Mendocino County Today: Sunday, Apr 17, 2016

• Terrible Crash
• Measure U
• Flexible Funds
• Pekin/Faulder
• Teardrop Tattoos
• Ruffing Evaluation
• Aubrey Benefit
• Beast!
• Got Priorities
• Yesterday's Catch
• Tax Returns
• Clooney Money
• DeVito Vote
• Hard Times
• Socialism
• Auditions
• Mom Drinks
• People's Choice
• Marco Radio
• Mitt Bracket
• Warming Accelerates
• Library Events
• Democracy Spring
• September 1967

IT WAS A WILLITS MAN who was killed Thursday morning when his car burst into flames after colliding head-on with a pick-up truck on Highway 101 south of Willits.

According to the CHP, the driver of a 2003 Mazda, described only as a 63-year-old Willits man, was heading south on Highway 101 south of Willits Watershed Road around 11:20am when he attempted to pass two vehicles. As the driver of the Mazda passed the driver of a 2008 Ford, the rear of his vehicle reportedly struck the front of the Ford, turning the Mazda into oncoming traffic. The Mazda then collided head-on with a 2013 Ford pickup truck being driven north by a 36-year-old Lakeport man, and the two vehicles later burst into flames. The driver of the Mazda was killed. The driver of the Ford pickup truck suffered minor injuries. As the two vehicles continued in the northbound lanes, a 57-year-old Citrus Heights man driving a semi-truck north was unable to avoid a collision and his 2014 Freightliner struck the Ford pickup truck. A fifth vehicle, a 2011 Chevy driven by an 18-year-old Windsor man, avoided colliding with any of the vehicles and instead drove into and on top of a guardrail on the east shoulder of the highway. That driver suffered minor injuries. The driver of the semi-truck was not injured, and neither was the man driving the 2008 Ford that the Mazda driver was trying to pass. The name of the driver who died had not been released by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office as of Friday afternoon, pending notification of his family.

MEASURE U

Wendy Roberts of Mendocino weighs in on Fort Bragg's Prop U:

I’ll jump in on that one by expressing my opinion that the proposed Fort Bragg zoning ordinance on the ballot as “Measure U” is about the most mean spirited, discriminatory and probably unconstitutional piece of political flotsam I’ve seen in a very long time. If adopted, it will ban all future social service organizations from locating in Fort Bragg’s central business district (CBD). Existing social service agencies within the CBD will be prohibited from expanding or relocating within the CBD.

Measure U is a civil rights issue, not a simple zoning change. Should it pass, it will be challenged in court as discriminatory and unconstitutional. It excludes our friends and neighbors who need social services, such as the disabled, veterans, seniors, children and those suffering from the effects of poverty, mental illness, domestic violence and homelessness.

Organizations such as Art Explorers, Project Sanctuary, Mendocino Coast Children’s Fund, Parents and Friends, Home Energy Links Program and Hospitality House are a vital part of the CBD. Measure U threatens their future here.

The Fort Bragg City Council voted unanimously against Measure U. While only Fort Bragg residents can vote against Measure U, this is very much a coastal issue since the few social services available to coast residents are concentrated there, as are businesses we all count on. Please vote against this Measure if you can. If not, encourage your Fort Bragg friends to do so. Consider protesting in a letter to the editor.

Help ensure that it is defeated. Our community is better than this.

THE AVA COMMENTS: What's mean-spirited, Wendy, is pretending to help people but not doing it, or doing it selectively (i.e., frequent flyers on the Coast would not be eligible for OCH services). For millions of dollars.

Discriminatory? How? By asking that the operation be moved out of downtown? What's discriminatory is denying certain people help because their problem isn't covered by insurance or doesn't qualify for reasons like "dual diagnosis."

Measure U calls for a different location other than the heart of town. The old Affinito building would work if they wanted it to work. Anna Shaw of Hospitality Center said recently that the Affinito structure "required too many modifications" which would have made it too expensive, but never provided any numbers. Nor did Hospitality Center explain why other non-CBD locations were ruled out. (Imagine the tsunamis of croc tears that would flow if Hospitality's cash and carry social work set down in the middle of Mendocino.)

