Two American Success Stories
An interesting article in Good Times, one of SC's weekly alt-mags, on Swanton Berry Farm. Swanton owner Jim Cochran was the first commercial farmer to grow strawberries organically (in 1983), after watching the effects of the toxins used as pesticides on the field workers and on himself (he got pesticide poisoning several times). "It was less of an issue about consumers than about workers" says Cochran. After learning how to grow strawberries organically and convincing people it was worth the higher price, he now says "We're not only successful, we're successful paying good wages". Good organic strawberries are now easy to find around here; but Swanton's are reputed to still be the best.
The best place to get your oil changed in the Bay area is 9 Minute Oil Change, just off Page Mill Road on El Camino Real in Palo Alto. These guys are amazing; you pull in and a team of four immediately goes to work and is usually done in about 5 minutes or so. It's like pulling into a pit stop, and it totally puts places like Quick Lube or Jiffy Lube to shame. I mean, it's fast, it's easy, and it's kind of cool to watch. It seems to be run by an immigrant family who I would guess are Eastern Mediterranean/Middle Eastern. This is the kind of thing that, to me, makes America great - you come up with a better idea, you work hard, and you build a great business. I'm sorry I work farther down the Peninsula now, because it's time for another oil change and I don't want to go anywhere else.
Saturday, July 19, 2003
Monday, July 14, 2003
Random Thoughts on Bastille Day
It's Bastille Day, which makes it a good excuse to dis the French. But not here. Read what Molly Ivins had to say on this subject. For those who disagree, I'll be glad to take any spare bottles of Bordeaux or Beaujolais off your hands.
I used to live in Milwaukee - a very pleasant city, if you've never been there - where they had (and still have) a great Bastille Day celebration. The last (and first) time I was in France, S. and I met an English couple who'd lived in Milwaukee (and loved it). They lived in what had been the old Blatz brewery before it got converted to condos - close enough to walk to Jefferson Square and the Bastille Day celebrations, which they did every year they were there. I once heard my uncle Joe say that some of our ancestors where French soldiers who settled in Poland to become farmers during or after the Napoleonic wars. Now the French army is apparently the least feared in Europe and the Germans have become pacifists. Although as Ms. Ivins points out, 16,000 French and German soldiers are helping to try to keep the peace in Bosnia and Afghanistan. Just another example of the gap between the memes of the ideologically-driven and reality.
On the other hand, I still find "Cheese-eating surrender monkeys" hilarious. I never can manage to be politically correct.
It's Bastille Day, which makes it a good excuse to dis the French. But not here. Read what Molly Ivins had to say on this subject. For those who disagree, I'll be glad to take any spare bottles of Bordeaux or Beaujolais off your hands.
I used to live in Milwaukee - a very pleasant city, if you've never been there - where they had (and still have) a great Bastille Day celebration. The last (and first) time I was in France, S. and I met an English couple who'd lived in Milwaukee (and loved it). They lived in what had been the old Blatz brewery before it got converted to condos - close enough to walk to Jefferson Square and the Bastille Day celebrations, which they did every year they were there. I once heard my uncle Joe say that some of our ancestors where French soldiers who settled in Poland to become farmers during or after the Napoleonic wars. Now the French army is apparently the least feared in Europe and the Germans have become pacifists. Although as Ms. Ivins points out, 16,000 French and German soldiers are helping to try to keep the peace in Bosnia and Afghanistan. Just another example of the gap between the memes of the ideologically-driven and reality.
On the other hand, I still find "Cheese-eating surrender monkeys" hilarious. I never can manage to be politically correct.
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