90265 FROM THE CREATORS OF
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curators of coastal culture
POSTAL CUSTOMER
Cammy Hebert and Cologne Schmidt of SHOW ME YOUR MUMU
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THE VERY BEST IN LUXURY LIVING.
CHRIS CORTAZZO MALIBU’S #1 AGENT 2000-2014 CalBRE# 01190363 29178 Heathercliff Rd. Malibu, CA. 90265 310.589.2472
chriscortazzo.com
Founder, Editor in Chief
CECE S. WOODS Executive Editors
CURATORS OF COASTAL CULTURE
STEVE WOODS LINDA ATKINSON TRACEY ROSS Associate Publishers ADDISON ALTENDORF RON BERKES NICHOLAS BETTS
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Deputy Editors CLAUDIA TAYLOR ROB TAYLOR DAVID STANSFIELD OLIVIA SMITH TARA OWENS TRACEY BREGMAN MATT DIAMOND MADISON CHERTOW DIANA NICHOLSON AUDREY RUTH CAROL HOYT JACKIE ROBBINS BRAIN TIELEMAN RANDY OLSON DANIEL BRALVER LORY MAYOTTE LIZA UTTER GUS JOHANSON ANNEMARIE STEIN Contributing Photographers JEFF HERRERA HANNAH RAY TAYLOR TIM HORTON Interns IZZY CHAVIRA
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Cammy Hebert and Cologne Schmidt of SHOW ME YOUR MUMU Cover photo by Ryan Hebert
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90265 ARE YOU A MALIBU INSIDER?
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ENVIRONMENT
IT’S A LONG,
LONG WAY to Fukushima
IT WAS BAD IN JAPAN, BUT HAD ZERO IMPACT ON THE CALIFORNIA COAST By Randy Olson
OCEAN ISSUES: ATTENTION NEEDED
NOW
-DYING SEA LION PUPS -PLASTIC TRASH IN OUR OCEANS -LOSS OF OUR WETLANDS
RADIATION FROM JAPAN -OVERFISHING OF NEAR SHORE FISH -LOSS OF BEACH ACCESS TO -DEVELOPEMENT
THE EXPLOSION OF THE FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR REACTION IN JAPAN, FOUR YEARS AGO, WAS ABOUT AS BAD AS IT GETS. BEING NUCLEAR IN NATURE, IT PENETRATED DEEP INTO OUR WORST NIGHTMARES. ONE RESULT WAS SOME FOLKS LET THEIR NUCLEAR FEARS RUN WILD. But the science is now in, and it’s not just from a group of industry-paid sellouts. It is a wide range of scientists from around the world. The blog Deep Sea News is authored by about 25 accomplished scientists including my good friends Jay Nichols (author of the recent bestseller “Blue Mind”) and John Hocevar (longtime Greenpeace activist on fisheries issues). A number of their authors banded together for a unified statement which said, “there are terrible things that happened around the Fukushima Power Plant in Japan,” but went on to say, “Alaska, Hawaii and the West Coast aren’t in any danger.” This is further hammered home by folks at the Breakthrough Institute -- an environmental think tank. Reprinted below, with their permission, are excerpts from an essay by one of them, Will Boisvert. I encourage you to “choose your battles” with the many attacks on the environment. This is not a major one for us. There are much more pressing issues in the world’s oceans that do indeed need your involvement. To help out with important local issues visit the websites of Heal the Bay, Surfrider, 5 Gyres and countless other organizations who need your support in protecting our oceans.
FUKUSHIMA SEAFOOD SAFE TO EAT Stories about California tuna contaminated with radioactive cesium from the Fukushima spew are a staple of antinuclear websites. Most press accounts dismiss the contamination as harmless. But in Japan radioactive fish are a major issue. Fishermen near the plant are barred from harvesting many species that are prone to concentrating radio-cesium, and South Korea has banned seafood imports from the region.20 Concerns about the fishing industry are the primary obstacle to dumping the accumulating tons of decontaminated water stored at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. The crippled coastal fishery has become a symbol of nuclear energy’s power to poison the environment on a grand scale. But as so often in the Fukushima saga, claims of inordinate danger turn out to be exaggerated. The Japanese government’s safety limit for radioactive cesium in fish is 100 becquerels per kilogram (Bq/kg), an amount that’s roughly equal to the natural radioactivity of potassium and carbon isotopes present in all food. The Fukushima fishery easily meets that standard. Out of 95 fish caught within 20 km of the plant in a census conducted in January, a grand total of one specimen came in above the cesium limit at 113 Bq/kg. Most fish were far below the limit, with 43 showing no detectable contamination at all.21 And that 100 Bq/kg standard is extraordinarily strict. The US EPA estimates that eating a becquerel of radioactive cesium gives you a one-in-a-billion chance of contracting cancer.22 If you were to eat a kilogram of fish contaminated with 100 becquerels of radio-cesium every day, for eighty years, your odds of getting cancer from the cesium would be about 0.3 percent, compared to the typical American’s 40 percent chance of getting cancer. (That’s not counting any anti-cancer benefits from eating fish instead of cheeseburgers.) There’s little question that the Fukushima fishery is safe enough to reopen. On the other hand, its ongoing closure is a boon to hard-pressed fish stocks — which may make the nuclear accident a net win for marine life in the area.
FUKUSHIMA EVACUATION ZONE IS MOSTLY HABITABLE The chaotic evacuations from the area around the Fukushima Daiichi plant, and the resulting scenes of terrified refugees, abandoned towns, and ruined houses, figure prominently in the apocalyptic aura surrounding the accident. Nightmarish evacuation scenarios were floated during the crisis: NRC chairman Gregory Jaczko advised Americans to withdraw from a 50-mile zone around the stricken plant,3 while Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan contemplated evacuating Tokyo itself.4 Cooler heads — and computer models5 — prevailed.
ENVIRONMENT Photo by Tim Horton
But the perception remains that evacuations from the 20-kilometer zone around the plant (with a further bulge to the northwest) prevented massive loss of life in a region of lethal radiation that will remain uninhabitable for decades to come. Yet data buried in UNSCEAR’s Fukushima report, and little noticed by the media, show that the evacuation zone is not — and never was — the unsurvivable wasteland it’s made out to be. Let’s crunch the numbers. UNSCEAR estimated the average radiation doses that would have been incurred inside the 20-kilometer evacuation zone in the first year after the accident, had there been no evacuation: the highest was Tomioka township’s 51 millisieverts.8 The Committee also reckoned that 80-year lifetime doses in contaminated areas will be two to three times the first-year dose. (Radiation levels drop quickly because of radioactive decay and weathering.) From there we can reckon the dose people would have received from fallout had they lived their whole lives in the evacuation zone: about 100-150 mSv in the most contaminated townships, substantially less elsewhere in the zone. Natural background radiation in the United States averages about 2.4 mSv per year, so 150 mSv is about equal to the lifetime background dose of a typical American.