”Probably unconstitutional”? Since when is zoning unconstitutional?

”Ban all…”? We gather it allows existing facilities to continue as they exist, grandfathered in.

We need more specifics on how U "threatens" the organizations named. Sounds like one person's speculative opinion, not a fact.

The entire basis of this opposition is incorrect because it assumes that services, such as they are, can only be provided at OCH. Simply false.

Besides, Measure U proponents just don't like having projects like this shoved down their throats without adequate public review and involvement before the decision is made. They have a constitutional right to object and this is as good a way as any.

* * *

WHY MEASURE U?

by Anne Marie Cesario

Initiative Measure U is a zoning amendment that protects and grandfather’s Art Explorer’s, Parents and Friends and Project Sanctuary into the 4 blocks of Central Business District. They can stay where they are for as long as they want to.

Measure U will require the homeless project in the Old Coast Hotel to move because it is an inappropriate location for the clients and the community for a homeless day shelter.

Vote YES if you want the project moved out of the Old Coast Hotel and: Preserve the historic business district; promote tourism and small business; Maintain a safe and clean downtown; protect property values; Save tax dollars; Restore justice and fairness in our city

* * *

MEASURE U OPPONENTS GOING DOOR-TO-DOOR TODAY

Saw this photo posted to Facebook with: "Some %*‪#‎holes‬ came and left this on our door."

We find it curious if Measure U (rezone Fort Bragg business district to disallow Old Coast Hotel from being homeless shelter) is "unenforceable" - why is there so much effort in trying to prevent it?

Proponents point out:

"Initiative Measure U is a zoning amendment that protects and grandfather’s Art Explorer’s, Parents and Friends and Project Sanctuary into the 4 blocks of the Central Business District. They can stay where they are for as long as they want to.

Measure U will require the homeless project in the Old Coast Hotel to move because it is an inappropriate location for the clients and the community for a homeless day shelter.

Vote YES if you want the project moved out of the Old Coast Hotel and:

Preserve the historic business district; promote tourism and small business; Maintain a safe and clean downtown; protect property values; Save tax dollars; Restore justice and fairness in our city"

We also noted there was a scheduled "Walk Against Measure U" scheduled for 9:00 am Saturday as well as the door-to-door canvassing. Or maybe they were combined.

(Courtesy, MendocinoSportsPlus)

BILL MAKING MENTAL HEALTH FUNDS MORE FLEXIBLE Clears Committee with Bipartisan Support

http://voiceofoc.org/2016/04/bill-making-mental-health-funds-more-flexible-clears-committee-with-bipartisan-support/

ACCORDING to the Fort Bragg Advocate, superior court judge candidate Patrick Pekin "has released a list of supporters who have endorsed him (sic), which include Mendocino County Superior Court Judges James Luther, Jon Lehan and Kirk Gustafson, Willits Mayor Bruce Burton, Willits City Council members Holly Madrigal, Ron Orenstein, Madge Strong, former Willits Mayor Victor Hanson, Brooktrails Volunteer Fire Department Chief Daryl Schoeppner, and Laytonville VFD Chief Jim Little."

DOUBT THAT PEKIN'S Willits' endorsers know anything about the candidate. Ditto for Laytonville's Jim Little. If they can make a distinction — any old distinction will do — between candidate Pekin and candidate Faulder they should make it. Which they are unlikely to do because it's unlikely they'd recognize either guy if he walked through the door.

ELECTIONS in Mendocino County are a step down from those you remember from the fifth grade. "I'm voting for Richie because he's good at basketball." "I'm voting for Krystal because I like her pit bull."

PEKIN'S first published roster of endorsers was a Who's Who of Coastlib, his friends and neighbors. Faulder's based in Ukiah. He'll probably be publishing a list of his pals, too, while unaffiliated voters scratch their heads and wonder how to tell the candidates apart.

