Strawberry Gazette Issue 3

8/9/2019 Strawberry Gazette Issue 3

1/12

LA Marathon

Runs Through

VA Campus

By Paul Crowley

On Sunday, March 21, the Honda

LA Marathon 2010 kicked o with

a eld o 26,000 participants or the

twenty-th incarnation o the an-

nual event. Veterans were excited to

participate and train or the mara-

thon, and involvement with the

event not only helped them make

better nutritional decisions but

inspired returning veterans with

physical disabilities to participate.

I want to help disabled veterans

overcome the odds by showing

them the athletic outlets available

to them, said Larry Foster, a United

States Marine now employed by

the Veterans Administrations (VA)

West Los Angeles Healthcare Cen-

ter. Foster participated in the race

and nished with a time o 2 hours,

30 minutes. Im a veteran with a

disabilitythat hasnt stopped me

rom playing sports, Foster said.

Just because you become or were

born disabled doesnt mean your

lie is over, it just takes a new direc-

tion. You can still do some o the

things you used to do, just a little

dierent. I liked the course last

year much better; it was tougher

this year.

This years marathon was presented

by K-Swiss, an online ootwear and

apparel company that is a new spon-

sor and partner. The new marathon

route began at Dodger Stadium

Continued on page 11

By ray rodgers

On March 31, the Metabolic Studio

sent our o its Strawberry Flagwork-

ersveterans John, Bobby, Mel, and

Rayto the Paul McCartney concert

at the Hollywood Bowl, site o the re-

nowned Beatles concerts in 1964 and

1965. Ray Rodgers,fled this story.

Two giant screens anking the

stage show nostalgic images o

the Sixties phenomenon known

as Beatlemania, while the vintage

Beatle music uses with modern-

day driving Euro-beats but then

slowly graduates back into the

simple genius o Beatles rock. The

crowd slowly settles in as their

eyes dart downward to their tick-

ets then upward to locate their

seats. The night sky is clear and

crisp as the sun sets behind the

Hollywood Bowl. We all wait with

avorable anticipation.

Ray misses the opening act by

going to get a hot cup o coee or

Bobby, who had complained about

being cold. Standing in the re-

reshment line, he suddenly hears

the roar o the crowd and knows

at that moment he would miss the

frst band. He thinks, Oh, its just

an opener band trying to make its

way in the music industry, but

much to his chagrin it is the voice

o the one and only legend, Paul

McCartney. I could have at least

let the camera with John, Ray

thinks. Was a hot cup o coee

or Bobby more important than an

opening act at a Paul McCartney

concert? Hmmm. O course! Stay

in line, Ray. Youve already missed

the opener; you could at least ar-

rive with the coee.

Paul is working hard to connect

with the crowd but to no avail,

probably because he is playing new

music that no one is amiliar with.

The only real energy or the frst ten

minutes is the excitement o being

at the concert and dwindling, resid-

ual, avorable expectation.

Continued on page 4

By Janet owen driggs

Are taxes the price we pay or

the civilization in which we live?

Twentieth century jurist Oliver

Wendell Holmes Jr. said so and

Thomas Hobbes would surely have

agreed. For lie, said the seven-

teenth century philosopher, would

be nasty, brutish, and short i we

did not endow a government with

some o our god-given sovereignty

in exchange or peace, order, andprosperity. Taxes, he st ated, are the

debt we owe to a government that

maintains the rule o law, deends

the nation, and supports us when

we cannot take care o ourselves.

Despite the act that he supported

authoritarian monarchy, Hobbess

ideas had an enormous inuence

on the Founding Fathers. In par-

ticular his analysis o the social

contract, by which legitimate gov-

ernment must be derived rom the

consent o the governed, contin-

ues to inorm what it is and means

to be American. At the same time,

contractarianism remains appar-

ent not only in todays tax returns

but also in the nations contract

with its military personnel.

The understanding that a duty o

care is owed to citizens who give

their health in order to maintain

the health o the nation is evident

as early as 1636. In this year the Pil-

grim Fathers passed a law unding

soldiers disabled while deending

their edgling settlements in the

Pequot Indian Wars. It is evident

again in 1776, when the Conti-

nental Congress encouraged men

to enlist by using revenue to undpensions or soldiers incapacitat-

ed during the Revolutionary War.

With their special status as the

deenders o the nation thus en-

shrined early in the North Ameri-

can social contract, martial

citizens have had a long but some-

times challenging relationship

with local, state, and national tax

revenues. The debt that a grateul

nation owes to the disabled vet-

eran has not been in doubt, but

debate has certainly raged around

the amount o the debt and how it

should be paid.

Through the eighteenth and early

nineteenth centuries, or example,

although veterans received fnan-cial assistance rom the govern-

ment, their medical and domicili-

ary care was overwhelmingly the

responsibility o a veterans am-

ily or, when necessary, their home

state or local charities. At the end

o the Civil War, however, with

more than 250,000 Northern sol-

diers wounded by gunshot alone

and a large minority o immigrant

troops lacking amily networks,

the government increasingly as-

sumed a amilial role in relation

to Union veterans. Emerging post-

war, a ederally unded dual relie

system comprised both pensions

and the sanctuary o a network o

national soldiers homes.

Pension increases by frst Repub-

lican and then Democratic gov-

ernments were prompted by com-

petition or the veteran vote until,

between 1885 and 1897, ederal

allowances to Union veterans and

their dependents were the second

largest expenditure in the ederal

budget (the largest being service

on the national debt). In its frst

thirty-fve years o lie, the Nation-

al Home network cared or almost

100,000 Union veterans at a cost o

just over $50 million.

Along with Southern reconstruc-

tion and westward expansion,

social insurance or Civil War

veterans and their amilies was a

key component o the Republican

Continued on page 2

* * * * Serving the 300,000 veterans living in greater Los Angeles * * * *

Strawberry GazetteVolume I tax Issue 3 aprIl, 2010

Th Pc Ct?

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Strawberry FlagGoes to strawberry

Fields, but Not Forever


2/12

PriCe of CivilizaTion?ConTinUeD

state building that took place in

the second hal o the nineteenth

century. It was paid or largely by

the war tari and excise duty that

had been levied on practically

everything (rom playing cards,

yachts, and patent medicines to

all proessional services except-

ing those o the clergy) to und the

Union military machine.

By the late 1870s successive Repub-

lican governments had phased out

the most hated o the war taxes,

but the consistent moneymakers

specifcally excise on homegrown

tobacco and alcoholremained

on the books. By the 1890s theseso-called sin taxes were provid-

ing almost fty percent o ederal

tax revenues; it is consequently

air to say that citizen alcohol and

tobacco consumption made a sig-

nifcant contribution not only to

veteran welare but also to the de-

velopment o the modern United

States.

Sumptuary taxes are not the whole

story however. Instead, as the

twentieth century dawned, battles

over taxation and airness gradu-

ally eroded the signifcance o tar-

is and excise duties and boosted

the contribution that income

taxes made to the

national coers.

The seeds o the

conict were sown

during the Civil

War when, in 1861,

the Republican

government intro-

duced Americas

very frst tax on

personal incomethree percent

on all incomes over $800. As the

war continued, so the government

expanded the new tax, until, in

1865, it earned $61 million (approx-

imately $300 million in contempo-rary fgures).

In contrast to revenue raised by

sin taxes, which met with both

general public approval and speci-

ic support rom inuential veteran

groups, income tax was oten seen

and resented as a tool o wealth

redistribution. Being perhaps too

useul to abandon, however, the

income tax laws were not imme-

diately repealed ater the war. In-

stead, the Republican government

allowed them to expire in 1872.

Through the ensuing fve decades,

fscal traumas made income tax a

political ootball and, eventually, a

political necessity. The mid-1890s

saw Americas most cataclysmic

depression to date. Private monop-

olies became even larger and more

powerul. The divide between

rich and poor became increas-

ingly stark. Wars drained public

revenue, and prohibition, which

was introduced in 1920, eectively

ended alcohol revenue or thirteen

years.

The right, let, and center positions

on a spectrum o arguments about

tax went something like this: The

right viewed taxation o all kinds

as legalized thet and saw income

tax in particular as a socialistic

means o redistributing wealth.

For the let, tax laws could dimin-

ish the unprecedented buildup o

corporate wealth and curtail cor-

porate power. To centrists, the new

consumption-oriented taxes drew

too heavily rom working class

citizens who had no choice but to

purchase newly taxed necessities.

Income tax could, it was thought,

modulate airness in a system that

otherwise let vast accumulations

o wealth untaxed.

The battle was ferce. Tax laws

were instituted and repealed, and

at one point the Supreme Court judged income tax to be uncon-

stitutional. Despite continued e-

orts to place the tax burden on

consumption, however, income

tax became increasingly central to

the ederal revenue system until,

by the start o the twenty-frst cen-

tury, excise and other consump-

tion-related taxes accounted or

less than eight percent o annual

tax revenue.

