Letters To The Editor

GRRRROWWLLL

To the Editor,

Busyness is a constant in our lives. It's hard to decide where to spend our time and energy. In choosing, I reflect upon the extent to which the issue effects the well-being of life on earth and in America, the land of dreaming free. During this election season, I have chosen to give time and effort to support The Move to Amend campaign.

Corporate personhood has robbed us of our precious democracy, mutating it into greed-based capitalism, putting so much of the direction of our nation, politics, our lives in general, into the hands of corporations, the mentality of which is based on increasing the wealth of the corporation itself, investing in operations that enhance profit rather than improving life on earth, and now, in buying elections.

America was born out of founding parents not funding parents. When did we, the everyday 99% decide that we no longer wish to live under Democracy? When did we choose Capitalism and Corporate Rule? Was it the same moment we decided that a corporation was a person?

Corporations are not people. People live and die; corporations live on forever, or as long as they make a profit. People tend to live in a neighborhood where we know the people who live next door, work with others, teach our children well. The Corporation lives everywhere and nowhere. Just try to track one down, have it over for tea. People live to give and to become a part of something intimate. Corporations live to make more of themselves, … more wealth and more power.

The people of Mendocino County have an opportunity to make a choice. The Move to Amend is on the ballot this November as Measure F. It is one of Mendocino County's voting choices. Let us take the lead, along with other places with similar Motions on the Ballot. Support the Move to Amend campaign in whatever way you can. And vote. Vote to Amend — Measure F. Yes.

Marylyn Motherbear Scott

Albion

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DEAR AVA, THE BOOK

Editor,

I just finished a chapbook of rhymes which were published between 2004 and 2012 in the Anderson Valley Advertiser . The AVA is a weekly paper I’ve been contributing to since 1985, just after it was purchased by Bruce Anderson and transformed into a radical forum for the county of Mendocino in Northern California.

The cover and inside cover artwork was done by my son, Soren. If you would like a copy of the chapbook called Dear AVA, send me your address and I’ll mail you one. If you live outside the US send money for postage. My address is 3626 32nd St.; San Diego, CA; 92104. If you have a Kindle, you can also download it from Amazon.

Regards,

John Wester

San Diego

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Memo of the Week

Description of Services for $62,500 contract the County of Mendocino has drawn up for the Mendocino Youth Project

DEFINITION OF SERVICES

CONTRACTOR shall provide the following services: Contractor shall develop and implement the Mental Health Education, Destigmatization, and Peer Support program to provide prevention and early intervention services to students at Ukiah, Redwood Valley, Fort Bragg, Mendocino, and Point Arena schools for youth in grade 6th-12th.

1) Interactive Education Modules: Youth workers will deliver the Breaking the Silence education curriculum including Spanish program materials for the middle school levels. The curriculum will primarily be delivered in Science or Physical Education classes.

2) Training the Trainers: The Program Director and Youth Workers will co-develop and host a Training for Trainers during the summer months of 2012.

3) Peer Support Groups:

a) Youth who may benefit from receiving additional services will be offered the opportunity to participate in an on campus group developed under the direction of the Program Director, clinical supervisors, school counselors, and the Youth Workers. Youth Workers will meet weekly with their clinical supervisor. Students in need of a professional mental health services will be referred to mental health services on campus, County Mental Health Branch, or within their community.

b) Peer counseling: Youth Workers in Point Arena will partner with existing Peer Counseling program so that Peer counselors can co-facilitate Breaking the Silence curriculum and Peer Support groups.

4) Customized Handouts will be completed primarily by Program Director and distributed during curriculum delivery and during Peer Support groups. Handouts will be reviewed by Peer Counselors who will provide feedback and revisions will be made as necessary.

5) Track and Report Outcomes will be done through the creation and administration of a survey before and after the implementation of the Breaking the Silence curriculum at the close of each semester.

