Saturday, March 21, 2020

Marinwood CSD blows $200,000 to sue an elderly couple and loses.


Marinwood family and district settle landslide lawsuit



Marinwood residents Barbara and Alan Miller in their back yard on Sept. 20, 2017. They have lived there for more than half a century. (Robert Tong/Marin Independent Journal)

By KERI BRENNER | kbrenner@marinij.com | Marin Independent Journal
March 21, 2020 at 2:11 p.m.


The Marinwood Community Services District has reached a $142,500 settlement with a couple whose home was almost destroyed by a landslide.

The deal closes a three-year dispute over who should pay for repairs to the hillside behind the residence of Barbara and Alan Miller.

“They are grateful that the slope is fixed and they are able to continue living in their home of 55 years,” said the couple’s daughter, Wendy Miller. “They bear no grudge toward the district — they just wish there had been some compassion and sense of responsibility, and we had not been forced to take legal action.”

The landslide happened on Jan. 10, 2017, when a district-owned fire road atop the hillside collapsed during heavy rains, sending mud and debris in piles up to the back door of the couple’s home.

Wendy Miller said the district declined to help pay for the repairs to the hillside and fire road, prompting Miller to hire her own contractor to do the work — rather than wait for the rainy season to come again and do further damage or endanger her parents’ lives.

Attorneys for the Miller family and the district battled it out in a lawsuit and counter-lawsuit. They settled just before a trial was scheduled to start in Marin County Superior Court.

Wendy Miller said between the repair costs and legal fees, the family spent at least $200,000 over the three years.

Eric Dreikosen, the Marinwood district manager, said the settlement does not assign blame for the slide. He declined to elaborate on specifics.

“The Millers filed suit against the district based on a landslide that occurred during heavy rains in early 2017, which they claimed was caused by emergency drainage work the district performed on district-owned property,” Dreikosen said in an emailed statement. “The district denied, and continues to deny, any liability for causing the slide. However, in an effort to avoid further litigation that would have been costly for both sides, the Millers and the district agreed to a settlement of $142,500.”

“This settlement represents a compromise for both sides — especially since the Millers were seeking to recover significantly more than that amount at trial,” Dreikosen added.


Editor's Note:  The Millers initially requested that the district pay 50% of repairs which in 2017 amounted to around $50k.  The Millers are 90 years old and did not want the hassle.  The landslide was always going to end in a settlement but the Marinwood CSD decided to roll the dice and tried to use legal intimidation to get the Millers to drop their claim.  So now,  Marinwood CSD pays all of the repairs and both sides legal expense.  It really is unconscionable.  The Millers have lived in the district for over fifty years and did not deserve this.  All of the current Marinwood CSD board approved this tactic.  The lawyer was provided through Marin County Attorney's office.  ALL of our recent tax increase will be needed pay for this.  Where are the adults?

Open Letter to Marinwood CSD Manager and Board on Coronavirus Challenges.

The MOST ESSENTIAL task is sanitation.  The pool bathroom lock does not work. Homeless people and others use this facility. You know about this .  It has been reported many times.  This is a VECTOR for CORONAVIRUS and other disease.  Please fix this ASAP.   I ask once again to wipe down toilets and portipotty, empty trash DAILY (not weekly or every other day). A CSD employee can keep "six feet distant".   It can be done by anyone from the district.  I know former CSD Manager Tom Horne was not above digging holes when required. No staff should have this burden alone.

Next, as the community is hunkering down in this emergency, there is much that the CSD can do to lift spirits.   The rec staff needs to be thinking about ways to engage the full community.  It could be virtually via the website. You could hold contests, sponsor online activities,etc. The management can use this time to think seriously about the strategy to normalize or finances and examine successes and failures of recent years.  This is a time of growth and opportunity.

I assume the district payroll checks are still good.  You are lucky.  Many small businesses are suffering terribly and will need to fold. The citizens need to see that productive work is being done on behalf of the community or the district should consider staff reductions to help recover from the financial shock.  Capital projects should be put on hold.  Money losing activities should be reconsidered.

Will you rise to today's challenge? Will you plan for inevitable financial challenge that is coming? How do you wish to be remembered?  




The Marinwood CSD had NO PLANS to respond to the Coronavirus on March 10, 2020 despite the widespread news of the Global pandemic.  Now, they have no choice. The crisis is upon us and we need to act decisively.  First we must stop the spread of this virus. The financial shock is coming but the Marinwood CSD still has NO PLANS other than "wait and see".

