If you are white and you enjoy yoga are you racist? CSUB focuses on the Dust Bowl and the Bakersfield Sound and remembering Mark Abernathy and his impact on local politics

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Welcome to Bakersfield Observed, now online only. Our mission is to celebrate life in Kern County by focusing on newsmakers and events and the local characters who make this such a special place. We value your feedback. Email your news and notes to rsbeene@yahoo.com.

 * ... RACIST YOGA: Next time you grab your mat and head downtown for a little yoga, check your racism at the door. That's right, a Michigan State professor says white people who practice the downward facing dog are contributing to a "system of power, privilege and oppression." The

professor, Shreena Gandhi, accused white people of inappropriately appropriating the culture of "recent immigrants, such as Indian women to whom this practice rightfully belongs." If this sounds nutty, well it is. It's yet another example of the tribalism of America where everyone has a beef and the world is divided by race, ethnic background, gender, political affiliation, geography, hair color and now, their exercise routine. In this case, Gandhi coauthored a piece with Lilli Wolff, a "self described anti racist white Jewish organizer, facilitator an d healer" who has called for "decolonizing yoga." Or whatever the hell that means. If this weren't so serious, it would be funny.

 
 * ... ACLU: The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which this week announced a lawsuit against the Bakersfield Police Department for allegedly jailing an African-American man for refusing to answer an officer's "invasive" questions, is opening its first Central Valley office here in Bakersfield. No word on exactly where the ACLU will be located or what month it will open.

* ... PUBLIC HISTORY INSTITUTE: Did you know that Cal State Bakersfield has a Public History Institute focused on preserving, chronicling and sharing with the public our rich local history? History professor Miriam Vivian told me the institute has reams of digital files on local topics of interest including the Dust Bowl, the Bakersfield Sound, oral histories and the experience of African-Americans in Kern County.

 * ... MARK ABERNATHY: If you doubt the influence of the late Republican political consultant Mark Abernathy, consider this: over his long career he helped manage the campaigns of almost 350 candidates, and he left this world with a 97 percent victory rate. That is astonishing by any standards, and it is why so many Republican candidates in Kern County sought out Abernathy and his firm Western Pacific Research. His surviving wife, Cathy Abernathy, is no slouch herself, having served as chief of staff for former Congressman Bill Thomas for more than 20 years.

* ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "If anyone ever tells you your dreams are silly, remember there’s some millionaire walking around who invented the Pool Noodle."

 * ... BAD FORM: So what is the protocol when it comes to riding a horse on a pedestrian path? Some folks who walk the Panorama Bluffs are asking after encountering horse manure - a lot of it - on Monday morning. And speaking of poo, check out this picture I found on Facebook the other day...

 * ... MEMORIES: Check out this photo I found on Facebook. Its caption: "In the 196's, The Leland Four performed at Arvin High School. My understanding, they performed serval times after that at AHS. This photo is the Leland Four performing at the AHS Christmas Formal the Band Members are Lee, Spud, Rick, and Pineapple."

New study finds yoga alone is not enough to obtain overall fitness, the sadness of the death of comedian Robin Williams and locals express more disgust with panhandlers

 * … YOGA: This is for all you yoga fanatics out there: new research shows that yoga really doesn't do much for overall muscle strength or cardiovascular fitness. That's according to a study published in the New York Times that followed two groups of women for eight months, one that completed twice

weekly, hour-long yoga sessions and the other that continued with their normal activities. The result? "Yoga appears top be too gentle physically to be anyone's lone exercise. "Yoga will certainly strengthen your legs but you need to include other forms of exercise in your weekly routine to obtain more complete fitness.

 * … WILLIAMS: Let's hope the death of comic genius Robin Williams focuses more attention on depression and related illnesses that are near epidemic in our society. I know of very few people who have not dealt with severe depression in their own families, and it is long past time for an honest conversation about this national malady.

 * … PANHANDLERS: More feedback on the panhandlers across our community. This note from reader Terry Meier: "I understand there are needy people in our community, but being confronted by them at every turn is aggravating. I was even pinned down by one in the drive-through line at Starbucks!  My husband and I give generously to charities every year, so I have no guilt in turning them down. Furthermore, I’ve seen some of them work the same area telling the same story over and over.…  I’ve joked with my friends that I’m going to make a large sign and stand on a corner or median and beg for money to buy an iPad. Hey, I’m a part-time professor so I need the money!"

