Students at Oberlin College complain their dining hall sushi has been "culturally misappropriated," some kudos to our local AAA office and some other good form about town

* ... CAMPUS LIFE: Are you ready for the latest silliness making news on college campuses? Consider the small liberal arts school of Oberlin College where a group of students are complaining that food in the dining hall has been "culturally misappropriated." That's right, the students are demanding changes because,

according to them, sushi recipes have been manipulated and are "disrespectful" to Japanese. As reported in The Atlantic: "The core student grievance, as reported by Clover Lihn Tran at The Oberlin Review: Bon Appétit, the food service vendor, 'has a history of blurring the line between culinary diversity and cultural appropriation by modifying the recipes without respect for certain Asian countries’ cuisines. This uninformed representation of cultural dishes has been noted by a multitude of students, many of who have expressed concern over the gross manipulation of traditional recipes.'” Fredrik deBoer, an academic, posted this on Twitter: "When you’re defending the cultural authenticity of GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN, you’re a living Portlandia sketch."

* ... GOOD FORM: A bit of good form to start your day. This from Deanna and Wally Haulman: "Disappointed and encouraged at almost the same time. Someone dumped three very tiny baby kittens at Hart Park. They were cold, shaking and scared... (until) a lovely couple from The Cat People scooped them up so they had a second chance. We just wanted to thank them for their willingness to help."

 * ... AUTO CLUB: And speaking of good form, it's hard to beat the service at our local AAA office over off Truxtun. The annual membership fee is a bargain compared to the misery of standing in line at the DMV office, and the AAA customer service reps are always knowledgeable and friendly.

 * ... BAD FORM: And then there was this, compliments of reader Doug Wagner: "I guess the holidays can make some folks really impatient. On Sunday, as I was coming out of the Smart and Final on Rosedale Highway, trying to make a righthand turn onto northbound Calloway Drive. I was waiting for a pedestrian who was using the crosswalk, to make it all the way across. I figured that was the right and legal thing to do. Well, I thought wrong, as the young lady in the white sedan behind me honked her horn for me to start moving, which I couldn't. Well, at least I received a 'thank you' hand wave from the pedestrian. As for the impatient young lady that honked her horn at me for waiting on a pedestrian, I hope she got to were she needed to get to in a hurry. As I don't like to wish bad on anyone, but in the honor of holding the Christmas Spirit, I hope the Grinch steals all her presents and she gets a lump of coal in her stocking hanging over the mantle. Merry Christmas, everyone!"

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "I don't care what your religion is as long as you use your turn signal."

 * ... SPOTTED ON THE ROAD: Linda Welch spotted this bumper sticker about town: "My son was inmate of the month at Lerdo."

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: My good friend Gene Bonas, a Navy and submarine veteran, says you may be a Bakersfield old timer "if you can remember when you pulled into a real service station and got you car windows cleaned, oil checked, tires checked for correct air pressure, and gas pumped all for free. And you got green stamps to boot!"

Debunking some of the hysteria around fracking, praising good service and remembering the founding of the U.S. Marine Corps

 * .... FRACKING: Hats off to the folks out at Taft College for putting on the West Kern Petroleum Summit last week. It was an important event in light the growing political opposition to fracking, which has been happening in the Kern oil fields for years without apparent risks to anyone's safety. If you

didn't read Lois Henry in the Sunday Californian, where she debunked some of the myths surrounding fracking, you should. As Lois said, the environmental hysteria around fracking is dangerous, because "ultimately, fear, not truth, drives policy. Fracking has taken that formula to new heights bordering on hysteria."

 * ... NEW STORE: Bakersfield loves a new store, which explains what greeted me when I stopped by the new Hobby Lobby last Friday. Opened less than a week in the old Mervyn's center, Hobby

Lobby is a paradise for anyone into arts and crafts. When I visited, there were at least 30 customers waiting at each of the four cash registers open.

 * ... GOOD SERVICE: It's always nice to hear that our local merchants are keeping residents happy.  Reader and friend Dr. Bob Smith could hardly contain his enthusiasm about his recent experience with local car dealership Motor City Lexus. He wrote: "From product specialists Justin Hartley and Natalie Hierlmeier to Joey Salcido and Tim Miller in finance to sales manager Cherif Guirguis and general manager John Pitre, I could not have had a more pleasant car-buying experience!"

