A high roller
Obama’s fund raiser cost U S taxpayers $2.0 M. M/L to support the DNC in SF. Not sure what the trip to Cuba and Argentina cost. Probably more.
Meanwhile, Brussels burned while Obama fiddled around.
What a guy !
Can you imagine what Hillary will cost us?
Marty Hinman, Lakeport
Heart of the county
There was a time in the history of Lake County when everyday life, and its friendliness, were far different than it is today. The little towns around the lake treated each other as good neighbors, and it would be hard to find a citizen of Lake County that would not feel fortunate to be able to call the Lake their home or offer a heartfelt view to visitors of their strong feelings of pleasure in living here.
In our present era those past feelings have changed somewhat. Now modern day progress has changed the quality of daily life here by lessening the practice of those far reaching past traditions and deeply held pride that once were thought of as highly regarded feelings about the place by person’s who regarded the lake as their hometown.
There is no stopping progress but there are ways to keep the best of a community firmly in place. Sadly, it’s mostly the youth of our communities and the new residents and now citizens of the lake that over time put the older traditions and values aside. They have brought and hang on to the views and values of the places where they grew up. The really sad part is once lost old values will never return.
The kinder and socially positive way folks here treated each other can be changed back and held onto if the citizens of our day and age work hard at doing so.
Looking at the history of our lake, it was the Pomo culture that first settled around the shoreline here and thrived for thousands of years. They were hunters and gatherers. They cherished the natural world and the bounty that nature offered those who worked at keeping a balance with her. They did not waste or spoil this bounty that benefited the living standards that they enjoyed for all those years. Perfect, no, nothing is perfect, but their efforts were far more positive than those that unstoppable progress brought here.
Like the Pomo culture of the lake, today’s citizens need a spiritual point to focus on that would reminds us of the greatness and value of this place we call home. Where is the absolute heart of Lake County? It’s a place we can physically see, and reminds us of the positive heartfelt feelings that made and makes our home a special a place to live, raise our families and see our children continue to enjoy and care for. It is the same place the Pomo culture found.
Rattlesnake Island is the true heart of Lake County, and is a place that is being taken away by progress, and cheapened by the disrespect shown it. It was a place that should never have been put into private control and use. It was a place where nature was its master and it remained unblemished. It was enjoyed by every single citizen who viewed it from afar or closer from the waters of our lake that surrounded her, the same waters that caressed her shoreline with the lapping waves that the wind brought to her. The Heart of the lake was always kept peaceful and protected by the emerald green robe of tulles that line most of her shoreline. It has always been the gem of the lake.
The an odd way the island always seem to command a degree of respect from mankind and few have every left a foot print on it all through the time from when mankind first discovered this wonder place known as Lake County. There were never any “Keep Out” signs post on the island, and folks just seem to know it was a place to view but not use for private desires. To this day, two of the top catfishing spots are at each end of the island.
We can revive this heart of Lake County if the today’s citizens and leadership but their minds and determination together to breathe life back into it. Those positive traditions and pride that made this site on earth something truly special would bring back the warm fuzziness that would fill our collective very being, when sharing views and feelings of their hometown, their place that holds the dearest memories of all their joys of life they have been given. This goes for the newcomers, who can show their pride and care for their new home by reaching back in time and bringing kinder and gentler interactions with their fellow neighbors and citizens as their equal regard to their importance to the Lake’s Community.
For a start, we can work to make the island a state or national or even World Heritage site, like so many other sites around the world. Such a movement can prevailed. The benefits for all our citizens would not only be vast, but a mark in time that would be a county wide day of celebration far, far into its future.
In our vast retirement community we have the skills and legal know how along with the drive and desire of many more volunteers to keep our eye on the prize and achieve the return of the Heart of Lake County.
Jim Hall, Clearlake Oaks
