2011 Holiday Season--Birth of a New Tradition

We don’t know where this originated, but Sandy Brewer of Blaine Community Theater forwarded it us and we whole-heartedly endorse the concept. Despite the frequent references to Christmas, it does apply to the entire holiday season.

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods--merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?

Everyone--yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the Benjamins on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants--all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this
isn't about big National chains--this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of lights, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine.

THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.

Forward this to everyone on your mailing list--post it to discussion groups -- throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section in your city--send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations, and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn't that what Christmas is about?

Sandy ended by saying “...and I would add to the list such things as theater tickets, locally produced movies or CD's and music by local groups as well. Been in a film lately? Send a copy of it to a friend as a gift.”

Right here in Birch Bay we have restaurants and coffee shops, a yarn and gift shop, a thrift and consignment store and other businesses working hard to stay open. Just outside Birch Bay, a creamery sells delicious cheeses, a dog and cat center offers day-care, and other restaurants and businesses seek your support.

Shop local and build Birch Bay, Whatcom County, Washington State and America.

rah

Vote for the Park & Rec Levy

And tell your friends and neighbors to vote.

There is a flyer around that lists, with pictures, the accomplishments of the revived Northwest Park & Recreation District, that mirrors the boundaries of the Blaine School District, with the exception of Point Roberts.

Most visible in Birch Bay is the gym at Bay Horizon County Park at a cost of $153,000. Outside the building, Park & Rec purchased a playground set for $35,000. With the County demolishing unnecessary buildings,and the Lions Clubs refurbishing dorm buildings and the hostel, this park is now a community asset.

Ball fields will be built after this levy is approved.

But Park and Rec is not just about sports. The District has supported a wide range of recreational programs ranging from exercise machines at the Blaine Senior Center, safe bike and walking trails, dog parks, sailing and swimming lessons that benefit people of all ages and physical abilities. See more accomplishments at http://nwparkandrec.org/districtaccomplishments.html.

The amount of the levy is 10 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, or $30 per year for a home valued at $300,000. The levy will be applied to your tax bill for six years, allowing for prudent planning and economical construction. This is a bargain any way you figure–for your family, for your community and for your home due to the likely increased value.

Where else do you get more value for a dime?

ak

The Slow Food Challenge

Slow Food, like many great movements in history, began with a tipping point. That was in 1986 when McDonald's opened a fast food restaurant near the Spanish Steps in Rome. Carlo Petrini, then writing culinary articles for two Communist publications, was outraged, calling for preservation of traditional and regional cuisine. Three years later the founding Manifesto of the International Slow Food Movement was signed in Paris by delegates from 15 countries, “Not so much as a protest against the restaurant chain as a protest against big international business interests,” to quote Wikipedia.

Now Mr. Petrini heads the University of Gastronomic Sciences whose mission is to bridge the gap between agriculture and gastronomy. The Slow Food Movement has chapters in 132 countries. The structure is decentralized. Each chapter has a leader who is responsible for creating and promoting local events.

Last year we participated in a tuna canning organized by Jeremy Brown, who was recently appointed Fisheries Ambassador to the International Sustainability unit of the Prince Charles Trust. This was an event of the Fourth Corner Slow Food Chapter.

In August the Fourth Corner leader, Diana Campbell issued a $5 challenge for Saturday, September 17. Could we arrange a dinner that would cost no more per person than we would pay at a Jack in the Box (where we have never been but whose commercials we like best)? We asked two couples with whom we dine regularly to join us.

Naomi and Roger brought a large salad with blue cheese from the Co-op and greens from their garden.

Last year we participated in a tuna canning organized by Jeremy Brown, who was recently appointed Fisheries Ambassador to the International Sustainability unit of the Prince Charles Trust. This was an event of the Fourth Corner Slow Food Chapter.

In August the Fourth Corner leader, Diana Campbell issued a $5 challenge for last Saturday, September 17. Could we arrange a dinner that would cost no more per person than we would pay at a Jack in the Box, where we have never been but whose commercials we like best? We asked two couples with whom we eat regularly to join us.

Naomi and Roger brought a large salad with blue cheese from the Co-op and greens from their garden. For dessert, also from their garden, they brought strawberries and blueberries with some wild blackberries.

Irene made a casserole of zucchini, onions, mushrooms and Feta cheese. Jack, her husband, brought a large – and inexpensive bottle – of white Italian wine. We wrapped small portions of Jeremy's tuna in lettuce leaves for hors d'oeuvre, then grilled chicken breasts with slices of red pepper on charcoal.

All agreed it was the best meal we have had together in memory. While we didn't request sales slips, we're reasonably certain we stayed within the $30 budget.

For information about the Fourth Corner Slow Food Chapter, the new leader is Lisa Dailey at lisa@ladailey.com.

ak

BP's Biennial Open House

Each time I've attended the BP refinery's open house at Cherry Point--three times in the last eight years--I've been impressed with their good-neighbor efforts, attention to safety and positive employee relations. While I can't pretend to know anything about any other unit of this huge corporation, this one seems to be on the right track.On October 16, along with about 400 of my friends and neighbors, I waited for a bus while browsing the poster presentations and chatting with the staff on hand to answer questions. Another squadron of staff was managing parking, providing beverages, donuts and sweet rolls under the shelter of an immense tent, and others were conducting people onto the fleet of Belle-Air buses on the tarmac in the employee recreation area.

