The Tragedy of Pine Ridge Reservation

I'd never heard of Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, the most impoverished area of the United States, until I got a text from my son Phil.  Phil was on the Pine Ridge Reservation for a project with Conscious Alliance, a non profit from Boulder, with a mission of eradicating hunger in the U.S.  As you can imagine, Phil said it was a very intense experience.  Since I knew nothing about this area or the Native Americans that live there, I did a little research.

The Lakota Sioux Tribe lives in South Dakota, right near the border of Nebraska.  There are about 19,000 people living on the reservation.  In White Clay, Nebraska, a town of 14 people just a few miles from the reservation , there are 4 liquor stores.  These liquor stores sell over 4 million cans of beer to the 19,000 tribe members that live just a few miles away.  At the moment there is a Supreme Court decision waiting to be made that will close White Clay and the 4 liquor stores forever.  Opponents of this happening say that having the liquor stores there is just free enterprise.  That argument can be had some other time.  Alcoholism is one of the major problems in Pine Ridge.  Additionally, youth suicide is four times the national average.  Trump has cut Native American programs nationwide, and the situation will only get worse.  Most families live on about $5,000 per year, in addition to hand outs from the federal government, in the form of food, housing and health care.

Because of the closure of the liquor stores in White Clay, bootleg liquor is now produced by the Native Americans, so closing the liquor stores has done nothing to reduce alcoholism.  Drinking gets these impoverished people away from reality.  Most Pine Ridge residents are living on government handouts.  Commodity products that are given to the locals include mostly carbohydrates, like flour and rice.  Fruits and veggies are scarce, so when a Subway finally opened on the reservation, locals were thrilled to be able to get vegetables in their Subway sandwich.  Some had not eaten a cucumber or pepper in months because the high cost of these items in local supermarkets.  Because of poor nutrition, one half of all members of the Lakota Sioux Tribe in South Dakota are diabetic.

Conscious Alliances's efforts to improve life for the Pine Ridge people through their service project/holiday food drive/giveaway is a good beginning, but there is so much that needs to be done to turn life around for these people.  No one should go hungry in America.  Hopefully other non profits will follow the lead of Conscious Alliance and try to improve the health and nutrition of all Americans.

Get Your Senior Discounts

Thank you, Jan, for sending me this list of restaurants, retail stores, and hotels, cars and airlines that offer senior discounts.  I wrote about this many years ago, but things change.  More and more businesses are realizing that offering senior discounts pays off in the long run.  The most important thing about senior discounts, is that you MUST ASK for one.  They won't offer if you don't ask.  Also, the age that businesses consider you a senior may vary.  Some give a senior discount at 50, others not until you're 65.  It's a great savings, usually 10% or more, on just about everything, if you shop on the right day.  Every business is different, so be sure and check.  Here's the list, and as I said before, ASK for your senior discount.

RESTAURANTS:

Applebee's: 15% off with Golden Apple Card (60+)

Arby's: 10% off ( 55 +)

Ben & Jerry's: 10% off (60+)

Bennigan's: discount varies by location (60+)

Bob's Big Boy: discount varies by location (60+)

Boston Market: 10% off (65+)

Burger King: 10% off (60+)

Chick-Fil-A: 10% off or free small drink or coffee ( 55+)

Chili's: 10% off ( 55+)

CiCi's Pizza: 10% off (60+)

Denny's: 10% off, 20% off for AARP members ( 55 +)

Dunkin' Donuts: 10% off or free coffee ( 55+)

Einstein's Bagels: 10% off baker's dozen of bagels (60+)

Fuddrucker's: 10% off any senior platter ( 55+)

Gatti's Pizza: 10% off (60+)

Golden Corral: 10% off (60+)

Hardee's: $0.33 beverages everyday  (65+)

IHOP: 10% off ( 55+)

Jack in the Box: up to 20% off ( 55+)

KFC: free small drink with any meal ( 55+)

Krispy Kreme: 10% off ( 50+)

Long John Silver's: various discounts at locations ( 55+)

McDonald's: discounts on coffee everyday ( 55+)

Mrs. Fields: 10% off at participating locations (60+)

Shoney's: 10% off

Sonic: 10% off or free beverage (60+)

Steak 'n Shake: 10% off every Monday & Tuesday ( 50+)

Subway: 10% off (60+)

Sweet Tomatoes: 10% off (62+)

Taco Bell : 5% off; free beverages for seniors (65+)

TCBY: 10% off ( 55+)

Tea Room Cafe: 10% off ( 50+)

Village Inn: 10% off (60+)

Waffle House: 10% off every Monday (60+)

Wendy's: 10% off ( 55 +)

Whataburger: 10% off (62+)

White Castle: 10% off (62+)

RETAIL & APPAREL :

Banana Republic: 30% off ( 50 +)

Bealls: 20% off first Tuesday of each month ( 50 +)

Belk's: 15% off first  Tuesday of every month ( 55 +)

Big Lots: 30% off

Bon-Ton Department Stores: 15% off on senior discount days ( 55 +)

C.J. Banks: 10% off every Wednesday (50+)

Clarks : 10% off (62+)

Dress Barn: 20% off ( 55+)