Friday, March 20, 2020

March 10, 2020 Marinwood CSD wanted to "wait and see" about CoronaVirus



Eric Dreikosen, Marinwood CSD General Manager is taking a "wait and see" approach to the Corona Virus. Jeff Naylor "Hopes it will be a normal year without disruption" on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 despite dire warnings everywhere, Italy being quarantined, Schools closings, California declared Emergency, and the Marinwood Fire Department in crisis planning every day. The Marinwood CSD even refused to increase their sanitation regime in this meeting. By the end of the week, the President declared a National Emergency. Stupid complacency may kill people in our neighborhood. Be safe.

3/20/20 UPDATE: The Marinwood CSD staff went home last week after the "shelter in place" order. Last night Governor Newsom ordered a California wide "Shelter in Place" order. Finally, we are receiving a meek response form the CSD. I have made regular requests for IMPROVED SANITATION that have gone unheeded. Trash has been overflowing and the bathrooms have not been cleaned. The CSD is still "waiting and seeing". While Jeff Naylor and Sivan Oyserman are in this clip, it should be noted that Leah Green, Bill Shea and Izabela Perry have done nothing either.

The CSD needs leadership not excuses.

Thursday, March 19, 2020

WE WERE WARNED NOT TO BUNCH UP

WE WERE WARNED NOT TO BUNCH UP

crowded-places.jpg
We were warned. After September 11, 2001, historian Stephen Ambrose told us what to do.
“One of the first things you learn in the Army is that, when you and your fellow soldiers are within range of enemy artillery, rifle fire, or bombs, don’t bunch up,” wrote Ambrose in the Wall Street Journal. Now that the U.S. was under attack from terrorists, Ambrose urged the nation as a whole to learn the same lesson: “don’t bunch up.” “In this age of electronic revolution,” he noted, “it is no longer necessary to pack so many people and office into such small space as lower Manhattan.”
Ambrose’s advice was ignored. Manhattan’s population has grown by at least 100,000 people since 2001. Fitting 1.6 million people on a 23-square-mile island is only possible because of transit systems that force people to pack themselves into buses and railcars.
Now, we are getting another lesson. Due to a novel virus, we are told to “socially distance” ourselves. But no one is telling us to drive our cars instead of riding transit. Instead, the transit agencies are still operating and giving out platitudes like “we wipe the handrails every day.” BART says it is running ten-car trains all day so people can stand as far from one another as possible.
It’s not just transit. The 9/11 attack had no effect on urban planners’ demands that we pack ourselves into denser and denser cities. Just last week, an affiliate of Smart Growth America issued a report saying that we should deal with congestion through densification which, the report admitted, would make congestion worse. No doubt the same organization is now coming up with some spin claiming that we would all be immune to the coronavirus if only we lived in denser cities.
Density–bunching up–makes us more vulnerable to terrorist attacks. It makes us more vulnerable to novel diseases. It also makes us more vulnerable to crime, invasions of privacy, and traffic accidents. It makes us waste more time in congestion. Contrary to planners’ claims, people living in dense areas also pay higher taxes.
Densities and transit-dependence also makes us more vulnerable to natural disasters. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, 1,200 people died, mostly because New Orleans had the second-lowest rate of auto ownership (next to New York) of any major city in the country. At the time, some urban planners had the gall to say that fewer people would have died if auto ownership rates had been even lower. In fact, a few weeks later, Hurricane Rita hit Houston, which has much higher auto ownership rates. Four million people successfully evacuated, nearly all by car, and fatalities were only a tenth of Katrina’s.
Some might argue that a few events over two decades shouldn’t dictate social policy. But what should dictate social policy? Should it be the personal preferences of individuals and families? The overwhelming majority of those individuals and families prefer to live in low-density housing and travel in private automobiles. We don’t need social policy to change that.
Instead, urban planners want to impose policies on us to get people on transit and into high-density housing. They want urban-growth boundaries that make land too expensive for single-family housing. They want to dedicate arterial lanes to buses and bicycles so the increased traffic congestion will force people to stop driving. They aren’t even sure why they want these things, but they’ve managed to convince many people that single-family homes and private automobiles are wasteful and evil despite the fact that both are more energy efficient than the alternatives of multifamily housing and transit.
Urban planners have been wrong about almost all of their grandiose plans in the past. They once cleared “slums” that forced the people who lived in them to move to even lower-quality housing elsewhere. They once built high-rises for low-income people that proved so unlivable that some were torn down after as little as 17 years. They once tried to reduce toxic air pollution by increasing traffic congestion that actually increased that pollution. We should stop listening to them.
Despite the reassurances of transit agencies that have irresponsibly encouraged people to bunch up on their vehicles, transit ridership is down by 50 percent or more in many cities. That’s a good thing, but Amtrak and transit agencies are already asking for bailouts to make up for their loss of fare revenues, even though existing subsidies make up more than three-quarters of transit funds and half of Amtrak’s funds so they could easily deal with lost riders by reducing service.
The American Public Transportation Association has sent out a notice to its members asking them to support “$12.875 billion [in federal funding] for public transit to offset direct costs and revenue losses of COVID-19.” That would effectively double federal subsidies to an industry whose customer base has been declining for years. New York’s MTA alone wants a $4 billion bailout.
The federal government has already said that transit agencies can spend federal funds dedicated to capital improvements on operating costs instead so they can continue to operate empty buses and trains. Everyone wants a bailout, but transit agencies, whose ridership has fallen in each of the last five years, are least deserving of one.
Don’t bail out government-subsidized transit. Better to end the subsidies completely and let the agencies wither and die. Instead, help people who don’t have automobiles buy fuel-efficient cars so they can drive in vehicles that are safe from novel viruses. Give transportation vouchers to people who can’t drive so they can use taxis, ride-hailing services, or private transit while encouraging transportation providers (at least during times like these) to sterilize the vehicles after each use.
These policies will cost a lot less than the $54 billion a year we are spending on urban transit, which is a blight on our society that most cities, other than New York, don’t even need. And New York won’t need it either once people and jobs stop bunching up and move out to lower-density areas, as happened years ago in Chicago and other big cities.
Next, stop encouraging densification. Stop subsidizing transit-oriented developments. Stop demanding that single-family neighborhoods be rezoned for denser housing (which, paradoxically, will actually make housing less affordable). Abolish urban-growth boundaries and other restrictions on development at the urban fringe. If someone wants to live in a high-density building, that’s fine, but let the market determine how people live, not urban planning dogma based on a crazy lady who was right to question the high-rise housing projects but wrong to think that, because she liked Greenwich Village, it was the model for all urban life.
Social distancing–not bunching up–is the appropriate response in the presence of a novel disease. But it will still be the appropriate response after the COVID-19 virus is no longer a threat. Let’s hope people learn the lesson this time. For that to happen, we may need some government distancing.

