ONE OF THE MOST AMUSING moments in Thursday night’s second game of the World Series came when Giants outfielder Gregor Blanco’s bunt down the third base line refused to roll foul as a crowd of befuddled Tigers gathered around it. Commentators of the more excitable type speculated that the Giants grounds crew, knowing the Giants have more people who can bunt than the Tigers, sculpted the third base line with just a teensy bit of tilt just for this possibility — the sports equivalent of Building 7 conspiracy thinking. After an agonizing few seconds of staring at the wiggling little sphere that refused to roll foul, dejected Tiger infielders realized the ball was going to stay fair by just a couple of inches, and the third base umpire gave it the big gestured shout, “Fair ball!” The ruling left the bases loaded with nobody out, after which Brandon Crawford grounded into a double play which scored Hunter Pence from third for what turned out to be the winning run. That night, the game of baseball came down to a circle of grown men staring at a baseball rolling along a narrow dirt path with millions of dollars in the balance.
SPEAKING OF BASEBALL, and who isn't this week? I hope you will indulge me while I force upon you the following comments. I have to admit that I doubted the Giants could get to the World Series after Melky went down (and he better get a full share of the World Series money!), and I admit I never have gotten used to Zito as a dependable starter, and I thought the Cards and the Reds both had our boys down and out. But here they are world champs and I'm all the way on the bandwagon.
I WISH the cameras wouldn't linger on dugout guys spitting. Do we really need close-ups of untaught jocks drooling out those cringe-inducing, stalactite-length loogies? I played lots of baseball as a kid and I don't remember any ostentatious spitting, let alone the public testicle adjustments you now see on national television. I noticed that the Tiger's managers didn't spit and they didn't re-organize their balls, at least not while the cameras were on them.
THE FOX TELECASTS? Horrible. Interminable interviews with players while the game was on — Romo rambled on so long I began to suspect it was some kind of weird practical joke — and that Pee Wee Herman lookalike shed no light whatsoever as he periodically appeared down by the dugout. The whole show was obviously produced by someone with no understanding of or appreciation for the game. Joe Buck and Tim McCarver (who appears to be senile) were so bad I watched with the sound off. Tech wizards say there's a way of getting Miller, Flem, Krup and Kuip's audio off your computer in sync with the television picture, but that feat is way beyond this guy's techno-skills. Getting back to player interviews: They're boring because if the players happen to say anything interesting or, more dangerously, funny, it will be deliberately misconstrued as Ozzie Guillen's remark about Castro's longevity was deliberately miscontrued, and that was merely a statement of the obvious. (Castro has lasted a long time, hasn't he?) But it got Guillen fired when the gusanos rose up in Miami and instantly West Coast idiots like Murf and Mack, the Dumb and Dumber of sports world, were demanding Guillen's head. Bruce Bochy, they say, is very funny in private, but his interviews are soooooo excruciatingly boring that he could get a public affairs talk show on KZYX. But Bochy did get off this one when he was asked if he knew Romo's last pitch to Miguel Cabrera was going to be a fastball: "I would have died." The Giants are wonderful to watch, a beguiling collection of affecting personalities, too, as much as we can glean of their real selves from the sports commentariat. Myself, I'd pay my way in simply to watch Crawford play shortstop, and I'll be at the big victory parade Wednesday up Market Street, waving my orange Bank of America rally flag with everyone else in The City.
COMMENT OF THE DAY: Hurricane Sandy and all it portends this Monday morning is a nice distraction from all the other things un-winding, tottering, and fracturing in so many advanced nations. Promises of massive (and improbable) bailouts have kept the financial meltdown of Europe a few degrees below critical mass for a couple of months, but the thermometer is inching upward with the ominous Catalan regional election in Spain tipping well toward the secessionists, and Greece whirling around the economic drain, with all of its previous bail-out money merely yo-yoing back to the client banks of the "troika" that arranged the bail-outs, and countries like Italy, Portugal, and Ireland whistling past the graveyard beyond the news media's peripheral vision. And then there is China with its government transition hugger-mugger, its empty make-work cities, its crony banking system unaccountable to anyone, and its extremely modest reserves of its own oil to run the whole hastily constructed shootin' match. They have been working earnestly in plain sight - off the news media's radar screen - to construct a resource extraction empire in Africa, but then they will be stuck with the job of defending 12,000 mile supply lines. Good luck with that. Finally, there is the nauseating spectacle of the presidential election itself, with two creatures of corporate capture pretending to represent the interests of some hypothetical majority who wish to remain the slaves of WalMart and Goldman Sachs. If Hurricane Sandy causes such massive disruption as to interfere with the election, perhaps that will be a good thing - a sudden, unavoidable re-thinking of our ossified institutional customs, and a thrust into the emergent history of the future. — Jim Kunstler
ON OCTOBER 30, 2012, at about 7am the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office received a call from a person wanting to report a suspicious situation. The caller had located a shoe protruding from the earth near the shore of the Eel River in the 83000 block of Highway 271 (near Piercy). Upon closer examination the caller believed the shoe was attached to a human body. A Mendocino County Sheriff's Office patrol Sergeant and Sheriff's Detective responded to the scene and located what the caller had reported. During this time it was discovered that the shoe was associated with a shallow grave that contained the skeletal remains of a human body. Sheriff's Detectives have requested the assistance of the Department of Anthropology at California State University, Chico in recovering the remains from the grave. Anyone with information in regards to this case is urged to contact the Sheriff's Office Tip-Line by calling 707-234-2100.
