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Sophie's first Halloween pumpkin. ;-)


Best of luck to all of you tackling the Mountain Masochist 50m, New York Marathon, or Helen Klein Classic this weekend. If not, here are a few stories you might like to read:

Going to Extremes: Ultra Athletes Embrace the Pain - "(Runners) do it for different reasons. It's more out of pathology than passion. Look at them, what are they running away from? It may not be healthy, but it may be what they have to do to be healthy."

Saratoga Man's Limits Go Beyond Marathons - "The most dangerous word in the English language is ego. It gets more people in trouble. Leave the ego at the starting line with your stopwatch."

Try Running An Ultra (radio/mp3) - "The state of unglued is kind of hallucinating maybe. A little delusional. Grumpy, really tired, want to go to sleep. You start craving some of your favorite foods that you know you can’t eat today until you’re done."

The NY Times profiles Opera Software, the company that distributes the Opera browser for multiple platforms. According to the article, however, Apple is not allowing an iPhone version of the browser into the App Store!

read more | digg story

2. Kirk Lazarus. Robert Downey Jr. was brilliant. You will just be the douchebag in blackface. Don't go there. If you absolutely must: Track down a group of McCain-Palin supporters, who might be clueless/racist enough to think it's funny.

read more | digg story

I moved from San Francisco to Salt Lake City in 1993. I was generally well-prepared for the cultural adjustment. My best friend from high school is Mormon and through her I had learned about LDS culture and its attraction for people who want a tight-knit nurturing religion. From living in in-land San Diego I knew how to get those trying to convert

read more | digg story

Opening arguments in Bowoto v. Chevron began early Tuesday morning in federal district court in San Francisco, and it became clear within the first few minutes that company lawyers are worlds apart from Mr. Bowoto and his co-plaintiffs on almost every important factual element of the case.

read more | digg story

DA Kamala Harris came off as desperate at SF Dem's Gala on Oct 29, fears Prop K will pass. Prop K will help sex workers in San Francisco resist incarceration and violence at the hands of law enforcement.

read more | digg story

San Francisco Escort Karly Kirchner explains the real impact of Proposition K. Prop K is a ballot initiative in SF that will decriminalize prostitution and redirect funds from arrest and incarceration to health and human services.

read more | digg story

San Francisco 49ers interim coach Mike Singletary pulled his pants down during a speech to the team during halftime of its 34-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, ESPN reported Thursday, citing a team spokesman.

read more | digg story

This is my response to a comment posted by Karen Hinton of Hinton Communications , and her client Amazon Defense Coalition regarding my takes on Chevron: 

First, I work for SBS Media. The company I run. I elected to take the position I took because I feel and hold that there's a huge "knee jerk" reaction that is rather silly. 

All of the Chevron folks you mention I don't even know the names of and just met. No one hugged me.  Yes, they came up and introduced themselves.   Cool.  No one from AmazonWatch did and I had no idea who anyone looked like at all.   

But I will tell ypu that your comment helps fill in "blank" regarding the creepy guys that were first looking at me, then when I looked back, looked away from me in court.

One guy -- a Latino-in-appearance-young man with a shaved head sat near me and used his Blackberry to take a photo of me. Something I could have gotten him removed from court for doing.

I had no idea who this creep was. And as a person who's gotten death threats, I have a total right to be concerned.

If he and the other person are connected to you and your organization, then I must say that the overall approach is very not mature.

I've been on either CNN or Headline News 9 times this year alone. Many people -- including you all -- know who I am. But I do not know you.

All you and these people have to do is come up to me and introduce yourself. I don't know who the hell you are. You could say "We'd like to talk to you for your video program." 

Fine.  I talk to everyone and give them a platform.  

Why is that so hard? Please -- if these people are connected to you -- tell them to STOP their childish behavior.

But that written, if Chevron hired me, I'd work for them.  I think too often there's a tendency to attack a company just because they're big.  But that written, I do point to what Chevron does even when it may not be the coolest act -- but I do so from a position of telling a more balanced story -- In the case of Ecuador, there are some rather problematiic politics that complicate matters and various American companies have been treated terribly, like Occidental Petroleum --  has has my writer Robin Belker, who's moved on to bigger things overseas.

But the bottom line is that third world matters of politics don't have the same "black v. white" picture that AmazonWatch tends to paint.  The truth is really much uglier than the way it's painted.

You forget that you're dealing with some of the poorest residents who have a different view of morality than you and I -- some people are good, but others are bad and some of them are the same ones you paint only a "good picture" of.