6) Quarterly Reporting:

CONTRACTOR to submit Quarterly Reports to the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Fiscal Analyst in a timely manner. Format and content of Quarterly Report to be developed by COUNTY and CONTRACTOR but shall provide the appropriate level of detail to support monthly billing for services and include a quarterly Cost Report.

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CADILLAC SUNRISE

Editor,

On this Saturday morning, I reflect with the sunrise on three things I am grateful for; not being too difficult to please, I am thankful today for The Mendocino Papers, Behind the Green Curtain, and the Cadillac Wok, a great Chinese Restaurant in Garberville, owned and operated by a Chicago born, African American who is really cool and has an Asian family that can cook up some really great food.

Cannot wait for tomorrow's sunrise.

Randy H. Burke

Gualala

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COLLEEN CROSSED

Dear Editor,

The Point Arena School Board called a “Special Meeting” on Thursday, September 20th to go over the budget because “things just don’t look quite as bad as they did the end of August”!

So, let me go over it with you: Today’s District Budget now indicates the beginning revenue to be $8,245,871 with expenses of $6,339,622 leaving a carryover for the following year of $1,906,249. That sounds great, right? What district with approximately 480 students wouldn’t like to start with a budget of $8,245,871? However, the expected total revenue for 2012-2013 is only $6,144,535 with expenses being $6,339,622 which means they will be deficit spending, again, 2012-2013 to the tune of 195,087 if Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax initiative fails.

Well, if they wanted to change these figures around, I could tell them where to look for extra money — Superintendent Cross’s outrageous new contract. Exactly why the board felt it necessary to call a “Special Meeting” instead of just going over these figures and a few discussion items at the next regular board meeting or how about a week previously at that board meeting eludes me. Perhaps, it was to set the stage to go over how great it looks like the Arena Union Elementary School is doing even though they still fall below State Proficiency Levels along with the high school and not mentioning the budget at the last as to how they are deficit spending just so they could push Cross’s contract through. Unfortunately, neither the teachers nor the community members were fooled.

To hold this meeting, the high school library had to be closed to the students because they just had to meet at 2:15 to discuss this. Again, our students had to suffer for board’s irresponsible decisions.

Respectfully,

Susan Rush

Manchester

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RICHARD’S GARAGE-MAHAL

Editor,

Re: The Mendocino Transit Authority's new building.

Nice building, sort of a “Garage-mahal.”

$1200/square foot. Just for comparison, my new building that Doug Crane put up, around $100/square foot. The buildings I'm buying from DDR, $15/square foot (I admit they need a bunch of work). I understand there are some other amenities such as solar panels and lifts but $6.2 million!? Really?

That we are being cavalier with federal dollars instead of local dollars makes no difference, waste is waste and it should always be avoided. Contemplating how my team at Factory Pipe works to squeeze every second and every nickel out of every process while the government seems to go out of their way to do less with more just tears me up.

Ross H. Liberty

Ukiah

Ed note: Not to mention the fancy offices upstairs for MTA boss Bruce Richard.

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MENDO’S MOST INTERESTING MAN

Bruce,

I think you're pulling a “Cheney” on us in choosing Mendocino's most interesting person. You say it is Sweeney but I would think that the MIP might really be the editor who publishes a weekly newspaper in which many times a year he accuses a fellow resident and local bureaucrat of murdering his wife. Is there any other paper is this land or any land in the world who accuses similarly? You might be truly unique, in this regard. I have thought of telling Colbert about you but I don't want to bring any more odd attention to our beloved county, not that he would necessarily take the bait, perhaps a little too serious for him, although the Kolata connection might perk his interest. The Susan Keegan development has swiftly given your accusations more credibility, by association. But beware, if you are correct about Sweeney (of which I have no opinion — its your fact-less theory, right?) and things come to a head I would be afraid a psychopath like that would go after not only you but your family. If you google your name the first hit is still Liar Unlimited, so you see, he is (might be?) “winning.” Fuck it, lets concentrate on what really matters: Go Giants! On to the playoffs... (And the 49ers...wow...)

