Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/307515
Theysaythereisnothingstrongerthanthe love a mother has for her children filled with grace, compassion, hope, and faith. Such love is the stuff that makes lives worth liv- ing despite the many trials and tribulations that it affords each and every one of us. With age comes the wisdom that life's chal- lenges are surmountable opportunities for improvement that are made more tolerable with a mother's love. Inaphilosophical sense what is true with our anthropomorphic mothers is also true of Mother Nature. Our blue orb, now known to be about 4.5 billion years old, provides all the essentials for life along with a history of continual change and evolution. Most of the en- ergy we consume today is ex- tracted from the ground where the plants that collected it mil- lions of years ago were inun- dated. We now realize that the widespread combustion of these carbon-based fuels to feed our power plants and vehicles today is placing us all at risk due to pollution of our air, waters, and land as well as shifting the tem- perature balance of the planet. This is not speculation, or the hollow claims of liberal loonies, but incontrovertible scientific fact. Just as some cling to the fiction that the planet is only some 6,000 years old, wealthy industrialists and their Republi- can sycophants would have you believe that humans are not re- sponsible for climate change, and that the impacts of pollu- tion are but an inconvenience of the modern age. These de- niers stand in the way of more responsible alternative energy systems and efficiency regula- tions so as to profit from a de- caying existence. Last week I purchased a 100 watt photovoltaic solar panel for $139 on Amazon.com with no subsidy. This panel has no mov- ing parts, is warranted for 15 years, and converts sunlight di- rectly into electricity at an effi- ciency exceeding 17 per cent. It doesn't take a degree in rocket science, nor any space other than the surface of rooftops, to realize that in our area of abun- dant sunshine such panels offer a cost effective and environmen- tally sound alternative to fossil fuels. Here is the math: in an av- erage day with the equivalent of 10 hours of sunshine one panel would produce 1 kWh of power for which PG&E would have charged in excess of 10 cents. Hence the cost of the panel would be recovered in 1,400 days or less than four years if costs stayed the same, leaving you with at least eleven years of free power. Admittedly the panels pro- duce no power at night, so one would need to interconnect with the electrical grid or store power using their own batteries for nocturnal needs. One could certainly use the batteries from their electric car for such needs at little cost. In any event these added costs are certainly deserv- ing of subsidies due to the direct savings in marginal power plant maintenance, construction, and fuel costs to otherwise provide electricity and the reductions in pollution and greenhouse gases. The only losers here are those that fight against change because they profit from the status quo, or that have partisan desire to fight against ideas that their ad- versaries suggest – such as my colleague that has promised an- other harangue about renewable energy for today. Fortunately millions of Americans like me are realiz- ing the virtues of renewable en- ergy not only out of respect for Mother Earth, but as a means of demonstrating against those that would have us purchase gasoline at over $4 per gallon, contribute to increasingly fre- quent coal and oil field devel- opment, extraction, and trans- portation mishaps and continue to despoil our air, land and wa- ter with fossil fired power plant discharges. Not to mention helping to offset vast sums of tax exemptions and federal sub- sidies given to the coal and oil industries by elected official be- holden to corporate interests. Because these matters can lit- erally hit home they are worthy of your consideration as Moth- er's Day draws near. If not for the sake of your mother or the mother of your grandchildren, then do it for the mother of us all - the Earth. While it may be true there is nothing like the love of a mother for her children, the love of children for their mother should not be far behind. Here's to hoping all of you take time this week to better respect the magnificence of motherhood. RichardMazzucchiisaretiredre- search engineer specializing in en- ergy efficiency and renewable en- ergy. He has travelled extensively and now makes his home in Los Mo- linos, where he is striving to mani- fest a sustainable and spiritual life- style and operate a barbecue equip- ment and supply business. He can be reached at living-green@att.net. RichardMazzucchi Themagnificence of motherhood Cartoonist's take In case you missed other announcements, the Tea Party Patriots will host candidates tonight at 5, at the