tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89918423000298579222024-03-13T02:02:22.541-07:00The Bicycle DiaryA journal about my adventures in the city by the bay. Read my thoughts and commentaries on random events that take place while I traverse the city via bicycle.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-85941938936932967382007-05-04T00:28:00.000-07:002011-02-19T20:08:01.456-08:00Vultures<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLMJjZDCOCHR6CO1T2DtcUOrYHUANcBi_SvaFG0fadJ741g5rOxUuCfGlhtxV6giA1APObob95Sv1lhaU-xTV8CMA5Ezm1Qbu19zeVK8jhXhhCWy7E8vqcolhRvvLHah-HxOAMYOQLtO8/s1600-h/credit+card+offers.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5060609856348466690" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLMJjZDCOCHR6CO1T2DtcUOrYHUANcBi_SvaFG0fadJ741g5rOxUuCfGlhtxV6giA1APObob95Sv1lhaU-xTV8CMA5Ezm1Qbu19zeVK8jhXhhCWy7E8vqcolhRvvLHah-HxOAMYOQLtO8/s320/credit+card+offers.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Credit Card Companies! They love college students, we prove easy targets for companies looking to cash in with high interest credit, often 20% or more for credit card balances. Credit card companies go to great lengths to enlist heavy spending, debt ignorant college students in their credit programs, often an industry standard 0% APR for a fixed amount of time, enticing students to spend frivolously now, thinking they can easily pay it off before their rates change.</div><br /><div></div><div>However, spending self discipline is one of the hardest aspects of college life for students to master. All three of my roommates have some amount of credit card debt, and while I have and use my own credit card I am very careful to pay my bill in full to avoid <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">exorbitant</span> interest fees.</div><br /><div></div><div>Credit card offers form the majority of our daily mail, with solicitations coming from an increasingly diverse pool of companies offering teaser rates and creative reward schemes to entice customers. Credit card companies also compete with one another for the privilege of holding your debt in their account by offering 0% on balance transfers to get students to shuffle debt from other accounts to the new one. This entices students to open multiple accounts, which could lead to substantial debt, and if you miss a payment, a lower credit score, or even bankruptcy. </div><br /><div></div><div>There is a national Do Not Call list for telemarketers, why don't we make one for 'junk mail,' especially for credit card companies. Credit card offers don't bother us during dinner, but they are very much unwanted and annoying as well as wasteful. Creating a national Do Not Mail list would be just as effective as the Do Not Call list and would also cut down on wasted paper.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-62346444243979576242007-04-29T13:06:00.000-07:002007-04-29T13:34:43.017-07:00What I Missed This Weekend<div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">I was at Ocean Beach twice this past weekend enjoying the beautiful weather. I ran through the park, waving to people I know, admiring the flowers and my fellow SFers out and about, but for all the people I saw in GGP and at the beach there was one group I really wish I had seen. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">On Saturday, a group of concerned citizens sent a very large message to President Bush. They positioned themselves on the sand at Ocean Beach to spell out 'IMPEACH NOW!' with their bodies and were then photographed from the air. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><a href="http://beachimpeach.org/sfa28_photos.html"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5058945749794794994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT4jgPu8WrmMKeVVtwcaouYXgOB4uPZGc8DhwolrNBM40PyDQe5axUqZk5a5B-vSq0coxNnqwKC_eG8gufPtNaRJPiuvXS2JXfrJW6qa-1B2OFjHVUYCVzEPJ2K7eZCD_be1g3Gr4o2Cgv/s320/impeach+now+ggp.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Note: I did not take nor do I own the copyright to this photograph</span></em></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">The Impeach message was the work of activist coordinator and SF cab driver Brad Newsham who was hoping to have 2,000 protesters at the event which was scheduled to coincide with the National Day of Protest Demanding Impeachment by the group Impeach'07. </span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">Watch a great video from the event <span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.ifilm.com/profile/james_cavenaugh/video/2827514">HERE</a></span>.</span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-56349751011117491172007-04-24T21:54:00.000-07:002007-04-24T22:44:11.567-07:00No Brakes? No Problem!Fixed gear biking is trendier than skinny jeans...well maybe not quite, but they do go hand in hand. This phenomenon has really taken off with the young and hip SF crowd.<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5057235618371579362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7GHXA1qyiLPeQsKkcsytQwpYA2A0ELcHwVFfs53mWV9NdPW1flYt3wzlM2gzb4HdZau-_7ickPjxEgj3IXRneEPBNhRS0oFPIe3uuH1F6iCZt23EqnvdE4yTnm4HP4Hi7dB1DvYddvns/s320/fixed+gear+bike.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Look closely, is there anything missing on this bike? </span></em><em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">If your answer is 'no' your either a SF hipster or your not looking hard enough.</span></em></p><p align="left">"Fixed gear" refers to a kind of street bicycle with no back brakes and if you're really bad ass, no front brakes either. In their advanced evolutionary development these bikes also managed to shed traces of any gears. Once the pride of of any high pedaling cyclist, those 12, 18 and even the 24 "speed" gears are now considered unnecessary junk, damned to the scrap pile. These days A true sign of San Francisco machismo is going without gears! </p><p align="left">So just how do San Francisco trendsetting cyclists coast their trusty mounts to a stop? Well let me tell you how I came to find out...</p>I do some volunteer work with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, including promotions and helping out with the Fix Masonic Campaign. This past week myself and the two other SFBC volunteers from USF manned a table at the Health Fair in USF's Harney plaza. While I was there I had the opportunity to try one of my colleagues "fixies" and he explained that since the pedals are permanently fixed to the chain, and thus the wheel axle, all I had to do was push back hard on the pedals and I would lock up the back tire, laying down rubber while coming to a screeching, smokey halt.<br /><br /><br />It's kind of like peeling out in your mom's car when you were 16, totally unnecessary yet totally fun. The rubber burns about as fast too.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-74310383081638583082007-04-22T19:08:00.000-07:002007-04-22T19:09:48.701-07:00The Politics of Fashion at USF<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3vKxZ0MDlXEruGSi4MoFyurEEdz7ztKDR-bydHuPAYdFEfj_cKauvoVIhYkSvfpg6KX6yd1CEDGNzmhdWVKK4_jJe5eXKlUQxd8PaM0hBsk0Sl6XQ-GeL0Rk9sZnGfplG2kRaMQhMTim/s1600-h/bush+for+blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056439804612822354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3vKxZ0MDlXEruGSi4MoFyurEEdz7ztKDR-bydHuPAYdFEfj_cKauvoVIhYkSvfpg6KX6yd1CEDGNzmhdWVKK4_jJe5eXKlUQxd8PaM0hBsk0Sl6XQ-GeL0Rk9sZnGfplG2kRaMQhMTim/s320/bush+for+blog.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-64331802776250049072007-04-19T11:24:00.000-07:002007-04-19T12:23:25.078-07:00Half Mast<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__nwrtD6_H3GgCWcrWAtUdYxRZMCFz-uDPp91GBtW5xgREseGtPM1HHEHnzwqeaVT3yiNTkbNLMycPdmGhdaf_xMFAOZ_fxSEBGKwBcTEH6WeF0WdO_SRSWuurSTB8k3T-o1i1neooH7Q/s1600-h/flag.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5055222022470616386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__nwrtD6_H3GgCWcrWAtUdYxRZMCFz-uDPp91GBtW5xgREseGtPM1HHEHnzwqeaVT3yiNTkbNLMycPdmGhdaf_xMFAOZ_fxSEBGKwBcTEH6WeF0WdO_SRSWuurSTB8k3T-o1i1neooH7Q/s320/flag.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The Virginia Tech massacre is to Universities what ___________ was to New York City. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>It often takes a tragedy to bring people together and the out-pour of support for Virgina Tech this past week has been incredible. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>USF has decided to lower their flags to half mast this week, and when I was downtown yesterday I observed that the Hotel Intercontinental had also lowered theirs. Many other Universities and Cities across the US have done the same, Mayor Bloomberg, of NYC, ordered all flags in his city be flown at half mast through the end of the week.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>On the Facebook, the online friend networking site, many people have changed their profile picture to that of the Virgina Tech <em>VT </em>logo, and have also created events in a show of support for the school and community who have, like the nation as a whole, been blown away by sadness and shock over what happened there this week.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I am proud of the solidarity Americans have shown for VT, and am equally proud that this event has not prompted racial violence or hatred. While some Asian authorities have expressed fear at the possibility of such violence, others have called into question the importance the media seems to have placed on the ethnic origin of the shooter, Cho Seung-Hiu, of South Korea. