BHS vs. Centennial 9/21/07

Centennial vs. Reedley 9/28/07

Highland vs. Golden Valley 9/28/07

East vs. Foothill 9/28/07

Garces vs. BHS 9/28/07

Liberty vs. Stockdale 9/28/07

Golden Sunsets in Paradise

This was taken on our Honeymoon in Waikiki, Hawaii 6-2007

Sunset on Monument Valley, Utah

Our vacation day ended perfectly with this sunset.

Sunset over Waikiki Black and white

This was taken on my Honeymoon with my new bride, Elizabeth Holloway June 2007

Utilizing Recent Irrigation Research Requires Measuring Plant Water Status with a Pressure Chamber

The pressure chamber, also known as the pressure bomb, is a device equipped with a small gas cylinder, high pressure gauge, and a thick-walled metal chamber with a top in which a plant leaf petiole can be sealed. The amount of pressure that is required to force water from the cut base of a pressurized leaf or petiole provides an estimate of the water status of the plant.

Over the past two decades much of the irrigation research conducted on perennial fruit and nut crops in California, and much of the world, has used pressure chamber measurements of plant water status as the key indicator of the degree of water stress experienced by a tree. Some of this research has focused on improving or maintaining crop yields and/or quality by reducing irrigation during certain crop developmental periods. Saving water and improving fruit and nut quality by reducing irrigation in this manner is referred to as ‘regulated deficit irrigation.’ Researchers use specific plant water potential measurements, usually measured in ‘bars’ of pressure in the U.S.A., as triggers for beginning or ending periods of deficit irrigation.

Many growers continue to estimate crop irrigation needs by measuring water depletion in the soil adjacent to the plant, or by measuring weather variables that estimate crop evapotranspiration requirements. While these methods can provide excellent results, they do not measure the water status of the plant as directly and immediately as the pressure chamber does. Soils vary considerably in ability to provide water to the tree, and similar levels of soil water depletion do not usually result in the same degree of stress to the tree.

For growers to fully realize the benefits in water saving and fruit and nut quality that irrigation research tied to crop water status appear to promise, purchasing a pressure bomb and developing experience with it is required. Growers, understandably, have been reluctant to use pressure chambers. The pressure chamber is relatively expensive compared to the cost of tensiometers, for example (however, not so in comparison to possible water savings and improvement in crop yield possible with regulated deficit irrigation). The pressure chamber requires training for proper operation and some experience in its use for those that will interpret the results from the field. The pressure chamber, also, is not a stand alone instrument. The grower will still have to measure soil water depletion in order to schedule the amount of water necessary to refill and/or leach the plant root zone.

The time has come for more growers to begin applying and fine tuning the impressive store of new information that agricultural researchers have been developing related to plant water stress and regulated deficit irrigation in many fruit and nut crops. A pressure chamber will be required to do that effectively.

Friends in war

The two letters at left are from 1st Lt. Ivan Osborne and Senior Chief Petty Officer John Kolstad, friends from Bakersfield.

Osborne died in action on Majuro Atoll in December 1943, nearly two years after this letter was sent home.

According to an account in the April 27, 1944, edition of The Californian, Osborne was killed trying to save another flier. Osborne dropped out of formation to protect his flight leader during a strike in the Marshall Islands in the western Pacific.

Kolstad’s letter was sent to Osborne’s sister after he’d heard the news of his friend’s disappearance.

They had been close friends, and Osborne had dated Kolstad’s younger sister, Betty.
“When we were kids, we would go to the river and on picnics,” Kolstad said.

The letters were submitted by Osborne’s niece, Kathy Redfeairn of Bakersfield.

******************************************************

Feb. 28, 1942

Dear Daddy and Mamma,

We just returned from the show. We saw Gloria Jean in “Get Hep to Love.” It was quite enjoyable. They had a good Pluto Pup comedy to start it with.

Last evening they gave a dance here on the post. After the dance, we returned to the barracks. We harmonized for a while (not so hot) then Cypress recited poetry until about midnight. We heard the “Highway Man” and “The Raven” among others. It was all fine until I had to drag myself out of bed at 5:30 this a.m.

Tomorrow is pay day. You say I have 120 in the bank. That is enough.

You never have said anything about Lynn’s car. This is short but really I haven’t anything to say.

I remain your affectionate son Ivan

******************************************************

No date

Dear Rita —

I just received a letter telling me about Ivan; it was from my mother and she just said he was missing and that’s about all. I was so shocked and felt so damn funny inside. Please write and give me a few more details. I pray every night that he’s safe and I feel that we will be able to go hunting once again together.

Please give my love to your mother and father and say hello to Jean and the rest of the family.

Please write soon.

“One of the family”
John

******************************************************

Sailor cut details from servicemen’s letters

Bakersfield veteran John Kolstad was privy to soldiers’ letters during World War II even before their loved ones got to read them.

And, armed with a razor blade, he would cut out information that could be valuable to the enemy.

“The kid would say, ‘Here I am on this little island on this sunny day,’ and ‘sunny day’ would be cut out,” said Kolstad, a former senior chief petty officer in the Navy.