Fly me to the Moon by six year old

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

For Opera Lovers.



For opera lovers -- or for those needing an excuse not to clean out the pile in the closet -- we may not be able to take you on an Opera Trip in an airplane right now....but, we can take you to several opera companies throughout Europe via the internet.

Operavision is a website that offers free streaming of live opera performances captured at various European companies. Operas are available for 6-months after posting.

The website offers information on each production 1) cast/creative team, etc.), 2) a synopsis of the story and, for those who want more learning, there are 3) interesting insights articles.

The order in which operas are listed on the site doesn't seem to make much sense (then again, maybe I - James - need another cup of coffee!), so we've listed them below in the order of when the steaming will end (soonest to latest).  

Moniuszko's Halka
Poznań Opera at Polish National Opera
Available until March 20, 2020
 
Acher's Sternenhoch
National Theater Prague
Available until March 26, 2020
 
Janáček's Jenufa
National Theater Brno
Available until April 1, 2020
 
Henze's The Bassarids
Komische Opera Berlin
Available until April 12, 2020
 
Schreker's Der Ferne Klang
Royal Swedish Opera
Available until April 18, 2020
 
Bizet's Carmen
National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing
Available until April 24, 2020
 
Mozart's Don Giovanni
Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
Available until April 25, 2020
 
Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Teatro Municipal de Santiago (Chile)
Available until April 26, 2020
 
Zajc's Nikola Subic Zrinjski
Croatian National Theater (Zagreb)
Available until May 1, 2020
 
Rossini's Ermione
Teatro di San Carlo (Naples)
Available until May 8, 2020
 
Smetana's The Bartered Bride
Garsington Opera
Available until May 29, 2020
 
Puccini's Tosca
Polish National Opera
Available until June 5, 2020
 
Bjarnason's Brothers 
Icelandic Opera
Available until June 12, 2020
 
Rossini's La Cenerentola
Irish National Opera
Available until June 30, 2020
 
Puccini's Madama Butterfly
Royal Swedish Opera
Available until July 17, 2020
 
Weinberger's Spring Storms
Komische Opera Berlin
Available until July 24, 2020

Kalnins' I Played, I Danced
Latvian National Opera
Available until July 31, 2020

Dvořák's Rusalka
Opera Ballet Vlaanderen
Available until August 14, 2020
 
Britten's  
The Turn of the Screw
Opera North
Available until August 21, 2020
 
Korngold's  
Violanta
Teatro Regio Torino
Available until August 21, 2020
 
Mozart's  
Don Giovanni
Finnish National Opera and Ballet
Available until Sept 11, 2020

To access these performances and information, please click here.
 
