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 | West Marin rancher Nancy Grossi writes about wordle.net, an online tool for generating “word clouds” from text users provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. The program allows users to limit the number of common or small words shown to minimize the amount of “noise” in the cloud. Above is the word cloud generated using as source text the more than 4,000 words readers contributed to the Feb. 11 issue in reaction to the Oystergate.org video. The image provides an interesting snapshot of community sentiment represented by the unprecedented number of letters received before the print deadline.
Residents were asked to consider what is the character of something that moves our community in a forward, positive, or upward direction, and what is the character of something that moves the community in a backward, negative or downward direction.? Where does Oystergate fall in that continuum? Should videos like this be among the tools for use by neighbors to solve West Marin’s community issues? We will continue to print letters as they come in. Add your voice to the growing conversation and expanding cloud.
- JK
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Bike as time machine
Dear Editor,
Nostalgia struck me when I saw the photo of Amanda Eichstaedt of Bear Valley Inn trying out the Pashley Workbike with its enormously oversized basket, “West Marin Citizen series on cultural climate change,” Feb. 18.)
When I was a youngster during World War II, my grandmother had a very similar bike, which we called a “basket bike.” She used it to save gas in making deliveries to her Avon customers. On her version, the basket was not removable from a frame, but was an integral part of the entire bike. The current version Amanda was riding looks like an improvement.
My grandparents lived in Van Nuys in the San Fernando Valley, which at that time was still very rural, and we lived in Long Beach. From time to time, my mother would send me off to stay a week or so with my grandparents. She’s take me to downtown Long Beach and put me on the big PE (Pacific Electric) Red Car.
I’d travel by myself to downtown Los Angeles where I had to change from the Long Beach line to the San Fernando line (we moved from Long Beach when I was 10, so all this was when I was no older than that). Eventually, I’d spot my grandmother’s stop coming up along Chandler Boulevard where I had to get off. My grandmother would be waiting for me with her trusty basket bike. She’d toss my little suitcase into the basket and I would hop on the back and off we’d go.
I suspect my visits to my grandparents were triggered by how much annoyance I was causing my mother and my younger siblings. However, I never figured that out at the time, or else my trips to Van Nuys would have been much more frequent. I loved visiting my grandmother. Her idea of a favorite activity was to make lemon meringue pies.
Wade Holland, Inverness |
All of West Marin in mourning
Dear Editor,
It isn’t often that a misreading of punctuation leaves me in tears; self-deprecating humor, yes, or rueful acceptance of aging vision, but tears?
No, not until today.
When I read the Feb. 18 obituary for Kathy Munger, I mistakenly took a comma for a semi-colon, altering the list of Kathy’s “survivors” somewhat, but in a completely appropriate manner.
Instead of reading the names of “daughters and sons-in-law..., all of Inverness,” instead I saw “daughters and sons-in-law...; all of Inverness.”
Of course, I thought, how could all of Inverness not be in mourning for this exceptional woman? Not to mention a large proportion of Bolinas, Point Reyes Station, Stinson Beach, and every other town where people live who will carry their memories of Kathy close to their hearts, and be grateful that they knew this bright, loving, open-hearted woman.
Jane Mickelson, Bolinas |
Emergency road service
Dear Editor,
If I forget, again, to turn off my headlights when I park, what happens in East Marin is I look up garages in the phone book at Whole Foods, ask to use the telephone, call 4 or 5 who don’t answer or can’t come, one offers to come for $65 for “having to drive that far.” I walk two blocks to a garage, and find someone who will come for $55.
If I forget downtown, I walk to Sean Bracken’s, and he says he’ll be out shortly with jumper cables and gives me a jump-start. He doesn’t want to be paid. Or I walk to Greenbridge Auto, and the cashier tells me if I just wait for a while, it might start in half an hour or so by itself. Who knew? So I start waiting, then two guys mysteriously show up with jumper cables and start my car. They’re obviously enjoying it. I wonder if I should offer to pay them something, but they’re gone before I can say a word. Emergency road service.
Katharine Cook, Marshall |
Taking action together for healthy salmon streams
Dear Editor,
SPAWN recently helped secure American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus) funding to help San Geronimo Valley landowners repair their non-County maintained dirt roads and repair failing streambanks along coho streams.