That's the truth.

You would claim to speak truth to power -- I speak truth to injustice.  Period.  There's a huge difference. 

The funny and controversial "I'm gonna bleep them" ad calling for support of San Francisco Proposition H is going to be aired on "Comedy Central" tonight (Comedy Central Network, Channel 63) 


Here's what I said about it:

This is an update of my first video on a clash between supporters of state Prop 8 and those opposing it. I went back to the same MacArthur and Lakeshore corner featured in the first video.  

If you're trying to decide whether to vote for San Francisco Proposition H, and are looking toward the SF Chronicle as the final decider of what to do...don't. 

The editorial does not explain what's wrong with the initiative, it just complains about the Board of Supervisors.  That's it. 

Again, Prop H will set a standard for the use of clean energy in San Francisco.

Yes on H.

Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi discusses Prop H and an impromptu debate that took place with a PG&E rep, 10/9/08, Poleng Lounge.
Video by Luke Thomas, FogCityJournal.com

Assemblyman Mark Leno lays out the case for supporting both state Proposition 8 and San Francisco Proposition H, the SF clean energy initiative on the ballot.  Leno, a former SF supervisor explains refutes many of the fears that PG&E will be "taken over."

My employer, NearbyNow, is doing an anonymous online survey about shopping and I was hoping y'all might help out. It only takes a minute to complete, and has a few funny questions like:

Do you equate the annoyance of waiting in line to buy a product during the holidays equivalent to
(a) a long TV commercial,
(b) being stuck in gridlock traffic,
(c) a dental exam, or
(d) a rectal exam.

Yikes! Well, it's certainly more annoying than a dental exam but I'm not sure if it's quite as bad as a rectal exam. Anyway, I would appreciate it if you could take a minute to fill it out. It is completely anonymous, and you are welcome to point your friends to it as well. Here's the link:

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/survey.zgi?p=WEB228EFNVJY3M

Thanks in advance for your help!

- SD

This video presents Day One of the case of Bowoto v. Chevron at U.S. District Court, Northern California, San Francisco.

Here Larry Bowoto from Nigeria is accusing Chevron of harming him and his mates and violating their civil rights, and Chevron's counter is that Bowoto and his mates entered there oil production facility and attempted to kidnap Chevron employees.

In calling the Nigerian Military police, a skermish unfolded where Bowoto and his mates were alledgely harmed.

In this video Chevron's Don Campbell presents Chevron's side of the case; there was no spokesperson for Botwoto's side available.

 
I went over to cover what turned out to be a lively rally for San Francisco's Proposition H, an initiative which if passed will set a goal of 100 percent clean energy use in San Francisco by 2040.

In my video i observe that Ted Stevens conviction does not mean he was a bad elected official. I also say that America itself is socialist and explain why

According to Matier and Ross in the SF Chronicle, a defeat of Prop 8 at the election voting booth may be due to the rewording of the initiative by California Attorney General Jerry Brown..

It was Brown's office that decided on the final ballot description for Proposition 8, the proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay and lesbian weddings.

And by changing the way the measure was framed in its title and summary, Brown just might have tipped the balance in what looks to be a close election.

Here's the story:

Prop. 8 asks voters to affirm that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California" - a concept that voters overwhelmingly backed when they approved Proposition 22 in 2000.

Voters still favor the traditional definition of marriage, 49 to 47 percent, according to the most recent Public Policy Institute of California poll.

However, in the wake of the state Supreme Court decision in May legalizing same-sex marriage, Brown worded Prop. 8's ballot description to specify that it "eliminates the right of same-sex couples to marry."

The proponents' original title for Prop. 8 was "Limit on Marriage." What voters see on their ballot pamphlet, thanks to Brown, is, "Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry."

Prop. 8 supporters accused Brown of playing politics and went to court.

They lost. The new language went on the ballot, and pollsters said support for the ban dropped by eight points - with the most recent PPIC survey showing 52 percent of likely voters now opposing the ban.

"It all depends on how you ask the question," said Sacramento pollster Jim Moore of J. Moore Methods.

 
Mary the Clean Energy Gal presents her many San Francisco faces all wondering why PG&E is not supporting clean energy. Support Proposition H in San Francisco on election day.

Rhonna Krouse, a friend of Olga, is looking for women ultrarunners to fill out a survey to assist with her thesis. If you have a moment, please give her a hand! More details below...

