixture of
lavender essential oil and Rescue Remedy (or both) in a spray bottle filled
with distilled water will quiet everyone in the car, as well as drown out the
odor of those smelly feet or sweaty bodies after that long hike.
Essential oils, homeopathics and essences are small, light
and easy to travel with, whatever your luggage choice or your destination.
However, you should package the oils separately from the homeopathics and
essences, as essential oils may decrease the effectiveness of the homeopathics.
In addition to band-aids and healing salves, you can carry
homeopathic Arnica as a gel or in pill form to help with those inevitable minor
to moderate sprains, strains or other injuries. Both Arnica and Rescue Remedy
will also help with insect bites, stings and even sunburn, and are easy to
carry in purse or pocket.
Remember that nutrition is an important part of your health.
Increasing consumption of ginger, mint or turmeric will improve your traveler’s
digestion. Your tummy will be happier with a decrease of sugar in your diet not
just when vacationing or relocating but also when settling in. Sugar decreases
the ability of your white blood cells (the defenders) within a half hour of
consumption and lasts for five hours! After just two hours your immune function
is reduced by 50 percent. Plus, and perhaps worst, is the fact that sugar
consumption makes people cranky and irritable and summer heat does that
already. While treats when travelling or under stress are inevitable,
increasing fiber and protein will keep everyone more balanced and happy.
Probably the most incapacitating traveler’s or mover’s
problem is diarrhea. Even with the admonition of using only bottled water for
brushing teeth or washing fruit, keep in mind that not all places on earth have
dishwashers or use boiling water for washing dishes. In some countries it is
not advisable to eat raw fruits and vegetable. Forgetting is easy.
I remember a time in China when we dipped grapes into
boiling water to peel them before eating. But think about guacamole in Mexico:
better to buy the avocadoes and make your own guacamole with processed salsa
and not with fresh tomatoes or onions to avoid the famous “turista.”
If intestinal imbalance does result in diarrhea or vomiting,
be prepared. It’s easier than trying to find a grocery store or a pharmacy when
in the woods, travelling in a foreign country, or relocating to a new area.
Carry some bottles of carbonated water to which you can add
activated charcoal or psyillium powder to absorb the toxins you may have
ingested. Powdered ginger, turmeric or mint tea bags can help too. Pineapple
juice and fresh papayas, if you are lucky enough to be in a country where these
are readily available, will ease digestive woes as well.
In a pinch (no pun intended) you could use cinnamon, cloves
(also good for toothache), oregano or thyme from any old spice rack to make
tea. If you have carried essential oils of mint, oregano or thyme, they may be
diluted with olive oil and applied topically to the tummy area. Test a small
area for possible irritation before applying, especially with children and
anyone with compromised skin issues. Best to avoid the sun under such
circumstances as some are more sensitive than others and may cause rash or
sunburn. Using essential oils internally, even in drop doses could lead to
irritation of mucous membranes of the mouth or intestinal system.
All of the above-mentioned remedies are easy to obtain from
Naturopaths (capsules of ginger, turmeric, homeopathics and salves). Many can
be found at local grocery or health stores (teas, pineapple juice), or off the
shelves of your own home or the home of those you are visiting (powdered
spices). Let’s face it, vacations and moving are few and far between, so let’s
not lose any time being uncomfortable. With a little pre-planning and becoming
prepared we can be happier whether stacaytioning, travelling through or
relocating to a new area.
|
|  Photo by Gary Randall.
Summer is here. For a landscape photographer this time of
the year means good weather, green forests, flowers, warmer nights and starry
night skies.
I enjoy heading out for a sunset and staying until the stars
come out, and in many cases, staying out until sunrise. Sunsets and sunrises
are always a wonderful time to get dramatic landscape photos, while landscape
photos with an amazing Milky Way in the sky above can be unique and dramatic.
Night photography is a form of photography that seems
mystical and magical. To many people night photography appears to be
complicated and left only for those with the most acute photography skill, when
in fact once you understand just the basics of the exposure triangle - shutter
speed, aperture and Iso - you will realize that all that’s being done to get
these dark night sky photos, in most cases, is to get as much light into your
camera as possible.
Set your camera on Manual, set up your tripod and let’s get
started.
As most photographers know when you use a long exposure you
will need a tripod. Your tripod will keep your camera still during the
exposure. You will want to ensure that no movement takes place at all during
the exposure.
Another device that helps with this is a shutter release.
The release will keep you from moving the camera when you press the button. If
you have no shutter release you can usually set your camera timer to take the
photo a few seconds after you click the shutter button.
Your exposure setting will need to be extended in most cases
up to 20 or sometimes 30 seconds, depending on how dark the sky is. Remember
that the darker the sky, the brighter the stars, and a night without a moon
will give the best starry sky. The only negative consequence will be less light
on your subject or foreground. Many times just a slight sliver of a moon will
allow a more defined foreground while still allowing the stars to shine.
Concerning shutter speed, the only consideration that you
must have is that the longer the shutter is open the more movement you will
detect in the scene. Even in the stars as at some longer focal lengths the
stars will streak slightly when you extend the exposure to 30 seconds. These
star streaks turn into star trails if allowed to streak long enough, sometimes
up to 30 minutes. This method will create amazing surreal images of streaks and
circles of light above your subject. To do this requires another method, not
explained here, to pull off.
The next thing that one must consider is how the aperture
will block or allow light to pass through the lens and into the camera. When
light is dim or it’s dark outside, you will want to allow as much light through
as possible and to do this you must use a wider more open aperture - a smaller
number. Without getting into the math involved just remember that when you open
your aperture you will be allowed a quicker shutter and a lower Iso. Both are
desirable, which I’ll explain later. A good quality lens will allow an f/2.8
aperture setting.
Next is your Iso setting, meaning the longer that you keep
your shutter open the more light will pass through the lens and into the
camera. We also know that an aperture that’s open wider allows more light in.
In digital photography we have no film but we do have electronic film in the
form of the image sensor. The image sensor’s sensitivity to light can be
adjusted. The higher the Iso number the more sensitive to light your camera
becomes. Iso 1000 will be more sensitive to light than Iso 100, for instance.
Therefore you will need to raise your Iso to get your starry night photos. It’s
easy to think that all one needs to do is raise their Iso, but there are
negative effects in the form of noise in the image. In film it’s called grain.
To get a cleaner image you want to keep your Iso as low as possible. Extending
your shutter speed and opening your Iso allows you to do this.
One thing to remember when setting up is that in the dark
it’s more difficult (even impossible) to use your light meter to determine your
settings. Therefore, one must take a couple test shots before they get the
exposure right.
Another important part, and in many cases the most difficult
part, of getting setup for the shot is focus. Unfortunately, on a zoom lens
when you set the focus to infinity the stars will not be in focus. And at night
it’s dark and difficult to focus manually. I recommend taking your camera out
in the daylight and setting the focus to an object far away and then marking
the lens. I have used tape where when I line up the edges of the tape it’s in
focus. There are other methods, but this is the simplest until you gain more
experience.
And so, once we understand this we can let more light into
the camera using these three settings and we can start taking photos in low
light. Tripod, long exposure, open aperture and a higher Iso. The next thing to
do is to go out and practice. Once you do this a few times your photos will get
better and your understanding of what settings to start with will become more
second nature.
|
| The Mt. Hood Green Scene: more steps for a better environment by Mary Soots on 07/02/2018
Last
month, the Mt. Hood Green Scene (MHGS) was the recipient of a scholarship to
attend the 40th annual conference of the Association of Oregon Recyclers. We
would like to express our appreciation to the Association for the great gift
bestowed on our community in allowing us to attend. The MHGS is a grassroots
group of involved members from our community who have come together to bring
opportunities to our unique corner of the world that allow us to protect our
home environment. We face unique challenges that large cities don’t face
because we have a very basic infrastructure. If there are items that are not
recyclable at curbside, we have no nearby facilities to drop them off.
The MHGS
was created as a non-profit organization to fill in those gaps for people who
want to learn about our environment through education and action. We have
worked to bring plastic bag recycling to the Mt. Hood Thriftway, collaborated
with Page’s Mt. Hood Auto and Tire to collect used tires, with the Welches
Mountain Building Supply to collect used paint and with the Hoodland Library to
collect used batteries. These efforts are by citizens who care about our
fragile environment; about keeping our lands and waterways safe for wildlife
and for humans. Our efforts can only succeed if our community gets involved in
bringing in their recyclable materials and if we work together.
Because of
the transitory nature of our community, we have a further challenge in working
with community members who may only live in our area temporarily. The best way
is to engage our community through businesses that will work to set a culture
within their organizations that create and promote ways to reduce the amount of
materials being used, re-use as much as possible, and recycle responsibly.
At the
conference, we also learned that there is a fourth step in the life-cycle of a
product: re-creation. This is when an item is re-purposed after its life as one
thing has ended. For example, a friend of mine had an old wooden kitchen table
that he no longer needed. He took the table apart and used the wood to build a
serving cart which he needed for his family room.
The
conference allowed us to share concerns about the lack of opportunities that we
are currently experiencing in recycling some materials such as plastic. When
China was buying recyclable plastic from the U.S., there was much being
included that could not be recycled. Items such as those clear plastic
clam-shell containers, and even used baby diapers were being thrown in with the
recyclables. That is part of the reason that China will no longer accept our
recycling. It is now up to Americans to understand that if we don’t find a way
to reduce the amount of plastic that we produce, we will drown in our own
garbage. Recyclers are in the process of creating an infrastructure to recycle
plastics, but that will take three to five years.
We also
learned of a second challenge, that of clothing. We are buying more clothing
than we need, and retailers change fashion styles quickly — especially for
women — to get us to buy more. We think if we donate our old clothing, we are
keeping those (often plastic fabrics) out of the landfill. In reality, 80
percentage of what is donated still ends up in the landfill. We can help by
buying less, buying used items at re-sell or consignment stores, and wearing
the items for a longer period of time.
The
conference allowed us an opportunity to exchange ideas with others who are
facing similar challenges, and to connect with those who are working to find
ways of re-cycle or re-create everything from old candle wax to make new
candles, mattresses into dog beds, old furniture into beautiful handbags and clothing,
glass into ornaments, record albums into earrings, old windows into artwork,
etc. The creativeness of individuals and groups represented was truly
astounding!
As a
community, we can come together to face the challenges that our lifestyles have
created. MHGS is currently working on some projects to bring education to our
local schools, on making some YouTube videos, on working with other non-profit
organizations and with Clackamas County. We are inspired, and we are looking
for individuals who are passionate about making our community a shining example
for other rural communities. If you are up for the challenge, reach out to us
through our Facebook page.
|
| Episode XXIII: Aint This The Pips by Max Malone, Private Eye on 07/02/2018
Max tried to do what he was told. Jemma, the inspirational
Jamaican nurse, insisted he get “lost out of here.” But when he rose from the
park bench, the excessive activity of escaping the hospital bed caught up with
him.
Max’s knees sagged from the pain that ripped through his
midsection like a midnight train to Georgia. (Prior to this moment, Max had
always liked Gladys Knight.)
Jemma grabbed hold under Max’s arm, slung it around her
slender neck, and peered up, inches from his face.
“What’d you have in mind?”
Max winced, then offered meekly: “Tryin’ to do what I’m
told.”
Jemma lifted Max’s spirits with a million-dollar smile.
“Well, guess we better get you some rehabilitation beforehand, huh?”
“Whiskey wouldn’t hurt.”
Jemma and Max limped along through the park, bouncing off a
hibiscus frond here, an unforgiving lamp post there, before piling onto two
torn seats on a city bus, and rattling along for what seemed an eternity to
Max, more like the last bus to nowhere than any late train going south.
* * *
It wasn’t as bad as one might think. Certainly, Jemma’s hut
wasn’t Trump Tower, but it was clean, and the blind Rasti dude next door could
sing like a hip Harry Belafonte. And, of course, there was absolutely nothing
wrong watching Jemma go to work and return as well. That she could cook, was
definitely a bonus. Unfortunately, in some ways, Max improved.
Max wandered in the nearby neighborhood, feeling oddly at
home in the shady side of Grand Cayman. He stumbled on an Internet café, which
also offered phone booths where a person could call anywhere, then pay up at
the counter afterward. Max started to dial when his Spidey sense tingled. He
looked through the nicotine-stained glass of the phone booth door and saw a
pair of legs, one crossed over the other, in the nearest chair to the booth.
He’d seen those stems before.
Max cradled the receiver, opened the booth door, and looked
straight into the unblinking, twenty fathom, British blue eyes of Dolly
Teagarden.
“So, Max. We meet again,” Dolly opened, as if ordering a
slab of salmon in a seafood market.
“How’d you know, uh …” Max began.
Dolly, interrupting, “Your newspaper guy, Nigel Best, but we
knew way before that.”
“Nigel’s back in the states.”
“We know, Max. And you’re here in Grand Cayman. Who were you
about to call?”
“None of your British business,” Max snapped.
“You’re forgetting, Max. The Caymans belong to us.”
“Well, when I get through with my business, believe me, doll
face, you can have ’em.”
Dolly delivers her well-practiced diplomatic smile, stands
up, leaving as much space between them as that of a praying mantis couple with
a hungry female member.
* * *
Max and Dolly sit at a table squashed against the wall of a
local dive, separated by two liberal glasses of Havana Club.
“First, let’s get the name right,” Dolly says in a
tendentious tone. “It’s Andy Campanaro, not Beau Kimatian.”
Max stares at Dolly, refusing to flinch, feigning
disinterest, shrugs. “A knotweed by any other name is still … and, how in
plu-perfect hell do you know him, by whatever name?”
“Well, Max, I promise you it would have nothing to do with
you if you hadn’t showed up where you weren’t supposed to be, kinda like
France,” Dolly says with a knee-buckling grin. “You remember France, right?”
“I’m not in the mood for remembering anything, especially
those days handcuffed to a radiator.”
Dolly forges ahead, figuring she owes Max some information,
and possibly, cover as well. She tells of Andy Campanaro’s dim-witted twin
brother, Randy, who is now deceased in Wildewood along with a bodyguard and a
cook. She drones on about Campanaro’s businesses of shipping companies, money
laundering, arms acquisitions and sales, drug trafficking, and any other
activity that leads to incalculable wealth.
Max polishes off his rum. “So, if you know all of this, why
don’t you arrest him, or as a diplomat is it that you don’t have the
authority?”
“I’m MI6, Max,” Dolly says, her blue eyes turning to ice.
This is getting interesting, Max thought.
After all, he is Max Malone, private eye.
|
| Memory is a Sticky Thing by Ned Hickson on 07/02/2018
When my wife called to remind me about taking the dogs out
at noon, I instinctively retrieved a sticky note pad from the desk drawer and
scrawled “Dogs at noon” on the top page, then stuck it to the computer monitor
— next to a series of other yellow squares with things like “Call about
haircut,” “Clean out car,” and “Go to dry cleaners” written on them. They’re
all things I should be able to remember, and usually do; like when I’m staring
into the closet for a pair of pants to wear.
Later, I climbed into the truck and was gently reminded by a
shocking-yellow square of paper to “get gas.”
It was while sitting at the pump a short time later that the
notion of dependency hit me.
In the beginning, I was only an occasional user, jotting
down out-of-the-ordinary reminders. You know, things like a doctor’s
appointment, or that it was time to change the oil.
Then, “Change cat box” and “Take out trash” began appearing
on the bathroom mirror or stuck to the alarm clock — painfully obvious to-dos
that were reminders in and of themselves.
My life was becoming sort of a dot-to-dot — or in this
instance, pad-to-pad — existence, moving from one reminder to the next.
What was next?
“Breathe?”
“Swallow?”
“Don’t drink soda with ‘Alka-Seltzer’?”
(I must confess that I almost reached for a pad to remind
myself to check the spelling on “Alka-Seltzer.” Sad, but true.)
So, I decided that enough was enough. It was time to end the
dependency!
I reached into my shirt pocket, snatched my last
still-cellophaned package of sticky notes and tossed them out the window and
into the trash. This was my moment, something I would long remember without a
scrap of yellow paper conveniently laced with “stick-um.”
“Excuse me, sir,” the gas attendant said, interrupting my
moment of triumph. “You got another gas card? This one’s expired.”
Confused, I thumbed through my wallet as the attendant
handed me a yellow slip of paper. “By the way, this fell off the back of your
card.”
I took it from him and stared at my handwritten reminder.
“Call about gas card.”
After handing the attendant my cash, I reluctantly stepped
from the car and, with no small amount of humiliation, dug the package back out
of the trash and opened it — then wrote myself a reminder:
“Get more pads.”
|
| Bills due for 2019 session in September by Rep. Jeffrey Helfrich on 07/02/2018
Hello Hoodland Community and other Mountain Times readers.
First and foremost, thank you for reading this article.
Please contact me at Rep.JeffHelfrich@OregonLegislature.gov, call 541-392-4546
or my Salem office at 503-986-1452, or message me through
www.facebook.com/RepJeffHelfrich/. To share your suggestions for legislation,
the only question you need to answer is: What do you believe (or know) would be
effective at addressing an issue the community, district and/or state is
facing?
In late May, the 2018 Special Session started and ended in
one day with just House Bill 4301 (HB4301) passing. HB4301 was designed to
address an inequity built in to a three-year-old law that excluded otherwise
qualifying sole proprietorships from reduced tax rates. To me, what was most
troubling about the Special Session and HB4301 was that it failed to repeal
SB1528 and address the adverse impact it has on the development and growth of
small businesses across our community, district, and Oregon. If SB1528 had been
repealed, then these small businesses would have had a much needed tax
deduction. This small business tax deduction would have translated into
increased investment in the development, growth and sustainability of small
businesses, our local communities, district and the greater Oregon economy.
Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, places
where we buy goods and get services every day. In support of small businesses
in our communities and across Oregon, I voted no on SB1528. I firmly believe
that we can’t keep taxing small businesses and expecting them to flourish, some
will move but others will simply close. We must work together to grow and
sustain our small businesses and our communities, and that means developing
legislation that shows small business developers, owners and supporters that
Oregon values small businesses. To develop legislation that is responsive to
this and other issues that are important to you, I need to hear from you.
As your State Representative for House District 52, I am
still serving on the House Economic Development and Trade, and Joint (House and
Senate) Ways and Means Public Safety Subcommittee. I have also joined the Fire
Caucus and Sportsmen’s Caucus among others. For the 2018 Session, I was focused
on developing and supporting legislation that improves education, economic
development, environmental stewardship and emergency preparedness including
public safety in our communities, district and state.
I want to work with you to develop legislation that is
responsive and effective at addressing issues you that are important to you. Once
developed with you, I will work with my colleagues in Salem, across the aisle
and the building, to get that legislation passed. This is the same approach
that I used to develop and pass HB4152/Eagle Creek Fire Recovery Bill and
HB4044, an education bill which is identifying best practices for recruitment,
retention, and mentoring our educators. Both HB4152 and HB4044 are laws and
that are currently being implemented.
For the 2018 Session, Representatives were limited to two
bills, but we are not limited for the 2019 Session. The 2019 Session bill
submission deadline is at the end of September, but we need to start working to
develop the bills now. That’s why again this month and every month through
September, I am asking for your bill ideas. To you, what are the community’s
greatest challenges and successes? What services and supports are needed for
older adults in the community? What are your public safety concerns? What are
some of the greatest challenges to maintaining and growing small businesses in
the Hoodland area?
To share what matters most to you, your responses to the
questions in this article, suggestions for legislation, or any questions you
might have about legislation, please contact me using the information above. I
look forward to seeing you in the community and hearing from you soon. Thank
you in advance.
(Jeff Helfrich is the representative for House District 52)
|
| Picnic Basket by Taeler Butel on 07/02/2018
There is a picnic equation I think you should know about.
One homemade item per ready-made purchase. For example, if you like
store-bought potato salad, you’ll want homemade cookies in your basket.
Here are a few recipes to get you started, happy summer
ya’ll!
Homemade BBQ sauce
1/2 yellow onion chopped
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 15 oz can tomato purée
1 small can tomato paste
2 t salt & pepper
2 t dry mustard
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 t lemon pepper
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
Dash of hot sauce
Combine all ingredients in small saucepan and simmer on low
for 40 mins.
Turn off heat and allow to cool completely.
Peanut butter shortbread cookies
Shortbread holds up well in a picnic basket and is a
slice-and-bake cookie you can keep in your freezer – a double win!
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 t sea salt
1 stick softened butter
Mix butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer and add
in salt, sugar and flour on low.
Stir in the chocolate chips and roll into a log using
plastic wrap and freeze.
Slice and bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.
|
| Choosing wisely in the age of chemicals and lab food by Victoria Larson on 07/02/2018
In honoring ourselves and the Earth we need to remember that
ALL of our food comes from the earth, either directly or indirectly. Not just
vegetables and fruits but also protein from meat, milk, eggs, honey and even
the nutrients from the sea. The Earth “giveth.”
That is unless you are eating industrial food, chemically
produced, manufactured in a lab, with preservatives, colorings and other
chemical ingredients. This would be the foodstuffs that comes in bags or boxes,
readily available in every “regular” grocery store, but not always the best
choice for nutrition.
The history of “lab-created, manufactured” food really
boomed in popularity after WW II when chemicals were being touted as the
“savior” of humankind! Americans’ taste was altered by the newly manufactured
foods, which contained high amounts of salt, sugar, spices and chemicals. This
was in order to extend the shelf life of foods for an increasingly mobile
society. These were the foods that kept well and as life in America sped up,
and continues to do so, most learned to like those salty, sugary, spicy,
chemical tastes. Just as people today “like” things on the internet, a totally
new introduction into global life.
With the increased speed of American life came also fast
food eateries, or rather the ubiquitous drive-through. Never before had we as a
nation been able to drive up to a window to procure food. And that’s a long way
from hunting and gathering. Fast changes in a relatively short amount of time.
To add to the changes, the media, and even doctors were trying hard to convince
us that this was the way to go. And that butter, eggs, honey and meat were bad
for us. But the faster food came into our mouths, the more simple carbs we
consumed. And as a nation we grew to be obese, and that trend continues today,
much to the detriment of our health.
In the 1960s and 70s there was a fashionable trend towards
vegetarianism, but with adequate protein, mostly in the form of beans. Beans
were popular because of their high protein content and low cost. Now veganism
is popular due to the decreased carbon footprint and concerns about global
hunger and global warming. Valid earthly concerns.
But packaged vegan foods tend to be high in salt and/or
sugar. The consumption of sugar has risen to an all-time high. And what can you
expect from mouths trained to want those increased tastes. The tastes of
industrial food. Yes, they do eat desserts in countries like France, Italy,
Spain and others, but you won’t find those countries serving desserts as sickly
sweet as those served in the United States. Though that is changing world wide
as well. Even bread in other countries is different from what we have in the
US, which is why those who are gluten sensitive can eat bread in foreign
countries without the kinds of reactions they get at home. Most of the bread
made in our country is made quickly without the benefit of slower or multiple
risings. This is done to increase profit margins. Oh gee, money is the goal
again! The faster method of producing bread may contribute to gluten
sensitivities. The jury is still out. We need more studies and more time to
figure this all out. In the meantime, if you feel better not eating gluten then
by all means don’t eat it if you can avoid it.
When it comes to organic versus conventional food there is
often no comparison in terms of flavor. But not always. There are also
industrial organic farms producing “fresh” organic, but anemic looking, produce
on farms comprising thousands of acres. Some stores have an organic section of
produce that in fact looks like it’s been sitting on the shelf for six weeks or
more. In that case you may choose the locally-grown sustainable produce as an
alternative. The choice is yours.
While vegan diets ensure a decreased carbon footprint, you
may be one who still chooses animal proteins. Industrially raised chicken is
sometimes labelled organic but in fact the chickens are raised in defunct Tyson
or other chicken housing, or from far-away countries, and given only an hour
per day in fresh air. That’s not the way to raise chickens, whether you are
consuming them or not, as this does not give a quality organic product. Use
discretion as there is a great deal of non-compliance in the organic and
sustainable practices.
Many Americans are cash-rich and time-poor, hence the desire
for fast food places and pre-prepared foods. Yet many are cash-poor and still
also time-poor. Remember that cooking some beans in a crock-pot doesn’t take
much work or time on your part. And farm markets are just plain fun.
Many who are without monetary constraints still shop by
price, while owning expensive vehicles and going on extravagant vacations and
eating out more than two times a week. Those are the priorities of most
Americans. Perhaps food itself, and its preparation, needs to be more of a
priority if we want to live healthy and long lives. We get enough chemicals in
our lives from so many sources we have little or no control over, such as air,
water and some food. Let’s make our food a higher priority and refuse to buy so
much industrial food. Choose wisely, cook a little more, eat slowly and calmly
and buy the best you can afford. That’s the secret to living well.
|
|  Leslie Gulch.
Oregon is truly an amazing place. In terms of variety of the
landscapes available within an easy day’s drive, who really needs to travel
outside of the state to find what they want to experience?
From my perspective, that of a landscape photographer, I
speak primarily in regard to the natural world. Oregon has views of the ocean,
rolling hills and valleys, forests, mountains, glaciers, sagebrush desert, mud
playa desert, you name it. I tell people that in Oregon there’s a view of a
canyon that’s deeper than the Grand Canyon – Hells Canyon on the Snake River.
Considering the variety of terrain that we have to choose
from here, I seem to gravitate to Eastern Oregon. Perhaps it’s because I live
in trees and relish a clear view of the sky and clouds, but I seem to breathe
more freely in the open spaces and expansive views that I find there.
My latest trip east included a stop at a place that I can
never get tired of exploring, Leslie Gulch.
Leslie Gulch is on Bureau of Land Management land located
about an hour from the little town of Jordan Valley near the Oregon and Idaho
border. Named for a poor fellow named Hiram E. Leslie who was struck by
lightning there in 1882, it’s a part of a larger area that include the many
canyons that make up the Owyhee River drainage. It’s a canyon with towering
rock spires and formations made of ancient volcanic tuff, a rock very similar
to what’s found at the popular Smith Rock State Park, but times ten as there
are huge formations surrounding you all the way through the canyon and up side
canyons.
The canyon has a 15-mile dirt road that takes you down into
and through to the end where it meets the Owyhee Reservoir, where there can be
found the 8-unit Slocum Creek - Leslie Gulch Campground (Open from March -
November) and a boat ramp. Many people come here to fish.
A bit of caution must be expressed here. The road can be
treacherous in rain, and the area can be prone to flash floods so be warned.
When adventuring in remote areas always be prepared and make sure that your
vehicle is up to traveling for miles on dirt. Please don’t go unprepared.
Once you’re in the canyon you’re surrounded by castle like
pillars of rock formed by ancient volcanic ash, sheer cliffs and honeycomb type
rock formations. The rock features are jagged and more reminiscent of a place
in southern Utah or Arizona, but it’s all Oregon. In the springtime wildflowers
bloom, but as summer approaches the grasses turn yellow and the canyon can be
prone to grass fires. Although elusive, there is an abundant amount of wildlife
there including bighorn sheep, which were established there in 1965 and number
close to 200 animals.
As you sit at camp you’re serenaded by birds including
chukars, which are a type of partridge, and coyotes in the evening, while
consumed by the aroma of sage and juniper. Oh - and there’s no cell phone
service there so you have no choice but to relax and take it all in.
While in the area take note of some other places nearby that
are also worth visiting. There are many other places to get a view of the
Owyhee River as well as camping places. Succor Creek is another spot that I’d
recommend. Consider also visiting Silver City, Idaho, a remote “ghost town” at
the end of a rough dirt road that still has a few hearty residents holding on
there and a city ordinance that prohibits modern improvements. Take a day and
explore the old town and its old buildings including the Idaho Hotel.
The little town of Rome, the Pillars of Rome and views of
the Owyhee River as well as the Alvord Desert, a mud lake much like Death
Valley in California, are nearby. The Steens Mountains, considered the Alps of
Oregon, tower up from the Alvord Desert and also the Malheur National Wildlife
Refuge north of the Steens is an amazing place to sit and birdwatch.
Prior to my time in Eastern Oregon I must admit that from
all that I had heard I felt like there was nothing there but sagebrush and
coyotes, but once I decided to go it was immediately obvious to me that I had
found the solitude that I love and an expanse of land to explore and discover.
It may not be for those who want luxury in their free time
as there aren’t many motels but for those who want to get away from the
luxurious, forget a shower for a few days and spend time in the natural world,
I would recommend Leslie Gulch.
|
| The Mt. Hood Green Scene: plastic microfibers in our clothing by Mary Soots on 06/02/2018
When we think of plastic, we don’t think of clothing.
However, since the invention of polyester (‘fess up – did you have a leisure
suit in the ‘70’s?), increasingly our clothing is made of acrylic, nylon and
polyester. We’ve come a long way since the early days of plastic fabrics. They
now include everything from those fleece jackets we love, pants, blouses,
dresses, socks, underwear and workout clothing. Did you know? Every time you
wash these synthetic fabrics, millions of microfibers are released into the
water. Yes, plastic. But because they are too small to be filtered out by
treatment plants, they end up in our waterways and in the ocean. One research
showed that microfibers are responsible for 85 percent of shoreline pollution
across the globe. Because they don’t degrade, those microfibers remain in our
water systems forever.
Another source of contaminant is our waterproof outerwear.
We live in a rainforest and we all appreciate the need to have waterproof
jackets. However, the waterproofing process often means coating nylon fibers
with perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), which are persistent and potentially
toxic pollutants. With use and washing, lab and field studies have shown that
some PFCs can accumulate in the tissues of fish and other wildlife as they
consume contaminated food and water - building up a dose that can become
harmful to us.
How can we stop this pollution? As this problem is becoming
more evident, consumers are demanding and manufacturers are seeking
alternatives to plastic coatings in the way of bio-synthetics, plant-based
alternatives that are equally effective in repelling water. We consumers demand
large amounts of clothing.
The website plasticpollutioncoalition.org offers some
suggestions on how to reduce the amount of microfibers we produce:
Wash synthetic clothes less frequently and for a shorter duration. Fill up your washing machine. Washing a full load results in less friction between the clothes and fewer fibers released. Consider switching to a liquid laundry soap. Laundry powder “scrubs” and loosens more microfibers. Use a colder wash setting. Higher temperatures can damage clothes and release more fibers. Dry spin clothes at low revolutions. Higher revolutions increase the friction between the clothes. When you clean out your dryer, place lint in the trash instead of washing it down the drain. Consider purchasing a Guppy Friend wash bag. In tests, the bag captured 99 percent of fibers released in the washing process. The Guppy Friend wash bag traps fiber inside the bag which can then be removed by hand and placed in the trash. I got mine online through the Patagonia store. Purchase a washing machine lint filter. These filters require more of an investment, but they will benefit your septic system and the environment. Speak up and tell clothing designers to choose natural fabrics that aren’t prone to shedding. Tell your friends and family about microfiber pollution. Higher quality clothing lasts longer. Avoid purchasing cheaply-made, “fast fashion” clothes, whenever possible. Buy clothes made from natural fibers such as linen, silk, and wool. Cotton fiber has an even larger carbon footprint based on the large amount of water needed to produce it. But still, natural fibers will eventually break down in the environment. Plastic fibers will never go away.
Most importantly, as Prof. Richard Blackburn, head of the
sustainable materials research group at the University of Leeds cautions, “We
are unsustainably addicted to consumption. I cannot emphasize enough how much
of a step-change it would be for sustainability if we bought fewer items of
clothing per year, wore them for longer and threw them away less often.”
(http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-40498292)
|
| Episode XXII: ‘Double Double Toil and Trouble’ by Max Malone, Private Eye on 06/02/2018
Inspired by the suspicious hospital food and starched
atmosphere, Max was getting back on his feet – literally – as he made it to the
bathroom on his own after the recent lime jello dessert course.
Further, generous though the two sons of Janetta were in
keeping a watch on his door, they were slowly losing interest, except for the
moment when a certain Jamaican nurse named Jemma strolled by – and who could
blame them on either count. Certainly not Max.
But the immobile days at the hospital came with a reward:
Max had a lot of time to think.
He also had daily visits from Nigel Best, which came with
mixed results. Nigel meant well, certainly. And he was smart – especially for a
journalist. But he also carried the glandular weight of the overly active
conspiracy theorist – something that doubtlessly fed into his gnawing need for
a juicy story.
Max’s thoughts drifted more toward simple explanations. It
was always his practice to not complicate a matter. Solutions tended to rise to
the surface like champagne bubbles. And lately, Max had been splashing around
in a mental magnum of Dom Perignon.
To wit: Was it more probable that Beau Kimatian died in the
Stardust Lodge explosion, or was that someone else, and Beau was now cavorting
in the Caymans? Well, U.S. Attorney Ida Cavendish believed Beau had been
spotted in the Caymans. And who could think otherwise. Certainly not Max who
had a 38-caliber slug dug out of his precious interior after it was deposited
there moments after his arrival in the Caymans. The only logical next step,
after getting out of the hospital, was to find Beau. This might not be all that
easy, but after all, Beau had certainly found Max.
Or, the guy in the Caymans was only masquerading as Beau,
and the real codger was a charred corpse back in Wildewood.
But all of that got too head-scratching for Max. There had
to be a simpler explanation. Suddenly, the bubbles rose to the surface.
* * *
Nigel came in the night with Max’s getaway wardrobe. Moments
later, with Nigel forming a lump in Max’s hospital bed, Max slipped into the
hall, past Janetta’s son’s dozing form, to be met by a most curious Jemma at
the top of the stairwell. She looked Max up and down, flashed a most delightful
evil eye, as Max tried to look natural in his Panama hat, island shirt, chinos
and squeaky huaraches.
For Max, it wasn’t a good look.
“Hi there,” Max offered, and tipped his dolorous Panama.
“What’s your name?”
“Ah’m Nurse Jemma Gayle, Mr. Malone. And you look like
you’ve gone off and gone tourist for your escape.”
“Heh, well …” Max stumbled along, clearing his throat, oddly
at a loss for words.
“Well, ah don’t think anything is very ‘well,’ Mr. Malone,”
Jemma responded, planting both fists on her hips. “Do you know what could be
waitin’ for you out there? Hmmmmm?”
“Out … there” Max said, pointing toward an imaginary
outside.
Jenna nodded over an arched, reproving eyebrow.
“Nurse Gayle. Remind me please,” Max said, regaining a
fraction of his charm.
“Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm,” she reprimanded, shaking her head side
to side, but simultaneously releasing an all-conquering smile. “You best follow
me Mr. Malone.”
And Max did exactly that – right out the front door of the
hospital and across the wide street to a small park where Jemma parked the two
of them on the only bench. It was so dark that Jemma’s face seemed to disappear
in the moonless gloom.
“You need more help than that high school boy back in your
bed,” she scolded.
“He’s, uh, about forty, actually.”
“Right,” she smirked. “And I’m Penelope Cruz.”
Max had to get past the sinful similarity.
“Miz Gayle,” Max uttered, gathering his private eye
attitude.
“Jemma.”
“OK. Jemma. Are Janetta’s sons twins?”
“Yes,” she answered quickly, as in ‘isn’t it obvious?’ “But
that’s not why we’re sitting here in the park.” Jemma’s rhythmic Jamaican drawl
begged for a percussion base rift. “You need to get lost out of here.”
But Max was anything but “getting lost.” He slapped his
knee. It was the only explanation. And the simplest, after all …
|
| Graduates, chances are your old bedroom is already a hot tub by Ned Hickson on 06/02/2018
For parents, graduation is a bittersweet time filled with
angst and second-guesses. Particularly if it appears their graduate won’t be
out of the house before the contractor is scheduled to begin turning that extra
bedroom into a new hot tub by July 4th.
Don’t get me wrong. Parents will always have a place for
their children at home. It’s just that, after the remodel, that place may have
to be in one of the utility closets.
To help with this important transition, a lot of parents put
together a “survival” package containing things like pots and pans, utensils,
toiletries, dishes, tools — things from home that 1) you, as graduates, will
find familiar and comforting in your new life, and 2) they’ve been waiting to
unload on you for years so they can buy all new stuff. To protect yourself,
take careful inventory of this “survival” package before you accept it. Any
small appliance — such as a toaster, blender or hot plate — that was made
before standard outlets were introduced should be refused. The same goes for
any “family heirlooms” that you’ve never seen before, but that your parents
insist you loved as a child. In many cases, these items were never in your home
to begin with and are actually the result of an exchange program established by
other parents of graduating seniors who are also trying to get rid of stuff
they don’t want.
The reason for this is simple: All parents know that
whatever you leave behind after graduation will likely remain in the attic or
garage until the reading of their wills. Because of this, they will stop at
nothing to make sure you are accompanied on your journey by that 70-pound
ceramic pterodactyl you made in fifth grade, as well as any other belongings
that won’t readily ignite should the garage be consumed in a “freak” inferno.
But let’s assume you manage to escape from home in anything
smaller than a 27-foot moving van. Your next step as a graduate will be to
settle into your new surroundings. This generally includes adjusting to having
a roommate your first year in college. It will probably be someone you’ve never
met before, but whom you can rest assured has been carefully screened and,
based on compatibility, specifically chosen as the perfect roommate. You will
never actually meet this person, of course, and will instead share a room with
someone you once saw in a David Lynch movie. But that’s all part of the college
experience, which is aimed at preparing you for life.
(Or a life sentence, depending on how the whole roommate
thing goes.)
Once you’re settled, it’s time to focus in on what you came
to college for: an education.
Ha Ha! Just kidding! Let’s just be honest and admit that you
chose a college based on which website had the best-looking students playing
volleyball in the fall leaves. Every college website has one of these photos,
along with pictures of young, chiseled teachers lecturing before
300-seat-capacity halls filled with super models.
Warning: This is not real life! You will not find a lecture
hall filled with 300 super models. In fact, your first semester, you’ll be
lucky if you find the lecture hall at all.
And even when you do find it, chances are you’ll be sitting
next to your roommate.
That said, I wish all of this year’s graduates the best of
luck as they embark into the world with stars in their eyes and dreams in their
hearts — and, if they weren’t quick enough, a 70-pound ceramic pterodactyl.
(Ned is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corporation.
Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com, or c/o Siuslaw News, 148 Maple St.,
Florence, Ore. 97439)
|
| Food on trend by Gary Randall on 06/02/2018
Food can trend like fashion. Just imagine the mid-century
gelatin years! Thankfully we’ve left that trend in the past, and we’re leaning
toward more fruits and vegetables and less fried foods and carbohydrates. No, I
haven’t started putting butter in my coffee just yet. These recipes take a
little dip onto the healthier trends pool. They’re hip, and delicious and not
too fussy.
Cabbage roll casserole
1 lb grass fed beef
1T olive oil
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 cup quinoa - prepared
Mix together 1t each salt and pepper, Italian seasoning and
granulated garlic
1/2 head cabbage - sliced
1/2 yellow onion - diced
2 stalks celery - diced
1T Worcester sauce
1 cup chicken broth
Heat oven to 325. In a large skillet brown beef with
seasoning and oil, add in onion and celery. Continue to cook 5 minutes,
breaking up meat with a wooden spoon. Add in Worcester, tomatoes and broth.
Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly, layer into a
large baking dish of cabbage then quinoa and then the sauce, and repeat ending
with sauce. Bake about an hour until the cabbage is tender.
Philly cheesesteak stuffed Portobellos
1/2 lb thin sliced sirloin steaks
Mix together 1t each of salt and pepper, Italian seasoning,
granulated garlic, kosher salt and cracked black pepper
3/4 cup diced onion
3/4 cup diced green or red bell pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup shredded mild provolone cheese
4 medium Portobello mushrooms
Heat oven to 350. Cut stem and scoop out scales from
mushrooms, drizzle 1T oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 365 for 20
minutes while you prepare the steak, onions and peppers. Set a grill pan over
med/high heat, drizzle with olive oil and 1/2 of the seasoning and grill about
2 minutes on each side. Set the meat aside and slice into thin strips when
cooled.
Toss veggies with remaining oil and seasoning, and grill on
the same pan 4 to 5 minutes until tender. Mix the shredded cheese, cream cheese
and sour cream. Layer mushroom caps with steak, then veggies, then the cheese
mixture. Set oven to broil and broil until bubbly.
Protein berry smoothie bowls
This is a smoothie with a spoon! Great as a snack, breakfast
or dessert. Refreshing and the flavors varieties are endless.
2 scoops of your favorite protein powder (substitute 1/2 cup
Greek yogurt)
1 cup almond or other milk
1 frozen banana, chopped
1 cup frozen berries of your choice
Fruit and nuts of choice as toppers (I used berries,
tropical frozen fruit mix and shredded coconut)
Blend together first 4 ingredients until smooth, then top
with fruits and nuts of your choice.
|
| Shopping smarter – comparing stores for the best deal by Victoria Larson on 06/02/2018
Instead of farm-to-table, I want to talk about getting food
to your table. Despite the fact that many people eat in their cars or at their
desks or in restaurants, numerous studies show that gathering together at the
table leads to better family relationships, better digestion and ultimately
better health. Making this a goal is sadly somewhat lost in our frazzle-dazzle
society where the goal appears to be dollars and not one’s health.
But you can’t eat dollars and you need to eat to stay alive.
All that you ever need is given to you via the eco-system. Photosynthesis leads
to plant foods, dairy products, honey and high protein foods. What we hope is
an infinite sun that will provide for us. Foods created in labs are not the
best choice.
There are many ways of getting healthy food onto your table.
Choices come down to growing it or buying it at a grocery store. Other choices
will be addressed in another column. We’re all concerned about the cost, or
should be, so I decided to run a little experiment. I chose four different
stores to compare prices. I chose a “regular” grocery store, a “healthy” store,
a “bargain” store and a “big box” store that’s employee owned.
I chose to compare not only prices but the “shopping
experience.” I chose items that I regularly buy, though in some cases not
often. The items I chose were vinegar, sesame oil, Amy’s frozen meals, coconut
oil and fresh carrots. These are not especially expensive items, but they
seemed to be sort of across-the-board items in most stores, no matter what kind
(excluding the stop-and-go markets which rarely carry anything I find edible).
I didn’t go running from store to store but did choose four
stores within five to fifteen minutes of where I live. At the closest “regular”
grocery store where I’ve been going for thirty years, I have a few favorite
check-out people, Lynette and Craig. But that store also has some check-out
people I specifically avoid. Who wants to hear a check-out clerk say, “I’d
never eat that!” I wondered if she was making fun of my purchase or trying to
talk me out of that purchase.
The “healthy” grocery store also has two of my favorite
check-out people, Diane and Jerry. They are truly the friendliest store and
once a check-out person reached into her own pocket to dig out the thirty-nine
cents that I was short so I wouldn’t need to write a check. I don’t use credit
cards. This was quite a bit above the call of duty but very much appreciated.
However, I removed one of my items so I could pay properly with cash.
The “bargain” store has check-out people who must be told to
increase the number of people served as they all talked fast, moved fast and
therefore put no effort into getting to know their clientele.
The nearby “big box” store is employee-owned and the workers
appear to be happy working there. Their 24-hour venue means you don’t often
deal with repeat check-out clerks especially if you shop at 5 a.m. and only a
few times a month. There were trade-offs in all of the grocery store choices.
But here’s the clincher - the “healthy” store has a
reputation for being the most expensive, but they also have a sit-down eating
area, hot pizzas and soups, cold salads and many other choices if you’re hungry
NOW or meeting friends. Only one other store even offered an area for sitting
and having coffee! At the “regular” store I often find errors on my receipt and
while they’re nice about rectifying it, it’s still disturbing as the errors are
rarely the check-out person but appear to be computer generated. I always check
my receipts at this store! The “big box” store is slightly cheaper, but it
still is a big box and you still have to shop carefully! The “bargain” store
had prices that were exactly the same as the so-called most-expensive store and
in some cases the same price to the exact penny!
The bottom line is that all these stores had almost the same
prices and some of them didn’t even have some of the five items I was looking
for. The “big box” store had the cheapest vinegar since I only use Bragg’s
vinegar. It is sometimes not even available at the “bargain” store. The
“regular” store and the “healthy” store were very close in price. But the ‘big
box” store did not even have any carrots with their tops on and I personally
would never buy a bunch of carrots without the tops. At the “healthy” store
they will remove the tops for you and my favorite clerks will pull them out as
they know I have chickens who love those carrot tops. I will occasionally buy a
frozen Amy’s meal when I’m dead tired or in a real hurry and the “big box”
store did not have that brand which is the only brand I most often buy as it
has the best flavor. Sesame oil really ranged in price from a dollar cheaper in
the “big box” store to a dollar and a half cheaper than the “healthy store.”
But to be fair, it’s not an item I buy often though I do buy it regularly. The
range of price on the coconut oil was the biggest, and I do buy that fairly
often as I use it in cooking and on my skin. The healthy store had the most
expensive (I was comparing prices of the organic brands) but my favorite brand
is worth it to me as they used the entire coconut and not just a portion.
To be fair, I don’t shop the way most people do. Most people
go into a store without any meal plans, so they buy what they have a hankering
for whether it’s on sale or not. I do not buy many items that are not on sale.
I’ve learned to substitute asparagus for peas when called for in a recipe. And
I can live without dairy products or wheat products for at least a week. And I
only eat ice cream perhaps once a year. It has taken years to learn to shop
this way, but it makes a huge difference in your food budget! So go with a
list, only buy it if the item is on sale and buy what’s in season. Purchase
less-often needed items when they are on sale and don’t wait until you are
completely out.
If 10 percent of your food cost goes towards advertising,
refrigeration, and transportation and you are discarding 40 percent of what you
buy, maybe it’s time to consider a CSA (community supported agriculture), a
farmer’s market or growing your own food.
More about the alternatives to getting food on you table in
a future column.
In the meantime, whenever you shop and wherever you shop, do
so wisely.
|
| Spreading the word by on 05/07/2018
Spreading the word about the benefits of the HPV vaccine Recently
the American Academy of Pediatrics has made a push for kids to be vaccinated against
HPV, a virus that
has found to be linked to numerous cancers. You may have heard of this new
vaccine in the news as many health care professionals are starting to recommend
it, but it has not become as prominent as other vaccinations that have been around
for a while.
Research
has found that HPV infections are linked pretty strongly to head and neck
cancers which is why dentists are concerned about this in particular. Dentists are
active in the screening and treatment of oral cancer and anything that will
reduce diseases is a good thing. In the U.S. overall cancer rates have been
coming down, but the rates for HPV-related oral and throat cancers are rising.
Vaccination
can help reduce the risk of these types of cancers and the FDA has recommended
it for both boys and girls ages 11 to 12 years old. This is around the time that
they might be receiving vaccinations for meningitis and tetanus as well. It is
usually given in a series of three vaccines. Unfortunately, in 2016 only 60 percent
of adolescents were vaccinated against
HPV and only 43 percent were up to date on the recommended three vaccine
schedule.
Vaccinations
can be controversial for some people and ultimately if the patient is a child,
the parents will be making the
decision on whether or not they feel it is a good idea. A spokesperson for the
oral health section of the American Academy
of Pediatrics, Eileen Crespo MD recommends making a decision based on good factual
sources. One online source is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Of
course, your family doctor or health care provider is another excellent source
of information on the subject.
Dr.
Crespo said, “We have a great opportunity to prevent cancer in this next
generation, at least for the types of cancers caused by HPV, I’m hoping that we
can galvanize the village that is required so that we can create a healthier
adolescent population, and as they grow up, they will have the protection
against HPV that we know can help improve their quality of life.
The
Whole Tooth, by Robert Kelly, DMD, General Dentist (McKenzie Dental, Welches) |
| Communication is the Key by Rep. Jeffrey Helfrich on 05/07/2018
Hello
Hoodland Community and other Mountain Times Readers,
I
want to start by thanking community members for contacting my office to share
their concerns, suggestions for solutions, and being sure I was aware of and
could attend Commissioner Humberston’s Town Hall in early April. I want to
reiterate a theme from these and other contacts I have had in the Hoodland
Community, and throughout our diverse district: open, ongoing, honest and
two-way communication is critical to ensuring the needs of our community are
heard and addressed, and that our positive and productive relationships are
both built and maintained.
Good
communication is the cornerstone of any positive and productive relationship;
this is not new or news, but it is worth mentioning and being encouraged. As such,
I want to emphasize the importance of
us communicating. I need your voice and collaboration to continue building a
better community, district
and state. I invite you to contact me and share your experiences, challenges,
concerns and suggestions for legislation. Please email me at rep.jeffhelfrich@oregonlegislature.gov,
call my Salem office at 503-986-1452 or visit my Facebook page and contact me
through messenger at www.facebook.com/RepJeffHelfrich/.
Over
the last month, through the Town Hall and other conversations with community
members, I have learned more about the needs of this community — some require
legislative action and community involvement to both further outline the
concern and assist in getting the legislation passed, other issues are specific
to the Hoodland Community and could potentially benefit from legislative
advocacy to support local
efforts and provide effective, active support to move a process forward or
facilitate a conversation with
other county and state agencies.
Of
great concern was the need for: early, ongoing and increased communication
between elected officials
and the community; earlier and proper notification of local forestry efforts;
addressing feelings of community isolation and insulation; more services and supports
for veterans and older adults; increased litter control; penalties and reducing
the Hoodland area speed limit for both improving safety and local business access;
infrastructure repairs including roadways/potholes; support addressing the
growing number
of illegal campers and services for homeless community members; and increased
public safety
and law enforcement patrols.
I
will continue working with local community members and leaders, business owners
and county officials to identify the issues of greatest concern and in ways I
would be most effective. I look forward to additional conversations, developing
plans and tackling the aforementioned issues. I invite you, as community members
of the Hoodland area and House District 52, to please contact my office, share
your concerns and solutions.
As
your State Legislator, I am interested in your ideas for legislation and
opinion on pending legislation, but am also willing and very interested in
helping the community find and implement effective, lasting solutions because
success in the Hoodland area means a better community, district and Oregon.
Contact
me. I want to work with you and for you!
Thank
you for your commitment to the community. I look forward to hearing from you
soon.
(Jeff Helfrich is the representative for House
District 52) |
| The bigger your lips, the sexier ..... by Ned Hickson on 05/07/2018
The bigger your lips, the sexier you'll be when it comes to dating a sucker fish Nothing
says “sexy” faster than someone with a pair of giant lips, even if that person’s
collagen injections have
made their lips so enormously seductive that they can’t actually pronounce the
word “sexy,” and must instead
settle for calling themselves “shek-shee.”
The
point is, big lips are no longer just a cosmetic enhancement for people less
fortunate than Mick Jagger and Angelina Jolie, whose lips are so large and incredibly
sexy that they are prohibited by international law from bearing children together
because, quote: “Said children could potentially upset the delicate balance between
populations of humans and sucker fish.”
Though
we all know that true beauty stems from inside, as any cosmetics surgeon will
tell you, no one will notice unless your lips are the size of tractor tires.
Which
is why a product called “City Lips” is being heralded as the newest, easiest
and safest way to give you the lips you always wanted, but never dreamed you
could have. At least not without surgically implanting tire stems in them and inflating
your lips to 350 psi.
Until
now, those of us unable to afford expensive collagen injections were forced to
live with the embarrassment of having normal, everyday lips. But thanks to City
Lips, you can avoid the hassle and expense of collagen injections by using their
patented do-it-yourself lip enlargement process.
That’s
right! Say goodbye to snobby surgeons telling you how much better you’d look
with Julia Roberts lips when
their own lips look like Phyllis Diller’s. With each purchase of City Lips you’ll
receive one bottle of specially
formulated “lip transformer” solution and a patented dual-action applicator. This
applicator is a
crucial part of City Lips’ groundbreaking, two-step process — which starts by applying
the “lip transformer” with
one side of the patented applicator and then, after turning the applicator over,
whacking your lips with it as many times as possible for 10 minutes.
Okay,
I made that last part up. But according to City Lips, their new product has been
named “Best Over-the-Counter
Lip Plumper” by Good Housekeeping. I’d also like to point out that after three
large margaritas, trying
to say “Best Over-the-Counter Lip Plumper” will at least make you feel like
your lips are really huge.
I
bring this up because I’m concerned about the mixed message this sends to young
women. On one hand, they’re seeing supermodels getting thinner and thinner. On
the other hand, they’re seeing those same models trip over their own lips on
the runway, with nothing to break their fall except for other stumbling models,
who then land in a flailing heap of inflated lips and silicone.
No
more. It’s time to quit pouting, pucker up and accept each other’s lips just the
way they are. Unless pouting
makes your lips look fuller, of course.
(Ned is a syndicated columnist with
News Media Corporation. Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com, or c/o Siuslaw News, 148 Maple
St., Florence, Ore. 97439) |
| Good Eats - finding the best diet that will work for you by Victoria Larson on 05/07/2018
We
are all living creatures composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen,
phosphorus and sulfur with a few more elemental
substances thrown in for good measure.
A
balanced diet will keep you healthier longer than the diet of industrial,
packaged, junk food that so many are trying
to live on. Where do you start to find out what’s right?
What
is balanced for one person may not work for another person. From the Paleo carnivores
to lacto-ovo vegetarians or vegans, there is a mighty range of foods. Luckily
for all of us, there is something for everyone. But
are you making the right choices for yourself at this stage of your life?
In
my lifetime I’ve been an omnivore (as my parents raised me) to a lacto-ovo
vegetarian (my choice when first an
adult) to a vegan (during deep detox), so I’ve experienced them all. Then there
was the high-protein diet we were required
to experience in med school. From the pork rinds of the high protein Atkins
diet to thegluten free vegan diet, how can you best judge what’s right for you?
First
assess your well-being. Look in the mirror- Do you look healthy? Do you sleep
well and have lots of energy while awake? Are you pretty much on an even keel,
or do you fly off the handle easily? Or scream at the kids or the kid next
door? Are your muscles taut and bones strong? Is your hair shiny and your skin smooth?
Do you get sick often? succumb to hay fever? colds? headaches? Problems in any
of these areas indicate a need to reevaluate your
food choices! Oh, the confusion, especially if you look only on the Internet and
never investigate further.
There’s
the GALT/GAPS diet which addresses nutrition from the intestinal-psychological standpoint.
There are the vegetarian/vegan
diets which address the global and spiritual side of eating. And all the areas
of “healthy” eating
styles, which may or may not be right for you.
Where
do you start?
After
honestly assessing your nutritional health status, how do you figure out what’s
the best for you? We are as individual
as the stars in the universe. So, let’s start at the top. We have teeth in our
mouths for helping us decide what’s appropriate for our human bodies. In front
we have incisors for biting primarily vegetables and fruits. Next, we have the ‘canine
teeth’ for the ripping and tearing of flesh foods. And finally, the molars for the
grinding of grains. There’s the beginning of your answer if we leave out the
mental/emotional/spiritual aspects. We are built to be
omnivores. But there may be several other reasons for making the choices each of
us makes for ourselves. Nutritional
reasons, monetary reasons, convenience reasons, and they may all play into your
choices as well.
Vegetarians
and vegans usually become so for a mixture of nutritional and spiritual reasons,
and there’s no arguing
with that. The veg/veg diets also address the issues of global warming. Animal
products (dairy, eggs, meat, poultry) increase our carbon footprint on the
earth while the veg/veg diets (beans, fruits, nuts, vegetables) decrease our
carbon footprint.
Still,
advertising, refrigeration, transportation and where you shop can play into
these choices too. It turns out that the people who eat the most fresh foods are
also the ones who waste the most food. Across the board, we Americans waste 40 percent
of our food by simply throwing it out! While decreasing meat products can help
your health and
the health of the planet, it doesn’t mean you have to give them up entirely if
you so choose. Grass-fed dairy, eggs
and meat can help the fertility of our much-depleted soils. Organ meats have
higher food value than muscle meats or ground meats. Our ancestors on the
now-termed Paleo diet ate their flesh foods raw or barely cooked, gnawed on bones,
and had bone broth from grass-fed animals thereby doing less planetary harm. And
they thrived, as do the Inuit who eat a diet almost only of meat and animal
fats. There are even Buddhists in the disputed areas of China who exist almost
entirely on yak butter and tea. We must be careful to not judge for there are
many paths to nutrition.
While
researching for this column I found that many attitudes have changed over the
years, while many have remained
the same. When, after WW II, we were told to eat margarine, Americans jumped in
with both feet, or perhaps I should say with open mouths. We were told that
margarine and Crisco were the healthy way to go if we wanted to avoid heart
disease. Now heart disease is still on the rise. And diabetes has skyrocketed.
The Mediterranean food pyramid which came out of Greece at a time when heart
disease in Greece was 90 percent less that
the US rate, suggests we have meat only once a month. Maybe there’s something
in that, even for the three-times-a-day meat eaters. At the base of this food
pyramid was daily exercise. Other daily food intakes included fruits, nuts, pulses
(the old term for beans, lentils, and peas, now back in favor) and olive oil
(yes, daily). Also encouraged for daily consumption were water, cheese and
yogurt. Allowances for weekly intakes of eggs, poultry and
fish (which was part of the Greek religion) were also made. Meat one time a
month, wine occasionally, and meals eaten in a calm atmosphere with gratitude.
Hmm...where has all of that gone?
The
bottom line is there is no perfect diet. There is only what’s right for you at
this particular time in your life. While
it’s extremely important to stress a lot less about eating, there appear to be
certain guidelines our supermarkets are undermining.
Most
of us need to increase water, fruits and vegetables and decrease sugar. We
should eat more nuts and foods of the
sea (whether fish or seaweed) and decrease packaged, color-enhanced and foods
with preservatives. Cook at home more and eat out less. Enjoy slow food and
enjoy food slowly while decreasing fast food. Increase good fats (olive oil, avocado
oil, coconut oil) and decrease trans fats (found in fast food and packaged
foods). Doing even some of these things will result in a healthier you. And you
will feel better too. Victoria Larson, ND, Family Practice Physician/Schoolhouse Natural Health, Damascus
|
| Eat Cake! by Taeler Butel on 05/07/2018
Can
you even celebrate without cake? Confidence is key, cakes can smell fear! Just
prepare well, easy on mixing after the flour and don't open that oven door!
Bake one of these up for your favorite mom or to celebrate any day of the week.
Remember ... boxed mix is for wussies.
Here's
a couple of my family's favorite cakes.
Flourless
chocolate cake
For
the cake:
1
cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2
cup soft unsalted butter
3/4
cup white sugar
3
eggs
1/2
cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2t
espresso powder
For
the glaze:
1
cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2
cup heavy cream
Heat
oven to 375 degrees. Cut a circle out of parchment paper to fit the bottom of
the cake pan, and put inside the pan. Spray the inside of the cake pan with a
non-stick cooking spray. Put the butter and 1 cup of chocolate chips in a
small, heat-safe bowl over a pan with an inch of boiling water (make sure the
water doesn't touch the bowl). Continue heating and stirring until the butter
and chocolate are melted and combined. Put the chocolate and butter mixture in
a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and espresso. Add the eggs and whisk until
smooth. Add the cocoa powder and mix until well combined. Pour the batter into
the cake pan, bake for 20 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and let it
cool for 10 minutes. Run the knife around the edges of the cake to separate it
from the pan. Invert the cake onto a plate.
For
the glaze - Put the heavy cream and 1 cup of chocolate chips in a small pot.
Heat it over medium heat, and stir until the cream is hot and the chocolate
chips are melted. Glaze the cake.
Confetti
cake
Childhood
goes by like confetti in the wind and I hope you'll remember all of its
sweetness! This cake is so much fun, almond and vanilla extract give it depth
of flavor.
1
2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1
cup sugar
1/4t
baking soda
1t
baking powder
3/4
cup soft unsalted butter
3
egg whites
1
t almond extract
2t
vanilla extract
1/2
cup sour cream
1/2
cup milk
1/2
cup sprinkles
For
the buttercream:
2
sticks unsalted soft butter
3
cups confectioners' sugar
1
t milk
3
t vanilla extract
1
drop pink food coloring
1/3
cup sprinkles
Mix
the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.
Add the wet to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the sprinkles
at the very end and mix as little as possible. Pour the batter into the
buttered and floured pans. Bake at 340 degrees for about 30-35 minutes, or
until the centers are springy to the touch.
Cool the layers while making the buttercream.
Whip
butter with electric mixer until fluffy while slowly adding sugar. Add the
vanilla and food coloring. Frost and sprinkle the cake. |
|  Photo by Gary Randall
I’m asked at times, typically by another artist, about my personal
artistic vision. At first, I had no idea at all what artistic vision was. And
if I didn’t know what it was, how would I know if I even had one? And, to be honest, at the time I was asked I’m not sure that I did possess an
artistic vision when it came to my photography. All my life I had considered
myself an artist, but I never thought that I had to have a reason to be, or a
purpose beyond my own happiness. Since the first time that I was asked I’ve had
this little thought of curiosity or wonder about it in the back of my mind.
To be an artist should I have an awareness of a vision, direction or
purpose for my art. A curiosity of whether I was to purposely develop one or if it was something that
would develop in time, because at the time I had hardly developed any kind of mastery of the
skill that it takes to use my artistic voice, not to be confused with artistic
vision, so was not especially happy with the level of my work in the present,
but I enjoyed doing it.
Inside those of us who are creative is a want for our work to
touch others in some way. Most artists create their art to be judged beautiful
or even offensive, at times, by those that experience it. We create our work to
express ourselves in a way that conversation never could. Perhaps we don’t have
those words, or perhaps we’re too timid to vocalize them. We must use our
artistic voice to express our artistic vision, to express ourselves.
Our artistic vision is the reason and the purpose that we create.
It’s what makes us fulfilled so we naturally want to share with others. We all
have our own conscious reason for creating our art, but ultimately our artistic
vision is comprised of every aspect of who we are and what we believe in, not
just conscious decisions applied during the creative process or the application
of the skill that we possess. It’s the part that comes naturally when it's
allowed.
Our
artistic vision affects and drives our work. It creates an individuality in our
work that will allow it to stand out from other work similar. It starts to
express itself in the style of your art. Once you recognize that style you can
refine it and make it all your own. You can also start to use it to envision a
new future
for
the growth of your work. A plan for future experiments or projects to push the
bounds of your skill and creativity.
It
took me a while to understand this. It’s just a simple process of creating more
art. The more that we create the more the process becomes second nature, and
the more we’re able to let our artistic vision take control of more of our
natural thought processes. The best example of this that I can think of is how
a master musician is able to operate their instrument to a point that playing
the music becomes second nature,
hardly a thought is made while they perform their song. In my case being able
to go out into the field and create a photo without wondering what button to
push or dial to twist allows me to perform my song, figuratively speaking. It
simply takes doing what we love to do a lot to get there.
I
have been doing what I do now for about 15 years and I’m just now realizing
that I can now start to consciously consider my own personal artistic vision for
my work, but the best part about it all is that while I was working at
overcoming technical obstacles and obtaining new skills, I was also developing
that artistic
voice that drove me to pick up a camera to express my artistic vision in the first
place.
As
I practiced, without realizing it, I was actually starting to understand my
artistic vision, because when I started, all I knew was that photography made
me happy and I wanted to share my happiness with others.
Perhaps
that’s the best way to voice my artistic vision. I want to develop the skills
to create the kind of art that speaks for me. I want to create the kind of art that
makes others as happy as it makes me. |
| No Vital Organs, but Your Heart has to come out by Max Malone, Private Eye on 05/07/2018
Max opened one
eye and tried to focus beyond his feet at the foot of the hospital bed. Just as
he was able to make out the window beyond the bed, marked by the palm tree that
seemed to be glued to the blue sky like the work of a nouveau collage artiste, a dark cloud trimmed in starched uniform
cut off the light.
“Welcome back
Mister Malone,” came the sing-song voice of an extremely large nurse looming
over Max like a benevolent bison. “It’s nice, mah’n, but you don’t look so good
yet.”
“That’s odd. I
feel great,” rasped Max, hearing his voice coming from a place far away.
“I’m Janetta,
your nurse, Max,” she said, chuckling from deep in the caverns of her ample
belly. “And I don’t believe you, mah’n.”
Max focused
one eye back on the source of the voice. “I have to get out of here, Janetta,”
he said, winking, as he tried to sit up but was slammed back into the bed by a
four-alarm pain that stabbed through his midsection. “Uhh.”
“Yeah, mah’n.
You not going anywhere too soon,” Janetta said in a well-used motherly tone.
“They’ll come
for me, here,” Max gasped, conjuring up a never-before-used
defenseless tone.
“No worries,
mah’n.” Janetta stepped aside.
Standing a few
feet beyond the bed: Nigel Best, his owlish face offering up a classy Norwegian
smile, then nodding. “Max.”
“Great. No
worries. They sent me a journalist.”
“Be saying
thanks, mah’n. Mister Best and my two boys have been guarding your room for two
days now.”
In the
background, Nigel nods, signaling with one hand raised on tiptoes reaching as
high as he can when the words, “two boys” came up.
Nigel steps
forward and Janetta emits a giant smile that is punctuated by two gleaming gold
teeth, and she leaves the hospital room.
“How long have
I been here?”
“Two days and
a morning. This morning,” Nigel says. “Ida called me. I grabbed the first plane
from Portland. Janetta, the nurse, her two sons were taking turns at your door.
I promise you. No one will get past them.”
“Any idea
about these,” Max asked, pointing to his abdomen.
“No vital
organs, I’m told. Scraped past a couple of them. Chipped rib and sternum. They
had to remove your heart,” Nigel scoffed, laughed. “Doc told me you’d be laid
up a week or two.”
“So, what
exactly are you doing here? I don’t think I got that.”
“Well, I have
a theory. And when Ida called and said you’d been shot, my theory got legs.”
Max squinted at
Nigel. “OK. Glad I could oblige.”
Nigel pulled
up a cane chair. His theory went like this:
Since Beau Kimatian
had been spotted in the Caymans, and Max went to find the “real” Beau Kimatian
in the Caymans, and then Max got shot, the question had to be, who was blown up
in the Stardust Lodge explosion, really, and who was Gloria Lovejoy, really,
and is Anna Belle Wilde involved beyond being the innocent widow, well, as
Nigel admitted, “That’s as far as I got.”
“Just like a
journalist,” Max huffed. “All questions, no answers.”
“Fill in the
blanks, Max,” Nigel smiled, adjusting his horn-rimmed glasses atop his fittingly
aquiline nose.
“That’s what I
came here to do,” Max said flatly, turning his gaze back to the palm tree
collage. Max sighed, winced.
“Did you get a
look at the shooter?”
Max curled his
lip, shook his head. “But I saw the set-up man. My supposed contact. He flipped
on your attorney friend. He’s a double agent or a sleaze ball, pick one.”
After a long
pause while Max returned to his collage, thinking of who knew he was coming to
the Caymans, besides Ida, his sponsor. Gloria, check. Anna Belle, check.
“Ever been
shot before?” Nigel asked.
“Shot AT a few
times. I must be getting old.”
Max tries
unsuccessfully for a new position in the bed.
“The authorities
aren’t really authorities. Caymans. The British have no police presence here at
all,” Nigel said, shrugging.
“Kinda like a
Humphrey Bogart movie,” Max said, a smile and a simultaneous here’s-lookin’-at-you-kid
spreading across his face.
“Then who am
I?”
“Peter Lorre.”
After all, he’s
not Bogie. He’s Max Malone, private eye. |
|  Photo by Gary Randall.
One of the most asked questions of me is one concerning lens
filters. So, let’s talk about filters for a minute.
Filters are round glass elements that screw onto the end of
your lens, or in some cases glass or resin panels that are placed on front of
the lens using a fixture. The purpose of these filters is to affect several
different things when you’re taking a photo.
During the era of film photography many colored filters were
used, mostly used with black and white film. These colored filters would block
or cancel certain colors of light causing corresponding areas of color to
respond in different ways. An orange or red filter will darken blue tones and
lighten reds, while a blue one will darken reds and lighten blues. In digital
photography these colored filters are not needed as the sensor can filter red,
green and blue light.
In digital photography the most commonly used filters are a
circular polarizer and neutral density filters.
A circular polarizer, or a CP filter, will do a couple of
things to your photo according to how it’s used. The primary purpose is to
reduce glare and reflections on things such as the surface of water or even wet
leaves. It will also turn the sky a deeper blue. It is made with two elements,
one which you can turn to adjust the amount or place of polarization. The
filter glass will be somewhat dark, so it will stop light and the amount of
which varies depending on the darkness of the particular filter, but a typical
CP filter will stop about two f/stops.
The next filter that is most commonly used in digital
photography is a neutral density filter. A neutral density filter modifies the
intensity of all wavelengths of color. In short, its purpose is to block or
stop light. The purpose typically is to extend or lengthen one’s shutter speed during bright
light such as a sunny day. When a photographer mentions neutral density
filters, they typically call them NDs or ND filters. ND filters come in a
variety of “darknesses,” stopping different levels of light. They can vary in
optical density from almost clear to nearly solid dark. The most common NDs are
ND2, ND4 and ND8 with a corresponding 1, 2 and 3 f/stop reduction. Another
common ND used for extreme stops of light is a 10 stop ND filter.
Neutral density filters also come in what is called a
graduated neutral density filter. This filter is just as it describes. It has a
graduation from top to bottom making half of the filter dark and the other half
clear. This is used in neutralizing the exposure when you have an extremely
bright sky and a dark foreground. It stops the light of the sky making the
exposure more even.
As mentioned previously I use my circular polarizer to
affect the blueness of the sky, to remove glare and reflections from water
surfaces and wet foliage which will allow the color and texture to show. I love
using it for creeks and waterfalls, especially on a rainy day or a day where
it’s recently rained as the water will typically reflect the bright light from
the sky. So too will the leaves and plants reflect this light from the sky.
Once you polarize them the shine goes away and color and textures start to show
through. An important thing to remember is that a CP filter works best when the
light is coming from 90 degrees from the direction that you’re shooting. As the
angle changes so does the amount of affect that the filter has on the photo.
Also, the filter will allow me to extend my shutter speed to smooth the water a
little more to give it a feeling of movement or flow.
My primary purpose for ND filters is to allow me to extend
my shutter even more than I could without them under extremely bright light.
They come in handy if you show up to a creek or a waterfall during mid-day sun.
As for graduated ND filters, I use them as little as
possible as they tend to darken areas that don’t necessarily need to be. A good
example is if you want to darken the sky but there are trees or buildings that
extend into this area. The most ideal case for the use of one would be at the
coast in a photo of the ocean with an even horizon line.
Whew. This can all sound a bit complicated, but once you use
them it will become easy to understand. If you use your camera on the Manual
setting it’s also easier to understand as you probably have encountered some of
these problems while trying to get that shot at less than an ideal time. I do
my best to show up at a scene in good light. If I want to extend my shutter at
a creek or a waterfall I find it best to show up when the light is right. Good
light from a creek or a waterfall is subdued light with little or no glare or
reflection on the surfaces in your photo. I find it best early in the morning
or later in the afternoon, but I love it best when it’s drizzling or an even
overcast cloudy sky. Bright light is not your friend in these cases.
Surprisingly, the CP works under cloudy skies too.
I am writing this while in Reading, Pa. to give a
presentation at a photography convention. While here I wanted to visit Ricketts
Glen to photograph some east coast waterfalls. Two friends and I hiked in to
get some photos but, unfortunately, weren’t able to enter the park until after
9 a.m. At that time of the day the sky was bright and the light was harsh and
was shining directly on the falls. I had to block light in any way that I could.
I lowered my ISO, stopped down (narrowed) my aperture and applied my CP for two
more stops of light. By doing this I was able to get some decent shots.
Otherwise I would have gotten shots of crusty sharp water with blown out
highlights. Instead I was able to extend my shutter enough to get the water to
flow a little in the photo and to get a better exposure.
I hope that this helps clear up this subject a little. If
you’re serious about your photography put a CP and some NDs in your bag.
|
| A farewell to La Nina, and the monthly weather columnist by on 04/01/2018
Temperatures were close to long term averages during March,
with the exception of warmer than average days on March 11 and 12, as well as a
brief warm-up during the final week. Precipitation was well below average and a
dramatic contrast with a year ago.
Snowfall had been relatively light and scattered at
Government Camp, and up until March 18, totaled only 12.5 inches, well short of
the March average of 47.7 inches. Brightwood measured a one-inch snowfall on
March 24, following a trace that covered the ground the morning before.
You can nearly sense the relief felt by the National Weather
Service to observe the MJO pattern has weakened considerably, shifted over to
the Indian Ocean, and is not expected to impact our weather during April.
Additionally, La Nina conditions have decreased significantly and are expected
to end by May. They predict our area will have average temperature and
precipitation levels during April.
During April, Brightwood has an average high temperature of
55, an average low of 38 and a precipitation average of 7.72 inches, including
0.81 inches of snow. During the past 10 years, high temperatures have reached
the 80s three times, into the 70s five times and into the 60s twice. Low
temperatures have dropped into the 30s during six years and into the 20s during
four years. April averages 3.4 days with a freezing temperature. The record
snowfall for the month was during 1982 with a total of six inches. The record
24-hour snowfall of three inches was set on April 14, 1982.
During April, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 45 degrees, an average low of 30 degrees and a precipitation
average of 7.43 inches, including 26.1 inches of snow. During the past 10
years, high temperatures reached into the 70s twice, into the 60s during six
years and into the 50s twice. Low temperatures fell into the 30s once, into the
20s during seven years and into the teens twice. The record snowfall in April
of 77 inches occurred in 1955. The record 24-hour snowfall of 17.6 inches was
set on April 12, 1981.
|
| A farewell to La Nina, and the monthly weather columnist by on 04/01/2018
Temperatures were close to long term averages during March,
with the exception of warmer than average days on March 11 and 12, as well as a
brief warm-up during the final week. Precipitation was well below average and a
dramatic contrast with a year ago.
Snowfall had been relatively light and scattered at
Government Camp, and up until March 18, totaled only 12.5 inches, well short of
the March average of 47.7 inches. Brightwood measured a one-inch snowfall on
March 24, following a trace that covered the ground the morning before.
You can nearly sense the relief felt by the National Weather
Service to observe the MJO pattern has weakened considerably, shifted over to
the Indian Ocean, and is not expected to impact our weather during April.
Additionally, La Nina conditions have decreased significantly and are expected
to end by May. They predict our area will have average temperature and
precipitation levels during April.
During April, Brightwood has an average high temperature of
55, an average low of 38 and a precipitation average of 7.72 inches, including
0.81 inches of snow. During the past 10 years, high temperatures have reached
the 80s three times, into the 70s five times and into the 60s twice. Low
temperatures have dropped into the 30s during six years and into the 20s during
four years. April averages 3.4 days with a freezing temperature. The record
snowfall for the month was during 1982 with a total of six inches. The record
24-hour snowfall of three inches was set on April 14, 1982.
During April, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 45 degrees, an average low of 30 degrees and a precipitation
average of 7.43 inches, including 26.1 inches of snow. During the past 10
years, high temperatures reached into the 70s twice, into the 60s during six
years and into the 50s twice. Low temperatures fell into the 30s once, into the
20s during seven years and into the teens twice. The record snowfall in April
of 77 inches occurred in 1955. The record 24-hour snowfall of 17.6 inches was
set on April 12, 1981.
|
| The Mt. Hood Green Scene: spring brings out new beginnings by Mary Soots on 04/01/2018
Springtime and Easter symbolize new beginnings. The bulbs
are popping up, the trees are full of new buds. Each blossom represents new
life. From the falling leaves, branches, and trees, new life emerges. A new
beginning, full of hope, full of possibilities.
Longer days and warming temperatures bring with them renewed
energy. It’s time to fling open the windows and let in the sunshine and warm
breezes. It’s also time for some spring cleaning. Time to reach into those dark
recesses that have not seen the light of day for months. Our fragile
environment here on the mountain forces us to think about how we clean. The
harsh chemicals seep into our soil and rivers, so we need to find safe
alternatives.
As with many other things, our youth have been leading the
way to find alternative ways of doing things. When I mentioned that I was
preparing to write the April column, Alicen, the youngest member of the Mount
Hood Green Scene, suggested it should be about environmentally friendly
cleaning supplies. She said her favorite household cleaner is called Thieves,
which is produced by a company called Young Living. It is sold through social
networks, as well as online. The concentration of essential oils is diluted to
meet the demands of the job at hand. It has now joined my bottle of vinegar on
the cleaning shelf.
It makes my heart swell to know that many young people are
thinking about our environment and how we can protect it. Alicen mentioned the
essential oil cleaners that are available, as well as many of the gentle cleaners
now commercially available in stores like New Seasons. She suggested a website
called Environmental Working Group (EWG) and another called Think Dirty which
have databases of household products. Everything from cleaning supplies to
beauty products, to which fruits and vegetables contain the most chemical
toxins.
Years ago, when the Mount Hood Green Scene started, one of
our missions was to educate young people, and teach them about protecting our
environment. We held a contest at the Welches school to get the children
involved, where one of the students’ entries was selected to name our
organization. Our events have included youth groups from local schools and the
Ant Farm in Sandy, and we honor the work that our young people are committed to
doing to help protect our planet. Recently, one young man on the mountain told
me that he is studying to get a degree where he will work in preserving marine
life. His life on the mountain has made him aware of the need to protect our
environment.
As we move into some difficult times in protecting our
environment from those who would exploit it, I think that it will be our youth
who will change the paradigms that we have lived with for the last century.
From the darkness, a new light is shining, and it will be a force to be dealt
with.
In that vein of thought, we have a guest writer for our
column next month. Stay tuned...
|
| Finders keepers, losers weepers by Max Malone, Private Eye on 04/01/2018
U.S. Attorney Ida Cavendish came out of the gate like a
prized filly thoroughbred. Motioning Max Malone into a chair she perched on the
front edge of her desk with one foot on the floor, the other dangling – much
like Max’s frayed and obsessive accessibility.
But there was something lurking behind that southern smile.
Was it a smirk? A warning? Allure? No, definitely not allure. When it dawned on
Max it was like the sunrise on a distant planet – as in never previously
witnessed. The inner working of Ida Cavendish was All-American attorney.
Heisman Trophy stuff. Gold Medal. Nothing imposing mind you, Max thought. Just
a strong headwind of way ahead. Her jib was flying in full bloom.
“What makes you think you can find this Beau Kimatian
character?” she started, passing over introductions like a lonesome platter of
liver and onions.
“I don’t,” Max came back, a little too quickly, probably,
tipping his hand more than he might have against an ordinary opponent.
“Then what are we doing here?”
“You tell me,” Max responded, getting his sea legs back.
“Look Mr. Malone,” Ida said, her smile now completely driven
by attorney infidelity. “I went out on a limb to finance this, this, what did
Nigel call it, a ‘Hail Mary’ and I’m not accustomed to hailing anything,
especially worn-out sports metaphors.”
That got a smile from Max – one of his Galway Bay best.
“OK, OK,” Max said, holding up his palms in surrender. “I
won’t find him. That’s not the way I work. He’ll find me.”
* * *
Max was not unaccustomed to flying by the seat of his pants,
but the twin engine prop that the U.S. Attorney’s office had sprung for, for
his trip to the Cayman Islands, would have qualified for his seat without pants
of any kind. It bounced through, around and under cumulus clouds with all the aplomb
of a doomed Dodo bird. The plane was so old it had ashtrays in the arm rests.
There was no overhead luggage space because there was no overhead space. When
an updraft pitched the plane to port, the starboard prop fluttered to a
near-standstill, seemingly catching its breath for the starboard updraft that
would soon take its turn. When the plane got its wheels down on Grand Cayman
Island, the wings were still waving up and down as if there was a welcoming
committee of rusty Cessnas applauding its arrival.
As Max stepped off the ladder onto the tarmac, he took note
that farther down the line there were real airplanes parked with passenger
tunnels for unloading. In a few days, he was headed for an upgrade.
An island breeze ruffled the brim of his fedora. After all,
Grand Cayman is a Caribbean island. And besides being a haven for dodgy
offshore banking services, a tax haven for multinational corporations and
tawdry tycoons, a grandiose and forgiving far-from-the-British-Isles territory
of the British, it was also where, somewhere around the talcum powder beaches,
swaying palm trees, and haughty hedge fund managers sipping poolside drinks
while twirling plastic umbrellas, lurked Beau Kimatian, the man who made a
mistake in Wildewood and, if Max had his way, was going to pay dearly in ways
beyond monetary ways.
First, a taxi that had the chilling charm of driving on the
wrong side of the road, past the posh hotels and restaurants, up a seven-mile
beach, to a relatively modest hotel called The Caribbean Club on the north
coast in an area known as Rum Point. Relatively modest, as in Kate Middleton’s
dress didn’t cost half as much as the Queen’s.
Rum Point had its Max Malone charm. Early inhabitants
included pirates, shipwrecked sailors, slaves, and refugees from the Spanish
Inquisition. The skin color of the inhabitants reflected the chromatic glamour
of its characters, which made Max’s covert contact leaning against a mostly
white pillar that still showed the water line of Hurricane Ivan from 2004 even
more obvious, reassuring Max of the abilities of American intelligence to avoid
detection – kind of like the stealth of a giraffe in a bankrupt zoo.