WHEN KRISTIN MET JOSE. That would be Jose S. Lemus of San Pedro. And Kristin also met Christopher J. Jaramillo of Wilmington when the two LA boys made a deal with Kristin as described in this press release from the Sheriff's Department: “On 10-24-12 at approximately 8:15 PM, Deputies from the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a reported robbery of marijuana. While the Deputies were en route, the caller, 32 year-old Kristen Wright of Leggett, advised that no actual robbery had been committed. Wright advised that she had arranged to sell ten pounds of marijuana to three men for $20,000. They had given her four bundles of cash which they had represented as being $20,000 in US currency. The men fled with the marijuana just as Wright realized that only the bills on the top side of the stacks were $100 bills, the rest were $1 bills. She had been left with slightly over $400, not the $20,000 they had agreed upon. Wright and a male companion followed the suspects as they drove south from the intersection of Hwy 1 and Hwy 101 in Leggett. Two of the suspects were in a dark Scion. The third man drove a light colored sedan. MCSO Deputies intercepted the Scion occupied by two of the suspects, Christopher Jaramillo, age 18, of Willington, CA and Jose Lemus, age 20, of San Pedro, CA, in the 44800 block of Hwy 101 in Laytonville. Over ten pounds of marijuana was located inside the car. Kristen Wright arrived at the scene a short time later. Lemus and Jaramillo were arrested for possession of marijuana for sale, transportation of marijuana and conspiracy. Wright was arrested for possession of marijuana for sale. All were transported to Ukiah and lodged in the Mendocino County Jail, with bail set at $30,000.00 each. The third male suspect was never located.
KRISTIN'S LUCKY these guys didn't stop off in Laytonville: According to the CHP, Dominic T. Quilici, 20, of Crockett, was driving a 2001 Infinity SUV north last week on Highway 101 at Cummins Road, in Northern Mendocino County, when, for unknown reasons, he drove off the eastern edge of the road, hit an embankment and rolled several times before coming to rest on the driver's side. Passengers Greg S. Dodson, 44, and his son Vincent J. Dodson, 21, were thrown from the vehicle and died of their injuries. Quilici was treated for minor injuries at Howard Memorial Hospital in Willits and arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and felony weapons possession charges. Found inside the Infinity SUV were three loaded handguns, two of which were allegedly stolen; two bullet-proof vests, several M80s (illegal explosives), an ASP expandable baton, duct tape, a ski mask and a printed Google map with directions from Vallejo to Shelter Cove. Police suspect the three men in the SUV were en route to an unknown address in Shelter Cove, just north of the Mendocino-Humboldt county line, "to perform a home invasion and/or marijuana rip-off." Quilici was “booked into Mendocino County Jail and has since been released after posting bail.” He was his high school's MVP baseball player.