Collage art by Cece Woods
Colton Sarlo
Photo by Jason Hsu
So how unhealthy is that extra radiation? Not very. Again, radiation is a weak carcinogen: applying the LNT theory and standard risk factors from the National Academy of Sciences,10 a lifetime dose of 150 mSv confers a fatal cancer risk of about 0.9 percent — the same odds an American runs of dying in a car crash.11 Those are average risks; there are hotspots with higher radiation levels, and children would have faced somewhat higher risks, especially from thyroid doses in the first three months after the spew. The mandatory relocations from the Fukushima evacuation zone, which are responsible for much of the accident’s cost and all of its cataclysm, owe more to apocalyptic expectations built into regulatory standards than to objective health hazards from fallout. Those hazards are well within the range of risks we negotiate in ordinary life. It might be time to reconsider policies that require precipitate or long-term relocations, which carry their own risks. Hundreds of people died from the stress of the Fukushima evacuation, and thousands more were uprooted from their homes over radiation doses that would almost certainly never affect their health. Instead of requiring people to leave, it could make more sense to give them the information they need on radiation exposures and likely health risks, and let them make their own decisions.
FUKUSHIMA DEATH TOLL IS TOO SMALL TO MEASURE Reports warned of vast casualties stemming from the Fukushima accident. (Activist Arnie Gundersen predicted up to 1 million cancers in the next 30 years.)1 But radiation scientists looking at the data on radioactive contamination saw a different picture. For them, the question is whether anyone at all will die from the Fukushima fallout. No one in Fukushima, neither plant workers nor civilians, suffered immediate harm from the radiation; long-term effects, mainly cancer, are the chief concern. But radiation is such a weak carcinogen that it’s often hard to tell how much risk it poses. That problem has led to bitter disputes over the “linear no-threshold” (LNT) theory of radiation and cancer — the “no safe dose” model that predicts that any exposure to radiation, no matter how small, will causes a proportionate increase in cancer risk. Mainstream radiology largely accepts LNT, but some scientists contend that radiation doses below about 100 millisieverts (mSv) pose no cancer risk. The debate grinds on because it’s almost impossible to settle with empirical data. The doses Japanese civilians will receive from Fukushima fallout are very low — 18 mSv over a lifetime on average for the most exposed kids and less for others, according to the authoritative report on the accident by the UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR).6 At those doses the additional cancers predicted by LNT will be too few to cause any discernible uptick in cancer rates. So forecasts of Fukushima casualties hinge on the epistemological conundrum of whether effects that are too small to observe really exist. Because of that uncertainty, few epidemiologists have bothered to quantify the prospective death toll. Still, LNT can give us a rough upper bound. Using it, a few researchers — most of them critics of nuclear power — have predicted from 1,0002 to 3,00012 eventual cancer fatalities from the fallout, spread over many decades in which millions of Japanese will die from other cancers. To put that number in perspective, air pollution from coal-fired power plants kills hundreds of thousands of people every year. Fukushima doesn’t even rate on the scale of common radiation hazards. The EPA estimates that the natural radiation from household radon gas causes 21,000 yearly cancer fatalities in the United States — the equivalent of seven Fukushima spews each year.7
SUMMARY
(from Michael Shellenberger of Breakthrough Institute): So what are the real “lessons of Fukushima?” The Fukushima accident did spotlight safety issues, including the need to pay more attention to tsunami records, stash backup generators beyond floodwaters, and install better vents. But its modest consequences should reassure us that the apocalyptic anxieties surrounding nuclear energy are fundamentally off base. Radioactive contamination works like other mild toxins — alcohol, car exhaust, trans fat — that we live with every day: a huge dose can kill us; a modest dose poses modest risks; a tiny dose is innocuous.
INTERVIEW
TAKE
NOTHING
FOR
GRANTED
Interview with David Stansfield By Olivia Smith
The Local: Your riveting book Take Nothing for Granted starts off in Jerusalem in 1947 just as the state of Israel is being born. Based on a cast of characters ranging from a young Israeli girl who loses her big sister in that year in Jerusalem, to Jaffa, where a young Palestinian boy grieves the loss of two of his best friends just a year later in 1948, to a young Englishman, David Finkelstein who falls in love with the Arabic language in 1963. Then all of them coming together in the present day in Malibu of all places when Finkelstein receives an unexpected invitation to a Jewish fundraiser at Gull’s Way that will turn his nice easy life completely upside-down and threaten to send the entire Middle East up in flames. This book is obviously thrilling, while remaining political yet pretty evenhanded, I thought. It also reads like a love letter to the Middle East, where did you draw your inspiration for the book from? David: Myself. I am basically David Finkelstein in almost every sense, except for one: I’m not Jewish – although like the character my favorite writer, Howard Jacobson, describes so hilariously in The Finkler Question, I’d certainly like to be. But I did fall in love with the Arabic language just as recounted in the book – when I fell in love with the very first love of my life, Jasmine, a girl from Morocco, who I met in England when I was eighteen. The moment she wrote something for me in Arabic I was as smitten by the writing as I was by her, and even more so when I heard her speak the words, which I found extraordinary. I think the only way to learn another language is in bed. You’ve got to be horizontal. The Local: Where are you from originally? David: I was born in London, but grew up in a little village called Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire just down the road from Bletchley where Alan Turing almost single-handedly won World War Two. You probably saw the movie, The Imagination Game? I actually wrote another book a few years back – a young adult book, Attack at Noon, it’s called, about a little boy saving the Atlantic fleet – that was structured around Turing. The Local: What is your professional background? David: My profession? Well, I’ve spent most of my life writing TV scripts for my wife, Denise, to produce on PBS. I don’t know if you could call that a profession, it always seemed like too much fun. The Local: Have you spent much time in the Middle East? David: Yes, quite a lot of time actually, I’m familiar with most parts of the region. But my biggest formative experience was when I studied Arabic at university in England – inspired by my Moroccan girlfriend of course – and part of the deal was to spend a summer with an Arab family. I put an ad in the Jerusalem Arabic newspaper, Al-Quds, looking for an Arab family and got dozens of responses, all saying essentially the same thing: you can stay with us for as long as you like, on one condition: that you promise never to try to pay for anything. And they kept their word. I wasn’t allowed to pay for a glass of lemonade the entire time I was there. The Local: Where did you live in Jerusalem? David: In the Palestinian half of Jerusalem – this was before the ’67 war – just opposite Damascus Gate. My Arabic got not too bad there and I even used to play games on the English tourists by putting on traditional Arab robes and pretending to work in the Souq in the Old City and not understand a word they were saying, bargaining over everything like crazy. It got pretty funny sometimes. One of the tourists asked me – through an interpreter – how I came to have blue eyes. I winked at him and said – again through the interpreter – oh you know what those Crusaders were like… My Arab family – who were Muslim – also happened to have “Gordon’s Tomb” at the bottom of their garden, where the great imperialist General believed Jesus was buried. We always thought that was funny too: some people had fairies at the bottom of their garden. Guess who we had? The Local: How long where you there? David: Almost four months, I think they were probably the most eye-opening months of my life. So many things were completely the opposite of what I’d expected The Local: Can you