“You’re Malone, right?” the contact offered, the words
whistling around a toothpick working feverishly to provide an air of
nonchalance that was as effective as (see giraffe reference above).
Max nodded with disdain.
“He’ll find you,” the contact said while disappearing behind
the white hotel pillar.
Max turned back to the street. A single shot rang out,
knifing through the humid air and coming to an abrupt halt in Max’s midsection,
pinning him momentarily against the colonnade before he slumped slowly down to
a sitting position leaving behind a thin trace of blood along the blanched
wall.
Max thought: “He found me.”
After all …
|
| Angry? Don’t beat yourself up over it by Ned Hickson on 04/01/2018
Hello and welcome to another edition of our special in-depth
medical feature Health Yak, which has been recognized by the U.S. Surgeon
General as “extremely topical,” meaning that you should not attempt to ingest
any portion of this column without first consulting your doctor.
Today we will be discussing a study that suggests as many as
16 million Americans — or roughly the number of people who never receive their
appetizers during an average season of Hell’s Kitchen — suffer from periodic
outbursts of anger.
I know what you’re thinking:
What makes this different from a typical outburst of anger,
like when I open the air vent in my car and release a cloud of spores the size
of shiitake mushrooms?
The answer, of course, is that there IS no difference, at
least not until someone funds a clinical study, at which point it becomes an
official “disorder” treatable by a new drug with minor side effects, such
having your liver grow to the size of Shaquille O’Neal’s seat cushion.
According to Dr. Emil Coccaro of the University of Chicago’s
medical school, which, as you may recall, conducted the definitive study on the
yawning habits of the Tibetan mountain yak (Conclusion: After 3,000 yawns,
researchers become suicidal), what used to be known as “road rage” has now
escalated into a nationwide problem called Intermittent Explosive Disorder. By
definition, IED involves “outbursts that are out of proportion to the
situation.”
For example: Let’s say you’re at a drive-thru trying to
order a bacon cheeseburger and, for the seventh-straight time, the person
taking your order insists there is no one named “Macon the Sheep Herder” working
there, and to please place your order. And let’s say, in frustration, you exit
your vehicle and rip the image of a cheeseburger directly from the menu board
and begin gnawing on it, causing those in line behind you to drive off through
the patio area.
Chances are, you could be an IED sufferer.
According to Dr. Coccaro, his conclusion was based on the
results of a nationwide, face-to-face survey of 9,282 adults who were scored
based on their response to highly formulated and complex diagnostic observations,
such as “I’m guessing most dogs would probably introduce themselves by sniffing
your face.”
Amazingly, all 9,282 participants in the study were
identified as IED sufferers.
“Obviously, the disorder is more widespread than we
thought,” stated Coccaro, who then added, “You got a problem with that?!”
To determine if you might be an IED sufferer, answer “Yes”
or “No” to each of the following scenarios:
1) When my computer crashes, I try to remain calm by
thinking about the solitude and freedom of skydiving, ascending through the
clouds, and then letting my computer drop from 1,800 ft. into a lake.
2) On at least one occasion, I have attempted to affect
change and contact someone in Congress by yelling at the top of my lungs.
3) I find it difficult to remain calm when, after paying $40
for gas, I have to pay another 75 cents for AIR.
4) Because I have been told it is an important social issue
facing our nation, I am frustrated by my inability to really care where what
happens to anyone on The Bachelor.
And lastly,
5) Recently, I have been performing yoga as a way to limber
up before handing out a good butt-whoopin’.
OK, tally your score by giving yourself one point for “No”
and two points for “Yes.”
Answer key: If you took the time to actually answer any of
these questions you are an IED sufferer. According to the study, you should go
ahead and join the millions of Americans already on some type of
anti-depressant.
And if you have a problem with that, you KNOW where you can
find me!
I’ll be waiting right here in the lotus position.
(Ned is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corporation.
Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com, or c/o Siuslaw News, 148 Maple St.,
Florence, Ore. 97439)
|
| Bills worth supporting and their impact on our lives by Rep. Jeffrey Helfrich on 04/01/2018
I want to thank all who contacted my office to share their
concerns and opinions about the bills introduced during the 2018 Legislative
Session. As your new Representative for House District 52, both House Bill (HB)
4152 and 4044 that I wrote and Chief Co-sponsored with Sen. Chuck Thomsen
unanimously passed and are waiting for the Governor’s signature. Other wins for
our District that Sen. Thomsen and I worked on include the securing of $300,000
for the Oregon Food Bank to purchase additional cold storage units used to
store fresh food, such as the donations from the successful crop donation
program. We were also successful in securing just over $300,000 for the Oregon
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Network which trains and supports community
volunteers to be court advocates for foster children who have been abused and
neglected.
Representatives are only allowed to submit two bills for
consideration during the short legislative sessions. I believe both of my bills
unanimously passed thanks to their development through conversations with our
area’s education and public safety leaders, bicameral Chief Co-sponsorship of
Sen. Thomsen, as well as the outreach to fellow legislators by Sen. Thomsen and
me to garner bipartisan support. HB4152 is the Eagle Creek Fire Recovery bill
that provides funding to Hood River and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Offices for
search/rescue and wildfire-related training and equipment. HB4044 is my
education bill that identifies programs in our public school and education
service districts that are effective at recruiting, retaining and mentoring
educators who work with Oregon’s public preschool through grade 12 students who
are or may be at-risk of experiencing an achievement gap when compared to other
groups.
In addition to these two, I sponsored and supported bills
that successfully passed related to education, economic development, housing,
environmental stewardship, health care and public safety.
Education: Beyond HB4044, I sponsored HB4035, providing
grants to Oregon National Guard members for college, and HB4056, which allows
civil forfeiture proceeds to go to scholarships for the children of public
safety officers with disabilities or who have passed away.
Economic development: I sponsored Senate Bill (SB) 1516, the
Small Business Expansion Loan Fund, which provides early stage growth capital
loans to qualifying individuals and businesses with 50 or fewer employees.
Housing: I supported HB4007, First-Time Home Buyer Savings
Account, which allows Oregonians to set up a savings account at financial
institutions for their first single family home purchase and reduce their
federal taxable income by up to $10,000.
Environment: I sponsored HB4118, which implements the 2016
Good Neighbor Authority Agreement (GNA); the GNA facilitates sustainable
foresting, seeks to reduce wildfire risk and improve wildlife habitat. I was
also a sponsor on SB1541, Cleaner Air Oregon, a law that works to examine and
reduce toxic air-related public health risk.
Healthcare: I supported HB4005, the drug pricing
transparency bill, that requires prescription drug manufacturers to annually
report prescription drug prices and the costs associated with developing and
marketing them. This information can help us better understand the drivers behind
medication cost increases. I also supported HB4018 which requires coordinated
care organization (CCO) governing body meetings, where final decisions are
made, be open to the public and allow public testimony.
Public safety: Beyond HB4152, I sponsored SB1562 which
improves the definition of strangulation and increases the penalty for
strangulation when the victim is a family or household member. I also sponsored
HB4055 which affects hit-and-runs and includes requiring drivers to immediately
stop at the collision scene and reasonably investigate what was struck.
I need your voice and collaboration to continue building a
better community, district and state. As we plan for the 2019 Legislative
Session, I invite you all to contact me to share your experiences, challenges
or concerns. Please email me at rep.jeffhelfrich@oregonlegislature.gov, call my
Salem office at 503-986-1452 or visit my Facebook page and contact me through
messenger at www.facebook.com/RepJeffHelfrich/ .
Thank you for your commitment to the community. I look
forward to hearing from you soon.
(Jeff Helfrich is the representative for House District 52)
|
| Brunch, it’s what’s for dinner by Taeler Butel on 04/01/2018
Brunch isn’t just a meal, it’s a lifestyle. This menu is
thrown together in the best way, the main dish is served casserole style or as
they say in the Midwest, “hot dish.” Either way it can be easily made.
Baked oatmeal
3 cups old fashioned oats
¾ cup brown sugar
1 t cornstarch mixed with ¼ cup orange juice
¾ t ground cinnamon
½ t salt
1 t pure vanilla extract
4 T unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
2 cups fresh berries (larger berries chopped)
Preheat oven to 350°F and butter a 2½ quart baking dish.
Combine oats, salt, sugar, butter and cinnamon (reserve ½ cup) and press
remaining mixture into baking dish. Place half the oat mixture in the baking
dish, top with half the berries, sprinkle cornstarch and juice over fruit top
w/remaining oats and then top with the remaining berries. Bake uncovered for
about 40 minutes.
Biscuits and gravy casserole
Preheat oven to 425°F
1 can biscuit dough
1 lb cooked crumbled sausage
1 cup whole milk
8 eggs
1 t salt and pepper
½ cup each mozzarella
and cheddar cheese
White gravy - homemade or packaged.
In a large baking dish lay out biscuits. I pulled mine in
half to make the dough layer thinner. Sprinkle on the cooked sausage then
cheese. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper and pour over biscuits.
Place in oven and bake 30-40 mins until golden brown on top. Serve with gravy.
Cherry pistachio scones with cream cheese glaze
Preheat oven to 365°F. For easy cleanup I make and bake
these on a large piece of parchment.
1 stick unsalted cold butter
2 cups flour
1 t salt
1 t baking powder
½ cup sugar
½ cup cream
¼ cup chopped dried cherries and pistachios
Glaze – In a blender combine ¼ cup softened cream cheese, ½
cup powdered sugar, 1t vanilla and ¼ cup cream.
On a large piece of parchment with a fork mix together dry
ingredients. Grate butter on top, stir it together and sprinkle cream on the
top and mix in. Mix in cherries and pistachios and fold sides up until dough
comes together. Do not over mix. Form a disk and score into triangles. Chill
dough for 15 mins and bake on a large sheet pan on the same parchment for 20
mins until top is browned. Let it cool and pour glaze over top.
|
| The bottom line on fat – the good, the bad and the lipids by Victoria Larson on 04/01/2018
Many have tried every single low-fat food and drink
available to no avail. From planned meals to low-cal cocktails, nothing really
worked, right? Well, you’ve been sold a bill of goods, about a billion dollars’
worth of foods that clearly don’t lead to healthy weight management, or a
healthy heart for that matter. Diabetes, heart disease, and obesity continue to
rise. What’s wrong with this picture.
To this day the American Heart Association, in good faith
I’m sure, advocates avoiding butter, cream, eggs and whole milk as the way to
avoid heart attacks. Instead you’ve been told to eat and drink chicken without
the skin, egg whites (but no yolks), margarine, skim milk and low-fat salad
dressings made with questionable vegetable oils. If you followed this advice
you are probably the first to say, “ugh” in addition to not losing any weight
or maybe even not avoiding a heart attack. Why is this?
We tend to believe advertising. What we need to know is
this: our human bodies are made of protein. These proteins are composed of
amino acids, of which several are considered “essential.” That means they must
be consumed in the diet as they cannot be manufactured by our bodies. And our
bodies don’t function well without these essential amino acids. Proteins are
needed for all enzymatic processes that happen in daily life – like digestion,
energy and heart function! The following is a list of several amino acids that
must come from foods and which foods they come from.
Histidine comes from dairy, eggs, meat, poultry; Isoleucine
from the same sources; Leucine from dairy, meat, poultry and wheat germ; Lysine
from dairy, eggs, fish meat, poultry; Methionine from dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds;
Phenylalanine from dairy, eggs, meat, wheat germ; Threonine from beans, dairy,
eggs, meat; Tryptophan from dairy, meat, nuts, poultry (especially turkey) and
finally Valine from dairy, eggs, meat, poultry and wheat germ.
Vegetables and fruits are wonderful for providing vitamins
and minerals, but other sources of protein are important to keep us healthy.
But wait, those are the very foods you’ve been told for the last few decades to
avoid (while diabetes, heart disease, and obesity have continued to skyrocket)!
What’s going on here? We’ve been advertised to near death. Sold a bill of
goods. Crisco, fake eggs, margarine and vegetable oils were ‘sold’ to us, via
advertising, for heart health and weight loss. These things were touted as
being better for you than real food!
Yet for thousands of years before advertising, humans have
been consuming a traditional diet of dairy, eggs, meat and poultry. And I
mentioned wheat germ. These are the foods that bring us amino acids, the
building blocks of proteins, and the good fats. The foods that don’t make you
fat (unless over-consumed) but have an important role in keeping you healthy
with a managed weight.
If you still believe that fats raise your cholesterol,
you’re partially right. Bad fats, and simple carbs, do raise blood sugar,
cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood. The “bad fats” are things like
hydrogenated fats found in baked goods, crackers and chips, any of the myriad
of manipulated, colored, manufactured and preservative foodstuffs that
advertisers push you to consider to be healthy food! But they’re not.
The good fats don’t make you fat or raise your cholesterol.
Avocadoes, nuts, oils, olive oil, sesame oil and even butter are not only real
foods, they are foods (fats, if you will) that are good for you! Most cholesterol
is manufactured by your body and recycled. Surprised? That must mean that your
body needs cholesterol. And that, in fact, is true. But why do we need
cholesterol?
You have trillions of cells in your body and every cell has
a membrane composed of lipids. Lipids are fats. Good fats keep those cell
membranes fluid and “squishy” so they can move around your body and do their
“chores.” The chores of a cell include taking in nutrients, building enzymes
for metabolic processes, and releasing waste materials. Every cell. If those
cell membranes are composed of trans fats (from the previously mentioned
sources), the cells become stiff and unable to function properly, leading to
illnesses and the inevitable endpoint.
The bottom line – get the trans fats out of your diet, put
the good fats back in. Stop stressing about cholesterol, your body’s going to
make it anyway and you need it for cellular health. Eat real food not fake
food. Don’t be cajoled or scared by advertising. Use your brain and think it
through. Your brain by the way is composed of 40 percent fat so that should
convince you of the need for good fats. But more on that another time.
|
|  Punchbowl Falls.
This month I’m going to risk making my “View Finder”
Mountain Times column an opinion piece, but because of the tremendous negative
effects that the Columbia River Gorge Eagle Creek Fire has had on our region,
and in the light of the recent trial of the teen who caused it, I have decided
to weigh in on the judge’s verdict.
I feel that the punishment dealt out by the judge is fair
and I’ll tell you why.
I have been as angry as anyone about this situation. I have
family and friends in Cascade Locks and the Stevenson area who were affected
directly by this fire. The fire will ultimately cost me money as my guide
business in the gorge is essentially shut down. I have a lot to be angry about.
With that being said, I must remove the vitriol,
vindictiveness and other emotions from my thinking to see this logically. This
is what the law is required to do in these emotional cases. The job of that
judge was to put all emotional arguments aside while all the facts are
considered.
Prior to this day there have been some lively discussions
about this topic. Some have called for extremely severe punishment, while
others want to pass it off as just a bad decision by a child who didn’t know
any better, but the consensus seemed to be to have this teen serve a ton of
community service working to correct what he spoiled and to have him serve some
sort of probation. In the end that’s just what he received. It was also the
maximum that the judge could rule in a juvenile court.
There will be a hearing, scheduled for this May, to determine
restitution, which will be nothing more than a formality and nothing less than
a lesson in futility if collection from the family is expected, due to the
astronomical amount of monetary damage that was done. It’s my understanding
that the cost of fighting the fire is close to $20,000,000 and each person who
was affected by the fire has a right to sue the family for up to $7,500 each in
damages.
This teen will receive almost 2,000 hours of community
service working directly with the U.S. Forest Service. It is my hope that
during this 2,000 hours he will dedicate himself and find a mentor who will
direct his attention to the importance of conservation and community. If we can
trust the system these things will be addressed during his time serving the
community.
Although the letter of apology was finely crafted (or at
least refined) by his lawyers, I believe him. I believe that he understands now
the enormity of his actions. I feel that he truly realizes that his actions can
affect so many more than just himself.
It is my reasoning that if the system would have sent this
teen to a jail situation he would come out bitter. I’m hoping that his sentence
of community service and monitoring through the probation system and his
community service that he will come out of this a better human than he would
have otherwise.
It’s now time to heal. It’s time to heal our anger. It’s
time to heal the losses that those who have been affected have felt. It’s time
now to heal the Columbia River Gorge and go forward in the future with an
increased level of awareness of how fragile this land is and how easily we all
affect the land when we recreate there.
At this point, as a photographer and someone who has loved
the Columbia River Gorge all of his life, I can’t wait to be able to return to
the trails that were once so familiar to witness and record the effect that the
fire has had on the forest.
A lot of people have asked how they can help repair the
damage caused by the fire. A lot of people want to help repair the trails and
replant trees. The best way to do this is through an agency that does the kind
of work directly with the US Forest Service. Two that are doing a lot right now
are Trailkeepers of Oregon and the National Forest Foundation.
https://www.nationalforests.org/get-involved/eagle-creek-fire-restoration-fund
https://www.trailkeepersoforegon.org/get-involved/
|
| Save water – fix that leaky light switch by Ned Hickson on 03/01/2018
The great thing about home improvement shows is that they
inspire the average person to improve their home without the hassle of dealing
with an experienced professional. The bad news is that I’m one of those people.
The result is our bathroom, which currently has a commode with hot running
water and a wall heater that can only be turned on by unscrewing the third bulb
in our vanity mirror.
I’d like to point out it wasn’t my idea to take what had
been a simple plan to increase the space in our bathroom and turn it into a
major remodel. However, after one teeny mistake, my family insisted on a total
makeover! Which brings us to our first home improvement tip:
The Importance of Bearing Walls.
You will discover that there are certain walls in your home
— possibly even in the bathroom — which should not be removed because, as it
turns out, portions of your home will collapse. As important as “bearing walls”
are to your home’s infrastructure, they aren’t marked as such and, as a general
rule, look just like other walls in your home. Which is why anyone who
accidentally removes one, thereby inadvertently causing the total destruction
of an otherwise functional bathroom, should be forgiven for this oversight.
So, let’s assume the worst happens, and you find yourself
standing in the middle of the downstairs bathroom while surrounded by the
upstairs closet. And let’s assume your wife, in a show of support, still hasn’t
insisted on hiring a professional, such as a hit man.
The next step is to rebuild the bathroom — and your marriage
— as quickly as possible. To do this, you’ll need organization and a basic
knowledge of plumbing and electricity. If you don’t possess this knowledge,
don’t worry! You will quickly gain it through practical experience, i.e.,
connecting the wrong wires and practically electrocuting yourself.
Through this process of trial and error you will eventually
be able to flush the commode without causing the outlets to spark.
The first step, however, is to clear the area of debris.
Depending on the extent of damage to your bathroom, you may be able to do this
quickly and easily by shoveling the debris directly through the floor and
depositing it under the house. If a hole doesn’t exist, feel free to make one.
If your spouse catches you, feel free to crawl inside and seal it up behind
you.
Once the room has been cleared, it’s time to rebuild. Start
with the bearing wall. Aside from its structural significance, it will
symbolize the emotional healing process you are trying to foster with your
family — and help avoid the need for a physical healing process should the
bathroom be out of commission for more than 24 hours.
Next comes plumbing and wiring, which, I’d like to point
out, should never be done at the same time. Sure, it may be faster and easier
to run new wiring through an existing water line. But take it from me: if your
pet occasionally drinks out of the commode, it’s not worth the risk. The same
goes for any other shortcuts that could turn your morning bathroom visit into
what looks like an episode of “So You Think You Can Dance.”
That said, I hope this advice has been helpful. Feel free to
contact me if you have any questions. I’ll be happy to answer them as soon as I
fix this leak in the light switch.
(Ned is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corporation.
Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com, or c/o Siuslaw News, 148 Maple St.,
Florence, Ore. 97439)
|
| February shifted gears mid-month, cold continues in March by on 03/01/2018
During the first 13 days of February, relatively dry and
mild weather prevailed and Government Camp had received only two inches of
snow. A dramatic weather pattern change followed with Brightwood recording a
four-inch snowfall and Government Camp six inches on Feb. 14. Several days with
snow have followed, and as of Feb. 22, Brightwood has received a total of 15.5
inches and Government Camp 32 inches of snow with the promise of more to come.
Quite a contrast with the mild weather in January.
The National Weather Service reports that on Feb. 12, a
negative Arctic Oscillation combined with an active MJO pattern and La Nina to
cause our current cold weather. The upper jet-stream pattern guides arctic air
from the Yukon directly into our area and is not expected to modify within the
next several days. Accordingly, they expect our area will have below average
temperatures and precipitation about average during March.
During March, Brightwood has an average high temperature of
52, an average low of 35 and a precipitation average of 8.82 inches, including
3.2 inches of snow. During the past 10 years, high temperatures have reached
the 70s twice, into the 60s five times and into the 50s three times. Low temperatures
dropped into the 30s three times and into the 20s seven times. On average,
March has eight days that record freezing temperatures. The record March
snowfall was set in 1960 with a total of 19.9 inches. The record 24-hour
snowfall of 10 inches was set on March 4, 1960.
During March, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 41 degrees, an average low of 27 degrees and a precipitation
average of 9.30 inches, including 47.7 inches of snow. During the past 10
years, high temperatures reached into the 60s five times, into the 50s three
times and into the 40s twice. Low temperatures fell into the 20s during five
years and into the teens during the other five years. The record snowfall in
March of 127 inches occurred in 1962. The record 24-hour snowfall of 22 inches
was set on March 7, 2003.
|
| The MHGS: the new trend of Cradle to Cradle design by Mary Soots on 03/01/2018
Being a consumer these days is not an easy thing. It used to
be that you could just select an item based on what you needed, the quality
available and your budget.
However, we now tiptoe around a landmine field of
guilt-inducing decisions each time we purchase anything. Do we choose organic
produce from the farmers’ market because it’s less toxic and helps our local
economy? Do we select a new bed frame from the big distributor because it’s
less expensive?
Many of us struggle with decisions around consumption,
environmental degradation, etc. According to a couple of my personal heroes,
“The environmental message that consumers take from all of this can be strident
and depressing: stop being so bad, so materialistic, so greedy. Do whatever you
can, no matter how inconvenient, to limit your consumption. Buy less, spend
less, drive less, have fewer children — or none. Aren’t the major environmental
problems today — global warming, deforestation, pollution, waste — products of
your decadent Western way of life? If you are going to help save the planet,
you will have to make some sacrifices, share some resources, perhaps you can go
without.” [Michael Braungart, William McDonough, EPEA]
Businesses are equally faced with similar dilemmas and must
make decisions on best practices. Before manufacturing a new product, a “Cradle
to Grave” analysis is performed. This analysis allows producers to assess how
their product or service will move through its life cycle. As you can guess,
the life cycle refers to how the product is born, moves through its life and
finds its way to its grave. Understanding each product involves a Life Cycle
Analysis (LCA) which analyzes the product from the extraction of raw resources,
the processing of those materials, the product’s design, how the product is
manufactured, then distributed, how the product is used and reused, how it is
repaired and lastly, how we recycle and finally dispose of the product.
Generally speaking, LCAs study the use of materials, energy
and economic flows. Although each LCA is different, it will typically assess
the impact that the product has on the environment, including the use of fossil
fuels, non-renewable resources, water use, effect on water bodies and organisms,
toxins released on air and land. Some of these effects cannot be exactly
quantified for a specific unit of material, so estimates are used. The
importance of LCAs is not necessarily in the quantification of specific
environmental effects, but in the comparison of products and assemblies.
A different type of analysis focuses on the social and
socio-economic life cycle assessment (S-LCA) of products. They take into
account that our choices will have social and socio-economic effects as well,
not only on workers but also on entire communities where production takes
place. The United Nations has developed guidelines for conducting S-LCA’s.
The “Cradle to Grave” concept of design and production was
turned upside down by Braungart and McDonoguh, who came up with the concept of
“Cradle to Cradle,” “[a] model of industrial systems in which material flows
cyclically in appropriate, continuous biological or technical nutrient cycles.
All waste materials are productively re-incorporated into new production and
use phases, i.e. “waste equals food.” [Michael Braungart, William McDonough,
EPEA].
Basically, the idea is that when something is at the end of
its life cycle, it becomes a raw material at the beginning of a new life cycle.
There are now many businesses that are built on the “Cradle
to Cradle” premise and the numbers are growing. Innovative thinkers are
creating products made of plants instead of petroleum so that they can be
composted, thus creating food for new plants. This type of closed system
creates no waste that leaves a carbon footprint. Along with this, the health
costs to workers is reduced as the toxicity levels decrease.
It’s exciting to see what the future of the “Cradle to
Cradle” production design will bring. With less waste production and lower social
costs along the line, we can have more sustainable development. Then we can
become indulgent without the guilt. I’m looking forward to that.
|
| Episode XIX: Tallahassee Lassie by Max Malone, Private Eye on 03/01/2018
Max sat in his overstuffed chair, steam curling around his
head from a second cup of coffee, staring out the window at a Stellar’s Jay
couple which to no one’s surprise weren’t exactly getting along, able to focus
on the mystery of the Stardust Lodge demise for a change as Gloria Lovejoy was
having a morning time out after abusing a fifth of gin the night before,
listening to a Louie Armstrong vinyl trying to convince one and all of this
“wonderful world,” when the phone rang jerking Max back to reality like the
sudden return to gravity of a space station astronaut.
It was Nigel Best, the Wildewood World newspaper guy.
“She wants to see you,” Nigel said, getting to the point
like most bothersome newsies do.
“Who?” Max offered while gulping down the last of the cup of
coffee.
“Ida. Ida Cavendish. The U.S. Attorney in Tallahassee.”
“Let her know how she can find me.”
“No. You need to go there.”
“She needs to do better than that.”
“She already has, I believe. I told her how to motivate
you.”
“You think you know that, eh?”
“Think so. She’s carved out a line in her budget, with your
name on it.”
* * *
Max drew the short airline seat straw. He occupied the
middle seat from Hades. On his left, window seat, was a woman who, judiciously,
had to be an Olympian weightlifter – except she had abandoned her training
regimen long ago. On his right, aisle seat, was a detail man on a sales trip
that was not going to go well – his suit was the clue. It could have been a Pee
Wee Herman hand-me-down. It was five hours of North Korean torture. And once
released from the chamber, the Dallas-Fort Worth airport awaited – with open
catacombs. The only saving grace for this space was that, perhaps, one day, the
construction job would be completed. But that day had not yet arrived.
Quick turnaround for the 2 ½ hour flight to Tallahassee. A
delightful flight attendant named Rose renewed Max’s faith in flights.
Standing three deep in the Avis car rental line, Max’s
attention roamed to the Hertz desk where a splendid agent sat all alone,
propped on an elbow, tapping her pen against the rim of her stylish glasses,
making him wonder why in the world he had chosen Avis. Worse than that, the
Avis agent disappeared through the back door of her cubicle and hadn’t
returned. That was the only clue Max required. He bolted to the Hertz desk like
O.J. when it was still OK to bolt like O.J. Before he had completed his
transaction with Miss Hertz of the Year, a pair of paramedics had arrived,
entered the back of the Avis desk, and emerged with the Avis agent stretched
out on a gurney. The word spread quickly. She was dead. No wonder they were No.
2.
Tallahassee is the capital of Florida and so far-removed
from actual Florida that it’s only eight miles from Georgia. Capital Circle is
the round road around the city that was optimistically designed to allow easy
access to everything Tallahassee has to offer. Max quickly found out that
consisted of state government buildings that sprawled across green lawns laden
with acorns from ancient oaks that had witnessed the civil war; Chick-fil-A
restaurants that created backups on the circle route just to gain access to the
drive-up window somehow satisfying the southern appetite for everything
chicken; and a Waffle House on every street corner because the town folk also
required a breakfast warmup before the chicken chow-down.
* * *
Max stepped out of his Hertz rental car in the state capitol
parking lot, having survived a night in a Holiday Inn so undignified the bar
didn’t have Jameson’s. The exit from the air-conditioned car was jarring – like
walking into a jar of mayonnaise. There are many kinds of humidity, but
Tallahassee in August while outfitted in a black suit and fedora was as brutal
as being stranded on the Amazon without a paddle or piranha repellent.
Inside, Max toweled off in a restroom before being escorted
immediately into the office of Ida Cavendish, U.S. Attorney. She issued a
practiced professional smile as she arose from around her desk like a whisper
of night-blooming-jasmine and followed up with a breezy “Hello, Mr. Malone”
that prompted an immediate and equally professional doffing of his fedora.
This caper was looking up. After all, he is Max Malone,
private eye.
|
| New bill to reduce education gap by Rep. Jeffrey Helfrich on 03/01/2018
On Feb. 20, the Oregon House passed legislation to identify,
research, review and assess programs used in school districts and education
service districts that support educators and reduce the achievement gap. House
Bill 4044 is a nonpartisan/bipartisan Chief Sponsored by Representative Jeff
Helfrich (R-Hood River) and Senator Chuck Thomsen (R-Hood River). HB 4044
requires the Chief Education Office (CEdO) to assess programs that are the most
effective for recruiting, retaining, mentoring and providing professional
development to educators who serve at-risk student populations.
HB 4044 was developed through conversations with school
administrators in Hood River, the Multnomah Education Service District and the
Clackamas Education Service District. The goal of this legislation is to
identify which programs are providing the kind of support educators serving
at-risk student populations need to best serve our children, and to find a way
to expand these programs to as many communities as possible. This bill is an
investment in our teachers, an investment in our students and an investment in
the future of Oregon.
HB 4044 specifically calls for the Chief Education Office to
“conduct a study on the recruitment, retention, mentoring and professional
development of educators who serve students in public preschool through grade
12 who are from student groups that may be at risk for experiencing an
achievement gap when compared to other student groups.”
The bill has a four-fold purpose: identify, research, review
and assess programs used in school districts and education service districts
that support educators. To unpack this, HB 4044 will:
Identify the programs assessed and funding sources that have
been most effective or efficient in improving the recruitment, retention, mentoring
and professional development of educators or have been most effective or
efficient in positively impacting outcomes for students.
Identify schools or school districts that have implemented
programs.
And for each of these identify the:
Reasons the program was effective or efficient or was able
to positively impact student outcomes,
Populations of educators or students served by the program;
and
Challenges and opportunities for success and improved
outcomes for educators and students.
Representatives from the Multnomah County Education Service
District, Clackamas Education Service District and the Reynolds School District
submitted testimony in favor of the bill. The bill is not expected to have a
negative fiscal impact on the state budget.
HB 4044 is also sponsored by Democratic Representatives
Diego Hernandez (D-Portland), Janeen Sollman (D-Hillsboro) and Janelle Bynum
(D- Clackamas). Having passed the House by a vote of 51-0, the legislation was
assigned to the Senate Committee on Education and was scheduled for a public
hearing in late February. We encourage the community to submit letters of
support and watch the hearing as well as subsequent steps of House Bill 4044.
To follow the progress of this legislation, please visit https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2018R1/Measures/Overview/HB4044.
|
| Two ultimate favorites by Taeler Butel on 03/01/2018
Sometimes you need to go that little extra mile, these
recipes don’t skimp.
Ultimate deep-dish pizza
This dish has layers of meats, cheeses and sauce, or make an
all veggie version if you’d prefer, this is pizza you eat with a fork.
Heat oven to 400 and oil a large cast iron skillet
For the crust:
1 package quick rise yeast
3-4 T olive oil
1/2 stick softened butter
1 T kosher or sea salt
2 cups flour
1 cup tepid water
1 T honey or brown sugar
Mix the yeast, water (should be warm, not hot) and sugar or
honey in a large bowl, let sit until frothy. Add in flour, salt and oil, and
stirring with a wooden spoon add in softened butter. Dough may be a little
tacky, add flour if too wet, cover with a damp towel. Let dough sit about an
hour, then press into well-oiled cast iron skillet.
For the filling:
1/2 cup each: sliced peperoni, salami, roasted red peppers,
black olives
1 cup whole milk mozzarella cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups marinara sauce
1/2 lb each cooked crumbled Italian sausage and ground beef.
1 egg
1 t Italian seasoning
Mix together the mozzarella cheese, ricotta, egg, Italian
seasoning and set aside. Layer the ground meat mixture first, then the cheese
mixture, followed by the sliced meats and peppers next. Finally, cover with
sauce, Parmesan cheese and olives.
Bake at 375 about 45-50 minutes.
Ultimate chocolate chip cookies
Who knew just a few simple changes could make such a
difference – these are decadent!
2 cups flour
1 cup melted unsalted butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 t kosher salt
Sea salt flakes for the top
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 t baking powder
Preheat oven to 365. With an electric mixer beat butter and
sugar until it becomes one – this is key, mix it for five minutes or more – add
in vanilla, eggs one at a time and dry ingredients just until dough forms.
Then, using a wooden spoon, add in chips and nuts.
Spoon rounded Tablespoon full balls of dough on a large baking
sheet, and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake 8-12 minutes, depending on your
preference. Let cool five minutes before transferring to a cookie plate.
(Taeler Butel writes exclusively for The Mountain Times.)
|
| The microcosm of the macrocosm and the need to detox by Victoria Larson on 03/01/2018
The onslaught of toxins is phenomenal in our chemically oriented
world. Many people think a “detox” means extra fiber and a colon cleanse. But
we each have a whole body, not just body parts. And toxic substances are all
around us, not just in the air, the water or our earth. There are toxic grocery
receipts, cosmetics, cleaning products. Also jet fuel chemtrails that fall all
over our planet daily. Positive ions are given off by clothes dryers,
dishwashers and HDTVs, to say nothing of the toxic dishwasher soap and popular
brands of laundry detergents capable of killing children and puppies who ingest
them. There’s a lot of toxicity on television as well.
With a nod to Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos” series, where he often
mentions “billions and billions of stars in the universe,” I want you to
realize there are trillions and trillions of cells in your body. Each and every
one of you. Magic, not visible to the naked eye. We are wonders of creation!
In Chinese medicine we often contemplate how the microcosm
reflects the macrocosm. Every cell of your body reflects the whole being. Each
cell takes in nutrients and removes waste products just like the body does. All
the creatures on Earth. Perhaps we even reflect the universe with its billions
and billions of stars with our trillions and trillions of cells.
Like the skin that holds our bodies intact, each cell has a
membrane enclosing “organs” called organelles at the cellular level: a nucleus,
mitochondria, stands of DNA and others. Very similar to our organs of brains,
hearts, livers and other organs that keep us alive. If each cell is the
microcosm of the macrocosm, how in the world, how in the universe, do we begin
to detoxify?
We need to detoxify each cell. We must get the nutrients
into the cell, let the cell extract those nutrients for health and vitality,
and discard the leftover waste products lest they slow down the organism. The
cellular membranes fueled by trans fats, artificial chemicals and toxins will
become thick and hardened, reducing the ability for the cell to use the
available nutrients. Of course, there’s also the fact that trans fats,
artificial chemicals and toxins are not nutritious to begin with.
But nobody eats just trans fats and such, right? When useful
nutrition does get into the cell and it is utilized, the cell still must
discard the waste products, lest they accumulate in the blood and lymph to a
toxic level, causing illness, disease and early aging. Keeping the cell
membrane flexible is the goal then for efficient nutrient exchange and healthy
waste removal.
Since you cannot see your trillions and trillions of cells,
how do you know if you are toxic? First off, assume it. If you are alive now
and living on this earth, you are exposed to thousands of toxins every day.
Some more than others, but it certainly applies to all of us. Besides illness
and the signs of early aging, how can you determine the level of your cellular
health?
Remember, the microcosm reflects the macrocosm. Toxins are
eliminated via nose, mouth, urinary tract, colon and skin. If all these systems
are in tip-top condition you have less of a worry than the person who gets sick
often, is filled with mucous or noxious debris, has dull skin and hair, or may
have a bowel movement only every three or four days. If any of these signs are
the case, begin self-care. Now you can see why detoxification is recommended
for everyone, at the very least once a year, though twice a year would be
better for those who are more toxic. Now you can see why detoxifying is so
important – why you need water, why daily elimination is necessary.
Detox at the cellular level begins with the basics of good
water, good food, fresh air, enough rest, some exercise and especially
avoidance of toxins as much as possible. Dishwashers, clothes dryers and HDTVs
all give off positive ions, which are toxic to our bodies. So do cellphones.
Living lightly on the earth helps you avoid toxins but few people can give up
their dishwashers, clothes dryers and TVs. And especially those cellphones.
But living lightly is its own reward. It helps you avoid
toxins. Get rid of as much plastic that’s in your house as much as possible.
Replace or eliminate toxic cleaning products. Use safer choices or make your
own products. You’ll breather easier. Forget cosmetics or find simpler, safer
products. Get outside for a minimum of 15 minutes a day and breathe deeply.
Take a yoga class, walk or dance. Sleep eight to 10 hours a night to give your
body time to heal and detoxify. And eat those terrific detoxifying foods like
asparagus, avocadoes, citrus, dark leafies, spring onions and mushrooms that are
appearing in the stores now. And enjoy your deep detox without spending a
fortune on detox products.
|
|  Photo by Gary Randall.
Preparing for a trip, even a simple day trip, should be
pretty basic when it comes to packing your camera gear, or so it would seem.
It’s easy to throw your gear in the backpack, grab it and go.
You must know that photographers take their backpacks pretty
serious. For those who aren’t aware, I should explain that a photography
backpack is very much like a typical rucksack, but they have little padded
dividers that are fastened with Velcro in an arrangement decided upon by the
owner of the backpack to hold their various camera bodies, lenses and other
assorted accoutrement. With these dividers it’s easy to take a quick inventory
of your gear prior to heading out into the field. Zip open a panel, look inside
and zip the panel back up and off you go.
Taking quick inventory in this way is typically straight
forward. It’s easy to see if you have your camera and your lenses, but there
are always those little details that will trip you up as this little story will
show.
After taking my quick inventory on one day, I grabbed my
gear for a hike to a waterfall that I had been meaning to photograph for a
while. The hike was going to be about a five-mile trip, ten miles altogether. A
good day hike but still a bit more laborious due to my backpack full of gear.
It’s usually like me to pull my camera from my backpack at the trailhead and
carry it separately and take snaps along the way, but on this day the hike was
familiar and I figured that I would just wait until I arrived at the spot that
I had in mind. Besides, it would make the hike easier without carrying
something in my hands.
I hiked with certain urgency as I was on a mission. I walked
the five miles with no break for rest as I knew that where I was going would be
a great spot to snack on the peanut butter and jelly sandwich and the apple
that I had brought along with me. How perfect. A beautiful waterfall to
photograph and a nice little picnic all at the same time.
After the morning hike I arrived at my destination. The spot
that I had in mind for the photograph that I had imagined since my last hike
there. I walked to the creekside, peeled off my backpack, set up my tripod,
unpacked my camera, set it up on the tripod and turned it on to check my
settings. As I look at the digital display, which shows me everything that I
need to know to adjust my camera, I notice the available exposure count. It
reads 0. Zero??? What?
As I stand there looking at the display the cold realization
that I forgot to check that I had put the memory cards back in after I had
pulled them out to reformat and clear them to prepare for more photos of this
trip. I was literally standing there with a camera without “film” in it. All at
once I felt emotions welling up inside. I’m not sure if they were feelings of
frustration, anger or dismay or a combination of them all. It really didn’t
matter as they weren’t good. I dug through my pack to see if I had stashed a
spare card, but found nothing. I felt pretty dumb. Without much more than a
thought or two about what more that I could do, I packed my gear back into the
backpack and sat down to eat my sandwich.
As I sat there I lectured myself. I berated myself for
forgetting to reinstall the card, and again for not checking when I packed the
backpack, but in time I resigned myself to the fact that I wasn’t going to take
a single photograph, and that I was in an incredibly amazingly beautiful place
in a terrible state of mind and that I just needed to realize how my priorities
were out of order.
I had to ask myself how taking the photo became more
important than the experience of being there and experiencing the tangible part
of the hike that a photo can never capture. At that moment I closed my eyes and
paid attention to those non-visual components of this beautiful location that
make the experience complete. I listened to the water as it tumbled over rocks.
I listened to the breeze in the trees above my head. I felt the moss under me.
Once I did this I started to pay attention to things that I may have ignored. I
heard birds singing and squirrels quarreling. I smelled the fresh fragrance of
a forest in the morning. I felt the mist from the falls on my face. I could
feel the stress leave as I concentrated. My feeling of frustration changed to
resignation and then to a feeling of satisfaction as I realized the complete
beauty of my surroundings.
In time I stood back up, grabbed my backpack and started
back down the trail with the thought in my mind about lessons learned. Practical
thoughts about how to prevent forgetting memory cards or batteries, but even
more the thoughts and wonder if I would have taken the time to enjoy the
experience of the waterfall if I had remembered to bring them.
To this day when I head out to hike to a waterfall I will
check everything, including the details. I haven’t left a card or a battery at
home since, but more importantly after this experience, the first thing that I
do when I arrive at a location is to close my eyes and experience everything
that being there has to offer, and I think that it shows through the photos
that I take afterward.
|
| Cold February with near average precipitation expected by on 02/01/2018
Temperatures during January were close to average except a
warmer period during mid-month resulted in slightly above average temperatures
for the month in both Brightwood and Government Camp. Interestingly, no
measurable snow fell this January in Brightwood, compared to 14.75 inches a
year ago, and Government Camp received less than half the 52.6 inches measured
a year ago, despite both years being under the influence of La Nina patterns.
The National Weather Service expects a continuation of the
La Nina pattern, coupled with active Madden Julian Oscillations to result in a
lower than average temperature level for our area during February, with precipitation
near average.
During February, Brightwood has an average high temperature
of 47, an average low of 34 and a precipitation average of 8.76 inches,
including 5.9 inches of snow. During the past ten years, high temperatures have
reached the 60s two times and into the 50s eight times. Low temperatures
dropped into the 30s once, into the 20s seven times and into the teens twice.
On average, February has 12 days that record freezing temperatures. The record
February snowfall was set in 1986 with a total of 32 inches. The record 24-hour
snowfall during February of ten inches was set on Feb. 26, 1971.
During February, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 38 degrees, an average low of 26 degrees and a precipitation
average of 9.65 inches, including 41.8 inches of snow. During the past ten
years, high temperatures reached into the 50s four times and into the 40s six
times. Low temperatures fell into the 20s for three years, into the teens for
five years, and into the single digits two years. The record snowfall in
February of 112 inches occurred in 1990. The record 24-hour snowfall of 25
inches was set on Feb. 24, 1994.
|
| The Mt. Hood Green Scene: how to replace all paper products by Mary Soots on 02/01/2018
There is a trend which I have become increasingly aware of
when it comes to disposable paper products. That is that people are finding
ways to forego them. Like paper towels. Since paper towels aren’t recyclable,
what happens to the 13 billion pounds of paper towels that we use each year?
They go into the landfill. That’s more than 45 pounds of paper towels per
person, each year. Last year I purchased some brightly colored super absorbent
fabric squares to use instead of paper towels. I keep them under the kitchen
and bathroom sinks to wipe off counters and mirrors, clean up messes, etc. When
I’m finished, I simply toss them in with the laundry. And for me, the best part
is that I no longer have to shop for and find a place to store all those rolls
of paper towels. You can also save money, space, and trees by cutting up old
kitchen towels.
In the past I have written on how wonderful it is to use of
cloth napkins instead of paper ones, so I won’t expound on that. The only stack
of paper napkins in my house now are the handfuls I receive at the fast-food
restaurant drive-through. (Don’t judge me!) But they stay in the drawer for a
long time as I prefer fabric napkins now. What’s not to love??
Another paper product that is seen as “old school” is the
facial tissue. Ironically enough, it is now chic to use a fabric handkerchief.
In some parts of the world, they never went out of style. But in the U.S., they
were replaced by their paper alternative around the middle of the 20th century.
All things are not equal, and some of the paper alternatives offer quite
inferior quality, so the claim that they are more hygienic doesn’t quite hold
snuff. Theoretically, one would use a tissue one time and then dispose of it.
However, quite often the reality is that the tissue is replaced into your purse
or pocket where you forget about it until you’ve washed your jeans and find the
pieces of tissue throughout your clothes. The younger generation is now
realizing that the fabric alternative is stronger, smarter, equally hygienic and
more cost-efficient. Sales of handkerchiefs has seen an increase. They come in
men’s, women’s and even children’s sizes (about the size of a paper tissue).
They come in different colors, designs and some are embroidered like
grandmother’s.
At Christmas, a friend delighted me with a unique gift that
also is built on the idea of replacing paper products. It was a reusable makeup
remover cloth (along with a travel size one about the size of an eye mask).
This wonderful little invention is a soft fleece-like fabric that you simply
run under warm water and use to wipe away the makeup, cleaning your face
without soap. It is only one of many alternatives to the commercial makeup
remover wipes. You can make or buy small pieces of fabric and keep them in a
jar containing a makeup removal solution. Again, just toss them in with the
laundry and you never run out.
Finally, the dilemma of toilet paper. I know, I know. Truly,
I do. I love my Charmin! When it comes to paper products, I’ve always been a
very loyal brand consumer. I didn’t have a problem leaving the paper towels
behind when I found the fabric that worked even better. Didn’t blink an eye
when I fell in love with the makeup remover wipes. And although I confess that
I’m still transitioning from paper tissues, I’m waiting for an online order of
handkerchiefs to arrive. However, I never imagined that I could make a change
with the toilet paper. Short of installing a bidet, that is. According to a
source cited in an article in Scientific American, “Americans use 36.5 billion
rolls of toilet paper every year, representing the pulping of some 15 million
trees. Says Thomas: ‘This also involves 473,587,500,000 gallons of water to
produce the paper and 253,000 tons of chlorine for bleaching.” In comparison,
the cost of water used in a bidet would be negligible. And that doesn’t even
account for the energy that it takes to produce, package and transport the
stuff.
Still, it was something that I thought about - so much paper
going down the toilet! And then one day, an ad popped up on social media for a
product with the unfortunate name of “Who Gives A Crap.” The brand is one that
produces toilet paper from 100 percent recycled paper. You place your order
online and a box (yes, bearing its name!) is delivered to your home. The
selling point for me was that 50 percent of the profits are donated to help
build toilets around the world. While I avoid promoting specific brands, this
company is making a difference with a unique business model. It’s that kind of
thinking outside the box that is making the world a better place to be. So
until we can all get bidets, this is a nice alternative.
|
| Episode XVIII - Twiggy, Liz and a Nutty Squirrel by Max Malone, Private Eye on 02/01/2018
It’s not often that Max Malone, private eye, spends a decent
part of his day scratching his head.
But these aren’t normal days. Consider:
First there was Maggie McGee, whose murder remains unsolved.
Then there was Hope, who ventilated a perfectly good Max fedora, and was now
clad in an orange jumpsuit in state prison. Then there was the most recent
escapee Valerie Suppine – the meanest little woman in thirteen western states –
who coughed up a split for Max of a quarter million large. Then came the
notorious Natasha – from the pink stucco soulless mansion in Reno – who was now
among the wandering souls due to a well-placed hole in her forehead, in France
of all places. Then, Dolly Teagarden, the British consulate turned double
agent. And now, the escapee from the Easy-Inn Motel, Gloria Lovejoy, who was
ensconced in Max’s cabin, making herself as comfortable as a never-ending
supply of gin could provide. And we haven’t mentioned Anna Belle Wilde, who had
taken possession of both banks of the Ruby River, and continued to be as
enigmatic as an unfathomable hot tub full of present-day politicians.
And those are just the women.
But Max has his saving graces, which often act as curses. He
can’t walk away from a mystery any more than Mickey Spillane could turn his
back on another two-day novel. (It should be noted that, by his own admission,
Mickey knocked out one book in ten hours.)
The FBI, supposedly led by Agent Mike D’Antonio, was
dragging its feet like a drag chain on a semi knifing its way through
Wildewood. After all, the FBI had real work to do, apparently.
* * *
Even with the Gloria distraction, which can not be
overstated, Max went to work. Despite his globetrotting from Nevada to Belgium,
Wildewood still mattered. The goal was a simple one: who was/is Beau Kimatian?
Certainly, Gloria was a key, but did it fit the lock? Max never trusts needy,
even when his resistance wears as thin as a Twiggy poster.
So, what did Max have to work with? He thought: according to
Nigel Best – the local newsie – his U.S. attorney friend in Florida reported
that she had “spotted” Beau Kimatian in the Cayman Islands. So why did he buy
the Ruby River property, marry Anna Belle Wilde, and build the Stardust Lodge,
then blow it up with some imposter in his place? Wildewood had as much in
common with the Cayman Islands as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in the
throes of one of their multiple, dodgy divorces.
The only possible answer swirled around an international
coverup. Yet, why Wildewood? Perhaps it was a perfect cover. Who in their right
mind – which at this point would suggest there were few or none – could make
that international connection?
Ahh, Max thought: follow the money, with a nod to Ben
Bradlee of the Washington Post. The Caymans were as notorious for storing
purloined money as a dedicated Wildewood squirrel with both cheeks full of
nuts. But there didn’t seem to be much of a money connection with the Stardust
Lodge. After all, it was blown up. The next step came more easily for Max. Beau
couldn’t possibly access his stash, if he was dead.
Perhaps Beau made a mistake. He didn’t count on Nigel Best’s
U.S. Attorney friend in Florida.
All Max had to figure out was, who died in the lodge
explosion? The only thing he knew for sure, for a short period of time, this
dupe was Anna Belle Wilde’s husband. And, of course, Max had worked for him for
a spell, although calling it work was doing our private eye a disservice.
Which raised another obvious question: is it possible that
the dizzy Anna Belle was in on it from the beginning? After all, she now owns
the Ruby River after it had been taken away from the family for failure to pay
property taxes, inspired by the shenanigans of her father, Randy Wilde – who
was now languishing in jail without bail awaiting trial on, of all things,
robbing a gas station. Throw in Anna Belle’s grandfather Chance Wilde – who had returned to Colorado because he
“loved the winters” – and there wasn’t enough conspiratorial dynamite to blow
up an out-of-date outhouse.
It was a lot to think about, coupled with that Gloria
Lovejoy distraction, and would have been the match for any average chap off the
streets.
But after all, this wasn’t any chap. It was Max Malone,
private eye.
|
| Coaching kids? Starts with jelly donuts by Ned Hickson on 02/01/2018
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not very athletic. I made this
realization in the third grade, when I was knocked unconscious 32 times playing
dodge ball. After that first game, I remember waking up in the nurse’s office
and being told of a special program for “gifted” athletes who were so special they
got to wear a football helmet during recess. Of course, I eventually figured
out there was no “special program,” and openly expressed my feelings of
betrayal when I slammed my helmet on the desk of my high school counselor.
After which I was taken to the hospital with a broken
finger.
I live with the memory of being an unathletic child on a
daily basis. Particularly when I look in the mirror and see a man whose head
still fits into a third-grade football helmet. For this reason, many years ago
when my daughter asked me to coach her fourth-grade basketball team, I smiled,
took her hand and began faking a seizure. I panicked at the thought of
providing guidance to a team of fourth-grade girls, any one of whom could take
me to the hole. This includes my daughter, who has inherited a recessive
“athletic” gene I call the “monkey factor” because, apparently, it leaps entire
family trees.
You see, neither side of our family is particularly
athletic. This is officially documented in a video of their mom and me playing
one-on-one basketball. To the outside observer, it appears to be footage of two
heavily-medicated adults trying to catch the Walmart happy face.
Of course, none of this mattered to my daughter; she just
wanted Dad to coach her team. Knowing this attitude would eventually change
(possibly by the end of our first practice), I made the decision to put aside
my own petty fears and be her team’s coach. In addition, I also put aside some
petty cash for psychological treatment later.
To prepare myself as coach, I read books about fundamental
basketball skills. I talked with other coaches. I installed a tiny basketball
hoop over the trashcan in my office. Before long, I had gained confidence
knowing that with hard work and determination, someone would be able to undo
the damage I was doing.
For our first practice, we worked on free throws and
lay-ups. I chose these areas because, as everyone knows, they are the most
common — and easiest ways — of scoring a basket.
Unless you are me.
As it turns out, repeatedly sending a wad of paper through a
six-inch hoop over your trashcan doesn’t mean you’ll be able to sink a
regulation basketball from the free throw line. Particularly if your entire
team and most of its parents are watching, in some cases using their iPhones to
send live images to friends while laughing hysterically.
Confident that I had taught my team an important lesson in
determination, humility, and the value of having a “shared minutes” plan, we
moved on to lay-ups. It was at this point I asked parents to please put their
phones away. In addition to the distraction it was causing, there were also
safety issues to consider since many parents had now moved under the backboard
to get a better angle.
When practice ended a week later (okay, but it felt like a
week) we joined hands and reached an important understanding as a team:
The coach has no “game.”
Apparently, my players don’t see this as a problem. What
mattered to them most was whether I could be trusted, as their coach, to
coordinate the snack rotation. I assured them I could, and things went pretty
well; they brought “game,” and I bring jelly donuts.
This year, I am coaching second- and third-graders again,
with help from my daughter, who is now 23.
Her first assignment as assistant coach?
Get jelly donuts.
(You can write to Ned Hickson at nedhickson@icloud.com, or
c/o the Siuslaw News, 148 Maple St., Florence, Ore. 97439)
|
| Meet House District 52 Representative Jeffrey Helfrich by Rep. Jeffrey Helfrich on 02/01/2018
My name is Jeffrey A. (Jeff) Helfrich and I am the
Representative for House District 52, which was formerly represented by Mark
Johnson. The District includes communities of the Mountain/Hoodland area,
Government Camp, Sandy, Hood River, Cascade Locks and Gresham; more broadly
covering Hood River County, north Clackamas County and east Multnomah County.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your
Representative.
As your State Representative, I will continue leading efforts
started by former Rep. Mark Johnson to improve education, the economy and
protect our environment and way of life in the District’s communities and
Oregon.
Thank you to Rhododendron CPO President Steve Graeper for
the invitation to be the Guest Speaker at the Jan. 20 meeting. I appreciated
the opportunity to share my experience and ideas for the Hoodland communities’
and District’s success, hear community concerns including those about housing
and transportation, celebrate great community gains including the welcoming of
new businesses, and hear updates from County Commissioners Humberston and
Fischer. Thank you.
For over 30 years, I have dedicated my life to making my
community and country better and safer places to live. I am a public servant,
Air Force-Gulf War veteran, former Cascade Locks City Councilman, retired
police sergeant, devoted father and husband.
My personal interest in serving as the House District 52
Representative is my family and I love living here, and I want to have a larger
impact and contribution to it thriving educationally, economically and
environmentally. For over 11 years, I have lived in District 52 with my wife.
My wife, a naturopathic physician, and I are avid hunters, fishers and stewards
of the land who are raising our young children to be the same.
I bring over 30 years of knowledge and experience gained
from:
Four years in the Air Force which included deployment to
Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm;
Over 25 years in community policing;
Four years as a Cascade Locks City Councilor, working to improve leadership and funding for the fire department, management and services provided to the community, serving on the Public Safety Task Force Committee and the Joint (City/Port) Work Group on Economic Development; Over three years as a Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD) board member, and representing MCEDD on the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee for the 2015 Oregon State Parks Columbia River Gorge Management Unit Plan; Over two years as a Cascade Locks Planning Commissioner, including being Vice Chairman and working to improve downtown development and support of local businesses; and Two years as a Cascade Locks Budget and Charter Review Committee, and Comprehensive Planning Review member.
As your Representative, in addition to continuing Mark’s
efforts, I vow to work on improving our community’s economic viability,
housing, health and safety and disaster preparedness, as well as increasing
government transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility.
I and my staff are available to help identify and address
community concerns to ensure that the community’s voice is heard and responded
to not only in Salem but directly in the District as well.
I believe that together, through collaboration, regular
communication and commitment, we can plan and actively work towards ensuring a
better tomorrow for our communities in the Mountain/Hoodland area, throughout
our District and Oregon.
Please contact me directly at
Rep.JeffHelfrich@OregonLegislature.gov or my Chief of Staff, Dr. Brandy
Ethridge-Lipke, PhD, at Brandy.EthridgeLipke@oregonlegislature.gov. Visit
www.oregonlegislature.gov/helfrich, call the Salem Office at 503-986-1452 or
visit us in Salem at 900 Court St. NE, H-489, Salem, Oregon 97301.
We look forward to hearing from and working with you to make
a better tomorrow today for HD52.
|
| Meet House District 52 Representative Jeffrey Helfrich by Rep. Jeffrey Helfrich on 02/01/2018
My name is Jeffrey A. (Jeff) Helfrich and I am the
Representative for House District 52, which was formerly represented by Mark
Johnson. The District includes communities of the Mountain/Hoodland area,
Government Camp, Sandy, Hood River, Cascade Locks and Gresham; more broadly
covering Hood River County, north Clackamas County and east Multnomah County.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your
Representative.
As your State Representative, I will continue leading efforts
started by former Rep. Mark Johnson to improve education, the economy and
protect our environment and way of life in the District’s communities and
Oregon.
Thank you to Rhododendron CPO President Steve Graeper for
the invitation to be the Guest Speaker at the Jan. 20 meeting. I appreciated
the opportunity to share my experience and ideas for the Hoodland communities’
and District’s success, hear community concerns including those about housing
and transportation, celebrate great community gains including the welcoming of
new businesses, and hear updates from County Commissioners Humberston and
Fischer. Thank you.
For over 30 years, I have dedicated my life to making my
community and country better and safer places to live. I am a public servant,
Air Force-Gulf War veteran, former Cascade Locks City Councilman, retired
police sergeant, devoted father and husband.
My personal interest in serving as the House District 52
Representative is my family and I love living here, and I want to have a larger
impact and contribution to it thriving educationally, economically and
environmentally. For over 11 years, I have lived in District 52 with my wife.
My wife, a naturopathic physician, and I are avid hunters, fishers and stewards
of the land who are raising our young children to be the same.
I bring over 30 years of knowledge and experience gained
from:
Four years in the Air Force which included deployment to
Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm;
Over 25 years in community policing;
Four years as a Cascade Locks City Councilor, working to improve leadership and funding for the fire department, management and services provided to the community, serving on the Public Safety Task Force Committee and the Joint (City/Port) Work Group on Economic Development; Over three years as a Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD) board member, and representing MCEDD on the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee for the 2015 Oregon State Parks Columbia River Gorge Management Unit Plan; Over two years as a Cascade Locks Planning Commissioner, including being Vice Chairman and working to improve downtown development and support of local businesses; and Two years as a Cascade Locks Budget and Charter Review Committee, and Comprehensive Planning Review member.
As your Representative, in addition to continuing Mark’s
efforts, I vow to work on improving our community’s economic viability,
housing, health and safety and disaster preparedness, as well as increasing
government transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility.
I and my staff are available to help identify and address
community concerns to ensure that the community’s voice is heard and responded
to not only in Salem but directly in the District as well.
I believe that together, through collaboration, regular
communication and commitment, we can plan and actively work towards ensuring a
better tomorrow for our communities in the Mountain/Hoodland area, throughout
our District and Oregon.
Please contact me directly at
Rep.JeffHelfrich@OregonLegislature.gov or my Chief of Staff, Dr. Brandy
Ethridge-Lipke, PhD, at Brandy.EthridgeLipke@oregonlegislature.gov. Visit
www.oregonlegislature.gov/helfrich, call the Salem Office at 503-986-1452 or
visit us in Salem at 900 Court St. NE, H-489, Salem, Oregon 97301.
We look forward to hearing from and working with you to make
a better tomorrow today for HD52.
|
| February food for love and football by Taeler Butel on 02/01/2018
Putting together a memorable meal for lovers and for friends
can be inexpensive and stress free, unlike love and football.
Make your own torta bar
2 lbs grilled carne asada beef (see below)
1 thin sliced grilled onion
2 cups shredded lettuce
Salsa, guacamole, refried beans
Pickled, sliced Jalapeño
24 small rolls
Marinade:
1 T each onion powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder
1 t Chile powder
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t salt
1 black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup vegetable extra oil
2 lb flank skirt steak
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Slice steak thinly, set aside
Toss ingredients in a large bowl, set aside half of the
marinade.
Marinade steak in one half of the marinade four hours. Heat
grill pan, using tongs take meat out of marinade, grill steak on grill pan
until charred but still slightly pink. Toss out marinade from steak. Next grill
the onions.
Place grilled steak and onions on a large platter, spoon
some of the marinade that was put aside onto meat and serve alongside all of
the accoutrements.
Cheesecake dip
1 T lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 T vanilla extract
2 cubed room temp cream cheese
Whip all above ingredients until fluffy and serve in a bowl
surrounded by some of these suggestions:
1 package lady fingers
1 lb cake, cubed
1 lb strawberries
1 package graham crackers
Pretzel rods
1 jar hot fudge
Pineapple spears
1 bunch Bananas
(Taeler Butel writes exclusively for The Mountain Times.)
|
| The Toxic Trap, part 1: toxins may come from any direction by Victoria Larson on 02/01/2018
After reading last month’s suggestions for taking charge of
your health, I hope you’ve made some progress. Many people find the “basics of
health habits” difficult enough. Things like eight to ten glasses of water,
exercise, organic food, more sleep. Take care of those and the rest comes
easier. Yet some people deny that they’re even “toxic” or think “it’s all in
your head.”
I personally feel that doing the basics is a good way to
prepare the body for a cleanse, a detox. We’re not yet in springtime when
fresher fruits and vegetables become more available, so keep working on the
basics until we get there.
Some people need convincing of the need to detox. Well, we
are ALL toxic! Few people can eat all organic food. We still love our snacks
and sugar. Plus there are hidden and unknown sources of toxins. These ones, as
well as the obvious ones, need to be enumerated and identified.
Toxins are poisons. They are all around us, causing us to
become sick before our time, aging us and causing illnesses to linger. Drugs
are toxins. All of them have detrimental side effects, whether pharmaceutical
drugs, over-the-counter drugs or recreational drugs. Even the children who hear
the drug ads on TV ask “why would anyone take that?” With side effects like
ruptured spleen, fecal incontinence and the quickly spoken word “death,” one
does have to wonder.
The drug may cause death! Over 250,000 people per year in
the United States alone die from prescription and non-prescription drugs. Over
15,000 of these deaths occur with over-the-counter drugs that are taken as
directed! Is this a bit worrisome, I ask you? Well, it is to me. We are not all
alike. Most testing of pharmaceutical and over-the-counter drugs is done on
200-lb men. That’s not the same as a 100-lb woman. Americans take more drugs
than any other nation on earth, yet we are sicker than the people of most other
nations. While we want life-saving medicines for emergencies and traumas, we
might be missing some of the ways that toxins get into us.
There are toxins, poisons, in cleaning products, cosmetics,
carpeting, paints, city water, grocery store receipts, the air, the ground,
food, well the list just goes on! Some of you reading this remember home milk
delivery. Ever wonder why it passed out of favor? After all, what could be more
convenient? In those days, milk was not homogenized or pasteurized. The cream
rose to the top of the milk bottle and the enzymes were still fully
functioning, making digestion easier. But those live enzymes caused the milk to
spoil within a few days. In order to sell more milk by keeping it on grocers’
shelves longer, it was homogenized and pasteurized. More profit. But not for
you or me or the milkman.
Virtually all human breast milk is contaminated. An
independent study found that almost 100 percent of the women tested had
residues of jet fuel in their breast milk. Now how could that be? Jet fuel
residues were also found deep in the ice of Arctic regions. Every airplane
flying overhead leaves a chemical trail. Sometimes you see them, sometimes you
don’t. But these chemicals fall to earth, landing on fields, houses, children
playing outside. They affect our air and our water supply. While breast milk is
still the food of choice for infants for other reasons, we need to know that we
are all subject to this chemical onslaught.
Eating an apple a day is still good for you, if it’s
organic, for its fiber content and vitamins and pectin. But in order to get the
same amount of nutrients today that you would get from an apple 50 years ago,
you would have to eat five or six apples a day to get the same benefit! Not all
fruits and vegetables are genetically modified, but do you know which are and
which aren’t? They aren’t labelled. And most packaged food contains genetically
modified ingredients. Why? Because it’s cheaper to produce and the manufacturer
makes more money.
I love shopping at farmers’ markets where you sometimes get
to talk to those who do the actual growing. But do you actually get to go to
the farm where the produce is grown? Is it a farm that has been in production
for years which still may have residues of DDT in the soil? Has the soil been
tested for residues? Are the seeds being grown organic, open pollinated,
heirloom? Are ammonium nitrate fertilizers being used or organically based
fertilizers? No insecticides and no fungicides make the farm sustainable but
what about things like fertilizers? If the farm is not certified organic, and
you haven’t looked around at the growing operation, how do you know what you’re
getting?
There are lots of toxins in our environment and thousands
more added to our lives every year. Why are we putting up with this? So that
large corporate entities can make more money at the risk of our health and our
lives? So the big question becomes, what can you do to get some of these toxins
out of your body? Next month, some suggestions.
|
|  Get your settings right.
Well, it’s a new year and Christmas has come and gone. With
the popularity of photography lately I’m sure that there will be some readers
who have received the gift that they wanted: a new digital camera. Because of
this I have decided to brush up on how to use it to more of its potential. So
let’s talk about manual camera operation.
You have a new camera that, unlike your phone’s camera, was
designed exclusively for making photos. I am going to assume that the reason
that you wanted your new camera was to make photos that are even better than
you could with your cell phone. To do this you will need to move away from the
point and shoot mindset and decide to be the computer that controls the camera
instead. Switch to Manual Mode.
Let’s start with the “Big 3”. Exposure time - Aperture
Setting - ISO/Film Speed. When you’re taking a photo you will want to
understand what all three are, how to control them and how they affect each
other.
Shutter Speed – Your shutter is a gate that opens and closes
to allow light from the outside to come inside of the camera and fall on the
film/image sensor. The longer your shutter speed is the more light that’s
allowed in and, conversely, how much can be stopped or blocked from coming
inside. Consequences of both being a twofold. The first is the exposure of the
image, or how bright or dark that it is. The second being the allowance or
elimination of movement in your photo. The primary concern typically is to get
a photo that’s bright enough without movement being blurred, but there are
times when you will want to show movement or blur in your photo such as a
waterfall. A fast shutter speed freezes movement while a slower one will blur
movement.
Aperture setting – The aperture is a mechanism in the lens
that you can adjust to vary the size of the hole that the light goes through as
it passes through the lens and into the camera. The larger the hole the more
light that can come through in a set amount of time (shutter speed). You can
have the same shutter speed but control the amount of light with the aperture.
The second consideration when adjusting your aperture is how
it affects the depth of field, or how deep the focus is in the photo. When you
choose a larger hole, which is represented by a smaller f/stop number, it will
give you a smaller or shallow depth of focus, whereas a smaller hole with a
larger f/stop number, will give you a larger or deeper depth of focus. One will
realize that with a smaller hole for the light to come through a longer shutter
speed will be needed to get the same light inside. With a longer shutter speed
you will have a chance to blur, as mentioned previously, which will require you
to use the third setting in our big three adjustments to further affect the
exposure.
The third and last adjustment that we will add to the
formula is what was once called “film speed” in film photography, which is
indicated by the ASA rating of the film, whereas in digital photography, where
there is no film, we adjust the ISO. The film speed indicated how sensitive to
light the film is. A lower rating such as 400 ASA will be less sensitive to
light than a film rated at 1000 ASA. When the film is more sensitive to light
it takes less light to expose the film so you can use the film in darker light
or it will allow you to use a faster shutter speed or a smaller aperture
opening.
With this understanding we can translate the application of
this information to digital cameras easily. In digital cameras the film is the
image sensor and the film speed is translated to the ISO setting of the camera.
The ISO setting varies the sensitivity to light of the image sensor.
The beauty of shooting with a digital single lens reflex
camera is that you can vary the light sensitivity of the camera using a dial,
whereas in film you had to change the whole roll of film. The one consideration
when setting the ISO is that the higher the ISO the more grain/noise that you
will have in your image.
Let’s summarize what has been covered. You have three
settings: shutter speed, aperture opening and ISO or light sensitivity. All
three will affect the each other so you will usually need to adjust another, or
both, when one is changed. We can now use this knowledge to set our exposure
considering movement, depth of focus and acceptable image noise.
Next, your digital SLR camera comes with a built in light
meter to show how close your exposure is to being proper. As you set your
camera, you can keep an eye on the light meter and balance it in the center.
Once you have your shutter speed, aperture and your ISO set according to your
light meter take your shot.
Once you take your photo you will have a display on the back
that will show you a preview of the image. You can check your focus and your
composition with this preview of the photo, but you can’t get a real indication
of the exposure therefore, the next and last step is to check the exposure with
the histogram. The histogram is a graphical representation of the range of
light that was captured in your photo. If the histogram doesn’t show
automatically with the preview, you can find a setting that will allow it.
The histogram will look like a rectangular box with a bar
chart inside. The left side will be the dark part of your photo such as shadows
while the right side will represent the highlights. What you will want to
attempt is to balance the highlights and the darks with your “Big 3”
adjustments using your histogram as your way of verifying your success. If the settings were a little off, make an
adjustment and take another photo. Film is cheap when you’re shooting digital.
All of this may sound a bit confusing at first but the
confusion leaves with practice. Like I mentioned previously film is cheap when
you’re shooting with a digital camera so go out and take a lot of photos.
Therein lies the secret to improving your photography. Practice and
experimentation.
It’s my hope for you that your new camera, or your old one
for that matter, will provide you with as much fun and life enriching
experiences that mine has for me.
Happy New Year.
|
| 12 months in a year means 12 chances to make some changes by Victoria Larson on 01/02/2018
A new day, a new week, a new year! Though many start a new
year with resolutions, I’ve always found them either too stringent, too vague
or just too overwhelming. So this year, let’s try something different. Since it
takes 28-30 days to make or change a habit, we actually have twelve chances to
improve our lives!
In order to not be too stringent, we can pick only the ones that
apply to our individual lives. But we won’t be so vague as to let the new
knowledge or habit fade out of consciousness. And by choosing only the ones
that apply to each individual, it will not be so overwhelming.
Twelve months to make changes, somewhere:
1. Let’s start with forgiveness. Forgiveness comes from
within the forgiver and benefits that person just as much as the person being
forgiven. And remember, the forgiven person is you, the one who ultimately
needs it.
2. On a more practical side, avoid trans fats and vegetable
oils as much as possible. Trans fats and vegetable oils are in all fast foods
and virtually all packaged foods, including cakes, chips, crackers, cookies,
breads, etc. Unless you are gluten sensitive, concern yourself more with trans
fats and vegetable oils than gluten content. Oils such as coconut oil, fish
oils, flax oil, nut oils and olive oil are all better for you than canola, corn
and soy oils.
3. Fish – now there are new worries about plastics in
seafood. A very valid concern. Ultimately, it’s our fault. Many plastics are
not recyclable so we need to stop using them so much lest they end up in the
ocean. Think plastic grocery bags, straws and cups, take-home containers from
restaurants.
4. Turmeric needs to be warmed in order to be of benefit
(anti-oxidant, arthritis). Warm your spices in a pan before using to make meals
or tea. Pills taken cold just won’t do the trick.
5. If you prefer coffee to tea, drink no more than two to
three cups per day. At that amount coffee appears to be protective against
diabetes. Take your coffee with a smidgen of butter and some coconut oil, but
no sugar. It’s called “bullet coffee” and helps your brain to function because
of the good fats in it.
6. Try to avoid sugar as much as possible. Sugar is the
preferred fuel for cancer cells to grow. This also means only one or two
servings of fruit per day. You may have more in the summer as it will keep you
cooler.
7. Back to the good fats. Don’t bother with low-fat
anything. It’s a longtime experiment that didn’t work and many people bought
into it. So many Americans bought into it that it undoubtedly contributes to
the near epidemic of Alzheimer’s that we now have in our nation. Though
lowering fat intake is not the only cause, it’s looking like a definite poor
choice. Be like the French--enjoy anniversaries, birthdays, feast days and
holidays. Then go back to avoiding sugar. Knowing that you can have some sugar
in small amounts on special occasions will make avoidance more tolerable.
8. Detox. Your skin is the largest organ of your body. It
takes 15-30 days for skin cells to reach the epidermis layer to be sloughed
off. Try skin brushing, using perhaps a baby hair brush or a soft clothes
brush, to help remove those top layers of already deceased skin cells. You
don’t need them and this will help you to detoxify through your largest organ.
9. Then get into a detoxifying, relaxing bath of Epsom salts
to which you may gently add a few drops of a favorite essential oil. Depending
on the oil, start with four to five drops and don’t go over 12 drops as it may
burn, sending you running down the hall in your altogether!
10. If you are a smoker, STOP. It is the single worst thing
you can do for your health, guaranteed to shorten your life. Any smoking.
Period.
11. The second worst thing you can do for your health is
sitting, just sitting. Couch potatoes, get up. If you’re already up, do
something. Every hour. If you are in a wheelchair, wave your arms, lift
weights, wiggle your feet every hour. Get rid of your “clickers” except the dog
training one. That will get you off the couch as it is. In fact, get a dog.
Also guaranteed to make you move.
12. Get more rest. Lack of sleep raises the possibility of
illnesses, reduces efficiency, and is estimated to cost our economy $280
billion per year. Employers, get tough. Employees, listen to your body. Quit
the frazzle-dazzle which often leads to late nights and increased alcohol
consumption. Before electricity people slept ten to twelve hours a night. They
had less cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
I’ve left out the really obvious changes we all know about
like eat more vegetable (6-10 servings per day), drink more water (to reduce
risk of headaches and stroke), exercise more (or at least move more). But those
ones you already know. Just pick one of the above to work on each month, adding
a new challenge the next month. In a year you will be healthier. Just remember
#1 and forgive yourself if you fall back. You’ve got a whole year to make
changes!
|
| Episode XVII: Gloria, Gloria - But no hallelujah by Max Malone, Private Eye on 01/02/2018
While Max relaxed – knowing it might be his last chance in
the near future – taking in the dulcet tones of Ella Fitzgerald scatting
through “Mack the Knife” from the needle nestled in the tracks of the vinyl,
the mysterious Gloria Lovejoy was simultaneously exiting the rutty parking area
of the Easy-Inn, the lonesome motel in Wildewood, guiding her red Jeep
Renegade, that was only made more noticeable by its New Jersey license plates,
for his cabin. It’s safe to say, however, that she would quite likely be an
improvement over the day before visit from FBI agent Mike D’Antonio.
Ella was interrupted by a phone call from the newsie Nigel
Best.
“I have some news,” Nigel said, not surprisingly for a
newspaper guy. “My U.S attorney connection has traced Beau Kimatian to a hotel
in the Cayman Islands. That’s gettin’ around pretty well for a corpse.”
Max was close to forgiving the Ella interruption. Who was it
who was consumed by the explosion in the Stardust Lodge? Was Anna Belle’s
husband ever actually Beau Kimatian? And how could what was obviously a
complicated and sinister plot have found its way to Wildewood?
Max had some mulling to do, which included getting Valerie
Suppine, the meanest little woman in thirteen states, out of his way, all the
while Gloria Lovejoy chugged closer to his already overcrowded cabin.
Val complied, and pointed her pink Cadillac back to Reno
where she belonged like a koala rolling in a pile of eucalyptus leaves.
Mere moments after the pink Cadillac departure – and only a
single mere moment after Max had issued his sigh of relief – up pulled the red
Renegade. Max had a weak moment where he stole a glance to heaven, but shrugged
it away knowing he had nothing on the ethereal books. His disappointment was
momentary as Gloria Lovejoy unfolded from the Renegade and approached Max’s
cabin door with one arched eyebrow and a tangle of dark brown hair that was
caught by a zephyr of mountain air and frolicked in the wind like the mane of a
fine filly.
This is going to be interesting, Max thought, and he wasn’t
far off the mark. Max pulled open the door with Gloria’s arm raised in an
almost knock.
“You’re Max Malone,” Gloria rasped, and there was no hint
that it was a question.
“And you’re Gloria Lovejoy,” Max countered in a tone that
matched hers like a tuning fork. “Enter at your own risk.” This line delivered
with Max’s well-practiced private eye smirk dissolving into an irresistible
smile.
Max quickly noticed that Gloria had some rough edges – the
type that had to carry enough stories to fill a medium sized town library – but
the edges were burnished by a slight cock of the head that would have made even
the most jaded cocker spaniel wag his tail like a snare drum riff from Gene
Krupa.
“Have a seat,” Max offered, pouring himself a man-sized
Jameson’s.
“Gin,” Gloria said, not waiting for another offer.
“What’ya want in it?”
“Gin.”
So, the happy moment was easily solved. Max delivered the
drinks and sat opposite Gloria.
“You worked for Beau Kimatian, right?” Gloria explored.
“Not so anyone would notice,” Max came back over a sip of
the Irish.
“Do you know who died at the Stardust?” she asked.
“According to the FBI, Beau, his bodyguard and a cook.”
“Do you believe that?”
Max shrugged.
“I know Beau,” Gloria said, keeping it curiously in the
present tense. “There’s no one here in Mayberry that could have taken down
Beau.”
“And you know this how?” Max kept the conversation rolling.
Gloria slowly crossed her legs and laughed. “You’re a
private eye. Figure it out.”
So, if Gloria is saying that wasn’t Beau in the lodge, Max
mused to himself, and if she is connected to Beau and there’s no reason to
doubt that, then what is she doing in Wildewood, when Nigel Best’s U.S attorney
says Beau has been spotted in the Cayman Islands.
As Max was running this through his mind, Gloria flashed a
jagged smile that looked like an aerial photo of the Snake River.
Max vaulted over the smile, and refilled Gloria’s drink.
And, of course, his own. He was certain Gloria wasn’t hanging out in Wildewood
to hook up with a private eye.
Still, after all, he was Max Malone, private eye.
|
| The Mt. Hood Green Scene: smelling science and your health by Mary Soots on 01/02/2018
When you enter the house to be met with the fragrance of
your favorite cookies baking or smell the cedar or fir from the Christmas tree,
it triggers what is known as “olfactory memory.”
Smells can create emotions, bring back memories and affect
our mood. Our sense of smell is so much a part of humans and other animals that
even a fetus begins to recognize the smell of amniotic fluid while in the womb,
and a baby recognizes its maternal milk as part of the bonding process with its
mother.
At the same time, our puritanical culture’s obsession with
equating cleanliness with the smell of “freshness” was well illustrated in some
commercials a while back, where people were blindfolded and placed in a very
unclean room. Because the heavy fragrances masked the bad odors, they
proclaimed that the room was “fresh and clean.”
Did you know that more than 3,100 fragrance chemicals are
used to make consumer products smell “fresh” or to mask unpleasant odors?
Things such as shampoo and dryer sheets could also be polluting your indoor
air. As a result, each day we inhale, ingest and absorb through our skin a
variety of toxic chemicals, putting a massive burden on our bodies.
Especially at this time of year when our windows are closed
against the cold and rain, we hope to keep the air from getting musty, so we
look to household cleaning items, candles and room deodorizers. We often turn
to artificial fragrances. Artificial fragrances may smell nice, but they can
also cause damage. According to the National Institutes of Health, a “survey of
selected scented consumer goods showed the products emitted more than 100
volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including some that are classified as toxic
or hazardous by federal laws. Even products advertised as ‘green,’ ‘natural,’
or ‘organic’ emitted as many hazardous chemicals as standard ones.”
Trying to artificially recreate those moods or memories
through artificial fragrances can cause serious health risks, especially to
children. The National Resource Defense Council tested fourteen air fresheners
and found that most contained chemicals known to cause hormone imbalance, birth
defects or harm reproductive development.
Chemical fragrances are found not only in air fresheners,
but in soaps, our laundry and in our personal care products. The Environmental
Working Group found that one in eight of the 82,000 ingredients used in
personal care products are industrial chemicals, including carcinogens,
pesticides, reproductive toxins and hormone disruptors. Further, many cleaners
contain harmful chemicals that have specifically been linked to cancer, reproductive
disorders, asthma and severe allergies.
In one research project, nearly half of the fragranced
products emitted one or more carcinogenic ‘hazardous air pollutants,’ including
1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde, neither of which has a safe exposure level, according
to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Research by Environmental Defense
and the Environmental Working Group also found an average of 10 sensitizing
chemicals in perfumes, colognes and body sprays that can trigger allergies and
asthma, and cause headaches, wheezing, and a rash.”
There are natural alternatives to keeping your home air
purified. A spider plant or peace lily, among many fresh plants will naturally
clean the air. Dried plants such as eucalyptus, incense cedar, juniper have
been used since early 17th century France. Baking soda is not just for your
refrigerator.
You can also create safe smells in your home. Try decorating
some oranges with clove spikes and ribbons as part of a festive décor piece.
Use cinnamon sticks as decorative pieces. You can make sachets of lavender and
other fragrant flowers when they’re in season, or combine them in a potpourri.
Boil lemon slices and rosemary in a simmer pot on top of the wood-burning
stove.
Use essential oils alone or in combination to create your
own signature fragrances or to give as gifts. Look online for recipes to create
a misting spray with water and alcohol. Essential oils may be sprayed on rock
or allowed to wick through diffusing sticks that will slowly release the
scents. There are electric diffusers too, of course.
