Calistoga Street Buzz

Death Panels

2009-08-13T15:14:00.000-07:00

Why would you be surprised at the fact that those who support partial birth abortion (the Democrats) would also include death options for the elderly, infirm and handicapped in their bill for healthcare reform? Of course it is in the bill, no matter how they spin it; and their past actions are the proof necessary for me to affirm that it is.

People who think it is okay to kill a baby at 21 weeks (gestation) would have no problem turning their backs on those they feel are not worth the expense to society. It’s time for you to be honest with yourself! This issue is not about healthcare reform, it is about government control of your life. Believe it!

Let’s talk about “sustainable development” – Like what is it?

2009-07-14T16:31:00.000-07:00

Several thousand years ago two cavemen were discussing ‘sustainable development’ which is making sure that each generation only uses the natural resources they are consuming at such a rate that future generations will be left with that resource.

It turned into such a great discussion it had to go to the tribal council. There, at the tribal council meeting, being unable to solve the issue it went to the United Nations where a Commission on Sustainable Development was formed.

Some on the commission felt they had to limit the numbers of animals they killed for food, clothing and shelter to insure future generations had meat to eat and hides to wear. While others believed the greatest natural resource was fire because it provided heat for warming and cooking as well as for shaping and sharpening sticks for hunting.

After weeks of discussion no one could agree on what must be saved for future generations, however, they did agree if they didn’t kill enough animals for food, clothing and shelter; and they didn’t use fire for heat and cooking many thousands would die. So how were they going to handle this issue? They decided they couldn’t mandate the issue because they would be responsible for the deaths of those who died. This was a quandary indeed.

They all agreed that every year the glaciers seemed to be melting back farther and farther. That the age of ice was ending and that days were warming. It was so noticeable many tribesmen had made comment about the event. Then it struck them, they would say the use of fire was causing global warming and melting the glaciers. That would incite some folks to give up using fire without the UN mandating it and fire would be preserved for future generations.

Several thousand deaths later a man noticed that when certain rocks struck each other a spark was emitted. At first he gave it no thought but one day while out hunting he hurled a rock from his sling at a small animal. He missed and hit another rock. He didn’t get his meal but he did start a fire that burned for days. He had discovered flint.

When he went to the tribal council with his discovery, flint was added to the natural resources list to be saved for future generations so they had a portable means of starting a fire rather than having to carry hot coals from place to place.

Even though the use of fire was less than before the Commission’s statement about global warming, the glaciers continued to shrink and life moved on. There were huge piles of flint every where you looked but the glaciers shrank, the mastodon and saber toothed tiger vanished, people died, new people were born and then someone invented the match and yet the glaciers continued to shrink.

Early man knew that fire was one of the most important allies he had. Learning to harness that energy and putting it to beneficial use had changed man’s existence forever. Fire left to its own path is extremely destructive; however, technology has made fire a tool of unfathomable value. So what is important to pass on to our future generations: A couple of flint stones or the technology we use to harness the energy produced by fire?

When you survey the planet you must ask yourself serious questions about what you want to pass on to future generations. It is technology that makes “sustainable development”, not resources. Oil was nothing until technology made it a source of energy. Flint was important until technology produced the match. So should we really change our lives by giving up something that makes life better so we can save it for a generation that may not want it or need it? Technology will always prevail, it always has.

It is my belief, humans have not and will not destroy this planet. Surely when you see the power of nature you understand we are just a bothersome parasite not to be taken seriously.
© Bill Wink April 2007

READ: Definition of Sustainable Development

AT&T BUNDLING

2009-04-13T18:02:00.000-07:00

Is not for the weak at heart.

In the past couple weeks, AT&T has shown that there was a reason for dismantling the corporation last time and in my mind they are dangerously close to that point again.

Imagine a corporation that is so arrogant they think they don’t make mistakes and therefore don’t need a customer relations department. That’s AT&T.

Oh they have a customer service department that will gladly direct you to one of the five or so choices they offer in the voice recognition system if you say the correct word, but if you have a complaint, forget it, no department exists at AT&T for unsatisfied customers.

My horror story with AT&T started when I called and asked for some basic services. I was moving and wanted to move my phone service. Now mind you I wasn’t moving out of the area, just to a new address. So no new phone numbers, just change a couple wires and bam, simple huh.

Well, nothing could be farther from the truth, ask for one simple change and AT&T went into complete chaos. Nobody in one department knows what the other department is doing (good reason to tear it down).

On or about March 28, 2009 I was “bundled”. I agreed to combine all my telephone needs with AT&T and at the same time requested my service be relocated to my new address. This included a new cell phone too. And included in the “bundle” was High Speed Internet, or DSL service at my new address.

So which department knew what to do?

Well, I received my new cell phone immediately and activating it was simple. My landline phone service and DSL were scheduled to be active on April 2, 2009. Soon I received an automated phone call from AT&T telling me my phone service had been relocated to my new address. On Saturday, April 4th I received an automated voice message saying AT&T had successfully added DSL to my phone service bundle.

Monday the 6th I tried hooking up my computer to my DSL.

Now this is not new to me as I had AT&T DSL at my old residence but on a different phone line so I have a modem and my computer has been on-line with this modem through AT&T previously. But I soon find I don’t have DSL coming into my house no matter what the automated message told me. Except now the plot thickens. I too have received a letter from AT&T saying I now have AT&T DSL and I am being charged for it since April 2nd.

I make my first phone call and step into the abyss. AT&T tells me they will send a technician and he may have to come in the house. I say no to him coming in the house because I just want to insure DSL has been brought to my house and that can be determined from the outside. Plus, I know from experience that if you don’t have a maintenance contract with AT&T and a technician sets one foot in your house it costs you big time.

By mid-morning the next day the technician has discovered I don’t have DSL Internet service. That it had been provided as stated by WO#T24475-- and then had been disconnected by an AT&T technician Saturday April 4th by WO#C12670--- .

At this point I am becoming concerned because if someone else can just randomly have my services changed without my permission how do you know you are getting what you are paying for unless you are checking every minute to insure you are receiving the services you requested.
So where in the Bermuda Triangle of AT&T am I right now?

I have spent two days talking to folks at AT&T who have their responses down pat. Their training on how to deal with a frustrated customer is obvious. They all blow smoke in your ear. I had one tell me I had asked to have my DSL turned off and then I was told I never ordered DSL. I’ve been told that managers will call me that have not called. I was told my account would be credited that has not been.

I have repeatedly asked to speak to someone who could fix my problem to only be put on the merry-go-round of different departments that hand me to someone else while never accomplishing a thing. I was told to re-order DSL service that some departments say I already have and others say I never requested.

It is painfully obvious that at AT&T the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. It appears no one is capable of finding their own rear end using both hands and a flashlight. Plus management could not pour sand out of a boot if the instructions were on the bottom of the heel.

When I had AT&T DSL Internet service before, it was great. But getting it back is worse than having a root canal without novacaine.

I would never buy AT&T stock because customer service is so far removed from their mission they don’t even have a customer relations department and in a downturn, customer care will make a difference.

So before you “bundle” with AT&T I recommend you research other avenues first. This is a nightmare.

Is “Community Organizer” code for “Communist Agitator”?

2008-10-28T08:32:00.000-07:00

"Beneath the rhetoric of survival, behind the Sierra Club calendars, beyond the movie-star appeals, lies a full-fledged ideology – an ideology every bit as powerful as Marxism and every bit as dangerous to individual freedom and human happiness. Like Marxism, it appeals to seemingly noble instincts: the longing for beauty, for harmony, for peace. It is the green road to serfdom."
—The Green Road to Serfdom, Virginia I. Postrel

Is the Republic dead? Long live Democracy, the path to Socialism?

