March 06, 2014

Favorite Kids Activities Around Ventura County as Voted by CVG Facebook Fans

March 06, 2014/ Conejo Joe

Yes, it actually rained here in the Conejo Valley last week!

Last Sunday, we ran a drawing on the Conejo Valley Guide Facebook page and asked entrants to indicate their favorite activity with the kids around town. On that rainy Sunday we had quite a bit of response. So with no further ado, let us highlight activities receiving the highest number of mentions. Do take note that the question was asked in open-ended fashion; we did not mention any of the hundreds of kids' activities compiled here on Conejo Valley Guide.

In the upper echelons of popularity, the most frequently noted family favorite activities were <drum roll> Underwood Family Farm in Moorpark, the Thousand Oaks Library, Sky High Sports in Camarillo (CLOSED IN 2018), the Santa Barbara Zoo and local parks. Underwood was the clear top mentioned activity, with the others close on its heels. Some of the specific parks called out included Conejo Creek Park North (including the popular duck pond), Thousand Oaks Community Park (near TOHS) and specifically the "Ant Hill" at that park, Borchard Park in Newbury Park and Gates Canyon Park in Calabasas.

The Ant Hill at Thousand Oaks Community Park. Bring cardboard to slide down on!

The following activities were mentioned by CVG followers at least several times: Scooter's Jungle in Simi Valley, hiking and nature trails, As You Wish Pottery Painting Place (formerly Paint a Dream) at the Simi Valley Town Center, the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden, Lazertag Extreme in Simi Valley, Chuck E. Cheese's, Oak Canyon Park Duck Pond and Splash Pad, Rockin' Kids Play Center at the Simi Valley Town Center and Kids World in Oak Park. Also called out by several parents as a great activity was the Conejo Youth Basketball Association.

Other mentions by the family friendly Facebook crowd included bowling, Lowe's/Home Depot kids' workshops, Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks, My Gym Thousand Oaks, Kids Club at The Oaks, Pump It Up Ventura, Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena, Create Studio in Westlake Village, Gymboree, Reagan Library, Camarillo Airport (the Waypoint Cafe is a great place to dine and see the planes) and Patriot Airsoft in Newbury Park (which closed in 2016).

Rounding out the list are Clubhouse Fun Zone in Ventura, playground at The Lakes at Thousand Oaks, horseback riding, the beach, Ventura Harbor Village, Wildwood Park, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, playground at The Village at Dos Vientos Ranch, California ScienCenter in Los Angeles, Conejo Rec & Park District programs, geocaching, We Rock the Spectrum in Agoura Hills and the Kids' Adventure Garden in Thousand Oaks.

Who doesn't love "Cosmic Bowling" pictured here at Harley's Bowl Camarillo. Especially with the bumpers up!

March 02, 2014

Epic Footage of Hawk in Pursuit of Squirrel

March 02, 2014/ Conejo Joe

I don't know who shot this footage and how they did it, but it is amazing. Hawk and squirrel playing a game of cat and mouse. Watch it to see the final score.

March 01, 2014

California Appeals Court Rules That It Is OK to Hold Cell Phone to Look at Map

March 01, 2014/ Conejo Joe

**My HTC Android phone with map app circa 2014, a phone and app that the 5th District Court of Appeal aptly pointed out did not exist in any shape or form in 2006.**

Two years ago, Steven Spriggs was stuck in traffic and decided to look at a map on his smartphone to figure out a way out of the congestion. Sure enough, a CHP officer nailed him for "holding his telephone" and gave him a $165 citation for violating California Vehicle Code section 23123 (a), which prohibits drivers from “using a wireless telephone unless that telephone is specifically designed and configured to allow hands-free listening and talking, and is used in that manner while driving.”

Spriggs took it to court as he was not actually listening or talking on the phone, but merely looking at the map. He lost. Spriggs appealed and lost again, but the case was taken to the 5th District court of Appeal in central California for certification. Earlier this week, the 5th District court agreed with Spriggs, stating that the statute means what it says – it prohibits a driver only from holding a wireless telephone while conversing on it.

In other words, it is not illegal to hold your cell phone in the car in California unless you are actually talking or texting on the phone. At least to look at a map. For now. At least.

