# 466 - 8th July, 2015

    Greetings one and all. Are you are sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin… Who reads The Economist? Those that do will be well aware that it’s a very informative weekly magazine that is one of the few rational outposts left that provides a global perspective and is a great fertilizer for the mind, in my humble opinion of course… Anyway, in last week’s edition, the leading article concentrated on the American penal system and how it could be less punitive and more effective.
    Among the many statistics that were presented in what was a very interesting and informative article, a couple of very basic ones stood out… With less than 5% of the world’s population, the U.S. holds roughly 25% of it’s prisoners - that is more than 2.3 million people, including 1.6 million in state and federal prisons and 700,000 in local jails and immigration pens. Per head, the incarceration rate in the land of the free has risen seven-fold since the 1970s and percentage-wise it is now five times Britain’s, nine times German’s, and fourteen times Japan’s… Some 49,000 Americans are serving life without the possibility of ever being released. In England, with almost a sixth of America’s population, there are just 55. And the cost to U.S. taxpayers is typically $68,000 per inmate each year… Something must surely be done, but with so many prosecutors and judges elected via ‘tough on crime tickets,’ the continuing of state and federal ‘mandatory minimum’ sentences and ‘three strike’ rules that compel courts to lock up even relatively minor repeat offenders for most of their lives, the gun lobby remaining so prevalent and strong, and the war on drugs continuing, reform will be slow…

    As usual, this next paragraph will concern itself with the topic of whatever appeared in the previous one - it’s your Quotes of the Week… First we have these thoughts from California Governor Jerry Brown, who wonders, “Prisons don’t  rehabilitate, they don’t punish, they don’t protect, so what the hell do they do?”… Next it’s this piece of simple wisdom from Jean Racine (1639-1699), one of France’s finest playwrights, who said, “Crime, like virtue, has its degrees”… Now it’s Paul Goodman (1911-1972) the American novelist, playwright, poet, social critic, anarchist philosopher, and public intellectual, who was of the opinion that “Penology has become torture and foolishness, a waste of money and a cause of crime”… And finally this week, let’s have this from a regular in this space, Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzche (1844-1900), the German philosopher, cultural critic, and so much more, who observed, “The broad effects which can be obtained by punishment in man and beast are the increase of fear, the sharpening of the sense of cunning, and the mastery of the desires; so it is that punishment tames man, but it does not make him ‘better’”… Excellent Freddy, I couldn’t have put it better myself!?…

    Onward… Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #714 - At this time, due to staffing difficulties, the Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital are unable to make any visits to the Valley for the rest of July. They will be back in August and you will be the second to know…  #715 - Hendy Woods is now free on the second Sunday of every month to local folks who wish to make a visit to this very special place - that’s this coming weekend - July 12… #716 - Burn Permits are no longer available at this time from the Fire Department. Cal Fire, in their office at the south of town (in the ugly prison-like building past the gravel pits) are now in charge of this… #717 - The Mendocino Bookmobile returns to the Valley on Tuesday, July 14. They are here on alternate Tuesdays for 45 minutes at each of these places and times: Navarro Store 9am (for just 30 minutes); the Floodgate 12.30pm; Philo 1.30pm; Boonville (Apple Hall) 2.30pm. Phone 463-4694 for further details… #718 - The A.V Museum is open every Saturday and Sunday, from 1pm-4pm. Situated in The Little Red Schoolhouse next to the Elementary School on A.V. Way, this is a perfect thing to do in the Valley when you have a couple of hours spare on a weekend afternoon. It is not without reason that it is generally regarded as ‘The Best Little Museum in the West’… #719 - The A.V. Drumming Circle meets from 7pm to 9pm at The Grange on the second Wednesday of each month - that would be tonight, July 8. Call Rob at 895-3897 or Andy at 895-3020 for further details… #720 - The Anderson Valley Grange is having its regular second Sunday Pancake Breakfast on July 12 from 8:30-11am. Prices range from $5-10 - kids through hungry folks, for a delicious, locally-sourced breakfast. Choices include pancakes (gluten free available but gluten extra are not), eggs, and bacon, with a choice of juice, tea or coffee included… #721  A heads-up on the Subdudes' return to the Navarro Store Amphitheater on Saturday July 18 at 6pm… #722 - And another heads-up for the monthly ‘Open Mic’ night at Lauren’s restaurant in Boonville that returns that same night - Saturday, July 18 at 9pm (sign-up at 8.30pm). All are welcome - musicians, singers, poets, writers, impressionists, magicians, comedians, actors, fire-eaters, pole dancers, sword swallowers, ventriloquists, raconteurs, exotic dancers, animal callers, etc. No clowns - apparently they would scare any kids who might be there, and no mimes, please - they scare me!… #723 - And finally this week, there will be a fundraiser to benefit the A.V. Land Trust at 5.30pm on July 25 at Stoney Bottom Gardens in Boonville. A farm fresh dinner will be served featuring local produce and meats, with local wines and live music by Bob Day. The event will also present tours of Walt and Ginger’s wonderful gardens and a silent auction with many tremendous prizes. Tickets are $100 for the wonderful food and wine. Contact AVLT@mcn.org or 895-3150 for further details… Got all that?!?!…

