On behalf of the Optimist Club of Malibu I would like to extend my thanks to all of the Malibu citizens who have made our success in supporting the youth of our community possible. As many of you know our main focus is on support of local causes.

The Board of Directors of the Club, in expression of our sorrow for the nation’s loss in New York and Washington, D.C., in an emergency meeting voted to donate $1000 to the Salvation Army to support its direct work for the citizens of those communities. In light of the magnitude of the tragedy we felt it appropriate to make this somewhat out of character donation to a national cause.

We join with all other citizens of this community, I am sure, in expressing our condolences to the families and friends of all those affected by this national catastrophe. Again, our thanks to the members of this community who made this donation possible.

Bill Sampson

Sept. 11 statement on terrorist attacks

All of us in the San Fernando Valley react with sorrow and sympathy for thousands who lost loved ones in today’s terrorist attacks.

The San Fernando Valley is one of the most diverse areas in the world. I am sure we will pull together–Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Jews, Buddhist and people of all faiths–to provide comfort to the grieving, to assure security for our families and to support such anti-terrorist actions as necessary.

I note, with particular sorrow, that one of the airplanes that was lost was bound from Dulles International Airport (Washington, D.C.) to LAX, a route which my Los Angeles colleagues and I fly weekly. I pray for the safety of the many DC-LAX commuters and flight crews I have come to know over the years.

Congressman Brad Sherman

Congressman Brad Sherman serves on the Middle East Subcommittee of the House International Relations Committee.

Business is genuinely bad. My property taxes are expected. All I see on my last years’ tax bill are more and more Malibu City and Malibu School District add-on assessments. This year’s property tax bill is due out. How much more can I pay? You are butchering me! The Santa Monica-Malibu School District and the City of Malibu are basically killing the Malibu taxpayer to see who’s got the better imaginary friends and putting the debt on my property taxes. No more taxes, no matter how small, no more lies, and that is the way I will vote.

William Hudson

My son, James, (9 years old) is very concerned for the workers picketing outside Pepperoni (sic) University. He has asked me over five times to write a letter to the paper and, of course, Pepperoni. Apparently Pepperoni is using scab labor for their massive construction project. This past week we saw people representing all trades: iron workers, fire sprinkler installers, and others with satin banners with their trade numbers, picketing. We don’t understand how a Christian university, like Pepperoni, can be so callous to the cause of a living wage. We beg and plead them to negotiate and come to resolution as soon as possible.

Mary and James Altoona

… many years ago, there lived an eligible bachelor. After firmly deciding to marry, he started looking for a bride. Unfortunately, no luck was on his side in the beginning. The prospective brides were either lazy or spoiled, or too bossy. The bachelor came to the conclusion that he had been looking in all the wrong homes. Changing his tactics, he began going from door to door, offering plums for trash. While some people were laughing at him and others were not, all were flocking to his cart. The fellow knew that the homes with the least quantity would be the cleanest ones, therefore the people living in them would not be lazy or spoiled. Once a nice girl came to his cart, carrying a very small bag. “This is all I was able to collect,” she said. “May I still have plums for it?” Not only did the bachelor give her plums but he later married her. They lived happily thereafter.

I do not know why I have been often reminded of this old European folk tale early in the morning, Monday to Friday, driving east of the Malibu Pier. Even if the analogy may be too far-fetched, it seems to me that on any given day there are at least two eligible bachelors, simultaneously and diligently, going from door to door at the same homes on the ocean side of PCH. There must be a lot of trash produced there so speedy, daily pick-ups have been warranted. I don’t think plums are offered anymore, and horse-drawn carts are history. These days, they drive huge blue trucks with flashing yellow lights on top. Along that particular stretch of PCH, there is little room between the houses and the right eastbound lane; the visibility can be quite limited because of the many turns of the road. The parking spaces along the homes are usually occupied by the local residents’ vehicles. Having the trash trucks stop between them adds tremendously to the already existing hazard. Quite frequently I do witness near-accidents being narrowly avoided. Why does trash have to be picked up every day? Why does it have to happen in traffic-intensive hours? Do the people in those homes enjoy the benefits of some special, private, more frequent trash-collecting schedule?

If the blue trucks activity on PCH could be limited to earlier hours, two days per week only (one of them possibly during the weekend), then the hazard for the eastbound motorists would be substantially reduced. Given the recently increased occurrence of multiple car and injury accidents in that very stretch of the road, the last thing we need is a huge truck involved in a collision. Particularly when such a hazard can be avoided just by better planning.

