Mendocino County Today: Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018

• Complex Updates
• Air Quality
• MCDH Candidates
• Fog Talk
• Mendocino 1970
• Pere Defense
• Little Dog
• Wrong Walker
• Velma's Produce
• Yesterday's Catch
• Healthier Diet
• Safebook
• DeVos Yacht
• Laughter
• Library Hours
• Tweetproof
• Spaghetti Dinner
• Christoff Photography
• Space Farce
• Jammies
• Private DMV
• Sanctions Gambit
• Companion Raffle
• GOP Prayer
• Blackberry Festival
• Marco Radio
• Monsanto Guilty

CALFIRE'S FRIDAY EVENING UPDATE: "Fire crews continued to prep for firing operations around the Pine Mountain Project. Air attack resumed when flight conditions improved later in the day. On the ground, environmental conditions remained a challenge in the north, with tough terrain and heavy smoke limiting accessibility. In the southern portion of the fire containment lines continue to hold and crews are actively patrolling the perimeter. Fire suppression repair crews have begun work in the southwest. The River Fire continues to be patrolled with suppression repair crews on the ground."

RANCH FIRE: 263,527 acres, 53% containment.

RIVER FIRE: 48,920 acres, 90% containment.

Detail of Pine Mountain area from August 10 fire perimeter map

Located within this area, historic Pine Mountain Lookout may be no more.

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CALFIRE'S MENDOCINO COMPLEX UPDATE (Saturday 7am): 325,226 acres; 67% containment; 295 structures damaged or destroyed.

"The northern portion of the Ranch Fire was very active overnight and continues to threaten areas north of the fire perimeter. There was success bringing the western edge of the fire back into the Mendocino National Forest. Fire crews continue working on bringing bring the east edge of the fire back in to the Mendocino National Forest, but obstacles and access still prove to be challenging. Most of the fire attack resources are being moved to the northern region of the fire to help fight and suppress an active fire front that is pushing north. Crews southern perimeter continue suppression repair and patrol. The River Fire continues to be patrolled with suppression repair crews on the ground."

FACT SHEET & MAP (August 11): cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/admin8327985/cdf/images/incidentfile2175_3977.pdf

DETAIL OF NORTHWEST PERIMETER OF RANCH FIRE (yesterday and today)

AIR QUALITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH

Friday through Sunday, August 10-12, 2018

August 10, 2018 4:00 PM: The smoke and haze from the River and Ranch Fires are currently impacting selected areas of eastern Mendocino and all of Lake Counties.

Currently air monitors show particulate matter concentrations in the “Good” to “Moderate” range for most of the County. Inland communities and surrounding areas may experience episodes of “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” air quality. These include Hopland, Ukiah, Calpella, Redwood Valley, Potter Valley, Willits, and Covelo.

Based on forecast of transition to low pressure and west northwesterly to west southwestly winds, smoke impacts are expected to disperse west of the fire through Sunday. Please see the accompanying Public Health Advisory for recommendations of personal protection for sensitive groups, as well as, everyone during “Unhealthy”, or more severe, air quality conditions. Mendocino County Air Quality Management District continuously monitors the air quality, reporting particulate matter and ozone concentrations hourly to our website: mendoair.org.

In the sidebar on the right of our webpage (scroll down if using a mobile device), under “Air Quality for Mendocino”--Click Here for current conditions, forecast, and email alerts. For additional information, click on an air quality index range, or the colored tabs below the map.

For more air quality information visit: https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.local_city&mapcenter=0&cityid=535 To sign up for air quality notifications visit: http://www.enviroflash.info/signup.cfm

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When the Mendocino Air Quality Management District advises that the air quality is “unhealthy” or “hazardous”:

A primary concern is that ‘high-risk groups” -- people over 65, under 12, pregnant women, and those people with pre-existing lung disease (such as asthma, bronchitis, COPD) or heart problems -- are at particular risk from breathing this air and should take extra precautions. Leave the smoky area, if possible, or at least stay indoors and limit physical activity.

