Below is one example of the many talent’s of Willie Warren. Willie is a regular in the Tenderloin Tech Lab and is liked by both staff and guests. With the usual smile on his face, Willie submitted some of his writing to share on our blog.

According to a UCSF study, obesity rates have dropped in Caucasian and Asian children and leveled out for Hispanic/Latino children for the first time in 30 years. Though this may point out successes in recent public health campaigns aimed at reaching youth it also highlights the fact that campaigns are not reaching all children: obesity rates in African American and Native American children continue to rise.

The study states that 20 percent of California schoolchildren were obese and 3.6 percent were severely obese as of 2008. Severely obese children are at high risk of experiencing life-threatening health complications such as diabetes and hypertension.

At St. Anthony Free Medical Clinic we now have an obesity treatment and management program for our pediatric patients and their families in response to the growing number of overweight children in our community. Diet and nutrition are crucial in healthy childhood development; limited access to nutritious food and poor education on how to make healthy food choices leave many in our community at a disadvantage.

Clinicians here at St. Anthony Free Medical Clinic have begun focusing care on children who qualify as overweight and obese in order to medically manage their health and weight-loss plans. We recognize that children are impacted by the health of their family members, thus families of overweight children are also enrolled in the obesity management program. We believe treating families holistically so that all who are involved in a child’s life receive the tools necessary to make healthy lifestyle choices, such as nutrition education and weight management education, is vital to successful weight management for our low income, uninsured pediatric patients.

What’s cooking this week at St. Anthony Dining Room!

Monday, August 23: Pork Sausage Cassoulet
Tuesday, August 24: Chefs Choice
Wednesday, August 25: Turkey & Vegetable Casserole
Thursday, August 26: Indian Chicken Curry
Friday, August 27: Chicken Sausage Pasta
Saturday, August 28: Orange & Chinese Black Bean Chicken
Sunday, August 29: Chefs Choice

Check back for weekly installments of On The Menu!

Net Neutrality has recently come to the national spotlight after the New York Times ran an article reporting or claiming, depending on how you look at it, that Verizon and Google were striking a backdoor deal in which Verizon would give preferential treatment to Google’s content over other media networks. This could potentially spark a number of partnerships between major media networks and Internet Service Providers, ultimately hurting the consumer by making it more difficult or more expensive to access certain information. Net Neutrality has long been a topic of discussion and is often seen as a right – not a privilege – to access the same information regardless of color, class, race, etc. Advocates of Net Neutrality argue on the basis of equality; individuals, no matter how much they pay or who they pay, should not be given an advantage or priority over any other internet user. Google and Verizon claim the NYT article was not completely accurate because it was a discussion between the two parties about the type of data packet (voice, video, audio, etc.) and the possibility of prioritizing by type to enhance quality, and not the content of the data. However, it did raise some questions about the future of the internet.

Opponents of Net Neutrality argue that this is a simple business decision – because Internet Service Providers such as AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon lay the ground work, create the infrastructure, and maintain the intricate network of wires, modems, switches, and all the other gear necessary to make the internet work. These folks look to similar models used by FedEx or UPS, who charge different rates for shipping based on the material, weight, and, most relevant to Net Neutrality, how quickly these goods are delivered. You can find a more detailed argument here from The Business Insider.*

There is no doubt there are many layers to this issue, including equal access to information, business interests, and the role government has to play in all of this as mediator, regulator, or spectator depending on how you look at it. The most recent uproar had to do in particular with the FCC’s recent meetings with Verizon and Google which some perceive as the FCC simply letting the industry take the lead on the issue. Regardless of the outcome, which does not seem to be immediate since congress has not shown much interest at the moment, the larger issue is why the FCC, a government agency created to regulate business, is taking a seemingly passive role as the industry makes moves to alter the relationship of ISP’s, internet users, and media outlets. It will be interesting to see how this unravels, but it is most important to make sure the FCC is at a safe distance from the powerful corporate interests that frequently dominate government policy.

Here at the Tenderloin Technology Lab we believe everyone should have equal access to technology. Staff and guests alike will keep a close eye on how this unravels and what kind of impact it will have on us here.

* The author the article you are reading now did a little research and found that both Comcast &, AT&T do exactly that (charge by the speed), so the supply and demand argument is already actually in play here.

Restaurateur Ed Moose died this morning at California Pacific Medical Center at the age of 81. With Washington Square Bar & Grill maitre d’ Hal Thunes, Ed Moose started the annual Penny Pitch in North Beach to benefit St. Anthony’s. It has so far run for 33 years.

