Tonight at the Lobero Theatre, a showing of The Hurt Locker takes place, 6 p.m. The relatively unknown film which chronicles the terrors of the Iraq War, was written by Mark Boal and has been nominated for the Golden Globe Award - Best Screenplay.
Tomorrow, the Santa Barbara City Council will discuss and consider spending $55,549 to replace the City’s Financial Management System (FMS) computer. The FMS is run on a computer server which was installed in 1995. Funding will allegedly come from available reserves in the Information Systems Capital Fund.
A 15 year old computer server? No wonder the City’s finances are in such disarray.
While businesses shutter all along State Street… the Apple Store is always filled with people/ high-ticket buyers. Mac Mania is alive and well in Santa Barbara.
Santa Barbara Photo of the week… by renowned local photographer Bill Heller.
Wandering out by the harbor is a wonderful and relaxing pass time. Recently when I was on my way out there I stopped at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. They have some old photos on the walls showing the progression of the harbor over the years. This little spot where the Yacht club sits was way out in the waves before the breakwater was built. In fact, Leadbetter beach would not be much of anything without the breakwater and the harbor to interrupt the currents and create a quiet little spot for the sand to collect. - Bill Heller
Between a near-capacity crowd for the Writer’s Panel (11 a.m.) - always one of the highlight events of the Festival - and an evening with James Cameron, rain held down the crowds on Saturday (left), compared to previous years (right).
After 35 years, Russ’ Camera is the latest State Street store to close. Russ’ represented one of the last mom and pop stores which used to populate the downtown region. Now it’s coffee shops, tattoo parlors, yogurt shops, and big chains. Much like Video Schmideo, emerging technologies and the Internet, not skyrocketing rents, are behind the closure. 
PS: Lettuce B. Frank and other stores on State Street have for rent signs in the window.
The cleaning aisle in the grocery store offers a mind boggling array of products, many of which have ingredients that are petroleum based, synthetic, full of faux-fresh fragrances, unhealthy for you and our environment. Fortunately, one can get healthier household cleaners now in grocery stores, even if you don’t go to alternative health oriented stores. Companies like Clorox are picking up on consumer preferences for natural, biodegradable products. They have their “Green Works” line (although they are still selling all of their other more toxic ones.) Simple Green makes biodegradable solutions for all kinds of uses, including industrial. Lots of eco friendly brands make citrus based spray cleaners and solvents which work well to lift off dirt and grease. These make up a tiny percentage of all that line those shelves, but growing.
Have one of these, and a few other simple ingredients in your arsenal against dirt and germs and you can be all set. White vinegar disinfects, deodorizes, cuts grease, mineral deposits and soap scum, can be used for wood floors, windows, drains, etc. Baking soda and Borax are both alkaline and have similar uses as deodorizers, water softening wash improvers, and as scouring agents, great for scuff marks and general cleaning. Use baking soda in the kitchen (since it is edible, and great for teeth cleaning too!) e.g. for oven or pot cleaning. Borax also keeps ants and insects away, and is a fungicide. New bleach alternatives are hydrogen peroxide based (stronger than the stuff in the brown bottles). Recipes for effective cleaning also contain lemon juice and salt.
For those who aren’t used to using these things, follow the links below the fold for some detailed cheap and friendly cleaning solutions, fewer smells, a truly fresher and healthier home. - Submitted by Barbara Hirsch
http://www.vinegartips.com/scripts/pageViewSec.asp?id=7
http://www.armhammer.com/myhome/
http://www.bellybytes.com/articles/bakingsoda.shtml
http://www.grist.org/article/possessions-cleaning/
http://greenlivingideas.com/topics/eco-home-living/housecleaning/natural-cleaning-recipes
Ronald Wilson Reagan followed his dreams to California and harnessed the dreams of a nation. As the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, with conviction and moral purpose, achieved his three principal goals… invigorating the economy, defeating communism, and restoring national pride.
Today, Ronald Reagan, who designated his Santa Barbara County ranch as the Western White House, would have been 99 years old. Two years ago, Governor Schwarzenegger officially proclaimed February 6th as “Ronald Reagan Day.”
A celebration of President Reagan’s birthday and Open House will take place today at the Reagan Ranch Center, 217 State Street, from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
During his two terms as President, Ronald Reagan unleashed the entrepreneurial spirit of the nation by removing barriers to business expansion and job creation, and restoring accountability and common sense to government. His efforts led to opportunity for millions of Americans.
Ronald Reagan’s vision of “peace through strength” impelled the decisive end to the Cold War, and his commitment to our armed forces contributed to the restoration of patriotism and pride in America. Using the power of words and ideas, strengthened by the renewed might of the military, Ronald Reagan forcefully advocated for freedom and democracy around the world. His legacy of liberty is honored by the millions who rejected the dead-end of communism and embraced the road to democracy.
