This is funny:
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Baseball and grilled ribs from BriarPatch/Cal Organics
Posted on March 31, 2011 by jeffpelline
“It’s beautiful day for a ball game”: Warm weather, the Dodger-Giants opener and a barbecue.
For this milestone day, my barbecue is going include ribs from Chico-based Llano Seco Ranch (go to BriarPatch or Cal Organics) and grilled fresh asparagus on the “Big Green Egg,” and a local red wine. Once you try organic pork, it’s hard to go back. You can really taste the difference.
The “Big Green Egg” is one of the best smokers and grills. It’s derived from an ancient clay cooker called a “kamodo.” We’ve had ours for a decade. I know some other locals who enjoy them regularly.
Grilling is not just a “man’s” work. A recipe from “Grill Grrrl — Adventures of a girl on a grill” is here. I just use fresh cracked pepper and a little salt, however. Play ball!
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Workshop on open and effective public meetings on May 19
Posted on March 31, 2011 by jeffpelline
I applaud this workshop, being hosted by LAFCO:
“Why do so many public meetings run long?
Why do many people feel they are a waste of time?
Why do interested parties often feel ignored?
You may find the answers in our workshop on open and effective meetings.
The workshop will explore and explain the requirements of California’s Open Meeting Laws (including the Brown Act) — and the benefits of satisfying them. The workshop will also present techniques to ensure public agency meetings are effective and inclusive.
Whether you attend public meetings, participate in their proceedings, or are called upon to manage them, this workshop will help you understand what’s going on and make sure your voice is heard.
Thursday, May 19, 2011, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Nevada County Board of Supervisors Chambers
950 Maidu Avenue, Nevada City, CA 95959
Presented by:
Michael G. Colantuono, of Colantuono & Levin; Auburn City Attorney
William (Bill) Chiat, Executive Director, California Association of LAFCos
COST: $15.00
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: May 9, 2011
To reserve your seat for this workshop, please complete the form below and return it with your check to Nevada LAFCo, 950 Maidu Avenue, Nevada City, CA 95959. (No credit card payments.)
If you have questions, please call 530-265-7180 or send email to lafco@co.nevada.ca.us.”
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“Disaster” by Mark Fiore
Posted on March 31, 2011 by jeffpelline
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Blogging reshapes the media landscape
Posted on March 31, 2011 by jeffpelline
On Wednesday, I wrote “A central figure in the Barry Bonds trial — a big national news story this week — is a Nevada Union High School grad,” interviewing some of Greg Anderson’s former classmates. The article is here. (It was promoted on the Sacramento Bee’s website too, as part of the newspaper’s blogging network).
Lo and behold, a day later, our local newspaper The Union came up with its own version, combining an AP article: “Bonds’ trainer, an NU grad, at center of steroids case” The article is here.
This timely “nugget” would have made a more enlightening column about the Bonds trial (with a local angle, no less) than this one.
Blogging is changing the way we communicate, just as in this example:
•”Scoop: Amgen bike race expected to come to Nevada City and Grass Valley again!” on Feb. 7 is here.
•Then two days later, after a press release was issue: “Tour of CA to race through Nevada City” is here.
Or this one:
•”Scoop: Judy Collins coming to Grass Valley! on Feb. 14 here.
•Then on March 8, after the press release was issued: “Judy Collins concert scheduled for September” is here.
The response by the media monopolists is not always encouraging:
•jackerman@theunion.com: “Grab your five blog friends and get a room.”
•Or a cartoon from RL Crabb, making light of a serious discussion about racism. It is here. There is a pattern— no doubt about it.
This is what we did back at CNET in the ’90s: Outhustle the mainstream media and build our traffic with a website started from scratch. (Yes, we ruffled feathers along the way, including Bill Gates’.) Now CNET is part of CBS. Whodathunkit.
Throughout America, the Internet is helping to break up the bottleneck of communications that occurred for decades. It was aptly labeled the “media monopoly” by UC Berkeley journalism professor Ben Bagdikian back in 1983 — “increasing centralization of the media by a small number of private organizations.”
In our case, the Nevada-based Swift chain owns The Union in Grass Valley and Sierra Sun in Truckee, as well as the other Tahoe papers. We have other bloggers, such as Don Pelton’s “Sierra Voices” and a local aggregation site, NCVoices, built by Anna Haynes. Many locals have robust and informative Facebook pages. Besides the internet, there is new print competition too: Such as Moonshine Ink in Truckee/Tahoe.
Small towns like ours have been subjected to a “media monopoly” for decades, though newspapering during the Gold Rush was an exception. In our town, I’m often surprised at what doesn’t get published or broadcasted (and should) more than what does.
This sidelight venture — Sierra Foothills Report — is breaking new visitor records almost monthly, with March being the biggest yet. More than 22,500 signed comments have been recorded. The discussions are intriguing.
As of this week, we went ahead and registered a web address: SierraFoothillsReport.com. You’re now being redirected there. Change is all around us.
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