Taxing Big Oil Could Mean Big Money

By Don Geagan

Why doesn’t California have a oil extraction tax? As the third largest oil producer in the United States, California is the only state that does not have such a tax on big oil and natural gas. Many attempts have been made to bring about such a tax, but due to the deep pockets of Big Oil, they have been able to block or forestall all efforts to enact such a common sense tax.

In 2006, proponents of such a tax failed to get the ballot initiative Prop 87 passed. Reason being, they were outspent 2 to 1 by Big Oil, and the false argument – or big lie – that such a tax would be passed on to the consumer. The reason that this is less than true is that the price of oil is set by the international market, not the California market.

But big money and big lies often work, thus Proposition 87 was soundly defeated 54 to 45%.

In 2012, there were three competing ballot initiatives to tax Big Oil and gas. The problem with so many competing ballot initiatives is that they confused voters just enough so that none was able to get the 500,000+ signatures necessary to get on the ballot. This time Big oil didn’t have to spend a dime.

In spite of such setback, all is not lost. There is currently an effort by UC Berkeley students to get the California Modernization and Economic Development Act on the ballot in 2014. The Act would implement a 9.5% severance tax on oil and natural gas extracted in California, and expects to create between $2 billion and $2.5 billion in revenue. The new revenues will be dedicated to increasing funding for education, state parks and county governments.

If you think that this tax is too large, remember that the great state of Alaska put a 25% tax on each barrel of oil taken out of the frozen ground of that state. Texas, the birthplace of modern oil, charges a 9% tax on its oil producers.

Again, only California gives the People’s resources away for free.

Whether you think another ballot initiative is a good idea or, as others have suggested, such a tax would have an easier time making its way through the California legislature, this giveaway to Big Oil has to stop.

It’s time for Big Oil to shoulder its responsibility and pay its long overdue debt to the people of California. The only real way to do that is through the levying of an oil severance tax.

If you would like more information on the California Modernization and Economic Development Act go to: https://www.facebook.com/cmedact and donate or volunteer today.

Let the Sun Shine on World Peace and a Greener Tomorrow

By Don Geagan

Imagine a world where energy is clean and free. Where nations no longer have to encroach on, or fight over, their neighbor’s resources and where concerns over global warming are a thing of the past. Sounds like a fairytale or heaven on earth? Thanks to a major breakthrough in solar technology, that is what researchers at UCLA are apparently developing in our own back yard.

UCLA’s California Nanosystems Institute announced an organic polymer that can turn virtually any hard, flat surface into an electric power generator. The applications boggle the mind, and when fully developed, will transform the way that humanity develops and utilized electric power.

This “solar film” literally harvests light and turns it into electricity. It can be applied to the exteriors of buildings, and equally stunning, this polymer can be applied to the outside of cars and airplanes and may, very well, do way with the need to ‘fill up the tank’. Since this miraculous substance is also organic, it has the potential to mitigate, if not alleviate, global warming.

Along with the solar film, researchers have developed a new electrode, a metal, which appears to be transparent. Thus you have a new solar cell. But the truth is, the electrode is not actually transparent, it’s just that the silver nanowires are so small that they are imperceivable to the human eye. These nanowires are about one one-thousandth the width of a single strand of human hair.

This malleable and highly durable polymer utilizes the infrared part of the light spectrum.  Currently, isolating the infrared spectrum is a less-efficient way to make electricity, converting about 6% of the sun’s energy into electrical current. Researchers believe that by using the new technology they will double or even triple that conversion rate in 3 to 5 years.

When you consider that enough sunlight hits the Earth’s surface in one hour to power the entire world for a year, the potential of these new photovoltaic cells to generate clean and free energy is inexhaustible.

The Obama administration is currently pushing hard for more “Green technology”. It appears that this new solar film is the greenest of green technology.

As astounding as all these technological and energy breakthroughs sound, one must consider the rather positive international ramifications of such a new energy paradigm. Namely, the lessening of tensions and/or wars now fought over our planet’s very limited natural resources.

In other words, no more blood for oil. No more need for hundreds of American military bases all over the world in order to protect U.S. oil company’s pipelines and profits.

Could harnessing the true power of the sun actually bring about world peace?

It sure couldn’t hurt.

Venice Memorial to Japanese-Americans Incarcerated During World War II Moves Forward

By Don E. Geagan and Suzanne Thompson

In a time when we are consistently threaded by the loss of public space and facilities, such as the Venice Post Office, a very special building continues to serve the community. On Saturday, October 29^th, a place dedicated to the possibilities of language, housed in the Old Venice Town Hall, Beyond Baroque welcomed over a hundred mostly Japanese Americans in  support of the Venice Japanese American Memorial Marker VJAMM) to be placed on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Boulevards.

