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Bodybuilder Files $5 Million Claim<br />
he diabetic bodybuilder clubbed and arrested <strong>in</strong> April by Redwood City police who allegedly mistook<br />
T<strong>in</strong>sul<strong>in</strong> shock for <strong>in</strong>toxication filed a $5 million civil rights claim aga<strong>in</strong>st the city.<br />
Doug Burns, the reign<strong>in</strong>g Mr. Natural Universe, claims a loss of $2 million <strong>in</strong> economic damages and $3<br />
million noneconomic damages, accord<strong>in</strong>g to the July 24 claim filed with the Redwood City city clerk.<br />
“This man lost out of speak<strong>in</strong>g engagement and tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, not to mention the l<strong>in</strong>ger<strong>in</strong>g pa<strong>in</strong> he has,” said<br />
attorney Don Gal<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
Burns, 43, claims violation of his civil rights, battery, assault, Americans with Disabilities Act violations,<br />
false imprisonment and <strong>in</strong>vasion of privacy.<br />
<strong>The</strong> city has 45 days to accept or deny the claim. If the claim is denied, Burns can file a lawsuit.<br />
<strong>The</strong> claim is not a surprise and neither is its dollar amount because claimants seek<strong>in</strong>g anyth<strong>in</strong>g greater<br />
than $25,000 do not have to state a specific figure, said Redwood City City Attorney Stan Yamamoto.<br />
<strong>The</strong> City Council will agendize the claim by its Sept. 10 meet<strong>in</strong>g, Yamamoto said, add<strong>in</strong>g that the<br />
outcome is up to the members.<br />
“My sense is that we will take a hard look at it,” Yamamoto said.<br />
Burns did not rule out civil action aga<strong>in</strong>st Redwood City after prosecutors dropped the misdemeanor<br />
crim<strong>in</strong>al charges lodged follow<strong>in</strong>g the police tussle but said he hoped <strong>in</strong>stead to work with law enforcement.<br />
Gal<strong>in</strong>e was uncerta<strong>in</strong> what propelled Burns to consider a lawsuit but said his ongo<strong>in</strong>g physical ailments<br />
are likely a factor as well as a desire to push diabetes tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g for officers.<br />
“He had no alcohol on his breath and I’d hope the police would know how to recognize a drunk over a<br />
diabetic,” Gal<strong>in</strong>e said.<br />
As first reported <strong>in</strong> the Daily Journal April 3, Burns was at the new Century <strong>The</strong>atres <strong>in</strong> downtown<br />
Redwood City two days prior when he felt his blood sugar dropp<strong>in</strong>g. Burns has been diagnosed with type I<br />
diabetes for 35 years, is a board member of the American Diabetes Association and frequently speaks as a<br />
health and fitness expert at diabetes and medical conferences. He normally wore a 24-hour <strong>in</strong>sul<strong>in</strong> pump but<br />
was transition<strong>in</strong>g to a new medication.<br />
Burns said his vision grew so blurry he couldn’t read, and he headed to the snack bar for food. A security<br />
guard later told police Burns was wobbly and unstable on his feet and wouldn’t reply to his questions.<br />
Th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g Burns was <strong>in</strong>toxicated, the guard walked him outside and told him to leave. When Burns didn’t,<br />
the guard called police to report his loiter<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Burns’ last memories of the even<strong>in</strong>g were of be<strong>in</strong>g on the sidewalk <strong>in</strong> front of the theater, wrestl<strong>in</strong>g with<br />
four officers and hear<strong>in</strong>g police dogs. He rega<strong>in</strong>ed consciousness at the San Mateo Medical Center with<br />
mace on his shirt and glucose paste on his face.<br />
Redwood City police reported a slightly different version with Burns lung<strong>in</strong>g at one officer, push<strong>in</strong>g him<br />
to the ground with both hands and tak<strong>in</strong>g a fight<strong>in</strong>g stance. One officer cut a f<strong>in</strong>ger and a sergeant hurt his<br />
right shoulder. <strong>The</strong> <strong>in</strong>jury is expected to keep him from work for six months.<br />
Burns has a MedicAlert bracelet but it was not on his wrist. A medical test confirmed Burns’ low blood<br />
sugar, but he was cited by police and released on his own recognizance after be<strong>in</strong>g taken to the hospital.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> fact is Mr. Burns assaulted our officer,” Redwood City police Capt. Chris Cesena told the Daily<br />
