Politics, TV and Radio. Good By Entertainment...

I have decided to come back and share and not let frustration get in my way. Again, it has been a long time since I have posted anything, and I seem to always blame politics. I do produce a radio show that is all about political opinion and every day someone on the show can really piss me off, but still, I need to let it go... I need to be more focused on something else!

I love TV! I love radio! It used to be so much fun, but now everything I turn on has a political message, pitch or lesson directed at us, even the commercials. So, I made the decision a while ago to stop watching TV and listening to the radio and for the most part try to stick to the Golf Channel, reruns of the Big Bang Theory, the Food Network, (Diners, Drive-ins and Dives!), Andrew Zimmern's 'Bizarre Foods' and hopefully soon, baseball on the radio. 

If you have a recommendation please feel free to pass it along. 

This has really helped. I do not watch or listen to anything else, morning news, mid-morning news, afternoon news, late afternoon news, evening news or late night news, late night talk shows, network shows, nothing. I am a new person with a whole new outlook on life!

I get up every morning now and listen to one of my favorite playlists while I work and I am able to stay calm and focused and enjoy the creative part of my job. Since this new daily direction I also have not had to replace the TV in my studio where I work. And come to think of it, I have not had to replace any of the TVs in my home... It is also saving me money! Even the show I produce is off the grid at home. I'm sure that if something goes wrong I will hear about it! 

My focus is going to be kind of in the same light and positive/passive direction KFWB took with there daily 'Good News' half hour every day in the 60's. Nothing that is politics do I want to think about or share and if you can find anything political in the blog it is because you are one of 'them'.

Recently I saw a very cool post on Facebook that made me feel good. I re-posted it on my page but surprisingly only got 11 hits back... not sure why this did not resonate a little more with people, particularly my age group. I will admit, it is positive and passive...... and maybe a little boring but it still makes me feel good!

In light of my new 'non-political' attitude towards life I thought I would post it here as a start. 

Next - Fly Tying in the dark... 

Have a 'Happy Day'

ADAM HILL DIABLO SMOKESCREEN FAILS

ADAM HILL DIABLO SMOKESCREEN FAILS TO ATONE FOR COUNTY LEADERSHIP FAILURE (AND HIS OWN)

By Michael F. Brown

On Tuesday June 28, 2016 at 5:28 PM, The San Luis Obispo Tribune Newspaper posted a letter to the editor from 3rd District County Supervisor Adam Hill, who was obviously attempting to get out in front of the bad news that the Diablo Nuclear Plant must cease operation no later than 10 years from now. The Tribune gratuitously supplied a HEADLINE on his behalf as if the letter were a scheduled commentary:

How do we prepare for a post-Diablo economy?

The complicity of the Tribune in supporting Hill is obvious in the 5:28 PM posting, which came just minutes after the California State Lands Commission (State Lands) had approved the deal, which would allow the nuclear plant to operate until 2025 and which then requires that PG&E abandon any attempt to have the plant relicensed by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This action guarantees permanent closure. No doubt some on the left are congratulating Hill in that he has clearly so co-opted the Tribune, that it functions as his personal on demand flunky publicist. You would think a real newspaper would be asking hard questions like, how did you and other community leaders allow this to happen? Or how, in the short space of 9 years, are you going to replace the very high value career benefited jobs and the $1 billion in annual direct economic benefit to the community, which will start to decline almost immediately?

Instead the Tribune prominently published Hill’s very vague and revisionist polemic about how the County and other jurisdictions need to work together to do something about the lack of housing and the cumbersome and costly permit entitlement processes which undermine economic development. To find a replacement industry or group of industries with PG&E’s high wage scales, high level consultant and contractors, and high demand for goods and services seems impossible. A semi-astute reporter might have asked, given this profoundly negative circumstance, how do you think the County should approach the Phillips 66 rail spur application? What is your position in general, as we realize that you may have to vote on these someday, on the prospective expansion of the Freeport-McMoRan oil operation in Price Canyon (just to name few “bird in hand” opportunities for some homegrown economic expansion)? Other than vague platitudes about SLO County becoming “a renewable energy hub” or a “specialized manufacturing and renewable energy” center, just what specific strategy and actions do Hill, the Board of Supervisors, and the various mayors and city councilors spread across the county actually have in mind? It’s not as if all this hasn’t been warned about for years.