Community and Senior Center, South Jackson and Kimball. KBLF owner and morning talker Cal Hunter will act as moderator. All partic- ipating candidates are welcome to have tables around the room with material or just be available for public interaction. It was an oversight not to mention the rather ingenious float that the State of Jefferson committee and Tea Party Pa- triots decorated and entered in the Roundup parade. The theme was the "Ocean of Debt" swal- lowing California. Someone chopped off the front of a de- cent-sized boat such that it was propped at an angle diving into a blue tarp covered trailer la- beled, appropriately, "Ocean of Debt." Adding to the scene were pictures, peering out the cabin windows, of Democrat politicians Feinstein, Pelosi and Brown, cheerily smiling as the S.S. California sinks in front of a wave with the words "422 billion in debt—trillions in unfunded liabilities." Not exactly rodeo themed but, in fact, it is only due to the dire financial straights Sacramento has given us that hundreds of thousands of dol- lars are no longer available for our fairgrounds and events like the Red Bluff Roundup. Thumbs up to the State of Jefferson com- mittee. Now for some "fun facts" about the not-so-funny reality behind the Bureau of Land Man- agement (BLM). For western states, from the Rocky Moun- tains to the Pacific Ocean, in ter- ritories that achieved statehood after the Civil War, the vast Lou- isiana Purchase provided the land. The Federal Government agreed at each state's incep- tion to transfer land to state con- trol and ownership. In fact, one of the agencies that combined to form the BLM in 1946 (according to the Congressional Research Service, or CRS) "was the Grazing Service (first known as the DOI Graz- ing Division), established in 1934 to administer grazing on public rangelands. The other was the General Land Office, which had been cre- ated in 1812 to oversee disposal of the federal lands. The BLM [administers] 247.9 million acres … concentrated (99.8%) in the 11 western states." I doubt that in either 1934 or 1946 it was remotely considered "grazing service" to reduce graz- ing numbers below traditional and sustainable levels (mean- ing not overgrazing what nature replenishes) previously agreed among the parties involved. Grazing was not just an eco- nomic boon to ranchers but also a service for rangeland fire pre- vention. So, right there the BLM is at cross-purposes to the spirit of one of its founding agencies. Then, ponder for a minute the clear language that the General Land Office "had been created in 1812 to oversee disposal of the federal lands." "Disposal," folks, not accumulation and aggran- dizement. The United "States" of America authorized the federal government, not vice versa—it was inconceivable to early Amer- icans that Washington should preside over and own most of any state's land. Some astonishing perspective: The "BLM currently owns in the state of Nevada more acreage than all of the states of New Eng- land combined, according to the CRS. By contrast, the BLM does not own a single acre of land in any New England state." Of Ne- vada's roughly 70 million acres, the federal government owns about 57 million acres (includ- ing about 48 million by BLM); in Nevada, the feds own four times the land that's in private or state hands. The New England states contain in total 40.4 mil- lion acres. I had the good fortune to dis- cuss Mr. Bundy's situation with radio journalist Lars Larsen and found him to be his usual well- informed self. We can all agree that neither the law, legally pro- nounced regulations nor judi- cial decisions give Bundy a legal leg to stand on. However, Lars and everyone should heed what John Hinderaker wrote at Pow- erlineblog.com, that there are good reasons "Why You Should Be Sympathetic Toward Cliven Bundy." It's searchable at the Powerline.blog site and at Don- Polson.blogspot.com. If and when you see the conflict reap- pear in the news, perhaps you will be better informed. "To begin with, his family has been ranching on the acres at is- sue since the late 19th century. They and other settlers were in- duced to come to Nevada in part by the federal government's promise that they would be able to graze their cattle on adjacent government-owned land … "Over the last two or three de- cades, the Bureau has squeezed the ranchers in southern Nevada by limiting the acres on which their cattle can graze, reduc- ing the number of cattle that can be on federal land, and charg- ing grazing fees for the ever-di- minishing privilege. The effect of these restrictions has been to drive the ranchers out of busi- ness. Formerly, there were doz- ens of ranches in the area where Bundy operates. Now, his ranch is the only one." His attitude is that "they are supposed to be charging me a fee for managing the land and all they are doing is trying to manage me out of busi- ness. Why should I pay them for that?" To feds and Democrats, peo- ple like the Bundys don't develop apps, bribe politicians, collect welfare or green energy subsi- dies, haven't been to law school and reside here legally — who do they think they are? Americans with God-given, Constitutional rights? I think so. Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988. He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com. Don Polson Candidates, debt and the feds' astonishing western land grab While it may be true there is nothing like the love of a mother for her children, the love of children for their mother should not be far behind. GregStevens,Publisher Chip Thompson, Editor EDITORIAL BOARD How to have your say: Letters must be signed and provide the writer's home street address and home phone number. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and no more than two double-spaced pages or 500words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section will be published. Email: editor@red bluffdailynews.com Phone: 530-527- 2151ext. 112 Mail to: P.O. Box 220, 545 Diamond Ave., Red Bluff, CA 96080 Facebook: Leave comments at FACEBOOK.COM/ RBDAILYNEWS Twitter: Follow and send tweets to @REDBLUFFNEWS It wasn't what you would call the most fa- vorable week for old white racist men. Then again, these weeks, not many are. How bad did it get for ancient intol- erant caucasian males? Bowling ball dropped on your little toe from a height of nine feet bad. Brazilian soccer stampede bad. Don- ald Trump testifying at your rent-hearing bad. First, Cliven Bundy, the Nevada rancher who patri- otically refuses to pay graz- ing rights on government land, tried to stretch his 15 minutes of fame a few micro- seconds too long, expand- ing his realm of influence into the field of behav- ioral sciences by but- tonholing a New York Times reporter: "I want to tell you what I know about the Ne- gro." He proceeded to execute a wonder- ful performance piece from a 1870s traveling minstrel show. Al Jolson would have been proud. But, alas, the grizzled xe- nophobe denied any ironic context and the hemming and hawing that followed would have kept sewing cir- cles in the state of Iowa busy for month. Even his posse of right wing militia support- ers disappeared like dew on the sun. Then, Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, was acknowledged to be the voice of an audio re- cording so racist, it made Mr. Bundy sound like the re- cipient of an NAACP Life- time Achievement Award. An award about to be bestowed on the exact same NBA owner of which we speak. For the second time. You can't make stuff up like this. Since African-Americans make up 76 percent of pro- fessional basketball players, and figure prominently in the marketing and as consum- ers, you could say the NBA's brand new commissioner, Adam Silver, (yes, it's a Ster- ling-Silver thing) was encour- aged to take swift action. You could also say carpet tacks make lousy dessert topping. He banned the team's owner from attending any games or entering any Clip- per facility or participating in any business decisions of the Clippers or NBA. For life. Hope the guy lives to be 110. He's even prohibited from using the word clip- pers. From now on, the Ster- ling household will only stock nail-trimmers and beard- scissors in their medicine cabinet. "Remember Shelly, it's my money holder. Not a clip." For life. When will everybody re- alize this whole black/white thing is plain ridiculous? No- body's white. If we were ac- tually white, we'd scare the bejesus out of each other. People would take to car- rying around garlic and crosses and wooden stakes to wave and stab. Even albi- nos are an off-white. Beige. Tawny. Ecru. Eggshell. Des- ert Stone. And if you ever run into anybody who's the same hue as that flesh col- ored Crayon in the big box of 88, be afraid. Be very afraid. Conversely, no one's truly black. If they were really black, they'd be absorbing light and we'd keep bump- ing into each other. Hell, the NBA Finals would be a blur. "And there's David Lee and a bunch of other guys. I have no idea what's going on. It's up. It's in. Yes!" Although some found- ing fathers found support for their exclusionary views in the Bible, prejudice has al- ways been hard to rational- ize. Pre-schoolers know that if you take the time to get to know someone, you'll dis- cover a thousand reasons to loathe and despise them. On an individual basis. Prej- udice people are just plain lazy. And stupid. Lazy and stupid and smell like ham butts. Without the ham. Will Durst is an award- win- ning, nationally acclaimed political comic. Go to will- durst.com to find about more. WILL DURST Lazy stupid ham butts were proudly featured in the news last week Will Durst Richard Mazzucchi Don Polson OPINION » redbluffdailynews.com Tuesday, May 6, 2014 » MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A6