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Opinion
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- Written by: Maurice Taylor
In Orwell’s novel the people were subordinated to a party doctrine, a party which in Clear Lake is the dynasty of wealth and power controlling the citizenry through a “Ministry of Truth” (government and news media), creating a classic Orwellian “authority” in Lake County.
A new unofficial task force of concerned citizens met for the first time at the Lakeport Yacht Club on Oct. 8, giving the impression that its purpose was to disseminate more factual and scientifically based information to the public. Instead, it offered propaganda and misinformation.
The concerned citizens were served double-talk and news-speak such as lake water getting clearer and sunlight being cause of recent massive algae scums, suggesting nothing need be done as the lake is doing what it does naturally for a few unpleasant days of the year.
According to Clay Shannon, speaking at a recent Board of Supervisors meeting, only for about 30 days of the year algae are a problem: again, algae not a problem, but for who? A substantial increase in the number of wineries in Lake County has occurred since 2004 (now numbering 37). Do they contribute to pollution? Not according to Greg Giusti, a speaker at the new lake task force meeting.
Are we to have reliable information about lake waters or propaganda? Controlled government misinformation and a compliant news media keep citizens uninformed and misinformed with propaganda that fosters power and control by a wealthy few in control of “authority” in Lake County.
The control infiltrates like the sleaze of corporatism nationally, where every governing sphere is tainted by a controlled element of wealth.
Such a longstanding tradition of power appears acceptable, smooth as plaster, natural as lake water to those in control and for those uninformed or misinformed alike, until cracks appear and contamination becomes more visible and unavoidable, like excess algae in lake water, in spite of propaganda to the contrary.
The plaster, cast as the influence of wealth, controls what newspapers print and what a Board of Supervisors decides. It shuts down a television station if the station threatens news not controlled. It has caused much damage to Lake County in the neglect of lake waters.
Maurice Taylor lives in Clearlake, Calif.
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The ancient models seem to no longer serve us and to be dying from within.
To create a new society within the existing social framework has been attempted. Today many intentional communities, with many different structures, exist, yet they exist under the mainstream culture, and shadowed to some extent by it, not as free as they would like to be.
In my opinion we must first lay the foundation, which is a spiritual question, before we can create a new way to be, for a society is a way of being human together.
I think the foundation must be about what it means to be human. Currently I would say that we are not really human, for the simple reason that we fight our own nature. We have done it for centuries.
As a matter of fact we fight all of nature, the outer and the inner, and rather intensely and mercilessly.
To make it simple: we are related to everything, we are connected to all life at every known, imaginable and yet unknown level. We must internalize this fact deeply and see how it affects and transforms our being and opens up our hearts and souls.
From there, from this understanding of the unity and kinship of all life, we should be able to create a new culture that expresses harmony and cooperation rather than fear, subjugation and exploitation.
It goes without saying that balance means the end of the dominant and destructive power of the patriarchy, and a return towards the union and harmony of female/male energies within the human psyche as well as within all social structures and human endeavors.
Indeed, if we want to save the world, meaning save ourselves, we must urgently let women be the leaders who will restore balance, and will guide us to sanity and do away with patriarchal, unintelligent pursuits of dominant power and supremacy, which serve nothing but the perpetuation of injustice, abuse and fear and defeat love and life in all of their expressions, to the point of making our very survival as a species questionable.
Raphael Montoliu lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Mt. Konocti Facilitation
On behalf of Mt. Konocti Facilitation and the Harmon family we would like to thank the contributors who have made donations to Mt. Konocti Facilitation in memory of Susan Harmon.
Thank you Lake County donors: Diane Bellas and Janis Chiamulon, Clinton and Lauretto Aro, Mary Ann and Peter Schmid, Carol Huchingson, Herb and Kim Bladel, Stephen and Pamela Hendricks, Kelly Cox, Diane Snow, Janice Hubbell, Bernice Hudson, Sherry Harris, Lovie’s Garden Emporium, Nancy Hudson, Jerry and Mary Ann McQueen, Marcia Sanderson, Lakeport Lions Club, Suzin McGuire, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Workmen and G.O.L.D. (Good Old Ladies Dinner Club), and Pat, Bonnie, Irene, Jeanette and June.
Thank you out of county donors: Yvonne Teruya, St. Monica, Calif; Red Cloud LLC, New York, NY; Lauretta Hayes, Santa Rosa, Calif.; Consulting Alliance Inc., Santa Rosa; Marguerite Rangel, Pasadena, Calif; Kim and Mike Altman, Corona Del Mar, Calif.; and Janice Bassett, West Sand Lake, NY.
These contributions to Mt. Konocti Facilitation helps us to continue to offer free and confidential support to advance innovative entrepreneurs in the establishment, expansion and retention of viable business ventures and jobs in Lake County.
If you would like to make a tax deductible donation in memory of Susan Harmon please mail your checks to Mt. Konocti Facilitation, POB 295, Lakeport, CA 95453.
Mt. Konocti Facilitation and the Harmon Family
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- Written by: Nelson Strasser
Obama has received $7 million from the financial sector, and Romney $3.5 million. Republican v. Democrat is a category of no relevance to the power structure. What is important is to hedge your bet.
How much difference will the president make? Years ago, I read a book called “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe.”
A space ship picks up a hitchhiker who happens to be President of the Galaxy. Surprised, the operators of the ship ask how it can be that the president is hitchhiking. To which the president replies, “The role of the president is not to yield power, but to attract attention away from it.”
It is true that a Democrat could restore the court, if appointments came up, to a traditionally conservative body, as opposed to the extreme right-wing activism that characterizes it now. (How much more activist can a court be than to appoint the president instead of calling for a re-vote in Florida? Would the country have descended into chaos had the results of the election of 2000 waited a week or two?)
Lest anyone accuse me of hyperbole, a retiring justice, I believe, Justice Stevens, said something to the effect that he came on the court as a conservative, and left as a liberal, but that he had not changed.
That notwithstanding, we need radical change: The conventional wisdom had it that the genius of our economic system is that each person, trying to maximize his individual position, would lead to a greater good for all.
This is a spurious notion. Clearly, reality has demonstrated, with the savings and loan scandal of the 1980s, and the derivatives scandal of the 2000s, etc., that many of those in positions of incredible power are like the character of Jack in Lord of the Flies: When the good of the group (keep the rescue fire burning) conflicts with the “id,” (we must hunt), the interest of the group is at peril. Similarly, in their lust for greed, and like a cancer, they would destroy the host (our economy).
We need to change this system radically. If not, the forces of darkness will return again and destroy whatever safeguards we put up.
For example, after the depression, Congress passed the Glass-Steagal Act, which separated commercial banks from investment banks. It was repealed in 1999 under Clinton, at which time, dire, but accurate predictions were made by the 10 senators who voted “nay.”
However, first the 99 percent need to unite. The first thing that is needed is to eliminate two of the most divisive issues among us: welfare and immigration. First, I propose the end of government aid except for the disabled and the aged. But, for every person that wanted a job, one would be found or provided. Welfare makes the middle class hate the poor, and the poor hate themselves.
Secondly, let us understand that no person wants to leave their home and their family and go to a foreign land to be despised and do menial labor, unless they are desperate.
We need to pressure Mexico to create social justice: Imagine thousands of miles of Malibu Beach? If Mexico became a just society they might have to keep the Gringos out.
Just “Git ‘er done.”
Nelson Strasser lives in Kelseyville, Calif.