To comprehend how oozing with hypocritical slime all this is, one need only reflect on Hill’s testimony before the Lands Commission just a few hours earlier. The room was filled with both anti-nuclear and anti-Phillips 66-tankering groups (there is much overlap). Hill got up and supported the

9-year Diablo permit (“I support the Lands Commission staff recommendation”). But in the next breath, he took credit for getting the plant shut down in the long term. “I led the Board (of Supervisors) by asking PG&E to pause its application for license renewal to conduct more seismic studies…”

As we pointed out in last week’s Update:

Failure of Leadership: The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors and the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors failed to forcefully and boldly support the relicensing of the plant as a matter of public policy. In effect, their deliberate neglect undermined the relicensing effort and facilitated the ultimate closure. Instead of proactively supporting relicensing, leftist majorities on both Boards betrayed the interests of the working people and families in their respective counties and pandered to a variety of anti-industrial, anti-nuclear, and anti-private property activist organizations. Every excuse to throw up hurdles was used to delay and to add costs. Fear of earthquakes, tsunamis (the plant is on a 70-foot high cliff above the ocean), and terrorist attacks were all bandied about. Furthermore, when the PG&E undertook seabed seismic studies, these same Boards complained about the risk to marine mammals and fish. While the rest of the world is expanding nuclear power (see the article on page 14, below), local and statewide Luddite ideologues have created a politicized environment in which relicensing is too risky and too expensive.

Hill’s duplicity in this regard is manifested in the closing statement of his Tribune “guest” commentary:

So the choice is before us now: We will either make our future or surrender to fate. We can take bold actions to ensure our local economy keeps thriving, or we can sit on our hands and hope that tourism and its related sectors alone will save us — but they won’t.

Why didn’t Hill and his colleagues apply this same passion to the relicensing and retention of the plant in the first place? Why didn’t the County pass repeated resolutions demanding and supporting relicensing? Why didn’t the County conduct educational seminars and events for the public on the economic importance of the plant? The dissembling Supervisor excuses his own and his Board’s lack of action by blaming the State and actually casting an oblique criticism on whatever those undefined policies allegedly contained.

Well, state policies led to Diablo not seeking relicensing, and regardless of the merits of those policies, our community didn’t exactly have a say in the matter.

Did Hill ever ask his colleagues to include supportive policies in the County’s annual Legislative Program? Did the County ever conduct a legislative day (or better yet an annual and recurring legislative day) for State Assembly members and State Senators to present the positive aspects of Diablo and the Board’s position (which it never had the guts to take) to have it relicensed? Hill has certainly supported the weakening of Proposition 13 in the County Legislative program – a matter over which the Board of Supervisors has no direct control. After all, Proposition 13 is a law adopted by the people of California.

Usually when a city or county is faced with the closure or relocation of one of its primary employers, it pulls out all the stops. The prospective closure of a military base, factory shutdown, headquarters relocation, transfer of a major professional sports franchise, or other economic dislocation will usually result in a massive campaign led by the local chief elected officials, local and regional members of the state legislature, chambers of commerce, university presidents, the state’s governor, and even the local newspaper. A special commission may be created to privately fund and rally support. Sadly none of this happened in either San Luis Obispo County or Santa Barbara County. Instead, there was constant rhetorical handwringing over fish and earthquakes. Those who will eventually lose their jobs, those whose homes may decrease in value, those who provide retail goods to them, and everyone else in the regional economy may well reflect on this total and deliberate lack of leadership as they consider the credentials of Adam Hill for reelection as 3rd district Supervisor and current Santa Barbara 1st District Supervisor Salud Carbajal to be their representative in the Congress.

Characteristically, Hill’s only specific recommendation at this point is for the voters to approve a new ½ cent sales tax for transportation. The Tribune even highlighted his wording in this regard as a live link to one its editorials supporting the tax.

The Bacon Banter Show

Well, time continues to move forward and I am soon to be at a place where I should be able to come back to this part of my life (and others) that I have missed so much..... I am in a new project with a good friend, Garret Matsuura and looking forward to returning to the one thing I have always enjoyed the most, entertaining people.

Coming soon to a device near you.....'The Bacon Banter Show'! The world is a better, kinder, warmer place with 'Bacon.'

Been gone too long, see you soon.
Charlie

Hello...........I'm a Racist!

I have finally felt the sting of a political slap-in-the-face, even if it did come to me in a round-about way. Through employment and association I have been labeled a racist! OUCH!