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>This horrible event will no doubt add new fuel to the fire on debates such as gun control, campus security, and scrutiny over who is to blame for not preventing such attacks. Will students in the future have psychological advisers they way many now have academic advisers? </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>For me the most serious question is ,will their be copycat attacks like their were after the Columbine shootings? College students face high rates of depression and some turn to suicide, Ceung-Hiu turned to violence and killing, will more follow in his footsteps?</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>My simple conclusion is this: Students who don't have a group of friends or other group or community to belong to are more likly to have these kinks of problems. An a future Resident Advisor and active community member at USF, I challenge myself to reach out to more people, to be a supportive friend, and to encourage others to get involved with what interests them. I ch allege you to do the same in your community, be it USF, another college, or other community. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>If some outgoing student had dragged Cho Seung-Hiu out to a bar for trivia night, or convinced him that they needed his unique insight on the debate team, or multicultural experience for model UN, maybe, maybe, this would not have happened. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-61858085960296020862007-04-16T21:40:00.000-07:002007-04-16T21:51:38.278-07:00Playing with AudioIt's not podcasting, not yet anyway, but it's really close. This weekend I played around with the idea of transmitting audio from a journalist style voice recorder to my computer where I edited it and put it on YouTube. It's not podcasting because you can't download it to your computer or listen on your ipod, hence the name podcasting.<br /><br />The audio is an interview I conducted with a Resident Advisor in one of the residence halls at the University of San Francisco.<br /><br />Listen: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dUQgwSRBts">part 1</a>, part 2.<br /><br />My next step will be to record cleaner sound, with constant audio levels, which can be downloaded.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-82122674064127393862007-04-16T00:01:00.000-07:002007-04-16T00:42:46.650-07:00Planet Earth: still awe inspiring after all these years<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/2379:2376/103-4574496-5769450"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5053928039622304098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="217" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xwSwd0npHdYatUqO_d0SFl13h9Nwq9F_Xs-DYFnmVmnTGtijMsiN9xH9xIFfiUoM7Ief3XVDGyxKkL8euShQsXcy_PL34C0REESk017gQUMWV2NLNGuh0-w1BoZqs8S1ZOkXqoleIQMF/s320/planet+earth+dvd.jpg" width="215" border="0" /></a>I've been watching more TV than usual lately, a lot more. The show that's sucked me in is a new twist on an old subject, a Discovery Channel mini series about the natural world we live in, titled appropriately and simply, <a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/planet-earth/planet-earth.html">Planet Earth</a>. Oh, and I fully admit, it sounds cliche, and unexciting, that is until you watch it.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Proclaimed, "the definitive look at the diversity of our planet," <a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/planet-earth/planet-earth.html">Planet Earth</a> culminates four years of shooting in 68 countries, all in high definition. The camera crew captures jaw dropping footage from every angle, in every environment in the world. From a seat on my couch I have watched lions bring down an elephant, a shark jump out of the water to bite a seal in half, in slow motion, dolphins hydroplane in the shallows to nab fish, and other astounding footage. The directors rely heavily on stop animation and slow motion, as well as a variety of remote control ed cameras.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The mini series features 12 documentaries each with a specific focus. Tonight I watched "Jungles," which focused on the Amazon and Congo rain forests. This segment uses stop animation to show how various fungi grow and spread out over the course of several weeks. We see a vine plant snake its way around a tree branch as if it were a live snake slithering to the upper canopy. This section lacks the intermittent violence of the other segments, with the possible exception of the part about the parasite that infects ants so they become crazy and are carried away from the colony by other ants. After some duration of time the parasite begins to grow tentacles out of the head of the dead ant, looking for something else to infect. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/planet-earth/planet-earth.html">Planet Earth</a> airs Sundays at 8pm on Discovery Channel. Also, some of the episodes are listed on demand for comcast cable subscribers.</div><div> </div><div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/2379:2376/103-4574496-5769450">Click here to watch a preview.</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-71498280545486957782007-04-12T18:00:00.000-07:002007-04-12T18:51:29.704-07:00From "is" to "was" the Passing of a Cultural Icon, My Hero, Kurt Vonnegut<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Vonnegut"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5052723743677407570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACI4A4J6ACbbTwOW09GBeEkzltLzxkBTfU10-MCiBbKtX8yKQV5Ox-lVuj31dPra_usXE9ETRG-DL19a201uDBorK-_OIb73CohYR0zvLINKSTuWS9pql58MuNFht5GR8qxD-fntR76Lv/s320/800px-Vonnegut12.jpg" border="0" /> Kurt Vonnegut</a> died yesterday in his home in New York City. He was 84 years old. Known formally as an author, famous for his many novels including "Slaughter House Five" and "Cat's Cradle."<br /><div></div><br /><div>Today, his website, <a href="http://www.vonnegut.com/">Vonnegut.com</a>, depicted an image of an empty birdcage with the door left ajar. Below was a caption (1922-2007) </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I was first introduced to Vonnegut as a junior in high school taking a course in contemporary literature. We read "Slaughter House Five," a book I loved instantly, one that will forever remain synonymous in my mind with other great works of literature I read that year including "Catcher in the Rye" and "One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest."</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>A master of creative writing, Vonnegut was more than an author, he is a social icon, a satirist, a respected and revered pessimist, and a cultural and political critic. Most importantly, Vonnegut's honest, funny and sarcastic style that is so evident in his books caused me to think critically, and to question the generally accepted conventions of society. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Vonnegut's last writing was "A Man Without a Country," a non-fiction reflection on his life and the society he refused to accept. The book has a dis-attached, slightly bitter tone, leaving me to think Vonnegut had given up on the rest of us. I wonder now, in the hours after his death, if he was at peace on his death bed, if he found comfort in the world he spent his live criticizing. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I hope so. I love you Kurt Vonnegut. You are my favorite author, you have taught me so much. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-48043378756587928692007-04-03T21:28:00.000-07:002007-04-04T00:24:45.526-07:00Dick Cheney to Give Commencement Speach to BYU Class of '07<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtH9FzBIXw1muxIk5K04CFfzHeprFARFbn0R4IhUgG2bTaD0EI3RrdBQD91TwctJqrBF_6_gRLTARjvipwT4FFNRZRLNS5FEK_tvUwTbC7S2Rqh9DTgsw2vI9LFC7mWWJiOVuhn9ITICCU/s1600-h/dick.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049469917317710594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtH9FzBIXw1muxIk5K04CFfzHeprFARFbn0R4IhUgG2bTaD0EI3RrdBQD91TwctJqrBF_6_gRLTARjvipwT4FFNRZRLNS5FEK_tvUwTbC7S2Rqh9DTgsw2vI9LFC7mWWJiOVuhn9ITICCU/s320/dick.jpg" border="0" /></a>What were they thinking when the administrators at <a href="http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/63676">Brigham Young University invited Dick Cheney to speak</a> at this years graduation ceremony? Despite that University's conservative reputation, many students were outraged and distributed a petition demanding the University's offer to Cheney be retracted.<br /><div></div><br /><div>I would hate it if Vice President Cheney spoke at out graduation. Apparently USF's graduation commencement speaker is always Father Privett. I was looking through the Office of the President page at USFCA.EDU and came across some of his old commercement speaches. <a href="http://www.usfca.edu/president/speeches/comm_05.html">This one is very moving</a>. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-6888182587223788112007-04-01T12:40:00.000-07:002007-04-01T12:45:07.417-07:00A Claim to FameThe Bicycle Diary is now ranked<span style="font-size:180%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong>#1,339,298</strong> on <a href="http://technorati.com/">Technorati,</a> a website ranking blog popularity based on how many sites link to a particular blog. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-37930277145077728602007-03-31T01:24:00.000-07:002007-03-31T22:26:52.294-07:00Critical Mass<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?saved=1"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048005882999319874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8UuGqUJieGm5lrGN3o7RojWs712jmpzq1biqC_2zLJofZ-vx5_Kf3GlMtcnaiCQXwJ2LQBNNkEKNsAl1qt95S1TjfhSgHi-GhZlJuWX8wDSXTa5O3B0yVwOsERhZYnaxtRMnzzIHYxDB/s320/critical+mass+6+small.