West Coast Observer: California’s Water Problem

By William Silveira

A friend on the East Coast recently sent me a link to the New York Times article “The Central California Town That Keeps Sinking” [by Lois Henry, May 25]. Its opening sounds a siren:

CORCORAN, Calif. — In California’s San Joaquin Valley, the farming town of Corcoran has a multimillion-dollar problem. It is almost impossible to see, yet so vast it takes NASA scientists using satellite technology to fully grasp.
    Corcoran is sinking.

[You can read the whole article here, after I provide a context for you.]

Acting Citizen: What about those who know better?

By James Knudsen

While much of the nation was breathing a sigh of relief on January 20, 2021, I was enduring self-inflicted turmoil from the Facebook universe. In fairness, I fired the first shot. Immediately after Joe Biden took the oath of office, I sent a two-word statement via Facebook Messenger. The message was, “It’s OVER.” The recipient was a former classmate who has persisted with his belief in “The Big Lie.” Make no mistake, he’s through the looking glass. Up is down, down is up, Biden lost, Trump won, IN A LANDSLIDE!!!

West Coast Observer: Del Bosque Farms and Water

By William Silveira

After the publication of my observation (“American Hypocrisy”) on Alfredo Corchado’s article in the New York Times, “A Former Farm Worker on American Hypocrisy,” I decided to do some research on Del Bosque Farms, and I found a very interesting post regarding that company on a website sponsored by the American Farmlands Trust, an organization in the United States that works to protect and conserve farmland.

West Coast Observer: A slap against Devin Nunes

By William Silveira

The title of a March 14 article in the Washington Post asks its readers to “Raise your hand if you have not been sued by Devin Nunes,” implying, of course, that Congressman Nunes has sued a lot of people. Columnist Dana Milbank states that “The top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee has, aided by a lawyer with a colorful past and a flair for invective, sued just about everybody who criticizes him.” Everybody who criticizes him. Well, that includes me, and he hasn’t sued me yet, so I guess I need to raise my hand. Or, maybe I’m next.

West Coast Observer: Never enough!

When it comes to water

By William Silveira

The public here in California and in the rest of the country are continually bombarded with claims that not enough water is available to irrigate farms in California’s Central Valley. Among the loudest of theses voices is that of the Westlands Water District, which contracts with the federal government and the State of California for water for farms in that district.

Correspondence: Trumperspectives

From “8 Common Thinking Mistakes Our
Brains Make Every Day and How to
Prevent Them” [Buffer Social]

Edited by Moristotle

[Items of correspondence are not attributed; they remain anonymous. They have been chosen for their inherent interest as journalism, story, or provocative opinion, which may or may not be shared by the editor or other members of the staff of Moristotle & Co.]

West Coast Observer: Honoré de Balzac’s Unknown Masterpiece

The President and our Congressman

By William Silveira

Before his self-recusal from the Russian/Trump Campaign investigation, our California (22nd) District’s Congressman, Devin Nunes, head of the House Intelligence Committee, made a surreptitious trip to the White House (no doubt at the bidding of the President) to collect information on what he and the President seemed to think was the burning issue before the Committee – information leaks. He did this without informing members of his own Committee. When what was obvious all along became blindingly obvious (that Nunes could not impartially lead an investigation into the issue of Russian [read Putin] meddling in the 2016 presidential election on behalf of the Trump Campaign Committee), Nunes recused himself from the investigation.

When Ruben & Juan are deported...

...economic & human misery follow

By Shirley Skufca Hickman

Lured by the offer of a good job and a better life, Ruben entered California from Mexico illegally to work as a farm laborer. He lived here for many years, married an American citizen, and they had a son. Eager to get a green card, he collected documentation showing he was a reliable and steady employee, had paid taxes, and had no police record. His son’s pediatrician even provided a letter describing what a good father he was.

West Coast Observer: The Republican House Intelligence Committee

An oxymoron

By William Silveira

The West Coast, but more specifically Tulare County, where I live, has been thrown into the national spotlight by the actions of our Congressman, Devin Nunes, the head of the House Intelligence Committee, which is supposed to be looking into ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.