• People with pre-existing illnesses should carefully adhere to their medical treatment plans and maintain at least a five-day supply of prescribed medications.
• Clearly, everyone is a risk when the air quality is in the “unhealthy” or “hazardous” range. If it is not possible to leave the area where smoke is present, recommendations are to limit outdoor activity and unnecessary physical exertion.
• Smoke from wildfires contains chemicals, gases, and fine particles that can harm health. The greatest hazard comes from breathing fine particles, which can reduce lung function, worsen asthma and other existing heart and lung conditions, and cause coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing.
• Wearing a protective mask may offer some protection. N-95 masks can reduce contact with some of the harmful particulate matter, but they also increase the work of breathing and they don’t keep the smoke out, so they are not terribly effective as a general protective measure. It is much better to avoid the smoky air, if possible.
• N95 masks are very useful during the cleanup phase when the ash is a big issue.
• If you would like N95 masks, they can be obtained for free at the libraries, the senior centers, and the shelters.
• If you have trouble locating masks and you would like them, contact us at Public Health.
• Dust masks (different from N95) are not protective and really should not be used.
• If you have air conditioning, turn it to interior recirculation or turn off and use fans. This prevents the intake of the outside, smoky air. Avoid vacuuming (which stirs up the dust) or increasing smoke in the house (for example burning candles or incense, or smoking cigarettes).
• There are no indications that any permanent problems such as cancer will develop due to short term exposure to smoke such as this. Since the air problems currently are almost exclusively from woodsmoke, there are no real industrial contaminants that might lead to other long-term problems.
• If you, or someone with you, begins to experience significant symptoms, such as dizziness, shortness of breath, or chest discomfort, get them out of the smoke and have them rest. If symptoms continue, seek medical attention.
• Getting enough rest and drinking plenty of fluids may be helpful.

MARGARET'S IN!

Running for a seat on the MCDH Board

I, too, went to Ukiah today to throw my hat in the ring. Below is my Candidate's Statement that will appear in the voters' guide in English and Spanish.

"After retiring from a 27 year teaching career inland, I moved to Fort Bragg in 1999 to pursue the arts and be a community volunteer. Serving on the Mendocino County Mental Health Board in the early 2000's and on a local 501(c)(3) board have given me insight and knowledge about the fiduciary responsibilities involved.

I am running for a seat on the Mendocino Coast District Hospital Board in an effort to bring a fresh set of eyes to the fiscal problems the hospital is currently facing. With a 2030 deadline to build a new hospital, there is a urgent need to produce a strategic plan to raise revenues and cut losses in addition to organizing a capital campaign. Doing business as usual simply will not suffice. My goal, if elected, is to foster transparency and regain the trust of the community through a process of inclusion and widespread participation."

Margaret Paul, 707 964-9483

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JADE'S IN TOO!

MCDH Candidate Announcement

So, with some trepidation, I drove over to Ukiah today and filed paperwork to run for a seat on the Mendocino Coast District Hospital Board. Here is a copy of my Candidate's Statement that will be published (in English and Spanish) in the Voters' Guide.

"Two years ago, I retired from teaching and bought an old house in Fort Bragg. Listening to friends and neighbors, I realized our Mendocino Coast District Hospital was in trouble. I started going to Board and Planning Committee meetings. The budget was in the red, and there was no money for replacing failing equipment.

"I got involved personally when OB and Delivery services were threatened. I worked on the successful Measure C Campaign to ease the financial pressure on our hospital. I developed and helped convince the hospital to adopt the six domains of strategic planning now in use by the Board and Administration.

"I am committed to working creatively and strategically with the Mendocino Coast community and the Board to address the many challenges our hospital still faces. My approach is thoughtful and analytical, looking at problems with new eyes and seeking creative solutions.

"As a Board Member, I bring to the table my twenty years' experience as an educator, experience in the construction and mechanical trades and as a firefighter/EMT in my younger days, a lifetime as a seasoned negotiator and mediator, and a passion for the future in my new home and community."

I am hoping to use this campaign to continue the work started with the Measure C Campaign, to have a community wide conversation about what our hospital means to us on the Coast, what we want from it, how we can work together to support, maintain and improve it, particularly considering the seismic requirements that need to be met by 2030.

