SoHumBorn writes about the secret world of marijuana growers and the people who love them.  She prefers, like the people she writes about, to remain anonymous saying, “Who am I… I like to think it doesn’t matter. Who cares who wrote something? You either like it or you don’t. The name of the author is of no relevance. Plus, I do enjoy the privacy of writing anonymously.” The stories she writes are funny, scary, sweet, sad, and sometimes violent.  Read more of them here.

She was exhausted. The customers at work were usually nice, but not that day. Every one of them seemed to be suffering from emotional issues and they had been more than willing to take them out on her. All she’d wanted was an Orangina, but when she’d pulled up to the liquor store, the front door was flanked by those she liked to call “housingly challenged.”

The smaller one she recognized. In her own mind she often thought of him as “Travelocity.” (The gnome character from the internet travel commercials.) The little joke at his expense sometimes made her feel crappy about herself, but it had stuck in her mind. The other young man was one she hadn’t seen around before. His dark hair and sullen expression made her pause.

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In praise of sweet men:  We live in a world that has always glorified rough and fierce men—men ready to knock down an opponent at the least sign of opposition.  Those men have their valued place but for day to day neighbors, the steady quiet man who will lean over at a work party and say something which sets a small group chuckling is the one that makes life easier—that kind of man oils the rough work of life with kind words and wry smiles.

Les Kilman (66), my neighbor, was a gentle man, a country man with a southern drawl.  He was known to many by his CB Handle, Sugar Bear, which fit him. He was a regular at every school fundraiser where he was always ready to do his bit to help. He wasn’t large or loud but he had a big place in the community. His kind words and quiet ways soothed tempers and his dry observations would send a ruffle of laughter through folks nearby.  His presence at a community event would decorate his corner with a sense of comfort and down home that brought folks together and made them feel part of a group of good people enjoying themselves.

That corner is empty now. We’ll miss you, Les. Thanks for spreading a little sweetness through the world.

BLM’s lecture series will focus on gall wasps this Tuesday, Feb. 21., at 7 P.M., in the Healy Senior Center. Fascinating information on wasps, particularly species that live in Humboldt and Mendocino counties, will be presented in a free lecture at 456 Briceland Rd. in Redway.

Dr. John DeMartini, Ph.D. will focus the talk on gall wasps. He will present slides and examples of gall wasps and attendant wasps. Dr. DeMartini is a professor emeritus in the Department of Biological Sciences at Humboldt State University. His Redwood Science Project promotes science education in kindergarten through high school, and is developing media materials on the biology of gall wasps.

The presentation is part of the annual King Range Winter Lecture Series presented by the Bureau of Land Management King Range National Conservation Area and the Lost Coast Interpretive Association.

Other lectures are:

Mar 6 Bats, Sleight of Wing, Magic in the Dark taught by Joe Szewczak, Ph.D.

Mar 13 The Headwaters Campaignand the Rebirth of Environmentalism taught by Douglas Bevington, Ph.D. & Headwaters Activists

Mar 20 Headwaters: The Road to Recovery taught by BLM Headwaters Staff

Come join the FREE public lectures series!

All lectures will be given on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. and will be held at:

Healy Senior Center

456 Briceland

Redway, CA

To sign up or for more information:

Call the BLM King Range Project Office at 707-986-5415 or email ca338@blm.gov

PRESS RELEASE: This month, the California 2012 Campaign to Label Genetically Modified Organisms is officially swinging into action. A fleet of devoted volunteers will begin gathering the 800,000 signatures needed to get the initiative on the 2012 ballot soon after Valentine’s Day. You can join us!

To get involved, if you live in the Southern Humboldt area, come to Calico’s in Garberville on the 21st of February. You will find us upstairs, training signature gatherers and passing out the petitions to our volunteers.

No matter where you are in California, if you are inspired to help make labeling GMOs a reality, please visit us online at http://labelgmos.org/ . This is a central place where you can contact your local group and get trained to gather signatures.

Why should you care about labeling GMOs?
GMO foods are the result of an entirely new technology that forces genes from one species into a plant or animal from another species. A more recent version of Genetic Engineering involves insertion of genes from the same species into host cells.

Though biotechnology companies tout their products as the answer to everything from malnutrition to global warming to famine, the reality is that the products they rush onto the market are an answer to none of these things. Primarily, they are engineered to withstand heavy doses of pesticides and herbicides manufactured by these same companies and sold as a bundled product: buy the seed, buy the herbicide. Repeat next year. No seed saving allowed.

Polls consistently show that more than 90 percent of the public wants labels on genetically engineered foods. Government scientists have stated that the artificial insertion of DNA into host plants can increase the levels of known toxicants in foods, introduce new toxicants or new allergens, and even reduce the nutritional value of foods. The level of uncertainty surrounding the safety of genetically engineered foods has led the American Academy of Environmental Medicine to recommend that physicians prescribe a GMO-free diet to all their patients.

Foods grown from genetically modified seeds have been observed to cause toxic and allergic reactions in animals consuming them. Longer term feeding studies found infertility, stunted growth, and high infant mortality in lab animals. In a short term human feeding study, the GM protein in Roundup Ready Soy was found to insert itself into the DNA of the gut flora and remain there indefinitely. Digestion only goes smoothly when the proper bacterial balance is present in the gut. What are the long-term consequences of changing the DNA of our intestinal flora?

What use is labeling?

In the 150 countries around the world where labeling is required—including the European Union, Japan and China—GMO products are in less than 5% of the food in grocery stores. In the US, which seems to be the last stronghold for these companies, a conservative estimate is that GMOs contaminate 80% or more of the food eaten every day. Currently, the only way to avoid GMOs is to buy exclusively organic products. Labeling would change this.
It is important to understand that only mandatory labeling will allow consumers to vote with our wallets. Consumer choice is the most powerful force in a capitalist system, if harnessed and focussed towards a desired outcome. Ninety percent of consumers say they wouldn’t eat GMO foods if given the choice. In Europe and other countries where GMOs are regulated, this consumer choice has dictated that less than 5% of the food for sale is GMO. We can do this here! Join us to make labeling GMOs a reality in California!

People dream about living in the beautiful wild lands of Humboldt.  They imagine the romance of country life and save for the day they can buy a piece of property and escape. This morning I once again had someone asking for suggestions about area.  He asked,

I’m planning on looking at property and just having a good look around to select an area to which to move within the next year. I was hoping you would be kind enough to offer me some suggestions. To make it easier, I thought of a few questions that perhaps you could help me with. I’m looking for private, remote-ish property, either unimproved land or land with a small home on it. It does not have to be fancy, I like to keep things simple!
-Can you recommend some specific areas/roads to check out?
-Do you know any great properties for sale?
-Do you know a good realtor?
-Can you recommend some good campgrounds and hotels to stay at? I’ll probably be doing some of both.

I’m trying to get a feel for the real Humboldt area. I want to see some beautiful scenery, off the beaten path!

If anyone wants to chime in, please do so.  Here are some of my ideas:

Specific Areas: starting in the Southern end moving north (here’s a map.)

• Alderpoint/Blocksburg—Here’s a taste of the tiny towns and rolling meadows of the SE part of Humboldt

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