Associated Press – June 23, 2005
• "WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses - even against their will - for private economic development.”
• June 27, 2005 – Supreme Court rules against displaying the Ten Commandments

Leninism:
· Democracy is indispensable to socialism
· The exploiters need to be liquidated as a class. This ambiguous phrase sometimes just meant taking their property and exiling them, but often enough it meant killing them and sometimes their families. ** Liquidating the capitalists as a class made the country poorer.

Marxism:
· Democracy is the road to socialism
· The socialist slogan is "From each according to his ability, to each according to his work."
· The communist slogan is "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs."
· Communism, which evolves peacefully from socialism, is a classless society under which the state will wither away.
· Class hatred is a good thing and class collaboration is a bad thing.
· Full Marxism in power has been a disaster in every country where it has gained power.

Democratic Socialists:
· “Believe that both the economy and society should be run democratically—to meet public needs, not to make profits for a few. To achieve a more just society, many structures of our government and economy must be radically transformed through greater economic and social democracy so that ordinary Americans can participate in the many decisions that affect our lives.”

Democratic Progressive Caucus United States Congress:
· "The members of the Progressive Caucus share a common belief in the principles of social and economic justice, non-discrimination and tolerance in America…”

United Nations Agenda 21 Preamble
· No nation can achieve this on its own; but together we can - in a global partnership for sustainable development.

Sustainable Communities Nearby Lake County:
· Sustainable North Bay NAPA, MARIN, SONOMA http://www.westsong.com/snv/
· NAPA COUNTY LEAGUE OF GOVERNMENTS http://www.nclog.org/Content/10016/Preamble.html (this web page has been modified since the original article was written)

Sustainable Development: (Chronology)

Entered the world officially in 1987 in a report of the United Nations Commission on Environment and Development entitled, "Our Common Future." This commission was chaired by Gro Harlem Bruntland, Prime minister of Norway and Vice-President of the World Socialist Party. A well known mantra that originated from that report is "meeting today's need's without compromising future generation’s ability to meet their own needs." If one looks, this mission statement has been incorporated into many government and non-government organizations. It was also reflected in the old Soviet constitution.

Then in 1992, the United Nations conference on "Environment and Development" was held in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. This summit is commonly referred to as the "Earth Summit." Then-President George H. Bush signed what is commonly referred to as the "Rio Accords." Out of this conference came the Agenda 21 document. Agenda 21 was adopted as a work plan to implement sustainable development by 179 nations - including our own.

The following year, newly-elected President Bill Clinton created "The President's Council on Sustainable Development" through executive order. This order created the framework for the federal government to begin implementing sustainable development programs nationwide. All of this has been moving forward with virtually no legislative debate. Congress has never defined, debated nor approved a national policy of sustainable development. Nevertheless, the Executive Branch of the federal government is promoting and implementing the principles of sustainable development through each of its agencies.

"Each local authority should enter into a dialogue with its citizens, local organizations, and private enterprises and adopt 'a local Agenda 21.' Through consultation and consensus-building, local authorities would learn from citizens and from local, civic, community, business and industrial organizations and acquire the information needed for formulating the best strategies."-- Chapter 28.1.3 U.N. Agenda 21

HOW AGENDA 21 CAME TO LAKE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

57 • Lake County, California • July 2002

RECOMMENDATION #18:
Organizational structure: Who’s on first?

APPROXIMATE COST:
Staff time

FUNDING SOURCE:
N/A

RESPONSIBILITY:
County staff

TIMELINE:
Fall 2002/Winter 2003

DESCRIPTION:
The economic development organizational structure in Lake County can be confusing to the outsider. It is a loose-knit coalition of individuals and organizations overseeing projects and providing services to businesses. As part of unifying the Vision and agreeing upon an integrated plan for all of Lake County, the economic development duties and responsibilities of government, organizations and boards should be clearer. There appears to be six main entities that may be involved in the funding and oversight of this strategy – County of Lake Economic Development Committee, Cities of Lakeport and Clearlake, Tourism Contractor, Economic Development Contractors (CDS & BORT). There are numerous other agencies that would be involved in the implementation. There are three keys to efficient and effective delivery of services and a successful plan from a coalition of service providers, focus, commitment, and collaboration. Each entity participating in this plan for a sustainable and healthy future for Lake County should agree to these success factors:
• Maintain a focus to ensure the plan is carried out,
• Be committed to the vision and implementation strategy, and
• Collaborate with partners to achieve common goals.

ACTION:
Existing groups should not be abandoned. Each of the cities have their own economic development committees with which they need to work and become a part of this overall vision. Existing committee and organizational structure should be kept in place and enhanced with visionary leaders. Contractors implementing these plans should keep their programs focused on the goals and objectives. A recommended organizational structure is included in the Supporting Documentation section of this plan.

Oversight Committee
Lake County Economic Development Team
• Kelly Cox
• Matt Perry
• Andy Peterson
• Gerry Shaul
• Mark Dellinger
• Kim Clymire
• Mary Jane Fagalde
• BORT
• CDS
• Plus representation from the two incorporated cities, should they choose to join the program.

Implementation lead:
Contractor/recruitment program

Support agencies:
• R&R Assoc.
• Chambers of Commerce
• Bus. Merchant Associations
• Main Street
• Tribal groups
• Art Councils
• Wine Commission
• Audubon Society
• BLM Forestry
• State Parks & Recreation
• Visitor Information Center
1. Expand the team to include city managers of Lakeport and Clearlake
2. Meet monthly to ensure work program milestones are being met and to provide updates on the recruitment process, and new tools being developed.
3. Meet quarterly with Support Agencies to review milestones and collaborative work activities.
4. Contractor meets quarterly with Economic Development team.
5. Contractor would continually work, hand in hand, with the Visitor Information Center with regards to publicity, tracking, distribution of marketing materials.

RECOMMENDATION #19:
Create a “Spirit of Entrepreneurs” Program

APPROXIMATE COST:
$80,000

FUNDING SOURCE:
Existing County grant (not included in the budget because it is being funded through grant sources), and from participation from the two cities.

RESPONSIBILITY:
County Administrative staff & contractor

TIMELINE:
Fall 2002/Winter 2003

DESCRIPTION:
The cornerstone of a healthy local economy is the community’s existing businesses. Existing business should be a priority of any economic development program. Lake County should leverage an existing business development program into a marketing business attraction niche. The best fit of businesses for Lake County is small, entrepreneurial firms. A strong existing business assistance program is a better marketing tool to attract new businesses than any promotional recruitment plan. The key is to make the program unique and different than other areas. Many areas boast of their programs and surveys, but what is needed is a program that the local companies praise and tell others about.

ACTION:
Design and initiate an existing business/entrepreneur program to be called Lake County’s Spirit of Entrepreneurs. The program should be designed to incorporate elements of the Sirolli Institute 1 and business coaching, custom designed for Lake County. The program theory is a mix of business retention-expansion identification program elements and small business development center counseling elements and taking the counseling to the next step. Identifying companies that want to grow or diversify their businesses, providing market research, hands-on technical assistance and coaching on a long-term basis. Apparently the SBDC in Lake County has closed its doors with no expectations of continuing to provide services. This leaves a big gap in assistance and building the existing economic base. Currently BORT and CDS are filling the gap as they can with their limited capacity. It is important this program begin as soon as possible.

