Montebello E-News

 August 7, 2008

 All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835 – 1910,
better known by the pen name "Mark Twain", was an American humorist, satirist, lecturer and writer. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the "Great American Novel", and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is also known for his quotations. During his lifetime, Twain became a friend to presidents, artists, industrialists and European royalty.  

[Could one conclude from the above that too much schooling would not lead to success?]  

1.  The Dark Side of the Force?

2. Social-Impact Report, Part 7

3. Announcements

4. Fun Facts about the State of Washington

5. The Flashback Quarterback:  Let’s Play “Jeopardy”   

6. Be Aware and Share:  Does Mommy Need a Spanking?

7. About Montebello E-News and “My Montebello” 

The Dark Side of the Force?  

What really happened to John Kennedy, Jr., in 1999?  If we remember anything, we remember that his plane crashed in the ocean, killing him, his wife, and his wife’s sister.  

Serendipity.  A niece was at the office where I work, composing a PowerPoint about the late President’s son.  She came upon a video which surprised me:  a conspiracy to kill and cover up?  http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3179462717908405974  

The alleged evidence is interesting and can be quite persuasive to somebody like myself with no background in aviation and an insufficient education in the intrigues of governments.  One Web site has what amounts to fantastic claims:  

30-40 witnesses were thoroughly interviewed.

Ten individuals said they actually saw JFK Jr.‘s plane explode in mid-air.  

Two witnesses told the team they saw George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush at the Essex County, New Jersey airport with Israeli Mossad agent Michael Harari and another Mossad agent who were both seen standing next to JFK Jr.’s Cessna--all four were at the airport just two days before the doomed plane took off with JFK, Jr., his pregnant wife and her sister. 

Several witnesses testified they overheard the murder plot being discussed in the White House oval office.  

One ‘company’ (CIA) witness at the scene saw the bodies and the damaged plane and told the team a mid-air explosion caused the crash.  

Approximately 150 witnesses gave individual depositions and signed statements for the final report.  

Three flight instructors who worked with JFK Jr. testified he was an excellent pilot and had logged a huge number of flying hours since being licensed--he loved to fly and was that good.  

Delbert [a government agent] told us “At the end of July, 1999, during the final phase of our investigation, we talked to several individual sources in the White House who consented to be interviewed as witnesses.” …  

“Since concrete evidence of a plot involving three presidents and a current senator in the assassination of John F. Kennedy’s son--who the report said they perceived as a political threat and future rival--would not exactly inspire public confidence in the government, it’s probable that the American people will never see our final un-redacted report,” said Delbert, “unless there are grand jury murder indictments and a public trial.”  http://www.tomflocco.com/fs/PurgeTheEvil.htm. 

How could anyone verify or deny such claims?  And if they were verified, what could anyone do about them?  

If you answer the multiple-choice questions below and e-mail to lessonanswers@mymontebello.com with “Lesson answers” in the subject field, you will be credited toward a “certificate of recognition in community affairs” to be awarded in 2008 by a local nonprofit organization. 

 1. What happened to the son of assassinated President John F. Kennedy?

(a) The son, John Kennedy, Jr., died in an airplane accident.

(b) The plane which Kennedy was piloting exploded from a planted bomb. 

2. How does we verify or deny claims about an alleged assassination?

(a) We see to it that people outside of government have complete authority and the ability to investigate and publicize findings.

(b) We surf the Web and read all the “verify” Web sites and all the “deny” Web sites to see which side is persuasive.

 When most companies close the year, they assess their financial performance and thank their customers for sales. While we definitely succeeded on that dimension this year with over 1,000 retail locations across the United States and 300% sales growth, our far more important impact was increasing the quality of life for thousands of women and children across the globe – and we want to thank you for making that possible.  ...
Priya Haji, Co-founder and CEO
“World of Good” Social-Impact Report 2006, http://www.worldofgood.com/impact/index.shtml  

A “social-impact report”?  We have heard of “environmental-impact report”;  for example, one has to be filed with regard to the disposition of our Montebello Hills before a decision be made about the hills.  A social-impact report would talk about the probable and possible social consequences of a planned or existing activity.  

What consequences do you see from the following?  

From GamePolitics.com, www.gamepolitics.com/2008/06/16/army-recruitment-going-interactive

Brand Week reports that the US Army plans to wage a game-oriented attack on subpar recruiting efforts.  

In August the Army will unveil the first of a new wave of recruitment centers in which prospective soldiers will play America's Army and fly missions in Apache and Blackhawk helicopter sims.  

Apple's retail stores and venues like the ESPN Zone are said to be the inspirations behind the new approach. … 

Possible questions:

(1) would young, immature minds be too willing to kill in a combat zone?

(2) would young, immature minds transfer this willingness to civilian society?

(3) at which point do lessons in nonviolent problem-solving enter the picture?

(4) is it appropriate, more so because of the possible weighty consequences, for government to encourage young, immature minds into the military based on an appeal to their emotions?

FOR EVERYONE.  Meteors! http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/22jul_perseiddawn.htm.  

FOR EVERYONE.  Rip-Offs!  http://www.mymontebello.com/lists_tc_consumer_safety1.  

