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By Laura Stec

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About this blog: I've been attracted to food for good and bad reasons for many years. From eating disorder to east coast culinary school, food has been my passion, profession & nemesis. I've been a sugar addict, a 17-year vegetarian, a food and en...  (More)

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Update on Martins Beach

Uploaded: May 31, 2017

If you’ve been Food Partying! for awhile, you know we're following People vs Darth Vader - lawsuits involving Half Moon Bay and The Food Party’s! favorite picnic spot, Martins Beach.

In 2014, we set off on adventure, took a wrong turn, and stumbled across Tanned and Tatted in Trespass Picnic on Martin’s Beach.

In 2016, we learned about Martin himself, his living relatives, and the history of the land, in Picnic Pleasures.

And this week, word out is homeboy CA State Senator Jerry Hill is keeping the good fight alive by passing Senate Bill 42 through the Senate Appropriations Committee, seeking funds to seize the road leading up to the beach.

Samantha Weigel of the Daily Journal reports:

“the State Lands Commission (SLC) is now in the process of deciding whether to use its authority of controversial eminent domain for the first time in its nearly 78-year history. [SB 42 would allocate $360,000 from the state’s budget, up to $1 million from the SLC, and allow the public or other government agencies to donate toward securing a 6.4-acre easement along an existing road and spanning the beach.”

The property closed to the public in 2010 after Vinod Khosla (co-founder of Sun Microsystems, AKA Darth Vader, yet attorney-described man of principle) bought it, put up a gate, and proclaimed “neh neh neh neh neh....nobody else can play here,” challenging a 1972 California Coastal Zone Conservation Initiative making coastal lands public property. But go ahead - hop over the gate and tell em' I sent you. All the locals do; Sensai surfer sez authorities refuse to ticket. I say Power to the People. I wonder if Khosla is still paying $12,500 a day to San Mateo County in fines because he refuses to open the road?

I hope so.

So picnic fans - please contact Senator Hill in support of SB 42

and the State Lands Commission to say, "Reopen the road - the beach belongs to us all."

Welcome summer :)

Go on a picnic soon.










Local Journalism.
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Comments

Posted by Office of State Senator Jerry Hill, a resident of another community,
on May 31, 2017 at 9:44 pm

Hi, Laura â€" Just saw your post via Google alerts. You may want to include this update:

The Senate voted 27-11 Wednesday night (May 31) to pass Senator Hill's SB 42 on Martins Beach. The bill now moves to the Assembly for consideration by the lower house's policy committees.

The vote Wednesday came as the Senate reviewed hundreds of bills as lawmakers worked to meet the Friday deadline for state legislation to pass its house of origin.


Posted by Suiting Up, a resident of Another Mountain View Neighborhood,
on Jun 3, 2017 at 6:13 am

I drove by it yesterday. There were about 8 cars parked outside the gate
and 2 surfers hoisting their wet-suits (RIP Jack O'Neill)up over their shoulders. I grew up in this area and as kids we always poo-poo'd the idea of paying for entrance so we never went there. I've spent nearly 60 years around the coast in this area and have never been to Martin's. I could have sneaked in easily over the years but I never did.
It's a funny thing about "Forbidden Fruit"; I never thought much about checking it out until they said I couldn't. Now I can't wait to check it out :)


Posted by Lauralies, a resident of Portola Valley: other,
on Jun 3, 2017 at 6:24 am

Ah Suiting Up - we must have drove by at similar times yesterday - I went to my "secret beach" first in the afternoon and thought I'd stop at Martins on the way home, but got there too late. There were about 8 - 10 cars - the most I have seen in years. Was the gate closed? I was looking at the cars and forgot to check the gate.


Posted by Suiting Up, a resident of Another Mountain View Neighborhood,
on Jun 3, 2017 at 6:26 am

Yep, gate was closed. I'd agree with you, most cars I've seen in a long time.


Posted by Khosla Nostra, a resident of Crescent Park,
on Jun 5, 2017 at 3:53 pm

The point about Khosla and his energy ventures which are being
subsidized by taxpayers ( which is not necessarily bad or wrong
and is part of the job of government ) is that he is getting these
subsidies and "expelling feces" on the people by refusing them
access to this beach. Here is a foreign guy who made it big in
America and still does not understand the American way, he is
here to corrupt it and drag us down.

His energy idea is basically to mine valuable trees to turn them
into oil, which is a disgusting terrible, stupid and unenvironmental
effort. If this guy hates the environment so much why does he live
next to a nice beach instead of a toxic waste dump, or some of
the forests in the US that he clearcuts to make expensive oil?