Paul Modic

Garberville

PS. Got my paper Monday, the new normal...

Ed note: Factless? I know repetition can be boring, but if you'll go to our website, or plow through our back issues, I think quite a convincing case has been made which, at this point, is really pretty simple to wrap up if Mendo's DA would subpoena the DNA of a dozen people, beginning with Sweeney, to compare with the known DNA from the diversionary Lord's Avenger Letter (also likely the work of Mr. Sweeney), it would be case closed. I don't see that happening for lots of reasons, among them the odd fact that the late Bari's immediate family has never expressed the slightest interest in finding out who did it, leaving a handful of ghouls led by Darryl Cherney to squeeze whatever they can from the old girl's memory. But we do have a real DA here in Amnesia County and cold cases can become quite hot. Of course, if you think there's nothing suspicious in a well-known person involved in an acrimonious divorce getting blown up in the middle of a major American city, then dies slowly and painfully over a period of years from her injuries while her ex-husband is miraculously excluded from the primo suspect pool, we don't have anything to talk about. Most places, however, the authorities would probably take an interest in the matter.

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HELPING ELENA OROZCO

Dear Residents of Anderson Valley,

I want to express my gratitude and my amazement at the generosity of our community!

The support for Elena Orozco who suffered from a blood clot in her lung after a procedure to remove kidney stones has been remarkable! There has been over $1500 collected through the school to help our sweet Elena who awoke from her coma singing and was released from the hospital on Wednesday, October 20.

I don't know if it is only in Anderson Valley you see this type of care and support for our community members, but it is pretty exceptional.

Thanks to all of you for making this a wonderful place to live!

Donna Pierson-Pugh

Principal, Anderson Valley Elementary School

Boonville

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OCCUPY’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Editor,

Saturday. Sept. 15, 2012, Occupy Mendocino celebrated the persistence of our powerful movement : The one year Birthday Party was held at the Fort Bragg Senior Center. A 20 min slide show documenting our efforts was shown by Richard Karch.

#1 accomplishment was getting two of our members onto the Sr. Ctr. Board of Directors through our numbers attending and observing board meetings and running for office.Taking power at the community level is no minor achievement.

#2 accomplishment: We participated in the statewide direct action “scene of the Crime” tapes at county Assessors' offices. Laurie Y. made a 4min.video of 25 Occupy Mendocino and Occupy Ukiah members carrying signs (alleging mortgage fraud) at the Board of Supervisors County Offices .The video included a homeowner, facing foreclosure, who with the help of the Assessor was able to look at his records. He could not find who owned his mortgage due the Wall Street securitizing loans having been sold to investors abroad. Still the bank will foreclose on his home. Result= Both OM and OU, were asked to be speakers on the next month's BOS agenda regarding fraudulent home foreclosures, which we did , thus revealing the broader picture and facts from the S.F.County Assessor's office Accomplishment #3: We organized faxes to be sent to our state legislators supporting the Home Owners Bill of Rights. This butressed the direct action of two of us rallying in Sacramento and lobbying our two legislators.We were joined by three hundred other protestors at the State Capitol pushing for a three year Moratorium on Home Foreclosures. Result: the following Monday the legislature passed the Homeowners Billof Rights. But because these protections (5 laws) will go into effect only in January 2013 we are calling for Governor Brown to declare a state of economic emergency and a Moratorium on Foreclosures Now until Jan.2013. Please join us in sending this message at change.org.petition: Foreclosure Moratorium Petition to Governor Brown.

Number 4 accomplishment: The tech committee organized the May Fort Bragg Occupy Street Fair. You can go to occupymendo.net. for a film of the event drawing together over 800 townspeople and visitors. Howard Ennis gave a rousing speech putting our movement in a historical perspective since he had worked in the last Roosevelt Administration.  It can be seen on Youtube. Other platform speeches heard on issues of the Occupy Movement were not covered in the press.

Number 5. Our tech novice Sheila has put together two programs for MCTV about Occupy Mendocino Street Fair and our contingent in the Labor Day Parade.

