The topic of the second installment of Cristina’s article is the Richardson Grove issue, but really it’s about much more. It’s about the dynamics of local politics and it captures a great deal of what I’ve tried to say in a number of posts here and lays it out comprehensively and succinctly. Yes, there are editorial elements in it and in that sense it’s “biased.” Get over it. She raises questions about our politics which apply to the Reggae War, the General Plan Update, and the Second District Supervisor election. Liberals fighting liberals. “Left wing tea parties.”
We live in a community rich in activism. It’s a good thing. People are willing to “speak truth to power.” Some of them are willing to do much more than speak and make great sacrifices and physical risks in civil disobedience. There is a great deal of passion. We’re ready to take on the powers that be; to defy all that is wrong with the system “out there.”
If only we can learn to listen.
Karl Marx criticized philosophers for merely trying to interpret the world and failing to try to change it. I’m thinking that many of us need to focus on learning more about the world. We might become better at changing it.
But a hero needs a villain. Odds and powers all against him. A right and a wrong. A hero knows both. It’s all about the cause which sustains the hero.
Look at the comments attached to the article. Sun Valley poisons workers. Lost Coast brews bad beer. Bauss sounds kind of like Bass. Hank Sims is a plagiarist. Trustafarians. EPIC fail. But no response to the central questions Cristina raises.
The cause is just. Collateral damage is justified. Nuance be damned.
Sometimes it’s really embarrassing.
Thank you Cristina.
Also check out Hank’s sideline editorial.
52 comments
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April 17, 2010 at 9:22 am
longwind
Another Humboldt virgin to deflower!
Cristina did a great service, and Hank did her a mild disservice by piggybacking his gratuitous obnoxiousness on her research in his own interesting Town Dandy column on the subject. But his points too are sound: overreach makes bad policy no matter what side overindulges. That said, the criticisms of the project have much improved it, which I appreciate.
Me, I’m against the widening. Leave everything alone! But I’ve also thought it was inevitable after the real redwood curtain-hanger was punched through at Confusion Hill. When Rep. Thompson got $80 million from FEMA in ‘emergency’ money to bypass the Confusion Hill slides with those two crazy-wide nasty bridges, Richardson Grove was gonna get improved, and the trucks would roll. I’m grateful to Cristina for explaining the real economic stakes in the improvement, and I’m okay with them. We do need an economy. This analysis equally applies to General Plan issues, incidentally.
Wouldn’t it be nice if reporters reported information more often? And if we had more of a culture of journalism in this county, Cristina’s all-over-the-map contextualizing of a complicated issue wouldn’t be misconstrued as editorializing. It’s first-rate synthesis, grounded in complex human interactions. Thanks a million, Cristina!
April 17, 2010 at 10:26 am
ED Denson
It’s an interesting article. My position is fairly simple, and not at all moved by the arguments made by proponents of the project. We have cut down enough of the redwoods and certainly should not be cutting any in these small groves that survive. If there are sound economic reasons for getting a roadway that larger trucks can use, then build a by-pass, like the one at Confusion Hill. If that’s not in the cards, reopen the railroad. I have yet to hear any idea that could justify destroying even one redwood tree in Richardson Grove.
It is a truth universally acknowleged, privately, that the Southern Humboldt County economy depends upon marijuana cultivation, and it was pleasant to see that taken for granted in this public article. I’m not sure that the fact that Humboldt marijuana is sold nationwide undermines any of the arguments of those opposing the Richardardson Grove project, localists or not, but it brought a smile to my face to read that proposition. Congratulations on a well written and interesting article.
April 17, 2010 at 3:08 pm
Mitch
I’ve yet to hear a sound economic argument. Spending public money to reduce the shipping cost for a few companies, when California’s safety net is beyond tatters, is an obscenity. If we have $7 million to spend, I can think of about 7 million things that are more important than unimpeded travel by big trucks.
And I don’t want more old growth paved over. I don’t know if that’s a sound environmental argument or not. But it’s how I feel.
April 17, 2010 at 3:20 pm
the reasonable anonymous
“I don’t want more old growth paved over.”
You’re in luck, because no one is proposing cutting down or paving over any old growth.