The highly successful event began on the back space patio with a VIP Sushi and Sake reception prepared by Sushi Girl, Nikki Gilbert, a member of the VJAMM Committee. The Manzanar Committee provided banners from the relocation camps: Manzanar, Tule Lake (CA), Poston (Arizona), Gila River (Arizona), Granada (Colorado), Heart Mountain (Wyoming), Minidoka (Idaho), Topaz (Utah), Rohwer (Arkansas), and Jerome (Arkansas) for display under the canopy. A very special performance was given by The Songbird of Manzanar, Mary Kageyama Nomura. She sang songs from the 1940’s which were also some of the songs she sang at Manzanar.  The Shoo Flies and the “Songbird of Venice” Suzy Williams also performed.

At 2pm when the reception guests joined others in the Beyond Baroque Theater to view the three short films there was standing room only. Welcoming by Beyond Baroque Executive Director, Richard Modiano was followed by Len Nguyen from LA City Councilman Bill Rosendahl’s office who presented Mary Kageyama Nomura with a certificate.  Filmmaker and VJAMM Committee Member Brian Maeda emceed the event. Phyllis Hayashibara, recently retired Venice High School History teacher and VJAMM member gave a PowerPoint brief history of the VJAMM Committee. “The Music Man of Manzanar”, the story of Lou Frizzell was followed by a question and answer period with the filmmaker Brian Maeda, who was born in Manzanar, his older brother Arnold Tadao Maeda, a VJAMM member who said “Instead of being worried about where we were going, I was obsessed with the fact that I had parted with my constant companion, my pet dog, Boy.  For a fifteen-year old that was kind of traumatic”. This statement by Arnold will be inscribed on the memorial marker along with a quote from his brother Brian and VJAMM Committee member and former internee Mae Kageyama Kakehashi and Amy Takahashi Ioki. To view their quotes visit: www.venicejamm.org  or http://www.facebook.com/VeniceJAMM .

Guests viewed the silent auction items, which included art work solicited by artist and VJAMM Committee Member Emily Winters of the Venice Arts Council. The artwork donated by local artists included painted images of Manzanar, hand blown sake glasses, restaurant gift cards, books and other items.

A model of the memorial marker designed by Emily Winters and the VJAMM Committee members, constructed by Kay Browne was on display for all to see. The text for the memorial marker was written and agreed upon by VJAMM Committee members. The text can be found at http://www.venicejamm.org/progress.html.

Raffle prizes were given out between film screenings. The second film screened was “Stand Up for Justice” the Ralph Lazo Story, by filmmaker John Esaki. Educational packets where distributed free to teacher in the audience.  The event ended with the screening of an Academy Award for Short Documentary “Days of Waiting” the story of Estelle Ishigo by filmmaker Steven Okazaki.

The event was organized by members of VJAMM Committee: Don Geagan, Free Venice Beachhead, Nikki Gilbert, Venice High School Alumni Association, Phyllis Hayashibara, Venice High School, Mae Kakehasi, former Manzanar internee, Arnold Maeda, former Manzanar internee, Brian Maeda, Manzanar Pilgrimage Committee, Jim Smith, Free Venice Beachhead, Alice Stek, Venice Peace and Freedom Party, Suzanne Thompson, Venice Arts Council, Yosh Tomita, former Manzanar internee and Emily Winters, Venice Arts Council.  Beyond Baroque’s Jim Fleck worked very hard setting up, providing sound and lighting which furthered the success of the event.

Sponsoring organizations who helped make the event possible were Beyond Baroque, Free Venice Beachhead, King Fahad Mosque, Voice of the Canals and many volunteers.

“After 9-11, the Japanese American community reached out to Muslim Americans to left us know that their organizations would mobilize against any government effort to identify, detain, or exclude Muslim Americans based on religion or ethnicity.  We will always be grateful for that support, and wish the Venice Japanese American Memorial Marker Committee success in building a reminder of our Constitutional rights”. –King Fahad Mosque

Other contributors included Whole Foods Market, Feast of the East, Sakura’s Gourmet Pastries, Hama Sushi, Kifune, 26 Beach and many other silent auction and raffle prizes.

The event was not only a financial success by raising over $10,000, and packing the house,  it showed cooperation between cultures and support from business, religious and non-profit institutions and individuals.  That spirit of cooperation builds community.

VJAMM has raised over $20,000 toward their $25,000 goal. The memorial marker is scheduled to be installed in April of 2012, the 70^th Anniversary of the forced removal and imprisonment of over 1,000 Japanese Americans from Malibu, Santa Monica and Venice from this location to Manzanar, an American concentration camp in the Sierra Nevada mountains .

As stated on the memorial, “May this Venice Japanese Memorial Marker remind us to be forever vigilant about defending  our Constitutional rights, so that the powers of government shall never again perpetrate an injustice against any group based solely on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, race, or religion.”

For more information on how you can help build, install, maintain and utilize the memorial marker as an educational tool, visit the VJAMM website www.venicejamm.org or on Facebook.