    As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the Community lunches and dinners over the next week at the Senior Center at the Veterans’ Building in Boonville. The Center asks for a $6 donation from seniors for both lunches and dinners and charges $7 for Non-seniors for lunches and $8 for the dinners… Tomorrow, Thursday, July 9, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Cheese Burgers, Macaroni Salad, and Banana Split Cake for dessert… Then, next Tuesday evening, July 14 at 6pm, the dinner will feature Chicken and Kale, with Brown Rice Carrot Cake for dessert. As this is the 2nd Tuesday of the month, the dinner will be followed by Bingo at 7pm… All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. What a deal - it maybe the best $7 you’ll spend all week!  Hopefully you will be able to attend, and remember – ALL ages are welcome! Hope to see you there…

    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 (yet surprisingly reliable) Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley, a somewhat secret location that sees people get together and share their thoughts about life in Anderson Valley and often far beyond…
… Many 3-Dot regulars are thankful that the work on installing new culverts at several locations along Highway 128 seems to have come to an end. Was it us, or were the delays longer during the times when folks were going to and from work? Besides was this project really necessary? It’s not like its ever going to rain again!…
… Mild rumblings continue to circulate around the Valley regarding the new-ish barn alongside Highway 128 opposite Breggo Cellars that was constructed, according to ‘investigative reporter' David Severn, neither strictly to code nor its stated usage by owner Tim Mullins of Balo/LiveOak, etc… In the lively discussions I have been a part of over the past week, I have heard a number of obvious suspects amongst the Valley’s ‘New Aristocracy’ leaping to the defense of Mullins and his ilk, with some using this opportunity to throw out the usual tiresome knee-jerk comments about the “scandal-mongering A.V.A.” Perhaps inevitably, these comments have been equaled by both Severn’s followers who implausibly fear an impending Napafication of the Valley and also those who are anti-winery and new business whatever the issue and no matter what benefits to the community these ‘newcomers’ may bring. It’s all fair game, both sides have valid points, and, as usual, if you ask a random sample of Valley folks what they think about this latest issue you will probably end up with six people with one opinion and half-a-dozen with the other - and that’s the way it is around here in the bucolic bubble that is Anderson Valley… On this particular occasion I guess I’m just a simple bird of prey sitting on a fence…
… Do many folks actually stop and think why July 4th is celebrated? Or is it pretty much these days simply an occasion, like Memorial Day and Labor Day, to gather with family and friends to eat drink and be merry? Not that there is anything wrong with that of course…

    I’m outta here - I’ve got see a man about a sheep… So, until we talk again – ‘Keep the Faith’; be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; be wary of strangers with more dogs than teeth; please remember to keep your windows cracked if you have pets in your vehicle; and may your god go with you… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Sometimes poking, often stroking, but almost always humbly yours, Turkey Vulture - greatly saddened by the passing of the Venerable Pheasant…
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at
p.p.s. Keep on wagging that tail, Fred… Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!… Keep up the good work, Round-eyed Robin - and how are you?…