Jade Tippett

Fort Bragg, 489.4986

FOG (Comments from the Coast List Serve)

Over the last decade we seem to be getting less and less fog on the Mendocino Coast - and very little fog 1 mile and further inland. Our ocean temperature is 52 degrees (which I believe is the average temperature for early August) and it’s certainly hot inland - so where’s the fog? I’ve always heard that inland heat plus the cool ocean water running along the coast equals lots of fog - but we’re just not getting that heavy fog bank we used to get here. Any explanations?

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Strange. I live out the end of Mitchell Creek Drive and we’ve had a lot of fog this year and it seems that Fort Bragg has too.

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Been on the ocean the last couple of days in peasoup fog...40 ft visibility

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Well here's my report about fog, for what it maybe worth. Just this morning at about 10:30 I was on Main Street, Mendocino and was unable to see the ocean. I have to either clean my glasses or the fog was thick. But at home about an hour later just 2 miles in the sun was shining. So the fog is here it just wants to hang out right on the coast.

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From the west end of Main St report. The fog come in and went out at least five times today, between 10:30 and 5 pm. Extraordinary day on our extraordinary coast.

A REFERENCE FOR MR. PERE

To the Editor:

I have known Fred Pere since the early 90s. Fred was the best ocean dive boat tender I have worked with during my licensed commercial sea urchin diving days (1990 — 2010). I can confidently say Fred is not a kidnapper (UDJ July 27 police report), nor deranged. This story is sad because underneath a gruff exterior, I know Fred to be a kind hearted people person and a real unique character. He tips above the norm at restaurants to help the workers, even when he is broke. He is a handicapped guy who should have had a hip replacement 20 plus years ago, and could use two hip replacements today. Fred needs a cane to walk. Fred has told me he did NOT touch that gal, and I fully believe him. While Fred does have some forward French ways of communicating sometimes that can get misinterpreted, he is now facing a nightmare, and out for his portion of a $50,000 bail with lawyer costs coming ... because of what some young unnamed 15 year old said to the police.

When I first heard Fred Pere’s story from him in person, after his getting out of jail, Fred was praying there was a video of the interaction. Fred’s handicap situation has evolved to such a degree, a young school aged kid could knock him over. The accusing 15 year old’s kidnapping attempt story simply does not hold water!

Since this news story came out, many folks have assumed it true. Fred heard that one guy in Fort Bragg he just kind of knows has said he wants to kill Fred (Fort Bragg gruff talk). Some folks on the MendocinoSportsPlus facebook page are saying, ...get the scum off the street and check his van for the DNA of other victims. There are similar comments in other this internet forums.

Fred won at least one of the early Salmon Fishing Tournaments in Fort Bragg. That tournament win picture of Fred and his big salmon circulated widely in the news media. Since then, more retired guys with money to spend on nice big well outfitted boats showed up in Fort Bragg to go Salmon Fishing. ... My take is that Fred has actually helped in some small way, to pump our local tourist economy!

Fred is functioning at an amazing level given his challenging and very obvious physical handicap. All Fred wants around here is to be able to live in peace and go out fishing! I hope this kidnapping attempt story changes, and gets cleared up soon.

William Self

Redwood Valley

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FROM THE FORT BRAGG POLICE DEPARTMENT

“On Wednesday, July 25, at approximately 7:00 pm, the 15-year-old victim was standing outside the back entrance of the Mendocino Cookie Company, located at 303 N. Main Street.

The suspect (Frederic Pere, age 56 of Fort Bragg) contacted the victim while she was on the phone. He placed his hand on her shoulder and asked her if she wanted a ride. The victim told him no and turned away from him. Pere then grabbed the victim by the arm and started to pull the victim towards a white panel van that was parked nearby.

The victim was able to pull away from Pere and struck him in the process. Pere then entered the white van, a 1998 Ford E350 panel van CA Lic# 5T76883, and left the area south bound on N. Main Street.