We have a housing shortage in all major US cities, so diverting
trees to making oil aggravates that. Living trees pull carbon out
of the air and so assist with combating "Planetary Hotboxing".
Wood chips have so many other permanent uses including
enriching soil for organic agriculture and reversing desertification.
Cutting and killing trees to make oil is like Soylent Green.

This is one of the worst ideas, and Khoslo most likely would not
even be doing it if someone he did not convince some politicians
on the take to throw taxpayer money at him - truly disgusting.

I have no sympathy for this America-hating creep and I think the
state should grab his estate under eminent domain and make a
pubic park out of it just to symbolically say the people of the us
are tired of people who happen to strike it rich in business thinking
they are royalty and can exploit and abuse the environment and
the rest of us.

When is it going to dawn on us that in most cases huge success in
business and huge success in government are two mutual exclusive
skillsets and that government wants most for business to succeed
greatly but in ways that do no harm, but that most of our big
businesses just seem to want themselves to succeed without regard
to the people, the environment or other businesses. The exclusively
capitalist mentality is not sustainable, nor is it good for the country.


Posted by Martin T. Beech, a resident of Another Mountain View Neighborhood,
on Jun 5, 2017 at 5:08 pm

Funny! I can see everyone being encouraged to go there, then once it becomes crowded, people will be yelling at the blogger about stories like this one "Shhh! keep it quiet" haha.

I'm excited about the improved access and hope the gate is permanently opened soon.


Posted by Khosla (will) Hose-ya!, a resident of Belle Haven Elementary,
on Jun 5, 2017 at 7:01 pm

Khosla made it big in America and now is trying to steal from the very people who made it possible for him to be and thrive here in the first place! Very anti-American. 'Nuff said! Stop supporting his business(es)!


Posted by Old Local, a resident of another community,
on Jun 5, 2017 at 8:09 pm

My grandparents used to take us fishing at Martin's Beach back in the 50's. It's a magical place though I haven't seen it in years. As a child I remember being in awe of those giant rocks


Posted by Question, a resident of Another Mountain View Neighborhood,
on Jun 6, 2017 at 12:36 pm

So if the state can buy the road, does that mean permanent access?


Posted by Roy Thiele-Sardiña, a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park,
on Jun 8, 2017 at 10:05 am
Roy Thiele-Sardiña is a registered user.

@Laura

your name calling of Vinod is simply beneath dignity. act like a journalist not a high schooler writing in their diary....

If you've never met the man please be a little more respectful.

Roy Thiele-Sardina


Posted by @Roy Thiele-Sardiña, a resident of Another Mountain View Neighborhood,
on Jun 8, 2017 at 11:23 am

No, her opinion is her's and she's free to express it in her blog. Feel free to express your opinion as well, but don't try and silence others because you may disagree (please).
Many feel the same way the blogger does, including myself. BTW, I HAVE met him yrs ago and thought "What a complete jerk".
Time to put your big boy pants on, blogs are a little more "loosey-goosey" and though they may appear in newspapers, they are not the same as journalism.


Posted by @Roy Thiele-Sardiña, a resident of Another Mountain View Neighborhood,
on Jun 8, 2017 at 11:25 am

Also, he's currently being measured in the general public by his actions, and he's getting as much respect as he deserves, based solely on those actions.


Posted by Laura Stec, a resident of Portola Valley: Westridge,
on Jun 9, 2017 at 8:45 am

Give respect and you will get some back. Darth continues to thumb his nose at the People of California which deserves a little playful calling out. What I do respect @Roy Thiele-Sardiña is you using your real name. That is rare on a blog, and this is a blog remember, not a news column. It appears both of you are in the same business. I think it's cool for you to stand up for him - but if you do know each other, please tell Vinod We- the People of California - are waiting, watching and willing to give respect when it is earned. I always believe people can change.


Posted by Poison Khoslaw, a resident of Another Mountain View Neighborhood,
on Jun 10, 2017 at 7:41 am

We're going to check out Martin's Beach today. We've been going now and again over the past couple months. I stomp really hard on those first steps over the gate, imagining the scumbag who locked it can hear me while in my mind I'm thinking "FU you. Who the hell do you think you are?"


Posted by Martin's Resident, a resident of Menlo Park: other,
on Jun 11, 2017 at 9:42 am

VINOD KHOSLA HIRED THE LADY LAWYER THAT RUNS SMOKE-COVER FOR ENRON DIRTY EXECUTIVES AND OTHER CORPORATE CRIMINALS.