RESPONSIBILITY:
Recommend contracting with the County ED contractor who currently provides financial technical assistance to oversee designing a program. The ED contractor should work with a Business Coach such as Catalyst Group2 to design the program. Attend a Sirolli workshop to learn the foundations of the Enterprise Facilitation concept. Once the design is finalized, coordinate and pilot test with the City of Lakeport’s business retention program which will be implemented late summer-early fall 2002. Create the program to derive as much publicity, awareness and success so the County becomes known for the unique spirit and service.1Sirolli Institute Information is contained in the Examples 2Catalyst Group, Barbara Potts, bpotts@oro.net, 530-432-2767 http://www.co.lake.ca.us/edsite/plan/57.pdf. (this page has been greatly modified)

State Assistance Fund For Enterprise, Business And Industrial Development Corporation SAFE-BIDCO (2004 Green Entrepreneur Award Winner)

SAFE-BIDCO acts as a catalyst for economic development. We serve as a non-traditional financing source for existing and start-up businesses, whose financing needs are underserved by traditional lending institutions. Created by the Legislature, SAFE-BIDCO operates several state and federal loan and guarantee programs that can assist all types of small businesses at almost every stage of their development.

What Can Loan Funds Be Used For?
Any project that: a) Conserves energy equal to 15% of normal usage; b) Manages load;c) Retrofits;d) Adding energy-efficient measures in existing facilities; ore) To acquire certain equipment for a new facility.

SAFE-BIDCO AGENDA Board of Directors Meeting
Date: April 8, 2005
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: SAFE-BIDCO Corporate Office
I.
Call to Order
II.
Public Comment
III. Action Items
A. Consent Calendar
1. Financials
a. Most Recent Financial Statements
2. Minutes
a. 12-03-04 Board meeting minutes
b. 12-02-04 Executive Committee minutes
c. 12-03-04 Audit Committee minutes
d. 12-08-04 Loan Committee minutes
e. 02-01-05 Loan Committee minutes
f. 03-03-05 Loan Committee minutes
B. Strategic Reserve/Budget Practices and Procedures Draft
C. Buy or lease? In 2006? (verbal)
D. Corporate Resolution – Checking account at Exchange Bank for TMC Working Solutions
E. Finance Policy Revision
F. Creating a Certified Development Company
IV. Discussion/Presentations
A. Retreat
B. Mt. Konocti Facilitation Project (Sirolli)

LEARNING POINTS TO THE PATHWAYS TO SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE HELD IN NEWCASTLE 1-5 JUNE 1997 RR 5606

INTRODUCTION
The conference was designed to build on the June 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) and the 1996 United Nations Habitat II Conference held in Istanbul. The focus was on moving the pattern of human settlements to a more sustainable future, and the emphasis was clearly placed on the role of local government in this and achieving the objectives of Agenda 21. Agenda 21 is the agenda for the 21st century drawn up at the UNCED Conference.

[Item]10. Avoiding the Growth versus Environment Conflict
In a highly entertaining and very enjoyable presentation Ernesto Sirolli who is Enterprise Facilitator of the Sirolli Institute in Bozeman USA, drew on his current work, his earlier work experience in Australia and his Italian culture to make a strong case for the importance of fostering and developing entrepreneurship in moving towards sustainability. His central thesis was the simple and obvious one that sustainability requires the development of eco industries and who is going to develop these industries except well motivated entrepreneurs, and they need to be cultured. He was very strong on the role of small business

CENTER FOR RURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP:
http://www.ruraleship.org/index_html?page=content/California.htm
Enterprise Facilitation® is a program that transforms individual passion and citizenship into rewarding and sustainable local enterprises. The Sirolli Institute International is a 501C3 training organization dedicated to teaching civic leaders how to establish and maintain Enterprise Facilitation projects. The program is currently underway in Lake County, and in the City of Riverbank in California. Since 1985, thousands of new and expanding businesses resulting in thousands of new jobs have been started with the help of Enterprise Facilitators in dozens of communities in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada and the United Kingdom. Enterprise Facilitation has helped demonstrate that the provision of caring, competent, dedicated advice and support to entrepreneurs is as important as the development of physical infrastructures to the development of a stable and successful economy.

Core Partners:
The following core partners provide significant long-term institutional support for the Center's work:
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City, Missouri
Partner Ewing Kauffman Foundation:
World Federation of the UNAs (WFUNA) http://www.wfuna.org/

Agenda 21
By eco-logic 1998 edition, entitled, Sustainable Communities

Sustainable Communities
Sustainable Development is the process by which societies are being reorganized around the central principle of protecting the environment -- as called for by Al Gore in his 1992 book, Earth in the Balance. It is a process that originated in the international community and is now sweeping across America, encompassing small towns and large cities, without legislative authority or legal definition.

In almost every state and in most communities, activities are underway to impose the principles of sustainable development. In only a few communities, are the citizens told that the ideas being advanced come directly from the United Nations. Santa Cruz California openly admits that its vision for the community's future is "Local Agenda 21," and the activity is openly sponsored by the United Nations Association. In Florida, the Department of Community Affairs vehemently denies that its Sustainable Communities Program has anything to do with the United Nations or the President's Council on Sustainable Development. Nevertheless, many of the requirements for participation in the program mirror the recommendations of Agenda 21 and the President's Council on Sustainable Development.

More often than not, the "visioning" process in local communities tries to avoid any connection to the UN or to Agenda 21 by adopting positive-sounding names such as "Environment 2000" as in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. In Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, the program is called "Economic Renewal." All sorts of names are used to camouflage the UN's influence on public policies that are being developed for every American city. Regardless of names used to describe the process, the end result looks very similar, whether in Santa Cruz, Birmingham, or St. Louis.

More often than not, the participants in the visioning process are unaware that they are being led through the "collaborative consensus process" to conclusions that were reached in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Professional facilitators are used to lead selected individuals through a process that is intended to validate the recommendations advanced in Agenda 21, while appearing to be the ideas and conclusions of the participants.

Both the process and the product are the invention of the United Nations. The process is called consensus building; the product is called a sustainable community. The purpose of the process is to avoid the possibility of rejection by elected officials; the purpose of the product is to create the legal mechanism for managing the lives and affairs of people.

The consensus process in every community must have a starting point. While each community's program may evolve differently, each has common characteristics. An individual or an organization affiliated with one or more of the three major international NGOs will assume the responsibility of initiating the process. (The three major international NGOs are: the International Union for the Conservation of Nature [IUCN]; the World Wide Fund for Nature [WWF]; and the World Resources Institute [WRI]). The initiating organization will sponsor a meeting to which leaders of other NGOs, individual businessmen and other respected community leaders are invited. Frequently, state and federal agency officials are invited. Where there is an elected official with an acceptable environmental track record, he too, is invited. During the initial meetings of the group, care is taken to deliberately exclude individuals who are known to advocate Constitutional values such as private property rights.

The EPA and other federal agencies offer grants to organizations that undertake the visioning process. Frequently the ad-hoc group will organize itself as a not-for-profit organization in order to apply for federal and/or foundation grants. Once funded, the organization is institutionalized and the process of developing a long-range plan for the creation of a sustainable community is underway.

In Santa Cruz, the process took five years. The plan says its purpose is "to make long-term sustainability the driving criterion in every area of human activity and simultaneously alter these human activities for the better." The initiating organizations were ACTION - Santa Cruz County, and the Santa Cruz Chapter of the United Nations Association. Early on, the groups sponsored what they called SEED Summits. SEED stands for Social, Environmental, and Economic Development. The underlying objective of all sustainable development activity is the integration of economic, equity, and environmental policies. This principle of sustainable development was adopted by the UN through the 1987 World Conference on Environment and Development report entitled Our Common Future. The principle was translated into 288 pages of specific recommendations in Agenda 21, adopted by the UN Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 at Rio de Janeiro. Those recommendations are now being translated into specific policy actions through groups such as ACTION Santa Cruz in communities across America.