The victim was transported to the Police Department where she filed a report. A description of the vehicle and Pere were given to other Fort Bragg Police Officers who began to immediately check the area.

A van matching the description was located parked in the parking lot of the A Frame Coffee House. Officers contacted the lone occupant in the vehicle who was Pere. Pere was detained by Officers while the victim was transported to the location and was able to conduct an infield show up. The victim positively identified Pere as the suspect. Pere was taken into custody, booked and then transported to the Mendocino County Jail.

The Fort Bragg Police Department is requesting anyone who has had any similar contact with Pere to contact the Fort Bragg Police Department immediately.

Questions regarding this press release may be directed to the Fort Bragg Police Department at (707) 961-2800 or the crime tip hotline at (707) 961-3049.”

LITTLE DOG SAYS, “The geezers who run this place told me to never use any word associated with old age, words like geriatric, senile, early Alzheimers and so on. But for about a month now they've been calling me all kinds of names except Little Dog — Rover, AttaBoy, Cough, to name just a few. They're losing it, for sure, and I think it's time for an eval and probably in-home.”

CORRECTION: WRONG WALKER. The officer identified as Craig Walker in Bruce McEwen's story posted Wednesday, wasn't Anderson Valley's Deputy Walker. The Walker involved in the 5150 episode described by McEwen was Officer Walker of the Ukiah Police Department.

VELMA'S FARM STAND at Filigreen Farm Organic Biodynamic
1750 Anderson Valley Way, Boonville CA 95415
Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 10am till 4pm

• Maiden's Blush Apples, Red Gravenstein Apples: $3.00 lb
• Blueberries: by the basket $3.80; flat (12 baskets) $40
• Cherry And Early Girl Tomatoes: $3.25 lb
• Heirloom Tomatoes: $3.75 lb
• Kohlrabi: $1.25 each
• Cabbage: $1 lb
• Lemon Cucumbers: $2 lb
• Melons: $1.30 lb
• Watermelons: $1 lb
• Olive Oil

CATCH OF THE DAY, August 10, 2018

ALBERTO ACOSTA, Ukiah. Probation revocation.

BRET BENGSTON, Ukiah. Parole violation. (Frequent flyer.)

KATRINA FOWLES, Ukiah. DUI, probation revocation.

SERJIO GONZALEZ, Ukiah. Battery, resisting, probation revocation.

BENITO LOYA, Willits. Probation revocation.

SCOTT MATHER, Ukiah. Probation revocation.

MICHAEL MCGEE, Ukiah. Probation revocation.

MARVIN PEREZ-DEANDA, Sunnyvale/Willits. DUI-drugs&alcohol.

CRAIG PHIPPS, Laytonville. Domestic abuse, resisting.

WESLEY REDD, Willits. Witness intimidation, failure to appear.

RANDY RHODES, Potter Valley. Unspecified charges.

ANTHONY ROJAS, Ukiah. Probation revocation.

WESLEY SIMMONS, Fort Bragg. Disoderly conduct-alcohol.

MOTECUHZOMA VAUGHN, Ukiah. Probation revocation.

MISGUIDED PROTESTS

Editor:

I am completely in favor of vegan diets. But attacking egg and/or other animal product farmers isn’t going to win anybody to the cause. And the moral argument is fatally flawed. In order to eat, we must exploit and kill other life forms. As far as we know, one life form is as alive as another.

Rather than attacking local business people, the foundation of our local economy, and spouting the kind of holier than thou mythology that we decry when we hear if from Republicans, we should emphasize the science behind a plant-based diet.

The fact is that the more plant-based one’s diet is, the healthier one is likely to be. Also, the meat industry produces as much greenhouse gas as the transportation industry. Greatly reducing it would be a big help in mitigating climate change. Consuming animal products at our current rate is killing us, our children, our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren.

It’s time to change our ways.

Edward Meisse

Santa Rosa

I DIDN’T JOIN FACEBOOK TO ‘FEEL SAFE’

by Thomas Knapp

In early August, Facebook and other social media services banned content from radio/Internet shock jock Alex Jones. Surprising? No. Jones’s number was due to come up. The big players in Internet media have spent the last few years attempting to appease the perpetually outraged (and therefore unappeasable) by banning and blocking a continuous parade of Most Despised Persons of the Week.

