# 299 - February 22nd, 2012

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... 'Shine' Tuttle, at 96, was the Valley's oldest resident at the time of his recent passing. Harold Perry, currently 95, now has that honor. Harold is followed by Freda Fox, who is 94 next month, and then Ross Murray, who turns 94 later this year. I think that’s it for our nonagenarians but I am well aware of several Valley folks in their mid- to late 80's, including Ray Pinoli, Emil Rossi, and Donna Reilly... Two former full-time Valley residents, who are nonagenarians and who spent many years living in the Valley, are Clyde Price Jr. and Ben Van Zandt. They are 91 and 90 respectively and were both here in the Valley last week as guest panel members for the A.V. Historical Society’s Roundtable Discussion at The Grange, at which the topic was ‘Anderson Valley in the 1930’s and 1940’s’ – a time that these two gentlemen showed they have many fond memories of...
Moving inevitably on... I would humbly suggest that around these parts I am amongst the more outspoken supporters, and there are many, of Deputy Sheriff Craig Walker and the wonderful work he has done since he arrived here in the Valley back in late 2008. Enforcing the law in a community where you live, and are on first name terms with so many of the residents, is not an easy thing to do and Walker has adapted to the challenge with remarkable skill on both a professional and personal level, reaching out and connecting with each of the communities in this rural melting pot. However, as the old Latin proverb goes, ‘Even Homer nods’ – meaning that even the great ones make mistakes. Yes, folks, I have to report that our venerable deputy has made a faux pas! This occurred a couple of weeks ago when at 12.15am on the morning of Sunday, February 5th, with not another car on the road, he pulled over one of the Valley’s finest citizens and the organizer of that same evening’s magnificent Crab Feed event at the Apple Hall in town – Gloria Ross, aka the Bishop of Boonville, who was approaching her home on A.V. Way in Boonville. Craig, along with his lovely wife Marissa, had attended that very event a few hours earlier and was observed by yours truly devouring crab like there was no tomorrow; clearly having the time of his life, although he was sipping coffee not wine so it couldn’t have been that great... But I digress...
Anyway, while not quite the same ‘cardinal sin’ as pulling over his own boss, Sheriff Allman or the D.A., David Eyster, turning on the red and blue lights behind the saintly Gloria because she had her vehicle’s ‘brights’ on in town, an offence that I suspect many are unaware of, was not a good move on the part of the good Deputy. He assumed he was following a drunk driver who had not realized their full headlights were but, on discovering just who it was, a simple verbal warning was given and no ticket issued to a quite shocked Gloria who in turn, being the forgiving-kind, decided not report this to any ‘higher power.’ As a result there is little doubt that Craig’s position in heaven is still assured. However, there are limits, and I would not be at all surprised to find out that the price he has to pay to attend next year’s Crab Feed will be at least doubled! After all, as it says in the Bible, Exodus Ch 21, Verse 23-25, "a life for life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a very expensive crab feed ticket for the threat of a driving ticket”... And here endeth today’s lesson on the concept of social and reciprocal justice...
And so not surprisingly, for your Quotes of the Week, we turn to some words of wisdom referring to law enforcement... First up it’s this rather skeptical, yet amusing, view from Brendan Behan (1923-1964), the Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, and playwright, who said, “I have never seen a situation so dismal that a policeman couldn’t make it worse”... Then there is this from French novelist Charles-Louis Philippe (1874-1909) who interestingly remarked, “One always has the air of someone who is lying when one speaks to a policeman” – this is not the case when talking to Deputy Walker - for most of us anyway!... And finally, from Robert F. Kennedy, there were these words that perhaps sum up the excellent law enforcement that we have here in the Valley, “Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists upon”... Keep up the good work, Craig!