April 17, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Anonymous
The Redwoods that are now dying up North,were doing fine until Cal-Trans changed the road. How many years were they alive and well before their tops started to die? With Cristinas’ logic, they should still be alive. You people are willing to kill 1000 year old Redwoods for adding 2 more pallets on to a bigger truck? TWO, only 2 more pallets for 7 mil? jeez. Selfish, greedy humans.
April 17, 2010 at 4:03 pm
Anonymous
“Spending public money to reduce the shipping cost for a few companies,….”
Mitch, Infrastructure is one of the principal functions and purposes of government and has been since the Egyptians and then the Romans. This is perhaps the worst argument against the widening.
“If we have $7 million to spend, I can think of about 7 million things that are more important than unimpeded travel by big trucks.”
Ah, now you have hit upon what might be the best argument. The fact is we simply do not have $7 million to spend. We are borrowing and spending well beyond our current means. Until we prioritize our needs as a society and restructure our tax methods, and no that doesn’t simply mean raising taxes on the wealthy though that may well be part of the solution, we should not be spending anything “extra” on anything. We need to establish real direction not the willy nilly spend, borrow, spend, spend, borrow mentality of the past. The Richardson Grove road system is simply not broken enough to warrant the expense. The really funny thing is that had this argument been made before the environmental groups went ape shit it might have even been possible to get the support of the Tea Bagger/anti government types. Now, as usual, it is the Humboldt us against them kind of fight. It has become about winning not about reality.
April 17, 2010 at 6:54 pm
Anonymous
I read the article with interest; as a knee-jerk preservationist i generally say don’t cut trees. after reading it i thought that, though both sides were represented, the preponderance of the article definitely slanted to go forward with the project. would that make cristina biased? well, that was my first thought but maybe there’s just more “evidence” supporting the project, and she put it out there.
i mean jeez we gotta get the cheese and flowers and beer and weed out there–those are NECESSITIES!…
April 17, 2010 at 7:24 pm
suzy blah blah
A most excellent article Cristina, and i highly comment you for doing the hard research and footwork necessity to such a comprehensive report of the real economic as well as environmental concerns to all of us who are concerned about this pressing economic and environmental issue here on the ground level –the real issue now at hand that you wrote your 2 piece article on that was in the NJC that i am referencing here. It appears now that non-proponents of the necessity are frothing at the truth about it now because they cant see the road for the trees, if you know what i mean, LOL! but as you so succinctly stated, “they (the Grovies) are only a loud minority”, i’m paraphrasing, because the bigbox argument falls flat in the face of the larger view of widening the road to save lives, and then you nailed them with the undisputable statistical facts. As a writer of sorts myself I especially was able to appreciate the nuances of the way you made your stand without falling prey to the temptation to wind down the rhetoric in this particular facet of your comprehensive report. Yes, I loved that part
because when it comes to facts and statistics like those included about the flower shipment and goat cheese and root causes of the trees health throughout the years and the other cold hard facts which you so succinctly presented with clarity and insight which are the very things that these so-called environmentalists like Epic and Mr Muskrat etc. are lacking because they can’t seem to be able to field them due no doubt to their bucolic idealism so deeply entrenched in their minds that they can no longer think straight about it anymore than they can see straight about it. So Suzy says –u go girl! To quote a phrase, I am in lockstep with you and Hank and Ernie and Erik on this one. So kudos for an excellent article Cristina and for doing the necessary footwork and hardcore research to clarify the air around this important issue and cut through the fuzzy mindedness of our opponents on this pressing issue and for giving us the comprehensive report so necessary for the project to go forth so that the opponents forthwith can see the necessity of this necessary project to proceed so that the larger trucks can start moving in to help our rapidly decreasing economic future here behind the legendary redwood curtain to grow and prosper like never before in good economic as well as environmental health as you outlined in your well written and comprehensive article.
April 17, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Mitch
Anonymous 4;03,
Yes, infrastructure is a government responsibility. If, for example, an earthquake damaged an overpass and prevented goods and services from getting into or out of Humboldt County, I’d be all for whatever expenditure was necessary to restore the lifeline.