Wikipedia describes Jones’s “INFOWARS” (yes, in all-caps) site as “a far right American conspiracy theorist and fake news website and media platform.” He’s continuously embroiled in litigation with plaintiffs ranging from the makers of Chobani yogurt to the families of Sandy Hook shooting victims. Definitely despised. So now it’s his turn.

The apparent end game: Turning the Internet into the same bland, homogeneous goop we got from network TV circa the 1950s — content without any rough edges that might spook advertisers. And they’re using pretty much the same justifications as movie and TV studios did with that era’s McCarthyist “blacklists.” To paraphrase Henry Ford, you can have any color Internet you want, so long as it’s beige.

Facebook’s statement on Jones: “We believe in giving people a voice, but we also want everyone using Facebook to feel safe.”

Really?

Why on Earth would Facebook’s users require protection from Alex Jones? He’s loud and red-faced and nuts, but it’s not like he can pop out of the screen and grab us. We don’t have to watch him. We don’t have to press the play button, we don’t have to turn the volume up from mute, and we can even block other users who try to push him at us.

Business note to Facebook: These “I don’t feel safe” people will never “feel safe” enough to stop demanding that you reduce the content options other Facebook users enjoy. It’s not about their actual safety. It’s about their compulsion to run everyone else’s lives.

Presumably there are more people in the “other Facebook users” category than in the “make anything that might conceivably cause me mental discomfort go away” category. For now, anyway. Keep this kind of thing up and sooner or later people who want more out of social media than finger-painting and group rounds of “Michael Rowed the Boat Ashore” will leave Facebook and go looking for that mythical Wild West Internet the “Poor Me! What About My Feelz?” crowd is always whining about.

Facebook is plenty big enough for “live and let live” to work just fine. We choose our Facebook friends. We control what we share with them and we don’t have to look at what they share with us unless we want to.

Please, stop letting those who won’t live and let live control your content policies.

(Thomas L. Knapp is director and senior news analyst at the William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism (thegarrisoncenter.org). He lives and works in north central Florida. Courtesy, CounterPunch.org)

REMEMBER THAT $40 MILLION 163-FOOT YACHT owned by Cruella DeVos’s family, which some heroic pirate cut loose from its moorings in Port Huron, Ohio, and set adrift in Lake Erie? Turns out it’s registered in the Cayman Islands as a tax dodge…Making America Great Again! —Jeff St. Clair

(Ed note: Apparently the DeVos family owns at least 10 yachts, four planes and two helicopters.)

ON LINE COMMENT OF THE DAY

I have heard the most effective criticism is laughter. When I saw the rah rah space force press conference I simply laughed. When I see Trump talk about No Collusion, I snort out a laugh. When I see the hapless repug supporters try and defend their pet idiot, I laugh. When I hear how strong the economy is, I laugh.

We are laughing so hard we pissed ourselves, and have now started to cry. Watching people try and defend this absolutely inept and corrupt Govt/System is mind blowing sad. One day at a time, step by step, the Country is falling apart. What’s left worth saving? Remind me.

Putin, if pissed enough, may release what he has on Trump just to cause more discord, confusion, and hasten the collapse. Perhaps he is done with Trump serving his purpose. Trump will proudly be able to raise his gold plated name on the failure of America. It’ll make some great tee shirts to sell, made in China, of course. Hey, it could be another stock buying opportunity….probably will be.

NEW LIBRARY HOURS FOR UKIAH BRANCH LIBRARY

Beginning September 4th

Tuesday-Thursday 10-7

Friday-Sunday 10-5

Mark your calendars! Beginning September 4^th, the Ukiah Library will have new hours. We will be open Tuesday-Thursday from 10-7, and Friday-Sunday 10-5. Note: we will no longer be open until 8 pm Tuesday-Thursday – instead, we will have 3 additional hours on Sundays.