Number 6. Richard networked with the local SEIUnion, they marched, sang and chanted slogans relevant to the 99% which resonated with the parade onlookers who enjoyed the life size puppets of Babe and Paul Bunyun- a lleged to be a Union Man.

Number 7. We invited CJ Holmes to speak at the ML King program Foreclosures, and were instrumental in getting KZYX Money Talks Show to host CJ Holmes,and now she has a call in show on Pacificas KPFA on Thursdays.

Number 8. we have a Website (www.OccupyMendocino.net), a list serve site (occupymendocino@lists.mcn.org) and can be seen on Facebook.

Don't believe the propaganda that the Occupy Movement is in decline. We are only one year old and have barely started!

As a predominently senior movement locally we need to take time out, recharge and come back to speak truth to power.

Sincerely,

Agnes Woolsey

Mendocino

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MITTNEY & THE MOOCHERS

Editor,

Let me get this straight:

I'm a moocher and freeloader because I was lucky enough to go to public schools paid for by the government because the local taxpayers believed in an educated citizenry?

Because I had student loans and government grants and scholarships while I attended a public university and law school, always holding down a part time job? (By the way, those loans to this freeloader were paid back religiously; thankfully, they weren't more than my rent.)

Because I had the temerity to collect unemployment after I got laid off after 26 1/2 years while I looked for another job (which, thankfully, I was able to locate)?

That makes a moocher?

Let me tell who I am. I am a hard-working American who pays her taxes at a higher rate than Mitt Romney. I am grateful for the opportunities and advantages that government was able to provide for me so that I could be that hard working American. And I am proud to be one of the 47 percent who would never vote for Romney.

Anyone who holds a job pays payroll taxes. Anyone who buys essentials such as clothes or shampoo pays sales taxes. And anyone who is lucky enough to own a house pays property taxes. But somehow we're transformed into moochers and freeloaders because we use government services?

Romney has shown his true colors. For that we should be thankful.

Nancy Ludgus

Los Altos

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PERHAPS

Editor,

Touché. I agree that I was boorish in walking past the AVA booth at the fair and I apologize.

My recent pique at the AVA has less to do with your criticisms of my performance as supervisor than it does with your recent handling of the DA’s report on the killing of Aaron Bassler.

Like Jim Bassler, Aaron’s father, I’m not criticizing the decision made by law enforcement to end the life of the young man suspected of killing two citizens of our county.

But I am critical of both the DA, and your paper, for insisting that the perpetrator of these crimes was suffering nothing more serious than excessive use of drugs and alcohol. Aaron Bassler’s pattern of substance abuse may well have added fuel to the fire, but to dismiss his symptoms of severe mental illness is to dangerously miss the point.

I’m sure you have read the letters that were sent to county officials by Jim Bassler and by Aaron’s mother and sister. These were pleas for help from desperate family members who had no idea how to handle their son and brother’s increasing dysfunction and hostility.

For example, Natalie Serrano, Aaron’s sister, wrote: “We believe Aaron has some type of mental disorder that is the underlying cause for his alcohol abuse and reckless behavior in general. All members of his immediate family have witnessed Aaron behaving, writing and speaking in a delusional manner that leads us to believe that he suffers from a psychological disorder or disease. He has proven to be incapable of functioning socially and productively within society and among his family.”

Jim Bassler, in a letter to jail psychiatrist Dr. Doug Rosoff, wrote: “My son Aaron Bassler is currently in the Mendocino County Jail and I believe he needs a psychiatric evaluation and medical treatment for his psychiatric disorder which appears to be schizophrenia. His behavior changed when he was 18 or 19 years old. His symptoms are: bizarre delusions, paranoia, marked personality change, denial of obvious problems, strong resistance to help, out of touch with reality, strange ideas, significant changes in sleeping patters, social withdrawal and isolation even from family, increased irritability and anger, uncharacteristically poor judgment, risk-taking behavior, anger and hostility out of proportion to the situation.”

