Comment Archives: stories: News & Features
Re: “A Picture of Tragedy”
Striking the windshield with your head does not cause schizophrenia...The head usually acquires frontal lobe injuries with impact. Affecting the executive order..Not cognitive (memory) Rear of skull left and right sides, but executive order creating recognition of police, right from wrong, authority, nobodies vs. great people...All of it is the same with executive order frontal lobe head injuries...Just people not junkies and pastors or police and fireman just people....This may have happened to him...The long hair has me thinking another game of poison taking, M.D.M.A (molly) .....I'm sorry....And psychosis from "molly."
Re: “A Picture of Tragedy”
From NAMI's website:
In 1992, NAMI and Public Citizen’s Health Research Group released a report, entitled Criminalizing the Seriously Mentally Ill: The Abuse of Jails as Mental Hospitals, which revealed alarmingly high numbers of people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other severe mental illnesses incarcerated in jails across the country. A report issued by the United States Department of Justice in 1999 revealed that 16 percent of all inmates in state and federal jails and prisons have schizophrenia, manic depressive illness (bipolar disorder), major depression, or another severe mental illness. In the years following these reports, the situation has not improved. This means that on any given day, there are roughly 283,000 persons with severe mental illnesses incarcerated in federal and state jails and prisons. In contrast, there are approximately 70,000 persons with severe mental illnesses in public psychiatric hospitals, and 30 percent of them are forensic patients. NAMI’s position is for treatment, not punishment.
My thoughts and prayers are with all affected by this tragedy, including Mark, his family, friends, acquaintances and our whole community.
Re: “Radio Days”
Radio will be here forever, and it should have local stations. One should be able to choose what to listen to and what stations to support. Now that we have satallite radio, and cable, we need local stations more than ever..
Re: “Words from Around the Way”
I'm sure that "A short History of Sonoma" is a fine book and I intend to read it. It's unfortunate, however, that you have to unfairly run down the Arcadia book "Images of Sonoma Valley," which a. is not "passed off as" a history book, and b. is a book primarily of photographs, therefor could not possibly have anything in it about history earlier than that invention!
The authors of "Images...," Valerie Sherer Mathes, and the late Diane Smith, are and were both very serious historians of Sonoma Valley and have done us a great service by compiling a set of splendidly evocative photos of our past.
Re: “A Picture of Tragedy”
I am praying for the whole Herczog family. Houston should not be added to that statistic of 400,000 mentally ill in prison. In a hospital, Houston can teach doctors more about his disease so this doesn't happen to another family. I am holding the right thought that he will not be sentenced to prison. I am beyond sad for this whole family. Sending so much love to you all.
Re: “Words from Around the Way”
Thank you for doing this fine service for local authors twice a year. I am proud to be among the authors whose books you reviewed in this article. The attention you're bringing to local talent through this effort is invaluable.
Re: “A Picture of Tragedy”
Please, Sonoma, Marin and Napa counties - pray for us. Before this happened, we were like any other family. Too bad this reporter had to go into the horribly gruesome details of my brother's death. These are the things we've tried for 18 months to put out of our head. That's what has made this all such a tragic nightmare - and I mean nightmare - one that never seems to end. Mark was so beloved to us. If for a minute we believed that Houston was not mentally ill, we would quietly sit by and let justice take it's course. But this is not justice. Civilized societies treat their sick, they do not punish them. One thing Rachel didn't mention was that WE HAVE A COUSIN WHO WAS SCHIZOPHRENIC. You can read more about her, their family's story along with ours, and what's happening with the mentally ill in the country and in Sonoma County in the upcoming issue of Mother Jones Magazine, online on April 17th. Justice is supposed to be tempered with mercy. I hope we see some of it soon. Thank you all for your prayers for resolution and one day, healing.
Re: “No Laffing Matter”
Sounds like Marin County!
Re: “No Laffing Matter”
Similar story: Martin"s Beach, lower San Mateo County Coast. Nice Beach, no access.
Re: “Words from Around the Way”
What a splendid read! The Gift of Guylaine Claire is a real gift to the reader on many levels. It brilliantly tells a story that reaches the reader on a personal level while revealing some disturbing racial-social issues in Canada’s past, through the life of a slain sculptor. The reader comes to understand and admire the title character, Guylaine, through the perceptions others have of her and her sculpture. The story focuses a period of time, when her friends and family share their understandings of Guylaine through their personal grieving process. The story insightfully reveals the different ways individuals grieve the loss of a significant individual and yet, how the process is similar. Even while these characters grieve, there is such a feeling of deep connection and caring between them, as they go through the loss together, the reader desires to be part of that circle. Aesthetically, the descriptions of Guylaine’s sculptures are such a pleasure to read, one can easily visualize and experience these pieces. Through these descriptions, the reader gets to glimpse into the mind of a sculptor’s intention and way of perceiving reality. All together, The Gift of Guylaine Claire is an enticing read!
Re: “The Highwaymen”
Are you a poser?...
A Monte Sereno family located off of Hwy 9...They were my nearby neighbor friends and classmates. Albino John, his older sister, and mother Carolyn were part of my daily living (pt.1964- 1968 ) in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mtns...Also while riding school bus to and from Saratoga High School....And after school dating by freshman Greg and Carolyn's daughter occurred....John is albino....His father became a U.S. Army experiment test subject with "LSD," during approximately year 1948...
