Mendocino County Today: Thursday, July 27, 2017

• Hostile Hospital
• MCDH Meeting
• FB Highrise
• Quiz Night
• Pig Minder
• Pylon Destroyer
• Little Dog
• Albion Bridges
• Fire Damage
• Algae Warning
• Yesterday's Catch
• Circle Dance
• Food Truck
• Mendocino Theatre
• TransTroop
• The Fifties
• Kaepernick in Africa
• Contemptible Lies
• International Small Talk

COAST HOSPITAL: CODE RED (INK)

by Malcolm Macdonald

According to a long time employee of Mendocino Coast District Hospital (MCDH), the President of that institution's Board of Directors, Steve Lund, attempted to harass and intimidate the employee during a March 17th encounter in the employee's office. Nearly two months earlier, this employee, a Patient Accounting Manager, had filed a complaint against Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Wade Sturgeon, alleging that Sturgeon had harassed and threatened the worker.

In the fall of 2016, the Patient Accounting Manager had noted major problems in the coding and billing done by the hospital's new emergency room provider, EmCare. These billing errors could have resulted in the loss of millions of dollars in MediCare PIP (Periodic Interim Payments) for the hospital, all of which was detailed to Sturgeon in a November email authored by the Patient Accounting Manager.

In December, 2016, the employee noted the problem with EmCare's billing to CFO Sturgeon in person, with a comment along the lines that if Medicare found out MCDH's administration had been sitting on potential billing fraud for months, they (Medicare) would come in and take over the hospital's administration. Apparently Sturgeon did not take kindly to such a remark. According to the Patient Accounting Manager the CFO said that if anything like that happened the employee and all her co-workers in the department would lose their jobs. According to the employee, comments, in a similar vein, continued into the new year. The employee took this as even more of a threat after the January 4, 2017, Finance Committee meeting, at which the Patient Accounting Manager was “extremely surprised to hear [Sturgeon] report all the issues with the implementation of EmCare had been resolved at the end of November. In fact, as of January 4, 2017, when he was reporting, NONE of the issues brought forth by the previous and current Medical Records Manager and myself had been resolved.”

The Patient Accounting Manager also pointed out discrepancies in Sturgeon's January 4^th statements to the Finance Committee concerning a backlog of Medicare claims for the hospital's clinic, North Coast Family Health Center (NCFHC). Even after the Patient Accounting Manager filed her harassment claim against Sturgeon in the last week of January, 2017, payments to doctors affiliated with NCFHC dwindled to near zero by March.

One of those NCFHC doctors was opthamologist Kevin Miller, a member of the MCDH Board of Directors. The Patient Accounting Manager shared many of her concerns about Sturgeon's financial methods with Dr. Miller in a three page letter dated March 13^th or 14^th. With a job performance review of Sturgeon scheduled before the board on March 16^th,  Dr. Miller approached the Patient Accounting Manager at the hospital. She remembers that Miller asked her if she “was able to continue working with Wade Sturgeon at Mendocino Coast District Hospital. I hesitated in responding and he [Miller] stated he was aware of my complaints to Human Resources… As I continued to hesitate, he said to consider the harassment and threats only in my answer and not the reports of 'misinformation.' I finally responded and said no, I couldn't [work with Sturgeon]. I added that I had to consider everything, and my answer would be no.”

The next day, March 15, 2017, Miller again asked the employee questions regarding the letter she'd written to him. She responded by pointing out that Sturgeon's 'misinformation' was “actually dishonesty and lacking in integrity.”

Miller pressed on. According to the Patient Accounting Manager, “He said he didn't believe our hospital could survive another Administrative turnover. He asked again if I could get past or set aside the harassing behavior of Wade and continue to work with Wade at the hospital…

“My answer was again no, but to even have the question posed, I felt great uncertainty in my future employment.”

On March 16, 2017, the Board held a closed session performance review of CFO Sturgeon. The performance review focused on an earlier harassment complaint filed by the Chief Human Resources officer against Sturgeon. By this date, not only had the Human Resources Chief been placed on leave for an extended period, CEO Edwards had fired the HR Chief's main assistant, seemingly suspecting that person had been leaking information about the HR Chief's case (an unfounded suspicion as far as all evidence indicates), and the longtime Risk Manager had left the hospital for another job, apparently after expressing to the board her support for the HR Chief and ethical questions regarding Sturgeon and Edwards that prevented the Risk Manager from continuing to work alongside the pair.

