Cannabis and the Butte County Primary of 2014

What's the view from Butte County on the election results from the primary? Nothing all that Earth shattering. The Chico ER was surprised that Andrew Merkel got as many votes as he did running against Larry Wahl for County Supervisor. Merkel is a marijuana advocate hothead who has scads of money from Butte County's richest industrial lobby: cannabis. Frankly, I was surprised that Merkel didn't do better than he did. Merkel has a popular pet issue (pot) and lots of money. Wahl, who most Progressives hate, ran a low budget campaign. Wahl was the single vote for Fracking when the Butte County Supervisors surprised us by endorsing a Fracking ban in Butte County.

What else? Candace Grubbs, who has been the County Recorder for years and who refused to marry gay couples at the County Courthouse, faced a challenge from a popular County Supervisor's wife. Grubbs has been vocal in criticizing the lax Cannabis growing rules. Grubbs easily won re-election.

Jerry Brown took 44 percent of the vote in Butte County (compared to 54 percent state wide). To the Left of Jerry Brown, the Greens did poorly as did Cindy Sheehan of the Peace and Freedom Party. I couldn't get myself to vote for Brown because he is in bed with the oil companies on Fracking. I voted for the Green Party candidate---something I swore I wouldn't do after the Nader fiasco of 2000.

And Doug LaMalfa eeked out 50 percent of the vote for his House Seat. He will face Heidi Hall who anemically managed to garner 33 percent of the vote in Butte County. Those lazy ass Dems in Butte County better start working a bit harder if they are to have any hope of voting out one of the worst members of the House of Representatives. Turnout was low amongst Democrats. Overall, the turnout was only 28 percent of eligible voters.

In Lake County, a ballot measure that would eliminate most outdoor grows of Marijuana won handily. Lake County, like many rural California counties, has been bombarded with Cannabis grows. Locals are sick of the environmental damage and the increase in crime that results from this lucrative, semi-legal industry. And since Lake County doesn't have an urban population of Liberal College Professors and students, the hard working people who face the biggest impact from the Substance Abuse culture that mars many rural areas, cried out for change. And for tight regulations.

Will we see something similar here in Butte County when two pot measures are on the ballot this Fall---one measure written by the Cannabis Lobby and another by the Supervisors who represent the rural residents most impacted by the Green Rush? As the rest of the country rushes headlong into legalization, it is immensely interesting that Cannabis producing counties in California are moving towards much tighter regulations. Humboldt, Lake, Shasta, Tehama, Fresno, Sacramento and Butte Counties are all attempting to tighten regulations on this "herb". Rural residents know the high price that is paid in order to provide the weed to fuzzy urban potheads.

The last time we saw marijuana (and all other drugs) legal in the United States, it was the Progressives who called for regulating the hallowed substances. All those restrictive drug laws that arose in the early 1900's were proposed by the Left side of the aisle. And why did they do that? Because of the immense damage to public health legalization of drugs did to large numbers of people. Much of the population spent their life being gorked on cough syrup made of cocaine, opiates and cannabis. Leftists who get all caught up in Libertarian attitudes towards cannabis and other drugs, aren't very good students of history. They forget the reason why these drugs were regulated in the first place.

Cannabis Advocates like Andrew Merkel, with their hundreds of thousands of dollars and an army of stoned volunteers, might not have such an easy time of it in Butte County this Fall. They won two years ago with a ballot measure that was difficult to comprehend what you were voting for, or against. This time the lines will be better defined and we are beginning to understand the social and environmental costs of a massive Cannabis Economy. I think the Chico ER under-estimates the backlash against the Cannabis Industry. I think the vote will be very close this Fall.

David Little Strikes Back On Climate Change

David Little is the editor of the Chico ER. He writes a Sunday column which, at times, can be quite readable. Mr. Little is very much a Conservative. But he also is an outdoorsman and a hunter. He wrote a great column welcoming California's first wolf (OR-7) to California. That's a fairly progressive view for a hunter to have: usually they hate the competition from predators.