For more information – please contact Melissa at the Ukiah Library: 234-2864 or carrm@mendocinocounty.org

SPAGHETTI DINNER Whitesboro Grange Saturday

A Traditional Spaghetti Dinner will be held at the Whitesboro Grange on Saturday, August 11th from 4-7 p.m. On the menu are salad, spaghetti with Bob Canclini”s famous sauce (meat or vegetarian), garlic bread, beverage and pie or cake for dessert. Adults $8, age 6-12 half price, children under 6 eat FREE. The community and public are invited for a great meal. Whitesboro Grange is located 1.5 miles east on Navarro Ridge. Watch for signs just south of the Albion Bridge.

2nd Saturday in Mendocino: The Mendocino Coast Furniture Makers are holding a reception Upstairs at Highlight Gallery 5-8 pm Hope you can make it.

RUSS CHRISTOFF Featured Artist at Edgewater Gallery

First Friday Art Opening
Russ Christoff Photography
Friday, September 7, 5-8pm
Edgewater Gallery, 356 N. Main St., Fort Bragg

Russ will do a brief presentation about his art at 6pm. Light refreshments served.

In Russ' own words:

"The art of photography is more than capturing a moment in time; it's a matter of interpretation. When I present a photograph, I'd like to have the viewer tell me what they feel, not merely what they see. There's a reason or story behind each of the photographs I exhibit. My interpretations of the North Coast are meant to evoke dreamlike images. Mendocino resident and award winning photographer and videographer Russ Christoff has captured images on nearly every continent and include his Public Television Series, Traveling California State Parks with Russ Christoff. These images are also available as hybrid dye-infused metal prints which glow with a vibrancy and brilliance unparalleled by any other method and can be displayed outdoors as well as indoors."

SPACE FARCE

Friends and Colleagues,

Yesterday Vice-President Pence announced President Trump's latest Space Policy Directive, calling for the creation of a "Space Force".

Space is a "warfighting domain", said Pence, quoting Trump. We must "prepare for the next battlefield", to "defeat a new generation of threats".

"It is not enough to merely have an American presence in space," said the VP, again quoting Trump. "We must have American dominance in space." He went on to claim that our "adversaries" are "seeking to disrupt" and "challenge American supremacy" and asserted that, in space, "peace only comes through strength."

He concluded by saying that God is on our side when it comes to the militarization of outer space: "We will do so with that other kind of faith as well… [E]ven if you go up to the heavens, 'even there His hand will guide you, His right hand will hold you fast.' And He will hold fast this great nation in the great beyond."

What Pence and Trump have failed to mention is that there is another way forward, a peaceful way, a way that is available for all of humanity at this pivotal moment in our history. That way is the international framework of laws that is called for by the Moon Treaty.

The Moon Treaty has been proposed by the United Nations and adopted by 22 countries, but not the United States. It calls for the peaceful use of outer space and prohibits any one country from extending its sovereignty to the Moon or any other celestial body. It requires countries to create an international framework of laws for the "safe and orderly" development of space resources, and mandates that the benefits of space exploration and development be shared with all countries, no matter how small or technologically advanced.

The Space Treaty Project (http://www.spacetreaty.org) has been created to promote adoption of the Moon Treaty by the United States and other countries. It's mission is to restore hope to humanity by providing an alternative to the wars, violence, and neglect that have plagued our history.

You can help by signing the petition calling for the Senate to ratify the Treaty. More information at spacetreaty.org, where you will also find links to the full text of the Treaty and to the book Major Tom, a novel that explores the current issues in space law in the context of a race to establish the first permanent human settlement on the Moon. An extended preview is attached. You can support the Space Treaty Project by purchasing a copy or by making a donation via the Could Forest Institute (via link at website). Even if you don't, please take time to read the petition and consider signing.

Thank you very much for your interest and support. When I began writing Major Tom early last year, most people were not aware that the militarization of outer space was a possibility. It is now almost a certainty unless we act to stop it. There will be only one time when humanity leaves its home planet, one chance to establish a pattern that will ripple far into the future. We can either join together with other nations to explore and develop outer space peacefully, or we can follow the path of nationalistic "dominance" and turn space into a "warfighting domain".

