- Questioning The Value Of Gofundme
- Morality Metric
- California’s High Cost Of Living Policy
- Memo Of The Week
- How About A Hospital Ship For Us?
- Missing Mr. Printz
- The Laundromat Shortage
- Reporting Is ‘The Bulwark Of Democracy’
- Remember The Tubbs Fire
- The Patriot’s Quandary
- Newsom's Cost Us More
- Insanity
QUESTIONING THE VALUE OF GOFUNDME
Dear Community,
My grateful thank you for your donations to help with the funeral costs for John Fremont. Trite, but true, it take a village!
This is my first experience with gofundme sponsoring a fund raiser. I want to share what has happened, as I now question whether I will ever use this site again, either as a contributor or a sponsor.
I was annoyed with the site when I was setting it up. AI is automatically forced on me, re-writing my words, which I objected to. I also had to use at least 200 words, in several paragraphs. And the AI obsequious “I feel your frustration…;” “I am so sorry…”
Really?
There is a thing here that feels? Ugh.
What has really nauseated me right now, is that although the site raised $4,146 dollars, gofund is only giving $3,360.30. That is an ENORMOUS skimming off and I am furious.
When I was annoyed initially with setting up the fundraiser, I called the bank to see if I could open an account that could be directly deposited into for this need. The bank told me I would need a lawyer, and EIN number and other rigamarole to do this.
So, any ideas about other systems for helping out?
It’s so EASY to just click and contribute, as opposed to writing and mailing a check. What to do? What to do?
Thanks for allowing me to rant!
Sydelle
PS. If anyone still wants to contribute, you can MAIL (or drop off) at Cindy Frank’s business, QED Press, 155 Cypress St, Ft. Bragg 95437
RE: GOFUNDME DISCUSSION.
Regardless of how you feel about capitalism, if a GoFundMe exists for a worthy person and you click a couple of clicks to give that person money, that helps them way more than if you don't.
If you can afford it and you really will put a check in an envelope and mail it to them or find them and hand them a roll of quarters or the fenceposts or roofing supplies they need, or you really will jump through the hoops to pay their PG&E bill directly, or you have the skill and equipment to go fix their RV in the Safeway parking lot, or to meet them in the park and remove their tonsils or appendix or breast cancer, or contact their landlord and pay their rent while they're in jail for throwing half a sandwich at an ICE Brownshirt, great, do any or all of that. But if you can help them with money but step around it and move on and don't do /anything/ because you're offended that GoFundMe uses a small fraction of donations in order to keep the GoFundMe lights on and computers running, then it's more like you don't feel enough like helping them to actually help them. And that's okay, it's your money and your clicking finger, but be honest about it. Or don't. I guess there's no obligation there either. Never mind.
Here are a couple of recent GoFundMe pages for people I know who you probably know, that made their goal in a timely manner and have been helped so far (thanks, Sydelle, for setting it up for Cindy), who would still be struggling without GoFundMe (that doesn't mean you have to stop):
https://www.gofundme.com/f/aid-tracy-burns-through-health-crisis
https://www.gofundme.com/f/Cindy-Frank-and-John-Fremont
Marco McClean
MORALITY METRIC
Editor:
Animal advocate and rescuer Zoe Rosenberg just completed her 90-day sentence. She was convicted of a felony and multiple misdemeanors for rescuing four chickens from a Petaluma Poultry slaughter truck. Her case has been featured across the media alongside both supporters and opponents. But one narrative I don’t see discussed is the very clear message her conviction shows: In our system, legality is not a metric of morality:
- Stanford swimmer Brock Turner was convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman. He served 90 days in jail.
- Jack Tarpley Camp Jr., a federal judge, pleaded guilty to a felony and two misdemeanor drug charges. He was sentenced to 30 days.
- Federal Judge Mark Fuller was charged with physically assaulting his wife. He completed a pretrial diversion program and avoided jail.
- President Donald Trump: Convicted of 34 felonies. Zero days in jail.
These examples just touch the surface of the inconsistencies, and most importantly, the injustices of our legal system. In a world where an activist is facing more scrutiny and punishment than the factory farm she called attention to, we should ask ourselves: who is our system for?
Amy Bandiera
Santa Rosa
CALIFORNIA’S HIGH COST OF LIVING POLICY
Editor:
California’s cost-of-living is the highest in the nation. But one factor for this deserves more scrutiny: governance.