David has written some great columns on enjoying little known Wilderness areas (Gold Lake). He also has written awesome columns about backpacking the Coastal Range.

I've corresponded with David, although not so much lately. We've argued over Lead Ammunition and about whether the reduction of the deer population is 1. a bad thing and 2. a result of having more Mountain Lion. David Little has never broached the coyote killing issue. Perhaps I should write and ask him his opinion on that.

David Little was critical of both Sam Aanestad and Doug LaMalfa---and refused to endorse either one in the primary of 2012. In the general election, he endorsed Doug LaMalfa, not so much because Doug is so wonderful, but rather because Little really disliked his challenger.

And so, as far as local Conservative Columnists go, I'd give David credit for being a bit more interesting than most. 

But there are times when David Little is just simply stupid. He did that this weekend when he wrote about Climate Change. You can read his piece here. Of course, David Little goes back to that really tired argument that science has been wrong before as when some scientist suggested, for a very short time in 1976, that the world was starting to cool. This hypothesis was quickly debunked---but Conservatives have never forgotten it. They use this as a lens to bolster an argument that global warming is all hyperbole. Never mind that this hypothesis has been studied for forty years. Never mind that it has wide-spread acceptance amongst professionals. That doesn't bother Mr. Little.

Two things are interesting about this piece. One is the comments at end of the piece. Every Right Wing Nerd who thinks he (and it is almost always a he) has done all the research and who quotes Roy Spencer and the Heartland Institute ad nauseum, genuflecting to the denialist Kremlin Wall of the rare science denialists; these guys troll the Internet, looking for articles to bolster their cause and to demean their critics. In this case me: just look in the comments section. Of 68 comments, only a handful are critical of David Little's article.

The other interesting thing is just how much climate denialism has joined the mainstream views of the Conservative Movement. It used to be Conservatives accepted the science. No more. Now they all bow at the idol of the Fossil Fuel Companies. Of all the Conservatives, probably the most honest is the former Governor of Utah, Jon Huntsman, who said that yes, Climate Change is a problem---we just can't afford to fix it. At least that is a straight-forward honest answer.

Good Bye to the Napa Valley...

I have decided to work more for less pay. A dumb idea. I've had this psych job in the Napa Valley for eleven years. For the past six years, I've been traveling 330 miles round trip, at first twice a month, and then--starting three years ago--- once a week. During this time, I've spent a large amount of time away from home. The trips got more and more burdensome. I get more and more homesick.

Satellite radio helped---a present Joni gave me for Christmas. I spend a lot of time in the car. I eat way too many meals while traveling on the road, wiping the French fry grease on my car seat--spilling sodas and ketchup on the passenger side seat as I wrestle with a fast food meal while driving. I eat way too many of these; they are just too convenient while traveling. I've pretty much lived out of the car. Many trips I just left my clothes in the car even when I got home.

For the last six years, I've stayed at Crystal Springs---an old haunted turn-of-the-century Nursing Dorm on my hospital's campus. Many of us older nurses travel to work here in the Napa Valley. We can't afford to live here, so we stay in the Nurses Dorm. It has helped us traveling nurses get close to each other. We have become second family. There have been many nights when we've had a few beers in the Crystal Springs parking lot, enjoying the ocean breeze as it travels up the Napa Valley at night. We'd have beers (against the Adventist Hospital rules, for sure) and we'd process the sometimes violent events that happen on a psychiatric unit. Its a little like going off to war together; only other psychiatric nurses understand the locked and secretive world of a mental health unit.

On the 9th of June, all of this will come to an end. I've decided to take a job in Chico as a home health psych nurse. I will actually drive more miles in my new job---I will have all of Tehama and Butte Counties as my territory. But I will get to go home every night.

There are plenty of reasons for not taking this new job: I will earn a lot less money; the health insurance is awful (to insure Joni it will cost us $700 a month); I won't have the worker camaraderie with fellow nurses I have now. Home health nursing can be lonely work.

So why do it? Because the travel has worn me out. I miss being home. I miss Joni. I miss the girls (although they are moving out in June to live with their mother). I miss the dogs. I miss taking walks. I miss the canyon. I miss my trail camera. I miss working on the house and the yard.