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?saved=1"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048005887294287186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdL-RLXhY-iVEBDbK7p0uAmZtwM0EZWOb9xB3S2qleX4w5F74f4DnIT-Lm2MNt3rWdR1x5TgsKFLj_N66CA9_N1nw3K5eR2Y1yAzbq53wYKcg78ao9L1lVevL7k2h2J5eTWstb6q-G487/s320/critical+mass+10+small.jpg" border="0" /></a>As the bell in the Ferry Building Tower <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">tolls</span></span> 6 pm on last Friday of the month, a mass of bicycle enthusiasts gravitate toward <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Embarcadero</span></span> Plaza. The group grows in size <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">until</span> they become a single unit, a critical mass, at which point drums beat, whistles and horns blow, and the group takes to the streets for a wild <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">spontaneously</span> directed ride that can last <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">several</span> hours. This past Friday, the party included about 150 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">cyclists</span>, a group strong enough to dominate the street, if just for a little while, as bikers spend most of their time fending off angry motorists for a little space along the edge of the street.<br /><div></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?saved=1"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048005891589254498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvB_APXDgQqICXGWo4zkQkR3k3XAT3rkPtK6XFDe_l0JPAEJ1mFYaX6FhNQNzh4dbUmt0qZLzbEZMzAGfZW9WAoxX1ZIL6sXTiAa7jwv05dBVuTzZNqbYuWDKPbi8O0uDJXSifcbiPZ72I/s320/critical+mass+9+small.jpg" border="0" /></a>However, Critical Mass obeys no rules as its sprawling pack of riders run red lights, cut across intersections and bring traffic to a standstill. The group is tailed by several police vehicles; I assume there to keep the peace, because they <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">definitely</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">weren't</span> there to stop the pot smoking, drinking and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">pedaling</span>, or <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">blatant</span> disregard for traffic rules.<br /><div></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?saved=1"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048005895884221810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-afO49KGIpDgebfXr5owt57LfsF4CkJTpw9bDI555Pd4zye-0PEb7cggr9y8pgar19d1FRtYCSPr39wqGVPGq4X6pqfDuCgAovtTdpnDXLSoOW1TtGxOXQx1rdNFKNBT0Hep0pgOKzfw/s320/jesus+medium+small.jpg" border="0" /></a>I met one particularly festive cyclist, donning a costume he described as the "Nuclear Jesus," a statement in protest to US conflict with Iran. Nuclear Jesus, aka Eric Hansen, of Santa Barbara, said that he has been to Critical Mass several times, and also dresses up for other festivals, like when he was "Baby Jesus" at Burning Man last year. Hansen said that his costume at this Critical Mass was "a remake of an old <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">stereotype</span>," that he was "playing with a cultural icon," but didn't comment further. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Hanen</span></span> appeared to have already <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">ingested</span> much of his namesakes <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">symbolic</span>"blood," and also rode barefoot with a large wooden <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">crucifix</span> tied on his back.<br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-59553453146195863182007-03-31T00:13:00.000-07:002007-03-31T01:24:09.162-07:00Smoke Bubbles<div align="center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?saved=1"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048000784873139474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvfjXujmLsuJjX3NC3uNlttSNey6gtJV9tJvt8QeNbmAIUKVAKWy4DTsjVYk3yoOHSRE40WbkkL2ByoJAdxJyZ7ToCcHGO-M01B29I8fQjvmXtqMy376JHmkVLdzyUsKP-DKsMOHU7Wll/s320/nico+hooka+1+small.jpg" border="0" /></a> Smoking shisha in our hookah and blowing bubbles with the smoke.<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?saved=1"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048000789168106786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXEHYuuZ7wKLExEacli3zrTVOIITduF_K0yHPw3pEP9zcRUFz2GSOtjVLF6QeTiphB6xn96bnAlNVQUA1Vf8Wxj1zgAZ6dTNZGdPlP__nm9320Hh3l8sOemRteFTT2U55F3HCRg3LcNiN/s320/nico+hooka+2+small.jpg" border="0" /></a><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048000793463074098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJsyzZahs99-e3vFs_LXUk2HELYZ5hJEUxDszYEic1nrFw8woASQAgaA4xeNUCdlQ8P-fd6Mub1IyIlx-ggEa-Mq2FM_SsqUdlsCMt2YdDYRJObqFw1K4GDP1IB4YWVdrjQ9M9If0QHYR/s320/hooka+smoke+small.jpg" border="0" /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-20165388960502972652007-03-28T23:39:00.000-07:002007-03-29T01:12:54.774-07:00A Comment on The Media and Photography<div align="left">In 2008 all hell is going to break loose in the US: I will graduate from college, but of admittedly more importance, the American people will decide who shall lead this country for the proceeding four years. Hillary, the first women, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Obama</span>, the first non-white, Edwards, maybe Clark and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Sharpton</span>, prove to make things interesting, and that's just democratic side of the equation. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Political pundits are already predicting this to be the most expensive election of all time, topping the $1.01 billion spent on campaigning in 2004. Media, especially newspapers have faced declining ad revenue in recent years, but it appears the future cash cow of advertising revenue may exist in political boxing ring of presidential elections. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">With the excessive advertising and fundraising that is demanded of a presidential bid, there is no doubt in my mind that the American people will be exposed to a barrage of negative ads and pointed attacks between the candidates. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">While a photograph represents an actual event, it is not free of opinion or point of view. I think it is for this reason that the New York Times chooses almost exclusively to use a wide angle shot that captures a broad scene and not an individual person or object, for its front page image. In this way the viewer is able to decipher meaning from the larger image. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">The fact that photography can be used to guide people to one message that may or may not be the truth is very relevant to political ad campaigns. Two photographs taken of Hillary Clinton at a speaking event, from the same angle, or even the same camera, can portray her in very different ways, conveying messages that even contradict one another. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Allow me to demonstrate. I photographed the "Drugs in a Free Society: Prohibition or Legalization?" debate at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">USF</span> this past Tuesday. The event is one of many in a series titled Cicero's Podium, featuring distinguished scholars on different sides of a variety of topics. For this event, Ethan A. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Nadelmann</span>, Executive Director of the Drug Policy Alliance presented a case for the legalization of drugs, and specifically for "alternatives to the war on drugs." I captured the following two images of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Nadelmann</span>, they are similar yet how they portray him is starkly contrasted. </div><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047250131963981058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6yFgElRNLyKgkraI7OuTEmdAfSK2SjNfMPrWZ_cpfYDzrA3uG4E6wen-PGbIvSWp_QR_MNYlbw1Zlcv0eFArDLanF5qzWoQobWkzqF_bejjXGkoXF1FT34QcK0aS4ly_fC7nzJWB-kR4/s320/nadelmann+w+small.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><em>Here, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Nadelmann</span> looks to be making a compassionate point. He seems caring, trustworthy, a "good guy."<br /></em></p><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047250123374046450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgNpwC9xfA3nktCWO-mlECzh5bnyF1StJbuhk67w78hC9OYBaQM8Hn630u2Pw2MZTxLo8VSNlA3v0OaxlXIgo_dJV00L7qCbsBD8yyJuOq_NX-oFAt3ZTPs-BTE0Pm_pa3PqJZ_hzU3R5/s320/nadelmann+small.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="center"><em>Here he looks vicious, malicious, like someone you want to avoid in a dark alley.<br /></em></p><p align="left">It's easy to make a photograph bend to your whims, I wasn't even trying here, and I'm not talking about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Photoshop</span>, which makes a whole new realm of distorted truth possible. These two shots are taken within seconds of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">each other</span> from the same spot where I sat on the floor in the front of the room, and tell the same story: man talking at podium. Yet the message and mood of these shots couldn't be further apart. </p><p align="left">As campaign season heats up earlier than usual this election cycle, I expect to see a lot of this kind of advertising, distorted and loaded with spin. I vow to let me decisions be based on fact and issue, not songs, slogans, banners, photographs, and manipulated truth. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Unfortunately</span>, I feel that dramatic 30 second <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">TV</span> ads are what most impact the average American voter's election decision. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-58356541926613381342007-03-27T22:45:00.000-07:002007-03-27T23:24:12.390-07:00Experimenting with Atlas<a href="http://fmatlas.com/atlas2/jsp/login.jsp">Atlas</a> is a program that allows users to add maps to their blog or other online content, with custom locations plotted. Web sites like Yelp.com, and Google Maps use similar interactive maps to plot restaurants, and other points of interest to the user.<br /><div></div><br /><div>I will use <a href="http://fmatlas.com/atlas2/jsp/login.jsp">Atlas</a> to pinpoint the location of things I blog about here at The Bicycle Diary. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>My first experiment was to plot <a href="http://fmatlas.com/view/hunt444/20070328_TheFoghorn">the location of my office at the San Francisco Foghorn </a>newspaper, where I work as the Editor of Photography and Graphics. I spend a lot of hours in the Foghorn office; last night I there all night working toward our weekly production deadline of Tuesday morning. I slept on the office couch for a few hours between when I ran out of gas around 3:30 and when Starbucks opened at 5:30.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Today while wrapping up the details of the paper the mail came, and one letter was hand addressed to us with no return address or <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">other</span> markings except a post office stamp indicating it had passed through up-state New York. Inside was a piece of lined paper and this business card:</div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046854887598566626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1unHeEU1Z-6A3D_q4551LMJVzmzDbYYc21VaJmjy7vMNysrqK8XhUI6FBLzQxvHG8XrfttZaihnjRmcWLU2xDxqGYhyq3c5h5kjkk44EAG937o4wJ9ktp5h9WX3ylpwRbgFCVlLh8twtr/s320/letter+in+the+mail.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>I don't know what the point is, but someone took the time and effot to mail it.<br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-35719672230868177562007-03-25T02:35:00.000-07:002007-03-25T03:12:22.523-07:00Poleng for Dinner<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?saved=1"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045794841483009426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbQ0vFsmGI3cnEVZXWLECOFk2F2H-8ZQj2-nfbOic5Bqkny2qOhqdGoj8Lfy6nfPOSK4rI7r-csZrA2EU65lwH7LKbmKIXM9LDleDy4Dx_DN_wjGyOEjXzo9rAMOEENxKBOCd1DBZdewH/s320/poleng+restaurant+window.jpg" border="0" /></a> In my last post I talked about the realization I had earlier this week when it occurred to me that I live on the perfect street, specifically because of the proximate location of Starbucks, <a href="http://www.polenglounge.com/index.html">Poleng</a>, and Papalote, a restaurant/bar, and upscale taqueria, respectively.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?saved=1"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045794824303140194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCuYgn9_wcx5blCzSgvEEjogC6crW49zesSg-TbcyRMFXBPVUaofX3NcZOSFXDGOZm-tZb8QSRSghCEeX9xOATosywTDNIl7SQWSU41rCK7eYp3VtqDk0Fy-NGT3Sr78G6Dv9xxBwwyQt/s320/poleng+dumplings.jpg" border="0" /></a>All that blogging made me hungry and on my way home today I cruised into <a href="http://www.polenglounge.com/index.html">Poleng</a>, scoring a reservation for later tonight; which word on the street says is hard to come by. Our meal was incredible, after reading about the restaurant’s star head chef in the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/03/07/FDG54OFN9V1.DTL">SF Chronicle </a>last week, I’ve been eager to go for a full on dinner (before I had only been for drinks and happy hour snacks). We were most defiantly not disappointed as plate after plate of delectable Asian infused cuisine graced our table. We stared off with the Lumpia Shanghai ($6), a classic Filipino dish, which is like a smaller, crunchier egg role. Next, we had the Balanese Lemongrass Satay Sampi ($6.5) , which we both later agreed was our favorite dish of the night. This tender meat comes with a spicy peanut dipping sauce. Our third course was the Buddha’s Treasures ($6.5), a Chinese dumpling stuffed with vegetables, served with a spicy dipping sauce. We both agreed that this dish was our least favorite of the night, I liked the texture, and freshness of ingredients, but the overall flavor wasn’t a big winner in our book. The last dish was incredible, when the waiter described the tender nature of this pan seared cod preparation, he was alluding to the melt in your mouth dream, know on the menu as Golden Gindara ($12). This dish was served with a side of coconut rice, which was so good it could have been the main course all by its self.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?saved=1"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045794820008172882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 312px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 161px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="144" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7RRyzXWGra3zxuHA0t4-XvQssSRVqtyijBD5auoy-JIqGHSQvv5XsaQgvK3QDefFTf2RPaD2axRFQbkoTuXj1kcLK0tNRbd3eVUy2WWa2S43Au9h2oZQ2d_NDkS443YNGVVzmY3PNmJp/s320/poleng+lumpia.jpg" width="287" border="0" /></a><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045794828598107506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmPsT2nnjX0b_zNfHRHjXjNyfEmAovrxTbg3BobrzQJM1ip7pi-YFrHgqMsQczJhtgIEFGZR-cjA9fZdps7wZDpWc_ZRmgPvzh6L-hTMhKvPOu0KcwO5_OMzulxGGBxlt9Mufl0RnGKxWb/s320/poleng+cod.jpg" border="0" />When it came time for the dessert round, we were both too full and had to pass, but I hear good things about the rice pudding. Poleng serves exclusively “nibble and share” plates, which is a great way to sample the variety and uniqueness of the <a href="http://www.polenglounge.com/dinner.html">menu offerings</a>. Four courses, with a side of rice was the perfect amount of food for two people. Our total bill including tax and tip was lower than expected at about $50.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?saved=1"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045794837188042114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6FygInzw59KUSwhXZ63PiCtCBWdUhuxsaFEpkxm2ePXVkCLKZlHr4356QSSPq1-A-ecagEG2-3wfGZVT4HmfuL7c_8Ee-EWLHNbk-yYQob1t5etWYbhuhei3LE0P-511dWyYhxutTz3q/s320/poleng+meat.jpg" border="0" /></a>This restaurant is great; it has been one of my favorite dining experiences in the city, competing with the likes of much pricier, fancier restaurants in Russian Hill, Cole Valley, and the Mission. I was so impressed that after the meal, I sought out the owner, gave him my compliments, and set up an interview with the head chef for a San Francisco Foghorn feature to come out early next month.<br /><br />Don’t take my word for it, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/9RtFbZQj48Og8T6VVbwz3A?hrid=4tYxR-PqxK8fbehuUMxw6w">see what people are saying on Yelp</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-46731943903743776152007-03-24T17:29:00.000-07:002007-03-24T17:35:47.897-07:00A Profile of My StreetAfter six months of walking the streets around my new pad, I’ve decided that I live on some pretty happening turf. Fulton Street between Masonic and Central has all the comforts an active college student like me needs. First and foremost, the smells of strong, rich, espresso waft down the lane toward my door from a little shop know as Starbucks. Thinking about a hot Americano before class helps me spring out of bed each morning, a few slurps of the dark liquid wipes the glaze off my eyes and energizes me for the walk up Fulton hill to school.<br /><br />When I come back starving from the gym, or a long Thursday night meeting, there is always Papalote to greet me and offer up one of its delicious super burritos. The fresh, healthy, Mexican inspired food here is cheap, delicious, and they’re fast. I’m in and out the door in 5-10 minutes with a hot, made to order burrito and a side of chips with their amazing salsa, for around eight bucks. I eat at Papalote at least one a week guaranteed, sometimes several times per week, and this is every week for the past 6 months. That’s at least 24 meals. Oh, and I only ever get one thing: the Super Burrito. This monster comes with cheese, avocado, and sour cream, along with the usual trimmings of beans, rice, salsa, and your choice of meat. I almost always get chicken.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?saved=1"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045653339490475330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyZaC2lTaXc_xkud5osV_dyWYyti94oxxYWsZFYhqyof7PSQ4VnNSXyrlqhhf42o8S2aNQ89lQkbhsFrqobiDFjOmpV2dJnbYsk4nOB3Yco-HJ2MgqdotPY9dhKBYuHodcfj5L3WxS2k-/s320/papalote.jpg" border="0" /></a>Hard day, or week? Try stopping by Poleng bar, restaurant, and club. This suave location screams trendy, with a dark, tropical accent. Poleng, we’ll call it a bar, has great happy hour specials; all drinks are $3, and listen to this, the honey teriyaki wings are 25 cents each. When I was there this past Thursday, things were pretty quiet during happy hour, a few ladies sipped cocktails at the bar, a new waiter was studying the menu, the barkeep was posted up behind the bar chatting with the young women, and a small group nibbled on a platter of wings at a table while chatting quietly. I don’t know at what time exactly the energy kicks in, but pass by around 9pm and Poleng is a hot sweaty mess of young cosmopolites jumping to the music, there is fog on the windows and a line at the door. The place is actually much larger than it appears from the outside; a hallway past the bar leads to the main dance floor and dj booth. Its good for a relaxing happy hour booze, its great for some late night clubbing, and what’s more, their chef, Tim Luym was recently featured in the SF Chronicle article Rising Star Chefs of 2007. Luym and his staff offer up a menu of Asian fusion concoctions, served in small, meant-to-be-shared portions.