In 2009, income tax accounted

or $900 billion o the ederal gov-

ernments approximately $2.1 tril-

lion revenue. Social Security and

Social Insurance taxes accounted

or $882 billion,

corporate taxes

or $147 billion,

and other types

o tax (including

excise, estate, and

git taxes) or $168

billion. In the

same year, social

welare programs

(including Social Security, Medi-

care, and Medicaid) received ap-

proximately $2,196 billion o the

estimated $3.1 trillion ederal bud-

get. The Department o Deense

received $515.4 billion, the Iraqand Aghan Wars received $150

billion in appropriations, and the

Department o Veteran Aairs

was allocated $45 billion to und

a healthcare system o 171 medi-

cal centers, more than 350 clinics,

126 nursing homes, and thirty-fve

domiciliaries.

The priorities o Americas social

contract have uctuated over the

last our centuries in the push and

pull o a balancing act between

need and greed. But sustained

by collective agreement concern-

ing its necessity, i not its actual

details, the contract endures; with

veteran support a continuing sig-

nifcant component.

I like to pay taxes, said Wendell

Holmes, with them I buy civili-

zation. Because a tax return now

takes more than twenty-our hours

to complete (according to the

Internal Revenue Service), there

are probably ew who would echo

Holmes enthusiasm or the act

itsel; but i Thomas Hobbes was

right and the alternative is a war

o all against all, then perhaps its

a payment worth making?

By lauren Bon

Wage garnishment is a legal pro-

cedure by which a creditor can col-

lect what a debtor owes by reach-ing the debtors property when it

is in the hands o someone other

than the debtor. This can have

dire consequences or veterans

getting back into the workorce.

Veterans need to be aware o this

practice and consider its real-

ity beore embarking on a new

job. Garnishment and taxation,

though dierent practices, are

certainly related in that a portion

o an individuals paycheck might

not reach them due to withhold-

ing a portion owed. Garnishment

is regulated by statutes and is usu-

ally reserved or the creditor who

has obtained a judgment, or court

order, against the debtor. This ac-

tion might eel conrontational to

a vet. In recovery rom addiction,

debt repayment is a part o most

programs. Enorced debt collec-

tion may be experienced as harass-

ment and may impede the sel-pro-

pelled debt reparation that is part

o reclaiming ones lie.

The means by which the payment

is extracted may also come as

something o a shock. I a debt-

ors work earnings are garnished,

a portion o the wages owed by the

employer goes directly to the judg-

ment creditor and is never seen

by the debtor. For the newly em-

ployed veteran who may not havehad a job or a long time, this puts

him or her on the IRS radar, and

it might be negative incentive to

get back into the workorce. The

Obama administration has stated

that it wishes to end homeless-

ness among veterans within ve

years. Looking at supporting vet-

erans with paying jobs to recover

rom the cycle o debt and poverty

by oering breaks on garnish-

ment rules might help.

Some property is exempt rom

garnishment. Exemptions are

created by statutes to avoid leav-

ing a debtor with no means o

support. For example, only a

certain amount o work income

may be garnished. Under 15

U.S.C.A. 1673, a garnishment

sought in ederal court may not

exceed twenty-ve percent o the

debtors disposable earnings each

week, or the amount by which the

debtors disposable earnings or

the week exceeds thirty times the

ederal minimum hourly wage

in eect at the time the earnings

are payable. States can have indi-

vidual exemptions; or example,

Alaska has exemptions or ben-

ets paid or payable or medical,

surgical, or hospital care, and ex-

emptions or burial plots, health

aids necessary or work or health,awards to victims o violent

crime, and assets received rom a

retirement plan.

Perhaps Caliornia, with the

largest veterans population in

the country, could legislate ex-

emptions or veterans? Keeping

people rom ending up homeless

in the rst place would be a good

plan or states unable to pay the

bills on homeless care.

And how about advocacy? Where

can someone get legal advice

about these statutes? There might

be a place or these real world

skills inside the Veterans Admin-

istration system. Veterans in com-

pensated work therapy programs

are sheltered rom garnishment.

Transitioning rom this program

to gainul employment involves

mentoring and coaching. Educat-

ing people to the world we want

our servicemen and women to eel

a part o involves equipping them

with the support to get some trac-

tion on reclaiming their lives and

avoiding the slide back into pover-

ty, despair, and a potential relapse

into addiction and homelessness.

2

When Garnishment is nota Decorative Art

The art o taxation consists in so plucking the goose

as to obtain the largest possible amount o eathers

with the smallest possible amount o hissing.

Jean Baptiste Colbert, nance minister to

Frances King Louis XIV and economist

Taxes are the dues that we pay or the privileges o

membership in an organized society.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt

In 2009, income

tax accounted for

$900 billion of the

federal governments

approximately $2.1

trillion revenue.

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3/12

As a rst impression, I want to say

the word: gentle. Theres this beau-

tiul quiet, and t heres such a calm,

mellow, sort o intimate way that

people are connecting with each

other and with these strawberries

that they are adopting. Its very

peaceul. I didnt know this was

here. I dont actually associate...

saeguarding lie on this tiny scale

with the massive projects o the

military and the Veterans Admin-

istration.

Theres a Jewish understanding, a

rabbinic understanding, that to

enjoy the pleasures o this world

without saying thank you is like

stealing. And so we acknowledge

the git o little pleasures and all o

the things that we enjoy, particu-

larly the things we consume. For

people who are new to the concept

o blessings o gratitude or ev-

ery little thing we eat and not just

saying grace beore ormal meals

or easts, my avorite example

to illustrate why and sort o give

people a way in is the strawberry.

Because i I look at a strawberry or

i I study a strawberry and I try to

imagine how I would make one as

an artist, I reali ze I would probably

never make one as perect as the

one Im looking at, symmetrical

and complex with so many layers

on the insidenever mind the per-

ect natural gloss on the outside.

But I wouldnt even know how to

try. There would be painting each

o the seeds on or taking beads

and gluing them on individually

without any extra glue showing or

embroidering them with perect

indentations. They are so exquisite

individually and they grow by the

thousands in the dark earth while

our eyes are closed and we are

not paying attention. And that is

extraordinary, that is a miracle.

Thats how I understand saying a

blessing o wonder beore we bite

into one, sort o consciousness as

an unolding process that is inher-

ently spiritual, and then we un-

derstand there are words or it in

all o the writings o our spiritualtraditions. Ive actually led a work-

shop on seeing deeplywhich

was about also how we relate to

each otherthat involved look-

ing closely at ruits. So one pair o

participants studied a strawberry

another studied a blueberry, and

I will always remember that they

thought it was also a portrait o

the universeits this round, regal

ruit that has a crown around the

top, which seems to orient it. An-

other studied a kiwi, which looks

kind o like a rock but is really like

a geode, i you see whats inside.

Any time you look closely you can

have a spiritual experience.

Ill let it be my role to quote rom

Jewish tradition. There is a line

in the Talmud that says there is

an angel over every blade o grass,

even at the arthest reaches o

the world, whispering grow...

grow... grow. The great Hasidic

mystic Rabbi Nachman o Bres-

lov said that the songs that come

to shepherds by inspiration, each

dierent, emerge rom the songs

o each individual blade o grass.

So here, the veterans get to be

the angels with the strawber-

ries and really eel themselves

in the world, nurturing these

plants one by one. And I love that

theres even music playing or the

strawberries and we get to sort o

tune into that sphere o becom-

ing in the world. I think it does us

all good to remember that we can

be that to each other, the angels

whispering grow... and become...

old... and unold... into the world.

Thats beautiul and thats to learn

rom too. People who are aware oour ability to be each others an-

gels. To be messengers o g rowing.

One o the things I love about Lau-

rens work is that it unolds even

ater we see it. I have had dreams

about pieces o artwork that she

showed me in drat orm in her

studio. I love that we all get to be in

these art experiences that are un-

olding, and that they keep unold-

ing or us. And here, I hopethis is

the most public space that Ive ever

seen her work inI hope it unolds

into the world, the strawberry that

is shaped like a heart.

The only dierence between a tax man and a

taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin.

Mark Twain, American author

I a thousand men were not to pay their tax-bills this

year, that would not be a violent and bloody measure,

as it would be to pay them, and enable the State to

commit violence and shed innocent blood. This is, in

act, the defnition o a peaceable revolution, i any

such is possible.

Henry David Thoreau, American poet and

naturalist

3

I is v living, livl nd gid, i posssss n immns foc, i is movmn in islf, a nh

cmm h h c .

Rabbi Arielle Hanien speaking to Georey

Gardner on her frst visit toStrawberry Flag,where she adopted two strawberry plants.