Goodwill: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)

Hallmark: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)

Kmart: 40% off (Wednesdays only) ( 50+)

Kohl's: 15% off (60+)Modell's Sporting Goods: 30% off

Rite Aid: 10% off on Tuesdays & 10% off prescriptions

Ross Stores: 10% off every Tuesday ( 55+)

The Salvation Army Thrift Stores: up to 50% off ( 55+)

Stein Mart: 20% off red dot/clearance items first Monday of every month ( 55 +)

GROCERY :

Albertson's: 10% off first Wednesday of each month ( 55 +)

American Discount Stores: 10% off every Monday ( 50 +)

Compare Foods Supermarket: 10% off every Wednesday (60+)

DeCicco Family Markets: 5% off every Wednesday (60+)

Food Lion: 60%  off every Monday (60+)

Fry's Supermarket: free Fry's VIP Club Membership & 10% off every Monday ( 55 +)

Great Valu Food Store: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)

Gristedes Supermarket: 10% off every Tuesday (60+)

Harris Teeter: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)

Hy-Vee: 5% off one day a week (date varies by location)

Kroger: 10% off (date varies by location)

Morton Williams Supermarket: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)

The Plant Shed: 10% off every Tuesday ( 50 +)

Publix: 15% off every Wednesday ( 55 +)

Rogers Marketplace: 5% off every Thursday (60+)

Uncle Guiseppe's Marketplace: 15% off (62+)

TRAVEL :

AIRLINES:

Alaska Airlines: 50% off (65+)

American Airlines: various discounts for 50% off non-peak periods

         (Tuesdays - Thursdays) (62+)and up   (call before booking for discount)

Continental Airlines: no initiation fee for Continental Presidents Club & special fares for select destinations

Southwest Airlines: various  discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)

United Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)

U.S. Airways: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)

RAIL:

Amtrak: 15% off (62+)

Bus:

Greyhound: 15% off (62+)

Trailways Transportation System: various discounts for ages 50+

CAR RENTAL:

Alamo Car Rental: up to 25% off for AARP members

Avis: up to 25% off for AARP members

Budget Rental Cars: 40% off; up to 50% off for AARP members ( 50+)

Dollar Rent-A-Car: 10% off ( 50+)

Enterprise Rent-A-Car: 5% off for AARP members

Hertz: up to 25% off for AARP members

National Rent-A-Car: up to 30% off for AARP members

OVERNIGHT ACCOMODATIONS:

Holiday Inn: 20-40% off depending on location (62+)

Best Western: 40% off (55+)

Cambria Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)

Waldorf Astoria - NYC $5,000 off nightly rate for Presidential Suite  (55 +)

Clarion Motels: 20%-30% off (60+)

Comfort Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)

Comfort Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)

Econo Lodge: 40% off (60+)

Hampton Inns & Suites: 40% off when booked 72 hours in advance

Hyatt Hotels: 25%-50% off (62+)

InterContinental Hotels Group: various discounts at all hotels (65+)

Mainstay Suites: 10% off with Mature Traveler's Discount (50+); 20%-30% off (60+)

Marriott Hotels: 25% off (62+)

Motel 6: Stay Free Sunday nights (60+)

Myrtle Beach Resort: 30% off ( 55 +)

Quality Inn: 40%-50% off (60+)

Rodeway Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)

Sleep Inn: 40% off (60+)

ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT:

AMC Theaters: up to 30% off ( 55 +)

Bally Total Fitness: $100 off memberships (62+)

Busch Gardens Tampa, FL: $13 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)

Carmike Cinemas: 35% off (65+)

Cinemark/Century Theaters: up to 35% off

Massage Envy - NYC 20% off all "Happy Endings" (62 +)

U.S. National  Parks: $10 lifetime pass; 50% off additional services including camping (62+)

Regal Cinemas: 50% off Ripley's Believe it or Not: @ off one-day ticket ( 55 +)

SeaWorld, Orlando , FL : $3 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)

CELL PHONE DISCOUNTS :

AT&T: Special Senior Nation 200 Plan $19.99/month (65+)

Jitterbug: $10/month cell phone service ( 50 +)

Verizon Wireless: Verizon Nationwide 65 Plus Plan $29.99/month (65+).

MISCELLANEOUS:

Great Clips: $8 off hair cuts (60+)

Supercuts: $8 off haircuts (60+)

The Enormous Problem Of Fraudulent Goods

Over 7% of world trade involves counterfeit goods.  From medicine to food, to clothing and toys, electronics, car and airplane parts, records and fine wine, everything is being knocked off!  In fact, the sale of fraudulent goods has grown 10,000%  in the past two decades.  (that's a conservative estimate.  The consequences are both economic and humanitarian.  For example, Pfizer has more than 20 products that they know have been knocked off.  Viagra, Lipitor, Plavix and Tamiflu are just some of them.  Imagine what this does to the bottom line of this public company.  The other thing is that over 700,000 people die each year from knock off drugs, mostly in underdeveloped countries.

In the U.S in 2007,  the University of North Carolina found that 77% of the fish sold as red snapper was actually tilapia, a less expensive fish.  Olive oil is another product that is often counterfeit.  Either the olive oil sold is not extra virgin, or is mixed with a cheaper oil, like soybean oil.