And of course, you can always bake cookies.
|
| Swearing off coffee can only lead to one thing – more swearing by Ned Hickson on 01/02/2018
Today, like every day since the start of the New Year, I’ve abstained
from my morning cups of coffee—a decision I reached during a moment of weakness
sometime around midnight on New Year’s Eve.
I know this because I was told so by my wife, who swears
that, along with taking the trash out without being asked, I vowed (after
several glasses of champagne) to take better care of myself. While this
decision has certainly made me a healthier person, it has also made me a
crankier one.
This is due, in part, to the decaffeination process itself,
which can cause headaches, drowsiness, constipation, Tourette’s syndrome, and,
in the case of Lizzy Borden, involuntary manslaughter.
After doing some research, I realized that there was more to
beating this thing than just dealing with the physical craving, which, for
someone who drinks coffee all day, is similar to the craving one might have
for, say...
Breathable air.
I also had to take into account the mental aspect of my
addiction—which is really about me having an excuse to leave my desk. On a good
day, between coffee refills and trips to the bathroom, I can spend as little as
eight minutes actually working at my desk. Because of this, it was clear that
conquering my physical addiction wouldn’t be enough—I’d need a replacement
beverage.
While I briefly entertained the idea of decaffeinated tea, I
decided against it, mostly because I can never figure out what to do with the
tea bag once it’s done steeping.
Do I throw it out? Save it? Put one over each eye and take a
nap?
The truth of the matter is, men are not “steepers.” A man
wants to wake up, fill his mug with something close to 8,000 degrees Fahrenheit
and immediately drink it. A man doesn’t have time for steeping. In fact, he
hardly has time to get to the hospital after drinking his 8,000-degree
beverage.
This left me with three viable alternatives: 1) Hot
chocolate; 2) Some kind of soy drink that, according to the label, can be
consumed either hot, cold or as a grilled patty; or 3) “Postum.”
After reading the label on the hot chocolate canister, I
realized that, based on my average daily hot-beverage consumption, replacing
coffee with hot chocolate would result in an estimated weight gain of just
under 600 pounds in five weeks. This, of course, would defeat having an excuse
to leave my desk since I would no longer be able to leave my house.
I considered the soy-drink-patty-thing, but couldn’t get
past the idea of consuming something that can be referred to as the
soy-drink-patty-thing.
This left me with “Postum” as my morning beverage of choice.
For those who are unfamiliar with this product, it is a coffee alternative that
is completely caffeine free because it is made from “all natural” ingredients
like wheat, corn, sea weed, yarn, tree bark, bone meal and simulated wood
paneling, all of which is then ground up and allowed to “steep” before it is
eventually freeze-dried to resemble Taster’s Choice.
I’ve been drinking it for a little over a week now, and it’s
not all that bad. Still, I’m not convinced that Postum’s claim to be “The Truly
Soothing Hot Beverage” is true.
To be honest, I’d kill for a coffee-drink-patty-thing right
about now.
(You can write to Ned Hickson at nedhickson@icloud.com, or
c/o the Siuslaw News, 148 Maple St., Florence, Ore. 97439)
|
| Cooking for a week at a time by Taeler Butel on 01/02/2018
It’s a new year and a new chance to get it together in the
kitchen!
These recipes will warm you up while you mix and match
simple ingredients (some even pre- made). Cook it all at once or over a couple
of days, store in the fridge and enjoy the feeling of having it all together.
The full menu: chicken and dumplings, stroganoff, hamburger
soup with biscuits and chicken corn chowder.
The grocery list
2 lbs. ground beef or turkey
Roast chicken
1 lb. bags frozen mixed veggies (carrots, corn, peas, green
beans mix)
Beef and chicken bouillon cubes
Couple sticks of butter
1 medium container of half-and-half
1 medium container sour cream
Flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Dried Italian seasoning
1 can tomato sauce
1 lb. egg noodles
1 bag frozen corn
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 bag Yukon gold potatoes
Salt and pepper
One onion
4 celery stalks
The plan
In a large pot brown all the meat with salt and pepper to
season. Boil all of the chicken using broth and shred the meat, save the broth.
Chop all of the onion, celery and potatoes, set aside.
Boil the noodles.
Make double batch of biscuit dough: in a large bowl whisk
together 4 cups flour, 2 t salt, 2 t baking soda, 2 T baking powder and 1 t
Italian seasoning. Mix in 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup
half-and-half. Scoop out onto cookie sheet with ice cream scoop and freeze.
The meals
Hamburger soup: in a large pot add 1/4 of the onions and
celery with 1 T butter and 2 cups of the diced potatoes. Cook until onions are
wilted and then, while stirring occasionally, add in 1 lb. of the cooked meat
and canned tomato sauce. Season with 1 t each salt and pepper and 1 T Italian
seasoning. Cover with broth, bring to boil and reduce to simmer, adding in 2
cups of the frozen veggies. Simmer about 20 minutes.
Heat oven to 365, place half the biscuits in the oven and
bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Chicken n dumplings: in a large pot add in 1/4 of the onions
and celery and 1 T butter, cook 5 minutes. Add in 1 T flour, 1 t each salt and
pepper, and 1 T Italian seasoning, then stir cooking about 2 minutes more. Add
in 1/2 the shredded chicken and 2 cups frozen vegetables, then cover with broth
and bring to boil.
Reduce slightly and add biscuit dough. Cover pot leaving
room to vent. Simmer until dumplings are cooked thoroughly, around 15 minutes
Chicken corn chowder: follow the chicken and dumplings
instructions only instead of frozen veggies, add diced potatoes and corn. Boil,
then simmer about 15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Mix 1 T flour into 1/2
cup of half-and-half, then stir in and let simmer until thickened slightly.
Stroganoff: Add the remaining celery and onion to a large
skillet along with 1 T butter and mushrooms, then cook until browned. Add salt,
pepper and 1 T each Italian seasoning and flour, cook one minute more. Add in 1
cup broth, 1 cup sour cream, 1 lb. cooked ground meat and cooked egg noodles,
then heat to simmer, about 10 minutes.
(Taeler Butel writes exclusively for The Mountain Times.)
|
| La Nina pattern to dominate the weather during January by on 01/02/2018
According to the calendar, winter starts Dec. 21, but
Government Camp couldn’t wait and got a 10-inch snowfall the day before.
Brightwood got its first snowfall of the season with a 2.5-inch measurement on
Dec. 23.
Below average temperatures prevailed from Dec. 20 through
Christmas before moderating to seasonal norms the rest of the month. In fact,
both Brightwood and Government Camp recorded average temperatures nearly
identical with long-term averages for the month. But both locations fell well
below the average precipitation levels for December. As of Dec. 19, Government
Camp had received only 19 inches of snow, compared to an average for the month
of 50.9 inches.
The National Weather Service expects the La Nina pattern to
dominate our weather in January but has its eye on the trending pattern which
is at odds with the Madden Julian Oscillations activity.
In any event, our area is expected to have above average
precipitation with temperatures about average for January.
During January, Brightwood has an average high temperature
of 43, an average low of 33 and a precipitation average of 10.63 inches,
including 8.7 inches of snow.
During the past 10 years, high temperatures have reached the
50s eight times, and into the 40s twice. Low temperatures dropped into the 30s
once, into the 20s seven times and into the teens twice.
On average, January has 14 days that record freezing
temperatures. The record January snowfall was set in 1968 with a total of 47
inches. The record 24-hour snowfall during January of 29 inches was set on Jan.
9, 1980.
During January, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 36 degrees, an average low of 24 degrees and a precipitation
average of 13.30 inches, including 57.8 inches of snow.
During the past 10 years, high temperatures reached 70
degrees once, into the 60s twice, into the 50s three times and into the 40s
four times.
Low temperatures fell into the 20s during three years, into
the teens during three years and into the single digits four years. The record
snowfall in January of 155 inches occurred in 1964. The record 24-hour snowfall
of 35 inches was set on Jan. 9, 1980.
|
|  Derek Trucks.
Low light, no flash, hand held photography is something that
needs to be understood by any photographer of any genre or style. There are
many times where one will need to get a shot but a flash or a tripod are not an
option. A great way to practice this method is to take photos at a concert. If
you can master photographing a concert, with bright lights and deep shadows,
and quick movements you can skillfully photograph a wedding, for instance. The
primary challenge is to get photos with a fast enough shutter speed to prevent
blurring the subject.
The Grammy award winning Tedeschi Trucks Band came to
Portland on Nov. 3 to play to a sold-out show at the Keller Auditorium. I was
able to secure photo passes to the show which allowed me to move to the front
to take photos of the band during their first three songs and to bring my pro
level camera inside. Many concerts will not allow pro style cameras inside
without a pass, but many others will, so call ahead of time and ask what their
policy for photos are. I’ve been able to bring my camera into smaller venues
and clubs in the past. I’ve even used these techniques at informal live shows
at backyard parties.
Before the Tedeschi Trucks Band took the stage the crowd was
fully warmed up by the Hard Working Americans (in photo above), an American
rock “super group.” The Hard Working Americans consist of lead singer Todd
Snider and bassist Dave Schools from the group Widespread Panic, Neal Casal of
Chris Robinson Brotherhood on guitar and vocals, Chad Staehly of Great American
Taxi on keyboards and Duane Trucks, who was also a member of widespread Panic
and brother of Derrick Trucks, on drums. The Hard Working Americans put on a
powerful show with songs that were a mix of classic hard rock, blues and
traditional roots Americana. While the Hard Working Americans were on stage I
took that time to make sure that my camera settings were correct before the
Tedeschi Trucks Band hit the stage. I used my Nikon D810 and my 70-200mm zoom
lens for most of the photos.
I set the camera on Aperture Priority with the aperture set
to f/2.8 and Auto ISO with the max ISO set to 6400 and turned my Vibration
Reduction on the lens to ON. Aperture Priority means that I set the camera’s
aperture manually and then the camera sets the shutter speed for me. It’s
semi-automatic. Next my decision to set the camera to Auto ISO was to allow the
camera to lower the ISO if possible and to not move past a set maximum ISO,
6400 in this case. I set my aperture to f/2.8 to allow the most light into the
camera, which allows a faster shutter speed. The one drawback to a wider
aperture is a shallow depth of field but this can be used to a certain effect
by isolating the subject from others in the background.
Although I used a single lens reflex camera, many consumer
level cameras (and even some mobile phones today) will allow one to make
adjustments to the aperture and ISO settings for better low-light photos.
I shot the first three songs and then went to my seat, sat
back, relaxed and enjoyed the show.
Once the Tedeschi Trucks band hit the stage, led by guitar
prodigy Derek Trucks and his extremely talented singer and guitarist wife,
Susan Tedeschi, it was obvious of their following and fans in the Pacific
Northwest. The crowd was enthusiastic as the band played through a dozen songs,
a mix of original tunes as well as classic covers from “Sailing On” by Toot’s
and the Maytals and the country classic by George Jones, “Color of The Blues,”
to “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” by Jazz pianist Billy Taylor
and “How Blue Can You Get?” by the popular 1940s and 1950’ African-American
vocal group Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers.
A diverse array of music brought together and played in the
iconic style that the power couple, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, has
developed with their extremely talented lineup of musical masters backing them
up. They finished the show with a three-song encore that included the classic
Leon Russell song, “Song for You,” the traditional classic “Will the Circle Be
Unbroken” and the original song “Bound For Glory.”
Being able to be successful at taking concert photos, for
me, enhances my concert experience, especially when my shooting time is
relegated to the first three songs. The limit allows me to let the photos go
and enjoy the rest of the show knowing that I have great souvenirs from the
evening. |
| Wet winter, with average temps, on tap through February by on 12/01/2017
November got off to a cool start with snowfall accumulating
on the mountain and leading to high hopes for a great Thanksgiving weekend for
skiers and boarders. Unfortunately, Pineapple Express weather patterns melted a
good portion of the snowpack, along with hopes for an early ski season. By the
end of the third week, Brightwood had already recorded precipitation exceeding
its average amount for the entire month, and Government Camp had received 25
inches of snow in addition to the rain. Temperatures averaged near normal at
both Government Camp and Brightwood. Weather for the last few days of the month
turned a bit brighter.
The National Weather Service reports the expected
development of a La Nina pattern and the Madden Julian Oscillation activity has
weakened, but the Weather Service is keeping its eye on it. A new addition to
their concerns is the Arctic Oscillation but it is not expected to affect our
area during the coming month.
Their best guess for our area expects temperatures to be
near average, and precipitation a bit higher than average during December.
Their outlook during the December to February period for our area continues to
expect lower than average temperatures and above average precipitation.
During December, Brightwood has an average high temperature
of 42, an average low of 33, and a precipitation average of 11.52 inches,
including 5.9 inches of snow. During the past 10 years, high temperatures have
reached the 50s nine times, and into the 40s once. Low temperatures dropped
into the 20s five times, into the teens three times and into the single digits
twice. On average, December has 12 days that record freezing temperatures. The
record precipitation amount for December was set in 1964 with 28.09 inches. The
record December snowfall was set in 1968 with a total of 48.8 inches. The
record 24-hour snowfall during December of 12.5 inches was set on Dec. 8, 1968.
During December, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 36 degrees, an average low of 25 degrees and a precipitation
average of 13.80 inches, including 50.9 inches of snow. During the past 10
years, high temperatures reached the 50s during four years and into the 40s the
remaining six years. Low temperatures fell into the teens during four years,
into the single digits during four years, one year recorded zero and the other
year minus one. The record snowfall in December of 122 inches occurred in 1971.
The record 24-hour snowfall of 26 inches was set on Dec. 18, 2008. The total
yearly snowfall average is 271 inches. |
| MHGS: what food means to us and the environment by Mary Soots on 12/01/2017
Several years ago, we had a series of snow and ice storms at
Christmas that kept many on the mountain unable to move about. A friend had
come to visit and with the help of our neighbors, we made our way into Sandy
between storms to restock our supplies and settled in to spend a quiet
Christmas on the mountain. On Christmas Eve, there was a knock on the door.
Neighborhood kids had brought us some homemade fudge. Their gesture was so kind
and meaningful.
The holiday season is the time of year when we focus much of
our attention on food. Food can represent so many aspects of our culture. How
food is produced, distributed, prepared and consumed are all aspects of our
relationships with the earth, between countries and between individuals. Food
can conjure up memories and recreate emotions, such as “comfort food” that
reminds us of home or of loved ones. These can be very simple meals such as
macaroni and cheese. And then there are foods associated with specific holidays
such as the traditional Thanksgiving Day meal of turkey and all the side
dishes.
Generally speaking, when we provide food to others, it is
not because they can’t get sufficient sustenance on their own. Rather, it is
meant to express solidarity, to assess the other’s social status through their
manners, etc., and provides a means of interaction while focusing on food.
Like the gift of fudge brought by my neighbors, a welcome
basket or a holiday gift of food can express friendship between people. When a
neighbor held a baby shower, the invitation asked guests to bring a frozen meal
in lieu of a baby gift in order to feed the family while the mother was
recovering from labor. We often share food also at times of hardships as well.
Recently, I delivered a meal to the family of a friend who is away caring for
her dying mother. Similarly, when someone passes away, food is delivered to the
family. This is a way of reinforcing relationships between people.
When we entertain, food speaks volumes about us. In a bygone
era when women primarily were homemakers, entertaining meant making everything
from scratch, usually starting days prior to prepare a heavy meal that everyone
sat at a dining table to enjoy. The lavish production was meant to impress the
invitees. The message to guests was that “You are important guests and we have
taken care and trouble on your behalf.” If a guest does not consume the meal,
it is considered offensive to the hosts.
Modern entertaining has changed as working couples have less
time to prepare lavish meals. The multiple course dinner has been replaced with
a potluck where everyone is invited to bring a dish. The premium is on being
innovative with new combinations of simple foods over time-consuming meals. The
meal is consumed casually standing, sitting in the living room or as guests
mill about.
One common theme around entertaining is the demonstration of
excess food. Like 21-course meals for dignitaries, lavish presentations are
meant to impress guests with conspicuous consumption. The excess food is a way
of demonstrating social status. A shortage of food would be seen as an
embarrassment, and it is preferable to throw out the excess than to run short.
There are environmental costs to food waste. Decomposing
food creates methane gas. According to the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), more than twenty times the global warming impact of carbon dioxide.
Wasted food also consumes limited landfill space and leads to water pollution
through run-off.
Wasted food involves the waste of all of the resources that
went into producing it in the first place – water, fertilizers and pesticides,
fuel and all of the associated human capital and labor. Together, the
environmental harm and the wasted resource inputs associated with food waste
carry great financial cost. Further, some reports note that the U.S. spends
another $1 billion annually just to haul excess food away. |
| Episode XVI: A Private Eye And The FBI by Max Malone, Private Eye on 12/01/2017
It was difficult for Max Malone, private eye, to completely
ignore the digging of the Wildewood World’s editor Nigel Best – despite the
fact that Max often referred to him as Nigel Pest.
The possibility that it was not Beau Kimatian who died in
the explosion of the Stardust Lodge would be an absurdity along the lines of
political decency. Best may have been many things – the first strike being a
journalist – yet there was no denying that his connection to a U.S. Attorney
who had plenty of dirt on Kimatian was as undeniable as believing that the
Stardust Lodge’s proprietor, and husband of Anna Belle Wilde, was dirt-free.
But before Max could spend too much time on Best’s theory,
he was forced into a tete-a-tete with FBI Agent Mike D’Antonio who arrived –
unannounced, what other way? – at Max’s cabin before breakfast but not before
Valerie Suppine, the meanest little woman in thirteen western states, had
emerged from the shower, barefoot, bathrobed, with her hair tumbling down in
rollicking ringlets.
“Miss Suppine,” Mike said, acknowledging Val with a drop of
his eyelids as only a man of Italian persuasion or ancestry can muster.
“Hi, Mike,” Val shot back with a shake of her hair and a
smile that could drop any man of Italian persuasion or ancestry.
Meanwhile, Max just peered over the top of his coffee cup,
marveling at a scene that could only be replicated by the last spring hookup of
a pair of twitterpating house wrens.
Shaking off Val’s spell, Mike emerged shaken, but
surprisingly serious under the circumstances.
“I need to go over a few things with you,” Mike said, only
turning toward Max halfway through the sentence.
“Sure thing,” Val responded like the house wren of spring.
“Uh, Val, I think the agent was referring to me,” Max
offered, not entirely certain he was right.
After Mike stole one more glance at Val, as if staring
across their newly fashioned nest, he ripped himself away, tail feathers and
all.
“Have a seat,” Max offered with no trace of sincerity.
Mike sat down on the front edge of an easy chair, while Max
flopped on the sofa, and Val leaned across the back of the sofa, dispelling the
unseemly squalor of Max’s dystopian digs.
“Max. What do you know about this Gloria Lovejoy woman?”
Mike said, apparently recovered.
“Never heard of her,” Max said flatly, giving no hint of
truth or otherwise.
“Me neither,” Val said, but she could have been speaking to
the wall. The two men were now locked into investigative combat.
“Well, she was seen near the scene of the lodge in the early
morning of the explosion,” Mike said. “And I have it on good authority you knew
her.”
Max, his eyes fixed on the FBI agent, said nothing.
“You need to understand, Mr. Malone, that we’ll figure this
thing out,” Mike said, keeping to his script.
“Yeah?” Max said, issuing an unsuppressed chortle. “Kinda
like Ruby Ridge and Waco?”
Mike stood up, but Max continued to stare him down.
“You need to understand something as well, pal,” Max
continued. No sign of a chortle. “I don’t have any use for your agency, or your
kind. As for your ability to figure this thing out, I’m pretty sure there are
already two or three people who have lapped you.”
“And you’re still sticking to your alibi of Mr. Malone for
that night?” Mike said, eagerly turning to Val after he arrived at the door.
“Yeah,” Val said, leaning one-handed on the sofa back. “I’m
pretty sure of things like that.”
It was uncertain if Valerie Suppine was talking about an
alibi any more.
Mike exited without a glance in Max’s direction. Had he done
so, he would have been highly disappointed. Max was grinning ear-to-ear in
Val’s direction over the top of his coffee mug.
“Whew,” Val exhaled. “What do you suppose that was all
about?”
Max knew the FBI game. It was all about intimidation and
misdirection. But he said nothing, not wanting to disturb Val’s nest.
* * *
Chance Wilde and Anna Belle (now Wilde again) sat on Randy
Wilde’s front porch, gazing out on the Wildewood forest of firs and cedars,
each deep in their private thoughts.
Chance was wrestling with the need to hang around to protect
his granddaughter, or return to the gentle notion of a Colorado winter, while
Anna Belle was wondering how long it was going to take before the Stardust
Lodge insurance settlement arrived.
Chance’s thoughts were of the spirit. Anna Belle’s were of
revenge. Meanwhile, Max was itching to get after someone who had upset his
chosen town of Wildewood – no matter how sinister a place it could be.
After all, it was his town. And he was still Max Malone,
private eye. |
| Gifts from the kitchen! by Taeler Butel on 12/01/2017
Inexpensive and fun to make, a gift of your time and
thoughtfulness will be felt with these gifts from the kitchen.
Homemade chocolate bars
You’ll need parchment paper to wrap, twine and pretty tape
to wrap these up.
2 cups each several types of chocolate: white chocolate,
semi sweet (dark) and milk melted separately in a double broiler.
Accouterments, such as dried cherries, pistachios, crushed
sandwich cookies, caramel chips, sea salt, roasted almonds, toffee bits or
crushed espresso beans.
Coat the bottom of small loaf pans with oil and place a
strip of parchment down the middle.
Pour in about 1/4 cup of the chocolate, then (accouterments
about 2 T each) then top with another 1/4 cup of melted chocolate.
Smooth over and refrigerate until solid, wrap and place in
cool dry area until ready to give.
For the milk chocolate I’ll do the almonds and toffee bits,
for the dark I like to chop the cherries and pistachios and for the white,
crushed cookies and crushed espresso beans.
Olive oil bread dip and pomegranate balsamic vinegar
You can find pretty corked bottles and a nice table cloth to
wrap these in. Throw in a basket with crusty bread and cured meats such as
salami and cheese, and maybe a jar of olives or pickles.
For the oil:
2 cups best quality virgin olive oil
1 T each dried oregano, parsley, rosemary, dehydrated garlic
1 t red pepper flakes, black pepper, sea salt.
Mix together the spices and divide into small jars (about 2
t each) or bottles.Top with olive oil about 1/4 cup and seal with lid or
topper.
For the pomegranate balsamic syrup:
4 cups pomegranate juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
Bring to a boil all ingredients in a medium sauce pan,
stirring until honey dissolves, and reduce to simmer. Let reduce by ½, then
cool and jar or bottle.
(Taeler Butel writes exclusively for The Mountain Times.) |
| Influenza – the virus that is nothing for us to sneeze at! by Victoria Larson on 12/01/2017
Antibiotics first came into being in the 1930-40s and really
blossomed after WW II. Now we have resistance to antibiotics creating an even
bigger problem. But the flu is different, as the flu is caused by viruses and
therefore will not respond well to antibiotics. If you demand antibiotics for
colds or the flu you may be creating your own personal antibiotic resistance.
For the record, most of us have antibiotics in our systems even if we’ve never
been prescribed them. 80 percent of antibiotics are in our industrial food
system, especially meat. An argument for a more plant-based diet then.
The most lethal influenza (flu) in history occurred in 1918,
which was the worst, coldest winter the US Midwest had ever experienced. This
strain of flu killed more people in one year than all of the Bubonic Plague! We
were headed into WWI and both politics and money reared their dubious heads.
Medical schools in the late 1800s didn’t require any science
courses! There were no labs for testing anything. Hardly any students ever even
saw a patient. All that medical schools offered was a series of lectures.
Except for the homeopathic schools this was all there was. An epidemic is local
or national. A pandemic is world-wide. In 1918 some of the elderly had been
alive in the great flu of 1889-90. They had either been exposed enough to fend
off this epidemic or perhaps they were the ones who used homeopathics and
survived. Other major rounds of flu have occurred in 1957 and 2003.
Influenza (flu) is still classified by the CDC (Center for
Disease Control) as one disease with pneumonia. Pneumonia was classified as the
leading cause of death in the US until 1936. Even today with antibiotics,
antivirals, oxygen therapies, etc. influenza/flu is still the fifth or sixth
cause of death. This is nothing to sneeze at!
Sneezing and coughing are not the only method of spreading
influenza/pneumonia. Close proximity/crowding, hand-to-nose contact, even
common surfaces may spread the disease. But carrying around antibiotic wipes is
not the solution (see last month’s column). Not only would that be unwieldy and
costly, but it would not counteract viruses. It’s why the fist pump is now as
popular, or more so, than a handshake.
The incubation period is 24 to 72 hours. Hence, early on the
influenza outbreak was called “the 3-day fever.” The influenza virus attacks the
immune system, both directly and indirectly. During the flu epidemic of 1918 it
was not just the young and the elderly who succumbed, but people in the middle
stages of life. It was noted, however, that those with already lowered immune
systems, for instance soldiers living in crowded and intimate contact, were
likely to succumb.
It appears that the fear of the disease caused as many
deaths as the disease itself! Even in 1918 it was noted that the first to
succumb were the weak and fearful. Also those who were malnourished. Even today
we have malnourished people such as the homeless, school children, the elderly
and those who make poor dietary choices.
It is important to remember that despite the horror stories
of that time, most people with influenza/pneumonia survived! Perhaps they were
the ones who had the milder cases that accorded some immunity, they had
stronger immune systems or they simply recovered. My primary bouts with flu
were in 1957 and 2003. Whether or not you get a flu shot is your choice (so
far) but even today the scramble to get the right flu strain is, well, a
scramble.
During the influenza/flu epidemic of 1918 the US Surgeon
General suggested what we all know to be true: to avoid disease cover your
sneezes and coughs, breathe through your nose (to warm your breath), wash your
hands before eating, avoid constipation, avoid other persons who are sick, get
bed rest and keep reasonably clean and well-nourished. Some things haven’t
changed!
There is no cure for influenza. Vaccines and antivirals may
protect but they really just reduce symptoms. Perhaps leaving you feeling
healthy enough to go to work, much to your co-workers angst. But antiviral
foods (herbs, garlic, ginger) also do so. Decreased use of antibiotics in
livestock, packaging and disinfectants would be good too. Good old soap and
water and a little friction will go a long way in keeping you healthy. Eat the
best food you can afford and avoid sugar (it is food for viruses to grow). Eat
truly fermented foods to feed the good microbes in your gut (like sauerkraut
and yogurts with live bacteria). Do these things so you can avoid illness and
have a healthy holiday. |
|  Photo by Gary Randall.
With the spring and summer months behind us and the fall and
winter months ahead, many people start planning ahead for the next season’s
warm weather activities. Many of these plans will revolve around weddings and
wedding engagements. Because of that, I’ve decided to try to provide some
information that will help in deciding what photographer would be best for you
from a photographer’s point of view.
First and foremost is the misconception that all that a
photographer does is show up, take pictures, go home and send them in an email.
That’s no different than thinking that all that the caterer does is show up and
put some food on a table, serve it up and throw away the paper plates. That
food needs to be carefully prepared, delivered carefully and served in a
beautiful way and then the dishes need to be done. It’s a process as
photography is a process. It’s certainly true that you can hire someone to come
and take pictures inexpensively; you can also hire a caterer that will serve TV
dinners.
When you hire a professional photographer you will expect
more than snapshots of the wedding. A photographer can take hundreds or
sometimes a thousand or more photos at a single event. Once back at the studio
they will need to sort out all of the stinkers before starting the processing
phase of the project. Out of focus, closed eyes, redundancy, etc. are all
considered in this phase. This all takes time. After the initial sorting of the
photos there are still many more left to consider whether they’re worthy of
being a final photo.
If the photographer is using film, which some still do, they
will have shooting time plus processing and developing time. If they shoot
digital they will also have processing time. Modern professional photographers
photograph their images in what’s called a RAW file, which is considered a
digital negative as it will need to be converted into a usable image format for
printing or digital display. This RAW format gives the photographer the same
form of adjustment ability that the film photographer does in a darkroom;
primarily brightness, contrast and color adjustments, such as white balance and
saturation, plus a lot more. Because each photo is unique each will typically
require separate attention from the rest. In other words, each photo is
typically processed in its own unique way.
In many cases a professional photographer will have a second
or third photographer at the event. The second, or assistant photographer, is
helpful in capturing fleeting moments that come and are gone in a flash. This
assistant is also helpful in setting up any equipment such as lighting and
backdrops as well as posing people, seeing overlooked details, as well as
sorting the photos after the event. Once sorted, the primary photographer will
process the final photos. A second shooter will also help with any video
captures of the event. Today most professional wedding photographers provide
video service as well.
A professional will also have a backup photographer who will
cover for him if he becomes ill or is unable to photograph the wedding for
unforeseen reasons. The last thing that you want is a sick photographer at the
event or one that’s too ill to attend.
What do you get for your money?
All of this can add up when considering cost. Generally
speaking one can expect to pay from $2,500 – $10,000 for a true professional
wedding photographer. Most photographers will have packages at different levels
of pricing. The packages will typically provide a specified amount of final
photos provided as well as other products, such as specialty printing like
canvas or acrylic prints, a hard bound portfolio album or a video of the event.
I know what you’re thinking. Holy macaroni, right? I know
because I’m asked a lot about photographing weddings and have seen the look in
a few faces when they start to think about their budget. First consider this.
Will you remember or enjoy the catered food in twenty years? Will you remember
the DJ or the wedding planner or the venue manager? In my mind photography is
the most important part of the wedding besides the vows. The photos will be
with you for the rest of your lives and will help you to remember the details
like the fabulous food and great music. Why compromise on what will truly be
heirlooms for you and your family?
I also understand that a professional, in many cases, is
impractical. In those cases my advice is to look for a photographer who is
trying to make a mark or one who is trying to gain experience and a
professional portfolio. Most aspiring photographers are not only willing to
work for less they’re also usually enthusiastic. In this day and age, in many
cases, one will know someone that’s either a friend or a family member that has
a nice camera that would be willing to do this, sometimes for free. Ask to see
their photos. You may be surprised.
And a final word concerning attendees with their own cameras
or cell phone cameras who are tempted to snap photos during the ceremony or
during the professional photographers time.
Please consider that if there’s a hired photographer working
please allow them the freedom to work. There have been many times where I’m
unable to get the photo through or between guests trying to get the same photo.
It also makes it difficult when eyes are straying while a group of people are
all looking at different cameras all at once. Many weddings ask attendees to
not take photos during the ceremony and to relax and enjoy the event. If the
bride and groom ask or if there’s not a professional working photographer there
some brides and grooms want their attendees to snap photos. They figure that 25
photographers working for free are better than one or two pros working for a
wage. That’s a valid approach which I give as an option when I discuss a job
with a potential client.
I hope that this helps those who are considering hiring a
photographer for their wedding. And may I be the first to congratulate you. |
| Contradictions on November forecast, hot next summer by on 11/01/2017
The first 18 days of October were typical early fall
weather, with periods of sunny days followed by cloudy, showery days and
temperatures near their seasonal averages. During the next four days,
Brightwood was soaked with 7.97 inches of rain, while Government Camp received
7.28 inches of rain, melting the remains of snowfall that added up to nine
inches. We were rewarded the rest of the month with sunny, mild weather. As the
rain year ended Sept. 30, Brightwood recorded 107.12 inches of precipitation,
which is 137 percent of the long term average of 81.70 inches.
The National Weather Service is frustrated with different
indicators giving contradictory signals, in addition to keeping a wary eye on
expected development of a La Nina pattern and continued Madden Julian
Oscillation activity. Their best guess for our area expects average temperature
and precipitation levels during November. Their confidence is much higher in
forecasting a La Nina pattern to develop during the winter months, and somewhat
colder than average temperatures for our area during December through March,
with precipitation about average. Further beyond, our area is expected to have
above average temperatures during next summer.
During November, Brightwood has an average high temperature
of 48, an average low of 38, and a precipitation average of 11.78 inches,
including 2.5 inches of snow. During the past 10 years, high temperatures have
reached the 60s seven times, and into the 50s three times. Low temperatures
dropped into the 30s five times, into the 20s four times, and into the teens
once. On average November has six days that record freezing temperatures. The
record precipitation amount for November was set in 2006 with 24.44 inches.
The record November snowfall was set in 1973 with a total of
27.7 inches. The record 24-hour snowfall during November of 8.8 inches was set
on Nov. 5, 1973.
During November, Government Camp has an average high temperature
of 41 degrees, an average low of 29 degrees and a precipitation average of
12.15 inches, including 33.5 inches of snow. During the past 10 years, high
temperatures reached the 60s five years, into the 50s four years and one year
ended in the 40s.
Low temperatures fell into the 20s during six years and into
the teens the remaining four. The record snowfall in November of 125 inches
occurred in 1973. The record 24-hour snowfall of 20 inches was set on Nov. 18,
2010, followed five days later with another 19 inches on Nov. 23. |
| Stardust Melody: Chapter 9 by on 11/01/2017
FBI Agent Mike D’Antonio was back in the Portland bureau,
down in the trenches with Bureau Chief Ted Grayson.
Although having come up empty after interviewing all
possible suspects, with the exception of the mysterious Georgia Lovejoy who was
now in custody as a material witness, D’Antonio was being told to hand over the
case to local authorities. According to Grayson, who was more and more
protective of his time on the job due to the recent addition of his much
younger fourth wife, the bureau simply didn’t have the resources to continue.
After all, there were terrorists in the world.
But unlike Grayson, D’Antonio had a control-freak wife,
Sophia, and seven kids, and he wasn’t ready to give up on an out-of-town
assignment, even if he had to work weekends – which he was actually looking
forward to doing.
Besides, ATF and Homeland Security had determined the
explosion at the Stardust Lodge had nothing to do with them, and the thought of
turning the investigation over to Wildewood’s Police Chief Gandy was, in
D’Antonio’s mind, tantamount to turning loose the Deputy Dogs of Hooterville.
* * *
Max Malone pulled off the road twenty yards before the
wooden bridge that yawned across Ruby River, fifty yards upstream from the picayune
remains of the Stardust Lodge.
Nigel Best, editor and owner of The Wildewood World
newspaper, was waiting, leaning against the back of his Prius, with one foot
planted on the insubstantial back bumper, yet posing no threat due to the
equally insubstantial weight he was applying.
Downriver, insurance investigators were walking through the
wreckage of the lodge, faces covered with masks against the foul odor of
Tannerite, stepping carefully along with inadequate footwear.
Max approached. Nigel pushed his wire-rimmed glasses higher
on his nose in what was more reflexive than required.
“Haven’t seen you in a while,” Max offered.
“Right, Mr. Malone,” Nigel managed with only a slight
hesitation. “I believe we were both back in the woods where Maggie McGee’s body
had turned up.”
“Right. What do you want?” Max said, somehow not making it
sound like a question. “And it’s Max, not Mister Anything.”
“Sure, uh, Max,” Nigel said, pulling a reporter’s notebook
out of the belt behind his back, thumbing through a few pages, presumably
finding his place. “The FBI agent, D’Antonio, asked me if I knew if you were
working for Beau Kimatian. I said no.”
“No, I wasn’t working for him, or no, you didn’t know?”
“That last one,” Nigel said, turning another page in the
notebook. “Were you?”
“Are you interviewing me? Cuz if you are, I don’t do
interviews. Not for the Wildewood World, or any actual reporter in the real
world.”
“I probably should explain,” Nigel backtracked.
“That’s a start,” Max snorted.
“Uh, I’ve been digging into Beau Kimatian ever since he
acquired the Ruby River property. At first, I just didn’t think it was right
that the Wilde family, Anna Belle in particular, should lose the property, then
I got more concerned when I saw the Stardust Lodge get built, and, of all
things, Anna Belle and Beau got married, followed by a confederacy of
politicians and polecats coming in and out of the place, and I had a hard time
believing that you were working for someone like him, even though your
reputation was, um, not exactly whistle clean, but at least you’d never done
anyone wrong here in Wildewood. Best I knew. I don’t know about France.”
All this without coming up for air.
“You’re about as long-winded when you talk as when you
write,” Max said, pushing the fedora back on his forehead and almost smiling.
Nigel reset his glasses.
“He’s dead, so it doesn’t really matter,” Max went on.
“Yeah, I unshackled Beau from some of his sheckles, pretending to follow Anna
Belle for him. But I wasn’t. For such a supposed high roller, he was pretty
easy to deceive.”
“Maybe he had another motive,” Nigel jumped in. “There’s
this other woman, a Georgia-something, I’m still checking on that. Anyway, I’ve
traced Beau quite a ways back. He’s connected to – and protected from as well –
a lot of, uh, businesses in the South. Riverboat casinos, strip clubs, shopping
malls, bars, restaurants, overseas accounts. I’ve pulled this off through a
college friend of mine who’s now a U.S. Attorney in Florida, and …”
“You’re not old enough to have gone to school with a U.S.
Attorney,” Max interrupted.
“I’m forty-three,” Nigel snapped. “And this old friend of
mine is pretty sure Beau Kimatian is no more an Armenian than the Pope of
Greenwich Village. She’s come up with another name from his past. Makes you
kind of wonder if that was him in the lodge? Interested yet?”
He was.
After all, he is Max Malone, private eye. |
| MHGS: not so fantastic – China looks to cut plastic imports by Mary Soots on 11/01/2017
There is a crisis unfolding in the global recycling scene
that will have profound effects on all of us down to the household level. In
the world of trade, ‘Scrap and Waste’ is the sixth largest U.S. export to
China. Now China says it doesn’t want our garbage any more.
The following is an article reprinted from The Conversation,
a British site which explains our situation:
“The dominant position that China holds in global
manufacturing means that for many years China has also been the largest global
importer of many types of recyclable materials. Last year, Chinese manufacturers
imported 7.3m metric tonnes of waste plastics from developed countries
including the UK, the EU, the US and Japan. However, in July 2017, China
announced big changes in the quality control placed on imported materials,
notifying the World Trade Organisation that it will ban imports of 24
categories of recyclables and solid waste by the end of the year. This campaign
against yang laji or “foreign garbage” applies to plastic, textiles and mixed
paper and will result in China taking a lot less material as it replaces
imported materials with recycled material collected in its own domestic market,
from its growing middle-class and Western-influenced consumers.
The impact of this will be far-reaching. China is the
dominant market for recycled plastic. There are concerns that much of the waste
that China currently imports, especially the lower grade materials, will have
nowhere else to go. This applies equally to other countries including the EU27,
where 87% of the recycled plastic collected was exported directly, or
indirectly (via Hong Kong), to China. Japan and the US also rely on China to
buy their recycled plastic. Last year, the US exported 1.42m tons of scrap
plastics, worth an estimated US$495m to China.
Plastic problems
So what will happen to the plastic these countries collect
through household recycling systems once the Chinese refuse to accept it? What
are the alternatives? Plastics collected for recycling could go to energy
recovery (incineration). They are, after all, a fossil-fuel based material and
burn extremely well – so on a positive note, they could generate electricity
and improve energy self-sufficiency. They could also go to landfill (not ideal)
– imagine the press headlines. Alternatively, materials could be stored until
new markets are found. This also brings problems, however – there have been
hundreds of fires at sites where recyclable materials are stored.
Time to change our relationship with plastic?
While it is a reliable material, taking many forms from
cling film (surround wrap) to flexible packaging to rigid materials used in
electronic items, the problems caused by plastic, most notably litter and ocean
plastics, are receiving increasing attention. One way forward might be to limit
its functions. Many disposable items are made from plastic. Some of them are
disposable by necessity for hygiene purposes – for instance, blood bags and
other medical items – but many others are disposable for convenience.
Looking at the consumer side of things, there are ways of
cutting back on plastic. Limiting the use of plastic bags through financial
disincentives is one initiative that has shown results and brought about
changes in consumer behaviour. In France, some disposable plastic items are
banned and in Britain, leading pub chain Wetherspoons has banned disposable,
one-use plastic drinking straws. Deposit and return schemes for plastic bottles
(and drink cans) could also incentivise behavior. Micro-beads, widely used in
cosmetics as exfoliants, are now a target as the damage they do becomes
increasingly apparent and the UK government has announced plans to ban their
use in some products. This follows similar actions announced by the US and
Canada, with several EU nations, South Korea and New Zealand also planning to
implement bans.
Many local authorities collect recycling that is jumbled
together. But a major side effect of this type of collection is that while it
is convenient for the householder, there are high contamination levels which
leads to reduced material quality. This will mean it is either sold for lower
prices into a limited market, will need to be reprocessed through sorting
plants, or will be incinerated or put in landfill. But changes to recycling
collections and reprocessing to improve the quality of materials could be expensive.
Alternatively, recycled plastic could be used to provide chemicals to the
petrochemical sector, fuels to the transport and aviation sectors, food
packaging and many other applications.
The problems we are now facing are caused by China’s global
dominance in manufacturing and the way many countries have relied on one market
to solve their waste and recycling problems. The current situation offers us an
opportunity to find new solutions to our waste problem, increase the proportion
of recycled plastic in our own manufactured products, improve the quality of
recovered materials and to use recycled material in new ways.”
(https://theconversation.com/us)
In Oregon, the Department of Environmental Quality states
that it “is following the proposed China ban of post-consumer plastics and
unsorted paper closely and is engaged in ongoing conversations with local
governments, collectors, processors and industry representatives. Given the
major market disruption this is causing, DEQ and its partners are preparing for
different possibilities and developing strategies to maintain recycling
collection and processing where possible as we update those systems to recycle
more effectively in the future.
These challenges also present an opportunity to develop
long-term plans to strengthen local processing capacity, identify and grow new
markets, reduce contamination and deepen partnerships.
The DEQ is
encouraging residents to continue recycling as much as possible, but to stop
“wishful recycling,” which is putting an item into a recycling container that
doesn’t belong, wishing it will be recycled.
On a more local level, our mountain community has had
challenges with recycling since its inception. The Mt. Hood Green Scene has
been working with Clackamas County’s Resource Conservation & Solid Waste
management to address the current issue and will continue to work with our
community to find solutions to our local challenges. |
| Teaching children to bowl is leading cause of sterility in men by Ned Hickson on 11/01/2017
Teaching a child to bowl is truly a bonding experience —
meaning that you should really consider taking out a bond before entering the
bowling alley.
As someone who escaped the experience with only a minor
skull fracture and minimal orthodontic surgery, I feel I’ve acquired a level of
expertise that could be helpful. First of all, don’t change into your bowling
shoes while in the carpeted area. It will give you a false sense of security —
and make you less prepared for the realization that walking in tractionless
shoes on a highly-waxed surface is a lot like strapping soap bars to your feet
and trying to cross a wet mirror.
Ironically, your children will have a natural ability to
perform double axels over the same surface. That isn’t to say that you won’t,
it’s just that theirs will be on purpose.
When it comes to selecting a bowling ball, remember: At some
point it will be hurled backwards and into your stomach, chin, and/or groin. So
go light, and make sure your child’s fingers fit the holes snuggly. A ball
that’s moving out of control but still attached to a small child can provide you
with an extra two seconds of reaction time.
As most bowlers know, delivery style is a crucial element to
success. A curve or spin placed at just the right arc can mean the difference
between a strike or split. Fortunately, you won’t have to worry about either
since your child’s delivery will be closer to something like this:
Walk up to line.
Lift ball over head.
Throw ball straight down.
Get soda while ball is moved by earth’s gravity toward pins.
It’s at this point that the manager will offer your child
free, personal instruction that begins immediately.
Next, don’t forget to ask for bumpers, which are metal gates
about six inches high that extend to block the gutters and keep the ball in
play. In addition to that, consider bringing along some extra fencing
[chain-link is best] that can be attached to the bumpers. Though the metal
gates keep the ball in play, the fencing will ensure that play remains in your
lane.
Finally, it’s inevitable that your child will become
infatuated with the ball-return mechanism, which is sort of like a giant throat
that hacks up bowling balls from somewhere beneath the lanes. At some point,
your child will begin hovering around it in spite of your warnings that
ball-return machines have been known to suddenly switch into reverse and suck
small children into them, where they are forced to live as pin-setters until
released by an 800-series bowler.
This makes no difference to a 5-or 6-year-old drawn to the
mystery of the ball-return machine — which brings me to my final suggestion:
If you have a child who bowls, always keep a spare.
(You can write to Ned Hickson at nedhickson@icloud.com, or
c/o the Siuslaw News, 148 Maple St., Florence, Ore. 97439) |
| A farewell: thank you for the opportunity to serve HD 52 by on 11/01/2017
When I first ran to be your State Representative seven years
ago, I did so because I was concerned about the future of our state. I felt
that I could make a positive impact for all Oregonians. Since being first
elected back in 2010, I’m proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish and
contribute to the legislative process, and for the service I’ve been able to
provide to my constituents.
Recently, another service opportunity has come my way as I
applied and was hired to be the first President and CEO of Oregon Business and
Industry. OBI is the largest business association in Oregon and represents more
than 1,600 businesses, from major international corporations to small
businesses throughout our state. I chose to take this position because of many
of the same reasons that I originally ran for the Oregon House: my concern for
our state and the need for Oregon’s businesses to have a stronger voice. I
believe my time in the legislature has prepared me to provide the leadership
that OBI needs at this time and I’m looking forward to this new challenge.
Because of this new opportunity, I will be resigning my seat
in the legislature in early November. After the resignation, an appointment
process outlined in state law will begin to choose my replacement. I plan to be
actively involved in that process to ensure that the appointed Representative
is prepared to serve our district and to help him or her become familiar with
all of you. The communities on the Mountain need a representative who
understands your local needs and someone who will work with local and state
partners to find solutions on your behalf.
It has been an honor to advocate for the Mountain
communities, and all of House District 52, in the state legislature. As I move
on, I will miss the wonderful people and the relationships I’ve made with many
of you. From the Ant Farm in Sandy to the Mt. Hood Lions Club in Welches, this
area is home to service organizations that help make the Mountain a truly
special place. I want to personally thank the Mountain Times for allowing me to
use this forum to communicate directly with residents of the area about issues
of importance to them and to the state of Oregon. It has been a rewarding
experience and I thank you for all of your support these past years. I’ll still
be a resident of HD 52, so I might see you in the coffee shops, hiking trails
or on the slopes! Thank you for allowing me to serve you as your State
Representative.
Sincerely,
Mark Johnson
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for HD 52.) |
| Sides, Glorious Sides! by Taeler Butel on 11/01/2017
My favorite thing to make for Thanksgiving is an invite to
someone else’s home. There are a couple rules to this game – you must bring
something amazing that adds to the menu and a hostess gift of sparkling cider
or wine is a nice way to get invited back.
Here are a couple of scrumptious sides anyone will
appreciate:
Roasted Maple Butternut Squash Dressing
2 lbs butternut squash peeled and chopped to 1/2” dice
1 T kosher salt 1/2 t cracked black pepper
1 t chopped fresh Rosemary
1 t fresh chopped sage
1/8 cup olive oil
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate kernels
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1 cup cooked wild rice
2 stalks green onions sliced on the bias
Heat oven to 400 degrees
In a small bowl, whisk syrup with herbs and pomegranate
kernels and set aside.
Toss remaining ingredients together on a sheet pan. Roast
for 20 minutes stirring at least once. Coat with the maple mixture, place in
oven another five minutes and toss in wild rice.
Root Vegetable Gratin
1/2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
1 bulb fennel sliced thin
1/2 lb sweet potatoes sliced thin
1 T crushed garlic
2 leeks sliced thin
1 t salt and pepper
1/2 cup gruyere cheese
1 stick butter softened
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup half and half
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese
Toss together vegetables, Gruyere, cream, garlic, salt and
pepper in a gratin dish, and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.
Mix together Parmesan, butter and panko. Place crumb mixture
on top and bake another five to ten minutes, until golden brown.
(Taeler Butel writes exclusively for The Mountain Times.) |
| The gut punch: antibiotics and the role of good microbes by Victoria Larson on 11/01/2017
The word microbiotic means “tiny living thing.” It used to
be blanketed with the moniker “germs.” The germ theory claimed that all disease
was caused by germs, so we grew to believe that all germs are bad. But germs,
or the more currently politically correct terminology, microbiota, can be good
or bad depending on the amount, the location and who or what they land on!
The germ theory convinced us that we needed to fight the
“battle of germs.” A battle we will never, ever win. There are more microbes in
each and every human gut than there are stars in the Universe! About nine or
ten microbes per human cell, and we have trillions of cells in each of us. But
we’ve been manipulated into spending huge sums of money on anti-bacterial
soaps, hand sanitizers and anti-microbial packaging on just about everything we
touch or ingest. Despite the fact that we’ve lived on this earth without these
“germ fighters” for thousands of years.
Now don’t get me wrong, anti-biotics have saved many a life
and we’re grateful to have them when we really need them. But no anti-biotic
kills all the bacteria that cause an infection. The surviving microbes that
weren’t killed by the anti-biotic go on to confer their genes to other
microbes, telling them to avoid that particular antibiotic in the future. Thus
we have antibiotic resistance. That’s a very real danger. For the record, 90
percent of antibiotics are given to animals (whether they need them or not) to
increase their weight or cause them to give more eggs or milk. A case for more
vegetables and less meat!
In the early 1940s penicillin became the antibiotic of
choice. Resistance to penicillin began showing up by 1965. Tetracycline came to
the fore in 1950 but lost its oomph by 1960. Erythromycin was the answer in the
mid-1950s, but became resistant by 1960. New antibiotics since after 1970 are
already showing resistance, some being beneficial for only a brief period of
time. This is a big problem now especially in hospitals. In New York City
hospitals the antibiotics have to be changed about every four months in order
to avoid resistance.
Researchers at Oregon State University previously discovered
that not only do antibiotics kill the microbes (bacteria), but they are also
capable of destroying some of the cells lining the colon. While antibiotics do
reduce infections, both chronic and autoimmune diseases have rapidly increased
in the last fifty years. Any kind of doctor in practice for twenty years or more
can attest to this. We are now treating different problems. In 1900 infection
represented 53 percent of disease, chronic disease was only 36 percent and the
rest of disease was attributed to other causes. By 2011 infection represents
only three percent of disease but now chronic disease has risen to a whopping
88 percent. And doctors now see 40 percent more gut dysfunction than we did
just 20 years ago.
This is not to say you should extend the “five -second rule”
to five minutes or stop washing your hands. But maybe just rinsing your root
vegetables rather than peeling them, or washing your clothes with water and
soap that isn’t necessarily antibacterial is the way to go.
We can see the problem but how do we fix it? Everything you
touch has microbes on it. Every doorknob, person, pet or other object. Microbes
are inescapable. Even the much-advertised sprays which do indeed kill 99
percent of “germs,” do so for approximately sixty seconds. So that’s clearly
not the answer.
Now let’s go back to those trillions of microbes that exist
in everyone’s body. Our gut (mouth to ... the other end) does a great job of
destroying most of the bad microbes unless there are just too many of the wrong
kind in the wrong place or unless the interior of the gut has had all the normal
flora (microbes) destroyed. So how do you protect yourself?
We’ve been trained to take an antibiotic for what ails you
even if it’s a virus (most colds and flu) or other cause that antibiotics won’t
even address. What if, instead, you ingested pre-biotics to feed the good
microbes in your gut. Increasing the good microbes automatically confers
resistance to the wrong ones. Pre-biotics contain inulin from onions and
garlic. Their polysaccharides provide food for your good gut microbes. Also
potatoes, carrots, the skins of apples and pears. Your internal flora ferment
these foods for good gut health.
Pro-biotics benefit particular parts of the gut system.
These include strains such as Bifidus, Bulgaris and Lactobacillus, found in
foods like aged cheeses, kimchi, pickles, sauerkraut, sourdough bread and
yogurt. And some of these foods should be eaten on a daily basis in order to
confer healthy immunity to your gut system.
We have a very wide variety of healthy foods in America. We
have an even wider variety of unhealthy foods available that we should try to
avoid as much as possible. All we have to do is eat the proper foods, opt for
free range and grass fed animal products, increase vegetables for their complex
carbohydrate content which is good food for your interior gut microbes. Avoid
water during meals as this dilutes enzymes necessary for proper digestion and
assimilation. Eat for health but don’t destroy your microbes. And replenish
those good microbes if you do have to have antibiotics. |
|  Photo by Charlie Riter, Big Tree Images
Here on Mount Hood we are literally surrounded by
forestlands. Our homes touch the edge of the Mount Hood National Forest and
with increased recreational usage and in light of the recent Eagle Creek Fire
in the Columbia River Gorge, concerns about wildfires and overuse are
increasing. Many people aren’t aware that our local village is less than 20
miles from the Columbia River Gorge and the Eagle Creek Fire boundaries. A wind
in a different direction was the only thing that prevented that fire from
becoming a direct concern to our community. In this day and age recreation is increasingly becoming the
purpose and primary use of the forest. The amount of people using trails and
camping areas has increased dramatically on public lands, especially in areas
such as the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area and the Mount Hood National
Forest. Local and federal governments are trying their best to develop and to promote
these areas to increase the usage, and with this increased usage comes an
increase in the impact on these areas. This makes our personal responsibility
to, and the assumption of stewardship of, these lands important. We can’t have
the attitude that it’s just the outdoors and that it will grow back or that the
government will just repair or rebuild it. We must take care of it or lose it. Most all of those who are coming out to use the forests are
prepared, capable and aware of the responsibility involved in the use of these
public lands, but there’s also an increased chance of having someone that’s not
aware making mistakes or bad decisions that could prove costly or dangerous. There
are many people who haven’t had the opportunity to live or to be taught the
outdoor experience during their childhood. We can’t assume that everyone that
is visiting the forest is aware of responsible forest use. There are some basics that anyone that’s going to spend time
in the forest should be aware of and they should be understood by anyone that
goes out into the forest to recreate. The US Forest Service website has a
wealth of information such as this that can be used to raise your awareness or
of that of your friends and family before they go to play. They call it
Responsible Recreation: - Camp responsibly – use existing campsites or use an area
without vegetation if possible. Keep the site small to minimize your impact.
Don’t chop down or into trees. Camp at least 200 feet away from lakes, streams
or wetlands. Use biodegradable soap or just plain water to wash.
- Answering nature’s call – human waste can cause all kinds of
problems if it’s introduced into the water. When you must go find a place
that’s at least 200 feet from any water source. Dig a hole at least 6-8 inches
deep to bury human waste. Pack out your toilet paper etc. Carry zip lock backs
for this purpose. It’s kinda icky, but you’ll get used to it.
- Be fire safe – first and foremost check with the ranger
station in the area that you will be about any fire restrictions. Have a
shovel, axe and a bucket of water available before starting the fire. Use
existing fire rings. Remove flammable material from a ten foot diameter area
around the fire. Keep fires inside of the fire ring. Don’t feed large logs into
the fire. Never leave a fire unattended. Keep fires small and bring your own
firewood. If you must collect wood from around your camp collect downed and dry
wood only. Extinguish your fire properly. Pour water slowly into the coals
while stirring with your shovel until the area is cool to the touch. Do not
bury the fire as it can smolder for days. Never bring fireworks into the forest
no matter the conditions.
- Keep the forest creatures wild – don’t approach wildlife.
Don’t feed wildlife. Keep your dog completely under your control or on a leash
to keep wildlife safe.
- Don’t erase the traces of America’s past – archaeological
and culturally significant sites are protected and must be preserved for future
generations. Anyone disturbing such areas can be dealt a substantial penalty if
caught.
- Be considerate of others – this should be a given in this
society but unfortunately some folks don’t consider how their action affect
others. Be courteous on trails and in the backcountry. Yield to others on
trails. Take breaks and make camps away from trails and others who may want to
experience the solitude of the area. Keep noises down and let nature’s sounds
and noises dominate.
And last but not least, don’t forget to take your camera.
It seems like a lot of ‘do not do’s’ but trust that the do’s
far outweigh the do not’s, so go out and enjoy the outdoors. |
| Trick, or treat? October expected to be warm and wet by on 10/02/2017
Similar to the previous month, September got off to a hot
start with four of the first five days reaching the 90 degree mark in
Brightwood. Temperatures slowly cooled, reaching seasonal levels by the start
of the third week and falling below average a few days later. Temperatures
rebounded during the final week, ending the month reaching above average levels
again. Heavy rain fell during a four-day stormy period from Sept. 18-21
resulting with totals far in excess for the month’s total average. As many of you
may have suspected, this summer set a record with an unbelievable total of 25
days reaching 90 degrees or higher, compared to an average of ten in
Brightwood.
The National Weather Service is keeping an eye on
indications that an El Nino pattern may return and is again facing
uncertainties caused by an active Madden Julian Oscillation observation. Their
forecast for our area during October calls for above average temperatures and
above average precipitation also.
During October, Brightwood has an average high temperature
of 59, an average low of 43 and a precipitation average of 6.82 inches. During
the past ten years, high temperatures have reached the 70s seven times and into
the 60s three times. Low temperatures dropped into the 40s once, into the 30s eight
years and into the 20s once. Chances for a freezing temperature in October are
favorable two times out of three.
The only recent record of snowfall in Brightwood during
October was a remarkable seven inches measured on Oct. 31, 1994. Of interest,
last October, Brightwood recorded 17.86 inches of precipitation, although not a
record.
During October, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 53 degrees, an average low of 36 degrees and a precipitation
average of 7.03 inches, including 5.5 inches of snow. During the past ten
years, high temperatures reached the 70s five years and an equal number of
times into the 60s. Low temperatures fell into the 30s during four years and
into the 20s the remaining six. The latest date to reach a freezing temperature
was Oct. 22, 1975, but the mean date is Sept. 23. The record snowfall in
October of 34 inches occurred in 1984. The record 24-hour snowfall of 15 inches
was set on Oct. 21, 1961, compared to a more recent total of 12 inches measured
on Oct. 27, 2009. |
| Stardust Melody: Chapter 8 by on 10/02/2017
Max Malone chugged his old Suburban past the police station
and slowed just long enough to gather in a scene the likes that the mountain
community of Wildewood had never seen:
Every conceivable type of law enforcement officer had
arrived in town, with the mass of humanity overflowing from the police station
into the street, coupled with a morning crowd of local onlookers huddled
together on the opposite side of the street, some with cups of coffee, others
puffing through their second morning cigarette, chatting among themselves about
absolutely nothing, but nevertheless dressed similarly in various versions of
Levis and Wranglers as if they all played for the same denim bowling team.
In other words, it resembled a presidential nominating
convention that somehow got mistakenly booked in Boise.
For those important, and possibly unlucky, enough to be
inside the one-horse town of a police station, FBI agent Mike D’Antonio was
droning on about what he knew so far, by way of catching up the really
important agents from Homeland Security and Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Homeland Security personnel – there were four of them, three
men who blended into the knotty pine paneling and a woman so stern looking her
first name had to be Sam, and as it turned out, it was – plus the ATF boys,
hopelessly outnumbered as there were only three and their demeanor reflected
this fact as they shuffled their feet like penguins rolling an egg.
* * *
Max Malone pulled up at the former residence of Randy Wilde,
who at the moment was languishing in what might have actually been better digs,
that being county jail, where he was a government guest awaiting trial for
robbing a gas station.
Randy’s daughter, Anna Belle Wilde, was rocking gently on a
porch swing that complained like a hog trapped in a bog, while her grandfather,
Chance Wilde, leaned in the doorway, one boot holding open the screen door. As
Max swung open the gate that seemed to harmonize with the hog, Anna smiled
broadly and Chance almost nodded.
Max barely settled into a wicker chair on the porch, keeping
his weight forward to avoid the broken slat at the back of the seat. He looked
at Anna, who was still grinning like a Cheshire cat, then Chance, who might
have been the Mad Hatter if he’d ever been to Danville, Connecticut.
(Over the years there had been women who knew if Chance ever
took off that Stetson, but none of them were talking.)
“That FBI agent talked to you yet?” Max asked, shattering
the looking glass.
“Yep,” Chance responded with his usual eloquence.
“Oh yes he did,” Anna answered breathlessly.
“Well, you were both here when the Stardust Lodge went up,
right?” Max again.
“Of course,” Anna again.
“Where were you Max?” Chance said through a smile so narrow
you couldn’t slide a credit card without it getting refused.
“Home.”
“Good,” Chance expounded. “Anyone see ya there?”
Max stood up, but before he could reply Anna broke in.
“C’mon Gramps. You know he was with that uptown Reno gal.”
“That’s good,” Max said, ignoring Anna. “So, the authorities
have nothing to go on. Locally anyway.”
Max shrugged, thinking how Valerie Suppine actually had not
arrived in Wildewood until the morning after the explosion.
Max, to Anna: “The FBI agent said there were three bodies in
the lodge. But Beau only had one bodyguard.”
Anna called Max’s shrug with one of her own, and raised him
the other shoulder.
Max drifted away with a one-finger private eye salute from
his fedora, a familiar bounce returning to his step.
* * * D’Antonio’s briefing of Homeland Security and ATF can be
summed up by: There was no one in town sophisticated enough to successfully
blow up that lodge, not to mention all the players connected to the lodge had
alibis – including the owner’s wife who was staying at her dad’s house with
gramps in the other room, and a mystery woman named Georgia Lovejoy who was
convincingly shook up that her paramour, the lodge’s owner, was dead, and the
two-bit private eye who had been working for the lodge’s owner, but really
wasn’t.
At this point, the FBI agent didn’t have a good fix on the
price of Max Malone, private eye. |
| MHGS: fall is the time to get your yard and garden in order by Mary Soots on 10/02/2017
The nights are beginning to cool, which is wonderful for a
good night’s rest. The mornings are chilly, but the days are still warm. Fall
is in the air, the leaves are changing colors and the deciduous trees are
beginning their decline. We mountain denizens know it’s time to get ready for
whatever comes our way during the coming winter.
But before we start moving into winter, fall is also the
best time of year to think about our yards and gardens. A little work this time
of year can make for a healthier yard in the spring and summer. Here are some
sustainable yard tips:
- Leaves – If you want to get rid of your leaves and feed your
lawn at the same time, run the lawnmower a few times. The leaves will decompose
faster and provide nutrition for the soil. Alternately, you can rake the leaves
and compost them so that you’ll have rich nutrient-filled soil in the spring.
- Plant trees – Fall is the best time to plant new trees. The
hot summer is behind us, the rainfall will help establish new trees, bushes and
flowers, so they have a better chance of survival than if they were planted
when it was hot. Make sure to select those trees that are native to this area
so that they can support native habitats and watersheds. Native trees are best
adapted to our soil type and more resistant to drought and pests. Keep in mind
the amount of sunlight you have available on your property.
- Plant perennials – Don’t spend extra money buying new plants
year after year. Choose perennials that will continue to get larger each year
until you can divide them and have even more beautiful plants. Planting them in
the fall is the ideal time, after the heat and while they still have plenty of
time to get established before the cold of winter. In the spring, your plants
will thrive. As our summers are getting warmer, select drought-resistant native
plants that will thrive without having to be watered.
- Fertilize your lawn – If you have a lawn, that is. Many of
us prefer to have a more natural, low-maintenance yard. But if you are going to
fertilize your lawn, fall is the best time of the year to do it. In fact, you
can fertilize now and you fertilize again in the late fall for best results.
And of course, use an organic fertilizer.
- Remove weeds – You know those pesky weeds like dandelions,
thistles, and ivy? Fall is the best time to attack. You can pull them by hand,
pour boiling water on them, or even use an organic broadleaf herbicide to
prevent their return in the spring.
- Remove the lawn – More and more, landscapers and homeowners
are moving away from the idea of lawns. They are high-maintenance, and the cost
to maintain can be astronomical, especially with the rising costs of water.
Lawns that are not maintained through organic fertilizers can be detrimental to
our water systems, creating algae blooms and raising toxicity levels for fish.
Replacing the lawn with native vegetation such as bushes, flowers, and trees
can enhance the beauty of your yard.
- Fertilize organically – When preparing your soil for next
year, add organic, slow-release fertilizers that will help enhance your soil
over time. These fertilizers are made of natural materials, contain vital
nutrients to help your plants grow, and prevent plants from getting nitrogen.
Most garden stores today carry a wide variety of organic fertilizers; many
catalog companies also sell organic products, or you can use the compost you
processed yourself.
With a little planning now, we can start enjoying our yard
with less work once the winter has come and gone. Happy gardening! |
| First step to good golfing: Get a grip by Ned Hickson on 10/02/2017
When our publisher
began looking for someone to captain our golf team for a recent fundraiser, it
only made sense that she came to me first. That’s because, being that I was
once a sports writer, I’m naturally a great golfer. Just like I’m a great
shot-put thrower, quarterback, point guard, stock-car racer, Extreme
skateboarder, free-style swimmer and calf roper. In fact, I sometimes wonder
where I might be today had my sports career not been tragically cut short by my
complete lack of athletic talent. This discovery was made as early as first
grade when, during a dodgeball game, I was knocked unconscious and rushed to
the nurse’s office after being hit by the ball.
Forty-seven times.
(And I should mention that recess only lasted 10 minutes in
those days.)
After agreeing to captain our golf team, I gave myself a
crash course on golfing — beginning with golf terminology. I immediately went
online for help and, thanks to the power of the Internet, found myself on an
inappropriate website after typing in the first term on my list: Mixed
Foursome.
For anyone else who might be looking to the Internet for
golf-term clarifications, I’d also suggest avoiding Scotch Foursome, Shag Bag
and Loose Impediments. While these are all legitimate golfing terms, try
explaining that to your wife when she finds you doing an Internet search for
the term Double-D.
(Which, by the way, means when a driver is used on the
fairway after it has also been used to tee off — so THERE, Mrs. Smarty Pants.)
After getting a handle on the game’s terminology, the next
thing on my list was golf etiquette. I know for a lot of people, one of the
things that keeps them from actually trying golf is the fear of unintentionally
doing something that, as a result of not knowing the proper etiquette, gets them
clubbed to death by someone with a 9-iron. That’s because, to the outside
observer, things that seem to warrant a good clubbing are actually no big deal.
You want to swing your club and take a six-inch gouge out of an otherwise
perfect lawn?
Fine.
Want to drink a beer AND drive an electric go-cart through
the woods?
Perfectly acceptable.
However, walk between someone’s ball and a small hole in the
ground, and there’s a good chance you’ll be found floating in a water hazard.
The thing to remember is that you will undoubtedly make some
mistakes your first time on the course, and that’s to be expected. What won’t
be expected is a hollowed-out golf club that can be loaded with tees and used
as a blowgun should you need to defend yourself.
But you didn’t hear that from me.
This brings us to the actual fundamentals of playing golf —
which begins with finding your “natural swing.” Ask any golfer the secret to
doing this, and they’ll tell you it’s all about having the proper grip. To
achieve this, simply make sure the back of your left hand as well as the palm
of your right hand are both facing your target. Then, using the thumb of your
right hand as a guide, wrap your fingers around one side, then do the same with
your left while, very slowly, bringing them both back into a perfect arch so
that your beer doesn’t spill on the way to your mouth.
After a couple of practice swigs, place your beer back in
the cooler and you’re ready to tee-off.
This may not improve your swing much, but it will provide
you with a legitimate excuse as to why you shot a 167 on a par-72 course.
And if that isn’t enough, you can always claim that playing
in a mixed foursome was just too darned distracting.
(Write to Ned Hickson at nedhickson@icloud.com or c/o
Siuslaw News, 148 Maple Street, Florence, Ore 97439) |
| Eagle Creek Fire highlights need for better land management by on 10/02/2017
We’ve had quite an exciting fall season already. For the
other side of the Mountain and the Columbia River Gorge region, the Eagle Creek
fire dominated most of my September. As citizens evacuated their homes and I-84
remained closed for an unprecedented amount of time, local businesses suffered
from loss of sales. I’m proud of the coordinated effort between the Oregon
Department of Transportation, Forestry, State Fire Marshal as well as the first
responders that aided from across the state to protect what they could of our
Nation Scenic Area and its residents. This fire, and the many others that have
swept across Oregon this past summer, continue to point out the need for better
management of our state and federal forestlands. I’m hopeful the legislature
will convene hearings on this topic soon that will lead to much needed action.
In other September news, I attended part two of an Energy
Conference (part one was in July). During this conference, I developed an even
deeper understanding of how our state can maximize its current investment in
renewable energy and return that benefit back to you as a consumer. As a member
of the House Energy and Environment committee, I’m focused on ensuring that we
get the most out of our current policies in place before considering any
further costly legislation.
I had a great time celebrating the rebuilding of the iconic
“Swinging Bridge” in Rhododendron last month. Thank you to the Rhododendron CPO
for the invitation. It is important to make sure that our Mountain communities
are part of the planning process of the Hwy 26 corridor. I know that the CPO
used this celebration to encourage community engagement in the future growth
and development of Rhododendron. I plan to continue to remain engaged as well
and am open to assisting in any way I can.
In addition, I’m researching whether there may be a need to
address the safety corridor issue with legislation. With so much additional
traffic now on Hwy 26 the corridor is an important component of public safety
on the Mountain. I want to make sure that local communities have a say in the
creation and preservation of the corridors and not a state agency.
Lastly, on Sept. 23 I was honored to once again serve as
judge for the Mt Hood Lions Club 3rd annual Chili Cook Off. I’ve got to admit
this is one of my favorite in-district activities to be a part of! I’m sure
it’s no secret to residents of the area, but there are some talented chefs from
local restaurants! They really came up with some tasty chili for the event.
Hats off to the Lions for their great work on this event and to the entire
community that came out to support a great cause.
The time between legislative sessions is important for me to
have discussions with my constituents, attend local events, and take ideas back
to Salem. Please feel free to contact me with any ideas or issues you may have:
503-986-1452 or rep.markjohnson@oregonlegislature.gov.
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for HD 52.) |
| Is it fall yet? by Taeler Butel on 10/02/2017
Welcome back chilly nights with these simple scrumptious
meals:
Fall fondue
1 cup Swiss cheese cubed
3 oz cream cheese
Salt & pepper 1/2 t each
1 crushed clove garlic
1 cup milk or 1/2 & 1/2
Pinch nutmeg
1/2 cup dry white wine
Pinch of nutmeg
1 T each butter and flour
Start by heating a heavy bottomed pot over med heat, then
add butter, flour and salt and pepper and whisk for about a minute.
Add in garlic and wine, then stir until thickened. Add milk
or cream to mixture as well as cream cheese and Swiss cheese. Stir and add to
fondue pot, then sprinkle nutmeg on top.
Serve with roasted butternut squash, toasted cubed bread,
cauliflower, sliced sausage, pickles, fingerling potatoes and roasted peppers,
and a salad.
Rueben casserole
1/2 lb pastrami chopped
1 package cooked ziti pasta
1 jar Alfredo sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 slices rye bread crumbs
1 cup sauerkraut
3 T Thousand Island dressing
1 T butter
Salt & pepper
1 T melted butter
Heat oven to 350
In a large bowl toss cooked pasta, pastrami, Alfredo sauce,
1/2 cup cheese, 1/2 t salt and pepper.
Pour mixture into casserole dish, then sprinkle on
sauerkraut and drizzle dressing over the casserole.
In a small bowl mix bread crumbs, butter and 1/2 cup
shredded Swiss cheese, then sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake 25 minutes.
(Taeler Butel writes exclusively for The Mountain Times.) |
| The Milky Way – how milk has changed and changed us by Victoria Larson on 10/02/2017
Milk, it does a body good, doesn’t it. Well, unless you are
lactose intolerant or vegan or hate milk. But that’s not the issue here. As far
back as 1929 John Crewe, MD of the Mayo Clinic, wrote an article entitled “Raw
Milk Cures Many Diseases.” In those days most doctors approached disease by
providing advice for diet alteration, homeopathics, hydrotherapy or prayer.
This was way before the Big Pharmaceutical companies persuaded many doctors to
use drug therapies instead. After all, there’s money in drugs.
From the 1800s until the 1950s most families consumed fresh
raw milk, not pasteurized or homogenized. In fact, most households still had a
cow, even in the cities, or got milk from a neighbor who had a cow or a goat.
In the 1940s raw milk was a staple in the American diet. The operative word
here is “raw” milk. By the 1950s most milk in America was pasteurized. So
what’s the story here?
Pasteurization came about in the early 1900s but people
still had a choice – store bought pasteurized milk or neighbor’s raw milk. The operative
word here being “choice.” In a nation where choices dwindle every day let’s
take a further look at some history.
When the Pilgrims landed in 1620 there were no livestock on
board the ships, leaving them woefully unprepared for survival, until later
landings brought butter, cheese and milk. At that time most dairy products
arriving were from the Dutch. Jan Kaas, or John Cheese, became the word
“Yankee!” Churches in early settlements were located within areas where the
farmer could walk home to milk his cows twice a day!
The famous Boston Common began as a cow pasture, and
continued pasturing cows until 1850. Cows were kept on common ground even (or
especially) in the cities. But here’s where a change comes to animal husbandry.
When distillation and fermentation of grains into alcohol
(whiskey) became popular, it was discovered that feeding the slop, or swill, to
cows greatly increased milk production. Somehow the image of tipsy cows doesn’t
thrill me. But the bottom line was that someone made more money.
But swill milk, as it became known, lacked the healing
properties of fresh raw milk. It could not even be used for making butter or
cheese. The slop, or swill, milk industry led to a rapid rise in infant
mortality. Half of the infant deaths in cities were caused by diarrhea, caused
by the vastly inferior product produced from these “industrial” cows. Thus,
pasteurization of city milk made sense.
Let’s face it, just as with humans, the cow’s diet largely
determines its health. But slop milk was thin and somewhat bluish so it was
“pumped up” with substances to give it the right consistency and color.
Substances like chalk, flour, sugar, starch, and even plaster of Paris. Not so
“yum,” huh? Laws to end these practices did not come about until the 1850s.
But now we have confinement cows in our industrial food
system and they are not so healthy either. Instead of a natural diet of fresh
pasture grasses, cows are now fed grains, bread, cakes, pastries, soybeans,
etc. – leftovers from our industrial bread supply. Most cows will only live an
estimated quarter of their natural lives as this is not a healthy diet. Not for
the cows and not for humans.
Louis Pasteur’s germ theory became an accepted idea and made
sense given the conditions of the cows and the increase in infant mortality.
However, the mechanistic view of disease took away an individual’s choice to
prevent their own afflictions, as touted by Dr. Crewe (mentioned in the first
paragraph). Interestingly, on his deathbed, Pasteur acknowledges that the condition
of the body determines disease, not the germs of his own “germ theory.”
The bottom line is, whether you prefer raw milk, pasteurized
milk, soy milk, almond milk or no milk you should make your own decision
regarding your own health. Just keeping yourself healthy will go a long way
towards avoiding disease.
It may make more sense to keep healthy than to rely on
pharmaceuticals, prescribed or over-the-counter, unless in extreme,
life-threatening situations. |
|  The Great American Eclipse.
Motivation, purpose and reason. Why do we do what we do,
especially when it’s doing something that we love? To me, photography is more
than taking photos.
It took me a while to understand this as it applies to my
own work and how it affects my life, but the realization was life changing.
I just returned from an event in Eastern Oregon where 25
photographers gathered at a ranch just east of Baker City in Eastern Oregon to
photograph the total solar eclipse. I organized and conducted a solar eclipse
workshop and campout. During the organization phase of the event I had no idea
how it would all turn out. There’s always so much to worry about it seems. Will
the clouds show up and blot out the eclipse? Will there be enough water? Will
there be enough porta-potties? Will there be something that I’ve forgotten?
Will everyone be happy?
When it comes to worry, I seem to be a pro.
The day of the event comes and the photographers start
arriving. There were young, old, men, women, children, varied races,
nationalities and ethnicities. People who, if they were in their own element,
may not even meet, let alone sit and share a campfire, food, drink, dance and
conversation. Our lives were diverse. Our common catalyst is photography. Our
reason for gathering is the eclipse. A perfect formula.
The event could have formed into smaller social groups
defined by our differences but instead everyone came together into a hive of
gracious sharing.
We created our own village there of people who concentrated
on their one common goal, in this case something as simple and as innocuous as
getting a photograph, albeit a very special photograph. Everyone helped those
who were less skilled or prepared. We all shared our experience, expertise,
equipment, food and drink, anything freely and selflessly.
Even the children ran and played completely disconnected
from their electronic devices as if it was 1965. I saw no conflict that the
children weren’t able to resolve themselves.
It was an amazing convergence of love, happiness and
cooperation.
I describe this event only to make a simple point that has
taken me some time to realize. The secret to happiness and mutual cooperation,
I think, is not finding our differences but, rather, to find our common
interests. It doesn’t have to be photography.
It can be a myriad of other things but if we stop for a
moment and realize how much we help ourselves when we help others the world
would be a better place.
I don’t mean to preach, nor do I mean to act as if I’ve discovered
the secret to world peace, but I would like to express how much I have realized
that photography for me is the tool that opens doors to the things that make me
happy.
It’s the tool that allows me to affect others in a positive
way, and the more that I receive the recognition and gratitude of others, the
more that I realize it’s more than the photography or vanity that could come
with notoriety. It’s about affecting people's lives in a positive way with what
I love to do.
I have a lot of people ask me what is the most important
element or method of my photography that allows it to stand out so that they
too can learn how to do it themselves.
I’m convinced that what will make anyone’s photography stand
out can’t be taught but must be discovered through a journey of practice,
mistakes, realization and discovery.
It’s a process that allows you to be able to see the world
through your heart and soul and not your eyes and practical mind.
A realization that will bring a feeling of relief and
relaxation that will allow you to do what you do in a much more creative way.
My personal realization of these principles has completely
changed everything that I do that involves how I approach my work.
It has brought me happiness where there once was
frustration.
It has brought a new inner peace that translates through my
photos.
It has even brought a certain amount of success that I
wouldn’t have had otherwise. I feel that it all comes from sharing what I love.
I may not have discovered the secret to world peace, but
what I’ve discovered is helping me with my own. |
| Energy and education both a focus as the summer turns to fall by on 09/07/2017
Summer in House District 52 is a beautiful thing. Whether
you’re picking fruit, enjoying a hike or riding your bike, there’s no end to
the activities. As a legislator, I do like to take advantage of the summer,
especially after the long session and having a break from the commute to Salem.
But that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped working!
In addition to being a legislator, I continue to run my own
construction business in Hood River. Being able to work on the home front also
keeps me grounded because I can talk with residents and business owners around
town about day-to-day issues.
There is no better way to understand the needs that people
have and their feelings about state government than sitting down with them for
a cup of coffee. Sometimes these conversations lead to the introduction of a
bill, and fairly often I can assist a constituent through my office contacting
the appropriate government office. I also use this time between sessions to
learn and develop a deeper understanding of the issues facing House District 52
and Oregon.
Last month, I attended a legislative conference in
Breckenridge, Colo. called “Creating a Clean Energy Economy.” For three days I
joined with legislators from 20 other states and learned about new trends in
energy policy from various experts in the field. I really enjoyed this
conference because it was non-partisan and the purpose was to be presented information
that could be helpful to us in our roles as legislators.
As Vice-Chair of the House Energy Committee, it’s important
that I stay aware of new developments in the energy sector so that I can not
only be informed when discussing issues at the committee level, but also bring
new ideas to the conversation. I will use this information to create good
energy policy that protects consumers in Oregon and maintains our history of
having access to abundant and affordable energy for our homes and businesses.
As we look ahead to the fall, I’m excited to see what the
new school year will bring. This year, we will see the implementation of
Measure 98 supporting dropout prevention strategies and investments in career
and technical education. During the legislative session, I participate in a
workgroup to outline the rules for applying and using the funds allocated. We
secured $170 million for the next two years to be distributed to school
districts apply and submit plans and are approved by the Department of Education.
This investment will benefit all students by increasing graduation rates and
allowing for greater participation in career and technical education.
I hope that you are all enjoying your summer (and were able
to witness the eclipse!). Please feel free to contact me with any questions or
comments you may have: rep.markjohnson@state.or.us
Thank you for the honor of serving House District 52.
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for HD 52.) |
| Stardust Melody: Chapter 7 by on 09/07/2017
Lead FBI investigator Mike D’Antonio swung out of his
ordinary Buick, patted his hand on the top of the door, tucked his jaw onto the
half-Windsor knot of his blue necktie, flipped the door closed with authority,
and proceeded resolutely toward the scene that had gathered inside the crime
scene tape that surrounded what remained of the Stardust Lodge – which wasn’t
much.
D’Antonio assessed the players as he approached.
CSI members were rummaging through charcoal chunks of
timbers, grey ash that fluttered in the air under their footfall, creating the
lasting impression that the charred remains of the Stardust Lodge were going to
surrender clues of the explosion with a genuine degree of reluctance;
The Wildewood police chief, Barney Gandy, held a non-filter
Camel in one hand, while the other hand held desperately to his pants belt less
it abandoned completely the substantial obstacle that intruded upon it from
above. Gandy rocked dangerously on his heels while enveloping a deputy and what
must have been a reporter with enough cigarette smoke to set off an alarm from
the Lodge, if only there was one;
And there was a woman standing off by herself who was able
to maintain a certain appeal despite her reddened eyes, rumpled hair, and
snagged left leg of her pantyhose.