A UKIAH ATTORNEY distinguished Pekin from candidate Faulder, this way: "Pekin needs a job, Faulder thinks it's time to give something back." That's quite perceptive. Really, how does a young lawyer earn a living on the Mendocino Coast? There are lots of lawyers out there but not all that many people who either need one or can pay for one if they do. It doesn't mean Faulder, if elected, would be turning down a lavishly compensated life sinecure, but it means that Faulder's a veteran County attorney with years of experience both as a prosecutor and as a defense attorney with lots of big courtroom wins to boast of. Because he's very good at law Faulder has made a lot of money. He'll go on making a lot of money if he isn't elected judge.

PEKIN'S experience is pretty thin. He can't point to anything in the way of legal triumphs. Or legal experience generally. He's young, still in his early forties, and he's new to Mendocino County. Pekin's an electoral pig in a poke. Faulder might turn Queeg on the bench but it's unlikely.

AND PEKIN'S new enough to the County to think his judicial support from Lehan, Luther and Gustafason is something to brag about. An old timer would run screaming in the opposite direction.

GUSTAFASON, known as the hippie judge during his brief sojourn on the bench, took an early out for so-called "stress." He's sucked up disability bennies for years now which, and sorry to be harsh about it, has always seemed like fraud from here.

LEHAN was appointed to the Ten Mile bench, never was opposed for re-election but did stuff of the sexual harassment type that should have gotten him disbarred. Instead, his judicial pals not only pretended he wasn't a perv but moved him to Ukiah until the scandal blew over then re-established him among his fellow Fort Bragg amnesiacs in Fort Bragg.

LUTHER we've always disliked because we thought he was stupid and made a lot of stupid decisions, all of which he unfailingly made for money and power. Yeah, yeah, I know. Superior court judges are hardly rebels, but Luther's endorsement, even among the legal eagles who know him, is unlikely to cause anybody to buy drinks for the house. Luther's still out there with the rest of Mendocino County's huge delegation of "retired" judges, supplementing his fat retirement checks by working as a statewide bullpen judge.

FAULDER is smart and capable. He'll be a good judge. Pekin's probably a fine fellow but he's not ready for the robes.

A GUY WHO DID a very long stretch in the state pen writes: I read Bruce McEwen's off the record just now. Generally speaking, a teardrop tattoo is not the mark of a murderer. It is instead a prison sentence served. Add another teardrop for each time you go back to prison on a new term of incarceration. An old-timer like me: I read it as the more drops the bigger the knucklehead.

FB CITY MANAGER EVALUATION: AT CITY HALL, NOT TOWN HALL

Alice Chouteau reminds Fort Bragg area residents: This is confusing some folks...public can speak during first part, public input.

http://city.fortbragg.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/04182016-272

City of Fort Bragg Meeting Agenda
City Hall, 416 N. Franklin Street
Downstairs Conference Room
Monday, April 18, 2016 3:00 PM

Special Closed Session

Meeting Called To Order

Roll Call

1. Public Comments On Closed Session Items

Public comments may be made on the matters described in this Special Meeting Notice (Government Code Section 54954.3)

2. Closed Session

A. 16-142 Public Employee Performance Evaluation; Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957: Title: City Manager

Adjournment

BENEFIT MAY 21 FOR LYNDA AUBREY

A BENEFIT for Lynda Aubrey will be held Saturday, May 21, at the Greenwood Community Center in Elk. Lynda is really hoping that she will be able to attend the benefit and we are too! She is currently recovering from chemotherapy and radiation treatments for tongue and throat cancer. Her job now is to get stronger, gain weight, catch up on sleep, and do her physical therapy exercises with her tongue, mouth and neck to regain her voice & be able to swallow again. The proceeds of the benefit will ease Lynda's financial burden as she recuperates over the next couple of months. The fundraiser starts at 4 p.m. with appetizers and drinks.

A spaghetti dinner will be served from 6 to 7:30pm.

From 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. the following musicians will sing and play their instruments: Lavender Grace, Chris Skyhawk, as well as Sue Nagle & her band Sue Mommie's Kitchen Band. They will play earth grooves infused with reggae, rock, and funk music. Nicole Fish & Trillium Tribe will do belly dancing.

At 8 p.m. 'Pura Vida' will perform Afro-Caribbean dance music. There will also be a silent auction a with over hundred items donated by local individuals and businesses.

Donation at the door is $20. Children under 6 years of age are free.

