Commentary and Opinion by Samuel Strait – April 20, 2023 Clearly, the usual suspects continue to try and inject life into what should be dead on arrival, that is the pathetic attempt to make the Sister City elbow rub far more than it can ever be. Mouthpiece Bill Stevens, of the Kamome Foundation gathered the irrelevant tatters of the pointless insistence on something beneficial, other than free trips to Japan and more expense to the tax payer. I believe both the City and the County have spaces in their budgets delegated to perpetuating this silly agreement as "beneficial" to all in the County. The latest grift is that it is somehow going to resonate with 8, 9, and 10 year olds into how to prepare for an emergency situation by having gaily decorated "pillow cases" full of essentials to combat an "emergency" situation that they will have long forgotten about before anything that resembles emergency in their lives that they will be able to respond to. But, hey, another half day away from something serious, like getting an actual education for 3rd through 5th graders, Superintendent Harris should be proud. I'm quite sure 750 pillow cases and their "emergency" contents, plus decorations and transportation were all "free" to those in attendance. Clearly the lesson for the day at school must have been far less exciting than a "field trip" to Beach Front Park. Perhaps a short "history" lesson about the year long voyage of the Kamome and the cost to ship it back to Japan would be in order. Maybe even a lesson in economics as to what not to do if you are ever elected into public office. I am quite sure that making an origami crane will be the hit of the party when faced with an emergency. Then there is the wonderful unveiling of Crescent City's $200,000 plus bit of pottery that was mounted in the park, alongside several of the current "white elephants" with more to come. Another of the current City Council's terrific ideas that generate no income and will be sending the City a substantially increased maintenance invoice from now on. Right up there with the decision to spend millions of grant dollars for the City's version of "Grand Central Park". Wondering just who is going to foot the bill for this latest extravaganza? Can't leave the County out of this exercise in futility as Supervisor Howard and Starkey were front and center alongside Blake Inscore and our feckless and voiceless Mayor Greenough standing in the background as usual. Oops, change of the guard to the equally voiceless and feckless Isaiah Wright, the current Mayor. Wondering how the City's residents manage to elect such a malingering cancer as those currently serving on the council? So the City and the County put on a "show" for visitors from Japan with the advertised intention of returning the favor this June. Just another government boondoggle to benefit the "usual suspects. I would imagine that there aren't too many of the local "Walmart" shoppers that are going to get in on this charade. Maybe Supervisor Starkey and Kelly Schellong, as they were late to the original party. Japan in the Spring, cherry blossoms included. How rich! it never fails to amuse at the strident and over the top rhetoric that is used to justify this continuous train wreck to inoculate the "adults" in the room muscling in on what was originally a young adult adventure. Shows what megalomania will do to even local politicians when there is something in the offing. After all why pass up on the benies when the ocean tosses it up on your door step.