Clothing by well know companies like Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, Guess, etc are sold all over the world.  Some knock offs are so good you can barely tell them from the real thing, others are not so good and will probably fall apart in weeks.  Who hasn't bought a Rolex watch from a street vendor, or a Louis Vuitton handbag?  This effects the bottom line of these companies.  It's a terrible thing, and it doesn't look like things will change any time soon,.

On my recent Crystal Cruise, we had a speaker talking about fraud.  He said you should never buy drugs on line, even from Canada.  You just don't know what you're getting.  The highest concentration of illegally produced goods come from China.  That's another reason not to buy goods produced in China.  You really don't know what you're getting.

Retail packaging is sometimes changed slightly, to make you think you are buying a name brand.  Go into Dollar Tree or a similar type store and see how things like Windex, Ajax, Clorox, and other products have packaging that looks similar to the real thing, but aren't.  You will know they're not the real deal as soon as you use the product.

Some fraudulent products are controlled by organized crime, others are just small time entrepreneurs with no scruples.  Just beware.  Anything you purchase is possibly not the real deal.  This includes expensive electronic products, including Apple.  You've got to be careful, and a little bit lucky.

Working Military Dogs Help Keep Us Safe

My dog park friends were talking one day about the importance of working dogs in our society:  from therapy dogs, to police dogs, to military working dogs, they all have an important job to do.  Steve was telling us that in Virginia, on one of the military bases, is a huge veterinarian center that treats working dogs that have been injured in the line of duty.  Therapy dogs are used in hospitals, convalescent homes, and schools.  Barbara told us about her granddaughter's friend who teaches Special Education, and brings her black lab to class.  The children read to him, and his mere presence calms the kids.

So what do the dogs get for the loyalty and hard work they do?  In the military and police forces, they get A+ medical care and often a home with their handler upon retirement.  It's a win/win situation

The Defense Department's Military Working Dog Program is responsible for the health and welfare of over 2,300 dogs.  These dogs, mostly German and Dutch Shepherds and Belgian Malinois, are smart, aggressive, loyal and athletic.  They will defend their handler to the end.  The dogs support the war on terror, help safeguard military bases, detect bombs and other explosives.  They inflict fear in an aggressor often greater than a human with a gun.

Dogs have been used by the military since the Revolutionary War.  The biggest surge in the use of canines came during WW11, when there were 10,000 specially trained canines, mostly sentries, but some were scouts, messengers and mine detectors.  They are commonly used today to sniff out bombs, drugs or explosives.  Their noses can smell things 5-10 times more sensitive than a human nose.  They work for the pleasure of pleasing their handler, and are rewarded with love and affection, good medical care, and a forever home when they retire.

Drought Areas You May Not Have Heard About

When you hear about drought, you think first of California.  For years we have been fighting drought conditions.  No matter what we do solve the water problem, it doesn't seem to work.  Governor Brown put limits on water usage and they worked.  Why, then, did they lift restrictions, just when things were getting better.  Now we're back to a drought situation again in California.  The reality is, there are many more areas of the country facing serious drought and we don't even realize it.

Dry conditions in the Northeast have created drought conditions.  Almost 10% of the state of New York is now in extreme drought, according to the latest data from the U.S. Drought Monitor.  Extreme drought conditions also expanded in New Hampshire, up double digits.  Temperatures have been one to five degrees above normal in the Northeast.  The benefit to farmers is that peaches and other produce love heat, and the hot weather over the summer has produced better crops for farmers.

Other areas of the U.S. that are facing drought like conditions that didn't in the past, are portions of the Southeast and the northern High Plains.  I hear about rain in the south, southeast and north, and tremendous flooding, and don't think the U.S. could possibly have drought conditions there, but they do.  We on the west coast are not alone.  It's either feast or famine.  We should all embrace the fact that climate change is real, and work to prevent more severe weather from occurring in the future, if that's possible.  Florida is one area that must be dealt with.  If not, much of Miami will be under water in the not too distant future.

Oh Rats, Part 2

As much as I hate and fear rats, they are pretty interesting.  Here are some facts about rats that you probably didn't know.  I'm not sure you need to know this information, but I found it interesting.

1.  Rats' front teeth grow 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 inches each year.  They wear them down by continuously gnawing on everything around them, from brick, to cement, to lead pipes.

2.  A female rat can mate as many as 500 times with various males during a six-hour period of receptivity-a state she experiences about 15 times per year.  Thus, a pair of brown rats can produce as many as 2,000 descendants in a year if left to breed unchecked.

3.  A rat can tread water for three days and survive being flushed down the toilet.

4.  There are 56 species of rats.  Many live near humans, but they are often found in remote habitats like marshlands and rain forests.  Some species of rats are even endangered.

5.  A rat can fall as far as 50 feet and land uninjured.

6.  Rats do not sweat.  They regulate their temperature by constricting or expanding blood vessels in their tails.

7.  Rats are known to transmit several potentially fatal diseases to humans, including viral hemorrhagic fever plague, Weil's disease and Q fever.  The good news is that is rare for a human to get rabies from a rat.