Public Service Announcements… Calendars and pens at the ready... #174 – They’re back! I’m referring to the delicious, freshly laid eggs courtesy of the hens at the high school. Ag teacher, Beth Swehla advises ‘Come by and get some or call the classroom at 895-2514. $3.50 a dozen. We also have 6 Buff Orpington x French Copper Maran cockerels (young males) that are looking for new homes. They are quite big. We would like $10 each, but make us an offer’... #175 – Next Tuesday, Feb 28th, at the 6pm dinner served at the Senior Center, not only will there be a fine feast available, but also it’s time for the Seniors to vote for their Board members. If you are a senior and want to use your vote, you must be there... #176 – Just around the corner, the 21st Annual Variety Show is coming up in a few weeks – March 9th and 10th to be precise, at The Grange on Hwy 128. Call 895-3580 to sign up and you don’t have to be a musician to do so!... #177 – The fight to keep open the Valley treasure Hendy Woods continues and this week sees the publication of the very first newsletter from the group led by Kathy Bailey that is working so hard to ensure that their goal is attained. Their website is at www.HendyWoods.org and the Facebook page is ‘Hendy Woods: Keep it Open’. The next big fundraising event is a BBQ in April at the Navarro Winery and Vineyards. I’ll keep you posted... #178 – In the more distant future, is this year’s PawFest 2012 that will take place on Sunday, July 15th at the A.V. Brewery to benefit the invaluable A.V. Animal Rescue organization. I know it’s very early but I thought I’d get it on your calendars now so that you don’t miss this excellent event. After all, along with the usual bbq and live music etc, you’d no doubt hate to miss this year’s carcass-eating display by some cousins of mine – think ‘very exciting hot dog eating contest with some extra bite’!...
Moving quickly on to a few of the topics and Valley events under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley where people gather and share their thoughts about Valley life...
... Regulars inform me that there was no General Knowledge and Trivia Quiz at Lauren’s this past week. They have gone to every 2nd and 4th Thursdays until May (so there is one on Thursday, Feb 23rd)... Unfortunately, rumors that clearly confused ‘Quizlies’ were seen around town, in an agitated state, sharing various facts and trivia to whomever would listen, are proving to be true...
... Regarding the controversial Valley events that originally surfaced during ‘Black January,’ there is not much to report at this time. The Boonville Saloon (formerly The Lodge) remains closed with little information regarding its future being shared, although a couple of local folks have expressed interest in buying the license... The whole ‘Johnny, Roger, Melinda, & Farrer Building v ’All that Good Stuff’ local store’ episode appears to have calmed down for now, although when the business finally closes its door at its current location in the ‘almost human’ Farrer Building expect to see a ‘little gathering’ of some sort... The High School ‘Fight Club’ incident, resulting in the recent lunchtime lockdown, has now been overshadowed by the possible expulsion of a senior following a fight with another student – an issues that is causing quite an uproar with student protests, lawyers, petitions, and special sessions for the School Board all being involved... And finally, a 3-Dot regular with a friend close to the investigation into the alleged financial irregularities within the Parent/Teacher organization remarked that in his opinion the ‘irregularities’ will be satisfactorily explained by careless accounting methods rather than any calculated crime and that the ‘accused’ will then have some serious grievances against those who would seem to have failed miserably to follow a basic rule of law– ‘innocent until proven guilty’... We shall no doubt find out...
... The Old Buzzard has nothing to depict the ‘Approach of the Apocalypse’ this week, unless of course you feel that a second term for President Obama is a bad thing. He reports, “My good friend Leah the Lark was on the guest list for last week’s $38,500 per head fundraiser dinner at the home of Robert Mailer Anderson and Nicola Miner, in honor of the special guest, President Obama. The Prez did not join in on the song "Let's Stay Together" with legendary soul singer Al Green but, after shooting a few hoops on Robert’s basketball court, he did speak Malay with Ling Anderson, Robert’s aunt and the wife of A.V.A. Supremo Bruce Anderson. Other musical guests were Booker T. (of the M.G.’S) and Anderson’s good friend and harmonica genius Charlie Musselwhite. As for the basketball, Obama doffed his jacket after missing his first shot and then he got serious. “By facial expression” said Anderson, "he let me know he was clearly a formidable opponent on and off the court," and "that I could trust him hitting the clutch shot when it counted." Even with home-court advantage, Anderson lost "fair and square," he said. Following the evening’s activities, the hosts all agreed, Obama is ‘just like a regular guy’...
I’m outta here... Until we talk again - ‘Keep the Faith’; be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at
p.p.s. On the sheep, Grace...

# 298 - February 15th, 2012

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... I was approached last week by a keen Valley observer who asked me if I knew why all the ‘original’ hippies settled here in Anderson Valley, and Mendocino County in general, back in the late 60’s and early 70’s, and why the nouveaux hippies of subsequent generations have continued to do so. I could only respond that I thought it had something to do with the fact that there are no jobs here!... Ha! Ha! Ha! - and that is your joke of the week... Or is it an observation?...
