Our regular meetings during the season are held the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month from 7 to 9 p.m.
Look at http://www.scshca.com/Events_and_Activities/Calendar.htm to confirm.
Meeting announcements*, with suggested topics, can be found in the club's group archive (sign on req'd).

Friday, June 26, 2009

air conditioning units / national health care / energy

Our next meeting is Monday, June 29, with these suggested topics:
  1. Phase 1&2 a/c unit concerns - presentation by resident Don Hauser
  2. Two major reforms, which the President ran on, are before Congress now. Can further government action improve
  • Health care?
  • Energy supply and demand?
Regarding item #1:
The claim is that the metal pans, below the attic evaporators in many homes here, are rusting away and will eventually cause failure in those units, possibly extending to ceiling damage.

Regarding item #2a:
infantile denial lies at the heart of much contemporary political disaffection
NY Times editorial: A Public Health Plan
Obama started by courting the major interest groups, and so far none of them—insurers, drug companies, hospitals, or doctors—has come out against him. He has repeatedly stated his flexibility and openness to compromise. Instead of proposing a plan, or even endorsing any specific policies, he has laid out eight broad principles—universality, affordability, portability, quality, choice, prevention, fiscal sustainability, and financial protection—and left the rest to Congress.

Regarding item #2b:
A sense of doom or shame only motivates a small segment of the public — and puts off the rest
The piece errs, as so many do, in not drawing a distinction between climate change and energy use.

See also another blog of mine and post there: Jimmy Carter's malaise speech.
This is my principal concern; I can't emphasize this enough. It's summarized in this 2004 interview with Richard Heinberg. Here are active links updated from those in the interview: Richard Heinberg's Museletter and Energy Bulletin.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

parental authority / California budget / President Obama

Our next meeting is Monday, June 15, with these suggested topics:
  1. What happened to the mother who ran with her son so as to avoid subjecting him to chemotherapy? Does government know best?
  2. What's a gubernator to do on B-day?
  3. Is there merit in assertions (afloat in some circles) about the new president?
  • That he is a secret Muslim with a forged birth certificate.
  • That he stole the election with an ACORN.
  • That he seeks to perpetuate power by taking control of the Census.
  • That he runs the country with 16 (or 17) czars.
  • That the economy is all his fault.
Regarding item #1:
Regarding item #2:
from WSJ
Lawmakers must pass a balanced budget by June 15 for the state to obtain its annual loans from Wall Street.
also: csmonitor, publicradio, scpr, kcrw, MSNBC

Regarding item #3:
NYT: Rich re Fox News
PBS Frontline: Breaking the Bank

Newsweek:


Tuesday, June 2, 2009

torture / technology / the economy

Switching to once a month summer schedule, July through September, on the 2nd Mondays.

We discussed these topics at our meeting on Monday, June 1:
  1. the torture debate
  2. technology
  3. the economy  
Regarding the economy:
NY Times on GM: The Quagmire Ahead

Friday, May 8, 2009

housing meeting / assisted suicide / any good news?

Our next meeting is Monday, May 18, with these suggested topics:
  1. Housing Information meeting - Did you learn anything?
  2. Assisted suicide - Should it be made legal?
  3. Is there any good news to report?
Regarding item #1:

Regarding item #2:

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Housing Information Presentation

Our Housing Information Committee gave its presentation today to a full ballroom (from a full parking lot).  Here's a (Group) page with the agenda and some links.

Friday, April 17, 2009

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.

Friday, March 20, 2009

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

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

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.


Friday, March 6, 2009

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.



Friday, February 20, 2009

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

Updates on the economy:
This American Life (upcoming): Bad Bank

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Monday, February 9, 2009

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.