But changing a road so that it can accommodate industry standard trucks? So a very few local businesses can offload their costs onto the taxpayer? I know it’s SOP, but I hope people someday begin to notice that it’s SOP, and ask why it’s so important to support these businesses, but seniors, schoolchildren, university students and the disabled have to fend for themselves.
the reasonable anonymous,
Yes, I admire your reasonableness (really). Unfortunately, I think the only sensible stand w/r/t what remains of old growth is to not touch it. Period. Full stop. Future generations already have plenty to curse us for.
April 17, 2010 at 8:06 pm
Kym
Eric,
“If only we can learn to listen.” And can we learn to disagree without assuming the other side is evilly intentioned? Sometimes good people come to different conclusions. Let’s not indulge ourselves in believing in conspiracies. Frankly, it is too darn easy to do. And when the other side is an evil conspiracy, then we are justified in using any tactic to defeat them.
Ed,
I agree with you that it was a pleasure to see marijuana’s status in the local economy acknowledged in such a public way.
I would never want to see the beautiful old giants at Richardsons injured but the only redwood trees in the grove being removed are less than 8 inches in diameter at breast height. Redwood trees that size are routinely removed from all sorts of sites including along the highway without much notice being taken. I love the majestic trees at Richardsons but removing a few saplings that have grown up in the last decade or so in order to make small Humboldt Co. businesses economically healthy seems smart to me. Especially, considering the economic hit that Humboldt could be facing as marijuana laws liberalize.
April 18, 2010 at 7:24 am
Anonymous #1407
“A very few local businesses.” Why does that line get repeated over and over? There were three that provided in-depth interviews, but it was made pretty clear in the article that there are a lot more out there. Learn how to read, people.
April 18, 2010 at 7:47 am
Dave Kirby
Kudos Christina…Very refreshing to have some serious factoids to refer to. When this issue first arose I honestly held no position for or against the project. It was only the opponents disregard for truth that turned me off to their cause. There is a 30 mile strip of pavement called the Avenue of the Giants where the root systems of thousands of trees have been damaged or partially paved over with no effect on the old growth that sometimes grow a few feet from the pavement. Thanks to you and Eric for bringing a light to bear on the subject.
April 18, 2010 at 7:55 am
Anonymous
Pepperwood, new road work, old growth Redwood Trees dying. What year was Ave of the Giants road work?
Don’t it always seem to go
You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone
They Paved Paradise
and put up a parking lot.
April 18, 2010 at 11:58 am
Eric Kirk
Mitch – maybe that’s where the next round of journalism should focus – a survey of local businesses with anonymity preserved. It should be more than just sending a survey out to be returned. Telephone interviews.
Now who has the money to pay for it?
April 18, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Eric Kirk
I posted that and discovered that Cristina made three long posts in the comments below the linked article which outline some more details about the economic impact, as well as the carbon emission impact, according to one business.
April 19, 2010 at 9:07 am
blacklisted2
MMM
Thanks Woods and Cobb, Hank is a sh–, Buass’ article shows a surprising and disappointing lack of understanding of the real issues involved here. Her ethic is more suited to sacramento. We love the trees here. She, like mcKee sees a tree as a 2 x 4 $$$$. Everything written by Bauss now has to be looked at through a different pair of glasses.
April 19, 2010 at 11:34 am
Jeff Muskrat
“One of the most powerful pieces written on a local political issue”.
Really?
“The environmental groups in Southern Humboldt are deeply rooted in the “alternative” community, and many of the project opponents who attended a Feb. 24 forum in Garberville sponsored by the Environmental Information Protection Center — one of the leading opponents of the project — are marijuana growers”
Powerfully divisive…
April 19, 2010 at 11:49 am
Mitch
Eric,
“A survey of local businesses…”
What about a survey of citizens, Eric? Even poor ones. Personally, I think the business community is always going to come down differently than the community-as-a-whole on issues involving trade-offs between quality of life and money. It will also tend to focus more on helping the businesses that exist today, while the community as a whole, when looking at business issues, may be more focussed on creating new businesses suited to the future. It will tend to be more conservative and anti-business-tax than the average citizen.
Reagan tore down Carter’s solar panels from the White House because he listened to the business community — now China will own us on solar and energy efficiency.