 * … RADIO WARS: The local radio group American General Media has acquired another FM signal in its battle to attract more listeners throughout the day. The new FM signal will simulcast the First Look with Scott Cox morning show that originates in the newsroom of The Californian and is video streamed live on Bakersfield.com. The show will be simulcast at 96.1 FM. The sale is subject to approval by the Federal Communications Commission and should be completed by Thanksgiving.

 * … BACKPACK: Kudos to the North Bakersfield Rotary Club whose members stuffed 675 backpacks for students of the Standard and Beardsley school districts. Chevron chipped in to help fund the program, called Kindergarten Roundup, and club President Sheri Horn Bunk tells me they will be distributed as soon as school starts.

 * … BAD FORM: Barbara Waggoner was at the Ramco gas station downtown recently when, to her surprise, a red haired woman walked to her car, started it up and began pumping gas while the car was idling. "Surprised that someone would do such a stupid thing, I asked if she realized she could start a fire. She gave me a 'really?' look. I told her a friend of mine had seen it happen. After I got the same look from her again, the back window rolled down and out popped a small child. I was thinking now not only does she want to take the chance of blowing all of us up but wants to blow up what I assume to be her grandchild."

 * … GOOD FORM: And then there was Dr. Randal Beeman who crashed on his bicycle at 18th and Chester the other day. No fewer than three different people stopped to help him. "When I go to other places and hear the standard blather about Bakersfield I remind myself that even though we live in one of the largest cities in California we still exhibit the small town values of cooperation and kindness towards others."

Rep. Kevin McCarthy votes against the fiscal cliff compromise and celebrating the success of two local businesses in our downtown area

* ... MCCARTHY: Interesting to note that our own Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the House Majority Whip in charge of herding votes for House Speaker John Boehner, voted against the fiscal cliff compromise that Boehner supported. Did McCarthy vote against the measure only once he was sure he had the votes to pass it? Or was he simply casting a vote in tune with his conservative district? Also voting against the measure was Rep. Eric Cantor, the House Majority Leader. Former GOP vice presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan supported it.  McCarthy told me this about his vote: “There were good reasons to vote for it, and good reasons to vote against it. I believed that any legislation considered by the House had to seriously address the root of our debt crisis: Washington’s out-of-control spending.”

 * ... SERVICE: Harry Starkey, general manager of the West Kern Water District, gave this shout out to  good service in the city of Taft. "I went to a local framing shop here in Taft (KC Photography and Framing owned by Robert and Karen Mitchell) to have a few things matted and framed for a small job in my office. I was trying to describe the colors I wanted matched when the owners offered to come by my office to match the colors directly. Now that’s service!"

 * ... YOGA: It's good to see two locally owned yoga businesses doing so well. Both Inner Bodyworks and Yoga Space have moved to freshly renovated buildings in the downtown area, and both seem to be enjoying brisk business. Yoga Space is located on F Street and Inner Bodyworks is near the Fox Theater on H Street. (photo of staff at Inner Bodyworks)

 * ... OLYMPIAN: There are reports that five-time Olympic medalist Kim Rhode, the most successful female shooter in Olympic history, may be coming to Bakersfield in April for the Ken Barnes Open Skeet Championship. Rhode most recently won a gold medal in last year's Olympic skeet shooting competition. If her schedule permits, I am told she will shoot the 12 gauge in the April 12-14 tournament to be held at the Kern County Gun Club. The tournament is named after local Realtor Ken Barnes, the first person to ever shoot a perfect 400 X 400 in tournament skeet.

* ... FIRST FRIDAY: Downtown's popular monthly event returns for the first Friday of 2013. Metro Galleries continues to show Christine McKee's "On the Homefront" exhibit, a stunning show devoted to military families and those who serve. Next door at The Foundryit  is opening night for "It's Not Easy Being Green." This show features works created by Foundry members using green as the predominant color. First Friday organizer Don Martin tells me there are lots of new events planned for 2013 including a free monthly concert starting in March.