Whatever the program is called in any community in the country, the outcome will be the same. Recommendations will be developed which call for a reduction of fossil fuel energy use with specific recommendations to apply special taxes to fuels and to automobiles based on miles driven. Mass transit, bicycle and pedestrian paths are called for, while automobile travel is penalized. Education is to include "lifelong learning" opportunities and embrace principles of "sustainable" living. Land use is to be strictly governed to prevent "urban sprawl" and to provide for "ecosystem management" -- irrespective of the wishes of private property owners. It is nothing short of amazing that the various plans from the various communities all come out looking so much alike, and so much like the recommendations contained in Agenda 21.

One of the usual features of these sustainable communities’ plans is that they tend to be "transboundary." That is, they tend to embrace more than one political jurisdiction, frequently taking several counties into the plan area. The Charlotte, North Carolina plan, for example, addresses a multi-county area that is described as "one region, one economy, one environmental area, and one society." When such a plan is developed, the organization promoting the plan can call on the local governments within the plan area to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement that allows the organization to review any and all local proposals for coordination with the overall plan. Too frequently, local city councils, or county commissions, are reluctant to adopt programs or policy proposals that are not "approved" by the coordinating organization.

Federal programs such as the American Heritage Rivers Initiative, the Vice President's Watershed Initiative, the Department of Transportation's Scenic By-ways Program, and several others, are woven into the fabric of the sustainable community vision. Jacksonville Mayor, John Delaney is actively seeking recognition of the St. Johns River as an American Heritage River without realizing that such a designation would give the coordinating organization the authority to actually set land use and river use policy, thereby by-passing the elected officials who are elected expressly to make such policy decisions. He thinks that the American Heritage Rivers Initiative is nothing more than a "beauty contest" to recognize America's great rivers. Were he to read Agenda 21, and Sustainable America: A New Consensus, he might realize that the program is just another innocent-sounding effort to strip local elected officials of their governing power and transfer that power to non-elected bureaucrats and non-governmental organizations, operating at the behest of federal agencies that are operating at the behest of the United Nations.

Across the land, Agenda 21 is being implemented. Elected officials at every level are being co-opted by the sophistication of a well-devised international strategy that is being implemented locally. Absent from all these visions of the future are the fundamental values on which America was built: freedom for individuals to live where they choose, drive what they choose, and do what they choose. Present in all these visions of the future is the notion that Maurice Strong advanced during the Rio conference in 1992: "We cannot pursue our futures solely as isolated individuals or as isolated sovereign nations." Sustainable communities will ensure that individuals and nations pursue the future only along the paths deemed "sustainable" by those self-appointed bureaucrats who think they know what is best for the world.
-- ecologic staff

James Madison (1792)
· "A man is said to have a right to his property, he may be equally said to have a property in his rights. Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possessions.” — James Madison on Property, (1792).

1992 -- President Bush addressing the General Assembly of the U.N said: "It is the sacred principles enshrined in the United Nations charter to which the American people will henceforth pledge their allegiance."

In 1993 President Bill Clinton, through executive order, formed the: President's Council on Sustainable Development (PCSD)

California quit being bamboozled.

2008-10-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

People smarter than you and smarter than me have come together in different tents, studied the propositions and presented their recommendations. The one I rely on the most is the California Farm Bureau because they are concerned about property rights and law and order as am I.

Proposition 1A – High-Speed Rail Bond
Deepens the state’s bonded indebtedness by issuing $9.95 billion in bonds, to be spent mostly on a rail line connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles. No

Proposition 2 – Standards for Confining Farm Animals
Significantly limits the ability of California consumers to buy safe, fresh, affordable, locally grown eggs; sets confinement standards for egg-laying hens plus veal calves and pregnant pigs. No

Proposition 3 – Children’s Hospital Bond
Authorizes an additional $980 million in hospital bonds, even though money from a previously approved bond remains available. No

Proposition 4 – Parental Notification for Minors’ Abortions
Amends state constitution to prohibit abortions for unemancipated minors until 48 hours after a physician notifies the minors’ parents or guardians. No Position

Proposition 5 – Reduced Punishment for Drug Offenses
Expands drug diversion programs for criminals; cuts parole time for certain drug crimes; allows inmates to shorten prison sentences by participating in rehabilitation programs. No

Proposition 6 – Mandated Law Enforcement Spending
Further restricts budget flexibility by setting required spending levels for certain new and existing criminal justice programs. No

Proposition 7 – Renewable Energy
Establishes potentially unrealistic standards for generation of renewable energy; consequences could include higher electric rates and increased public purchases of private property. No

Proposition 8 – Definition of “Marriage.”
Provides that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. No Position

Proposition 9 – Enhanced Victims’ Rights
Expands legal rights of crime victims and the payment of restitution by criminals; restricts early release of inmates. Yes

Proposition 10 – Alternative-Fuel Vehicle and Renewable Energy Bonds
Authorizes $5 billion in bond spending; duplicates programs already available through money collected from utility ratepayers. No

Proposition 11 – Redistricting Reform
Eliminates the conflict of interest that occurs when legislators draw their own districts for safe re-election; establishes commission to draw new legislative districts. Yes

Why I can’t support Barack Obama

2008-10-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

When Barack Obama first came on the scene and was exposed to the national spotlight I thought what a terrific scenario of events was taking place in our country. Barack had captured my attention. Here was a man who seemed to have risen above those who would hold him down because of the color of his skin.

Here was a man with a background that included both black and white culture who was saying to me “it’s not the color of your skin but the content of your character” that makes you who you are. He enticed me into his broad tent of potential supporters. He had my attention.

Then I was exposed to his Pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright. This man, Jeremiah Wright, was so full of hatred for white America I was shocked to learn that such hatred could be espoused in a church. A holy place that is supposed to represent love and compassion and understanding. Translated; I’m white and I had no idea about the level of hatred directed toward me from a pastor of a church in Chicago when I live in California and have never met the man. But yet in his mind my family, my ancestors and I represent everything bad that has ever happened to black America.

Upon learning all of this I realized racism is not going away anytime soon if it is being preached in churches across America. It seems it is being perpetrated, fueled and inflamed every Sunday in the name of organized religion. I’m sure God does not approve.

The story is; this man, Jeremiah Wright, performed Barack Obama’s marriage ceremony, baptized Barack’s children and was the Obama’s spiritual advisor for over twenty years. So what kind of hatred for white America does Barack harbor?

I ask because I cannot accept for one second that after listening to your spiritual advisor for twenty years spew hatred directed at white America that it did not have an impact one way or another. Barack had to either agree or disagree and actions speak louder than words. Barack Obama and his family came back Sunday after Sunday and embraced Reverend Jeremiah Wright and his preaching of hatred for America and especially white America.

I give you Barack Obama’s spiritual advisor, the reason Barack Obama will not be elected President. Meet - Reverend Jeremiah Wright

Obama "...my Muslim faith."

2008-09-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

"The McCain campaign has never suggested you have Muslim connections," said Mr. Stephanopoulos

Obama "---you're absolutely right that John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith."

So what is the truth?

FIRE'S SMOKE SILENCES CHICKENS

2008-07-11T07:03:00.000-07:00

San Jose Mercury News
Quote: “The Bay Area Air Quality Management District will begin enforcement this winter when the weather gets cold enough to set up temperature inversions that trap smoke near the ground and trigger Spare the Air nights.

People caught with wood fires on bad air nights initially will be sent a warning letter. Repeat offenders can be issued $100 tickets, or given the option to attend a smoke education class.” End quote.

Where are all the Chicken Little’s like Bob Brown and Clare Brady crying “clean-air please”.

We’ve had more pollutants in the air from wood fires and the burning of other materials that are “known to cause cancer” this summer than the combined total lifetime smoke emitted from every chimney in Middletown, and not a peep from the chickens.

Is it because they can make a move to control your life but they know they can’t take away God’s lightening bolts?

What a joke.