Rental housing costs are 53% above the national average, and utilities are nearly 60% higher; this is not driven solely by geography or desirability. They reflect accumulated regulatory layering, infrastructure mandates and major public cost overruns.
Consider the state’s high-speed rail project. Projected costs have ballooned from $33 billion to more than $100 billion. The project, the financing, bonds and appropriations carry long-term obligations. Debt service does not disappear; it flows through taxes, fees and borrowing costs embedded in the economy.
Energy policy shows a similar pattern. Today’s utility burdens are largely reactive: deferred maintenance, wildfire mitigation after catastrophic losses, undergrounding ordered after tragedy and regulatory miscalculations corrected after the fact.
These fixes may be necessary, but they are expensive. Utilities pass costs to ratepayers. Businesses adjust prices. The premium becomes structural.
Affordability is not only a supply issue. It is also a governance issue. Cost of living is ultimately a policy outcome.
Mike Lewis
Encinitas, San Diego County
MEMO OF THE WEEK
Dear Mr. Stehr,
Melania and I are very sorry to learn of the difficulties you are experiencing, and we will keep you in our thoughts and prayers.
Please know your courage reflects the power of the human spirit, and your tenacity is an inspiration to so many. We hope you find comfort in the love of family and friends and that you will continue to be uplifted by the abiding strength and support of all of those around you.
May God bless you and your family.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Trump, President
HOW ABOUT A HOSPITAL SHIP FOR US?
Editor:
President Donald Trump has announced his intent to send a U.S. Navy hospital ship to Greenland, saying that many people there are sick and not receiving care. Greenland’s prime minister responded with, “It’s a no thank you from here,” as Greenlanders enjoy free health care guaranteed by the Danish government. Instead of Greenland, I suggest the president send the hospital ship to Florida, where 13.9%, or 3.3 million Floridians, are without health care. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago is in Palm Beach County, where over 265,000 residents receive no health care assistance at all. This year, Greenland has a population of 55,029. If Trump makes this happen, how much will it cost the American people?
Jim Coleman
Santa Rosa
MISSING MR. PRINTZ
Editor,
When someone passes from this earthly life — especially in a local accident, a shockwave is felt, whether or not we personally knew that individual.
We were shocked and deeply saddened to read that David Printz died in a car-crash four miles north of Anchor Bay on Wednesday, February 16.
We knew David professionally since the big storm of January 2, 2023 when a Category 5 wind sucked out a 350-pound, double-paned rake window from our dining room, shattering it on the ground 20 feet below — miraculously not breaking the glass roof of our solarium. David manifested the heroic re-installation with impeccable skill, with the coordination of his crew and the assistance of Junior Roddy and his crane. We know many of you will have your own memories of our good neighbor David.
Whenever we will drive past that Highway 1 place of David's transition we will hold him and his tribe in our hearts, remembering his dignity and soulful nature.
Fred and Cheryl Mitouer
Anchor Bay
THE LAUNDROMAT SHORTAGE
Editor:
The Mendonoma coast is sadly in need of a functional public laundromat, both for us less fortunate residents without washers and dryers at home, and for the tourist trade that many of our businesses rely upon.
Thus, I bring to the attention of aspiring business people the tremendous opportunity to both provide a much-needed service to our coastal community, and the certainty of accumulating much wealth in the form of 25-cent pieces!
The only laundry facility currently operating near Gualala is in Anchor Bay, and it is a sadly non-maintained wreck with, upon my last visit two weeks ago, one functioning dryer.
Some of the few washers were still working, although old and clearly on their last legs, despite the high prices for a wash.
Avoid this place if you can. If you can't, bring a book while you wait possibly hours for that one precious dryer.
To the interested entrepreneurs, I call your attention to Lucy's Laundry in Fort Bragg for the model of an ideal public laundromat with a multitude of modern machines, a clean and well-tended environment, and a pleasant and smiling full-time attendant. It's nearly the next closest to Gualala, and a pleasure to visit.
Check it out if you can afford the gas and three-hour round trip.
Daniel Reed
Gualala
REPORTING IS ‘THE BULWARK OF DEMOCRACY’
Editor:
A letter to the editor said it was the military not reporters who defend democracy in America. I must differ. In no particular order, I will cite several cases of good investigative reporting defending the Constitution or just simply the rule of law. The work of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein immediately come to mind with their investigation of the Watergate break in and all the corruption surrounding it. How can we forget Edward R. Murrow bring the vile Joseph McCarthy down? More obscure but just as important was Ida B. Wells. She was a courageous Black reporter who investigated and reported on the plague of lynchings of mostly Black men in the late 1800s. Not as earthshaking or headline-making was the good work of investigative journalists helping bring down Ken Mattson, who is accused of defrauding Sonoma County residents with investment schemes.
