# 551 - 22nd February, 2017

    Greetings one and all. Are you are sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin…
    On Friday’s Real Time episode on HBO, Bill Maher called for a new slogan for these wild times: ‘Make America Learn Again.’ Pointing out the proliferation of fake news and rampant skepticism on our social media feeds, Maher remarked that “we don’t seem to want smart people in our lives any more. Smart presidents? Can’t have that. Scientists? What do they know? Newspaper editors? Liars and producers of fake news!”… He certainly has a point, one that I have been making for a number of years now - that the dumbing down of America seems to be gathering steam and stopping that trend is becoming increasingly difficult - and certainly, as regular correspondent The Old Buzzard would say, ‘A Sign that the Apocalypse is Approaching’… … So many people now seem to get their news through Facebook “by sharing, or as it used to be called, hearsay.” And while Facebook can be a good place to follow respectable news outlets, the abundance of fake articles has turned it into a minefield of misinformation wherein so many uninformed people seek to share their thoughts on topics they actually know very little about. More disturbing - many people choose to listen and “learn” from this rubbish… It is dangerous and all very disappointing to those of us who remember when America was a great and civilized place. However, when the dust settles over this period of history and folks look back on this unsettling time, I live in hope that they will do so from a future that sees America great and civilized once more…
    And so for your Quotes of the Week let’s focus join the topic of ‘Civilization’… First we have this observation by Will Durant (1885-1981), the American writer, historian, and philosopher who said, “Civilization begins with order, grows with liberty, and dies with chaos”… Next we turn to Pearl Buck (1892-1973), the American writer and novelist and the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, who wisely remarked, “The test of a civilization is the way that it cares for its more helpless members”… And finally, we have this from Leonard Sidney Woolf (1880-1969), the English political theorist, author, and husband of author Virginia Woolf, who was of the opinion that “Anyone can be a barbarian; it requires an effort to remain a civilized man” - Hmmm?…

    Onward… Restaurant Report - Natalie Matson, co-owner of Lauren’s Restaurant, will present her second ‘Sunday Supper’ this coming Sunday, February 26, from 5-8.30pm, featuring comfort dining in a cozy atmosphere at Lauren’s that will warm you inside and out - Shepherd’s pie anyone?… Meanwhile, Lizbby’s, the new Mexican Restaurant in downtown Boonville, has now cleared up any confusion regarding their hours - they are open every day except Tuesdays, serving breakfast (on Saturday and Sunday) and lunch from 10am-3pm and dinner from 5-8pm… The Buckhorn is seriously considering a Monday, April 3 re-opening under its new ownership… The Boonville Hotel continues with their family-style, prix fixe menu on Friday thru’ Sunday… Aquarelle Cafe and Wine Bar has delayed their planned re-opening for now. Perhaps early March is the positive thought I am entertaining…  The Redwood Drive-In just keeps on doing what they do with reliable hours… Stone and Embers is once again re-joining the Valley’s Evening Dining ‘team’ with new hours that will begin this Friday, February 24. Moving forward they will be open from Noon to 8pm Friday-Sunday and Noon to 4pm on Monday and Tuesday… The Bewildered Pig! down in the Deep End, is open Wednesday - Sunday, 5:30-9pm…