Jim Bassler goes on to describe Aaron’s arrest by federal authorities for harassing the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco. “He was apparently acting out on his delusions dealing with space aliens and the Chinese.” The distraught father ends the letter with a plea that his son be diagnosed and put on medication that “will stabilize him.”

These letters were hand-delivered and faxed to county authorities in February of last year, a full six months before the murders of Matt Coleman and Jere Melo. During part of this time, Aaron was in custody. Needless to say, the letters went unanswered and unheeded. Due to an errant procedure at the jail, Dr. Rosoff never even saw the letter from Jim Bassler.

So again, Bruce and Mark, I apologize for my behavior. I was doing grandpa duty and just didn’t want to take the time to get into all this. Maybe my discomfiture is more with the DA, and the failures of the county overall, than with the AVA. But I do think you failed to do this tragedy justice.

Dan Hamburg

Ukiah

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SEPARATED

Editor:

First and always allow me to extend my respects to you and the people of the Anderson Valley Advertiser.

I'm writing to ask for another extension of our subscription. It's the only thing I can count on and I really enjoy the news and updates on Mendocino County that the AVA gives me. We can't forget about the “Manbeater of the Week” feature so if you will please give me another extension it would be appreciated.

My old cellie and I got in a so-called “riot” and now we are in the Secure Housing Unit and separated. He is also from Mendocino County and has asked me to write and see if he can get his own subscription because he can't read mine anymore.

Thanks for your time. I hope this reaches you in the best of health and high spirits.

Ethan Bauer

San Quentin

PS. A shout out to all the ladies at Hotel Low Gap. I hope to hear from you all. We would like to receive some mail from some of those ladies there. I'm quite sure our names will ring a bell there. Jail mail is better than no mail.

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BARELY MINIMUM

Editor,

Robert Reich often laments our declining middle class.

The working poor have it worse. Why care? Minimum-wage jobs set the benchmark for higher-paid jobs.

In 1970, the benchmark minimum wage was $2 an hour. In 1970, a two-bedroom, one-bath apartment rented for $70 a month.

Today it's at least $700. In 1970, an avocado cost 15 cents - today, at least $1.50. Then, a gallon of gas was about 30 cents. Now it's at least $3.75. Back then, hamburger was 39 cents a pound. Now it's at least $4. A soda cost a dime in 1970. Today it's a buck.

Just about every price has gone up to about 10 times what it was in 1970. But minimum wage has increased only four times, to $8 an hour. So today's minimum wage has the 1970 buying power of 50 cents an hour. In 1970, no self-respecting adult would have worked for 50 cents an hour.

If the minimum wage had kept pace, it would now be $20 an hour. This comes to $41,600 a year. The average American household now makes about $49,000 a year, or 20 percent more than what the minimum wage would have paid if had it kept pace with inflation.

So the average household is now living on the 1970 equivalent of $2.40 an hour. In 1970, if you were earning only $2.40 an hour, you were poor, not middle class.

Similarly, higher wages have been held down as well. By 1970 standards, today's average American household is poor and simply redefined as “middle class.”

Jamey Brzezinski

Merced/Pacifica

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MARCH OF DOLLARS

Editor —

In the 1940s and 50s the March of Dimes was everywhere, a gigantic charity machine for fighting the polio epidemic. Its annual fund-raising drives him were wildly successful. The cash flow served many victims. But it also sustained a vast March of Dimes bureaucracy.

In 1955 the Salk polio vaccine received FDA approval. It was obvious — this vaccine would soon invalidate the March of Dimes' very reason for being. Unless the organization could change, it was doomed.

This from Wikipedia: “The March of Dimes has been described as a bureaucracy that has taken on a life of its own through a classic example of a process called goal displacement. Faced with redundancy after Jonas Salk discovered the polio vaccine, it adopted a new mission, 'fighting birth defects,' which was recently changed to a more vague goal of 'breakthrough for babies,' rather than disbanding.”