At the conclusion of the Thursday, March 16^th closed session, Board President Lund announced that no decision had been made concerning Sturgeon's performance review. Lund also said that the board would be conducting further interviews with staff members regarding the matter.

The next day, according to the Patient Accounting Manager, “Board President Steve Lund came to my office to talk to me. He began by telling me he had a copy of my letter [to Dr. Miller, which, the employee told this writer, Lund waved in the her face]... I clarified with him that I was not asking questions in my letter, I was pointing out discrepancies in the financial information pertaining to Patient Accounting that were given to the Finance Committee and Board of Directors by Wade Sturgeon, CFO, from the actual data in Patient Accounting.

“I also pointed out to Steve that I knew he was very much aware of my formal complaints of workplace harassment and threats I received from Wade Sturgeon... Due to those circumstances I was fearful for my job and was not comfortable discussing conflicting information that [Sturgeon] reported on.”

The Patient Accounting Manager went on to tell Lund about a March 6^th managers meeting at which CEO Edwards repeated the phrase “sloppy billing practices.”  She told Lund that Edwards “had repeated that phrase about six times throughout the meeting yet never clarified that 90% of the findings in the report he was labeling 'sloppy billing' actually pertained to issues beginning with the clinical departments.”

Three days later, at a March 20th managers meeting, as recalled by the Patient Accounting Manager, Edwards “continued to state there were 'sloppy billing practices' that needed attention.  At one point he asked everyone if they noticed he'd said that phrase five times. I found this to be pointed directly at me following my meeting with Steve the preceding Friday and his subsequent meeting with Bob. This was intentionally asked and set the tone going forward for a hostile work environment.”

At some point in the March 20^th meeting the Patient Accounting Manager raised her hand to say that she, “found the phrase 'sloppy billing practices' very offensive. Bob interrupted me saying he hoped I found it repulsive. I went on to explain that 99% of the population interprets billing practices as Billing Office functions... I further explained because the community interprets billing practices as Billing Office, my staff and I are approached inside and outside of work by co-workers and community members questioning our competence.”

Documents made available to the AVA show that on March 21, 2017, the Patient Accounting Manager lodged formal complaints against the hospital's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Bob Edwards, “for harassment, ridicule, and false allegations;” MCDH Board President Steve Lund “for harassment and intimidation;” and MCDH Board member, Dr. Kevin Miller, “for harassment and coercion.”

Remember Steve Lund's March 16^th promise that the MCDH Board would conduct further interviews with staff before rendering a decision on CFO Sturgeon's job performance? It never happened, unless you want to count as an interview Lund entering an employee's office and waving a letter in the worker's face. What should be obvious to all readers: Lund committed inappropriate workplace interference. At the very least, his words and actions smack of intimidation. As does Dr. Miller's multiple visits to the workplace to question the Patient Accounting Manager. Appropriate interviews of staff members would take place in a board closed session with the hospital's legal counsel present.

By his comments to the employee, Dr. Miller seems to think that it is alright to ignore not only workplace harassment but, also, misleading financial reports by the CFO, in order to protect the administrative status quo. This appears to be a view shared by Lund and fellow MCDH Board members Lucas Campos and Kitty Bruning, as evidenced by their votes to retain Wade Sturgeon as CFO and their blind eyes in regard to the behavior of Edwards.

Here's another tidbit that came to light regarding that March 16^th closed session. Much of Sturgeon's performance review was predicated on the investigation into harassment charges made against the CFO by the HR Chief. According to reliable sourcing a letter was sent to this Chief of Human Resources just two days after the March 16th closed session. The letter essentially asked the HR Chief to sign off on an employment termination.

What anyone from the public would have to wonder is if such a letter was sent to the HR Chief within a couple of days of the same board promising to conduct further interviews regarding her allegations, what sort of trust should the public place in said board if they tell the public one thing then follow up with a completely contradictory action of terminating the HR Chief, and the inaction of not conducting the promised interviews.