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?saved=1"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045653335195508018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9Z7jDa5qSa9MZ5VikHyTaGBrcJSRuJa4VcE3quonqCcPIDtiktz0bayLp67ZHZPIHc6iWFDsZPjTjyIfcuRBtgUyjEop5vQuI65oxtfe6eSqn0EeifOGIp-eB648fVtGsL5RSIbVJ4Ic/s320/poleng.jpg" border="0" /></a>So after a coffee, a burrito, a drink, and a night of dancing, I can tread back to my apartment, exhausted, but ready to do it again tomorrow. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?saved=1"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045653330900540706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs-l9JrR_SoCp7Jg13wexl_xgDyqkP9JvDwQFGZszi3P7JHyfSdmxUFObylixdLgTDh57Lslhct5jB3CAwhHRqRSKi1eLaIVGTMY1dl8AX-s2JKS7oy8NYwwXiC6oihjoT8TqkrvB0xeEA/s320/how+to+eat+a+burrito.jpg" border="0" /></a>This is a visual guide to eating a Papalote Super Burrito.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-2638139353250712302007-03-21T00:55:00.000-07:002007-03-21T02:01:17.562-07:00Indie Film Festival to Indie RockIndie Film Festival to Indie Rock<br /><br />I went to the Human Rights Film Festival today in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">USF's</span> Presentation Theatre to see Winter In Baghdad, a documentary by Javier <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Corcuera</span> about his time in that city in 2004. I am <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">fascinated</span> by alternative points of view on the Iraq war, and this film did not <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">disappoint</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Corcuera</span> follows several local Iraqi people, including one memorable little boy, a shoe shiner by trade, as they struggle for survival, normality, and peace of mind in what has become the most <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">dangerous</span> city in the world. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Corcuera</span> complies commentary from dozens of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Iraqi</span> men, women and children on how they view their life today. Many of the children expressed fear and mistrust of the American military machine; one little girl described a bad dream where she was gunned down by a US Army helicopter. The young shoe shiner describes how US soldiers are afraid of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">wooden</span> box he carries, which houses his <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">supplies</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">because</span> they think he has a bomb.<br /><br />Watching footage of US soldiers armed to the teeth, and on guard, as they patrol the streets of Baghdad in pairs <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">conjures</span> up my own childhood memories from the movie Star Wars, when the imperial forces, in their white plastic body suits, patrol the desert space port looking for two missing robots. Star Wars simplifies this situation to bad and good, with the white "storm troopers" as bad, and our hero Luke <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Skywalker</span> and his friends as good. In Baghdad, the situation is more complicated, there are no absolute forms of bad and good, the US soldiers are not bad, and neither is the US Army, while the Iraqi people are by majority, innocent bystanders. Yet despite this realization, I still feel a sense of fear brought on by the all powerful, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">overshadowing</span> nature of these US foot patrols, in much the same way I felt about the storm troopers in Star Wars as a child. This feeling was further developed when the film showed what the US bombing of the city looked like from the perspective of an Iraqi at street level. There are flashed of light, roaring explosions, and the scream of jet engines in the dark sky. From street level, the bombing of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Baghdad</span> feels like a rain of terror willed by God. If my city were Baghdad, I would no doubt distrust and fear the owner of those bombs, and those troops.<br /><br />I wish there were a way for us to explain to the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">people</span> of Iraq that all we want is for them to have a peaceful country, with a just, democratic <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">government</span>, free of radical fundamentalists and terrorists.<br /><br />Are current US operations in Iraq part of the problem? YES! Is leaving the solution? NO! Even if we have no other task than to keep the peace, we must stay in Iraq, leaving would lead to even greater <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">destabilization</span>, chaos, violence, and death.<br /><br />Some people in Iraq hate America, and some hate other factions of Islam, and some people from both groups are willing to kill to release this hatred. Staying in Iraq will most <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">certainly</span> cost more American lives, and more taxpayer dollars. Leaving will cost US credibility abroad, and future global security.<br /><br />Everyone loves to wash their hands of the fault and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">responsibility</span> for this war. I stood <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">shoulder</span> to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">shoulder</span> with thousands of my fellow Americans on the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">frigged</span> streets of New York City on <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">February</span> 15<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">th</span> 2003 for the "No Blood for Oil" protest against an invasion of Iraq. I was 17 years old, I'd travelled more than 6 hours to get there. I knew that Al <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Qaeda</span> and Saddam <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Hussein</span> had no connection, this was an understanding I shared with painfully few of my fellow citizens. Later, when President Bush found the justification he needed: whispers of hidden weapons of mass destruction, and speculation of African uranium, I changed my vote. I was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">ok</span> with the war, a quick, find the bombs, restore democracy, turn around and come home kind of war. The majority of Americans were on my side.<br /><br />Today, the bombs never existed, and we're stuck in a bloody, "no light at the end of the tunnel" war. Most Americans <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">disapprove</span> of the President, most <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">disapprove</span> of the war. What happened to all the yellow "support our troops" <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">bumper stickers</span>? The American people flip flop like a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">teeter</span> totter, and the bottom line is that its not fair to the people of Iraq. We can't bomb their country, kill their leader, brew up a storm and then leave because it gets messy. <br /><br />The indie rock part of this post's title refers to the concert I went to after the film. It was The White T's at Slims.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-6368991234827176362007-03-17T22:28:00.000-07:002007-03-19T01:33:45.832-07:00Final Reflections from Alternative Spring Break 2007I'm sitting on the couch in my living room right now, computer on my lap as I write this and casually watch March Madness on TV in the background. It feels great to be back in my apartment in San Francisco after a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">week long</span> stint in Lake Charles Louisiana with the United Way.<br /><br />Overall, I have warm, positive memories of my time with the Alternative Spring Break program this past week. We helped paint a house, clean and paint a warehouse, and put down tile flooring in another house. All of our projects were with Habitat for Humanity.<br /><br />This week, I got an inside look at how Habitat works, and also interacted with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">AmeriCorps</span> volunteers all week, learning the ins and outs of that organization. We also met survivors of Hurricane Rita, Red Cross volunteers, the Mayor of Lake Charles, and the Police Jury for Calcasieu Parish.<br /><br />This week I learned that there are a lot of public misconceptions about Hurricane Rita, which was very different from Hurricane Katrina. When Mayor Randy Roach of Lake Charles came to speak to us at the United Way shelter he explained that Rita is the most powerful hurricane to ever strike the Gulf of Mexico, yet not a single person died as a direct result of the hurricane. Mayor Roach explained that the reason Hurricane Katrina was so destructive and resulted in mass loss of life was primarily because the levees broke in New Orleans. Relative to other hurricane emergency operations, the Rita evacuation was well organized and executed. Also, the crime, murder, and disregard for human life that became a national news spectacle in the aftermath of Katrina were not prevalent in South-West Louisiana where Rita struck land and did the most damage.