Tag Archives: california

Holiday Travel Potpourri

  We are entering the last days of the travel industry’s “dead zone.”  The period of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is notoriously slow for airlines and hotels.  Consequently, you can snag unbelievable savings on airfare and accommodations if you are willing to travel during the December window. Some of the best deals are being offered on flash-sale sites.  Right now, SniqueAway.com is offering an amazing deal for travelers who have always dreamed of exploring Sonoma, California.  Popular lodgings in California’s wine country have drastically reduced rates to entice visitors.  For example, Hotel Les Mars has slashed room prices from … Continue reading →

The Controversy of Medical Marijuana

The use of medical cannabis (marijuana) has long been a sensitive subject. Research has shown that the use of marijuana can help relieve the suffering of terminally ill patients. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved medical marijuana for use. Seems pretty cut and dry, right? Not so much. Since 1996, fourteen states – Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington – have approved the use of medical marijuana for patients who have a prescription for it. Okay, so now the patients with prescriptions in those … Continue reading →

American Lung Association Releases the State of the Air Report

The American Lung Association (ALA) released its “State of the Air” report yesterday, which looks at the ozone and particle pollution levels across the U.S. for 2006, 2007 and 2008. As with most reports, there is good news and bad news. The year-round, annual particle pollution levels showed improvement. But, there are also more than 175 million Americans that are still breathing polluted air. In case you were wondering, that is about 58 percent of our total population. The ALA released a list of cities that are most polluted, based on ozone, short-term particle spikes, and long-term particle averages. Unfortunately … Continue reading →

Zip Into Spring Break

Yesterday was the first day of spring break for kids in our area. Some of my daughter’s classmates are headed for Florida, while others plan to spend their week off from class closer to home. A number of resorts in our state are offering spring break packages, as are dozens of other tourist attractions across the nation. If I had my wish we’d be spending spring break at the following: Catalina Zipline Eco-Tour: The new zipline propels visitors over breathtaking canyons at speeds up to 40 mph. For $89 you get to zip along nearly 3,700 feet in five segments … Continue reading →

Green Homeless Shelters – Crossroads

Going green is reaching all aspects of society. The other day, I read about a few homeless shelters that are going green. One of the shelters is in East Oakland, Calif. Crossroads is a new shelter that is being built with “being green” in mind. While most homeless shelters are created from old warehouses and churches, this shelter will have solar panels in the roof, non-toxic paint, hydronic heating, ceiling fans, and pressed wheat furniture. Residents will have places to secure their personal belongings with storage built into each bed. There will also be a day room with computer equipment, … Continue reading →

Shelby Rodriguez’s Fight

Today, more and more people are looking for green solutions for housing. Shelby and John Rodriguez were looking to rent a home when they stumbled upon The Arbors at Antelope, a community outside Sacramento, Calif. The brochure for the housing development read “Think Green. Be Green.” The only problem is Shelby didn’t realize she would be green – with nausea! Shelby spent most of the day at home with then four year old daughter Elise. Things were fine until both started getting sick. Both were constantly sick and Shelby, who was suffering from nose sores and a sore throat, was … Continue reading →

Fun Spring Festivals for Families

The sun is shining (well, it is somewhere in the world), the temperatures are rising and the days are getting longer. Spring is definitely on its way. While the economy may be putting the brakes on your plans to jet off to see the tulips blossom in the Netherlands, the news is not all bad. You don’t have to spend your child’s spring break in front of the TV. Rather, gather the clan and soak up the sun and fresh air at one of the many family-friendly festivals taking place around the United States this spring. CALIFORNIA You don’t have … Continue reading →

State College Costs Unaffordable

Public colleges and universities are often more affordable than private institutions, but according to a report by the Associated Press, even public four- and two-year colleges and universities flunk the grade on affordability. Only one state out of 50, California, actually can claim that they have affordable colleges. This is thanks to affordable community colleges. How bad are college costs? Increases from 1999-2000 are as high as 16 percent in some cases. If your income falls in the lower median, expect to pay as much as 55 percent of your income just for college tuition, books and other fees not … Continue reading →

California Fires Threaten Celebrity Homes

Once again, California wildfires are threatening homes. A fast growing fire started in Montecito, California, which is in the hills above Santa Barbara. Today, Oprah talked about the wildfires, which threaten her own neighborhood. Other celebrities who have homes in Montecito are Carol Burnett, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Costner, Ellen DeGeneres, Michael Douglas, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Rob Lowe, Christopher Lloyd, and Steve Martin. Oprah said “All our prayers are with all the folks and neighbors in Santa Barbara. Hope you’re well today. And those of you who lost your homes, our hearts go out to you.” An Oprah rep said that currently, … Continue reading →

Sex Education in the News

Sex education is a controversial subject for families. Some parents support it, others do not, and still others believe it has its place depending on the age of the students. Like it or not, sex education has been in the news lately, including compulsory lessons on sex education for children as young as five years old. Let’s get to the first piece of news. An initiative was announced in England that millions of children from the age of five to 16, who attend state-funded schools, will be given compulsory lessons about sex education and drugs. It is important to note … Continue reading →