FOR EVERYONE.  The other side of the tracks.  Baldemar Velasquez, President of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC), ... issued a statement saying he is moving into a farm worker labor camp in the most difficult time of the year. North Carolina leads the nation in heat stroke deaths, many of the past cases happen in July and August. He said he felt compelled to experience what workers go through in what is considered the worse, the riskiest and the dirtiest of the jobs. You can follow Baldemar's experience by reading daily dispatches at the FLOC website, under the heading “Call to the Fields”. This will help many of us to better understand the daily lives of field workers. Visit the FLOC website http://www.floc.com/CallToTheFields.htm .  

FOR EVERYONE.  City-council meeting.  The next regular meeting of the Montebello city council will be in the council chamber at city hall on Wednesday, August 13, 2008, at 6:30 p.m.  If you wish to speak during orals, come before 6:30 p.m. and sign up.  If you have more to say than there is time allotted, prepare a one pager, make copies, and hand out before you speak.  For more information, 323.887.1363.  

The state of Washington is the only state to be named after a United States President.

Washington state produces more apples than any other state in the Union.

Washington state has more glaciers than the other forty-seven contiguous states combined.  [Why would this be so?  Are there not larger, colder states, like Montana?]

Everett is the site of the world’s largest building, Boeing’s final assembly plant.

Medina is the home of the United States’ wealthiest man, Microsoft’s Bill Gates.

King county, the largest county in Washington, was originally named after William R. King, Vice President under Franklin Pierce;  it was renamed in 1986, after civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  [This is interesting for two reasons:  (1) nothing lasts forever; (2) most people do not know and might not care for whom something is named.]

Before it became a state, the territory was called “Columbia”, for the Columbia River.  When Washington was granted statehood, the name was changed to Washington, supposedly so people would not confuse it with the District of Columbia.  [But there still is confusion with Washington, D.C., right?]

The highest point in Washington is Mount Rainier.  It was named after Peter Rainier, a British soldier who fought against the Americans in the Revolutionary War. [Was Rainer being honored by the naming?  If so, why?]

Washington is the birthplace of Jimi Hendrix, born in Seattle, and Bing Crosby, Tacoma.

Starbucks, the biggest coffee chain in the world, was founded in Seattle.

The first European record of a landing on the Washington coast was by Spanish Captain Don Bruno de Heceta in 1775, on board the Santiago, part of a two-ship flotilla.

The Lewis and Clark expedition entered the state on October 10, 1805.  [The Spanish preceded Lewis and Clark by about thirty years.]

The percentage of non-religious people in Washington is the highest of any state, and church membership is among the lowest of all states.  [Why?  And will this distinction continue because people of like mind, given a choice, would migrate to Washington?]

We have talked about the prudence of conserving on fossil fuels.  Here is another reason.  

NOVA joins four scientists in their global pursuit of clues to a massive volcanic eruption that appears to have had a devastating impact on the Earth 75,000 years ago. And if they're right, the ancient supervolcano—and others like it—may someday reawaken, with catastrophic consequences for our modern world.  Now, an array of clues—scattered ashes and ice cores, tiny ocean creatures and steaming lakeside rocks—are brought together to solve the "Mystery of the Megavolcano." ... Picture a worldwide fog of sulfuric acid droplets released high into the atmosphere, dimming the sun and plunging the Earth into a global "volcanic winter."  

The destructive power unleashed by supervolcanoes goes far beyond that of any eruption in recorded human history. ... In fact, the supervolcano with the world's largest magma chamber sits directly below Yellowstone National Park.  If it erupts, as it has twice in the ancient past, the magma would be enough to fill more than 200 Grand Canyons. ... Original PBS broadcast date:  September 26, 2006  

A “volcanic winter” would last longer than a season.  We would need fossil fuels to keep alive, not just to satisfy our whims and wishes.  Thus, maintaining a large oil reserve is wise, while adopting the following idea is dangerous.  

The president of the United States has the power to attack, and perhaps destroy, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, the illegal cartel that has driven the price of oil over $130 per barrel. This can be accomplished without invasion or bombing. No special legislation is needed. The president need simply allow the states to seek relief in the Supreme Court under our antitrust laws. ... “Sue OPEC”, by Thomas W. Evans, June 19, 2008, New York Times  

On the surface, this sounds like an excellent idea—better, in fact, than using the military.  But bringing down the price of oil would encourage us to slide back into our bad, wasteful habits.  For the same reason, offshore drilling would be a bad idea.  Does anybody think that a politician, once opening the spigot of more oil, would have the political will to turn the spigot off?  The result of cheaper oil would be less available oil to keep us going during a major climate change.

In mid-June, when passing by Washington Elementary School, I thrice noticed a mother—presumably a mother—sitting in her parked car and talking on her cell phone while the engine idled.  

There are good reasons, like the one above in “Flashback Quarterback” for us to cut back on our use of fossil fuels.  What will it take for us to do the right thing?

To learn about this newsletter, Montebello E-News, and the accompanying, growing Web site, “My Montebello”, visit www.mymontebello.com.  Also, you will find instructions and contact information for submitting announcements for publication in this newsletter, and for submitting stories to “Montebello Memories” at the Web site.