Carolyn Cassady reveals a side of Neal Cassady rarely seen-that of husband and father, a man who craved respectability, yet could not resist the thrills of a wilder and ultimately more destructive lifestyle. Posers for money?....Playing Hollywood? I hope not....David Cronenberg, I will try to view your reported new movie....
Re: “Words from Around the Way”
Not to be contentious BUT I think that you've dramatically shortchanged both the author and the book - respectively AV Walters and 'The Gift of Guylaine Claire'. With just 2 books under her belt to date, AV Walters has demonstrated her ability to tell great stories that introduce characters of great depth and full of real life. Her 2 published novels (just the beginning, I hope) are very enjoyable / memorable to read. One learns a great deal in the process ... certainly much more than the review above lightly intimates about French names (pretty silly). In this book the author demonstrates impressive research and knowledge of Quebecois society along with how family relations universally work. 'The Gift of Guylaine Claire' is may be full of French-named characters, centered around a slain sculptor, and set in Canada but it's clearly and genuinely a story of discovery: cultures, families, politics, love, religion and growth of the human spirit are explored. But above all, it is well written, multifaceted and a terrific read from a new and exciting author who happens to reside locally.
Re: “Voltage & Violets”
Thanks, Daniel - some archives had glitches in importing to new site. Fixed now.
Re: “Voltage & Violets”
Where's the rest of the article? Missing last 10 paragraphs, about 1/3 of the piece. Please add the rest, this article is important and still relevant. Thanks!
Re: “Lobbying is Great!”
thank you Gabe - that was one brilliant LTE
too brilliant for the PD to publish, alors merci le Bohemian!
because the truth, when finely expressed
cuts through the dust like an ice cold beer after driving the Mojave
BTW what happens when a brown noser tells a lie? Darius smiles!
Re: “Lobbying is Great!”
You thought they were done?
Well... Surprise! Thursday's paper has MORE!
The plot thickens:
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20130…
"Lobbiests are good - they do amazing things like keep professional basketball teams in Sacramento" truly amazzzzzzzz......... Yawn. P.O.S. reporting. Certainly not something that Kevin just decided to pick up on his own. Who could possibly be behind this junk? Who?
Re: “The Big Winners”
POINTS TO PONDER:
"To quite an extent, gambling is a tax on ignorance. I find it socially revolting when the government preys on the ignorance of its citizenry. When the government makes it easy for people to take their Social Security checks and pull [slot machine] handles, it relieves taxes on those who don't fall for it. It's not government at its best."
-- Warren Buffett
"No one in the history of mankind has ever developed or operated a casino out of a burning desire to improve the lot of humanity." -Chuck Gardner, Former Nevada Deputy Attorney General
Re: “The Big Winners”
Stop the Casino 101 Coalition plans to shut the casino down and keep it shut. Find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-the-Cas…
Re: “The Big Winners”
Neither Mr. Worthington nor Ms. Montgomery live near the casino any more than any resident of the Rohnert Park area does. Everyone in Rohnert Park is within about three miles of the casino.
The casino money to the county and cities is voodoo economics at its worst. It has been demonstrated that for every $46 in revenue given to a community by a casino, the actual costs to the community are about $248. This is for increased costs to the justice system, the social welfare system, lost productivity and more. Do the math to determine how much Sonoma County will lose from this casino.
Even financial wizards like Warren Buffet and Donald Trump know that gambling isn't good for the economy and they're on the record about it.
In California, by 2007, there were an estimated 1.2 million gambling addicts, "300,000, or about 30 percent, more than before voters approved Proposition 1A in 2000 to allow Las Vegas-class gambling on Indian lands in California, according to figures compiled over the past decade by the state attorney general’s office and the California Council on Problem Gambling." See "(Not so) Fun Gambling Facts at http://www.stopthecasino101.com/id116.html
Ignorance isn't bliss when it comes to casinos.
This Week's Issue
Re: “A Picture of Tragedy”
I'm rather disappointed by the way this article was presented. For the sake of this poor family, there was absolutely no need to be so graphic. You caused the family more pain (as I see from their post) and you've also contributed further to terrible stigmas and discrimination against mentally ill. That's exactly why the family couldn't get the help they needed- fear of the police hurting their son because it's obvious there's discrimination and lack of awareness regarding mentally ill people. The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill states that 1 in 4 people suffer from some sort of mentally illness during their lives. Statistical research also shows that only 4 percent of violent crimes are committed by people with mental illness - most of the time they hurt themselves instead and are vulnerable to being abused while in hospitals or during incarceration. Sadly, there are cases where some didn't get the help they needed and tragedy against others struck. It's clear you were trying to point out the issue about the fear of the police, which is very important, but please be mindful not to contribute to the problem by presenting such an unbalanced picture and focusing on violence. The entire community of people living with mental illness are afraid of the police, mental health system, justice system, and media because in today's political state it's feels like a witch hunt against them. What can we do to join together as a community to provide compassionate help for those who need it, prevent tragedies against themselves or potentially others, and change some of the areas of social bias and discrimination so people seek treatment and have a chance to live in harmony with others? All kinds of people hurt other people, and drugs and alcohol use are the highest link to violent crime. If our country just took a more proactive stance on treatment for drugs/alcohol and mental health, we would have a much happier society in general.