No dogs please. We are thankful for the efforts of the Greenwood Community Center, various community members and friends of Lynda's and for the many donations we have received for the raffle and the silent auction. If some of you want to bake desserts for us we would appreciate it (cookies or pies or some other yummy dessert item).

We also need volunteers to help collect money by the door, sell raffle tickets, monitor the silent auction, wash dishes, make coffee, sell desserts, sell non alcoholic drinks, dance, or help clean up. To let us know about the dessert you want to bring or help with the above mentioned tasks you can reach Annemarie Weibel at 937-5575 or e-mail me at aweibel@mcn.org.

If you have questions about the benefits call Anna marie Stenberg at 964 9109 or email at ams@mcn.org If you will not be in the area and want to donate money to Lynda you can donate any amount to the Greenwood Community Center, write "HealthCare" on the "for" line. You can drop these checks off at the Elk Post Office or mail to:

Greenwood Community Center
P.O.Box 183
Elk, CA 95432

You can send mail directly to Lynda at:

Lynda Aubrey
c/o Sabin Willingham
1219 Birch Ave
San Mateo, CA 94402

Please spread the word about the benefit!

Thanks, Annemarie Weibel and Anna Marie Stenberg

THE BEAST: DOGGIE VERSION

Don’t let the name fool you--Beast is a very sweet dog. This big, handsome boy is smart, attentive and playful. He would love a home with older kids or maybe another dog, so he can give in to his inner puppy. Beast does like a game of tennis ball fetch. Given his size, the Beast will need space to stretch his legs, as well as daily exercise and walks. Beast is a gentle giant who will be a loving and loyal member of his new family. If you are partial to the big dogs, come on down to the shelter and meet this boy. The Mendocino County Animal Care Services Ukiah Shelter is located at 298 Plant Road, Ukiah. For information on the Beast and the other dogs and cats at the shelter, call the Adoption Coordinator at 467-6453.

WELCOME TO MENDOCINO - WE'VE GOT PRIORITIES.

Dear Friends,

My latest Mendopia video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPga6Zc51gc&index=1&list=PLWTKx4OwAkBEZRZB07aPOA237QV8BS-b0

The entire Mendopia series is here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWTKx4OwAkBEZRZB07aPOA237QV8BS-b0

Cheers,

Scott M. Peterson, Mendocino

CATCH OF THE DAY, April 16, 2016

JOSHUA BOLTON, Willits. DUI.

ROBERT CARON, Fort Walton Beach, Florida/Willits. Drunk in public.

VIRGINIA CROY, Talmage. Battery.

MAURICIO DIAZ, Ukiah. Failure to appear.

ASHLEY ESPINOZA, Ukiah. Domestic battery, probation revocation.

MADRONE MALTAS, Ukiah. DUI.

SOPHIA PICENO, Talmage. Battery.

KEVIN RANDALL, Willits. Protective order violation.

ROGER SCHOENAHL, Ukiah. Drunk in public, probation revocation.

ZACHARY SIMONS, Ukiah. Petty theft, receipt of stolen property.

JARRETT WILLIAMS, Lakeport/Ukiah. DUI-drugs, no license, controlled substance, paraphernalia.

BERNIE MADE LESS IN 2014 THAN HILLARY DID FROM A SINGLE SPEECH:

Multi-million dollar income disparity between Democratic candidates revealed after Sanders finally releases tax return

Bernie Sanders finally released his latest tax return on Friday — and the documents reveal he made less in a year than Hillary Clinton did from a single speech. Sanders's 2014 tax documents show he and his wife Jane reported an adjusted gross income of about $205,000 that year. That same year, Clinton made an average of $233,600 per speech. She gave 45 speeches in 2014 raking in a total of about $10.5 million, according to a Politico report. Sanders released his tax return after months of stalling — apart from Republican candidate Donald Trump, Sanders was the only candidate still in the race who hadn't released his tax documents. (Trump has used a variety of excuses not to release his tax papers.) Since the 1970s, it has been standard practice for presidential candidates to release their tax returns for public scrutiny.