Journal follow<strong>in</strong>g the arrest. “If he had just stood there and let us help him maybe they would have called the<br />
medics if he didn’t seem to fit the description of be<strong>in</strong>g under the <strong>in</strong>fluence. All that changes when the subject<br />
wants to attack an officer.”<br />
Cesena conceded uncerta<strong>in</strong>ty of what tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g officers receive to identify and handle diabetic <strong>in</strong>dividuals.<br />
Prosecutors followed through with the arrest, formally charg<strong>in</strong>g Burns days later and sett<strong>in</strong>g a trial date.<br />
<strong>The</strong> District Attorney’s Office never discounted the possibility of dropp<strong>in</strong>g the case but wanted sufficient<br />
proof of his “viable unconsciousness” <strong>in</strong> hand first.<br />
On May 30, prosecutors formally dismissed the charges after an endocr<strong>in</strong>ologist evaluated the medical<br />
records and could not rule out diabetic shock.<br />
Burns met the decision with relief and a sense of v<strong>in</strong>dication.<br />
Redwood City’s ‘Sequoia SweetTarts’ is a<br />
G<strong>in</strong>ny Ebert<br />
Red Hat Society President<br />
I<br />
had never heard of the Red Hat Society until my husband, Doug, came home from a Reno convention<br />
tot<strong>in</strong>g a gift for me — a purple T-shirt that sported a blaz<strong>in</strong>g red logo across its chest with the words “Red<br />
Hat Society.” While <strong>in</strong> Reno, he had noticed three or four women play<strong>in</strong>g the quarter slots who were dressed<br />
<strong>in</strong> purple and wear<strong>in</strong>g red hats, laugh<strong>in</strong>g noisily and enjoy<strong>in</strong>g themselves immensely. Curious, he asked the<br />
ladies why they were dressed <strong>in</strong> purple and red. <strong>The</strong>y responded that they belonged to the Red Hat Society.<br />
Oh. So, he asked, what is the Red Hat Society? Friendly and helpful, they told him it was an organization for<br />
“women of a certa<strong>in</strong> age,” i.e., for those whose v<strong>in</strong>tage was 50 years of age and over. (For those hatters-<strong>in</strong>wait<strong>in</strong>g<br />
who are under 50, p<strong>in</strong>k hats and lavender cloth<strong>in</strong>g are <strong>in</strong> order.) <strong>The</strong> Red Hat Society’s philosophy is<br />
heavily based on a poem by Jenny Joseph titled “Warn<strong>in</strong>g”:<br />
When I am an old woman I shall wear purple<br />
With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.<br />
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves<br />
And sat<strong>in</strong> sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.<br />
I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired<br />
And gobble up samples <strong>in</strong> shops and press alarm bells<br />
And run my stick along the public rail<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.<br />
I shall go out <strong>in</strong> my slippers <strong>in</strong> the ra<strong>in</strong><br />
And pick flowers <strong>in</strong> other people’s gardens<br />
And learn to spit.<br />
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat<br />
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go<br />
Or only bread and pickle for a week<br />
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and th<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> boxes.<br />
acqua<strong>in</strong>tances expressed <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> start<strong>in</strong>g our very own chapter, we decided to go for it. Thus, the Sequoia<br />
SweetTarts chapter was born on Feb. 11, 2006, at a luncheon at Marie Callender’s <strong>in</strong> Los Altos. And, as the<br />
say<strong>in</strong>g goes, the rest is history. I began to live and th<strong>in</strong>k like a quote from Mae West: “Too much of a good<br />
th<strong>in</strong>g is wonderful.” All it actually takes to start a chapter is three or four fun-lov<strong>in</strong>g women. When other<br />
ladies see you decked out <strong>in</strong> your red and purple and hav<strong>in</strong>g a great time, word will spread faster than jungle<br />
drums.<br />
Each Red Hat chapter is different. Some prefer to meet over lunch every month. <strong>The</strong> SweetTarts are an<br />
eclectic, energetic bunch who thrive on variety. Our activities have <strong>in</strong>cluded some luncheons but are not<br />
