Sunday, November 30, 2014

Thanksgiving Day weekend ends perfectly with rain, thanks, and tribute


Pacifica Tribune Letters to the Editor, 11/25/14.  "Thank you again, veteran!" by Debbie Smyser
 
"Editor:  I went to Denny's for lunch with my parents on Thursday afternoon. I saw a veteran sitting by himself eating lunch. As he got up to leave I handed him a wallet size card which says, "Thank You For Your Service and Dedication to Our Country" on the front and on the back of the card it says, "I am not certain as to how to express my gratitude for all you have done to secure my freedom. Please accept this simple card as a small token of my appreciation." He sported a great big smile and it was obvious it touched him. He said that there was another veteran in the restaurant that needed this much more, so I gave him another card to give to that Vietnam veteran who came over and talked to us until we were done with our lunch. 

As we went to pay for our lunch we were told that the first veteran that we met had paid for all of our lunches and left without a word. Wow, we were totally blown away! We should have been paying for his lunch! Let this be a lesson for all who sees someone wearing a baseball type hat with military information on it to stop and say thanks for your service! We had no idea how much this touched him. Hopefully he reads this and knows we appreciated his gesture. The server said he thinks his name is Jim. Thank you, Jim! Please contact me if you'd like to join the American Legion here in Pacifica. We're here for you!"

Debbie Smyser is President, Pacifica American Legion Woman's Auxiliary
----
Reference -  The American Legion, Pacifica Post 238.   The American Legion Auxiliary.  Note photograph/graphic from USA Federal Holidays.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Some laws you want changed?


 The Daily Journal, 11/29/14, "Government watch/State government."

Thumbs up, that's a good law!
"State Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, announced his seventh annual bill idea contest “Oughta Be A Law ... Or Not” whose past winners have testified on behalf of their idea before the Legislature and in some cases seen their ideas signed into law.

The contest is open to all constituents of the 13th District and asks for ideas of new laws or repealing or revising one already on the books. ... The deadline is Jan. 16 and applications can be submitted by email to Senator.Hill@senate.ca.gov, faxed to the district office at 212-3320, or mailed to 1528 S. El Camino Real, Suite 303, San Mateo, CA 94402." 

Reference - CA State Senator Jerry Hill's Office, "There Oughta Be a Law... Or Not."  "Welcome to my "Oughta Be A Law...Or Not" constituent bill idea contest for 2015. The contest is open to all constituents of the 13th Senate District and allows residents to submit their ideas for improving the quality of life in our community and/or the state of California. Ideas can vary from local community improvements to statewide reforms. Applicants can create new laws or repeal / revise laws already on the books. I will select a winner in February and work toward implementing the reform during the legislative session. Applications can be submitted online and are due by January 16, 2015." Click here for an application (Word document),  Click here for an application (PDF) .  The reference link includes laws that have been added or changed through this contest. 

RelatedState Senator Jerry Hill's Office, Senate District 13.  "SD 13 is based on an almost complete nesting of AD 22 and AD 24 and consists of the remainder of San Mateo County south of SD 11 and northern Santa Clara County, including the sister cities of Mountain View and Sunnyvale. This district keeps the San Mateo coastline from Pacifica to the Ano Nuevo State Reserve and peninsula cities from South San Francisco to Sunnyvale together. South San Francisco is the only city split to achieve population equality."  The website face page includes 2010 census demographic and voting information.  

Note photograph by Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press from a Los Angeles Times article. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

First responders: Fire Department what they do, Palo Alto


We also put out fires
Daily News/Jason Green, Staff, 11/28/14.  "Report: Fires no longer the focus for Palo Alto Fire Department."

File:Pacifica FD fire engine.JPG
Shinny truck, heroic quick response
"Only 1.5 percent of the 2,118 calls for service the Palo Alto Fire Department received in the first quarter of the current fiscal year were for actual fires, according to a new report from the city's top fire official.  The vast majority, about 62 percent, were for emergency medical service, Fire Chief Eric Nickel wrote in his inaugural quarterly performance report, which the council is set to receive Monday.  The shift in focus isn't unique to Palo Alto, according to the report. However, the Palo Alto Fire Department is the only fire department in Santa Clara County that provides ambulance and transport services.

....  The "overwhelming majority" of the 1,315 emergency medical service calls the fire department received in the first quarter of the current fiscal year were for maladies that did not involve a car crash. About 76 percent resulted in ambulance transport to a hospital or care facility.  Good intent and false alarm calls made up nearly 30 percent of the 2,118 calls the fire department received in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, according to the report. Calls for rescue/hazardous materials and service made up about 3.8 and 3.2 percent, respectively."  Read article.

Reference - City of Palo Alto/Fire Department,  North County Fire/Pacifica.

Note photographs: Pacifica firetruck from Wikimedia; Pacifica accident from Youngstown Fire Forums.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Saturday, November 29, 2014

San Mateo Bay Meadows development races into the future


San Francisco Chronicle/Andrew S. Ross, 11/28/14.  "Latest place to benefit from tech boom: San Mateo County."

Tech boom benefits San Mateo Bay Meadows
office/retail/housing development,
perfect development, right timing
"San Francisco and Santa Clara County are two of the hottest commercial real estate markets in the region, if not the nation.  So hot that some of the biggest names in tech town are looking fondly at an area smack dab in the middle of the two: oft-forgotten San Mateo County. 