8.  Rats don't have gallbladders or tonsils, but they do have belly buttons.

Just thought you should know.

The Swiss Hand Shake

There's a centuries old tradition in Swiss schools that is being challenged by immigrants recently.  The tradition is that students shake hands with their teacher at the beginning and end of each day.  It's a sign of respect.  Recently two Muslim boys, ages 14 and 15, who refused to shake hands with their female teacher because of religious beliefs, took the case to court.  Initially the court ruled for the boys, but there was such an uproar by the people of Switzerland that the boys were granted an exemption from hand shaking because of their beliefs, that the decision was overturned and it was decided that the boys would have to adhere to the traditions of Switzerland.  This was more than a quarrel over hand shakes.  It was fight over whether the Swiss would be masters in their own house or whether they would be forced to yield, by the granting of special treatment, to the Islamic view of the proper relations between the sexes.  It's a small battle but significant, between the Muslim immigrants and the indigenous Swiss.

The Swiss feel that at the smallest and seemingly inconsequential levels, Muslims are challenging laws and customs.  Each victory or defeat will determine whether Muslims will truly integrate into a Western society or instead, refashion that society to meet Muslim requirements.  The rest of the Western world is also facing similar kinds of law suits.  In France and the U.S., Muslims have gone to court over the right to wear head scarfs or burkas in the workplace, at school, and having their DMV picture taken.  It's easy to see both sides of the issue.  Most countries want Muslims to assimilate into society, but at the same time keep their traditions.  Who is right?  I have a feeling this is a topic we will not all agree on.

Edible Utensils Are Good For The Planet

Narayana Peesapaty of Hyderabad, India, recently developed edible utensils.  His company, Bakeys, uses millet, rice and wheat flours to make chopsticks, forks, knives and spoons, to replace the plastic variety that are used in billions of take out orders worldwide.  The utensils come in three flavors, plain, sweet and spicy.  They are not intended to replace metal cutlery, but are meant to be used for take out food.  Imagine how many plastic utensils are thrown away every year, just to sit in a landfill for the rest of time because they do not decompose.  The edible utensil is waste and chemical free.

Current plastic utensils contain polystyrene, or #6 plastic, which can leach a chemical called styrene.  Exposure to styrene can lead to eye irritation, headaches, fatigue and depression.  Most importantly, most companies do not recycle #6 plastic because it is not cost effective.  The edible utensils are great for the environment.  There is no recycling necessary.  Even if the consumer doesn't want to eat the utensil, it is biodegradable, and will not hurt the environment.  Congratulations to Mr. Peesapaty for developing a product that will help our planet.  I believe edible utensils will be seen everywhere in the U.S. in the not too distant future.  Cost is probably an issue right now, but over time, the cost of these utensils will decrease and they will become the new norm.  To keep up with food trends, I would expect to see gluten free edible utensils in the very near future.

Al Schwimmer: Above and Beyond

I recently saw the film Above and Beyond, about the circumstances that created the Israeli Air Force.  The star of the movie, in my opinion, was Al Schwimmer.  I had not heard of him prior to viewing the movie, but realize he played a vital role in the creation of Israel.

In the late 1940's it was decided that Palestine would be divided in two, half would remain Palestine, the other half would become the free state of Israel.  Palestine was not happy, and thus began Israel's war for independence.  Israel won, but fighting between Israelis and Arabs continues to this day.

Al Schwimmer, an American born Jew, is responsible for creating the Israeli Air Force.  Using the skills he had learned during WW11 and his engineering skills, Schwimmer smuggled aircraft out of the U.S. in a circuitous  way to get supplies to Israel.  He asked WW11 pilots to volunteer to help in his efforts, and he got tremendous results.  Many young American Jews who had just finished serving in the U.S. Air Force, were willing to risk everything for an effort that they knew was illegal, but felt it was morally right.  At the time there were 600,000 Jews in Israel (not yet a state), many refugees from concentration camps, and about 50 million Arabs in the surrounding area.  Schwimmer knew the Israelis had no chance to win a war without some help.  He got help from friends in high places (we don't know exactly who), and bought discarded aircraft left over from the war.  He got pilots to fly the planes to Israel, carrying supplies for the people of Israel.

This is truly a David and Goliath story.  The Egyptians were invading Israel, and an Air Force of just 4 planes was able to stop them.  Through the course of several years, Schwimmer was able to get 3,500 volunteers from around the world to help Israel establish itself as a country, and protect it from Arab nations that didn't want Israel to exist.

Al Schwimmer was arrested and fined for his illegal endeavors, but never regretted what he did, thinking he made the right moral decision.  David Ben Gurion, the first prime minister of Israel, asked Schwimmer to come to Israel, which he did.  He started Israel Aerospace Industries, and became a close personal friend of Ben Gurion.  During Bill Clinton's presidency, Schwimmer was given a full pardon.

The movie Above and Beyond contained many interviews with surviving pilots, most of who flew 25-30 missions during Israel's war for independence.  What impressed me most about this story, is how many good people there are in the world.  There are so many people, Jew and Gentile alike, that risked it all to do what they considered the moral thing to do.  Let's not forget Al Schwimmer, and all the men and women that contributed to creating the state of Israel.  They are all heroes in my eyes.