Personally, I simply don’t believe that the future of Humboldt (either community or business) depends on improved truck access. It’s going to be tourism and information industry people who move here for quality of life. And pot, of course.
I know people complain about the drawbridge mentality of “newcomers” — I got here in 1993 and most would consider me a “newcomer.” I don’t think it’s so much a drawbridge mentality as our bringing to the debate a painful awareness of how rare and fragile Humboldt is. If you grow up here, perhaps, your focus is on what you think is lacking. If you moved here, you see what still exists here and lacking just about everywhere else. I wouldn’t want to make the trade.
April 19, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Not A Native
Its not really about the size of the trucks. For 12 years, larger trucks have been permitted to go through when they carry household goods or livestock. I think the article could have better described that aspect of the present situation, how many trucks go through and what their accident rate has been. But those facts doesn’t seem to have much weight in the discussion. So I really feel this whole “controversy” isn’t about facts, its about sentiment and emotion. So, debating the facts is useless.
How about a blanket “exemption” that allows any legal truck to pass through, just like some do now? Maybe with with additional caution signs to truck drivers to slow way down due to the “tight” turns? Caltrans rejected that alternative but I think even that idea would be locally controversial.
April 20, 2010 at 8:20 am
Mitch
Not a native,
Or Northbound STAA from the hour to the half-hour, Southbound STAA from the half hour to the hour, with automated camera ticketing for violators.
April 20, 2010 at 8:42 am
blacklisted2
Have you been on I-5 lately? It is over-burdened and maxed out with cars/trucks. “THEY” need/want another north/south corridor. Voila, 101. If you think they will not re-route trucks,e, you are an idiot. Trucks from S.F. will head directly up 101. Why do you think they are doing all that work on the over-pass at Alton? 101, the next north/south corridor. It will destroy the fabric, the uniqueness, the way of life, the remoteness, everything we love and cherish about our environment, will be destroyed.
April 20, 2010 at 3:29 pm
the reasonable anonymous
Route 5 is “overburdened?” Hardly. No traffic slow-downs until you get down near Sacramento. And the traffic on 101 down south is at least as bad, if not worse, than that on 5. If you are going from the Bay Area north, and take 80E to Vacaville, then 505N to 5N, you will encounter few if any traffic delays.
Rerouting North-South traffic to 101? Not likely. The added mileage, added time, and treacherous curves and steep hills would make that impractical. Maybe we’d see some small increase in truck traffic headed to Humboldt and Crescent City, or some traffic that currently goes up I-5 to 299 and then to Arcata/Eureka, but that Humboldt & Del Norte truck traffic doesn’t amount to much. And anything north of Crescent City is likely to continue going up by Route 5, not to mention the rail freight lines that go roughly the same way.
And it’s hard to see how the Alton interchange is part of some scheme to make 101 part of a new North-South trucking route. The existing interchange did not prevent truck traffic, and Highway 36 is not going to be a truck shipping route anytime soon — I mean have you actually DRIVEN over 36 to Red Bluff?!?! Treacherous curves, snow, narrow road (barely one lane at one point), etc. Virtually no truck traffic except for some logging trucks hauling logs out of the national forests. The new Alton interchange isn’t going to change much of anything as far as truck traffic on either 36 or 101. But it probably will save lives at the 36/101 intersection.
April 21, 2010 at 8:10 am
blacklisted2
I was on I-5 north of Sac., and it was PACKED with vehicles. BIG trucks driving 80mph. Scary. Straightening of Hwy 36 will come at some point. Only this overall plan justifies those 2 bridges at Confusion Hill. Oh ya, and the new Redwood Deck at Ahnolds. A $35,000 light system at Alton would make it safer, but the goal is to create another north-south corridor. $7 mil plus so that 2 trucks can pass each other going the opposite direction at the exact same moment? How often do you think that will happen? Look at the bigger picture man. Look at Willits. The whole progression of events is working up to this. WAKE UP. How much cost for the interchange at Alton? For saftey? WHEN has Cal-Trans ever spent that kind of $$$ on safety? The bridge north of the interchange is still being worked on(3rd or 4th time) to handle bigger trucks. People didn’t think the work at Willit’s would happen, but it is. The progression moves north.
