Cover Story
Don’t feed the writer
I lost three pounds in a week, and it’s all thanks to not eating. By Day 5 on the Master Cleanse—a diet that encourages its victims not only to not eat, but also to jet-blast the digestive tract with turbo-charged laxatives—I was passing out at work, having nightmares about food, and worried that I was…
What would you do if aliens from outer space landed in your backyard?
Kevin Birmingham college student “Go outside. Greet them. And create the world’s first private alien club.” Matthew Cottle Cal Poly director of corporate relations “Greet them, and thank them for not showing up in some backwoods place in Appalachia were people would try to shoot them.” Claudia Makeyev marine biologist “Want a beer?” Denny Mynatt…
The Ice Man goeth
With the recent retirement of legendary mixed martial artist Chuck Liddell, many aspiring local fighters are trying to fill the void the “Iceman” left when his storied career came to an end and he hung up his four-ounce gloves for good. Liddell, a former Cal Poly wrestler and a recent Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of…
Healing with food
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Diabetes is no fun
You’ve got diabetes.” With that single sentence from my doctor, my world crumbled. I didn’t know much about diabetes, but the little I did know was real scary. I knew what the disease could do: It blinds, maims, and kills. I should know. Diabetes killed my grandmother, and it took one of her legs before…
Step your game up
Home to Chuck Liddell, Stephanie Brown Trafton, Victor Plata, and other elite athletes, San Luis Obispo County boasts moderate temperatures that are ideal for year-round activity. Escape on hill trails, listen to the rhythm of waves on a paddle board, kick a soccer ball around with the adult league, or fire up your legs and…
Paso holds off on budget cuts
The Paso Robles City Council on Jan. 18 postponed a decision concerning the city’s proposed budget cuts, which include closing Centennial Pool, deferring youth and adult sports program support to league representatives, and reducing event marketing by 25 percent for the next two years. According to City Manager Jim App, some of the figures in…
Bills seek to address special elections
Just as newly elected Gov. Jerry Brown announced his intention to hold another special election in spring, new legislation is being introduced to address some of the fiscal concerns of a ballot-weary electorate. Last summer’s two special elections to fill the seat vacated by former Sen. Abel Maldonado cost San Luis Obispo County approximately $750,000,…
Ranch goes to auction
Looking for a charming ranch so you can put down your roots on the cheap? You may be in luck. Two ranches just outside of San Luis Obispo city limits will be auctioned off at 1 p.m. on Feb. 10 at the Madonna Inn. There will be no minimums or reserves, according to JP King…
Police union pres protests $10,000 city consultant
The head of the union representing San Luis Obispo police officers accused city staff of hiring a $225-an-hour facilitator who had a conflict of interest to emcee the city manager’s Fiscal Sustainability Task Force. Matt Blackstone, president of the San Luis Obispo Police Officers’ Association, spoke before the City Council at its Jan. 18 meeting,…
Black and white and red all over
Public outcry over zebras that were recently shot and killed has amounted to, well, not much. On Jan. 5, three zebras escaped Hearst Ranch in Cambria and were shot by two property owners who said they did so to protect their livestock. According to Alan Baker, director of the Charles Paddock Zoo and Central Coast…
Calling all poets
Like to write? Here’s your chance to share your creative side. Every third Thursday of the month in Artifacts, local writer and psychologist Steve Brody will be editing “SLO Haiku,” a column of haiku submitted by folks in the community. Send your haiku to stevebrody@wildblue.net, and maybe yours will be in the next edition. The…
What a pair…ing
My wine expertise basically extends to the knowledge that it comes in two colors. I can also properly pronounce sommelier, though I have to admit I needed spell check to spell it correctly. Then there are my foodie credentials, which can be summed up by my preferred diet: Foster’s double deckers, Chili Peppers’ chili Colorado…
The taming of The Lion
If you’ve ever looked at a map of the world and been disappointed that there wasn’t anything on the other side (like another Earth!) then this story was written for you. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis’ beloved children’s fantasy novel, is the Academy of Creative Theater’s latest undertaking. An under-18 cast…
No yarmulke? No problem
The other night at dinner, I realized I was endowed with the powers of Jesus Christ. The problem with that is, I’m a Jew. Actually that didn’t happen to me; it’s the premise of Ben Bliss’ short film Jewsus, one of several selections of the inaugural San Luis Obispo Jewish Film Festival. “It’s funny; it’s…
Steppin’ up to the plate
It’s a numerical code used by baseball scorekeepers to denote a double play made by the second baseman, shortstop, and first baseman. The defensive play—four to six to three—takes the edge off a potentially disastrous inning. And after six years in the shadows of other business owners within the food industry, Jason Luke has stepped…
Too tired to Obama-care
My editors suck. In the spirit of this whole “health and fitness” thing, they told me I had to go clean up my act and maybe dig out the lint that’s protruding from my bellybutton so the staffers here don’t “gag on their morning coffee anymore.” It’s not easy, getting healthy. When your metabolism runs…
Nancy McKarney, Cambria Art and Wine Festival event coordinator
NEW TIMES How will the Cambria Art and Wine Festival outdo itself this year? MCKARNEY Every year we’ve had a wide assortment of different wineries of the Central Coast come to our event and showcase what they’ve been working so hard on. This year, we’ll be having the most wineries ever to offer their delectable…
SmartMeters deserve careful scrutiny
It may seem a mundane topic, but you should be concerned about your home’s energy meter. Why? Because 23 cities (including Morro Bay) and four counties in California formally oppose wireless SmartMeters. Very recently, both the Marin County and Santa Cruz County Boards of Supervisors voted unanimously to enact moratoriums on SmartMeters. Our board should…
Even with no public event, remember Roe v Wade
Jan. 22 marks the 38th year since the landmark Supreme Court Roe v Wade decision, providing a constitutional basis for a woman’s right to choose to terminate her pregnancy. In those years, the United States has seen many attempts to restrict that right, by legal and illegal means, including violence against providers. But there has…
How do you explain the shooting?