DURING AN INTERVIEW on Meet The Press this Sunday morning, actor George Clooney will admit that the $353,000 per couple required to attend a fundraiser he hosted Friday night for Hillary Clinton was “an obscene amount of money.” Responding to the criticism he has received from Bernie Sanders, Clooney added, “When they talk about, it is absolutely right. It's ridiculous that we should have this kind of money in politics. I agree completely.”

COMMENT OF THE DAY

“It’s a lot of people thinking, ‘I don’t matter. My vote does not matter.’ And every vote does matter. If we can mobilize people this week, get ‘em to the polls on Tuesday, that’s the thing that will lift up the Democratic Party and absolutely take the nomination for Bernie. I really think he can win. I do. The superdelegates, we all know they can change your mind. But the will of the people can win; it’s not so much anything else. You can try to pour tons of corporate money into the system and steer it by having the mainstream media be run by all these corporations in this club, but the people — the middle class, the students, the people in debt up to their eyeballs — those people are the ones that will get out in the streets and get things done. If you put Bernie Sanders in the White House, the rest is gonna fall into place, because what he wants people are going to give him, because he’s a man people trust.

— Danny DeVito

SIGN OF THE TIMES

From the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services:

In response to a chronic need for foster homes in Humboldt County, the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) is reaching out to the community and asking for some heroes to step up.

Emergency short-term homes are needed in addition to long-term foster care families throughout the county.

To help meet this need, DHHS has produced an outreach campaign that features community members who are local heroes in their day-to-day lives — doctors, firefighters, paramedics and police officers — joining the recruiting efforts.

“Families are facing hard times in Humboldt County,” said Michele Stephens, DHHS deputy director of Child Welfare Services, adding that substance abuse plays a big role in the impact on parents and their children.

“When it reaches the threshold of children needing to be removed, it is critical that we respond not only as a department, but as a community,” Stephens said. “Right now the need for short-term and long-term foster homes is significant.”

When a child must be removed from his or her family of origin, social workers first attempt placement with a relative, someone known to the child, or a tribally-approved home for tribal children. When this is not possible, a committed, loving foster home is needed for placement.

Placement for older teens is particularly important, as are homes that keep siblings together.

Foster families are needed for various lengths stay, from emergency shelter care to permanent placement. Adults of all ages and backgrounds and families of all types are encouraged to apply. Single moms and dads, gay and lesbian couples — anyone able to open their heart and home is being sought.

DHHS staff provides applicants with assistance navigating the licensing underprocess. Children in foster care are eligible for Medi-Cal, which includes no cost medical and dental care as well as counseling services. Monthly stipends are paid to the foster parents.

“We have a diverse group of foster parents here; from all areas of the county, those who care about children and want to support parents and families in our community overcome barriers to safely parent. They are an incredible group of Humboldt County people,” Stephens said. “We’re looking for more of the same.”

Currently, there are 339 children in foster care in Humboldt County. The county has 130 active relative, non-related extended family or tribally-specified foster homes and 59 active, licensed county foster homes.

For more information about becoming a foster parent, call DHHS’s foster care hotline at 707-499-3410

AND IN THE END, SOCIALISM

by Almudena Grandes (translated from Spanish by Louis S. Bedrock)

It was Juan’s daughter who encouraged them with a radiant smile.

—I hear that the spa that just opened on the plaza offers discounts to retirees —she commented while removing the groceries from the car—. There are warm water pools, cold water pools, swimming classes... Why don’t you and Pablo sign up? A little exercise would do you both good.

After becoming a widow, Juan lived with his daughter as if he were no longer alive; as if the death of his wife whom he had nursed for ten years without rest--since the stroke that had left her helpless, had torn the life out of him without offering him the relief of death.

Pablo, his best friend for his entire life, public and private, coworker in the factory from the time both men began as apprentices, a partner in political militancy and union struggles, on the company’s committee, playing mus(*) or dominos, and anything else, lived quietly with his wife. They were both healthy, but Juan was rather bored. His wife, no, because she attended book club meetings on Mondays, a class on handicraft on Tuesdays, an aqua-gym on Wednesdays, and cooking classes on Thursdays...

For that reason, he was quite enthusiastic about his friend’s proposal.