April 21, 2010 at 9:31 am
Mitch
This is off-topic, but it’s in further response to Eric’s suggestion of polling local businesses. (I know you’re not a pro-business patsy, Eric, but your phrasing was a perfect example of how we’ve all been brainwashed.)
Today’s Guardian (the UK paper, fuggedaboutit if you’re looking for quality US coverage) highlights a report from the Potomac Conservancy, which points out that “[m]ore than 80% of the male bass fish in Washington’s major river are now exhibiting female traits such as egg production because of a “toxic stew” of pollutants.”
The Potomac River is the source of most drinking water for Washington DC and surroundings.
So, thanks to America’s business community, our farming and our medications are basically screwing up our ability to reproduce safely. But profits will be doing just fine, once this pesky recession is over. And Congress can afford bottled water from… I dunno… how’s about the Trinity?
April 21, 2010 at 10:31 am
Eric Kirk
Well, there are businesses and there are businesses. I’m just saying that it would be good to know if there is even any real consensus, and get a feel for what all the businesses are paying out for offloading which they might otherwise pay to hire additional employees. I doubt it’s businesses like Cypress Grove which have ruined the Potomac.
April 21, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Mitch
And how many 40 ton trucks does Cypress Grove require? And how much of an impact does the higher shipping cost create? And, if Cypress Grove moved, would they still use Humboldt Fog and Purple Haze as brand identifiers?
How much time and energy have they put into finding less expensive shipping alternatives? How much time and energy has the County of Humboldt put into lowering shipping costs for businesses /without/ construction projects in state parks? Caltrans? Other outfits?
If Caltrans offers to solve my high-shipping-cost problem for me, and it won’t cost me a penny, I’d probably vote yes. But what if, in solving my problem, Caltrans creates a shitstorm of problems for a lot of others?
April 21, 2010 at 2:10 pm
edsvoice
Mitch,
Who and or what trucking firms or Retail Corporations are lobbying for this and the taking of giant old Redwoods in Richardson Grove. Bottom line, besides Caltrans, who is at the top of the food chain that would benifit from taking down these Redwoods and Habitat. I would like to know there snail mail, email and phone numbers.
April 21, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Mitch
I’m the wrong person to ask, edsvoice, but you could call EPIC at (707) 822-7711.
April 21, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Anonymous
Oh, I bet EPIC can hardly wait to hear from Ed again!
April 21, 2010 at 7:32 pm
Anonymous
Again?
April 21, 2010 at 8:56 pm
blacklisted2
Willits bypass project anticipated to begin construction in jan.2011. Meeting to be held in Willits tonight to discuss mitigations on how native plants and water quality of the Little Lake Valley will be protected.(not). In other words, the Highway is going right by Willits, there will be off ramps, so THERE WILL BE NO STOP SIGNS to slow business down. These guys are just like Palco, turning in one THP at a time, then when looked at all together on a map, it was one big clear cut.
April 22, 2010 at 8:01 am
Anonymous #1407
Ed, there are no giant old redwoods or habitat being taken down as a result of this proposal. Look at the plans, for Christ’s sake.
April 22, 2010 at 4:32 pm
blacklisted2
It is called slow murder, cutting into their roots.And habitat will be affected.
April 23, 2010 at 9:56 am
capdiamont
It has happened before to the grove, and yet the trees are still living.
April 23, 2010 at 4:14 pm
blacklisted2
Why are they still living? How many other trees died the first time out? They can not guarantee that these trees won’t die this time around. A fragile balance has been struck in that grove, for whatever reason, and what Cal-Trans is intending to do, will destroy that balance. Again, look at the redwoods up north that made it through the first roadwork, and are now dying from the latest roadwork. Using your ethic, those trees should not be dying. BUT THEY ARE.
April 23, 2010 at 10:14 pm
capdiamont
You are saying the grove has a “fragile balance”, how can you say that? What makes it so?
How old is the “latest” roadwork? VS all the knowledge, caution, and over site the grove will get?
April 24, 2010 at 3:08 pm
edsvoice
Anonymous #1407 said;
“Ed, there are no giant old redwoods or habitat being taken down as a result of this proposal. Look at the plans, for Christ’s sake”
I would say you have not read the proposal and “Christ” has nothing to do with any of this, let along his “sake”!
