Newsletter | Nov/Dec 2004
Volume 32:6 | SearchIf you would like to see corrections to this newsletter or to submit articles or suggestions for future newsletters please contact the Newsletter Editor at newsletter@owa-usa.org.
In this issue: | OWA Health Insurance - Janet Crane |
Holiday Benefit Party
Share #411DATE: Tuesday 14 December 2004
TIME: 6:30 pm
PLACE: At the home of Kathleen Cruise
523 &endash; 45th Avenue
San Francisco 94121
BRING A FOOD ITEM TO SHARE
Come hear Kathleen talk about her round-the-world tour!
The purpose of the Holiday Benefit Party is to have fun, meet friends and make new ones, and collect holiday gifts for residents of the Hamilton Family Center. We collect and deliver unwrapped presents to the family center, where the administrators match the right person to the right gift. Following is a wish list of possible gifts:
Discmans
Stereos/CD Players
Double Dutch Jump Ropes
Baby Dolls (African American)
Basketball Related Presents (Equipment and Clothing)
Books for Middle School and High Schoolers
Movie Passes w/Popcorn Coupons
Sports Watches
Polaroid i-Zone 200 Mini Instant Cameras
Gift Certificates to Music Stores (i.e. Borders, Music Warehouse, Best Buy)Gameboys/Games
Gift Certificates to Grocery Stores
Gift Certificates to Old Navy/Ross/Mervyn's
Popular DVD's/Videos
Remote Control Cars
SF Giants Cap/Clothing
Interactive Baby Toys with Lights and Sounds
Crayons/Coloring Books
Arts and Crafts Sets
LEGOS
Tricycles
Photo Albums/Frames
Outdoor Sports Equipment
Journals and Stationary
Walkie Talkies
Leap Frog Learning Toys
Combination Set of Classic Board Games
Toy Trucks/Cars
Beanbag Chairs/Blow-Up Chairs
Jewelry
OWA Health Insurance
by Janet Crane | Share #412At the 11-3/4 hour, the injunction was approved and our current coverage remains in place, not just for the 10 year vets but for all members. Health Net has offered arbitration and Terry is working with them on that. His opinion is that the earliest the arbitration will come up is in June next year and perhaps as much as a year. So he says we are secure with our current coverage in the immediate future. So we would suggest that if you do not have as good a coverage as the old OWA plan as your alternate, stay with the plan and ride this out for a while longer.
Thanks very much for Terry for his flurry of communications in the last week and partial thanks to the Judge who should have ruled earlier. So let's celebrate for a bit!
We Want Your Email Address
Share #413If you are not receiving OWA event announcements, we do not have your email address. Please email Hana Mori to update our records.
The Miracle of Ghee
Share #414In August of this year, Debra Riordan, Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist, presented the topic of health and healing based on Ayurvedic teachings, at the Casa Del Libro in San Francisco. During her presentation, she recommended using ghee.
Ghee is a specialized type of clarified butter which may be used as a cooking oil or condiment. When properly prepared, ghee does not require refrigeration (remember to use a clean utensil for dispensing). Ghee does not hydrogenate or burn when heated. Ghee internally nourishes all tissue levels and is especially beneficial for Vata and Pitta pacification.
Debra recommends Purity Farms ghee as a commercial brand. If however, you wish to prepare your own, here is her recipe:
Ingredients:
a calm, meditative cook
wide mouth glass container(s)
heavy stainless steel or glass saucepan
1 pound unsalted organic butter
serving spoon or skimming
1 or 2 plates for ghee remnants
fine meshed strainer or cheesecloth
contents label
Preparation:
Sterilize glass container and serving spoon in boiling water for 2-3 minutes; set aside to dry. Container must be absolutely clean and dry before use.
Heat the butter gently in saucepan on low to medium setting, stirring continuously. Skim off foam with spoon into plate. Continue skimming and stirring for approximately 15-25 minutes. When the ghee starts to smell like buttered popcorn and the color turns a golden color, immediately remove the pan from the burner. (You will notice slight sediment at the bottom of the pan at this time). Stir the ghee one last time and allow to stand for 20-25 minutes. (This will allow the oil to thicken slightly for more effective separation from the sediment and foam). Pour ghee into the sterilized, dry container through the strainer or cheesecloth. The remaining foam and sediment may be mixed with brown sugar, herbs or spices and eaten as a snack with the next day. Label container with contents and date. Enjoy your homemade ghee!
For more information about Ayurvedic practices, contact Debra Riordan at 415.455.9578, or email her at ayurveda@jps.net
New Steering Committee Members
Share #415Elaine Hsieh is an acoustical engineering consultant with Charles M. Salter Associates, Inc. Her consulting experience includes work in architectural acoustics, noise engineering (architectural and mechanical noise isolation), environmental noise mitigation, and expert witness work on litigation cases. She has worked extensively on multi-family residences, hospitals, and mixed-use spaces. Recent projects include Stanford Clark Center, Kaiser Permanente Hospitals, Center for the Arts in San Ramon, San Mateo Bay Meadows, 150 Powell Street, Marin Country Club, San Francisco SPCA Hospital, Hilton Grand Vacations Club in Waikoloa, and San Diego New Main Library.
Elaine attended Duke University for her undergraduate and graduate studies (B.S.E. Biomedical Engineering, M.S. Engineering Management with a concentration in Medical Ultrasound). In addition to being a member of OWA, she is an American Institute of Architects (AIA) Associate, Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Member, and Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE) Associate. Elaine currently lives in San Francisco.
Alexandra Vondeling is an architect with Trachtenberg Architects in Berkeley. Her projects have included a mix of residential, commercial and non-profit remodels and new construction for such organizations as Children's Hospital and the Berkeley Richmond JCC. As a LEED accredited professional, her emphasis and interests are on green and sustainable building practices. Previously at Van der Ryn Architects, she worked exclusively on green projects including Draper Hall renovation at Berea College in Kentucky and the Golden Gate Park Pavilion.
Alex graduated from the University of California at Berkeley where she was a student of both Mui's and Mimi's. During that time she also spent several years in Italy, studying painting in Venice and doing an architectural internship in Tuscany. When she is not working she can be found hiking with her dog, cycling in the Berkeley hills or cooking up a feast for friends.
Documenting the Dammed
Share #416A photography exhibition documenting the cultural landscapes that are disappearing due to the construction of the Three Gorges Dam in China.
by Pauline G Shu
Exhibition
November 6, 2004 to February 3, 2005
San Francisco Main Library
100 Larkin Street
Chinese Center, Third Floor
Screening + Discussion
"Great Wall Across the Yangtze" a documentary (made in 2000) on the Three Gorges Dam Project.
2:00 pm Sunday, December 5, 2004
San Francisco Main Library
Koret Auditorium, Lower Level
Reception to follow
Latino/Hispanic Community Room, Lower Level
Sponsored by the San Francisco Public Library (www.sfpl.org) and the International Rivers Network (www.irn.org)
Snapshots from the 2004 OWA Retreat
Share #417
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