It is hard to have two homes. Time to just have one home.

Carrot Quinn

Since I've been reading lots of blogs of PCT Thru Hikers, the best one, in my opinion, is by an enigmatic woman who goes by the name of Carrot. She states she was raised by a schizophrenic woman in Alaska who believed she was the Virgin Mary. That couldn't have been a good experience. Carrot seems to have struck out in life mostly alone, being resourceful as kids who have non functional parents often are. She rode trains in her 20's. She supported herself by buying first edition books on Ebay from those who didn't understand the value of what they had---and then resold them on Ebay to egghead yuppie professors with money who like that sort of thing. She finances her second PCT thru hike through donations from readers of her blog. She has 650 loyal readers.

Her writing is smart and edgy. She writes of survival mainly; this is a woman who has seen a whole lot. She has a masterful style with description. At 31 years of age, she seems both younger and older than her years. She is definitely counter cultural; this is not a person who will work in a downtown office building.

Her writing on the trail is honest. Earthy---she writes of chafing and smelly feet. She certainly fits into this young hip hiker culture. As she says, she is 31 years old but looks like a teenaged boy. During the off season, she lives in a house without running water or electricity. She also has spent time living in a trailer.

I invite you to sample her writing here. I'm hooked. This young woman has talent.

PCT Blogs I Follow...

It has been awhile since I've posted anything. As I wrote in my last post, I've been following blogs of current PCT Thru Hikers. Honestly, I'm following so many of them, that I lose track of the characters who are hiking. Here are links to a few of them. You will notice that most of these blogs are written by 20-Somethings. And they are all Caucasian. Most just graduated from college and seem to be taking one last adventure on their parent's dime.

This blog is an exception. It is the blog of the famous "Halfmile". This guy created free apps and maps of the Pacific Crest Trail. He is a legend. He is hiking it this year with his girlfriend. Halfmile is not a youngster. Enjoy his blog here. Another person is documenting Halfmile's hike on this blog that consists of beautiful photographs of Halfmile and other hikers.

There are more than a few couples on the trail this year. Mandie and Josh are both blogging about their experience. This couple is quite likeable. They are different in that they didn't start this hike in super-duper shape; sort of an everyman and everywoman's hiking story. Very approachable. Here is another couple who are doing the trail together. Must be romantic. And yet another by a French couple who seem to live their life together by hiking long trails. Wish I had the money to do that. Must be trustfunders.

There are lots of women  hiking solo this year: Hiking Sunbeam is written by one such person. Erin is another such person writing about her experience. And then there is Alice. And another better than average blog by Berlyn. Unfortunately, Berlyn injured herself and had to drop out for a bit. Here is another blog by Kelsey. And don't forget Nicole. And Laura. Did I mention Joan? How about Emily? As you can see, most of the blogs I've found have been written by women. Brave women of the PCT. I wonder how much of this is influenced by Cheryl Strayed?

There are a few men writing too: There is this guy. And Steven, who at least quotes Aldo Leopold in his title of his blog. And another guy who calls himself: Nomad. And this one by Rob.

That's 20 blogs I'm following about this year's PCT class. All of them are pretty much the same: hike lots of miles carrying as little as possible. Get to the next town: drink beer and eat lots. Repeat process.

The PCT Class of 2021

The class of 2014 has begun hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). With the success of Cheryl Strayed's book on hiking the PCT, "Wild", there are more and more people attempting to "Thru Hike" it. Next year there will be even more hikers as a Hollywood film version of Strayed's book will be out later this year. In case you don't know, a "Thru Hike" is when you hike the entire 2,650 miles of the PCT in one hiking season. The hiking season generally starts in April and lasts until late September/early October.

It is very popular to document your "Thru Hike" on Facebook, Twitter and in blogs. Over the last several weeks, I've been reading quite a few from last year. And this year I've been following six or seven people as they attempt the trail.

