Aging well
“Good friends are like quilts-they age with you, yet never lose their warmth.”
I have seen too many dear friends leave this world, too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.
Whose business is it if I choose to read, or play on the computer, until 4 a.m. or sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love, I will. I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.
As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don’t question myself anymore. I’ve even earned the right to be wrong.
So, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it).
Jim Hall, Clearlake Oaks
Stop the $20 Million BOS Robbery!
On Tuesday, June 16 at 9:15 am, the Lake County Board of Supervisors will try to steal $20 million from local PG&E customers, while at the same time signing a sweetheart deal with an out of county contractor — who could be getting another $20 million dollars from the rate payers. The subject of whom we will buy $400 million worth of electrical power from over the next decade has been given a scant 15 minutes to discuss and consider on the agenda, yet another worrisome sign that this deal is being rammed through at top speed to as much as possible limit any negative reaction from the public.
The sum total of research the BOS is relying on to make this decision is the feasibility study done by the contractor — there is no independent or objective analysis of the proposal, another red flag that the BOS is intent on passing the plan no matter what. There is no reason whatsoever why the county should be entitled to any money from this deal, let alone the $20 million they intend to take from local rate payers. The BOS has not mentioned what they will do with the money, and no supervisor has explained why the county deserves any of the refund money, or why they get nearly three times as big an amount as the rate payers refund.
The plan has been touted by supporters as a way to greatly increase our use of renewable power, but then goes on to state that there is no need for a CEQA review since there would be “no significant impact” on the environment, because when it comes to selling the plan they can say anything — but it doesn’t work that way when it comes to complying with state environmental laws.
So what’s really going on here? The BOS wants a new slush fund to use to plug holes in the budget and to fritter away on pet projects, and they are quite willing to take $2 million annually from local rate payers to keep the pork barrel full. This way next year when the elections come along they can claim the budget is balanced, pet projects were funded, and the rate payers got a 2 percent refund on their power — never mind the fact that in Sonoma County rate payers have seen as much as a 9 percent refund on their bills and they didn’t have to hire a contractor to do it. They did it themselves.
There is no reason to believe this deal will improve the environment, there is no justification at all for the county to take $20 million from the rate payers, and it is abundantly clear that the real discussions have taken place in private with no public awareness. Usually those who so boldly rob people use ski masks and guns, but unless you contact your supervisor and demand a full refund for rate payers this $20 million heist will go down in broad daylight in just 15 minutes, so please take time to leave a voice mail or email for your supervisor and maybe we can get our money back. ALL of it!
Rob.Brown@LakeCountyCA.gov Anthony.Farrington@LakeCountyCA.gov Jeff.Smith@lakecountyca.gov Jim.Steele@lakecountyca.gove Jim.Comstock@lakecountyca.gov.
Philip Murphy, Lakeport
Inhumane practices
I don’t want to be a vegetarian, but have to because the alternative is sick. Killing animals for food is one thing. Torturing them for their whole lives before slaughter is unacceptable.
Birds are delicious, but must they be caged like canned sardines and never allowed to experience sunlight?
Pigs are as smart as dogs and once you know the meaning of “gestation crates” you won’t want pig farms to get one dime of your money.
When a label reads “grass fed” does it mean the cows grazed in pastures with their own kind or does it mean cut grass was brought into their metal prisons?
These sick practices are said to make meat more tender and less expensive. Then we should demand tough, costly meat.
The fact that “everybody does it” doesn’t excuse wrong behavior any more than it excuses slavery, rape and ignorance.
If the truth about something causes your insides to hurt, reject it.
Is there anyone selling humanely raised meat in Lake County? I want to buy it and am sure I’m not the only one. I’m asking those farmers/ranchers to shout out on KPFZ 88.1 Thursday 10-11 a.m. on the program called “Giving Tree.”
Let’s do better.
Jacquelyn Harwell, Lakeport