With one hundred eighty pounds of reluctance, D’Antonio
ducked under the yellow tape and headed toward Gandy.
“And you must be the FBI. Do I have that right?” Gandy
wheezed, calling down echoes of Andy Devine.
D’Antonio stared at Gandy’s extended hand until the police
chief finally picked up on the insult and planted his thumb back in his pants
belt.
“Who are you?” D’Antonio said, turning to the bespectacled
lightweight with a reporter’s notepad and poised pen.
“I’m Nigel Best. Editor of the Wildewood World,” Best said
in a surprisingly unflinching manner.
D’Antonio looked around at the tops of Douglas firs and
cedar trees, scanned the October sky with puffs of fair-weather cumulus clouds
dancing in the brilliant blue ballroom of clean mountain air, chuckled so
quickly you had to wonder if you’d actually heard it, then said: “Wildewood
World? Whose idea was that, to call it the World?”
“My father,” Best said, almost answering the challenge.
“I see.”
“And what’s your name?” Best kept pace.
“Mike D’Antonio,” he shot back. “Would you like me to spell
it?”
“That’s OK. I’ll assume it’s classic Italian.”
D’Antonio was not accustomed to being stood up to,
especially from one hundred forty pounds of pasty white skin and thick
eyeglasses. He turned away and honed in on Chief Gandy, shooting a look at the
woman of ruined hose, knowing this was to be his easiest day as the invasion of
ATF and Homeland Security loomed on tomorrow’s horizon.
* * *
Valerie Suppine peered over her pillow and watched
suspiciously as Max Malone whistled through an expertly crafted breakfast of
French toast with bacon sizzling in an adjoining fry pan.
“Must you whistle?” Val intoned through a healthy helping of
morning voice.
“I must,” Max responded sharply. “Must you wake up? The
house was so enjoyable.”
“You call this a house? Where are the rest of the
Clampetts?”
“You’re about as funny as a pay toilet in a diarrhea ward.”
“That might be funny if you had indoor plumbing.”
And so it went between the meanest little woman in thirteen
western states and Max Malone, a suddenly unemployed private eye due to the
untimely and fiery departure of Beau Kimatian from his mortal coil.
* * *
Chance Wilde scuffed along a dirt road, his well-worn Tony
Lama cowboy boots raising puffs of clouds in his wake. Anna Belle Wilde,
Chance’s granddaughter, kept pace but avoided the rutty road, choosing instead
to glide with her bare feet through the grassy verge.
“You don’t seem too upset,” Chance said, peering under
suspicious lids.
“Oh, but I am,” Anna said breezily.
“Your husband, err, late husband?”
“Heavens no,” Anna responded vigorously. “I despised him.”
“Yet you’re upset?”
“Yes,” she said, resorting to her previously airy manner.
“That was a wonderful piano. I’ll miss it.”
Chance stopped, planted his fists into his hip, and dared
Anna to stop and turn around to face him.
Of course, she did exactly that. She, too, was a Wilde.
* * *
“Better get after that bacon before it gets cold,” Max slung
the words over his shoulder as he clomped out of the cabin.
Val peeked around the door as Max got into his Suburban.
“Dammit. Where are you going?”
“None of your business.”
“I hate French toast,” Val bellowed at the indifferent rear
end of the SUV. |
| If a man is attacked by his tent, should he make a sound? by Ned Hickson on 09/07/2017
Our family loves to go camping. In fact, we make sure to get
out and pitch our tent — without fail — once a year. Traditionally, this takes
place during the busy Labor Day Weekend so that as many people as possible can
witness a 51-year-old man being attacked by his own tent.
In my defense, I have to say our tent is very large;
especially when it is laying flat on the ground.
If I hadn’t lost the step-by-step instructions that came
with it, I’m sure the assembly process would be a lot easier because, as a man,
I could use them to, step-by-step, blame everything on having lousy
instructions. What this means is that over the Labor Day Weekend my handiwork
will again be mistaken for a hot air balloon that has crash-landed into our
family’s campsite.
I bought our tent many years ago while living in Texas. As
you know, everything is bigger there — including tents — which is why we tried
to find the smallest model available. This turned out to be a tent called Quick
Camp, which was a handy, two-compartment structure roughly the size of a jet
hanger. Despite its size, the salesman assured us that the assembly process was
very simple. He said that the entire thing could be erected in less than 20
minutes with a little planning.
And he was right.
As long as our plan included staying out of the tent.
For some reason, it collapsed on us every time we got
inside. I’m not talking about an inconvenient buckling of the walls; this was
more like an instantaneous implosion of water-resistant nylon that required the
assistance of a search and rescue team.
In spite of this, we still feel it’s important for our
family to go camping together. That’s because, as parents, we know our kids
really hate it. I mean, sure — it’s pretty exciting while Dad is flopping
around under 200 yards of nylon. But once that’s over, and I’ve decided that
we’re all going to sleep out under the stars LIKE REAL PIONEERS! they begin to
realize that everything they know about civilization has been left behind.
And by “everything,” I mean the television and devices.
In the primitive world of camping there is no Bachelor in
Paradise or Netflix.
There is only dirt.
And time.
And if they’re lucky, enough fire to cook a marshmallow.
Eventually, as the shock of not having their devices wears
off, teenagers enter what I feel is the most important phase of their camping
experience: Realizing that we, the parents, are the key to their survival.
This epiphany starts the moment I pull out the old camp
stove, give it a few pumps, then light the picnic table on fire. In that
instant, the only thing that matters is reaching out together as a family and
finding the nearest fire extinguisher.
So, during the Labor Day Weekend, our family will once again
be camping out. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, feel free to stop by.
The rescue team could probably use your help.
(Write to Ned Hickson at nedhickson@icloud.com or c/o
Siuslaw News, 148 Maple Street, Florence, Ore 97439) |
| MHGS: preserving food allows us to enjoy fruits of our labor by Mary Soots on 09/07/2017
This might be one of my favorite times of the year in the
great Pacific Northwest – harvest season.
Even as I write, the sweet smell of figs wafts through my
home as they are drying out. Figs are one of my favorite fruits; the dried ones
are delicious with yogurt and granola for breakfast. Years ago, a friend
delighted me on my birthday with the gift of a fig sapling that he had grafted
from his own tree. Truly a gift that kept on giving. Alas, I later moved away
and now have to depend on the kindness of those who will allow me to pick some
of their excess fruit.
Our region of the world is one where so many things grow
abundantly.
When I lived in southeast Portland, there were fruit trees
overhanging into public areas from which you could pick the fruit. There were
Asian pears, apples, cherries, figs and more. My dog loved plums, and learned
to eat the fallen ones on the ground and spit out the pit.
Once I met a woman who grew a quince tree and invited
neighbors to pick the fruit. Another woman with hazelnut trees invited me to
take a bag of hazelnuts. In the coming weeks, I look forward to dehydrating
apples and pears for snacks.
I’ll make my annual expedition to the Hood River valley to
pick from the vast selection.
Also, the freezer has been stocked with frozen peaches and
strawberries that I will use in the coming months for smoothies. There is
nothing sweeter than Oregon strawberries, and if you can catch the Hood berries
during their three week growing season, all the better. They will join an assortment
of fruits and vegetables that I will freeze for the winter.
Food preservation is something of an art that has been
fading over time. It’s so much more convenient to run to the grocery store to
pick up packaged foods in the frozen section than to freeze our own. But I find
so much enjoyment recalling that the fresh basil that I preserved in a frozen
cube of chicken broth came from my own garden. In the winter, I just drop that
little cube in the stir-fry I’m making to give it life again. I love freezing
the heirloom tomatoes that will give sauces so much more flavor than the
hothouse tomatoes we can get once summer is gone.
There was a time that I enjoyed making jellies, and I would
spend the harvest season making exotic jellies like cantaloupe, quince,
jalapeño or combinations such as peach-strawberry, etc. It was a great way to
spend a day preserving summer in a jar.
There are so many different ways to preserve summer
harvests. One year, I made flavored vinegars with nasturtium flowers. I placed
the vinegar in pretty bottles and dropped flowers from my flower bed to add a
peppery flavor to the vinegar. They made beautiful and inexpensive gifts.
Another fun gift I’ve made in the past was cherries
preserved in brandy. The cherries were fabulous served over ice cream or cake,
and the cherry flavored brandy was exquisite.
Whether you prefer to freeze, dry out, can, make vinegars,
jams and jellies, or other ways of preserving summer’s bounty, we should take
advantage of our wonderful farmer’s market to obtain locally grown produce that
has not been harvested long before it is ripe in order to make it to the market
before it spoils. Find the local organic producers so that your off-season food
is the healthiest for you and the earth.
This is the time to take advantage of the bounty of our
natural environment. By doing so, we will enjoy the best of our local food
during the long days of winter. It’s so much less expensive than paying for
imported fruits and vegetables later.
However you preserve your food, make sure to do it with a
friend or a group of friends. The work is enjoyable by itself, but is so much
more fun when the work — and the fruits of its labor — are shared.
And you’ll have good memories to accompany the food. |
| Going back to school and keeping up with kids’ health by Victoria Larson on 09/07/2017
No more hot dogs,
No more s’mores,
No more extra summer chores!
If there’s an end-of-school chant, shouldn’t there be one
for back-to-school too? Not just for kids but also for the many adults headed
back to school as well. As we move gently to cooler weather, which sends us to
sleep sooner and less time outdoors and also less exercise, we need to think of
boosting our immunity.
Less time outdoors and more time indoors increases the
chances of “coming down with something.” This does not always have to be the
case though. Naturopaths, and many others, believe that it’s rarely “the germs”
that cause the disease. After all, germs are everywhere all the time. It’s the
“field” that the germs land on that causes the diseased state. Germs enter your
nasal passages, ears, eyes, but mostly through your gut, that term referring to
the long tube that goes from mouth to ... the other end.
If your child, or you for that matter, is the one who
“always gets sick” or “brings every illness home,” it’s time to consider “the
field” that those germs land on. While in the United States we use more
vaccines than any other country in the world, we still have some of the highest
rates of chronic disease. Without getting into a further discussion of
vaccines, let’s consider immune support for all of our children, all of our
citizens for that matter. While the medical community and pharmaceutical
companies continue to increase their profit margin, those of any income level
can do their part to combat illness.
In the US we’ve come to accept disease states as “the norm.”
Allergies, Autism, ADHD, the list goes on. It always amazes me that there are
people who shrug off type 2 diabetes when there is so much evidence showing
that diet and exercise are as effective in the treatment of diabetes as drugs
like Metformin.
Yet there are people who complain more about the cost of
their food than the cost of pharmaceuticals.
The appropriate expression here might be, “pick your
battles.”
The complaint of food costing so much in a nation where only
10 percent of income is spent on food (less than most other countries) and
throws away nearly 40 percent of the food they buy is sort of backwards.
In many countries food is purchased daily or nearly so, and
locally, not trucked in from thousands of miles away. The markets are not
“super” markets or big box stores with entire aisles devoted to boxes of cold
cereal or plastic bottles of salad dressing.
So where does good nutrition start? At home, fixing
breakfast for your kids and foregoing the office goodies. Or worse yet, that
candy bar and energy drink that many teens think constitutes a breakfast. Try
to wean children off cold cereals (any brand) perhaps by letting them sprinkle
some on their oatmeal (which does have nutritional value) or yogurt. Add fresh
fruit (endless choices these days) and nuts and proper protein of cow’s or
goat’s milk. Almond, rice and soy milk may be appropriate for some instances
but make sure other nutrients are still being supplied. Perhaps some wheat germ
(readily available in the cereal aisle) or nutritional yeast (not baker’s
yeast) which is a little harder to find but often in bulk food sections of the
store.
Children need plenty of carbs because they are still growing
and building their bodies, and these needn’t be the empty carbs of cookies,
crackers or hydrogenated peanut butter or chocolate on white bread! Better
sources for growth and health would be nut proteins, fruits and veggies.
Healthy fats include avocado oil, butter, certain cheeses,
eggs, flax seeds, olive oil and animal fats from pastured-raised animals.
Expensive? Yes, but so is medical healthcare and those pharmaceuticals. Since
most pharmaceuticals have side effects leading you to need more drugs, you
should know that by the time you are taking a third drug it’s to take care of
the side effects of the first two!
Whereas the side effect of good nutrition and a healthy
immune system is ... good health! |
| Cook for an hour – eat for a week by Taeler Butel on 09/07/2017
Lemme tell u somthin bout my best friend ... it’s a freezer.
Lemon chicken tenders for the freezer
1 lb chicken tenders, thawed
2 t lemon zest
1 t lemon pepper
1 t kosher salt
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 T olive oil
Place flour with salt & pepper in a gallon-sized plastic
bag, crack the eggs in another bag and whisk with a fork. In another bag place
the panko bread crumbs and lemon zest.
Shake the chicken tenders in the flour mixture, then shake
one chicken tender at a time in the bag with whisked eggs, and then one at a
time again into the lemon panko mix.
Lay out the chicken tenders on a baking sheet and freeze.
When you’re ready to cook them sprinkle with olive oil and bake at 350 for 20
minutes.
When they are golden brown sprinkle with lemon juice.
Freezable roasted veggies
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled & diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 t each salt & pepper
2 T olive oil
1 sweet onion or red onion, diced
Toss all ingredients together on a pan and bake at 375 for
30 minutes turning the veggies every 10 minutes. Freeze.
Hamburger meal starter
Cook 1 lb ground meat of your choice with 1/2 t each of salt
and pepper. Add in 1 small diced onion, 1 celery stalk and cook for 5 minutes.
Next add in 1 T minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add in 2 T tomato
paste, and cook for a minute more. Remove from the heat, and stir in 1 can of
diced tomatoes. Scoop into freezer bags. Lay them flat pushing out all the air
and allow to cool completely. Freeze.
Put it together - Harvest Chili
Add the veggies and hamburger meal starter in a pot with 2
cans of beans. Add 1 t chili powder, 3 cups of chicken broth and 1/2 cup quinoa
and bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer for 20 minutes. Enjoy!!
(Taeler Butel writes exclusively for The Mountain Times.) |
| Warmer weather pattern continues on into September by on 09/07/2017
August got off to a very hot start with the high temperature
average in Brightwood during the first ten days recording 93 degrees and
hitting a high of 103 degrees on Wednesday, Aug. 2, followed by 102 degrees the
next day.
Government Camp peaked with 91 degrees on Friday, Aug. 4.
Temperatures returned to seasonal averages during the following ten days, but a
return of hot weather followed for the last weekend of the month. Precipitation
remained much below average, and fire danger continues to be critical.
Following a familiar forecast, The National Weather Service
expects our area to have above average temperatures with precipitation near
average during September. The overall weather pattern is expected to continue
much as it has during the past month.
During September, Brightwood has an average high temperature
of 70, an average low of 48, and a precipitation average of 3.45 inches. During
the past ten years, high temperatures have reached into the 90s three times,
and into the 80s seven times.
On average, September has one chance in two of reaching a
high of 90 or more. Low temperatures dropped evenly into the 40s and 30s with
five years each. Chances for a freezing temperature in September are one in 20.
When 0.02 inches of precipitation was measured Friday, Aug. 11, it ended a
record-breaking stretch of 51 days without measureable rain.
During the year 2013, July was also completely dry, preceded
only by four dry days at the end of June.
During September, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 63 degrees, an average low of 43 degrees and a precipitation
average of 3.49 inches, including 0.2 inches of snow. During the past ten
years, high temperatures have reached the 80s during eight years and into the
70s twice. Low temperatures fell into the 30s during nine years and one year
ended in the 40s. The record snowfall in September of three inches was measured
on Sept. 23, 1984. More recently, during 2013, trace amounts of snow were
recorded on each of the last five days of September. |
|  From top down: 20, 50 and 85 mm.
The most asked question of me is typically advice in what
camera that one should get. I have addressed this in a previous version of The
Viewfinder. (March 2016) The second most asked question may be what lens to
choose.
In SLR photography there are two types of lenses that one
can choose. Fixed focal length and zoom lenses. It was common back in the old
days when I first started for photographers to have a whole set of fixed focal
length lenses. A full set typically consisted is a 20mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm.
Beyond those focal lengths one bought large telephoto lenses such as a 200mm or
a 300mm. We had zooms back then but they were of poor quality. After the 1970s
zoom lenses became much better and soon became the choice of most
photographers, especially hobbyists. Today the quality of a zoom lens is
fantastic.
A zoom lens allows you to magnify the scene that you’re
photographing, enlarging an area to give a closer view. It will also help in
aiding your composition. You can start wide and zoom in until you have removed
all that you don’t want in the shot creating a much more solid and stronger
composition. A zoom lens is very handy as it allows you to have one lens
instead of a set. Zooms are available that will allow a range from 28mm-300mm
in one lens.
The most valuable tool in my bag is the right lens for the
right scene. In landscape photography the most common lens used is a wide angle
lens. A focal length range from 24-70mm on a 35mm camera or a full frame
digital camera, or 18-55mm on a cropped sensor camera, is the most effective
and most used range for landscape work. Although it’s the most commonly used
range it’s certainly not the only one that a landscape photographer can use. I
love to use my 70-200mm zoom to get some details of the scene of more abstract
interpretations of the scene.
The next consideration in choosing a lens is how fast the
lens is. Fast meaning how wide that you’re able to open your aperture. The most
common maximum aperture setting is f/3.5, but better lenses typically will
allow f/2.8 to f/1.8. This means that you can use a faster shutter with more
light coming through the lens at the maximum aperture setting. The wider the
opening the more light that’s able to make inside the camera. Another
consequence of the wider maximum aperture opening is a narrowing or decrease in
the depth of field which will allow one to separate the subject from the
background by keeping the subject sharp while blurring the background. The
better lenses will usually have a wider maximum aperture but with the quality
and extra feature comes an increase in cost and quality.
I have been talking a lot about landscape photography but
the same principles apply in all forms including portraiture, for instance. A
typical prime focal length for portraiture is 85-105mm. When you own a zoom
lens, you have that range. A note concerning portraiture use a wider aperture
to narrow the DOF to separate your subject from the background by blurring the
background as described above.
For those who don’t own a camera with removable lenses, all
of this applies to your camera as well. A typical prosumer camera will have a
built in zoom as well as the ability to switch to manual and set your aperture.
Learn to manually adjust your camera and use the aperture to control the DOF to
allow you to enhance the look and quality of your photos.
It’s easy to complicate photography in one’s mind with the
perception of mathematical complication. I leave the math to the engineers and
learn simple practical application. Experiment, practice, make mistakes,
experiment more and in time it will all come together into an instinctual
understanding. In this day and age of digital photography film is cheap. |
| Pack your bags, it’s time to get the dog neutered by Ned Hickson on 07/31/2017
It was a foregone conclusion that we would have our dog,
Stanley, neutered once he was old enough. Just like it was a foregone
conclusion that, when it came time to deliver him into the hands of the vet, I
would be playing the role of “Judas.” I thought about disguising myself and
borrowing someone else’s car so that Stanley would not associate me with his
loss of malehood.
My wife told me I was being silly. He’s a dog, she reminded
me, and capable of recognizing my scent no matter how I was dressed.
It didn’t help the situation that my then four-year-old son,
after overhearing our conversation, had reached the conclusion that something
serious was happening, and that it involved — but wasn’t limited to — Stanley
turning into a girl and biting daddy.
Naturally, as responsible parents, we then sat down with our
son and, together, convinced him that he had a hearing problem. We informed him
the problem could be solved by allowing his ears to “rest,” which he should do
by covering them as much as possible.
However, we’re rational adults. We realized our son would,
from time to time, need to use his hands for something other than covering his
ears. So, as rational adults, we also developed a secret code language in order
to safely continue our discussion about Stanley. Using our new code, I
explained that I was concerned how Stanley would react once he got home and
discovered his luggage had been lost, and how he might hold me personally
responsible since I was there when his bags were checked in.
My wife argued that dogs lose their luggage every day, and
none of them go after the pilots.
I admitted she was right, but that most pilots aren’t
standing next to a passenger when they’ve just realized there’s nothing waiting
for them at the baggage claim.
That’s when my wife took me by the hand and gently told me
that if Stanley missed his flight today, my luggage would be waiting for me on
the front porch when I got home.
As I sat in the vet’s office that afternoon, I avoided all
eye contact with Stanley, who, at 10 months old, still hadn’t learned to fear
people wearing latex gloves.
When it came time, the vet explained that it was a simple
procedure. That Stanley wouldn’t be conscious during the operation and that, as
a male veterinarian, neither would he. But his assistants were perfectly
capable of doing whatever is supposed to be done “down there.”
When they took Stanley away, he was happy.
When I picked him up a few hours later, he was still happy.
Even though, with the cone over his head to keep him from licking his stitches,
he looked like a dumb cousin to the RCA dog who had gotten a running start and
gone headfirst through the small end of a Victrola speaker.
My wife called a short time later, and it was obvious that
my son was with her because she asked how Stanley’s flight went.
I told her the plane landed safely, and that we would be
home just as soon as I determine the physics necessary to fit a three-foot
diameter cone through a two-foot-square car door opening.
Ironically, we’d probably still be there if Stanley hadn’t
fit in the luggage compartment.
(Ned is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corporation.
Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com) |
| MHGS: organic produce making its mark in the marketplace by Mary Soots on 07/31/2017
Our state — and more specifically, our area — had the
opportunity to shine recently. I had the privilege of being a fly on the wall
during a conference in July hosted in Portland by the Oregon Trade Association.
Members of the Commission of Inter-American Organic Agriculture (C.I.A.O.)
attended the conference, including representatives from the respective
Ministries of Agriculture from 13 different countries such as Argentina,
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Spain, along with several staff
members from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. and Oregon.
At the annual meeting of the Commission, member countries
shared information about the advances and the challenges that have been made in
the areas of organic farming and ranching in their respective countries.
Sharing information and resources is key to the promotion of sustainable
agriculture as most countries receive little support in this area. Faced with
the task of fighting against mega-corporations that through the use of mass
media promote the use of non-sustainable farming practices, these producers are
changing the way that we produce our food. The group was hosted for breakfast
at New Seasons where they were able to see how consumers have access to natural
products and healthy alternatives. Across the world, people are beginning to
choose organic options, and Oregon is one of the highest in consumption.
Organic producers argue that the Green Revolution, which
began in the mid-20th century as a way of increasing agricultural production,
has failed. The use of agrochemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides, and
herbicides to intensify production has seen negative consequences to both the
earth and its inhabitants. In the case of farming, the soil’s nutrients are
depleted and must be replaced with more inputs.
The use of toxic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides
leave residuals that kill off species such as bees and pollinators. In humans,
they have proven to cause many illnesses such as diabetes and cancer, not just
in the consumers, but in the producers as well. By contrast, producers of
organic agriculture that do not depend on the use of toxic chemicals have seen
that after they have transitioned to organics, the soil has become healthier,
and therefore more productive. The visitors were given a tour of Siri and Sons,
an organic farm that operates out of Damascus. The family has been in business
for generations and has four farms around the region.
The same practices that apply to plant production also apply
in the area of animal and dairy production. Chemicals such as antibiotics and
hormones are used in conventional ranching, and as a result, the food that is
produced contains fewer nutrients and more calories, contributing to our obesity
epidemic.
The group was also taken on a tour of the four-generation
Cloud Cap Dairy in Boring, a member of the Organic Valley cooperative. Ranchers
such as these have seen that their herds are healthier and are also producing
at higher yields by being fed an organic diet and given fewer chemicals. As we
were told, happy cows are productive cows.
None of this is news, of course. Many research studies have
revealed to us that we are slowly killing off our planet and ourselves through
input intensive practices. The public is becoming aware that we need to make a
change to healthier practices. More and more households are consuming
organically produced goods. Oregonians are consuming organics at higher levels
than other states. In an emotional meeting of minds and spirits, our visitors
had the opportunity to have lunch and tour Bob’s Red Mill in Milwaukie. For
nearly 40 years, Bob has promoted organic and whole grains and his business is
now a global producer.
The word is getting out about the benefits of organic
consumption. The economic benefits of organic production are being seen. There
is pressure to drive prices downward. However, areas with organic production
have lower poverty rates and higher incomes.
The challenge is that with an increased demand comes a
demand for increased production. We can’t supply the demand within our own
countries, and therefore must promote organic exchange between countries. This
is especially challenging in the current strong anti-regulation mood and
anti-trade environment. Marketing and investment is important when it’s
difficult to fight against the Monsanto’s of the world. In spite of that, there
is a growing force around the world and it is very empowering to see that we
are showing others the way that this can be accomplished. We as Oregonians have
much to be proud of. |
| Take a hike! Get out and enjoy some plants and animals by Victoria Larson on 07/31/2017
We’re finally past “Junuary” in Oregon and the vagaries of
July, so we can actually find outdoor weather a little more reliable. Residents
of Oregon and visitors as well, it’s time to take a hike in our beautiful
countryside. Always with a cell phone, water, food and a jacket in order to be
prepared “just in case.” A good motto no matter what you are planning.
A trail map and a
plant and/or animal guide is always a good idea too. While I’ve made it a point
to know my animals, it’s the plants (especially herbs and weeds) that I’ve been
trained in. The natural world appeals to me way more than Big Pharma, though
there is a place for both in our modern society.
Rather than buying
over-processed herbal preparations in plastic bottles from a large
profit-oriented outlet, I prefer to be closer to the source and know what I’m
using. Sort of like going to the farmers’ market or food co-op rather than
buying processed, over-packaged foods from faraway lands in a big-box store.
But if you are buying your herbs this way, what do you
really know about them? United Plant Savers is a non-profit organization
(802-476-6474-PO Box 400, East Barre, VT 05649) dedicated to preserving native
medicinal plants. Does your herb bottle label tell you where or how or when the
herb was collected? With herbs, everything can make a difference in efficacy,
including location, weather, the age of plant, ceremony and even the mood of
those collecting.
Common herbs you may
be buying like Blue or Black Cohosh, Echinacea, Goldenseal, Wild Yan and
others, are all on the “At Risk” list for survival in the wild. Echinacea and
Goldenseal from your own garden or nearby forest is fine IF you continually
replant, care for the species, and perhaps even do some ceremony or make an
offering of thanks when harvesting.
Rather than over-harvesting
Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis) we could substitute Oregon Grape for the same
medicinal purposes. While it may seem strange, Oregon Grape is on the “To
Watch” list from United Plant Savers. It is abundant in Oregon in yards,
schools, and places no one cultivates, but overharvesting and habitat loss make
it a plant to be aware of diminishing in other states and areas. You are not
likely to find any of that out from any label, leaving you more removed from
the source.
As with mushrooms, or
any wild plant, you must use visual guides. Taking a class that includes hiking
in the wild is even better. There are excellent guides, from the late Euell
Gibbons and Nelson Coon to more modern guides with color photographs. I like to
use both the old line drawing guides as well as the newer color photos when
hiking to collect plants. Remember to collect only in areas where it is allowed
and be sure no sprays have been used.
Many of the more
useful plants are subjected to the carcinogenic assault of herbicides like
Round-Up and worse. You’ve probably heard of the usefulness of plants like
Dandelions (salads and coffee substitute in Europe) but there are other wild
edibles you may wish to learn more about. Barks, berries, ferns, flowers,
leaves, and roots are all useful for making medicines, teas, soups, stews and
even candy.
The battle to destroy
so-called harmful wild plants and weeds will continue. Certainly the
over-growth of non-indigenous blackberries in Oregon is an example of a species
out of control!
Another interesting
example in our society is the much maligned Kudzu. Yet it is grown extensively
in other areas of the world for food, fodder for animals, erosion control and
as a cover crop. Previously it was a staple food crop for centuries in Asia until
crops like sweet potatoes were introduced. Interestingly, Kudzu has a lower
glycemic index than sweet potatoes. The plant is a ‘cousin’, and even a
look-alike to jicama, the root is still used to make nutritious broth for
healing digestion, inflammation and tonifying deficiencies. In other words, a
wild food that “cures what ails you.”
With a reminder to
never taste, touch or eat anything from the wild that you are not 100 percent
sure you know. Enjoy your hike into beautiful Oregon. |
| After dry July, above average temps await in August by on 07/31/2017
This July has been exceptionally sunny and dry. In fact, the
rainless period started the second half of June and we can all be grateful the
wildfire damage in the Pacific Northwest has been minimal, at least up until
now.
Despite the abundance of sunny days, there has been an
absence of extreme heat and the average high temperature for the month is only
about five degrees above average in Brightwood, and three degrees above average
in Government Camp. Precipitation is just a memory at this time.
The National Weather Service reports our area can expect
above average temperatures with precipitation near average during August.
Looking ahead, they see no reason to change this outlook for the rest of the
year and into next spring.
During August, Brightwood has an average high temperature of
76, an average low of 51, and a precipitation average of 1.44 inches. During
the past 10 years, high temperatures have reached into the 90s nine times and
into the 80s once. On average, August has two days with a high of 90 or more.
Low temperatures dropped into the 40s without exception. Except for a trace of
rain in 2012, this the only year in the past 10 years that had no
precipitation. The record high temperature in Brightwood, dating back 40 years,
was 106 degrees set on Aug. 8, 1981.
During August, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 68 degrees, an average low of 46 degrees and a precipitation
average of 1.58 inches. During the past 10 years, high temperatures have
reached the 90s three years, into the 80s during 6 years, and once in the 70s.
Low temperatures were evenly divided with five years in the 30s and five years
in the 40s. |
| Food for the frugal chef by Taeler Butel on 07/31/2017
Life isn’t always perfect, but you can make a perfectly
yummy meal whether you are short on cash, time or ingredients.
When you have pennies ...
Potato soup
2 T butter
1 large sweet onion diced fine
1 lb Yukon potatoes
1 t each salt & pepper
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup 1/2 & 1/2
1 T Italian seasoning
1 T flour
In a large pot sweat the onions with the butter until
translucent. Add 1 T flour and the seasonings. Cook stirring for about 2
minutes, add in potatoes and broth, bring to a boil and then reduce to a
simmer. Simmer soup for 30 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add the cream and
mash lightly with a potato masher.
Things to add: Cheese, crumbled cooked bacon, sour cream,
green onions, corn, pulled pork, sausage.
When you have just a few ingredients ...
Flan
6 Eggs
1 cup sugar
3 cups cream
1T vanilla
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small pot heat 1/4 cup of
sugar stirring constantly with a wooden spoon over med/high heat until it melts
and turns amber. Immediately pour into a 9” glass pie plate. Whisk the rest of
the ingredients in a large bowl until well combined, then pour into the glass
dish over the sugar. Place in oven 35-45 minutes until it just jiggles in the
center. Chill completely in fridge.
When you have company ... just a few ingredients ... and
pennies
Chicken Legs 3 ways
Sure, the breasts get all the attention but these are
inexpensive and chicken legs are the dinner version of wings.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
3 lbs chicken legs skin on
Spread chicken legs on a large sheet, pan drizzle with olive
oil, salt & pepper, bake at 400 degrees for 45 mins.
Prepare three bowls:
In the first bowl
1 cup Teriyaki sauce
In the second bowl
1 cup BBQ sauce
In the third bowl combine
1 T lemon pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup melted butter
1 T garlic salt
Toss 1/3 of the legs in each of the sauces. Place separately
on a cookie sheet and bake for additional 5 minutes.
Bonus – when you have only minutes ...
While on my way to a birthday party I re-read the invite and
only then did I see the words “please bring a dish to share.” Challenge
accepted.
Last minute cheese plate
Burata cheese (mozzarella with cream inside)
Olives
Chevre cheese
Brie
Fruit (I chose yellow cherries)
Pistachios
Crackers (I chose olive & fig)
Sliced baguette
Pesto
Cranberry jalapeño spread
A bunch of herbs
(Taeler Butel writes exclusively for The Mountain Times.) |
|  The Underground Railroad
Colin Whitehead’s best-selling novel “The Underground
Railroad” uses a unique, free-spirited format to offer more than a historical
novel about the subject. Whitehead offers an insightful look at the actual
historical “railroad” from the cruel slavery in the South toward the hope of
freedom and opportunity in the north. Southern slaves traveled at great risk
from their bondage toward even a vague hope to a better circumstance in the
Northern states – at times assisted by sympathetic citizens, horrified at the
institution of slavery. At the same time he offers a creative way to view the
black slave experience in America, using a number of unique literary vehicles.
Cora, a young female slave running from a Georgia cotton
plantation, is Whitehead’s main character. After a difficult life in servitude
and hard labor, a brutal rape and humiliation finally pushes her to run. To add
to her risk, she is forced to kill a white man to ensure her escape. Each of
the novel’s installments about Cora’s trials shows yet another ugly aspect of
slavery and the evils it brings out in those touched by it.
This unique, inventive novel will open your mind to our
country’s experience with slavery in unexpected ways with creative literary
devices that keep you thinking.
Highly recommended.
Colson Whitehead is the #1 New York Times bestselling author
of The Underground Railroad, winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, the
2016 National Book Award, and named one of the Ten Best Books of the Year by
the New York Times Book Review, as well as The Noble Hustle, Zone One, Sag
Harbor, The Intuitionist, John Henry Days, Apex Hides the Hurt, and The
Colossus of New York. He is also a Pulitzer Prize finalist and a recipient of
the MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships. He lives in New York City. |
| Inside Salem - 2017 recap by on 07/31/2017
The legislative session officially ended on Friday, July 7. After meeting for just over five months in Salem, I feel we had clear victories, but also left some opportunities on the table. HB 3350 was a victory for House District 52. This bill creates an Office of Outdoor Recreation at the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD). They will be responsible for coordinating all things recreation in Oregon with a specific focus on new economic development opportunities. Tourism related activities only scratch the surface of what the recreation industry contributes; the gear that people buy to the jobs created, new business expanding available activities are just some of areas we can continue to develop. Even new higher education programs are being created to train students for manufacturing and recreation based jobs, helping us keep and attract talent to Oregon. I’m extremely proud to have introduced this legislation on behalf of the recreation community in House District 52 and to have seen it through to passage. OPRD is excited to have this new, designated office. They have committed to shifting some of their current resources to support the goals meaning only one new position will be created. This position will be funded with money outside of the general fund. I think this bill will be especially important to the Mountain community because giving Outdoor Recreation a voice in policy making will help ensure that our recreation based businesses will continue to grow, provide benefits to our communities, and be supported into the future. The long awaited transportation package passed in the final days of session. This package is a result of years of negotiations and hard work. Local investments will be made in public transportation as well as in infrastructure and maintenance projects. Bicycle and pedestrian projects will also receive some investment across the state. Funding for this package will come from a modest increase to gas tax, vehicle registration and titling fees, and user fees in some metro areas targeted directly to helping reduce the congestion there. Half of the new revenues raised will be returned to cities and counties to help pay for local road maintenance and improvements. All across Oregon we have roads and bridges in need of repair. This package will help Oregon reinvest in needed elements of our transportation infrastructure and build a transportation system that can meet our future needs. Now for what was left on the table. Going into the legislative session, we knew about the large hole in the state’s budget. The state’s revenues cannot keep up with its costs. Our state economy is now performing better than ever, meaning the state has more money available in the general fund than ever before. But our current budget situation did not reflect that. Our economy is strong, but it won’t always be this way and I’m concerned about the long-term impact of not addressing clear cost-drivers to our system. Increasing PERS, healthcare costs and other out of balanced spending has lead us to a point where we have had to reduce services and cut back on important investments in education. Since the beginning of session, I advocated for a comprehensive set revenue reforms and structural cost containment. I worked to build bipartisan support for a package that could have balanced our budget this year and for years to come. We had many opportunities to tackle this problem but instead, in the end, Democratic leadership only chose to pass minimal cost containment measures. This means that we have to wait two more years to make structural budget changes when the situation to be even more dire than it is now. I’m worried about what this will mean for Oregon and I’m sure most of you are as well. In the interim, I will continue to work for a sustainable budget solution on behalf of all Oregonians. Thank you for the opportunity to serve House District 52. It’s an honor to represent you in Salem.
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for HD 52.) |
| Inside Salem - 2017 reflections by State Sen. Chuck Thomsen on 07/31/2017
With the 79th Oregon Legislative Assembly behind us, we can
now look back and reflect. All things considered, I want to say that I left
this session with an overall decent feeling. Coming out of the sessions of 2013
and 2015, the mood of my colleagues and myself was not as positive, and it is a
credit to our current legislature that this time we maintained a proactive tone
for six months. For a bipartisan guy like me, that’s the climate I prefer.
As I’ve mentioned before, we passed General Fund and Lottery
Fund budgets to a total of nearly $21 billion, marking a 10 percent increase
from our current biennium. K-12 received $8.2B, which wasn’t as much as many of
us wanted but is still respectable. I am on the Ways and Means Education
Subcommittee and was proud of my colleagues for holding strong – getting to
$8.2B was not a simple task and I especially want to thank my friend, Sen. Rod
Monroe (D-Portland) who chairs the subcommittee, for helping keep us unified.
The big item of the session was the Transportation Package,
HB 2017. It has been critical for years that we improve our road
infrastructure, and for the past few sessions the legislature had punted on
doing so. This time, $5.3B will be raised over ten years to do just that.
Rather than just one massive gas tax hike, the cost will be more spread out
between bicycle and vehicle sales. There are also provisions in the bill to
help streamline ODOT expenditures.
I Chief-Sponsored 16 bills that either directly passed or
were amended into other legislation, and was a Sponsor of 25 successful bills.
Out of the “realistic” bills I was part of, all but one proved successful. Sen.
Peter Courtney and I still have SB 1 left to work on, which will improve labor
camp conditions for agricultural workers – and in turn help a little to ease
the housing market. We felt it was best to wait a session to really push for
that one.
Over the next year I would like your help if you have any
new ideas for legislation or would just like to offer your feedback. You can
contact me at any time at 503-986-1726 or
sen.chuckthomsen@oregonlegislature.gov.
(Charles Thomsen is the State Senator for District 26.)
|
| Stardust Melody: Chapter 6 by on 07/31/2017
Mike D’Antonio is the lead investigator for the Portland
office of the FBI. He likes his lofty position because it gets him out of the
house. A lot. He also likes it because it gets him out of Portland. Not nearly
enough. And the pay’s not bad.
D’Antonio is married to Sophia – a controlling woman who
can’t control him, according to her – but is highly successful at it, according
to him. They have seven kids.
Mike hates the city. Any city. Well, except for Palermo,
perhaps, though he’s never been there.
He has a chip on his shoulder that is more like a wood pile.
His nose has been broken more times than a bus load of campaign promises. He
sports a scar under his right eye that’s obvious enough to look like, once upon
a time, he dropped a twelve-round split decision to Sugar Ray Leonard. But
that’s not true. What happened is his father dropped a brick as he was perched
on the top rung of a ladder trying to build his own fireplace chimney while
Mike held the bottom of the ladder, gazing up admiringly at the masonry skills
of his pop – which was nothing more than childhood devotion to a father who
never particularly cared about Mike, or either of his four sisters for that
matter. Spellbound, little Mike took the brick in the face.
He goes by the book, unless the plot gets too murky. He
subscribes to the Captain Jack Sparrow book of rules: “They’re more like
guidelines.” He’s wary, and tough to pin down.
He was called into the office Sunday afternoon – it would
have been better if it had been Sunday morning, before mass – but it was better
than spending the afternoon with his knucklehead neighbors, flipping burgers
for a city block of kids, which was Sophia’s idea of a perfect Sunday
afternoon.
The bureau chief, Tad Grayson, filled him in as quickly as
possible. Tad was actually looking forward to flipping burgers at home with his
new wife, his fourth, who was twenty years his junior.
* * *
Mike meandered along the Columbia River on this lazy Sunday
afternoon in his bland Buick sedan, settling in to the slow lane of the
Interstate, with Puccini blasting through the stereo speakers.
Mike rocked back and forth to the heartbreaking and rare
Toscanini conducted version of La Boheme.
Was that a tear in the corner of Mike’s eye?
* * *
Anna Belle stood underneath the footbridge, just beyond the
debris scattered by the explosion that removed the Stardust Lodge from the face
of the earth, and the crime tape that had been tacked up by crime scene
investigators, dragging her bare foot along a shallow pool of Ruby River,
curling her nose against the acrid odor of the conflagration.
* * *
Chance Wilde tackled the Monster Burger at Lola’s like
Ronnie Lott chasing down a skinny quarterback. His baleful stare kept the
bartender at bay. He washed the burger down with a bottle of Bud. Kris
Kristofferson would have called it “Sunday comin’ down.”
* * *
Max Malone stared in disbelief at the pink Cadillac with
fins borrowed from a Peter Benchley novel. Valerie Perrine, the meanest little
woman in thirteen western states, and the woman who had somehow sneaked
two-hundred-fifty large from underneath Max’s normally well-trained nose during
the Reno caper, slid out from behind the wheel, knocked the door closed with
her heel, and marched straight up to Max, stepped around him into his cabin,
peered for a second or two with utter disdain at the décor, and leaned away
from the stereo bouncing through a Frank Sinatra tune.
“I hope you don’t expect me to stay in this dump,” Valerie
offered without it being an actual question. “And what’s with the music?”
Valerie Perrine left popular music when Bob Dylan went
electric.
* * *
In other words, everyone in Wildewood seemed to be about
their own business, despite the eruption that sent the Stardust Lodge sky high
early that morning, as Mike D’Antonio brought his Buick to a halt beyond what
had once been the lodge’s parking lot.
For the crack FBI investigator, it was time to go to work. |
|  Lost Lake.
When I was a boy living in southern Oregon my friends and I
would take our blankets and sleeping bags out into a huge field near our homes
and sleep under the stars. Where I lived, the sky had no effect from cities or
other light sources that would dilute the brightness of the stars. We would
watch for satellites and falling stars against a backdrop of a band of a dense
cloud of stars stretching across the sky and the Milky Way.
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains our solar system.
It's our home in the universe. We're looking at it from the inside out, so to
speak. Its shape is like a disc with a bulge in the center which is the core of
the galaxy. As we are observing it from our point of view here on Earth we can
see the core on the horizon and the diminishing density of the disc as it
stretches out from the core above our heads. As the night progresses it sweeps
across the sky as the Earth rotates.
The best time of the year to observe the Milky Way from the
northern hemisphere is in the summer. Its place in the sky is most dramatic and
bright toward the southern horizon where the core is positioned. I love to
photograph the Milky Way in July. The nights are usually warm and the Milky Way
is bright.
Other considerations include the moon phase as well as the
moon rise and set times. The moon will illuminate the sky and fade out the stars
and the Milky Way when it's illuminated, even a crescent moon will provide
sky-brightening light.
Now get away from a city or a town that will brighten the
sky on a dark sky night. The darkest skies are found during the beginning of
the moon's first phase called the New Moon. The New Moon happens when the sun,
earth and the moon's alignment puts the dark side of the moon toward Earth
during the daytime. There are times when one can observe the rise and fall
times of the moon and plan a night when the moon will set early enough in the
evening to have less effect on the night sky, but planning a photograph of the
night sky during a new moon is the easiest way to insure a nice dark sky with
nice bright stars.
To understand the mechanics involved in getting a photograph
of the Milky Way or any night sky photograph, one must consider that the sky is
dark and you will need to do all that you can to get as much light into the
camera as possible within a 20-30 seconds exposure time. This will require you
to set your camera up on a tripod first and, ideally, the use of a remote
shutter release to reduce camera movement.
The next consideration is the lens. The best lens for night
photography will be a "fast" lens, one that you can open the aperture
up to f/2.8 or more. This will allow more light to come into the camera through
the lens, but an f/3.5 lens will work with a higher ISO setting and so the next
setting to understand is the ISO, or ASA if shooting with film. ISO/ASA is the
film or the image sensor's sensitivity to light. I will assume that we're
discussing digital photography for this exercise but the principle is
essentially the same with film photography.
The higher the number of the ISO the more sensitive to light
your camera will be, therefore you will want to shoot at elevated ISO settings.
The quality of the image will depend on the quality of the sensor in your
camera. Some more modern sensors will produce a much cleaner image with less
noise, a result of an elevated ISO. This is the same as with film. The higher
the ASA the more grain that the image will have.
With all of this said, and to sum it up, you will shoot the
night sky on a tripod with a wide open aperture, high ISO and an extended
exposure time, usually 20-30 seconds. A shutter speed that's longer will start
to show streaked stars as the Earth rotates. Because the amount of light in a
sky will vary from location to location, city light pollution, etc., and each
camera is different in how well it performs in the dark, you may need to take a
test shot or two before you get your settings right for the exposure that
you're looking for. Your goal is to get a bright enough exposure with the
lowest ISO that you can use. This is to insure a cleaner image with less noise
as discussed previously.
The last thing that you will want to consider is focusing in
the dark. You will not be able to use your Auto Focus feature and setting your
zoom lens to infinity will provide a soft focus. You will need to manually
focus your camera. A good way if one has a preview screen is to point the
camera at the brightest star in the sky, center it in your preview screen and
increase the magnification of the preview screen while keeping the star
visible. Once it's magnified you can manually focus until the star becomes
clear. Turn off your Live View and take your photo. There may be times where
you may see a light off in the distance that you can focus on too, perhaps a
far distant house for instance. I have seen folks focus their camera during the
day and mark the spot with a marker such as a piece of tape or a marker.
It may sound a little complicated but it's actually very
simple once you give it a try. It's all about gathering light on a dark night –
a wide open lens aperture, a high ISO setting and an extended shutter/exposure
time. Go outside on the next dark night, point your camera toward the southern
horizon and give it a try.
I'm sure that you'll be excited with what you will see on
your preview screen. |
| How to impress people by freaking out on a carnival ride by Ned Hickson on 06/30/2017
I have a basic rule of thumb when it comes to carnival
rides: If the person running a ride, such as the Squirrel Cages, keeps a garden
hose available for spraying out the seats, I stay away. That’s because this
person’s sole ambition is to make me — and others like me — vomit.
I realize this person may be a trained professional who, on
a daily basis, makes countless split-second decisions on whether to push the
red or green button to stop the ride. And, yes, I realize this individual has
nothing but the safety of his passengers in mind when he secures a safety latch
by removing his boot and whacking it until his arm gets tired, at which point,
being a trained professional, he bolsters the confidence of his nervous riders
by hacking up a cheekful of phlegm and shrugging his shoulders before walking
off.
Yet somehow, in spite of these assurances, I’m still
terrified of carnival rides. I think it’s because, when I was 10, my “friends”
talked me into riding The Drop Out, which wasn’t actually a ride as much as it
was a barf-a-torium with an observation deck.
Basically, 30 people entered a circular room and found a
spot along the wall. Gradually, the walls would begin to rotate faster and
faster, creating enough centrifugal force to suck the cotton candy from the
mouth of anyone standing within 100 feet.
Once the ride reached optimum centrifuge, occupants would be
stuck to the wall as the floor dropped out, leaving them suspended 20 feet
above a pit of (presumably fake) spikes.
All of this was visible through a series of windows
surrounding the ride so that, while waiting in line, people such as myself could
prepare for the experience by, very slowly, having a bowel movement. I still
don’t know how I got talked into this ride. All I know is I ended up next to
someone whose stomach contents went on display the instant the floor dropped
out.
Due to the force of gravity, I couldn’t move my head without
blacking out, which meant watching the sum total of this person’s food
consumption — which was considerable — reconfigure itself on the wall next to
me.
This was, without question, the longest ride of my life. To
this day, I can still see the apologetic look on that person’s face as the ride
came to an end and the three of us — him, his vomit and I — gradually slid down
the wall together.
Since that fateful encounter I’ve had no interest in being
strapped down, cinched up or buckled into something specifically designed to do
things I wouldn’t normally do without a flight suit and full medical coverage.
My daughter gets frustrated by this because she’s one of
those people who is exhilarated by having her stomach in her mouth. The one
time she talked me into riding with her was the Squirrel Cages. Everything was
fine until that part in the ride where — and you know the part I mean — it
starts to actually move.
Granted, I’m not a professional carnival ride operator, but
I think I could recognize some of the subtle signs exhibited by a rider who is
in distress. For example: Someone who is pressed so hard against the cage that
his lips are actually outside the door while screaming
“LET-ME-OFF-LET-ME-OFF-LET-ME-OFF!” would be a red flag to me.
Particularly if the rider in question began doing this after
traveling less than two feet. In my case, these signs were somehow missed by
our ride operator. I’m not saying it was all his fault.
Who knows, he might’ve been busy looking for a garden hose?
(Ned is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corporation.
Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com) |
| MHGS: the connection between happiness and our environment by Mary Soots on 06/30/2017
It’s summertime! Everyone who lives in our community
understands that summer is an opportunity to hear the birds sing, spend time
outdoors next to a river or stream, find a waterfall, barbecue outdoors and
revel in the beauty of The Mountain.
Not everyone has the opportunity to bask in the glory of
paradise. It made me curious about the relationship between happiness and the
environment. We often study humans’ effect on the environment, but what is the
effect of the environment on humans? Are people who live in a beautiful
environment such as ours more likely to be happy than someone who lives in a
decaying urban environment?
A case study that was done by the Happiness Initiative
measured Seattle’s environmental happiness, and it focused on citizens’
perceptions about the quality of their water, air, soil, forest cover,
biodiversity, etc. This included access to green areas and the system of waste
management and transportation. Unfortunately, Seattle scored low in spite of
their overall appreciation for access to nature. They expressed pessimism about
conservation efforts and the future state of the environment.
To see how the U.S. as a whole compared with other
countries, I referred the Happy Planet Index that measures sustainable
wellbeing, how well nations are at achieving long, happy, sustainable lives.
The Happy Planet Index measures a quality of life by
examining three major factors: median Life Expectancy, experienced Wellbeing
and Ecological Footprint, taking into consideration resource consumption as a
factor in one’s wellbeing.
While it may be difficult to measure feelings, the
information is derived from surveys and from statistical data. Also, when
discussing environment, the research looks at such things as social support,
available resources and even weather. Its purpose is to help us understand that
it is possible to live good lives while living sustainably.
Are we a happy nation? In spite of the fact that we have so
much wealth, I was surprised to learn that the U.S. did not score in the
highest 10. Not even in the highest 100! In fact we came in as 108th nation of
the 140 that were studied in 2016. It seems that our increasingly unstable global
economy, rising inequalities and the threat of climate change have both
Americans and Europeans no longer thinking that life is getting better. One
reason people are unhappy is that governments place more importance on economic
growth over social and environmental wellbeing. GDP growth does not value the
things that are really important to people such as social relations, health or
how they spend their free time. Most importantly, economic growth is
incompatible with the planetary limits.
The Happy Planet Index for the U.S. was 20.7, while many
Latin American and African nations rated much higher. The country that rated
highest was Costa Rica, with 44.7, followed by Mexico at 40.7. In terms of Life
Expectancy, Hong Kong residents can expect to live an average of 83.6 years, while
the average American lives 78.8 years. In measuring Wellbeing on a scale of
1-10, Iceland and Sweden scored highest at 7.6, while the U.S. scored 124th
lowest at 7.0.
When it came to Inequality of Outcomes, European nations
rated the lowest inequality (as low as 7.5 percent) while the Sub Saharan
nations rated highest (up to 51 percent).
The U.S. rated among post-communist European nations at 13
percent.
Not surprisingly, when we look at Ecological footprint,
wealthier countries such as the U.S. had the most environmental impact per
capita while the poorest had the lowest impact.
So the answer to my question was that people who live in
beautiful areas are not necessarily happier than those who don’t.
The Happiness Initiative study showed that “our mindset
about the environment may be just as powerful as the actual state of it.”
They suggest that we can take steps toward improving our
environment and to boosting optimism about the Earth’s future by taking the
following steps:
- Eat local and organic
- Work with neighbors to turn an ugly communal place into a
beautiful area
- Avoid pesticides, herbicides and fungicides in your home
garden
|
| Stardust Melody: Chapter 5 by on 06/30/2017
The saga unfolding in Wildewood was getting edgy – like a
butcher knife coming to an end of its encounter with the grindstone.
Chance Wilde was ignoring his son’s struggle with the law.
Anna Belle Wilde was as fed up with her husband, Beau, as a
Roman in a vomitorium.
Beau Kimatian was knee deep in notoriety over his sumptuous
Stardust Lodge, but also up to his neck in suspicions about his wife’s
fidelity, or lack of it.
Johnny Templeton, the bespectacled high school English
teacher couldn’t see past his next tryst with Anna, while each moment brought
him closer to a Beau bombing run.
And of course, there was Max Malone, private eye, parading
around with a pocket full of Beau bucks, supposedly spying on Anna – which was
the last thing on his mind – while he tried to put his personal life back
together after Natasha, Dolly Teagarden, a house full of terrorists, an
unyielding radiator, and France, none of which were in any particular order
other than the shared necessity of being compartmentalized so Max could get
back to being Max, even though, all the while, there was a pink Cadillac with a
Nevada license plate sliding across the border bearing down on his location
like a heat seeking missile from a bad Tom Cruise movie, there being no other
kind.
* * *
It was Sunday, 3 a.m., the lights dimmed at the Stardust
Lodge, with Beau Kimatian basking in his narcissistic aura, fondling a warm
snifter of cognac, which was his ritual after another successful Saturday night
full of wealthy trout fishermen – where do wealthy trout fishermen come from? –
politicians, retired ball players, sloe-eyed body guards, and Anna’s flawless
music renderings.
He had asked Anna to join him after hours but she refused,
shaking her head, causing several strands of black hair to invade her ivory
forehead before she flicked it back with a dismissive, and practiced, flip of
her wrist.
Beau watched Anna sway away with the same interest as a
drunk in a Leonard Cohen song lyric.
He had no reason to worry, after all. He had Max Malone on
the case.
Beau activated the juke box eliciting into the still of the
night a piece of disco fluff from the 70s that belonged in this moment like a
truck load of yellow cake in an Iraqi arsenal.
A lot of things about Beau Kimatian didn’t fit.
It had rained that night, but had now subsided, leaving the
haunting drip-drip of drops from the laden conifers. A mountain lion crept from
the shadows and crossed the road leading to the footbridge of Ruby River – clearing
the distance in an easy, menacing, single bound – seen only by a barn owl that
unblinkingly gazed at the lithe cat with yellow-eyed approval.
With the exception of Beau, Wildewood was done for the
night. Supposedly.
First came the rumble of earth, seemingly moving, rocking,
quaking, followed immediately by the sound: an explosion that was both serious
enough to wake the town, and dangerous enough due to its proximity.
Some Wildewood residents held on to the headboards. Some ran
toward their children’s bedrooms to reassure them despite their own lack of the
same. Some scrambled to their vehicles and headed like the sturdy volunteers
that they were, to the fire station for directions to the disaster. Some stared
at the bedroom ceiling, intent on not getting involved. Some wondered what had
just go into their partner.
After the attack on his eardrums and the burst of flame from
the kitchen, Beau’s wonderings were over.
The Stardust flames leaped into the sky. The fire engines
made it as far as the footbridge, but firemen ventured no closer, turning their
attention to working a perimeter to prevent a forest fire.
The wet forest was their best ally.
The mountain lion had crouched, then ran deep into the
woods. The owl was shaken out of its reverie and noiselessly skimmed over the
branches casting a knowing glance back as it flew into the night that it had
owned up until the disturbance from what had been the Stardust Lodge.
And it’s quite possible there was someone in Wildewood
making certain of an alibi. |
| Schools and transportation on legislative docket by on 06/30/2017
Here we are in the full swing of summer. This time of year,
so many are celebrating graduation and the achievements of students across
Oregon. As the Hood River County School District board chair, I recently had
the honor of handing out 300 diplomas to Hood River High graduates at their
commencement. This is one of my favorite experiences as a board member, because
their success is the reason why I continue to serve on my local school board
and as a State Representative advocating for a strong public education system.
This graduation was extra special for me as the class of 2017 was in first
grade when I first joined the school board in Hood River. It was fascinating to
think of all of the board decisions and policies that I had been a part of that
were intended to help each of them to be successful students. Watching them
receive their diplomas that evening was especially gratifying for me.
As I write this, the Oregon Legislature is still meeting,
but has yet to complete the budget balancing process or been able to vote on a
transportation package. The state school fund, that funds our K-12 schools, is
currently set at a minimum of $8.2 billion and has passed out of the Senate.
The bill will come to the House floor by the end of June. It’s important to
note that, this biennium’s budget for schools is 11 percent more than the
previous biennium. But the Oregon School Board Association calculates that
Oregon schools need $8.4 billion to reach a ‘no cuts’ budget. The reason for
this is the impact that increased costs (PERS rate increases and health
insurance premiums) are putting severe pressure on local school district
budgets. So even an additional 11 percent increase in state funding is not
enough to keep up with costs. This is why I’ve been working hard throughout
this legislative session to find a bipartisan budget solution that can address
the structural budget problems that we have and make strategic investments in
education that will produce better outcomes for students. I hope we can be successful,
not just for this budget year but for the years to come.
Whether the transportation package will come to the floor
for a vote remains unknown at this time. The entire Clackamas County region
could benefit from infrastructure updates, especially throughout the I-205
corridor, and maintenance and safety improvements on Hwy. 26. Overall, highway
maintenance and preservation, especially seismic upgrades, are a key component
of the package, funded through increased registration and titling fees. Traffic
congestion relief is a second component, with a focus on the areas experiencing
high congestion on a daily basis, and improvements to public transit are a
third component to the package, with a specific focus in rural areas. An
increase to the gas tax is what would help fund the package, which is something
I have to balance carefully with other increases to everyday items that my
constituents may be experiencing. One of the new ideas in this transportation
plan is to utilize tolling in high density areas to fund traffic congestion
relief projects in the metro area. It is based on the thought that it is more
equitable to require the metro area residents to contribute more to the
projects that will benefit their areas. While these conversations continue, I’d
like to ask for your feedback ASAP on what you’d be willing to support and what
you’d to see in a transportation package. Please email me at
rep.markjohnson@oregonlegislature.gov. For information about the specific
components that are being considered.
One legislative highlight I want to make is on HB 2998. This
legislation addresses the complex problem of credit transfer for community
college students who want to achieve a four-year degree.
Too often, credits that students take at a community college
aren’t accepted at credit towards a degree at an Oregon university. HB 2998
will establish a foundational curriculum outlining the first year of coursework
for any degree that community college students can take and guarantee that all
the credits will transfer. HB 2998 will also create unified transfer agreements
for individual majors. Using the foundational curriculum for the first year,
these agreements will outline the credits needed for the remaining three years
to provide a path for students to achieve their degree in a timely fashion.
This legislation will make a big difference for students, because they won’t be
taking excess credits that don’t count towards a degree. Combined with the
affordable Oregon Promise grant, students can realize their success without the
threat of crushing student debt. In my four terms as a state legislator, this
one of the most significant pieces of legislation I’ve been a part of and I’m
thrilled to have been a part of the process.
There is still quite a bit unknown about how this
legislative session will end. A final wrap-up will be provided in my July
content. If you’d like more regular updates, please sign up for my newsletter
at http://www.repmarkjohnson.com/newsletter-signup/. You can always call or
email my legislative office at 503-986-1452 or
rep.markjohnson@oregonlegislature.gov.
Thank you for the honor to serve House District 52.
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for HD 52.) |
|  Camino Island
Occasionally, over the course of his writing career, author
John Grisham has ventured away from his well-known legal thrillers into new
territory.
Why? Because he is the John Grisham and he can!
In this volume, Grisham spins a tale involving a struggling novelist,
missing (and extremely valuable) F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscripts and a setting
in a quiet resort town on an island off the Florida coast that happens to have
an independent bookstore.
Mercer Mann is a local novelist wrestling with possible
inspirations for her next book when she is approached about the missing F.
Scott Fitzgerald manuscripts stolen from a library in Princeton.
As the recovery would potentially pay off her student loans,
she agrees to take on the challenge.
One possible lead involves the local independent book store
which specializes in valuable rare editions as well as the normal retail sales,
book signings and meet-the-author events.
The bookseller is a colorful character with a deep passion
for rare volumes. But has he also given in to a nefarious financial motive?
Grisham has a lot of fun here. Publisher marketing indicates
that he and his wife came up with the idea for this novel while traveling down
the east coast to Florida.
This is a great read for lovers of physical books and
bookish things – and fans of John Grisham.
John Ray Grisham Jr. is an American bestselling writer,
attorney, politician and activist best known for his popular legal thrillers.
His books have been translated into 42 languages and published worldwide. |
| Hot end of June relents as average temperatures arrive in July by on 06/30/2017
Temperatures during the first week of June were moderate
with mostly sunny days and precipitation limited to June 1. Showers fell during
all but one of the next 10 days in Brightwood, accompanied by cool and cloudy
weather. Then summer got off to an impressive start during the last two weeks
with rainfall just a memory and a heat wave ending the last weekend of the
month, with record-threatening temperatures.
The National Weather Service reports that all their
indicators are in agreement that our area can expect near average temperatures
and precipitation during July.
During July, Brightwood has an average high temperature of
75, an average low of 51 and a precipitation average of 1.29 inches. During the
past ten years, high temperatures have reached the 100s twice, into the 90s
four times and into the 80s four times. Low temperatures dropped into the 40s
without exception.
During July, Government Camp has an average high temperature
of 68 degrees, an average low of 46 degrees and a precipitation average of 1.04
inches. During the past 10 years, high temperatures have reached the 90s twice,
and into the 80s the other eight years. Lows had six years in the 30s, and four
years in the 40s. |
| Fireworks in the kitchen by Taeler Butel on 06/30/2017
Recently I made the best strawberry cake with fresh
strawberries and cream cheese icing. I ate it hot out of the oven which is
highly recommended. For this one, let’s add blueberries and make it festive for
the fourth!
Red, white and blue cake
Preheat the oven to 365 degrees. Butter and flour three 8”
round cake pans.
In a large bowl mix together:
1 1/2 T baking powder
3 cups flour
1 t salt (kosher)
2 cups sugar
In a measuring cup stir:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 t vanilla
Add the wet to the dry and stir until moistened.
Add in:
3/4 cup sliced strawberries
3/4 cup whole blueberries
Add mixed up contents to the three prepared cake pans and
bake for 25 minutes.
Cream cheese frosting:
With a mixer whip together:
1 stick room temp butter
8 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 t lemon juice
1 t vanilla
Frost each layer.
Kentucky Hot Browns
Butter a 9x13” baking dish. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice
the Hawaii sweet rolls in half and place the bottom halves in the dish.
Make a white sauce by adding 1T each of flour and butter in
a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk, cooking for 2-3 minutes then add in
1 cup of milk slowly while stirring.
Add in 1/2 t salt & pepper and cook until it is
thickened. Set aside.
2 pkgs Hawaii Sweet rolls
10 slices cooked bacon
10 slices sliced turkey
10 slices ham
1 cup Swiss cheese
1 tomato sliced
For the topping
Melt 3T butter and mix in 1T each of onion powder, poppy
seeds and garlic salt.
Assemble the sandwiches. Spread sauce over bottoms of the
rolls, then place the bacon, turkey, ham, tomato slices and cheese on top,
place the tops on and brush with the seasoned butter.
Place in the oven for 15 mins until cheese is melted. Serve
warm.
(Taeler Butel writes exclusively for The Mountain Times.) |
| Legislature's tone improving by State Sen. Chuck Thomsen on 06/30/2017
As legislative session is on the brink of wrapping up, I
believe we look okay. Not great, but not bad.
Much of what I write can change by the time you read this –
the K-12 budget, SB 5517A, hasn’t passed the House yet. Like I wrote about last
month, I voted for it in the Senate and in subcommittee. As a state senator, it
has been my first yes vote for a K-12 budget as introduced because it’s the
first decent one yet. I was expecting them to come in at $7.9 billion, so when
it arrived at $8.2B I concluded that with extra end-of-session funds, we can
hit a relatively impressive number.
Its holdup in the House shouldn’t worry anyone. If they do
anything to it, it would be slight increases that we were assuming would happen
at the end of session anyway. By the time you read this, I bet it’ll be passed.
The two hot button topics are the Transportation Package and
taxes, and on both of those my position has remained firm: it must truly be
fair to everyone and there must be actual cost containment. Transportation, or
at least a lighter version of it, is the more realistic package to succeed.
Higher taxes just aren’t justifiable to most with general fund revenue up as
high as it is. Few businesses or households would see 10 percent growth as too
slow or worthy of the “crisis” label, nor should we in the legislature. So the
big test will be whether or not we can prevent a whopping 14.1 percent spending
increase so we don’t become the next Illinois, unable to pay our bills.
What I’m happy to report is that I feel the overall tone and
work of the legislature has improved since the last few sessions. There seems
to be a higher sense of working together. There are certainly far more
obstructionists getting bussed down from Portland who march around chanting in
the halls, but it seems to be having the opposite effect they intended. In
truth, other than my first term when there was greater parity, this may turn
out to be the best session I’ve experienced as a state senator.
(Charles Thomsen is the State Senator for District 26.)
|
|  Be careful when photographing lightning.
With spring and early summer comes transitional weather that
will cause some amazing photography opportunities. Everything from blue skies
with majestic thunderheads to rainbows and lightning. It is lightning that I’m
asked about how to capture the most. A lightning bolt typically lasts about 10 to 50 microseconds
(0.000050 sec). That’s a lot faster than your ability to react to it so we will
need to discuss methods and conditions that must be understood prior to going
out into the field to get that awesome photo of a bolt of lightning. But I must
preface the information with a warning about safety. Standing in the rain with a lightning rod in your hand Of course when we’re trying to get our lightning photo we’re
venturing out into a storm. Be prepared for the weather. Dress appropriately,
of course, but also remember that you are standing out in the storm with a
tripod and a camera. One can’t help but be reminded of the fellows who are
struck by lightning on the 18th hole as they celebrate a great putt with a golf
club in their hand. When the storm is surrounding you, go inside. Do not stand
in the middle of a thundering tempest and think that you’ll come away with
something more than a quick trip to the hospital, if you’re lucky, to treat you
for the effects of a 100 million-volt electrical shock. Your best photos of lightning
will be when the storm is in the distance. Equipment You will want to use a camera that you are able to control
manually. Many cameras will allow you to switch to Manual Mode to allow you to
control your shutter speed, the duration of the exposure. You will also want to
use a tripod to establish a platform for you to put your camera on. It’s easier
than trying to hold your camera while you’re working and a necessity for a
longer exposure photograph. Additional gear which will improve your chances of success
are a 10 stop Neutral Density Filter (ND filter). And another piece of gear
that can be handy is a Lightning Trigger. I will cover the use of both of these
pieces in the text of this article. Daytime or Nighttime When photographing lightning there are two basic conditions
that will require different methods to be successful: daytime with a lot of
light and darkness with little or no light. It’s easier to capture a lightning strike during the night
than during the day. At night time it’s easy to set your camera to make a long
exposure, sometimes as long as 30 seconds. Because the light is dim or even
completely dark your photo won’t be exposed unless there’s a lightning strike
during your exposure. I set my camera up on the tripod and point it in the
direction of the storm, set my exposure to 30 seconds and click the shutter and
wait for a lightning strike while hoping that it will happen in the direction
that I have the camera pointed. If, once you’ve captured some lightning, your
photo is too bright make your exposure a little shorter or stop down your
aperture (smaller hole, bigger number) and try again. The lightning becomes its
own flash bulb. Daytime is a bit more challenging. It’s much more difficult
to set your camera up to make a long exposure when there’s so much light that
you will need to use a Neutral Density (ND) filter. An ND filter is like
sunglasses for your camera. It blocks light allowing you to extend (make
longer) your shutter speed which will allow you to photograph the scene using
the same method as at night. Make your exposure as long as possible, click the
shutter cross your fingers and wait. High Tech Toys Of course there’s always the easy way. Technology is your
friend when it comes to photographing lightning. Many people are just hobbyists
and don’t want to spend a lot of money on a toy that they would rarely use, but
there is that option. A lightning trigger is the solution. A lightning trigger can
react to the flash of the lightning and click the shutter in time to capture an
image. The mechanism mounts to the hot shoe flash connection on top of your
camera. Although handy a lightning trigger is certainly not required
to capture lightning. Have Fun – Be Safe The most important part of capturing lightning in a
photograph for me is the experience. I love being outside and watching severe
weather. To be able to make a beautiful and dramatic photo is a bonus. I can’t stress enough the safety aspect of doing this.
Please be safe and don’t put yourself in any dangerous situation to try to make
any kind of photograph. There will always be more opportunities in the future.
Give these methods a try. Good luck and as always, have fun
with your photography. |
| Watching out for the things in life that are killing us softly by Victoria Larson on 06/02/2017
Some of you may remember growing up on Tang, TV dinners and
Wonder Bread; that soft, squishy stuff was as appealing to a child as balloons,
with those multi-colored polka dots on the plastic wrapper. Tang was sold as
orange juice replacement, with as much Vitamin C but without the need for
refrigeration. In the early 1940s refrigeration had still not reached all areas
of America. So Tang was a boon in the post-war baby boom. Kids could stir the
powdered crystals into glasses by themselves and in those days families were
likely to include three or four kids. Without refrigeration or the need for
busy moms to stop what they were doing it was considered an industrial food of
merit.
And then there were TV dinners – my brother and I considered
them a “treat” with their aluminum trays compartmentalized to hold every food
separately (something we kids preferred) and always with a dessert. My parents
only allowed them on Fridays, the only night they went out to eat, and I was
often headed to high school game and dance anyway. Since I spent more time on
the illusive “getting ready” than eating, the TV dinners were a convenience all
around.
Industrial foods came to the fore during World War II with
Wonder Bread being one of those foods. Dieticians at that time convinced the
government that the only difference between white bread and wheat bread was the
B vitamin Thiamin being absent in the white bread. So our government decided to
“enrich” bread with B vitamins and one mineral (iron). The vitamins were
synthetically produced in the laboratory, from coal tar. Chlorine was used to
make the bread white. Chlorine is the same stuff used in many laundry products
and pool chemicals. Probably not a good ingredient for the flour you consume.
It’s added not just for its whitening power, but also because it reacts with
gluten to make the bread ready faster. Which means increased dollars for the
industrial food industry.
Hopefully everyone is now headed for better nutrition. More
whole grains, pastured eggs, dairy and meat, high quality fats. And, of course,
fresh vegetables. All good foods. Yet the CDC reports that between 1995 and
2004 half of all food-borne illness came from eating out! Another 25 percent of
food-borne illness is attributed to “eating out” at catered buffets, hospitals,
schools and take-out places! Might this be enough to get you to start cooking
and eating at home more?
Whether your food is cooked or raw, it’s likely to be less
suspect if you put in on your plate at home. Better yet, if you grow it
yourself (read next month’s column). Most cases of reported food-borne illness
are due to leafy greens, amounting to approximately 14,000 cases per year. Eggs
come in at over 11,000 cases per year, usually from mayonnaise-based salads
sitting out too long at outdoor venues. An argument for being first in that
buffet line maybe?
Oysters causing food-borne illness amount to over 3,500
cases a year but berries come in almost as high. Having worked part-time for
local farmers, I can’t tell you how many children, and their parents, handle
those jewel-like berries only to buy the untouched box next to the one they
just handled! Peaches were even harder to protect from the perfection-seeking
public. Everyone knows that a peach is bruised when you touch it. After
squeezing the peaches almost to death, invariably the purchaser would pick up a
totally different box to buy, little knowing how many people had handled that
box of peaches. The way to buy a peach is to smell it, without touching it to
your nose, please.
While I’m not a germ-freak there might be good reason to
wash and/or peel some of your fruits and vegetables. A vinegar wash is fine and
when mixed with water is unlikely to leave any vinegar residue. You don’t need
a plastic bottle of “produce wash” especially if you don’t intend to recycle
that plastic bottle (don’t even get me started on that soapbox).
Food-borne illness reported from dairy foods has made raw
milk virtually “illegal” and hard to find in Oregon. I still remember buying
such on the porch of a small farm in Gresham when I first moved to this area
almost thirty years ago. Part of the problem with raw milk may come from the
biased desire to jump to conclusions on the source of the pathogens. One case
of a woman who took her 3-year-old son to the doctor is that it later came to
light that the child had gnawed on raw chicken bones he’s pulled out of the
garbage (a rather potent source of salmonella). But the ingestion of raw milk
was blamed even though the child had never had a problem with raw milk
previously.
With proper gut bacteria and lacking a full-blown milk
allergy, raw milk is a great source of nutrition (more on this in a future
column). I’m not saying it couldn’t happen but out of more than nine million
people who drink raw milk in the United States, only 28 people reported getting
sick from ingesting it. To be thorough, 2.3 percent of the people who drink
pasteurized milk get sick from it, but that’s out of roughly one hundred and
fifty million milk drinkers.
To be fair, out of the more than seventy-seven million
annual cases of reported food-borne illness, your beloved ice cream accounted
for almost 3,000 cases of illness! It’s not what you eat but how it’s handled.
Let’s get real here – my grandson is fond of reminding me that “more people die
of being hit on the head by coconuts than die of shark attacks.” And in the US
and average of only four people a year die of snake bites. Far more people die
in car accidents. The things that are killing us softly are far more insidious
than we think. |
| My commencement speech (should I ever give one) by Ned Hickson on 06/02/2017
To the Class of 2017, faculty members, parents, dignitaries,
misinformed wedding crashers and Visa or MasterCard representatives who have gathered
here today:
I am honored to have the opportunity to address this group
of graduating seniors and impart the wisdom I have gained since my own
graduation from high school nearly 150 years ago.
Standing before you today, I see the anticipation on your
faces as each of you comes to realize what sharing my wisdom with you means:
Possibly the shortest commencement speech in school history.
Before long, you will step forward and receive the
culmination of 12 — possibly 14 — years of education. You will shake hands with
some of those who have helped guide you to this milestone. And unless your last
name begins with a “Z,” you will return to your seat as the rest of your
classmates step forward to receive their diplomas.
That’s when you will silently think to yourself, “I really
shouldn’t have had that second bottle of Mountain Dew.”
But you will sit quietly, probably cross-legged, and deal
with it.
You are now officially your own person — making your own
decisions, embracing the rewards and accepting the consequences of those
decisions — as you embark on a journey of independence in a world of your own
making.
At least until laundry day, when you will return home to eat
chocolate chip cookies while mom gets the Cheeto and pizza stains out of your
favorite underwear.
That’s because having wisdom isn’t about knowing everything.
It’s also about recognizing and acknowledging when you don’t.
Just like getting those stains out, it’s OK to admit when
you don’t know how to do something or handle a tough situation in life.
A smart person takes ownership of the things they know; a
wise person seeks the knowledge of others when they don’t.
When I graduated from high school in 1984, there was no
Internet.
No Siri.
No Pinterest.
And thankfully, no Kanye West.
Therefore, the Class of 1984 was expected to know
EVERYTHING. The pressure was tremendous! We hugged our parents goodbye and
entered a dark, Google-less world. We were young pilots flying blind. Dead
stick. Rudderless. Broken-winged.
And lots of other euphemisms I am now able to Google for
occasions like this.
We had no choice but to rely on each other.
We pooled our knowledge.
Challenged each other.
Together, we advanced ourselves and society by having the
courage to answer fundamental questions like: What would happen if we grew chia
seeds on a clay pot shaped like ‘Mr. T?’
Truth be told, it’s human nature to want to know all the
answers.
At the same time, culture discourages us from admitting when
we don’t have them. You’ve now spent the better part of your first 17 to 20
years of life receiving an education — not so you’ll have all the answers, but
have the courage and wisdom to ask the kinds of questions that will improve
your life and, hopefully, the lives of others.
This will take more than Googling. More than Wikipedia.
Possibly even more than “how-to” videos on YouTube.
It’s certainly going to take a great data and texting plan.
However, most of all it’s going to take the kind of
determination that got you here; sitting in these chairs; moments away from
receiving your diploma; and still regretting that second bottle of Mountain
Dew.
Yet, I look upon your faces and see my own hope reflected in
them.
When you leave here, be courageous and wise. Never be afraid
to admit you don’t have all the answers.
Those who do are destined to a life of empty promises —
usually somewhere in our nation’s Capitol.
Always remember the feeling you have right now. The
anticipation. The hope. The unlimited possibilities.
It’s who you are at this moment. It’s who you will always
be.
As long as you allow yourself to be wise...
(Ned is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corporation.
Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com) |
| Stardust Melody: Chapter 4 by on 06/02/2017
Some families might have celebrated the gathering as a happy
reunion. Not the Wilde family. Chance Wilde, Anna Belle’s grandfather, moseyed back into
town as subtly as a mosey could be made – driving a 25-year-old diesel Mercedes
four door sedan belching as much smoke out the rear that would make the first
transcontinental railroad engine chug with admiration. At the same time Randy Wilde, Anna Belle’s estranged father,
returned to Wildewood in handcuffs riding in the back seat of a sheriff’s
patrol car. The fact that Max Malone, private eye, had settled back in
Wildewood in his rebuilt cabin only added to a barrage of returning locals that
rivaled the Earp brothers and the Clanton gang when they hitched up in
Tombstone. Meanwhile, Beau Kimatian continued to own and operate the
Stardust Lodge, filling his pockets with cash and political capital like a
rising star in the Chicago political constellation. And there was Anna Belle Wilde, consorting with an
unsuspecting, in-over-his-head English teacher, while trickery, deceit and
larceny were whirling around in her pretty head like a gathering Kansas storm
heading for the nearest trailer park. What could possibly go wrong? Max made a regular stop at Tommy’s joint – still his
favorite watering hole after all these years, despite the fact the redhead
waitress he’d never had the time to introduce himself to was now married with a
babe in arms and a husband that looked like the latest crowned champion of the
world’s cage fighting tour. It’s entirely possible Max was losing his sense of timing. That notion was exposed when Chance Wilde sauntered into
Tommy’s and unwound in the barstool next to Max. “I’m lookin’ for my son, Max,” Chance brayed, ignoring any
pleasantry that might have passed between them after a couple decades. Max turned slowly to the old friend and nemesis, hooded his
eyes like an irritated timber rattler, slowly lifted his shot of Jameson’s,
then, and only then, responded. “He’s in jail.” “What fer?” “What does it matter?” “Cuz he’s my kid.” “Take that up with him.” Max went back to his Jameson’s, drained the glass, and
scooted it expertly forward to attract the attention, but not irritate the
feelings, of the bartender – who now happened to be a fulsome brunette that
believed she should be getting a speaking part in the next Quentin Tarantino
film but would have to settle for a two-buck tip from Max, assuming he was in
the mood, which was something that seemed to be going down the drain under the
glare of the raw-boned old man who was sitting next to Max with no apparent
interest in leaving any time soon. “What’d he do, Max?” “Hell Chance. Robbed a bank maybe? I take that back. He’s
not that smart. He probably knocked over a lemonade stand.” “You’ve always had a mouth on ya, ya know?” “Keeps me in the game.” Chance motioned to the brunette. “Get this ornery cuss another whisky, and set me up.” “You plannin’ on this conversation lasting long?” Max asked,
somehow without actually asking. “There’s still my granddaughter Anna Belle.” “Heh. Hope you stabled your horse.” Max labored through the Anna Belle saga, leaning heavily on
the whisky anesthetic. Chance took it all in without a twitch. He’d been down
too many roads before. After getting an ear full of Anna Belle and a snoot full of
Irish whisky, Chance kicked down the dusty trail that doubled as a Wildewood
sidewalk to the sheriff’s office. He plopped an elbow on the counter and
ignored the blank stare drifting his way from the duty deputy. “I’m Chance Wilde and you’ve got my son in here, right?” “That’s right Mr. Wilde,” the deputy responded, after
clearing the intimidation out of his throat. “What’s he in for?” “He robbed a gas station.” Chance turned away, then stopped at the door. “He didn’t take the sushi, did he?” That night was Saturday business as usual at the Stardust
Lodge, until Chance walked in. Anna clunked a bad key on the piano when she looked up at
her grandad, and all heads turned his way. Anna tried to recover but her soulful rendition of Mack the
Knife couldn’t be rescued. Mack had already left town. She got up and ran to her grandad, throwing her arms around
him. “Where’d you come from all of a sudden, gramps?” “I’ve never liked that gramps thing.” “That’s too bad, gramps. You’ve always been able to get your
way with everyone but me.”
And Anna was right. Maybe a little too right. # # # |
| The big picture of the state budget by on 06/02/2017
Last month, we received the May revenue forecast. The
revenue forecast is released quarterly by the State Economist and provides a
detailed overview of how the state economy is working, the amount of revenue
available for the general fund and an analysis on future economic growth. The
forecast revealed that our state continues producing record revenues and there
is nearly $200 million more available for the general fund than previously
estimated, which lowers the current estimated budget gap to around $1.4
billion. Between the March and May forecasts, we’ve seen a $400 million
increase in revenues while the legislature has been in session, which leads us
to continually ask why we have such a large budget gap to fill.
If the legislature could fill the alleged $1.4 billion
budget gap, this only gets us to the current level of spending. This does not
include any additional investments or expansions in healthcare, education,
public safety or any other policy area. I’m concerned that even if it could
come up with $1.4 billion of new revenue, we would be in an even worse position
two years from now because current costs would continue to increase. If our
costs continue to exceed the growth of our state economy, we will continually
find ourselves in a budgetary deficit.