Coming Soon
 
The site also lists performances that are to be available soon
 (listed in order of start date):

Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Glyndebourne
Starting March 20, 2020
 
Mozart's Lucio Silla 
Theatre de la Monnaie
Starting March 24, 2020
 
Mozart's 
Le Nozze di Figaro
Garsington Opera
Starting March 27, 2020
 
Mozart's  
Il Sogno di Scipione
Teatro La Fenice (Venice)
Starting March 31, 2020

To stay current about upcoming performances, 
subscribe to their email newsletter, just click here.

PLAYING MUSIC CAN HELP IN CHALLENGING TIMES


PLAYING MUSIC CAN HELP IN CHALLENGING TIMES

by Jamie Lattyon March 16, 2020




Scanning through my Instagram feed late on Wednesday evening, I stumbled upon a simple quote; 'While times may feel uncertain, the joy and solace of music and making music can always bring us together." It became clear why music is so important right now.

The quote came courtesy of the NAMM Foundation's - the charitable arm of the National Association of Music Merchants, via their latest Instagram post.

We certainly live in strange times. This week was definitely up there as one of the strangest I can remember, and so I would like to start by saying that on behalf of everyone at Deering, our hearts and prayers go out to all of those affected, both directly and indirectly.

We understand that it is hard not to be concerned. I am sure many of you, like me are seriously beginning to question if this is the Twilight Zone. But it is going to be okay. Say it with me. It is going to be okay. We will absolutely get through this and if you are so inclined, playing your banjo can help.

As I watch the events unfold, I am reminded of how significant a role playing a musical instrument has been in my life. I have played an instrument of some kind since the age of 10. Without a doubt, having this outlet has helped me tremendously in simply being able to cope in difficult, sometimes unbearable times.

And I am not alone. In a survey from 2017 by data analytics firm YouGov revealed that "71 percent [of respondents] said they agreed that music had helped them through a difficult time in their lives." [Source]

As the media reports doomsday on the hour, every hour, a few glimmers of musical hope have begun to emerge. Italy has been in the news this last few weeks after becoming the first European country to order a complete shutdown of the country. Stores, restaurants all closed and residents only allowed to leave their homes to get basic items and medical supplies.

It wasn't long before videos began to emerge on social media of defiant Italians singing from their balconies. No people in shot. Only their somber voices serenading one another through song as the night rolled in.

Turns out, these videos are the coordinated result of Italy's #flashmobsonoro, which is encouraging people to take to their windows and balconies and make music together. Just click on the #flashmobsonoro hashtag to see more amazing videos like this one.


valemercurii @valemercurii




People of my hometown #Siena sing a popular song from their houses along an empty street to warm their hearts during the Italian #Covid_19 #lockdown.#coronavirusitalia #COVID19 #coronavirus







And as the last few days have come, more videos have surfaced. Only now, they have energy. They have that famous Italian passion and most importantly, they have musical instruments. Like a quarantined neighborhood jam session. Not only are these players using their instruments for themselves, but they are entertaining the masses.




So does music really help in bad times? I think we can all recount a time where a song or a musical memory bought us comfort. For sure, doctors and clinicians began to realize the healing power of music when observing the effects of travelling music groups who would frequently visit veterans during both world wars.

The idea has even evolved into something called Music Therapy which Goodtherapy.org describes as "a type of expressive arts therapy that uses music to improve and maintain the physical, psychological, and social well-being of individuals—involves a broad range of activities, such as listening to music, singing, and playing a musical instrument.

As musicians of all levels of experience and ability, we possess a unique ability to play and communicate through music. We possess something truly powerful that has the ability to not only help us through bad times, but others around us, too. The power of playing music, I believe, is a remarkable healer. So let's have some fun doing what we do and play some music! Play your banjo. Jam with fellow musician friends and neighbors from across the street. Let your music be heard by your non-musician neighbors, as they will surely enjoy the respite from the fear and the unknown and take solace in something "normal". We have the power to uplift peoples minds and spirits.

Nobody really knows how this will all play out, but I urge you to turn off the TV, put down your phone and keep your banjo (or guitar, or mandolin or fiddle) close by and play it. Let your soul and your mind become invigorated, if only for a short time, and remember how important music is.

Do it now. Do it often. Play music.

Please take care of yourselves and your loved ones and together we will overcome current events. Let's play our part to being soundtrack of hope.