Ian Popov

I wasn’t sure the world of magazines really needed another slick devoted to the glories of organic living. Already a subscriber, by default, to Mother Earth News, Organic Gardening, Vegetarian Times,Country Living, and New Age, I don’t even know what others will be lurking in my mailbox. I admit sometimes I send for the free trial copy and then forget to send the bill back marked cancel. Pretty soon I start getting threatening letters about overdue accounts for magazines I didn’t remember ordering.

“We’re sure it just slipped your mind, but won’t you just send your check by return mail so we don’t have to sic the credit bureau on you and have you shipped off to debtors prison?”

Publications thrive on those of us who are too inattentive or preoccupied to cancel, even when the first copy triggers print-induced narcolepsy.

So it was with some trepidation that I opened what appeared to be the premier issue of Organic Style. (Is this not an oxymoron?) Good grief, I thought, I’ve done it again. Sure, I’ve gotten a lot of good information out of Organic Gardening (also published by Rodale, Inc.), but gardening is one thing that has little to do with style, in the fashion sense, at least.

So I’m expecting to find a fashion spread on hemp lingerie, recipes for bean curd pastry and, of course, ads for bazillions of Rodale book titles.

Instead, surprise, surprise. The fashion spread features organic cotton, soft as cashmere, kind to your skin and the environment, and even quite chic as modeled by actress, activist Amy Smart.

The health and beauty feature gives 50, count ’em, tips for looking good and seeing well. Now, I’ve had these bags under my eyes since I was 12, hence my skepticism that a slice of cucumber will shrink them. However, a product called Origins No Puffery, made from ivy extract, or Dr. Hauschka Eye Solace, with essential rose oils and extracts of fennel and chamomile, might be worth a try.

The business article features a supermodel and two Harvard MBAs who created a skin-care line based on Indian Ayurvedic healing. But even after reading the carefully written chart, I can’t figure out what my “dosha” is. I’m definitely not an earth-dominated kapha-large and strongly built with thick, wavy hair, oily skin and big brown eyes (sounds kind of bovine). But I might be either an air-dominated vata (read, airhead?) or a fire-dominated pitta (a sandwich, maybe?). This will take more study.

The food section was less about tofu and more about simple meals of pasta, veggies, fruit, fish and even meat – lamb curry, pan seared flat iron steak and sage chicken with roasted onions.

Garden lovers could not fail to be seduced by the gorgeous pictures of Chinese tree peonies accompanying a splendid article on care, feeding and finding the prized specimens. Cricket Hill Garden nursery in Connecticut is the only American supplier of the organically raised Chinese varieties with the intriguing names: Flying Swallow in a Red Dress, Green Dragon in a Pink Pool, Ling Flower Wet With Dew and Fire That Makes the Pills of Immortality. Drop-dead gorgeous, if not immortal.

But the article that really sold me on this new magazine was about, you guessed it, chocolate. The new health food? Music to my ears. I’d read that even Optimal Health guru Andrew Weil enjoys dark chocolate. But new studies report that it contains powerful antioxidants called polyphenols (like tea and red wine), which help prevent hardening of the arteries. And a Harvard School of Public Health study found eating chocolate could add at least a year to your life. Well, life without chocolate isn’t really living, is it, regardless of length, according to my own unscientific study.

Erin Bried’s story was mostly about Jim Walsh, who gave up a thriving Chicago communications business to found Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate on a 100-acre plantation on the Big Island 15 years ago. Today, he raises America’s only homegrown and organically grown cacao plants. The cocoa is made into chocolate in San Francisco. Fans include Bill Gates, former President Clinton and the Dalai Lama, who blessed two of Walsh’s cacao trees, saying they could bring “great joy to the world.” A man after my own heart.

Perhaps I’ll just forget to cancel the Organic Style bill. Maybe the next issue will extol the virtues of ice cream.

Now where did I stash that box of Godiva?

Proposition O was the advisory measure which received almost 60% voter support in the last election. The success of this measure resulted from a coalition of supporters from both Proposition P, the People’s Right to Vote initiative, and Proposition N, the measure promoted by the City Council, opposing Proposition P.