 * ... GOOD FORM: And there is this cheery note from a reader named Chuck, proving once again how many good people there are in our community. "Recently we were visiting our favorite lunch spot the famous In -N-Out on Stockdale Highway being in the drive-up line we were behind a very nice looking Toyota hybrid. As we came up to pay window we were told our order had been paid for wow what a surprise! We read and hear about this goodwill gesture but wow really happening to us is really a shock. We were not able to thank this person being in this line but did manage to do a thank you wave as he was driving off."

* ... MARINES: My earlier blog about the anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Navy drew this response from reader Don Taylor. "Please don't forget the 238th birthday of our beloved Marine Corps on Nov. 10. The Second Continental Congress authorized a Corps of Marines at Tunn's Tavern (where else?) in Philadelphia on Nov. 10, 1775. Come celebrate our birthday on Friday, Nov. 8, at Kern County Veterans service office at 1120 Golden State Avenue. Chow (breakfast) at 8 a.m. and a ceremony and cake cutting at 10 a.m. . All veterans are invited!  OOOORAH and Semper Fi."

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Tim Hanlin, Foothill High class of 1968, remembers when his family moved here from Akron, Ohio, in 1964 so his father Geary could help open the Goodyear Bakersfield plant for making seat cushions for the brand new Ford Mustangs being assembled in San Jose. "The plant was located on Shepard Street near the White Lane/Stine Road intersection and employed many workers for many years. I was near there the other day and remembered how in 1964 there was absolutely nothing at all around the plant but dirt as far as the eye could see.  What a difference today.

 My dad, a WWII navy veteran, is now 91, and my mom just turned 90 last month.  Both are still doing very well here in Bakersfield, and I'm the first to realize that at 63 I'm a very lucky guy."

Bako Bits: Banks are walking away from thousands of vacant properties during foreclosure, and a reader sets the record straight on the Memorial Stadium track

 * ... BANKS: There was a disturbing story by the Appraisal Institute the other day, saying banks have begun "walking away from thousands of vacant properties after beginning foreclosure and then dropping the cases because they don’t want to be on the hook for maintaining abandoned properties." The story said that consumer advocates say this violated Federal Reserve rules that

"require banks to notify borrowers if they start a foreclosure and then abandon it. What can happen as a result is that borrowers think they have lost their homes and leave the property to the bank, which, having stopped foreclosure proceedings, don’t want to assume responsibility." Why would they do this? One JPMorgan chase executive said: “If it's going to cost us $30,000 to foreclose and the unpaid balance on the loan is $30,000 and current market value is not much higher, we might release the lien and give the home back to the borrower.”

 * ... BC TRACK: William McLean wrote to clear up some facts about Memorial Stadium when Jim Ryun broke the world record back in 1967. "The Memorial Stadium track in 1967 was, in fact, a mix of clay, dirt, and some crushed brick from the ruins of the 1952 Bakersfield earthquake. For the time it was fast and drew big time events thanks to BC Athletic Director and track coach Gil Bishop. The all weather tartan track was installed in 1971."

 * ... BAD FORM: Tom Bracken was at a four-way-stop at Mall View Road at East Hills shopping center the other day when a woman in an electric-blue SUV shot through the stop sign going about 35 mph. "Since she was going my way, I pulled up beside her as she was getting out, her two teenagers in tow. Thinking she might not have seen the sign, I asked 'did you realize there’s a stop sign on Mall View?' Her response was classic, 'I’m in a hurry, got things to do,' and with that, walked into Big 5 with the two kids. So apparently if you’ve got things to do that’s reason enough to blatantly break any traffic law, and endanger your kids and others. Kind of scary to think what kind of drivers her kids will be."


 * ... ACHIEVER: Jolie Roberson, a Frontier High graduate and now a senior at Cal State Northridge, received a scholarship from the Alliance for Women In Media of Southern California. Adoree Roberson, her grandmother, told me she was one of three women chosen for the Genii Award for her passion for growth, determination to succeed and dedication. She is majoring in cinema and television arts multimedia production.

