Saturday, January 12, 2008

Arnold Tries to Kill Watson Family Picnic/Hunting Story/Nuthatch


(P1) Political
Schwarzenegger Vs. The Watson Mother's Day Picnic

When, through Joyce, I joined the Watson family in 1989, I automatically began taking part in a wonderful traditional event which in one manner or another had thrived since the early 1940's. This was the annual family Mothers' Day breakfast picnic which began in Oregon and later shifted to a grove of redwoods at Armstrong Woods State Park in Guerneville, California during the 1950's and subsequently thereafter.

Each year we would gather at about 8AM, choose the best spot, and the men would be led through their paces by family patriarch George Watson, my father-in-law. George instructed the men and boys in the intricacies of cooking pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hash browns (all, of course in bacon grease) over a wood fire. When George was no longer fully up to handling the main duties, he reluctantly passed along the "ceremonial spatula" to the eldest available Watson bloodline male.
A wonderful tradition indeed!

Now, in the newspaper of January 11th 2008, we read that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, exhibiting infinite lack of vision and guts, has determined to shut down something like 48 state parks including our venerable Armstrong Woods! What would it take for the Superhero to courageously raise taxes just a bit instead of continuing to terminate services and ultimately eliminate the final literal refuge for families?

Instead, he goes to the refuge for scoundrels begun by Ronald Reagan in his misguided effort to eliminate all roles for government except the military one. Obviously, if you reduce revenues from taxes, you make them up by reducing government services, and his "evil bogeyman" of "big government" disappears. Such was the theory, and, tragically, the ongoing result.
But the State Parks??!! Here may be the "final straw." When we are pressed this tightly against the wall, the people, upon whom our constitution is based, either push back or are crushed. If you are reading this, make your voice heard!!! Save our state parks now! Save the Watson Mother's Day Breakfast Picnic!

Comment Here on any of the above or below and read the comments of others too. Log in under "Nickname" or "Anonymous" if you like, but please be sure to sign some facsimile of your name. Actual name is best, but use what you like. Or email me at edcoletti@sbcglobal.net.

***

A gorgeous line like this one from his concession speech in NH causes me to lean a bit away from Edwards in the direction of Obama. But not all the way in that direction yet. I still need to hear Barrack say he's going to battle the drug and insurance cartels.

"In the unlikely story that is America,
there has never been anything false
about hope." - Barack Obama.
Follow the link here to get more info on saving the state parks through Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods.

And here's an even more direct and action-oriented link


(P2) Philosophical

A Whole New Perspective On Hunting Deer

Press the link to
Check this out!!!









Comment Here on any of the above or below and read the comments of others too. Log in under "Nickname" or "Anonymous" if you like, but please be sure to sign some facsimile of your name. Actual name is best, but use what you like. Or email me at edcoletti@sbcglobal.net.

(P3) Poetical

Nuthatch

I've yet to see
a nuthatch
hatch a nut
but
a nuthatch
hatching
nuts would
surely also be
a nut.


Ed Coletti in Light Year '87, (Bits Press, Robert Wallace, Ed.)

Comment Here on any of the above or below and read the comments of others too. Log in under "Nickname" or "Anonymous" if you like, but please be sure to sign some facsimile of your name. Actual name is best, but use what you like. Or email me at edcoletti@sbcglobal.net.


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a travesty!

Anonymous said...

Eddie,
Do you have a link we can write into to protest the closing of the parks? I love the deer link.
See you soon, love Deena

Ed Coletti said...

Thanks, Deena,

Here you go.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger

http://gov.ca.gov/interact#email

Local State Senator:
Wes Chesbro
Phone: (916) 445-3375
Fax: (916) 323-6958
E-Mail: Senator.Chesbro@sen.ca.gov

Local State Assembly Representative:
Patricia Wiggins
Phone: (916) 319-2007
Fax: (916) 319-2107
E-Mail: Patricia.Wiggins@asm.ca.gov

Noreen M. Evans
Elected State Assembly Member District 7 California
Party: The California Democratic Party

Email: noreenevans@sbcglobal.net

Website: www.noreenevans.com

Anonymous said...

Maybe we could take a look at HI. How do they maintain their state park system with even no user fees (better known as parking fees)? Those were the good old days in CA. And how about the 11% tax bracket we once had for Californians with the highest incomes? Paula K

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about the threat to the Family Picnic. What a great tradition!

The real shame to me is that voters continue to elect persons who have no interest in the People, but only in re-election and election of their ilk.

The chickens could come home to roost this year if the recession turns into a real global depression. It's unlikely, but deep recession in the US is very possible. Ever since the dollar was removed from the gold standard our government has continued to print worthless money to keep our economy going. Eventually, the rest of the world rejects the useless dollar and the US is left helpless.

How does this relate to Armstrong Woods State Park? The economy of California is a good indicator of what is happening to the country. We are running out of, or have already, funny money and can't pay our bills.


Armstrong Woods State Park is a sign of what will come to much of our way of life if something is done immediately. Maybe it's already too late. The men who designed our country intended for the People to make the rules, interpret the rules and enforce the rules. That is not what is happening now.

When you go to the polls this year will you vote for someone who will continue to support the military/industrial and government/health care industry complexes or someone who is not afraid to act for the People?

I hope you can find a candidate that has proven by past actions to be the latter.

Anonymous said...

I wanted "adopt a campsite" idea when grandpa died...didn't get anywhere though as no one I contacted had any idea who I should talk to.

You know, ala Nambi Lucy and the rural cemetery.

Will email that idea to the links. Great job Eddie!! xoxo

Anonymous said...

Please open the following link and take whatever action you can if you want to see Armstrong Woods and our other wonderful State parks stay open.

Thanks,

Katherine

http://www.stewardsofthecoast
andredwoods.org/keepparksopen.htm