THE FEDERAL OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL COUNSEL HAS NOW HIRED THE LAWYER THAT BUSTS ENRON AND MAFIA CORPORATE CRIMINALS.

THE OSC HAS NOW COMPILED A COMPLETE DOSSIER ON VINOD KHOSLA, RAY LANE, JOHN DOERR AND ERIC SCHMIDT AND THEIR ELECTION RIGGING! IF YOU THINK THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION IS ONLY ABOUT REPUBLICANS... THINK AGAIN!!!

IT IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE FOR ANY CONVICTION RULINGS TO IGNORE VINOD KHOSLA, RAY LANE, JOHN DOERR AND ERIC SCHMIDT AND THEIR ELECTION RIGGING!
Mueller adds muscle for Russia investigation

Jeff Chiu / AP

Special counsel "Robert Mueller has hired Michael Dreeben, on a part-time basis, to help with his investigation. Dreeben, a deputy in the Office of the Solicitor General, has argued more than 100 cases before the Supreme Court. His specialty has, for the last 20 years, been criminal matters and he has an encyclopedic knowledge of criminal law."

Be smart: Mueller is amassing the talent arsenal you'd build to bring criminal charges.
Keep reading ... words

Why it matters: "[H]e is quite possibly the best criminal appellate lawyer in America (at least on the government's side). That Mueller has sought his assistance attests both to the seriousness of his effort and the depth of the intellectual bench he is building."
National Law Journal: "The move signals that Mueller is seeking advice on the complexities that have arisen already in the investigations, including what constitutes obstruction of justice."
Mueller's has had a spate of other high-octane hires, including Andrew Weissmann, chief of the fraud section of the Justice Department's Criminal Division.
Weissmann was director of Justice's Enron Task Force, where he oversaw the prosecutions of Jeffrey Skilling, Ken Lay, and Andrew Fastow. While at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan, Weissmann helped prosecute high-ranking members of the Genovese, Colombo and Gambino crime families, and fought the infiltration of organized crime on Wall Street.

Coming attractions ... Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was going to be pummeled with Russia questions during what was supposed to be a budget hearing before a Senate subcommittee on Tuesday, switched yesterday and will appear Tuesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosentein will take his place answering appropriations questions. See Sessions' letter to the Intelligence Committee.
AP: "The House intelligence committee sent a letter Friday asking White House counsel Don McGahn whether any tape recordings or memos of Comey's conversations with the president exist now or had existed in the past."
"The committee also sent a letter to Comey asking for any notes or memos in his possession about the discussions he had with Trump before being abruptly fired last month. The committee is seeking the materials by June 23."

The takeaway: All these moves show the Russia probe will remain constantly in Washington's forefront.


Posted by Roy Thiele-Sardiña, a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park,
on Jun 12, 2017 at 11:34 am
Roy Thiele-Sardiña is a registered user.

@Laura,

Thanks for the reply. But it is NEVER polite to call people names.

to quote Socrates "“When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser."

Not sure where (or by whom) all of you were brought up, but I will stick with my previous comment. it is beneath dignity and not how ladies and gentlemen behave.

shame on all of you.

Roy Thiele-Sardina


Posted by Khosla Nostra, a resident of Crescent Park,
on Jun 12, 2017 at 12:58 pm

Roy Thiele-Sardiña, politeness is nice in polite company. When someone does not act in a civilized manner, politeness becomes a non-issue.

Your opinion comes from a very disingenuous place where people who are cheated and object get to be dismissed if you can impeach their politeness. That makes the incentive for bigger and more hurtful resentments so that the response will be predictably "raw". You should be ashamed of pulling that nonsense.

Unlike the author of this column, I do not think it is cool for you to stand up for him, but especially on the basis of politeness? Even meeting someone, lots of people are wonderful people in person, however that does not mean they cannot be absolutely psychopathic in how they treat the environment or citizens in general.

Shaming should be reserved for behavior and effects that deserve shame, such as what Khosla is doing against the people of CA at Martin's beach or you for such a dishonest defense.


Posted by @Roy Thiele-Sardiña, a resident of Another Mountain View Neighborhood,
on Jun 12, 2017 at 2:24 pm

The shame, Sir, belongs squarely on your shoulders. To feign such objection over a blogger using appropriate verbiage to express her personal opinion is laughable, but to do so while IGNORING the truly egregious behavior by Khosla against the people of California is akin to complaining about the tone of the late night comedians insults about Nixon back in the day. You're simply missing the obviously bigger picture, either on purpose or though ignorance.