Coronavirus Victory: How China Is Spinning a Propaganda Win

Monday, March 16, 2020

READ: ‘Shelter in place’ order from six Bay Area counties


READ: ‘Shelter in place’ order from six Bay Area counties

Santa Clara, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Marin counties order residents to stay home






By MICHAEL NOWELS | mnowels@bayareanewsgroup.com |
PUBLISHED: March 16, 2020 at 2:28 p.m. | UPDATED: March 16, 2020 at 2:34 p.m.



This story is available to all readers in the interest of public safety. Please consider supporting our coverage of the coronavirus outbreak by subscribing to the Marin Independent Journal.

Support local journalism


For complete coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak, head to marinij.com/tag/coronavirus/

The following is an order from Contra Costa County announced Monday afternoon — it is the same “shelter in place” order that applies to Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda and Marin counties, as well as the city of Berkeley:

Please read this Order carefully. Violation of or failure to comply with this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both. (California Health and Safety Code § 120295, et seq.)

UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTIONS 101040, AND 120175, THE HEALTH OFFICER OF THE COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA (“HEALTH OFFICER”) ORDERS:

1. The intent of this Order is to ensure that the maximum number of people self-isolate in their places of residence to the maximum extent feasible, while enabling essential services to continue, to slow the spread of COVID-19 to the maximum extent possible. When people need to leave their places of residence, whether to obtain or perform vital services, or to otherwise facilitate authorized activities necessary for continuity of social and commercial life, they should at all times reasonably possiblecomply with Social Distancing Requirements as defined in Section 10 below. All provisions of this Order should be interpreted to effectuate this intent. Failure to comply with any of the provisions of this Order constitutes an imminent threat to public health.

2. All individuals currently living within Contra Costa County (the “County”) are ordered to shelter at their place of residence. To the extent individuals are using shared or outdoor spaces, they must at all times as reasonably possible maintain social distancing of at least six feet from any other person when they are outside their residence. All persons may leave their residences only for Essential Activities, Essential Governmental Functions, or to operate Essential Businesses, all as defined in Section 10. Individuals experiencing homelessness are exempt from this Section, but are strongly urged to obtain shelter, and governmental and other entities are strongly urged to make such shelter available as soon as possible and to the maximum extent practicable (and to utilize Social Distancing Requirements in their operation).

3. All businesses with a facility in the County, except Essential Businesses as defined below in Section 10, are required to cease all activities at facilities located within the County except Minimum Basic Operations, as defined in Section 10. For clarity, businesses may also continue operations consisting exclusively of employees or contractors performing activities at their own residences (i.e., working from home). All Essential Businesses are strongly encouraged to remain open. To the greatest extent feasible, Essential Businesses shall comply with Social Distancing Requirements as defined in Section 10 below, including, but not limited to, when any customers are standing in line.

4. All public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring outside a household or living unit are prohibited, except for the limited purposes as expressly permitted in Section 10. Nothing in this Order prohibits the gathering of members of a household or living unit.

5. All travel, including, but not limited to, travel on foot, bicycle, scooter, motorcycle, automobile, or public transit, except Essential Travel and Essential Activities as defined below in Section 10, is prohibited. People must use public transit only for purposes of performing Essential Activities or to travel to and from work to operate Essential Businesses or maintain Essential Governmental Functions. People riding on public transit must comply with Social Distancing Requirements as defined in Section 10 below, to the greatest extent feasible. This Order allows travel into or out of the County to perform Essential Activities, operate Essential Businesses, or maintain Essential Governmental Functions.

6. This Order is issued based on evidence of increasing occurrence of COVID-19 within the County and throughout the Bay Area, scientific evidence and best practices regarding the most effective approaches to slow the transmission of communicable diseases generally and COVID-19 specifically, and evidence that the age, condition, and health of a significant portion of the population of the County places it at risk for serious health complications, including death, from COVID-19. Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in the general public, which is now a pandemic according to the World Health Organization, there is a public health emergency throughout the County. Making the problem worse, some individuals who contract the COVID-19 virus have no symptoms or have mild symptoms, which means they may not be aware they carry the virus. Because even people without symptoms can transmit the disease, and because evidence shows the disease is easily spread, gatherings can result in preventable transmission of the virus. The scientific evidence shows that at this stage of the emergency, it is essential to slow virus transmission as much as possible to protect the most vulnerable and to prevent the health care system from being overwhelmed. One proven way to slow the transmission is to limit interactions among people to the greatest extent practicable. By reducing the spread of the COVID-19 virus, this Order helps preserve critical and limited healthcare capacity in the County.

