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Letters
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- Written by: Nelson Strasser
There was an episode of “The Twilight Zone” wherein some very large Martian type creatures come to earth in spaceships and offer tours of their planet to earthlings.
A government agent is skeptical and has his agency work on a translation from the Martian. The agency soon translates the title: “To Serve Man.”
The skeptical agent then agrees to visit Mars himself, and, as he is in a crowd, being herded into the spaceship, his secretary calls out to him from the crowd still on the ground, “Mr. Smith, the book, ‘To Serve Man,’ it’s a cookbook!”
I was reminded of this when I read “Game Over,” a book about the serial pedophile, Jerry Sandusky. His autobiography, was titled, “Touched, The Jerry Sandusky Story.”
Sandusky founded “Second Mile,” an organization for troubled kids. Second Mile became the “farm team” for Jerry’s victims.
These victims were systematically and patiently groomed to be the object of Sandusky’s illicit sexual perversions. Sandusky showered them with gifts, took them to workouts and games, worked out with them, and then, showered with them. You can imagine the rest of the story.
Sometimes I work as a substitute teacher, and I, as all other teachers in California, am required to report suspected incidents of child abuse. If I do not, I myself am criminally liable.
Pennsylvania has a similar law. In 2001, a Penn State employee and former quarterback witnessed Sandusky apparently abusing a child in the showers at a Penn State facility and reported it to head coach, Joe Paterno. Paterno reported the incident to the then chief of the campus police, Gary Schultz, and the athletic director, Tim Curley.
The two men, in turn, reported it, allegedly sanitizing the story, to the president of Penn State, a man named Spanier.
There was no formal investigation and Sandusky went on molesting young boys until the next time he was caught in flagrante in 2008.
Worse yet, there was a mother who had reported to the campus police, in 1998, that her son had been with Sandusky and came home with wet hair. And, she learned that they had showered together. There was no independent investigation (from an agency not connected to Penn State) and nothing came of the allegation.
Ex-FBI director Louis Freeh was asked by the school to do an investigation. Freeh excoriated the school and the people involved. Schultz and Curley are charged criminally, and, after 66 years of apparent good works, Paterno, was fired and his reputation forever fouled.
Yuck! What brought this up? The Paterno family hired an investigator to do another investigation, allegedly to clear Joe Paterno’s name. And, I heard a radio sports talk show in which alumnae (Penn Staters) were calling in defending Penn State and Paterno.
Clearly, the men involved, in their attempt to protect “the brand,” gave Sandusky a 10-year “get out of jail free card,” and, by so doing, allowed him to abuse young boys for another generation.
I have this to say to the Paterno Family: In the name of all that is decent, shut up!
Nelson Strasser lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Nikki Sabatier
Konocti Basketball League (KBL) would like to thank all of the firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians who played in a very close match against the KBL coaches on Saturday, Feb. 16.
The KBL coaches, who were behind during the first three quarters, rallied in the fourth quarter and in the last minute won the game 48-45.
The Heroes, as they have been dubbed, played a great game showing valued leadership our community counts on. The Heroes played with teamwork, cooperation and camaraderie. Our community is grateful to have such a dedicated group of people keeping our us safe.
For the Guns and Hoses Heroes, we would like to show our gratitude to the following players: Joe Hughes, Cory Smith, Larry Johnson, Marc Hill, Craig Shields, Billy Inman, Brett Lambert, Chris Kelleher, Dominic Coca, Charles White,Walter White and Doug Aleman. We are truly fortunate to have all of you dedicated to our youth and community.
KBL had 16 coaches and referees come together to show support for the league. We would like to thank the following coaches for participating in St. Valentines Day Throwdown fundraiser: Brian Ales, Dan Griffin, Jeremy Mock, Adrian John, Billie Bowles, Brett Doud, Mike Pesonen, Mike Vandiver, Chris Kennedy, Tim Biasotti, Ashley Hernsted, Talmage Jones, Nikki Sabatier, Latoya Fortino, Andrea Montalvan and Zane Kazaka. KBL would not be a success without the season long dedication of these coaches and referees.