Our children are breathing in more smoke from burning plastics, poison oak, oleander, rubber tires, lead paint and every synthetic known to man and yet there is no outrage. No demanding lightening started fires be outlawed. No reward for turning in nature. No threatening of sending God to “smoke school”.

If you had a wood fire in your home 365 days a year you couldn’t cause the same air pollution I’ve had to breath in just the last day.

So you see, it’s not about air pollution, it’s about control.

Control where you live, control what you eat, control what you drink, control what you drive, control where you drive, control where you go to school, control, control, control. Buckle up, don't drive and use a cell phone, wear a helmet, don't eat bacon because it will kill you, don't drink coffee because it cause's heart disease ya-da ya-da ya-da.

Gas prices sure stopped that urban sprawl huh? I told you about Agenda 21, were you listening?

Harbin Hot Springs listed as Communitarian Community

2008-02-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

Middletown, CA

Harbin Hot Springs, formally Heart Consciousness Church, has been listed as a communitarian community on FIC’s website.

FIC is the acronym for: The Fellowship for Intentional Community's Non-profit Purposes, and when you look at FIC’s purposes listed on their website the first purpose is: “TO EMBRACE THE DIVERSITY THAT EXISTS AMONG COMMUNITIES and to facilitate increased interaction between communitarians and the wider culture;”…

What is a communitarian?

A communitarian is a supporter of communitarian law and communitarian law is any law that balances "Community" rights against individual rights, such as, environmental laws that now over ride certain property rights. Or any victimless crime like not wearing your seat belt or helmet. Or removing individual choice balanced against community will, such as in Belmont, CA

Communitarianism – the "softer face of communism"

… may not yet be considered a word; however, it politicizes and defines the movement toward communitarian law.

(NOTE: Trying to understand communitarianism is a huge challenge. I have just touched on the subject because it is anti-individualism and where it lives individual rights are threatened. Communitarians will always speak in favor of “the greater good” while they are taking away your liberties.)

Consensus

…is what the new democracy uses to push you into serfdom under communitarian law and that too can be found listed as the means of governing at Harbin Hot Springs on FIC’s website.

Therefore Harbin

…can not be a friend of the American way of life and especially not a friend of individual liberty. However, in America it is their right to pursue the tyranny of collectivism just as it is my right to disagree and tell others.

Two wolves and a sheep

2008-01-31T11:20:00.000-08:00

In response to Bob Brown’s letter that was published in the Middletown Times Star January 18, 2008.

In that letter he wrote: “What replaced government control was democracy which put government in the hands of the people.”

I can not let anyone think that statement is correct as written.

What replaced British tyranny was a Constitution that insured a government by the people could not abridge certain God given rights through consensus. That is why the United States of America is a Constitutional Republic NOT a Democracy.

The founding Fathers abhorred a democracy. You will not even find the word in our Constitution or the Declaration of Independence; it is only folks who seek collective rule that use the word in describing our country.

In the federalist’s papers #10 Madison makes the argument why America should be a republic rather than a democracy. One point he makes is: “Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.”

John Adams in 1814 said: “Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”

But on the other hand, two individuals who thought a democracy essential were Vladimir Lenin who said: “Democracy is indispensable to Socialism”, and Karl Marx who said: “Democracy is the road to Socialism.”

A democracy does not present a pretty picture. A simple explanation of what a democracy represents is: two wolves and a sheep take a majority vote on what’s for supper. - In other words, in a democracy (which is majority rule); there is nothing to protect the sheep from the wolves, the wolves representing the majority, the sheep, the minority.

However, in a constitutional republic: the wolves are forbidden from voting on what’s for supper and the sheep is well armed. - Meaning, given the same situation in a constitutional republic, the rights of the sheep are protected from the wolves by the constitution and should the wolves rise up to challenge that right the sheep has a means to protect itself from the mob. (The sheep should always remain well armed)

Confusion is generated about what kind of government we have because we do use a limited form of democracy when we vote, however, we may only vote on issues that are constitutionally correct, therefore: the wolves will never be allowed to vote on what’s for supper as the constitution protects the rights of the sheep.

Democracy is only a safe process when individual rights are protected from majority rule. So the next time someone talks about democracy, you better listen real close because you may be the intended sheep.

Regarding his statements on health insurance, the truth is, no one may be refused actual health care, that is the law. And as for universal health care, my wife and I lived in Germany for over three years, where they had socialized medicine, and experienced this type of health care first hand and I don’t want it. My wife gave birth to our first child in a German hospital and our second child was born in an American hospital, do you need to ask her opinion on which she would prefer?

It is tiring to have folks slam this country when in most cases they have never experienced real socialism or given up any freedoms and then got them back. These folks need to go try living somewhere else as regular folks for a few years and then maybe they’ll understand why people risk their lives to come to America not to leave America.

© January 30, 2008

Freedom is a strange experience

2008-01-31T11:15:00.000-08:00

This is a response to Eric Striedieck of Middletown who published a letter directed to me in the Middletown Times Star on January 18, 2008

Eric,

In your letter you say “Consensus is the epitome of Democracy. What in the world could be better than that. [?]”

I’ll tell you the answer, but first, if you don’t believe me I hope you will take the time to educate yourself about the issue of freedom vs. democracy.

Marx and Lenin

…both knew and advocated Democracy because it is the first step to complete Socialism which in their minds eventually leads to Communism.

As for our country, the United States of America, we are NOT a Democracy; we are a Constitutional Republic with a democratically elected representative form of government. And our Constitution guarantees individual rights, not collective rights which are what you seek.

No where in the Constitution does it say: “for the greater good” however the advocates of collective tyranny spout that phrase, or something similar, all the time and then they talk about democracy as if democracy is the reason we have been a free country for over 200 years.

We have been free because we have a Constitution that guarantees your individual freedom not because folks like you complain about wood smoke and want to debate it to reach some consensus which will override an individual right.

I don’t happen to think bicycle riders on our roads and highways is a safe practice. I think they present a hazard not only to themselves but also to the safety of the drivers of automobiles. And the roads and highways are paid for by taxes collected on the sale of gasoline and on licensing of motor vehicles, not bicycles.

So, based on that argument and using your approach to governing, I bet I could get a consensus that would restrict when and where bicyclers could ride on public property.

Yet I bet too, if you were a bicycler, even though cycling is a minority sport, you would argue you have a “right” to be on the road with your bicycle because you are free not because some group arrived at consensus.

Democracy and consensus works great for the one seeking to change things, but if you happen to be in a minority position you will just plain lose. That is why we have a Constitution and its amendments, to protect the rights of the minority or the silent majority.

Freedom is a strange experience as it can’t be recognized as something until it is gone, and then, it is too late. Freedom is only recognized for what it is when it has been replaced with an encumbrance you can feel.

A good way to experience this is to own a home and live outside the gates of a homeowner’s association and then buy a home and move behind the gates and experience the CC&Rs of the association. You will soon recognize your loss of freedoms.

Or better yet, join the military and really experience your loss of freedom and liberty.

The issue for me is not air-pollution; the issue is about losing freedoms and liberty based on hysteria being perpetuated by a religion called environmentalism that is filled with dogma, hypocrisy and little proof. (And by the way, I don’t use wood for a heat source, cooking source or general comfort since you referred to “your smoke” meaning my smoke. However, freedom of speech allows you to accuse me even if you are wrong.)

I am an advocate of individual freedom and liberty which will never try to intimidate you into silence through something called “political correctness” because I don’t have to resort to that level. I believe that when someone uses words like “inflammatory”, “arrogance” and “intolerance” in a single accusation they are normally being used to try to intimidate and embarrass, hoping to quiet a voice of opposition and truth. But I also believe you may say what you want, it just won’t work with me.