You have to put a whole lot of miles in everyday to Thru Hike the PCT in one season. I think the average day is something like 18 miles. Hikers become obsessed with miles. They talk of "Zero" days and "Nero" days. Zero days are days that you rest and hike zero miles. Nero days are days when you just do a few miles, generally to a town to take a zero day.

Most of the people who I've read that attempt these hikes are young people. But there are a few exceptions. I've seen people in their late 50's and even early 60's who are out on the trail this year. And they aren't in as good of shape as you would expect a person to be in order to attempt such a hike. Of course, many people drop out when reality hits the fan. There is no shame in that. I've had to bail on a hike before when conditions were too extreme and dry. And also because I wasn't in the proper condition to attempt such a hike. Still, any effort is admirable.

There also is a page on Facebook devoted to this year's class. It is a very active page, as most people on the trail travel with Smart phones. In fact, it is amazing how much technology a hiker brings with them on their back-to-nature hikes. Most carry a Smart phone, in addition they usually carry a GPS locator (the most popular being "Spot"). Others carry GPS guidance devices that tell you exactly where you are at all times. These devices also beam to Facebook and other programs exactly where  you are on the trail so that loved ones (and total strangers) can monitor your progress.

The art of trail writing is alive and well on these blogs that document the attempts. Some are better than others. Some have great photography. Very few actually write about "nature". A common denominator in all of these blogs is that the hikers love to get to town to eat burgers and drink beer.

Of course it is admirable for all these people (probably over a thousand this year) to attempt such an endeavor. It makes me green with envy to imagine attempting such a hike. To actually take that much time out of your life to do this. Dreams die slow deaths as we age. We come to accept that maybe we won't ride a bike across the United States and we probably will never hike the PCT or the Appalachian Trail. I haven't totally let go of an attempt of the PCT; I'd like to be a member of the class of 2021.

But back to today's bloggers. Hiking the PCT has become an endurance event. An adrenaline event. Reading the blogs, I started noticing a pattern where hikers race through 25 and 30 mile days in order to get to the next town. They travel light, so that they can race quickly. They carry ultralight tents and sleeping bags. Backpacks are commonly under 25 pounds including food and water; some weigh as little as 18 pounds. You tank up in town and your trail time is mostly spent walking fast. The pattern seems to be that very few will spend more than 5 or 6 days (max) on the trail at a time. The norm seems to be 3 or 4. Essentially, these hikes are just races to the next motel room where you will find WiFi and beer.

The trail record was broken by a young woman last year who completed all 2,650 miles in 59 days. This is quite a feat to have accomplished, but something about this type of Thru Hiking just irritates me. I'm attached to the idea that a person should actually spend a majority of the time on the trail. Camping. Enjoying the solitude. But that's another thing: there is very little solitude for the Thru Hiker. They all start together and there is a constant stream of them starting for two months. One blog I read said that she didn't have her first night at a camp site solo until she was 1,400 miles into the trail!

Nobody who Thru Hikes would consider packing two weeks worth of food in their packs. Four days is about the max they will carry. Most won't even cook (except coffee for breakfast). Trail food is snickers bars and nuts and jerky. That's what towns are for: indulging in an orgy of food. And beer.

"Hike your own hike" is a common Hiker expression. It means you set your own rules and nobody else makes those rules for you. But from reading all of these blogs, very few are actually hiking their own hike. But I'm in danger of becoming a little too cynical towards these courageous beings who are out there attempting to hike the whole PCT in one season.

What can you possibly see when you are hiking 30 miles a day? Should I ever attempt to do the PCT, I'd hike my own hike by: 1. cooking both breakfast and dinner (this should be a camping experience and cooking is a big part of that); 2. No more than 20 miles in a day except for long, hot, dry sections; 3. At least half of my "zero" days would be spent on the trial--in a beautiful location; not in a bar or a hotel room; 4. Seems to me 8 nights in a hotel room would be more than enough plushiness for one Thru Hike experience.

That'd be my plan if I joined the Class of 2021.