give some examples? David: Well, the feeling of peace for one thing. Of being completely secure. There was almost no crime. It always made me feel as if were stepping into a warm bath. You could literally leave money out on the street and no one would touch it. My Arab friends got me to do this one morning as an experiment, and it was still there that evening. And it wasn’t because of some dreadful punishment as most of us Westerners always think, people were just honest. I had the same feeling when I spent time in the Persian Gulf: Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman. And again in Egypt and Algeria, Lebanon and Syria and Jordan. Everywhere. You feel completely secure. I’m continually astonished how misinformed about the Arab world most of us in the West are – me included, until I lived there and learned the language. I also spent some time in a Palestinian refugee camp in the West Bank – the poorest people I’ve ever met living in some of the worst conditions I’ve ever seen. But I made the mistake of admiring a cheap reproduction of some painting on the side of their tumbledown shack made of tarpaper and oil drums and it was all I could do to stop them giving it to me. Me, whose pittance of a travel grant from my university made me a multi-millionaire in comparison with them! I’ve never, before or since, met such kind, generous people. When they greet you they always say, ahlan wa sahlan. Ahlan means family and sahlan means a place where food is to be shared with strangers. Welcome, in other words. It’s also what you can say as a response to “thank you.” The Local: What was your fondest memory of your stay with your Arab family? David: When I first arrived at their little house. In the West when people welcome you into their house, they offer you something to drink, here, when I arrived the young man of the house asked me to open my hands and he dropped some white petals into them and asked me to rub the petals together and smell them. I asked him what flower this was and he said, jasmine, and I knew I was home. The Local: That’s so beautiful. Now for a question about politics, if you don’t mind. How would you sum up the current political issues we are facing in the Middle East for those looking for a palpable, unbiased answer? David: It’s incredibly complicated and I’m afraid there are no short answers. I have some really, really good friends on both sides of the Middle East conflict. It’s all very, very sad. I will be trying to write about some aspects of it in The Local, but you just can’t sum it up in a few phrases. I did my best to be “even-handed” in my book, as you said, but it’s very difficult. In many ways, the Israelis and the Palestinians are mirror images of one another, as the great Palestinian poet, Mahmud Darwish, wrote so beautifully in one of his poems, “He is Calm.” I can still quote it. It begins: “Huwa haadiun wa ana kathaalik. Yahtassee shaian wa ashrabu qahwatan. Haatha huwa al-mughaayiru bainana.” “He is calm, and I am also. He sips tea with lemon and I drink coffee. That is the only thing that makes us different.” Just the word yahtassee is so lovely, so onomatopoeic, English doesn’t do it justice: “He sips…” I just saw the movie, American Sniper, which was full of a lot of racist talk about Iraqi “savages.” Do you know how many of those savages used to sit still in dead silence to listen to Darwish read his poetry for three hours – all of which they already knew by heart? His average audience was 25,000 people. You couldn’t even fit them into the Staples Center. Our ignorance is piled upon ignorance. The Local: I know you’ve received quite a lot “fan mail” for your various novels. How many have been published by the way? David: Eight so far. I’ve just finished a ninth one. It’s an addiction. The Local: There’s one letter from a Malibuite we’d like to share with our readers, which talks about some truly uncanny coincidences between his own life and that of David Finkelstein in your book – same kind of Palestinian friends, same kind of Mexican gardener friend and wacky lawyer and business partner, even having the same kind of hip surgery as your character. With the kind permission of the writer of the letter, we reproduce it here.
INTERVIEW “I ASKED HIM WHAT FLOWER THIS WAS AND HE SAID, JASMINE, AND I KNEW I WAS HOME.” -David Stansfield
David: I’ve since met the author of that letter and we’ve become very good friends. The Local: Well, we are obviously extremely honored to have had the chance to interview such a prolific writer as yourself with such informative while exciting and entertaining novels as well as your opinion pieces in The Local. Thank you for your time! David: Ahlan wa sahlan.
David Stansfield is an Arabic scholar trained at the universities of Durham, Cambridge, the Sorbonne and Toronto, who has lived in many parts of the Arab world. He is also the writer-producer with his wife Denise Boiteau of the award-winning television series: “The Middle East.” His latest novel, TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED, a thriller set in the midst of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is available on Amazon in both paperback and eBook.
SHOP LIKE A LOCAL It’s time to spruce up your wardrobe for spring at Michael Stars! Mention the flyer below and get an in-store 20% discount.
SANTA BARBARA THE DAY
HELL MADE A WEST COAST
By Steve Woods
Think we have been having weird weather? Some of us may take for granted how pleasantly warm our Malibu winter has been while the east coast has been pummeled with yet another record breaking snowstorm, but feelings of joyous warmth were not the sentiments of the 3,000 residents of Santa Barbara on June 17, 1859. As the sun slipped above the hills east of town on the morning of June 17, 1859, it revealed another near perfect California day in Santa Barbara. From a cloudless, brilliant blue sky, the brassy ball of fire overhead beating down on the tile-roofed adobes and dusty roads quickly raised the temperature.
VISIT
As mid-morning passed, so did the 80-degree mark. It was nothing out of the ordinary, but that would soon change. By day’s end, the small town of several thousand people would suffer through what was at the time the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth. As morning passed into early afternoon, the heat continued. Then out of nowhere, a blast of superheated air blew over the Santa Ynez Mountains like a blowtorch. The sky was soon darkened by a massive dust cloud kicked up by the blistering wind. Not long after, the heat “began taking a terrible toll of the beasts in the field,” the late Santa Barbara historian Walker Tompkins wrote, “leaving the buzzards a feast of calves, rabbits, field mice and even full-grown cattle who perished under the oak trees where they had sought respite from the punishing heat.” By 2 p.m., the temperature had rocketed to an unbelievable 133 degrees. People fled to the Old Mission and Our Lady of Sorrows Church in sheer terror, thinking the end of the world was at hand. Others took to their adobes desperately seeking refuge behind the earthen insulation of mud walls. A decade later, the phenomenon was included in an official government report by the United States Coast Survey titled “Coast Pilot of California, Oregon, and Washington Territory.” The survey crew happened to be on a vessel at sea in the Channel at the time of the heat wave, and were it not for them, an official record would not exist. “All the residents betook themselves to their dwellings and carefully closed every door and window,” wrote George Davidson in the report. “No human being could withstand such heat out of doors.” A fishermen, having suffered through an afternoon at sea in an open boat, returned literally scorched, his arms covered in blisters. People reportedly took refuge behind the 3-foot-thick walls of the Daniel Hill adobe, the casa grande at Dos Pueblos Ranch, and the adobe winery at San Jose Vineyard among other places. Rabbits, cattle, snakes and deer died on their feet according to a government report, and fruit fell from trees to the ground, scorched on the windward side. . Home gardens and commercial crops along the typically cool littoral plain withered before the sweltering bluster of biblical proportions. “The fruit fell to the ground, burned on the windward side,” the survey report recorded. An entire grape crop baked on the vine in the Goleta Valley. Birds fell out of the sky in mid-flight, their carcasses scattered over the land along with numerous other animals that had expired. Others were found drowned in the bottoms of wells where they had tried to escape the heat. “We had a good deal of trouble cleaning out the wells,” one lady later recounted.