On Sunday afternoon, instead of eating a very large dead skunk on Hwy 128 by Gowan’s Oak Tree, I decided to have a ‘cultural’ afternoon and attended the Anderson Valley Historical Society’s Roundtable Discussion held on Sunday at the Grange. I was very pleased that I did. Along with about 130 other folks I was treated to a discussion lasting about an hour-and-a-half on life in the Valley in the 1930’s and 1940’s, as remembered by those who lived here then, most of whom still do so. Those who shared their stories with us all from the stage each deserve a mention - Clyde Price Jr., Ben Van Zandt, Catherine Nobles (Sinott), Donna Cox (Reilly), Berna McAbee (Walker), Eileen Brown (Pronsolino), Wes Smoot, Marian McAbee (Crosby), Gloria Ornbaun (Abbott), Pat Hulbert, and Eva Pardini (Holcomb). It was a most enjoyable event and to see history unfold before your eyes was both an exciting and poignant experience, I must say... Oh, and I should add that the complimentary snacks and refreshments, while not dead skunk, were quite delicious too...
With this visit to ‘The Past’ clearly in my mind, what better topic for your Quotes of the Week? I think we have some good ones...Let’s start with these words from Daniel Webster (1782-1852) a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts, who said, “The past, at least, is secure”... Then there are these words from Mary Webb (1881-1927), an English romantic novelist and poet of the early 20th century – “The past is the present become invisible and mute; and because it is invisible and mute, its memoried glances and its murmurs are infinitely precious. We are tomorrow’s past”... Here are a few wise words from Edward Thomas (1878-1917), an Anglo-Welsh writer of prose and poetry, who opined, “The past is the only dead thing that smells sweet”... And, perhaps inevitably, let’s finish with this very succinct remark from the bard himself - William Shakespeare (1564-1616), “We have seen better days”... On a personal note, I must just add that, in my humble opinion, such events as the one held last weekend can teach us so much and the study of history in general plays such an important part in making the right decisions for the years ahead. I can only hope that future generations of Valley dwellers are made aware of this...
Public Service Announcements… Calendars and pens at the ready... #236 – The vets from Mendocino Animal Hospital are back – they will be at The A.V. Farm Supply tomorrow, Thursday, February 16th from 2-3.30pm. They have asked me to inform you that you do not have to arrive early and then wait a long time - everyone showing up at anytime before 3.30pm will be seen. And while you’re there why not support our local Farm Supply with a purchase or two - without them there’s no vet visit and it’s a great service to have on our ‘doorstep’... #237 - The International Alsace Varietals Wine Festival is taking place this coming weekend, Sat/Sun, Feb 18th/19th at The Fairgrounds in Boonville. Go to avwines.com for more details... #238 – The 21st Annual Variety Show is coming up in a few weeks – March 9th and 10th to be precise, at The Grange on Hwy 128. Call 895-3580 to sign up and you don’t have to be a musician to do so!... #239 - Talking of The Grange, their monthly meeting is next Tuesday, Feb 21st at 7pm...
Moving quickly on to a few of the topics and Valley events under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley where people gather and share their thoughts about Valley life...
... The A.V. Film Festival Board members enjoyed a drink or two with several 3-Dot regulars in celebration of their recent very successful event which, they informed us, made a healthy $1869 in profits. This will be distributed to the A.V. Senior Center ($500), the A.V. Animal Rescue ($500), the A.V.H.S. Film Class $400), The Grange ($169), and one scholarship for a high school senior (to be announced) towards his or her college education ($300)... Yer gotta like that...
... A 3-Dot regular informs us that he was witness to an altercation on Gschwend Road last Saturday afternoon which saw one very drunk man fall over twice without being hit once! The inebriated man had being confronted by an angry couple who had apparently had enough of the drunk’s frequent angry and abusive tirades at the end of their driveway, which often ended in threats to themselves and their dogs and the throwing of beer cans over the fence, not to mention a number of abusive phone calls to their home. When confronted by the couple, the drunk fell over backwards, merely as a result of being stared at and verbally rebuked from a few inches away. That often seems to be the case with such folks – sad but true... His glasses fell off and after being assisted in getting up, he was offered the spectacles back. He took a swipe at snatching them from the outstretched hand but with his judgment clearly impaired he missed and his momentum led him to go crashing to the ground once again. The couple did not help him get up a second time...