Andy Caldwell is the host of a conservative talk radio show, The Andy Caldwell Show and the Executive Director of the Coalition of Labor, Agriculture and Business, COLAB, for Santa Barbara County and recently San Luis Obispo County to help with their start-up. I am Andy's producer and the publisher of COLAB's news aggregator, CalChronicle.com

San Luis Obispo County government has not taken kindly to Andy and a government watchdog group settling in their county.

How I became a racist:

Each year Andy puts together a dinner for the COLAB membership which is attended by 800 or more members. In April of this year he did just that and hired actor Steve Bridges who impersonates President Barack Obama as the entertainment. Steve also impersonates President George W. Bush, President Bill Clinton, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Al Gore and more. I want to note at this point that Steve has done his President Obama impersonation on The Jay Leno Show, The Today Show and at many corporate events around the country. Oh, and Steve is white.

Andy had been asked to emcee an event for State Senator Sam Blakeslee this week and prior to the event Senator Blakeslee received an email from San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Adam Hill that read:

“Perhaps you don’t know about the hostile, secretive, and frequently racist activities of COLAB, I wish I could give you the benefit of the doubt on this one, but this is so disappointing and offensive. I only hope you won’t be featuring a black face entertainer impersonating the President as Andy Caldwell featured in COLAB’s recent fundraiser in Santa Maria. Best of luck.”

Then he shipped a copy of the email off to local media. Needless to say, I am miffed. COLAB is comprised of members of organized labor, farmers and ranchers, and members of the business community, such as doctors, lawyers, industrialists, and other family owned businesses, including those owned by Hispanics, African Americans and Native Americans; none of whom are racist.

Adam Hill's email has not been received well by the community. Even liberal columnists and a radio talk show host, yes, we have a liberal talk radio show host, have spent a lot of time defending Andy and COLAB. They might not like or agree with Andy but they know dirty, smelly politics.

Now that I am a racist I might as well share another comment from a business leader that was at this dinner:

"One of the things that I noticed about the COLAB wing ding was not so much the multiple racial hues, but that there were far too many guys in Western wear. Some of those guys I know for a fact have never even been on a horse, let alone shoveled horse shit. They certainly can’t claim to be cowboys."

"This mocking of the American cowboy by guys who have never roped a cow is an insidious form of pseudo-cultural hegemony by COLAB that must not be tolerated. I will report this to Adam Hill so that he can expose it to the press with the appropriate sensationalism."

Thank you Mike!

As Andy Caldwell and COLAB continue to grow in San Luis Obispo County, with, I am sure, the unintended help from Adam Hill to watch over our county supervisors I can find comfort in that old saying that has proven true over and over again, "Those who make the most noise have the most to hide!"

C.

Smoke'in Good Time

I have finally found what I think is the world's best fish taco and I don't take fish tacos lightly!!

I was in Cayucos, about 35 miles up the coast from Pismo Beach, very early in the morning a couple of Saturdays back to wait for my wife, Jan, and daughter, Sara, to finish the Rock to Pier 10K they were running in. I was parked at the pier right off D St. in that little ally way and decided to cruise the town. There were no waves to suit-up for so why not?

On the corner a man was working hard measuring and cutting a large piece of wood out side the open door to the Smoke House. He was wearing a cooks apron and my curiosity got the best of me. I introduced myself and asked what he was up to. I did mention my past restaurant endeavors and to my surprise he was very familiar with my now long gone restaurants.

He immediately gave me a tour and showed the warm hospitality you usually get from restaurant owners. Inside was a high glass case counter with all his smoked products, fish, pork and cheese. Behind a partition a 2 man work station to make orders and a double wide, 12 rack smoker. That was about it. Orders are picked up through a small window on the beach side or over the counter. There are no tables inside, however, you can sit outside on the corner, dodge skateboarders and watch the waves.

When my wife and daughter finished the 10K I took them back to meet Jim Ruddell. I am still amazed at his hospitality. He opened the smoker and sampled us on different smoked products and gave us a sample of Salmon to take with us. I also purchased some smoked albacore for a picnic the next day.

The experience was so good and it is so seldom you are treated with genuine warmth (you know what I mean...) I decided to take Jan and the boards and go back up to Cayucas the next Saturday to look for surf and try Jim's fish tacos. We didn't find any waves, again, but we did find THE FISH TACO. I ordered the smoked albacore and it was delivered to the table wrapped in foil looking more like a large burrito. It was the best fish taco I have ever eaten, and I have eaten allot of them!! (The only hint I will give as to why Jim's fish tacos are so good is smoke and apple.)