 * ... GOOD SERVICE: Harry Starkey, general manager of the West Kern Water District, noted that The Taft Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Bureau recently awarded Ray Smith of Acme Jewelry Company 'Business Man of the Year." Said Starkey: "And here’s a cool story about Ray’s approach to customer service. A woman brought her watch into his business for repair. The job was going to require more than the customary short wait.  Wanting to make sure the woman wasn’t without a time piece while she went about her day, Ray loaned the woman a watch while he performed the repair."

Is Bakersfield's housing market starting to rebound? And lamenting the thieves who stole a family puppy

 * ... GOOD NEWS: Ready for some good news for a change? A new report from a California research group says that Bakersfield's housing market is starting to rebound. According to California Business Minute, Bakersfield ranked No. 2 on a list of ten cities whose housing markets are expected to grow by at least 3 percent this year. Orlando was in the top spot with a market expected to grow by 11.7 percent, and Bakersfield was close behind at 11.1 percent. Filling out the top ten were Washington, D.C., Phoenix, Miami, Tampa Bay, Dallas, Jacksonville, Fla., Cleveland and Honolulu.

* ... BURGLARY: Burglaries across our town - and no neighborhood is immune - are far too commonplace but one the other day left me fuming. Turns out someone broke into a garage and attached play room behind a downtown residence and stole some electronics. But they also took the family's pet, a 3-month-old Labradoodle, a deed low enough to make anyone sick. As another neighbor said, it was a "despicable" deed.

 * ... SOUTHWEST BASEBALL: The Cal State Roadrunner baseball team is holding a development clinic for young players out at Aera Park this weekend. The clinic, which runs from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, is open to players of all ages and is another example of the college reaching out to the community. And speaking of Southwest Baseball, did you know that the organization donates money to local charities every time it holds a tournament? Some of the groups that will benefit include the Police Activities League, the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation, Bakersfield Rescue Mission and Bakersfield Homeless Shelter and the Boys and Girls Club.

* ... GOOD SERVICE: When you think of good service, the U.S. Postal Service is rarely mentioned. But Lori Newby wrote to remember some excellent customer service she received from the Post Office on Brundage last December. Turns out she had mailed eight cards with insufficient postage, but three Post Office employees worked together to locate them. "Later that afternoon, after I had gone home for the day, my husband called to tell me Juanita from the Brundage Post Office called and had located the cards and held them so he could add the additional postage. When the term 'good service' is used, seldom does the Post Office come to mind. However, I have since learned that the postal workers at this particular branch, on their own time, contribute to the community in various ways, not the least of which is answering those precious letters to Santa. So to John, Bev and Juanita, and all their co-workers, thank you for all you do."

* ... SPOTTED: From reader Rhaya Lemons: "A couple days ago I was driving west on 178 (and) a blue Honda was in front of me, weaving. At first I thought she was a drunk driver until she went across all three lanes to make the Golden State off ramp, almost causing a wreck ... head down and texting the whole time. Could have been way worse. Good thing traffic wasn't too bad."

* ... SPCA: If you want to help the plight of abandoned dogs and cats remember the annual Bakersfield SPCA "Furry Paws and Foggy Nights" fund raiser set for Friday, February 24. It's always a good show with plenty of food, music and live auctions. This one will be held at the Petroleum Club. Call (661) 323-8353 (extension 2) for information on tickets.

Harley Pinson throws his hat into the ring for the Fourth District supervisor race and another successful Bakersfield Triathlon

 * ...HARLEY'S RUN: Longtime community leader and petroleum attorney Harley Pinson has entered the race for the Fourth District seat on the Kern County Board of Supervisors. I've known Harley for years and we are fortunate to attract quality people like him who are willing to serve. He's a graduate of UC Santa Barbara and the McGeorge School of law and a longtime volunteer in many community causes. Harley told me he already has picked up the support of some impressive local folks, including Ray Dezember, former Aera CEO Gene Voiland, former Mayor Mary Kay Shell, insurance consultant John Pryor, Bryan Batey and Taft Mayor Randy Miller. His wife, Cindy, is also a graduate of UC Santa Barbara. They've lived here for more than 30 years and have two grown children. The post opened after the retirement of Supervisor Ray Watson.

