February 27, 2015
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Page 13
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Sticking it to the Spirit Poles of Concord CAROL LONGSHORE
OLD NEWS There was quite a stir in town back in l989, if you recall. Concord’s then-Mayor, Steve Weir, along with council members June Bulman, Diane Longshore, Ron Mullin and Colleen Coll, proposed a onehalf percent fee to developers for art in public places. With the fees, the council and several commissions decided to hire artist Gary Rieveschi with his vision, the Spirit Poles. The Spirit Poles symbolized Concord’s growth since
the time of the Native Americans. The pattern of the Poles represented patterns of growth and change. There were 91 silver shafts planted at odd angles, ranging from eight feet to 50 feet and weighing as much as 100 pounds each. Concord Avenue was being widened and it seemed like the perfect spot to honor the Native Americans and the city’s growth. They were to have vines growing up their staff and flags flying on special celebrations. It seemed like a good idea. However, the residents were outraged and horrified — at least most of them. The press caught hold of the story and started running polls and interviewing people and, basi-
cally, making fun of the Poles. Even The National Enquirer — the best read gossip sheet at the time — called them “the ugliest publicly funded sculpture in America.” As you can see by the picture, which was taken on a foggy day, the radio media even got involved. The public realized, although too late, how the funds were spent and how much more it would cost to get rid of the Poles. The council was in a quandary. Bulman continued to defend her vote and in the election in 1990, Lloyd Mashore send flyers around that had a picture of the Spirit Poles and the question, “Had enough yet?” Bulman lost and a whole new Concord
Heartfelt decisions must be made in dementia cases
SUE CAPSON
SENIOR MOMENTS
Often harder than the loss of a loved one to death is the loss of a personality to dementia. Along with this devastating loss are the future implications not only for the loved one suffering from the disease but also for the family members who must make complex decisions in their behalf. Whether it be a father, mother, husband, wife or grandparent who is affected by this disease, at
some point in our lives we may be faced with the challenge of how to care for a loved one who has dementia. Options may be limited due to income, personal or family constraints, or lack of information and community resources. The basic questions we may be required to explore are When? Why? Where? How?
See Dementia, page 15
Documentary focuses on threat to education GUITY ARFAA KIANI Special to the Pioneer
On March 6, local residents can join in the launch of the international “Education is Not a Crime” campaign, with screenings of Maziar Bahari’s new documentary film, “To Light a Candle.” The public information officers of the Baha’i communities of Concord and Clayton, Shirlie Burriston and Guity Kiani, say all 110 members of their communities are involved in this campaign, because they strongly believe education is so important in building peaceful and progressive communities and it is a vital issue for all residents. These grassroots screenings are part of “Education Is Not a Crime” Day, Feb. 27, 2015. The campaign website, www.educationisnotacrime.me , features voices of support from around the world, and
tells a comprehensive story of the Baha’is in Iran, a religious minority that has overcome severe persecution to build solidarity, fortitude and hope among its people through its passion for education. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the Baha’i community has been the target of systematic state-sponsored repression. Forbidden from attending or teaching at universities, the community established the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) in 1987. Through BIHE, the community has championed equality and nonviolence, garnering support from educators around the world. Yet its students and teachers still face enormous obstacles: classes are held in people’s homes and the threat of arrest is part of daily life. The film and campaign are aimed at exposing social injustice and religious intolerance
through personal stories and rare footage – often smuggled out of Iran at great personal risk. “Education Is Not a Crime” is a powerful statement – not only about the spirit and determination of the Baha’is of Iran, but also about the vital role of education in building communities and sustaining hope. The nearest screening of “To Light a Candle” will be held at 7:30 p.m. March 6 at a private residence in Clayton. For address and directions, call 925-672-6686. At the screenings, two UC Berkeley graduate students who originally experienced this repression in their homeland will introduce the film and to relate their experiences. For additional information, please contact Guity Kiani at 925-672-1095 or gkiani@yahoo.com.
leadership began. It took 11 years for the lawyers to work out how much Rieveschi should receive to surrender his claim to the Poles and remove them. During those 11 years, vines were planted to grow but never did, flags were hung, but nothing looked quite right. Someone put a pillow on top of one and it looked like a marshmallow on a stick. One person’s uncle recognized them as an American Indian stick pole game. The talk went on and in 1999 one fell in a wind storm, as if Mother Nature herself was saying, “Get these out of here!” The then-council, Bill McManigal, Helen Allen, Mike Pasterick, Laura Hoffmeister and Mark Peterson, got the ball rolling to finalize the removal of the Spirit Poles in 2001. They were auctioned off to a company from China. Carol Longshore has been a Concord resident since 1950. She is a community leader and current president of the Concord Historical Society. Send comments and suggestions for future topics to editor@concordpioneer.com.
THE SYMBOLISM BEHIND CONCORD’S SPIRIT POLES was lost on most who saw the poles as simply ugly or sinister.
How to protect your ‘digital estate’ In today’s day and age, it’s difficult, arguably impossible, to not be digitally connected to one another through the web. Whether it’s on various social media sites or online banking, your personal data is being watched and often times collected without notice. So how does one keep track and, more importantly, secure their digital estate? Unfortunately, there is not silver bullet solution to this and even going “off the grid” is not a viable strategy today. So if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, right? Well, maybe not join ‘em, but strategically safeguard yourself. In this month’s article I’ll share with you some helpful ways to secure your digital estate. H ARDWARE AND S MARTWARE All digital hardware such as laptops, USB drives, tablets and smartphones now speak with one another in various “ecosystems.” As a result, it’s important use this to your advantage and build redundancy, making sure your hardware is on a routine back-up plan. Within the Apple ecosystem Time Machine, which can be connected to an external hard drive, is a great option. Additionally, cloudbased software such as Back Blaze, Carbonite or Barracuda
offer continuous back up solutions so long as you are connected online. These are a few inexpensive options to consider, especially for protecting those precious family photos or sensitive financial documents. PASSWORDS E VERYWHERE With so many subscription-based websites, online banking, email accounts as well as social media, it’s becoming more and more difficult to keep track of all the various passwords for each. Furthermore, with website security tightening down, more complicated passwords are required. It’s unsafe to use just your wedding month or your second child’s date of birth as a password. So the question becomes, how does one keep track of all the websites, usernames and passwords? Well, there is always Excel, which would require the discipline of manually updating and possibly storing locally on your computer. However, with today’s on-to-go mentality, a more automated approach may be a good alternative. Software such as RoboForm will store the website links, usernames and passwords. The software will sync with your other smart devices as
JOHN WENZEL, CFP FINANCIAL SENSE well and will generate passwords as needed. Most importantly, should a smart device be stolen, you can recover and reset passwords through the cloud-based technology. S O W HAT ’ S O NE TO D O ? With technology not only at our doorstep, but also now in our pocket or purse, it’s important to know how to protect yourself. Should something happen to your device or even you, it’s imperative that another trusted individual is informed on how to access the necessary information to settle or administer your estate. I would encourage you to confirm what’s best for you by speaking with a comprehensive wealth manager who holistically reviews not only your “real” estate needs but also your “digital” estate. John Wenzel is an investment advisor with Archvest Wealth Advisers. Send questions and comments to john@archvestwa.com