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F Fy, The End of History and the Last Man

MaKe YoUr filM!

Join the FILMMAKERS

ALLIANCE community!

Filmmakers Alliance is a

community o flm artists

dedicated to the advance-

ment o true independent flm

through community action.

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4/12

sTrawberrY flag goes TosTrawberrY fielDs...

Participation and real eedback ex-

citement fnally occur when sudden-

ly out o nowhere that real Beatles

sound comes through the speakers

to the tune o All My Loving. Ahh,

yes, the amiliar lyrics Close your

eyes and Ill kiss you/Tomorrow Ill

miss you sends the Bowl to its eet,

jumping up and down, as couples

stream into the aisles hand in hand,

dancing to the un rhythm o one o

Americas avorite songs.

Refection

Ater having grabbed the ears and

the hearts o the Bowl, Paul seizes

the opportunity to reect on the

past by playing a new song he wroteor John Lennon. The Bowl settles

down, listening or entertainment

but instead hearing and eeling a

heartelt tribute rom Paul to John.

This reporter reects that even

though we sometimes struggle

with each other, we can still ad-

mire and respect each other. Paul

taught us all through his song that

it is best to show appreciation or

one another now, rather than wish

we could later on.

Out o reection into some good

old toe-tapping, soul-stirring rock

and roll. The driving beat o the

bass drum whisks us away to a

musical high where we leveled o

to the un, sing-along tune o Oh-

bla-de Oh-bla-da, Lie Goes On.

On and on we go into another f-

teen minutes o unamiliar music.

United Spirit

Paul, becoming aware o the ener-

gy lull, brings us all back together

again with Hey, Jude. The dis-

tant, low-energy crowd suddenly

comes alive all together, all at once

signing na na na and waiving

their arms as one. It was like a spir-

itual experience, with everyone be-

ing on one accord as those classicBeatle-rock progressions stir our

souls together into one mix. At this

point that the Bowl o individuals

begins to mix with their neighbors,

shaking hands, introducing them-

selves, snapping group photos,

and cheering Paul on.

Now, with the Bowl in his hands,

Paul walks over to the piano, gives

his guitar to a stage hand, and

holds our attention with post-

Beatle, solo-career hits like Some-

ones Knocking at My Door. He

prompts urther unity by having

the audience whistle the ute

part o the song. This allows the

great whistlers to shine while the

not-so-great whistlers laugh at

themselves. The whole business o

trying to whistle through a smile

becomes hilarious.

Back at the mic, center stage with

guitar in hand, a song about peace

brings the Bowl to its eet once

again. Suddenly the stage explodes

with unexpected freworks. Ahh,

yes. Something or the eyes to see.

Yes, yes, yesvisual stimulation to

remind us that we were indeed at

a Paul McCartney concert and not

some parlor serenade.

Ater what we think is the last song,

the crowd is on its eet once again,

clapping, whistling, and cheering

or what seems like orever. Bobby,

John, Mel, and Ray begin to fle

out like many o the others, think-

ing we may as well beat the crowd.

They walk and walk until they

come to the gate, when suddenly

we hear the roar o the remaining

crowd in the Bowl. Yes, it is Paul

McCartney returning to the stage

to do the all-time classic Yester-

day. Wanting to run back up the

hill to their seats, they exchange

glances, and without a word know

that going back is not an option.

4The income tax has made more liars out o

the American people than gol has.

Will Rogers, American humorist

Taxation with representation aint so hot either.

Gerald Barzan, humorist

Veterans Speak Outon TaxesBy terenCe lyons

ray rodgers

This third issue o The Strawberry

Gazette hits the streets on April 15

and we thought it might be appro-

priate to do the same to address the

subject o taxes: What role do they

play in the lives o veterans? Whatdo veterans think about paying taxes

and how tax dollars are spent by the

government? How does it eel or

some veterans who may have been

supported by taxes to rebuild their

lives and begin paying taxes again?

So we went out to places where vet-

erans gather, and collected some

opinions and commentsan ad-

mittedly unscientifc surveyin an

eort to answer these questions.

The veterans we spoke with seemed,

or the most part, as willing as the

public generally to pay their air

sharenot ecstatic about it, but rec-

ognizing the need or government

revenue.

Education and healthcare headed

the list o priorities or spending

tax dollars; libraries were a avored

subject or spending; war was not.

As ar as spending VA money, hous-

ing assistance was most requently

mentioned as an area that deserved

more attention and resources.

The Responsibility to Pay

One veteran spoke or many when

he said: Yes, I am a taxpayer to-

day; there were times I was not.

I wouldnt say it has boosted my

esteem, being able to pay taxes,

because personally its going to be

better or me i I have more money

to spend. But in the overall pic-

ture, or my society I would like to

put a portion out o my income topay taxes, to pay my part, you know.

As a veteran, and as a citizen.

Tony Bravo operates the barber

shop on the VAs West Los Angeles

healthcare campus. Better known

to some o the vets by his Native

American Indian nameDreamer

he opined, For people who work,

they say that there are two things

you have to do in this lie: pay taxes

and die. Ive been in business all my

lie and Ive always paid what I have

perceived to be my air share, be that

through property tax or capital gains

tax Ive always paid my taxes and

been a tax-paying, law-abiding citi-

zen and veteran.

At a dominos game at Cabrillo Vil-

lage in Long Beach, a U.S. Marine

Corps veteran said, You gotta do it.

It is something that is necessary or

the country to unction. Another

vet at the table put it more succinct-

ly: Taxes make the world go round.

O course, everyone does not agree.

A U.S. Air Force veteran who now

lives at the Domiciliary (the Dom)

on the West Los Angeles VA campus

said he now pays taxes but did not

when he was unemployed. I dont

think I should have to pay taxes, but

you know its the law and Im a law

abider. I vote. I want representation

without taxation.

And a U.S. Navy vet in Long Beach

was more blunt: I cant stand

taxes. Taxation without representa-

tionwhen you are in the military

its taxation without representation.

Doesnt do anything or me. I did

twenty years and we had no voice

in the government. They tell you to

go and you go. [Voting rights] dontmean nothing when youre in the

military. Thats just my true belie

and thats why I havent paid taxes

or twenty years, and my daughter

works or the IRS.

How the Money Is Spent

Tommy, an Air Force veteran who

served at Plattsburgh Air Force

Base in New York, spoke or many

vets we talked to when he said, I

eel [tax dollars] are needed in edu-

cation more so than anywhere else,

and healthcare next. I dont agree

with the tax dollars being spent on

the war.

The Air Force veteran at the Dom

who pays taxes reluctantly was

also in the majority o our survey

when it came to how the taxes

should be spent: I would love to

see my tax dollars go toward educa-

tion. Healthcare and education.

I wouldnt eliminate [things like

public utilities, roads, and librar-

ies], but we would have to look at

them and prioritize. As to tax dol-

lars spent on the war, We shouldnt

bespending a penny. I hate that.

Continued on page 10 Bldg. 209 h S Flgq.

V bv ch h S Flgqpc b.


5/12

5

a c c b k m m h bjc.

For every beneft you receive a tax is levied.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Few o us ever test our powers o deduction, except

when flling out an income tax orm.

Laurence J. Peter, author


6/12

STR

AWB

ERRYFLA

G

METABOLIC STU

DIO

Row F No. 603 Row F No. 605 Row F No. 607 Row F No. 609 Row F No. 611Row F No. 604 Row F No. 606 Row F No. 608 Row F No. 610 Row F No. 612

Row F No. 623

Row F No. 643

Row F No. 663

Row F No. 683

Row F No. 703

Row F No. 723

Row G No. 743

Row G No. 763

Row G No. 783

Row G No. 803

Row F No. 625

Row F No. 645

Row F No. 665

Row F No. 685

Row F No. 705

Row F No. 725

Row G No. 725

Row G No. 765

Row G No. 785

Row G No. 805

Row G No. 824

Row F No. 627

Row F No. 647

Row F No. 667

Row F No. 687

Row F No. 707

Row F No. 727

Row G No. 747

Row G No. 767

Row G No. 787

Row G No. 807

Row G No. 826

Row F No. 629

Row F No. 649

Row F No. 669

Row F No. 689

Row F No. 709

Row F No. 729

Row G No. 749

Row G No. 769

Row G No. 789

Row G No. 809

Row G No. 828

Row F No. 631

Row F No. 651

Row F No. 671

Row F No. 691

Row F No. 711

Row F No. 731

Row G No. 751

Row G No. 771

Row G No. 791

Row G No. 811

Row G No. 830

Row F No. 624

Row F No. 644

Row F No. 664

Row F No. 684

Row F No. 704

Row F No. 724

Row G No. 744

Row G No. 764

Row G No. 784

Row G No. 804

Row G No. 823

Row F No. 626

Row F No. 646

Row F No. 666

Row F No. 686

Row F No. 706

Row F No. 726

Row G No. 746

Row G No. 766

Row G No. 786

Row G No. 806

Row G No. 825

Row F No. 628

Row F No. 648

Row F No. 668

Row F No. 688

Row F No. 708

Row F No. 728

Row G No. 748

Row G No. 768

Row G No. 788

Row G No. 808

Row G No. 827

Row F No. 630

Row F No. 650

Row F No. 670

Row F No. 690

Row F No. 710

Row F No. 730

Row G No. 750

Row G No. 770

Row G No. 790

Row G No. 810

Row G No. 829

Row F No. 632

Row F No. 652

Row F No. 672

Row F No. 692

Row F No. 712

Row F No. 732

Row G No. 752

Row G No. 772

Row G No. 792

Row G No. 812

Row G No. 831

BERRY INDEX

APRIL, 2010


7/12

Row F No. 613 Row F No. 615 Row F No. 617 Row F No. 619 Row F No. 621Row F No. 614 Row F No. 616 Row F No. 618 Row F No. 620 Row F No. 622