Who Are The "Ladies In White?"

The Ladies in White are an activist group in Cuba.  They were formed in 2003 to protest their friends and family members being held as political prisoners.  They go to Mass every Sunday, dressed in white, and then walk the streets of Havana protesting.  White symbolizes peace.  Government officials in Havana think they are supported by the U.S. government, but there is no real evidence of this.

President Obama recently visited Cuba, the first president in almost 90 years to do so.  There was much debate over whether that was a good thing or not, and I am not prepared to discuss  that.  I do, however, feel that if we are going to have diplomatic and trade relations with the island of Cuba, we must go there and meet and talk.  That was the mission of President Obama.  He also used the visit to speak directly to the people of Cuba, without any censorship.  That's a first.  He also was able to talk to several activists.  It doesn't think that the Castro regime was at all bothered by the U.S. delegation coming to visit.  A few days before the visit, numerous activists were rounded up and imprisoned.  Their failure to allow protest will take time to reverse.  It is not our place to force a country to comply to our way of doing things.  However, when human rights are abused, and there are international laws about this, we, and the world, must speak up.

Hopefully the Ladies in White will continue their protests until all political prisoners are released.  Obama's trip to Cuba is a step forward, but real change will take time.  The Castros have been in power for well over 50 years.  We can't expect things to change overnight.

Bronislaw Huberman: Founder of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

I recently saw the movie Orchestra of Exiles at one of my Brandeis study groups.  I learned about the Polish violinist, Bronislaw Huberman, a man I had never heard of but one that had a profound effect on thousands of Jews before and during WW11, and left an indelible mark on music in Israel.  Here is some of what I learned from this wonderful and informative film.

Bronislaw Huberman's talent as a violinist was recognized early.  His family had fallen on hard times, so at the young age of 12 Huberman was touring Europe as a solo violinist, supporting his family.  After WW1 Huberman became political, getting involved in the Pan European movement.  Huberman performed all over Europe.  He even performed in Palestine in 1929.  It was around this time that he began to fear the future for Jews, with the rise of Hitler.  He decided to form a symphony orchestra in Palestine, getting the best Jewish talent from Poland, Germany, Austria and several other countries.  Toscanini, the greatest conductor of his time, had refused to perform in Germany, even at the direct request of Hitler.  He was supportive of Huberman's political and cultural desire to both save the lives of talented Jewish musicians, and give to Palestine a world class orchestra.

It took years for Huberman to complete his mission.  In all, he is credited with saving the lives of over 1,000 Jewish men, women and children.  Some of them were musicians, but the others were family members.  He got documents to allow them to get out of Germany and Poland, and travel to Palestine.  No one knows exactly how he was able to do this.  The result was that by 1936 he had a 73 piece orchestra assembled in Palestine, including some of the finest musicians in the world.  Toscanini was there to conduct on opening night, and the orchestra was an instant success.  They toured for the next 10 years throughout the Middle East, and Huberman, one of the finest violinists of his day, rarely performed.  During this time Huberman travelled to America, to perform at Carnegie Hall.  During his time at Carnegie Hall, a thief snuck into his dressing room and stole his Strativarius violin.  This was a devasting blow to Huberman, but he recovered.  His orchestra was  a success, and had saved so many lives.  One condition of each musician that came to Palestine was that they must teach music to the next generation.  They all did, and to this day the Israeli Symphony Orchestra has many children and students of the original orchestra.

In 1948, when Israel was becoming an independent country, the name of the orchestra was changed to Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.  It's first conductor, in 1948, was Leonard Bernstein, and he conducted them for 20 years.  Zuben Mehta also conducted there.  Huberman wanted to fight Nazism through music.  He achieved this goal.  50 years after his beloved violin was stolen from Carnegie Hall, is was recovered.  Today it is played brilliantly by Joshua Bell.

Michael Faraday: One Of The World's Great Physicists

By day Faraday worked for Davy, but by night he experiment with electromagnetic rotation (the principle behind the electric motor).  In 183 Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction, the principle behind the electric transformer and generator.  Faraday also founded the Christmas Lectures, which continue to this day.  Each year at Christmas time a famous physicist gives science lectures at the Royal Institution in London.

In the early 1850's Faraday's health began to deteriorate, but he continued his work in his chosen field until his death.  He is truly one of the great physicists in history.  Next time you drive around Carlsbad and pass Faraday, think of Michael Faraday, chemist and physicist, for whom the street is named.

The Disproportionate Risks of Driving While Black

I have though a lot about the topic of "White Privilege"  recently  An article in the New York Times led me to blog about the vast differences that exist between how blacks are treated and how whites are treated.  An examination of traffic stops and arrests in Greensboro, N.C., uncovered wide racial differences in measure after measure of police conduct.