 * ... CAL RADIO: I'll be chatting with supervisor candidate Harley Pinson Monday on Californian Radio SmartTalk 1230 at 10 a.m. He'll be laying out his goals and expectations as he joins the race to succeed Supervisor Ray Watson. Later in the hour, I'll talk to local writer Lisa Kimble Edmonston about bad manners and what we can all do about it.

 * ... TRIATHLON: Hats off to Kerry Ryan and the folks over at Action Sports for putting on another successful Bakersfield Triathlon. I headed out to Lake Ming Sunday morning to watch the runners and cyclists come in, and was pleased to see a huge turnout of families and spectators. And of course, it's always nice to see large crowds of peole who take their health and wellness seriously. Ryan said he had about 200 entrants.

 * ... REPORT CARD: Bakersfield received the grade of a D minus in report listing the most, and least, educated cities in America. We ranked 81st on the list, which was assembled by Men's Health magazine. The magazine used graduation rates, school enrollment and education levels for adults over the age of 25 in compiling the list. The most educated city in the country? Madison, Wisconson, followed by Plano, Texas, and Raleigh, N.C. Houston was right behind Bakersfield at No. 82.

 * ... REUNION: Marlene Morales, marketing chief over at the Chain Cohn Stiles law firm, reminded me of the recent reunion of the 1981 Bakersfield College football team that beat Taft College in the Shrine Potato Bowl before 19,000 fans in Memorial Stadium. Teammates flew in from Hawaii, Texas, and Utah,  while most still live here. "These football players have become productive and successful business men that demonstrate great character and integrity. Too name of few alumni that were in attendance that evening... Mike Cody, Kevin Legg, Phil Anderson, Jim Starkey, Willy Reyneveld, Rick Van Horne, Dave Thorpe, Jim Maples, Mike Jelletich, Vyn Goodmon, Wayde Kirschenman, Mike Ramey, Jerry Montgomery, Wyatt Ross, Paul Putnam, Andre Smith, Paul Damron, Dean Manning, Gene Coughlin, Randy Ariey, Mike Ming, Clint Hunt, Curtis Allen, Brian Silvius, Richard Jones, Mike Renzi, Danny Wilson, Phil Turner, Todd Jackson, Mark Bebout, Rob Hallum, Eric Roth, Coach Gerry Collis, Coach Paul Damron, Coach Harvel Pollard, Forgive me if I forgot anyone (It's been 30 years)...Marlene Morales, 1981 Cheerleader. Go-Gades-Go!"

 * ... BAKO TO BALBOA: This note from Pat Toon Harrison popped up in my mailbox: "What a pleasant surprise when I received your article, written by Linda Smith, about my father's music store. I am the 80 year old daughter of Jack Toon. He was in the music business fron 1934 until he sold sometime in the early 1950s.My good friends, Larry and Glenda Verdin, sent the article to me. Our family moved to Balboa (Newport Beach) in 1952, but I have stayed in touch with several Bakersfied High friends from the 1948 class. Bakersfied is truly a town of special people!

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Harvey Brockmeyer, a retired Bakersfield High agriculture teacher, says you may really be an old timer if you remember the school farm out on old Stine road. The area is now a gated community but Brockmeyer says residents still use the bridge on Stine Road as its entrance. "The slightly undulating farm land farther west was an ideal spot for BHS's agriculture class to use for its unit on survey and leveling. Still further to the west is now West High School; f ew know that this fine school rose out of the ashes of Bakersfield High's old school farm's  trash heap!"

Remembering the events of September 11, getting to know the Pluot and worrying about the recession

 * ... SEPTEMBER 11: This Sunday is the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, and I hope each of you will find a special way to observe this day. At the very least we can all proudly display our American flags while remembering all the lives lost in the war on terrorism. Reader Tina Burke wrote to ask if The Californian was going to devote a page to Old Glory as we did last year. The answer is yes, we will, so look for it in your Sunday Californian.