....  Ground is being broken next week on the first of five office buildings totaling up to 1.5 million square feet in a development dubbed Bay Meadows Station 4.  ....  “We’re very bullish on the area, from office to residential. It’s right in the heart of things in the Bay Area, between San Francisco and San Jose,” said Janice Thacker, partner at San Francisco’s Wilson Meany, the project’s master developer, in partnership with San Francisco real estate investment firm Stockbridge Capital Group. 

....  If former Reddit CEO Yishan Wong is reading this, he’s entitled to some schadenfreude. Wong wanted to relocate Reddit’s headquarters from San Francisco’s South of Market district to a new Class A office building in Daly City ($45 per square feet), right off Interstate 280, and a couple of blocks from BART. That led to his resignation this month over what he described in a blog post as “strategic disagreement” over the move. In other words, probably a staff rebellion something along the lines of: why would we work there?"  Read article.

Note:  Reference  - SocketSite, "Bay Meadows office development breaking ground."  See Bay Meadows teaser, video 1:21 minutes.  Note graphic for developer Wilson Meany from SocketSite.  

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Friday, November 28, 2014

NIMBY buys a holiday gift


Its Black Friday everywhere but Pacifica.  NIMBIES go shopping and it may even be tax deductible.  They don't do much to help the economy of this city through.   Audubon gift catalog.
Snowy Plover chick replica
Genuine symbolic certificate with stuffed toy

"Your gift recipient will receive:
Snowy Plover
Compare to:  I'm real, I'm wild and I'm cute
  • Lifelike plush Snowy Plover that plays a recording of its song when squeezed
  • Personalized Adoption certificate and letter from Audubon CEO, David Yarnold
  • Full year of the award-winning Audubon magazine
  • Local chapter membership." 
    Adopt Now - $35. 

    Bird adoptions through this catalog are symbolic. Funds will be directed to Audubon's mission to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity. Your gift is tax deductible as allowed by law." 
     
    Note the article text above, certificate and Snowy Plover stuffed toy are from the Audubon gift catalog (linked above).  The photograph by Paul Wellman of snowy Plover chick is from the Santa Barbara Independent newspaper file. 

    Posted by Kathy Meeh

Planning Commission, Monday, December 1, 2014 cancelled


Planning Commission:      Planning Commission Cancellation Notice, 12/1/14.

"Notice is hereby given that the regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Commission of December 1, 2014 has been cancelled.

Lee Diaz, Acting Planning Director"

Note sign from Apptheneum science/engineering blog. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Petition against toll walking/biking across GG bridge


Idea: charge toll for Pacifica trails
CBSSF Bay Area/5 KPIX, 11/27/14.  "More than 20,000 sign petition to block proposed sidewalk toll on Golden Gate Bridge ."

"SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – An online petition calling to put an end to a proposal that would implement a pedestrian and bike fee for people crossing the Golden Gate Bridge has already gathered thousands of signatures.

The Care2 petition was launched after the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District Board of Directors voted in October to keep considering a pedestrian and cyclist fee for those crossing the span.

“The Care2 petition is opposed to the fee and it is asking the Board of Directors to kill the proposal and not institute a fee,” said Julie Mastrine, social media manager for Care2, a petition site and online community that has more than 26 million members worldwide."    Read more.

Note photograph by Jesus E P 9/14 from Trip Advisor.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Thanksgiving Day, thankful for all we have


Huffpost healthy living/the blog/Jamire Lauren Zimmerman, MD, Physician/writer. "8 reasons to love  gratitude."

"....  Gratitude has been celebrated in essentially every culture and religion -- from Christianity and Judaism to Islam and Native American traditions. As positive psychologist Shawn Achor points out in his amazing TED talk, practicing gratitude helps us notice and appreciate the good in our lives. We all know that giving and receiving appreciation can feel good. Now, science confirms there are real physical and emotional benefits to cultivating this quality -- on Turkey Day and year round.

Dr. Zimmerman's gratitude list includes: 1) It can make you happier, 2) It can reduce blood pressure, 3) It makes hearts healthier, 4) It's associated with better sleep, 5) It helps people exercise more, 6) It helps make vets more resilient, 7) It can help your relationship, 8) Even a little bit helps."  Read article.

Related - Fox News/Calia Cofield, 11/27/14.  "Thanksgiving in zero-g:  Space station astronauts enjoy 'traditional' dishes."  "Like most Americans back on the ground, astronauts aboard the International Space Station will celebrate Thanksgiving with a feast: NASA food scientists have created zero-g versions of classic Thanksgiving dishes for this week's celebration."

Note photograph/graphics - Thankful from Stockpiling Moms, pie from Gracious Rain. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Quarry 87-acre parcel bought again

Central location within this city, build it!

Pacifica Tribune/Horace Hinshaw, Editor, "Editor's corner:  The way I see it..." (See it in the Tribune, link currently not available).

"For the fourth time in 10 years, the Rockaway Quarry will soon be adding a new resident.  According to the City Manager Lorie Tinfow the property has been purchased by a buyer from Michigan.

... The new quarry's moniker is Preserve@Pacifica.  Alledly, the company backing the purchase is a privately-owned real estate investment and management company headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI."

Note photograph of Rockaway Quarry by Cindy A. from Yelp, "Silicon Segway" reviews.

Posted by Kathy Meeh