—Absolutely, Juan! Let’s do it! My wife is never home because of all the things she’s involved in and she seems to be enjoying herself a lot, so why not have some fun ourselves?

Juan wasn’t as enthusiastic, but let himself be persuaded. He bought himself a swimsuit, a bathing cap, and even a gym bag, because since he was living with his daughter he didn’t need to spend even half of his monthly pension.

The first day, he was at the point of backing out because he was embarrassed to be naked in a locker room and even about wearing things for the first time at his age, but Pablo rang the doorbell at ten-thirty in the morning and by force of habit he went with him. For fifty years they had gone everywhere together and the spa on the plaza wasn’t going to be the exception, although the first thing the young woman at the reception desk did was separate them.

In a small, brightly-lit office, another young woman in a white robe—as pretty, as young, and as healthy as the one who led them to the office, wrote down on an index card Juan’s medical data, listened to his heartbeat, weighed him, and measured his blood pressure.

—Wow —thought Juan—, I had no idea this was a health clinic...

Then it was his turn to wait awhile until Pablo came out of the office. They went to the locker room together, got undressed with other men their same age, and with their bathing suits on and their loose skin hanging down, they walked single file to the first pool.

The instructor for their group was named Clara and she was much prettier than her colleagues in the white robes perhaps because she was wearing a burgundy colored bathing suit which fit her like a glove.

—Let’s begin with a warm-up —she proposed—.

She invited them to immerse themselves in the water, which was warm and sensual, and began to move her arms and her legs, executing gentle movements that were easy to follow. After a quarter of an hour, she allowed them ten minutes of relaxation and Juan enjoyed himself even more splashing around like a kid with Pablo; but that was only the beginning.

After the warm-water pool, they moved on to the cold-water pool where everyone had to swim in his own lane under the supervision of other instructors, each more beautiful than the next, who corrected their mistakes with imperturbable smiles, encouraging them and applauding them as if they were preparing themselves for the Olympic Games.

When they got out of the pool, Juan admitted to himself that he hadn’t had so much fun in a long time. If it had been up to him, he would have stayed in the water for another two hours, but he would learn immediately that terra firma could also be pleasurable.

—Ten minutes in the sauna —announced Clara—, and then twenty minutes in the Turkish bath and you will see how great you feel...

—Ah! —he whispered to Pedro— Is she going in with us?

She did not go in with them, but she explained very clearly what they needed to do, such as alternate the dry heat and the moist heat, the warm showers with the cold ones.

—Well, how was it? —she asked when they were finished.

—Wonderful —Juan replied—, we are absolutely delighted. I couldn’t tell you what we liked most.

—I’ll tell you —she said with a smile—, what you’ll like most is what’s coming now.

And in the massage parlor, lying face down on two contiguous massage tables, while the last wave of beautiful young women--attired once again in white robes, stretched their arms and their feet, and were massaging them with the exactly right dose of vigor and gentleness, and the exactly right dose of a fresh, rich cream that smelled of mint, Pablo turned to him:

—Hey, Juan...Is this not socialism?

*Spanish card game for four players. "Mus" is quite a story itself. Google it.

AUDITIONS FOR THE SOUND OF MUSIC!

Gloriana Musical Theatre is pleased to announce its Summer Mainstage Show "The Sound of Music!" Music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. Directed by Jenni Windsor. Auditions will be held on Friday, April 29 at 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm and Saturday, April 30 at 10:00 am - 2:00 pm at the Teen Lounge, on 208 Dana Street in Fort Bragg. Audition times are assigned on a first come, first served basis. You will be notified of your audition time by email. To set up an audition please go to http://www.gloriana.org/audition-form

Contact our producer Carla Leach at carlaleach@live.com if you have any questions.

Performance dates:

• Thursday, Friday, Saturday evenings at 7:30 PM
• Sunday Matinees at 2 PM
• 12 performances
• July 28 - August 14, 2016

GET READY FOR MOTHERS' DAY

MIKE WRIGHT WRITES: If you are undecided about who to vote for in New York's presidential primary, just take a second and wonder. Why is that crazy old guy drawing thousands of people to his rallies? Why is every part of social media inundated with information about him? Why are normal people like me donating all their time? Why are people donating money like crazy to his campaign? Because despite what the media says, he is the people's choice for president. Bernie Sanders.