Supporters from both measures united in an attempt to raise money to buy land for Malibu. The language of Proposition O read as follows: “Do you support the City issuing $15 million in general obligation bonds, to be repaid from proceeds of a property tax surcharge, for the purpose of acquiring private property for city park, recreation and open space purposes?”

This coalition of citizens worked very hard to fund and garner support for Proposition O. Measure K is the outgrowth of that effort, and will be brought before the voters in November. The original coalition was expanded to include numerous other citizens with additional points of view through a public outreach program. The emerging group retained a bond consultant and has put in hundreds of hours of negotiation and effort. Despite the fact that they don’t agree on all issues, they have agreed to agree for the best interests of Malibu

Now, along come a group of disrupters, offering nothing positive, calling themselves the Lily Cafe Steering Committee and demeaning the citizens coalition that are attempting to finally, after 10 years of cityhood, have the populace of Malibu put some bucks on the table to buy some land for several needed amenities.

No matter which land is purchased, and for which purpose used, one thing is for sure — it will be used for better purpose than the land acquired by these disrupters, ZERO, over the past ten years. Shame on them.

Ozzie Silna

The Malibu Art Association has an altruistic idea to help the young of our community to find ways to express their emotions and frustration other than violence and graffiti. Statistics show that when they are exposed to and participate in any of the arts, they tend to get out of gangs and begin to function in a positive instead of negative fashion. Whether playing a musical instrument, participating in some form of dance, poetry or prose writing, or in any of the visual arts, they begin to have feelings of productivity, a sense of self worth. And so our aim is to educate all ages in the community to the value, indeed the necessity, of the arts in our lives.

Thus the MAA is opening a Junior Division for young people ages 12 to18. These young members are invited to nine monthly meetings a year where we have a 2 hour demonstration by a well-known artist in various mediums. The meetings are held from 7-9 on the third Thursday of each month at the auditorium of the Point Dume Elementary School. We feel this will be a rare opportunity for young people interested in the arts to be exposed to more art education than the public schools can afford.

Additionally these young members will be given the opportunity to exhibit their artwork in some of our shows. Our Annual All-Member Show will be on Saturday, October 6, at the Civic Center in Malibu, from 10 till 5 p.m. This is a professionally judged show for the adult members, where ribbons are awarded. The Young People’s Division will be judged separately by one of our members, and also will receive ribbons. This year’s show is the biggest yet, as we will now have a dance floor where members of local schools will perform during the day, as well as the “Poet’s and Musician’s Place,” for poetry readings and musical performances. And there will be “Japanese Fish Printing” for all ages to do. This Show is truly a “Celebration of All of the Arts.”

Also there will again be “Clothesline Art,” work by elementary school students, coordinated by art teacher Sage Laskin. These works will not be for sale, nor awarded ribbons, but exhibited for the pleasure of having the very young take pride in having their works shown in public.

Meanwhile, the MAA is inviting all ages to participate in the Sidewalk Painting Contest at the upcoming Point Dume Resident’s Association Block Party, on Oct. 23 at the Point Dume Elementary School… Four-by-six foot spaces will be allotted to children, teens and adults working side-by-side making pastel paintings on a macadam section of the playground. Prizes will be awarded in each age category. Pastels and chalks will be furnished to all entrants. There are only 54 spaces available, so “first come, first served.” You come and participate with your children too!

We need the help of you parents to encourage your children to join us in these opportunities to get involved in the arts. To join the Junior Division, please call me ASAP at (310)589-6048 with your address and I will send a membership application

Jean Stephenson, President

Malibu Art Association

In your recent article, “Malibu Set to go on Environmental Projects,” I was described as an advocate for tearing down Rindge Dam. A more correct characterization would be that I am an advocate for completing the study that will determine, among other things, the preferred alternative for providing steelhead passage above the dam.

Suzanne Goode

Senior Resource Ecologist

Department of Parks and Recreation

Need for far-sightedness

Anyone who has ever raised a child is painfully aware of the relentlessness of time. Our children go from toddlers to school children to independence at a dizzying pace. Measure K is a way for us to have a real impact on time, to help insure that Malibu’s future includes recreational land for our children, and for our children’s children.

The puerile attacks on Deidre Rooney, Ken Kearsley and Measure K that I read in the editorial section of The Malibu Times last week are sadly short sighted. Measure K is Malibu’s chance to be far-sighted.

Kathleen Keifer