7. This Order also is issued in light of the existence of 29 cases of COVID-19 in the County, as well as at least 258 confirmed cases and at least three deaths in the seven Bay Area jurisdictions jointly issuing this Order, as of 5 p.m. on March 15, 2020, including a significant and increasing number of suspected cases of community transmission and likely further significant increases in transmission. Widespread testing for COVID-19 is not yet available but is expected to increase in the coming days. This Order is necessary to slow the rate of spread and the Health Officer will re-evaluate it as further data becomes available.

8. This Order is issued in accordance with, and incorporates by reference, the March 4, 2020 Proclamation of a State of Emergency issued by Governor Gavin Newsom, This Order is issued in accordance with, and incorporates by reference, the March 4, 2020 Proclamation of a State of Emergency issued by Governor Gavin Newsom and the March 10, 2020 Resolution of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors declaring the existence of a Local Emergency in Contra Costa County.

9. This Order comes after the release of substantial guidance from the County Health Officer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the California Department of Public Health, and other public health officials throughout the United States and around the world, including a variety of prior orders to combat the spread and harms of COVID19. The Health Officer will continue to assess the quickly evolving situation and may modify or extend this Order, or issue additional Orders, related to COVID-19.

10. Definitions and Exemptions.a. For purposes of this Order, individuals may leave their residence only to perform any of the following “Essential Activities.” But people at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and people who are sick are urged to stay in their residence to the extent possible except as necessary to seek medical care.i. To engage in activities or perform tasks essential to their health and safety, or to the health and safety of their family or household members (including, but not limited to, pets), such as, by way of example only and without limitation, obtaining medical supplies or medication, visiting a health care professional, or obtaining supplies they need to work from home.ii. To obtain necessary services or supplies for themselves and their family or household members, or to deliver those services or supplies to others, such as, by way of example only and without limitation, canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, pet supply, fresh meats, fish, and poultry, and any other household consumer products, and products necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences.iii. To engage in outdoor activity, provided the individuals comply with Social Distancing Requirements as defined in this Section, such as, by way of example and without limitation, walking, hiking, or running.iv. To perform work providing essential products and services at an Essential Business or to otherwise carry out activities specifically permitted in this Order, including Minimum Basic Operations.v. To care for a family member or pet in another household.b. For purposes of this Order, individuals may leave their residence to work for or obtain services at any “Healthcare Operations” including hospitals, clinics, dentists, pharmacies, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, other healthcare facilities, healthcare suppliers, home healthcare services providers, mental health providers, or any related and/or ancillary healthcare services. “Healthcare Operations” also includes veterinary care and all healthcare services provided to animals. This exemption shall be construed broadly to avoid any impacts to the delivery of healthcare, broadly defined. “Healthcare Operations” does not include fitness and exercise gyms and similar facilities.c. For purposes of this Order, individuals may leave their residence to provide any services or perform any work necessary to the operations and maintenance of “Essential Infrastructure,” including, but not limited to, public works construction, construction of housing (in particular affordable housing or housing for individuals experiencing homelessness), airport operations, water, sewer, gas, electrical, oil refining, roads and highways, public transportation, solid waste collection and removal, internet, and telecommunications systems (including the provision of essential global, national, and local infrastructure for computing services, business infrastructure, communications, and web-based services), provided that they carry out those services or that work in compliance with Social Distancing Requirements as defined this Section, to the extent possible.d. For purposes of this Order, all first responders, emergency management personnel, emergency dispatchers, court personnel, and law enforcement personnel, and others who need to perform essential services are categorically exempt from this Order. Further, nothing in this Order shall prohibit any individual from performing or accessing “Essential Governmental Functions,” as determined by the governmental entity performing those functions. Each governmental entity shall identify and designate appropriate employees or contractors to continue providing and carrying out any Essential Governmental Functions. All Essential Governmental Functions shall be performed in compliance with Social Distancing Requirements as defined in this Section, to the extent possible.e. For the purposes of this Order, covered businesses include any for-profit, nonprofit, or educational entities, regardless of the nature of the service, the function they perform, or its corporate or entity structure.f. For the purposes of this Order, “Essential Businesses” means:i. Healthcare Operations and Essential Infrastructure;ii. Grocery stores, certified farmers’ markets, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores, and other establishments engaged in the retail sale of canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, pet supply, fresh meats, fish, and poultry, and any other household consumer products (such as cleaning and personal care products). This includes stores that sell groceries and also sell other nongrocery products, and products necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences;iii. Food cultivation, including farming, livestock, and fishing; iv. Businesses that provide food, shelter, and social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals;v. Newspapers, television, radio, and other media services;vi. Gas stations and auto-supply, auto-repair, and related facilities;vii. Banks and related financial institutions;viii. Hardware stores;ix. Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, and other service providers who provide services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences, Essential Activities, and Essential Businesses;x. Businesses providing mailing and shipping services, including post office boxes;xi. Educational institutions—including public and private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities—for purposes of facilitating distance learning or performing essential functions, provided that social distancing of six-feet per person is maintained to the greatest extent possible;xii. Laundromats, drycleaners, and laundry service providers;xiii. Restaurants and other facilities that prepare and serve food, but only for delivery or carry out. Schools and other entities that typically provide free food services to students or members of the public may continue to do so under this Order on the condition that the food is provided to students or members of the public on a pick-up and take-away basis only. Schools and other entities that provide food services under this exemption shall not permit the food to be eaten at the site where it is provided, or at any other gathering site;xiv. Businesses that supply products needed for people to work from home;xv. Businesses that supply other Essential Businesses with the support or supplies necessary to operate;xvi. Businesses that ship or deliver groceries, food, goods or services directly to residences;xvii. Airlines, taxis, and other private transportation providers providing transportation services necessary for Essential Activities and other purposes expressly authorized in this Order;xviii. Home-based care for seniors, adults, or children;xix. Residential facilities and shelters for seniors, adults, and children;xx. Professional services, such as legal or accounting services, when necessary to assist in compliance with legally mandated activities;xxi. Childcare facilities providing services that enable employees exempted in this Order to work as permitted. To the extent possible, childcare facilities must operate under the following mandatory conditions:1. Childcare must be carried out in stable groups of 12 or fewer (“stable” means that the same 12 or fewer children are in the same group each day).2. Children shall not change from one group to another.3. If more than one group of children is cared for at one facility, each group shall be in a separate room. Groups shall not mix with each other.4. Childcare providers shall remain solely with one group of children. g. For the purposes of this Order, “Minimum Basic Operations” include the following, provided that employees comply with Social Distancing Requirements as defined this Section, to the extent possible, while carrying out such operations:i. The minimum necessary activities to maintain the value of the business’s inventory, ensure security, process payroll and employee benefits, or for related functions.ii. The minimum necessary activities to facilitate employees of the business being able to continue to work remotely from their residences.
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Coronavirus in Marin: How to prevent family infectionh.