THE SAD STATE OF SECRET SOCIETY RITUAL HANDSHAKE DANCE RIGAMAROLE IS SAD.

The recording of last night's (2016-04-15) KNYO and KMEC Memo of the Air: Good Night Radio show is available to download for free via

http://MemoOfTheAir.wordpress.com

Ah, the wonders and conveniences of modern technology. The streaming computer at KNYO somehow changed settings, which resulted in real-time warbly and clicky autotune-sounding pitch change going out on the air and to web listeners, and the not-clicky not-warbly recording of this 7-hour show showed up as being 8 hours and so of course lower in pitch. The Jews have a word for how I felt when I discovered all this. But I used CoolEdit to simply speed up the recording by a ratio of 48000:44100 and saved that. Result: the recording you get (see above) is the proper length and plays at the proper speed and sounds pretty good, which is nice, because Stuart Cohen came and played and sang for over an hour, starting at a little before 11, so if that’s the only part you’re interested in, skip ahead to an hour-fifty into the show.

Also at http://MemoOfTheAir.wordpress.com you'll find a splendid repository of links to not necessarily radio-useful but nonetheless interesting things to see and do and learn about, such as:

Like clockwork.

https://vimeo.com/162052542

Illicit Chernobyl spelunkery.

http://tinyurl.com/jr6agkr

A big cat twisting in air. Because it can.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sepYP_knGWc

And /He took his skin off for me./*

https://vimeo.com/116498390

*You'll recall /They're made of meat./

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tScAyNaRdQ

Marco McClean

memo@mcn.org

http://MemoOfTheAir.wordpress.com

HOT GETS HOTTER

Editor,

Climate change is accelerating

Several recent studies in addition to the studies I cited in my previous letters clearly indicate we are approaching critical mass in global warming much sooner than expected. A report just issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) disclosed March was even hotter than the previous month of February which was far above the global long term average, largely driven by climate change. Data just released by Nasa confirmed last month March on record the Nasa data recorded March as 1.65C above the average from 1951-1980 and February was 1.71C higher. Comments by several climate scientists discussed the urgency to reduce global carbon carbon emissions. Prior to this report we had the study that was published in the Science Journal that indicates that because of global warming clouds cooling power will be reduced primarily due to a reduction in the ice in the clouds. I will just will mention in passing the climate related death of coral and its affect on the food chain. Just one more little item is a rather low key study of the effect of the melting of Himalayan glaciers on monsoons which will impact the millions of people depended upon the monsoons for their crops. Most of the work on this study is being done by the Chinese. Finally the melting of the ice in the Antarctica which will result in a significant increase in sea levels with extensive flooding world wide. For example, Florida is low lying and much of it will flood — Miami, Everglades, Key West islands, and the Tampa Bay area.

The most recent studies have not focused on the worst part of these changes. Namely the inability to feed billions of people who will starve to death. I have 16 great grandchildren and it is a terrible world they inherit due to the stupidity and selfishness of their forebears.

In peace and love,

Jim Updegraff

Sacramento

DISCOVERY & HANDS-ON LEARNING AT YOUR LIBRARY

Local author Gene Paleno will be here to speak about the 1873 Modoc War for Survival and read from his new book "Lake County History" on Tuesday, April 19^th, 6pm

http://mendolibrary.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3696d38b68efac10f9e33fa9a&id=5c8b402af4&e=a3c5eb703b

Poetry Magnets for Teens! Wednesday, April 20^th, 2-5pm. We’ll make our own magnetic poetry kits to take home. Registration is required – please call 467-6434 or email mailto:carrm@co.mendocino.ca.us to sign up!

http://mendolibrary.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3696d38b68efac10f9e33fa9a&id=0edcc13279&e=a3c5eb703b

Make a Tiny Garden for Earth Day! All Ages: Friday, April 22^nd, 2:30-4:30 pm. Get Earthy with Us & Dig In this Spring! Please call 463-4490 to sign up. Feel free to bring any special embellishments you’d like to add to your terrarium. All other materials & supplies will be provided. Sponsored by the Ukiah Valley Friends of the Library.

http://mendolibrary.us11.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=3696d38b68efac10f9e33fa9a&id=3b751b3327&e=a3c5eb703b

“Exploring Black Holes” for teens on Saturday, April 23rd 2-4 pm. Come view two short films: “Black Hole Destroying a Star” and “Death by Black Hole,” followed by a facilitated discussion. Then we'll create “tasty” active galaxies with black holes to take home. Mmm, chocolate!

