How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
Letters
- Details
- Written by: David Gebhard
Not that they do not have the same rights we do, but the district attorney is the public prosecutor, not a civil rights activist.
Blocking off freeways to keep warring outlaw bikers apart is a trick as old as the Watsonville-Hollister takeovers by these same Hells Angels.
I am sure that if they had known in advance what would have happened, they would have employed the same tactics to provide for public safety.
The temporary loss of rights is as old as man; when the public good is threatened, we even suspend property rights.
I wish both departments would just do their jobs and work together. We have big enough challenges with the state shifting prisoners back to the counties with no increase in facilities.
Maybe the district attorney and the sheriff are too young to remember Watsonville-Hollister and the Angels, but there is a movie that shows the fun they had at everyone else’s expense.
Remember that we must learn from history, or else.
Save the politics for elections, keep the emphasis on public safety and justice for all.
Too often, small rural agencies become private fiefdoms, extensions of their leaders. That may be fun for the leaders, but as a citizen, I would feel better if they concentrated on their responsibilities.
David Gebhard lives in Lakeport, Calif.
- Details
- Written by: Deb Baumann
The No. 1 myth about the Occupy Wall Street movement is that it has no clear message.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The 1 percent are rolling out the big media guns to convince Americans to believe that OWS has no message, because OWS's message is TOO CLEAR.
The mainstream media has been near-universal in proclaiming that OWS “has no clear message.” Five thousand people chanting “Banks Got Bailed Out, We Got Sold Out” translates to “no clear message” if you work for the mainstream media.
The reason all these corporate-owned news outlets are faithfully repeating that lie is, again, because OWS's message is TOO clear. Too consistent. Too widely agreed upon (by the 99 percent).
So, corporate media employs the old Chinese trick, “a lie told a thousand times becomes truth.” But just because you find the same thing being said on every channel, does not make it true.
There are a few key messages you will find universally repeated, nationwide, throughout the OWS movement.
One is that we need to reinstate the Glass-Steagal Act, because deregulation has turned our banking system into a casino for the uber-wealthy. And it's a casino where they cannot lose, because if the dice don't roll their way, us sucker taxpayers bail them out.
Another demand you will find repeated throughout the OWS movement: End corporate personhood.
The corporate-lawyer-dominated Supreme Court voted 5-4 against Citizens United and deemed that corporations were people, with human rights including freedom of speech, and that money was speech.
In his dissent, Justice Stevens wrote: “… corporations have no consciences, no beliefs, no feelings, no thoughts, no desires. Corporations help structure and facilitate the activities of human beings, to be sure, and their “personhood” often serves as a useful legal fiction. But they are not themselves members of 'We the People' by whom and for whom our Constitution was established.”
If you had driven by any of our Occupy Lake County events, you would have seen signs saying “End corporate personhood” as well as “Reinstate Glass-Steagal.” Pretty clear messages.
Other widely-agreed-upon demands you will likely find on every OWS Top 10 list include raising taxes on the 1 percent (make them pay a fair share) and stopping the purchasing of elections (election reform).
We the People cannot afford to buy politicians. So, we are carrying signs. And no matter how much the mainstream media wants you to believe otherwise, we ARE getting our message across.
The issues are complicated, but the spotlight that OWS is shining on the problem (our rigged financial and political system) has been unwavering, and that is what unnerves the 1 percent.
Visit www.OccupyLakeCounty.org to learn more.
Deb Baumann lives in Upper Lake, Calif.
- Details
- Written by: Daniel Felperin
What we need is common purpose that doesn’t involve war. We need to focus and concentrate on a national mission that will continue to keep America safe, secure and sustainable.
That “moon project” in my opinion needs to be the pursuit of personal energy independence. After all, “independence” is a core tenet on which our democracy was founded.
If we are to aspire to be a truly free society, then energy self-reliance is at the center.
The economic ramifications of energy supply disruptions will be crippling to the health of communities impacted by them.
This does not have to be the case.
We can become more distributed as an energy-producing nation creating plenty of new job opportunities in the process.
One simplistic idea might be government-subsidized solar photovoltaic modules.
This idea would go beyond rebates and tax credits. The government would produce and subsidize (finance) the cost of the widget (PV module) making the subsequent homeowner (business) investment irresistible.
This could be funded in a similar fashion to how the $25 US savings bonds were rolled out in the 1960s – just one idea.
Populist frustration is at an all-time high and congressional approval is at an all-time low. We need to find common ground badly.
I submit that we already have the ability (but lack the motivation-will) to improve the quality of our very own lives by investing in emerging technologies like PV and electric transportation.
We need to energize ourselves and our children if we are to survive a future of diminishing resources.
So I challenge all you couch-activists to take immediate personal action to evaluate your consumption patterns and work consistently towards breaking the chains of indentured utility servitude and begin living the energy-independent American dream!
Daniel Felperin lives in Cobb, Calif.
- Details
- Written by: Pat Hallman and Babe Vecellio
The South Lake County Fire Sirens wish to thank all the local publishers for supporting our successful Holiday Boutique on Saturday, Nov. 19, held at the Middletown Fire Station on Highway 175.
We couldn't have done it without your help in spreading the word. We raised enough money at this event to help purchase one more life-saving piece of equipment for the South Lake County Fire Protection District.
Our sincere thanks are also extended to the 20 vendors who who participated, as well as the 20 Fire Sirens who worked hard all day long.
A special thanks needs to be extended to Santa Claus (Jack Barker) who came all the way from the North Pole to greet everyone and pass out candy canes.
Thank yous to all the South Lake County firemen who helped set up and tear down tables and chairs and then transport them to storage.
Appreciation is also extended to the residents of Lake County who came out in support and did a lot of Holiday shopping.
Thank you, Lake County for continuing to support the efforts of the South Lake County Fire Sirens at all of our events. Happy and Safe Holidays to you all!
Pat Hallman is president and Babe Vecellio is boutique chairman for the South Lake County Fire Sirens of Middletown, Calif.