 For the purposes of this Order, “Essential Travel” includes travel for any of the following purposes. Individuals engaged in any Essential Travel must comply with all Social Distancing Requirements as defined in this Section below.i. Any travel related to the provision of or access to Essential Activities, Essential Governmental Functions, Essential Businesses, or Minimum Basic Operations.ii. Travel to care for elderly, minors, dependents, persons with disabilities, or other vulnerable persons.iii. Travel to or from educational institutions for purposes of receiving materials for distance learning, for receiving meals, and any other related services.iv. Travel to or return from a place of residence outside the jurisdiction.v. Travel required by law enforcement or court order.vi. Travel required for non-residents to return to their place of residence outside the County. Individuals are strongly encouraged to verify that their transportation out of the County remains available and functional prior to commencing such travel.i. For purposes of this Order, residences include hotels, motels, shared rental units and similar facilities.j. For purposes of this Order, “Social Distancing Requirements” includes maintaining at least six-foot social distancing from other individuals, washing hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds as frequently as possible or using hand sanitizer, covering coughs or sneezes (into the sleeve or elbow, not hands), regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces, and not shaking hands.11. Pursuant to Government Code sections 26602 and 41601 and Health and Safety Code section 101029, the Health Officer requests that the Sheriff and all chiefs of police in the County ensure compliance with and enforce this Order. The violation of any provision of this Order constitutes an imminent threat to public health.12. This Order shall become effective at 12:01 a.m. on March 17, 2020 and will continue to be in effect until 11:59 p.m. on April 7, 2020, or until it is extended, rescinded, superseded, or amended in writing by the Health Officer.13. Copies of this Order shall promptly be: (1) made available at Office of the Director of Health of Contra Costa County, 1220 Morello Ave, Martinez CA 94553; (2) posted on the County Public Health Department website www.cchealth.org; and (3) provided to any member of the public requesting a copy of this Order.14. If any provision of this Order to the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid, the reminder of the Order, including the application of such part or provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected and shall continue in full force and effect. To this end, the provisions of this Order are severable.15. Questions or comments regarding this order may be directed to Contra Costa Health Services at 1-844-729-8410.

Italians want you to quarantine today



Sunday, March 15, 2020

Fable: The Ox who Envied the Pig. ( A lesson for Politicians/Planners/Activists seeking OBAG grants.)



THE OX WHO ENVIED THE PIG


O
NCE upon a time there was an Ox named Big Red. He had a younger brother named Little Red. These two brothers did all the carting on a large farm.