Additional questions were brought to light in May, when the
Oregon Health Authority acknowledged that for three years Oregon Health Plan
benefits (Oregon’s Medicaid plan) may have been going to ineligible recipients.
The Oregon Health Authority stated that the problem stems from the process to
transition from the failed Cover Oregon computer system to a new one, which has
taken more than three years. When Cover Oregon’s website wasn’t working,
members had to sign up with a paper application. A process that starts with
inputting all that information into a computer system and ends with a final
redetermination of eligibility is not yet complete. This session, the
Legislature is being asked to consider a nearly 50 percent increase in the
Oregon Health Authority’s budget and expansions to Oregon’ Medicaid system.
Before we can have any serious consideration of the OHA budget this session we
simply must have a better understanding of the real numbers and only then can
we be sure of the budgetary needs. It’s possible that tens of millions of
dollars can be saved for the State of Oregon through more accurate accounting
by OHA.
This most recent budget component is just one that remains
to be answered as we head into the last full month of the legislative session.
I’m disappointed that with only a month left, we haven’t had a serious
conversation about bringing current spending in line with our available
revenues and helping to bend costs so that over time, we can save money to
reinvest into needed services for Oregonians. If we can address some of the
systemic costs that continue to take away our ability to invest long-term, then
we can truly begin to provide stability for our state.
Last week, I filed legislation creating the Age 3 to Grade 3
(3-3) reading initiative. This proposal was something I had worked on prior to
the 2015 legislative session with key education leaders. I’ve re-filed this
bill as an example of the kinds of programs we could be investing in if we
could get costs under control, met current levels of spending and were able to
use the record revenue that our economy is producing for targeted investments
that truly benefit Oregonians.
I want to prioritize funding for public education. I want to
invest in our students and communities to continue some of the progress we’ve
made. But we must look at the whole picture – what are we spending now, how do
we address out of control costs and finally prioritize policies that make an
impact for Oregonians.
As always, please feel free to contact my office at
503-986-1452 or email rep.markjohnson@oregonelegislature.gov with any thoughts
or questions you may have. Thank you for the honor of representing House
District 52.
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for HD 52.) |
| Right attitude needed to tackle budget by State Sen. Chuck Thomsen on 06/02/2017
Hello, I hope everyone on the mountain is having a great
year so far. It has been a while since I wrote for The Mountain Times and I
felt like now is a good time to give a session update. I also plan to write a
session report here when everything wraps up.
The most recent forecast is in, and the combined Lottery
Funds and General Fund available resources are set for about $21 billion. This
represents a 10 percent increase in revenue from last biennium’s roughly $19
billion approved budget. The kicker will likely be triggered, but we should
still be seeing a robust $1.713 billion more for our state budget than ever
before.
Now we are coming into the home stretch of session, and it
is the responsibility of my colleagues and I to craft a decent budget. It is
very easy to get swept out to sea by all the rhetoric flying around – but I
will remain even-keeled during this process while I sit on the Full Ways and
Means Committee. For me, there are two ultimate goals: come out with a decent education
package and improve our roads via better transportation funding.
In all my time serving Senate District 26, this may be the
most critical stage I’ve been a part of.
The surging forecast really shows Oregon has minimal revenue
concerns. It’s like getting a 10 percent raise, or a business growing 10
percent in a biennium. It is hard to subscribe to the idea that we need to go
out there and get more. Allocation is the issue. And as with any budgeting,
fixed priorities we consider vital must truly come first. $8.2-8.4 billion is
the range K-12 funding should be, and what I’m pushing hard for.
When budgeting, there are ways to get carried away. In our
personal lives, we know the things that come first. It’s our home payment, car
payment, utilities, necessary foods, etc. Then at the very end come the
non-essentials like eating out, vacations or anything we’d like but don’t need.
Each session the legislature runs the risk of over-prioritizing those
nonessentials at the expense of what we all demand, and that’s why our
education package has to be a lock right now – treated as the premium fixed,
important budget item that is not to be bargained over.
Attitude is vital. Steady, composed and responsible are all
words I hope to be described as when this session is over. I believe right now
there’s a deficit of correct attitude in politics. The main thing I keep in
mind when I’m making decisions in Salem is that constituents sent me down here
to get a job done, and that’s what I intend to do.
As always, you are welcome anytime during session to come
down to Salem and spend the day with me. Just call my office at 503-986-1726
and we’ll set it up!
(Charles Thomsen is the State Senator for District 26.) |
| MHGS: The importance of diversity, biologically speaking by Mary Soots on 06/02/2017
My neighbor cautioned me to be aware, that late one evening
this past week his wife informed him that she had heard a cougar in their back
yard. I recalled that a colleague reported that earlier this month while laying
in the entryway of their cabin, their dog was attacked by a cougar. We
sometimes forget that living in the forest comes at some cost.
Yet it is often not the wildlife that have encroached upon
our habitat but the contrary: that we have encroached on theirs. The cost to
native species by invading humans has been largely documented — the loss of
habitat has contributed to species decline, etc. But something we rarely stop
to consider are the costs of habitat destruction to humans.
When we cut down large swaths of forest land, it vastly
increases an area’s vulnerability to natural disasters like flood and drought,
crop failure, spread of disease and water contamination. When we convert forest
land to agricultural land, studies have shown that the soil has degraded
approximately 40 percent of agricultural land worldwide via erosion,
salinization, compaction, nutrient depletion, pollution and urbanization.
Probably the most profound impact that habitat destruction
has on people is the loss of many valuable ecosystem services. Habitat
destruction has altered nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur and carbon cycles, which
has increased the frequency and severity of acid rain, algal blooms and fish
kills in rivers and oceans and contributed tremendously to global climate
change.
One ecosystem service whose significance is becoming more
realized is climate regulation. On a local scale, trees provide windbreaks and
shade; on a regional scale, plant transpiration recycles rainwater and
maintains constant annual rainfall; on a global scale, plants (especially trees
from rainforests) around the world counter the accumulation of greenhouse gases
in the atmosphere. The loss of trees from the rainforests alone represents a
substantial diminishing of the earth’s ability to produce oxygen and use up
carbon dioxide. These services are becoming even more important as increasing
carbon dioxide levels is one of the main contributors to global climate change.
The loss of biodiversity may not directly affect humans, but
the indirect effects of losing many species as well as the diversity of
ecosystems in general are enormous. When biodiversity is lost, the environment
loses many species that provide valuable and unique roles to the ecosystem. The
environment and all its inhabitants rely on biodiversity to recover from
extreme environmental conditions. When too much biodiversity is lost, a
catastrophic event such as an earthquake, flood, or volcanic eruption could
cause an ecosystem to crash, and humans would obviously suffer from that. Loss
of biodiversity also means that humans are losing animals that could have
served as biological control agents and plants that could potentially provide
higher-yielding crop varieties, pharmaceutical drugs to cure existing or future
diseases or cancer, and other uses.
The outlook seems bleak. The rapid expansion of the global
human population is increasing the world’s food requirement substantially. As
the world’s population increases, agricultural output will need to increase by
at least 50 percent over the next 30 years. In the past, continually moving to
new land and soils provided a boost in food production to appease the global
food demand. That easy fix will no longer be available, however, as more than
98 percent of all land suitable for agriculture is already in use or degraded
beyond repair.
The impending global food crisis will be a major source of
habitat destruction. Commercial farmers are going to become desperate to
produce more food from the same amount of land, so they will use more
fertilizers and less concern for the environment to meet the market demand.
Others will seek out new land or will convert other land-uses to agriculture.
Agricultural intensification will become widespread at the cost of the
environment and its inhabitants. Species will be pushed out of their habitat
either directly by habitat destruction or indirectly by fragmentation,
degradation or pollution. Any efforts to protect the world’s remaining natural
habitat and biodiversity will compete directly with humans’ growing demand for
natural resources, especially new agricultural lands.
Natural forest areas provide aesthetic uses such as bird
watching, recreational uses like hiking, fishing and ecotourism usually rely
upon virtually undisturbed habitat. What can we do to conserve our natural
areas? People and political decision-makers at all levels (local, regional,
national, global) must take into consideration the following:
- Consider the many irreplaceable ecosystem services provided
by natural habitats.
- Protect remaining intact sections of natural habitat.
- Educate the public about the importance of natural habitat
and biodiversity.
- Develop family planning programs in areas of rapid
population growth.
- Find ecological ways to increase agricultural output without
increasing the total land in production.
- Preserve habitat corridors to minimize prior damage from
fragmented habitats.
- Reduce human population and expansion.
Written with reference from Wikipedia. |
|  'Victoria,' by Daisy Goodwin.
It’s hard to imagine the experience of young Queen Victoria,
who unexpectedly becomes Queen of England at eighteen years of age. At that
time, she is a sheltered young woman still treasuring her dolls and comforted
by the companionship of her beloved lap dog.
Daisy Goodwin does a masterful job of describing Victoria’s
life and experiences based upon thorough research and extraordinary insight.
This volume has also been translated into a screenplay presented by Public
Broadcasting’s Masterpiece Series.
The young Queen pushes back against her mother and instead
leans heavily on the Prime Minister Lord Melbourne for advice and support, soon
developing a growing affection for him in spite of a huge difference in their
years. Goodwin describes Victoria’s increasing affection for “Lord M” which
completely blinds her to the possible advantages of the throngs of potential
suitors closer to her age.
When two cousins from Germany – Ernst and Albert – arrive as
potential suitors for the Queen’s consideration, Victoria initially dismisses
both as not worthy of her interest. However, soon Albert overcomes her
resistance. Thus begins a great romance and royal partnership that will result
in nine children and a devoted marriage that spans 21 years of Victoria’s
influential 63 year reign.
Highly recommended.
Daisy Goodwin is the author of the New York Times
bestselling novels “The Fortune Hunter” and “The American Heiress.” She is a
Harkness scholar who attended Columbia University’s film school after earning a
degree in history at Cambridge University and was Chair of the judging panel of
the 2010 Orange Prize for Fiction. She is the creator and screenwriter of the
PBS/Masterpiece drama, “Victoria.” She lives in London.
An official companion book to the PBS Masterpiece
Presentation is also available, which includes photographs from the television
production. |
| Above average temps expected to continue into June by on 06/02/2017
The first week of May had two warm days and precipitation
nearly every day. The next three days were mild, followed by a week of cool,
showery, weather before summerlike weather set in for the remainder of the
month. In fact, Brightwood recorded a high of 90 degrees on May 22. That
stretch of summer caused the average temperatures for the month to end above
average for the first time this year.
The National Weather Service reports the Madden Julian
Oscillations are not expected to affect our weather during the coming month of
June and expects our area will have above average temperatures with
precipitation near average.
During June, Brightwood has an average high temperature of
68, an average low of 48 and a precipitation average of 4.27 inches. During the
past ten years, high temperatures have reached 100 once, into the 90s three
times and into the 80s six times. Low temperatures dropped into the 30s during
four years and into the 40s the remaining six years.
During June, Government Camp has an average high temperature
of 59 degrees, an average low of 41 degrees and a precipitation average of 3.91
inches, including 0.6 inches of snow. During the past ten years, high
temperatures have reached the 90s once, into the 80s during three years, into
the 70s during five years and one year in the 60s. Lows had one year in the
20s, eight years in the 30s and one year in the 40s. The record snowfall for
June was 11 inches, set in 1995 when 5 inches fell on June 5, followed by
another six inches the next day on June 6. |
| New School by Taeler Butel on 06/02/2017
Now we all know there is no school like the ol’ school. However,
with tastes and times a changin’ we can add a few touches to the classics.
Stuffed meatloaf
Two ways (Turkey Mediterranean and Bacon Cheeseburger)
For the Meatloaf mix
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1 cup ketchup
1 T mustard
1/2 cup milk
1 t each salt & pepper
Mix all together, divide in half into 2 bowls and mix into
each bowl 1 lb of ground meat (ground turkey for the Turkey Mediterranean
Meatloaf, or grass fed beef for the Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf)
For the Turkey Mediterranean Meatloaf:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup onion
1/4 cup chopped black olives
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach
1/2 cup feta or mozzarella cheese
Sweet chili sauce for a glaze
On a large piece of plastic wrap flatten the ground turkey
into a 1/2 inch thick square. Layer all the ingredients down the middle, press
both sides up, discard the plastic and place into pan. Pour chili sauce over
the top and bake at 375 degrees for about 1/2 hour.
For the Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf:
1 lb lean grass fed beef
8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced onion, sautéed
1/4 cup BBQ sauce for a glaze
Pickle slices for garnish
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
Flatten the beef mixture on a large sheet of plastic wrap,
about 1/2 inch thick square. Add bacon, cheese, onions and tomatoes layering
down the middle. Roll the sides up pressing to form a loaf. Discard the plastic
and place into the pan. Brush with BBQ sauce and top with pickle slices. Bake
at 375 degrees for about 35-45 minutes.
Mashed cauliflower
1 large head cauliflower
1/2 cup milk
Salt & pepper
1/4 cup butter
Cut a whole cauliflower into 1” chunks. In a large pot of
boiling salted water boil cauliflower for about 15 minutes until tender, and
drain. Mash with a potato masher or in a food processor. Add in milk and
butter, salt and pepper and place back in the pot. Heat stirring occasionally
until the extra moisture evaporates and the mixture is a mashed potato
consistency.
Pineapple mango crisp
Mix these ingredients together to form crumbs:
1/2 cup plus 2 T cold unsalted butter, diced (set aside the
2 T butter)
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup dried coconut
1/4 cup flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1/2 t vanilla extract
In a separate bowl toss 1 small bag of frozen pineapple
(about 2 cups, or 2 cups fresh diced), and 1 small bag of frozen mango (or 2
whole mangoes, peeled and chopped)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 T flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
Transfer the fruit to a 9x11” pan, pour the crisp topping
over the fruit and dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes and
serve warm with coconut gelato.
(Taeler Butel writes exclusively for The Mountain Times.) |
|  Rowena Crest.
It’s pushing midnight as I finish processing the last photo
for a client photo shoot the previous day. I get up from my desk and walk over
to the gear that I have set on my couch. My backpack is full of the required
equipment for a day in the field. My camera is charged up with an extra
battery. My memory cards are clear and installed into the camera. My clothing
is ready to go for the next morning and my alarm is set for 4 a.m. These are
the moments when one can easily justify turning the alarm off and just calling
the next day off completely. The temptation of sleeping in is almost
overwhelming.
The alarm rings and in a daze I hit the snooze alarm. Five
minutes later the familiar but unwelcome sound of the alarm sounds off but with
an increased intensity. It’s at the moment that I realize why it’s ringing.
Spinning around while sitting upright my feet hit the floor. Heck, I need to
visit the bathroom anyway. Maybe I’ll just get up, take care of some business
and look outside to see how the weather looks.
As I go to the front door and let my dog Betty outside I
stand on the porch and watch the drizzle as it saturates everything. A typical
Oregon Spring day, I think to myself as Betty and I walk back inside to decide
that because I’m up anyway, I’ll just make some coffee and get into my rain
resistant clothing and head out to see what the day will hold.
It’s dark and with just enough time to get to the gorge for
sunrise I put my gear into the Jeep, load up Betty and head out to drive over
Mount Hood and over Highway 35 in the pouring rain. At that time of the day
there are very few people on the road. It’s my favorite time to drive. I sip
from my travel mug and watch for errant deer crossing the road in front of me.
As I drop down into the Hood River Valley I notice that the
rain has stopped and the clouds are thinning. My heart starts to pump with a
bit more vigor with the realization that the morning may turn out to provide
the conditions for a photograph that I am seeking, and perhaps the effects of
the coffee. I turn east and travel down Highway 84 and then take the exit at Mosier
before heading up to Rowena Crest. As I drive up the old Columbia River Highway
toward my destination there are still a few sprinkles as the twilight starts to
illuminate the horizon to the east, but it’s looking very promising.
Driving into the parking area at Rowena I grab my gear and
run to the spot that I have in mind for the composition that I seek. I have
been here several times in the past and have photographed the area with varied
luck, typically with mediocre skies, and am hoping that this will be the best
moment yet. Within moments the light from the sun over the horizon starts to
shine light under the clouds in the sky. I immediately start photographing the
scene while blocking out all other thoughts or worries from my mind. I am in
the moment. I’m in the groove.
That morning turned out to be one of my best days of
photographing wildflowers in the gorge. I came home with a big bag of great
images. This, the morning when I was riding a razor's edge in deciding if I
should even go or not, turned out to be amazing. It would have been so easy for
me to just turn that alarm off and roll back over and sleep for another few
hours. It would have been so easy for me to just come back inside after seeing
the rain from my porch and hop back into bed. It would have been so easy to
justify missing this amazing experience. I certainly had more reasons to not go
than I had to go.
I think about this a lot and have this notion engrained into
my thinking now so that I am more apt to think about these experiences when
that alarm rings on those early mornings. I don’t know much about gambling but
I’m sure that certain principles that apply to it might apply to outdoor
photography in Oregon and around Mount Hood. You don’t win the majority of the
times that you play, but if you don’t play you will never win. Take that
gamble. What do you have to lose but a little sleep? |
| Stardust Melody: Chapter 3 by on 05/02/2017
After her midnight set, Anna Belle slipped out of the
Stardust Lodge unnoticed by her husband, Beau, who was up to his ample ears in
political capital and cigar smoke.
From the edge of Ruby River, the nearly full moon provided a
view upriver to the footbridge. The dark figure who had passed on the deck
earlier was standing there, and he slightly tipped the brim of his fedora in
her direction. Anna rushed along the river bank and mounted the footbridge, as
the dark figure took to the opposite bank and settled into the deep shadows of
a stand of Douglas firs.
Anna smiled and followed, glancing back toward the lodge to
secure the knowledge of her aloneness. She needn’t have worried. Beau was
spending political capital like a drunken congressman – of which there were two
in his company.
Anna hugged the dark figure, and Max Malone held her as
well. They leaned back and admired each other.
“Uncle Max. I heard you were back. Have you finished
rebuilding your cabin?”
Max nodded, but a concerned look slowly crept across his
face. This was more than a reunion, and Anna picked up on it.
“What is it, Uncle Max?”
“Your husband has hired me to follow you,” Max rasped.
“Whatever for?” Anna answered back, trying to save her
innocence with her main weapon, growing a smile from a face that, around
Wildewood and the Stardust Lodge, could launch a thousand drift boats.
“Now don’t play the naïve niece with me, young lady,” Max
responded. “He’s pretty sure you’re messin’ around on him, he’s just not sure
who he is.”
Anna’s eyes dropped. When she raised them again the
embarrassment – assuming there had been any – had disappeared and the defiance
inbred in the Wilde family glared back at Max.
Max chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” Anna snapped.
“You, for starters.”
Max rescued the moment by explaining that he’d been
approached by Beau, and wanted to hire him to track after Anna, not knowing, or
perhaps not even caring, that “Uncle” Max knew Anna and her family.
“And you agreed?”
“Easy money, Anna. I follow you, and report back to Beau
what you want me to report.”
“Isn’t that unethical?”
Max flashed an Irish smile that stretched from Dublin to
Donegal. “Ya know I was gone for a while, and met up with a bunch of lawless
characters across two continents that didn’t exactly qualify as eye-openers.
But if you’re suggesting that Wildewood grew a crop of ethics while I was gone,
well …”
Anna shook her head.
Max explained that they couldn’t be seen together, and how
he would arrange their rendezvous at appropriate times.
Anna interrupted. “Maybe you don’t understand … completely
that is. I got plans.”
Max smiled again, this time stopping one train station short
of Donegal. “I got a hunch what that might be, young lady.”
* * *
Chance Wilde, Anna’s grandfather, was doubtlessly the
wildest of the Wilde’s.
He left his family – father Sonny, Indian mother Blue,
brothers Victor Blue and Tommy Blue – when he was eighteen after missing more
school than he was hitting.
He scrabbled around Wildewood until the town got too close
for him, and he landed in Colorado where he had a son – Anna’s father, Randy –
and five daughters that were sprinkled judiciously among three wives. Chance
worked as a ranch hand, entered any rodeo he could reach, and it seems spent
most of his time mounted in one way or another. In typical fashion, he
disappeared one day, but echoes of Chance Wilde can still be heard, from
Steamboat Springs to Durango.
Randy returned to Wildewood. Ranching was too much like work
for him, and besides, he figured he could get by on his good looks. And he did
for a while, long enough to rein in the free spirit of Brandy, and bring Anna
Belle into the world.
Brandy took to motherhood in a manner that shocked those who
knew her, and everyone said she qualified for sainthood for putting up with
Randy’s drinking and carousing.
Ultimately, however, she was no match for that mountain
lion, as local lore has it, but those who knew her always believed that
mountain lion took away a few scars as well.
* * *
“Why ya messin’ around with that English teacher anyway?”
Max asked, squinting against a shaft of moonlight that stabbed through the fir
branches.
“You know a lot,” Anna shot back.
“I know enough to know that when I get around women they
either end up dead or in prison, little lady.”
“You don’t have to worry about me.”
“That’s what they all say, kiddo.” |
| Oregon's financial woes by on 05/02/2017
May marks the halfway point for the legislative session.
This session, Oregon’s financial status is much more serious than in previous
sessions. With a $1.6 billion budget hole, we need to be focused on structural
reforms to address rising costs and create real stability for Oregonians. These
reforms need to happen before any discussions about how to raise new revenue.
Built into our current system are runaway costs that need to be contained. By
containing these costs, we can re-invest money into programs that we know work
and will benefit Oregonians with money already available to the state. By
reforming and re-investing, we can help future generations of Oregonians
realize even greater success and stability.
Oregon’s economy has been producing record revenues, but we
still do not have stability in our budget. In our current budget cycle, the
state has collected $1.5 billion more than in the previous cycle. But this
increased revenue has already been consumed by the growing costs of existing
services. We know that PERS rates for public employers, including school
districts, will increase from about 15 percent of payroll in 2015-17 to about
33 percent of payroll in 2023-2025. This means that public employers will be
spending 1/3 of their payroll costs just on PERS. I use this as an example, not
to be critical of PERS beneficiaries, but to show some of the systemic costs
that can’t be avoided.
Rising health insurance costs present a similar situation
for public employers. Looking at the cost of health insurance plans available
within the public-school system, Oregon’s pays more than $2,000 per employee
over the average school district across the rest of the nation. In 2004-2005
school districts paid just over $8,000 for health insurance per employee. This
number has grown to almost $12,000 per employee in 2013-14. That’s a 50 percent
increase in 10 years and the number has continued to grow into the present day.
When you multiply the number of state government employees by the increased
relative costs of our health insurance plans, you can begin to understand why
our budget is out of balance.
I’m working with other legislators to better understand what
systemic costs can be reduced this session in order to get our budget under
control. If we can find efficiencies to slow the rate of growth, in comparison
to the examples provided above, then we can ensure stability of these services
and programs for future Oregonians. Unlike previous budget reductions, what is
needed now are systemic changes in order to bend the cost curve so that we do
not find ourselves in this situation every two years.
A program that I would like to see fully invested in is
third-grade literacy. Third-grade literacy has time and time again been shown
to improve graduation rates among students. Students who can read at
grade-level are almost certain to graduate on time and will be much less likely
to need costly state services. With a well-funded third-grade literacy program,
we can support early intervention of students, put them on the right track and
save the state money down the road, while producing a better, more educated
work force.
Oregon’s public universities can also benefit from
structural reforms. In April, the public universities proposed a double-digit
tuition increase. This increase presents a huge barrier to students but without
some major cost reductions, it will be hard for universities to avoid tuition
increases. As someone who has been fighting for increased affordability in
higher education, this is unacceptable and is another reason why I will be
doing all I can to enact systemic cost reforms during this session.
Reforming and re-investing will prove to be beneficial to
our state for the long term. I am open to discussing this and any other topic.
Please feel free to contact my office at 503-986-1452 or email
rep.markjohnson@oregonelegislature.gov
Thank you for the opportunity to represent you. It’s an
honor to serve House District 52.
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for HD 52.) |
|  The Woman in Cabin 10
Ruth Ware (author of “In A Dark, Dark Wood,” 2015) offers up
a tense mystery with the female character in peril as she attempts to unravel
the mystery in the confined environment of a prestigious modern cruise ship.
Just a few days before her cruise departure as a travel
reviewer, Lo Blacklock is traumatized by a break-in at her apartment. Although
she suffers no physical injuries, Lo is still reeling from the upsetting
experience and suffering from extreme sleep deprivation when she boards for
luxury Aurora for its maiden voyage. She is determined to handle her
professional responsibilities and regain her internal poise, putting thoughts
of her disturbing imprisonment aside.
However, during her first night on the Aurora, she meets a
woman in the next-door cabin who loans her some make-up and speaks with her
briefly. Later, Lo hears a large splash from the next-door balcony and finds
what appears to be a smear of blood. Mysteriously, the “woman in cabin 10” is
nowhere to be found. Was the woman thrown overboard? And who was she? Lo cannot
find any objective evidence that the mysterious woman existed, yet she is
unwilling to believe that her senses are deceiving her and starts
investigating.
The prestigious but tiny cruise liner is full of specially
invited guests as well as the ship’s wealthy owner and wife and their staff. Lo
is unsure who she can trust or believe as she begins her search for answers and
explores both public and behind-the-scenes areas of the ship. The plot has
echoes of classic Agatha Christie formulas as Lo seeks to eliminate suspects
one by one, even her friend and fellow journalist, Ben, who seems to believe
her and want to help.
In spite of her shaky emotional state, Lo is a strong woman
who is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery and soon puts herself in
great danger due to her efforts. And the truth behind the mystery is unexpected
with action that plays out beyond the Aurora itself.
Despite well-done plotting, this exciting mystery novel is a
good read but not a great one. Still, it’s worth your time as is Ware’s previous
mystery “In a Dark, Dark Wood.”
Ruth Ware grew up in Sussex, on the south coast of England.
After graduating from Manchester University she moved to Paris before returning
to the United Kingdom. She has worked as a waitress, a bookseller, a teacher of
English as a foreign language and a press officer.
She now lives in London with her husband and two small
children. A movie based on “The Woman in Cabin 10” is planned. |
| The Woman in Cabin 10 Cruise ship the setting of a mysterious missing person case by on 05/02/2017
Ruth Ware (author of “In A Dark, Dark Wood,” 2015) offers up
a tense mystery with the female character in peril as she attempts to unravel
the mystery in the confined environment of a prestigious modern cruise ship.
Just a few days before her cruise departure as a travel
reviewer, Lo Blacklock is traumatized by a break-in at her apartment. Although
she suffers no physical injuries, Lo is still reeling from the upsetting
experience and suffering from extreme sleep deprivation when she boards for
luxury Aurora for its maiden voyage. She is determined to handle her
professional responsibilities and regain her internal poise, putting thoughts
of her disturbing imprisonment aside.
However, during her first night on the Aurora, she meets a
woman in the next-door cabin who loans her some make-up and speaks with her
briefly. Later, Lo hears a large splash from the next-door balcony and finds
what appears to be a smear of blood. Mysteriously, the “woman in cabin 10” is
nowhere to be found. Was the woman thrown overboard? And who was she? Lo cannot
find any objective evidence that the mysterious woman existed, yet she is
unwilling to believe that her senses are deceiving her and starts
investigating.
The prestigious but tiny cruise liner is full of specially
invited guests as well as the ship’s wealthy owner and wife and their staff. Lo
is unsure who she can trust or believe as she begins her search for answers and
explores both public and behind-the-scenes areas of the ship. The plot has
echoes of classic Agatha Christie formulas as Lo seeks to eliminate suspects
one by one, even her friend and fellow journalist, Ben, who seems to believe
her and want to help.
In spite of her shaky emotional state, Lo is a strong woman
who is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery and soon puts herself in
great danger due to her efforts. And the truth behind the mystery is unexpected
with action that plays out beyond the Aurora itself.
Despite well-done plotting, this exciting mystery novel is a
good read but not a great one. Still, it’s worth your time as is Ware’s previous
mystery “In a Dark, Dark Wood.”
Ruth Ware grew up in Sussex, on the south coast of England.
After graduating from Manchester University she moved to Paris before returning
to the United Kingdom. She has worked as a waitress, a bookseller, a teacher of
English as a foreign language and a press officer.
She now lives in London with her husband and two small
children. A movie based on “The Woman in Cabin 10” is planned. |
| Winter wetness waned, adjusted to the average in April by on 05/02/2017
Brightwood received 19.50 inches of precipitation last
March, setting a new record previously held in 2012 (19.17 inches).
Precipitation for the current October – March winter period in Brightwood
totaled 78.86 inches, verifying our opinion this has been a very long, wet
winter. Only the winter of 1996-97 which was accompanied by disastrous floods
exceeded that total with 84.40 inches, from records dating back over 40 years.
For perspective, the average for the entire year is 81.70 inches.
April got off to a mild, pleasant start but showers got
started on April 5 and kept it up for most of the rest of the month. It’s a
distant memory now, but last year Brightwood had a high temperature of 86 on
April 18, but this year the high never made it to 70.
Despite the cloudy and showery weather, temperatures and
precipitation at both Brightwood and Government Camp averaged out surprisingly
close to normal. Snowfall in Government Camp totaled 11.25 inches.
The National Weather Service is facing confused activity
with its old bugaboo, the Madden Julian Oscillations and consequently has
lowered confidence in its outlook.
Our area is forecast to have close to average temperatures
and precipitation for May.
During May, Brightwood has an average high temperature of
63, an average low of 43 and a precipitation average of 5.83 inches. During the
past ten years, high temperatures have reached the 90s once, into the 80s
during seven years and into the 70s during two years. Low temperatures dropped
into the 30s without exception with four years reaching the freezing level. The
chances are three out of ten for a high of 90 degrees and four out of five for
a low temperature dropping to the freezing level will occur during May.
The only measureable snowfall from records dating back 40
years was a two-inch total that fell May 5, 2010.
During May, Government Camp has an average high temperature
of 53 degrees, an average low of 35 degrees and a precipitation average of 5.39
inches, including 6.7 inches of snow. During the past ten years, high
temperatures have reached the 80s once, into the 70s during seven years, into
the 60s once and into the 50s once. Lows had seven years in the 20s and three
years in the 30s, one of which stayed above freezing.
The record May snowfall of 32 inches was set in 1974. The
record 24-hour snowfall of 13 inches was set on May 11, 2000. |
| MHGS: The next steps in the evolution of recycling by Mary Soots on 05/02/2017
This week I found myself at the grocery store where I came
upon a very unusual bottle of laundry detergent. It was packaged in a cardboard
bottle which contains a thin resin bag inside to hold the detergent. It is made
of 100 percent recycled materials and can be either recycled or composted.
As I did a little research on the bottle, I learned that the
really remarkable environmental benefits were in the process of recycling. A
regular plastic bottle is transported from our curbside recycler to a recycling
facility. When it arrives at the recycling facility, it goes through extensive
washing, a process that uses 1 gallon of water per 37.2 bottles. This yields
plastic pellets that can be used to make new bottles. From there, the pellets
are shipped to a blow molding facility to make new bottles.
The cardboard bottle meanwhile does not need washing, thus
saving the cost of transportation to a processing facility. Instead, it goes
directly to the bottle manufacturer for re-molding into new bottles. During the
production process, cardboard bottles use substantially less water than plastic
bottles. One gallon of water is used for every 76 bottles made — a 51 percent
savings.
New bottles are sent to be filled from each facility. Since
the plastic bottles are so bulky, only 25,000 can be transported at a time. In
contrast, the cardboard box is halved and stacked so that 161,000 are
transported at once. Once the new laundry bottles reach the retailer, the
stores can return the shipping boxes for the cardboard bottles to the
manufacturer for re-filling, unlike the plastic containers, thus reducing the
demand for more single-use cardboard boxes.
At home, people are more likely to recycle the cardboard
boxes than the plastic containers. Ultimately, according to the manufacturer,
“most plastic goes to the dump, where a cubic meter holds either 520 empty
1-liter plastic jugs or 40,000 pouches. Cardboard fares better: 81 percent is
recycled in the U.S.”
I present this as one example of the successes that we have
achieved through innovation and thinking outside of the box (or plastic
container). Not only does the process of manufacturing, recycling and reusing
make much more sense, but it comes at a lower cost to natural resources such as
fuel, water and trees. Ultimately, we as consumers will reap the benefit of lower
cost production.
I tip my hat to those innovators for sustainable packaging
such as an edible six-pack ring for beer and soft drinks so that when it finds
its way to the ocean, the fish can feed off it, to the invention of packaging
made from mushrooms rather than plastic, and so many more that are working
their way into the mainstream.
The demand from our population for more responsible social,
environmental and governance in the area of environmental sustainability has
led to the creation of such organizations as the Sustainable Packaging
Coalition, started by nine companies whose aim is to “Use wisely; Reduce
toxicity; Recover more.” The goal is to have sustainability for the resources
used in packaging, to optimize packaging design so that it can eliminate the
use of excessive boxes, bags and ties while protecting the products inside, and
to support recycling efforts.
This demand from consumers has moved the conversation from
specialty suppliers to the buy-in from box stores such as Target and Wal-Mart
whose goal is to achieve zero landfill packaging waste from 100 percent
recyclable packaging by 2025. While “recyclable” doesn’t necessarily translate
to sustainable, it is a step in the right direction.
It is an exciting time for our environment, a time when
people are bringing new ways of thinking, and the packaging industry has heard
the call for more ways of protecting our oceans, our forests and soils. Look
for more innovation in this area in the near future.
Maybe some stores will start selling more things (like
laundry soap) in bulk so that we can eliminate the need for single-use
packaging altogether.
But then, I’m getting ahead of myself. |
| Getting saucy by Taeler Butel on 05/02/2017
Put down the powder packet, it’s not that hard. Making your
own sauce ensures you’ll never go hungry or dry bun again.
Aioli
This is mayo for grown-ups. Silkier, mild and can be a
dressing or sauce for meat and veggies. It’s kinda fancy and fun to say - give
it a try!!
Juice & zest from half a lemon
Mashed garlic cloves, 3-4 depending
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1 t salt
½t white pepper
½ cup olive oil
In a blender add lemon, egg and yolk, zest, garlic, and the
salt and pepper. Blend until incorporated on low speed and stream in olive oil
slowly until emulsified. If it’s too thick add lemon juice. You can store in
the fridge airtight for about a week.
Hollandaise Sauce
Definitely make eggs Benedict, but don’t stop there. Add
herbs, and pour over steak, veggies, chicken, your mother...
4 T Butter (unsalted)
4 egg yolks
2 T lemon juice
1 T heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Start your Hollandaise Sauce by melting the butter in a
small sauce pan. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks.
Add the lemon juice, heavy whipping cream, salt and pepper
into the egg yolks. Next, add the melted butter into the mixture slowly and
whisking vigorously to cream the mixture.
Once the butter has been added, place the mixture back into
the pot. Heat the mixture on low heat, constantly stirring with a whisk.
Stir until the mixture starts to thicken (30 seconds to a
minute) and remove from heat.
Salsa verde
Add this to tacos, enchiladas, beef, pork or just a chip
1 T olive oil
1½ pounds tomatillos, husks removed
1 jalapeno - sliced - seeds in for spicy, or seeds removed
for mild
¼ of a medium onion
2 garlic cloves crushed
½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Add olive oil, tomatillos, jalapeno and onion to a large
skillet. Sauté on high heat until caramelized on both sides, about three to
four minutes.
Transfer to a blender or food processor and add in garlic,
cilantro and lime juice.
Blend until combined. (You may have to do this in two
batches).
Place in the refrigerator to chill.
(Taeler Butel writes exclusively for The Mountain Times.) |
|  Rowena Crest at sunrise.
It's April again, and we photographers all know what that
means. It’s wildflower season again! Here in the Mount Hood area especially as
we have so many options as well as a very long season to photograph them.
Early in the season the flowers such as the purple lupine
and bright yellow balsamroot sunflowers start in the lower elevations,
especially along the east end of the Columbia River Gorge. Places such as Rowena
Crest or Dalles Mountain on the Washington side of the river are both very
popular locations for those who seek these wildflowers in the springtime. As
the season progresses the flowers work their way up into the foothills of Mount
Hood and in time, onto the slopes of the mountain during the summer months.
Most of the best wildflowers on Mount Hood are accessible from the many hiking
trails available to us, but a drive on some of the forest roads will be lined
with everything from lupine and paintbrush to a wide assortment of orchids and
lilies.
When photographing the flowers I like to get up before
sunrise to be able to be there during the best light available to me,
especially for my landscape photos, but a sunset can be just as nice. I
typically avoid the light of midday, but a nice blue sky with some fluffy
clouds is also striking. As the light changes I like to take more close up
photos of the flowers. Macro photography is fun, but bring some knee pads. I
spend a lot of time on my knees during wildflower season.
When out in the wild and roaming among the fields of flowers
be aware of your surroundings so as not trample or destroy any plants or areas
surrounding them. Don't break new trails as there will be many opportunities
for photos along the pathways and trails. As outdoor enthusiasts we need to
practice and preach proper stewardship of the lands, especially in these days
of increased usage.
Some of my favorite secret locations:
Rowena Crest Viewpoint, Mosier – in early season
Rowena Crest Viewpoint is located on and is a part of the
old Historic Columbia River Highway. Located between Mosier and The Dalles, it
gives you a commanding view of the Columbia River Gorge, especially to the
east, which makes it a great place to photograph a sunrise. Lupine and
balsamroot sunflowers dominate the scene but it is home to an amazing variety
of native wildflowers. There are great trails through the area, including the
Tom McCall Preserve.
Columbia Hills State Park – Dalles Mountain, Wash. in early
season
Across the Columbia River from The Dalles lies a whole world
of exploration. One of my favorite places to photograph is Dalles Mountain
Ranch near Dallesport. It once was a ranch and several of the buildings,
including barns and the original farm house are still there and a part of the
history of the area. With views over fields of wildflowers in the springtime
that overlook the southern skyline, including Mount Hood, amazing photos are
made here.
Mt Hood National Forest roads – any time that they're clear
of snow
I love to just go for drives on many of the roads that are
open for travel that are on National Forest land, especially while the
rhododendrons and bear grass are blooming. Many of these roads come to views of
Mount Hood. As you drive you will also notice a wide variety of wildflowers
that grow along the road. Just pack up your camera and go for a drive.
Mount Hood's Wy'east Basin – in late season
For those who enjoy a beautiful hike that will get you onto
the upper slopes of Mount Hood I recommend a hike up Vista Ridge to Wy'east
Basin. It can be strenuous to some but if you pack a lunch and water, take your
time and stop and photograph the flowers along the way a wonderful day can be
had. The trail weaves its way through the ghost forest created by the Dollar
Lake fire, the floor of which can be covered in flowers including beautiful
white fawn lilies. As you break out of the forest, you find views of Barrett
Spur and Mount Hood bear grass and rhododendrons line the trail. When you
arrive above the timberline and into Wy'east basin you will be greeted with
areas covered with beautiful mountain heather.
Mount Hood's Elk Meadows – in late season
For a less strenuous hike go to the east side to Elk Meadows
trail. A large variety of flowers can be found in these meadows, from phlox,
shooting stars, elephant heads and lilies. This trail makes its way to several
trails that network this area that allow loops hikes including a trip to
Umbrella Falls which can be surrounded by fireweed.
These are only a small sample of the amazing scenery that
can yield amazing wildflowers and, consequently, amazing photographs.
Grab your gear and hit the road. |
| Stardust Melody: Chapter II by on 04/01/2017
The land on either side of Ruby River, in the wide stretch
where the trophy trout took their ease, was once all owned by the Wilde family
– first by Casper Wilde, down through the family tree to Anna Belle’s father, Randy
Wilde.
But that’s where the tree uprooted. After the tragic death
of Anna’s mother, Brandy (reportedly mauled by a mountain lion), Randy left
Wildewood, and his daughter Anna, and the property eventually went up for
auction due to non-payment of taxes. All of 18-year-old Anna’s protestations
were smothered by the monarchy of big money.
Beauregard Kimatian – known as Beau – was no stranger to
opportunity. He got his chops growing up in New Jersey, and made his bones in
Las Vegas. He had more business partners that ended up dead or in prison than
Jimmy Dean had sausages or embarrassing TV commercials.
He won the auction – although it wound through the tangled
court system for four years. The land along the bend of the Ruby River was no
longer Wilde.
Beau wasted no time getting down to business. He built the
Stardust Lodge which yawned over the river’s edge with four stories of
balconies with stunning views, twenty-eight sumptuous hotel rooms, a restaurant
of unparalleled quality, and a dining room that could have stolen its damask
tablecloths from the Byzantine Empire.
The word spread. Famous people came – the really rich ones –
and even a President. Beau knew how to put a joint together.
Beau had kept his eye on young Anna throughout his court
battle to land the Wilde property and the building of the lodge. He played
Anna, or so he thought. He seemed to win her over when he bought the finest
Baldwin grand piano that gangster money could buy, and installed it in the
equally grand dining room of the Stardust Lodge.
Anna had learned to play piano, and she had a voice that
made nightingales weep. Beau had hooked his prize. They were married. And to
his mind, it wasn’t catch and release.
So, while the fine dining purred along, Anna would play
softly: Brahms, Grieg, Bach. Once the dishes were cleared and the cigars were
lit, she would sing as well: old standards like ‘My Funny Valentine,’ ‘As Time
Goes By,’ ‘Over the Rainbow.’ But at midnight, on dinner nights Friday,
Saturday and Sunday, she played and sang the lodge’s signature song:
‘Stardust.’
“Sometimes I wonder why I spend the lonely
nights, dreaming of a song …”
* * *
The last entry in Casper Wilde’s frontier journal was as
brief as all the rest:
“Maggie died giving us a son. I’ll call him Sonny.”
Some time went by before a new handwriting appeared in the
journal.
“I’m twelve now,” Ruby wrote. “I’ve been schooling with Mrs.
Bigham on how to read and write. I don’t understand how Mrs. Bigham can even
read with her crossed eyes. But she does. I’m teaching Sonny by reading to him
and showing how letters make words. I have three books. Heidi, The Adventures
of Tom Sawyer, and The Scarlet Letter. I like Heidi best. She was quite a girl.
I don’t read The Scarlet Letter to Sonny. He’s too little. Tom Sawyer is his
favorite, and that’s cause he’s a boy.”
“I sing to the river,” was her last entry, the river that
would one day bear her name.
What happened to her is mostly gossip passed down through
the family. There’s one story she became a famous writer under another name.
Another that she headed off to San Francisco and went on stage in the dance
halls. Another that she became a nurse and died on the battlefield in the Great
War.
Meanwhile, Sonny married an Indian woman named Blue, and had
three sons, Victor Blue Wilde, Tommy Blue Wilde, and Chance Wilde. Chance was
Anna Belle’s grandfather. * * *
On this night, Anna was weaving her way through Stardust
with a crowd of appreciative, eager, well-heeled fishermen, two Congressmen and
their wives, a Senator with someone who wasn’t his wife, and Beau at his table
under a sickly halo of cigar smoke.
From the light of a full moon hanging over the deck outside
the dining room, Anna noticed a dark figure pass by the full-length window.
He was wearing a black fedora.
Anna covered the lyrics with a mystical, knowing Mona Lisa
smile. |
| Working to fund Measure 98 by on 04/01/2017
We’re now heading into the third month of the legislative
session. The legislature is considering several important policies and we will
feel the effects of those policies back home in District 52. In particular,
I’ve recently been actively involved in implementing Measure 98 and opposing
predictive scheduling for employers.
On the November ballot, Oregon voters overwhelmingly
supported Measure 98, which would create new career and technical education
programs in high schools to help raise our disappointing graduation rates. But
here in Salem, there are some who would like to ignore the will of the voters.
In her budget proposal, Governor Brown suggested halfway funding the measure,
cutting the program by 50 percent. Others would like to distribute the funding
throughout the K-12 system, defeating the purpose of making targeted
investments to help more high school students graduate on time.
In the last couple weeks, I have been hard at work
advocating on behalf of Measure 98. I’ve held meetings, participated in a work
group and spoke at a press conference where I urged the legislature to listen
to the will of the voters by fully funding this initiative and implementing it
as intended. Oregonians recognize the importance of dropout prevention, college
readiness and career training. They want strategic investments and programs
that will help our kids get through school and achieve success. Fully funding
and implementing Measure 98 as the voters of Oregon intended is a big step in
the right direction and I will continue to fight for it.
The legislature is also considering predictive scheduling,
legislation that would restrict how employers set employee schedules and would
penalize employers who may need to change an employee’s schedule on short
notice. All employers would be required to pay employees partial compensation
for unworked or unfinished hours in the event of last minute scheduling
changes. Large employers would be required to provide work schedules two weeks
in advance and to compensate employees for any changes.
This legislation disregards the reality that for many, work
is simply unpredictable. Weather patterns can affect work hours in almost any
industry, as we all learned during our weeks of snow and adverse weather this
past winter. Our local businesses had to absorb the costs of those snow-related
closures. Requiring them to pay employees extra compensation for snow days
would be a hardship that most small businesses on the Mountain could not
afford. In some businesses, variable hours are a routine part of the job.
Changing seasons, heavy traffic, power outages, and even customers calling to
cancel orders last minute can necessitate changes in work schedules. Employers
and employees need the freedom to be flexible for the mutual benefit of all.
Predictive scheduling is being strongly opposed by employers
across the state, and I’ve reached out to our chambers of commerce in District
52 and to local businesses to ask for their perspectives on this issue. I want
to ensure that our community has the opportunity to participate in this
discussion and I will make sure that your voices and views are heard here in
Salem.
Thank you for the opportunity to represent you.
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for HD 52.) |
| ‘Bathroom rage’ could soon be clogging court system by Ned Hickson on 04/01/2017
Several years ago I came up with an idea while standing in
line for the rest room, which, in this case, was actually a row of six portable
toilets set up to meet the needs of approximately 8,000 men, women and
children, each of whom had apparently consumed two or more 128-ounce Big Gulps
in the previous 20 minutes.
They say necessity is the mother of invention. Which is why,
as I stood waiting with my legs crossed, I had a revolutionary idea I call the
“Rodeo Commode.” Like other commodes, it provides users with a private and
sanitary environment in which to complete their bodily functions. However,
unlike ordinary commodes, the “Rodeo Commode” allows a person just eight
seconds before the doors fly open and, finished or not, they are bucked out of
the stall by a hydraulic system similar to a mechanical bull — including, if
necessary, spinning a full 360 degrees in order to dislodge even the most
experienced riders in the “Rodeo Commode” circuit.
Unfortunately, just like my idea for an all-commercial cable
channel (allowing viewers to tune in and leave the room as often as they like
without worrying if they missed anything), the “Rodeo Commode” was met with
skepticism by my list of potential investors — i.e., several plumbers I know
who have daily contact with pipe dope.
As it turns out, I was simply ahead of my time. I know this
because of a new social phenomenon experts are calling “bathroom rage,”
wherein, much like “road rage,” a confrontation between two strangers quickly
escalates into a potentially dangerous situation.
In the restroom.
The big difference here is that you won’t be traveling in
excess of 60 mph while sitting on a commode. And if you are, you have a right
to be angry. Especially if someone cuts you off.
According to the New Haven Register in Stratford, Conn.,
police charged Andres Diaz and Joseph Augusto with breach of peace following a
confrontation in a Burger King restroom that started when Diaz apparently “took
too long.”
Augusto, who was waiting to use the commode, was enraged
when Diaz emerged from the stall with a copy of “War and Peace.”
Okay, I made that last part up. But the two men did get into
a fight over how long Diaz was in the bathroom after Augusto confronted him
about it. That’s when, according to the police report, “The two men allegedly
bumped chests, then chased each other around the restaurant with their weapons
— Augusto with a small pocket knife, and Diaz brandishing a Burger King straw
dispenser.”
The restaurant chain refused to comment on the incident
other than to say it was “unfortunate.”
Following the advice of its lawyers, Burger King has now
adopted a strict new policy of making straws “only available on request.”
This, my friends, is “bathroom rage” rearing its ugly head
and, in a matter of speaking, slurping out of society’s collective soda cup.
What if Diaz had grabbed a toilet paper dispenser instead?
My point is we could end this madness right now, before some
unfortunate teenager is hired to hand out allotted squares of bath tissue.
With the help of a small investment in my “Rodeo Commode,”
there’s no need for us to take “bathroom rage” sitting down.
(Ned is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corporation.
Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com) |
|  The Lightkeepers.
“The Lightkeepers” is an unusual mystery – set in a very
unusual place – that will keep you guessing until the final pages. The author
takes us to the remote Farallon Islands off the rugged coast of Northern California,
a small group of islands so difficult to navigate that visitors have to be
lifted onto the island in a metal cage by a crane and where the ferry only
calls every month or so, depending upon the seas.
The tale is told through the eyes of a young photographer,
Miranda, who begs and pleads for a fellowship to visit the islands for a year,
capturing the spectacular, wild scenery and the wildlife – gigantic white
sharks, pods of blue whales, sea lions, armies of mice and enormous flocks of
nesting birds, particularly gulls.
In spite of the fierce beauty of the scenery, Miranda finds
the islands treacherous and frightening at first with the very granite land
crumbling under her feet and pitching her toward danger. While the land has
many dangers, the other occupants of the island (all of whom share one rickety
cabin) seem strange, unwelcoming and secretive. Author Gemi does a great job of
building a sense of mystery and menace as Miranda settles into her new, strange
surroundings, even introducing a ghost who frequents the cabin.
While it seems that dangers exist everywhere on the island
and from the sea’s inhabitants, the biologists and researchers who live there
often flaunt the dangers, taking chances with full knowledge of the potential
consequences. And after she endures a brutal rape by one of the island’s other
inhabitants, Miranda withdraws unto herself even more, losing herself in the
joy of photographing the unusual landscape and its wonders.
When two deaths and a life-threatening accident occur,
staying out the year’s commitment seems to be more of a question – especially
as Miranda realizes that she is pregnant.
Ms. Geni has a gift for descriptions of the ever-changing
weather, the unique landscape and the island’s wild inhabitants.
However, the murder mystery will keep you guessing until the
last pages.
The Lightkeepers in an unusual book with unusual twists that
transports the reader to a world far removed from one that we can experience.
(Abby Geni is a graduate of Oberlin University and the Iowa
Writer’s Workshop as well as the recipient of an Iowa Fellowship. Her work won
first place in the Glimmer Train Fiction Open and was listed in The Best
American Stories 2010. The Lightkeepers has been recognized by the Barnes and
Nobel’s Discover New Writers program. She lives in Chicago.) |
| End of La Nina brings average temps and less precipitation by on 04/01/2017
Needless to say, March has been a cloudy, wet month.
Brightwood received precipitation nearly every day and recorded a 5.5-inch
snowfall on March 5, which exceeds the average monthly total of 3.15 inches.
Government Camp received a 10-inch snowfall on March 1 and another 10-inch snowfall
on March 8, combining to reach a total of 35 inches so far compared to an
average of 47.7 inches for March. Precipitation totals at both locations were
well above average, although temperatures were remarkably steady and close to
average.
The National Weather Service reports an end to the La Nina
influence and expects our area to have temperatures close to average with lower
than average precipitation for the coming month of April. Let’s hope they’re
right.
During April, Brightwood has an average high temperature of
55, an average low of 38, and a precipitation average of 7.63 inches, including
an average of .83 inches of snow. During the past ten years, high temperatures
have reached the 80s during three years, the 70s during six years, and only one
year couldn’t make it above the 60s. Low temperatures were evenly divided with
five years dropping into the 30s and the other five dropping into the 20s. Only
one year failed to drop to the freezing mark. The record precipitation total
for April is 16.10 inches, set in 2011. The record snowfall for April is 5.5
inches, set in 2008.
During April, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 45 degrees, an average low of 30 degrees and a precipitation
average of 7.43 inches, including 26.1 inches of snow. During the past ten
years, high temperatures have reached the 70s twice, into the 60s during seven
years and into the 50s once. Lows had two years in the teens, seven years in
the 20s, and one year in the 30s. The record April snowfall of 55 inches was
set in 1972. The record 24-hour snowfall of 17 inches was set on April 12,
1981, although a 13-inch total was measured recently on April 3, 2011. |
| MHGS: Earth Day and an anniversary by Mary Soots on 04/01/2017
This month marks the seventh anniversary of the Mt. Hood
Green Scene. The goal: to bring sustainability to the mountain. It was an
ambitious goal, and at times we were faced with opposition. In spite of that,
the Mt. Hood Green Scene persevered and has worked to bring recycling
opportunities and environmental awareness to our community. We worked to bring
plastic bag recycling to the Hoodland Thriftway, paint recycling to the Welches
Mountain Building Supply Company and hold annual events allowing our residents
to bring in thousands of pounds of electronics, tires, light bulbs, batteries,
Styrofoam, plastic and other materials not recyclable at curbside. We have also
conducted work in the community such as Sustainability Fairs, lectures, films
and removed fallen trees and debris from the school for their outdoor school.
The birth of the Mt. Hood Green Scene was set for an
auspicious date – it was Earth Day 2010. Earth Day itself began in 1970, the
brainchild of Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin. It was at a time
when people were blissfully unaware that we were polluting the earth through
our lifestyle and our demand for fossil fuels. After a massive oil spill in
California, Nelson decided to bring awareness to the problem. At that time, the
Vietnam War raged; it was the height of the counter-culture movement when
people were encouraged to “Question Authority.” People were already organized
and were ready to take on a new challenge.
Mr. Nelson and others organized a national “teach-in on the
environment” on April 20, 1970. On that day, “20 million Americans took to the
streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable
environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities
organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that
had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw
sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the
extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.” (Source:
earthday.org). This was an issue that transcended political alliances or social
class, and brought together people from all walks of life. It was a very
successful movement. By the end of 1970, the first Earth Day had led to the
creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage
of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts.
Earth Day resonated with people everywhere and inspired the
publication of the novel “Ecotopia” by Ernest Callenbach. It also found great
success on the international stage. By 1990, 200 million people in 141
countries were involved and lead to the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil where it was recognized that pollution is an international
problem that all nations must work together to resolve. By 2000, there were
5,000 environmental groups in 184 countries around the world.
But of course, not everyone was happy about the new
regulations. And much like in 1970, Earth Day 2017 comes at a time of great
challenge for the environmental community. Climate change deniers, well-funded
fossil fuel lobbyists and reticent politicians who claim to know more than the
scientific community continue to work to turn back the clock to the days when
the air and the water was contaminated and the natural world was an
inconvenience for those who prefer the smell of money.
This year, Earth Day will be marked by the Mt. Hood Green
Scene by a variety of smaller events. Between April 22-29, we will hold
collection sites for batteries and other materials. On April 29, we will be
conducting an English ivy removal event in the Mountainair community. Please
check out our Facebook page for more details. Come out and join the efforts.
And feel free to wish us a happy birthmonth! |
| Scrumptious seafood stew by Taeler Butel on 04/01/2017
Cioppino, the basics for this “company’s coming” seafood
stew are any mix of shellfish, aromatics, fish and a light flavorful broth.
Serve with crusty bread and a green salad.
1 lb peeled deveined shrimp
1 lb crab legs, cooked
1 lb scallops
1 lb mussels or clams
1 lb white fish fillets
1 yellow onion, diced
1 T dried Italian herbs
1 lb baby Yukon gold potatoes
1 16 oz can quality diced tomatoes and their juice
1 cup white wine
4 cups chicken or fish stock
1 cup sliced leaks (white to light green parts)
4 minced garlic cloves
2 T olive oil
Salt & pepper
1 lemon
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Scrub clams or mussels, place in ice water with 1 T flour
and stir. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Heat oil over medium heat, pat the shrimp, scallops and fish
with paper towels, season with salt and pepper and sear in small batches on
both sides and set aside.
Add to a pan the onion, leeks and garlic, cook for a minute
then add in potatoes, tomatoes, wine, stock and Italian seasoning. Heat to
boiling, then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer for 30 minutes then add in the mussels or clams, top
with the seared seafood and crab, cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes until
mussels or clams open and fish is cooked through. Top with lemon slice and
parsley. |
|  Painted Hills at sunset
The mountain is such a beautiful place to explore with all
that it has to offer the outdoor enthusiast and landscape photographer. With
unmatched scenery that includes scenic vistas, old growth forest groves, moss
lined creeks and majestic waterfalls, there’s no shortage of beautiful scenery.
There’s really no reason to go far to find a world class photograph, especially
during beautiful conditions.
In landscape photography the weather affects, and in some
ways regulates, when we are able to make the most striking images. Some seasons
are certainly more photogenic than others. A creative mind can usually find
beauty in the most mundane or challenging conditions, but even the most
creative mind can get weary of the weather, especially when they’re patiently
waiting for springtime and all that it brings.
We are in a unique position here on The Mountain in that
we’re able to travel east a relatively short distance and find fairer weather.
I always keep this in mind come April or May. On those gray rainy days when I
feel captive in my own home I am known to head east.
On one particular day in May, after a long winter that
pushed snowfall into the days that are typically conducive to wildflower
blooms, I had had enough. It was past lunch time. Half of the day was gone so I
thought for a minute. The Painted Hills came to mind. The Painted Hills are
only one example of the amazing scenery that we have at our doorstep. Being
only three hours from home I packed my gear, my dog and a lunch and headed out.
As I drove the rain seemed to follow. My best consolation
was that it was a great Sunday drive. It was doubtful that I would get any photos
that surpassed anything that I had taken there in the past, but it’s better
than sitting in my living room watching TV. I love the open road, a brown bag
lunch and a full tank of gasoline.
I arrived mid afternoon in the midst of a rain squall. There
were several other photographers there hooded and hunkered over their tripods.
I sat in my dry, warm rig wondering if I should even get out, but I figured
that if I was going to drive all the way out here I was going to, at least, eat
my lunch.
I sat in my rig and watched as each of the other
photographers gave up, got back into their cars and left. In time the park
ranger came by. I got out and walked over to have a chat and explained that I
was there for the sunset. He looked at me, then looked up into the sky and
said, “Well, stranger things have happened I suppose,” before he wished me luck
and went on his way.
As the afternoon progressed and it got closer to sunset it
didn’t look good, but in time I could see a narrow slot of an opening in the
clouds on the horizon to the west. I made a little wish and set up my tripod
and camera just in case.
Sure enough the sun moved down to the horizon and to the
opening in the clouds and as it did it shone this amazing orange light on the
scenery around me. As I stood there looking to the west, with the Painted Hills
behind me I started shooting the horizon. My heart was beating as I shot a few
scenes. I never expected this show at all. A moment later it occurred to me to
turn around and look behind me at the scenery that I had really come to
photograph. “Holy macaroni!” The hills were painted with this amazing vivid
orange light. I could hardly believe it. I ran around photographing the scene
as if it were a super model.
As I photographed the scene it changed and morphed into an
incredible light show. As the beam of light moved into the clouds above the
hills a rainbow appeared above the scene. As I stand there my in awe of what is
happening in front of my camera the only thing that I figure would make the
scene better would be a Pegasus flying through the sky or a unicorn grazing in
the foreground.
I left that day with some of the best photographs that I
have ever made, and I almost missed it. I learned a lesson that day. If you
don’t go out you won’t get the photograph. A second lesson is that I wouldn’t
make much of a meteorologist.
Don’t discount those days that aren’t obviously epic. At the
least you will go for a nice drive in some beautiful countryside. At the most
you will experience something epic. And don’t forget your camera. |
| Stardust Melody: Chapter I by on 03/01/2017
Johnny Templeton bunched his beige raincoat tightly to his
neck and squinted against the objectionable rain that dotted his glasses – not
that he minded so much as a freight truck passed by in a belch of diesel smoke
that contributed greatly to his knowing that he wasn’t missing a whole lot. He huddled back against the wall of the dentist’s office
with its Cascadian themed exterior that neither polished the rain or snow in
winter, nor reflected favorably the flavor of summer sunshine. Still, he stood there, blinking through the rainbow drops
that had reluctantly blended with the winter downpour and the diesel fumes.
Until, like an urban mirage, a woman slipped through the traffic from across
the street, buried in a mid-calf winter coat and a wet pony tail that kept
perfect time with her dance steps on the pavement. Anna Belle Kimatian – though no one added Belle to her name
except Johnny Templeton – came to a stop on the sidewalk, unsheltered from the
rain, and smiled only with her eyes at the man who waited for her. “Can we get out of the rain?” she asked, her eyes blinking
heavenward for an instant. “Follow me,” he said, waking from the fog of her arrival and
the realization they were drowning. Johnny Templeton turned away from Anna and walked past the
side wall of the dentist’s office, around the back into a strip mall parking
lot that resembled a million others, and disappeared behind a ticket kiosk of a
long ago abandoned effort of a local playhouse. Anna followed several cautious steps behind. Under the cover of the visibility defying rain and the
ticket kiosk, Johnny Templeton and Anna Belle fell into each other’s arms. They
kissed softly. Johnny loosened a crooked smile. “It feels like someone
else.” Anna leaned back, rain still glistening from her dark
cheeks, and questioned him with a tilt of her head. “Novocain,” Johnny offered, nodding back toward the
dentist’s office. “I can fix that,” Anna said. She parted Johnny’s raincoat
and kissed him on his neck. “I also had my tonsils out,” he said. Anna slapped Johnny playfully on the cheek. They embraced again, lost in each other like lovers in a
Russian novel. Johnny removed his glasses so their noses touched. “How long?” he asked. “Minutes.” Then the Russian play at the shuttered theater lingered as
long as was allowed. *** It should probably be mentioned that this nearly lost town
in Oregon is called Wildewood. The extra “e” came from the founder’s name:
Casper Wilde. No one knows for sure when Casper settled here, even though a
journal has survived him. Seems he was a writer of few words. Entries in his
journal – never dated – went like these: Still stuck in the snow Had to a shoot a horse This’ll do (presumably “this’ll do” was written when his wagon arrived
in the place that now bears his name.) He must have been mighty proud of his daughter, Ruby,
because he nearly became so prolific in his praise of her you’d think Tolstoy
had grabbed on to his journal: Ruby plays every day down at the river always all alone And to this day, it’s known as Ruby River. Anna was born Anna Belle Wilde. Casper was her great-great
grandfather. Ruby belonged in Anna’s family tree based on their mutual
affection for that river. Anna Belle’s father was Randy Wilde, her mother, Brandy
Wilde. When Anna was eighteen Brandy was mauled by a mountain lion. Brandy
loved to be alone – like most of the Wilde women – and would take two and three
day solo hikes in the wilderness. Despite the fact she was woodsy savvy, on
this day she met her match. A great hunting party ensued for the mountain lion
once the scene of the attack was discovered. There were Brandy parts to follow
but soon an early autumn snow arrived and the trail, and Brandy, went cold. Brandy’s tragic death tipped Randy over the edge, a spot he
teetered on all his adult life. He loved his whisky more than anything, which
included Brandy, Anna Belle, jobs, chopping firewood, mending a broken gate,
just about everything. When Wildewood mourned for Randy’s loss, he used that
tidbit as an escape valve. No one is sure where he went. Someone said they
spotted him at a football game in Sacramento. Someone else insisted they had it
on good authority he went to South America. At least everyone agreed, he was gone, and attention turned
to what would happen to poor Anna. They needn’t have worried. *** |
| State budget shortfall a big concern by on 03/01/2017
The Legislature officially convened on Wednesday, Feb. 1 and
it has been a busy couple of weeks. Already this session, I’ve had constituents
come to Salem to discuss a variety of topics with me. We’ve also received a lot
of completed legislative surveys from people sharing their concerns and
outlining what they would like to see addressed over the next six months. I’m
thankful to have so many of my constituents engaged because it helps guide me
while I’m in Salem and outline my priorities. Please continue to share your
thoughts with me as we go through the session by visiting our website or
emailing rep.markjohnson@oregonlegislature.gov
One of the top concerns shared was about the $1.8 billion
deficit in our state budget. To be honest, I am disheartened to see the lack of
urgency on the part of legislative leadership (Speaker of the House, Senate
President, and the Governor) to address this budget gap. To date, no
substantive meetings have been convened to propose potential solutions to the
budget problem or to assemble the bipartisan support that will be needed for
any legislation to be successful. Meanwhile, school districts and other
programs that depend on state funding are putting together their budget
projections for next year without any guidance as to what a final budget
solution may look like. The irony of this situation is that we are currently
experiencing record general fund revenues in Oregon, but still can’t seem to
live within our means and invest in key programs that produce positive
outcomes.
In spite of this lack of action from leadership, I’m not
waiting around. I’m focused on finding ways to bend the cost curve of our state
budget. We currently have too many programs and agencies in our budget that are
expanding at a rate exceeding the growth of general fund revenues. This is not
sustainable and is largely to blame for our deficit. Of course, fixing this is
easier said than done. But this work is necessary to ensure a better quality of
life for all Oregonians.
One piece of legislation I am bringing forth to help bend
the cost curve, and to provide better outcomes for students, will provide
behavioral health support to elementary schools across Oregon. The inspiration
for this bill comes from classroom teachers that I spoke with during the
interim period about what legislation I could work on that would help them to
be more successful in the classroom. What I heard is that high needs students
with serious behavioral issues are making it difficult for teachers to teach
effectively. Schools are attempting to provide behavioral health support, but
just don’t have the funds to provide enough support for teachers either through
training or behavioral health staff. Due to these changes in our student
population, the state school fund is being asked to provide services it was not
designed for. So this legislation does not place an additional burden on our
public school budgets, but instead partners with the Oregon Health Authority to
identify how their current resources can be shifted to provide needed supports
for students with behavioral problems that make learning difficult for them. It
will limit costs to provide this support from the state school fund and tap
into available funds within our health care system. Access to behavioral health
specialists can make a big difference in the quality of learning in our
schools. Partnering with the Oregon Health Authority can provide a new model to
help relieve the stress on K-12 budgets while not removing a key resource in
our schools. I think this legislation will help us limit pressures on the state
school fund and allow us to provide more effective classroom instruction within
existing budget resources.
There are ways to address our budget crisis, such as the new
model I outline above, but it won’t happen overnight and we need to make sure
that while the legislature is all in one place for the next six months, we act
to provide certainty for the citizens of Oregon. I’m focused on having these
conversations, rolling up my sleeves and getting to work. I hope that you will
continue to share your thoughts with me on this topic, or any other topic
that’s important to you. And after the winter we’ve had on the mountain and
around District 52, here’s hoping for an early spring!
Thank you for the opportunity to represent you.
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for HD 52.) |
| Insuring your buttocks could require a big premium by Ned Hickson on 03/01/2017
Given that Jennifer Lopez was reportedly able to insure her
buttocks for a million dollars, and British food critic Egon Ronay had his
taste buds insured for $400,000, I couldn’t help but wonder how much I could
get for my legs, which my wife has often referred to as “cute” after a few
glasses of wine.
After filling out the necessary paperwork and submitting a
photo, it turns out my legs have a combined net worth of just over $68.50.
That’s according to Lloyd’s of London, which assured me
their appraisal was pretty much the going rate for hairy-legged, 50-year-old,
non-celebrities whose wives admire their husband’s legs while mildly
intoxicated.
As you can imagine, I was absolutely shocked by the
insurance company’s appraisal of my legs’ value, and immediately responded by
firing back a letter telling them — in no uncertain terms — to sign me up
before they changed their mind.
That’s right. For just $100 a month, I have the security of
knowing that in the event of an accident, my legs — just like our vehicles and
home — will be assessed by an experienced claims adjustor and immediately
declared a total loss.
No matter how minimal the damage.
That’s because, in each case, I’ve already paid more into
the policy than I’ll ever get back.
For example: Both of our cars are over 15 years old. Neither
of them has full coverage. Each costs us about $500 a year to insure. And,
according to the Blue Book reference chart, their combined net value is still
worth less than the premium on my legs. In fact, the only way I might be able
to break even with all these policies is if the following were to happen:
While using one car to tow the other, my legs suddenly
caught fire, causing me to drive both vehicles directly into the side of our
house.
The point is my legs shouldn’t be any less valuable than,
say....Michael Flatley’s, which Lloyd’s of London insured for $25 million.
Okay, sure. He is “Mr. Lord of the Dance.”
And yes, his legs can do things mine could only do if I were
dancing barefoot on a mound of writhing scorpions covered with cooking spray.
At the same time, I’ve seen the Riverdance video. As
impressive as it was, my footwork in a video taken of me trying to run past the
water sprinkler while carrying our two cats was equally impressive.
(And, if I may add, a lot more dangerous.)
In fact, plans are being made to release this exciting
video, which includes footage of:
• My sprinkler dance with the cats.
• Our neighbors making tourniquets.
• Me riding in an ambulance.
• All of this performed to the dramatic musical score of
“Cat Scratch Fever.”
As an added bonus, the first 100 people to buy
Sprinklerdance will also get a free documentary about skin grafts.
That said, I must issue a disclaimer telling anyone who
watches this video NOT to attempt Sprinklerdancing at home.
Unfortunately, this warning came too late for one celebrity
who received an advanced copy.
The good news is, seeing that her buttocks were already
insured for a million dollars, she’s expected to make a full recovery.
The cats, however, are another story.
(Ned is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corporation.
Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com) |
| Lessons from ‘Ruby Ridge’ persist in today’s world by on 03/01/2017
We are living in extraordinary political times, in part
driven by a distrust of government. Some may remember – but many will not – the
roots of our own homegrown terrorism at Ruby Ridge. The Federal stand-offs at
Ruby Ridge and Waco dramatically illustrate the true terror of Federal
authority run amok when wielded against those who sought to separate from
society due to their deeply held beliefs divergent from the mainstream. Anger
from these events soon led to the bombing of the Oklahoma Federal building and
the beginning of modern-day terrorist tactics.
A recent PBS special reminded me of the power and relevance
in this volume. In Jess Walters’ powerful book “Ruby Ridge” (previously
published as “Every Knee Shall Bow”) he provides the most complete and authoritative
account of the Ruby Ridge confrontation, tracing the roots of the tragedy
through the Randy Weaver family’s evolution of beliefs and the federal agencies
who first tried to entrap and then to capture or kill them.
The Ruby Ridge confrontation came to a head in the late
summer of 1992 but had been brewing for years. Randy Weaver and his family had
moved to a very remote piece of land on a hilltop in the Northern Idaho
panhandle, about 50 miles south of the Canadian border. Their desire was to be free
to practice their unique set of separatist, fundamentalist religious beliefs
and to be prepared for an eventual, inevitable confrontation with the evil
authorities. Federal agents determined to target Randy Weaver as a potential
government informant since he and his family sometimes visited with the nearby
White Separatists. Hoping to force Randy to become a government informant, an
ATF agent persuades Randy to saw off several shotguns and then attempts to
force him to inform on others in order to avoid prosecution for doing so. Randy
resists and fails to appear at a hearing which gives the Federal authorities
reason to seek his arrest on a warrant. This precipitates a confrontation
totally out of proportion to the charges. Soon the Weavers’ small compound is
surrounded by massive military, ATF and FBI forces, converging to confront
Randy and his family.
With a family compound where all the inhabitants are always
armed and trained to shoot is surrounded by armed snipers and Special Forces
experts, it is just a matter of time before tragic and deadly mistakes happen.
This only increases the out-of-proportion response by the Federal government.
Fortunately, lessons eventually were learned at Ruby Ridge that have assisted
in the handling of future stand-offs, like our recent Malheur confrontation.
This volume is well written and very much worth your time
and consideration. A true American tragedy.
Jess Walter is a NW author who has won national recognition
for his reporting and innovative novels. Jess’ former employer, the Spokane,
Washington Spokesman-Review newspaper, won a Pulitzer Prize nomination for the
paper’s coverage of the Ruby Ridge stand-off in the nearby northern Idaho
panhandle with Walters as a key writer. Jess Walter is the author of eight
books including “Beautiful Ruins” and “The Financial Lives of Poets.” He’s been
a #1 New York Times bestseller, finalist for the 2006 National Book Award and
the PEN/USA Literary prize in both fiction and nonfiction and won the 2005
Edgar Allan Poe Award. He still lives in Spokane, Wash. with his family. |
| Average temps and precipitation tentatively expected in March by on 03/01/2017
As many may have noticed, precipitation has been higher than
average this February, and temperatures have moderated substantially from the
levels experienced in January, although still lower than average.
The snowfall total in Government Camp has reached 39 inches
so far, and will likely end the month close to the average 41.8 inches. The
total at Brightwood amounts to only an inch so far, and it appears unlikely to
reach its average of 5.9 inches. The return of colder temperatures and light
precipitation during the final week of the month will have the answer. But a
taste of spring-like weather doesn’t show up on the crystal ball yet.
This winter has been a severe test for the National Weather
Service and their confidence is still weak due to an expected active Madden
Julian Oscillation pattern over the Western Hemisphere.
This usually translates to some guesswork on their part, so
they hesitantly forecast about average temperatures and precipitation for our
area this coming March.
During March, Brightwood has an average high temperature of
52, an average low of 35 and a precipitation average of 8.54 inches, including
an average 3.15 inches of snow. During the past ten years, high temperatures
have reached the 70s during two years, into the 60s during six years, and into
the 50s the remaining two years. Low temperatures fell into the 20s during
eight years and into the 30s the other two years. On average, there are 8.6
days when the temperature drops to freezing or lower. The record precipitation
for March dating back 40 years is 19.17 inches, including 18 inches of snow set
during 2012. The record snowfall for March is 19.9 inches measured in 1960. The
record 24-hour snowfall is ten inches set on March 4, 1960.
During March, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 41 degrees, an average low of 27 degrees and a precipitation
average of 9.30 inches, including 47.7
inches of snow. During the past ten years, high temperatures have reached the
70s once, into the 60s during six years, into the 50s twice and into the 40s
once. Lows had six years in the 20s, and four years in the teens. The record
March snowfall of 127 inches was set in 1962. The record 24-hour snowfall of 22
inches was set on March 21, 2012 and also March 7, 2003. |
| MHGS: The dangers posed by algae and how to help by Mary Soots on 03/01/2017
As spring and the growing season are just around the corner,
there is one growth that we would like to see a little less of this year. Those
of us who are old enough may remember taking a swim on a hot day in a cool lake
or pond. Those are wonderful memories for those who were fortunate to have a
local swimming hole nearby.
In more recent times, it seems that those same lakes or
ponds have been ever increasingly invaded by blue-green algae blooms that
appear near the edges and grow toward the center. I no longer allow even my
dogs to swim in the toxic swill. In trying to understand the reason for this
and what we can do to prevent it, the following information is from an EPA
article entitled “Why Is the Beach Green?” that explores algal threats:
Algal threat? How can those little green cells called algae
we grew in high school biology class be threatening? ‘Algae’ is actually a term
for a broad group of different kinds of microscopic organisms that can live in
the water. Algae play a key role in supporting the food chain and they are
present in most marine and fresh surface waters. So, how can a good thing like
algae be a hazard? Simply put, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.
When growing conditions are just right, algae can form
massive blooms, fouling surface water, depleting oxygen, and out-competing
other organisms in the water. The blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, can
produce toxins that if present in high enough concentrations can cause adverse
health effects among people and animals. Toxic blue-green algal blooms have
impacted drinking water and recreational beaches, so they are a concern for
officials who are tasked with protecting public health. Algal blooms can also
have adverse economic impacts on communities by increasing the cost of drinking
water treatment, and by affecting home prices, tourism and industries that
depend on clean water.
Nutrient pollution is a key driver of blue-green algae
blooms. The nutrients come from fertilizer use and animal manure, nitrogen
oxides produced by fossil fuel emissions, soil erosion, storm water runoff,
leaking septic tanks, waste water and some industrial sources. When combined
with nutrient pollution, other environmental conditions that support blooms
include drought, increased water temperature and low lake and river levels.
These environmental conditions may increase in frequency as a result of our
changing climate.
While scientists have learned a great deal about harmful
algal blooms, there is still much more that we need to learn to help
communities protect themselves from the harmful effects of these blooms. EPA is
conducting research to better understand the reasons why these blooms occur, to
better predict when and where they might occur, and to define environmentally
acceptable levels of nutrients, algal cells and toxins that are protective of
the health of people and the environment.
EPA researchers will continue to do the science needed to
understand the health and environmental hazards of algal blooms and to work
with other agencies and local officials to better predict when and where blooms
will occur. Yet the best solution is to limit the occurrence of algal blooms.
We can protect our water by limiting fertilizer applications, by managing storm
and waste water runoff, and by preserving our land’s health and fertility by
preventing soil erosion. If we are careful stewards of our land and water, we
can continue to enjoy bountiful harvests from our fertile soils and also
maintain safe drinking water, healthy fisheries, and inviting recreational
waters. Individuals and communities can play a role in monitoring waterways for
algal blooms, and also be aware of the sources of fertilizers, waste, and
nutrients that may flow into their local waters. |
| Irish and authentic by Taeler Butel on 03/01/2017
March is the time to celebrate all things Irish, so give ‘em
a kiss and an authentic Irish meal, no green food dye needed.
Irish beer & cheese bread
Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour or add parchment paper to
a 9x5 loaf pan.
3 cups unbleached flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 t baking powder
1 t kosher salt
1 cup plus shredded, aged Irish cheddar such as Kerrygold -
you will need more for a topping.
1 12oz bottle Guinness
4 T unsalted butter, melted
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder,
salt and 1 cup of cheese. Pour in the beer and melted butter and stir well
until combined. Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and sprinkle the
remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese on the top.
Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick insert in the
center comes out clean and the top is crisp and golden brown. Let it cool
before removing.
Potato pancakes
These freeze well between sheets of parchment - if you can
sneak some away.
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1/3 cup flour
2 T whole milk
1 T chopped green onion
Salt and pepper
Combine 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes, a heaping 1/3 cup
flour, 2 tablespoons milk and 1 tablespoon of chopped mixed herbs in a bowl.
Knead until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Divide into 4 balls on a
floured surface and flatten each into a 3-inch patty.
Melt 1½ tablespoons butter in a large skillet over
medium-high heat, then add the patties and cook until golden brown for 4 to 5
minutes per side, adding more butter to the pan when needed.
Lamb roast
3 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1 t chopped rosemary
1 t chopped sage
1 t chopped marjoram
1 t thyme leaves
2 boneless lamb loins with tenderloins butterflied (about 3
lbs)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Make a paste with olive oil, herb and the salt &
pepper. Spoon mixture on the inside of
the tenderloin, roll up and season the outside with salt & pepper the cut
side down. Sear in a large cast iron skillet with the seam side down. Carefully
turn over using tongs. Heat oven to 350 degrees, place the pan in the oven and
roast tenderloin in oven. Roast for about 15 minutes and let it sit for 10 minutes
before slicing. |
| The road of life and our bodies – bumping up against mortality by Victoria Larson on 02/01/2017
It doesn’t take a genius level IQ to realize there’s only
one guarantee in life. None of us will make it out alive. We need to try and
embrace this reality and accept and appreciate our lives. The current
frazzle-dazzle lifestyle will only accelerate the race to the endpoint!
That edge of death gives life its exquisite meaning. As we
age, we come to realize that some things are simply not worth our time. Arguing
over the small stuff, for instance. In God’s eyes, it’s ALL small stuff.
As recently as one hundred years ago, most people were born
at home and died at home. Now, the end of a lifetime is usually spent in some
sort of care or medical facility. The elderly therein are sapped of energy with
addled brains in the slim hope of beating death. But it’s not going to happen.
It comes to each and every one of us.
There are still people who live to be 90 years old (I have
two friends that age!) or even 100, but most that age are in countries other
than ours. Care is difficult. But where several generations live under one roof
care is spread out among many. And the “many” care about their loved ones.
Monetary constraints in America are bringing some of that back but it’s still
not the norm.
In this modern time we have nuclear families and the
generation of “self.” Witness the almost constant use of that word in our
society. Many grown children are not only “too busy” for their aging relatives,
but they’re often too busy for their kids! Making money is necessary but making
a life is more important.
The elderly face a lot of challenges. Here’s a for instance:
blood supply to teeth and gums diminishes the desire to eat. In the United
States, by the age of 60 years old most people have lost a third of their
teeth. By 85 years of age, 40 percent have no teeth at all. Tooth care is
important so you can keep eating. Food is your fuel.
Tooth and gum problems lead to altered diet. A diet common
with the elderly is as follows: cold cereal and a banana for breakfast, a
sandwich for lunch, and not much of anything for dinner. Not enough nutrition,
period. Yet how many children and young adults eat like that without the excuse
of deteriorating teeth? It’s really not enough nutrition at any age. Again,
food is your fuel.
Bones become more brittle as we age and lack proper
nutrition. Calcium leaches from bones into arteries leading to increased risk
of heart attack and stroke. Every year approximately 350,000 Americans fall and
break a hip due to weakening bones. 40 percent of those who do break a hip end
up in a nursing home. 20 percent never walk again. Risk of falling increases
with the muscle weakness of aging. Use of prescription medicines increases the
risk of falling, though you should never discontinue the use of a
pharmaceutical medicine without your doctor’s knowledge. These factors increase
the risk of falling by about 12 percent. Add in poor balance issues and the
risk of falling jumps to 100 percent. Is this how we should be treating the
elderly?