... Another regular was in S.F. this past weekend and he bumped into an old friend, former Mayor Willie Brown, who told him that there will be a real surprise in store for President Obama when he comes to town later this month. You might recall that just a couple of weeks ago, when he was in Harlem, Obama stepped out of his professional character when he sang the opening bars to Al Green's hit "Let's Stay Together." It was a rare glimpse of the guy hanging loose. Well, his San Francisco host, Robert Mailer Anderson, nephew of the A.V.A.’s Supreme Leader, Bruce Anderson, has lined up the Reverend Al himself, for the president's fundraiser to be held at the spacious home of Robert and wife Nicola Miner on Pacific Heights...Who knows, maybe Al and The Prez will sing a duet? For over $30,000 you can be a guest there to see it...
... ‘Sheep loose on Anderson Valley Way – heading for downtown Boonville!’... Not for long with lifelong Valley shepherd Sam Prather and by-passer/helper Nick Schwartz on the job. It seems that during the strong winds last week, a tree had fallen onto a short stretch of the fence surrounding the field at The Big Barn just north of Boonville, where a dozen or so sheep are kept. On Thursday evening, two of them ‘made a break for it’ through the new-found gap and were approaching Hwy 128 and threatening to go into town for a night out – to cause havoc at the Trivia Quiz at Lauren’s Restaurant, some people believe... Remarkably, a passer-by recognized one of them as ‘Gail’, a sheep she had raised from birth and had given to the local shepherd with that small flock at the nearby Big Barn field. She explained this to Sam, who also lived nearby and the Master Shepherd, with help from Nick and Sam’s sheep dog, returned the two miscreants to their pasture before dark... Sam, who has been in the sheep business all of his life, could not help but chuckle, “Gail? Gail!! Sheep with names – this business is in more trouble than I thought it was!”...
... Finally this week, it seems that one of my readers is delusional and under the impression that The Old Buzzard, in his comments a couple of weeks ago about Cyked - the group striving to get bike lanes around these parts and beyond, was against their idea. I read the column again and one would hope that even the least discerning of readers would not interpret comments by Buzzard such as "the idea behind this latest fundraiser is a good one and I wish them well" and "one hopes that the community as a whole is not indifferent to such an idea", as being negative remarks on the group’s plans. He clearly supports the group’s idea, but I guess some people have difficulty understanding the written word these days, particularly if those words present reasonable views that may be contrary to their own. While supporting the premise, the Buzzard wisely brought up some realistic concerns with the plans but I guess certain people around here cannot cope with such things. In this particular case, the person seems to be ‘cycling through cloud cuckoo land’, trying desperately to remain removed from reality - good luck with that...
Until we talk again - ‘Keep the Faith’; be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at
p.p.s. Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!

# 297 - February 8th, 2012

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... Leading off this week, I turn things over to our ‘3-Dot Lounge’ regular, The Old Buzzard, who provides us with the latest words of wisdom in his insightful series - ‘The Approach of the Apocalypse’... Buzzard reports, “The past month will surely go down in Anderson Valley history as ‘Black January’... The turmoil and outrage that the community dealt with included the future plans of The Boonville Hotel Three (“Johnny, Roger, and Melinda”) for the space at The Farrer Building currently occupied by ‘All that Good Stuff’, the store frequented by many local folks and owned by the very popular Leslie Hummel; the High School ‘Fight Club’ and its resulting school ‘lunchtime lockdown” by Principal Tomlin and the accompanying student suspensions; and the apparent but as yet unproven Parent/Teacher Association’s financial irregularities being investigated by law enforcement. On top of all of this, and to some perhaps the most disturbing development of all, was the news that The Boonville Saloon (formerly The Boonville Lodge) has closed and may not re-open. For now the situation is very uncertain, but hopefully the hard-working owners, Marcia and Shelly, who have put in so much hard work over the last year or so, will be able to re-open in the not too distant future. However, in a worse case scenario, if the license were sold to someone outside the Valley, this would mean that for the first time in over one hundred years ‘real’ alcohol will not be available in the Boonville and we would have lost a veritable Valley institution. With such licenses hard to come by, unless someone here can step in and buy this license for a location in the Valley, it is very unlikely in the foreseeable future that folks will get to go out locally and enjoy the company of friends while sipping a martini, a fine single-malt whisky, a ‘Cosmo’, a Vodka cranberry, or even a Trainwreck!... If that is the case then this would surely be one of the more glaring examples that we are most certainly faced with the imminent approach of the Apocalypse...”