While Hal Thunes thought the idea up as a social event to strengthen ties with other Washington Square establishments, Ed turned it into a charitable event. He expanded the entry list to include not only bars, but also athletic teams, like the Giants, A’s and Warriors, and invited the civic leaders, sports figures, and other stars who frequented the Washbag to compete and to bid on auction items, all proceeds to go to St. Anthony’s.

The first Penny Pitch, on Washington’s Birthday of 1977, drew huge crowds to watch a lively competition, eventually won by now retired police inspector Chris Sullivan. In the intervening years, the event has moved to Memorial Day and transferred across the street from the WSBG to Ed’s new restaurant, Moose’s, later Joey & Eddy’s, and back again. Over 33 years, it has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for St. Anthony’s to help our poor and homeless neighbors.

Moose, a former sportswriter, was also founder of the Lapin Sauvages softball team. He suffered only one loss in 15 years of playing around the world. Just a few months ago, he put up much of his old Washbag memorabilia on Ebay, again to benefit St. Anthony’s.

We at St. Anthony’s are so grateful for all Ed and Mary Etta Moose have done for our work over three decades.

“Making budget priorities is essential in tough economic times. But we need to remember that although closing a park may be inconvenient, closing down programs like CalWORKS hurts children and destroys families.” This quote from an editorial piece in Monday’s San Francisco Chronicle written by George Niederauer, archbishop of the San Francisco Catholic diocese.

These sentiments are echoed by many low-income and struggling Californians and those who advocate for them.  A $19 billion deficit is in no way going to be balanced strictly by cutting services to public parks, nor is it possible to raise taxes to cover that large of a gap.  There must be a compromise, there must be deliberate and well-thought out decisions made.   They must be made not from a brash crisis mindset but from one of responsibility and solidarity with those most vulnerable, that we as Californians can stand behind, accountable and with clear conscious.

“Now is the time for our legislators and the governor, many of whom are not facing re-election, to show real courage and imagination. Families are suffering because of a devastating – but curable – budget crisis. Lawmakers and the governor have the tools and the ability to solve these problems, but it requires leadership. They need to stop giving in to special interests and start looking after the future of California. They need to stop the partisanship and the bickering.”

What’s cooking this week at St. Anthony Dining Room!

Sunday August 8th Pasta Carbonara
With bacon, peas, & egg

Monday August 9th Beef Lasagna
A beef ragu layered with noodles & cheese

Tuesday August 10th Turkey Tacos
Served with red mole, cheese, cilantro, rice and beans

Wednesday August 11th Vegetable Pot Pie
Seasonal vegetables in a rich and thick broth topped with a crisp pastry crust

Thursday August 12th Lobster Croquettes
Served over dirty rice with remoulade

Saturday August 13th Pad Sae Ew
Thai style noodle dish with sliced pork, egg, and broccoli with a sweet soy sauce

Sunday August 14th Macaroni & Cheese
Elbow macaroni in a rich and creamy cheese sauce

Check back for weekly installments of On The Menu!

Asthma in the Tenderloin
The Tenderloin has the highest citywide rate for ambulatory hospitalizations associated with COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and the second highest rate for asthma. According to a 2007 UCLA Health Policy Research Brief, one in six of California’s 2.8 million residents with active asthma live below poverty level. In addition to having poorer overall health, low-income residents also miss more school and work because of asthma, visit the emergency department for asthma care more often, and experience more frequent symptoms.

“Tenderloin residents live in old, poorly maintained buildings whose dust, mold, and other environmental factors dramatically increase asthma incidents.” noted St. Anthony Free Medical Clinic Director, Dr. Ana Valdés. “We try to address those factors through education, active medical care, and asthma management techniques.”

St. Anthony Free Medical Clinic
Established in 1956, the St. Anthony Free Medical Clinic is the first Free Medical Clinic in the United States. The clinic provides 12,000 patient care visits annually, nearly 3,000 of which are chronic care visits, Asthmatic patient account for about 9% of total visits.

What’s cooking this week at St. Anthony Dining Room!

Sunday August 1st Chicken & Black Bean Tostadas
With pickled onions and cheese

Monday August 2nd Shepherds Pie
Ground beef in a rich sauce covered with mashed potatoes

Tuesday August 3rd Moroccan Chicken Stew
North African spiced chicken with a cous-cous salad

Wednesday August 4th Chefs Choice

Friday August 5th Turkey, Mushroom, & Potato Hash
With sour cream and bacon bits

Saturday August 6th Roasted Pork Loin
Served with basil aioli

Sunday August 7th BBQ Chicken Sandwich
With shredded cabbage & macaroni salad

Check back for weekly installments of On The Menu!