Monday, October 31, 2011

Aptos Farmer's Market

Every Saturday morning come rain, fog, or shine, for over 30 years I've been going to the Aptos Farmer's Market in the parking lots of Cabrillo College. The following photos are from the Saturday just before Halloween. These are some of my favorite vendors and, of course, images of the wonderful flowers, fruits, veggies, and wares they offer for sale.

View of Farmers' Market from a parking area

Customers fill the market on a sunny Saturday

Vendors - Organic and/or Sustainable

An Angel passes out
apple samples

JoAnn, the Princess of Plucots,
offers a sample


Nagamine greenhouse has the best
Japanese Cuckumbers

Judy is always
quick with a smile

a helper and Judy's dad Henry
is always good for a golf story

KT Farm operated by a Hmong family
has great Thai andAsian veggies

Eggplants of many varieties

Jerry and Jean Thomas live and farm just below us in Pleasant Valley (... or as Jerry likes to call it "Formerly Pleasant Valley" as it has been invaded by affluent wine growers).



Veggies !!




Ahhh Flowers....






Mike sells his proteas

Other Wares
Corralitos Meat & Sausage Company

Jim's beautifully hand thrown pottery

Children have a fun time...
Dancing and playing in front of
the Farmers' Market Band

... or making new friends

Friends and Neighbors Always come too...
Denise Gallant lives up the ridge from us

Henry Burnett buys eggs

Tea and Coffee are available as well.
Malabar Trading Company

Santa Cruz Roasting Company


Neil says, it's a great way to start off the weekend

Steve Jobs Stories

Although I hadn't planned on posting this page to the blog, some friends had personal stories and comments to share.


I don't normally recommend a magazine, but we picked this one off the shelf in the grocery store and are really enjoying it.  It's a commemorative issue by Time Inc.  He's appeared so many times on the cover, he qualifies in the same league as presidents and other heads of state.

It's a fascinating retrospective by the various reporters who wrote many articles about him and the technology he produced over the years, from the very beginning of Apple Computer to just before his death.

Yes, of course, Amazon has it in case you can't find it.



At this point, you've probably heard about the most recent biography written by Walter Isaacson in which the usually reclusive Jobs gave the writer many personal interviews so his children could know him better. Unfortunately, Jobs died before getting to read the published book. I recently bought a copy at Costco for $19.

Yup - Amazon carries it as well.


Another good article, that appeared in the New York Times, was written by his sister Nora Simpson


A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs
My Own Personal Steve Jobs Story

I once had the chance to meet him in person toward the end of his NEXT adventure. In the 80's, a friend and I were on our way to a retreat at Tassajara Zen Center and had booked a ride over the Saddle Road on their stage shuttle.

After about 15 minutes of waiting while the stage vehicle stood in the parking lot we asked why we hadn't left yet. It was odd because the Zen Center usually runs right on time. The Zen student in the stage stop, just rolled her eyes and said they were waiting for a VIP to arrive.

Shortly afterwards, a very new and very shiny expensive black mercedes came screeching to a halt in a cloud of dust. The license plate simply read

NEXT

I immediately knew who the VIP was and sure enough Steve Jobs stepped out of the driver's side and a blond stepped out of the passenger side (*not* his future wife).

All four of us rode in the back seat of the stage together into Tassajara. Assuming he probably wanted his privacy, I never addressed him directly. Instead, my friend Penny (a grade school teacher) and I talked about all the difficulties of instituting computers into education. Since the ride took almost an hour, we had plenty of time to detail the funding and faculty acceptance issues for his listening ears, even though his blond companion babbled on meaninglessly.

Once at Tassajara, we really never saw him much, as he pretty much kept to himself in his stone cottage.

Love him or hate him - there's no debating he's had an immense impact on technology and how we use it.

I, for one, will miss his presence in this industry.

Jamie Simon's Personal Story

I used to attend MacWorld at the Moscone. I saw him at the end of his reign when Apple dropped him and again when Gil Amelio brought him back at the Keynote. Amelio presented him with a black limited edtion commemorative Mac. Jobs did not touch it. He said little and looked down at Amelio as if he were waiting for the perfect moment to pounce and dispatch him and all his associates. The front rows went wild, but he just cooly looked out across the audience and left. Amelio said Jobs would return to Apple as an advisor. He was wrong or lying and everyone knew it. The tension was delicious.