SANDY: While every effort is being rightly made to counteract the effects of hurricane Sandy, it is vitally important not to ignore the wider implications of what mankind faces. This disaster is just the start of it. As the hurricane hits the eastern seaboard, every emergency service will swing into action; every rescue vehicle will do what it is supposed to do: winch people to safety, pump out flooded basements, restore power as fast as possible, get food and water to those who need it and restore functioning services that make cities possible . Ultimately the fight to overcome chaos will be won, and order will be restored. Everything will get back to normal, the skies will clear and the seasonal cries of the hoax merchants might be heard across the land once more. But ultimately we fight a losing battle. Over millennia we have constructed an infrastructure that allows us to ignore climate, but we have only been able to do that by burning fossil fuels. Essentially we have used the power of hydrocarbons to stop ourselves getting wet when it rains. (doubters should think clothes cars and houses) Whether you build a skyscraper or just cut down trees to build a log cabin, the principle remains the same: it is only possible to maintain our systems and keep the rain out by converting hydrocarbons into stuff we need. And so it is with the response teams dealing with hurricane Sandy. Our fuelburning has increased the ferocity of the climate, which has unleashed its fury on us. But to save ourselves from its worst effects we must burn more fuel. It should be obvious by now to even the most dimwitted hoax-peddler that pumping heat into the oceans and atmosphere has let loose the forces of nature, whereas our energy sources are diminishing. So as we look forward to the storms of our future, we also have the certainty that we will not have the means to do anything about them. — Bob Balano
CARRIE GRANT WRITES: This morning I received your voting recommendations from a friend, and was pleased to be able to forward it in time to my older sister, a Simi Valley, CA resident who is a staunch Mormon Republican. This is the first year that she has been receptive to my views as a Green/Democrat liberal/environmentalist, and it was exciting for me to be able to share some concise explanations of the Propositions and candidates via your voting guide. I wish now that I'd cut-and-pasted the AVA recommendations text, but I was too quick, and sent the website link intact to my sister. I need to stress to you how important it is to temper and format your noble recommendations such that the very people who may be swayed or influenced will not be turned off by 1) foul language, 2) cynicism, 3) brilliantly colored ads for Aggressive Cannabis Defense directly placed to the text. There's no point in "singing to the choir" when there's an important election at stake. I also do not support the idea of throwing a vote away by not voting for some of the candidates or issues. Unfortunately, compromise is unavoidable, and sulking in the corner and not voting at all is not a good solution. And, I do think there's a difference between Mitt and Obama. Huge. My point is that it is very, very important to phrase messages that may have a chance to sway the opposition in such a way that self-sabotage does not ruin that very chance. The AVA may have lost the chance to sway my sister's vote — and she, with her husband, children and grandchildren, is a party of 28. Please be more mindful of the format in which you express your views over such important topics. While I may agree with them (and I do), it's more important that you present your perspective to those who may be receptive to altering their previously entrenched frame of mind. Having been raised Mormon, I have the opportunity to influence hundreds of voting relatives, and I need your assistance in supplying material that they will be receptive to.
THIS SATURDAY, Taylor Lockwood, renowned mycologist, presents his newest program through photos and video of his three month trip to Asia in 2011. Lockwood has crafted a story line around finding an uncommon but very beautiful netted stinkhorn, Dictyophora multicolor, as he describes it, "The Holey Veil". The presentation will be shown at Preston Hall in Mendocino, November 3rd, 7 pm. Tickets are only $10 and available at the door. The photos and video reveal mushrooms and mushroomers in India, Nepal, Thailand, and China. While searching, Lockwood finds his goal and many more beautiful mushrooms on his hunts by bicycle, elephant, horsecart, Maoplow (Chinese two-wheel tractor), and lots of walking. “In Search of the Holey Veil” is sponsored by Mendocino Area Parks Association (MAPA), who provides natural and cultural history programs in local parks and the communities, and manages Standish-Hickey SRA, along with Team Standish, to protect the park and keep it open to the public. Preston Hall, near the Mendocino Presbyterian Church, is located at 44831 Main Street, Mendocino. For more information: www.mendoparks.org; 707.937.4700. Carolyne Cathey, Carolyne Cathey
MAPA Executive Director, www.mendoparks.org
CHRISTMAS TREE PERMITS on sale Thursday, Mendocino National Forest. – Beginning Thursday, November 1, Christmas tree permits will be available from the Mendocino National Forest for the 2012 holiday season. Permits are available for purchase in person or by mail from Mendocino National Forest offices, as well as at area vendors. Vendors are listed below with contact information for the Forest Service. Permits are $10 per tree at Forest Service offices. Customers are advised to call vendors to verify permit price and availability. The permits will be sold at Forest Service offices through Saturday December 22. Trees may be cut and removed any day of the week in authorized areas of the Mendocino National Forest. Please check current Forest fire closure areas in case your annual tree cutting spot is within the closure. There is a limit of one permit per household, with each permit using a valid name and address. Up to four additional permits may be purchased for additional households, using separate names and addresses. Individuals must be 18 or older to purchase a permit. The Mendocino National Forest only accepts cash or check as payment for Christmas tree permits and sales are final, with no refunds. Permittees will receive a tree tag and Forest map. To purchase a permit by mail, send a printed name and mailing address for each permit purchased, a daytime telephone number, and a check or money order made out to “USDA Forest Service” for $10 for each permit to either the Willows, Stonyford, Upper Lake or Covelo offices with “Christmas Tree Permit” written on the outside of the envelope. Mail-in requests received after December 14 will not be filled. A form can be found online at www.fs.usda.gov/main/mendocino/passes-permits/forestproducts under “Christmas Tree Permits.” If you are planning on cutting a Christmas tree for someone who isn’t present, a Third Party Authorization must be in the possession of the cutter. This form is also available on the Forest website and should be completed prior to leaving for the forest. Permit holders should be aware that federal and state quarantines to prevent the spread of sudden oak death (SOD) are in effect for Lake and Mendocino Counties. Any Christmas tree cut in these counties can only be transported into other SOD quarantine counties, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Marin, San Francisco, Monterey, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma.