In 2013, Rufus Scales, age 26, was driving his younger brother to a hair cut appointment in a suburban area of the city.  Before he knew it, sirens were flashing and two police officers pulled Rufus over for minor infractions that included expired plates and failing to hang a flag from a load of scrap metal.  Here's what happened next.  Rufus reached to restrain his brother from opening the door and a black officer stunned him with a Taser, while a white officer yanked him from the driver's seat.  Temporarily paralyzed by the shock, he fell face down, and was dragged across the asphalt.  Today, Rufus doesn't leave home without a hand-held video camera and a business card with a toll-free number for legal help.  Sadly, Rufus' experience is not unique.

Documenting racial profiling in police work is a daunting task due to a multitude of factors, including elevated violent crime rates in many black neighborhoods,  but we know that there is a wide  difference in police conduct based simply on race.  In North Carolina, where traffic stops were studied, it was found that officers were more likely to stop black drivers for no discernible reason, and were more likely to use force if the driver was black, even when they did not encounter physical resistance.

In Greensboro, which is 41% black, traffic stops help feed the stream of minor charges that draw a mostly  African-American crowd of defendants to the county courthouse on weekday mornings.  National surveys show that black and whites use marijuana at the same rate, but black residents in Greensboro are charged with the sole offense of possession of minor amounts of marijuana five times as often as white residents.  In addition, more than four times as many blacks as whites are arrested on the sole charge of resisting, obstructing or delaying an officer, an offense so borderline that some North Carolina police chiefs discourage its use unless a more serious crime is involved.

Yes, it is risky to drive while black.  Those of us who are white don't think about  the possibility of being stopped by police every time we get in our car, but blacks certainly do.  I guess this is part of  what I call "White Privilege."  Just being white entitles you to get in your car and drive without the anxiety that a police car may pull you over for little or no reason.  White privilege will be a topic I will blog about another time, but for now, just pay attention to who's getting stopped on the side of the road in your city. 

California Agrees To Overhaul Use Of Solitary Confinement

Knowing a bit about the penal system, articles about improving the quality of life for those incarcerated, always catch my eye.  There has been much talk about decriminalizing marijuana and reducing the sentences for first time offenders.  President Obama even did what no president before him has done, visit a federal prison.  It's hard to have an opinion on such a topic when you have only heard about it.  Seeing it and talking to prisoners gives one a very different perspective.

Solitary confinement is used to separate dangerous prisoners from the general population, either because they ahave been violent in prison or because they have been identified as gang members.  Such prisoners are left in solitary confinement indefinitely, with severe psychological effects.  Solitary confinement is also used in low  prisons or "camps," for very minor offences.  (Playing music too loud, gambling, being late for work, having more than the accepted amount of food and toiletries in your locker), or just because they don't know what to do with you.

Ron was put in isolation for 17 days when he first arrived at Taft.  Why?  Because the warden said so.  Later we found out that Ron's paper work had been lost, and they put him in isolation until everything was sorted out.  Those days were probably the worst Ron ever experienced.  He had no idea how long he would be in isolation, and as the days wore on, his letters to me became more desperate and he sounded more despondent.  Singing to himself, reciting poems he learned 50 years ago, sleeping in a cell on a box spring without a mattress, being awakened at 3am for breakfast, having no one to talk to and nothing to do for hours, days, on end, had a profound effect on him. Is this punishment or torture?  Tens of thousands of inmates across California have participated in hunger strikes since 2011 to protest the state's use of solitary confinement.

Finally, it looks as if this  practice may be reduced and used only in extreme cases.  Under the settlement, prisoners will no longer be sent to isolation indefinitely.  Gang members will no longer be sent to solitary based solely on their gang affiliation.  Only inmates found guilty of serious prison infractions, like violence, weapons and narcotics possession will be sent to isolation.

The state will create a new unit for prisoners who are deemed too dangerous to return to the general population.  There, they will have more privileges than in solitary, including more time out of their cells, small group leisure activities, and phone privileges.

Solitary confinement has its place.  Dangerous prisoners made need such a  placement, but for most prisoners, who will return to either general population in prison, or be released, it is not a good option.  They are severely damaged, probably beyond repair.  The problem too is that they don't get much psychological treatment to help them deal with extreme isolation.  I for one am happy to see some prison reform in the 21st century

Who Was Raphael Lempkin?

You probably have never heard of Raphael Lempkin, but he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize seven times.  He never won, but when you hear about the work this Polish born Jew, born in 1900, you'll understand why he was considered so many times for this prize.

Around 1933 Lempkin realized he had to escape from Europe to survive.  He knew the Nazis were on the way, but he could not convince his family to leave with him.  In the end, 49 members of his family were killed in concentration camps, the Warsaw ghetto and death marches.   He reached the U.S. safely, where he took a teaching position at Duke University.  In 1942 he moved to Washington, D.C, where he worked tirelessly for the rest of his life to document Nazi atrocities, to define genocide, and is responsible for coining the word "genocide." 

The defendants in the Nuremberg Trials were being tried, among other things, for crimes against humanity.  Lempkin felt that there should be a word to describe the destruction of a nation or of an ethnic group.  He coined the word "genocide,", from the ancient Greek word genos (race, tribe) and the Latin cide (killing).  Today, the word genocide is part of international law.  In 1948, the United Nations approved the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide.  Lempkin committed the rest of his life to urging nations to pass legislation supporting the Convention.