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For a full list of events, check out our website: http://mendolibrary.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3696d38b68efac10f9e33fa9a&id=7fc8dfe734&e=a3c5eb703b

A LONG, HOT SUMMER JUST AHEAD

Onward and Upward

Blisteringly hot socio-political and steaming mulch radical environmental greetings to you,

Democracy Spring continues to occupy the Capitol in Washington, D.C. as best that it can (without getting shot!), and will continue doing so to deliver the message that a corrupted, bought by global capitalism and run by a psychotic consumerist international freak show, will no longer be accepted by the American people. The prevailing attitude in front of the White House is that it would be preferable to padlock it after the Obamas move out rather than let the Clintons move back in. Majority opinion is that the Republicans will not advance beyond the convention in late July in Cleveland, where anarchists plan to take dissent to a higher level. Also, the Democratic convention in Philadelphia in late July is perceived by some of the Democracy Spring marchers to be even more necessary to be shut down, because the Democrats represent a greater and possibly longer lasting insidious problem in terms of a lack of transparency, and general pandering to special interests. Also, the foreign policies of the two parties are an ongoing environmental death knell, specifically in terms of the extractive industries which are run by multinational corporations. Obviously, climate destabilization is scary and needs to be addressed, regardless of the stupidity of American politicians and their corporate masters. A sense of frustration is being felt by protesters in Washington, D.C. insofar as credible third party candidates are concerned, since corporate media, for example, is not allowing the Green Party into the televised debates, and also the miracle which would be required to have Uncle Bernie prevail does not appear to be happening, although supporters are hopeful. This is fueling a growing sense of futility, as the possibility of a Republican administration with either the NYC billionaire rookie or the fracking evangelical Texan moving into the oval office becomes more likely.  The usually quiet under-the-table discussion of using tactics other than "non-violent" is becoming more openly advocated by participants out of the cameras eye, as the Capitol police lead away an endless line of handcuffed Capitol steps occupiers. Even historically pacifistic groups who are here look more indrawn that usual, and I am referring to the religious. Catholic workers and Pax Christie, Jewish middle east peace advocates, Muslim moderate types, inter-faith council members such as Unitarians, and neopagans of various types are all part of the Democracy Spring group, which is evident at the early assembly in front of Union Station where the free breakfast is being served. The collective gossip over morning coffee is in regard to the quicksand sinking feeling that most are experiencing this week, and that the global ecological situation is approaching implosion; which is irrelevant to global capitalism, which requires inflation for its necessary growth, and has a more critical need of constant war to spur the global economy. The fact that this is insane is not comprehended by either main political party's current front runner, which is resulting in a reconsideration by Democracy Spring activists of the basic intelligence of continuing with an essentially "non-violent" and in some cases pacifistic approach by protesters. Intimations that collaboration with other tendencies at the late July conventions, for example, and certainly before that at scheduled bioregional gatherings, is a definite possibility. The elderly who led one of the Capitol step occupations are being tight lipped in response to a younger generation's advocacy of a return to tactics of previous anarchist blocs, such as what was seen at the Republican convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 2000, and some of the eighty year olds are recalling a certain police riot in Chicago in 1968. The Earth First! annual Round River Rendezvous will take place in Michigan this year in early July, and a lot of the philosophical questions will be answered then. Radical environmentalism has been pushed against the wall, so to speak, by years of fascist political regimes worldwide, with recent murders in central America being the latest examples of how far global capitalism is willing to go to ensure its own continuance. None of this is lost on the Democracy Spring assemblage on the Capitol hill steps this week, which will go on through Monday April 18th.

Craig Louis Stehr

Washington, D.C.

SEPTEMBER 1967