• Mendocino National Forest Supervisor’s Office 825 N. Humboldt Ave. Willows, CA 95988 530-934-3316 Hours: Monday-Friday 8a.m.-4:30p.m • Covelo Ranger Station 78150 Covelo Road Covelo, CA 95428 707-983-6118 Hours: Monday-Friday 8a.m.-noon, 12:30-4:30p.m. • M&M Feed and Supply 74540 Hill Road, Covelo 707-983-6273 Hours: Monday-Saturday 8:30a.m.-6p.m.; Sunday 9a.m.-4p.m. • Keith’s Family Foods 76201 Covelo Road, Covelo 707-983-6633 Hours: Monday-Saturday 7a.m.-10p.m.; Sunday 8a.m.-10p.m.
Cutting a Christmas tree on the National Forest is a great holiday tradition for many families and also helps with hazardous fuels reduction by removing smaller trees from the Forest. Following are some tips to make your experience more enjoyable. Plan your trip – check the weather, bring plenty of warm clothes, water, emergency food, tire chains, shovel, a saw or axe to cut your tree, and a tarp and rope to bring it home. Make sure you have a full tank of gas when you leave and are prepared for changing conditions in the mountains! Also, let someone know where you are going and when you plan to be back. Keep vehicles on designated roads and be aware of changing weather and road conditions. Wet dirt roads can quickly turn to mud, making it possible to get stuck and causing damage to road, soil and water resources. If there are puddles in the road, mud flipping off the tires or you can see your ruts in the rearview mirror, consider pulling over and taking a hike to look for a tree, or turning around and finding a different area to cut your tree. Cut your tree early in the season before favorite cutting areas can’t be reached because of snow. Make sure you are cutting a tree on approved areas on the Mendocino National Forest and not from other federal, state or private lands. Cut the tree as close as possible to the ground and leave as little of a stump as possible. Attach the permit on the tree where it will be easily visible with the tree packed or tied on your vehicle for transport home. To help keep your tree fresh, cut at least one inch off the base when you get home and stand the tree in a container of water in a cool, shaded area, checking the water level daily. For more information, please contact the Mendocino National Forest or visit www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino.
IN THE WAKE of Governor Brown proposing to fund and build a tunnel version of his 1982 Peripheral Canal project under the Delta, I've been helping to organize this conference, and hope you would consider attending it. More information is available at the AquAlliance web site link below. I'll hope to see you there! Cheers, Tim Stroshane, 510.524.6313
Water for Seven Generations: Will California Prepare For It?
This prestigious conference will be held on Thursday, November 29th and Friday, November 30th at Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico.
The conference can accommodate 300 people and is tailored to reach policy makers, activists, academics, agencies, and the interested public. The conference will provide valuable historical, scientific, legal, political, and visionary information regarding current and planned threats to the Sacramento River and the Delta's ecosystems, aquatic and terrestrial species, economies, and communities. It will also provide specific scenarios in which these vital waters can be sustained into the future.
Water for Seven Generations will review California’s short, 160-year history in which it developed massive water supplies that propelled its economy into the global top ten, but with devastating environmental consequences. Professionals and novices will have a valuable opportunity to consider what brought the state to such a precarious and unsustainable position and what credible and economically viable possibilities exist that could move our collective thinking and behavior toward a Seven Generations reality. November 29th will cover surface water and includes panels or sections that will cover History, Watersheds of Origin, Rivers, the Central Valley and State Water Projects, Species, and Economics. A no host bar/reception and poster session will take place after the speakers conclude. November 30th will cover ground water and the future. Sections or panels will cover History, Law, Science, and Present Conditions. A vision for the future will close the conference.
To view the program and attend the conference, go to http://www.aqualliance.net/water-conference-2012/. Lodging arrangements may also be found at our web site.
—Barbara Vlamis, Executive Director
AquAlliance. P.O. Box 4024, Chico, CA 95927. (530) 895-9420
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