This summer the Patient Accounting Manager received a letter from MCDH stating, “An outside employment attorney was hired to conduct an independent investigation into the allegations [against Wade Sturgeon].”

The Patient Accounting Manager contends this “independent investigation” had very little, if anything, to do with her complaint against Sturgeon. The AVA asked an individual close to the situation at the time for verification. That individual stated that the “independent investigation” (paid for by MCDH) only examined the HR Chief's complaint against Sturgeon. That source went on, emphatically, “There was NO formal investigation outside MCDH on [the Patient Accounting Manager]'s complaints EVER!!!”

The pretext of investigation was perhaps exemplified by what happened at a June 13th special meeting of the MCDH Board. President Lund reported out of a forty minute closed session, “After careful deliberation of this matter, including a thorough, confidential investigation conducted by an outside, independent law firm, the Board of Directors has determined, by a four to one vote, of the members present, per its investigation of this matter, to retain the CFO in his present position in accordance with his current contract.”

Lund's statement appeared to be read from a typed sheet of paper. There were no computers or printers present in the Redwood Room of MCDH where the meeting was held, so this observer had to wonder how Lund knew what to type on the paper before the meeting began. Unless there was an alternative page that replaced “to retain” with “not to retain,” this procedure indicates that the closed session itself was something of a farce, that a majority of the MCDH Board had decided outside of the closed session setting to retain Sturgeon. Such an action, of course, would be a grievous violation of the Brown Act.

Violating the Brown Act is nothing new for the majority of this particular MCDH Board of Directors. They held another special board meeting at 8 a.m. April 1st (no joke) without fulfilling the legal requirement of twenty-four hours notice to the public and press. That meeting went forward with four Board members present even though the MCDH Board was apprised of the potential violation at the outset of the meeting.

The MCDH Board member absent from that April 1^st get together, Dr. Peter Glusker, is also the only one who has consistently seen the light of reality in this ongoing charade of unethical behaviors. If the rest of the board: Lund, Miller, Dr. Lucas Campos, and Kitty Bruning cannot put the truth above another administrative turnover, they should do themselves and the tax paying public a favor and resign, posthaste.

The AVA offered a draft of this article to all five MCDH Board members as well as CEO Edwards and CFO Sturgeon on July 23^rd. As of  July 26^th only Dr. Glusker responded with some proofreading/editing comments. Dr. Campos and I enjoyed a good talk about several hospital issues after the Planning Committee meeting of July 25^th. Perhaps there is hope for him. We'll see. Lund, Miller, Bruning, Edwards, and Sturgeon did not respond.

BE THERE FOR THIS ONE

MCDH Board to vote on TWO parcel tax proposals 7/27 at 6 PM, OB AGAIN jeopardized

Dear Community,

I know that I have felt frustrated and powerless hearing about the secret deals and last minute votes taking place in the Senate this week as our elected officials vote to take healthcare away from millions of Americans without their consent, and against their wishes. However, the same thing is playing out at our local hospital as I type. This Thursday, the Mendocino Coast District Hospital Board will vote on whether to introduce two parcel taxes on the November 2017 ballot, with the intention of closing OB if the tax that allocates funds specifically for OB does not pass. The proposal for two parcel taxes must be rejected at this Thursday's Board Meeting. OB must be included as part of the hospital and in any parcel tax for which the hospital receives funds. Separating the two from each other ensures that they both will fail. The people have made this clear.

The MCDH Board will vote on this two parcel tax proposal after a packed house of over 200 people gathered in Town Hall at the previous Board meeting on 6/22 to show their outrage and opposition to closing OB.

How can Board members support this when Michael Reimenschnieder of Eastshore Consulting, a consultant paid by the Board for his opinion, gave a presentation at the Planning Committee meeting on Tuesday July 18th in which he highlighted the importance of the Hospital doing extensive community outreach and conducting a transparent process working with the community to demonstrate what they are able to provide, and finding out what the community is able to give to keep our hospital open. Reimenschnieder said these points unequivocally, which were met with head-nodding and approval by CEO Bob Edwards and most of the planning committee:

Whether or not this tax is voted on in the November 2017 election or the June 2018 election, the funds will not be available until December 2018. There is no fiscal reason to put the tax on the November 2017 ballot.