Row F No. 633

Row F No. 653

Row F No. 673

Row F No. 693

Row F No. 713

Row F No. 733

Row G No. 753

Row G No. 773

Row G No. 793

Row G No. 813

Row G No. 832

Row F No. 635

Row F No. 655

Row F No. 675

Row F No. 695

Row F No. 715

Row F No. 735

Row G No. 755

Row G No. 775

Row G No. 795

Row G No. 815

Row G No. 834

Row F No. 637

Row F No. 657

Row F No. 677

Row F No. 697

Row F No. 717

Row F No. 737

Row G No. 757

Row G No. 777

Row G No. 797

Row G No. 817

Row G No. 836

Row F No. 639

Row F No. 659

Row F No. 679

Row F No. 699

Row F No. 719

Row F No. 739

Row G No. 759

Row G No. 779

Row G No. 799

Row G No. 819

Row G No. 838

Row F No. 641

Row F No. 661

Row F No. 681

Row F No. 701

Row F No. 721

Row F No. 741

Row G No. 761

Row G No. 781

Row G No. 801

Row G No. 821

Row G No. 840

Row F No. 634

Row F No. 654

Row F No. 674

Row F No. 694

Row F No. 714

Row F No. 734

Row G No. 754

Row G No. 774

Row G No. 794

Row G No. 814

Row G No. 833

Row F No. 636

Row F No. 656

Row F No. 676

Row F No. 696

Row F No. 716

Row F No. 736

Row G No. 756

Row G No. 776

Row G No. 796

Row G No. 816

Row G No. 835

Row F No. 638

Row F No. 658

Row F No. 678

Row F No. 698

Row F No. 718

Row F No. 738

Row G No. 758

Row G No. 758

Row G No. 798

Row G No. 818

Row G No. 837

Row F No. 640

Row F No. 660

Row F No. 680

Row F No. 700

Row F No. 720

Row F No. 740

Row G No. 760

Row G No. 780

Row G No. 800

Row G No. 820

Row G No. 839

Row F No. 642

Row F No. 662

Row F No. 682

Row F No. 702

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Row G No. 782

Row G No. 802

Row G No. 822

Row G No. 841


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5

ac

1. Seventh or eleventh chapter?

5. Animal seen in Pamplona

6. Internal _____________ Service (abbr.)

7. Tetrahedron raud?

11. Only No. 1 o Neil Youngs career

12. Unpopular 1765 colonial law

16. Prot or loss derived rom an investment

17. 1987 Oscar-winning Michael Douglas movie

20. Amendment guaranteeing the right to vote,

regardless o race

23. Acknowledgement o the ideas o other

25. Oil reserves may be ound here

26. Country o Alpine tax shelters

28. Value o a thought

29. The Man in Black

30. One who marries or money

32. Ola prex

33. End to some tied soccer games: _____________

kicks

35. _____________ Chocula

38. Stevensons island

39. Returning can be dicult without it?

42. Bank, to Paolo?

46. Name o Lone Pine garden

47. Party blamed or Gores loss

48. Sacajawea or Susan B.

49. Call o _____________

51. To avoid argument or accusation

53.X-Files tag line: _____________ No One

54. S woosh.. ..Nothing but _____________

d

2. 1986 Oscar-winning Newman lm

3. A dozen dozen

4. The cruelest month (abbr.)

5. When tripled, 1999 Destinys Child hit

8. They keep track o your money

9. Continental currency

10. Theme o this puzzle

13. Brewsters _____________

14. Like most charitable contributions

15. Man oMan vs. Wild

18. Fee paid on borrowed assets

19. Hair add-ons

21. Uncle Sam returns?

22. All-weather cover

24. Opening track on Beatles Revolveralbum

27. Part o an LLC

31. Miners bonanza

34. Pet adoption option

36. Otis Taxation without representation is

_____________

37. Bucharest, Copenhagen, or Buenos Aires

40. 1930s income tax evader

41. Only Top 20 song rom Dark Side of the Moon

43. An assessment to make your home energ y-

ecient

44. Emery board

45. My Love Dont _____________ a Thing

50. Two _____________ Chuck

52. _____________ o grat itude

8I guess I think o lotteries as a tax on the

mathematically challenged.

Roger Jones

Theres just one thing I cant fgure out. My income

tax!

Nat King Cole

Strawberry Gazette Crossword PuzzleBy allison gister, Bridget Kelly, and aBigail PHoenix

answers will Be reVealed in our May issue

By laura sanderson Healy

Recently, ater hearing about an

art exhibition that eatured sev-

eral o Strawberry Flags associ-

atesJules Rochielle Sievert and

Fred Portillo, Janet Owen Driggs

and Lauren BonI decided to

journey south rom Los Angeles

and right over the southern U.S.

border to search out La Casa del

Tunel, an art gallery in Tijuana.

Adolo Nodal, another Metabolic

Studio team member, is a ounder

o La Casa, and the exhibition at

hand was PPS, perorming pub-

lic space (curated by Janet OwenDriggs and husband Matt Driggs).

I had heard about one o the ex-

hibitions works, Juless Portable

City Project, at the lastStrawberry

Flag High Tea, and the involve-

ment o so many perormance and

visual artists associated with the

Metabolic Studio was intriguing,

especially ater watching these

ascinating olk stage their Straw-

berry Flag perormances and hap-

penings at the High Teas and he-

licopter yovers, dancing human

ags and so orth.

Staying overnight in San Diego,

I took or granted that it was going

to be a snap to get to TJ because

the trolley runs rom San Diego

downtown to the international

bridge that links the U.S. side to

the Mexican side. That weekend,

though, the trolley was not as reli-

able as usual because at a certain

point it just stopped and didnt

run all the way, in either direction,

because o work on the line. Bus

shuttle services flled in where the

trolley tracks were out o commis-

sion, which added extra hours to

the journey. These sorts o public

transport shenanigans oten hap-

pened in London when I woulddecide to head o to take in an ar t

exhibition, say, at the Tate Mod-

ern in Southeast London, only to

be derailed by the District Line

being worked on or the weekend

and out o commission. Its just

lie, so I kept going, art as the lure

being extremely potent.

La Casa sits right at the Mexican

border, and Mexican marines

have an encampment at the wall

behind it. I rang the bell and the

lovely couple who run the gal-

lery (artist Luis Ituarte and Gerda

Govine) welcomed me in to show

me around, taking me up to

the second story rootop and eed-

ing me breakast tortillas and co-

ee or my troubles. Their rootop

is a perormance space where they

have had Baptist Churchstyled

call and response events with

people standing in the parking

lot just across the border. I touredthe small downstairs gallery that

had exhibits rom the partici-

pating artists, whose schedules

varied rom week to week as to

which perormances they would

give in the local neighborhood.

Later that day, a perormance art-

ist would go up on a pole as part

o the La Casas activities, and

the local police would arrest and

release Luis or disturbing the

peace, but what un and how cre-

ative, letting it all hang out. I hope

that the continued drug war in

Tijuana and border cities does not

mar the art-giving lie Gerda and

Luis and their community provide

to such an embattled community.

That was all I saw in Tijuana, and

I soon ound mysel in a snaky

long return line o hundreds o

pedestrians who waited to enter

the United States as I made my

way back. An upset man on his

cell phone, shouting loudly and

obnoxiously once we were inside

the immigration building, all

still in line, did his own orm o

perormance art as people eyed

him, then tried to tune him out.

Making the crossing on the bridge,

which, rom the rootop at La Casa,looks something like the winding

walk o the Guggenheim Museum

in New York, is an act Gerda told

me, its an act, the act o crossing

in and o itsel. It was nice to see

people trying to bring joy into the

world through art, which is an in-

ternational language all its own.