We do need the military, and they do protect the country, but who investigates the military when it does wrong? Good investigative reporters do. They are the bulwark of democracy.
Linda Robinett
Sebastopol
REMEMBER THE TUBBS FIRE
Editor:
After reading about the SMART book, I want to give my wholehearted support for the SMART train and encourage people to dismiss the opinions of the Gallaher family who for some reason are opposed to the train It has been a spectacular success and a wonderful addition to our county. I would say a quarter-cent sales tax is a small contribution each of us can make to have this service.
And talking about books, they paid for publishing a book called “The Great Train Heist” that criticizes and attacks every aspect of the train system. I, on the other hand, would encourage people to read a book called “Inflamed: Abandonment, Heroism, and Outrage in Wine Country’s Deadliest Firestorm.” It describes the evening the Tubbs Fire swept through Fountaingrove, including what happened (and didn’t happen) at Varenna, a senior living facility owned by the Gallahers. Thank goodness for the children of the residents who ended up rescuing many of them.
Valerie White
Healdsburg
THE PATRIOT’S QUANDARY
Editor:
How should a patriotic citizen respond to an illegally initiated war? The Constitution mandates congressional authorization for war so citizens support is implied through approval by elected representatives.
Historically, before 1953, the Iranian government enjoyed cooperative relations with the U.S. However, vast oil reserves were discovered. The U.S. and Britain had stakes in the oil. When the Iranian government sought control of its oil, the CIA overthrew the elected government.
Instead, Shah Mohammad Pahlavi was installed. He was terribly repressive in serving American oil interests. This culminated in the overthrow of the shah by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who initiated the anti-American radical Islamic Republic. His regime installed the current anti-Western views.
Without awareness of history, it’s difficult to understand the resulting animosity. In addition, Israeli intentions to appropriate Palestinian lands and Iranian support for fellow Muslims intensified tensions.
Another issue: The attack on Tehran in the midst of negotiations parallels Japan’s Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. The fact that negotiations were in progress caused President Franklin Roosevelt to characterize that attack as a “deliberate unprovoked” act of treachery “that will live in infamy.” How will this parallel shape future U.S. relations with the larger world and our citizenry?
Fred Krueger
Santa Rosa
NEWSOM'S COST US MORE
Editor:
Gov. Gavin Newsom continues to spend much of his time outside of California instead of dealing with problems he created inside the Golden State. He has been hobnobbing with Englanders and signing costly climate deals with the United Kingdom. Newsom claims he has delivered on clean energy goals. Yet his climate policies have given higher energy costs for Californians, including gasoline at $1.67 per gallon higher than the national average and the second highest electricity rates in the country. These same climate policies have also created fewer jobs for Californians and even more carbon dioxide emissions. Maybe better energy policy is needed instead of some unknown climate change ideology. A good energy policy for Californians could be used to arrest the state’s skyrocketing cost of power.
Robert Koslowsky
Cloverdale
INSANITY
Editor,
In the beginning, honesty and prudence formed the foundation of our country’s business policies. Though money is not a spirit or an opiate, it can be as addictive as both. In his essays, Ben Franklin stressed the moral dangers of greed. Recently, the American Psychiatric Association published studies showing that current speculative investing and stock trading trigger a psychochemical response similar to that of greed. In 1929, uncontrolled speculative financial behavior caused a devastating stock market collapse. The New Deal program sought to prevent future catastrophes by regulating financial institutions. Since the birth of Reaganomics, proponents have initiated deregulation campaigns that allow the stock exchange to resemble a grift market. Some brokerages promoted junk Bonds and other risky ideas. Deregulation gave birth to creative (fraudulent) accounting policies, and brokerages were caught pushing bad investments onto customers. Ted Benna, known as the father of the 401 (k), devised a plan that shifts risk from the employer to the employee. One of the early faults mandated that employees invest their savings in the company and hold onto them until the age of fifty or quit to attain control of their savings. The worst example was the Enron collapse. After this, Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy introduced a bill to limit the employer’s control of the plan. Later, a bevy of legislators comprised the Pension Protection Act of 2006. Unlike previous pension plans, though, the 401 (k) relies on volatile investments and does not promise monthly payouts.
Tom Fantulin
Fort Bragg
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