No matter what you accuse me of, what you think of me or what I have said, the fact will still remain; it is a free country and the choice to move away from the wood smoke will still exist. And I will never apologize for reminding anyone they are free.

But I feel that’s not your goal, (that being to invoke your freedom to move), I feel your goal is to remove another person’s freedom rather than inconvenience yourself.

And if you are too poor to move, fair was never promised, freedom is.

© January 24, 2008

You may keep your fireplace; you just can’t burn anything.

2008-01-31T11:05:00.000-08:00

In response to the letter regarding wood smoke, printed in the Middletown Times Star in the January 11, 2008 edition, written by “Clare Brady, Middletown”.

Quote from that letter: “It sure sounds like overreaction, mud-slinging, and bullying when one gentleman (that would be me this person is referring to) writes in this newspaper about “change agents” and “subversives” when all we town folk want to breathe is fresh, not smoky air. “Clean air please” – is what this is all about – and only what it is about.

Friends, let’s face our air-pollution problem, not deny it, cover it up with misleading, non applicable statistics, innuendos, and name calling. Middletown is a great town, and we town residents just want to keep it that way.” end quote.

So let’s see if I have this right, Clare thinks we have an air-pollution problem and that those who oppose that opinion regarding wood smoke are trying to cover up the issue with; “misleading, non applicable statistics, innuendos, and name calling”. And that I personally have participated in “overreaction, mud-slinging, and bullying”. Clare also placed in quotes, implying use in the letter by me the word “subversives”.

So, a few facts about me
…that are true so you can factor them into my response:

I have asthma that I have to treat everyday, regardless of wood smoke or car exhaust.

Second, I don’t burn wood for a heat source either primary or as an alternative and haven’t done so for at least five years.

Third, I haven’t always lived on “larger acreage outside of town”. In fact I lived in Middletown on highway 175 and Berry Street for many years.

Fourth, I too am a veteran, my father was a veteran, in fact the Wink family came to North America in 1720 and some died fighting in the revolution so I guess that qualifies me on that point.

Fifth, I never used the word “subversives”, I wrote: “If you want to learn more about the subverting of America, log onto www.bill-wink.com” .

Sixth, I have studied the issue of Americans losing their individual freedoms and liberties through “consensus” for nearly four years, and those persons who initiate change, where Americans lose freedom and liberty, are commonly referred to as agents of change, or “change agents”.

Now to the real issue.

My concern is not about air-pollution but my concern is about freedom and liberty and how environmental issues, like air-pollution, are being used to limit or remove those very freedoms and liberties.

At this time in our history it is not illegal to have a wood fire for cooking, heat or general comfort but folks like Clare want to change that.

Clare states: Quote “Now, no one is trying to take away anyone’s fireplace.” end quote.

From what I can read, that appears to be a true statement; however, my experience tells me the unwritten part of that statement is: You may keep your fireplace; you just can’t burn anything.

I moved to Middletown in 1956. I grew up here, I graduated from high school here and I agree when Clare writes: “Middletown is a great town, and we town residents just want to keep it that way.” In fact, I’m sure my family and my wife’s family helped to make Middletown a “great town”. So my question to Clare is: If we agree Middletown is so great, why are you trying to change it?

“Catching Pigs”

2008-01-12T10:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I received an email that struck me as describing what is happening in America to a “T”. It was titled:

“Catching Pigs”

There was a chemistry professor in a large college that had some exchange students in his class. One day while the class was in the lab, the professor noticed one young man, an exchange student, who kept rubbing his back and stretching as if his back hurt.

The professor asked the young man what was the matter? The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country - who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist regime.

In the midst of his story, he looked at the professor and asked a strange question: "Do you know how to catch wild pigs?" The professor thought it was a joke, and asked for the punch line. The young man said that it was no joke.

"You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again, and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side. The pigs, which are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat that free corn again. You then slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd. Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity."

The young man then told the professor – “This is exactly what I see happening in America”.

A fence called “air pollution”

There are many types of “pig pens” being built across this country; air pollution is just one that is being used to remove freedoms from us Americans.

I want clean air just like everyone else, but realistically, we have reached a point where legislating our environment is more about controlling us and less about protecting us.

After all, it is impossible to completely legislate clean air unless you know some way of keeping the sun from converting some air molecules from good to bad. Or you figure a way to stop the wind from blowing across the Sahara and sending millions of metric tons of sand into the atmosphere. Or you can capture all the ash and gas from a volcano. Or you can instantly stop any and all wild land fires across the whole world. Or you can keep any structure from burning, ever. Or you can divert the thousands of meteorites that burn up in the atmosphere every year. Or you can cap every geo-thermal gas vent on the planet.

The reality of life is: Life on Earth is deadly and no matter how many laws you pass, in the end, somehow, someway, you will die anyway. So… why not die free?

The dogma of environmentalism
(Read the rest at Bill Wink .com click on Catching Pigs

Don’t be a “Snitch”

2008-01-12T10:37:00.000-08:00

I just experienced 31 hours without the convenience of electricity, as did many others. Some experienced a longer time without and some spent less time, however, 31 hours is long enough to make one think.

And I thought how much different the experience could have been for some and how different it might be in the future.

What about my electric car?

Thank goodness I don’t own one. But possibly you do or are thinking about getting one?

Range on a battery charge will vary greatly depending on such factors as battery type, use of vehicle accessories etc. But the fact remains, they depend completely on the electric grid to be operable when they need a charge and when it is down because your neighbor’s tree knocked it out there is no way to recharge your batteries. Some folks have been without the electric grid for several days and are still without electricity as I write this. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that those with EVs (electric vehicles) were/are hostage to the electric grid in more ways than just no lights.

The Matrix

Now imagine this scenario if you will, that the environmental religious movement has succeeded in passing a local ordinance to make it a violation against the environment to burn a wood fire. Imagine that today, just as they have succeeded in turning neighbor against neighbor on the issue of tobacco smoke in private homes in the past, that they too have now empowered your neighbor to turn you in for having a wood fire.

Within that scenario it would mean those who had/have lost their electric power during the storm of the first week of January 2008 and whose only alternative heating and cooking source was/is a wood fire would now have no heating or cooking source at all.

Couldn’t happen in America you say.
(Read the rest at Bill Wink .com click on “Don’t Be A Snitch”

Middletown, Hidden Valley Lake, Anderson Springs, Cobb, beware,

2007-12-27T09:17:00.000-08:00

…there is a “change agent” amongst us. And if this “change agent” has their way, someone will be forced to give up a legal free choice to appease a minority position that has no legal standing.

A “change agent” is someone who is set on changing what we call; the “normal way” of living our life in America and that “normal way” is to live by the “rule of law” which has been determined by democratically elected officials.

In our case, the “rule of law” does not say you can not have a wood fire for heat, cooking or general enjoyment yet there is an agent amongst us who would have us enter into a discussion regarding wood smoke to force us into consensus which is equal to surrendering our rights under existing law... READ the rest of the post at Bill Wink .com

St. Helena and Redbud Community Hospitals - How do you explain the difference?

2007-10-10T08:06:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the anti-smoking TV commercials that depicted the supposedly evil tobacco company Board of Directors sitting around plotting against the public?

It might show them presenting an idea of how to keep the public addicted and them all cackling at their combined evilness?

Well that is how I view the Governing Board of Adventist Health, St. Helena Hospital and Redbud Community Hospital except they are scheming about how they can keep their little secrets secret.

How are they going to protect their revenue stream, act Christian like and block access to CalHospitalCompare.org’s information?

Hmm… a dilemma indeed.

CalHospitalCompare.org

Is an attempt to add some transparency to hospitals that serve the citizens of California.

Kristen Gerencher wrote in MarketWatch: The site presents data on how well participating local hospitals follow best-practice guidelines on specific conditions such as maternity, pneumonia and heart disease.