In the meantime, we do have our crab feeds to cheer us up and the most recent one, held last Saturday evening at The Apple Hall in Boonville, was one of the best yet! Once again the ‘Original’ Crab Feed was a sellout, with well over 350 people in attendance, as the Valley sat down to eat, drink, and make merry together. The crab was delicious and never-ending and I can’t imagine anyone went short as Gloria Ross and her crew did a marvelous job of putting on a great night out for the 10th year in succession. Most people were gone by 9.30pm and I left not long after that, leaving some of the young Valley socialites to enjoy a drink at the bar with friends as the hard-working volunteers sat down to enjoy their own crab feed – they certainly deserved it!
As we move on from ‘Black January,’ and with Valentine’s Day (Feb 14th) less than a week away, I thought some words of wisdom on the topic of ‘Love’ would be in order for your Quotes of the Week... First, let’s bring in the author Katherine Mansfield (1888 -1923) who wittily observed, “If only one could tell true love from false love, as one can tell mushrooms from toadstools”... And this from Diane Arbus (1923 – 1971), the American photographer and writer, who wrote, “Love involves a peculiar, unfathomable combination of understanding and misunderstanding”... The list would not be complete without a contribution from my old friend Bill Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) the English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. Here’s his classic line from ‘Twelfth Night’ – “If music be the food of love, play on”.... And let’s finish with Valley resident and author, poet, and activist, Alice Walker (1944 -?) whose words we could all live by, “I have learned not to worry about love; but to honor its coming with all of my heart”...
And now back down to earth... Public Service Announcements… Calendars and pens at the ready... #363 – Dean Titus and the Coyote Cowboys, supported by Wild Oats, will be playing for your ‘Romancin’ and Dancin’ pleasure on Saturday, Feb 11th at The Grange in a benefit for the Sr. Center... #364 – The next afternoon, Sunday, Feb 12th, it’s the A.V. Historical Society’s Roundtable Discussion entitled “Anderson Valley in the 1930’s and 1940’s”. This free event will be held at The Grange on Hwy 128 beginning at 1.30pm with a discussion panel featuring fifteen Valley folks who lived here during those years. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend what will surely not only be a fascinating afternoon of old Valley stories and memories but also a unique piece of history in the making... #365 – Next Tuesday, Feb 14th, is the second Tuesday so that means Dinner and Bingo at the Senior Center – good food, beer and wine, top quality bingo with prizes, and, as you know by now - you don’t have to be a senior to attend!... #366 - The vets from Mendocino Animal Hospital return for their monthly visit to the Valley next Thursday, Feb 16th. They will be at The A.V. Farm Supply from 2pm to 3.30pm...
Moving quickly on to a few of the topics and Valley events under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley where people gather and share their thoughts about Valley life...
... Along with a couple of 3-Dot regulars, I attended the Unity Club luncheon last week, which saw Sheriff Tom Allman and District Attorney David Eyster as the guest speakers. Both are eloquent, informative, and interesting public speakers with affection for, and awareness of, the Valley and its issues, so their words were inevitably well received... However, perhaps what was not expected was their warm welcome of yours truly with firm handshakes and broad smiles. Such greetings by these two powerful men of the law could do a lot of harm to my reputation and I can assure you it will not happen again...
... The financial climate is hitting everyone but the downturn in business at the local eateries cannot be blamed on the quality of the food, with Lauren’s Restaurant (with it’s exceptional Pot Roast and Pulled Pork dishes) and The Buckhorn (spicy wings and Buffalo burgers) both making the local dining experience something which deserves a far greater audience... Support your local restaurants; these days you never know if they will always be there...
Well now I think it’s time to take my leave... Until we talk again - ‘Keep the Faith’; be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at
p.p.s. On the sheep, Grace...

# 296 - February 1st, 2012

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... What do these Valley folks have in common? - Clyde Price Jr., Ben Van Zandt, Catherine Nobles (Sinott), Donna Cox (Reilly), Dick McAbee, Johnnie Pinoli, Berna McAbee (Walker), Eileen Brown (Pronsolino), Wes Smoot, Marian McAbee (Crosby), Gloria Ornbaun (Abbott), Pat Hulbert, Eva Pardini (Holcomb), Janese Brunton (June), John Hulbert, Linda Crispen (Hulbert)... Well, apart from each of them spending many, many years in Anderson Valley, their whole lives in some cases, they will all be taking part in the A.V. Historical Society’s Roundtable Discussion on the “The Valley in the 30’s and 40’s” on Sunday, February 12th. This free event will be at The Grange on Hwy 128 beginning at 1.30pm and everyone is welcome to attend what will surely not only be a fascinating afternoon of old Valley stories and memories but also a unique piece of history in the making...