restricted to them. We have also enjoyed a tea, bowl<strong>in</strong>g, facials (given by one of our members who just<br />
happens to be an acupuncturist), flea market<strong>in</strong>g (or shall I say “glee market<strong>in</strong>g”?), m<strong>in</strong>iature golf<strong>in</strong>g, w<strong>in</strong>e<br />
tast<strong>in</strong>g, a play <strong>in</strong> the city, an Elvis party and a visit to Filoli Gardens, and have delighted <strong>in</strong> the adventure of<br />
learn<strong>in</strong>g how to play bocce ball. Like mutant flam<strong>in</strong>gos, we strut our stuff with our purple clothes, red hats,<br />
rh<strong>in</strong>estones, sequ<strong>in</strong>s and feather boas. It’s our time to sh<strong>in</strong>e, and we’re just girls who wanna have fun. As a<br />
certa<strong>in</strong> Red Hat say<strong>in</strong>g goes, “<strong>The</strong>re’s no such th<strong>in</strong>g as too much bl<strong>in</strong>g.” To commemorate our first birthday,<br />
we threw ourselves a party to celebrate the wonderfulness of be<strong>in</strong>g us. We’re off to Bay Meadows <strong>in</strong> early<br />
August, and later <strong>in</strong> the month we’ll be gett<strong>in</strong>g together for a potluck. Our chapter has no rules other than to<br />
wear the colors and to exercise simple etiquette — RSVPs to events are mandatory.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Red Hat Society is the perfect retreat for women who have been there and back. This is the “back”<br />
part. Sort of like dessert. We have raised children, endured hardships, suffered losses and worked hard.<br />
We have given. We now feel entitled to reserve the time to luxuriate <strong>in</strong> our own laughter, allow ourselves<br />
to giggle, blow soap bubbles, play dress-up, have slumber parties, eat fried peanut butter and banana<br />
sandwiches Elvis style (as well as lots of chocolate), chew bubble gum and start our meals by eat<strong>in</strong>g dessert<br />
first if we so please. We’re all about relish<strong>in</strong>g a second childhood — and for those who never really had the<br />
joy of truly experienc<strong>in</strong>g a first one, be<strong>in</strong>g able to f<strong>in</strong>ally do it now. It’s all about rek<strong>in</strong>dl<strong>in</strong>g old friendships,<br />
cultivat<strong>in</strong>g new ones, be<strong>in</strong>g old enough to know better and still young enough to do it anyway. It’s a solace<br />
from every day worries and problems, a respite from the humdrum, a social “happen<strong>in</strong>g.”<br />
Our very own special SweetTarts recipe: Mix friendship, frolic and fun until well blended; stir <strong>in</strong><br />
generous amounts of laughter, camaraderie, mischief and affection. Bake with TLC <strong>in</strong> a warm atmosphere.<br />
Top it off with as much chocolate as you want, and serve.<br />
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry<br />
And pay our rent and not swear <strong>in</strong> the street<br />
And set a good example for the children.<br />
We must have friends to d<strong>in</strong>ner and read the papers.<br />
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?<br />
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised<br />
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.<br />
After listen<strong>in</strong>g to his story, my <strong>in</strong>terest was piqued. <strong>The</strong>se ladies sure sounded like my k<strong>in</strong>d of women! Upon<br />
brows<strong>in</strong>g the Internet I found the RHS Web site, www.redhatsociety.com, and read the history of how, why,<br />
when and where it all started. This search segued <strong>in</strong>to yet another one on the Web site itself for a chapter to<br />
jo<strong>in</strong>. I found a wonderful chapter <strong>in</strong> San Carlos, of which I’m still a member to <strong>this</strong> day, and signed up for a<br />
luncheon and w<strong>in</strong>e tast<strong>in</strong>g party. I went <strong>in</strong> “cold,” not know<strong>in</strong>g anyone, but my discomfort was soon thrown<br />
to the w<strong>in</strong>d once we all started to chat. After attend<strong>in</strong>g a second “hoot,” I was hooked. I wanted more Red Hatt<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
I searched for more open chapters but was discouraged to f<strong>in</strong>d that either my <strong>in</strong>quiries were met by dead<br />
silence or most of the other chapters <strong>in</strong> my area were closed to new members. When some of my friends and<br />
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