The latest Rolling Stone arrived Saturday. If you’re not a subscriber, this one is worth a read for the article on the Bush administration and environmental policy–or lack thereof. I’ve barely gotten halfway through this particular article, and I’m too pissed off to continue. I can’t imagine that it gets better. Unfortunately. I wish I could link to the article, but it doesn’t seem to be posted on their website. If you haven’t read the amzing articles on politics found in Rolling Stone, you’re missing out on a lot. For a summary of this article…let’s just say we’re screwed.

Oh and if what they say about California is true…there will be more than a mass exodus. No water equals no food. Not for California and not for the rest of the country. No strawberries, almonds, peaches, carrots, lettuce. None. Nada.  Bees won’t be necessary.

Some facts about California: (from http://www.beachcalifornia.com/california-food-facts.html)

1. California has been the number one food and agricultural producer in the United States for more than 50 consecutive years.

2. More than half the nation’s fruit, nuts, and vegetables come from here.

3. California is the nation’s number one dairy state.

4. California’s leading commodity is milk and cream. Grapes are second.

5. California’s leading export crop is almonds.

6. Nationally, products exclusively grown (99% or more) in California include almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, kiwifruit, olives, persimmons, pistachios, prunes, raisins, clovers, and walnuts.

7. From 70 to 80% of all ripe olives are grown in California.

8. California is the nation’s leading producer of strawberries, averaging 1.4 billion pounds of strawberries or 83% of the country’s total fresh and frozen strawberry production. Approximately 12% of the crop is exported to Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Japan primarily. The value of the California strawberry crop is approximately $700 million with related employment of more than 48,000 people.

9. California produces 25% of the nation’s onions and 43% of the nation’s green onions.

I agree with this quiz as well. I need to get down to SoCal to go out where the pretty people are. Better eye candy down there. I’ll get there one day. Work seems to be taking me there. Fun!

You Belong in Los Angeles

Whether you’ll admit it or not, a huge part of you likes being in the spotlight. And you may just have enough star quality to make it big in LA! Even if you don’t become famous, you still belong in a place where you can get a year round tan.

Yes!

You Are Very Happy Being Single

You’re not anti-relationship. You just don’t need one to be content. You find plenty of happiness from your life as it is. And if you find someone you love, then that’s just icing on an already decadent cake!

It looks like a busy day today with several meetings and then picking up my son from the airport. He has a lot of work to do this summer. He has lessons and a make up course. There’s the usual stuff around the house as well. I need him to be responsible. So that is what is on my mind now. I have my project to work on, and I’m getting tired of it. My seminar is nearly over. Only two more meetings after tonight. Yeah! I’m not sure if it is good or bad that I want the program to be over. I certainly have enough to take care of this summer. I don’t get much of a break before my next seminar starts in mid-August and the leadership training program starts in late August.

Yesterday I spent a good portion of the day attempting to get my son signed up to take a class to complete a science requirement. I think I have mentioned before that he didn’t pass one trimester. I wasn’t successful getting him signed up. I hope his dad has better luck today. They had been out of town, so I had been taking care of what I could. However since school is out finding a counselor is nearly impossible. One thing I realized yesterday was that I was spending a lot of time and energy on this “problem” and trying to fix it. Focusing on a porblem only seems to make it larger. It never seems to go away. Yet I know how to deal with things more effectively. I’ve done it, and yet in this case, I forgot. Only a day to go before my son is here. We won’t be talking about waht’s wrong.

Well it’s back to the quizzes for blog material. This one turned out rather interesting and hilarious. One, I’ve been there. Two, I’d never pick this city as the perfect place for me. Then again, perhaps I am as freaky as Amsterdam. I did like the Dutch sense of living–not focused on looks, very open-minded and tolerant

You Belong in Amsterdam

A little old fashioned, a little modern - you’re the best of both worlds. And so is Amsterdam. Whether you want to be a squatter graffiti artist or a great novelist, Amsterdam has all that you want in Europe (in one small city).

What European City Do You Belong In?

Well we’re gearing up again for competition in Tahitian dance. I entered a solo competition in mid-July. I’m beginning to think I’m crazy. I’m still sore from Saturday’s practice, which was 2 1/2 hours. In the next few weeks our practices will be 3 or 4 hours.  I absolutely have to get in some practice myself. Funny how everything else in life gets in the way except for those scheduled practices at the studio.  I’m not feeling very ready, but then I have a month.

I had an unexpected call from a girlfriend last night. We met up to go dancing. We found outselves back at the country bar. It’s not so bad. It is quite comfortable and large. Dancing there isn’t like being a sardine. I think it was a slow night or else we sat in the wrong place. she anted to sit so we could watch the dance floor, but you have a much better chance of meeting new characters if you sit near the dance floor. We finally moved, and yes we met some characters. I got in a couple of slow dances with a young cute guy. Gotta love those young bucks. WooHoo!

It seemed like a slow night really. Not a lot of picking up going on. A lot of watching though. There was little in entertainment (watching the inept try to meet). We really have to go out again. We had a good time.

Today was a semi-mad dash to find out how my son can complete a class he failed while out here. So far, no luck. There is no equivalent offered in summer school out here. I never did speak to his school. They are supposed to be open, but all I got was a recording. It’s looking like he will have to make it up during the school year. When I spoke to his dad, I found out about other assignments he nearly didn’t finish before the end of school, which would have delayed his graduation. The boy is really trying hard to do poorly. Yet, he scores extremely high on the state competency tests. Go figure. So now I’m set to find out the issue. Maybe he needs a new school. Maybe he needs home school. I talked to a friend about it just to get some ideas. My experience of school was very different from my son’s. I hated it. Boring. But I played along and played the grade game. I had to and knew I had to so I could go to college.

Then it was off to a meeting where I had to present my project. Again. I’m a bit frustrated that I can’t find anyone interested in working on part of the project. I’m sure it will be easy. It will take a few weeks, but once it’s done–it’s done. You can’t often say that about volunteer projects.

This question has been popping up around the internet. So far, most people are defending Google. “Google is no Microsoft.” These people haven’t dealt with Google’s adsense. There are many bloggers who know how evil Google really is. Yesterday news came that they just bought Feedburner. They own most of the blogosphere. I had to get away from Blogger because their revamping caused too many headaches. So I’ve gone to this lovely open source software to publish my blog on my domain. Take that Google! Please don’t ever sell out WordPress. I’m begging.

The internet and news is all a twitter with the Google street views. I think mostly in the larger cities, but they’ve covered Silicon Valley fairly well. I’m hoping to spot a Google van one day. For those who wonder what all the ruckus is about, check out these photos. Truly many of the photos are very close up and invade privacy.
Girl getting out of truck with her thong showing

Perhaps you should watch what you wear on the streets of SF

Tourist trappings (I might have to get a photo myself)

Cats in window, but at a different time, who knows?

Palace of Fine Arts