Since the word genocide was officially coined and became part of international law, genocide has continued to wreak havoc around the world.  Rwanda, Darfur, Yugoslavia and most recently, Syria come to mind.  Although President Omar al Bashir of Darfur has been indicted by the United Nations for genocide, he has not been arrested or captured.  He committed horrendous crimes while the whole world watched, yet has not been punished.

I just watched a most moving documentary, Watchers of the Sky.  Lempkin was one of the four men featured in the film, all fighting for justice for victims of genocide.  It was an inspiring film.  Lempkin himself is inspiring.  He devoted his life to urging nations to pass legislation supporting the Convention.  He died in 1959, impoverished and exhausted by his efforts.

Why Do Leaves Change Color In Autumn?

After returning from New England in early fall, I wanted to understand the science behind the changing of the leaves.  Where do those bright orange and red colors come from?  Here's a bit of a basic science lesson

Leaves are nature's food factories.  Plants take in water from the ground through their roots.  They take carbon dioxide from the air.  Plants use sunlight to turn water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and glucose.  So without plants, we would have no oxygen to breathe.  Plants use glucose (sugar) as food for energy and as a building block for growing.  The process by which plants turn water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and sugar is called photosynthesis.  Chlorophyll in the plants help this happen, and also give plants their green color.

As summer ends, the days get shorter and shorter, and the trees know to begin getting ready for winter.  During winter, there is not enough light or water for photosynthesis.  Trees will rest, and live off the food they have stored.  They begin to shut down their food-making factories.  The green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves.  As the green disappears, we begin to see yellow, orange, red and purple colors that we love so much.  The colors are there all the time, but are covered up by the green chlorophyll.  Sunlight and cool nights of autumn cause the leaves to turn the glucose in maple tress into a red color.  The brown color of tress like oaks is made from wastes left in the trees.

When I was on my cruise, and trees had not turned colors the way we anticipated, the locals told us it was because the nights had not been cold enough yet.  Luckily, when we got to Quebec City we had freezing temperatures at night, and saw some beautiful leaves.  Living in California we have few opportunities to see the leaves turning colors.  I was happy to cruise the East Coast, and get an opportunity to see it firsthand.

The Dark Act Threatens GMO Right-to-Know

You may remember a proposition on the last California election ballot regarding GMO.  Those for the proposition were trying to make mandatory, labeling of genetically modified organisms in food.  It was defeated, due to the corporate giants in agriculture that don't want you to know what you're eating

Ben and Jerry's, the ice cream company, have a web site that always has interesting, thought provoking topics.  Earlier this year they discussed H.R.442, a bill GMO right to know activists are calling the Dark Act.  This act went nowhere in the last Congress, but Mike Pompeo of Kansas, is preparing to reintroduce another bill just like the it this year.  His bill would deny every state in the country the ability to pass GMO labeling laws.  This is lobbyist-drafted legislation that would undo years of work that went into passing GMO labeling laws in Vermont, Connecticut and Maine.  More importantly, it would obstruct the efforts of grassroots movements in dozens of states that are seeking to give citizens the right to know what's in their food.

What's happening across the country is that states are stepping forward to peel back the layers of secrecy that agribusiness and the grocery lobbies would like to maintain by keeping GMO foods unlabeled. Early this year eight states introduced bills that would require the disclosure of GMO's.  As with many issues in American politics, a few powerful corporation with deep pockets are in control.  This does not seem to be a political issue at all, as polls show Republicans and Democrats  supporting GMO labeling equally.

Whether or not you want to buy GMO is not really the issue.  The issue is that there should be accountability in the food industry.  Consumers should know what they're buying and make their own choice.  I don't necessarily want to buy everything organic, but I do feel that labeling produce gives the public the facts, and they can buy what they want.  Let's not let deep pockets by corporations influence Congress.  Bipartisan work in states from coast to coast says our voices can be heard.  If you feel strongly that we have a right to know what's in our food and how it was grown, let someone know.  Call your congressman and tell him/her.  We lost the fight in California last time, but I'm sure it will be on the ballot soon again.

Are You Recycling Correctly?

You probably thought as I did, that recycling was easy.  Put paper in the paper container, plastic in the plastic container, plant matter in the green container.  Turns out, it's a little more complicated than that.  In my community, all recyclables are tossed into one container, and sent to the processing plant.  The problem is that this reduces the value of batch of recyclables as a whole, because non-recyclable materials can get mixed in with and contaminate recyclables.

So what is the eco-conscious consumer to do?  It turns out that there are some things that aren't worth recycling because they end up doing more harm than good at the plant.  Small scraps of paper, for example should not be put in the blue recycling bin.  It is virtually impossible to separate shreds of paper from other materials rolling down a conveyor belt.  They should be put in a paper bag, stapled shut, and labeled "shredded paper" on the outside.  A person at the processing plant may recognize the bag, and remove it from the rest of the recycling stream and sort it into paper products.  Really?  I just can't see that happening in reality.