Because I missed my intended bus due to an unfortunately timed trip to the toilet, the wait seemed long in the brisk morning air. Once aboard, our guide, Ron Petty welcomed us with jokes about charging for the treat and an introduction of himself. He retired from being a BP operator from 1966 to 1999 and has returned to service.

For the next 45 minutes or so, he kept us informed about the history and operation of the refinery. Starting in the 1950's, the plant has changed hands several times and now employees about 800 people with another 800 contractors on site at any given time. (They are constantly hiring--see Careers at www.bp.com.) This labor force produces about 9.6 million gallons of product every day.

All vessels (tanks) are taken down and inspected every five years. BP does this on a rotating schedule that creates a six-to-eight week "turn-around" every year or two. Birch Bay residents and businesses are familiar with this event that brings a thousand or so workers into the area.

The new and improved feature of this tour was the stop at the Shops facility, where we got off the bus, received safety goggles, and were escorted into the huge new (move-in November 2010) building on the Grandview Road side of the property. After a general introduction, we visited demonstration sites in the Instrument and Electrical Shop, the Machine Shop and the Maintenance Shop, where we learned about pumps and impellers (getting a freshly minted miniature impeller key-ring from the computer driven machine).

Tiana Osborne, a maintenance technician, was a welder before she joined BP and the other welders, pipefitters, fabricators, valve specialists and equipment operators in the Maintenance Shop.

Returning to the main tent, we were treated to lunch and a piece of the 40th Anniversary cake. In discussion with Michael Abendhoff, Director of Government and Public Affairs, who was responsible for organizing this event, he said that the Stores building might be on the next tour where we would see many of the items used on a regular basis--sign me up!

rah

You Could Contribute to an Islamic Relief Fund (or Invest in a Fund that Follows Islamic Principles)

Next weekend undoubtedly there will be anti-Muslim stuff about “the enemy” but, really, we should recognize that a great many people of that faith in the world had nothing to do with the attack on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the plane that was forced down in Pennsylvania. When politicians harangue about “the enemy”, it would be better to express kindness to the many Muslims who bear no ill against our country and—in some cases—are suffering from our actions.

Last month we enjoyed a dinner with a remarkable group of such people. The program included a film about the suffering from the famine in Somalia, and we contributed to Islamic Relief, a fund that is providing water and food for those Somalian drought victims—$20 each, the requested donation, feeds a family of four for a month.

We owe this opportunity to Ruth's attendance at Western. In one of her first classes she became friends with Alaa, a young man from Egypt. He and his professor friend came to our cottage for Thanksgiving that year. We had a long, lively conversation about Muslim customs, including relations between men and women—courtship, marriage and divorce.

Back then, Alaa washed dishes in a Bellingham restaurant to cover some of his expenses. This spring Ruth re-connected with him, and we had lunch at the Skylark Restaurant where he had worked. Alaa was excited about the revolution in Egypt. He had just heard from his brother who had gone from his home in Alexandria to Cairo to be part of the demonstrations.

Alaa was now working at Saturna Capital in Bellingham, an investment company sponsoring a mutual fund that follows Islamic principles (or Sharia) that preclude interest paying investments, such as bank stocks. While some of the investors are Muslims—Alaa's ability with Arabic being an advantage— many are not. This is not a charity. The Amana Income Fund has averaged an annual return of 7.49 percent over the past 10 years versus the S&P 500 Index that has averaged only 2.70 percent. Only one other fund in the Schwab list of income funds did better in that period.

Alaa also was doing well in his personal life. Through mosque connections he was introduced to a young woman in Southern California. Shortly before our lunch date, his mother had come from Egypt to meet the girl's family. That went fine but Alaa would need to go back to meet her father, a businessman who was visiting Afghanistan. If all went well, they would become engaged and she would move to Bellingham. There was also the possibility that Alaa might move to California to work with fund clients there.

In early August we received an e-mail from Alaa inviting us to the fund-raising dinner. Nothing about betrothal, but we were hopeful.

The dinner was held in the RESources meeting room. Prior to the meal some of the participants prayed on rugs in an adjacent room before breaking the Ramadan fast.

Meanwhile, we talked with a magnetic young woman who was acting as hostess in the absence of the Iman. A graduate of Blaine High School, she has been holding down a full-time job at the BP refinery while taking a full schedule of courses at the community college and the university. She is preparing to be a physical therapist in an eight-year program that will graduate her as a doctor.

The food was much like a typical American pot-luck—several pasta dishes, rice, roast lamb, deep fried chicken and shrimp. Desserts came later. Pepsi was the most common drink. Alaa's wife was mentioned. We kept looking and asking. Finally, there she was. Beautiful – and sweet!

ak & rah