The March of Dimes executives had to settle for infant care because all the “sexy” afflictions like cancer, tuberculosis and heart disease were taken. But it's been a difficult time for the March of Dimes. They have never fully recovered from the Salk discovery.

In a like manner, the American offense industry is a colossal and extraordinarily profitable enterprise, dwarfing the March of Dimes. It's responsible for all our war technology. (The public is expected to provide the sons and daughters to operate — and die using — this high-tech equipment.) It thrives on turbulence, instability and conflict (in other countries, of course). Peace is not the industry's friend.

Mikhail Gorbachev was the last head of state of the old Soviet Union. From 1988-1991 he presided over its breakup. In 1989 the Berlin Wall came down on his watch.

Gorbachev was, to the American offense industry, what Salk was to the March of Dimes. He ended the Cold War, destroying the industry's mission — the very reason for its existence.

The end came suddenly. The industry was as unprepared for Gorbachev's stab in the back as the March of Dimes. It muddled through the last decade of the 20th Century as Clinton made huge cuts to the War Department's budget.

But in 2000 a Messiah appeared, a savior. The ventriloquist Dick Cheney and his dummy puppet George Bush assumed the Presidencies of the United States.

Now there was hope. Then, eight months later, 19 terrorists secured eternal prosperity for the industry with attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Supposedly, these attacks justify the war on terror. (This attack was not handled like the Oklahoma City bombing. Both were crimes — not acts of war. But the Oklahoma City bombing was investigated and resolved by skillful police work.)

Now the United States is in a state of endless conflict — with endless profits — way better than the Cold War. For those supplying weapons to kill people and destroy things, it doesn't get any better than this.

So, Iran, Syria, Yemen, watch your backs. And Afghanistan, we're not finished with you yet. Nor are the drone strikes in Pakistan likely to end anytime soon. And if the United States says you sheltered terrorists, you're gonna be a target.

But what about proof? Proof? We don't need no stinkin' proof.

In this madness, patriotic but naive and impulsive young people will continue to be maimed, disfigured, mutilated and killed in wars of choice while old-fart shareholders enrich themselves with their blood, their body parts and their lives.

Best regards,

Bart Boyer

San Diego

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BOUND BY GLORY

Dear Editor:

Re: Mitt Romney's 47% written off as “entitled victims.” That nearly 150,000,000 Americans, huge numbers of military veterans included, all do pay some form of taxes, via extortion, to support this most corrupt government ever to disgrace the nation. Mr. Romney failed to credit those people with not having paid bribe money to prostitute politicians like the anonymous group of plutocrats were in the process of doing when he revealed his true colors in the video (filmed by President Jimmy Carter's grandson). Shouldn't everyone reasonably presume that Romney's family, church, friends and neighbors at least tacitly agree with his views? Let the deafening silence from those people serve as ironclad proof.

This latter points to what is really most important here: it is who was listening to Romney's fusillade of class warfare rhetoric and thinly veiled racism. Through United States Supreme Court Citizens United tyranny those “greed is good” people do not have to reveal who they are. Our dictatorial chief justice, John Roberts, arrogantly barked into the faces of 312 million supposedly “home of the brave” Americans that if they did not like what the court did it was “basically too bad.” He and the rest of our broken high court agreed that the bribe givers could secretly accept money paid by that 47% for products and services while, simultaneously, begrudging those very same people the government benefits all truly civilized societies provide for their citizens. Has the audacity of evil grown to know no bounds in today's America?

Finally, to remind those apparently suffering from historical amnesia; tax revolt played a big part in the birth of this nation. Romney's 53% blindly and thus irresponsibly paying taxes to further enable this despicably corrupt and failing government are part of the problem, not the solution. Furthermore, there are such things as boycotts so those greedy corporations paying the biggest bribes who have now had their true disdain for half the country so perfectly publicized by Mr. Romney, should not be “entitled” to any more business from those making up that 47%. Just desserts anyone?