ABOVE and BELOW: the collage art created for this story depicts the chaos resulting from the 133 degree debilitating heat that decended upon Santa Barbara in 1859.
Then just as mysteriously as the wind emerged, it died. The temperature fell slightly to 122 degrees by around 5 p.m. and finally down to 77 degrees as the sun set. Who would have ever thought that Santa Barbara would harbor such a bizarre heat record which remained for 75 years, until it was beat by a single degree by weather in the Mojave Desert recorded at Death Valley. Nine years after that, in 1922, a heat wave of 136 degrees was recorded in the Saharan Desert of Libya, which remains the hottest temperature yet documented. To this day, the simoom that seared Santa Barbara in 1859 with 133-degree heat remains the third-hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth. There exists no comparable event in meteorological history or known Native American folklore. A “simoon” is a strong, superheated and dust-laden wind that occurs in parts of the Middle East (alternative spellings include samiel, sameyel, samoon, samun, simoun, and simoom), and its name derives from the Arabic verb ‘to poison,’ presumably because exposure to such temperatures could cause heat stroke. Southern California has a long history of feast and famine when it comes rainfall. In the early 1860’s, Santa Barbara had 45 straight days of rain and then a 3 year drought. In early 1859 there was over 50,000 head of cattle in Santa Barbara/ Ventura, and less than 5,000 in 1865.During the same time in Malibu Fredrick Rindge wrote in 1864 that for one entire year it did not rain and that most of the cattle and sheep from Monterrey to the Mexican border died or put out of there misery. Droughts haunted California farmers and ranchers and inspired the investments of building dams as Mr Rindge did in Malibu Canyon in 1926 .As Malibu residents we know devastating consequences that a hot Santa Ana winds on our gardens but can you imagine a 133 degree heat equal to the hottest day in Death Valley or Libya ?
Collage art by Cece Woods
GLASS QUEEN 25019 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, CA. 90265 310-456-8546 glassqueenmalibu@gmail.com License #868190
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This magnificent 2-story estate, on 2 legal lots comprising approx.. 14 acres, is located in exclusive Ramirez Canyon among one of the most gorgeous settings. Set among rolling hills w/ocean views, the exceptionally crafted Nest® 4bDRM/3 bath residences is reminiscent of a Spanish country home w/hand-finished A-frame wood ceilings, distressed plank floors & custom doors & windows throughout. The warm & inviting spaces include an expansive living, family & dining room combination w/fireplace & custom French doors that open to multiple entertainment areas w/outdoor fireplace & fire pit; a welcoming & beautifully designed chef’s kitchen w/Viking appliances; spacious & bright owners suite w/fireplace & French doors that open to pool/spa, plus a stunning spa-like bath; large media room & 2 detached studio cottages help to make this the perfect Malibu sanctuary. Includes lot 5866 Ramirez Canyon, APN# 4467-007-001.
$6,495,000
THE VERY BEST IN LUXURY LIVING.
CHRIS CORTAZZO MALIBU’S #1 AGENT 2000-2014 CalBRE# 01190363 29178 Heathercliff Rd. Malibu, CA. 90265 310.589.2472
chriscortazzo.com
MALIBU
COASTAL CURATOR
ORIAH MIRZA
BEEN THERE
In 2014, filmmaker and director Oriah Mirza was inspired by her own story of ending violence, emotional and mental instability. It was time to share her pain and the process of healing with others who were in pursuit of a more peaceful and promising future. What started as a film project has now evolved into a gressroots movement, heartfelt and fueled by personal experience. Mirza recently created an Indiegogo campaign to fund the project. In the preview she takes us on a tour of skid row where Angela Harris, a survivor of domestic violence once lived. Mirza also visits women’s shelters, and women in every economic class to help share their wisdom passed from woman to woman. She helps them find their voice to share with women around the world, how they did it, how they ended violence and trauma for good.
Photo of Oriah Mirza by Nick Calafati
Oriah is the founder of a new Non Profit, Voice Between Worlds, and has found a way to have Lead Mentors, women who share their wisdom organically with others and pass the torch in an effective and lasting way. Women Empower (WE) is a flagship program for women who want to Share Their Stories with other women in various stages of domestic violence, from the beginning to freedom. Lead Mentor, spoken word artist and performer Angela Harris, a self empower victor over domestic violence and formerly living on Skid Row and shelters such as Alexandria House has teamed up with director Oriah Mirza to be coached and mentored by her, to be able to share her success with the women she meets, especially homeless women and women in domestic violence shelters. Avail by chat, text, in person and by phone Angela shares her hands on wisdom on how she made it. With Oriah’s guidance she has opened Skidrow Sista Productions.The program is designed to pass the torch, so women who become excited and empowered by the tools and inspiration to live a violence free life, can encourage other women with their stories. Women sharing and helping each other, with tangible mentorship tools, they can empower women to share their own stories with other women. Angela Project216 is derived from the Women Empower Program through Voice Between Worlds. Angela is the main subject of Voice Between Worlds first film, Been There. The film inspired by Oriah Mirza’s life. Your donation goes towards the production of Been There the movie, launching the WE program, and helping distribute this very important empowerment documentary at a time when all women need to hear from other women who made it. The time is now, and let our voices be heard. (Websites are in various stages of development.) beentherethemovie.com, intelligentcreation.org
SEE YOU in
N-Y-C!
Malibu studio team member Taylor Shank heads to NYC to pursue the coveted role of Soulcycle Instructor
Master instructor MB brought Taylor to the podium to “take us home” for his last ride before heading to NYC.
Taylor ( left ) after surfing the recent swell at Surfrider.
Local Soulcycle enthusiasts are well aquainted with the welcoming smile of Malibu team member Taylor Shank who dutifully checks us into our morning classes, assisting us with setting up our bikes and tending to riders needs since the studio opened in the Malibu Country Mart last spring. Recently, Taylor embarked on a new challenge in his career by being accepted to Soulcycle’s six week, rigorous instructor training program in NYC. Taylor trained religiously - even fighting through a hand injury suffered while snowboarding to qualify for the program and is ready to rock the intense, physical and motivational experience to attain the coveted title of Soulcycle Instructer. The Local will follow Taylor through his journey and we are anxiously awaiting his return - fingers crossed as one of Malibu’s newest instructors!
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ENTERTAINING
DINNER with
Joe
By Cece Woods
As the evening begins it is evident that this is not your average meal - and it is most certainly not being prepared ( and presented ) by just your “average Joe” either. The splendor and surprise of the intimate event involving delectible food and spectacular wine is DINNER WITH JOE, a new pop up dinner series that is taking coastal culinary culture to a whole new level. Wine Consultant Joe Le conceptualized this unique dining experience from a passion for pairing wine and exceptional food with his desire to share this passion with others.