It is nearly impossible to get this tax on the ballot for the 2017 election given the timetable for filing.

Even if it were to get on the November 2017 ballot, it will never pass. There is not enough time for the community research necessary to determine the amount of a tax people are willing to pay ? and to do the outreach necessary to convince them that the Board is going to use the money responsibly to serve the community in the way WE want.

Now, the Board moves forward rashly, chaotically and ignorantly with no community outreach, no surveying, no data gathering, no campaign, no support, no accountability, and no attempt at gaining trust or building relationship with the community.

Why is the MCDH Board going against explicit advice of the consulting firm they hired to help them pass a parcel tax?

Why are they so reluctant to work with the community to help keep our hospital alive? There is not a single community member on the Planning Committee, though people have submitted applications.

Why is the Board ignoring the voices of community members who attend every meeting and have been working outside of the hospital to figure out how to pass a parcel tax successfully in our community?

Why is the Board ignoring the years long, vocal and sustained opposition of the community in closing OB services as we explain repeatedly the economic, social and physical disastrous consequences that closure will have in the community?

MCDH recently adopted the phrase, "The hospital the community deserves" as its motto. Please come to the meeting this Thursday July 27 at 6 PM to let the Board know that you will not be bullied into voting for parcel taxes that are not in the community's best interests. Make sure that they know that the community deserves an OB/GYN unit at our hospital, and that we will never pass a parcel tax without those services included in our hospital. As a community, we are not going to be pushed into sacrificing pregnant people and newborn children to keep the hospital open. We are going to fight to keep the hospital open so all of the community is cared for. The Board needs us to pass the parcel tax, and we need to let them know that we are fighting for one unified hospital that takes care of this community from cradle to grave, no exceptions.

Can't make the meeting?

Email the Board here:

• Steve Lund: Slund@mcdh.net
• Kevin Miller: Kmiller@mcdh.net 707-961-4995
• Peter Glusker: Pglusker@mcdh.net
• Kitty Bruning: Kbruning@mcdh.net
• Lucas Campos: Lcampos@mcdh.net
• In addition, please email CEO Bob Edwards at bedwards@mcdh.net

Thank you!

Vicki Wellspring, Fort Bragg

FORT BRAGG HIGHRISE

THE WORLD IS GOING NUTS but the Quiz just keeps on going. We resume today, Thursday, July 27th, 7pm prompt at Lauren’s Restaurant in downtown Boonville. Hope to see you there.

— The Brain Masseur/Quiz Master/Grey Matter Stimulator, Steve Sparks

BOONVILLE TEEN GIVING MARKET PIGS A GOOD LIFE BEFORE THE FAIR

by Justine Frederiksen

If a good life makes a pig taste better, Morgan Kobler’s pigs must taste pretty darn good.

“They are the most pampered pigs,” said Kobler, 16, of the two pigs he is raising near his home in Boonville. “They are fed the best food they can eat, get plenty of exercise and are brushed and scratched whenever they want. I even have misters in their pens to keep them cool, and I set them on a timer to go off during the hottest part of the day.”

That already sounds like the best spa ever, and he hasn’t even gotten to the nightly strolls and swimming.

“We walk around the vineyard for an hour every evening, then they get to go into the pond,” he said. “They love that.”

‘They’re Like Bodybuilders’

Unlike most spas that are designed to help guests shed pounds, however, the main purpose of this spa is to get the pigs to gain as much weight as possible before the Redwood Empire Fair begins next week.

“They’re like bodybuilders,” Kobler said of his pigs, explaining that their daily routine of carefully calibrated fats, protein and exercise is designed to build muscle. For his show pig named Yoda, that routine is currently adding about three pounds a day.

“At this rate, he’ll be about 258 pounds by the fair,” Kobler said.

Optimal weight gain is another reason why the teen is raising two pigs, though he only gave his show animal a name. The other is just called “the buddy pig,” though she plays an important role.

“Pigs are herd animals, so if you raise them alone they won’t be as happy,” he said. “If they’re solo they have higher stress levels and they won’t gain weight as fast.”