Awaiting his next assignment, Kolstad spent a couple of weeks in the beginning of 1945 at Pearl Harbor censoring war letters.

Servicemen and women would write home using V-mail — “V” for “victory” — which was on a special paper that the military would put on microfilm and then print later, said Kolstad, 86. This saved on shipping.

About 20 men would sit around a large table and the mailman would come in and dump thousands of letters in front of them from the South Pacific, he said.

Places, dates, names of ships, military actions, the weather — all of this would be removed out of fear of tipping off the enemy. Soldiers were warned upfront not to write about these, but not all followed orders, he said.

Sometimes, so much was cut out that the letter would be left in shreds, Kolstad said.
Other times, they would come across letters that, while not cause for censorship, were nonetheless interesting.

“Some of it was pretty raunchy,” he said with a laugh. “So everybody would pass it around, and we all would read it.”

Responses to “Dear John letters” contesting a breakup were also common, he said.

The government doesn’t censor soldiers’ mail anymore. “Now you can turn the television on and tell where they are at any time,” he said.

Regardless of enemy, man knew the truth

Ernest C. Mooney was in the Army and served in the South Pacific, including in the Philippines and New Guinea. He died in 1988 in the San Joaquin Valley.

The letter was addressed to his mother, Mrs. Ollie Mooney, and submitted by his nephew, Dave Brown of Bakersfield.

****************************************************
Philippine Islands
March 17, 1945

Hello Mom,

Will drop you a few lines tonight while I am sitting around. Sorry I haven’t written sooner but it sure is a pain in the neck for me to write because nothing ever happens around here anymore.

... I just got a letter from Corah, the first one in about three months. She sure doesn’t write very often.

... Tell Bobby that those Jap kids are good Americans or they wouldn’t be turned loose. Tell him that some of those kids have brothers in the U.S. Army, just same as he has, so if he don’t play with those kids, he’s not being a very good sport, and those merchants that won’t sell to those Japs aren’t so hot either. I wouldn’t trade with one of them if I had to drive forty miles to another store. How long do you think I would stay over here if people were pushing you folks around like some of them are doing those Japs? I would tell them to go to hell with their army and I would go home and start pushing somebody around myself, and that is the way some of these Jap boys that’s in our Army over here are going to feel if people don’t quit pushing their folks around.

I got that box with shaving soap and tooth powder in it. I smoked that jumbo cigar Bobby sent me last night and a couple pictures snapped while I was smoking it so I’ll send him one when I get them developed.

Love to all, Ernest

Soldier paid ultimate price for country that interned his family

Pfc. Torao Hayashi, uncle of Bakersfield resident Sandy (Hayashi) Minner, fought in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team of the United States Army, a unit composed of mostly Japanese-Americans who fought in Europe during World War II.

Hayashi was killed on Oct. 28, 1944, during the fight to liberate a region in southern France. The 442nd suffered more than 800 casualties, nearly half its force, rescuing 211 members of the “Lost Battalion” in Biffontaine.

“What the 442nd did was instrumental in causing social change,” Minner wrote in an e-mail to The Californian. “After the war, the law that prevented Japanese immigrants, like my grandparents, from becoming U.S. citizens was eliminated. The California law that prevented them from owning land was also eliminated. We owe all veterans from WWII a lot, but people of color owe the 442nd even more. The 442nd paid in blood for the freedom we now take for granted.”

Minner, who sent three letters, went on to write:

“In the last letter, he mentions a family photo taken during his last furlough before shipping out, and how he hadn’t received it. He was killed four days later. ... We assume he never saw the photograph.

“It is ironic that the letter from the War Department informing my grandmother of her son’s death was sent first to their old address (near Sacramento). It was then forwarded to the family in the Poston, Ariz., internment camp. You’d think the War Department would be able find out where the family had been interned.”

****************************************************************

Dear Sis,

Sure was glad when I received your V-mail, and am happy to hear everyone is fine. As for me I’m swell and still kicking. Yes, since joining the unit, I met all the boys that I knew back in the States. In your letter you say that you mailed the family picture to my old address. Well, in that case, it will be quite some time before I’ll get it, but I’ll let you know when I get it. I heard from Roy a few days ago and he said he’s not going to school, so I take it he didn’t pass the grade. I also heard from Arlene. She said something about (unreadable) in the hospital recently. Hope it’s not serious. Well, that’s all for this time.

Till again,
Torao

****************************************************************

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WAR
RELOCATION AUTHORITY
Dec. 19, 1944

Mr. and Mrs. Ichimatsu Hayashi
Poston, Arizona

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Hayashi:

Three years of war have brought heartache to many in our population. While there is little I can say today that will assuage your overwhelming grief, in the months to come you may think back upon my message with some small comfort. For I am proud of your son; proud that he was an American who had the strength and courage to fight for his country in her great crisis; proud that he was willing to give his blood as his last great measure of devotion. I congratulate you as parents who instilled these manly qualities in your son and prepared him to meet the greatest test of our time.

