Mr. Toy's Mental Notes

I just signed up the Toy House for PG&E's project ClimateSmart . This is a voluntary program wherein PG&E customers can pay a minuscule fee to offset their household greenhouse gas emissions. The funds collected will pay for forest restoration and other greenhouse gas reduction programs. The cost for a given household is based on the actual gas and electricity consumption for a given month. For an average PG&E residential customer it amounts to a mere $4.37 per month, less than 15¢ per day. PG&E provides a page which allows you to estimate your charge for a given month. Our little house is comparatively frugal with utilities. For November our cost would be just $2.30, about 8¢ per day. The funds will go entirely to greenhouse gas emissions programs, and their use will be certified by independent auditors. If you are a PG&E customer, I encourage you to sign up. It costs pennies a day, and will help do some good. Even if you're a global warming skeptic,

The Herald has its Rants and Raves. I'll put in my Boos and Bravos. There was an interesting collection of letters in the Herald of Thanksgiving Day. Usually, there's maybe one or two that are worth reading. Today they all had something interesting to say, except for the little four-liner at the very end. BRAVO to Gordon Smith of Monterey who wrote to support the retention of Monterey Bay Kayaks on the waterfront. As he notes, demolishing their building won't do much to improve views, but will deprive residents and visitors of recreational opportunities. I only wish he had also made the same mention  of Adventures By The Sea which is also threatened. BRAVO to Dan Shafer of Monterey, a former sports writer for admonishing sports columnist John Devine for writing a "guilty until  proven innocent" diatribe against Barry Bonds. BOO to Cindy Stanley of Monterey for her misinterpretation of a protest last weekend outside the Presidio of Monterey. The protesters had a

It was discussed on the radio tonight that Thanksgiving seems to be the one holiday that people still honor for its original intent. Look at President's Day, Labor Day and Memorial Day. They've become excuses to go shopping. Christmas, likewise. Independence Day? Picnics and fireworks. Easter? Chocolate paradise. But Thanksgiving is thus far untainted by selfish pursuits. People save that for the Friday after. In an effort to accommodate all that pent-up shopping energy, major stores are competing to see who can get these people in their doors first. A few years ago they started opening at 8:00am. Then 7:00. Now Target is opening at 6:00 Friday morning. That's nutty. Who in their right mind would get up on their day off and shop before breakfast? Nobody in their right mind, but that still leaves a lot of Americans, judging from the state of things these days. But for sheer audacity, the prize goes to Mervyn's. A totally tasteless commercial has run in the last few days

I've been dealing with a literal pain in the neck. So far three doctors, a physical therapist, X-rays, and MRI, and a Christian Science Practioner (not in that order) have failed to find any cause for the problem and so far no real solutions. But I am inundated with diagnoseseses. Everyone knows someone who had something kinda similar at one time or another so they know just what I've got. Apparently I've got Parkinsons, a food allergy, stress, pinched nerves, and muscle spasms. And of course, the sure fire cures are ibuprofen, hypnosis, a heating pad, ice, alternating heat and ice, Tiger Balm, a chirporactor (or not), acupuncture, massage therapy, meditation, past-life regression, counseling, a mediterranean style diet, yoga, and prayer. It's all a pain in the neck.