Thank you to the 25 enthusiastic landowner representatives from each major village who gathered with us last Wednesday evening at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center to work with us on finalizing designs and permitting for these projects. These efforts will benefit our community as a whole, including coho salmon and steelhead, and demonstrate how we can work together, even during tough economic times, to take action for healthy streams, watersheds and neighborhoods.
Hands-on work to reduce harmful erosion from dirt roads and restore local streambanks will begin this summer and continue into 2011. If you are a Valley landowners interested in partnering with us to receive funding, assistance with permitting and implementation don’t hesitate to contact me at Paola@Tirn.net, 663-8590 x111.
Paola Bouley, Conservation Director, SPAWN |
Oystergate lessons
Dear Editor,
This would be hilarious if it were not affecting the lives of a farming family and a number of public servants. Of course the dispute is personal, not business.
I can comment on Phyllis Faber’s letter as my only expertise is in producing and shooting motion pictures. Had she signed a release? Had the producer agreed that Ms. Farber had review and opt-out control of her image and remarks? I’d be shocked if the latter was agreed to.
The lesson is to be very careful of what you say in such a charged dispute.
Mark Allan, Inverness Park |
West Marin vs. Flint, Michigan
Dear Editor,
It is amazing that out of all the responses you published on Feb. 11 about the “Oystergate” video, so few did nothing to move the dialogue forward, to create, “a productive discourse.” So much for rational, creative, tolerant thinking. So much for the “goodness” and “coming together” of our community. Read those letters. Some are hateful.
If this had been a Michael Moore video giving the facts about the oyster farm and the lies put out there by the park, everyone in West Marin would have loved it. His movies are hard, sarcastic, manipulative, full of facts (as this one was) and he never gives anyone a break. He is a movie star in some fashion and therefore people give him credence. I bet 90 percent of the letter writers admire his movies, even though the tone of his movies is so much more “in your face” than the Oystergate video and he goes on for 90 minutes, not just 5 minutes! But he didn’t come out here and give West Marin its close-up. Too bad. He might be able to break through the provincial attitude that is so pervasive out here.
I don’t care that much about the conflict. I am sickened by the vitriolic and hateful nature of my so-called community.
Mary Ryan, Inverness |
Do not endorse
Dear Editor,
I do not endorse this video.
So sad it’s sunk to this!
Bruce Bowser, “Oceans Advocate,” Bolinas |
Video participants speak for themselves
Dear Editor,
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) had nothing to do with the Oystergate video.
Dr. Corey Goodman, who speaks in the video with National Academy of Sciences under his name, was speaking for himself.
Although he is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, he was not speaking for the National Academy of Sciences.
E. William Colglazier, Ph.D., Executive Officer, National Academy of Sciences; Chief Operating Officer, National Research Council |
Do endorse
Dear Editor,
I endorse the Oystergate video.
John Finger, co-owner, Hog Island Oysters Company |
Let the fur fly
Dear Editor,
I think the video has validity. Its partisanship aside, the matter at hand has been kicked around for over two years, during which time it has escalated considerably in tone and complexity. More new information along with rehashing of old news will proliferate as long as the issue lives.
In a tech world, often driven by personality, money and avoiding responsibility, to expect less than this video, at this juncture, might be naive.
In a small community there maybe a cautiousness around civility, maybe even political correctness. The “I’ll see them at the post office” excuse. But when an issue of both local and national importance becomes mired in protracted incivility, deceit
and accusation, I say let the fur fly.
Whether its FOX News or the New York Times in front of us, it is our responsibility to do the thinking.
Jack Kramer, Point Reyes Station |
Function over form
Dear Editor,
Let me see if I have this right.
A four-minute video with accurate facts is lambasted because of its style, while four-plus years of lies and misconduct by people in powerful positions is being swept under the carpet and those same people are being promoted. What is wrong with this picture?
Style is tertiary; give me the truth any day.
Loretta Murphy, Point Reyes Station |
Do not endorse
Dear Editor,
Ay yi yi!!!
or Oy oy oy (in full disclosure, I stole that from Suzanne D’Coney).
Shame on anyone involved in the making of the Oystergate video.
Quite honestly, I have not taken a position on the DBOC-PRNS issue, mostly because I have seen how ugly it has gotten and I am no longer able to discern fact from fiction on either side.
I’d hate to think that this kind of politicking is a reflection of the character of our community; quirky, yes, but ignoble...?
Lila Purinton, Point Reyes Station |
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