First course is served.
With dishes like Panko Crusted Halibut with Swiss Chard, Saffron Risotto and Napolean Creme Brulee on the menu, it is hardly evident that Joe is not a classically trained chef. And, as each course is served, Joe makes a point to explain the dish and the wine that is paired with it so each guest can experience a full spectrum of flavor. It is the kind of special attention that only a five star restaurant offers. DINNER WITH JOE events are designed to be small affairs with specially selected guests creating a truly exceptional experience. DINNER WITH JOE is currently booking For MAY 2015. For more information go to dinnerwithjoe.com or call (310) 922.6947 Follow DINNER WITH JOE on Instagram @dinnerwithjoe and Twitter @dinner_ with_joe
Napolean Creme Brulee
Panko Crusted Halibut with Swiss Chard
SPARKLING MULBERRY
LOVE LEMONADE
Dinner with Joe events include refreshing cocktails before dinner and one of Joe’s favorite drink is made with Mulbery Love, a delicious, healthy juice drink created by Dianne Burnett who recently hosted a dinner at her Malibu home.
1.5 oz. Grey Goose Vodka 1 oz. Mulberry Love Sparkling lemondae Lemon Slices Fresh Mint Combine first 2 ingredients in a tall glass filled with ice. Top off with sparkling lemonade and garnish with a lemon slice and mint. Enjoy responsibly. *Mulberry Love is available locally at Sunlife Organics, PC GREENS and Sprouts.
Photos by Matt and Diedhra Fahey
A beautiful, intimate setting at a recent DINNER WITH JOE event
LEFT: Joe Le and I at a recent dinner held by Malibu local Dianne Burnett.
M
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FEATURE
SHOW ME YOUR MUMU
It’s not just a brand, it’s a
MU-VEMENT!
SHOW ME YOUR MUMU: Cologne Schmidt and Cammy Hebert mumufying Mexico. Sayulita will never be the same!
FEATURE Designers Cologne Schmidt and Cammy Hebert put their twist on a tropical tradition ( think muumuu ) and turned it into an inspirational lifestyle brand. It’s a whole MU world with SHOW ME YOUR MUMU! The LOCAL: How did you and Cammy meet and what led to conceptualizing the Mumu brand? C.S.: Cammy and I met in college at UC Berkeley. After we graduated, we both moved to NYC to experience life in the big city, and to find our first jobs. We were roommates there, and we ended up working in fashion showrooms across the street from each other. Even though we were surrounded by clothes all day, we were craving this perfect piece of clothing that we could not find anywhere. It was short and flowy, could be worn as a tunic or a mini dress, you could fit it in your purse, and you could wear it to almost anything. To work, to dinner, out dancing, to sleep, and then wear it to brunch the next day. Finally, a spontaneous trip to Miami and we only had time to grab our purses and a swimsuit... this is when we desperately needed our “Mumu”. We kept talking about it on the trip, and then our businessman friend yelled out “Do it! Make this ‘mumu thing’! “SHOW ME YOUR MUMU!!” The name stuck, and the Mumu was born. The LOCAL: SHOW ME YOUR MUMU is quite the MU-VEMENT! Can you share with us the MUMU philosophy? C.S.: Mumu was built from spontaneity and carefree adventure. Mumu girls dream to travel the world, fall effortlessly in love, and have late nights but early mornings. Our clothes are 48 hour clothing-- they can be worn to work, dancing at night, over a bikini, to weekend brunch and then to bed. Mumu girls are fun, friendly, and lovers of love. It’s a whole Mu world out there. The LOCAL: I know there are a lot of aspiring designers out there that would love to know about your experience starting SHOW ME YOUR MUMU. What were the trials and tribulations of starting the brand? C.S.: Although very rewarding, starting Mumu was a challenge and a learning experience. There are always going to be mistakes, but we had to learn what we could from them and try not to get discouraged. As we grew, we had to learn to adapt to change and do what was best from the brand. We outgrew many offices- we went from our crammed NYC apartment, to Cammy’s spare bedroom, to a Venice Beach garage, to a downtown corporate office. When production issues arise, you have to learn to problem solve and move forward. You also have to always be listening to your customer, and designing the line for what you think they will want to see. It’s a challenge, but it is fun and inspiring. We are Mumu girls too, so we get to design for them and us:) The LOCAL: Do you have any advice for young aspiring designers? C.S.: Hard work will pay off. If you are able to start your own line- be true to yourself and your brand. Look whats out there, and figure out where the holes are that need to be filled. Believe in what you are doing. You can tell when brands are authentic and the designers believe in them. Don’t be scared to be a little different. As if people didn’t laugh in our faces when we said we were starting a company making Mumus. Have fun with it! Clothes and fashion shouldn’t be so serious. The LOCAL: SHOW ME YOUR MUMU is growing fast! What’s next? C.S.: We have so many exciting things ahead! We just recently launched our denim label Mumu Blue on our website. Hopefully activewear is next, and one day bikinis!!!! We will continue to scour this earth and find the best prints around. We have a lot of fun photo shoots on the horizon. And Cammy and I are both engaged- so two mumu-fied weddings are coming soon too!