In a special sense, your son fought to win the war against two foes, the enemies of democracy abroad, and the enemies of democracy at home who use race and ancestry to confuse and defeat the real meaning of America. It is my sorrow that he could not have lived to see his bravery, his sacrifice and his suffering bear fruit in a better world for all peoples.

Sincerely,
D.S. Myer
Director

Letters from World War II are funny, touching, sad

As a history junkie, I was excited to learn that Ken Burns, the filmmaker who brought the past to life in his classic documentary “The Civil War,” was planning a similar project on World War II.

I knew we would publish a piece alerting our readers to the program, which started Sept. 23 on PBS. But what about the men with Kern County ties who fought so far from home? Their experiences needed to be shared, but how? I’ve been doing this job long enough to know that the most powerful way to tell those stories is through their words, not ours.

That’s how “Letters Home” was born.

Every Sunday through Veterans Day, Nov. 11, our readers will share letters they or a loved one wrote during World War II.

These letters and excerpts are history, in all its rough-cut glory. It’s all here: the love letters, the terror, the boredom, the constant hunger. You’ll meet the hysterical Roles brothers, one of whom, in response to his sister’s offer to send him something from home, asked her to send him a blonde. “I will settle for a brunette if blondes are being rationed.”

And today you’ll read a letter from Torao Hayashi, written days before he was killed in action in France as part of a unit of Japanese-American soldiers trying to rescue the “Lost Battalion” in 1944. The letter was sent to the Arizona internment camp where his family was being held while he was dying for his country.

— Jennifer Self, Lifestyles Editor, The Bakersfield Californian

Help Kern County's Companion Animals

I recently had the misfortune of owning four bald tires. Procrastination is one of my most serious foibles so when I finally decided to replace my tires, time was of the essence! I hurried to the nearest tire shop, Oildale Tires, and began my search for the right replacements.

When I entered the customer service office I was affectionately greeted by the Store Manager, Boomer. He is very handsome with dark features and a rich, deep voice. I was very impressed to learn that he has only been on the job for approximately 10 months. This is quite an accomplishment for a young cat!

Less than one year ago Boomer was a homeless kitten. We will never know for sure, but he was most likely born to a feral mother who suddenly disappeared and left him all alone. He was found cold, wet, and very hungry. He was adopted by the owner of Oildale Tires who dried his wet coat, filled his tummy, and gave him a warm, safe place to sleep. Later he was neutered and returned to the shop to become the Store Manager. Today he is a strapping 15 pounds with gorgeous gold eyes and a friendly personality.

Boomer's story has a happy ending. He is one of the very few lucky enough to be found by a caring individual willing to care for him and provide a permanent, loving home (as well as a full time job!). Most stray cats in our community don't survive.

Each year almost 20,000 dogs and cats are euthanized at Kern County Animal Shelters. It is hard to believe that in six years, one unaltered female dog or cat and her offspring can theoretically produce another 67,000 animals. Not a day goes by that I do not see unaltered dogs or cats running loose without collars or ID. The fault doesn't lie solely with the shelter system, but rather with the members of our community , including our local government officials who refuse to enact legislation that would help curb the number of homeless animals being born.

Many in our community think of companion animals as mere possessions; to be thrown away when they tire of them. There simply are not enough homes to place all the unwanted pets in this community. Altering cats and dogs is high on the list of ways to help solve our overwhelming pet population dilemma.

Some in our community either don't understand the importance of spaying and neutering or simply cannot afford the procedures.

Recently there has been much talk and media attention devoted to this problem. Last year two free spay/neuter events for low income families were co-sponsored by ALPHA Canine Sanctuary. The response to these events was unbelievable and more than 200 dogs were altered during the two clinics. ALPHA Canine Sanctuary and The Cat People are two local organizations devoted to helping the population of homeless pets and actively support spay and neuter programs. Each organization raises funds day in and day out to help low income families and senior citizens with the costs associated with the expensive surgeries.

On Friday, Oct. 5 and Saturday, Oct. 6, there will be a "DOG GONE PURRFECT RUMMAGE SALE" to raise funds for ALPHA Canine and The Cat People's spay/neuter programs. This event, sponsored by Reliable Moving Company and Source One Interlink, will be held at 3101 Gilmore Avenue (the old Costco building). Over 200 pieces of furniture, appliances, and exercise equipment are for sale as well as hundreds of other items including clothing, sport equipment, kitchen accessories, tools, and hardware. There is definitely something for everyone. On Friday, a $5 fee will allow early birds to come in from 7 a.m. until 8 a.m., at which time the doors will open to the public.

If you want to help with the pet overpopulation problem, but don't know how, please come to this event. More than 40 volunteers have donated their time and energy to help raise funds for these organization's spay/neuter programs and every dime collected will be divided equally between ALPHA Canine Sanctuary and The Cat People.

In honor of Boomer and on behalf of all the unwanted and abandoned pets in our community, please help.

Dona Shilling is a volunteer for Alpha Canine and The Cat People.

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