As Klaatu reminded us, the choice is ours.

Sincerely,

Dennis O'Brien

Ukiah

“Yes, the President has requested his Space Force jammies this evening.”

PRIVATE DMV OFFICE PROVIDES SERVICES TO CALIFORNIA LAWMAKERS

Lawmakers can avoid the long lines plaguing California's Department of Motor Vehicles offices by visiting an office near the Capitol not open to the public, a decades-old practice under fresh fire as wait times surge.

pressdemocrat.com/news/8623306-181/private-dmv-office-provides-services

FEVER PITCH

by James Kunstler

Those in the USA who have not been driven plumb insane by President Donald Trump are probably scratching their heads down to the subdural cavity this week with his imposition of more severe sanctions on Russia only a month after he went to Helsinki to repair tattered relations with Russia’s president, Mr. Putin. The official reason: payback for the poisoning in Wiltshire, UK, of Sergei Skripal, retired UK/Russia double agent, and his daughter Yulia.

Really? For that? For a botched assassination with one of the world’s most potent military nerve agents which, by the way, failed to kill its victims. (Somebody please go inform the Russian military that they may have batch problems over at the nerve agent lab.) Oh, also, by the way, there’s less evidence that whatever-it-was on the Skripal’s doorknob, or in the bubble-and-squeak they ordered at that restaurant, came from Russia than from the UK’s own military poisons lab at nearby Porton Down.

This new mystifying chapter in US foreign relations raises some beguiling questions. For instance: why exactly do we give a fuck about a Russian spy who sold out to the UK at the same moment in history that we (that is, the American public and their news media) hardly heaved a sigh over the joint US–Saudi bombing of a school bus in Yemen that killed 43 people, mostly children, this week?

Want to see the dishonesty of The New York Times in action? Read this story from Thursday’s (Aug 9) paper about the school bus bombing. The lede says: “An airstrike from the Saudi-led coalition struck a school bus in northern Yemen on Thursday and killed dozens of people, many of them children….” Got that? A “coalition.” Guess what? Nowhere in the story does the Times explain that the US is part of that coalition. “The strikes were “carried out in accordance with international humanitarian law….” the Times concluded the story.

Szh-yeah, I’m sure….

Our President, who I like to call the Golden Golem of Greatness for his role in restoring this limping nation to something like a 1947 Jimmy Stewart movie — all Christmas and kittens — might be accused of overplaying the sanctions blame-game in order to demonstrate to our own Deep State how much he doesn’t love Russia and its leader, Mr. Putin, a verified agent of Satan. Next thing you know, Mr. Trump will don evangelical robes and hurl bibles at a photo of Vladimir P on Don Lemon’s CNN show. That’ll get Ole Horseface Mueller off his back, won’t it? And those pesky Dem-Progs drooling for impeachment.

Alas, this sanctions gambit may lead to serious consequences — a nearly unthinkable outcome in our culture of Anything-Goes-and-Nothing-Matters. Mr. Putin responded to the latest sanctions talk by saying he might withdraw Russia’s ambassador from Washington. (I’m not even sure what he’s still doing there, since the Michael Flynn incident established the new notion in DC that speaking to ambassadors from foreign lands is somehow against the law.) If you read a little history, you may notice that the withdrawal of diplomats is usually one of the last political acts before war.

We need a war with Russia, right? Well, it’s possible that the Deep State’s factotums want one — since they’ve been hollering about the wickedness of Russia at a deafening pitch for two years now. I’m wondering just what their fantasy of this war might be. Anything like the great victory over Grenada back in 1983, our most successful military venture since the surrender of Japan in 1945? Code-named Operation Urgent Fury, this campaign against one of the Caribbean’s most dangerous nations, took only four days to wrap up — and notice, we haven’t had any trouble from them Grenadian bastards ever since.

(Support Kunstler’s writing by visiting his Patreon Page.)