The prior appellate division concluded that the statute was not “designed to prohibit hands-on use of a wireless telephone for conversation only,” but instead was “specifically designed to prevent a driver from using a wireless telephone while driving unless the device is being used in a hands-free manner,” and “outlawed all ‘hands-on’ use of a wireless telephone while driving.” The 5th District basically said this was hogwash.

The 5th District court statute indicated "had the Legislature intended to prohibit drivers from holding the telephone and using it for all purposes, it would not have limited the telephone’s required design and configuration to “hands-free listening and talking,” but would have used broader language, such as 'hands-free operation' or 'hands-free use.' To interpret section 23123(a) as applying to any use of a wireless telephone renders the “listening and talking” element nonsensical, as not all uses of a wireless telephone involve listening and talking, including looking at a map application."

The court further said in its ruling that, "although the Legislature was concerned about the distraction caused by operating a wireless telephone while holding it, the Legislature’s focus was on prohibiting holding the telephone only while carrying on a conversation, not while using it for any other purpose. This is not surprising, given that when the statute was enacted in 2006, most wireless telephones were just that – a telephone – rather than an electronic device with multiple functions." In other words there were no iPhones (launched in late June 2007) or other smartphones in use at the time the law was written, so how could they have contemplated use of the phone for viewing a map at the time.

I like this judge. He goes on to say that prosecutors' interpretation of the law to ban ALL hand-held use of cell phones would "lead to absurd results....If the phrase 'using a wireless telephone' includes all conceivable uses, then it would be a statutory violation for a driver to merely look at the telephone’s display if the telephone was not designed and configured to allow hands-free listening and talking. It would also be a violation to hold the telephone in one’s hand, even if configured for hands-free listening and talking, and look at the time or even merely move it for use as a paperweight."

Prosecutors has asserted the statute would not be violated if a driver looked at a map application as long as the wireless telephone was mounted and the application was “activated using the phone’s hand[s]-free capability.” However, as Spriggs points out, under this scenario the statute could still be violated merely by looking at the map application on the wireless telephone if the telephone was not designed and configured to allow hands-free listening and talking.

The actual write-up is at s3.amazonaws.com/s3.documentcloud.org/documents/1031494/spriggs-opinion.pdf

February 14, 2014

Panoramic Coastline Views at the Ventura Botanical Gardens Demonstration Trail

February 14, 2014/ Conejo Joe

The Ventura Botanical Gardens Demonstration Trail is a nearly 1 mile trail between Ventura City Hall and Grant Park. It opened to the public in October 2012. The trail zig zags and meanders its way up to Grant Park, offering awesome views of downtown Ventura and the coastline. The trail is accessible beheind Ventura City Hall, located at 501 Poli Street. Take the driveway on the right side of City Hall (facing the building) and drive up to the parking area. Learn more at www.venturabotanicalgardens.com.

Access to the trail is on the right (east) side of Ventura City Hall.

The trail is decorated with pretty wildflowers and other California native plantsThere are some neat rock walls on sections of the trailA short walk will get you some pretty views!

February 13, 2014

SPY Exhibition at Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley

February 13, 2014/ Conejo Joe

In December we stopped by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum to check out the new SPY: The Secret World of Espionage exhibit. This 12,000 sq ft display is a collaboration between the CIA, FBI and other organization to provide the public a unique opportunity to see over 300 historic spy gadget and documents. The West Coast premiere of SPY is right here in Ventura County at the hilltop Reagan Library in Simi Valley through March 9, 2014!

Check out how a simple coin has been loaded with a tiny poisonous needle meant to be used as a suicide device; or how an insect-sized robotic dragonfly, called an insectothopter, was designed to gather intelligence from the air as the world’s first miniaturized unmanned aerial vehicle; or what a fake movie script looks like that was created in order to rescue diplomats from Iran and inspired the movie ARGO. See the actual cockpit from one of the world's nine remaining A-12 Oxcart spy planes. View objects like a KGB poison pellet-firing umbrella, spy cameras, tear-gas pens, shoes with hidden compartments, and even a hollow molar the East German secret police created to conceal a microdot in a spy's mouth.

Bring the kids! There are several interactive features to the exhibit too, including a laser maze to escape from and a voice disguise machine. And of course the rest of the museumis packed with interesting, interactive historical items and exhibits.

The Reagan Library is located at 40 Presidential Drive in Simi Valley. Public hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The Museum is only closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day. For Museum Admission fees, please visit www.reaganlibrary.com. Museum exhibit tickets may be pre-purchased at www.reaganlibrary.com/tickets. For more information, call (800) 410.8354 or visit www.reaganlibrary.com/spies.

