One of the first events on the BB docket will feature Firoozeh Dumas, author of Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America. She'll discuss her book on Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the community room of the Saratoga library. The Friends of Saratoga Libraries is the sponsor.

Dumas moved with her family from Iran to California when she was 7. Her mother spoke no English and her father spoke only limited English. Funny in Farsi is described as a lighthearted look at both her native and adoptive homes.

Presumably, immigrants will identify with her experiences and the native-born will be enlightened. The book may bring one closer to discovering what it means to be American. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Friends of the Libraries will hold its first book sale in the revamped library Oct. 4 and 5 in the community room. Paperbacks, four for $1, will be offered Saturday, 10 a.m.­6 p.m., and the $2 bag sale (all the paperbacks you can stuff in one bag) will be held Sunday, 1­5 p.m. Contact is the Book-Go-Round at 408.867.5552.

MASP: A group of 20 couples has been getting together for short trips in September for the past 24 years. Most of the couples are, or were, Saratogans and Los Gatans. Time has taken a toll, but most are still active. This time the groups did Victoria. These expeditions are called MASPs (Middle-Aged Slumber Parties).

Ed Porter's son-in-law, though, says the travelers should consider re-naming themselves GASP (substituting geriatric for middle). That s-i-l is obviously a realist. Destinations chosen are generally nearby—Yosemite, Napa, San Diego, though they've also gone to Mazatlan on a four-day cruise.

The whole thing started because they had such a fine time together when Carolyn and Dean McCoid's son was married in Fresno that a yearly outing was deemed necessary. MASP members include Joanne and Fred Petersen, Huette and Bob James, Carol and George Hutchinson, Lou and Shirley Martini, Jessie and Pete Peterson, Jean and Ro Boylan, Jack and Berry Blake, Marian and Jim Lyon, Charles and Emily Dorr, Jak and Betty Kirtland, Bob Gustke, Colleen Lund and Buff Bissell.

ENERGY EXPERT: Jane Turnbull, an environmental scientist and energy consultant, spoke to the League of Women Voters recently, bringing both dismaying and encouraging news. On the dismaying ledger: Can a blackout happen here? Yes, especially in San Diego and the SF Peninsula, since the power plants that serve those areas are so very old. Rescue would come from the East Bay because their energy supplies are larger, more efficient.

Natural-gas supplies are rapidly being depleted, and there's not much push for its conservation, though most landfill sites now have pipelines to collect natural gas derived from bio-mass garbage. Our natural gas comes from Canada. Other energy sources need to be found—and pronto.

To this end, Byron Sher has introduced a bill mandating that renewable energy be used 20 percent statewide in a few years. The figure in use today is 10 percent. The year of mandated change hasn't been set yet, may be 2010.

On the encouraging side: Renewable energy production supplies are steadily climbing, although still meager. Geothermal and wind energy sources are used quite a bit in California. Another plus: California uses 50 percent less electricity per capita than other states.

Turnbull credited windows, energy-saving appliances, and restricted use during prime time. North Dakota has enough wind to generate energy for the entire country. But how to harness it? Lines are costly and utilities charge a high connection fee for transmitting energy. Electricity can't be stored, has to be transmitted immediately.

More power plants are needed. And those plants should be nuclear, insisted an audience member, longtime GE engineer. Built to U.S. specifications, nuclear plants would pose no threats.

DUFFY WATERCOLORS: A reception for Kay Duffy will be held at Aegis Gallery from 4­6 p.m. Oct. 5. Duffy, an award-winning artist, teaches watercolor and collage at Hakone Gardens. Her work will be featured at Aegis through Oct. 26. Her website is www.KayDuffyWatercolors.com. Spring orchards are a favorite subject; she also paints abstractions.

HAKONE VIEWS: Photographs of Hakone by Sunnyvale photographer Cherryl Pape are on view at Keeble & Shuchat Photography on California Street in Palo Alto until Oct. 13. Pape has been photographing Hakone for the past three years.

Got a tip for Saratoga Sampler? Send email to maryanncook@earthlink.net.