I am contacting you because I am currently completing my thesis on the motivational patters and goal orientation of women ultrarunners. I am seeking women ultrarunners to participate in a web-based survey, which takes about fifteen minutes. The web site is HERE. There you will find an abstract of my research and a link to the survey. I am hoping to get to as many women as humanly possible because the population is pretty small. Could you help me disseminate this information and take the survey yourself. Also, any suggestions you have on people to contact or places to post the web site I would welcome. The survey will be open until November 1st.

Thanks for your help!

Rhonna

Proposition H is the measure on the San Francisco election ballot that will cause the city to set of a course of achieving 100 percent clean energy use by the year 2040.  Assemblyman Mark Leno said it best:

Prop. H puts us on the path to energy independence by requiring that 100 percent of San Francisco's energy come from clean sources by 2040. Prop. H would require expert study and public input to determine whether San Francisco should control more of its energy delivery or maintain the status quo. The choice is: Should San Francisco establish a mandate to switch on clean energy, or continue the failed policies of the past? Opponents of Prop. H - funded by PG&E - argue that the measure allows the mayor and Board of Supervisors to issue revenue bonds, and eliminates your right to vote on them. However, Charter Section 14.102 empowers voters to nullify any ordinance, fiscal or otherwise.

Prop. H updates provisions approved by voters in November 2002 that allow the mayor and board of supervisors to issue water and sewage revenue bonds. This updated approach is an industry standard, allowing the cost-effective issuance of bonds when ratepayers get the best deal. Bonds under Prop. H come with stricter safeguards, because they can be authorized only after expert study, public hearings and fiscal analysis by the San Francisco's budget analyst, currently Harvey Rose. The unelected executives at PG&E never face voters, yet have the authority today to issue revenue bonds.

Prop H also will not result in a "PG&E Powergrab" as its opponents have charged.  Voting "Yes" on H will only set the city on the right path toward a greener future.  Vote "Yes on H."  

Have you ever watched an athlete crush a course record and then be even more impressed when you find out that they have three kids, a new job, and recently moved? Or how about the other extreme - witnessing a new course record set by a 28-year-old with no social life, a part-time job, and nothing but time to train? Well of course they can haul ass with all that time to train. But how do you compare these breakthrough performances? I think we need a calculation for life-adjusted race times.

The World Association of Veteran Athletes has Age-Graded Tables, a set of "age factors" and "age standards" that, when multiplied by a time or distance, allow athletes of any age and event to compare their performances with that of any other athlete (go here for a calculator). Perhaps we could have the same for adjusting for major life events. But where to start?

I've seen a life stress test floating around (such as this one) to help determine susceptibility to stress-related illnesses. Perhaps we could use similar elements with a starting score of 100, where challenging life events subtract from your score, and calming life events add to it. Once you add/subtract all of your life events, divide by 100 to get your multiplier. I'll suggest some factors below - feel free to add to it!

Remember, negative numbers improve your life-adjusted time by lowering your multiplier. You can think of it as "they clocked that time despite having xxx life challenge".

Score	Life Event
-15	Death of spouse (unless they hated your workouts, then +5)
-10	Recent divorce/break up (see above)
-7	Fired/laid off from job (unless large severance check, then +10)
-7	Recently had first child
-2	For each child in household under the age of 10 (-4 each if single parent)
-3	For each unruly teenager in the house
-3	Recently moved (unless recently moved closer to your favorite trails, then +3)
+8	No spouse or significant other
+3	Spouse shares your passion for sports
-3	Spouse "tolerates" your passion for sports
+10	Independently wealthy
+5	Part-time job
-7	Recently denounced your God/religion
+5	Recently found a new God/religion
-5	Recently quit smoking/drugs/drinking
-2	First time on this course/trail
+2	20+ time on this course/trail

Got any more?

- SD

My commentary on the RNC's expenditure of $150,000 for Governor Palin and her family, and my assertion that the McCain / Palin Campaign's charge that Senator Obama is socialist is a racist claim that has it's basis in American civil rights history.

At a party fundraiser for San Francisco "Yes On H", I sat down with San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirikarimi to talk about SF Proposition H and how it will benefit San Francisco.

As part of our effort to promote clean energy for San Francisco, I am very proud to report that Van Jones, the author of "The Green Collar Economy" has endorsed Prop H for clean energy.

CleanEnergyGal.com

Just when SF needs her most, here comes Mary, the Clean Energy Gal, to remind San Franciscans of the importance of clean energy and passing Proposition H for the city.