The research is drawn from 210 participating California hospitals, representing 70% of patients that were discharged last year. The information will be updated every three months and expanded to include performance measures in areas such as intensive care, newborn care and pediatric care.

In the same article during an interview with R. Adams Dudley, associate professor of medicine and health policy at University of California-San Francisco, Kristen writes: Dudley stated: “To get that information [previously], you'd have to have a whole lot of time, have to be computer-savvy, probably would have to have gone to medical school and understand a lot about statistics as well. There's data here that isn't anywhere else and that no one else has ever collected.”

In other words, prior to this new site, we California consumers would have had to search widely to find the facts that are most relevant to us.

In CaliforniaHealthline, which is published by California HealthCare Foundation, Maribeth Shannon, a program director for CHCF noted: “the site [CalHospitalCompare.org] is not intended only for consumers but also for hospital board members, the fundraising community and experts.” She added: “that the site could have an impact if hospitals' board members are embarrassed by their facilities' poor performance ratings.”

In Lake County Health Scene, Summer 2007, published by Adventist Health, St. Helena Hospital and Redbud Community Hospital, they wrote: “California Hospital Compare is intended to serve as a model for establishing standardized measurements of hospital performance, which are important not only for consumers selecting hospitals, but also for the hospitals themselves to use as benchmarks for quality improvement,” says Mark Smith, MD, MBA, president and CEO of the California HealthCare Foundation.

They also quote JoAline Olson, President and CEO of St. Helena Hospital, in the publication. Quote: “I am thrilled to see how well St. Helena Hospital compares with other hospitals in the North Bay… Our quality initiatives are paying off . We are dedicated to continuous quality improvement. We work hard at it.” End quote.

JoAline Olson also serves on the Governing Board of the two hospitals and according to an on-line press release is also the CEO of the Napa/Lake Service Region. And according to the same press release Carrie Luyster, President and CEO of Redbud, reports to Olson.

But no where did I find any mention of Redbud Community’s overall POOR patient experience rating and what they are doing about it, so are they embarrassed?

St. Helena Hospital – Redbud Community Hospital

This is the kind of information available at CalHospitalCompare.org
Heart Attack
(information retrieved 9-2007 Google cache)
St. Helena Hospital
CalHospitalCompare rating - Superior
Aspirin on arrival 100%
Aspirin on departure 100%
Beta blocker on arrival 100%
Beta blocker at discharge 97%

Redbud Community Hospital
CalHospitalCompare rating – to few cases to rate
Aspirin on arrival 33%
Aspirin on departure 50%
Beta blocker on arrival – N/A
Beta blocker at discharge 50%

Two hospitals, both part of the Adventist Health system, both run by the same Governing Board and CalHospitalCompare.org posts a rating for one hospital Superior and the other Poor.

Makes you wonder how that can be?

St Helena Hospital is the hospital with the Superior overall patient experience rating.

Redbud Community Hospital is the hospital with the Poor overall patient experience rating.

St Helena Hospital is located in the affluent and world famous Napa Valley.

Redbud Community Hospital is located in Clearlake, Lake County, CA.

St. Helena Hospital has a relatively new Emergency Services Department.

Redbud has promised the community one for some years now.

I know why Redbud Community Hospital has an overall patient experience rating of POOR.

Is it because JoAline Olson and the Governing Board of Redbud Community Hospital are only capable of producing a POOR rating?

Of course not.

Because St. Helena Hospital is Superior and that rating is theirs too.

So what’s the problem?

Maybe it’s because the boss lady at the Middletown Medical Clinic can decide who can have access to medical care and who can’t.

Maybe it’s because they lie.

Maybe it’s because they are mean spirited.

Maybe it’s because the girl (I think she was a nurse) in the ER at Redbud slops around with her shoes untied wearing blue jeans.

Maybe it’s because very few employees of Redbud look like medical professionals and plenty look like janitors.

Maybe it’s because I watched a nurse drop an unprotected I.V. needle on the floor, pick it up and just put it in the tube in the patients arm without cleaning it.

Maybe it’s because even I know enough to administer aspirin.

Maybe it’s because they are a supposed Christian organization and they feel superior to others.

Maybe it’s because they aren’t humble.

Maybe it’s because it seems they are about money and not about health care forcing patients to pay for office visits beyond what should have been charged.

Maybe it’s because they provide less for those who need it more.

Maybe it’s because they are so arrogant they don’t listen.

And maybe it’s all of these and more.

I guess these could add up to a POOR patient experience rating, huh JoAline?

© Bill Wink October 4, 2007
Reprinted with permission

Redbud Community Hospital gets an overall patient experience rating of POOR from CalHospitalCompare.org

2007-10-10T07:55:00.000-07:00

(Please NOTE! Any information on the Internet that is subject to search engine bots is no longer secure information and is in the public domain. The above link does not take you to CalHospitalCompare.org’s website; it takes you to Google’s stored page. You may link to their page. When this was written the date their page was stored was August 16, 2007. There is a disclaimer at the bottom of the page stating: For informational use only. Not intended to be relied on for medical diagnosis, treatment, advice, or endorsement of any provider. Confirm accuracy of data with provider.)

According to a news article on St. Helena Hospital’s Website
(http://www.sthelenahospital.org/news/article.php?id=2006-
01-24_shhredbudservicearea.html) Redbud Community hospital is a collaborative operation of St Helena Hospital and Redbud Community Hospital which are both members of the Adventist Health system that operates some twenty hospitals in the Western United States.

A quote from the news article is: “The communities we serve together in Lake County will benefit from improved coordination of care and from all members of our healthcare teams working collaboratively,” says JoAline Olson President and CEO of St. Helena Hospital. “By working more closely together, we will improve quality of care, clinical processes and access to care.”

Stop Right There!
JoAline Olson, what part of “denial of service” improves access to care? And if someone, under your watch and after your bluster, has been denied medical access, what does that make you JoAline Olson?

It is easy to sit in an ivory tower and spout flowery words, but saying it and doing it are hardly the same, as will become quite evident JoAline.

So who else is responsible for Redbud’s POOR Rating?

According to the same news article the new board replaces the St. Helena and Redbud governing boards.

The hospitals share the same service area in southern Lake County including the communities of Middletown, Hidden Valley, Cobb, Lower Lake, Kelseyville, Clearlake and Clearlake Oaks.

St. Helena Hospital and Redbud Community Hospital
Governing Board
2006

Alan Rice, Chair
Senior VP Adventist Health
Roseville, CA

Maynard LeBrun
Financial Advisor/Investment Specialist
Hidden Valley, CA

Jim Pederson, Vice Chair
President, N. Calif. Conference of SDA
Pleasant Hill, CA

Don Logan
Attorney
Napa, CA

JoAline Olson, Secretary
St. Helena Hospital President
St. Helena, CA

Malcolm Maxwell
Education Administration Retired
Angwin, CA

Barry Brown, MD
St. Helena Hospital Chief of Staff
St. Helena, CA

Richard Osborn
Pacific Union College President
Angwin, CA

Carrie Domogalla
Not for Profit Consultant
Calistoga, CA

Fred Poucher, Jr.
Engineer Retired
Redbud Community Health District Member
Hidden Valley, CA

Steve Herber, MD
St. Helena, CA

Marc Shapiro, MD
Clearlake, CA

John Jacobson, MD
St. Helena, CA

George Sheldon
Business Entrepreneur
Deer Park, CA

Burton Jernigan
Insurance Broker
Clearlake, CA

Steve Shepper, MD
Redbud Community Hospital Chief of Staff
Clearlake, CA

Rick Jones
Business Marketing
Calistoga, CA

Before I go on

First I want to recap a few points.