Watch and lean…..
April 25, 2010 at 2:56 pm
suzy blah blah
i think Christ has everything to do with it. After all Christ is the one and only begotten son of God, and God created the forest, the grove, and you. Do you think that God doesn’t know what he’s doing? If you look at the plans you will realize that only a few trees will be sacrificed; as the father sacrificed the son so must we make a sacrifice. If the truth be known, the balance is still well nigh intact for the trees in the grove still far outnumber the trucks by a large number –do the math. The trucks have a right to be here just as do the trees. Learn this, a sacrifice is for the betterment of the many. This is the teaching of the gospel. The good news is that these trucks bring food, drinking water, and other necessities for our survival and well being. How do you think these necessities get to us? They don’t just grow on trees you know. It should be clear at this point to all clear thinking people that the anti-truck faction has drifted far from these realities i speak of and are being deceived by illusions of their own making.
April 25, 2010 at 7:01 pm
edsvoice
Suzy,
I guess you did not view the video, did you?
April 25, 2010 at 11:34 pm
suzy blah blah
Ed, before i answer your question i’d like to ask you this –have you ever taken the time to read what Jesus tells the believers in the passage in the Book of Revelations about the Tree of good and evil?
April 27, 2010 at 12:01 am
edsvoice
April 27, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Anonymous
Yo “e”,
your boy “clif-e” can sure show you who is boss, who is in charge of SoHum and keep his cool all at the same time after today. O’l “clif-e’ was hot today, he took charge of those tree-huggers and took the public out of “We the people”.
does “clif-e” have a PR firm on retainer? If not he should, like yesterday!
April 27, 2010 at 9:50 pm
suzy blah blah
-hmmm, methinks you need to get your head out of the clouds Ed, that’s a pretty warped perspective you look at things from, it’s a one sided viewpoint from an unbalanced mind. The other side, the down to Earth practical side, is that we need bigger trucks rolling in here to help nourish our local culture.
April 28, 2010 at 7:33 am
edsvoice
Suzy, Suzy, Suzy;
Thank you for only accusing me of having my head up in the clouds. But on the other hand, why do you force change onto people unlike yourself. It’s one thing to talk about it and another to live it. I take it; you want nothing to do with Native or Indigence people?
Why do you think “bigger” is better. I don’t ever remember not having something because the “truck” was not big enough to bring it into Humboldt County! The same little trucks have been rolling here since Jacob C. Garber was the Postmaster and the Benbow Family was in the Hydro/Electricity business.
April 28, 2010 at 8:39 am
suzy blah blah
I take it; you want nothing to do with Native or Indigence people?
-whoooaa! this kind of implication is a little more serious then saying someone has their head up the clouds. Ed, Suzy walks the walk and she talks the talk too. Furthermore, you don’t know me, so why are you playing the role of The Accuser?!!
Fyi, i attended an ayahuasca ceremony presided over by a Lokota shaman a couple of years ago, so i am not unaware the nature of my relationship to Mother Earth. I am grounded through ceremonial ritual and i pray to Her for guidance. Funny thing is, my relationship with the ayahuasca and the shaman led me to a vision of Jesus! My inner connection to Christ was acknowledged and blessed. Also, my very kind and good friend who took me to the ceremony and introduced me to the shaman was at that time a trucker who drove an 18wheeler up and down the west coast. We made several runs together from San Diego to Seattle and back. We took 101 through Richardson’s Grove, so i know something about the logistics of that too. He is also an Indian, and we are still good friends. So there!
April 28, 2010 at 10:00 am
edsvoice
Suzy,
I only commented to what you have stated:
“that’s a pretty warped perspective you look at things from, it’s a one sided viewpoint from an unbalanced mind”
I assume my “warped perspective” & “unbalanced mind” (as you call it) came from the two youtube videos I had posted for you. And both are narrated by two very respected Native Tribal Elders; one being Floyd “Red Crow” Westerman (Sisseton–Wahpeton Oyate) and Oren Lyons (Seneca-Haudenosaunee). I can only assume you disaggree to what they are educating people about, right?
You are also correct that I do not know you, just like you have a clue about me, my family, my backgroud or my mental state of mind, right?