    Public Service Announcements (P.S.A.’s)… Calendars and pens at the ready… #544 - The Vets from the Mendocino Animal Hospital have one more visit this month to the Anderson Valley Farm Supply on Highway 128, north of Philo. That will be tomorrow Thursday, February 23. To avoid a line perhaps turn up at around 3pm - you will definitely be seen. The vets will be here twice in both March and April - dates confirmed by next week. New customers and their pets are always welcome and previous visitors should be aware that they can call 462-8833 and the vets will bring your pet’s charts with them - making this an even better service than it already is!… #545 - The Boonville Farmers’ Market continues with its Winter location and hours at The Boonville General Store, on Saturdays from 11am-1pm. For more info, call Cindy at 895-2949… #546 - Need a burn permit? From 11am-3pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays you can get one from the Firehouse in Boonville. Call 895-2020 for more information or stop by and you will be efficiently served with a smile - trust me on this… #547 - The A.V. Lending Library run by The Unity Club is open Tuesdays from 1.30-4.30pm and Saturdays 2-4pm at The Fairgrounds in Boonville… #548 - The County Dump is open from 9am-4pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Dump Executive Director, Mike Mannix, rewards good customers with a star but will be very harsh with anyone thinking they can leave dead animals!…#549 - On Saturday, February 25, it’s the Open Mic at Lauren's Restaurant in downtown Boonville. Dinner is served 5 to 9 before the Open mic starts at 9 pm. 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 almost everyone else! For more information call 895-3869. Hope to see you there…   
    As a bonus P.S.A. here is the menu for the Community lunches and dinners over the next week in 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, February 23, the lunch, served by Marti Titus and her crew at Noon, will be Buttermilk Chicken with Bread Pudding for dessert… Then, next Tuesday, February 28, the evening meal served at 6pm will feature Pineapple Pepper Chicken and Better Cake dessert . Senior Center Board Elections will follow the Dinner, and then there will be Bingo at 7pm. All meals include vegetables, salad bar, and fruit, plus milk, coffee, tea, and lemonade. What a deal - it maybe the best value for money you’ll get all week!… Tai Chi is now available every Tuesday at 11am, while on Thursdays at 11am it is Kathy’s Easy-stretch Yoga class. Also on Thursdays, the Active Life Club runs from 10am to 2pm and features games, crafts, and music. The Senior Center/Community Bus goes to Ukiah on Monday's and also Santa Rosa on the first Wednesday of the month. These trips fill up fast so don't forget to sign up early at 489-1175… Hopefully you will be able to attend some of these events and certainly the lunches and dinners, and remember – ALL ages are welcome! Hope to see you there…

    The Three-Dot Lounge is closed this week due to several regulars drowning so I have no “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant (yet surprisingly reliable) Rumors” to share with you from my favorite gathering place in the Valley… However, 3-Dot regular, The Old Buzzard, never fails to show up and so here comes another in his insightful series – ‘Signs that the Apocalypse is Approaching’… Buzzard reports, “So the protest and boycott, called ‘A Day without Immigrants’ took place last Thursday to demonstrate the importance of immigration and to protest President Donald Trump's plans to build a border wall and to potentially deport millions of illegal immigrants. The strike called for immigrants not to go to work, to avoid spending money, and keep children home from school. It was planned/organized on social media and a number of Valley folks showed their support for this fine cause by holding their kids out of school and/or deciding not to go to work themselves. May I say right now that I fully support their actions. However, to my knowledge and first hand experience of that day, there was very little forewarning given out that this was to happen and no formal gathering or protest was made here in the Valley. That is too bad, yet not surprising given that it was ‘organized’ through social media - see first paragraph above. Nevertheless, I would still have hoped that such a cause would have resulted in some sort of public show of support. One can only be optimistic that local folks did take the time on this day to reflect on what the protest was all about and that when such a protest is ‘organized’ next time, it will be done so efficiently, effectively, and with a public show of support…”

    Thank you, Buzzard, I share you viewpoint… But now I’m outta here because I’ve got see a man about a sheep… So, until we talk again – be careful out there; if you break a leg don’t come running to me; stay out of the ditches; be wary of strangers with more dogs than teeth; show love to your pets, they will be faithful and true to you to the last beat of their hearts; think good thoughts; ‘Keep the Faith’; try to not let life get in the way of living; may your god go with you, and may your dog go with you too… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Sometimes poking, often stroking, but almost always humbly yours, Turkey Vulture - saddened but ultimately comforted in the knowledge that the old hare has safely moved to his new burrow in the sky…
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at
p.p.s. Skylark – read any good books lately?… Hi, Silver Swan – behaving yourself? Hopefully not!… Everything cool with you, O.J.? Of course it is…