Do you know that those who would protect people who do harmful things are complicit? Were you taught that?
I'm not sure who raised you, but they should have taught you to choose your friends wisely and remind you that you are measured by those who you associate with. Oh, but you wanted to talk about politeness? Haha. Yes you did.


Posted by Roy Thiele-Sardiña, a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park,
on Jun 12, 2017 at 2:40 pm
Roy Thiele-Sardiña is a registered user.

@Khosla Nostra

Again, thanks for your reply. But I guess I was raised differently than the bloggers with regard to civil discourse. apparently it's a matter of upbringing.....

Of particular gall, in my opinion, is the cowardice of name calling using anonymity as a shield.

Roy


Posted by @Roy Thiele-Sardiña, a resident of Adobe-Meadow,
on Jun 12, 2017 at 3:55 pm

The conditions of the message board are another topic for another blog Roy. No need to deflect, but I'll indulge your attempt to change the discussion of the suddenly uncomfortable situation that you find yourself in. These boards haven't changed much in many years so I would imagine you know how things work. Please do not join the game then complain about the rules when things got a too little real for you. I guess every villain has his flunky.


Posted by Roy Thiele-Sardiña, a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park,
on Jun 12, 2017 at 4:14 pm
Roy Thiele-Sardiña is a registered user.

I am an avid poster on the boards. I do NOT need a lesson in how they work.

My comment about cowardice while being anonymous has been consistent throughout the years (along with similar feelings of Peter Carpenter).

I and most readers discount the comments for what they are when posted without a name.......

I am not uncomfortable at all, just commenting on the apparent disregard for respect. I can only surmise you must treat everyone you disagree with in this way, rather than have an intelligent discourse.

Roy


Posted by @Roy Thiele-Sardiña, a resident of Another Mountain View Neighborhood,
on Jun 12, 2017 at 5:08 pm

"My comment about cowardice while being anonymous has been consistent throughout the years (along with similar feelings of Peter Carpenter)."

You say that as if the longevity makes it right, that anonymity adds nothing to these boards, that it doesn't foster a more open honest discussion, yes, warts and all. I don't agree and I don't care how long you've been doing it. Some can hack it, others are free to snivel and take a self perceived higher ground. That point is mute though.

I and most readers discount the comments for what they are when posted without a name......."

You're really speaking for most readers? REALLY!? How many? I mean, ball park numbers...maybe a verified percentage? Nah, you see now how silly that sounds now so I'll stop.
Its a bit amusing because I've never assumed anyone's name is real here. It mattered not one iota over the years. Not one Roy :)

The point is you got booty hurt because someone called your friend a mean name. Your friend, who seems to delight in cutting off the historical access people have enjoyed, by dragging it, at cost to us all, through the courts. You got reminded of how awful that was and how people will now measure you by your seemingly chummy associations with Vinode. That's it in a nut-shell and realizing it, it's not worth much more of my time. Have a nice evening. I welcome a thoughtful reply in advance but please understand if the discussion must now end for me.


Posted by Laura Stec, a resident of another community,
on Jun 12, 2017 at 5:30 pm


I also enjoy intelligent discourse! And as the writer - I appreciate and give much more weight to comments with real names.

But come on you guys, Darth Vader is a "mean name?" At worst, it's a nickname with a negative brand. Actually I think it's rather respectful given the story.

However, I am happy to remove it Roy, if you really find “Darth" so offensive. We could change it to something more accurate like Selfish One or Greedy One. How about Guy-Who-Doesn't-Give-A-Cr**-About-Anybody-Else?

I find it amusing though that you keep coming after me with a lecture on respect for one cartoon character descriptor, while the subject denies 37 million residents of California access to a property that is rightfully ours.

That makes us at least equally disrespectful in your judgement, right?


Posted by Lauralies, a resident of Portola Valley: Westridge,
on Jun 12, 2017 at 9:23 pm

and I just gotta keep goin on ya Roy...

To me, calling someone “Darth Vader" is not a slur; it is a cute, simple and hopefully a touch funny way to pinch a guy in the stomach and say “hey, what up? What are you thinkin? "

Hmmm....

Roy, were you a big Star Wars fan as a child? With all due respect - the gentleman might start watching movies of another genre for a broader perspective.

I recommend The Big Short for starters.


Posted by AmericaMe, a resident of Adobe-Meadow,
on Jun 29, 2017 at 9:52 am

ROY THIELE.......Bite Me!
U clueless nitwit
U must be hindu

Bugger off and go away a. Hole


Posted by Laura Stec, a resident of Portola Valley: Westridge,
on Jul 8, 2017 at 3:33 pm

Here's a new article in the LA Times about Martin's Beach: Web Link


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