You would have to live in a cave with no radio, TV, internet or newspapers to be unaware of the energy crises and proposals for wind energy, alternate energy, etc. As I hear the urgent call to action in all of the political campaigns and news shows, I thought back to a unique man I met in the 70's. A Van Nuys CA doctor and inventor, Keith Kenyon.

He was an avid proponent of alternate energy and that was, um, at least thirty-seven years ago. Wow. Time flies! A good friend of mine introduced me to Kenyon and we had quite a long chat. At the time, Dr. Kenyon was on talk radio and was not at all shy about preaching the need for alternate energy. Was anyone listening?

Well, as I remember, he said PG&E was listening hard enough to be afraid of Kenyon, afraid of his supporters and afraid of what they stood for. ALTERNATE ENERGY. Kenyon's group set up a booth at an energy fair in Northern California. The banner read, "WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE PARTNERS WITH PG&E?" Their objective was to interest people in the need for wind farms to reduce the electrical drain on existing resources. As Kenyon told me, it didn't take very long for representatives of Pacific Gas & Electric to confront them, tear down the banner and literally destroy the booth.

He wrote a self-published book, and somewhere in all of my storage boxes I hope I still have it, although I know the cover got lost somewhere along the way. I would dearly love to find it, if it still exists. The contents scream 20/20 hindsight! It contained COPIES OF ACTUAL LETTERS from the Department of Energy and local agencies, complete with the government seals, vehemently fighting anything that had to do with alternate energy, even with reports and attachments confirming the urgent need to confront the problem. If I ever find it, I will scan some of those letters.

Kenyon, who some people called eccentric, had many inventions as did his friends and associates. I often wonder if we would be in the dire energy situation that exists, had anyone had actually listened, or tried to apply some of the patented devices and common sense. He certainly wasn't by himself. I'm sure counterparts existed all across the country. But the government shut them out, often labeling them "cranks."

On the writing front, I had lots of fun being part of the "A Slight Case of Murder" mystery writers' panel at the Buena Vista Branch of the Burbank Library in Burbank, CA last Saturday. I always look forward to those events. A big thank you to the library for hosting our Sisters in Crime members.

MORGAN
www.silversistersmysteries.com
www.morganstjames-author.com