showmeyourmumu.com
LIFESTYLE
THETaking GIFT OF DISEASE responsibility for my health
By Julie Piatt
It was the evening of my second wedding anniversary. I had planned a surprise romantic overnight stay in our tipi where we I had lived with Rich Roll, my now husband, prior to our wedding ceremony. While packing my overnight bag, I passed by the mirror and my eye caught a glimpse of what looked like a very enlarged adams apple at the front of my throat. The sight of this was so shocking that I stopped dead in my tracks. I reached for my neck in what seemed like slow motion, both hands reaching and fingers exploring the shape and contour of this foreign mass. What in the world was that? I waited until after our anniversary date to point it out to Rich. No need to ruin the evening, my mind reasoned. The next morning, when I showed it to him the look on his faced revealed his grave concern. “Babe, you need to get that checked out immediately, ok? Promise?” Even though I am not one to frequent doctors, I reluctantly agreed. An MRI revealed that the bulge in my neck was what is called a thyroglossial duct cyst. The good news was that it was not malignant. The bad news was that it had been infected and the doctor wanted me to get it cut it out of my neck. Confirmed with a second and even a third opinion, it was in fact a TDC, a rare disease most common in children between the ages of 8 and 12. I was in my early 40’s at the time. Go figure. I had discovered yoga and had fallen in love with effects that asana or postures and meditation were having on my life. I felt a deep connection to yoga so much so that I felt it to be a part of me. In my illness, I had interest in pursuing Ayurvedic treatment. Ayurveda is an Eastern Indian science of medicine. Ayurveda relies on diet and herbs to restore the body to a state of perfect balance. The body is revered as a divine and perfect instrument. Thus, in it’s divine and perfect state, has the power to heal itself. I found this perspective to be incredibly profound. I had faith in the plant medicine of our planet. And I had faith that my body would heal itself with the assistance of this ancient tradition. When I expressed my inclination toward natural methods of healing to the western doctors, I was marginalized. Three surgeons told me unequivocally that I would not be able to heal this cyst with natural methods. The facts were that it was a trapped mass between two fused bones and in their opinion the only way to heal it was to cut it out. They told me in effect that I had some time to play around with my hippie, new age methods, but I shouldn’t wait too long, they warned, it could become malignant or get infected. They would certainly see me back for the necessary surgery in a few months. As I reflected into the deeper meaning of the appearance of the cyst and what my options for healing it were, I really felt strongly that I had been given a sacred opportunity in a very gentle package. I mean, it wasn’t like I had stage 4 cancer and I had to make a quick decision on the spot or I would die. I had a very large cyst on the front of my neck that was very visible and affected my appearance, but it wasn’t malignant. The truth was that I had some time to see what healing I could provide my body without cutting it. I could explore this imbalance and possibly learn something invaluable for my own evolution. I took this opportunity very seriously. On my first visit Dr. Patel, he took my pulse to determine what imbalances were present in my body. Ayurvedic physicians are master pulse readers, they can tell everything about your body state by taking your pulse. This technique is taught from guru to student and is extremely precise. Dr. Patel prescribed a very specific diet and herb regimen for my healing. The diet was primarily a plant-based diet that included many dark leafy greens, lentils, rice and some sweet fruits like pears, apples and sweet grapes. The herb regimen included ingesting the smelliest herbs that could possibly exist on the planet internally and also applying a topical herbal paste. Every evening I would prepare my herbs and my family would plug their nostrils and run screaming from the awful smell in the kitchen. I had to rinse my mouth with water repeatedly to get the horrible taste out after I had taken my dose of what was as far as I could tell, powdered sewage, sulfur and dirt. I would then make a warm paste of a different herb, less pungent, and wrap my neck in a bandage before sipping a warm cup of sacred milk with medicated ghee, and drift gently off to sleep. Working with Dr. Patel was more than just a dietary prescription of healing. Stress reduction involving life style changes also was a key part of the treatment. He gave me a strong prescription to not invite unwanted guests into my house. “Sometimes, they arrive and you have to entertain them, but let’s not start by inviting them.” He said. I took his advice and I stopped seeing clients on the weekends or evenings. I established boundaries and my entire workflow shifted. I started attracting conscious amazing people that were accepting of my new schedule. And much to my surprise, they waited for me. I followed a detailed daily schedule that he laid out for me. My schedule roughly looked like this: 4:30-6:00 AM morning prayers, meditation and yoga 8:00 morning meal, 12:00 mid-day meal, 6:00 evening meal, 8:00 herb regimen, evening meditation, 9:30 in bed ready for sleep. As I sat in the early morning hours for meditation, I experienced various states of awareness and release of emotions. Then one morning I began receiving the most profound message of my life. This message came in the form of songs. I had wanted to sing since I was six years old. This was a true heart desire of mine that I had never fulfilled. Here I was in my forties and when I really got quiet, the songs started writing. I made rudimentary charts on pieces of paper to recapture the notes I was hearing on a harmonium. I knew nothing technical about music or even what a D, C or A was. I was simply receiving this music. As I started to sing, the energetic blockage in my neck also cleared. This was a critical emotional and spiritual component of healing. All diseases are unresolved emotional issues. My body had given me a sign in the form of a cyst to call my attention to this significant part of me, my voice that I had long forgotten. Dr. Patel never doubted for a moment that my body would heal itself. In fact he knew that I would heal without question. A remarkable aspect of this process was that he never said, “let’s try this and see what happens.” He was unwavering in his resolve and faith. A lover of God and truly devoted to healing the body, mind and spirit, Dr. Patel embodied the awareness that Ayurveda restores the body to balance so that it may heal itself. I found this perspective to be so very beautiful. Recognition of the human body as a miraculous expression of divinity- if you ask me, it doesn’t get any more powerful that that. Well my healing wasn’t fast nor pretty. At least not at first. And it took a tremendous amount of commitment and resolve on my part to stay the course. As if healing myself was not task enough, I had to manage extreme judgment coming at me from all directions for my method of healing. Finally, after three months, the pimples stopped coming, and in about 4 months, I started to see a reduction in the size of the cyst. By about 6 months, I knew I was gaining. At 8 months, there was no turning back; I knew that I had this thing. The entire healing process took about one and one half years. Through my experience of healing, I learned that taking responsibility for our health is one of the most powerful things one can do. These miraculous bodies we are walking around in are capable of so much that cannot even be understood by science. We should care deeply about our bodies and have a deep emotional connection and relationship with them. The recognition of their divinity is a powerful perspective. Learning to understand this at a fundamental level is key to true healing and to our evolution. If you knew your body was your temple, the house for your very soul, what would you feed it?
#THEPLANTPOWERWAY
is a book that I co-wrote with my creative partner and the love of my life, author and Ultra athlete, Rich Roll. A book that we naturally and authentically created through stepping into a plant based lifestyle with some of our favorite people on the planet, our four children. Available for pre-order at srimati.com and richroll.com
UNTUNA Wraps
This is an amazingly easy off the hook-tasty recipe. My sons say that the only thing missing from this tuna is the mercury — well put! I sometimes crave the tuna taste from my childhood sandwich memories. My little girls asked me recently, “Mom, what is a tuna sandwich?” Although they have been enjoying this walnut and olive based recipe for years, it wasn’t until that moment that I realized they had nothing to compare it to, as they have never actually eaten a real tuna sandwich! After collecting myself, I replied, “it’s a fish.” They protested, “Why would you eat a fish! That’s an animal!” I had to stop to ask myself the same question, why would I? Well, now you too can say so long to your classic tuna salad, because with this recipe you won’t have to. It’s actually uncanny how much this dish indeed tastes like tuna – and that’s a promise. Ingredients: • 1 1/2 cups raw walnuts • 2 celery stalks, chopped coarsely • 4 tablespoons sea weed or sea veggies • 1 cup Kalmata olives. pitted • 2 tablespoons “Bubbies” relish with amino acids Preparation: 1. In a food processor, pulse the walnuts until mealy in texture. 2. Add the celery, sea veggies and olives. Process again for 30 seconds. 3. Add the relish and process for 15 seconds. 4. Spread on romaine leaves, wrap in a collard green, or spread on your favorite bread. We love hemp bread and gluten-free millet varieties.
LOVE YOUR BODY LOVE YOUR HEALTH
Mulberries one of the planet’s most nutritious super foods, have been used by ancient Chinese healers for centuries for their natural healing properties. Along with green tea, the two have powerful nutrients to build a strong immune system.