In previous comments, one that is extremely important to everyone living in the area is: South Lake County Fire Protection District is required to take you to Redbud Community Hospital during an emergency ambulance transport unless they get permission to take you somewhere else.

To me, in a free country, that is inconceivable. After what I have learned, I never want to set foot in Redbud again, yet I could find myself in a situation where my freedom of choice does not exist.

Second, 90,000 plus people are killed every year thru medical errors, so I want to go some place where my odds of becoming one of those ninety thousand are small.

Third, the Middletown Medical Clinic is a “feeder clinic” for Adventist Health and specifically Redbud Community Hospital.

Now to the conclusion.

The California HealthCare Foundation is a partnership between the University of California; San Francisco and California Hospital Assessment Reporting Taskforce (CHART)

Together, they have launched a new website called: “CalHospitalCompare.org”

This is from their press release: “March 06, 2007
A new Web site launched today, CalHospitalCompare.org, allows Californians to compare the performance of more than 200 hospitals statewide on a variety of useful quality measures from maternity services to cardiac treatment.”

CalHospitalCompare.org has rated Redbud Community Hospital with an overall rating of POOR while giving Sutter Lakeside an overall rating of SUPERIOR.

The only rating below POOR is NOT RATED and there is no rating above SUPERIOR.

The ratings available are: SUPERIOR, ABOVE AVERAGE, AVERAGE, BELOW AVERAGE, POOR and NOT RATED

So Adventist Health, St Helena Hospital, Redbud Community Hospital and Middletown Medical Clinic, you should be ashamed. You should apologize to the people who you force through your facilities where they are subjected to standards that are not even AVERAGE.

Here are some further Redbud Hospital treatment ratings that were listed by CalHospitalCompare.org.

Heart Failure – POOR
Overall Patient Experience – POOR
Medical Patient Experience – POOR
Surgical Patient Experience – Below Average

I think I have made my point;

I’ve said before it was “all about money and don’t let your health care get in the way” and with a trail of price gouging and poor treatment ratings I think I’m right. I’m just so sorry that in the past I have allowed loved ones to be treated at Redbud Community Hospital and too by those Physicians who must have thought it was “okay”.

In conclusion

Since we pay to operate South Lake County Fire Protection District I think pressure on the Board of Directors to protect us from emergency treatment that is below average and that may threaten our lives is essential.

It is unforgivable to force us into medical treatment that is below the standard of average of California rated hospitals and that means transporting us to Redbud Community Hospital.

ALSO READ: Adventist Health, Redbud Community Hospital, Middletown Medical Clinic…

Does Adventist Health have a pattern of price gouging?

© Bill Wink September 18, 2007
Reprinted with permission

Today’s healthcare system makes me sick;

2007-07-18T11:46:00.000-07:00

I get heartburn over the way we are treated!

Until recently, I visited my medical practitioner about once a year unless something really bad was going on. I always put them off regarding exams, unless I felt the need, because you know like I know, if they look hard enough they can find something they think needs treatment. I agree to blood work once a year, that’s it. But they still want to look more. They seem to want to peek in every hole in your body; in your ears, up your nose, down your throat and so on even if all you came to see them for was an ingrown toenail. They want to weigh you, take your temperature and blood pressure always looking for that symptom. Hmm… Maybe you need a vaccination, no? Well no matter what it always leads too: “So what seems to be the problem today?” and that’s when the heartburn starts. Because you see the real problem is, most of the time when I am being poked and prodded, weighed and investigated by the over weight nurse in the colorful smock top, (in other words, being prepped to see my doctor) I am there at their request, not mine so why would they ask me what the problem is when they demanded my visit?

98,000 good reasons for not going to the doctor:

By now you should understand I don’t like visiting my local medical clinic and for that I have good reason. Here is a profession, the medical profession, that is made up of doctors, nurses and hospitals and they are responsible for nearly 100,000 (one hundred thousand) deaths per year in just our country! The 1999 Institute of Medicine report To Err is Human estimated that between 44,000 and 98,000 people die annually as a result of medical errors, (which means they killed them) placing health care injury among the top 10 causes of death, more than motor vehicle crashes, breast cancer, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). You are safer spending one tour in Iraq than going to see the doctor. So, I’m no dummy; I do my best to steer clear of these folks. The odds are too great that looking into a doctor’s eyes in a hospital may be your last act on Earth even though you only came to visit.

So I think everyone can agree; the system is broken.

If my clinic was there to provide healthcare they would care about me, the patient, and what I wanted to do with my life. Instead, it’s about what they want to do with my life because I represent dollars, dollars for the doctor, dollars for the clinic, dollars for the pharmaceutical companies and if I don’t come to them as they determine they need me then they punish me. Literally, they punish me. My clinic has now enacted a policy that if your prescription runs out (no refills left) they will not authorize the pharmacy to refill your prescription until you see the doctor. In other words, until you pay, they withhold your meds. And worse yet, they don’t care which doctor you see (meaning you don’t need to make an appointment with the professional who is familiar with you) you just need to see anyone who can okay the refills. As I said, it’s about dollars and don’t let your healthcare get in the way.

My personal dilemma:

Within the last year I have had to have my blood pressure addressed. It has taken several visits and medicine adjustments to get it to “normal”. But now it is and has been for a few months (3). I went to fill my pill box and found I was nearly out of my prescription, I had two pills left, we called the pharmacy, and they can’t fill the prescription because there are no refills left. I went to the clinic to inquire and found no sympathy for my situation. All I found there was a rude woman who claimed to be over worked and who blamed “BUSH” for the healthcare mess.

Now Bush you can blame for Iraq if you need to blame someone, I’ll accept that, but nearly 100,000 deaths a year attributed to healthcare mistakes, I don’t think you can blame Bush for that one and if you do then you just hate Bush, hey lady?

Eventually, my practitioner called me and tried to scold me for being rude to the employees at the clinic. I’m still not sure how I feel about that scolding because I’m a pretty nice guy but I don’t push well. In fact I immediately push back. So when one of those ladies in the colorful smocks tells me to get on the scale (which I was just on 3 months ago) I say no thank you. They don’t like that because how dare you challenge their directions. And I might refuse having my temperature taken too, it just depends if I think it is necessary after all I’m only there to have my prescription extended. I’m not there because I’m passing blood or I can’t stop vomiting.

What is really going on?

So at this point the question has to be: What’s the difference between getting your drugs from the doctor or the guy selling on the corner?

It appears that the difference is; the guy on the corner doesn’t make you weigh every time you get your drugs.

You know, there was a time when the medical profession was an esteemed profession that everyone held in high regard, including me, so what happened?

I can tell you what happened, the healthcare system, which includes the medical profession, became obsessed with making money.

At the top they feint about being concerned about your health as they direct those on the front lines (the Doctors and Nurses) to treat you like a statistic. In other words you have become just a money generating entity as they assess your body. Everything is factored into your statistics and then you are directed to be treated accordingly. If you are a woman you go to one slot, a man, you fill another, Hispanic, another and so on. Your weight, your height, your age everything becomes a factor in directing you toward the money generating machines. The blood work, the MRIs, the C-T scan, the colonoscopy, the stress test, the bone density test and on and on and on until there are 98,000 dead.

Oh, and let us not forget the pills, the drugs, the very thing that makes you go back and be evaluated again and again and again as they forever look for that symptom. But you are no longer a patient you are a bundle of statistics waiting for them to find the right sequence that adds up to some treatment, that is why I push back. It is my life and I refuse to allow them to manipulate me into their formula. I know someday I will die but I will choose the path that leads me to that end, not some over paid suit sitting in an ivory tower at the corner of Wall and Broad checking corporate earnings.

PS: My experiences have been generally with Adventist Health, Redbud Community Hospital and the Middletown Medical Clinic.