Napa Valley Wealth, the CIA and Peter Matthiessen

I had an unstructured day in the Napa Valley today. I had a class yesterday and I'd have to come back here for work on Sunday, so I just decided to stay in the Napa Valley for the weekend. Of course, the place is crawling with tourists. The wealthy variety. If they aren't members of the ONE PERCENT, then they are at least in the top FIVE PERCENT.

Wealth intrigues me. It's a bit like a car accident: I try not to stare at the privileged, but I can't help it. Sitting in an espresso joint in St. Helena, I sat at a big table with my lap top. One older gentleman was actually reading a book; the majority of the very busy café patrons had their noses in lap tops and smart phones. A well kempt man next to me was attempting to teach some assignment to his daughter. The daughter didn't resemble any child that has lived in my household: She was demure, also well kempt, wearing a dress, hair combed in a way that only a trip to a hair dresser could fashion it. She was polite with her father; she carried herself well as she worked on the homework assignment. You could tell she was being prepped for some Ivy League school: a future Yalie. Or Wellesley.

And the people around me carried themselves with a snootiness and a self confidence that only comes with having a future where you need not worry about anything. And you've had the best of everything given to you: clothes, education, organic chow, healthcare, wellness coaches, yoga, therapists. Their health radiates in trim vital bodies shaped well from gym visits and spa treatments.

Poverty leads to ugliness. Weathered skin. Poor teeth. Worry lines around eyes and forehead. Those who wish to raise the retirement age to 67 or 70, certainly don't know how debilitating it is to your health to be poor. Worry kills. So does financial insecurity. Poverty is the number one cause of mental illness. Raising the retirement age is just a bad joke played on the poor. The poor will certainly not make it much beyond the retirement age, which I think is the design.

Money buys happiness. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise.

I walked to the Sunshine Market in St. Helena. This is the local grocery store where you can buy Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in one aisle and a $650 bottle of Cabernet in the next. And the Cab isn't even behind a lock and key. It just sits there on the shelf amongst other bottles of $100 plus bottles of wine.

And when you go to the checkout stand, what do you see? A refrigerated display of caviars of the world. Most checkout stands have gossip magazines and chocolate bars. St. Helena has caviar displays instead.

 

Enough of wealth, I head back to my dorm room to do some laundry and read. It was there that I read a New York Times article on Peter Matthiessen. Later in the day, I learned that Peter died (a coincidence had the NY Times article published on the day of his demise; the article was amended on-line to mention Peter's death). Peter was a son of privilege, much like the people I'd been watching in St. Helena. He was uncomfortable with it, but he never gave up his fortune to the poor as Jesus instructed rich people to do. No, he lived with that discomfort and used the money to live a wonderful life. He traveled and wrote books about his travels. Bad things do happen to rich people, and The Snow Leopard was written about a grief stricken trip to Nepal to photograph the elusive Snow leopard. Rich people get to grieve in more interesting ways. And write books about the experience.

I've never been able to make it through The Snow Leopard. I find environmental Buddhists boring (Gary Snyder take note). I did enjoy Matthiessen's classic Wildlife in America--a book that doesn't appear in the biographies of Peter--but really, it is a great book. If anything, just read the first chapter about the Great auk.

Matthiessen was part of a generation that still revered the novel. Much like Ed Abbey, who considered himself more of a novelist than an essay writer, Peter Matthiessen also felt that the novel was his highest achievement. And Peter is the only writer who has won the National Book Award for both fiction and non-fiction. Quite an achievement.

And so I will give The Snow Leopard another try. And I will give Shadow Country a read. And also At Play in the Fields of the Lord (a book that Abbey cited as a tome he wished he had written).

Matthiessen lived in the same house for sixty years. He didn't live in opulence. Although he did spend time as a spy for the CIA back in the 50's. Some say he started The Paris Review with CIA money. He ran in literary circles generated by rubbing elbows with the Oligarchs at Yale and the East Coast Literary Establishment. But that doesn't mean he didn't have talent. He did. But talent is easy to find; opportunity isn't. The only difference between writers like Matthiessen and wannabee writers in some English Department in a PoDunk University is connections and opportunity.

Good writing is easy to find. All you have to do is have something to say and say it well. Many do.