S.O.S. 'CASH FOR CRITTERS' RAFFLE - Ticket sales, Little River & Fort Bragg

S.O.S.- Networking for Mendocino Coast Companion Animals will be holding its 2018 “Cash For Critters” Raffle at the Mendocino Hotel, Wednesday, August 29 at 2:00pm. Our beautiful community has donated 114 fabulous prizes to help animals on the Mendocino Coast. S.O.S. will be expanding our program to help animals effected by the Mendocino County fires. We will be selling raffle tickets at various locations throughout the month of August, so please stop by, purchase some tickets and say hello. You can find us this Friday, August 10, at the Little River Post Office from 11:30am - 4:00pm and at Community First Bank in Fort Bragg 11:00am - 4:00pm. Tickets are only $2ea. or $10 for 6 tickets. We’ll post locations at the beginning of each week so you can know where and when to look for us. “Cash For Critters” Raffle is truly a win/win opportunity. The animals win and we hope you’ll win too!

SUMMER UNDER THE ARBOR: Covelo’s 36th annual Blackberry Festival: Aug. 18-19

The 36th annual Round Valley Blackberry Festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 18 and 19, at the festival grounds in downtown Covelo.

The festivities will kick off at 10 a.m. Saturday with master of ceremonies Mickey.

Come check out their new arbor teeming with arts, crafts, food booths and blackberry delicacies. Mendocino County wines will be available for tasting while listening to live music both days. There will be a climbing wall for children of all ages. Hours are Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free; no pets allowed.

Come join the community for a fun square dance on Saturday at 7 p.m., and for the car and motorcycle show on Sunday.

MEMO OF THE AIR: Good Night Radio tonight! With handy pronunciation guide.

Tonight, Friday, 9pm to 5am, I'm doing MOTA:GNR (say mo-TUH-guh-NOOR, this time with inflection following the four-tone Ford Model A horn) by live remote from Juanita's apartment, /not/ from the back room of the KNYO performance space at 325 N. Franklin, next door to the Tip Top bar, so make plans to show-and-tell there /next/ week, the 17th of August.

Deadline to get your writing on the air tonight is as late as 7pm. Just email it. Even if you're reading this after 7, it's never too late; send it anyway and I'll read it on /next/ week's show. I don't screen anything out, just if there are swears I wait to read it after 10pm, otherwise it agitates the weasels, as you know. Or come in and read it (or sing and dance or otherwise express it) yourself next week, see above, same thing about the swears.

Memo of the Air: Good Night Radio: Every Friday, 9pm to 5am on 107.7fm KNYO-LP Fort Bragg, and 105.1fm KMEC-LP Ukiah*. And also there and anywhere else via http://knyo.org

Also, you can always go to https://MemoOfTheAir.wordpress.com and listen to last week's show, and shows before that, and read and watch and play with all sorts of other semi-educational materials. By Saturday night, even tonight's show magically becomes last week's show. That's a good thing to recall when you're stuck indoors because of smoke from the many fires of the end of the world. Or maybe you just don't feel like keeping watch all night. Anybody can understand that. I'll take this watch. You get some rest.

Or, here, cogitate upon the Earth as it is zero million years ago, a mere blink before the Post-Anthropocene Extinction Event (PAEE). (You'll have to scroll down a tad; the illustration at top is 300 million years ago.) https://boingboing.net/2018/08/06/ancient-earth-globe-see-what.html

And here's a bitchin' firenado (say fyr-NAY-doh) in Leicestershire (say LIST-uh-sher). https://www.facebook.com/LFRSAshby/videos/2197354550501750/

Marco McClean, memo@mcn.org

'GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS!': Monsanto Ordered to Pay $289 Million in Roundup Cancer Lawsuit

In an historic victory for those who have long sought to see agrochemical giant Monsanto held to account for the powerful company's toxic and deadly legacy, a court in California on Friday found the corporation liable for damages suffered by a cancer patient who alleged his sickness was directly caused by exposure to the glyphosate-based herbicides, including the widely used weedkiller Roundup.

commondreams.org/news/2018/08/10/guilty-all-counts-historic-victory-monsanto-ordered-pay-289-million-roundup-cancer