Weak muscles and bones more brittle lead to poor posture.
The elderly may be “stooped” or lean forward to eat while pushing the head
backwards to balance the forward slump. Unfortunately, this leads to a “kink”
in the esophagus which in turn leads to an increased risk of choking on food.
Yet you need food. Sit up straight to eat your food.
Alerting the elderly to their potential problems may help
them avoid more than the necessary struggles and risks of life. With aging also
comes what I like to call “creeping wisdom.” It just comes with the territory
of aging, but the elderly want to share their wisdom. Be kind, be patient, be
respectful. SLOW DOWN, rather than race to the end. Show gratitude in all
things. And eat, for food is your fuel. Love to all of the elders out there.
Let’s keep bumping along the road of life. |
| Food for friends (and lovers) by Taeler Butel on 02/01/2017
February food is for friends and lovers. These recipes can
be converted to feed a crowd or just one or two.
Shepherd pie potato skins
6 large russet potatoes, baked in 400 degree oven with 2 T
olive oil and 1 t salt for 1 hr until fork tender
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 minced sweet onion
2 stalks celery
1 cup frozen peas & carrots
Salt & pepper
Beef bouillon cube
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 T flour
3 T butter
1 lb ground meat browned
Let the potatoes stand until cool enough to handle. Cut in
half lengthwise and scoop out.
Into a bowl mash in sour cream, 2 T of butter, shredded
cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, add in
celery and onion and cook about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute.
Add in flour and salt and pepper and whisk about a minute. Add beef bouillon
cube and drizzle in about 3/4 cup of water whisking a few minutes until
thickened.
Add in cooked, crumbled meat and the frozen veggies. Let it
cool, then scoop the mixture into potato skins with a big scoop of the mashed
potato mixture on top. Place skins back in oven on 350 degrees for about 15
minutes.
Layered mac n’ cheese
One package dried elbow macaroni cooked and drained, (2 cups
or 16 oz)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup half & half
1 stick butter
Salt & pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 lb pulled pork
1 jar roasted red peppers
6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup bread crumbs, plain or seasoned
2 T melted butter
In a large skillet melt the stick of butter over medium
heat. Add 1/2 t each of salt and pepper, add flour and whisk and cook for about
a minute. Add in the half & half and 1 cup of cheese, then add in pasta.
Set it aside. Layer a glass dish with a thin layer of macaroni followed by
shredded pork, peppers and the remaining cheese. Top with bread crumbs mixed
with bacon and melted butter. Bake 30 minutes on 350 degrees. |
| Budget shortfall must be addressed by on 02/01/2017
On Monday, Jan. 9, members of the Oregon Legislature were
officially sworn in for their two-year term. This is my fourth time serving as
your State Representative and each term, I am reminded of what an honor it is
to stand on the House floor to take the oath of office. I encourage you all
over the next few months to take a trip down to your Capitol and witness the
session in action. You can also stay in touch by signing up for my newsletter:
www.repmarkjohnson.com/newsletter-signup
The main conversation this session will be around the
budget, and specifically adjusting the state’s revenue system. You may know
that Oregon is currently facing a $1.8 billion shortfall on current spending
levels to maintain the service level of existing programs. This means that even
if no new programs or benefits are enacted in the next session we have a
significant budget deficit. We find ourselves in this situation even though our
economy has been producing record revenues for the state treasury over the last
few years. The proposed budget by the Governor reflects significant cuts to
current programs and services including public education, healthcare, senior
services, veterans’ benefits and other programs. It also uses a series of tax
and fee hikes to put the budget in balance. This week the Ways and Means
co-chairs released their budget plan, which simply complies with existing law
and does not raise new revenue but balances the budget through spending
reductions. This plan results in much deeper cuts to various programs than the
Governor’s plan does.
Neither of these budget proposals takes a comprehensive look
at our state budget and makes the reforms necessary to provide long-term budget
stability. They each are just a stopgap measure that will only get us to the
next biennium when we will be faced with even greater budget challenges. I am
working with a group of bipartisan legislators towards a comprehensive plan
that will do three things: bend the cost curve on state government so that we
can get spending under control, do what we can to address the cost drivers
(PERS) that are wreaking havoc on state and local government budgets and also
working closely with the business community to design specific tax code
modifications that can provide a more stable source of revenue for the state
and also encourage business investment and expansion. It’s a huge undertaking
but is very important work. It is time that the state of Oregon to stop kicking
the can down the road and complete the serious work needed to ensure a
successful future for all.
This is the reality that the Legislature faces and must deal
with over the next few months. If we don’t change the way our state both
collects revenue and also how we spend it, we will be without any investment in
any service many of us rely on. I will continue to work with local leaders, in
addition to the bipartisan legislative group, to ensure their voices are heard.
I hope that you will stay in touch with me throughout the
session. I value your opinion and want to address any other issues that are
important to you.
Please contact my office at 503-986-1452 or email
rep.markjohnson@state.or.us.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.
(Mark Johnson is the
State Representative for HD 52.) |
|  'News of the World'
Johanna Leonberger no longer remembers her parents or life
before the Kiowa raised her as their own after murdering her family. Even
though she was six when she was kidnapped, none of the trappings of
civilization remain in her memory.
Now ten years old with blue eyes and caramel-colored hair,
she only speaks the Kiowa language and has no memory of eating with utensils or
living in white civilization. After being “rescued” by the U.S. Army and torn
away from the only family group she remembers, Johanna is now forced to return
to her closest living relatives near San Antonio, Texas.
The army pleads with Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd to
transport her the remaining four hundred miles to her family, realizing that
having a white man of his background as Johanna’s deliverer will be more
acceptable. Not to mention that the army personnel have had great difficulty
handling the wild young girl who refuses to submit to any requests and
constantly tries to escape so that she is now forcibly lashed down to a wagon.
For fifty gold pieces, Captain Kidd reluctantly agrees due to the dire
situation and his strong sense of duty.
Fortunately, Captain Kidd knows the area well, with family
and business interests in San Antonio and having made a living in recent years
by traveling throughout the southwest to read the news for a fee to communities
lacking newspapers from the outside world.
And so, Johanna and Captain Kidd’s momentous journey begins
over difficult roads and facing many threats from hostile Native Americans,
highwaymen and natural forces.
Author Paulette Jiles is a poet and her careful word choices
make this novel a sheer pleasure to read. Ms. Jiles has done her homework and
knows much of the historical circumstances of young children kidnapped by Native
Americans in that era and later returned to the white world. Almost without
exception, these young people continued to identify with their Native American
upbringing and longed to return to that life, in spite of the desire of their
families that they be returned.
Captain Kidd is seventy-one years old and Johanna is ten but
– over time, distance and through many dangers – trust and camaraderie develop
between the two travelers who face difficult decisions at the journey’s end.
This beautiful novel is a great read and full of revelations
about this time of great flux in the West, just after the Civil War. I highly
recommend it to you!
(Paulette Jiles is a poet, memoirist and novelist. Her other
novels are Enemy Women, Stormy Weather, The Color of Lightning and Lighthouse
Island. She lives on a ranch near San Antonio, Texas.) |
| How married men can benefit from watching ‘The Bachelor’ by Ned Hickson on 02/01/2017
Tonight, I will be watching “The Bachelor” with my wife. I
actually watch very little television. The shows I do watch are because of
personal interest. I watch “Chicago Fire” because I’m a volunteer firefighter;
“Meet the Press” because I’m a journalist; “Hell’s Kitchen” because I was a
chef for 10 years; and The Bachelor because I don’t ever want to be one again.
As a ridiculously happily married man, I can tell you the
benefits of a good marriage far outweigh the initial discomfort of watching
Chris Harrison — week after week — inform everyone who didn’t pass kindergarten
math that there’s only one rose left.
You also have to get past the three main types of
contestants who appear each season:
• The Cryer — Easy to spot because they are reduced to tears
and sitting alone within 15 minutes of arriving at the mansion
• The Liar — This person is already in a long-term
relationship and is a struggling actress. They are always extremely attractive,
which causes the Bachelor’s judgment to become cloudy as blood flows away from
the brain to an area not directly related to the circulatory system.
And lastly,
• The Psycho — Always arrives separately from the rest of
the contestants, usually in some uniquely pretentious way, such as by
helicopter or riding a unicorn and wearing only a wrestling singlet.
As someone who has been watching The Bachelor with his wife
for several years now, I have gained a few insights that have made me a better
husband. Here are a few of those insights for husbands who may have missed last
(every) season of the show.
First, always keep a rose with you.
Always.
Having the ability to — at a moment’s notice — produce a
fragrant flower symbolizing your love is a game changer that can diffuse any situation....
Wife: “Are these your dirty BOXERS in the sink... AGAIN?!?”
Husband: [Pulls out rose] “This is for you.”
Wife: “Oh sweetheart! Where else can I look for your boxers?
Wait, don’t tell me! I want it to be like an Easter egg hunt!”
In the rare instance a rose isn’t enough, make sure you have
a mutual friend willing to be a love liaison for you — someone who cares about
you both and has your best interest as a couple in mind.
I would highly suggest getting Chris Harrison. He may not be
able to count higher than 1, but he is an artful mediator. Contrary to what you
might think, getting his help is actually pretty easy. All you have to do is
take a single rose and put it in a basket. He will appear almost instantly to
announce it’s the only one left.
So tonight, I’ll once again take a spot on the couch next to
my wife and watch as the latest bachelor attempts what is essentially televised
cat juggling, complete with claws and hissing. But as he attempts to discover
the inner truths of each woman and searches for his soul mate one rose at a
time, my wife and I will be eating snack foods and sipping something cold as we
share observations about each contestant — which brings me to the most valuable
lesson I’ve learned:
Given the chance to be The Bachelor, it would be the
shortest season of all.
Because I’d simply choose the amazing woman I’m already
married to.
(Ned is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corporation.
Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com) |
| The Adventure Continues:Episode XV Attackus Interruptus by Max Malone, Private Eye on 02/01/2017
Turncoat, or spy, or MI6 agent, or terrorist, or whatever,
Dolly Teagarden was right about the border guards believing we were going
camping on our honeymoon. The Belgian in charge of the frontier crossing gazed
longingly past me, to Dolly, then back to me, and with a wink handed back my
bogus passport and we were off to our campground like two Eddie Bauer-clad
yuppies headed to Yosemite.
“You need to listen closely now, Max,” Dolly said in a most unfittingly
master sergeant’s voice. “We have plenty of backup at the campground, but the
bad guys have to make the first move.”
Despite the fact that I seldom listen closely, especially to
a skirt, I remembered what Dolly had told me before we crossed the border.
“After dark,” she had warned. “You’re supposed to be dead by then.” That’s the
kind of thing that tends to get my attention, especially as the sun was
disappearing into the western horizon as we clattered into the campground/killing
field.
I cradled by Beretta in my lap as Dolly felt into her jacket
pocket for a grip on her pistol as well. There were half a dozen campers, a few
people outside taking up the remains of their picnic dinner – in other words
everyone acting like nothing was about to happen.
As it turned out, they knew more than we did.
“Wait here,” Dolly ordered as I drew the camper to halt.
“Just wait.”
Nothing happened.
Suddenly, two choppers rose above a tree line and headed
straight toward us. I slumped down behind the dashboard and cradled my Beretta
on the top edge.
“They’re ours,” Dolly blurted. “Something went wrong.”
Call it attackus interruptus.
The choppers landed, the rotors whirred to a stop, campers
watched wide-eyed from the safety of their windows, and we got out as a rangy,
crusty-looking chap in a trench coat dismounted from the chopper and, followed
by four soldiers in full riot gear, approached us.
“I’m Special Agent Mike Donovan,” he growled. “We’ve been
deked.”
“Deked?” Dolly asked.
“We’re decoys,” I told her. “They crossed a different
border.”
While we stood around scratching various body parts, the
soldiers went through the camper. Nothing.
“Dammit,” Donovan said, setting his jaw and looking to the
sky as if seeking divine intervention.
I couldn’t help but chuckle, despite the
two-hundred-pound-glare from Donovan. “Do you have any other ideas?” I asked
him. “Because I’ve never been much of a camper.”
I cared not a whit where the arms deal went down. It was
above my pay grade, and I didn’t have a good handle on Belgium geography.
There was a lot of rock kicking and swearing and cell phone
calls, all adding up to us piling in the chopper and night-skipping over the
Belgian countryside to Brussels, where Dolly and I stood in the Zaventum Airport
staring at the ticket counters.
“Come to London with me,” she purred, back from agent
Teagarden to seductive Dolly.
“Can’t do it, Dolly,” I rasped, tipping my fedora. “I miss
America.”
From a window seat the next morning I watched Ireland,
gleaming like an emerald against the blue Atlantic, fade into Iceland – never a
more aptly named country – then to Greenland – the most inaptly named, well,
you get the picture – finally to Nova Scotia as we chased the sun across
Canada, topped the Rockies, and finally dropped down to shoot up the Columbia
Gorge to PDX.
Remember Francoise? She was my secretary before I went off
the grid to Reno, and Valerie Suppine, and Natasha, and the Grimaldi brothers,
and Dolly, and succumbed to a diet of red wine and cheese. Well, she was there
waiting for me.
I realized she probably knew more about me than anyone, as
we zipped along the Interstate to Gresham, then Hwy. 26 to the mountain
community I had left behind, with hardly a word coming between us. We pulled up
a familiar dirt road to what had once been my cabin. To my surprise, the
charred remains had been cleared away, and a framing job was underway. Three
tool-belted men stood at the surviving rock fireplace, a blaze going against
the late-afternoon spring chill, passing a bottle, turning to see us pull into
the driveway.
It was nice to see my two next-door neighbors, as well as
the fire chief, who handed me the bottle of Jameson’s.
Francoise nudged against me. “Welcome home, Max.” |
| MHGS: Concerns for the environment and beyond by Mary Soots on 02/01/2017
It was a shout that was heard throughout the world. It is
estimated that January’s Women’s March in over 500 cities across the United
States with more than 600 sister marches across the world brought an estimated
3.3 million people into the streets to express their concerns for a variety of
issues such as women’s rights, civil rights, labor rights, environmental
rights, etc. Many people fear that the rights that have been hard-earned will
be turned back due to the assumption of the position of president of the U.S.
by Donald Trump and his cabinet of billionaires.
Clearly as one whose mission is the protection of the
environment so that it can continue to sustain humankind for generations, there
is concern for the return to fossil fuel extraction which is so harmful to
people and planet, rather than continuing the work of seeking cleaner,
renewable energy that will not be depleted at the Earth’s expense. After all,
we’re not the only species whose lives depend on it.
Reminiscent of the Tea Party or the Occupy Movement, there
were many reasons that people joined the Women’s March and many groups that
came together to be heard. Though they may have dissenting voices otherwise,
they unified for this one moment. This is actually the latest in a series of
social uprisings (don’t you just love democracy?). The first shot was fired
with the 1999 Battle of Seattle demonstration against the World Trade
Organization. The common denominator in all the movements is to express to our
leaders that the neoliberal economic model of globalization has led to the stagnation
of incomes, the concentration of wealth (a recent report by Oxfam indicated
that just eight men hold as much wealth as the rest of the world combined),
environmental destruction, among other things.
Donald Trump’s presidential campaign was one that appealed
to the masses who hunger for a return to an honest day’s pay for an honest
day’s work, with company benefits such as medical insurance and retirement, and
the return of a strong middle class. One of the hallmarks of his campaign was
his claim that free trade would be dismantled, thus allowing America to return
to a manufacturing economy.
It is no secret that free trade has harmed us. We have
become a society of overconsumption because we can purchase things manufactured
in countries that have been forced to dismantle domestic laws that protect
labor and environment in favor of economic gains. This so we can purchase goods
in dollar stores and other cheap retail stores. Because those things are so
easily acquired, they hold little value to us and we dispose of them and move
on to the next thing. The landfills are filled with them.
It is too soon to see how the neoliberal global market
economy can be replaced with a protectionist national economy. If we want
higher wages, we must be prepared to pay higher costs for the things we
purchase and as a side effect, we can reduce overconsumption and the
environment will benefit. Perhaps by replacing the political elite with the
economic elite as leaders of our nation, we will be the beneficiaries.
It is my fervent hope that Mr. Trump’s vision of making
America great again will include protection for the environment upon which the
future of our species depends. |
| Winter’s chill may not last, but Weather Service unsure by on 02/01/2017
This winter goes into the books as one of the coldest, and
as of now, records show this winter to have set a record at Hillsboro and the
second coldest at Portland Airport.
The Portland area was especially colder than average due to
an extended period of arctic air trapped by an inversion.
This arctic air also affected the Mount Hood area, but to a
lesser extent. Temperatures averaged about seven degrees lower in Brightwood,
and about five degrees lower in Government Camp.
Snowfall in Brightwood totaled 14.75 inches and Government
Camp 47.3 inches. Precipitation was only slightly more than half of average.
The arctic air moderated after the first two weeks, returning to seasonal
levels and precipitation continued to be lower than average.
The National Weather Service is confident that neither La
Nina nor the Madden Julian Ocillations will have a significant effect on our
weather this coming February, and beyond that, their confidence vanishes. Their
various computer models not only disagree, but make predictions that flip-flop
opposite to predictions made 10 days earlier. Although making a tentative
forecast for our area to have about average temperatures and precipitation,
their confidence is shattered.
During February, Brightwood has an average high temperature
of 47, an average low of 34, and a precipitation average of 8.63 inches
including an average 5.9 inches of snow. During the past 10 years, high
temperatures have reached the 60s during three years and into the 50s the other
seven years. Low temperatures fell into the 30s once, into the 20s during seven
years and into the teens the other two years. On average, there are 12 days
when the temperature drops to freezing or lower. The all time record low dating
back 40 years was set during February 1989, shared also with December 1990. The
record snowfall for February is 32 inches measured in 1986. The record 24-hour
snowfall is 10 inches set on Feb. 26, 1971.
During February, Government Camp has an average high temperature
of 38 degrees, an average low of 26 degrees and a precipitation average of 9.65
inches, including 41.8 inches of snow. During the past 10 years, high
temperatures have reached the 60s twice, into the 50s three years, and into the 40s the other five years.
Lows had three years in the 20s, four years in the teens and
three years in the single digits. The record January snowfall of 112 inches was
set in 1990. The record 24-hour snowfall of 25 inches was set on Feb. 24, 1994. |
|  A pinhole camera photo.
I’m asked frequently what camera that I would recommend if
one wants to “get into photography.” To this I reply that they most likely
carry a camera that will get them into photography every day. In this day and
age you don't have to wait to get into photography.
There’s no excuse not to master your cell phone camera
before you upgrade to one that’s more complicated. In photography the kind of
camera has never dictated the artistic quality or impact of a skillfully done
photograph.
Creating an interesting or artistic image in any medium
relies more on an eye for an interesting subject, a basic understanding of
light, an understanding of basic compositional standards and the ability to use
the tools that they have at hand, the camera. A painter can use crude
applications of heavy paint using a pallet knife and create an amazing image
while another will use the finest brushes and the smoothest paints to create
theirs. Both can be masterpieces. It’s about knowing how to use the tools
instinctively through practice. Photography is no different.
I don’t discourage anyone from wanting to upgrade to a
better camera, especially if they want to work on improving their skill.
There’s no doubt that a better camera can yield a better image, especially in
challenging conditions such as low light situations, but I do stress that
photography is like fishing. Better gear doesn’t always yield more fish,
especially in unskilled hands. One of my favorite photographs that I have made
was made with a strip of film in a pinhole camera, which is nothing more than a
wooden box with a hole in the front of it.
One shouldn’t need a more sophisticated camera until their
skill level exceeds the camera’s abilities. In many ways a basic camera such as
your cell phone will challenge you and will teach you lessons that you won’t
need to learn once you get the better camera. Your learning curve will be
smoother and your frustration level lower if you practice first with a simpler
device.
Some advice that I do give to those who will be upgrading is
to consider some of the intermediate, bridge cameras. Many have quality image
sensors while supplying a single non-removable lens with a zoom factor that
exceeds most zoom lenses that the average digital single lens reflex
photographer uses.
For those that are upgrading to a Digital Single Lens Reflex
camera I stress that unless they’re planning to use the gear professionally,
there’s no need to purchase professional level equipment. Many intermediate
photographers feel that they need a full frame camera to push their work
further, when it’s not usually the camera that’s the barrier. The cost for pro
gear is more than one needs to pay as the new sensors give outstanding
performance. The cropped sensor DSLR’s perform amazingly well at low light
conditions. The lenses, filters, etc. also cost less. The only practical trade
off is that you won't be able to print the size of a billboard.
Do you still have a film camera? Guess what? Film is cool
again. Dust off your old film camera and take some pictures. You can still buy
film and you can have it sent off to be developed. You can do it all over the
Internet with a little help from the US Postal Service. There are still drug
stores that sell and develop film.
The point that I’m really trying to make is that if one
wants to get into photography there’s no time like the present. There’s no need
to wait. If not having the right kind of camera is your reason for not starting
today, you need to get past that. Not having the right kind of camera should
not be an excuse. Art doesn’t matter what kind of camera that you use, nor does
documenting your children while they grow or any other special moment in your
life.
Get into photography.
Pick up your camera and take some pictures today. |
| Winter is the restorative season, so get a full dose of z’s by Victoria Larson on 12/30/2016
The bustle and excitement of the holidays are over, but it’s
still cold out there. The shorter days and cold weather, and even the
loneliness after the holidays, send some people into depression. So let’s take
a look at winter in our yearly cycle and find a way to embrace its lessons.
Winter is a time for going inward, slowing down and resting.
It is the yin time of the year. The fauna hibernate, the flora stop growing and
we humans sleep more. Or if we’re not, we should be. Sleep is restorative. Our
ancestors didn’t have electricity and electronic devices to keep them awake.
They also had fewer chronic problems in their health, though infections were
still a problem.
Deep in your brain, your pineal gland produces your
naturally occurring melatonin. Going to bed earlier will increase the
production of this hormone, which helps you sleep - taking even a few too many
milligrams of manufactured melatonin, may make your pineal gland “forget” how
to work. Light emitting devices (TVs, phones, computers, parties!) will
decrease production of melatonin.
Foods high in naturally occurring melatonin can boost your
body’s levels in as little time as three days (or nights, if you will). A cup
of purple grapes will work, as will cherries. Cherries can be in any form from
frozen, dried or as juice. Even one ounce of cherry juice can give you an extra
half-hour of sleep! If you sleep with a partner who reads or watches TV, wear
an eye mask as any light entering your eyes decreases melatonin.
For thousands of years people slept ten to twelve hours in
the winter. Those who slept long had decreased rates of dementia. Lack of sleep
leads to amyloid plaques in the brain. Amyloid plaques are the classic lesion
of Alzheimer’s disease. In a 2013 study in JAMA Neurology, it found that those
who had the worst sleep quality had a five times greater risk of Alzheimer’s
than those who had the benefit of sound sleep.
So no need to feel guilty about a nap, especially in
wintertime! People with poor sleep quality had a decreased volume in the brain,
in the cortex, frontal, parietal and temporal lobes. Granted we don’t use our
full brain capacity, but we want it to work as well as possible for as long as
possible, especially as we age.
In 2015, the British Medical Journal found poor sleep to be
a hallmark sign of ADHD in children and adults. Toddlers need naps until at
least three or four years old. Adults can simply choose to go to bed earlier.
The Journal of Sleep found those who sleep less have
increased anxiety, decreased joy in life, and a decreased ability to solve
problems.
Sleep increases creativity and problem solving. Got a
problem? Sleep on it. This time of hibernation in the cold allows us time to
conserve energy for the next cycle, when the rains lighten and the breezes
soften.
Lack of sleep shows up in the physical body too. In Chinese
medicine we think of winter as Kidney time. The kidneys are the seat of fear,
and we all have some fears. To evaluate the health of the kidney, look to the
tone and color of the skin. A bluish or white patch under the eyes,
bilaterally, may indicate kidney imbalance which in turn may indicate fear. If
you watch TV look to the non-actors on the screen and see if you can notice
this. Something to ponder. |
| More gifts from the Kitchen! by Taeler Butel on 12/30/2016
It’s always a good time to be in the giving spirit. Pair a
loaf of gingerbread with brown sugar cinnamon butter to make a lovely gift for
a neighbor, teacher or anyone you want to see smile.
I LOAF YOU A LOT
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 t ground cinnamon
¾ t ground cloves
2¼ t ground ginger
1 T grated orange peel
1 t kosher or sea salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup applesauce
1 t baking soda
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9” x 5”
bread pan or use baking spray. You can also use two pieces of decorative 7” x
2.5” disposable bakeware, and they do not have to be greased.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda,
cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt. Set aside.
In the large bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar
until fluffy. Stir in vanilla and orange peel. Add the egg, and mix well.
Scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan(s). Bake for 25
minutes and for larger loaf turn after 15 minutes.
BROWN SUGAR CINNAMON COMPOUND BUTTER
1 lb unsalted butter at room temp
1 T sea salt
¼ cup powdered sugar
½ t lemon zest chopped fine
2 T dark brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
Whip ingredients together, scoop about 1/2 cup onto wax
paper, roll into a log and tie ends with pretty twine. Place into freezer. |
| Outdoor recreation office a priority by on 12/30/2016
The holiday season is behind us and the New Year is before
us. This is a good time to prepare for the upcoming legislative session and set
our goals for the next year. Part of the preparation for me means getting
things settled on the home front, as I will be working in Salem during the week
and traveling back home on the weekends. I’m looking forward to tackling some
of the larger issues facing our district and our state in the upcoming months.
One major topic this session will be establishing an Office
of Outdoor Recreation. I’ve been working with the recreation community both in
district and as part of the Travel Oregon “Outdoor Recreation Means Business”
initiative. The Travel Oregon initiative is a coalition of industry members and
government officials working on a coordinated effort to improve and sustain the
recreation industry across the state. From my conversations locally and as part
of this initiative, it is clear that the industry does not have a seat at the
table and therefore my legislative priority is to create a permanent position
that is responsible for making policy recommendations directly to the Governor.
This position will allow the recreation industry to have a voice in the policy
making process in Salem. My intent is not to simply create another bureaucracy
but to ensure that as state level policy decisions that impact the recreation
industry (land use, access to public lands, transportation, etc.) are made with
input from the industry itself. This office will also help to build connections
between the recreation industry and other sectors of our economy like
manufacturing, tourism and even our education system, which will help grow our
economy as a whole while supporting local recreation and tourist based
businesses. The creation of this position has broad support and I will continue
to provide updates as it progresses.
A second priority of mine will be to remain part of the
budget balancing and revenue reform discussions happening in Salem. As you may
be aware, Oregon is currently facing a $1.5 billion dollar budget deficit for
the next biennium based on current spending levels. In order to generate the
bipartisan support necessary to address the situation and prevent more costly
cuts to education and needed social services, any potential solution to the
problem must have bipartisan support. This means that we will have to enact
some kind of budget and spending restraints and address cost drivers before any
kind of revenue reform can be considered. Particularly, I will work on making
sure that any changes to Oregon’s tax structure not be regressive and
negatively impact middle class families. It must also stimulate economic growth
and business investment.
Any package of revenue reform needs to be comprehensive and
also establish clear priorities for spending. For more than ten years now,
legislators have not prioritized education and have chosen to favor other parts
of the budget over kids in the classroom. I believe a part of any additional
revenues that may be generated by modifying the tax code needs to be directed
into programs that we know work and lead to clear outcomes for our students. An
investment in early learning, and specifically third grade reading, will be
what I push for. Students who can read at grade level by the third grade are
four times more likely to graduate high school. Setting students up for success
early will save money on interventions later and allow students to grow into
new opportunities throughout their school career.
In addition to these two priorities, I will continue to work
on some local topics to improve the communities across House District 52. I
hope that you all have a wonderful start to your New Year and I encourage you
to stay in touch with my office. Please email rep.markjohnson@state.or.us or
call 503-986-1452 if you need assistance with anything or have any questions.
Thank you for the honor of representing you.
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for HD 52.) |
| Historical novel captures Paris after German takeover by on 12/30/2016
On June 17, 1940, the French Army was ordered to cease
fighting, as France capitulated to Hitler and the forces of the Third Reich.
Soon the German forces infiltrated almost every aspect of French life. Jews
were rounded up and sent first to prison camps within France and ultimately to
the east.
It’s against this backdrop that Alan Furst has placed the
story of a brave French resistance cell headed by the novel’s protagonist, code
named Mathieu, “A Hero of France.” The book’s action covers five months
beginning in March 1941, nine months after the beginning of the German
occupation. A vivid example of the type of perilous actions undertaken by his
cell opens the book as Furst describes the risks Mathieu undertakes while
linking up with and escorting a downed R.A.F. pilot from a rendezvous in the
French countryside. They barely escape detection while secreting him to Paris
so that he can be smuggled back to England – a valuable asset in the war
against the Reich.
Furst, who is known for his detailed research into both
sides in occupied Europe, shares stories not just of Mathieu’s group but also
many other Germans from many walks of life - including the police and the
Gestapo – as they all seek to find a path to survival for themselves and their
families.
Mathieu’s cell is similarly diverse, including a teenage
girl who acts as a courier on her bicycle and two well-connected women of
French society, Annemarie and Chantal. Aiding their efforts is Max de Lyon, a
nightclub owner whose establishment caters to German officers, a Polish Jew who
hides resistants in his club and puts Mathieu in touch with merchant marine
smugglers who specialize in helping people escape the country. De Lyon even
blackmails a German officer into aiding the escape of an endangered member of
the resistance cell.
Mathieu’s great gift is his ability to accurately evaluate
another person’s character. “It’s one of the things I do,” he tells de Lyon,
“make decisions about people, can they be trusted. I am good at it. And I’d
better be, because I can be wrong only once.” But it takes a great emotional
toll on the resistance fighters who must constantly worry about every move, in
fear of discovery.
Furst’s descriptions of occupied Paris convey the sinister
atmosphere of the time (“Eyes searching the darkness, he had to move slowly,
pausing at doorways where he could hide if necessary, hurrying to cross a narrow
street, and listening intently for the telltale sounds of the police patrols”),
but Furst’s Paris is generally a city where the citizens refuse to give up hope
and where their love for France and for their city inspires them to take risks
for freedom.
If you enjoy historical novels, you will greatly enjoy this
expertly researched work.
(Alan Furst is widely recognized as the master of the
historical spy novel and has authored numerous bestsellers. This is his
fifteenth. Born in New York, he lived for many years in Paris and now lives on
Long Island.) |
| Don’t forget your cat when taking down the Christmas tree by Ned Hickson on 12/30/2016
For our family, packing up the Christmas decorations is
never easy. Not only because it means the official end of the holiday season,
but also because it means it’s time to pry the cat out of the Christmas tree.
What makes this process especially difficult is sap. You
see, it’s not until after spending the better part of December attached to the
mid-section of our tree that our cat realizes she can no longer retract her
claws.
A few years ago, this actually resulted in a front-page
story in the Weekly World News under the headline:
Holiday tree sprouts cat tumor!
It’s not like we haven’t tried to keep this tragedy from
happening. In fact, we’ve even taken our cat to a pet psychologist, thinking
that maybe she suffers from a traumatic experience that is somehow triggered by
the site of Christmas trees – such as an unresolved conflict with a strand of
tinsel.
After six weeks of therapy (equal to eight years in cat time),
the only thing the doctor was able to tell us for certain was that our cat had
been Shirley MacLaine in a previous life, which, according to him, isn’t all
that unusual.
In short: He had no explanation for her behavior.
This, of course, led to my own – admittedly less scientific
– diagnosis, i.e., which is that our cat is crazy. This forced us to take
drastic measures this year in hopes of avoiding another appearance in the
tabloids. To achieve this, we came up with the idea of spraying our entire tree
with WD-40.
Initially, this seemed to be the answer as we watched our
cat slide down the trunk and into the water bowl. But as we soon discovered,
while WD-40 kept our cat out of the tree, it also kept any ornaments from
staying on for more than six seconds.
This left us with a handful of desperate ideas, such as
moving one of our stereo speakers under the tree and playing “Dogs Barking
Jingle Bells” 24 hours a day.
That idea was dropped pretty quickly.
After six barks, to be exact.
We also toyed with the idea of decorating a dogwood tree,
the logic being that a cat wouldn’t go near a tree with the word “dog” in its
name. That suggestion was nixed after my wife pointed out I’d first have to
teach our cat to read.
What all of this is leading up to is something you’ve
probably already guessed, which is that, once again, the Christmas tree in our
living room will remain there until it is completely brown and withered, and
the sap has weakened enough that our cat can safely be detached.
In the meantime, we have already begun planning for next
year, when we’ll try to coax our cat to move high enough on the tree that we
can use her as a top ornament.
(Ned Hickson is a syndicated columnist with News Media
Corporation. His latest book, “Pearls of Writing Wisdom: From 16 years as a
shucking columnist” is available online at www.PortHoleBooks.com) |
| The Adventure Continues:Honeymooners At Last Alone by Max Malone, Private Eye on 12/30/2016
Picture an Oregon private eye taken hostage by Arabs driving
a camper (of all things) with an irresistible woman named Dolly Teagarden in
the passenger seat who just days before was an English-American diplomat who
bailed this private eye out of a French prison who was now thrown in with this
band of Ali-Baba hoodlums and had a Beretta stashed under her seat and had the
audacity to have told me to “just stay calm.”
Well, that’s the picture. More a Picasso than a Monet if my
high school Art Appreciation memory served me. That is, surreal and indefinable
shapes and colors compared to perky water lilies defining a local pond.
Despite it all, I remained calm on the outside – much like
Muhammad Ali before the George Foreman fight – while watching the Arabs leading
the way in a fancy Citroen. Going along with Dolly paid off. The Citroen took
an exit. Dolly told me to continue straight ahead.
“OK, Max,” she began, that clever smile curling around her
mouth like a friendly garter snake. “I didn’t want your reaction to show
through the wind screen.”
Hint: wind screen is windshield in British auto speak.
“If everything works out according to plan, we’re going to
bust up a serious terrorist ring,” she said, sounding as matter-of-fact as an
English housewife on her way to the grocery store. Or, that’s the way I thought
an English housewife would sound, never having actually accompanied one to the
grocery store. But I digress.
“Whattya mean ‘we’” I shot back, sounding like Tonto turning
down the Lone Ranger’s plan to evade a band of Indians.
From Dolly, again the smile. “You, me and Zabun, plus
reinforcements.”
“I get it,” I snarled, moving into the passing lane to get
by a French farmer’s hay truck. “You expect me to believe you’re a diplomat,
then a traitorous terrorist, then a double agent good guy again, right? I’m not
that naïve, doll face.”
“Max,” again that damnable purr. “Reach under your seat.”
I ran my hand around and felt the cold steel of a 5-inch
barrel and the 15-round magazine of a 9mm Beretta. It wasn’t my old reliable
Glock, but certainly a kissin’ cousin.
“Where’d this come from?”
“Zabun wasn’t just giving you driving instructions.”
“You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?”
“You’re just scratching the surface, Max.”
Somehow, I believed her. What choice did I have? She was
packin’ and so was I, thanks to Zabun, and we had a rendezvous with the
terrorists. And Zabun was riding with them. At least it was three against
three, at the moment anyway, and by my accounts, we had ’em outnumbered.
“So, where we headed?”
“We’ll be crossing the border into Belgium in less than an
hour,” Dolly said, seemingly still going over her grocery list. “After about
twenty kilometers we’ll get off the main road at an exit that leads to a camper
park.”
“You’re kidding, right? A camper park?”
“Yes, and that’s where all the fun begins. There will be
four other campers that are part of the deal. And nearby a large lorry.”
For the unwashed, a lorry is Brit speak for a truck.
“OK. But where’s the payload?”
“We’re sitting on a lot of it. There’s more under the floor
in the back and between the panels.”
“And it all gets off-loaded into the truck?”
“Yes. After dark. But you’re supposed to be dead by then.”
“And everyone knows that but me,” I said, yielding to a
genuine, confident smirk that was my first one in weeks.
“So do you, now. But we have the frontier just ahead.”
There were signs at the border in French and a couple other
languages, but none in English. But there were pictures, and I got in the lane
for campers and trailers.”
“We’re on our honeymoon,” Dolly said flatly. “That explains
the different last names on our passports. We’re headed to the camping park up
ahead. And don’t forget you’re a Brit. So, pip-pip and all that, matey.”
“We’re going camping on our honeymoon, and they’re going to
buy that?”
“Oh, they’ll buy it,” Dolly said, with a deep-down chuckle.
“We’re British.”
Thank goodness, and after all, I am still Max Malone,
private eye, mate. |
| The Mt. Hood Green Scene: Going green with painting projects by Mary Soots on 12/30/2016
In the dark days of winter, our thoughts turn inward to how
to make our home a cozy place that gives us joy. Perhaps now that the New Year
has arrived, you’d like to give your home a makeover. What could be easier than
a little bit of paint to give the house a new look? Painting is an inexpensive
way to redecorate and give your home a whole new feel. But before you begin,
think of the ways you can save money and bring sustainability to your painting
project.
Metro has some great suggestions on how you can do both.
When planning, purchase only the amount of paint you need. The amount you use
varies depending on the type of paint, the application method and brand, but as
a rule of thumb, one gallon of primer will cover 200 sq. feet and paint color
will cover approximately 350 sq. feet. You can also use recycled light colored
paint as a primer.
To be more environmentally friendly, use latex paint as it
is recyclable. Metro.gov sells remade paint for a fraction of the cost of new
paint. According to Metro.gov, “MetroPaint is previously unwanted paint remade
new. Screened for quality, enhanced with helpful additives and reblended into
desirable colors, it’s evolved paint ready for a new purpose.”
According to Metro, there are some great reasons to use
recycled paint. It decreases the project’s carbon footprint, reduces the need
for landfill space, conserves the water needed to make new paint, and prevents
pollution from the mining and extraction of raw materials. To date, Metro has
remade two million gallons of paint. We can purchase remade paint in a variety
of colors from Metro at various locations, such as Clackamas Miller Paint,
Gresham Miller Paint, Gresham Fred Meyer and Estacada True Value.
Be earth-friendly when applying the paint, avoid ground and
groundwater contamination, use alternatives to toxic solvents when possible,
and use tarps and drip pans to catch spills and splatters. Clean your brushes
with non-toxic solvents.
When you are finished with your project, you can recycle at
curbside any clean, empty metal paint cans and lids as well as plastic paint
buckets (lids cannot be recycled). Any unused latex or oil paint can be taken
to a collection center. On the mountain, the Mt. Hood Green Scene has worked
with the Welches Mountain Building Supply Company to collect used paint. You
can also share your unused paint with friends and neighbors, possible through a
sharing website. You can donate paint to the Habitat for Humanity or the
ReBuilding Center for use by others.
If you have leftover hazardous waste from your project, such
as solvents and removers, please comply with laws regarding hazardous waste
disposal and take them to Oregon City, or look for hazardous waste collection
events in Sandy.
And when the rains stop and it’s time to paint the exterior
of your home, remember that you can find affordable recycled exterior paints as
well. |
| Average temps and precipitation expected for January by on 12/30/2016
December has been colder than average, with Brightwood about
four degrees lower and Government Camp more than seven degrees lower. In
addition, snowfall has been plentiful with Brightwood getting a total of 14
inches and snow on the ground continuously since the fourth. Government Camp is
having a great winter season and has received 58 inches of snow so far this
month. No records were set and the low of 19 degrees in Brightwood was its
coldest temperature since December two years ago.
The National Weather Service has observed a reduced
influence made by a weakened La Nina pattern on weather experienced in North
America and is also keeping a watchful eye on the Madden Julian Oscillation
(MJO) influence which is expected to become more of a factor at the end of
January. For now, our area is forecast to have about average temperatures and
average precipitation during January.
During January, Brightwood has an average high temperature
of 43, an average low of 34, and a precipitation average of 10.75 inches
including an average 8.6 inches of snow. During the past ten years, high temperatures
have reached the 50s during nine years and one year failed to get above the
40s. Low temperatures fell into the 20s during seven years, into the teens
during two years and into the single digits the other year.
On average, there are 14 days when the temperature drops to
freezing or lower. The record snowfall for January was 47 inches measured in
1980, although more recently, 29.5 inches was recorded during 2008.
The record 24-hour snowfall is 29 inches set on Jan. 9, 1980
compared to a more recent 16 inches measured on Jan. 11, 1998.
During January, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 36 degrees, an average low of 24 degrees and a precipitation
average of 13.30 inches, including 57.8 inches of snow. During the past ten
years, high temperatures have reached 70 once, into the 60s twice, into the 50s
three years, and into the 40s the other four years. Lows had two years in the
20s, two years in the teens, and six years in the single digits. The record
January snowfall of 155 inches was set in 1964. The record 24-hour snowfall of
35 inches was set on Jan. 9, 1980, although just three years ago, 27 inches was
recorded on Jan. 29, 2013. |
|  Views of 2016
It’s been another great year here at Gary Randall
Photography. I hope that it was for you as well. After all setbacks are
considered, we’re thankful for the growth and progress that has taken place in
life and business, including being included as a writer for The Mountain Times.
As I look back on 2016 I thought that I should share a few
of the photos that were made and share what it took to get the shot. The photos
might not be my most beautiful or technically brilliant but combine my memory
of the moment with the resulting image and they’re some of my personal
favorites. Consider this a year in review. I hope that non-photographers enjoy
them and that fellow photographers and photographic artists can learn or be
inspired to push their work to be the best that it can be.
I hope that 2017 brings good health, happiness and many
photographic opportunities to you.
Mount Hood at night
(top left)
This photo is one of my favorites from this past year. After
getting the black and white photo of Mount Hood
(see page 16) I decided to return again after dark to see what I could
do with the scene at night, especially under the moonlight. This photo might be
considered an unexpected benefit of looking all around me while I was
photographing the mountain. This scene was behind me.
To get this photo I used my tripod to be able to extend my
exposure to 20 seconds. I stopped down to f/22 to allow the light to play off
of the aperture blades which created the light star from the moon’s light.
A snowboarder had cut a line through the scene that aligned
with the shadows of the moonlight. I felt that the simple composition created a
much stronger image than a wider view of this scene.
The Alvord Desert in southeastern Oregon
(top right)
Early spring is a good time to explore those places that
heat up during the summer. The Alvord Desert is a great example. The mud tiles
of the playa start to form as the mud starts to dry and the skies give you a
good chance for a sunset at that time of the year as well.
To get this photo I had set up for a sunset and then waited.
The sunset was nice that night, but the color didn’t come on in a dense
colorful way until after I watched the “first sunset” fade and I had started to
pack my gear into my Jeep.
This second sunset is the result of the last beams of light
shining from below the horizon and up under the clouds that were in front and
above us.
Always stay until the end of the show.
Rural Victoria ruin near Dufer
(bottom left)
I’m a guide and photography instructor. I love taking people
from all over the world to places in and around the Mount Hood area. Less than
an hour away we have a whole different world to explore by heading east toward
open skies and Central Oregon.
This photo is one that I used to demonstrate my focusing
techniques. My goal was to get the wheat in front of the camera as well as the
house behind in perfect focus.
To get this photo I set my camera on my tripod to give me a
stable platform to allow me to take my time with my composition and
adjustments. There was also a bit of a breeze so it allowed me to repeat the
shot if it didn’t turn out the first, second or third try.
I stopped down my aperture to maximize the focal distance,
moved my focus out to infinity and then focused back until the wheat became
tack sharp. I set my exposure and took the shot.
Alaskan workshop, Matanuska Glacier
(bottom right)
I took this photo as we were making our way across the ice
of the Matanuska Glacier. In all we spent three days exploring this amazing
place. As tour leader I was able to lead everyone out to a spot inside the
heart of the ice to get amazing photos of a real Alaskan glacier up close and
personal.
To get this photo I turned behind me to see them all coming
over this crest of ice. I asked them to stop as I set my camera to Aperture
Priority, opening my aperture and setting my ISO at about 800 to insure a fast
enough shutter and then snapped a series of photos, taking this one as the best
of the group.
Although landscape photographers typically prefer to set
their cameras manually, there are times when you have to work quickly so it’s
perfectly acceptable to switch to a more automatic mode such as Aperture or
Shutter Priority to insure that you get the photo. |
| Making the season even better by engaging with each other by Victoria Larson on 12/02/2016
As we turn to the last page of the calendar we give certain
pause. For the year we’ve just known is winding down and the future is an
unknown. Though a chore to many, greeting cards and good wishes put us in touch
with family and friends, both distant and past. And this is good.
Contact with other humans is different now than in years past.
With such a huge and growing Earth population, and so much to do, many of us
are unable to answer our phones. We are often in our cars. Some only
communicate via electric devices, which is simply not the same as face-to-face
contact that may include a hug or a kiss on the cheek.
Friendship and contact are treasures we must seek and honor.
Without friends, the winter may seem pretty bleak. We need other people. We
need touch. Or we die. OK, we die anyway but it’s the journey that makes it
worthwhile. And it’s up to each and every one of us to make it as wonderful a
journey as possible.
As recently as 1945 most births and deaths occurred at home.
By 1980 only 17 percent of births and deaths occurred in the home. Home was the
center of many people’s lives. All the more reason to seek comfort during the
colder seasons. Your well-being may depend on it.
The divorce rate in America is above 50 percent, 62 percent
of us are obese, emotional neglect of children has risen over 300 percent and
cases of autism have risen by 600 percent in just the last ten years. One in
four women is sexually molested in her lifetime. Are we losing our grip? Where
are we going wrong?
A lot of problems stem from overwork, high stress, poor
diet, and sadly, lack of true commitment. First of all, we no longer “take the
time” to commit. It’s all fast! fast! fast! This is because we are a nation of
instant gratification. Which leads to credit card debt, sorrow and guilt.
Everything fast is electronic. If it’s true that 80 percent of human
communication is non-verbal, then it’s no wonder we’re missing something in our
lives!
Now ‘tis the season for warmth and love. Talk to people.
Really talk and you may find that people are “real.” So when Aunt Mary insists
on giving you her special recipe for gooseberry pie, listen, maybe even write
it down. By next holiday season you may be glad you did it even if you never
bake the pie.
Life is short no matter how long you have. We miss a huge
portion of it when we just rush through it. Savor some ceremony, be it Winter
Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanza. We may be blessed with some magic
(like snow? or a new baby?) that will quiet and calm us in the true spirit of
the season. Reflect on how these things feel to you. Photograph the moments if
you want but realize that your mind will hold the memory anyway.
Winter is a dark and inward time of reflection on the year
just ending. Honor this time during mid-winter Solstice as the light begins to
return to the Earth. Sit by the fire, huddle for warmth, burn that Yule log.
Engage in the rituals you love, from bubble baths to family game night.
Festivals of love and warmth are good for us. Just don’t
burn the candle at both ends or you will flame out. Sure you may succumb to
eating some sugar but concentrate more on the scents of the season and find
pleasure therein. There’s pine and peppermint. Frankincense and myrrh, but also
rosemary and sage. Eat lots of nuts, drink more warming tea, stay home more.
Give your kids your attention. What we all really want this season is each
other. Have a lovely holiday season. |
| Gifts from the Kitchen! by Taeler Butel on 12/02/2016
This season give them what they want. Food!!
Create incredible gift baskets right from your kitchen. I
like to make some things as well as add store bought items. Baskets can be cost
effective and fun to put together. These recipes are gifts of their own or can
be put in an inexpensive basket for a co-worker, teacher, or any other lucky
recipient.
Biscotti with pistachios and cherries
1 3/4 cups dried cherries
1/2 t almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
2 t baking powder
1/2 t coarse salt
4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2T vanilla
4 large eggs (3 whole, 1 lightly beaten)
3/4 cup chopped, shelled pistachios
3 T coarse sanding sugar
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
Put butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with
the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix
in 3 whole eggs, one at a time. Mix in reserved cherry liquid and the vanilla,
reduce speed to low, and gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in cherries and
pistachios.
On a lightly floured surface, halve dough. Shape each half
into a 12 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch log. Flatten logs to 1/2 inch thick. Transfer to a
baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush logs with beaten egg and
sprinkle with the sanding sugar.
Bake 35 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer
to wire racks to cool, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300
degrees.
Cut each log on the diagonal into 16 to 18 pieces. Transfer
pieces to racks, laying them on sides. Set racks on baking sheets. Bake 8
minutes; flip. Bake 8 minutes more. Let cool until crisp. Cookies can be stored
in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
Cream cheese scones with cranberries and white chocolate
chips
2 1/2 cups flour plus more for rolling dough
1/2 cup sugar
2 t baking powder
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3 ounces soft cream cheese
1/3 cups heavy cream plus 1 tablespoon for brushing
1 T coarse sugar
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with
parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder,
and salt. Using a pastry blender, or food processor cut in the butter and cream
cheese until the mixture is crumbly. Add the heavy cream, stirring just until
the dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in chocolate chips and cranberries.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll or
pat the dough to 1-inch thickness. Cut the scones using a 2 1/2-inch round
cookie or biscuit cutter. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops
with the remaining tablespoon of cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until
golden brown, about 12 minutes. |
| The success of the ‘Oregon Promise’ needs sustainable funding by on 12/01/2016
The year has almost come to an end. As we prepare for winter
and the changing of seasons, I’m looking forward to enjoying time with friends
and family and some fresh snow on the Mountain so that my wife and I can put
our skis to good use. I’m also looking ahead to the New Year and the start of
the legislative session. Before heading into the New Year, I like to reflect
back on some of the recent progress that we’ve made, the successes we’ve had
and the challenges we will tackle.
It’s not often that a legislator comes face to face with the
benefits of the policies he or she has passed into law. I had such an
experience in October when I was able to address a room full of students at
Columbia Gorge Community College, who are the first cohort of Oregon Promise
students in the Gorge.
The Oregon Promise is a program that I was able to pass into
law along with Senator Mark Hass (D-Beaverton) in the 2015 legislative session.
It provides tuition waivers to Oregon high school graduates that meet
eligibility requirements and accept all federal and state grants that they may
qualify for. The state then picks up the last dollar owed for their community
college tuition so that the debt burden is removed for students who want to
attend a college or trade school.
At the Oregon Promise student orientation I asked for a show
of hands for those students who were enrolled at CGCC only because they had
been able to obtain a tuition waiver. Half the hands in the room went up. That
was the most vivid evidence I could have asked for to demonstrate the success
of the vision that Senator Hass and I had two years ago. The hands that were
raised belong to students who are enrolled in classes that will lead to jobs as
dental hygienists, nurses and technology manufacturing right here in the Gorge.
And they will be able provide for themselves rather than rely on our costly
social safety net.
Since we passed the Oregon Promise into law the response
across the state has been tremendous. Over 19,000 applied to the program and
10,000 scholarships have been awarded and now these students are attending one
of our 17 community colleges in Oregon. Across the state, enrollments are up
five percent, showing that students and families are excited about the prospect
of a debt-free education and being on a successful career path.
In the next legislative session we will need to ensure
sustainable funding for the Oregon Promise and make sure that critical student
support services are available statewide so that we aren’t just enrolling more
students, but making sure they receive their degree.
Part of ensuring there is adequate funding available for
programs like the Oregon Promise is addressing the way our state generates
revenue for state government and some of the current high-cost services that
can be reformed to save money. We are at the beginning stages of the revenue
reform conversation in Salem as well as looking for ways to address the cost
drivers that are consuming too much of the budget. I’m a part of a bipartisan
group of legislators that will be working on this and trying to put together a
framework that the legislature can consider in February when the next session
begins. I will continue to update you on this conversation as it develops and
encourage you all to stay in touch with me throughout the legislative session.
Feel free to contact my office at 503-986-1452 or email rep.markjohnson@state.or.us
It’s an honor to represent you and I hope you have a
wonderful holiday season.
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for House District
52.) |
| Wilderness expedition examined in Ivey’s second novel by on 12/01/2016
Those who read Eowyn Ivey’s first novel, “The Snow Child,”
will not be surprised by the luminous writing and layers of Native American
mysticism in her new book, “To the Bright Edge” of the world. It is also set in
the beautiful but unforgiving Alaskan wilderness in the 1800s as an expedition
explores the rugged Wolverine River Valley.
The tale is made more fascinating due to the many differing
perspectives offered by the tales’ characters.
Like “The Snow Child,” this new novel offers gorgeous prose
to describe the expedition, the daunting wilderness and the physical and
spiritual challenges faced by Colonel Forrester’s expedition and his pregnant wife
who is left behind awaiting his return.
The format of the novel is also unique as Ivey uses letters,
journals, photographs, newspaper clippings and artifacts to tell the story
rather than a simple narrative. The premise is that a future great nephew of
Forrester is fascinated by the trove of materials he finds that relate to his
uncle’s expedition and sends the collection to an Alaskan museum for
preservation. Both curators puzzle through the details to reconstruct the story
of the expedition. The reader is a part of putting the details together as the
many documents and details are unveiled.
Readers of “The Snow
Child” will already know that skill with which Ivey weaves myth, folklore and
the supernatural into her tales. This unique novel’s adventure details the
dangerous trek through the uncharted wilderness with his small band of
explorers and his wife Sophie’s experiences back in Oregon as she explores a
newfound passion for the natural world and photography instead of more
traditional feminine pursuits.
There is intrigue and mystery as Allen Forester’s expedition
makes its way through a haunted territory to complete their exploratory
mission.
“I can find no means to account for what we have witnessed,
except to say that I am no longer certain of the boundaries between man &
beast, of the living & the dead. All that I have taken for granted, what I
have known as real & true, has been called into question.” – Lt. Col. Allen
Forrester
This historical novel is a beautiful blend of supernatural
occurrences and magical realism with a treacherous exploration tale and a
remarkable love story.
(This is the second novel by Eowyn Ivey, bestselling author
of “The Snow Child”, finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. She is a former
bookseller and she lives in Alaska with her husband and children.) |
| The Adventure Continues: Leaving the nest, Hatching a plan by Max Malone, Private Eye on 12/01/2016
From a glowing excitement in the farmhouse, the mood slowly
ebbed like a low tide in the Bay of Fundy.
We had run out of Dolly’s prison soup – so my Arabic hosts
had to settle for Camembert cheese and a daily baguette from the local bakery.
I applauded the culinary upgrade.
As the spirits waned, mine improved. When you’re a hostage,
every day is a new experience – much like a gold fish with every trip around
the aquarium.
Security grew lax. Every night cuddled up to my bed partner
– the radiator – had proved somewhat fruitful. I had managed to unscrew the
supply line and wedge it behind one of the coils so as not to be noticed, but
had yet to figure out how I was going to drag it out of the farmhouse without
drawing attention. I tried not to get all steamed up over my predicament.
I confess to amusing myself by imagining walking into a
nearby village dragging a radiator and trying to explain myself in English to
puzzled onlookers.
Dolly Teagarden shaved me this morning. There was no twinkle
in her eye, but her gaze lingered on me during the mustache removal.
Her eyes were as blue as a Dizzy Gillespie trumpet solo.
After the shave, I dined on a croissant (yesterday’s
croissant, call it a hostage croissant, as the hostage takers got today’s
croissant), with half a spoonful of orange marmalade. The croissant insult
never landed. I never completely warmed up to croissants. But half a spoonful
of marmalade? Could you spare it?
That very day, a day with a liberated yet useless radiator,
a day of another hostage croissant, a day with a whisper of marmalade, a day
with a lingering look from Dolly Teagarden, a day with a Kalashnikov pointing
in my direction, a day of Zabun covering ‘Monday, Monday’ as if he was on a
Neil Diamond holiday, in other words a day like any other day, the phone rang.
Everyone jumped but Ahmed. He smiled narrowly and picked up
the phone. He wasn’t doing much of the talking, but he was nodding like a
rookie pitcher getting signs from Buster Posey. It seemed like all the air had
been sucked out of the room. We were getting our marching orders.
I was certain my affair with the radiator had come to an
end. Oh, well. It wasn’t my first.
Bewildering chatter flew around the room like a chapter from
‘One Thousand and One Arabian Nights.’ Clothes went into suitcases, my captors
even brushed croissant crumbs off their shirts. Yep, the Ali Baba show was
hittin’ the road.
I was escorted to the driver’s seat in the camper. Dolly
climbed in, putting something under her seat. Ahmed lingered at her window and
they exchanged what seemed to be pleasantries. How sweet it was. I licked
marmalade residue from my lips.
The band of Arabs piled into their car and took the lead.
Dolly nodded her head toward them. I took the cue and followed them out the
country lane leaving the farmhouse and my radiator bed partner in the rearview
mirror.
I tossed a sneer at Dolly.
“What makes you think I can’t pile this camper into a tree
and get to that Beretta under your seat before you can?” I growled.
“Max,” she purred, as if we were suddenly thrown back to the
future.
“Don’t Max me, sweetie. I’m not in the mood.”
“You just need to keep calm,” she said, her motor still
running like a pleased Persian cat.
“How’s it feel, Dolly? Sleeping with the enemy. Ahmed must
be a bundle of joy.”
“It’s easy, Max. Ahmed has no imagination.”
I was starting to boil over, looking for the perfect tree to
plant in Dolly’s lap.
We bumped off the country lane onto a highway.
“Where we headed?” I asked, making it sound more like a
demand than a question.
“I’ll fill you in as we go along,” she said, still managing
that measured tone in her voice.
How could she do this? Throwing in with terrorists. Leaving
Natasha with a hole in her head. All I knew for sure was the more miles I put
on the camper, the closer I got to a stickier situation than the one I was in.
I had to hatch a plan.
After all, I am Max Malone, private eye. |
| The Mt. Hood Green Scene: Looking forward and sustaining by Mary Soots on 12/01/2016
The holidays are upon us and we are more than ever a nation
divided about the direction that our country should take. Families and
friendships have been faced with the reality that our values are not shared by
others, and this can make for a very tense time sitting around the holiday
table. However, we need to find the things that unite us in order to heal the
rifts that politics have created. That is the only way we can heal as a nation.
We must understand that in the end, we all share a love for our country and we
each want to find a way to do what is best for all.
On a local level, in terms of environmental sustainability,
it seems that the thing that most divides us is that on one hand, there are
those who see economic opportunity in our environment and the way to make those
gains is through extraction of resources such as timber. On the other hand are
those people who believe that the remaining rain forest should be protected at
the cost of the economy. The result is that “Pacific temperate rain forests
have been subject to ongoing large-scale industrial logging since the end of
the Second World War, cutting over half of their total area. In California,
only 4 (percent) of the redwoods have been protected. In Oregon and Washington,
less than 10 (percent) of the original coastal rain forest area remains.”
(source: Wikipedia)
We must look forward in a way that unites the two interests,
to create economic opportunities that will benefit the members of our community
while protecting our environment. It is my belief that we don’t fully recognize
the power of our environment to build an economy based on environmental
protection. The Pacific Northwest Rain Forest is a unique ecosystem found no place
else in the entire world. It is the largest temperate rain forest on the
planet. The biomass in our ecosystem is at least four times greater than that
of any comparable area in the tropics. And geologically, ours is a fascinating
history.
The Cascade Mountains are a young mountain range, rising up
only about seven million years ago during the Pliocene period. They were made
by up of thousands of small, short-lived volcanoes. You can see the history of
the formation of our mountain if you know where to look. The rain forest,
primarily consisting of conifers, only began to grown as the glaciers and ice
sheets retreated a few thousand years ago.
We have some of the most beautiful rivers such as the Salmon
which has the designation of protected National Wild and Scenic River. The
beauty of the rivers as they travel over volcanic rock is documented in
beautiful artwork produced in this region. And I need not speak to the beauty
of the waterfalls that surround us, thanks to the rivers.
In addition, our unique ecoregion is home to a plethora of
animals and plants. Although the grizzlies are gone, we have abundant numbers
of brown bear, and as Wikipedia notes, “other wildlife species of note include
the bald eagle, marbled murrelet, wolf, sitka deer, and Bigfoot.” Besides those
that make their home in our area, the wildlife that travels through as it
migrates during the spring and fall are bountiful. Marking the seasons are
everything from salmon spawning to birds and butterflies passing through.
An ecosystem is the sum of its parts. The canopy of the
trees protects the temperature of the rivers and provide habitat for the
species that call it home as well as those that travel through. The biomass the
trees produce provide the area that mushrooms flourish and feed the soil that
provides the food that others depend upon. Without the habitat, the cougars,
bears, eagles, owls, salmon and even Bigfoot have no way to survive. Habitat
loss is the largest threat to the survival of thousands of species.
So instead of thinking of our beautiful and unique place
that we call home as something that should be destroyed so that a few can
profit until it is gone, let us think of ways that we can capitalize on what we
have. Visitors from around the world would be willing to spend a few days in
our area taking a geologic tour or learning about ancient forests or taking a
hike to a remote waterfall. Those visitors in turn will need a place to stay, a
place to eat and they will need to rent some equipment, buy some souvenirs,
etc. Let’s look forward to a future economy built on sustainability instead of
repeating the mistakes of the past where resource extraction and environmental
destruction was the only way to a healthy economy. And by doing so, we might
teach others how to work together and overcome their differences.
We wish you a season of peace and love. |
| Good snow this winter, but December warmer than average by on 12/01/2016
The rainfall last October set a new record in Brightwood
with a total of 17.86 inches, smashing the previous 14.67 inches set in 2012.
The Government Camp total ended with 14.52 inches, nearly an inch shy of its
record 15.51 inches set in 1967. November got off to a much dryer and milder
start with less than an inch of rainfall during the first 11 days. Cooler
temperatures moved in during the last half of the month, and Government Camp measured
its first snowfall on Nov. 15 with the week following accumulating a total
snowfall of 7.6 inches. Higher elevations had enough snow to encourage skiers
and boarders to the slopes after Thanksgiving. But the unusually warm and dry
weather during the first half of November resulted in temperatures averaging
about six degrees above normal in Brightwood and over seven degrees above
normal in Government Camp. Precipitation was around half of normal in both
locations.
The National Weather Service is now basing its forecasts on
an established La Nina weather pattern. With this in mind, it’s likely the
mountain can expect a good snow cover this winter. Our area is given a hesitant
outlook for temperatures to be above average and precipitation to be about average
this December.
During December, Brightwood has an average high temperature
of 42, an average low of 33, and a precipitation average of 11.50 inches,
including an average 5.7 inches of snow. During the past ten years, high
temperatures have reached the 50s without exception. Low temperatures fell into
the 20s during six years, into the teens during two years and into the single
digits the other two years. On average, there are 12 days when the temperature
drops to freezing or lower. The all time high precipitation total of 28.09
inches of was set in December of 1964, compared to the impressive 24.74 inch
total recorded just last year. The record December snowfall of 48.8 inches was
measured in 1968, compared to the more recent 43.75 inches recorded in 2008.
The record 24 hour-snowfall of 12.5 inches was set in 1968.
During December, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 36 degrees, an average low of 25 degrees and a precipitation
average of 13.80 inches, including 50.9 inches of snow. During the past ten
years, high temperatures have reached into the 50s during four years, into the
40s during six years. Lows had five years in the teens, four years in the
single digits and one year recorded -1. The all time high precipitation total
of 32.54 inches was measured during that disastrous flood year in December, 1996.
The record December snowfall of 122 inches was set in 1971. The record 24-hour
snowfall of 26 inches was set only recently in 2008.
|
|  Capture your holiday moments.
With the holiday season here many of us will be taking more
photos than we typically do throughout the year. Family dinners, Christmas
mornings and, in many cases, the one time of the year that we spend quality
time with our friends and family. Photos of these times can be priceless
treasures in the future. Just a little bit of thought and preparation can make
sure that you get the shot and make an image that more beautiful or impactful.
With this in mind there are a few easy to master techniques that will help you
to do this.
Fill your frame – Either move closer or zoom in to fill the
frame to exclude all that could clutter or distract from the image. With either
a planned group photo or a close up of someone, move or zoom in. If you are
taking a photo of a child opening a gift, for instance, make sure that it’s a
close-up to include their gift and their face to capture the whole context and
emotion of the moment. A wide angle view of the room won’t be able to capture
the moment in the same way.
Mind the background – Be aware of the background behind your
subject. If there’s clutter or a group of people not meant to be in the frame,
for instance, find a nicer background. Move your subject or subjects in front
of some holiday lights, Christmas tree or decorations. You can also blur the
background. One way to do that, if you have a camera that you can adjust
manually, is to open up the aperture, set to a smaller number, which will make
the depth of field shallower which will soften the background or stand back from
your subject and zoom in. Most of the time this should give you a similar
effect.
Use fill flash, or not – a general rule with digital cameras
is to use flash if your subject is standing in front of a bright background
such as a window. Unless the room is very dark try to get the shot without a
fill flash. This will give you a more even tone and natural looking photograph.
Use the timer and a tripod – you should be in the photo too.
It’s most always been the case that, when sharing your photos, you will need to
explain that you were there but were taking the photo. Why not be in the shot?
Learn how to use the timer on your camera. You can usually set it for anything
from 10 to 30 seconds or more to allow you to click the shutter button and
casually walk around into the shot with time to smile. It’s usually very simple
to set the camera quickly to Self Timer and then back again. Set your camera on
a tripod if you have one, otherwise find something sturdy that you can set the
camera on while the shot is taken.
Video – you can be a videographer. Most digital cameras
these days will allow you to create videos simply. Most cases all you need to
do is flip a switch and press a button. Once you are videoing you can zoom in
and out. Once you have made your videos you can easily download them to your
computer and edit them in various programs that come with most all personal
computers. Apple products can use iMovie while Windows users can use Windows
Movie Maker and either brands can use many aftermarket programs as well. Both
programs are easy to use and have many tutorial videos available online.
I hope that these tips will help you to get the shot that
may have gotten away. The most important tip of all is to get the camera out,
charge the batteries, learn to use your settings prior to your event and make
sure that it’s handy so you can grab it when the opportunity to save a moment
for posterity is provided.
Time is fleeting, memories are treasures. Take more pictures
this holiday season. |
| Being grateful for the everyday conveniences in USA by Victoria Larson on 11/01/2016
As modern citizens of the United States, we take too many
things for granted. Flip a switch and instantly there is light. Turn on a
faucet and you have an abundance of free flowing water. Press a handle and
waste matter is whisked out of sight. Our supermarkets are always filled with
food and non-food items alike. There’s always gas at the pumps.
But this is not how most of the world lives. Travel to other
countries teaches us about the rest of the world. Travel to countries like
China or Jamaica or India teach us even more. What if our plush American lives
were continually “inconvenienced?” Over two-thirds of the world lives without
electricity, so no heaters, air conditioners, refrigeration. The list goes on.
I loved traveling to beautiful places and staying in four-star
hotels with room service and pools. I equally loved my travel to places less
plush. Twenty years ago I travelled to China for a month with a group of
medical students and our instructor. A year later I helped deliver ninety-three
babies in Kingston, Jamaica. It’s all good. It was all a learning experience.
In China, electricity was only turned on for two hours a
day. You only hoped it was at a convenient time. Generators were few, and used
mostly, astonishingly, for televisions tuned to schlock! Water flowed downhill
from the mountains into central fountains used for both washing and drinking.
In Jamaica, moderate temperatures left little need for
heating or cooling, but water only trickled from showerheads and toilets didn’t
always flush. Showers were shared with fifteen other midwives-in-training and
the tubs didn’t always drain. This is how more of the world lives than not.
Food was pretty scarce and of minimal quality in both of
those countries. I was not travelling in the “big cities” and well-known places
of either country. In China we went as far north as the Tibetan province. A
disputed area, where we had to be escorted by police for our safety sake. There
was barbed wire around the perimeter of the hospital in Jamaica where we
brought the babies into the world. It was to protect the doctors, nurses and
midwives! Kingston, Jamaica is fraught with violence – the sound of gunshots in
the streets accompanied the squalls of babies being born.
We have it pretty nice in the good ol’ US of A. It couldn’t
happen here, right? Or could it? Pretty much no one is denying global warming
anymore. This could, and has, led to crop failures and further rises in
foodstuffs. The reason we are told to have a three-day supply of water and food
during weather alerts is because it is estimated that the supermarkets only
hold about three days of food on their shelves, should there be an emergency.
And we all know what happens at the stores when a snow day is predicted.
So what do you do? First of all, give thanks for all that
you have. Stop driving frivolously; you don’t really need strawberries in
December. Increase your preparedness and self-sufficiency. Growing even a small
amount of your food will leave you feeling secure and proud. Don’t purchase so
much imported food or any junk food. If you’re not already doing so, raise
chickens for plenty of protein or learn to hunt or fish or forage for nuts and
fruits. We leave so much waste in orchards and gardens. Share your wealth.
Continue to be optimistic, but don’t be frivolous. You can
do this. Anyone can do this. It can be fun and challenging for all of us, and
stabilizing to our country. For we should be very grateful to live in this
relatively safe and lush country. |
| Pumpkin Spice up your life! by Taeler Butel on 11/01/2016
Here’s a couple of ways to add even more pumpkin spice in
your life. These snacks are great to have around, to pack in lunches, or pack
in a pretty bag and celebrate the season of giving thanks! Harvest spiced granola This granola is so good, you’ll want to sing it a 90s love
song. Please feel free to swap out ingredients or add your own – a pinch of
chili powder might be nice... Pre heat oven to 350 degrees In a small bowl whisk together: 1/4 cup pumpkin pie filling 1 t sea salt 1/4 cup coconut oil 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 1/2 t cinnamon 1/4 cup agave syrup Set aside In large bowl toss together: 2 cups whole oats 1/2 cup each Flaked coconut Sliced almonds Pumpkin seeds
(pepitas) 1/4 cup quinoa Stir in pumpkin mixture and spread onto a large baking
sheet. Bake for 45 minutes tossing every 15 minutes. Let it cool then toss in
1/2 cup dried fruit such as apples, apricots, cherries or cranberries and 1/2
cup of baking chips of your choice – butterscotch would be delicious!! Pumpkin spice popcorn Heat oven to 275 degrees and grab a large cookie sheet. 6 cups popcorn (from about 3/4 cup kernels) 1 bag pumpkin spice marshmallows 1 cup vanilla baking chips, melted 1 t sea or kosher salt (fine) 1 T vanilla 1 T pumpkin pie spice 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (optional) 1 cup vanilla baking chips, melted In a large pot melt the butter with marshmallows, then add
vanilla and salt. Pour popcorn (and seeds if using) onto the cookie sheet.
Drizzle the melted marshmallow mixture and toss lightly – sprinkle on pumpkin
spice and place in oven. Bake 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes and let
cool. |
| Reflecting on domestic violence and what needs to be done by on 11/01/2016
I want to begin by reflecting back on October as Domestic
Violence Awareness Month. It is important to discuss and acknowledge violent
crimes that occur in our community so that we can work together to prevent
further crimes from happening and to better support the survivors. In the last
session we took steps here in Oregon to provide better resources and support
through legislation such as: providing safe harbor and confidentiality for
victims of sexual assault who seek services on a college campus; providing
funding for emergency shelters for victims of domestic violence and legal and
medical advocacy for survivors; and extending the statue of limitations for
these crimes to be prosecuted. As a strong supporter of this legislation, I
have learned that more needs to be done in order to create a better environment
for victims to become survivors and I will continue to work with organizations
in our communities, as well as the statewide coalition, to make sure we
continue this progress.
I was happy to be able to be part of the conversation about
the future of the Villages community representation last month. I think the
strong turnout for the most recent meeting at the Resort reflects the
communities’ commitment for finding a solution to not currently having a Villages
board. I will remain engaged as the conversation continues going forward and
provide any help and support I can in order to ensure that the community has
the type of local representation they deserve.
Looking ahead to the 2017 session, I have pre-session filed
legislation creating an Office of Outdoor Recreation to raise the conversation
of recreational tourism in Oregon to the highest policy making level. Currently
Washington, Colorado and Utah have this kind of office and it is helping these
states to align state policies in order to keep their recreation industries
expanding. If Oregon is going to be able to continue to expand our recreation
based economy throughout the state, I think it is necessary to have this type
of coordination as policies are made. I would envision this office playing a
key role in the recreational liability issue that I have discussed before, as
well as access to public lands for outdoor recreation.
It’s an honor to represent you and I’m happy to have a
conversation about these or any other issues. Please feel free to contact my
office at 503-986-1452 or email rep.markjohnson@state.or.us at any time.
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for House District
52.) |
| Unique bond of friendship helps neighbors through struggles by on 11/01/2016
An unexpected knock on the door prompts an unusual
discussion between Addie Moore and her neighbor Louis Waters, long-time
acquaintances and neighbors but not close friends in their tidy neighborhood in
Holt, Colo.
Both are living alone after the deaths of their spouses many
years ago and fighting loneliness in their own ways with families many hours
distant.
Addie proposes an unorthodox solution to their long, lonely
nights: sleeping together as friends with plenty of conversation before turning
out the lights and providing physical companionship throughout the night
without any further expectations. After thinking about the surprising
suggestion, Louis agrees to give the arrangement a try – initially with much
trepidation and stealth but as their bond of friendship grows stronger, the two
decide to be open about their agreement even though some of the community are
shocked and assume much more is happening than conversation and companionship.
Soon Addie and Louis are daring enough to visit downtown businesses and go on
picnics without concern of the gossip this creates.
This novel is a delight as Addie and Louis’ trust and
knowledge of each other grows closer as they share the stories of their lives
and their families – children, tragedies, loves and disappointments. Soon
challenges arise, of course, as Addie takes on temporary custody of her
grandson when his parents separate, considering divorce. Their arrangement is
also challenged by her son who heartily disapproves and threatens to withdraw
opportunities for her to be with her family.
Haruf is adept at weaving the spell of simple small town
life and the neighbors and experiences that bind people into a community. The
developing strength of the relationship between Addie and Louis is slowly paced
and realistic as two lonely people learn to confide in and trust each other
from such an unorthodox beginning, their friendship providing the strength they
need to confront the remaining challenges of their lives.
This is truly an unexpected delight of a book. Please don’t
miss it!
Kent Haruf is the author of many well-received novels set in
the mythical town of Holt, Colorado; this is his last published work before his
death at 71 in 2014. |
| Never ‘Stop, Drop and Roll’ with your deep-fried turkey by Ned Hickson on 11/01/2016
The human brain.
Most of us have one.
For those who don’t, there are warning labels.
Unfortunately, these warnings don’t appear on actual
individuals. Instead, they are issued by the Consumer Product Safety
Commission, which has the monumental task of thinking up ways people might
injure themselves using standard household items.
While the commission generally stays ahead of the curve with
the help of researchers, lab studies and a select group of retired circus
chimps, from time to time a product is embraced so tightly by the general
public that there’s simply no time to warn them that actually embracing it
could result in serious injury. According to the safety commission, reports of
house fires involving large men submerging whole turkeys into deep fryers has
risen dramatically in the past decade. This has prompted the commission to
issue a special, multi-paged consumer alert called:
Fryer, Fryer Pants on Fire.
Using this handy combustible pamphlet, I’ve organized a
safety checklist from the American National Standards Institute, which oversees
turkey-fryer safety standards, as well as any consumer product that includes
the three components of what safety experts call the Triangle of Fire:
1) A heat source.
2) A meat product.
3) An intoxicated male.
This brings us to safety tip number one:
Never leave your turkey unattended.
Studies show that once the initial excitement of watching
hot oil has passed, men quickly get bored and wander off in search of the
nearest flat-screen TV. So, as a precaution, the standards institute suggests
that wives keep an eye on their turkey at all times — or, at the very least,
until he’s done using the deep fryer.
Tip number two:
Always use turkey fryers outdoors.
Given the opportunity, men will set up their turkey fryer in
the living room in order to watch football while cooking. This is dangerous
because, should his team score at the wrong moment, there’s a good chance the
turkey will get spiked into the fryer. And hey, even if you manage to avoid
this hazardous situation, there’s also your home’s resale value to consider –
meaning that, should you ever decide to sell, describing your home to a
potential buyer as having “three bedrooms, two baths and a pleasant
fried-turkey smell” will, in many cases, end negotiations.
And finally, tip number three:
Don’t move fryer while it is in operation.
You should always wait until the oil is completely cooled
before moving your fryer.
The only exception to this, of course, is if your wife
catches you cooking in the living room.
(Ned is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corporation.
His books “Humor at the Speed of Life” and “Pearls of Writing Wisdom “are
available online at Port Hole Publications, Amazon Books and Barnes &
Noble. Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com) |
| Episode XII: Half asleep and mint free by Max Malone, Private Eye on 11/01/2016
As my escape plans kept dancing through my head like the
last tango in France with Nicole Kidman, the scene changed.
Rolling up the dirt road to the farmhouse lumbered an
honest-to-god camper coach, with British license plates, driven by an
Arabic-looking chap, who was singing along with the blaring CD player rendering
a Mamas and the Papas cut of “Monday, Monday.”
I was trying to keep my sanity as I became engulfed in the
plot of this Fellini movie. Plus, it was Monday. Can’t trust that day.
Ahmed (sorry Nicole, tough guys don’t dance) was the first
out the door to greet the new arrival. My two armed guards were turned to the
window as well.
What was that? Did Dolly just wink at me before turning to
the window? Yeah. THAT Dolly Traitor Teagarden.
Zabun was the name of the camper captain. He was introduced
to Dolly and the two guards. Ahmed was as happy as a Sinai desert camel on
oasis day.
“We’ll leave at first light,” Ahmed said – I figure he must
have watched a few too many John Wayne movies. “Zabun, check out our British
tourist with the camper.”
I was the British tourist (remember the Brit passport Dolly
rigged for me back in the good old days).
Zabun was not your typical terrorist. He really liked
everything about the camper and that meant the very best the western world of
wilderness wonder could offer, right down to showing me how the cruise control
worked. Even my armed guard seemed mildly interested.
I considered marrying Zabun’s forehead with the steering
wheel, but the camper wouldn’t be able to outrun my Kalashnikov cronie.
But it was apparent I was going to be driving the camper
somewhere, and that would have to provide a better opportunity for this private
eye than what existed at the moment.
Plus, there was that wink, right?
Or was it an out-of-place eye lash?
I was led back to the farmhouse as the sun melted into the
horizon behind a field of some sort of grain. That’s as close as I can get. I
used to live in Portland and on the mountain, not Kansas.
Zabun was still humming “Monday, Monday” while Dolly stirred
a pot of something that smelled like prison soup. Meanwhile, I was once again
cuffed to the chair, consequently, I was actually looking forward to the soup.
Such are the little things when you’re reluctantly playing
the lead role in a hostage movie directed by an insouciant Italian.
That night saw me back on the floor, cuffed to the radiator,
no blanket, no pillow, no mint.
But my mind was whirling. Why am I driving the camper? And
where were we going?
As best I could figure, I had a much better chance driving
that rig than a terrorist if we were crossing a border. The conclusion must be
that the camper had value.
Or cargo.
But the rear of the camper looked so normal it could have
belonged to the Cleavers.
There was a bed in the back. And a sofa. A table. Overhead
storage areas. And who knows if that’s a false floor, or not? And who could
tell?
Certainly no one would suspect a tweedy Englishman like me.
Hell, they’d probably provide me with a briar pipe to cinch the charade.
And then there was Dolly. Wink or no wink.
And there was Zabun harmonizing with Mama Cass.
And somewhere between a Dolly Teagarden eyelash and “Things
just turn out that way” I drifted half asleep – with one eye on the nearest
Kalashnikov.
After all, I am Max Malone, private eye. |
| The Mt. Hood Green Scene: Sustainable holiday gifts by Mary Soots on 11/01/2016
The stores have been filled with
Halloween-Thanksgiving-Hanukkah-Christmas decorations since September in an
effort to inspire holiday shoppers to part with their cash. We shop until we
drop and then we shop some more. Online shopping makes it even easier with just
a click of a pop-up ad. It seems that people receive gifts that go directly
into the donation pile rather than into the house.
Each year, I struggle to think of clever gifts to buy for
the person who has everything. It’s a hard thing to do for one who is aware of
mass overconsumption. So one year, I chose to have a philanthropic Christmas. I
attended an alternative gift fair with dozens of non-profit organizations and made
donations in the name of various family members. Together, we supported
environmental causes such as a rain forest in southern Mexico, the Conservation
Fund, endangered species, the Amazon forest and a few others. We also proudly
supported social justice causes such as victims of forced labor and sexual
exploitation in Thailand and funded a microloan program. Each organization sent
a card to the recipient thanking them for their donation. I had a great time
deciding which non-profit organization would be best suited as a gift for each
individual. After the initial surprise at receiving their gift, they felt their
gift had a greater impact and were happy to give up a gift in exchange for
supporting a worthwhile cause.
Other years, I’ve purchased only locally produced goods. Not
only are they unique, but they also put money back into our own community. It’s
not a hard way to shop since we have such a gifted artistic community on the
mountain.