The Wandering STraWberryS

Trip To Tijuana

This nation will be the land o

the ree as long as it is the home

o the brave.

ELMER DAvIS

In nr f Alan Waskul, USA (Re.)

In war there are no unwounded soldiers.

JoSE NARoSKy

In nr f Gregr Sc, USA (Re.)

The willingness with which our young

people are likely to serve in any war, no

matter how justifed, shall be directly

proportional to how they perceive the

Veterans o earlier wars were treated

and appreciated by their nation.

GEoRGE WAShINGtoN

In nr f ted Waskul, USAF (Re.)

Some people live an entire lietime and

wonder i they have ever made a dier-

ence in the world, but the Marines dont

have that problem.

RoNALD REAGAN

In nr f Samuel A. Mais,

USMC (Re.)

The erickson GroupDeveloPing viTal resoUrCes for

THe non-ProfiT CoMMUniTY.

Waskul World Wide

communicaTionssalUTing THe brillianCe of

sTrawberrY flag

paciFic aviaTionmuseum

CelebraTing THe PaTrioTisMof THose wHo Have ProTeCTeD

freeDoM THroUgHoUT THePaCifiC THeaTer

hamilTon kloWassociaTes

Planning Program management

institutional architecture

resiDenTial arCHiTeCTUre


9/12

9

By CHris langley

All the dead voices

make a noise like wings.

Playwright, Samuel Beckett

What do the Southern Inyo Grow-

ers Group, Samuel Beckett, Hand-

made Film, and an IOU have in

common? This may sound like

the start o a Zen Koan meditation,but instead the question points to

creating a transormative network

o events ushering in a more resil-

ient and creative community or

Lone Pine. There is the promise

o more than one hand clapping

as the area o southern Inyo looks

to the uture and the promise o

a connecting process initiated by

artist and Metabolic Studio Direc-

tor Lauren Bon and her gang o

Metaboliques working at the end

o the pipeline connecting this

area to Downtown Los Angles in

a more positive and initiatory way.

From the discovery o silver bul-

lion at Cerro Gordo that kick-start-

ed the transorming o a backwater

Spanish village into the great met-

ropolitan area, to the enterprising

underhanded corralling o water

sent south in the Los.Angeles Aq-

ueduct to eed the thirst o this

Emerald City, the two areas, so

dierent in many ways, have been

linked like conjoined siblings.

Last year the Metabolic Studio

had two large, mysterious, and

curious projects underway in the

Owens Valley. First came the Sil-

ver and Water flm project, withthe Metabolic Orchestra playing

Somewhere Over the Rainbow on

the glass harp at the base o the

sonorous north silo at the Pitts-

burg Plate Glass site. The complex

installation/perormance has been

well cataloged and documented.

This was ollowed by the Film, Fuel

and Foodprojectwhere a small, in-

tense group o local gardeners and

dreamers worked with Lou Pesce

and many compatriots to create

theIOU Garden . This was ollowed

by our easts using locally grown

produce. These happened at

Delacour Ranch, the Prather and

VanderWall homes, the Espresso

Parlor during the Lone Pine Film

Festival along with the premier opart o the Silver and Waterflm

entitled The Tin Man, and at the

Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribal

Reservation.

Now again, these projects morph

into new orms and shapes thanks

to the vision o Bon, the creative

work o her team, and the grow-

ing group o local residents who

comprise the Growers Group.

Called Pipeline, the work springs

rom that which has preceded it,

but takes on the intention o an

increase in transormative power.

The community is slowly awaken-

ing to the need or the economic

lie o the town to be more resil-

ient. One aspect o town resilience

is the growing communication

and connection between a myriad

o local partner organizations.

Meetings between the Los Ange-

les Department o Water and Pow-

er (LADWP) and representatives o

thePipeline project suggest that a

seasonal home or the IOU Garden

can be ound on Main Street and

Highway 395, with water to bring

ood to lie in the desert. Symbolic

more than substantive to start,

the Community Garden under theguidance o Julie Fought will also

work as an Inyo County Master

Gardener Program. Inspired by

the frst year o the IOU Garden,

our members o the Growers

Group have been traveling to Bishop

Continued on page 10

oWenS Valley lookS To groWerS

group, an iou garden, and

performing beckeTTS lineS

before The Summer hiTS

Rich bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not air

that some men should be happier than others.

Oscar Wilde

Isnt it appropriate that the month o the tax begins

with April Fools Day and ends with cries o May Day!

Rob Knauerhase

o h b v m b m pc v cqpc

(p).

ech b h b mb v hv b p b v h cp.

horoscopesARIES (March 21Aril 19)

This is your time to rise and shine, emerge rom

winters cold darkness, and step into the sun. Dont

be araid to let down your guard, listen to your inner

guide, and ollow your heart. Wherever it takes you

is where you are supposed to be. Take advantage

o this change o seasons and the returning o the

light to cultivate goals that have been hibernating,

especially when it comes to health. Eat as many

green leay veggies as possiblekale, spinach, and

lettuces (the darker the better)and take lots o

walks in nature.

TAuRuS (Aril 20May 20)

It is as i your roots have reached the center o the

earth and you are blossoming into a beacon o

strength and beauty. The colors o spring are alive

and all around you, so do as the birds and the bees

do and enjoy the sweet nectars o lie. Eat some-

thing right o a tree or bush, like an orange or a

strawberry, and see i you eel any dierence rom

the store-bought produce you are used to. And dont

orget that while allen ruit on the ground may be

dirty, it is oten the sweetest!

GEMInI (May 21Je 21)

As the twins, it is oten as i you are going in two

dierent directions at once. Slow down, breathe,

and try to harmonize the extremes that charge your

power source. Pay extra attention to your communi-

cation with others, as well as with yoursel. Express

your thoughts and eelings clearly, and always all ow

patience and compassion to be the loudest voices.

Eat some sot oods like banana or avocado this

month, and notice how they eel in your mouth and

body. Also, drink teas with chamomile, lavender, and

licorice.

CAnCER (Je 22Jly 22)

There is a challenge ahead o you this coming

month, and should you choose to accept it, you and

everyone around you will be most rewarded. Your

git or taking care o others is conronted by your

need to nurture yoursel rst and oremost. So do

something special or yoursela hot bath, a walk

in nature, a healthy mealto renew your energy and

sel-condence. Keep lots o fowers around and

drink plenty o water. Also, i you are in the mood

or something sweet, see i resh or dried ruit will

satisy that craving.

LEo (Jly 23Agst 22)

Spring has sprung and you are at the head o the

pack ready to go. Move orward with humility and

grace and you will nd that any direction you choose

will welcome you with a smile. Your enthusiasm and

passion or lie is an i nspiration to all, but dont ex-

pect others to ollow your lead. Because your re is

particularly hot this month, both internally and exter-

nally, monitor your spicy ood intake and try eating

ruits and veggies that have a cooling eect, such

as cucumbers or strawberries.

VIRGo (Ag. 23Se. 22)

The ruits o your labor are ready to be harvested.

Trust your intuition regarding what needs picking

rst, and dont be araid to ask or a little help rom

your riends. In act, youve been so busy and hard at

work (whether physical, mental, or emotional) that

you may have orgotten what its like to let others do

some o the heavy li ting. Enjoy some downtime, and

try preparing a new grain, like quinoa or amaranth,

that will help nourish your mind, body, and spirit rom

the ground up.

LIbRA (Set. 23oct. 23)

The birds are singing, the bees are buzzing, and you

are humming right along. Its as i beautiul fowers

are popping up under every ootstep you take. So

eel ree to run, skip, and dance everywhere you

gobesides, the exercise will only enhance those

tingly sensations o love and bring more balance

and harmony to your lie. Seek out oods that are

red, like beets and berries, which will support your

hard-working heart and puriy your blood.

SCoRpIo (oct. 24nv. 21)

That icy exterior youve been wearing all winter is

melting ast, whether you like it or not. You are shed-

ding layers and exposing new suraces to yoursel

and the world around you. Social relationships are

especially important and rewarding this month, so

make time in that busy schedule or your riends.

Also consider some home improvement or that per-

sonal makeover youve been pondering, whether its

a haircut, new clothes, or a new coat (and color) o

paint. In terms o diet, protein is essential, but dont

just look to meat or your needs. Try some veggie

options like tou, tempeh, spirulina, or seitan.

SAGITTARIuS (nv. 22Dec. 21)

You are eeling extra playul, adventurous, and ex-

pressive this month. At the same time, lie is get-

ting more serious, especially at work, and your daily

responsibilities are growing by the minute. Rather

than trying to tame the wild child within, channel

that energy into business. Whatever it is that you

have to do, approach it with your creative power and

you will be successul. And because you are juggling

many things at once, keep a balanced diet with lots

o ruits and veggies in a rainbow o colors.