Condiment packets like soy sauce and ketchup packets are made out of plastic or an aluminum-plastic combination.  Nobody's recycling them right now.  You're better off throwing them in the trash.  Polystyrene foam containers are almost never recyclable because of their lightweight and are typically soiled with food residue, which will contaminate the whole batch of recyclables.  Paper cups are usually coated with plastic, so they can't be recycled with other paper products.  It's a good idea to check with your local waste management authority to make sure you are disposing of them properly.  Plastic bags are a big hassle at the recycling plant too.  They often fly off or clog sorting machinery, which causes the operation to be shut down until the clog is fixed.  At one plant in San Francisco, they have to shut down the machines every night for at least an hour to go in and manually pick out all the pieces of plastic bag that have jammed up the various machines.  A better idea is to take plastic bags to your local grocery store.  They usually have a plastic bag recycling bin at the entrance.

>p>We all think we're helping the environment by recycling, but not all products should be recycled.  Waste management gets paid for what they bring to be recycled, and the value of the recycling materials can be reduced if contaminated.  This is something I didn't ever think about until now, and I just thought you should know.

A Short History of The Workmen's Circle

My source for interesting information used to be the Encinitas Y, but since we moved to Ocean Hills and I don't get to the Y very often, I have had to find a new source.  I now rely on my daily visits to the dog park for information on politics, religion, culture and gossip.  I also get information from just about everyone I talk to here.  The oldest residents of Ocean Hills are a wealth  of information.  Ron and I were at our weekly Ocean Hills bridge game one Tuesday night, and the 93 year old woman to my right was telling me about the early years in LA.  She mentioned a group called The Workmen's Circle, gave me the history of the organization and told us her parents were members of the group.  Now I will tell you a little about this remarkable group.

When the Yiddish-speaking immigrant Jews came to America, many found themselves in overcrowded tenements and hazardous sweatshops.  With poverty came disease.  Thus, a group of Jews founded the Workmen's Circle in New York City in 1900 as a refuge from oppression.  They established schools and camps for children and adults, published books, operated a famous medical department for their members' care, sanitariums for the infirm, ran credit unions for their members, and bought tracts of land for cemeteries.  The Karl Liebknecht Branch was the first in Los Angeles, founded in 1908.  The organization has enjoyed a continuous presence in Los Angeles ever since.  They recently celebrated their 105th anniversary year. 

Early in it's history the Workmen's Circle members established the City of Hope, originally for the care of tuberculosis patients, now a world-famous center whose philosophy still calls for free medical treatment.  Over the years, the Workmen's Circle has expanded into the support of the Jewish Home for the Aging and many other charitable causes.  The Workmen's Circle was one of the earliest voices to speak against Nazism in the 1930's, and against Stalinism.  They have advocated consistently for civil rights legislation, health care reform, and full and equal rights for all people.  In the 1940's and 1950's Workmen's Circle was active in Chicano electoral campaigns and in the farm workers struggles.

Their goal has always been to preserve the unique beauty of Jewish culture and advocate for Yiddish cultural activity in particular.  To this day they have an active organization in LA.  It's amazing that after 105 years the organization is still relevant and an important voice in Los Angeles.  Just thought you should know.

Where Have All The Buffalo Gone?

I was at an art lecture one Friday morning, and one painting in particular created much conversation after the lecture.  It was a painting depicting the slaughter of the Plains Indians.  The painting showed a warrior on horseback killing a buffalo with a spear, with huge herds of buffalo in the background, and buffalo bones in the foreground.  The question that arose is this.  "Who killed all the buffalo, the Indians or the white man?"  Here's what I found.

There are no accurate figures for the number of buffalo when the Native Americans first settled in the plains, but it is believed to be between 30-60 million.  Because of their size, buffalo had no natural predators to keep down their numbers.  By the 1890's there were only about 500 buffalo left in the wild.  Native Americans killed buffalo for food and clothing.  They used every part of the animal.  The meat could be dried or preserved for future use.  The horns were used as decoration on ceremonial clothes, the hides could be used as blankets or as part of a teepee.  The killing was done by warriors, but they only killed what they could use.  One explorer prophetically said, "When the buffalo are extinct, the Native People too must dwindle away.  Native People knew that their survival depended on the buffalo and if they took advantage of this creature, they would pay for that greed themselves.

White settlers did not share this view.  They saw the plains as perfect for cattle, and wanted to move Native People off of the Plains and destroy the buffalo hers. They had many political friends in Washington and a dual policy developed:  move the Native People into reservations away from valuable land and destroy the herds of buffalo. Hunters were encouraged to hunt on the Plains to destroy the buffalo.  Animals were skinned and the carcasses were left to rot.  Only the tongue, a delicacy, was saved.  A slaughter similar to that of the buffalo has no parallel in history.

So, yes, Native Americans did kill buffalo, but depended on them for survival, and with crude weapons for killing them, could not possibly have killed millions.  The white man, with high powered rifles, could easily kill these powerful animals.  Had conservationists not stepped in and started breeding programs, the buffalo might well be extinct.  Today, they are making a comeback.  Consumers have discovered bison meat and many bison are being raised for this purpose.

The white man moved Native Americans to reservations, killed millions of buffalo and used the Plains land for cattle.  Thanks to conservation organizations we still have buffalo.  Their numbers are growing and they are thriving.