This unique blend of the finest Turkish Green Tea and Mulberry Juice ignites a smooth tasting flavor that is both healthy and delicious. WWW.MULBERRYLOVE.COM
Available locally at Sunlife Organics
LIFESTYLE Photos by Tim Horton
BREATHE of LIFE By Diana Nicholson Breathing Deep is Anti-Aging? You can’t breathe deep and worry at the same time. “I can hardly breathe”; “It knocked the wind out of me”... We make comments like these all the time. Check in with your breathe for a moment. Getting into the habit of breathing deep into your lungs, profoundly affects your body in a positive way. The act of breathing can be both unconscious and conscious at the same time. We breathe unconsciously naturally. But if we were to spend a few moments each day consciously breathing slowly and rhythmically, for example, 5 second long breaths in, hold for 1 and out for 5, drawing air deep into your lungs it will automatically energize you and help you gain focus. This can be especially effective when breathing through your nose (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ujjayi_breath), it triggers our parasympathetic nervous system, relaxes our whole body, oxygenates and purifies the blood, increases circulation, boosts our mood and immune system. The Mantra “just breathe” has been used by Yogi’s for thousands of years and is now incorporated in most programs associated with health professionals and fitness instructors for every protocol. This may seem simple but it’s not in vain. In times of physical or emotional distress it can seem like an impossible task. The first thing we do in crisis is hold our breathe and brace for the worst, which stops the flow of energy. Understanding the importance of conscious deep breathing and making it a practice will have a positive effect on your overall health and life. Seven Benefits of Breathing Deep: 1) Oxygenates Your Blood. One of the great ways to alkalinize your body is to breathe deeply, to literally blow off steam in the form of excess carbon dioxide (C02) which is acidic. After being purified of CO2 and oxygenated, your blood is then pumped back through your heart and into your body. Joseph Pilates said “Exhale all the air out of your lungs or it’s like cleaning laundry with dirty water” 2) Triggers parasympathetic nervous system. Flight or flight. Deep breathing improves your biochemistry and restores a healthy rhythm to your nervous system. 3) Lower’s blood pressure and heart rate:1 in 3 adults suffers from High Blood Pressure costing US Health Care $76 billion a year. Adopting a regimen of the ancient wisdom of focused breathing which is being proven by modern science to lower blood pressure can be a life saver. 4) Brain growth: Studies suggest that regular practice of deep breathing and meditation may slow the rate of neural degeneration in the prefrontal cortex. http://www.nmr.mgh.harvard. edu/~lazar/Articles/Lazar_Meditation_Plasticity_05.pdf 5) Relieves pain. Studies have proved that when we experience pain our instant unconscious reaction is to hold our breath. Remember that breathing deeply into pain will help to release it. Deep breathing releases endorphins which are the body’s natural feel good pain killers. 6) Facilitates meditation. In mindfulness meditation, you broaden your conscious awareness. You focus on what you experience during meditation, such as the flow of your breath. You can observe your thoughts and emotions, but let them pass without judgment. 7) Helps manage anxiety. There are physical changes that occur when taking slow, deep breaths. The heart stops racing, blood pressure drops, all of which can naturally ease anxiety. Breathing deeply will keep you strong, healthy and young so keep breathing as long as you can!
Above: Diana Nicholson practicing her breathing techniques at this historical Malibu Pier and on Surfrider Beach.
www.malibubeachpilates.com
PAULA MARCHETTI
HAIR Paula Marchetti H A I R delivers fresh new beauty trends that resonate the Malibu lifestyle 3900 Cross Creek Rd. (inside the Beauty Collection ) Malibu, CA. 90265 310-317-4247 A full service salon, specializing in corrective color and styling
LIFESTYLE THE
MINDFUL ATHLETE Six ways to get more out of your life and exercise
ByTed Mc Donald As we approach summer, maybe you’re still hanging in there with your diet and fitness resolutions… and maybe you’re not quite as committed as you thought you might be. Maybe you’re stuck in that same old rut, making the same old excuses. “Well, I know I’m committed and I know it’s a lifestyle change and look, I have all year to make this whole fitness thing a regular part of my schedule. I have work, I have the kids,” you tell yourself. Meanwhile, you let that little voice inside your head get the best of you! It gnaws away at your best intentions. It’s like the acid that seeps through floor and ruins the house. Stop it! Stop it now, before it’s too late. If you’re anything of an exercise person you can consider yourself an athlete for the time being. Hopefully for life, because the simple definition of an athlete is someone proficient in sports and or other forms of exercise. And the definition of proficient is able. So yes, whether you believe it or not, you are an athlete. You don’t have to be a professional, you can be a weekend warrior. You can be a once a week yoga person. You can be a twice a week hiker or Soul Cycle junkie. Maybe you like to move your booty in Zumba class. Maybe you’re a dad with a couple of little ones at home and your gym consists of chasing them around, throwing the little guys up and catching them before they hit the ground. (Please don’t let them hit the ground!) Congratulations you’re a “Dathlete.” Regardless, I’m talking to you. It’s time we bring more mindfulness into our life and our athletics. Mindfulness is just like it sounds, simply bringing attention to what we’re doing. Whether we’re sitting in meditation or doing a sprint triathlon, we can be more mindful. What happens when we’re more mindful? We begin to slow down a bit, we begin to take in all the experiences with a bit more awareness. We begin to accept things as they are and lessen the internal conflict that happens in our lives, and more importantly, in our minds. We begin to appreciate every moment regardless what our mind tells us about the moment. We become more grateful for what is instead of kicking happiness down the road and constantly saying, “I’ll be happy when…fill in the blank.” So the next time you head out for a workout, see if you can be more mindful. When you are squatting into that deep lunge, make sure you feel those glutes. Pay attention to how it feels and get the most out of it. Don’t just turn the music up, zone out, or think about your work day. On your run, pay attention to the ground. How does it feel to land with one foot as opposed to the other. What is your breath doing? On your bike, you better be mindful or you might get hit by a car. Accidents can be prevented by being more mindful. So much of our lives are spent thinking, mindfulness draws the attention away from thinking about the outside world and focuses on the present moment awareness. And it may actually foster a little reflection. A little self introspection. A little more understanding of our behavior, our motivation, and our choices. How do you feel now? Are you hunched over? Are you aware of your breathing? We don’t know how many breaths we have left in this wonderful life and it would be a shame if we didn’t pay attention to as many as we can. Try these 6 mindful techniques the next time you’re working out or driving to work. 1. Focus on your breathing. It’s mostly good to work on controlling the breath, particularly slowing it down. If you can slow down your breath, you will slow your heart rate. And if you’re looking to push yourself in your sport, this will definitely increase your performance. 2. Body Scan. A very common Mindfulness technique, being aware of your body. Are your shoulders relaxed? Is your face tense or your tongue pressing into the roof of your mouth? Do your best to use the muscles you need and relax everything else. 3. Focus on Form. Another technique to increase your performance. If we slow down and bit and avoid rushing through our exercises we’ll be forced to use more muscle. We’ll cheat less and work harder. It’s the job of every personal trainer to inspire his or her clients to have better form. 4. Rest in awareness. And work in awareness. While meditating you can rest in awareness and understand that you are a human being and not a human doing. It’s incredibly powerful. While you’re working out it’s better to work in awareness. Be aware of your movements, your breath, your impact on yourself. 5. Prevent Injuries. Being more mindful of every moment, every action and every breath will only help you avoid injuries because you become so much more aware of what works for your body and more importantly what doesn’t. 6. Enjoy more. As you get more familiar with Mindfulness and exercising in this way, you’ll begin to enjoy it a bit more. Instead of going to a smelly gym to workout, you might take yourself outside and be in nature, on the trails, breathing in the smells of Mother Earth while you run, hike, or bike. Enjoy and be mindful!