 * ... RECESSION: Experts now say the odds of the nation falling into a second recession - California hasn't pulled out of the first one yet - are now 50-50. Many smaller local companies have made all the cuts they can, and owners are downsizing their homes and selling assets to make payroll. We may see a new wave of business failures if things don't turn around soon.

. * ... PLUOT: I was introduced to the "pluot" at the downtown Farmer's Market this past Saturday. If you haven't heard of it, the pluot is one of a number of new hybrid fruits that are hitting the market. The pluot his part plum and part apricot and is absolutely delicious. I was told these particular pluots were grown in Lamont. Other hybids include the pluerry (part plum and part cherry) and the peacharine (part peach and part nectarine.

 * ... THE BUZZ: There is a lot of talk among downtown property owners and business people about the proliferation of drug activity at the corner of 21st and Eye streets downtown, one of the popular corners for the homeless and groups of itinerant young people. One business owner told me he had gone to the Bakersfield police with his concerns, particularly after witnessing a drug transaction in broad daylight.

 * ... OVERHEARD: At a dollar store on Olive Drive, a young woman asks the cashier to direct her toward "eyeliners." When told the store was out of eyeliners, the young woman responded: "Then tell me where the Sharpie markers are. I've used them before but you really have to be careful because what you see is what you get!"

 * ... GOOD SERVICE: Add these businesses to the growing list of places where you can expect outstanding customer service: the downtown U.S. Post Office, where the familiar faces behind the counter are always smiling, and my service technician from Clark's Pest Control.

 * ... COOKIE MAN: A reader passed along a wonderful story featuring former Bakersfield resident Don Wedel, who now spends his time baking cookies for needy children and their families in Midland, Texas. It's yet another example of how much good there is in a world that sometimes seems so crazy. Mary Lytell told me that Don, her cousin, has been helping the needy at the Midland "transitional house" for several years now. He is the son of the late Milt and Priscella Wedel and the younger brother of the late Jerry Wedel. (photo courtesy of the Reporter-Telegram)

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Joyce Adams wrote to clarify and earlier post regarding the old Adams Shoes that once featured a size of extra long shoes. "Next to the five and dime (the name was Wagner's) was a shoe sotre, Adams Shoes. My husband, Al Adams, and I were the owners. The 'work boots' (actually shoes) were a size 35 and were made for Robert Wadlow. He had worn the shoes and outgrew them to a size 37 before his death at the age of 22. We still have the shoes that were on display at the shoe store. They are but 18 inches in length but look much longer!"

The first hints of fall in Bakersfield and time for another First Friday in downtown Bako

 * ... READY FOR FALL? Don't let the early morning chill fool you. As every local will tell you, a Bakersfield summer is never really over until the Kern County Fair ends. But it has been a terrific summer here, mild and blessed with a river full of water, and I'm sad to see it coming to an end. Still, fall brings high school and Bakersfield College football and a fall farmer's market full of fresh vegetables.

 * ... FIRST FRIDAY: And speaking of the end of summer, don't forget to check out the First Friday activities in the downtown arts district. Remember First Friday is not a street fair, but rather an occasion to support our local businesses by strolling through our growing number of art galleries, antique shops and other businesses and picking up a bite to eat at one of our many downtown restaurants: Uricchio's Trattoria, Mama Roomba, Chef's Choice noodle bar, Mexicali, La Costa Mariscos and the Padre Hotel to name a few. Also make sure to swing by The Metro Galleries on 19th Street, which is featuring an impressive show dedicated to Latino artists and culture. This is a juried show and the winners will be announced. Metro will also have music by Mento Buru and Velorio and a no host bar.

 * ... REITER: A relatively new business called the Reiter Gallery Art Parlor is featuring the paintings of Betty Leonor. The opening reception is Friday and it's worth stopping by on your First Friday tour. The gallery is located at 1914 Chester Avenue.

 * ... OVERHEARD: A 20-something blonde is overheard telling a friend: "I was going crazy because I misplaced the book I was reading. I spent three days looking for it until I realized I had downloaded it on my iPad!"