We would also like to thank Ralph Feidler, Chris Kennedy and Andrea Montalvan for calling the game.
KBL would also like to thank their sponsors for making this community event possible: Kevin Ness Jewelers, Cecil's Pizza, KonocTees, P&M Tile, Milano Marine Construction, Griffin's Furniture
Performance Mechanical, CrossRoads Church, Robinson Casino, Twin Pine Casino, Case Excavating
Bob's Vacuum, Tatonka Trading, and Foods Etc.
As our KBL season comes to an end, we look forward to another amazing year of community relation and good old fashion basketball.
Nikki Sabatier lives in Lower Lake, Calif.
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- Written by: Dave Gebhard
I am concerned that many of us feel that lobbyists, and the big money interests run our government.
Obviously, candidates need money to run their elections and buy media coverage for their campaigns, but too often that money is directly tied to specific bills to assist special interests, and not necessarily in the interest of their constituents.
This leads to the conclusion that many are not representing us, but big money. That is one reason for suspicion when it regards gun control.
Violence is always a last resort, but the second amendment made that a right of last resort. Government should be by the majority vote, and in the people’s interest.
The balance of power is off kilter when one or two percent controls ninety eight percent of the wealth, thus a large percentage of our elected representatives owe their election to big money.
When they talk gun control, we cringe because we do not know how far they will take it. Nobody really minds background checks; we have had them here in California for years.
I can even stomach limiting the size of magazines, though I oppose keeping so called assault weapons from citizens as silly, as fully automatic weapons have been illegal federally for some time. Semi-autos are just fine; in fact, I have always preferred them to fully autos.
I think government should protect us with laws that allow us to make decisions for ourselves. We do not need big brother peeking over our shoulder and micromanaging our every move.
We need to be treated as adults, I understand helmet laws, cigarette laws, alcohol laws, traffic laws, but lighten up on gun laws. Law enforcement is not bodyguards, we need to be able to protect our home and families, and it is our right.
Dave Gebhard lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Nelson Strasser
I don’t have a TV and I leave my furnace off, but I am comfortable curled up next to my books and my computer with my trusty little heater sitting in close proximity atop a padded folding chair.
I read for long periods, and when I need a break, I watch Netflix Instant Watch. I was watching Anna Something, crime reporter (Swedish with subtitles). It was mildly exciting, but not near as exciting as the scene that transpired next to me.
First, the sound effects: zzzt! zzzt! I looked down and saw the padding of the chair on fire! Holy Moly, What was this? I lifted the heater and put out the fire with my hand and then pulled the plug of the heater out of the wall.
Once the smoke cleared, and, when I say “smoke cleared,” I am speaking literally, I went to Google to see if I could learn something from this event.
Forty-two percent of home structure fires originate in the kitchen. Peak hours for home fires are between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Almost two-thirds (62%) of reported home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.”
By the way, I discovered that I do have an alarm, but it is in the living room of my mobile home, and never went off. If they put only one sensor, why not put it in the kitchen, where the plurality of fires originate? I am certain the laws have changed since my metal box was built.
The U.S. Fire Administration says: “It's a recipe for serious injury or even death to wear loose clothing (especially hanging sleeves), walk away from a cooking pot on the stove, or leave items that can catch fire, such as potholders or paper towels, around the stove.”
How did all this apply to my fire? It seemed like the game “Clue” in reverse: it did not start in the kitchen, a working appliance was not left unattended, it was not between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., and I did have a working fire alarm. Clearly this was a statistical outlier.
It felt very unfulfilling not to be able to place blame. Then I had an epiphany. My fire was started by the Chinese. It was probably some slave laborer, who, unable to end his depression by leaping out of a high story window (after the cameras left, they put the suicide nets back on), decided to turn his anger outward, and left one of the wires inside the heater loose.
This will not be a problem immediately, but over time, the electricity will begin to arc, and then build up heat, until one day, flames shoot out. What at first seemed inscrutable now is transparent.
Nelson Strasser lives in Lakeport, Calif.