The collapsible Welbike was designed for British Special Operations Executive and OSS Agents to use as a getaway vehicle behind enemy lines during World War II. It could be delivered by parachute and deployed in ten seconds. The Welbike could travel up to 30 miles per hour, and go 90 miles on one tank of gas. (Photo courtesy of the Franklin Institute)This family-friendly exhibit includes fun and entertaining interactives for people of all ages, allowing visitors to disguise their voice, disguise themselves, and go through an actual laser maze. (Photo courtesy of the Franklin Institute)

This KGB Umbrella, which fires poisonous pellets, was used to assassin Bulgarian defector and BBC reporter Georgi Markov in London in 1978. (Photo courtesy of the Franklin Institute)This optional CIA-issued suicide pin gave U-2 pilot Gary Powers the choice between life and death. The pin was coated in saxitoxin – a lethal shellfish poison – and concealed in a silver dollar. Upon capture, Gary Powers chose not to use it. (Photo courtesy of the Franklin Institute)

February 05, 2014

American Lung Association's 2014 Tobacco Control Report Shows More Progress Needed

February 05, 2014/ Conejo Joe

The American Lung Association has released its 12th Annual "State of Tobacco Control" report that reviews tobacco control policies and assigns grades to U.S. and state governments based on tobacco control laws in effect as of January 2, 2014. Tobacco control laws were reviewed to assess if they adequately protect citizens from impact of tobacco use.

2014 is the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Surgeon General's report linking smoking to lung cancer and other serious diseases. Since 1965, the percentage of Americans smoking has dropped from 42.4% (52.8 million Americans) to 18% (43.2 million) in 2012, according to CDC surveys.

Today, the Surgeon General notes that smoking is still the nation’s leading cause of preventable death and disease, responsible for the deaths of close to 480,000 Americans and up to $333 billion in annual healthcare and lost productivity costs attributed to smoking.

The American Lung Association calls for all levels of government to achieve three goals:

Reduce smoking rate to less than 10% within 10 years

Protect all Americans from secondhand smoke within 5 years

Eliminate the death and disease caused by tobacco

The U.S. Government received the following grades in 2013:

FDA Regulation: D (rule not issued to assert FDA authority over all tobacco products)
Cessation Coverage: C (only partially covered in federal healthcare programs)
Cigarette Tax: D (tax rate per pack of 20 is $1.01)
Tobacco Treaty: D (public health treaty not submitted to Senate for ratification)

Here are highlights of California grades and rankings:

Tobacco Prevention Control and Spending: California received an F, though all but four states (Hawaii, North Dakata, Wyoming and Delaware), received D or F grades in terms of spending CDC recommended amounts.
Smokefree Air: California received an A for having laws in place that restrict smoking. 28 states and Washington DC have passed laws prohibiting smoking in almost all public places and workplaces, including restaurants and bars.
Cigarette Tax: D (Tax rate per pack of 20 is 87 cents) For each 10% price increase, consumption drops by about 7% for youth and 4% for adults. The average state excise tax is $1.53. An A grade was given for taxes of $3.06 and up and an F was given for taxes under 76.5 cents per pack. States with A grades (where you will pay the most in taxes) are New York, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Rhode Island and Connecticut. There are 15 states with F grades, mostly in the southeast.
Cessation Coverage: California received an F in terms of providing a "quitline" and ensuring coverage of cessation programs, though all but 7 states received D or F grades.

Read more about the State of Tobacco Control 2014 report at www.stateoftobaccocontrol.org.

Moving on, the American Lung Association in California released its own report on January 22nd covering cities and counties in California in the categories of Smokefree Outdoor Air, Smokefree Housing, Reducing Sales of Tobacco Products and Overall Tobacco Control. Some highlights:

Out of 540 cities and counties in California, 18 scored an overall grade of A, including Albany, Baldwin Park, Berkeley, Calabasas, Contra Costa C

January 19, 2014

Another Dramatic Sunset This Third Sunday of January 2014

January 19, 2014/ Conejo Joe

Suzy Demeter of Suzy Demeter Photography captured another nice sunset tonight in Malibu around 5:30 pm, which coincidentally is about the same time I captured this sunset photo from near CSU Channel Islands in Camarillo.

And a little bit closer.