Kobler keeps the meat his pig is building free of worms by also giving him medicine that he carefully logs, and admits that keeping the process as close to a scientific experiment as possible helps him from getting too attached to an animal he will soon auction off.

“But since I walk them every day, it’s hard not to spend that much time with an animal and not get attached,” he said.

‘The Judges Like Them To Look Dripping Wet’

“You wouldn’t believe how many products it takes to get them ready to show,” said Kobler, who already follows his show pig around with a brush in hand, ready to stoop and immediately flick off anything that lands on the animal.

“You want to keep mud off their skin, funny enough,” said Kobler, explaining that once he gets to the fairgrounds in Ukiah early next week, the focus will shift from making sure his pig gains weight to making sure he stays cool in the heat and looks good.

“Every day I wash him with shampoo and conditioner, then I spray him with a special spray that makes him look wet and shiny,” he said. “The judges like them to come out dripping wet.”

And Kobler doesn’t want just the judges to like the look of his pig, but the buyers, too. This week, he was visiting local businesses with letters describing himself and the pig he will be selling.

“I purchased two market hogs (Hampshire Crosses) from Jane Zeni in Yorkville,” Kobler writes, noting that he will put some of the money he earns from the sale of the pigs aside for his college education, some toward the pickup truck he is fixing up and some toward the purchase of pigs next year.

As a member of the Anderson Valley FFA, Kobler hopes to keep raising pigs for the fair as long as he can, which will only be three more years.

The first year he won first place for his market class, and the second year he received rave reviews from those who bought his pig.

“That year Roederer Estate (of Philo) bought my pig, and they sent me a letter telling me how much they enjoyed it and how amazing the meat was,” Kobler recalled. “That was nice to hear.”

Kobler and the other kids raising market animals will sell them during the Junior Livestock Auction beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 5 at the Redwood Empire Fair in Ukiah.

Watch Kobler taking his pigs for a walk here.

(Courtesy, the Ukiah Daily Journal.)

THE POTTER VALLEY CUT-OFF

Editor,

On July 21 2013, there was a terrible accident on Highway 20 just west of the Potter Valley exit. A Boy Scout leader was killed and several children were seriously injured when an eastbound vehicle stopped on the highway and attempted to turn into a driveway which was across two eastbound oncoming lanes.

The accident made the headlines of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, the Lake County News as well as the Daily Journal. This road has recently been repaved and the driveway is not easily accessible because Caltrans installed several plastic pylon devices glued to the roadway.

However, it should be noted that there are two solid yellow lines separating the lanes. (I believe two solid lines means do not cross). Shortly after the pylons appeared someone vandalized them and again made it possible to cross the two oncoming lanes to enter the driveway.

The affected pylons were repaired and several more were installed in that exact location to thwart vehicles’ access.

This morning I noticed that several of the newly installed pylons are damaged, making this roadway unsafe again. It appears someone is more concerned with their convenience than the safety of the motorists on Highway 20.

It appears someone feels they are above the law and able to destroy taxpayer property. Shame on you.

J.D. Schmidt, Potter Valley

LITTLE DOG SAYS, “An old lady's been wandering around Boonville lately, carrying a buncha shopping bags and talking to herself like, ‘Jabba jabba blab a rabba.’ She shuffled by our place at exactly 3:45 ayem Wednesday morning. I thought maybe she was Wanda Tinasky, the Fort Bragg bag lady who lived under the Pudding Creek Bridge. But Wanda had all her marbles and knew a lot about a lotta things. Never came to Boonville, either. When we get abandoned, us dogs run together. The two-legs just let their unwanted people go. Sad, huh?”

CALTRANS AND ICF MEETING

Albion Ridge Elementary School Thursday, July 27, 2017 from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. July 27, 2017 meeting to discuss Community Impact Assessment for the Albion River and Salmon Creek bridge projects. Follow up on meeting held on May 9, 2017.

"As we mentioned at the meeting on May 9th, the Community Impact Assessment is an iterative process that will include an analysis of the potential impacts that each project alternative would have on the community and identify opportunities to avoid, minimize, and/or mitigate any adverse effects from each alternative. We had such a great turnout at the last meeting that we are hoping to have the same for this upcoming meeting given that public involvement is such an integral part of the CIA process."