At this keynote they had taped video cassettes of "Independence Day" (the scifi space invaders movie) under the seats. Amelio introduced Mohamed Ali as a special inspirational guest. Ali stood, wobbled side to side, said nothing and flopped back into his seat - TBI. There were other inspiring guests such as Peter Gabriel and his latest music video with dancing insects (WTF?). On the vendor show floor PowerComputing was pushing third party computers with the Mac OS (I had one) and Apple stock was plummeting. The shit was about to hit the fan.

Next year, Powercomputing was driving around the Moscone in Hummers and wearing fatigues challenging Apple to survive without them. They and all third party computer manufacturers had been banned from Mac World by Jobs, who was introducing new more powerful desktop MACs. At the keynote some poor Apple tech tried to demo DOOM but it froze while Jobs looked on. Oops. Jobs moved on to describe something forgettable. No mention of the next big thing: iMAC. I got some of those too.

Very entertaining stuff.

Henry Burnett's Comment on Steve Jobs and Philanthropy

Steve Job’s Philanthropy was focusing upon giving the world the most usable technology; Bill Gate’s Philanthropy was giving the world marginal products, making a lot of money with mercenary business practices; and giving away  money driven by feelings of guilt.  

Who was the most honorable Philanthropist?


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PS from Marti... for a fun look at the rivalry between Jobs and Gates, see the DVD (available via Netflix):

Pirates of Silicon Valley

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The NEW IQ !!

Since we've been home, Peter's been extra busy hunting the Internet for good deals on various RVs we've been interested in.  He found one in Ohio and then after negotiating back and forth with the guys in Junction City, OR he settles on buying it there.  The following Friday (Oct 21),  he leaves from Oakland on a cheap flight to Eugene (Oregon photos are by Philip).

Fall colors in Eugene (before the rains arrive)
Picking up the IQ

Peter's brother Philip meets him at the Eugene airport and they go to Junction City to pick it up.
Ed, the tech, introduces Peter to his new RV

U of O sweatshirt? It's Eugene! Ed's gotta be a DUCK

Finally, Peter gets to drive it off the lot and back to Philip's house.
Happy guy behind the wheel

Parking in Philip's driveway                        

Belknap Hot Springs - (take 3)

Before heading south, they decide to go back to Belknap Hot Springs (naturally) and also see the Fall foliage colors in the foothills of the Cascades.



The MacKenzie River is as beautiful as ever, and Belknap is a joy.
MacKenzie dressed for Fall

Ahh, a good first campsite


Everyone takes some time to check out the IQ more closely.
Peter likes what he sees

Sue checks out the shower



The next day dawns bright and clear, time to do some exploring...
and head up the road past Belknap


to the Falls

and Crystal Lake


Back Home

After dropping Philip and Sue back home to Eugene, Peter makes a beeline back to Corralitos.
Peter demos how the awning works

Marti checks out the bed

Puppies are ready to travel
(altho Mary still hasn't stepped foot in it yet)


Time to get organized, provision up and head to the Gold Country and Yosemite.

Ain't that right

@Home

Ahh the simple pleasures of just being home.  Fall is brings some of the nicest weather to the Monterey Bay ... or ... as a local TV weatherman calls it "Weather for the Locals" meaning after all the summer tourists leave.  Usually mornings start off a bit foggy.

Morning Fog
 (Opps -  PhotoMerge needs a tripod + 40% overlap)
When the fog starts to lift, the sun beams stream through the trees, causing wonderful light shows.



Life wakes up around the house.
Morning Glories bloom

Bush bunnies forge for food

Doga Master Checkers checks Peter's body alignment

Sunday brunch of Huevos Rancheros

Later in the evenings on beach walks, we are treated to minus tides at sunset.
A dog walker throws balls into the surf

We meet Sumitra with Inca

Mary and Inca explore ahead of us

Sky and land merge almost seamlessly... life is good.

About Me

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Retired and enjoying life.