That is why they call it “AssUmE”
April 28, 2010 at 10:49 am
suzy blah blah
I assume my “warped perspective” & “unbalanced mind” (as you call it) came from the two youtube videos
-if you think that’s where your problem originated then work on it from there to get yourself healthy. Best of luck cuz you are even more nuts than i thought.
I can only assume you disaggree to what they are educating people about, right?
-ask your straw dog.
April 28, 2010 at 11:09 am
Anonymous
More about Richardson Grove in Humboldt County, by Humboldt County and for Humboldt County. We get our one minute of say!
http://216.102.9.16/archive/2010/20100427_001.asf
April 28, 2010 at 12:39 pm
edsvoice
Suzy 2 blah,
I have found that a good colon cleanser and coffee enema work much better than a hallucinogenic to see the face of Jesus. But hey, that’s just me and the way my brain works.
Remember, you are what you eat, drink and breath, so cork one up and have a great sohum day.
April 28, 2010 at 1:05 pm
suzy blah blah
Okay Ed, you can look for Jesus in your coffee ground shit and i’ll stay with the guidance of a Lokota medicine teacher. Thing is, you’re livin’ in a dream of the passed, Doncha think we need to take into consideration the size of the new amplifiers they use these days. We’re obviously gonna need some bigger trucks to haul them big suckers up to the community park. How can you get around that!
April 28, 2010 at 9:39 pm
edsvoice
Suzi, Suzy, Suzie,
You need to do your home work, the Macro-Tech i Series MA-5000i, MA-9000i and MA12000i by Crown are half the size, half the weight and twice the power for any size venue.
But to answer your question, I’m not sure which way to go. Anyway, this thread is about the trees in Richardson Grove, not the Community Park and not how many they cut down every year, Dazey has already been down that road, can’t you just leave that poor man along, can’t we all just get along, what is wrong with you people. Stop the maddness?
“My generation, faced as it grew with a
choice between religious belief and
existential despair, chose marijuana.
Now we are in our Cabernet stage.”
-Peggy Noonan
April 28, 2010 at 11:48 pm
suzy blah blah
Well Ed, as you’ve not denied that you’re nuts. Suzy will describe an extraordinary experience that maybe you will empathize with. I wouldn’t usually talk about something like this in a public forum but i don’t think anyone’s reading this anyway except you and i. This is 3 pages deep and Eric’s got a new RGrove thread going on …
But anyway, you see i used to think as you do, i used to be on the other side of this issue. If you read the archives you will see that that is true. And i went to the gathering at RGrove a few months ago and they said don’t bring any dope to smoke so i didn’t but i wanted to enjoy the grove in a sensitized state so i took a couple shrooms before the meeting, but i musta took too many cuz i didn’t like being there with the others so i wondered off into the trees instead of listening to the blablabla… and i sat down for a while and then this dude came up to me with a joint and –this is where it gets crazy, but believe it or not –the dude was Jerry Garcia!!! No shit, we smoked and it was definitely him. and so i asked him, are you Jerry? and his eyes twinkled and he nodded, he said he was living back in the grove now, and i said, so you aren.t really dead? and he smiled again and winked, and then we both cracked up cuz being as stoned as we were it seemed like a really really funny pun, “dead” LOL! get it? and then he just wandered back into the trees and i found my friend and we went home. But when i was sitting with Jerry i asked him about the trucks and the trees… and he mumbled something that entirely changed my viewpoint, actually he hummed it, and then it stuck in my head for about 3 days, i guess cuz i was so enraptured with the whole experience and the little tune he hummed as though he were a god, the Lord JG, bestowing a mantra on the lost pilgrim Suzy just seemed to hold all the wisdom in the universe within it.
mmm mm mmm
keep on truckin mama
truckin my blues away
ps have you ever been to a Dead show, i went when i was a little kid, they have these humongous amps, truckloads of equipment is rolled onto the stage, then they truck it all away the same night, kinda like a garage band that is actually an airplane hanger band, and i guess there used to be a band called Airplane or something like that, they had a song that my mom liked about Alice and Wonderland, but those big amps i bet they do it that way in order to hide all the dope.
ox,
s