Howdy from a long lost Excel user

[Smitty]

Re: Hpwdy from a long lost Excel user

It is a shame when people refuse to stand up for their communities. Boulder Creek has some meth & white supremacist issues, but most people just turn their backs to it.

There are plenty of good people who grow weed up there - I met the owner of the local dispensary once, and he told me that he had 1,500 registered growers out of a town of 4,000. The real problem lies in the illegal grows out in the forest. I took a hunter safety class a few years back to be able to go dove hunting, and the last day of the class some guys with the Santa Clara Sheriff's department Narcotics Task Force showed up to let us know that if we were out hunting and stumbled across weed, to turn around immediately and go call the cops. Their primary point was that just because you have a rifle or shotgun, don't even begin to assume that you're more well armed than the illegal growers.

I'll tell you where I would never want to be: Watsonville/Salinas. They make Oakland's gang violence look benign.

 

[chuckchuckit]

Re: Hpwdy from a long lost Excel user

If that town ever got serious about finding their courage, perhaps this is where they could start. Driving in from the Southwest on Hwy 162 to Covelo there is a small plateau (with a parking area), a beautiful overlook of the town valley right before winding down into town. I remember my first time at that location, and how I dreamed about owning land in that remote quiet area, before I actually did. If the town is really bothered by the numerous tragedies there, they could put up a "Welcome Sign" at that location. As big as possible so no one could miss it. Maybe make it out of granite. "Welcome To Covelo - All it takes for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing." Below it they could put, "In remembrance of the lives lost from the effects of drugs in our community: --- " followed by the names of those who died there (and how they died) from the effects of a loose minded, anything goes, drug society. Deaths from murders over drugs, overdoses, suicides while on drugs, driving off cliffs while on drugs, innocent people killed involving drugs (such as: car wrecks from drugged drivers, deaths of medevac people during rescue attempts of those dying while on drugs, etc), etc. Not to mention all the destroyed families and those harmed still living. Then leave plenty of room at the bottom for adding more names that certainly will continue to occur. It also might be a way to have some meaning come from all those wasted and lost lives.

Those big pot grow operations would not exist if there wasn't a market for it. Growers there have known for some time that legalization of pot could hamper their profits from new unrestricted growing competition. They won't be out of business and then start selling oranges on the street corners. They will go to selling harder drugs, etc. For a while up there they were trying to promote: "The benefits of Meth." Everyone knows there aren't any. But they were trying to "lure" people into thinking so, to create a market for another source of income.

"Baits and lures" - the stealth specialty of the Adversary (the enemy of all mankind - who's goal is to destroy). And once hooked he "always" ups the ante - without exception. A worsening and nearly hopeless situation which requires courage and bold measures to reverse. Yet perhaps to no avail without God's help and guidance (the crafty Adversary has Millenniums of experience he applies once he has a foothold). But it is amazing to see how God handles even seemingly hopeless situations when "He" is the source of one's strength, to then go forward in faith with courage (without quiting). Then it is "His" supreme power that does it, as long as we are not "doing nothing." Being "Lukewarm" is repulsive to God, and it is also said - faith without works is dead.