Sustainable gifts can be found in so many ways. Perhaps a
cell phone solar charger for camping (this would come in handy in an emergency
too). Food makes great gifts, especially if it’s something homemade. If there’s
a gardener in your life, you can order heritage seeds and delight them with
some exotic fruits and vegetables. If you do purchase something, there are many
companies that will make a donation when you purchase their products. Buy
something while helping to make the world a better place.
Another thing to keep in mind this holiday season is the
gift wrap. Unfortunately, gift wrap is not recyclable and tons of it ends up in
the landfill. Instead of wasting money on something that is so environmentally
wasteful, think of other alternatives. Perhaps wrap with colorful old magazines
or maps and use a holly clipping instead of a bow. Cloth from old sheets,
tablecloths, or curtains in beautiful designs and colors makes great wrapping
material. Many years ago, I purchased some reusable fabric gift bags for my
nephews and nieces and each Christmas, they look for them under the tree. It
wouldn’t be Christmas without them.
If you’re a conscientious gift recipient, you can ask for
some alternative gifts as well. Recently, a niece implored that we please not
buy any more toys for her kids for Christmas as they had so many already.
Instead, she said that she would appreciate gifts that involved activities.
This type of gift is something that gives people something to look forward to
doing and they will hold on to the memories of the activity (especially if you
join in the fun!) Maybe they would enjoy a performance at the Sandy Theater.
Maybe they can look forward to whitewater rafting in the spring or a weekend
stay at the coast. A family membership to something like OMSI is a gift that
they use over and over again.
One year, I asked family members to only give me gifts that
they had made themselves. I received the most wonderful gifts! One that I will
always treasure was a box of wishes. With this, the person who made the gift
distributed blank cards to friends and family members. Each one wrote something
that they wished for me. The wishes included things like “the kind of inner
peace that leaves you sleeping securely and restfully every night, the kind that
comes from honesty, dignity, pride, confidence and living out who you truly are
without compromise to your beliefs and values” to more simple things like “I
wish that you could have a kiss from a little two-year old boy. Love, Phillip
(2 years old).” The sister who gave me this gift said she’d had a great time
compiling the wishes. |
| ‘Weather pattern’ – Weather Service changes outlook again by on 11/01/2016
Our fall rains got off to an early start with the arrival of
October and never let up until setting a new record. Brightwood has received
16.02 inches of rain so far, compared to the previous record of 14.67 inches
set during October 2012. Government Camp had a higher hurdle with its record
15.51 inches recorded in October 1967. Temperatures were close to seasonal
averages but rainfall was nearly a daily event.
The National Weather
Service has revised its outlook and returned to its earlier prediction that a
La Nina weather pattern will set up during the coming months. If this actually
occurs, we can expect our area to experience a more typical winter, but their
predictions for our area during the last two months have missed the mark.
Regardless, their prediction for our area this coming November expects
temperatures to be close to average and precipitation to be a bit above
average.
During November, Brightwood has an average high temperature
of 48, an average low of 38, and a precipitation average of 11.85 inches
including an average 2.5 inches of snow. During the past ten years, high
temperatures have reached the 60s during seven years and the 50s during three
years. Low temperatures fell into the 30s during four years, into the 20s
during four years, and into the teens during two years with an average of six
days that reach the freezing level. The record November snowfall of 27.7 inches
was measured in 1973 and the record 24-hour snowfall of 8.8 inches also
occurred in 1973. This record was threatened only two years ago when eight
inches was measured on Nov. 13, 2014. As the rain year ended Sept. 30,
Brightwood had received an annual total precipitation amount of 91.42 inches,
which is 112 percent of the average 81.70 inches.
During November, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 41 degrees, an average low of 29 degrees and a precipitation
average of 12.15 inches, including 33.5 inches of snow. During the past ten
years, high temperatures have reached into the 60s during four years, into the
50s during five years and one year in the 40s. Lows had five years in the 20s,
four years in the teens and one year in the single digits. The record snowfall
total for November was 32 inches set in 1974. The record 24-hour November
snowfall of 20 inches was set only recently in 2010, also 2006 and 1996. This
record was also threatened recently when 19 inches was measured again during
2010. As the rain year ended Sept. 30, Government Camp had received an annual
total precipitation amount of 79.88 inches, which is 92 percent of the average
87.28 inches. |
|  Photographers flock to a popular site.
If you haven’t noticed lately, the Pacific Northwest has
become quite popular. Many of the folks that are visiting or relocating here
are inspired by the photos posted on social platforms such as Instagram or
Facebook. We have all seen that epic photo of someone standing on a hill in the
foreground with their hands up in the air as if victorious after an epic
journey. Behind them you see a sweeping view, idyllic light and Mount Hood
towering in the distance. These photos inspire those who yearn to express the
human spirit of adventure and exploration. It also causes an increased number
of people trekking to these locations. When I post a photo online the most
asked question is usually, “Where is that?”
No longer is there an attitude that you should go out and
explore the world and find these places. In this day and age it’s about the
image and not the adventure. The location that’s easy to get to and to take a
striking photo of especially. The result of this is that these iconic,
beautiful and many time environmentally sensitive locations are being overrun
by folks that may be inexperienced in the outdoors. Many that I have met seem
to have the attitude that they are in a landscaped and maintained city park or,
with some, an amusement park for extreme outdoor sports. At the end of the day
it really is but a way to make an awesome photo to post online in an attempt to
feed their own vanity.
This may sound harsh, but as a professional outfitter and
guide as well as a photographer and social media practitioner I experience this
frequently. You may think that this is about me railing against the virtues of
humility but it is not. The purpose of this is to point out that this activity
on public land is causing it harm. With the increase of use of all of the
trails and facilities in the Mt Hood National Forest and the Columbia River
Gorge, my domains, it is more important than ever before to realize our effect
on the land. Therefore I feel compelled to make a list of suggestions that will
help to minimize the effects of this increased usage. This applies to us all,
not just photographers.
Don’t create new trails in established trail areas. Stay on
the existing trails. If you can see that someone has already been to an area,
look for a trail to it before you cross virgin territory. I was at Elowah Falls
one day and observed two photographers looking down and over the embankment to
a spot in the creek below. As I approached I could tell that they were
considering trailblazing their way to it. I walked up and started a friendly
conversation about how beautiful it was there. I told them that there’s a great
little trail just behind us that will take them there. They thanked me and took
the trail. They were unfamiliar with the location, but if they would have taken
just a few more minutes looking they would have found the trail.
Pick up other’s trash. We’ve all heard the saying, “Pack it
in. Pack it out”. In this day and age it should be, “Pack it in, pack it… and other less
considerate people's trash, out.” I always carry a kitchen trash bag and some
Ziplocs in my backpack. They can come in very handy for this and other
purposes. If you’re hiking with a dog, pick up the poo with a plastic baggie
and do not leave it along the trail with the intent of picking it up on the
hike out. Put it in its plastic bag and then put that into the trash bag. If
you’re still worried about getting poo in your pack, double bag it.
Don’t pose in sensitive areas. I have seen people standing
in or erecting their tents in places off trail just for a photo. This sends a
message that this location is fine to walk to which will cause damage in time.
Choose a location that a trail already accesses.
Be original. With the sheer amount of people accessing these
areas think about why you would want to go to the same location to get the same
photograph. This mindset creates a herd. And with any herd it causes a swath of
wear to these places. I’m not saying not to go, but think about all of the
other less photographed areas left to explore. If we as photographers seek out
new locations it will scatter the herd and at the same time you will create
more unique photographs.
Buy trailhead or commercial use permits. There is a purpose
to purchase forest passes or commercial use permits beyond paying another tax.
It’s also a way to help regulate the use of these areas. If you’re hiking
frequently consider a season pass. It’s convenient because you don’t have to
buy one every time that you go hiking, and it saves you a lot of money. I’m one
of a mind that this land is ours to use freely, but in the 21st century we have
a few harsh realities that a permit system addresses.
Volunteer. The Forest Service or many social or civic clubs
have ways for one to volunteer to clean trails and trailheads. This gives you a
chance to give back all that our public lands provide. Contact the US Forest
Service office to inquire about how you can help. Join a meet up group and go
out for a walk with new friends and teach by example how easy it is to clean a
trail as you hike.
None of these points are abstract or obscure concepts. This
was how my parents raised me as we hiked on Oregon trails as a boy. I’m not one
to claim that we’re doomed in this day and age because of the deterioration of
society. Even when you toss that out of that argument there’s one glaring fact
that can’t be ignored. There are more and more people coming here and just that
fact alone dictates that we treat our trails and public land with even more
respect. |
| The risks of breast cancer and how you can reduce them by Victoria Larson on 10/01/2016
The risk for breast cancer used to be two out of ten people.
Now it’s one out of eight. While more treatment options are available now, the
incidence of cancer is still increasing, perhaps with our increasingly aging
population. Still, it’s time to admit the facts: we are also living in an
increasingly toxic world.
The Dr. Susan Love Research Center states that this does not
mean you are always at risk, but the one out of eight number covers your risk
over a lifetime. At age 20 your risk is more like one in 1,700, so not very
high. At age 30 that risk increases to one in 228. But once you reach 50 your
risk becomes one in 43. Those are the risk numbers for breast cancer, not
overall cancer risk.
You should not panic, but you should know your risk factors
and be proactive. The American Cancer Society still recommends a yearly
mammogram for any woman over 40. But according to the U.S. Preventive Task
Force, a mammogram every two years after age 50 is fine for those with
decreased risk factors.
Options other than mammograms include digital mammograms
(which are becoming more standard), 3D tomosynthesis, thermography (using heat
in the breast to alert to tissue changes) and, of course, self exams. Not all
of these methods are covered by insurance, leaving us with some questions.
Interestingly, 85 percent of breast cancer patients (and
this includes men) have NO family history of breast cancer. Estrogen dominance
appears to drive breast cancer (as well as many other cancers). Alas, many
ignore these symptomatic risk factors or may not even know them. The risk
factors include excess body fat (especially around the lower abdomen, hips, and
thighs), gallbladder disease, pre-menopausal bone loss, slow metabolism and
other factors.
Factors that contribute to estrogen dominance include both
oral contraceptives and Premarin for over five years, overeating, Type ll
Diabetes, depression and stress, as well as faulty liver and gastrointestinal
function. Among other factors are exposures to environmental hormone
disruptors, like Round-up and other herbicides (see my previous columns). In
addition, there are hormone disruptors in cleaning products (including most
laundry soaps), personal care items (hair dyes, shampoos) and in plastics like
phlalates (even in children’s’ toys), parabens (in cosmetics) and BPA (in soda
bottles and other plastic bottles).
Those born after WW ll were raised in an era of high
exposures to herbicides, pesticides and other by-products of the war. TV
dinners, fast food and decreased backyard gardening led to lesser nutrition as
well. Exposure while still in the womb when breast and ovarian cells are
maturing leads to damage when adulthood is reached. Exposures to environmental
hormone disruptors in infancy and youth, while bodies are still growing is also
a risk. In other words, for most people, the damage is already done.
This does not mean we are all doomed to a breast cancer
diagnosis. While you cannot change your family heritage of DNA or your previous
exposures, you do have recourse. The absolute biggest thing you can do to keep
breast cancer at bay is to exercise. Thirty minutes five times a week of brisk
walking is great. More than that can lower your risk by 40 percent and help you
maintain a healthy weight.
One or fewer alcohol drinks per day appears to be somewhat
protective, but “saving up” to have five to seven glasses of wine on the
weekend is not! While your daily cup or two of coffee may lead to breast cysts
(an uncomfortable risk factor) there is no direct link to breast cancer. And
underwire bras show no direct link to breast cancer either. In fact, newer
studies have actually shown that underwire bras may decrease the strength of
breast ligaments, leading to sagging of breast tissue later in life.
So live the “anti-cancer lifestyle.” Eat cruciferous
vegetables, decrease meat, exercise and get the toxins out of your life
(including cleaning products, cosmetics and plastics). If you do receive a
diagnosis of breast cancer, don’t panic. Those who have emotional support from
family and friends within the first six months of diagnosis have an almost 50
percent decrease risk of recurrence. So keep family and friends nearby for
health and well-being. |
| Easy does it by Taeler Butel on 10/01/2016
Bye bye summer – we love you!! Until next time, let's grill
one more time and get in some prep for back to reality meals. These minimal
ingredient lunch and kid friendly deals are my birthday month gift to you – oh
yeah, cake.
Balsamic Chicken
Recently my friend blew my mind with this simple and
delicious cooking. Mel and I go way back and fit together like pie ala mode –
she'll bring a few ingredients and I'll add a few of mine. It always works out
perfectly and somehow all of our picky kiddos get fed. Here's what we did.
Marinade
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 t seasoned salt
1 t cracked pepper
3T Balsalmic glaze
1/4 cup olive oil
Whisk ingredients together and save 2–4 Tablespoons. Add up
to two lbs of chicken, toss to coat and let it marinate for 1–4 hours. Let it
sit at room temp for 20 minutes before grilling. Heat grill or grill pan over
med high heat and grill for about 6 minutes one side. Don't move the meat until
you have a nice crust, then grill meat on other side adjusting the temp if
necessary. Turn heat to medium and grill covered, turning meat every 3-5
minutes.
Salad "kabobs" – Give the kiddos a skewer and set
up a small salad bar with cubes of bread, various veggies, cheeses and even big
filled pastas such as tortellini. Put out dips and dressings so they can dress
their salad sticks.
Here's what we did:
Sliced cucumber
Cooked corn on the cob, sliced 1/2" thick
Boiled new potatoes
Cherry tomatoes
Red lettuce leaves
Salami slices
Provolone cheese
Oil & vinegar dressing, and Caesar dressing
Texas sheet birthday cake.
I'm in love with a sheet cake and I'm not sorry.
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2½ t vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
2¼ cups flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles, plus more for decoration
Vanilla Frosting
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
2-3 T cream
2 t vanilla extract
1/8 t salt
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease and lightly flour a
12x17 inch half sheet/jelly roll pan.
Set aside.
In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer
fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter for about one minute
on medium speed. Add the sugar on medium speed and beat until fluffy and light
in color. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in the sour cream on medium high speed
until combined.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt
together. Pour half of this flour mixture into the creamed butter mixture. Beat
on low speed for five seconds. Pour in half of the milk. Beat on low speed for
five seconds. Repeat with the rest of the flour and beat in the remainder of
the milk. Do not overmix.
Using a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula, fold in the
sprinkles.
Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan. Smooth it out
into an even layer with a rubber spatula. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes or until
the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out
clean.
Now, make the frosting.
For the frosting: Using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer
fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until
creamy – about two minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, cream, vanilla extract,
and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for
three full minutes. Add more confectioners' sugar if frosting is too thin, more
cream if frosting is too thick, or a pinch more of salt if frosting is way too
sweet. Spread frosting all over cooled cake, then top with sprinkles. Slice and
serve. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to five
days. |
| Johnson to push for education and logging standards by on 10/01/2016
October is here and that means school has been in session
for about a month now. This is the first year that the Oregon Promise has
provided thousands of students with tuition waivers and set them on the path to
debt-free education. In September, I visited the Mt. Hood Community College and
Columbia Gorge Community College to welcome these incoming students and share
the importance of their experience for both Oregon and the nation.
With the Oregon Promise, Oregon was nationally recognized
for leading the way in college access and affordability. Our community colleges
provide vital training and help students learn the necessary skills to land a
well-paying job. Today, at least two-thirds of jobs require some form of
post-secondary training, and our state has made a commitment to supporting
students in their endeavor to gain these skills. I believe it’s a wise
investment for the state to help some students with the cost of tuition in
order for them to gain the skills necessary to be successful for life. I was proud
to support the Oregon Promise in 2015 and in the upcoming legislative session I
will be working to ensure the program remains funded so that Oregon can
continue making that promise to its students.
In other local news, it appears the proposed logging project
in the Brightwood area will not be moving forward this season. It was
determined that the developer would not be able to complete the project prior
to the arrival of winter weather. This means the project will be up for review
again next season. I will continue to work with the Oregon Department of
Forestry and Clackamas County to ensure the proper procedures are followed in
order to protect local landowners and the communities involved. I’m also
working in Salem with key representatives of the logging industry to see what
kind of safeguards might be able to be put in place to ensure that developers
are compelled to obey existing laws and to eliminate loopholes that appear to
exist. This will be one of my priorities in the upcoming legislative session.
Another priority of mine in the 2017 legislative session is
to ensure that every third grader is reading at grade level. The third grade
reading benchmark is one of the main components that helps a child be
successful. Those that can read at grade level are four times more likely to
graduate. An investment in this benchmark will include early interventions,
saving the state money down the road and helping the student be much more
successful early on.
As always, I am available to talk about these or any other
issues that concern you. Please feel free to reach out to my office at
503-986-1452 or email rep.markjohnson@state.or.us
Thank you for the honor of representing you!
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for House District
52.) |
|  'Before the Fall,' by Noah Hawley
Scott is initially hailed as a hero after swimming for his
life after a high-profile plane crash while also saving a young boy over almost
impossible odds. They are the only survivors from the passengers and crew,
which soon places Scott in the middle of intense and unrelenting media glare.
However, as the investigation into the crash revs up – with scrutiny of the
celebrity passenger list as well as the airline’s crew – Scott soon finds that
he is also a potential suspect as the authorities strive to determine the
cause.
The many flash-backs which describe the crash of the charter
jet in foggy, stormy weather off Martha’s Vineyard are harrowing and dramatic.
But the real meat of the novel is in the stories of the passengers and crew
members leading up to that fateful journey. While Scott Burroughs is a simple
painter who became friends with some of the plane’s influential passengers at
the weekly marketplace in Martha’s Vineyard, the boy he saves is the youngest
child of a powerful media mogul’s family. Another couple on the doomed flight
is a Wall Street power broker and his wife. In the media, there is much
speculation about why these influential persons were traveling together and
whether the crash is evidence of some sort of conspiracy to manipulate broader
events.
While Scott struggles to come to terms with his survival and
the trauma of the crash, the young boy he rescued from the stormy Atlantic
battles his fears from the traumatic events as well as the loss of his family.
A special bond exists between these two survivors but the media frenzy and the
official investigations limit their contact and question Scott’s motivation
since the future custodian of the boy will be privy to a substantial fortune.
Finally, the many stories of the passengers and crew come
together to answer the big question of why the crash happened. By the time this
is revealed to the reader, an expertly written novel with great insight into
the human condition and our society has been appreciated.
This terrific novel has my strongest recommendation.
Noah Hawley is the Emmy, PEN, Peabody, Critic’s Choice and
Golden Globe Awarding-winning creator of the TV show “Fargo.” He was also a
writer and producer for the hit TV series “Bones.” This is his fourth novel. |
| Why not start your day with a flaming Pop tart? by Ned Hickson on 10/01/2016
Why not start your day with a flaming Pop tart?
Cooking can be dangerous, especially when it includes all
three components of what experts call the Triangle of Fire:
1) A heat source
2) Combustible material
3) Our son.
While I can vouch for him having absolutely nothing to do
with any wildfires, he was in fact responsible for the 2015 Oak Street popcorn
smoke-out. It only took that one experience for us to realize just how
dangerous popcorn kernels can be once their internal temperature exceeds 6,000
degrees Fahrenheit. Let me just say that if your microwavable popcorn bag is
ever allowed to expand to the size of your favorite pillow, DO NOT open it.
Ever.
Our government has special underground dump sites
specifically designed for this kind of toxic material; please use them.
However, even with all of the precautions we’ve taken, it
would seem that our family has been overlooking another potentially dangerous
component in the Triangle of Fire:
The Flaming Pop-Tart.
According to a Philadelphia newspaper, that’s exactly what
happened to an unsuspecting New Jersey woman who said her kitchen caught fire
after her cherry-flavored Pop-Tart “burst into flames like a blow torch!”
I’ll be the first to admit that a fiery breakfast treat
spewing artificial fruit filling would be a scary thing. In fact, aside from
finding the real “Cap’n Crunch” floating around in my cereal bowl, I can’t
think of a more frightening breakfast experience. However, there are a couple
of things worth noting about the flaming Pop-Tart incident — the first of which
is that my son had nothing to do with it.
He doesn’t even know anyone in New Jersey.
Secondly, the Pop-Tart in question had been left unattended
for 20 minutes while Brenda Hurff took her children to school. It was during
this time that investigators believe the Pop-Tart “freakishly ignited” as a
result of either a) the toaster malfunctioning, b) the pastry malfunctioning,
or c) the surprisingly combustible nature of artificial fruit filling.
To ensure the safety of the general public, investigators
called in agents from both the FBI and CIA to make sure that the burning
Pop-Tart was, indeed, an isolated incident with absolutely no to any terrorist
channels.
In addition, they also ruled out my son, and any links to
him watching The Food Channel.
In case you were wondering, investigators have also decided
against the possibility of spontaneous combustion as a cause for the blaze.
This conclusion was reached after days of around-the-clock observation of
assorted Pop-Tarts in a controlled environment, after which the following joint
statement was released by the agents involved in the study:
“We quit.”
In any case, the fact that we don’t have to worry about
living in a world of spontaneously combusting Pop-Tarts is something that
should help us all rest a little easier.
But I’d still suggest keeping them away from the popcorn,
though.
Just to be safe. |
| The Adventure Continues: Don't Kid with Me Nicole by Max Malone, Private Eye on 10/01/2016
When it came to women there was precious little doubt I was
on a serious losing streak – think Casey Stengel’s lovable Mets.
It went back to the time when I lost Hope. After ventilating
my fedora with a terrific shot, she had matriculated to state prison and was
still wearing her graduation outfit of solid orange.
Then came Valerie Suppine, the meanest little woman in
thirteen western states, who, unsatisfied with that dishonorable title, had
thrown in with Johnny Longo and the Grimaldi brothers for a mere twenty-five
large and left me tossing in the Reno wind.
Then the notorious Natasha LaRue, who cast some sort of
witchy spell over me and ferried me off to France, evidently as some sort of
play toy while she laundered money for a modern version of Ali Baba and his 40
thieves, and ended up with a hole in her head – but a least the cheese was
delicious.
Finally, all seemed to turn out well due to the diligence
and dalliance of Dolly Teagarden, the British diplomat attached to the American
embassy in France. But, keeping with the comparison to the Amazin’ Mets, my
losing streak continued as Dolly was no more a diplomat than I was Marv
Throneberry.
This shipwreck of women has left me tied to a trio of
terrorists, and a complicit Dolly, and now tethered to a kitchen chair
somewhere in the French countryside in a centuries old farmhouse with an
alarmingly modern set of phones, computers, and other equipment I can’t
identify.
I haven’t been knocked around, nor have I ever been more
than three steps from an assault rifle in the hands of the wrong guy. The boss
of the three Arabic types is known as Ahmed – it sounds like something you
might utter if you were suddenly surprised by Nicole Kidman asking you to
dance. He speaks English. He and Dolly have a thing going. I have nothing
going. No plan.
At least that’s the way three days went by at the country
chalet. My hands were untied twice a day to eat, if you want to call it that –
seems no one in this idyllic setting ate cheese. My hands and ankles were set
free when I needed the facilities. The bathroom, or water closet to the French,
or loo to the Brits, was separate from the actual bathroom. It was a commode,
nothing more, except for a window high on the wall, maybe, just maybe, large
enough to squeeze through, or maybe not. Even if the window was breeched, there
was little cover outside, just a couple spindly trees that couldn’t conceal
Twiggy.
Like I said, by end of day three, no plan.
It might have helped if I understood why I was part of this
plot. But whenever I brought it up, or anything for that matter, Ahmed (why
yes, Nicole, I’d love to dance) just turned away, Dolly’s mouth turned into a
slit that a timber rattler would have envied, and the assault rifle would bump
into the back of my head.
But by day four, a couple things became apparent. Despite
not understanding a single word Ahmed (Nicole, what fragrance is that?) said
over the phone, or being able to decipher a single letter off the computer
screen, we were either awaiting orders or reinforcements. The fact that several
times each day after a phone exchange, Ahmed (it’s OK if I lead isn’t it,
Nicole?) and Dolly would exchange glances and one, or both, would impatiently
shrug their shoulders. Another thing, and perhaps the most important, was that
the tough guy with the Kalashnikov was losing interest in me – not totally his
own fault, for my passive behavior would have coaxed a Spanish fighting bull
into a coma.
So I whiled away the hours, eating my two meals sans
fromage, making rare eye contact with Dolly, whirling Nicole Kidman around the
room with a frenzy of tango moves that kept her breathless, but always looking
for an opening.
I had no plans on spending my last days with this unsavory
band of messianic muttonheads.
Nicole and I were waltzing out of here.
After all, I am Max Malone, private eye. |
| Leave No Trace principles by Mary Soots on 10/01/2016
We were all troubled recently by the vandalism that involved
the tipping over of an iconic sandstone rock pedestal affectionately called the
“duckbill” on Cape Kiwanda. The natural rock formation was deliberately
destroyed by a group of people. Although Oregon receives approximately 45 million visitors
annually to its parks and natural areas according to statistics, the incidence
of vandalism is relatively small. On a hike last year, I was very disturbed
when I noticed that a piece of ancient forest had been destroyed by someone who
had removed a large piece of trunk (approximately 3 feet by 5 feet by 1 foot)
from a Douglas fir tree. The individuals who had removed the piece of trunk had
used a ladder to access an area approximately 10 feet from the base of the tree
and left the tree to perish. These are examples of intentional destruction of our natural
beauty. On this side of the mountain, campers occupy illegal campsites, leaving
trash in their wake. But there many examples of unintentional damage to our environment
as well. One is that 45 million visitors cannot help by leave a trace. With so many new residents moving into this region, it is
inevitable that there is more traffic through the area. Where was once a random
encounter with another person on the hiking trail along Oneota Gorge is now a
scene reminiscent of a college frat party. In the age of technology, the
problem is self-perpetuating. A person photographs an incredibly beautiful
place and posts it to their Facebook page and soon 10 people want to see that
same place. They in turn post beautiful photographs to their Instagram accounts
and soon the area becomes a crowded tourist attraction. It is a sign of the time and we must learn to share the
outdoors with other users and allow them to enjoy the same beauty. We can be
aware of the impact that we have when we venture into the outdoors. The Leave
No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics offers the following among its tips: Plan Ahead and Prepare • Know the
regulations and special concerns for the area you’ll visit. • Schedule
your trip to avoid times of high use. • Visit in
small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller
groups. • Use a map
and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging. Leave What You Find • Preserve
the past: examine, but do not touch cultural or historic structures and
artifacts. • Leave
rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them. • Avoid
introducing or transporting non-native species. • Do not
build structures, furniture, or dig trenches. Minimize Campfire Impacts • Campfires
can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Use a lightweight stove for
cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light. • Where
fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires. • Keep
fires small. Only use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand. Respect Wildlife • Observe
wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them. • Never
feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors,
and exposes them to predators and other dangers. • Protect
wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely. • Control
pets at all times, or leave them at home. • Avoid
wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter. Be Considerate of
Other Visitors • Respect
other visitors and protect the quality of their experience. • Be
courteous. Yield to other users on the trail. • Step to
the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock. • Take breaks
and camp away from trails and other visitors.
• Let
nature’s sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises. |
| La Nina pattern no longer in line for October by on 10/01/2016
Contrary to the forecast, September was cooler and wetter
than average. During the first eight days, high temperatures never exceeded the
60s and rain occurred during every day but one in Brightwood. Warmer daytime
temperatures followed during the following week but the 18th and 19th recorded
unusually heavy rainfall for September, with Brightwood getting soaked with
2.13 inches of rain. The last weekend of the month accompanied a brief period
of summer-like weather but it appears that fall will arrive on schedule.
The National Weather Service has rescinded its earlier
outlook and no longer expects a La Nina pattern to set up, at least not during
the fall and winter months. The forecast for our area again calls for warmer
temperatures and lower precipitation than average during October.
During October, Brightwood has an average high temperature
of 59, an average low temperature of 43 and a precipitation average of 6.52
inches. During the past 10 years, high temperatures have reached the 70s during
eight years, and into the 60s during the remaining two years. Low temperatures
have dropped into the 40s once, into the 30s during seven years and into the
20s during two years.
During October, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 53 degrees, an average low of 36 degrees, and a precipitation
average of 7.03 inches, including 5.5 inches of snow. During the past ten
years, high temperatures have reached the 70s during six years and into the 60s
during four years. Low temperatures fell into the 30s during three years, into
the 20s during six years, and into the teens once. The record snowfall in
October was a 34 inch total set in 1984. A record 24-hour measurement of 15
inches was set in 1984, although more recently, a 12 inch amount was recorded
on Oct. 20, 2009. |
|  Some creative photoshopping.
“Is that photoshopped?” I hear that question every now and
then, mostly on social media, although not as much as I used to ten years ago.
I suspect that it could be that digital photography has become accepted more,
and with websites such as Instagram that allow the user to alter their photos
with a touch of a thumb, most of the time in an attempt to emulate a bad film
photo, people are more accepting of photos with an artistic twist.
Photoshop is a photo editing program, but the word is now
used as a transitive verb usually in past tense to describe an altered photo.
An altered photo is a very broad description for a process that can easily go
from simply resizing a photo to altering a photo into representing something
that wasn’t there. There are those who find no fault at all in the photographer
editing their own photos, and there are those who say that one dare not touch
their photo lest it become fake.
In reality, even back when we sent our photos to the drug
store they were altered in some way through the process, usually in an attempt
to auto correct by the technician or because of the quality of the maintenance
or calibration of the machine used to develop the film and even the type of
film that we used.
As a photographer who learned how to shoot using a 35mm
camera, a Yashica Electro 35 to be precise, and learned how to develop my own
black and white photos I have my own take on the whole, sometimes
controversial, subject.
Back when I started out as a hobbyist in 1977 I wanted to
learn how to develop my own film in a darkroom. I joined a camera club and
learned from the “old guys” there. One thing that I did learn is that it’s not
just a simple process of developing, rinsing, fixing and drying. There’s also
more to enlarging and making a print than what I suspected. What I learned the
most is how much one can alter the look of the photo either by accident or on
purpose in the darkroom. This is not to mention how one can alter a photo while
they are making the image in the camera using the basic adjustments.
While in the darkroom one is able to push or pull the
process which involves leaving it in the developing solution for a longer or
shorter period of time, as well as dodging and burning areas independently of
other areas. This was a favorite process of Ansel Adams and how he was able to
put into practice his Zone System. Masking can be done with cut outs made of
cardboard during the printing/enlarging process. Pieces of other photos can be
combined, other details removed. One can be creative in the darkroom and most
don’t realize that this was done regularly.
The composites that I mentioned that were made in the darkroom
are still done today, and are the likely source of the use of the word
“photoshopped” as a verb. These include images that include components that
were not a part of the scene at the time such as huge moons, false skies or a
person in a scene that they weren’t a part of. Some do it not to deceive but to
create art. It’s done as an artistic method and the image or the artist usually
makes it known. But as with all good things in all good things there will
always be those who abuse it. If it’s not real, say so.
I say that in a judgmental way and I’m not afraid to say
that. Any kind of deception isn’t good. In the world of photography it makes
those who would otherwise enjoy genuine hard earned and skillfully made photos
question the photo’s authenticity. It also makes beginners hesitate to enjoy
the freedom that they have today in digital photography to be able to develop
their own photos without chemicals or a dark room.
In digital there’s no such thing as not adjusted, or as some
call it, “SOOC,” straight out of camera. It’s a myth that the image is a pure
image. You have presets that are programmed onto the camera when it’s
manufactured, usually Landscape, Portrait or Vivid, Neutral or even Black and
White. All of these are processes that develop your photo in the camera. An
engineer is, essentially, processing your photos for you, so why not do it
yourself?
All of this considered, today we have the ability to do the
same processes with our computers with the lights on. In my work, my processing
workflow follows closely the processes that are used in a darkroom. Exposure,
contrast, color correct, dodge, burn etc. Even the one “special effect” that I
use was made for film photography, the Orton effect.
I urge anyone who has ever wanted to learn to become a
photographer and develop their own photos to not let digital stop them. I also
tell them to not let the judgment of others affect what they do in either life
or photography. Don’t let the question, “Is that photoshopped?” stop you from
being creative with your photography. And the best part is that, due to the
introduction of the program Lightroom you can say no it’s not, that is until
“lightroomed” becomes a verb. |
| Down to the core, apples offer strong health benefits by Victoria Larson on 08/31/2016
More than 2,500 varieties of apples are grown today, yet
only a few varieties make up 80 percent of what we buy! What a shame, given the
many benefits of all those types of apples.
While apples are high on the list of fruits that should be
chosen in organic form, they’re still an important source of many antioxidants,
fiber, flavonoids, calcium d-glucarate and quercitin, plus all the constituents
we haven’t discovered yet. If you cannot get organic apples, at least wash them
in a mild vinegar/water rinse to reduce the amount of contaminants.
Washing reduces E. coli and Salmonella outbreaks as well as
decreases some pesticide residues. Do not wash with dish detergent as the
residue from the dish detergent can dissolve the mucous lining of your gut,
causing gastrointestinal upset or diarrhea.
And do not peel the apples as the skin of one medium sized
apple provides a whopping 20 percent of your daily fiber requirement. Better to
eat the peels. The French National Institute for Health found that it is the
peels of apples that are high in procyanidins. Lab studies showed that animals
fed apples with the skin on were 50 percent less likely to die of colon cancer.
When choosing between apple juice or apple cider, choose the cider, as it is
made of apples with the skin on. Cider is also an unpasteurized and unfiltered,
“raw” food. Therefore it should be cloudy and brown. Apple juice, on the other
hand, has been filtered many times and is heated so it will stay fresh for a
longer shelf-life.
Most people prefer an apple that will not turn brown
quickly, but this may be a mistaken choice. Commercial growers have developed
apples that don’t turn brown by decreasing the chemicals that oxidize the
apple. This is a consumer-driven product and the kind of thing we need to think
about when we purchase food. An apple that turns brown is a healthier choice as
most of the polyphenols are in the skin of the apple. This is why your apple
cider will be brown and the juice will be “soda-colored” and clear.
Apples also contain flavonoids which are super antioxidants.
The Nurses’ Health Study found that women who ate one or more apples a day were
37 percent less likely to develop lung cancer. Finnish studies found those with
the highest consumption of apples were 46 percent less likely to develop lung
cancer. A Netherlands study found that men who ate one green apple a day were
30 percent less likely to have a heart attack. Onions and tea also help
decrease the risk of heart attack.
Important to our aging society is decreasing the risk of
cancer. Apples provide the benefit of calcium d-glucarate, which is also found
in bean sprouts and grapefruit. The chemical structure of calcium d-glucarate
is similar to the body’s own detoxifying agent, glucaronic acid. Therefore, eating
apples (an apple a day, anyone?) helps eliminate toxins, including excess
hormones, via urine and stool. This detoxifying agent has been known to
decrease the size of existing tumors as well as helping fight colon, lung, and
prostate cancers.
High fiber foods like apples, cruciferous vegetables and
beans help bind harmful cholesterol, hormones, and harmful fats, speeding their
removal from your body. This helps to avoid toxic build-up in your bowels.
Fiber binds with excess estrogen molecules and other hormones to block their
re-absorption into the bloodstream. This means a decreased risk of hormone
cancers such as breast, prostate, ovarian and uterine cancers.
The peels of apples also contain high amounts of quercetin.
Also found in citrus fruit rinds (organic please), onions and tea, quercetin
helps reduce radical damage to the eyes and decreases the risk of allergies.
Seems to me a better choice than over-the-counter allergy medicine that leaves
you feeling very groggy and foggy. There are people out there driving while
taking OTC allergy medicine! When one apple a day, with the skin on, provides
as much quercetin as one-half cup of tea or two-thirds cup of raw onions.
From 1950 to 2000 a pesticide known as methyl parathion was
used on apples and other fruits. Many of us ate them when we were younger.
Methyl parathion is a neurotoxin that was outlawed in 2000 due to child safety
laws. Round Up (see previous columns) is still used on fruit and vegetable
crops, sometimes in your own backyards. Round Up has been linked to genetic
damage in humans and is now classified as carcinogenic to humans. It has been
linked to reproductive problems and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I advise against
the use of Round Up anywhere as it seeps into groundwater.
Organophosphate pesticides have been found in more that 70
percent of apples. Farmers in India use Coca Cola to kill pests in the fields.
Boy oh boy, doesn’t that tell you something! We need much more transparency
regarding pesticide use. Know your fields, your neighbors’ fields and your own
backyard. Make sure the person telling you the produce is organic is not using
the term loosely. Or just grow your own, organically or biodynamically.
On my farm I have Clackamas County’s oldest, living
Gravenstein apple tree, as well as three other varieties of apples. I like to
take my apples to the Foster Farms Cider Fest and hand crank the cider press
handle and watch the sweetly-scented brown cider flow into my vintage,
apple-shaped glass bottle. What fun and yum! |
| Recreation liability law a priority for Johnson by on 08/31/2016
September is here and that means fall is right around the
corner. After a summer of networking on the Mountain, I’m excited to fill you
in on what I’ve been working on!
As you may have read in previous issues, I have been working
to update recreational liability law. Any business that provides a recreational
activity usually requires the participant to sign a pre-activity liability
waiver (think ski tickets). This acknowledges that there are natural risks
associated with the activity, which helps protect the business from expensive
lawsuits brought by customers who had a negative experience based on a natural
risk of the activity. These waivers are, of course, not meant to relieve all
responsibility of the provider but a recent court case has since stated that
these waivers really don’t protect a business. Therefore, providers have to pay
for more expensive liability insurance, or end up in a costly lawsuit. In order
to prepare for this potential cost, any business providing a recreational
service will likely be seeing increased costs and greater liability to provide
the activity.
This topic is especially important for the Mountain and
Villages area because of the number of businesses that provide recreational
activities. Anyone who allows access to their land for recreation, various
parks and recreation programs, outfitter/guides, resorts, running events and of
course businesses like Timberline and Ski Bowl could be subject to similar
lawsuits. As a result of their liability insurance costs going up, the price of
the activities they provide will also go up. The net result is that we may see
less visitor traffic, due to the high price of the activities. Obviously this
would have a negative impact on the local economy.
So, what am I doing to help solve this issue? I am
introducing legislation in the 2017 legislative session to create a position at
the state level to focus solely on recreational tourism, help solve issues like
the one described above, and also promote growth and protection to support the
future economic success of the recreational tourism industry. Other states
around the west including Colorado, Utah and Washington have created similar
positions and this has helped give the recreation industry a voice and a place
at the table as state policies are created. This is a way that we can make sure
that issues of local importance like recreational liability get the serious
attention that they deserve. I’m excited to bring this legislation forward
because it will not only address the conversation about recreational liability,
but it will also give the recreational tourism industry the recognition it
deserves for the contribution it makes to our state. I hope to share more on
this as I continue to work with stakeholders and find solutions.
Last month, I held a town hall at the Resort and had a great
turnout. We discussed the proposed logging project in Brightwood/Tim Rim area
and the valid concerns held by many of the local residents in that community. I
was happy to step forward and connect with the local citizens there to make
sure that they were being heard by the state agencies involved like the Oregon
Department of Forestry and to help monitor the situation.
If there are any local issues that you would like to
address, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 503-986-1452 or email
rep.markjohnson@state.or.us
I’m looking forward to connecting with you in the district
soon. Thank you for the honor of representing you!
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for House District
52.) |
| Recluse’s evolution at heart of surprising ‘A Man Called Ove’ by on 08/31/2016
Ove is to be the grumpiest, most unpleasant and difficult
person in his small neighborhood. Since the tragic death of his wife, his only
pleasure seems to be enforcing his rigid rules on his neighbors and sticking
with his entrenched routine – while insisting that he is left alone. When an
unruly new family – including a very pregnant wife, two lively children and a
husband who is totally incapable as a handyman – arrives, Ove’s solitude and
well-ordered existence is shattered.
Ove is so devastated by his overwhelming loneliness and
grief that he has finally decided to end it all. But every time he sets out to
implement his plans, a neighborhood emergency interrupts him and pushes his
tolerance to the max. And every time Ove helps out with a neighborhood
challenge, it only seems to open the door for more interruptions and situations
that pull him out of his precious solitude and into the middle of the
neighborhood’s small and large calamities. Soon Ove ends up with constant
interruptions from his lively – and well-meaning – neighbors and the
responsibility of a near-dead stray cat with attitude. Totally unacceptable!
In spite of his rigorous ways of thinking and living, Ove is
soon revealed to the reader as a man with a big heart who is honest and can be
totally depended upon with skills many other no longer cultivate. Soon he
becomes a resource that his neighbors depend upon while also making room in
their hearts for his curmudgeonly ways. But will Ove be able to open his home
and his life to others? Or will he be successful in his plans to retreat and
ultimately seek that final peace he longs for?
This is a surprising book with a serious subject but filled
with heartwarming humor. “A Man Called Ove” is a must-read for everyone. I
highly recommend this delightful book!
(Fredrik Backman is the author of several other bestsellers
in his native Sweden. He lives in Stockholm with his wife and two children.) |
| I’ll be dressing as Marilyn Monroe to help fight cancer by Ned Hickson on 08/31/2016
I don’t have good-looking legs.
Not even in heels, which I have worn during the Men’s March
Against Domestic Violence, and also the night I turned 21. Fortunately, in both
cases (Well, one for sure) I had pants on, so other than looking like a
standard poodle walking on its hind legs for a dog biscuit, everyone was spared
from seeing my hairy stork legs.
To be honest, even a stork would probably wear pants if it
had my legs.
However, come next weekend. I will jeopardize the vision of
hundreds of people at the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in my hometown
by dressing as Marilyn Monroe for the “Mr. Relay” fundraiser.
Naturally, I will be wearing heels. And yes, at some point
my skirt will be blown upward, revealing a sight that even Miley Cyrus said
“Crosses the line of decency.”
I’m relieved to say I won’t be alone in this endeavor.
At least, I better not be.
The way it was explained to me, there will be about a dozen
men dressing as their favorite female movie actress or character. Given that
I’ll be turning 50 a few days later, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to
cross off “Emotionally scar as many people as possible all at once” from my
bucket list. I had actually considered dressing as “Black Widow” from “The
Avengers,” but the thought of wearing something THAT skintight had me worried.
Not so much because of my figure, but out of fear that my growing lack of
flatulence control as I’ve aged might cause the suit to expand like a piece of
Hubba Bubba bubble gum.
If it were to pop, the concussion could cost people their
hearing. And I don’t even want to think of what could happen if the stage is
anywhere near an open flame.
Remember the Hindenburg?
So for everyone’s safety, I’m going to stick with Marilyn
Monroe. Though there is still the risk of emotional scarring, at least there’s
good ventilation.
Some of you might be asking, “Why are you doing this?”
Others might be asking, “Where exactly is Florence, Ore., so
I can protect the one I love by going nowhere near it this weekend?
Rest assured that as long as you stay on the I5 corridor
through Oregon, you will be safe. As for why I’m doing this? A portion of the
money each of us raises in this competition goes to support cancer research,
with the rest going to programs in and around my community. Like many of you, I
have lost people I love to cancer, including a best friend who was barely 30.
And yes, he had much better legs than me. If my hairy stork
legs can help keep someone else from losing a loved one to cancer, I’m all in.
Even if “in” means wearing a short dress and high heels.
(Ned Hickson is a syndicated columnist with News Media
Corporation. His book, Humor at the Speed of Life, is available online at Port
Hole Publications, Amazon Books and Barnes & Noble. Write to him at
nedhickson@icloud.com) |
| The Adventure Continues: A girl’s gotta make a living by Max Malone, Private Eye on 08/31/2016
Dolly and I worked our way around a Continental breakfast
buffet in the basement of the train station hotel, picking up melon,
croissants, orange marmalade and bowls of steaming French coffee. There was
another couple in the room – a sad, middle-aged man drooped over his bushy
mustache avoiding eye contact with what must have been his wife, her hair
longing desperately for a shampoo, yielding a faraway look into a past she’d
left behind, or perhaps never had.
In comparison, Dolly and I were Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
The night before, in the cozy hotel bed, after evening
antics, Dolly laid out the plan. More importantly, she explained my role. It
was a terrible idea. I’d be making myself seen in such exotic places as
Brussels, Luxembourg and Baden-Baden.
Right. Exotic. There is no one in Brussels younger than
seventy – and it’s not a good looking seventy. Luxembourg is a walled fortress
dating back to the conquering armies of Rome – with all the charm as well.
Baden-Baden has a history that matches the surrounding Black Forest in color
and shame.
Dolly sensed my reluctance and spent breakfast tilting her
head to one side like a cocker spaniel, trying to lure me in. Seeing her
situation deteriorating, she played the Teagarden Card.
“Think about it Max,” she cooed like a Paris pigeon. “We’d
be checking in with each other all the time.”
I shook my head slowly while munching away on my croissant
smeared with marmalade. In harmony with the munching, things got fuzzy. Dolly’s
spaniel became blurred. The couple seemed to disappear, which wasn’t such a bad
thing, but the floor coming up in my face was.
I ended up on a bench in the back of what seemed to be a
delivery van, empty in the back except for me on one side, and two dusky chaps
on the opposite bench seat. They looked like a couple extras off the set of
Lawrence of Arabia – perhaps cousins of Anthony Quinn or Omar Sharif. They even
had rifles nestled on each side. All I had was a headache of hangover
proportions and a smear of blood on my upper lip. I felt like I’d gone 15
rounds with Joe Frazier.
The driver was barely visible in profile, while the front
passenger seat concealed anyone who might be sitting in it. We were motoring
well within the speed limit on what the French call an “N” road, their version
of an interstate, four-lane divided.
The faulty vision began to clear up. Of my two immediate
adversaries, one was alert, certainly able to handle himself, and not exactly
enamored with me. The other was fading in and out of a nap, his head bobbing in
rhyme with the road. If I could get to the tough guy quickly enough, I’d
probably still have time to take care of Sleepy. My only restraint was a seat
belt. But the real problem was: what, if anything, was in the front passenger
seat.
And where was Dolly?
In a voice raised over the din of the van, the tough guy
jabbered something to the driver, who turned slightly and cast a quick glance
at me. “Yes, you moron, I’m awake, I have a headache, and I’m pissed” my return
glance said as best I could form it without a Berlitz book.
That got me nothing but a slight sense of satisfaction.
Sleepy raised an eyelid then went back to his private place.
Tough guy flicked looks at me but seemed uncomfortable fixing his gaze against
my unblinking glare.
“What the hell’s going on?” I yelled at tough guy but loud
enough for the driver to hear. “If someone doesn’t say something I’m gonna make
a mess out of this vacation trip through the French countryside.”
Her head leaned around the passenger seat. The cocker
spaniel had split, replaced by the smug visage of a sassy, satisfied woman.
“You gotta be kidding me,” I said, dripping with disbelief.
“Hey, a girl’s gotta make a living, love,” she said.
After all this, I’m still Max Malone, private eye. |
| The Mt. Hood Green Scene: Cloth napkins save paper by Mary Soots on 08/31/2016
I recently had the good fortune of attending a barbeque
hosted by a friend and neighbor. Dinner was served in an idyllic setting, like
many homes on the mountain—outdoors, surrounded by trees, accompanied by the
music of the nearby Sandy River. It was a casual affair, just a few neighbors
gathered to enjoy each other’s company on a warm summer evening.
While this is a familiar scene to most of us, what made that
particular evening feel like a special occasion was that the hostess had draped
the outdoor tables with beautiful embroidered linen tablecloths and used linen
napkins.
It was only a few days later when I was in Portland that I
couldn’t resist driving through a popular donut chain. I ordered one glazed
donut and the young man placed it in a bag and handed me ten paper napkins with
it. Ten napkins?!? Really? Doesn’t he know there is only limited space in the
side pocket of my car door to store extra napkins?
It seems that this sort of excess use of paper napkins is
rampant in the fast food world. I have been known to keep one or two and hand
back the rest, leaving the perplexed server pondering what is wrong with this
crazy woman? Apparently I don’t conform to the mold of people who simply disregard
the excess and throw the napkins in the trash. It is my hope that by giving the
server pause, perhaps the next person will only receive five napkins with their
donut (or sandwich).
Paper accounts for 25 percent of landfill waste and 33
percent of municipal waste. Handing out fistfuls of napkins is obviously
eco-insensitive, but it wastes perfectly good paper by providing, in some
cases, at least twice as much as necessary. Additionally, the cost of all the
wasted napkins must cut into profits for restaurants. A minor change can be
made by teaching servers to limit the use of napkins. This would cut expenses
into their bottom line by at least 50 percent.
Schools cafeterias can also teach children that they should
take only what they will use. Children will carry this ecological awareness
into the workplace when they in turn become the servers in restaurants. Parents
can support this teaching at home as well by reducing their use of paper
products. Instead of reaching for a paper towel, why not use a kitchen towel to
dry your hands? And instead of using paper napkins at home, why not use cloth
napkins? Keep napkins at arm’s reach so they are easily accessible rather than
stored in a linen closet.
By foregoing the use of paper products, you will cut your
bottom line as well, and keep paper from going to the landfill. Towels and
napkins can be reused and simply be tossed in with a load of laundry. A bonus
is that you will never run out of supplies.
Something else I noticed that summer evening as we dined al
fresco at my friend’s barbeque. When the tables were set with linen, the formal
atmosphere somehow made people behave differently, somehow more genteel, a
little more on their “company” behavior. Why not give it a try? |
| Reduced La Nina expected to arrive this fall by on 08/31/2016
August has been exceptionally sunny with only four days
having cloudy skies and the rest being clear. Despite the abundant sunshine, no
record high temperatures were recorded, and hot weather was limited to three
days in the 90s in Brightwood during the 18th to the 20th with another three
day hot spell during the last week of the month. High temperatures averaged
just two to three degrees above normal for the month in both Brightwood and
Government Camp. Rainfall was much less than average, as would be expected.
The National Weather Service has reduced its earlier
expectations for the onset of a La Nina pattern, although the forecast
continues to predict the probability one will become established this fall and
winter period. Their outlook for our area during September calls for above
average temperatures and precipitation near normal.
During September, Brightwood has an average high temperature
of 70, an average low temperature of 48 and a precipitation average of 3.41
inches. During the past 10 years, high temperatures have reached 90 degrees or
higher during four years, and into the 80s during the remaining six years.
September has had a total of 11 days reaching 90 degrees or higher during the
past 20 years and only one day that recorded a freezing temperature. Over the
past 10 years, low temperatures have dropped into the 40s during six years and
into the 30s the remaining four years.
During September, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 63 degrees, an average low of 43 degrees, and a precipitation
average of 3.35 inches. During the past 10 years, high temperatures have
reached the 80s during nine years and into the 70s during the remaining year.
Low temperatures fell into the 30s during nine years, and only one year settled
for the 40s. Snowfall in September is somewhat rare, with the record four-inch
total set in 1972. A record 24-hour measurement of three inches was set on
Sept. 23, 1984, although more recently, a 0.2-inch amount was recorded in 2009
and trace amounts were observed on each of the four days during Sept. 26-30,
2009. |
|  Try not to use direct sunlight.
What did we ever do without our cell phones? In this era of
miraculous technology it's hard to remember how it was to wait until we got
home to make a call or to search for a phone booth along the way. They have
revolutionized communication. These little devices have also revolutionized
photography as well.
Gone are the days of limiting the amount of photographs that
you take or the need for delayed gratification due to having to send the film
out for developing. We just snap, smile, share with our friends on social media
or email then forget about them as we continue to record in more pictorial
detail our day to day lives.
As cell phone camera technology is improved the pictures
become better and better. They have become so good that they have essentially
replaced the point and shoot camera. They are all the average person will ever
require for their personal photography needs, and even though they have become
incredibly capable, they still take a little experience to master, especially
in challenging light. A few tricks can make your photos even better.
Don’t shoot with a dirty lens. As we carry our phone here
and there we can put them through a lot. Dust and dirt can collect on the lens
of the camera. A little lens cleaner on a soft cloth will help to keep your
photos clear and crisp.
Don’t miss the shot. Cell phone cameras won’t give you an
instant shutter actuation. They take a second or two to find and focus your
subject. This is referred to as shutter lag. Anticipate this shutter lag and be
prepared to get the shot a few moments prior to the moment. This is especially
true with moving objects.
Don’t use direct sunlight when photographing people. Find
bright shade to eliminate sharp contrast of glare and shadows. Your subject’s
eye won’t be as apt to be squinting.
Don’t use your flash. The stark light of your flash will
wash out your photos. There’s an HDR (high dynamic range) setting, use it. And
of course there are always exceptions to the rule. I like to use a flash when
my subjects are backlit, such as at sunset.
Don’t zoom. Zooming with your cell phone camera is not an
optical zoom but an electronic enlargement of the image. The image quality suffers
when you zoom in. Choose to move forward or back to fill the frame. If you have
a cluttered background, move in to fill the frame to make your subject dominate
the scene.
Don’t use harsh light. If you are going to do portraits
choose to do them in either mid morning or late afternoon. The light during
these times has a less harsh feel and is more warm and welcoming. The camera
will struggle less with the light and the photos will turn out nicer.
Don’t settle for straight out of the camera. Post-process
them. Your camera does, why not you? Download applications such as Snapseed or
Lightroom Mobile to adjust the photo to make it look its best. Most camera
phones come with their own image editing application.
Don’t be selective in what you shoot. Film is cheap when
you’re shooting digital. You increase your odds of getting a great photo if you
take more of them.
Don’t forget about them. In the past we would take our
photos, print them and put them into a photo album. We can still do that today
even though we’re no longer using film. You can either print them yourself if
you have a printer, go to the drugstore and use their kiosk or you can send
your digital file to a company online who can print them and send them back.
Even better is that you can now self publish your own book in any quantity,
including a single issue of your vacation photos.
Do have fun with it. It’s always with us when in the past we
would leave our cameras at home today it’s usually within arm’s reach at any
time of the day. You have a much better chance these days to get a unique photo
of life as it happens around us. With these few little tricks you can make your
photos better, but it takes practice and the willingness to tell your camera
what to do. |
| Digging deeper and asking more about groceries by Victoria Larson on 08/01/2016
The U.S. Department of Agriculture current research reveals
that nationwide, approximately 160,000 farmers are currently selling their
products via local markets like farmers’ markets, CSAs (community supported
agriculture), etc.
This is great for communities as it keeps money local,
brings fresher food to consumers, provides local jobs and decreases
transportation vehicles on our already clogged roadways. The USDA also reports
that sales of local food increased from $5 billion to $14 billion between 2008
and 2014. That’s good news for participating farmers. It’s a bandwagon farmers
want to jump on, for obvious reasons.
What we need though is a high level of transparency and
truthfulness and consumers who think things through. You must dig deeper. You
must become the “researcher of your own dietary inputs.” Some of the things
that we take for granted in America are ease, convenience and low cost. But
there’s more to it than that.
Perhaps it starts with decreased supermarket shopping and
more local shopping, like farmers’ markets and community supported agriculture.
CSAs are where you pay the farmer in advance to grow your produce and then pick
up a basket or box weekly or every other week. It is a win-win for anyone who
makes the commitment. If the farmer loses a crop for whatever reason, they
still survive as they have built-in customers. And the customers always have
plenty of fresh food to eat.
Or perhaps you begin your commitment to local food in your
own backyard, swapping produce with your neighbors. Big box stores have cheap
food that’s traveled far. Sometimes that makes sense as with large families or
gallons of organic olive oil. We don’t have much in the way of local olive oil
so I admit to succumbing to occasional forays into the big box stores. But if I
can buy something locally instead, I will. Knowing that one dollar of every
four dollars you spend in a grocery store goes to advertising, refrigeration,
storage and transportation keeps me from buying very much in a supermarket.
Truth in advertising is difficult to find even when
purchasing locally. “Local” is an interpretive word, meaning “within a three
hour drive,” “within a one hundred mile radius” or what grows in your backyard
or your neighbor’s yard. As an herbalist in the 1980s I was taught that “what
you need grows around you.” Even weeds. When I have a big patch of Cleavers
(Gallium aparine) in my fields, I know that’s the tea I should be drinking. I
walk into my field (zero transportation needed and free exercise), pick some
(become engaged in my own well-being at a very earthly level) and I have a
product I can trust (zero contamination). And it’s free besides!
Of course, sometimes people just want to go to the
supermarket and trust what others have placed there. But if your commitment to
yourself and the environment includes more local choices, you need to know what
questions to ask. And you need to interpret the answers.
Not everything needs to be “certified” organic, but you must
trust what you see and make decisions accordingly. If you buy carrots peeled
and formed and in a plastic bag you need to know that much of the nutrition has
been sacrificed for that convenience. If “certified organic” matters to you,
and there are many places where it should (see previous columns) then you may
need to see that “9” label on your food. If you buy fresh carrots, best to buy
with the tops on so you know how fresh they are. Just because carrots keep a
long time does not mean you should buy them aged!
Make informed choices. If what you want is instant
gratification or convenience, your food will probably come in a plastic bag.
But I’ve seen stores and farms where non-organic cauliflower is removed from
its cellophane wrapper, placed in a plastic bag and sold as organic. How would
you know? Is it a chance you’re willing to take? If so, that’s fine, but don’t
you think you deserve to know the truth about your food?
Some consumers bring their own bags for unbagged produce.
This, by the way, is commonly done in other countries, both industrial and
third world. In most countries you must bring your own shopping bag as stores
and open-air markets don’t provide them. Or support your local farmers’ market
and buy one of their cloth bags. That’s advertising that pays off.
I pretty much gave up shopping at my closest supermarket
years ago, except for coffee and kitty litter. I drive a little farther away to
teach my grandkids to look for a #9 tag on the produce, which means its
certified organic produce. The farther-away market also tells me the country of
origin and whether or not something is organic. Non-organic is sometimes
acceptable to me but I want to know what I’m getting! I want it to be my
choice. Digging deeper will lead to more transparency and truth in advertising. |
| August cool down by Taeler Butel on 08/01/2016
Thai beef and noodle cold salad
Dressing:
3 T olive oil
1 T rice wine vinegar
1 T smooth peanut butter
1 T chili sauce
2 T low sodium soy sauce
1 t fresh grated ginger
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
2 T honey
Juice & zest of 1 lime
Salad:
2 carrots thinly sliced
2 green onions sliced
1 yellow bell pepper sliced thin
½ cup plum tomatoes cut in half
1 cup broccoli, chopped into small florets
1½ cups cooked vermicelli rice noodles
½ pound cooked leftover beef/steak (or any other
meat/fish/tofu), cut into small cubes
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 cups mixed salad greens
Sesame seeds
Place all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and
whisk together until thoroughly combined.
Layer the salad - pour dressing and toss at the last minute.
Coconut cream watermelon smoothie
Can be frozen after blended.
Blend together:
Juice from one lime
2½-3 cups watermelon
¼ cup coconut cream
15 fresh mint leaves
Toasted coconut for garnish
½ cup ice cubes
3 tablespoons water
Taelers’ take
Is Kobe beef worth the $$$?
Yes!
Trying new proteins is one of my favorite activities. Kobe
beef is incredibly clean and lean tasting.
Just season with salt and heat up the cast iron skillet.
Sear a few minutes on each side developing a nice crust, then finish with
butter and top quality condiments. |
| Town Hall in August brings Johnson to Mountain by on 08/01/2016
August is here and it seems like the summer is just flying
by. I hope you’re all planning to attend my town hall held at 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 4 at the Resort at the Mountain, 68010 E. Fairway Ave. in
Welches. I’m looking forward to sharing some ideas for the 2017 legislative
session and hearing from you on local community issues.
Recently, residents of the Tim Rim community in Brightwood
contacted me with concerns about a proposed logging operation on a parcel above
their community. Some of the major concerns are the risk of landslide and
erosion and overall safety in their homes, as they live at the base of the
proposed operation. Additional concerns have been raised regarding the risk to
wildlife and water quality on the land itself. After hearing these concerns, I
organized a tour lead by Oregon Department of Forestry so that I could see
firsthand where the operation would take place. Throughout the tour, it was
apparent that local concerns are valid and that more analysis of the proposed
logging facility is necessary. The land use review process is happening now at
Clackamas County and at the Oregon Department of Forestry. I will be monitoring
this process and providing oversight of the appropriate government entities to
ensure that local citizens are heard and protected. Please contact my office at
503-986-1452 or rep.markjohnson@state.or.us to share thoughts you have on this
or to find out more details.
In late July, I hosted a listening session with business
owners on the mountain so that they could share how current laws are impacting
them, which laws make if difficult for employers and what the best
opportunities are for strong economic growth on the mountain. Those that
attended each represented a different type of employer in the area and it was
interesting for me to see where the agreement was on which policies were positive
or negative. In order to best support the economic growth and development on
the mountain, I encourage all business owners to contact me and share their
thoughts. If you can’t attend my town hall on Aug. 4 please contact my office
because the more information I can gather the better policies I can help
develop in Salem.
As the summer continues to pass us by, I am looking ahead to
the 2017 legislative session. While it seems so far away, preparing legislation
now allows more time for community input and to build support both in the
district and also in the capitol, which increases the chances of passage when
the session starts. Making targeted investments in our K-12 system continues to
be a focus of mine. While an increased budget for our public schools is always
an underlying goal, we can also make sure that the current budget is put to
good use and is best supporting teachers and students to improve student
success. A second priority of mine is to ensure the Oregon Promise remains
fully funded and successful. The Oregon Promise is giving thousands of students
a path to higher education and the workforce without the burden of debt, so I
am focused on continuing this progress.
As always, it is important to work in coordination with
local agencies and organizations to make sure that the community is well
represented. I hope that you will attend my town hall to continue the
discussion and please contact my office if you need assistance with anything.
Thank you for the honor of representing you!
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for House District
52.) |
| The Adventure Continues: Episode IX Pip, Pip and a Spot of Tea by Max Malone, Private Eye on 08/01/2016
The arrival of Dolly Teagarden for a “wrap-up” session was a
miserable failure before it began, and it had nothing to do with Dolly’s tweed
business suit, frothy silk blouse, with a sawed off skirt that should have been
given a shotgun rating.
It was what was walking next to her. He had broad shoulders,
a narrow waist, dark suit, skinny tie, black wing tips, aviator sunglasses –
which were utterly useless against the overcast Brittany sky – and sported the
last crew cut in captivity. If he wasn’t a running back for the Dallas Cowboys,
then he was a fed.
Guess which one?
As they mounted the front porch I retreated to the kitchen
and shoved the cork back inside a bottle of Medoc, condemning it to
breathlessness – at least for today.
I ushered them in. Dolly brushed against me before turning
and lifting a bent wrist toward the intruder.
“Max, this is Agent Dick Champion. Dick, Max Malone.”
He removed his shades. I nodded in his general direction.
“Grab a chair,” I said, as I plopped down on the couch. I
then asked if I could get them something in the most insincere manner I could
muster – and I’m pretty much in the big leagues when it comes to insincerity.
Plus, now plunged comfortably in Natasha’s couch, they weren’t prying me out of
it with an abalone iron.
Dick took the most uncomfortable chair in the room, and it
appeared he preferred it, while Dolly slid into an easy chair and crossed her
everlasting legs.
“Max,” she offered in a most serious manner. “Dick is with
the CIA.”
“Imagine that” I said, tossing Dick a smile with all the
conviction of a Bert and Ernie cartoon exchange.
“Max, can I call you Max?” Dick asked. His was only the
second American version of English I’d heard since arriving in France. And the
other one was dead. The best I could muster was a nod of approval.
“Ms. Teagarden, Dolly, has filled me in on how you fit in
here,” he said with precision. “And it’s time you get filled in as well.
There’s no reason for you to remain on the outside of this unfortunate
situation.”
“Is that what you boys call them?” I said, the wind hissing
through my teeth. “Situations?”
Dick handled my surly manner without flinching, but did
resort to clearing his throat and raising his eyebrows, as if inviting me in on
the big secret.
“Max, Natasha was working for us.” He paused allowing me to
take in the news. I glanced quickly at Dolly who was gnawing on her lower lip
like a caged squirrel. “We were close to extracting her when they shot her.”
I leaned forward, disgusted with myself that I had not
picked up on the situation. “How did they get on to her?” I asked.
“We don’t believe they did,” Dick said matter-of-factly. “It
would appear they were one step ahead of us, and simply didn’t need her
anymore.”
“She was their money connection, right?”
“Yes.”
I leaned back into the sofa. “Who are they, Dick?”
“Gun runners. Natasha set up accounts for them in
Luxembourg, the Caymans, Dahka. We were about to drop the hammer but got
delayed by the French. They’re a little touchy about dealing with us.”
“Any idea where they are now”
“We’re pretty sure they’re still in France, but can’t be
certain. They’re operating on Belgian passports, so because of the European
Union, they can cross EU borders without visas.”
“So they could be anywhere.”
“Yes, but previous plots by groups like this has them laying
low for the dust to settle, before they move on.”
“So where do we start?”
Dick turned to Dolly, then slowly back to me.
“We are hatching a plan, Max,” Dolly said though hooded
eyes. “It would include you, but it would also be dangerous.”
“Natasha was my friend. What’s next?”
Five days later, traveling on a British passport, checking
into a train station hotel in an ancient French city with medieval manners,
trying to look natural in my Harris tweed jacket, I asked my traveling
companion while signing the hotel registration:
“After we check in to our room, dear, would you like a spot
of tea before dinner?”
“Yes love,” she said.
After all, mate, I am Max Malone, private eye. |
| The Mt. Hood Green Scene: Ten ways to help the environment by Mary Soots on 08/01/2016
So often we hear negative and worrying news about our
environment and how we are threatening our planet. Recently, however, we had a
bit of very good news. It was reported last month that the ozone layer, which
protects us from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, was actually showing signs that it
had begun to heal. In 1986, a hole was discovered over Antarctica that was
being caused by harmful chemicals such as chlorine and bromine. The exposure to
these harmful rays created a risk of skin cancer. This realization led to the
banning of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). These gases were found in everything
from hairsprays to refrigerators to air conditioning units. The new awareness
also led to other changes. And as a result, scientists recently reported that
in September 2015 the hole was around 4 million square km. smaller than it was
in the year 2000 – an area roughly the size of India. We are all to be
congratulated for the work we have done!
There are other things we can do to ensure that we continue
on the right path. Today I have a few more ideas that may be simple but pack a
big punch. This is a list of ten ideas that can save consumers money while
decreasing our impact on the environment by 20 percent. These ideas are from an
uplifting book entitled “Eco Barons: The New Heroes of Environmental Activism”
by Edward Humes. The list includes the following:
1. Adjust your thermostat by two degrees (cooler in winter,
warmer in summer), to save one ton of greenhouse emissions a year.
2. Switch from incandescent lightbulbs to compact
fluorescents and save 300 pounds of greenhouse gases per bulb.
3. Insulate your water heater with a simple thermal “jacket”
and save 550 pounds of greenhouse gases a year.
4. Replace air-conditioner filters to save 350 pounds of
greenhouse gas emissions a year.
5. Unplug “vampire” electronics that suck up electricity
even when turned off—television sets, VCRs, DVD players, cable boxes,
chargers—anything that is instant-on or that has a blinking light. The typical
household will save half a ton of greenhouse gases just by making sure “off” is
really off.
6. Wash clothes in cold water and save one ton of greenhouse
gases.
7. Dry clothes on clotheslines and save nearly one and a
half tons of greenhouse gases.
8. Take mass transit or telecommute once a week to save one
ton of greenhouse gases.
9. Check tire inflation every week to increase fuel
efficiency by three percent and save a quarter ton of greenhouse gases. (Most
drivers have chronically underinflated tires, which make the engine work harder
and burn more gas.)
10. Lose ten pounds – the average weight gain for Americans
in the past ten years. Airlines use 350 million more gallons of jet fuel every
year hauling those extra pounds.
11. Bonus items, Tammin suggests, to substitute where
necessary: eat fresh food, not frozen food (fresh food consumes 90 percent less
energy); eat less beef (the production of beef, pound for pound, uses up more
energy than any other food); avoid bottled water and disposable grocery bags;
buy local produce and other foods to avoid the 1,300 miles the average American
meal travels on its way to the dinner table, using fossil fuels all the way. |
| Above average temps for the mountain in August by on 08/01/2016
The first week of July got off to a mild start after which
daytime temperatures lowered to what usually occurs during early May. The last
week of July brought a return of warmer temperatures peaking near the end of
the month and resulting in monthly averages close to normal. As a matter of
interest, the record high temperatures for August shown are all-time high
temperatures recorded in both Brightwood and Government Camp from records
dating back to 1979 in the case of Brightwood, and from records dating back to
1959 in the case of Government Camp.
The National Weather Service has reported the end of El Nino
conditions but is now focused on the probability that a La Nino pattern will
take place in early autumn and continue throughout the winter. Their forecast
for our area this August is to have above average temperatures and
precipitation a bit below normal.
During August, Brightwood has an average high temperature of
76, an average low temperature of 51 and a precipitation average of 1.46
inches. During the past ten years, high temperatures have reached 90 degrees or
higher during nine years and into the 80s during the remaining year. On
average, August has two days reaching 90 degrees or higher and during the past
20 years there has been only one day reaching 100 degrees or higher. Over the
past ten years, low temperatures have dropped into the 40s all but once when
the low fell to 39.
During August, Government Camp has an average high
temperature of 68 degrees, an average low of 46 degrees, and a precipitation
average of 1.58 inches. During the past ten years, high temperatures have
reached the 90s during three years, into the 80s during six years and one year
couldn’t make it out of the 70s.
Low temperatures fell into the 40s during four years, and
into the 30s for the other six years. A trace of snow recorded in 1996 is the
only record of any snowfall in August from records dating back to 1959. |
| A Mount Hood landscape. The evolution of the darkroom by Gary Randall on 08/01/2016
I remember getting my first camera, a Brownie Hawkeye box
camera. It used medium format 620 roll film. I wasn’t much more than six at the
time and a roll of 12 exposure black and white film was a luxury especially
considering that after the photos were carefully taken, you didn’t want to
waste a shot, it was sent to the drugstore to be developed. That was where the mystery
happened. All I knew was that I had to wait about a week for the photos to be
returned to me in their colorful envelope complete with their negatives.
Opening up the envelope, I had two things on my mind. Did they turn out and
what the heck did I take photos of? It was like opening a gift.
As time went on, I grew up and transitioned to 35mm film and
dabbled in the mysterious darkroom processes as a hobby. I would photograph in
black and white and develop the photos myself. At the same time I was still
shooting rolls of color film and sending it to the drugstore to be developed,
but I was starting to understand how the best photos were made. I learned how
photographers who were considered artists made their photographs.
I learned about tools and methods that were used to balance
the tonality of the photo. The most notable may be Ansel Adams and his zone
system that, in simple terms, used a system to balance the brightness and
darkness of areas in the photo using methods such as “dodging” and “burning,”
which used a small light to expose more or a paddle to block light to
underexpose areas. I realized that the mystery could be affected.
I enjoyed playing in the darkroom, but I’ll admit that I
probably would have preferred doing the same process with the light on. Not
everyone is interested in learning the complexities involved in the chemicals
and mathematical formulae to develop film photos. Welcome to the 21st Century
and digital technology.
I think that it’s finally safe to say that digital photography
has developed, no pun intended, in the last 15 years to rival, and in many ways
surpass, film as the chosen imaging choice with both hobby and professional
photographers. Both the cameras and digital imaging computer software can now
replicate quite effectively the mystery of analog darkroom film processes. It’s
quite easy for those who prefer to develop their own photos to pull up to their
computer, download their photos, start a program and process their photos
chemical free all while enjoying a nice tasty beverage of their choosing.
The digital single lens reflex cameras that have replaced
their film counterparts create what is called a RAW file which can be
considered a digital negative because it can be developed with software and
saved as a finished photo file but can always be returned to in the future,
reset and redeveloped into a new photo. With so many popular programs available
a RAW file gives the photographer the ability to apply the digital equivalent
of traditional darkroom developing to their photos and a lot more. The photo
can then be sent to a company who can print your image as a frameable ink and
fine paper print or on metal or a canvas print, dare I say coffee cups,
t-shirts or even your own self published book?
On the other hand, for those who still have the simple need
to “make snapshots and take the film to the drugstore” in the digital age,
you're covered as well. Each camera can make jpeg (.jpg) files developed
automatically with presets within the camera’s onboard software. You can choose
one of several “image effects” or styles such as Standard, Neutral, Vivid,
Portrait, Landscape as well as the ability for you to set and save your own
custom effect. This allows you to set your preferred style, take your photos,
connect your camera to your printer and just print your own photos. You can
even set your camera to make black and white photos. Digital technology and the
software included with the camera make it all very simple.
Couple this all with how we use our camera phones and you
can see how, in this day and age, digital photography has become so popular.
When I was a boy my enthusiasm for photography was limited to twelve photos in
a matter of a month or maybe two. Today the sky’s the limit when it comes to
how many photos one can make, and we no longer must wait a week for the
drugstore to let us know if we failed. It is adaptable to all levels of
interest, from snapshots to fine art photography.
Today everyone is a photographer. It has been computed that
one trillion photos will be made this year alone. Like I always say, “Film’s
cheap when you’re shooting digital.” |
| Round ’em up, head ’em out - the pesticide problem by Victoria Larson on 07/01/2016
“Round Up,” that supposedly “safe” weed killer is also known
as glysphosphate. And it is not “totally harmless” as most farmers and homeowners
have been told. You may have some on the back porch or in your garage or garden
shed. Time for a “heads up” and let’s get it out of our biological systems.
The Environmental Working Group is the group that publishes
the “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce” and it’s something we should all
be aware of and follow. The list is of the most pesticide-laden fruits and
vegetables. Non-organic apples have been found to have the highest amount of
pesticides for five years in a row. And much as I hate to say it, if it doesn’t
have a “9” number sticker on it, there is absolutely no proof that the apple is
pesticide-free.
Peaches and nectarines occupy the 2nd and 3rd spots on the
“dirty dozen” list. The USDA tested produce samples and found that 2/3 of the
non-organic samples to be pesticide-laden. This at a time when consumers want
food that is not doused with agricultural chemicals. The Environmental Working
Group states that the USDA found 165 different chemicals on the samples. Oops!
And this is your protections agency. Have you read this anywhere or heard it on
the news?
Topical pesticides aren’t the only contaminants. There are
fungicides, miticides, nitrate fertilizers and the ever-popular Round Up. Also
known as glysphosphate, Round Up is now classified by the World Health
Organization as carcinogenic to humans. Meaning it’s been found to cause cancer
in humans. The WHO has even found Round Up in human breast milk, infant
formulas, and honey. Round Up is found primarily in and on non-organic foods.
Round Up residues in cattle feed can predispose cattle to
botulism because it suppresses healthy gut bacteria. Do you suppose this is
what disrupts human gut bacteria? Eating pasture-raised meats will help to
mitigate this problem, as will eating raw (not processed) sauerkraut and
certain supplements, once the GI tract is cleansed of overgrowths of improper
bacteria.
Even eggs are exposed to Round Up. Chickens given a diet of
non-organic corn or soy, and antibiotics have disrupted gut systems as well. And
so do all of us when we eat those foods. Eggs from birds that are caged,
cage-free or even free-range, can still be fed these rations. Only pastured
eggs that come from hens that have no Genetically Modified (GM) corn or soy in
their diets can be truly considered safe. That means only organic feed for
those hens. Hence the explosion in home-raised hens. Twenty-five years ago I
was begging my favorite feed store to carry organic feed. They do now, and I,
and my hens, very much appreciate that.
GM crops in America have led to the blanketing of millions
of acres of crops, including human and animal food crops. GM crops means that
those plant’s genes have been modified and altered to resist Round Up. So the
farmer/grower can use more Round Up on those crops. Thereby keeping the
chemical companies in business and getting richer.
Resistance to Round Up is found in areas of Kansas and the
Great Plains, where most soy and corn is raised. Most corn and soy is GM. Now
the weeds are developing resistance to Round Up while those corn and soy crops
have been modified to resist that chemical onslaught. Guess what we need is
more and stronger pesticides. I’m being facetious here, as I’m never going to
be a believer in more pesticides.
In the never-ending battle to fight nature, what do you
suppose is causing the never-ending battle to fight disease? Daily decisions
have the power to change lives, our own and others. Let’s re-evaluate what we
stand for. Let’s show by our daily actions and choices in everything we do.
Fruits that should be organic are apples, peaches,
nectarines, strawberries, and grapes. Veggies that should be organic are often
those that have a high water content like celery, cukes, greens, peppers, and
tomatoes. Foods less likely to hold pesticide residue, and therefore may not
need to be purchased in organic form, include asparagus, avocadoes,
cauliflower, cabbage, citrus fruits, eggplant, kiwi and sweet potatoes. But if
you can choose all your produce to be organic, so much the better. Choose
according to your beliefs and your pocketbook.
And get rid of that so-called “harmless” Round Up. Round ‘em
up and head ‘em out, to the Metro Hazardous Waste station, and we’ll all be
better off. |
| Let’s taco bout it by Taeler Butel on 07/01/2016
Celebrate this Independence Day with a southwest menu -
picked for a crowd.
Tres Leches Cake
Cake:
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups granulated sugar
3½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 eggs
Filling:
1½ cups heavy cream
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
¾ cup milk
2 teaspoons rum extract
Topping:
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a 13x9-inch baking pan, grease
and flour bottom and sides and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat all cake ingredients together until
just combined. Pour evenly into prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in
center of cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for five minutes.
Meanwhile in a medium bowl, whisk together all filling
ingredients and set aside. Once cake has slightly cooled poke the top using a
fork approximately every half-inch apart. Pour the three-milk (tres leches)
mixture evenly onto the cake. Loosely cover and refrigerate up to three hours
or until majority of the tres leches has been absorbed.
In a large chilled bowl, beat topping ingredients until
stiff peaks form. Once cake is ready, spread whipped cream over cake and
lightly sprinkle with cinnamon.
Allow cake to cool to warm before pouring the tres leches
into the cake.
Creamy shredded chicken for tacos
Serve with salsa, cheese, avocados and shredded cabbage.
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
Juice of one lime
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Lime wedges and more cilantro for garnish.
Heat a large skillet over med/high heat and add in olive oil
and onion. Pound out chicken to 1/2 inch thickness. Sprinkle each with salt and
pepper.
In a large ovenproof skillet, add the chicken and cook for
six to seven minutes, turning once. You want the chicken nice and browned on
the outside. Set chicken on a plate and cover tightly with foil.
Remove skillet from heat and add the broth, lime juice,
onion, cilantro, and red pepper. Return to heat. Cook and stir to scrape up the
browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil
gently, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to around a
1/4 cup. Reduce heat to medium-low, then add the cream and butter. Stir until
butter has melted.
Add chicken back to pan and place the skillet over medium
heat. Cook uncovered until the chicken is completely cooked through, about 5-10
minutes. Cool and shred. |
| The work starts now for the 2017 legislative session by on 07/01/2016
Summer is officially underway and in House District 52 that
means picking fruit, hikes on Mount Hood, and enjoying the many summer
festivals. The summer months are also an important time for me as a legislator
to begin planning for the next legislative session. While January 2017 seems so
far away, and thinking about the cold weather is the last thing we want to do,
I start the planning process early to make sure that I have time to get input
from my constituents.
One of the major legislative topics that will be discussed
is a change to the minimum wage law. On July 1, Oregon’s minimum wage increases
.25 per hour in rural counties and .50 cents per hour everywhere else. Next
year, the state will be separated into three tiers: Portland-Metro, Nonurban
and Rural. Many small businesses, non-profits and community organizations are
finding the increase difficult to absorb and in such a short timeframe; the
bill passed in February, the Bureau of Labor and Industries clarifying rules on
June 15 and the increase begins on July 1.
Legislative leadership, including House Speaker Tina Kotek
and Senate Majority Leader Ginny Burdick have acknowledged problems with the
law as it currently is and stated that there will need to be changes in the
2017 legislative session.
Because of this, I am meeting directly with business owners
and the Executive Directors of community organizations across the district to
hear how the law could be adjusted to better accommodate their ability to
maintain their business and continue to provide community services. One concept
is flexibility in the requirements for young workers and trainees. Another
exception may be for the agricultural industry, as they cannot control prices
or their goods and may need to be on a different wage structure than other
businesses.
Another reason I am focused on adjusting the law is because
of the impact to public education. Oregon’s public universities have stated
they will need to cut student work-study positions and make other budgetary
cuts to account for the money that was spent on increased wages. The University
of Oregon estimated $2.3 million and OSU estimated $4.8 million in additional
wages for the 2017-2019 biennium. This puts the Universities in a tough
position and I believe the result will be an increased tuition, which, in
combination with fewer work options, is the worst possible outcome for students.
What I will be introducing in the next legislative session is a bill allowing
for certain exemptions at University and Community College institutions to help
prevent tuitions from being raised to cover wage costs.
I hope you’ll join me to continue this discussion at a town
hall I am hosting in August.
What: Town Hall
Where: Resort at the Mountain, 68010 E. Fairway Ave.