Sam Singer is a long-time public relations expert who's known for his genius in "crisis PR" management for clients like the San Francisco Zoo. He and Dave Perry of Dave Perry Public Relations, and who managed the diffcult work of the politics of the Olympic Torch Run are two of the best at what they do in San Francisco

This video takes us into a great "VIP Party" held for the band "Cake" (http://www.cakemusic.com) and the San Francisco Prop H Campaign for Clean Energy. It features Mary, The Clean Energy Gal.

After much study, I've come to the conclusion, which I present in this video:

..that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is stabbing Senator John McCain in the back. Often, Palin has approved of views that were taken by Senator Barack Obama, causing McCain to rein her in with a press statement that makes the campaign look like a keystone cops routine. 
 Consider how Palin has went against McCain in these following examples.  
1) Pakistan - Palin favored the Obama-Biden assertion of going into that country to "get" a known terrorist even if that government would not cooperate. 
2) Bankruptcy - Palin favors the Obama-Biden approach of allowing the homeowner to be protected against losing their dwelling after filing for Bankruptcy.  
3) Korea - Palin agrees with the current action of the U.S. dropping Korea from the state terrorist list, even as McCain opposes this.  Obama also backs the Bush Administration action.
4) Palin Administration - Governor Palin has referred to the McCain - Palin ticket as the Palin - McCain Administration.    
The evidence for my assertion rests in Palin's past.  In the way she treated Alaska GOP boss Randy Ruedrich when both were on the powerful Alaska Oil and Gas Commission.  While both Palin and Ruedrich received campaign assistance and in Palin's case had ties with Evergreen Resources, which was seeking a drilling contract and needed the commission's approval, Palin implicated Ruedrich, causing him to resign from the commission.  But the act elevated her status and some contend that it powered her successful run for Alaska Governor.   

Muara Baru ....
Muara baru adalah tempat Pelelangan ikan yang lumayan besar , Apabila para Angler Pemancing mau mancing iseng dan hanya ingin menikmati suasana laut , Muara Baru lah tempatnya ... mudah di jangkau oleh warga Jakarta dan biayanya murah - meriah tapi ikannya musim-musiman ,
Sebelum masuk pintu gerbang Muara Baru sudah tersedia penjual udang sundu (udang kecil putih) para Angler bisa membeli udang Rp. 5000 untuk mancing. Lokasi Mancing bisa di lokasi Lampu Merah & Lampu Hijau , tapi biasanya para pemancing lebih senang Mancing di Lampu Merah karena relatif airnya lebih dalam dan ikannya lebih berfariasi , dari Sembilang, Kue, tanda-tanda , Samge , hingga Pari bisa dijumpai disana.

Salam,
Achmadi-PetojoHarmoni (Al’marhum tgl.02 Oktober jam.08.00 di RS Pelni Jakarta)

Pulau Tidung ...adalah masih gugusan kepulauan di Kep. Seribu akses jalan untuk menuju Pulau Tidung bisa melalui dermaga Muara Karang dengan kapal angkutan antar pulau dengan biaya Rp.25.000/orang sekali jalan.
Lokasi mancing di pulau Tidung lumayan banyak hot spot disana , diantaranya yang pernah Team Tat-Tar jelajahi adalah karang Beras dan tubiran P. Payung, tapi para Angler pemancing agar berhati-hati untuk menyewa Perahu di Pulau tidung karena harus ada kesepakatan kedua belah pihak , karean nelayan pulau Tidung tidak pernah mau membawa
pemancing untuk memancing semalam suntuk , pernah Team Tar - Tar mania sewa perahu mulai berangkat jam 16.00 sore eh,eh, nelayan minta balik jam 19.00 malam, ...apalagi kalo dilihat cool Box tempat ikan kita sudah penuh, mereka pasti minta pulang he,he,he.....
Untuk antisipasinya lebih baik para Anglers pemancing mulai mancing pagi hari saja dan untuk sewa perahu disana relatif mahal untuk ukuran kepulau Seribu .
Nah kalau para angler mau mancing murah bisa ikut Bagan Apung tapi harus kenal dulu dengan Nelayannya .
Demikianlah pengalaman Team Tar-tar mania dalam adventure ke P. Tidung di Kep. Seribu.