<br /><br />The general feeling among the people of Lake Charles is that they have been forgotten. Hurricane Katrina greatly overshadowed the destruction caused by Rita, leaving those in South-West Louisiana to fend for themselves and dig themselves out of the physical and psychological chaos caused by the storm. This week we witnessed destruction on an incredible scale. Before the trip to Lake Charles, I was unsure how devastated the area would be; wondering if there would be stores or i<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">nternet</span> access. In actuality, the commercial heart of the town has recovered, including a Wall Mart <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Supercenter</span>, movie theatre, and a dozen or so fast food restaurants that crowd the main thoroughfare through town. Driving through town it is impossible to tell that just two years ago a storm of wind and water ripped the area apart. Miles of rail cars line up outside refineries which in the next few years will increase output to 25% of domestic oil supply to the US.<br /><br /><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5043148498323804594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3az7JkhabODE4HLASheYgtBsMXK8xe2D1tBBT43fdFgDwCN9xGll9A0oi85rQ30ZEkNAyUEWSZQM4TI4SLodNuqIjAO3qm3G7EjdBsDwlB3Po6lm-ihyphenhyphennIQNPeFZ54_iIsL4_AjPdVRe/s320/the+family.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:85%;">The woman on the right, and her <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">daughter</span> pose with some of my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">ASB</span> team members in front of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">their</span> new Habitat for Humanity house. </span><br />Wile commercial interests like Wall Mart and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Citgo</span> have <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">fared</span> well, propped up by their deep pocketed corporate parents, the fringes of society continue to suffer. Those living in poverty before the Hurricane have returned to find splinters and toothpicks where their houses once stood. These people turn to organizations like the United Way, Habitat for Humanity, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">AmeriCorps</span>, to fill the void left by federal and state assistance. This week we have met many people in a seemingly hopeless position, rescued from an uncertain future by these charities.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5043149567770661314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDHIKCO4rzrGRI93qHDHWxjOzlybY189zJh74bKtClx21PUo4fnmY2q7N7HUX7CIcL9wXGUm9JAuqnAVOVZvrLnOHNmux9zEAZGO8-DxI2XlV8vX7733NM00BTVrm2l_5nvPjJ5p8642f/s320/check.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:85%;">This check, presented by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">ASB</span> 2007, represents the amount of money raised for the State of Louisiana to repay their debt to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">FEMA</span>. Jason, from University of New <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Hampshire</span>, Eric, the team leader from Montana, and myself pose with the check for a photograph.</span><br />More than helping build and re-build houses, we were also helping the State of Louisiana repay its debt to the Federal Government. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">FEMA</span>, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, stipulates that all aid given in an emergency must be matched by an equal amount of State aid. Right now Louisiana needs to contribute many millions of dollars to meet this Federal requirement. Every hour of work an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">ASB</span> student does counts as $18.50 of State aid, and at the end of the week we presented a check to the State of Louisiana in the amount of $173,517, good toward its debt to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">FEMA</span>.<br /><br />I think Alternative Spring Break is a great idea, and truly great things have been accomplished in South-West Louisiana as a result. The program requires a tremendous amount of planning and coordination, but if we could make it a yearly event I think that would be great. Maybe it won’t be in Lake Charles, but there will always be cities in need, be it the result of natural disaster or other circumstances. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-38558537702776922112007-03-16T15:28:00.000-07:002007-03-19T01:34:13.438-07:00Day 7, The Last Day of Work.<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042663136954585474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecTAFKkXSAtZfTYbmnfwXl7Zce4CP2KerTYHIdeXs5Hg5REQGiL9eQj63ZS7RJ-RH1pTjWdPBGZr84KzJVkvOWSBzn6WIOYunr6l68YW8FNMXmrmeCbK5a2RmHPngQF6pJkQGziJI8D62/s320/us+map.jpg" border="0" /></a> This was our last work day, tomorrow we load up the vans and head back to Houston Intercontinental Airport and split for good, back to our respective colleges around the US. A map of the US hangs in the hallway, and this week students have been using push tacks to mark their home towns. This informal map started filling up very fast two days ago when the United Way coordinators embraced our little vandalism with a new pack of tacks, hung up next to the map. There are about 50 pins in the map, but with over 120 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ASB</span> volunteers it by no means represents the collective group.<br /><br />This week my group, animal code name "The Owls," has shifted between four Habitat for Humanity sites doing odd jobs and helping other groups with their projects. However, we <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">haven't</span> had the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">opportunity</span> to see our own project through from beginning to end, which was a bummer for some team members as it became apparent that we were the only team in this situation. Today, we were at a Habitat home that was reclaimed by the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">organization</span> after the owners defaulted on their 0% <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">int erst</span> loans to Habitat. Our job was to help the contractors remodel the house to the specifications of the new owners. This job included interior painting, which a group from Michigan did last week, and re-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">tileing</span> the floor which was our job today. None of us had ever done <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">tileing</span> before, so after a week of painting and cleaning the warehouse we were happy to have an interesting project.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042663549271445906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BMbFCNfrIz3cHjBDOOvfoEQnwJPcPNvzm84XVVti5elHNSiP5bHE1EGLscCjrEcG_4fMoccY8w1-Chsqp29N9EFhGgy0r8ISw0NdGrJMnkvBofVguLcT0gOoRuGKQKuC5P1AJnuJJ-JA/s320/tiles.jpg" border="0" /></a>We worked hard <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">prepping</span> the floor for the tile, mixing mortar, and laying the tiles with the assistance of the Habitat <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Foreman</span>, Terry, and his assistant Rusty.<br /><br />Now, I am back at the United Way shelter, the general mood is that people are ready to go home. Sleeping in a bunk bed in a huge room with 50 other guys is not much fun. I'm happy that we were able to help some of the people down here in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and assist Habitat for Humanity and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">AmeriCorps</span>. I have learned a lot about both <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">organizations</span>, and also about life in Louisiana, and about the effects <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Hurricane</span> Rita had on the area.<br /><br />I hope our being here sets an example for other college students and people in general to answer the call for help <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">wherever</span> it may be. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Publicity</span> takes a c<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">entral</span> role in Alternative Spring Break, we put our signs up at the work sites and headquarters, and were on the front page of the local paper a few days ago. MTV is our media partner, and their camera crew had been around all week shooting footage for the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">upcoming</span> special: The Amazing Break, which will air on MTV later this month. Hopefully the more people hear about our story, the more they will be inspired to lend a helping hand.<br /><br />The truth is that the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">ASB</span> program is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">unorganized</span>, we send more students to work sites than there are jobs for them, and many of us spent significant amounts of time hanging out, or waiting for materials or instruction. One day we went to a Habitat home and ended up waiting in our van for 30 minutes for the contractor to come unlock the house and show us what to do; he never came so we left. Our first two days here there were 24 students at a work site with two houses where the job was to put cabinets in the kitchens. This job requires only a hand full of people. The rest of us painted some trim boards, put in a few door knobs and then basically sat around. I didn't mind relaxing and socializing with my new friends, but I felt that we were a ready and eager labour resource that was being wasted. In total, we didn't accomplish a lot of work. We did help out a lot, but didn't put in the solid weeks worth of work that I would expect from 10 workers. This is why I hope our story is one of inspiration that challenges others to do good when and where they can.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-51409320523108030832007-03-15T20:44:00.000-07:002007-03-15T20:49:42.166-07:00A Community of ASB BlogsHere is more information on our ASB 2007 experience than I could ever hope to compile on my own. This site is the public ASB community blog where all the participants post journal entries, photos, and video interviews called BlueTube.