—Frank Demling

GRADE FIRE LOSS

Bill Taylor, of Salad University renown, and his wife Jaye are also part time hosts of The Farm and Garden Show on KZYX.

SONOMA COUNTY ISSUES TOXIC ALGAE WARNING FOR RUSSIAN RIVER BEACHES

Tests results showing low levels of toxin produced by a harmful blue-green algae have triggered warning signs at Russian River beaches.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7227901-181/sonoma-county-issues-toxic-algae

CATCH OF THE DAY, July 26, 2017

DAVID BARRIGAN, Rockville, Maryland/Fort Bragg. Disorderly conduct-alcohol.

DANIEL BROCKMAN, Willits. Protective order violation.

KELLY CASEY, Potter Valley. DUI, probation revocation.

RUDOLPH ESQUIVEL, Willits. Parole violation.

ARNOLD GAHM, Ukiah. Probation revocation.

LESLIE LUKER, Lakeport/Redwood Valley. Stolen vehicle, vehicle registration forgery, receiving stolen property, controlled substance, conspiracy.

GREGORIO MARTINEZ-GUZMAN, Santa Rosa/Willits. Controlled substance, no license.

PATRICK WELSH, Willits. Resisting.

LITTLE HIPPIES WILL HAVE TO WAIT

Circle Dance this Sunday, July 30th, 3-5pm at the Mendocino Community Center

We will be circle dancing close to Lughnasadh this Sunday, 3-5pm at the Mendocino Community Center, celebrating the First Harvest and High Summer-- the midpoint between the Solstice and Autumn Equinox. No previous experience or partners necessary! All dances are taught before each dance.

We had some discussion in June about Children in the circle. Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts -- here is what we decided! We hope in the future to start a family friendly Circle because we love the little ones, but for now our Adult Circle needs the kind of quiet and focus that are just no fun for kids! Dance is one of the oldest ways in which people celebrate community and togetherness, and the circle is the oldest dance formation. Circle Dance mixes traditional folk dances with new choreography's set to a variety of music both ancient and modern. Dances can be slow and meditative or lively and energetic. Circle Dance groups are a grass roots phenomenon, with hundreds of dance circles in the US, England, and throughout the world. The Mendocino group has been dancing every month for over 20 years. As one dancer put it, “We are doing what people have been doing for millennia, on beaches, in forest glens, around campfires -- dancing together in circles to express joy, passion, solidarity, pain and faith.”

For more information on Sacred Circle Dance go to http://www.CircleDancing.com – for local info contact Devora Rossman at drossman@mcn.org

BRUXO'S BOFFO!

Bruxo Food Truck facebook posting

"Thank you everyone for an amazing first two weeks! We look forward to seeing a lot of you again and the rest of you soon. For now, our route is still finding itself, but you can find us on Wednesdays, 4:30-8:30 in front of the Boonville Hotel and Fridays and Sundays 1:00-6:00 at the Anderson Valley Brewing Company. Stay tuned for our whereabouts on our Mystery Days."

THE OPEN HOUSE opens Thursday, July 27th!

The Mendocino Theatre Company continues its 40th Anniversary season with The Open House, Will Eno's delightfully anarchic "comedy of discomfort", opening July 27th.

Directed by Bay Area actor and director Kerel Rennacker (who recently appeared in the company's production of Or,), the production features five of MTC's most beloved actors.  Together again are the inimitable Bob Cohen (Father) and Sandra Hawthorne (Mother), who first appeared together in MTC's production of George Bernard Shaw's Candida in 1977.  Rounding out the talented cast are Dan Kozloff (Uncle), Raven Deerwater (Son), and Nicole Traber (Daughter).

Playwright Will Eno, who was described by the New York Times as "Samuel Beckett for the Jon Stewart generation,” has created a witty, inventive, and darkly humorous comedy of dysfunctional family dynamics in which a house remains stable, while its inhabitants morph radically.  What appears , at first glance, to be just another "living room play” turns out to be something very different, indeed.