LIFESTYLE
WHAM BAM! THANK YOU PAM! By Steve Woods Photos by Jason Hsu
Before Tropical Cyclone Pam brought large surf the west coast of California this last week it was one of the worst natural disasters in the history of Vanuatu near Fiji. At least 7 people are known to have lost their lives in the archipelago nation according to the Vanuatu Government; however, United Nations officials state that 16 were killed. The storm’s impacts were also felt, albeit to a lesser extent, to other islands in the South Pacific, most notably the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and New Zealand. Pam is the second most intense storm of the South Pacific Ocean according to pressure, after Zoe of 2002; Pam is also the third most intense storm in the Southern Hemisphere by the same metric, only after Zoe of 2002 and Gafilo in 2004. In addition, Pam had the highest 10-minute sustained wind speed ( 155mph )and highest one minute sustained wind speed ( 165 mph ) of any South Pacific tropical cyclone; it is tied with Cyclone Orson and Cyclone Monica for having the strongest winds of any cyclone in the Southern Hemisphere. Early in Pam’s history, a damaging storm surge was felt in Tuvalu, forcing a state of emergency declaration after 45 percent of the nation’s residents were displaced. Torrential rainfall occurred in the southeastern Solomon Islands, particularly in the Santa Cruz Islands. In Vanuatu, all emergency centers were activated and relief personnel were put on standby with Pam assessed as having the potential to be one of the nation’s worst tropical cyclones. Catastrophic damage occurred as the storm moved through the archipelago, The cyclone crippled Vanuatu’s infrastructure: an estimated 90 percent of the nation’s buildings were impacted by the storm’s effects, telecommunications were paralyzed, and water shortages continue to plague the small nation. Pam later brought heavy winds and rough surf to New Zealand’s North Island during its weakening stages Though these storms can be killers and reap damage they are a blessing for surfers that away from the eye of the storms damaging affects. For the third year in a row the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast saw fantastic waves... right after the event waiting period ended. This year it was courtesy of Severe Tropical Cyclone Pam, which moved out of the shadow of New Caledonia and into the Gold Coast Australia swell window right around the time Brazilian Filipe Toledo was wrapping up his 1st tour victory at Snapper Rocks
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PETS
CANINE CONVERSATIONS with Robert Cabral
DOG FOOD
OR HUMAN FOOD
What to feed your best friend.
One of the most common questions that I am asked is, “What do you feed your dog?” The answer to that question is quite involved. Just like if I were to ask you, “What do you feed your child?” There isn’t a simple answer, like Alpo. I feed my dog a variety of natural foods and I feel that the food you feed your dog can have serious implications on their lives. Of course there is the anomaly of the dog that was fed the cheap grocery store brand and lived 19 years, that is the exception, not the rule. For the most part I feed my dog whole foods, which is REAL food. I don’t like kibble because I don’t know what’s in it. There are some great natural ready-made foods available at your local pet store, so it’s not all that complicated. However I’ll start with the home prepared options first. The reason I prefer homemade foods is because I know what’s in it. I start with a natural protein source, I opt for organic beef and chicken as well as organic veggies that I flash boil and then run through the food processor. I also feed grains such as brown rice (organic) as well as oats and others. The big debate currently is Grain free vs. Grains. And the answer to that debate should be judged by how your dog responds to grains. If he likes them, he may thrive on them. There are many benefits to grains in a dog’s diet as well as organic veggies. There are some people who will feed their dogs only meats and those that feed only vegetarian diets. I think a balance is important, as dogs are not solely carnivores, but more omnivores. Dogs will naturally eat grass, which can be very good for them. Most every type of grass is edible and has certain health benefits. The big thing to consider when dogs eat grass is: 1. Is the dog sick and eating it to make himself throw up? or 2. Is he lacking some basic nutrients? Creating a balanced meal for your dog is quite simple. Determine how much food your dog needs and balance out the protein to the fiber, veggies and grains. There are countless resources online of how much to feed your dog, but in the end that answer should be determined by you and your dog. Just like two people will respond differently to the same amount of food, so will two dogs. The key thing to consider will be your dog’s energy level and weight. Your dog should be lean and remember, less is more. As long as your dog receives his nutrition there is nothing to worry about if he skips a meal or two. Dogs will naturally fast when they can’t find food, and that fast can be a very beneficial thing for their digestive system as well as the rest of their body and organs. Don’t force a dog to eat if they skip a meal. If you are concerned, see your veterinarian. I regularly fast my dog at least ½ a day per week, some suggest a full day fast. Some of my favorite ingredients for homemade meals include; beef, chicken, sardines, eggs, brown rice, sweet potatoes, kale, broccoli, celery, parsley, spirulina, oats, berries. And remember filtered water is one of the most important things in your dogs diet. I do feed raw meats to my dog because I feel there are benefits to this for my dog. Some people are strongly opposed to that, for these people I recommend cooking their foods. But please research the benefits of raw meats for dogs. Although it will take some extra efforts in cleaning up after your dog, you can be assured that the essential nutrients are not cooked out of your dog’s food. If you are preparing a homemade meal it will be important to add supplements. One of the best brands I’ve found are Dr. Bob’s Daily Dog Health Nuggets, they also offer a great supplement for raw feeding. As for treats, I recommend things like raw marrowbones, turkey necks, kongs stuffed with almond butter (small amounts) and other natural treats. In next issue’s column I will address fitness and weight for dogs, so stay tuned for that. As for a list of great dog foods available from pet stores, I recommend a visit to Pacific Coast Pets and look through their foods, read the ingredients. If you don’t know what the ingredient is, move on. For example, by products and meals are things to avoid. Look at the ingredients on foods such as Stella & Chewys, Ziwi Peak, Orijen, Acana, Volhard Nutrition, Honest Kitchen, Primal and others. Remember, if you can buy a 50lb bag of food for $25, there’s something wrong, because you can’t buy 50lbs worth of food for yourself for $25. Food is food, and remember, garbage in – garbage out. Dogs on a natural diet poop less, have better coats, have fresher breath, have fewer problems with their teeth and are less likely to develop health issues related to eating junk. For those of you who know me know that I am an ethical vegetarian, but YES, I do still believe in feeding meat to my dog. For a list of dog food recipes, visit my website www.blackbeltdogtraining.com
Robert Cabral’s
BLACK BELT DOG TRAINING
FROM THE TOP:Organic greens including kale, broccoli and celery, chopped in recover for easier digestion and mixing with meats.Organic beef, green tripe and Volhard Nutrition mix. Organic chicken back with organ meat (livers). CONSULTING TRAINING BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION DOG SAFETY PRODUCTS PRE ADOPTION PRE PURCHASE blackbeltdogtraining.com