 * ... SPOTTED: From local Realtor Coleen Peters: "A 1990s dark blue Toyota Camry with middle aged male left a cat lying on the head rest in 100 degree heat in Costco Rosedale parking lot with two windows only rolled down one inch. It must have been 120 degrees in that car. I called 911 and they sent animal control to try to find the car. Thank goodness his shopping list was short. Please remember our furry friends."

 * ... IRENE: Realtor Patsy Sadler wrote with this observation of Hurricane Irene: "I haven't heard one person yell' help me, help me' and no looting reported and people actually trying to clean up their mess and not waiting for help!"

 * ... SERVICE: Some more reader nominations for local retailers who provide great customer service: Snead's men's store near Trader Joe's, White Forest Nursery and Guarantee Shoe Center.

 * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: Margaret Lemucchi provided this gem about growing up in Shafter. "You know you're an old-timer from Shafter if you remember picking up your metal canister containing a movie at Stringham's Drug Store. You selected your movies from a catalogue in a shop - near the Nile Theater, I think. Your weekly movie would go to Shafter on the Orange Belt Stage which parked at  Stringham's. You showed your movie to a neighborhood crowd on a screen in your living room with popcorn breaks and when the film broke, the lights went on, and your dad 'spliced it' with Scotch tape. The next day you returned the movie to Stringham's which put it on the bus back to Bakersfield. Great fun."   

Cutting back in the face of a tough recession and saying good night to Ellie, a special horse at MARE

 * ... RECESSION: Now that we're in the fifth year of this long recession it's not surprising that most of us have been forced to get our financial houses in order. A recent story in USA Today detailed just how far we have come. Consider: The national savings rate is up to 5 percent, nearly four times what it was in 2005. Homeowners are shortening the terms of their mortgages by refinancing,  they are holding onto their cars and trucks longer, and a record number of people are paying off their credit cards at the end of each month. And with the recession showing no signs of going away, we can expect more of this in the future.

 * ... GOODNIGHT IRENE:  Local attorney Barry Goldner and his wife, county counsel Teri Goldner, spent a memorable evening in New York City the day hurricane Irene passed through. They were there getting daughter Rachel settled into Fordham University when Irene paid a visit, turning the normally busting city into a ghost town. With public transportation shut down, Barry said the city was eerily quiet. "The vehicle traffic was minimal and mostly cabs," he said. "The people on the streets wanted to walk and had not real destination since everything was closed. So cabs would glide by looking for fares." No doubt this will be a day that Rachel and her parents will long remember.

 * ... OVERHEARD: A young boy is seen in Albertson's with his mother. He picks up a carrot and asks, "What's this?" His mother responds, "Put it down, you wouldn't like it anyway."

* ... ANNIVERSARY: Among the long-standing retail instituions in our town is Bobbi's Hallmark, the popular card and gift shop located at the corner of Gosford and Stockdale in the Southwest. I've spent countless hours poring over its extensive card list, and now I hear the shop is celebrating 25 years in business in September. It's not easy operating a business in this economic climate, so hats off to these folks at Bobbi's.

 * .... GOOD SERVICE: And speaking of local retailers, I've been overwhelmed with reader suggestions of where to find good service in our town. Among those submitted: Saba's, Lassen's health foods, H. Walker's Men's Clothing, Jim Burke Ford, Walgreen's, WinCo, Pensinger's, Smart and Final and Caspers.

 * ... RIP ELLIE: I've always admired the work the folks out at MARE (Mastering Abilities Riding Equines) do for kids with special challenges. It turns out one of MARE's longtime workers, 26-year-old Elvira the horse, passed away two weeks ago. Ellie as she was known was owned by Deborah Durkan and was a staple at the equestrian center. Said MARE'S founder Diane Hopkins, "Ellie was a MARE horse for 20 years serving our riders with love and willingness. She will be missed by all our staff, volunteers and riders who loved her very much. Miss you Ellie!" (file photo is not Ellie but another horse)

\ * ... BAKERSFIELDISM: From reader Linda Welch: You might be an Oildale old timer if you "remember the Safeway market where the Wells Fargo Bank is now on North Chester. Next door was a five and dime store featuring a pair of men's work boots that must have been 25 inches long!"