The Open House will be performed on the Mendocino Theatre Company's Helen Schoeni stage at 45200 Little Lake Street in Mendocino July 27th through September 3rd, 2017.  The gala opening night, which features Roederer bubbly and a delicious catered spread, will be held on July 29th. Tickets and information are available by phoning 707-937-4477 or by going to the theatre's website, mendocinotheatre.org.

ON LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

The 50's. 91% was the top Federal rate in 1956. I looked it up, but there were a lot of loopholes. Oil depletion allowances were even mentioned in the movie “Giant.”

The 1950s were terrible for gays who were confined in the closet and afraid to come out lest they lose their jobs or get kicked out of the house by macho fathers.

Dearborn, Michigan was off limits to blacks in the 1950s, de facto, if not de jure (and were still off limits when I lived there over 40 years ago). Jim Crow laws were enforced throughout the Old South.

Upper class clubs from New York to California still barred Jewish members and Jewish communities still felt the need to maintain their own hospitals.

Even in the 1950s, a lot of white Americans did not live like Beaver Cleaver.

Republicans, starting with the Reagan years, cut taxes for virtually all taxpayers, although the high income folks came out better. I could even afford to take early retirement. But millions of voters made a big mistake by voting their religious beliefs instead of their economic self interest and now they are paying the price.

As the US approaches its own version of 1789, I approach my three score and ten with no debts, money in the bank and a solid financial base for many more years of retirement. Of course, I know it can all change in very short order, but at my age, I am not going to let the gloom and doomers worry me.

INSIDE COLIN KAEPERNICK'S TRIP TO AFRICA

This week, we speak to Ameer Loggins, the lecture organizer for Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camps. Loggins traveled with Kaepernick for the quarterback’s summer trip to Ghana and Egypt and explains the significance of the trip. We also talk about the O.J. parole hearing, Michael Vick’s “Hairgate” comments and much more!

https://soundcloud.com/edgeofsports/inside-colin-kaepernicks-trip-to-africa

Dave Zirin

A RECENT LETTER in The Oregonian compares a politician's claim to tell "alternative facts" to the inventions of science fiction. The comparison won't work. We fiction writers make up stuff. Some of it clearly impossible, some of it realistic, but none of it real — all invented, imagined — and we call it fiction because it isn't fact. We may call some of it "alternative history" or "an alternate universe," but make absolutely no pretense that our fictions are "alternative facts."

Facts aren't all that easy to come by. Honest scientists and journalists, among others, spend a lot of time trying to make sure of them. The test of a fact is that it simply is so — it has no "alternative." The sun rises in the east. To pretend the sun can rise in the west is a fiction, to claim that it does so as fact (or "alternative fact") is a lie.

A lie is a non-fact deliberately told as fact. Lies are told in order to reassure oneself, or to fool, or scare, or manipulate others. Santa Claus is a fiction. He's harmless. Lies are seldom completely harmless, and often very dangerous. In most times, most places, by most people, liars are considered contemptible.

— Ursula K. Le Guin, Northwest Portland

TRUMP’S ENGLISH?

…President Donald Trump, who sat next to Japan’s first lady during a dinner at a recent international summit, says Akie Abe can’t muster even a “hello” in English.

In fact, she can handle a basic conversation in English, according to two people who have worked on events with the first lady.

So was something lost in translation, or was there an intentional snub?

In a New York Times interview this week, the president noted that he was seated next to the Argentine and Japanese first ladies at the Group of 20 summit dinner in Hamburg, Germany.

Trump described the wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as a “terrific woman, but doesn’t speak English.”

“Like, not ‘hello’,” the president told the newspaper. “So I’m sitting there. There was one interpreter for Japanese, ’cause otherwise it would have been even tougher. But I enjoyed the evening with her, and she’s really a lovely woman, and I enjoyed — the whole thing was good.”

But there’s a hitch: Japan’s first lady apparently knows a lot more than just hello.

The Internet instantly responded, with a YouTube video emerging of Akie Abe delivering a 15-minute keynote address in English at a 2014 Ford Foundation symposium in New York. Video from a 2016 summit in Japan also features Akie seemingly following the conversation and making short comments in English at a spouses’ event...

From Talking Points Memo