With this in mind, let’s have a couple of relevant Quotes of the Week... First from English novelist Jane Austen (1775–1817), who clearly had a very dim view of history, referring to it as “The quarrels of popes and kings, with wars and pestilences in every page; the men all so good for nothing, and hardly any women at all.” Well, that will certainly not be the case at the Roundtable Discussion, I’m sure... Far more likely, our local event will reflect the view of Stephen Spender (1909–1995), the English poet, novelist and essayist, who commented, “History is the ship carrying living memories into the future” – perfect. I hope to see you all there...
Public Service Announcements… Calendars and pens at the ready... #361 – The ‘Original’ Crab Feed is this coming Saturday, Feb 4th and it is sold out. Happy Hour is at 6pm; dinner served at 7pm... #362 - The 29th Annual Fruit Tree Grafting Workshop and Seed & Scion Exchange is on Saturday, February 4, 2012 from 9-4 at the Domes at Anderson Valley High School in Boonville. For more information, call Barbara Goodell 895-3897; Mark Albert 462-7843; or Richard Jeske 459-592... #363 – Dean Titus and the Coyote Cowboys, supported by Wild Oats, will be playing for your ‘Romancin’ and Dancin’ pleasure on Saturday, Feb 11th at The Grange in a benefit for the A.V. Senior Center...
Moving quickly on to a few of the topics and Valley events under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge - yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley where people gather and share their thoughts about Valley life...
... Many 3-Dot regulars attended the 6th Annual A.V. Film Festival held at The Grange last weekend and commented that not only were the films very interesting, informative, and entertaining, but there were also very good crowds in attendance... The Festival gave all profits to three local beneficiaries – The Senior Center, the A.V. Animal Rescue, and the A.V.H.S. Film Class, and yer gotta like that... The food and refreshments were also highly praised but, on the flip side, one local businessman was spotted eating a sandwich he had presumably brought to the Festival from elsewhere. To make matters worse, this miserable so-and-so was eating it on the porch right next to Alicia’s Taco stand that was donating 50c cents to the event for every taco sold... Boooo!.., Some folks just don’t get it...
... President Obama will be back in San Francisco next month - once again as part of a West Coast fundraising swing. A pair of Feb. 16 events are planned in the City, one of which is the $35,800-a-head dinner for 50 guests at the Pacific Heights home of novelist Robert Mailer Anderson and his wife, Nicola, followed by a large reception at a yet-to-be-decided public venue where tickets will go for anywhere from $100 to $10,000. There is no truth to the vicious rumor that Robert has asked his uncle, A.V.A. Supremo Bruce Anderson, to fork over the full $35,800 to attend. Nevertheless, Bruce has said he does not expect to get in for nothing and has offered to work at the coat-check stand in return for a seat at the ‘Top Table’...
... From our 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, comes another in his insightful series - ‘The Approach of the Apocalypse’... Buzzard reports, “Based on the recent turnout at Lauren’s Restaurant, quite a few local folks are excited at the prospect of bike lanes in the Valley; all the way to the coast in fact - an idea being championed by a local group’s ‘Cyked’ campaign. The idea behind this latest fundraiser is a good one and I wish them well. However, one cannot help but wonder if this is not just the passion of a small section of the community, with the best will in the world, but few followers beyond their own friends and associates. They would not be the first such group around here to be described as such. I only occasionally see people on bikes, even on a slow and safe road like Anderson Valley Way. As for kids being out on their bicycles, as in the good old days, I hardly ever see this. Do kids cycle to school? No. Is this because there are no bike lanes? Possibly; but perhaps more likely because bicycling is not seen as ‘cool’ among school students these days. Hopefully this would all change if the bike lanes were installed. ‘Build it and they will come’ would be great and one hopes that the community as a whole is not indifferent to such an idea. If they are then surely it is too bad and yet another sign that the Apocalypse is approaching if ever there was one. We shall see...”
Thanks for the insights, Buzzard... Well now I think it’s time to take my leave... Until we talk again - ‘Keep the Faith’; be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture...
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at
p.p.s. On the sheep, Grace...