CApRICoRn (Dec. 22Ja. 19)

Variety is the spice o lie! Now is the time to shake

things up, take some chances, and experiment with

something new. Whether it is something you add to

your lie (like a vegetable you have never tried) or

something you give up or substitute or something

else (like processed sugar or honey in your coee

or tea), explore the world outside your comort zone.

You may nd that this risk is not as risky as you

thought. Also, consider throwing some ginger and/

or mint into your diet (tea, salad dressings, smooth-

ies), which will help stimulate digestion and keep

your internal re burning.

AquARIuS (Ja. 20Fe. 18)

It is time to wake up and make those dreams come

to lie. Whether at work, at home, or somewhere in

between, your visionary and artistic side is craving

some attention and expression. Fortunately, its

all at your ngertips. The world is your canvass, so

paint away. Explore a new creative medium, maybe

printmaking, sewing, or cookingit will do you good

and bring a new perspective to your picture. To

spark your inspiration, try some ginseng, which will

give you extra energy and mental clarity.

pISCES (Ferary 19March 20)

As this change o seasons stirs up new emotions,

you are presented with an opportunity or tremen-

dous growth. This requires you to stand up, sink

your eet down into the earth, eel how it supports

your every movement, and trust that everything

happens or a reason. Even though it might look like

rainclouds as ar as the eye can see, clear skies and

a glorious rainbow will break the gloom as soon as

you look up. Be patient and orgiving with yoursel

and with others. And to calm your sensitive nerves,

make a tea with valerian root, passion fower, or lem-

on balm. Even better, add herbs such as lavender,

chamomile, or rose to a hot bath.


10/12

owens valleY ConTinUeD...

on a weekly basis to take the rig-

orous Master Gardener training,

and upon graduation in May will

create a new and improved IOU

Garden with various demonstra-

tions o good g ardening practices

or locals and visitors alike. Three

additional local Master Ga rdeners

have joined the Growers Group to

help in this project.

This partnership connects the

work o the Metabolic Studio in

Lone Pine with a much larger

group o gardeners in Big Pine

and Bishop where additional

projects are underway. Transor-

mation happens when disparate

parts o a community are con-nected in new ways, bringing

about a general upward sweep o

human consciousness accompa-

nied by activity. It happens quietly

oten, not quite unnoticed but in-

eluctably. It is happening in many

areas nationally, in small and big

ways. Change can righten some

people, who passionately resist it.

Most know that a change in our

lie and outlook is very necessary

or all o us.

The Transition Town Movement

(TransitionUS) has become aware

o the possibility o a transorma-

tive group o events in Lone Pine

being led by an artist. They think

this is the frst such event because,

generally, the transition town ini-

tiatives are led by social planners,

political activists, and/or envi-

ronmentalists. Eventually it is ex-

pected that small pocket projects

will start to spread across the lo-

cal landscape. A demonstration o

edible landscaping is already un-

derway in the boxes in ront o the

Lone Pine Chamber Ofces where

the local ood bank is located.

Pipeline also includes interest-

ing events created by Bon involvingHandmade Film Institute artist

Robert Schaller and theater direc-

tor Walter Asmus. Bon invites the

residents and visitors to the valley

to join her in this latest work on

Friday, May 21, and at workshops

during the weekend: Please join

us at the PPG Factory or a two-

day handmade flm workshop

ocusing on local, eco-riendly

practices. In workshops led by

Robert Schaller o the Handmade

Film Institute (http://www.hand-

madeflm.org/), participants will

transorm a PPG silo into a tempo-

rary darkroom, and learn how to

process 16mm flm using a non-

toxic mixture o coee, vitamin

C, and washing soda. Watch

cinematic magic happen beore

your very eyes! Films created at the

workshop will be shared with the

community at a ree screening soon

ater. The event is ree and everyone

welcome. No previous flmmaking

experience is necessary.

On the same weekend and in the

same place, there will also be

creative workshops with director

Asmus on a small piece o text

rom Becketts Waiting or Godot.

This will become the soundtrack

or the next scene o the Metabolic

Studio and Bons flm Silver and

Waterthat has been in production

locally.

This is a very rare and un oppor-

tunity or both creating handmade

flm and being involved in the pro-

duction o a scene with a renowned

theater director.

Asmus, who directed the world-a-

mous version o Becketts Waiting

or Godot, and who worked directly

with the playwright himsel, is col-

laborating with Bon and directing

the local group reciting lines rom

the play in the resonant chamber

o the PPG silo. The amous lines

reminded Asmus o the area.

The event begins with an open

call and meet-and-greet at the

Lone Pine Film Museum or Inyo

citizens interested in being part

oPipelines homemade flmmak-

ing workshop and theatrical cho-

rus inside a wondrous space. Cer-

tainly anyone amiliar with the

site (located south o Lone Pine

on Highway 395) is amiliar with

its gray, dull metallic structures

bleached and blasted by the

windsthat take on the pinks and

ochre o the sands and salt on the

west side o the Owens (not so) Dry

Lake, home o the LADWP Dust

Mitigation Project. It may well be

the frst site o a giant solar power

park now on the LADWP drawing

boards as well.

To learn more, please join us at

our upcoming reception on May 21

at the Museum o Lone Pine Film

History. Meet our guest rom Ber-

lin, director Walter Asmus, watch

flms o Becketts works, and en-

joy a discussion about the Meta-

bolic Studios ongoing work in the

Owens Valley, now in its ourth year.

Please RSVP to Chris Langley at760.937-1189.

The events associated with this project are

tightly scheduled. On Friday, May 21, an eve-

ning o homemade flms and Beckett short

flms will take place at the Lone Pine Film

History Museum at 701 South Main in Lone

Pine at 7:00 p.m. ollowed by rereshments.

This will be ollowed by a Q&A with Bon and

Asmus.

Things begin with a creative intensity on

Saturday with Workshop No. 1 at PPG. The

Beckett Chorus workshop in Silo No. 1 (the

white silo) goes rom 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.,

ater which dinner runs rom 5:00 to 7:00

p.m., ollowed by the flmmaking workshop

until 10:00 p.m. in Silo No. 2 (the black silo).

Note: The colors reer to the inside o the

silos, not the outside. On Sunday, May 23,

Workshop No. 2 continues with the Beckett

Chorus and flmmaking workshop at the

same times as Saturday. Because this is

a creative, transormative process, expect

details to grow and morph during the per-

ormance installation. That brings part o

the excitement o discovery and insight that

makes Lauren Bons artist projects so very

satisying and un to experience frst hand.

10

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music, dance, eaer and spken wrd.

Fr a calendar f eens and ickeinfrmain, call 310.825.2101

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(310) 478.3711 ext. 44353

Aenin Lcal BusinessReceive a substantial Tax Credit and

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[email protected]

Today, it takes more brains and eort to make

out the income-tax orm than it does to make the

income.

Alred E. Neuman

Man is not like other animals in the ways that are

really signifcant: animals have instincts, we have

taxes.

Erving Goman

Q: I am having trouble sleeping,

is there anything natural you can

suggest to help me get some rest?

A: I think that one o the best rem-

edies or insomnia and anxiety is

an herbal tea and a hot bath, and

i you dont have a bathtub (like

me) a hot compress over your

eyes, back o the neck, and/or on

your chest will do the trick. Relax-

ing teas, which can also be used

to soak your towel or the com-

press, can be made o chamomile,

lavender, kava, hops, lemon balm,

passionfower, skullcap, st. johns

wort (also used to treat depression)

and valerian root. Many o these

herbs can be oraged, dried or

kept resh, and made in to teas.

There are many brands o pre-

packaged teas that have specially

ormulated blends that promote

sleep and calm the nerves, such

as Yogi Teas, Traditional Medici-

nals, and Celestial Seasonings.

I you can nd a place that sells

herbs in bulk, or have access to

online shopping, you can pur-

chase them separately and create

your own brew. Also, i making

an herbal beverage is not your

cup o tea, try a tincture, which

is a concentrated extraction o

herbs that is ready or use when-

ever and wherever. Many o these

herbal medicines are available

in capsule orm as well. Beware

that both kava and valerian are

very powerul herbs and should

be ingested according to the rec-

ommended dosage. I you take too

much, you can end up eeling very

groggy the next day, which deeats

the point o a good nights sleep.

And when in doubt, pick up a boring

bookthat always puts me to

sleep!

Q: What is all the hype around

kombucha and why is it good

or me?

A: Kombucha is just one o many

ermented oods that is gaining rec-

ognition as a delicious way to incor-

porate probiotics and build healthy

bacteria or microfora in your body.