Salam,
Achmadi-PetojoHarmoni (Al’marhum tgl.02 Oktober jam.08.00 di RS Pelni Jakarta)

Leave it to long time San Francisco Bay Guardian scribe and now Executive Editor Tim Redmond to lay down the truth about Pacific Gas and Electric Company's campaign of lies and misrepresentation regarding Proposition H.  Read this by Redmond:

Way back in the 1980s, when Willie Brown was the untouchable speaker of the State Assembly and by all accounts the second most powerful politician in California, he came to an event at the San Francisco Press Club and gave a few dozen reporters a lesson in how to defeat a ballot measure. I'll never forget it.

A group of reformers — some Republicans, many unhappy with Brown's leadership — placed a measure before the voters that would have taken the power of drawing legislative districts away from the State Legislature and given it to a panel of retired judges. The Democratic leadership, which had used its redistricting power with shameless brilliance to create safe seats for Democrats, wanted to kill the proposition, but polls showed it passing by a good margin.

So Brown went to the notorious Los Angeles political consulting firm of Berman and D'Agostino (a.k.a. BAD Campaigns). "And they told me," Brown announced to the audience, "that any piece of legislation has something in it that can be used to upset and confuse the voters....MORE

On Friday, Mary The Clean Energy Gal, and I went to a fantastic private party in San Francisco to meet the great pop-band Cake, eat Cake, and talk about Clean Energy in San Francisco.

Stay tuned for a great series of videos!

UK-based sports pyschologist Costas Karageorghis says that listening to music while running may not only improve their outlook on exercise, but even improve endurance levels by more than 15 percent. He is about to publish his findings in the US Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, detailing how he found that when listening to tracks from Madonna to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, most runners found the exercise more pleasurable than usual, even those on the verge of collapsing on the treadmill. In general, they ran further and for longer.

"Think of music as a legal drug," Karageorghis explains, "It reduces the perception of effort by blocking fatigue-related messages to the brain. It elevates positive aspects of mood, like vigour and excitement, and reduces negative aspects, like depression, and this creates the right sporting mindset."

Writer/runner Claire Soares has a good article about meeting the author, and even running in one of his races. Check it out here.

I know I like to get my tunes on during those long runs. Right now "Thunderstruck" from AC/DC is my #1 tune for the week. Perhaps it's because the beats per minute is fairly close to my heart rate, as Karageorghis suggests.

- SD

This video was created just before the debate, but my prediction seems to have held and for the reasons I state here.


This American Economy is in trouble. It's in bad straights for three basic reasons:


1) According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Civilian Labor Force Participation Rate topped out 10 years ago and then decreased and continued to do so through to present day. What that means is that more and more people basically stopped looking for jobs and working at jobs than ever before for the first time.


2) The total rate of job growth started to increase at a rapidly smaller rate in the late 1990s and that continues today. You can see the BLS data I collected right on the video. We added about 20 million jobs each decade from the 60s to the 90s, but again in 1999, the job growth party stopped cold. We added just barely 5 million jobs in ten years, that's a drop of 75 percent over what we've produced in the past.


3) During the period of the job losses and labor force participation problems consumer credit shot to rapid rates of annual increase starting just before the turn of the 21st Century. What that means is as we were losing our capacity to produce jobs, we were relying on the credit system to essentially make up for the lack of job growth we experienced in the past.


That's why we're in trouble now. Job losses due to the increased number of competitive market economies -- not the sub-prime mortgage issue -- is the real problem and its been years in the making. 


We have to fundamentally alter our economy and the current proposals and the Bailout Bill are only a start of getting at the problem -- but they don't impact this combination of forces that basically creates constant job loss and part of that is the overall International Division of Labor, where cheap workers overseas do jobs that were once located here.


There's an answer, and it's in something I call Zennie's Plan. Stay tuned.


On CNN IReport -- click here. 

The Dunlap clan headed up to Lake Tahoe last weekend, and we were able to fit in two events on Saturday. I got to do the XTerra Nevada 10k, a two loop trail run in Incline Village, NV, while Rocky the Pug took on the K9 Challenge obstacle course. Thanks to the friendly XTerra community of racers and volunteers, we had a wonderful time. Rocky most of all!

The XTerra Nevada 5k/10k run is part of the "XTerra Weekend" that takes over this little town once a year. While us trail runners were having fun racing through the trees, hard core off-road triathletes were racing up to snow-topped peaks on Sat and/or going for the longer National Championship course on Sunday. The chilly and wet conditions made for muddy fun for all.