<br /><br /><a href="http://blog.unitedway.org/asb/">http://blog.unitedway.org/asb/</a><br /><br />Here is a community collection of ASB 2007 photos posted on Flickr.<br /><br /><a href="http://flickr.com/groups/asb">http://flickr.com/groups/asb</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-50966932861385042062007-03-15T19:27:00.001-07:002007-03-17T23:49:50.869-07:00Day 6, Back to the WarehouseAll week long people down here in Louisiana have been reiterating the deliciousness of Cajun cuisine. We've heard how it's the best, freshest food in the world, and heard rave reviews of gumbo and jambalaya. We've also heard a lot about crayfish, and tonight we got to try some. This was a big deal for my fellow ASBers (I've had them before), and they loved it, some people had more than one heaping plate of the shell fish; a freshwater hybrid of a shrimp and a lobster. Crayfish taste like a shrimp but aren't as sweet or tender.<br />Earlier this week , we had the opportunity to try jambalaya, which is a spicy chicken and sausage sauce over rice.<br />In general, I do not like Southern cooking, dishes like grits, collared greens, and deep fried everything don't particularly appeal to my northern pallet. However, I do like the Cajun flair added on to the Southern style, and if offered a hot Cajun meal, I wouldn't turn it down.<br />Today, at our work site we packed sandwiches for lunch, but after looking across the road at Church's Chicken all day, we didn't have the heart for prepackaged pbj when it came time to sit down for a lunch break. Church's Chicken is a fast food restaurant specializing in fried chicken, like KFC. I think Church's is a Southern chain, because none of my teammates from outside of the deep South had heard of it. The food was delicious after a hard morning of painting.<br />We were suppose to go to a new work site to put in the floor of a Habitat house, but the construction man never showed up, so after waiting a long time, we finally were told over the radio to go back to the warehouse we worked at yesterday. We finished painting the main lobby and one of the hallways, then spent the rest of the day cleaning the other walls of the building with sponges to get rid of the cobwebs and dirt that have accumulated after four years of dormancy.<br />I think my team has been feeling a little let down this week because we have not had the opportunity to do significant work on a house, nor had the opportunity to interact with or directly help people affected by Hurricane Rita. I think at the time we signed up, we were envisioning helping people get their lives back together, like helping remove a tree from the house of an elderly couple. Now that we are down here, it seems like all of that type of work is already finished. At the same time, helping out isn't always glamorous and we try to remind ourselves that all of the work down here is important. Our role in restoring the warehouse so Habitat for Humanity can use it will enable more houses to be built more efficiently in the future.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-44295660145485665372007-03-14T16:04:00.001-07:002007-03-17T23:58:54.926-07:00Day 5, The Warehouse.<div>Today, we went to the new Habitat for Humanity warehouse outside of Lake Charles. Habitat just signed a lease to use the complex which has 19 offices and lots of garage space for storing the programs supplies. Before the purchase of this building, Habitat stored their tools and building supplies at different locations all over town, including a garage shared with the police force. We were the first people to enter the building in four years, since it was sold by an oil company. In the mean time the building has fallen into ruin, the carpet is moldy and there are rats and chewed up fabric everywhere. We went through the place cleaning up garbage, tearing up carpet, and getting ready to paint. At one point we saw a rat run behind some junk in the corner of the room where it was trapped. Eric, our team leader and myself started moving the junk around and the rat ran out the door, proceeded by girlish screams in the hallway. We found old black and white portraits of the oil tycoon who founded an oil company and built the building. We also found beer cans and what one team member claimed were marijuana seeds, from a purported group of illegal immigrants who were squatting in the building.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5043153596449984994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbpu3HNUiLI_8U1Xgg2IDUYq4O1PS52RccRdjQaXzHP94dme4DJkXb-B0QM_J619iv9-ynxMJ3rvuLVFDvDEDTJEqhFK6hbW_y5Yjd46c_44MSZ4VyXiWzBEIrsFnJYjjvcnIJxZXUHhx/s320/painting+the+warehouse.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:85%;">The Habitat for Humanity warehouse where we spent two days painting and cleaning.</span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">FexEx</span> special deliveries brought us <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">PizzaHut</span> for lunch. In the afternoon we painted two rooms which will be the entryways for building. We worked at this site because it rained all day, and for the same reason forwent a planned trip to a Gulf Coast beach.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5043153596449984978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscZXlSm6SJLF5bt6SViyLboHcqx_vXanUEMOiwb2jOpTdvfD9DK83TlVAWNmWqXR2Z4IKhC74KyryQ5oUiNYzoHJ2KF4KA4Wtp8uR3rjC7O6RrN7Qnx0bSJwivsSLYZs8hhyphenhyphenRgSF4Rgvr/s320/americorps+for+blog.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:85%;">Emily and Janet, our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">AmeriCorps</span> helpers this week take a break inside a Habitat for Humanity house we worked on this week. While resting in this photo, both are very hard workers and served as tour guides, leaders and taught construction skills. Both Emily and Janet were quiet and kept to them selves when they were first assigned to our team, but over the course of the week have come out of their shells, and began to participate in our jokes and games. We really appreciate their help, they give so much of themselves to help others. </span><br />The most interesting thing I did today was talk with the two <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Ameri</span> Corps members who work with out team. I call them our “embedded <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Ameri</span> Corps members.” They are Emily and Janet and both are really chill and nice. They aren't our bosses, but do take a natural kind of leadership role in the group. Jody is 24, and graduated from St. John's College with a degree in politics. Interestingly enough, it is forbidden for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Corp's</span> members to talk about their political opinions, it is also against the rules to swear and they are subject to random drug tests. Both Jody and Emily are from the Sacramento, California, office and they have a bit of a rivalry with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Corp's</span> members from Denver who are also down here helping out with Alternative Spring Break.<br /><br />Jody said that while their team has yet to be drug tested, the Denver team, which is newer than her team was just drug tested. She speculates that their might be some shady characters on the Denver team, some of which might not be around too much longer she added. We all know that she is talking about one specific <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Denver</span> team member, we've nicknamed Stars, for the tattoos on her arms.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-72211672331795620812007-03-13T14:45:00.000-07:002007-03-16T15:27:39.370-07:00Finishing the House<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042650677254459762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgic-q4DVeWa9gihefCRO4o58R46GSU1LLGM6VOr7bFUovShLbzqAEICCBlOhPxHVZlSq4k5m0qHaNiK-WK0RCRK9SFtV6xVskmWketyJ7MjMlffGMIBTdT4EUxyGgulqT0y0E-MzvY9tS4/s320/sandwich.jpg" border="0" /></a> Today, we were up and on the road at 7 am for the hour drive to our work site. We worked on installing the cabinets that were delivered yesterday, we also put up the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ceiling</span> fans and put door knobs on the doors. FedEx delivered our lunch; sandwiches with white bread on one side and brown on the other, "diversity sandwiches" as one <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ASB</span> member called them.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042650668664525154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmbUoGqAb-6nQujCQyeQ5dUq8UekxlQ7VfP2H3kmNQpFgiCzvzP_WfgmI2UqsIEElf70OtEemo3nb-yzAR8XDq5ZxvIef_WC1UCnzl1MSERdyyg58sSilJTDMSSSO8htCaEDEjEjF8xtG/s320/fed+ex+special+delivery.jpg" border="0" /></a>Last night, Randy Roach, the Mayor of Lake Charles and also Hal <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">McMillin</span>, the Police Jury for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Calcasieu</span> Parish visited the United Way base and spoke with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ASB</span> teams. Mayor Roach told his personal story of evacuating and coming back to a house that was still standing but covered in mud, inside and out. The Mayor told us that he thought the town had been properly prepared when Hurricane Rita hit, pointing out that not a single person was killed in the storm. He also said that President George Bush visited the area shortly after and was very sincere and helpful telling Mayor Roach that anything the town needed they would get. Police Jury <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">McMillin</span> told a similar story, his house was also not destroyed, but a huge tree was knocked onto it, which Mr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">McMillin</span> jokingly told the audience, was used to make the boards that <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">trimmed</span> his cabinets and stairs. He spoke of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">strong</span> fiber and resolve that binds the community together, and said they were the kind of people that worked hard and didn't need a handout, however he made a point of thanking us graciously for our help.