« Famous Moms | Main | Drive Your Car To Work Week »
May 12, 2008
Acting Locally
 |
| Image: The 1906 great battery explosion. Let this
be a lesson to you all. Dan Nguyen-Tan is running a survey about whether or not Steve Bertagna should run for Chico City Council on his blog Bullfight. Some of you may know Bullfight since it was voted best local blog by the folks at the Chico News and Review. It's great that Dan is so active in local politics. But I mostly wanted to pat Dan on the back for his work in stopping the evil franchise Batteries Plus from sinking their teeth into a Chico neighborhood. Dan's the treasurer for his Chico neighborhood group the North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association. In their February 2008 newsletter (page 3) he gets credit for helping with the petition drive to stop people from purchasing batteries. Big Battery, the corporate behemoth needed to be taught a lesson. I don't support Big Battery, Big Water Bottle, or Big Plastic Grocery Bag. From the newsletter... Batteries Plus is a franchise chain that sells only batteries, with automobile batteries representing eight percent of its national sales. The published results of the Lower Divisadero Corridor Business Survey (see story on p. 1) clearly indicated that the neighborhood opposes “formula” retail chains and auto-serving businesses, preferring pedestrian-friendly, independent businesses that mainly serve the immediate community. Our sincere thanks to Dean Preston, Leela Gill, Dan Nguyen-Tan, David Tornheim, Patricia Vaughey, and the other local merchants and activists who helped organize the petition campaign. We are also grateful to NOPNA board members and neighbors who responded to our call to send letters to the Planning Commission, and to the neighbors from both sides of Divisadero who attended the hearing to voice their opposition. Any business that makes more than 7% of its money on auto related sales needs to be destroyed. Under 7% and you're okay with me, for now... We don't need things like battery stores here in our fair town. I buy my batteries at Trader Joe's, since they have organic fair-trade batteries (they only come in D size). When my kid got a fire truck for Christmas that required batteries to move the ladder and flash the lights, I told him that fire trucks weren't sustainable and exchanged it for a bucket. That's just good old fashioned Chico values. I assume that Dan even removed the battery from the lap top he writes his blog on, and powers his computer with a stationary cycle. Good job Dan, stay active in local issues and keep protecting our community. Also, the North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association is having it's block party next weekend (see flyer here). I'm sure we're all invited. I've got to go now, I'm attempting to convert my cell phone to potato power this morning. I plan on using potatoes grown locally in the Divisadero. Update: I tried to stop by Dan's place and say thanks for stopping the battery store and for helping us figure out who should run Chico. I couldn't find Divisadero on the Chico map. Does anyone know where that is? Is it in Doe Mill? I've got a gift basket full of "ammonds" and Chico Bags filled with flavored water. Where do I send it? |
 CI Challenge: Can you guess what it is? Winner: Captain Watts of the 1st Division Mounted Electric Grenadiers of Chico. See comments below for the answer. |
Posted by Lon at May 12, 2008 08:32 AM
Comments
Looks like a gun pit battery.
Encyclopedia Anthonica can fill in the info on the gun make, model mm size, location and who it's aimed at.
Posted by: Gregg at May 12, 2008 09:06 AM
CIC is the gun battery in San Franciso, to the west of GG bridge
Posted by: Anthony at May 12, 2008 09:14 AM
CIC is the gun battery in San Franciso, to the west of GG bridge.
This one http://www.fanfotography.com/landimages/gun4.jpg
on Baker Beach of the Presidio
Posted by: Anthony at May 12, 2008 09:16 AM
Darn now that Dan has fought off Batteries Plus, where will I get new Gel Cells for my sustainable electric car?
http://wattsupwiththat.wordpress.com/2008/05/12/what-ive-been-up-to-electrifying-my-ride/
I guess I'll have to drive to SFO now to get them. Darn that Dan!
Posted by: Anthony at May 12, 2008 10:12 AM
Hey,
I'm also down here on the Divisadero, and my electric car's battery just blew up. Does anyone know where I can get a new battery? All they have down here are coffee shops, used book stores, and locally grown sourdough bread.
Lon
Posted by: Lon at May 12, 2008 10:12 AM
Perhaps Dan was channeling his deep seeded anxiety regarding these batteries:
http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/editorial/editorial_item.asp?NewsID=188
http://www.impactlab.com/2007/03/14/prius-outdoes-hummer-in-environmental-damage/
Posted by: Mark Sorensen at May 12, 2008 11:58 AM
Man, I was just about to buy a couple of Priuses, good thing I didn't. I'd hate to be the cause of all the environmental destruction in Ontario Canada.
The cannon is the 6" gun at Baker Beach in the Presidio (SF) west of the Golden Gate bridge. It's refurbished and I think once a month they fire it off.
It used to protect the bay from Japanese warships, now it is used to prevent Prius batteries from entering the NOPNA territory.
Lon
Posted by: Lon at May 12, 2008 01:34 PM
Ya know what is really terrible about Batteries Plus? They'll take your used lead-acid batteries in an recycle them for you.
Horrors! Lead!
I just enhanced my ride with two additional gel cell batteries today, from Batteries Plus on the lower Skyway.
With all that lead and sulfuric acid, I'm now a mobile hazmat disaster. I may very well have a sign made:
"Lead on board: stay back 100 feet!"
Posted by: Anthony at May 12, 2008 02:44 PM
I'm slapping my leg, keep it up. I always try to respond to his blobs but he never runs my posts. I swear to god, I don't cuss or anything, I just ask him questions he won't answer. I thought the blob he ran about Steve was kinda, well, what's the nice word for "bitchy"? Oh yeah, "catty", that's it.
Posted by: juanita at May 14, 2008 07:46 AM