James S. Kor, P-13834

US Supreme Court Case Number 08-10588

California State Prison, Los Angeles County

P.O. Box 4490, B2129; Lancaster, CA 93539

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HEMINGWAY'S HOUSES

Editor,

The following is a letter from Ernest Hemingway to F. Scott Fitzgerald:

“Burgette, Spain, July 1, 1925. Dear Scott: We are going in to Pamplona tomorrow. Been trout fishing here. How are you? How is Zelda? I am feeling better than I've ever felt — haven't drunk anything but wine since I left Paris. God it has been wonderful country. But you hate country. All right omit description of country. I wonder what your idea of heaven would be — a beautiful vacuum filled with wealthy monogamists, all-powerful and members of the best families while drinking themselves to death. And hell would probably be an ugly vacuum full of poor polygamists unable to obtain booze or with chronic stomach disorders that they called secret sorrows.

“To me, heaven would be a big bull ring with me holding two Barrera seats and a trout stream outside that no one else was allowed to fish in and two lovely houses in the town where I would have my wife and children and be monogamous and love them truly and well, and the other where I would have my nine beautiful mistress whose on nine different floors and one house would be fitted out with special copies of the Dial printed on soft tissue and kept in the toilets on every floor and in the other house we would use the American Mercury and the New Republic. Then there would be a fine church like in Pamplona where I could go and be confessed on the way from one house to the other and I would get on my horse and ride out with my son to my bull ranch named “Hacienda Hadley” and toss coins to all my illegitimate children that lived along the road. I would write out at the Hacienda and send my son in to lock the chastity belts onto my mistresses because someone had just galloped up with the news that a notorious monogamist named Fitzgerald had been seen riding toward the town at the head of a company of sterling drinkers. Well anyway, we're going into town tomorrow early in the morning. Write me at the Hotel Quintana, Pamplona, Spain. Yours, Ernest”

Robert Jouncewell

Willits

PS. Port Orford — “tastefully done” — New York review of books. Port Orford — “brilliant,” Noam Chomsky. Port Orford — “splendid,” the Catholic Worker.

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BYE-BYE BUMPERSTICKERS

Editor,

What happened to bumper sticker culture? Growing up in the 60s it seemed that every other car had some sort of bumper sticker. Perhaps it is in part related to the disappearance of the station wagon, that civilized and practical family hauler. Station wagons were not only everywhere, they were often heavily festooned with colorful bumper stickers telling the world this car traveled to just about any place on the continent or even beyond. Everyone wanted to have them when they visited a state or national park. Kids traded them like baseball cards. ("Baseball cards"? What are those?) We think this upcoming presidential election is partisan and hard-fought, but you'd never know it from the dearth of stickers on cars. There were millions of Kennedy-Johnson and Nixon-Lodge stickers all over the place. And it seemed impossible that there were so many “This Car Climbed Mount Washington.”

As station wagons went out they were replaced by ugly vans in the 70s, this new fad was hand in glove with CB (Citizens Band) radios.

Remember “If this van's a rockin', don't bother knockin'!"?

Most of the vans ended up in the boneyard with the advent of Detroit's best brainchild, the SUV. The craze took off with guaranteed appeal to new generations of would-be road warriors and the “young urban professionals.”

So what are we left with today? A visit to the Internet shows a huge variety of stickers available to satisfy any and all possible niche views or annoyances, religions, dogs, guns, etc. I even authored my own contribution, “When in-laws are outlawed, only outlaws will have in-laws.” When the religious right came out with “kids need to pray,” my brother came up with “adults need to think.” But it's all nearly dead. We are left with tired postulations of whatever side of the cultural divide one wants to broadcast, plus a psychiatrist's index of sociopathic projections. “I brake for Democrats.” “How's my driving? Call 1-800-EAT-SHIT.” “War is not the answer.” I must say I like that one, even though no one pays any attention to it.

