2009 Best of the Valley

as compiled by the Desert Sun

May 19, '09 election / flu

Our next meeting is Monday, May 4, with these suggested topics:

1. The May 19 special election
   
2. flu response
3. added: Mike Cohen about new security committee

Regarding item #1:

Secretary of State

Smartvoter

Desert Sun: Decoding the ballot: Voters to determine future of state budget

Regarding item #2:

NY Times:

Virus’s Tangled Genes Straddle Continents

Raising a Mystery About Its Origins, First Flu Death Provides Clues to Mexico Toll

KCRW:

MSNBC: Egypt orders slaughter of all pigs over swine flu

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

100 days

Our meeting on Monday, April 20, at 7:00 pm, has this suggested topic:

How is President Obama handling:

Foreign policy?

• Iraq /Iran
• Afghanistan / Pakistan
  
• Piracy
  
• Mexico and the Americas
  

The Environment and Energy?

• EPA finding about CO2
  
• World oil supply

The Economy?

Re Pakistan & Afghanistan:

PBS Frontline World: Where Women Are Flogged...

Also, see earlier posts such as on The Economy and oil.

new high school

April 6, '09, meeting

DSUSD High School #4 and http://www.shadowhillshs.com/

stock picks / reverse mortgages

Our next meeting is Monday, March 23, at 7:00 pm, with these suggested topics: 

1. Stock picks in this recession, led by Marvin Sage, followed by 
   
2. Reverse mortgages presented by resident/broker Carol Buzzard 
   
3. Added: presentation by Aggie Jordan re housing informational meeting, May 7.

Regarding item #2:

Carol J. Buzzard, Reverse Mortgage Specialist

SCPD forum club - euthanasia

Tonight I attended an excellent presentation and discussion at Sun City Palm Desert about doctor-assisted dying and hospice care.

The first part was given by Anita Rufus, a local media personality, and activist on this issue. Anita works with the organization, Partnership For End-of-life Choices. Through that organization, you can obtain a better Health Care directive than is standard in California; please check this out.

In answer to a question about drugs used to end life, Anita, in her forthright manner, mentioned the book Final Exit by Derek Humphrey, who founded the former Hemlock Society. There's a case in Georgia now that may clarify what is permissible in advising folks in 'dispatching' themselves. 4/22/09 Update: MSNBC Suicide group's manual urges celebrations.

The second part was given by Lisa Stork, a counselor/RN with Eisenhower Medical Center, who advises on hospice care, such as is given by Odyssey Healthcare. She pointed out the fact that many who are nearing death refuse food and water, and it is best to heed those wishes.

I earlier wrote about the SCPD Forum Club.

U.S. foreign policy / local favorites

Our next meeting is Monday, March 9, at 7:00 pm, with these suggested topics:

1. Has U.S. foreign policy changed for the better?  
   
2. What are your favorite local shops and eateries?
   

Regarding item #1:

Clinton visits to Asia and the middle East, not-so-secret letters to Russia, etc.

marijuana / the economy

Our meeting, Monday, February 23, has these suggested topics:
1. Decriminalization of marijuana

• Palm Springs dispensaries
  
• How’s it working in Holland?
  

2. The Economy: What’s New

• The new $75 billion housing relief plan
  
• Catchwords: systemic failure, moral hazard
  

Regarding item #1:
Desert Sun: Medical pot shops OK'd by city (and earlier)
The Marijuana Anti-Prohibition Project
Wikipedia: Drug policy of the Netherlands, Arguments for and against
George Will: Bootleggers’ Delights (also applies to item #2)


Regarding item #2:
MSNBC: Housing relief plan won't help all at risk, Why do I have to pay my neighbor’s mortgage?
David Brooks: Money for Idiots
Newsweek: We Are All Socialists Now

Previous posts: The Stimulus Package, Wall Street and Main Street

Updates on the economy:

Desert Sun: Economy shrinks at fastest pace in 26 years

This American Life (upcoming): Bad Bank

The Stimulus Package

The adopted topic for our meeting on Monday, February 9, '09, is:

• The Stimulus Package

See:

President Obama's first press conference

Wikipedia: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Homeostasis

Charlie Rose: A conversation with David Brooks (24 minutes), The Financial Crisis

some cited economists opposed to stimulus: Robert Barro, Jim Heckman

NY Times: Economic Stimulus

KCRW: To The Point

Econtalk: Cochrane on the Financial Crisis

listen to the audio or read Fiscal Stimulus, Fiscal Inflation or Fiscal Fallacies.