While certainly expected, I’m stunned at the callousness exhibited by political entities and supporters who place the blame on the Tucson tragedy on the shoulders of the mentally ill. Political rhetoric used the term “man it up” on many occasions to indicate it’s time to take a tough stand no matter what it costs others.…
Whatever happened to respect?
Since the Tucson shooting, there has been much speculation about gun violence and disrespect in general society. Left-winger Paul Krugman blames conservatives by making fancied distinctions between nonviolent and violent disrespect. But there is none. After the 1981 assassination attempt on President Reagan, some liberals were heard saying it was too bad Reagan wasn’t killed.…
It’s time to dust off your copy of The Crucible
To everyone who is calling for stricter gun laws in light of the tragedy in Tucson, may I offer this little tidbit: If guns kill people, then pencils misspell words, cars drive drunk, and spoons make people fat. Remember: Hold the person accountable for their actions, not the means they chose to utilize! Loughner bought…
Republican condemnation indicates a lack of stability
D. Duane Wall II of Cambria certainly stuck his political foot is his mouth by endorsing discredited Sheriff Clarence Dupnik’s unfortunate declaration that the attempted assassination of Democratic U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords at the Tucson massacre was caused by “the vitriol that we hear inflaming the American public by people who make a living off…
Separate violent acts have a common source
Mister Pobor is right, Jared Loughner is a nutcase (“The media used the shooting for their agenda,” Jan. 13). But then so was the man who flew his airplane into IRS headquarters in Texas, as were the men who stomped a grandmother protesting a Tea Party rally in Kentucky, as were the people who made…
There are bright spots amid the gloom
Congratulations to New Times on last week’s Volunteering issue. Whether it’s building schools in Nepal or helping out at the Marine Mammal Center in Morro Bay or getting involved with the SLO Noor Foundation or making a free bus service a reality or … or … or … , the opportunities are boundless. Despite all…
If everybody’s mad, Brown must be doing something right
Concerning your Jan. 13 article, “Gov. Brown’s budget proposal upsets nearly everyone,” I’m not sure how everything will turn out with our budget, but if he’s managing to piss everyone off, he’s probably doing good. At least it seems like he’s not using smoke and mirrors and temporary quick fixes like the former Governator did.
Do you believe in magic?
The Lovin’ Spoonful’s hits still sound fresh and fun to me today. “Do You Believe in Magic,” “Summer in the City,” “Nashville Cats”—these are timeless classics created by a band whose history isn’t rock’n’roll’s ugliest story, but it’s no fairytale either. Everything started out so well. It was 1965 in New York City when Long…
Ferrari Carano 2009 Fume Blanc Sonoma County
This fruity Sauvignon Blanc was aged in mature oak barrels, which makes it rich and creamy in texture. But the stainless steel fermentation retains its pretty fruit flavors of pink grapefruit, ripe melon, and mango, nicely woven with a thread of grassiness. Tasty on its own, it’s also a good choice for seafood based paella,…
Ferrari Carano 2009 Fume Blanc Sonoma County
This fruity Sauvignon Blanc was aged in mature oak barrels, which makes it rich and creamy in texture. But the stainless steel fermentation retains its pretty fruit flavors of pink grapefruit, ripe melon, and mango, nicely woven with a thread of grassiness. Tasty on its own, it’s also a good choice for seafood based paella,…
Katin 2007 Syrah Chalone Michaud Vineyard
I first tasted this Syrah by winemaker Justin Kahler last October, and loved it. Tasting it again recently, it had aged impressively. Pretty in its complex fruit, it tastes of blackberries, plums, and blueberries, all nicely integrated with mineral and spice notes. This multi-layered Syrah is complex and quite elegant. Pair it with something equally…
Passionate about Pinot
In the year 2001, several talented Central Coast Pinot Noir producers joined together to create the outstanding World of Pinot Noir, and it became an instant success. Eleven years later, this educationally focused series of tastings is still one of the most respected wine and food festivals on the West Coast, attracting winemakers, sommeliers, and…
Clubs
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