While we tend to think o bacteria as

bad and associate it with inection

and illness, the living microorgan-

isms in this tea have been used or

hundreds o years to prevent as well

as cure many diseases. By helping to

regulate the production and growth

o harmul bacteria or pathogens,

probiotics play an essential role in

treating dierent types o cancer,

irritable bowel syndrome and oth-

er digestive ailments, as a general

health tonic that promotes men-

tal clarity, stimulates metabolic

unctions, strengthens and sup

ports the immune system, lowers

blood pressure and cholesterol, and

much more. The benets o probiot-

ics can be consumed in many orms

other than kombucha, such as cap-

sule, yogurt, sauerkraut and kimchi,

ker, miso, and even wine. In order

to provide these riendly microbes

with a hospitable breeding ground,

it is best to avoid or use modera-

tion when drinking alcohol, eating

oods that are highly processed, tak-

ing antibiotics, and stress in general.

Honestly, I attribute my 2 years o

radiant health, without even a com-

mon cold, to a good diet and lots o

probiotics!

d rw m

veTerans sPeaK oUTConTinUeD...

Another vet also stressed educa-

tion: I would like to see my taxpayer,

dollars go to more specifc things

than they have been going. Educa-

tion is the big important thing or

me. Education is paramount. Its

high on my list, having a sixteen-

year-old son who I dont have in

the public school system right

now. I would like to see grant pro-grams that help charter schools

that take up the slack or some o

our schools that have too many

students in them.

Healthcare was echoed by the

veteran who said, Lie, liberty,

and the pursuit o happiness are

guaranteed, thats in the Declara-

tion o Independence, and in the

Preamble to the Constitution it

becomes lie, liberty, and prop-

erty. How can you have lie and

liberty in this country i you dont

have your health? A sick person

has less opportunity or lie, less

opportunity or liberty, and less

opportunity or the pursuit o

happiness and property. So get-

ting into a system where people

go to the doctor when they are

beginning to be ill as opposed to

going to the emergency room or

urgent care when they are very

ill would change the dynamics o

the system and allow people to go

or a lower cost preventative care,

lower cost early care, and avoid

the high cost o emergency and

urgent care. Wed have a much

better country or it.

The VA Budget

Tommy rom Plattsburgh Air

Force Base thinks that VA health-

care is excellent, but added, I

think we need a little more tax

dollars or substance abuse treat-

ments, and we should be appro-

priating unds toward housing.

On the whole, I think my tax dol-lars are being spent agreeably.

Veteran Pierre on the VA budget:

We dont know where the health-

care dollars are going, but at the VA

it seems the President has kind o

put our veterans in a more impor

tant light right now. Naturally with

it being the ederal government,

its a little slow sometimes to get

things done, but overall I would

say Im defnitely pleased at least

to have our country give us back

some orm o healthcare. Its been

a tremendous help in my lie.

There were the expected com-

plaints rom vets that their medi-

cal claims were taking too long to

process and that Vietnam veterans

were not being treated as well as

they should. But housing was a

subject that several vets brought

up. As one said, Yes, I would like

to see more, more money. Def-

nitely or the housing or the vet-

erans. Vietnam, Operation Iraqi

Freedom, Aghanistan.

o th t md m d xty h t d ht th...

H c yu h d ty th cuty yu dt h yu hth?

wthgsm

sTrawberrYflag.org


11/12

By eMily MereditH lewis

On April 2, 2010, the 12th annual

Los Angeles Film Noir Festival

kicked o at The Egyptian Theatre

in Hollywood with a Bill Bowers

Tribute Double Feature: Cry Danger

and Tight Spot. I was lucky to catch

the sold out event and my archivist

heart was beaming to see such a

wonderul restoration o the 35mm

print o Cry Danger (courtesy o

the Film Noir Foundation and the

UCLA Film and Television Archive).

The flm presents a classic noir

whodunit plot: Rocky Mulloy

(Dick Powell), resh out o prison

or a crime he didnt do, sets out to

uncover the $100,000 that he was

sent away or, to clear his partners

name, and i possible, to make a

little dough on the side. But hes up

against some crooked characters

and a cop who isnt sot on crime.

With everyone gunning or Mulloy,

he must fgure out who set him

up, beore he gets shot up. The

flm co-stars Richard Erdman as

Mulloys sauced business partner,

and Rhonda Fleming as the wie

o Mulloys partner and his ormer

ame.

Written by William Bowers, Cry

Dangeris one o the fnest examples

o a noir screenplay that is not only

rippingly cynical and ast-moving,

with no wasted space, but its

also clever and humorous, with

comedic moments and sharp

dialogue that plays even with

todays jaded and expectant

audiences. The perormances

are equally honed to perection,

and Robert Parrishs impeccable

direction never strays rom telling

the story in an economical, but

never miserly ashion.

Among the cast is a silent star that

pulls the f lm together completely

that star is Los Angeles. Due

to a small budget the flm was

shot in real locations at Union

Station and around the Bunker

Hill area next to downtown. Did

you know there was once a trailer

park downtown? The post-war Los

Angeles backdrop will defnitely

compete with the stars or you

attention but only because both

are truly amazing in this noir flm.

Ater the screening actors Rhonda

Fleming and Richard Erdman

were interviewed by Eddie Muller,

ounder and president o the

Film Noir Foundation. Both were

charming, sharing stories o

the making o the flm and ond

remembrances o Dick Powell. They

both agreed with Muller in saying

that the flms mostly unsung, oten

overlooked heroes was that o the

flms writer William Bowers.

The second screening, Tight Spot,

was also written by Bowers, and

eatures Ginger Rogers in the latter

part o her career, as she plays

Sherry Conley, a eisty prisoner

who has inside inormation on a

murderous thug who is about to

be prosecuted by District Attorney

Hallet (the incomparable Edward G.

Robinson). However, Sherrys also

butting heads with Vince Striker,

the earnest but compromised cop

assigned to protect her and try to

convince her to testiy, played by

Brian Keith. Most o the flm is

cloistered in a hotel room, though

some air is let in rom time to time.

While perhaps not as strong as the

opener, Tight Spotis still meat and

potatoes or any die-hard noir and

crime cinema an.

StrawberryFlagStories

By laura sanderson He aly

There is a great peace atStrawberry

Flag these sunny days, now more

than ever with the abundance o

the ripe strawberries waving in their

stripes. Over many months, the

ag made o reclaimed strawberry

plants has been growing incremen-

tally into its now robust state. What

began quietly with the hope o new

lie in the uture is now produc-

ing beautiul red berries; veterans

who have served in our military

services may relate to this concept

when returning home ater harsh

time periods in their lives, healingand realizing new scenarios. The

scent o this living green and red

sculpture is certainly an original

in the realm o outdoor art, and

walking about it, listening to the

gushing new ountain in the blue

section o the ag is, as has been

written, deliciously therapeutic.

As well as the strawberry plants

and the fsh in the tanks that a-

cilitate the hydroponic system, the

mockingbirds who hold court in

the trees and the bluebirds who

inhabit the myriad o mud nests

in the eaves o the buildings are

thriving too, adding their daily

symphonies and call-outs to the

ing or the Strawberry Flagtroops

during the jam-making sessions.

There is magic in the air and joy on

the horizon or Strawberry Flags

site manager Rochelle Fabb, who

has recently gotten engaged to her

Leo. Says Rochelle, Leonardo Bon-

dani proposed on one knee in ront

o the freplace in the Tamarack

Lodge in Mammoth (built in 1925)

with a diamond ring (the diamond

was restored to replace one I lost at

Strawberry Flagin September). Our

honeymoon will be in Cairo ol-

lowed by ceremonies in New York

and Mexico City.

Strawberry Flagteam member Chel-

sea Gokcay has returned to her home

country o Turkey to visit her ather.

Strawberry Flagsoundscape. The

security log at the site notes noc-

turnal visits rom other wildlie,

including curious coyotes and

hooting owls, when evening alls.

The strawberries grown atStraw-

berry Flag are now being used or

the frst time to make Veterans

Preserves in the kitchen upstairs

at Building 208. Meanwhile, the

people associated with Strawber-

ry Flagincluding the veterans

working there, patients passing

through to appointments, the sta

o Metabolic Studio, and riends o

the project sharing in this unique

experience at the VA campusare

having transormative milestones

in their own lives too. The berries

are thriving and so are the people.

Great joy attended a recent hap-

pening involving team mem-

ber Emily Meredith and Jeremiah

Lewis when they got married

at the Kenneth Hahn State Rec-

reation Area near Culver City on

March 27 in a small ceremony with

close riends. Congratulations

Emily and Jeremiahhappiness

to you and may your lie be an end-

less bowl o sweet strawberries.