I lined up at the start of the 10k and got a few laughs when I whipped out my camera. They warned me about what I soon was going to find out - there are too many tight turns and fast straightaways to be taking pictures! I guess toting a camera is more of an ultra thang. ;-) But I wanted to try and get a few shots of the golden aspens, flowing creeks, boulders, and happy runners all mixing it up with nature. I chatted with Trent Ward from Folsom, CA, who was back from injury to give a 10k a try, and local Piers Stockwell, who had spent the year enjoying every Tahoe event he could enter (including an impressive 5th place finish at the Tahoe Marathon). As the cannon went off, we all slotted behind Piers who led us out to the single track.

They were right about this course! So many turns, creek crossings, and roots to hop it was difficult to get out of second gear. But it sure was fun! A few short-course experts got by me, including Scott Bolin who was geared up for the triathlon today but had to pass due to not having snow gear. Perhaps it was his fitness or frustration, but he soon found himself leading the pack.


I was glad to be following Piers since he had good knowledge of the course. Although it was well-marked, you'd only have to miss one to end up criss-crossed on a different section. I came in on the first lap in roughly fifth place (20 minutes flat), about 20 seconds off the lead and a few steps behind Piers. My lungs were bursting from the altitude, but I did my best to pick up the pace.


Piers was fast on the uphills and I gained ground on the downhills, and when we hit the last mile I was within a few seconds of him. But any shot of passing him disappeared when he glanced over his shoulder, saw me, and found one more gear. Darn! I finished in third place, 39:58, and caught up Scott Bolin (1st, 38:31), Piers (2nd, 39:41), and Courtenay Brown (1st Female, 41:57) at the award ceremony. Apparently quite a few people got off course, so there was quite a bit of speculation about who might have won. The Women's grand prize was two tickets to Hawaii, so Courtenay was stoked to hear her name! The Men's prize? A nice XTerra bag. Doh!


The K9 Challenge

Later in the day, Rocky and I headed back to XTerra headquarters for the K9 Challenge. Roughly 30 dogs were ready to try their hands (paws?) at the obstacle course of jumps, planks, tunnels, slalom, and see-saws for a chance to win a year supply of Breeders Choice dog food. Kids lined the course on all sides to see everything from Dachsunds to Danes outrun their owners. I've never done something like this with Rocky, but I've found there is little he won't do for a biskee. He strapped on his XTerra bandana, and we lined up for our turn!




Rocky did great, although he wasn't so sure about the tunnel. We had a comical session of me looking in one end and Rocky tilting his head, wondering if I was coming through. He tried to go over it, around it...anything but through it. We finally just skipped it (5 second penalty), and he happily mastered the see-saw before getting his treats. There were three other pugs who did great on the course, but the competition belonged to the big mutts. Rocky was sure to give out kisses to dogs and kids alike before passing out in the car. It's rough being a dog!




All in all, a fun day with the XTerra community. These guys really know how to put on a fabulous weekend! (More pics here)

- SD

Just a couple of weeks after her 2nd place finish at the Xterra Half Marathon Championships in Bend, OR, Kami Semick won the Portland Marathon in a personal record of 2:45:43. I love it when the Masters comes in first. Way to go, Kami!

Full results here, and a story in the Bend Bulletin here.

On November 4th a very important vote is coming to San Francisco. It's called "Yes on H" and if it passes, this is what it will do:

Specifically, the Act directs the City to analyze, identify and pursue strategies that:

Maximize greenhouse reductions from the electricity sector at the minimum cost including the following clean energy mandates: by 2012 ensure at least 107 megawatts; by 2017 ensure 51%; and by 2030 ensure 75%. The SFPUC shall ensure that 100% or the greatest amount technologically feasible or practicable are met through clean energy by 2040. Nuclear is prohibited from being included in the definition of clean energy.

Investigate ways to improve electric service and reduce costs to customers, including through measures such as Community Choice Aggregation.

Establish an Independent Ratepayer Advocate to represent the interests of ratepayers and ensure affordable and reliable service.

Develop a Green Jobs plan providing workforce development for clean energy, construction and operations in PUC jurisdiction. Any PG&E employees who become City employees as a result of this Act will not suffer any reduction of compensation or seniority.

Evaluate the financial and environmental benefits of locally controlled electricity services, including renewable energy and energy efficiency. This includes a cost-benefit analysis of municipalizing the electric system, as well as shorter-term measures such as Community Choice Aggregation.

Seems like a no-brainer, and it is. One problem is that SF Mayor Gavin Newsom's not behind it, and no one seems to have a good reason why, including Mayor Newsom. Not a good idea for someone running for Governor of California.