Now the farmer had an only daughter and she was soon to be married. Her mother gave orders that the Pig should be fattened for the wedding feast.

Little Red noticed that the Pig was fed on choice food. He said to his brother, "How is it, Big Red, that you and I are given only straw and grass to eat, while we do all the hard work on the farm? That lazy Pig does nothing but eat the choice food the farmer gives him."


[Illustration]

Little Red noticed that the Pig was fed on choice food.

Said his brother, "My dear Little Red, envy him not. That little Pig is eating the food of death! He is being fattened for the wedding feast. Eat your straw and grass and be content and live long."

Not long afterwards the fattened Pig was killed and cooked for the wedding feast.


[Illustration]

The fattened Pig was killed and cooked for the wedding feast.

Then Big Red said, "Did you see, Little Red, what became of the Pig after all his fine feeding?"

"Yes," said the little brother, "we can go on eating plain food for years, but the poor little Pig ate the food of death and now he is dead. His feed was good while it lasted, but it did not last long." 

Drink more water to stop Coronavirus

Coronavirus


The new Coronavirus may not show sign of infection for many days. How can one know if he/she is infected? By the time they have fever and/or cough and go to the hospital, the lung is usually 50% Fibrosis and it's too late. Taiwan experts provide a simple self-check that we can do every morning. Take a deep breath and hold your breath for more than 10 seconds. If you complete it successfully without coughing, without discomfort, stiffness or tightness, etc., it proves there is no Fibrosis in the lungs, basically indicates no infection.






In critical time, please self-check every morning in an environment with clean air. Serious excellent advice by Japanese doctors treating COVID-19 cases: Everyone should ensure your mouth & throat are moist, never dry. Take a few sips of water every 15 minutes at least. Why? Even if the virus gets into your mouth, drinking water or other liquids will wash them down through your throat and into the stomach. Once there, your stomach acid will kill all the virus. If you don't drink enough water more regularly, the virus can enter your windpipe and into the lungs. That's very dangerous.






IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT - CORONAVIRUS






1. If you have a runny nose and sputum, you have a common cold


2. Coronavirus pneumonia is a dry cough with no runny nose.


3. This new virus is not heat-resistant and will be killed by a temperature of just 77 to 81 degrees. It hates the Sun.


4. If someone sneezes with it, it takes about 10 feet before it drops to the ground and is no longer airborne.


5. If it drops on a metal surface it will live for at least 12 hours - so if you come into contact with any metal surface - wash your hands as soon as you can with a bacterial soap.


6. On fabric it can survive for 6-12 hours. normal laundry detergent will kill it.


7. Drinking warm water is effective for all viruses. Try not to drink liquids with ice.


8. Wash your hands frequently as the virus can only live on your hands for 5-10 minutes, but - a lot can happen during that time - you can rub your eyes, pick your nose unwittingly and so on.


9. You should also gargle as a prevention. A simple solution of salt in warm water will suffice.


10. Can't emphasis enough - drink plenty of water!






THE SYMPTOMS


1. It will first infect the throat, so you'll have a sore throat lasting 3/4 days


2. The virus then blends into a nasal fluid that enters the trachea and then the lungs, causing pneumonia. This takes about 5/6 days further.


3. With the pneumonia comes high fever and difficulty in breathing.


4. The nasal congestion is not like the normal kind You feel like you're drowning. It's imperative you then seek immediate attention.


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Marinwood Citizen Recommends Citizen Core to Help the Sick



In 1918 during the Spanish Flu epidemic, thousands of citizen volunteers formed Nursing Corps to help the sick and the needy. Most of the men and skilled nurses were in France in WW1. The quality of NURSING care not just doctors was the key factor in surviving during the crisis. We must form our own COVID 19 crisis response teams. Regular public safety and medical professionals may become overwhelmed and unable to attend to many. This is YOUR chance to serve your country.

Marinwood Citizen Requests Local Democracy


The Marinwood CSD board does not listen to the citizens. They prefer to "rule". This arrogance has cost them dearly in legal bills, mismanagement and failed projects. Citizens dutifully show up to be heard and they are dismissed. Routine maintenance is ignored if the request is made by anyone other than themselves. It is laughable that during an election year they are pretending to do citizen outreach . The public needs to pay attention, the CSD is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on useless projects and is about to embark on building the "White Elephant" maintenance facility designed by former politician Bill Hansell. The project is TWICE the size of a similar facility in McInnis Park and likely TEN TIMES the COST. The CSD REFUSES to discuss the projected cost. This is what a corrupt local governing body looks like.