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-18174987852412822512007-03-12T18:11:00.000-07:002007-03-12T18:16:35.324-07:00More Thoughts on Today's Project.<div align="center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?savedsettings=419397669#photo419397669"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5041211282852195090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJ8qKSV1oDWmAYMC0XEXQehoiV-6ZeXII_46uv7dWuzQKderSZC26x9zd-OcHmQG9NUqlIfur3-5-PCRuKRLM5We38jva8yfepGGHmcUWRfET0eAs40rusgk2qXEwGhm0hoBcwg2WcMAS/s320/truck.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is the Habitat for Humanity Truck that delivered the cabinets for the house we worked on.<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?savedsettings=419397669#photo419397669"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5041211278557227762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0HaogZ6k0ar0ZVG4QP22bdl8cVnmJFKjLuLDk1HR8ZxBn1mzU9zt7cqC6hwy10bUNxAc7FZVsseDIsNKsYCwCM5980QQD9lSQ0C8YdQPmB4ztTXz1i9sJ3qny3DEMjV7JVRfU-2XXI6D/s320/carry.jpg" border="0" /></a>The team unloads the truck. Sara and Electra show their muscles in this shot.<br /></div><div align="center"></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/?savedsettings=419397669#photo419397669"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5041211282852195074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-QM3uYteLrO_rBNRwo814MIJfv25qsIPKN_cGbbcJuCm_wxIZFiVIoThwAcEtV9Bqb9t2ABbigy-NEDEqmzOg7NsnzhmyDC9k-UiZQILIvynTPtBnPYHfi1fXct2LuQmczoo2ZY-TZVn2/s320/chester.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p align="center">Chester tells the team what to do. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8991842300029857922.post-62085677342691407372007-03-12T16:34:00.000-07:002007-03-12T16:41:55.258-07:00Building a House!<div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5041186719934229186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzudz3Q1N201ehwYx91xQBRhdcIShoJi0eHMwyHaUomfHQXUjlhiP9U3CL0aMokGu9Kk49L76ISEXWsDXBtCWrgBfbDh03yK4Adt0yJisHyis7NzMm4KLUloMEF8IihXgRepC8DJKRBw0a/s320/house.jpg" border="0" /></a> Today was the Alternative Spring Break (ASB) team's first day on the job. Yesterday, we toured the county or parish, as they are called in Louisiana, and visited a high school that had been virtually destroyed by Hurricane Rita. In my earlier blog entries I spoke of Hurricane Katrina, however, it was actually Rita that did the most damage in south-west Louisiana where we are working. We saw a house out in the bayou, when Rita hit in September of 2005 it blew the house off its foundation and out into the swamp where it remains today, unsalvageable due to water damager. Many houses were reduced to ruble, or simply blown clear away. When the residents returned to the area, they were told that to collect insurance money they would have to go out and find their homes. Many ventured out into the bayou and across the parish, and when they finally found their homes, often miles away from where they were built, the owners spray painted their name and address on the front so the insurance companies would know.<br />All that remained of the school we visited was the brick gym, the rest of the building, the classrooms and all, was gone. Now, the students use temporary trailer-like buildings for classrooms. However, even this is a recent achievement, before the temporary buildings were built the students were bussed to another school district that had not been as badly hit by the hurricanes. During that period of time, the students from the two districts split their time at the school. One group would go to school for the first half of the week, and the second group, for the second half of the week. Two and a half days of school proved trying for the students, their parents and the community. Parents were forced to get additional child supervision or change their work schedules. During the tour, we listened to speakers from the Red Cross who have been helping in south west Louisiana since the hurricanes hit (and even before). One Red Cross volunteer told us about how the refugees staying at the church-turned-shelter in Lake Charles became a close nit community, and how some of the children became sick after eating the candy in the relief kits because their families had never been able to afford such luxuries as chocolate and soda. The woman from the Red Cross also told us how she was frustrated when some women from the shelter left to gamble on the river boats, neglecting their four and five year old children who were left to wander around the church.<br /><br />Today, we were up at 6:45 am. I sprang out of bed, rushed through a bowl of fruit loops, ate an orange, and stuffed a trio of mini muffins in my mouth, just in time to hop into the van with my team and roll out to meet the Habitat for Humanity team we will be assisting this week. We went through a brief orientation, learned about the Habitat program, were give some quick pointers and safety advice and were off again, this time to the work site.<br /><br />Our project this week is to complete two houses which volunteers have been working on for the past three weeks. The houses are side by side, and are identical from the outside, but have slightly different floor plans. The contractor, project head, and our boss, Chester, a native of Louisiana, and staunch LSU fan, guided us through the finer points of trimming widows and doors, hanging cabinets, and putting on door knobs. He also provided us with hilarious stories about his life, and the lives of his coworkers, that could be summed up as being in line with our perceptions of “backward southern living.” And no thats not being narrow minded on my part, we heard the story about one of Chester's coworkers who caught his wife cheating with her brother in law. No, wait, that story was about Chester himself! But what's not to love about Chester, he's got a sense of humor, a heart of gold, and is about as lovable as a little puppy.<br />The Habitat for Humanity house that we worked on today costs $65,000 to build. Its a seven room, single story home, with three bedrooms, kitchen, living room, dining room, and bathroom. The house is small, yet cozy, and provides a nice living space for a medium size family. This particular house will go to a single mother with a young daughter, and a son who is in a coma.<br />Chester predicts that this house would cost $150,000 to build. It costs Habitat significantly less because the labor is volunteer, and some of the materials, including windows, doors, and stove and refrigerator are donated. The recipients of Habitat homes are obligated to pay for their house, through a no-interest loan in an amount equal to the cost of the house. The mortgage on the house we worked on today will cost about $300 a month for the next 25 years. The home owner is also obligated to complete 300 hours of volunteer work, either on their own house, on another Habitat home, or at a community organization.<br /><br />I'm back at the United Way center now, blogging and waiting for dinner. I also need to shower, I'm sweaty and muddy, it rained hard for part of the day.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5041186990517168850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZQT8dYClulxjBCKi7GcL5JhA0ROM-4D_CUDCCu5fhquwZ5ujA5POXIilAZ1pkziyeJ3tgBOmKtVfvoygKQr__uRkz3XwqitKI-nHasI5ovNWM2F70GKqsggB92VAE0ucAOCiZ0ABwx9H/s320/bunks.jpg" border="0" /></a>So far I'm having a great experience meeting and working with my team of 10 students from colleges across the US. We jokingly make the comparison between ASB and a middle school overnight camp. The Cajun dance last night was fun, the band was rockin' we all got “honky tonky,” but when they slowed it down for “Tears in Heaven” people made a dash for the side lines. We have lunch lines, and elementary school style lunch trays, and little juice boxes and milk cartons. There is no eating in the lounge, only in the cafeteria that doubles as the gym. At night we play heated rounds of card games like spoons, last night we stayed up past “lights out” for some exciting bonus rounds of Scategories. Alcohol is strictly prohibited, even though many of us are over 21. Apparently two students from last week's session were sent home for having a beer at a restaurant. We we loaded the vans at 7:00 am this morning, one of my teammates, Sarah, said that she hadn't been up this early without drinking in a long time, implying that if she's up at 7 am its because she hasn't gone to bed yet.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/85229932@N00/"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5041186990517168866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfybp280NxUxOh4HnSaS_1Ms4E0X2IzUT2G9tGUfteMzwo0kNHV_VAG_ZS5DOkbu0auMj1spsUpOuoepPHhWvtDpKfSFU1dtgOyCtoFYzUhlS4BtZK7HvetQRkGW1JdGP-3RrZLBLacOl/s320/spoons.jpg" border="0" /></a>Honestly, I'm having a great sober time, on spring break no less, and we're doing it for a good cause. For every hour we work, the State of Louisiana gets $18 deducted from their FEMA debt, which is many millions of dollars more than the people of Louisiana can afford. Tonight, it's round two of Scategories. What's “something that makes you late” and starts with an A? I know, ANTS IN MY PANTS!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0