Bird’s Eye View (Nov. 2, 2016)

How did it come to this? The Presidential Election is less than a week away and arguably two of the most unpopular candidates ever to be nominated are opposing each other. Trump and Clinton are providing voters with what many folks would deem to be a “lesser of two evils” choice. Are there other choices? No. Gary ‘Who/What is Aleppo?’ Johnson of the Libertarian Party, is a man who should not get a single vote from anyone other than his immediate family in my humble opinion, and the Green Party’s Jill Stein, even by the standards of protest candidates, is a very poor torchbearer for the left. She's a Harvard-trained physician who panders to pseudoscience and her cynical retelling of the past eight years has nothing to do with the reality of recorded history. Both add no options to what is a fractured situation. Comedian Lewis Black perhaps best sums up the fall from grace of politics in this country: “In my lifetime, we've gone from Eisenhower to George W. Bush. We've gone from John F. Kennedy to Al Gore. If this is evolution, I believe that in 12 years, we'll be voting for plants.” All of this is disappointing of course, but do not be discouraged. It is too easy to cop out and simply say the candidates are not good enough. One will be the next President, regardless of how you view him/her, and I believe everyone with the right to vote should seize it, study and familiarize themselves with the issues, and vote for the person who they believe will do the best job. You have this right, this privilege, this responsibility. As Martin Luther King so pointedly said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.”

At this point, our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, offers another in his insightful series. “Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching.” Buzzard comments, “If Mr. Trump actually wins the election, apart from the inevitable foot-in-mouth comments he will make on the world stage, Republicans will have to meet the expectations he has created. of protectionism, spending increases allied to tax cuts, hostility to foreigners, and a retreat from decades of foreign policy. That would make America poorer, weaker and less secure. Far from being renewed, politics would become even nastier and more brutal.

“If Mr. Trump loses, Mrs. Clinton will begin her presidency with tens of millions of people believing that she ought to be in jail. Trump may well win 40-50 million votes. Unbelievable! However, it would not be enough to win and perhaps he will lose so comprehensively that he takes the Republican majorities in both chambers down with him. That would afford Mrs. Clinton at least two years, before the next mid-term elections, during which she might push through an immigration reform, increase spending on infrastructure and change the balance on the Supreme Court. These would be big achievements, but something close to 40% of voters would feel they were being steamrollered by a hostile government. Politics could become yet more polarized.

“Partly because Mrs. Clinton is mistrusted and disliked, the more probable outcome next week is that she will be the next president but will face a House of Representatives controlled by Republicans. and perhaps a Senate, too. This is a recipe for furious, hate-filled gridlock. There would be more government shutdowns and perhaps even an attempt at impeachment. Tied down and unpopular at home, Mrs Clinton would be weaker abroad as well. America’s role in the world would shrink. Frustration and disillusion would grow. Politics will become even more partisan and unhealthy.

“This has to end. Healthy politics is not gang warfare. It involves compromise, because to yield in some areas is to move forward in others. It is about antagonists settling on a plan, because to do nothing is the worst plan of all. It requires the insight that your opponent can be honorable and principled, however strongly you disagree. Unfortunately, the 2016 election campaign has poured scorn on such ideas. All Americans are worse off as a result and the Apocalypse is fast approaching. It is surely in the best interests of everyone that it does not get any closer.”

Public Service Announcements. #543. Tomorrow, Thursday, November 3, is the high school’s FFA's Fall Drive-thru-Dinner which features BBQ chicken quarter, baked potatoes, salad, bread, and cookies. The dinner will be available for pick up from 3:30-5:30pm at the high school parking lot. Call Beth Swehla to place your order at 895-2514. #544. The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital visit tomorrow, November 3, at the AV Farm Supply on Highway 128, north of Philo, from 2-3.30pm. New customers and their pets always welcome and previous visitors should be aware that they can call 462-8833 and the vets will bring your pet’s charts with them. #545. The next Barn Sale will take place this weekend. Saturday/Sunday, Nov 5/6 from 9am-3pm at The Big Barn next to the St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church Refectory on AV Way just north of Boonville. #545. Beginning this week, on Saturday, November 5, The Boonville Farmers Market moves to Winter hours and location outside The Boonville General Store, Sat., 11am-1pm. Cindy at 895-2949. #546. Later that night, live music is on show at Lauren’s Restaurant in Boonville: Honey Mountain Do-Do’s will perform at 9pm,. a great little band that does a fun live show. #547. The AV Lending Library run by The Unity Club is open Tuesday and Saturday at The Fairgrounds: Tuesday 1.30-4.30pm and Saturday 2-4pm. #548. The County Dump is open from 9am-4pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Remember, no dead animals!

Here is the menu for the Community lunches and dinners over the next week in the Senior Center at the Veterans Building in Boonville. $6 donation from seniors for both lunches and dinners and $7 for Non-seniors for lunches and $8 for the dinners. Tomorrow, Thursday, November 3, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Chicken Pot Pie, and Birthday Cupcakes for afters. Next Tuesday, November 8, the evening meal served at 6pm, will feature Pork Roast, and Pecan Pumpkin for dessert. All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. What a deal! This is the 2nd Tuesday of the month, so dinner will be followed by Bingo at 7pm. Tai Chi is available every Tuesday at 11am, and Thursdays at 11am is Kathy’s Easy-stretch Yoga class. Also Thursdays, the Active Life Club from 10am to 2pm features games, crafts, and music. The Senior Center/Community Bus goes to Ukiah on Mondays and Santa Rosa on the first Wednesday of the month. Sign up early at 489-1175.

Topics and Valley events at The Three-Dot Lounge: “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant (yet surprisingly reliable) Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley.

…High School Fall sports playoffs begin this week with games for both the #11 ranked Girls volleyball team, who played after we went to press on Tuesday, November 1 at #6 Clear Lake, and the #4 ranked Boys soccer team, back in the bigger schools play-offs, received a first round bye and will host #5 Calistoga in the quarter-final here at Tom Smith Field on Saturday, November 5 at 2pm. Should both teams win, the girls play again on Saturday, November 5, with the boys in a semi-final next Wednesday, November 9. I urge you to come out and support the local student athletes as they strive to continue the winning traditions that these two programs have brought to the school over the past two decades.

…Our over-worked Valley Restaurant “reporter” Steve Sparks, checked in at the 3-Dot yesterday and before getting quite merry he shared with other regulars that there had been no developments of any note to speak of regarding the restaurant scene over the past week. Err, Great work, Steve!

…Regulars report on a very busy Saturday night in Boonville with both a huge Quinceañera at the Apple Hall celebrating Maria Jimenez’s 15th birthday and also live music by Boonfire at Lauren’s, where a large, vibrant crowd made up of all sorts of Valley folks including many of the under-30 brigade were in attendance and thoroughly enjoying themselves. It’s the hot spot in town these days.

I’m outta here. I’ve got see a man about a sheep and then go to the polling station. So, until we talk again, be careful out there; if you break a leg don’t come running to me; be wary of strangers with more dogs than teeth; show love to your pets; ‘Keep the Faith’; may your god go with you, and may your dog go with you too. A final request, ‘Let us prey.’ Sometimes poking, often stroking, but almost always humbly yours, Turkey Vulture. (Contact me through the Letters Page or at turkeyvulture9@gmail.com. PS. Keep on humming, Hummingbird. Missing the Venerable Pheasant. On the sheep, Grace.