A visitor rom Texas enlivened

Strawberry Flagrecently when An-

drea Nasher o the Nasher Sculp-

ture Center in Dallas visited and

stayed on to make her own origi-

nal print or a jam jar label or

the preserves. Nasher took part in

the Tuesday boot camp on the bi-

cycles that power the water system

at Strawberry Flag, danced to the

music in the Print Studio, joined

the team or teas and lunches,

and generally sparkled and made

riends throughout the time she

spent working with veteran and

printmaking teacher Ray Rodgers

on her label, a vision o sunshine

and strawberries. We hope she will

return soon.

Another recovery: the tinkling ivo-

ries o a rescued and now-tuned pi-

ano has been a hit in the kitchen o

Building 208, where Ray (who was

recently the veterans talent show

winner, playing or nearly all the

day at Building 500) has been play-

la MaraTHon... ConTinUeD

and ended at the Santa Monica Pier,

promising a landmark every mile.

The stadium-to-the-sea course

passed through or by such celebrat-

ed Los Angeles areas as Chinatown,

City Hall, Echo Park, Hollywood,

West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, the

VAs West Los Angeles Healthcare

Center, and Brentwood beore ter-

minating in Palisades Park with

a celebratory awards ceremony

beside the pier.

Other veteran entries included

Vietnam veteran Jim Witted,

currently a participant in the weight

management program who also

trained or and nished the 1992

LA Marathon. For VA West Los

Angeles Healthcare Center sta

member Robert McLarty, a U.S.

Army Reservist who served during

the Vietnam confict rom 1966 to

1972, the marathon was his ourth

and nal, whereas it was the rst or

Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran

Daniel Isazaa goal he had or

several years. It is an incredible

honor to represent the VA and the

troops, Isawa said.

Riding in an open vehicle with KTLA

camera and microphone were Los

Angeles Dodgers owner and now LA

Marathon owner Frank McCourt,

as well as Los Angeles Mayor Anto-

nio Villaraigosa. Upon entering the

VA rom Ohio Street, McCourt said

that including the VA property in

the route was a tribute to the mili-

tary, and Mayor Villaraigosa called

the property hallowed ground.

The Deed o 1888 specically states

that this land is to be permanently

maintained as a national home or

disabled soldiers.

(It should be noted the act that

there are thousands o homeless

veterans sleeping on the streets o

Los Angeles, even though this is

their r ightul home.)

The winner o the marathon, Wes-

ley Korir, said he got a kick out o

running through the historic West

Los Angeles VA grounds. His time

was 2 hours, 9 minutes, 19 seconds.

Edna Kiplagat o Kenya won the

womens division with a time o

2 hours, 25 minutes, 38 seconds.

11

B M v h b h m amz Mpm mc h q 205, 208 209

h Va wla .

On my income tax 1040 it says Check this box i

you are blind. I wanted to put a check mark about

three inches away.

Tom Lehrer

I love America, but I cant spend the whole year here.

I cant aord the taxes.

Mick Jagger

naTional Call CenTerfor HoMeless veTeransHoMeless veTeran in neeD of HelP?

Call 1.877.4aiD veT (1.877.424.3838)

The Department o Veterans Aairs

(VA) has ounded a National Call Center or

Homeless Veterans hotline to ensure that

homeless Veterans or Veterans at-risk or

homelessness have ree, 24/7 access to

trained counselors. The hotline is intended to

assist homeless Veterans and their amilies,

VA Medical Centers, ederal, state and localpartners, community agencies, service

providers and others in the community. To be

connected with a trained VA sta member call

1-877-4AID VET (877-424-3838).

Call for yourself or someone else

Free and condential

Trained VA counselors to assist

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

We have informat ion about VA hom eless

programs and mental health services in

your area that can help you.

wh hpp h i c?

You will be connected to a tra ined VA

sta member.

Hotline staff will conduct a brief screen to

assess your needs.

Homeless Veterans will be connected with

the Homeless Point o Contact at the nearest

VA acility.

Family members and non-VA providers call-

ing on behal o a homeless Veteran will

be provided with inormation regarding the

homeless programs and services available.

Contact informat ion will be reques ted so

sta may ollow-up.

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12

By roCHelle Hines Murray

eVans, ac P w

Former Cherokee Nation Chie

Wilma Mankiller, one o the na-

tions most visible American In-

dian leaders and one o the ew

women to lead a major tribe, died

Tuesday ater suering rom can-

cer and other health problems. She

was 64.

Mankiller, whose rst taste o

ederal policy toward Indians

came when her amily ended up

in a housing project ater a gov-

ernment relocation project, took

Indian issues to the White House

and met with three presidents. She

earned a reputation or acing con-fict head-on.

As the rst emale chie o the

Cherokees, rom 1985 to 1995,

Mankiller led the tribe in tripling

its enrollment, doubling employ-

ment and building new health cen-

ters and childrens programs.

We eel overwhelmed and lost

when we realize she has let us, but

we should refect on what legacy

she leaves us, current Cherokee

Chie Chad Smith said. We are

better people and a stronger tribal

nation because her example o

Cherokee leadership, statesman-

ship, humility, grace, determina-

tion and decisiveness.

Mankiller met snide remarks

about her surnamea Cherokee

military titlewith humor, o-

ten delivering a straight-aced,

Mankiller is actually a well-earned

nickname.

Continual struggles with her

health appeared not to deter her.

A 1979 car accident nearly claimed

her lie and resulted in 17 opera-

tions. She developed the muscular

disorder myasthenia gravis and

had a kidney transplant in 1990.

Mankiller used some hospital

stays to work on her autobiography

with Michael Wallis, which came

out in 1993. In Mankiller: A Chie

and Her People, she said she

wanted to be remembered not just

or being the tribes rst emale

chie but or emphasizing that

Cherokee values can help solve

contemporary problems.

Friends describe me as someone

who likes to dance along the edge

o the roo, she wrote. I try to en-

courage young women to be will-

ing to take risks, to stand up orthe things they believe in, and to

step up and accept the challenge

o serving in leadership roles.

Mankiller had also battled lym-

phoma, breast cancer and sev-

eral other health problems. Last

month, her husband, Charlie Soap,

said that she had stage 4 metastat-

ic pancreatic cancer.

Ater that, Mankiller said she was

mentally and spiritually prepared

or this journey.

I learned a long time ago that I

cant control the challenges the

creator sends my way, but I can

control the way I think about them

and deal with them, she said in a

statement released by the tribe last

month. On balance, I have been

blessed with an extraordinarily

rich and wonderul lie, lled with

incredible experiences.

We have lost an inspirational lead-

er and a great American, someone

who was truly a legend in her own

time, Gov. Brad Henry said. As a

leader and a person, Chie Wilma

Mankiller continually deed the

odds and overcame seemingly in-

surmountable obstacles to better

her tribe, her state and her nation.

Born at W.W. Hastings Indian

Hospital in Tahlequah, Mankiller

moved with her amily to San Fran-

cisco in the 1950s when their arm

ailed. The pledge o opportunity

turned out to be poverty in a hous-

ing project. She married and had

two daughters, Felicia and Gina.

In 1969, she got what she called an

enormous wake-up call and took

her rst step into Indian activism

by participating in the 19-month

occupation o Alcatraz Island.

Seventy-nine Native Americans took

over the site o the ormer ederal

prison to protest a policy that termi-nated the ederal governments rec-

ognition o tribal sovereignty and

the exclusion o Indians rom state

laws. The policy was based on the

belie that Native Americans would

be better o i they assimilated as

individuals into mainstream Amer-

ican society.

Mankiller moved back to her am-

ilys land in Oklahoma ater getting

divorced in 1975. A decade later, she

succeeded ormer Chie Ross Swim-

mer, who had tapped her as his run-

ning mate because o her business

savvy. During her re-election cam-

paign, she pledged to improve the

tribes economic interests.

As chie o the Tahlequah-based

tribe, Mankiller was less o an ac-

tivist and more o a pragmatist. She

was criticized or ocusing almost

exclusively on social programs, in-

stead o pushing or smoke shops

and high-stakes gaming. Mankill-

er decided not to seek re-election

in 1995, and accepted a teaching

position at Dartmouth College in

Hanover, N.H., where she held an

honorary degree.

Among her other honors wasa Presidential Medal o Freedom

the nations highest civilian award

presented in 1998.

Former Cherokee Nationchie Wilma Mankiller dies

tHe Strawberry Gazette

Pc cjc h h S-

Flg h Mbc s,

l a. th Mbc s

c chb cv h ab

F.

V Cp: Terence Lyons

Cb : Lauren Bon, Paul

Crowley, Janet Owen Driggs, Laura Sanderson

Healy, Chris Langley, Emily Meredith Lewis,

Ray Rodgers, Gabriella Salomon

gz M: Laura Sanderson Healy

Documents

Strawberry Gazette Issue 3