The death knell of bumper sticker culture seemed to arrive with the advent of “my child is an honor roll student at (generic elementary).” And my personal favorite for today's saddest possible bumper stickers: the little oval white and black abbreviations for resorts which as status symbols are code for “Yes, I'm rich.”

Sorry I've got to go now. I'm off for Florida.

Neil Williamson

Greenbelt, Maryland

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 COMPETITION

Editor,

Today our country has a debt of 100% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product). At the end of World War II we had debt of 120% of GDP and we were able to climb out of that monstrous debt we ran up producing ships, airplanes and everything else the world needed while supplying our some 13 million service people with everything from shoes to tanks.

When the war ended, war production was turned off like closing a faucet. We had even amassed huge amounts of war material in anticipation of a long war with Japan.

But the atom bomb ended the war. Suddenly we started to discharge our armed forces as most of the military were in for the duration and production of goods was turned back to civilian production. That huge war production suddenly slowed to a trickle and we climbed out of a serious financial mess. Also during the war vast amounts of savings grew as there was little to buy. Also, a demand from ten years of depression before the war.

Now we go back to our serious financial predicament. The general public has piles of debt with little cash to buy things with, as our politicians say is necessary to get the economy going. Not only is the general public mired in debt, but most governments (federal, state and local) are mired in debt.

All our governments have given so many perks, grants and subsides to businesses, unions and everyone that it’s killing our competitiveness in the world as anyone can see by reading the label of goods made someplace other than the US. Many of these products are made by American corporations, but not in the US. This is a world economy and business goes where it can make the most money. That leaves us with big unemployment.

How do we solve this? It’s very very difficult. Nobody, but nobody, wants to give up any of their benefits. In the private sector if a business is losing money they do what they have to in order to survive. But in government politics gets involved. They get re-elected with campaign contributions being one of the biggest reasons. Efficiency means little in government and there is the problem. If government uses a certain amount of money to build, say, ten miles of road, but a private company can build the same amount of road without government interference for the same amount of money and end up with 30 miles of road, everyone benefits as we all have to drive on those roads.

This example applies to all things. Remember my holy word: competition.

Emil Rossi

Boonville

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SUCCESSFUL SCHOOLING

Editor,

It just occurred to me that we are missing a very important holiday in this country of ours. We need to celebrate the total success of our public educational system. Our children, since the turn of the 19th century, have been taught to read, write and do arithmetic. But more importantly they have been taught to not be tardy and to not question authority.

The foregoing is prompted by the receipt of a bill for $150 from Sacramento. I am in a fire protection zone and the state does not have enough money to protect me so I must pony up to protect myself.

It seems clear that I and others must do what we are being told to do. No questions asked.

Sorry, I have one question: Why do I need to pay this fee when our country is spending over $1 billion every day in a futile war in Afghanistan?

Since I am misbehaving by questioning authority, let me continue. Why did we go to war in Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Kuwait, Iraq and dozens of other smaller costly conflicts?

These trillions of dollars have not protected us. They have protected the business interests of 1% of our country. The remaining 99% is not supposed to ask why? Until we question why everything is breaking down and requires funding from the citizens of this country to fix it, we must do as we are told or go to the office.

Ashley Jones

Alameda/Boonville

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NO FAIR RECYCLING?

To The Editor:

Help me with this one: the Boonville Fair, the Mendocino County Fair and Apple Show doesn’t have recycling.

They have painted, cow-colored, black and white spotted trash cans for the trash and the plastic bottles and the aluminum cans to go in, all in one can, with easy-to-remove and replace clear plastic trash bag liners. But not recycling.

They have border collies, sheep dogs, able to get sheep to read; angora rabbits that before they get sheared wouldn’t fit in my garage; they have pony rides, organic apples, and 4-H and FFA events. But they don’t have recycling.

Help me with that. Because the people I talked to out there didn’t know.

They just pointed to the spotted, the dappled, cow-colored trash cans, with the easy-to remove clear plastic liners. And that didn’t help.

Bill Walls

Ukiah