When: 5:30 – 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4
If you want to discuss this, or any other topic, before the
town hall, please contact me at: rep.markjohnson@state.or.us or 541-308-5306.
Thank you for the honor of representing you.
(Mark Johnson is the State Representative for House District
52.) |
| A public service message about horrible pick-up lines by Ned Hickson on 07/01/2016
I’ve been ridiculously happily married for almost ten years
now, so the singles bar scene is a long-forgotten memory. Or maybe just a
deeply repressed one.
At least it was until yesterday, when an old friend came to
town and treated me to a beer at a local hangout. As we began catching up, we
couldn’t help but overhear a series of pick-up lines being exchanged by a group
of 20-somethings who — at least in their minds, and thanks to several
happy-hour pilsners each — had assembled a list of clever lines “no woman could
resist!”
Their words, not mine.
In a moment, you’ll understand why.
Think of this as a Public Service Announcement of sorts,
aimed at single men everywhere, and in particular to that group of
20-somethings once they’ve sobered up: I felt obligated to jot down some of
your “fail proof” pick-up lines and explain — through a “trial” and “error”
format — what you can expect should those lines leave your mouths in the
general direction of an actual living female.
Let us begin…
Trial: Do you like magic? Because I’d like to make your
clothes disappear.
Error: Even David Copperfield wouldn’t attempt this horrible
pick-up line. If you do, chances are the only thing disappearing will be her
drink in your face.
Trial: Do you know CPR? Because baby, I think I’m having a
heart attack!
Error: This is particularly ineffective for men over the age
of 40, who could easily be mistaken for having an actual heart attack. Nothing
says “sexy” like coronary infarction.
Trial: I’m not a religious man, but you make me want to
shout hallelujah!
Error: I must warn you there is a very real risk of being
struck by lightning from God at the sheer stupidity of that line.
Trial: If I were Captain Kirk, I would love to boldly go
where no man has gone before.
Error: Better keep that one in your Captain’s Log because it
will send women away faster than you can say “Warp speed, Mr. Sulu.”
Trial: Someone call the police because I think you just
stole my heart!
Error: With a line like this, the only call anyone is going
to make will be to the 1980s so they will come take you back. Assuming they
want you.
And lastly,
Trial: Baby, your smile is so sweet it should come with a
calorie count.
Error: As any supermodel will tell you, there’s no point in
counting calories when you’re too busy throwing up after a line like that.
In a random poll taken here in our office, women unanimously
agreed that their favorite pick-up line starts out like this: “Hi, my name is…”
If any of you in that group of 20-somethings is reading
this, there’s no need to thank me. If one woman is saved from enduring any of
those torturous pick-up lines, that will be thanks enough.
Not to mention the lives this column might end up saving.
(Ned Hickson is a syndicated columnist with News Media
Corporation. His book, Humor at the Speed of Life, is available online at Port
Hole Publications, Amazon Books and Barnes & Noble. Write to him at
nedhickson@icloud.com) |
| The Adventure Continues: Episode VIII - Don’t Follow The Money by Max Malone, Private Eye on 07/01/2016
So the dearly departed Natasha was something besides what I
thought she was. My only excuse: I wasn’t paying attention.
Perhaps it was the cheese aisle in the grocery store. Or the
constant flow of important people in and out the door of Natasha’s house. Or
the daring distraction of French women refusing to break eye contact while
passing the afternoon at a nearby outdoor table at the local café.
Or maybe it was fancy pants Rickey Benoit, the neighboring
horseman, and his thoroughbred interest in Natasha.
And that thought got me back to business. Rickey – not
Rickey Schroeder, not Rickey Nelson – but Rickey Benoit (as in Ben Wah) needed
a visit. After all, the fatal shot that snuffed Natasha came from the direction
of his foppish horse farm.
I ambled along the
tow path of the barge canal that flowed between the two properties, past the
scene of the shooting, checked out the discarded rifle still hidden in the
bushes of a hedgerow – right where I’d left it – swung over the white fence of
Rickey’s horse pasture and continued on to the stable making certain not to
obtain any savory French manure souvenirs along the way.
Rickey was patting a stabled horse’s nose – why do horse
owners spend so much time patting horse noses, I wondered – and he turned
slowly toward me and shared that bemused French smile that alternately puzzled
me and nearly made me gag.
“Monsieur Malone,” he offered in an inoffensive Rickey way.
“I have been expecting you.”
“And I didn’t want to disappoint you, Mister Benoit,” I
responded, refusing to give a Rickey an inch.
“Come wis me,” he said, leading me around the stable while I
amused myself at the Frenchman’s inability to pronounce the ‘t h’ sound. Oh
well. Zat’s show biz.
We settled into chairs on a broad expanse of patio that was
dotted with enough rose bushes to make a White House gardener blush. No more
were we planted than a servant arose from nowhere and cast an adoring smile in
my direction – just another of those French things – and awaited Rickey’s
request. Two espressos appeared in the time it took Rickey to carefully extract
a Gauloise cigarette from a pack, tap it lightly on the back of his hand, light
it, lean back and take a long drag that probably knocked two years off his
life.
“So, Monsieur Malone, have you figured out what ze lovely
Natasha was doing all ze time you were z’air?”
I resisted loaning him a ‘the’ or a ‘there’ and after a sip
of the espresso that was strong enough to take me in a fair fight, I responded.
“I believe I have, Rickey. How about you?”
“Oh, I assure you, sir, I always knew. I tried to stop her.
But,” he shrugged one shoulder “Natasha sot she always knew best.”
I’d finished my espresso, causing me to lean forward
involuntarily. “Who shot her, Rickey?”
“Choose any one of ze men who came sru ze house. I told her
when zay were finish wiz her, zat would be zat.”
I held his doe eyes with a long glance. He wasn’t lying.
“What were they doing with the money?”
“Zat is somesing we do not want to know, Monsieur Malone.
But you saw zem. Zay way too dangerous for a simple horseman,” he said, smiling
broadly, waving a confident hand encircling his estate. “And, a simple private
eye, no?”
As I returned along the barge canal I couldn’t help but
think that a Frenchman named Rickey might have just been right. And the manner
in which these thugs dispatched Natasha when she was no longer needed did
suggest that, besides being outnumbered, I was also in deeper than the canal
water that trickled along as it had for hundreds of years.
Perhaps it was time to open the lock and sail away.
But first I had a date that night. Dolly Teagarden was
coming to town and there was no reason under the Brittany sky that I should
disappoint her. She said she wanted to “Wrap things up.”
I was all for wrapping things up.
After all, I am Max Malone, private eye. |
| Mount Hood Green Scene by Mary Soots on 07/01/2016
From the outset, the Mt. Hood Green Scene recognized that a
key factor in sustainability was engaging youth as theirs was the Earth to
inherit and to protect. Guiding them on how to take on that responsibility was
something that we could do to help them on their journey through life. As one
student stated, “Some of us are trying to help the environment like the Green
Scene and other groups who go around teaching people about the environment and
how we can help it sustain itself.” Building a sense of ownership and
responsibility would require knowledge of the life cycle of goods. When we
created the organization, we held a contest at the Welches Middle School to
name our group. “The Mt. Hood Green Scene” was the brainchild of a young man
named Benny.
Since that time, young people have been pivotal to our work.
With the assistance of the science teachers at the Welches Middle School and at
Sandy High School, as well as the youth of the Ant Farm in Sandy, young people
have participated in MHGS Sustainability Fairs, our annual Recycling Event, as
well as events such as clearing out the wooded area next to the Welches School
for the Outdoor School.
Their boundless creativity and imagination have not failed to delight our community, as did a group of
students who created an outstanding dramatic interpretation of Dr. Seuss’ The
Lorax for one event. Earlier this year, we once again tapped into the creative
juices of the Welches Middle School students by holding another contest, asking
the Outdoor School students to do an essay, with the theme of, “How nature
teaches us about recycling.” The Mt. Hood Green Scene, in partnership with the
Mountain Times, awarded $500 for their Outdoor School program.
We would like to thank everyone who submitted an entry to
the contest. There were two that we felt were exceptional, and we would like to
recognize the authors and provide highlights (the complete winning essays can
be found at mountaintimesoregon.com).
In his essay, entitled Recycling and Sustainability in
Nature, Sam Butler describes various cycles. “Nature is defined as ‘The
phenomena of the physical world, including flora, fauna, geography and other
features of Earth’. There are examples of recycling and sustainability in all
of them. To start, there is the Earth itself. The rock cycle is a process
through which igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock, along with sediment
and magma, interact with and change into each other. This is an example of
recycling. Moreover, this cycle happens by itself, without outside
intervention. …The ecosystem is very sustainable. Anything that dies in a
working ecosystem is used by other organisms. Nature recycles things.”
Similarly, Grace Bliesner’s essay, What Nature Teaches Us
About Recycling and Sustainability also explored various cycles. “Some
resources such as trees and water are renewable resources which means they can
be reproduced. Others like coal and oil are non renewable which means the [sic]
can’t be reproduced or it takes billions of years to reproduce them. …When it
comes to resources and trash the best thing to do is reduce the amount you use
so it doesn’t take so much energy and materials in the first place. The next
best thing to do is reuse the materials and resources you already have. …Did
you know that one large tree can make enough oxygen for four people! It’s true
but some people figure the world’s population of trees has so far decreased by
40 percent. But they teach us about recycling too. Trees turn carbon dioxide
and other harmful gasses into oxygen for us to breathe. Then we breathe out
carbon dioxide and they turn it into oxygen it is a cycle.”
Understanding our world and how it works helps us understand
the disruptions to the cycles of nature. It is our hope to continue to engage
our community and our young people to continue to find ways to help our Mother. |
| End of El Nino brings above average temps for July by on 07/01/2016
The first week of June was hot with Brightwood recording 96
degrees on the fourth and Government Camp reaching 88. Starting on the tenth, a
string of cool, showery weather extended through the 19th followed by
moderating temperatures and the final week rewarding us with perfect late-June
weather. Precipitation was close to average but temperatures ended two to three
degrees above monthly averages.
The National Weather Service has reported the end of El Nino
conditions and it’s forecasts are now based more on soil moisture and sea
surface temperatures that border the coasts. Our area is forecast to have above
average temperatures for July and precipitation near normal.
During July, Brightwood has an average high temperature of
75, an average low temperature of 51 and a precipitation average of 1.30
inches. During the past ten years, high temperatures have reached 100 degrees
or higher during three years, into the 90s four years, and into the 80s the
remaining three years.
On average, July has three days reaching 90 degrees or
higher, and during the past 20 years there has been six days reaching 100
degrees or higher. Over the past ten years, low temperatures have dropped into
the 40s without exception.
During July, Government Camp has an average high temperature
of 68 degrees, an average low of 46 degrees and a precipitation average of 1.04
inches. During the past ten years, high temperatures have reached the 90s
during three years and into the 80s for the remaining seven years. Low
temperatures fell into the 40s during three years and into the 30s for the
other seven years. July is a snow free month, and the only record mentioned is
a trace amount that fell during 1981. |
| Rhododenrons and Mount Hood during a sunset. The View Finder: Flowers for every frame by Gary Randall on 07/01/2016
Spring has come and gone and now we look forward to summer
here on Mount Hood. Summer on Mount Hood is our best time for wildflowers. Most
of the flowers at the lower elevations have come and are starting to go, but
our elevation and snow cover delays the bloom and gives us amazing flower
filled alpine meadows and forests full of native rhododendrons and dogwood
trees.
Many landscape photographers wait in anticipation of the
spring bloom. And because of this they develop an interest in understanding the
cycles of nature including weather patterns and celestial occurrences such as
sunrise and sunset times and moon phases. The more one understands nature, the
better that they are able to interpret it through their photos.
In the early spring the flowers at lower, warmer elevations
such as the east end of the Columbia River Gorge bloom. Beautiful purple grass
widows are usually the harbinger of spring in the hills around Hood River and
The Dalles, on both sides of the river, and can be seen poking up through
coatings of fresh snow some years. Amazing views of the gorge with lupine and
balsamroot in the foreground can be had in April and May. The lupine and
balsamroot are the larger more visible flowers and will, on a typical year,
bloom along side of each other, complimenting each other perfectly.
As the season progresses the flowers move up into the hills
and in time to the high altitude alpine meadows of our snow capped peaks. The
flowers can cover fields or they can be scattered along roadways. They can even
be in your yards. The more that you look for them, the more you notice.
Photographing flowers can be a way to create some beautiful
photographs. It can also be a great way to spend some time outdoors. The
combination of the two can create a peaceful and centering situation. I can get
lost in my own little world as I wander with my wide angle lens among the
fields that cover hills or meadows or on my knees with a macro lens in my yard
getting close up photos of flowers, mushrooms and bugs.
When I’m out to photograph the grand landscape I try my best
to be there either in the morning during a sunrise and into the golden hour or
conversely in the evening when the light is nice, but don’t discount a
beautiful blue sky especially one with some nice clouds to break up the space.
I mention that as an ideal, but the reality is that we live in Oregon and a
nice drizzly day can yield beautiful photos as well. On an overcast or cloudy
day the light is even and the raindrops on the flowers are beautiful. No
raindrops? Use a squirt bottle filled with water to mist the flowers.
Let’s talk about the two previously mentioned forms of
flower photography, wide angle and macro, or close-up photos. Both forms can be
done with any camera.
Let’s first take a look at our cell phones as an option.
Taking a nice photo of a field of flowers is pretty simple and the basic tenets
of composition apply no matter what kind of camera that you use. While framing
your photo tilt the camera up toward the sky or down toward your foreground to
make sure that the sky isn’t too bright or the foreground too dark. Turn on
your HDR (high dynamic range) setting and turn off your flash unless it’s
getting dark and you want to try to illuminate your foreground. Another use for
a flash is to shed light on a person especially when you are pointing toward
the sunlight. To take a macro photo with your cell phone you can get a clip on
macro lens that doesn’t cost much. The lenses usually come in a set. The other
lenses in the set I can live without, but the macro lens works reasonably well.
Using a bridge camera, or an all in one non interchangeable
lens camera, is handy. The zoom range can go from 24mm to 400mm and some have a
fixed aperture of f/2.8 no matter the zoom range. So you can use the zoom in to
get close to your subject or zoom out to get the wide view.
A digital SLR (single lens reflex) or even a film SLR, yes
you can still use film, can give more options for photographing flowers but the
basics, as mentioned previously, still apply. The biggest difference is lens
options especially for macro photos.
On an SLR you can get a close up photo two ways. One is to
put on an extension tube to extend the focal length of one of your prime lenses
such as a 50mm, or you can use a longer focal length zoom lens. With an
extension tube set up you will be closer to the flower than you could normally
get, but it will allow you to fill the frame with the photo and still maintain
focus. It’s not so good when you’re photographing bees. The second way is to
use a longer focal length zoom lens and zoom in, a much safer way to photograph
bees.
Buy a field guide to flowers. It’s fun to identify them. Be
a Leave No Trace photographer. While in the field be respectful of the plants
around you and try your best to not crush them under your feet. It’s easy to
look out away from you while getting the shot and not see the flowers below
you.
As always, the technical details mean less than the action
of actually getting outdoors with your camera.
I may discuss a few minor details about the process but I
always stress that it’s less about the process and more about the real reason. |
| The value of a diagnosis and of staying healthy by Victoria Larson on 06/01/2016
Worldwide there are many kinds of medicine. From medical
doctors and surgeons in the United States to shamans and spiritual healers in
South America. There’s really no good or bad in any person who helps you with
your health. There are just different approaches.
Looking at some of those approaches we find a patient with
wrist pain. Her first choice of treatment may be rest or heating pads. Her last
choice of treatment might be surgery. Or she could try alternating hot and
cold, a respected treatment used by medical doctors in the nineteenth century,
but now considered “archaic.” But it still works for relieving pain.
Two containers: one with hot water as hot as you can stand
it without burning yourself, another container with ice in it. Place affected
part first in hot and then plunge into cold.
You won’t be able to endure either one for very long, maybe
just seconds. Repeat three times in a row, ending with cold. It helps to
recite, “this is good for me, this is good for me,” rather than cussing. If
done correctly you should feel a slight throbbing but you will have hours of
pain relief. Try it.
If this patient thought the hot and cold treatment was too
“old fashioned” she would have probably gone to her computer, which would make
her doctor obsolete, and her “all knowing,” because computers have all the
answers, right? She might be obsessed with finding her “diagnosis” rather than
finding pain relief. Is the answer in the diagnosis or in the response?
Certainly knowing the diagnosis can aid in treatment
protocols, but knowing the diagnosis doesn’t necessarily lead to cure. Before
insisting on diagnostic procedures, one could try alternating hot and cold,
diet changes, herbs, homeopathics, hydrotherapy, fasting, meditation, prayer,
sunlight, yoga or any number of less invasive procedures. Most of them costing
virtually nothing.
The need to know the ANSWER may not necessarily get one.
After spending big money on diagnostic procedures the “working diagnosis” may
help....or it may not. My best friend from the sixth grade on was “diagnosed”
with multiple sclerosis after college.
Years later her “diagnosis” was changed to liver cancer,
which she eventually died of, after many, many years of treatments for MS. I’m
sure the treatments didn’t cause her any harm, but it might have been helpful
to keep looking for causes of her discomfort.
To give my best friend credit, she personally, at her own
expense of time and money, tried numerous alternative therapies. Alas, her
“diagnosis” actually got in the way of her alternative treatments. But she was
willing to look at alternatives, despite insurance that sent her in the
direction of invasive diagnostic procedures.
Insurance keeps our American medical system going. And
expensive. Americans keep buying into this fear-based system. True, anything
can happen to anyone anytime, but forcing people to buy insurance may be a
backwards approach.
Don’t get me wrong, insurance is a great thing to have. But
what if we put more value on healthy living? What if you were rewarded for
giving up diet sodas or eating only organic food? What if you had to pay to be
healthy, not pay to hope you don’t get sick. In China, the patient pays to
‘stay well’ and if the patient gets sick, he or she doesn’t have to pay. Just a
different mindset.
Sometimes our approach to health needs to be gentle,
non-invasive and self-motivated rather than giving away power to the All
Knowing computer. The only All Knowing is out there in the Universe where trust
lives. Perhaps we need more connection. With each other and with the Universe.
And perhaps we shouldn’t deal with wrist pain using an ax.
The results could very well be dangerously disastrous! Maybe that alternating
hot and cold treatment would be enough. Maybe it’s worth a try. |
| Cake! ‘Tis the season to celebrate! by Taeler Butel on 06/01/2016
All you need is cake - choose
the flavors of the season and stay away from the box.
Angel Food
12 egg whites (room temp)
Cake flour
1 3/4 cup fine sugar
1 1/2 t cream of tartar
1/4 t salt
1 t vanilla
1/3 cup warm water
Sift the flour, salt and half of the sugar together. Grease
and sugar an angel food cake pan. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In an electric mixer mix water with egg whites, vanilla and
cream of tartar. Beat on medium high, adding in sugar in a slow stream and whip
until peaks form.
Sprinkle and fold in flour a little at a time, spoon into
the prepared pan and bake 45 mins. Serve cake with freshly whipped cream and
berries.
Pound cake
This cake makes me smile, it’s the base to my tiramisu. Add
chopped toasted almonds or coconut into the batter before baking.
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 3/4 cup flour
1 t baking powder
Pre heat oven to 300
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat together the
butter and sugar in an electric mixer until pale yellow. Add the eggs one at a
time, then add vanilla and flour mixture alternating with the sour cream.
Butter and flour a loaf pan and line with a long strip of
parchment paper, if you have it. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick
inserted comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
Flourless chocolate cake
Also called a torte,
this cake is better the second day.
2 sticks unsalted butter
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 t salt
6 eggs
1 t vanilla
In a large glass or metal bowl over a double boiler add in
chocolate and butter. In a separate bowl beat the eggs with the sugar until
light yellow, then add in salt and vanilla, fold in egg mixture and pour into a
greased and cocoa-powdered pan lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 325 for about 30 mins. Turn oven off and leave cake
in oven with the door cracked for another 1/2 hour. Cool and refrigerate.
|
| Improving roads a priority on the mountain and across the state by on 06/01/2016
When I think about what the core responsibilities of state
government are, the issue of transportation is near the top of my list.
Providing safe roads and highways and maintaining them so that we can travel to
and fro and conduct business is important to each of us personally as well as
to our economy.
Every time we fill up at the pump we are paying the gas tax
that provides the funding for Oregon’s highway maintenance and construction. A
good local example of a project paid for by this fund is the Hwy. 26 safety
project that has been underway near Government Camp. The latest word from ODOT
on this project is that it will be complete sometime in October. Although it’s
certainly been an inconvenience at times for local residents, I think we can
all agree that when the project is complete it will significantly improve
traffic safety on that stretch of the Mt Hood Highway. Here are a few
interesting facts that I obtained from ODOT:
FACT: To date over 30,000 truckloads of dirt and rock have
been removed from the site.
FACT: Over 13 miles of blasting holes have been drilled in
the rock along the highway.
The topic of transportation is an important issue in Salem
as well. I think it’s obvious to most people that the highways in the Portland
metro area are in need of significant improvement to address the ever
increasing traffic congestion. At the same time many of our roads and bridges
across the state are in need of structural repairs due to wear and tear and
seismic updates. These factors are the driving force behind discussions about
how the state should address these issues.
Recently Governor Brown appointed a bipartisan special
committee of legislators to begin to lay the framework for a transportation
package that can be passed by the legislature in the next session. Over the
course of the next six months this group will be taking a close look at all
areas of the state and evaluating the condition of the highways and bridges
based on their safety and their ability to handle traffic flow. When assembling
a transportation package for Oregon it’s very important that all areas of the
state receive some positive outcomes from the new construction. Upgrades to
roads and bridges create good paying jobs and it’s important that the economic
benefits be allocated statewide.
The committee will also be considering what revenue streams
should be tapped to provide the funding for the package. Traditionally the gas
tax has been the primary funding source for transportation packages. But is it
time to consider additional sources? Is it time to consider toll roads in the
Portland metro area to pay for expanding the highways there? Electric vehicles
take up space on the road but don’t pay any gas tax. How will they contribute?
These are all questions that will be considered over the coming months.
If you have any comments or thoughts about what a new
transportation package for Oregon should look like and suggestions for specific
projects in HD 52 or elsewhere that should be in the mix please contact my
office.
The best ways to do that are by emailing me at
rep.markjohnson@state.or.us, or by calling my office at 503-986-1452. You can
also find out about my events by joining my newsletter at
www.repmarkjohnson.com/newsletter-signup,
Thank you for the
opportunity to serve House District 52.
(Mark Johnson is the House District 52 Representative.) |
| ‘The Crossing’ a smart crime novel that’s hard to put down by on 06/01/2016
Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch, star of many
Connelly-authored police procedurals over the years, is having a tough time
adjusting to not being a cop.
After a forced retirement, Harry is fighting boredom and
frustration when his brother in law, “Lincoln Lawyer” Mickey Haller, approaches
him for help proving that his client, murder defendant Da’Quan Foster, is
actually innocent – in spite of a positive DNA match and his lack of an alibi.
Harry has a hard time giving serious consideration to going
over to “the dark side” by assisting the defense after so many years as a
police officer, proving crimes rather than trying to free a defendant.
But, as we know, Mickey is a great persuader - and Harry is
really, really bored. So, tentatively at first, Harry digs in to what he loves
– digging through the case details and current evidence to find the truth.
“The Crossing” is a great title for the book as Harry is soon
obsessed by trying to find how the victim and the murderer crossed paths.
And, of course, Harry has to endure hurtful comments from
his former co-workers in the LAPD because of his professional “cross-over.”
As we might expect, Harry’s close analysis of the Murder
Book and all the gathered photos and evidence guide his relentless pursuit of
the case. Soon a small detail – the murder victim’s missing watch that was
never mentioned in the property lists – leads him down a very unexpected path.
It takes time to make the connection but this small detail eventually helps
Harry to break the case wide open.
Unlike many crime novels, Michael Connelly’s books rely on
smarts, not violence, and Harry’s approach is very cerebral which makes each
one a treat for those who want a challenging puzzle. This novel is especially
interesting as Connelly brings us behind the scenes of the police
investigators, the defense attorney and Harry as the private investigator on
behalf of the accused.
And this novel is a skillful combination of “Lincoln Lawyer”
Mickey Haller with Connelly’s long-time police detective all in one. A little
for everyone this time! If you have never read Michael Connelly before, you
will be surprised to find out how hard his carefully constructed novels are to
put down.
Michael Connelly is the author of twenty eight novels, most
featuring LAPD Detective Harry Bosch. His other series features The Lincoln
Lawyer which spotlights unconventional attorney Mickey Haller. Connelly lives
in California and Florida. |
| Want to be a better father? Get a bigger grill by Ned Hickson on 06/01/2016
Come Father’s Day morning, I will awaken to the sizzle of
bacon and eggs, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the shuffle of
approaching feet as I lay in bed quietly thinking to myself: My God, my wife is
leaving me.
Then I’ll remember: Wait! It’s Father’s Day!
It’s the day we fathers are revered for our wisdom, patience
and, in a few rare instances, our neckwear.
For one whole day I’ll be the perfect father since my wife
will be handling everything for me. She does this to help me relax and enjoy my
special day.
The problem is, it’s hard to relax when, by handling
everything herself, my wife makes it clear I could be replaced by a dishwasher
and a few extra power cords.
Okay, that’s not entirely true.
I can still claim “The Grilling of Food” as my main
contribution to the daily operation of our family. I have managed to keep this
duty the way most men do, by making the task of grilling appear as complicated
and miserable as possible, even if it means faking a heat stroke while grilling
pre-cooked hot dogs.
I realize there are many new fathers who have made
themselves indispensable during the diaper-changing phase. Just remember: your
indispensability in this area — much like this morning’s tightly-wrapped dooty
— will eventually disappear into the Diaper Genie. That’s when grilling even
the simplest things, such as a bratwurst, should be made to look as difficult
as possible.
To do this, you’ll need a large grill. The bigger the
better. In fact, if a hibachi is your main grilling source, go now, hop into
your vehicle, and accidentally back over your hibachi several times and replace
it with something more practical.
And, practically speaking, we’re talking a grill roughly the
size of a Jeep Cherokee.
Why?
Because you need a large cooking surface so that you can
convincingly spray down flames and battle for control over a raging inferno
that, if not for your grilling skill, would quickly consume everyone’s
bratwurst — and quite possibly the world. Unless you are highly experienced in
pyrotechnics, or live near an open gas line, trying to produce this same effect
on a hibachi is very difficult.
Once you have your giant grill, you’ll need to keep a spray
bottle handy. Your wife will assume it’s to prevent charring. This is partially
true. But mostly you’ll be using it to spray on your face and body to appear as
though you are perspiring when, in fact, you are frequently supplementing any
loss of body fluid with liberal amounts of ice-cold beer hidden behind the
grill.
Lastly, you should purchase a special, custom-made spatula
that is so enormous and so heavy it can only be wielded with two hands. This
will make the grilling process appear even more difficult by requiring a
“spotter” every time you flip someone’s burger.
Put all of this together — spray bottle, giant grill, two-handed
spatula — and you’ll have the dramatic image you want, which is that of a
sweat-stained father staggering in and out of the flames of his grill, both
hands gripped tightly around the handle of his 50-pound spatula as he devoutly
retrieves the evening meal.
Sure, this may sound like a lot of effort; you could fold
clothes instead.
But the effort is worth it when it comes to family.
Besides, it’s really hard to keep beer cold when it’s hidden
in the laundry.
(Ned Hickson is a syndicated columnist with News Media
Corporation. His book, Humor at the Speed of Life, is available online at Port
Hole Publications, Amazon Books and Barnes & Noble. Write to him at
nedhickson@icloud.com) |
| Episode VII: The Olive Connection by Max Malone, Private Eye on 06/01/2016
While pondering the circumstances surrounding the bizarre
demise of Natasha, I wandered around her house looking for clues.
The French Keystone Cops had searched the place while I was
simmering in the cooler, with no apparent result (in either circumstance). It
seemed they enjoyed Natasha’s lingerie department – who knows, a few of them
might have improved their own wardrobe – but little else was disturbed.
Having been inspired at an early age – a moment that led to
my present condition – by Dashiell Hammett’s “The Thin Man” series, I fashioned
a beaker of martinis, stirred not shaken, and with a Nick Charles air of utter
urbane aplomb launched my own search, figuring my recent knowledge of the
notorious Natasha would serve me well, especially in light of the Keystone
competition.
I skipped what was left of Natasha’s undergarments – having
seen them in every possible array known to man or beast – and started in the
kitchen. They didn’t find my passport folded under the wooden handle of the
skillet, so why not?
I ignored the silly things that are portrayed in movies –
after all, this is real life, right? – like the sugar and flour containers, and
concentrated on items that would fit into any ordinary kitchen, but not in the
extraordinary existence of Natasha.
There was an early clue: a pantry with shelves full of
pantry stuff, like canned peaches, tomato sauce, noodles, olive oil. OK, you’re
wondering how I could tell, right? I was in France. All the items were in
French. C’mon, there were pictures on the labels.
Sheeeeesh. I poured myself another martini, and tipped my
fedora to William Powell and Myrna Loy. If you happened to have missed the
whole Nick and Nora Charles Thin Man bit, for shame. Have I ever led you
astray?
The pantry was a clue, yes, but a second martini was the
inspiration. The only pantry item that had Natasha written all over it was a
jar of martini olives. I took the jar down, opened it, plopped two of the green
delights into my martini, and detected a slight defect in the wood panel. One slight
shove and it fell away.
Stuffed into the newly revealed alcove – like the pimentos
in the olives – were several spiral notebooks, folded into funnels. I had made
the olive connection.
Before opening the notebooks, I celebrated by draining the
beaker of martinis into my glass, with an appropriate splash of two more
olives. Keeping my priorities straight, I stirred up some more gin and vermouth
reinforcements.
It was a cool, shimmering military necessity.
Retiring to Natasha’s desk, I began work on the notebooks.
The first one had a list of numbers and passwords that made little sense, on
first glance. But I kept staring. They were in Natasha code, and, after all, I
was bound to break it.
Down the left side were a series of numbers: like 2003,
underneath 1675, under that 1725, and so on. In a corresponding column appeared
things like 48-51 01-43, and so on. The next column over was easier, dates,
like: 020816, and so on.
Regular dates, in ascending order, corresponding to two
other sets of numbers – nothing to celebrate yet, despite the fact my glass was
empty. Then the second set of numbers began to make sense. I was looking at
longitudes and latitudes. I didn’t know the locations exactly, but my
experience aboard a container ship when the crew mutinied against a deserving
captain had left me on the bridge for much too long a time, and I remember
amusing myself with memorizing the longitude and latitude of my cabin on the
mountain – but that’s another story – and now it wasn’t difficult to
extrapolate the same for Reno, then stretching east across the Atlantic.
Location, location, location.
I celebrated knowing I had only one more column of numbers
to decipher, plus having a new beaker of Dashiell Delight just added to the
momentum.
Looking through the other notebooks – despite the martinis –
things became clearer. There were international money transfers with coded bank
numbers and SWIFT codes.
Natasha had been in the laundry business, and a few things
needed to be cleaned up.
After all, I am Max Malone, private eye. |
| The Mt. Hood Green Scene: The dark corner of recycling by Mary Soots on 06/01/2016
Sometimes it seems that no matter how hard you try, things
just don’t turn out the way you planned. Such was the case when last month we
caught a report on Oregon Public Radio (OPB) about an exposé by the Basel
Action Network, an e-waste watchdog group, after a two-year investigation on
the fate of e-waste. According to the report, dead electronics make up the
world’s fastest-growing source of waste.
The U.S. produces more e-waste than any other country in the
world, sending 50,000 dump trucks of old electronics to recyclers each year.
This doesn’t take into account used electronics that are not recycled.
The article was focused on the way that some recyclers of
e-waste are exporting those electronics rather than recycling them in an
environmentally responsible way as they have assured us that they do. About a
third of the e-waste, containing toxic materials such as lead and mercury, was
actually shipped out of the U.S. to Mexico, Asia and Africa. Environmental and
occupational protection laws that are in force in the U.S. have no equal in
developing countries. Workers disassembling the electronics in order to cull
the precious metals were unaware that the water they were boiling them in and
dumping back into the rivers were now full of toxic waste, and they were
endangering the environment as well as their health.
Among the recyclers that the article singled out as shipping
rather than recycling all of their e-waste were the Goodwill and Total Reclaim,
a company base in the Pacific Northwest that has a no-export policy.
Total Reclaim has handled the Mt. Hood Green Scene’s
recycling events over the past five years, so it was with a heavy heart that we
learned that in spite of our efforts to prevent these toxic materials from
contaminating our environment, some may have slipped through the cracks.
Fortunately, the greater part of the e-waste was recycled as
we anticipated. But the reason that some of the waste was being exported was
because the cost of selling recycled materials had plummeted and recycling
companies are struggling to make ends meet.
The report shed some light into a dark corner and we must
face some very hard facts. The cost of recycling is expensive. Perhaps the cost
of purchasing an electronic item should include a small fee for the cost of
disposal of the item.
But more realistically, we should look at our consumption
patterns. Before the ‘Recycle’ aspect of environmental sustainability, we need
to consider the ‘Reduce’ aspect and the ‘Re-Use’ aspect. Perhaps instead of
upgrading the flat screen TV, computer, game console or telephone to the latest
and greatest version each time a company wants to sell you a new one, it might
be the time to think about what will happen to the old one. We can generate a
lot less electronic waste by not buying everything over and over again,
allowing us to keeping a little cash in our pocket.
Why not use the same cell phone one more year? Instead of
purchasing unnecessary electronic gifts, why not spend the money to share an
experience with your kids or your loved one? You’ll both treasure the time you
spend together. And we’ll all breathe a
little easier. |
| How to use composition and light to help you take better photos by Gary Randall on 06/01/2016
Have you ever stood next to someone as you both took a
snapshot of the same subject, looked at their screen and wondered what the heck
they did or why didn't you think of doing that? Trust me, it happens more times
than you would think, and it happens to the best of us. Taking a photo can be
all about luck. Luck to be at a place or a moment or having the camera work
just right, just having everything line up all at once if you're really lucky.
But if you leave it all to luck, as in life, your chances of getting lucky will
be slim. Therefore, it pays dividends to increase your chances of getting lucky
by understanding a few basics of how to be more in control of creating the
image with your camera.
Image creation is different than just taking a photo. Ansel
Adams famous quote, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it,” explains it
best. Think of it this way. You can walk up to a scene and point the camera at
it and get a photo, or you can take a moment and look around the area around
you. What do you see that can be a foreground interest? Let's say that you're
shooting Mount Hood, for instance. Many folks, I'm sure, point their cameras at
the snow clad peak beyond, ignoring the rhododendron bush close by that would
give the photos some scale and depth. Is there some sort of trail or an element
that would make a lead-in line. Perhaps a gateway of trees to frame the scene.
Look around and find some components that, if you position yourself properly,
will create a more thoughtful composition.
And then there's photographing people in landscape and
photographing landscapes with people. I tell landscape photographers to include
someone in the photo. It gives the photo scale and perspective as well as
allowing the viewer to create a story in their minds as they view the photo.
Conversely, I tell photographers who photograph people to put the landscape in
the photo. Create a compelling photo of a friend or family member of a great
time or location by including the whole scene. Get close to your subject and
use a fill flash if you need to illuminate them, or have them walk off into the
distance and stand on a rock using a noble adventurer stance, pointing off into
the distance like Lewis and Clark or their arms thrust into the air in triumph.
It will add a dimension of emotion.
Now that we've discussed adding a subject to a scene, or
adding a scene to a subject, let's talk a bit about composition. I have an
understanding of and yet an aversion to standards and rules. I understand how I
can learn them and understand them but I love to break them.
Learning compositional standards is learning the mechanics
of art. Learning how to break them is when art happens in my opinion. In the
beginning the first standard one learns in art is the rule of thirds. The rule
of thirds dictates a few rules that I feel is always a good place to start,
such as not centering your subject, putting the horizon on either a top third
of the frame of the bottom third of the frame and, in some forms of
interpretation, in no case shall you center your subject, to which I would
reply never say never, ever. Although I may start with the rule, it typically
stops once I put my subject off center, such as a person at the side of the
frame as not to block the view of the Mount Hood scene behind. At that time I
will look to each side and up and down to position the frame to include
everything that I want in the frame and excluding all that I don't.
Move in toward your subject or further away, zoom in or out.
Try shooting lower or stand on something to put yourself higher. Picture your
photo inside of a frame. Be creative.
Light is important when making a compelling image. Try to go
out and get your shot either in the morning light or in the late afternoon when
the light is less harsh and warmer. Midday sunshine is the most challenging
light to get a nice photo in. Don't be afraid to photograph your subject into
the light. If you're photographing people, try filling them with a fill flash
because they will be in their own shade, or put them in shade and do a nice
fill flash.
One thing that I rarely do is put my subject in a position
where the sun is shining into their faces, primarily because they will be
squinting their eyes, but their faces will be too bright in most cases. Use the
light to your advantage but don't fight it. If you have the ability to do so
return under a nicer light.
You have a lot of options to be able to create an image.
Don't be afraid to experiment with some of your manual setting if you have
them. It always pays to know your camera and to override the automatic setting
if it isn't getting it right. Conversely, don't be afraid of the automatic settings.
If your manual settings aren't getting the shot, flip it over onto Automatic
and give it a try. The last thing that you want to do is miss out on the photo
by messing with camera settings.
The next time that you're out with your camera consider what
Ansel Adams said and make your photograph, don't just take it. Create an image
not just a snapshot, but whatever you do capture the moment. |
| Open air markets offer local food for thought by Victoria Larson on 04/30/2016
With the weather sometimes improving at this time of the
year, it’s time to get out of the BigBoxStores and into the open air. Many more
farmers’ markets are opening up this month as the weather continues to keep us
on our toes. That sometimes warmer air invites us to stroll among the outdoor
booths and converse with our neighbors and eat fresher, healthier food.
Last column I mentioned the the average distance that
supermarket food travels is 1,200 miles! A bit far for my taste that prefers
far fresher. The average distance that farm market produce travels is around
ten to 100 miles. It’s bound to be fresher, far better for you and more
healthful. Choices will be limited to what’s actually in season, not something
shipped from some faraway place.
The shocking knowledge that the majority of supermarket food
comes from 1,200 miles away bows to the fact that much of it is junk. Not just
junk food, but junk. Local sourcing of berries, eggs, fruits and vegetables is
fairly easy to accomplish. Even dairy, fish, and meat can be more local. Many
stores now “announce” their sources and the location that the available food
comes from. It’s a good start. But if you don’t want salmon from China or
berries from California, then take control yourself. Shop farmers’ markets. Pat
yourself on the back for “eating in season” which may mean you have to wait for
those strawberries or tomatoes.
Here’s something funny about human nature: if a local
product costs $20 more than the product at the BigBoxStore, I can understand
reluctance. But if the local product cost 2 cents more, where’s the hesitation
in purchasing? Food banks are inundated with the products people say they are
buying - organic eggs, veggies, and fruits. Inundated because these better
products are not really selling as well as their BigBox 2 cent cheaper
versions. Those foods that traveled the 1,200 miles to get to you.
Shopping locally can and should be fun. Shopping the
stranger-faced BigBox stores is often not. We just need to get the word out to
our friends and neighbors. Which may mean leaning over the back fence. It takes
more effort. My farm business, farmacopoeia, was where my eggs, fruits and
vegetables were sold in a small town farmers’ market for a couple of years. A
market in the middle of Boring. There are only two stoplights in Boring and
maybe a half mile between them. Balloons and signs announced the market each
week. And I cannot tell you how many people would tell me they “never found
it”. Now defunct, it may require using your eyes and ears to find the open air
markets near you.
A $1 spent with a local vendor at a farmers’ market will be
more likely to be spent locally as well. A $1 spent at a BigBoxStore will go to
the CEOs and shareholders of a large corporation in another state! Be mindful.
Who do you want to support? BigBoxStores exist because people want them to. Not
such a bad idea if you have nine in your family, but probably overkill if
there’s only two or three of you.
Ask questions of your local vendors. Something you really
won’t be able to do in the big, corporate-run stores. The local vendors may not
know all the answers to your questions but you will be able to have a dialog.
Don’t make assumptions though. Think. Ask. Ask about fertilizer use, seed
sources, location of the farm, was the produce raised by the farmer/vendor or
brought in from elsewhere (which is often OK, but you deserve to know, don’t
you?).
If you are buying plants and starts, are they Open
Pollinated seeds or Hybrids? You’ll want to know this if you plan to save seeds
from these plants to use at another time. Always ask about Genetically Modified
(GM) seeds and products, and avoid them. Their safety is unproven and they may
be the biggest threat to our food diversity (and our health) that our planet
has ever seen. Besides, do you really think it’s wise, or even safe, for three
or four seed suppliers to control all of the foodcrops grown worldwide?
Probably not a really good idea.
Many, many studies have shown that societies can provide
much of their own sustenance by growing organically or biodynamically, using
open-pollinated seeds, cover cropping and manuring lands. Find out more. You
owe it to yourself.
|
| Camp Cookin’ by Taeler Butel on 04/30/2016
Pack
a packet. Make ahead and freeze if you’d like. Pop in the oven or into campfire
coals and everyone gets what they want.
Use double layers of heavy duty aluminum foil - use about
12” square per packet.
Chicken fajita packets.
Bake time 35-40 mins. (8 individual)
Toss together:
1 thin sliced yellow onion
1 thin sliced red bell pepper
1 thin sliced green bell pepper
8 T olive oil
8 large chicken pieces (breast, or hindquarters). Add 5
minutes if using dark meat.
Seasoning mix:
1 T salt
1 T cumin
1 t each of chili powder, pepper, garlic powder, oregano.
Mix well. Place chicken pieces on aluminum sheet, pile on
1/2 cup of pepper mixture onto each and drizzle in 1 T olive oil & 1t of
seasoning. Fold ends in, fold sides in. Bake 35 - 40 mins in 400 degree oven or
in hot coals.
Salisbury steak packets.
Serves 4. Bake time 35 mins.
1 lb sirloin burger
1 cup grated yellow onion
1 t each salt & pepper
1/4 cup cornstarch, mixed with 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 package (8oz) sliced button mushrooms
Mix together with a fork the grated onion, burger, salt
& pepper. Separate meat into 4 1/4 lb servings, top with 1/4 of the
Worcestershire slurry and 1/3 cup of mushrooms. Fold and cook as above.
Banofee campfire packets.
Bake time 20 mins.
Place into packets:
1 banana
2 marshmallows
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup toffee pieces
Bake 20-25 mins. Let cool slightly and enjoy!
|
| ‘The Stranger’ twists around mysterious disappearance by on 04/30/2016
In this twisty-plotted novel, bestselling author Harlan
Coben provides his trademark suspense in an unusual novel brim-full of the
unexpected. A secret about his wife turns New Jersey dad Adam Price’s world
upside down when a complete stranger approaches him with information that makes
him doubt his wife, his marriage and his neat, comfortable suburban life.
After Adam confronts his wife she disappears, causing Adam
to set out to track her down while at the same time seeking to determine the
validity of The Stranger’s revelations.
Soon Adam uncovers more related situations and others who
have been confronted by The Stranger or those working with him. Adam puts the
rest of his life on hold to find his wife and to solve the mystery of how The
Stranger operates and why.
Soon Adam realizes that his marriage, his family and even
his life are in jeopardy but clues about his wife’s disappearance are widely
divergent and confusing. And he receives no further contacts from her. Is she
alive or dead? Has she left him permanently? Or will she eventually return to
her home, job, and family? And what can he do to help her? Is his whole life
that seems so ideal nothing but a sham?
Adam is afraid to share what is going on with neighbors or
fellow parents of his sons’ lacrosse teammates but many of the parents seem
strangely, inappropriately interested in his wife Corrine’s disappearance. Are
some of them connected to his wife’s secret life? Are they part of her
disappearance or aware of her whereabouts?
Coben can always be counted on for reliable suspense but The
Stranger has even more twists and turns than normal for his novels. Even with
all the complexities, Coben provides logical plot sequences for his readers to
follow as Adam seeks to unravel the mystery begun by The Stanger’s revelation.
Harlan Coben is an internationally bestselling author of
more than twenty previous novels. He has won numerous awards including the
Edgar. He lives in New Jersey.
|
| Ashes to ashes, dust to … hey, not so fast! by Ned Hickson on 04/30/2016
I’m turning 50 this August.
There. I said it.
The truth is, I haven’t given it much thought because I
don’t feel 50. Sure, there are some days I roll out of bed, walk to the
bathroom and realize the creaking and popping sounds I hear aren’t coming from
the floorboards. And yes, I’ve noticed when I’m cleaning out my razor it looks
like someone used it to shave our neighbor’s grey Schnauzer. But most days I
throw on a rocker T-shirt or slim-fit dress shirt, leave it untucked over my
jeans, lace up my superhero Vans or hiking boots and am on my way.
Then I rush back in for a second trip to the rest room.
But still... I’m technically on my way.
However, over the last several months I’ve started getting
reminders from society’s collective data bank that I am getting older. The
first came in my email back in January, when I got one of those Singles Looking
for Love In Your Area! messages. I’ve received many of these over the years,
and they always include the image of an attractive 30-something woman in a sun
dress laughing with an equally attractive 30-something man as they sip wine on
a beach at sunset.
Not anymore.
This time, the word “singles” has been replaced with
“seniors,” and the two 30-somethings apparently found a hotel room, leaving
behind a white-haired couple sipping on fruit smoothies and playing Canasta.
Soon after that, I received a free trial subscription to AARP magazine. I have
to say, there’s nothing like having an entire magazine full of people living it
up on cruises, attending Broadway musicals and playing tennis to remind you
that you’re still another 15 years away from retirement. I’ve also been
receiving a lot more pharmaceutical spam. Mostly for reducing blood pressure.
And for increasing my, uh...
Longevity.
But it wasn’t until yesterday, when I opened our mail box to
find a letter addressed to “Mr. Ned Hickson” from Neptune Cremation Service,
that I felt the buzzards beginning to circle. Death was not only coming for me
— he knew my address! I opened it and was a bit relieved it wasn’t a coupon
with an expiration date. At the same time, I was a little unnerved by a
statement in the opening paragraph that read:
“More and more people are being cremated — and the numbers
are increasing every year!”
The numbers of what, dead people? Was this a veiled threat?
All of this made me come to the realization that, yes; I am
getting older. At least on paper.
However, the fact that society’s collective data bank isn’t
aware that I’m ridiculously happily married, am in reasonably good health and
am more than a decade away from qualifying for Social Security just shows they
don’t know everything.
Given the fact that I come from a long line of longevity and
late bloomers, I think I’ll keep the cremation plans on the back burner for now
(although that pun might kill someone) and think of approaching 50 as the
second act of my life as opposed to the final act.
Besides, I still need to find out who keeps using my razor
on that Schnauzer...
(Ned Hickson is a syndicated columnist with News Media
Corporation. His book, Humor at the Speed of Life, is available online at Port
Hole Publications, Amazon Books and Barnes & Noble. Write to him at
nedhickson@icloud.com)
|
| Episode VI: The Horseman Knew Her by Max Malone, Private Eye on 04/30/2016
Well, as is so often the case, when inspired by a babe to
the point where I’m thinking as straight as an Eddie Izzard stand-up act, Dolly
Teagarden was not at the train station. Because, in her clever Anglo way, she
was parked at the curb in front of the gendermarie in a Parking Interdit area.
I wasn’t sure what “interdit” meant in French, but I was
fairly certain it didn’t mean “reserved for Dolly.” That opinion was reinforced
by the confusion Dolly had visited on two gendarmes, who were either loitering
or planning an all-out approach.
The gendarmes’ day was not enhanced when an American private
eye parted them like an Inspector Poirot hairdo before swinging into the
passenger seat of Dolly’s cushy Citroen.
“Did you spring me, or did they just get tired of me?” I
asked, breaking the ice like the crackling of a James Bond martini.
Dolly’s smile wiggled across her face, punctuated by a
capricious drooping of her eyelids. “I’m quite certain it was neither,” she
said, bending down to push the starter button inspiring the Citroen into
action. “You have much to learn when it comes to the French criminal justice
system.”
“I’m not much in the learning department, Dolly,” I said,
searching for the business end of the seat belt. “I prefer teaching.”
“Jolly good, Max,” she said. “Have it your way, which is
probably the way it usually goes. But I’m starved. You?”
We worked our way through a “Plat de Jour” which wasn’t bad,
plus a bottle of wine which was as perfect as a grape can be. Then, against
every instinct known to a private eye, I had Dolly drop me off at Natasha’s
house.
The house had been searched, but in such a casual manner the
only thing that might have been discovered would have been an elephant in the
room. I was almost embarrassed as I went into the kitchen and unscrewed the
wood handle on a 16-inch fry pan and unrolled my passport. With my exit
assured, I poured myself a serious glass of 7-year-old Havana Club. Rum makes
me as conspiratorial as a ticked-off Che Guevara.
Viva la Revolution.
I gave a lot of thought to the constant stream of French
police that would come and go like a herd of women in a T.S. Eliot poem. As the
rum drummed the rumba beat of my memory percussions, one image reared its head:
All the police at Natasha’s house had short hair cuts, no facial hair, and
immaculate finger nails. That description did not fit a single gendarme at the
jail. Of the men who showed up in civilian clothes, they all bore the mark of
the Middle East, even though I never detected an accent any different than the
other Frenchmen. But in the spirit of full disclosure, the Malone family
command of the French language was abandoned somewhere near Waterloo – with
full apologies to the little corporal.
The only other person who made an appearance prior to
Natasha’s death was the snooty horseman from the neighboring property. He had a
stable of thoroughbreds and an attitude like one. I would see him in his cute
riding pants, jaunty jacket, rakish cap and boots, trotting a handsome bay
along the tree line separating the properties. On a couple occasions I
witnessed Natasha chatting with him, stroking the nose of the horse, not him.
His name was Ricky Benoit (pronounced Ben Wah) which raised the question:
what’s a grown man doing with a name like Ricky? I didn’t like him. In the
states, guys like him were always chosen last.
So did he figure in Natasha’s death? The gun shot did come
from the direction of his property. And how did the flow of cops fit into this
caper? What was Natasha doing that attracted so much attention, and eventually
landed her on a slab in the morgue?
I poured another Havana Club and restrained myself from an
impromptu samba. There was a lot of thinking to do, and a lot of questions that
needed answers. And there was Dolly Teagarden.
After all, I am Max Malone, private eye.
|
| Education, recreation and craft consumables top Johnson’s list by on 04/30/2016
Oregon is a beautiful place during this time of year,
particularly in House District 52. After a challenging legislative session in
February and March, it’s great to be back in the district during the interim
and connecting with all of you again. It’s a privilege to serve as your state
representative and although I am back home, my commitment to serving and
leading our community doesn’t stop when the Legislature concludes. I am
thankful to have the opportunity to share with you what I am working on during
this time.
Education first, always
First, I want to recognize that Teacher Appreciation Week is
May 2-6, 2016. Thank you, teachers, for all you do to educate and invest in our
students. Building a stronger education system in Oregon has always been a top priority
of mine, and I’m proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish over the last five
years as your legislator. It hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve fought hard to
improve what Oregon can do in education. I will continue to focus on ways we
can set our kids up for success, achieve better outcomes in the classroom and
find solutions to challenges at every education level. I’m working with my
colleagues in the legislature as well as with families, community colleges,
educators and students around the district to plan ahead for the 2017
legislative session.
One bill I will be introducing will increase efficiency at
the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, or TSPC. As the licensing
agency for educators, TSPC is responsible for issuing and renewing licenses.
Educators have experienced frustration when trying to complete licensing
requirements such as delays in processing, loss of paperwork, etc. Now, a new
topic arising is the certification of technical professionals that want to be
teaching in the classroom. There is currently no process for these
professionals to go into a classroom and share their personal knowledge as an
instructor. This is especially unfortunate because career and technical
education is a growing part of our economy. There are opportunities for
students right out of high school or those continuing education in a particular
field, but we need to have instructors ready to teach. Creating efficiency at
TSPC will relieve frustration for current teachers and open new doors for the
futures of our students.
Continuing to increase access to post-secondary education is
an important step for Oregon. This includes adults that, for whatever reason,
need to return to college in order to begin a new job. The Oregon Promise was a
big step forward in helping recent high school graduates enter community
college. I will continue to focus on ensuring this program is successful and
will research creating a parallel program that offers similar opportunities to
adults taking a new direction.
Oregon’s Vast Recreation Industry
House District 52 is home to some of the most remarkable
recreational activities available in Oregon. It’s incredible just how diverse
our recreational and tourism industry is here—and also, how vulnerable it can
be. Our weak recreational liability laws are a huge risk for consumers and
business owners alike. Last session, I fought to update the ski statutes, and
while that was unsuccessful, I was able to add some language into legislation
that will have us look at some of the barriers to recreational tourism. Since
then, a grassroots organization has been formed to advocate for these
recreation businesses and for the needs of the consumers these businesses serve
before the 2017 Legislature. You can join their efforts by visiting oregonbigtent.org.
It’s important that we work together to make sure everyone can safely,
responsibly and equally enjoy all that Oregon has to offer.
Meeting on Craft Consumables
Small businesses are what build great communities – they
bring culture and diversity, create jobs and support our economies, and they
change the dynamics for how we all work together to build our futures. My
office participated in a “craft consumables” meeting put together by Rep
Lininger (D-Lake Oswego) to discuss ways to help Oregon's craft food and
beverage sector grow. Legislators from both sides of the aisle were in the
room, along with producers of a variety of craft products. We listened to the
hurdles that these businesses encounter and we brainstormed solutions. Here are
a few of the topics that were discussed:
• Need for Oregon Research & Development (R&D)
capacity: Consider investing in Oregon universities' capacity to fulfill that
function so businesses do not have to seek R&D support from institutions
outside of Oregon.
• Access to skilled workers: Invest in university training
programs for skilled workers; ensure access for workers who can hand-harvest;
support development of a craft food and beverage ecosystem that helps Oregon
businesses attract and retain top talent.
• Vertical integration and direct access for customers:
Adapt land use requirements to allow for direct customer access, development of
tasting rooms, and integration of production and processing facilities.
• Branding and tourism: Consider use of transient room tax
resources to expand tourism in the craft food and beverage sector and to
strengthen Brand Oregon.
I believe Oregonians are unique in our ability to provide
craft products. These industries create jobs across our state and are large
contributors to our economy, which is why finding solutions now will help us
remain strong and competitive nationally. There will be a hearing before House
Special Committee on Small Business Growth During May Legislative Days (May
23-25). The hearing will be on craft consumables with a focus on producers
identifying obstacles they face and potential solutions. Please contact me if
you would like more information on how to participate in this hearing.
Working with you, for you
Serving as your legislator is extremely important to me and
a role I do not take lightly, but I am living and working in House District 52
every day just like you — as a neighbor, small business owner, family man and
an Oregonian. Having conversations at community meetings or over coffee with constituents
or with someone at the grocery store or the Saturday market keeps me best
informed about what’s happening in our district and what I need to do in Salem
to better serve as your state representative.
I hope you’ll stay in touch with me throughout the interim.
My office is available to discuss any issue you have questions about, need
assistance with or just want to discuss overall.
The best ways to stay in touch with me and find out about my
events are by joining my newsletter at www.repmarkjohnson.com/newsletter-signup,
emailing me at rep.markjohnson@state.or.us, or by calling my office at
503-986-1452. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve House District 52.
(Mark Johnson is the House District 52 Representative.)
|
| The history of Earth Day by Mary Soots on 04/30/2016
I remember it like it was yesterday. Standing in front of my
family’s home talking with my sisters, I pulled out a piece of gum and threw
the wrapper on the ground. My sister Theresa stooped down to retrieve it, telling
me that I was “polluting.” It was the mid-1970s and this was a whole new
concept, that I was responsible for creating an environmental problem. This was
at a time when you would go to the drive-in, get your food and then throw the
garbage out the window without any thought to where it might go.
We’ve come so far from where we were at that time and as a
global society we have learned so much more about how our actions affect our
planet and our own, as well as the rest of God’s creations’ well-being. I would
like to reflect back on how our consciousness has evolved around our
environment, and to the history of a movement.
Each year, Earth Day—April 22—marks the anniversary of the
birth of the modern environmental movement. The height of counterculture in the
United States, 1970, brought the death of Jimi Hendrix, the last Beatles album
and Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” War raged in Vietnam
and students nationwide overwhelmingly opposed it.
At the time, Americans were slurping leaded gas through
massive V-8 sedans. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of
legal consequences or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the
smell of prosperity. The publication of Rachel Carson’s New York Times
bestseller Silent Spring in 1962 represented a watershed moment, selling more
than 500,000 copies in 24 countries, beginning to raise public awareness and
concern for living organisms, the environment and links between pollution and
public health.
The idea for a national day to focus on the environment came
to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after
witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Inspired by the student anti-war movement, he realized that if he could infuse
that energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water
pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political
agenda. Senator Nelson announced the idea for a “national teach-in on the
environment” to the national media; persuaded Pete McCloskey, a
conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair; and
recruited Denis Hayes from Harvard as national coordinator. Hayes built a
national staff of 85 to promote events across the land. April 22, falling
between Spring Break and Final Exams, was selected as the date.
On April 22,1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets,
parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in
massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities
organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that
had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw
sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness and the
extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.
Earth Day 1970 achieved a rare political alignment,
enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, city slickers
and farmers, tycoons and labor leaders. By the end of that year, the first
Earth Day had led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection
Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species
Acts. “It was a gamble,” Gaylord recalled, “but it worked.”
As 1990 approached, a group of environmental leaders asked
Denis Hayes to organize another big campaign. This time, Earth Day went global,
mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting environmental issues
onto the world stage. Earth Day 1990 gave a huge boost to recycling efforts
worldwide and helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in
Rio de Janeiro.
As the millennium approached, Hayes agreed to spearhead
another campaign, this time focused on global warming and a push for clean
energy. With 5,000 environmental groups in a record 184 countries reaching out
to hundreds of millions of people, Earth Day 2000 combined the big-picture
feistiness of the first Earth Day with the international grassroots activism of
Earth Day 1990. Earth Day 2000 used the power of the Internet to organize
activists, [and] sent world leaders the loud and clear message that citizens
around the world wanted quick and decisive action on global warming and clean
energy.
Much like 1970, Earth Day 2010 came at a time of great
challenge for the environmental community. Climate change deniers, well-funded
oil lobbyists, reticent politicians, a disinterested public and a divided
environmental community all contributed to the narrative—cynicism versus
activism. Despite these challenges, Earth Day prevailed and Earth Day Network
reestablished Earth Day as a relevant, powerful focal point. Earth Day Network
brought 250,000 people to the National Mall for a Climate Rally, launched the
world’s largest environmental service project – A Billion Acts of Green –
introduced a global tree planting initiative that has since grown into The
Canopy Project, and engaged 22,000 partners in 192 countries in observing Earth
Day.
Earth Day had reached into its current status as the largest
secular observance in the world, celebrated by more than a billion people every
year, and a day of action that changes human behavior and provokes policy
changes.
Today, the fight for a clean environment continues with
increasing urgency, as the ravages of climate change become more manifest every
day.
The previous are excerpts from the eartday.org website.
|
| May offers above average temps for the mountain by on 04/30/2016
Precipitation during the first three weeks of April was at a
record low, with only six days receiving measureable amounts. Sunshine and warm
temperatures were also in record breaking territory. The rest of the month
returned to weather more typical for April. The record in Brightwood for
average high temperature is 64.2 degrees for April set in 1987, and this year
put it at risk. The winter snow total in Brightwood amounted to 7.75 inches
which is only 29 percent of the average 26.7 inches. Although the winter
snowfall in Government Camp exceeded last year’s, the amount this April was a
scant six inches, due to the warm, dry month.
The National Weather Service remains influenced
predominantly by the continuing El Nino conditions, but has now discounted any
influence from the previous MJO activity. Our area is forecast to have well
above average temperatures for May with precipitation near or slightly lower
than average.
During May, Brightwood has an average high temperature of
63, an average low of 43, and a precipitation average of 5.88 inches. During
the past ten years, high temperatures have reached the 90s twice, into the 80s
during six years and the 70s twice. Low temperatures had one year down to 29
degrees, and the other nine years dropping into the 30s. Measureable snowfall
during May occurred only twice from records dating back over 60 years – with
two inches recorded on May 20, 1960, and two inches recently on May 5, 2010.
During May, Government Camp has an average high temperature
of 53 degrees, an average low of 35 degrees and a precipitation average of 5.39
inches, including 6.7 inches of snow.
During the past ten years, high temperatures have had two
years in the 80s, six in the 70s, and one year each in the 60s and 50s. Low
temperatures had eight years in the 20s and two years in the 30s. The record
snowfall for May was recorded in 1974 with 32 inches. The record 24-hour
snowfall was set fairly recently with 13 inches measured on May 13, 2000.
|
| Accessories that make a difference for your camera by Gary Randall on 04/30/2016
Last month I shared a few thoughts to consider when choosing
the right digital camera for your use. I mentioned how one can easily get by
with just their cell phone camera, while others will consider much more when
deciding on a camera and will decide on a Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) or
Mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses.
This month I want to cover a few accessories you will need
sooner or later when taking photos with a DSLR camera.
Lenses: I recommend a wide angle to mid range zoom such as
an 18-55mm and a 55-200mm will also come in handy. Many times a camera kit will
come with both lenses. One can get spend a bit more and get an 18-200mm. Then
you will have the most common range in a single lens.
A good backpack: your backpack will be your first line of
defense from damage to your gear. Make sure that you get one that’s well padded
and has partitions for your body and lenses. I like to make sure mine has an
extra compartment for a lunch or a jacket.
A solid tripod: a tripod is used as a steady platform to
place your camera on while taking a photo, typically during a longer exposure.
You usually don’t need to use a tripod if your shutter speed is fast enough to
keep the shot from blurring due to motion. Examples of when you would want to use
a tripod is if you’re taking a photo in dim light, or if you are taking a
longer exposure of a waterfall for instance.
Don’t scrimp on a tripod. You don’t need an expensive one,
but don’t get a cheap wobbly one that will fail in the field or shake at the
hint of a wind.
Filters: the only filter that I can’t live without is a
circular polarizer to reduce glare or to enhance the blue of the sky. Many
people use a UV, or Ultraviolet filter, but because digital cameras have a
filter on the sensor to do it, a UV filter is now used to protect the front
element of the lens.
A warning about using filters at night or with bright
lights: you can get light refracting between the lens and the filter. City
lights are a good example where you want to remove your filter.
Memory cards: get good memory cards that have good
read/write speeds. It helps the camera write the photos to the card quicker as
well as downloading to your computer. A fast card will help a lot if you’re
doing a burst of a continuous sequence of photos.
A better card will be less apt to fail on you. There’s
nothing worse that losing a whole memory card of irreplaceable photos.
Camera strap: a good camera strap will save your camera from
hitting the deck. If you’re walking around with it, sling it around your neck.
I buy neoprene straps with buckles that allow me to remove the strap from the
camera while it’s on the tripod. It keeps the strap from getting caught on my
arm and knocking the tripod over, plus it keeps the camera steadier without the
strap flapping in the wind.
A remote shutter release: it’s very easy to get shake and
slight motion blur in your photos by pushing the shutter button down while
mounted on a tripod. A remote shutter release will keep this from happening.
They connect via a wire or via remote. I use the wired type because I find them
more reliable.
Computer: these days the digital cameras are making some
amazingly fine and detailed photos, but that quality can come with a price.
Processor speed, memory and storage will be taxed if you have an older
computer. Make sure that you have plenty of room to store your photos on your
machine, and consider backing them up to a separate external hard drive in case
of computer failure.
I recommend deleting any photo that you deem a failure to
save hard drive space. Today’s cloud storage services provide a great place to
backup your photos. Another practical solution is to sign up to sharing sites
such as Flickr or even printing sites such as SmugMug to store your photos.
The bottom line: my approach to photography, and most things
in life, are to keep it all simple. You don’t need a truck full of doo-dads,
gizmos and what-nots to take a good photo. Your best accessory to your
photography is going to be your knowledge of your camera and how to use it on
manual to have control of the light that makes your photos.
(Gary Randall is a mountain photographer and graphic artist.
Find him and updates on his photography classes on Twitter (@thegaryarandall),
Facebook, Instagram and www.gary-randall.com.)
|
| The View Finder: What to look for in a camera by Gary Randall on 04/01/2016
There’s the old adage that, the best camera is the one that
you have with you, and a lot can be said for that.
You can’t take a photo if you don’t have a camera in your
hand. This role is easily served well by the modern cell phones, which could be
considered a camera first and a phone second in many cases. Most of the time
the photos that are made are perfectly acceptable. With a little experience and
an application or two and an Instagram account one can call it good and their
photographic needs are taken care of.
Because cell phones have their limitations, if a person
wants to be able to take a little better quality photo, especially in
challenging light or fast action, they can choose some excellent cameras today
that make the pro models from years past look primitive, even at entry and
bridge camera levels. A bridge camera, or prosumer camera, is one that gives
the user the ability to either shoot in automatic, programmed modes or manual
mode. Generally speaking they don’t have interchangeable lenses but have a
large zoom range. Some offer from 24-1000mm equivalent focal length zoom
capabilities. These cameras usually run from around $300 to $1000, with the
average around $500 to $600 and cover the majority of the needs of the average
consumer or hobbyist.
The next step up the progression of abilities are the
Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) cameras. The majority of serious hobbyists or
professional photographers will want to own a DSLR camera because of their
increased capabilities such as more control, larger file sizes for larger
printing, lower light capabilities, better lenses etc. I tell anyone who is
considering buying a DSLR camera that if they don’t plan on learning how to use
it on any other setting than Auto to not bother with the expense as the Bridge
cameras will give you the equivalent image. An entry level DSLR can cost as
little as $500 for the camera body with lenses additional, up to $6000 - $8000
for a pro model with a myriad of costs and models between. I will cover the
differences in the different types of DSLR cameras in a future article.
It is important to note that technology marches on and in
the next few years we can see a shift in the camera paradigm since the Japanese
35mm film SLR’s came to the consumer market in the 1950’s. The next big thing
in cameras is the elimination of the mirror mechanism that’s the main part of
the single lens reflex camera. The mirrorless cameras have no moving parts and
the sensor controls the exposure. Another benefit is that they are smaller and
lighter. Manufacturers such as Sony, Fuji and Panasonic are leading the way
while, oddly, the big guys Canon and Nikon seem to be dragging their feet at
this time, but it’s logical that all of the other will follow suit soon.
I always tell anyone who wants to use a camera as a hobby to
create artistic images that it matters little the type of camera. I have made
beautiful photos with a wooden pinhole camera and 120 film. A pinhole camera
is, essentially, a box with a little hole in the front. The photographer
uncovers the hole for a moment to expose the film and then covers it again. I
have made some photos with an old Brownie Hawkeye that would rival a
Hasselblad. Don’t use the excuse that you don’t have a good camera to start
taking photos. Use what you have. Learn how to use it. Learn what good and bad
light is. Learn a few composition rules and practice. Learning photography is
like any skill. It takes a lot of practice. And the true art of photography
doesn’t depend on cost or complexity of the paintbrush. There’s a lot to be said
about using gear that is more suited to your skill level and growing to the
point where the camera’s limitations are limiting your own. I always say that a
pair of fancy golf shoes or an expensive titanium driver is not going to help
my golf game. If I were a pro or a very good hobbyist, maybe.
I have not addressed or endorsed a recommended brand.
There’s no reason to choose one over the other. Arguing about Canon or Nikon is
like arguing about Ford or Chevy. It’s all about personal preference. The brands
do what brands do. They leap frog each other to try to have the best. We all
win because of it. The main reason that a person chooses one brand over the
other is the user interface or lens selection. And once you choose a brand and
invest in a few lenses, one has little incentive to change brands just to buy a
whole new set of lenses, which is indeed something to consider when choosing a
brand.
I should also mention that if you are an old film fan you
can still purchase film and have it developed, but, sadly they have taken our
Kodachrome away!
(Gary Randall is a mountain photographer and graphic artist.
Find him and updates on his photography classes on Twitter (@thegaryarandall),
Facebook, Instagram and his website, www.gary-randall.com.) |
| Making healthier choices for us and for Earth by Victoria Larson on 04/01/2016
You’ve heard the expression, “If you’re not part of the
solution, you’re part of the pollution.” During this “Earth Day” month, lets
look to the source of our health: our air, our water, our food, our sustenance.
Our nation’s worst air is said to be in New Orleans. I’ve been there, twenty
years ago, and it didn’t seem so bad. China’s air is the worst I’ve seen. I’ve
been there too. I’ve never been to Mexico City but I understand it’s really bad
there.
Because air pollution usually comes to us slowly, we really
don’t notice it. I’ve lived in Los Angeles where the smog caused me to cover my
nose and mouth while travelling the freeways. The air stung my eyes and made
breathing uncomfortable. My beautiful cat died of lung cancer, as did some of
my chickens. And I lived in “the country” outside of L.A. forty years ago. Now
the smog over Portland and surrounding areas often looks like L.A. forty years
ago. And now I live in “the country” again. Around here, in the areas
surrounding Portland. It’s here too, people. All around us. And we’re part of
the problem. Forty-nine carcinogens are in the air around us.
And there’s pollution in our soils too. And in the water.
It’s finally catching up to us. And it’s not just in “certain areas” that may
or may not be in the news. This has been creeping into our lives for a long
time. Our Earth is a biological system. Just like we are. If we want to be
healthy, we need to care for our Mother, our Earth. Since WWII we’ve been
glutinous, not just with food but with everything. More, more, more is not
sustainable. Taking without giving back is not a viable equation.
Bigger is not necessarily better and in fact is often worse.
Big corporations, oil companies and banks hold the world’s wealth. What can we
do? Lower our expectations by just saying “no.” Shopping carefully, frugally,
locally, keeps your spending down. Driving less keeps more of your money in
your pocket and keeps you from playing the “gas price game.” Growing
organically or biodynamically gives back to the soil (compost, cover cropping)
to decrease or eliminate the use of chemical fertilizers and herbicides.
NASA reports tell us that 350 parts per million of carbon
dioxide is the maximum concentration humans are adapted to as our currently
evolved species. To its credit, the Big City (as we outlanders sometimes refer
to it) of Portland managed to decrease its per capita carbon emissions by more
than ten percent, mostly due to increased bike paths. It’s unfortunate that
biking in the outlying areas is often less safe than in the city!
When I first moved to my farm, twenty-eight years ago, I remember
counting how many cars drove by in a day. That number was somewhere between six
and twelve cars and a few pick-up trucks, maybe the occasional tractor. Now at
least three log trucks, three container freight trucks, and sixty to ninety
cars speed by every day. Maybe it’s a farm but I’m not still in “the country”
am I?
We need to be more accountable, more mindful. Almost one
dollar of every amount of money spent in a supermarket goes to cover the cost
of advertising, packaging, storage and transportation. Is that what you really
need to be paying for? One out of every four vegetables or fruits never even
makes it to our tables because they spoil in transit or storage. Gratefully,
many stores now inform us of locally produced items, though “local” is a variable
term. Still, it’s something. Nonetheless, if not locally raised (for instance,
out of season foods) the average distance that your supermarket food has
traveled is twelve hundred miles! Maybe we don’t need strawberries in December.
Lingonberries would be just as red and as delicious.
In 1960 the average person in the developed world ate 116
pounds of meat protein. Now that figure is well over 200 pounds per person, per
year. Don’t get me wrong, the Paleo and GAPS diets are fine, but there is no
question that we need to move towards a more plant based diet. It takes eleven
times more fossil fuel to raise a pound of animal protein as it does to raise a
pound of plant protein. Plants are really good for you.
Food is important. It’s time to learn to cook, to spend more
time in the kitchen and in the garden. We should attempt to get six to ten
servings of variably pigmented produce into us each day. Doing so would
eliminate many of the digestive and elimination and obesity problems facing so
many Americans today. It takes approximately four hundred gallons of oil each
year to feed an American, and that’s just in packaging, refrigeration and
cooking. Are we “eating oil” and spewing out greenhouse gasses? Perhaps we
could eat more of our vegetables raw if tolerated. Spring is arriving and now
that’s more likely and possible.
We need to be more mindful. Make some lifestyle changes.
When a video game console is on, it can use as much electricity as a couple of
refrigerators. Turn your refrigerator down. It’ll be cold enough. Turn your
water heater down. It’ll be hot enough. Take fewer baths or showers. Unless
your job has you getting really dirty, don’t even bathe daily. It’s hard on
your hair and skin to do so. If we learn to turn off the water while scrubbing
our hands, we can conserve water. Or make a rain barrel.
Insatiable is not sustainable. We can be part of the
solution, we just need to curb our voracious appetites. |
| A spring feast by Taeler Butel on 04/01/2016
Spaghetti squash bake
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 cup minced mushrooms
1 t rosemary
1/2 t basil
1/2 t oregano
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 t each salt & pepper
3 cups freshly grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Poke holes all over squash with a knife; bake in microwave
10 minutes. Let sit for five mimnutes, cut in half, scoop out the seeds and
discard (or keep if you’re planning to roast them). Place the two halves
cut-side down in a large baking dish or rimmed sheet pan.
Bake for 45 minutes to one hour. Once the squash has cooled,
use a fork and scrape the flesh of the squash and set aside.
In a 10-inch skillet add the butter and olive oil. Add in
the chopped onion and grated carrot. Cook for five to eight minutes or until
the onion is soft and translucent. Remove the cooked onion and carrots to a
plate, and set it off to the side.
Add the sliced zucchini squash to the pan. Increase the heat
to medium-high and cook until the vegetables start to soften and turn a little
golden, stirring occasionally.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the minced mushrooms and
garlic. Stir and cook for two to three minutes.
Add the cooked onion and carrot, rosemary, basil and oregano
and cook for one additional minute.
Next pour in the can of crushed tomatoes and wine, and add
the sugar, salt and pepper. Stir and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
In a rectangular baking dish (7x11), add a spoonful of the
sauce and spread it around the bottom of the pan. Evenly lay down half of the
spaghetti squash and season with a little salt and black pepper.
Top with half of the sauce, a cup of the grated mozzarella
and a quarter cup of the grated parmesan.
Layer the rest of the spaghetti squash, more salt and
pepper, the remaining sauce and the remaining two cups of grated mozzarella.
Sprinkle the remaining quarter cup of parmesan over top.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Let cool for 15
minutes before slicing and serving.
Quinoa taco bowls
1 lb ground chicken or turkey
1/2 yellow onion diced
1 can black beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 can diced tomatoes w/chiles
1 t each cumin - salt- chili powder
1 T oil for cooking
1 cup quinoa cooked
1/4 cup copped cilantro
Toppings- sliced olives, salsa, shredded Monterey Jack
cheese, lettuce, guacamole etc.
In a large skillet warm oil over med/high heat add chopped
onion, spices and ground turkey breaking up turkey with a wooden spoon.
Cook meat throughly. Add in canned tomatoes quinoa, corn and
beans. Top with cilantro and toppings of your choice.
Broccoli salad
1 bag broccoli slaw
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/4 cup sunflower seed kernals
1/2 cup cooked sliced bacon
1/4 cup sliced button mushrooms
1/2 cup poppyseed dressing
Toss all ingredients in a large bowl; salad can be
refrigerated as it will not wilt like lettuce. |
| What’s next after 2016 legislative session by on 04/01/2016
We just finished a fast and furious short session in Salem
and now I am back home in Hood River. And although we have 11 months until the
next session, I’m using this time to look ahead and prepare. As an experienced
member of the Legislature, I know the interim is a time to connect with my
constituents, be engaged in the various communities of House District 52, and
really delve into and research issues that can make a positive difference. So
here is a sneak peek at the life of your Legislator over the next month.
One area that I will be focused on in the coming weeks is
the Columbia River Historic Highway. I was appointed by Governor Brown to be a
co-convener of a collaborative taskforce which is tasked with addressing issues
stemming from overcrowding along the Gorge. It’s no secret that the Gorge is an
extremely popular tourist destination for both in-state and out of state
visitors. The tremendous increase in visitor counts is putting great pressure
on existing resources. In May we will be having a signing ceremony to present
our proposed changes along with celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the
Historic Highway. The event will feature an announcement of how various
agencies and stakeholders agree to do their part to alleviate the congestion
along the Highway so that people who live in that area, and visitors, can enjoy
it without inflicting harm on the natural resource.
Another way I will stay connected is by doing presentations
in the various communities that make-up HD 52. In the next month I will get the
opportunity to present to the One Gorge group about how the work that we did in
the February session resulted in streamlining the process for the Port of Hood
River to access federal funds to assist with the eventual replacement of the
bridge at Hood River. I will also be hosting three town halls (Welches and Hood
River in March, and Sandy on April 18, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the library) to share
a debrief of the short Legislative session with my constituents and get
feedback on current issues and future solutions. I will be doing similar
presentations at the Rotary and area Chambers. See below for a list of ways
that you can hear about my events and stay engaged.
As we move through the interim I will also be focused on
researching various policy ideas. Education is a key priority of mine, so my
office is already looking ahead to the ‘17 session and researching potential
legislation that can improve outcomes for students. Over the coming months my
staff and I will be meeting with teachers, superintendents, and other
stakeholders and listening to their ideas about practical changes that could be
made to improve public education in Oregon. We will also be sharing our
findings with my legislative colleagues in order to build bipartisan support
for our efforts to better prepare our students for college or career. I will
also have the opportunity to participate in national education conferences that
will deepen my understanding of what other states are doing to improve outcomes
for their students.
And last, but not least, while I’m home in Hood River, my
wife Melodi and I like to play tourist!
It’s nice to be able to go wine tasting, try a new
restaurant or find a new hike with a spectacular view. In the Gorge and up on
Mount Hood, there’s always a new place to explore. Enjoying this time in the
district is important because it allows me to deepen my understanding of each
of our communities and their diverse needs. Having the time to travel
throughout the area and explore deepens my appreciation for what a special
place this is.
As always, I want to be available to all of my constituents,
so I hope you’ll stay in touch with me throughout the interim. My office is
available and open to discussing any issue that you need assistance with or
just have questions about. The best ways to stay in touch with me, and find out
about my events, are:
Join my newsletter at:
www.repmarkjohnson.com/newsletter-signup
Email me: rep.markjohnson@state.or.us
Calling my office: 503-986-1452
Thank you for the
opportunity to serve House District 52.
(Mark Johnson is the House District 52 Representative.) |
| Mitchell Zuckoff takes readers behind Benghazi attacks by on 04/01/2016
Yes, this book is about THAT Benghazi incident. With the
help of a group of security personnel who survived the dreadful attacks on the
US Embassy and Annex In Benghazi, Syria on Sept. 11, 2012 – resulting in the
death of US Ambassador Chris Stevens among others – author Zuckoff has collected
a detailed account of the terrifying attacks and the puzzling delay in U.S.
response to the threats and attacks.
Even at the time, it was hard for the protection details on
the ground In Benghazi to understand why governmental authorities failed to
prioritize the warnings – and then the attacks – or the many delays in
responses that were finally authorized. And it is hard not to agree that lives
would have been saved – including that of US Ambassador Chris Stevens – if
additional protection had been provided when requested.
Individual first-hand accounts from Mark “Oz” Geist, Kris
“Tanto” Paronto, John “Tig” Tiegen, Jack Silva, Dave “D.B.” Benton and Tyrone
“Rone” Woods provide clear descriptions of the military challenges faced once
the attacks on the embassy compound begin, eventually spilling over to the CIA
annex location a few miles away with each wave of attack more serious than the
last. They also describe in detail the frustrating search for ambassador
Stevens in the smoky, burning embassy complex.
While the sympathies of the readers are certainly with the
plight of Ambassador Stevens, it is the personal experiences and
decision-making of the security teams facing impossible odds that have our full
attention.
And when casualties and deaths occur, these are the
participants who have our primary sympathies – in large part because we have
been experiencing the events through their eyes and emotions.
Have lessons been learned? It’s hard to say why events
unraveled in the manner they did or if challenges in the future would be
handled differently. For this reason, it is worthwhile to explore the attacks
in Benghazi on Sept. 11 and 12, 2012 and for appropriate reflection on US
preparation and planning.
Readers who enjoy military procedurals will certainly enjoy
this tense account which has lessons for us all. However, expect to be haunted
by the stories contained in this volume and skillfully collected by author
Zuckoff. |
| You owe it to the world to pursue your weirdness by Ned Hickson on 04/01/2016
As an Oregonian who spent several years living in
Portlandia, I feel the city’s unofficial mantra “Keep Portland Weird” is a
noble pursuit. The world needs weird. Not the current presidential candidates
kind-of-weird, which is like a Stephen-King-horror-novel-with-a-rabid-dog-and-terrifying-clown-kind-of-weird.
No, I’m talking about a less volatile, better coiffed and
more enjoya |
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