My earlier blog entry Wall Street and Main Street

NPR piece: How To Gauge Whether The Stimulus Is Working

PBS Frontline: Inside the Meltdown (including systemic risk, moral hazard)

Slate: Searching for an Optimist at Davos, More Gloom, Please, Stimulate First, Ask Questions Later

Jon Stewart: Solving the Economic Crisis

intelligent life? / local recommendations

The suggested topics for our meeting on Monday, February 9, '09, were:

1. Are we alone in the universe?
   
2. What local stores and restaurants do you like especially?
   

Regarding item 1: 

a book on the subject from the 60's: Intelligent Life in the Universe

      refers to Drake's equation, here's my take on Drake

from Netflix (and sometimes on cable): Cosmos: The Complete Collection

Regarding item 2: 

Here's a list of recommendations by residents of SCPD as of 1/15/09, Ruth's List.  Updates usually come out after the middle of each month but require subscription to Yahoo SCPD.  

Speaking of SCPD, their monthly magazine is available for perusal here News and Views.

films / tv

The suggested topics for our meeting on Monday, January 26, '08, are:

1. Recent films, film festivals and award shows.
   
2. Current TV shows

Regarding item 1: 

2009 Palm Springs International Film Festival: official site, Desert Sun (active pages)

Sundance Film Festival: official site, NY Times article

Golden Globes, People's Choice, Critic's Choice, SAGs, Spirit Awards, Oscars

Regarding item 2: 

NY Times: Awash in a Stream of Movies - Netflix on TV

SCPD Forum Club

I attended our neighboring Sun City discussion club meeting tonight. Their meetings are monthly from 7 to 9 p.m., like ours. Because they have some upwards of 50 people attending, their discussion takes place at round tables of about 8 people. First, they have a speaker who presents the topic; tonight's speaker spoke for some 45 minutes. Discussion is led by a moderator at each table who afterward summarizes the discussion to the group as a whole.

Tonight's speaker was Marvin Epstein (with rather impressive bio) and the topic was:

The U.N., NATO & American Global Domination.

Upcoming meetings & topics are:

• Feb. 11 - Capital Punishment - D.A. vs. Public Defender
  
• Mar. 11 - Euthanasia
  
• April 15 - 100 day status of Obama administration - Morris Beschloss (see his DS column & blog)
  
• May 13 - Decriminilizing Drugs
  
• June 10 - Topical subjects, finger foods and dessert
  
• July, Aug. & Sept. - dark
  

SCPD Forum Club meetings are held in the Oasis Room at the second clubhouse, Sunset View. Guests are allowed.

Note the use of the word 'topical' for their June 10 meeting. See Jon Meacham's recent use of the term in Newsweek, to wit:

there is often a disconnect between the topical and the truly long--lasting

Getting older / medical ethics

The topics selected for our meeting on Monday, January 12, '08, are:

1. Getting older
   
2. medical ethics

Regarding item 1, update:

Savvy Senior , AARP

Regarding item 2:

NY Magazine: Six medical-ethics dilemmas examined

Predictions / Crime

The topics selected for our meeting on Monday, December 29, '08, are:

1. Predictions for 2009
   
2. Crime and Punishment
   

Regarding item #2: 

NPR: Criminal justice

CNN: Iranian to be blinded ...

Regarding item #1:

• Many at the meeting focussed on the economy.  Someone pointed out a WSJ piece about a Russian predicting the iminent breakup of the U.S.
  
• 1/8/09 update: Here's a Charlie Rose piece about remedies that are being considered.
  

schools / prisons

The topics selected for our next meeting, Monday, December 15, '08, are:

How can we improve

1. Our schools?  
   
2. Our prisons?  
   

Regarding item #1:

L.A. Times: Rate of passage of exit exam is the lowest yet

Wikipedia: No Child Left Behind Act

KCRW's To the Point: Has Barack Obama Split the Difference on Education Reform?

Regarding item #2: Not covered at the meeting