If you want a nice ocean view drive and the best fish taco ever, and maybe some surfing thrown in stop in and see Jim. Order a fish taco!

You can visit Ruddell's Smoke House web site here, http://www.smokerjim.com/

Back In the Saddle, or in this case, Back On the Surfboard

In September of last year I wrote about my job and the politics I deal with daily. Considering the mess the State of California and its cities are in, things were getting a little depressing. The letter to the editor I posted from Ken Huber explained my mood rather well. However, it is not the general mood I wanted to set in this blog. It stopped me in my tracks and I have been looking for a new direction since September.

The solution to this depressive direction has been right in front of me for a while now and it took getting whacked in the head, (literally), to realize how easy we can get sucked into the very dark toilet place.

After many years of non-participation I began surfing again with a group of friends and spend as much time as I can with them at a place we call "The Wall."  You would think this alone would be a celebration. I was not treating it accordingly and the excitement and beauty of the surf, "The Wall" and participating in the sport with my friends was being lost in that damn toilet. (will not divulge "The Wall" location)

After a while my partner in life for 32 years, my wife Jan, decided she would not watch me head off to the beach alone. She decided to join me and learn to surf. Jan, as she does with everything that has to do with water, embraced surfing and in a very short time has become good at sliding through waves on her 9 Ft. Flecky Long Board. She loves to surf.

My point..............I wasn't paying attention! Our last session together I was doing what I love to do, hang outside waiting for a wave and watch Jan ride anything and everything she can paddle into. I kicked into a wave and got a short ride and at the bottom turned right, directly into the nose of Jan's 9 ft boat. It was a direct hit to the forehead. She laughed at me, said I should pay attention to my surroundings and paddled back out for another wave.

She was right, as usual. There are enough people talking and writing from the very dark toilet place to keep political discussion going for a very long time and there is no sense in letting it consume your thought process any longer than it takes to relieve yourself. I am going to pay attention to my surroundings, enjoy what I have here and not write about anything that might even remotely sound like a political pundit. And hopefully not get hit in the head again.

Thanks Jan, I will be looking for my opportunity for payback......

Little Abuse Is Back

The point of this Blog is to find the humor, and sometimes not, in being one of those people navigating through life in a very short (under 5 foot) body. I have had 60 years of practice and want to take a long look at the mostly positive and funny side of this very challenging journey.

After a rather long (almost 5 months) vacation I have returned and I want to get right back to all these stories rooling around in my head. Instead, however, I am going to do something different..............

Nothing surprises me anymore, nothing. My day job is a mix of publishing online news and producing a conservative talk radio show Monday through Friday. I have not had a news story, commentary or guest interview in the last year that has surprised me even a little. I have, however, been scared, sad, sick, disillusioned and confused with what I have read and heard from those who are pundits and scholars.

I am afraid of what is happening in and to America. It is not a subject I would write about but someone else has and I thought I would post it. This letter to an Editor puts it in very understandable points:

What Has America Become?

Has America become the land of special interest and home of the double standard?

If we lie to the Congress, it's a felony and if the Congress lies to us it's just politics; if we dislike a black person, we're racist and if a black dislikes whites, it's their 1st Amendment right; the government spends millions to rehabilitate criminals and they do almost nothing for victims; in public schools you can teach that homosexuality is OK, but you better not use the word God in the process; you can kill an unborn child, but it's wrong to execute a mass murderer; we don't burn books in America, we now rewrite them; we got rid of the communist and socialist threat by renaming them progressives; we are unable to close our border with Mexico, but have no problem protecting the 38th parallel in Korea; if you protest against President Obama's policies you're a terrorist, but if you burned an American flag or George Bush in effigy it was your 1st Amendment right.

You can have pornography on TV or the internet, but you better not put a nativity scene in a public park during Christmas; we have eliminated all criminals in America, they ae now called sick people; we can use a human fetus for medical research, but it's wrong to use an animal.

We take money from those who work hard for it and give it to those who don't want to work; we all support the Constitution, but only when it supports our political ideology; we still have freedom of speech, but only if we are being politcally correct; parenting has been replace with Ritalin and video games; the land of opportunity is now the land of hand outs; the similarity between Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf Oil Spill is that neither President did anything to help.

And how do we handle a major crisis today? The government appoints a committee to determine who's at fault, then threatens them, passes a law, raises our taxes; tells us the problem is solved so they can get back to their reelection campaign.

What has happened to the land of the free and home of the brave?

Ken Huber