Pot bangers make some noise in energy protest

Is the world going to pot?It is if you drive a gas-guzzling SUV in these days of $4-a-gallon gas, of if you're trying to figure out how to heat your home this winter when prices for a barrel of oil have doubled from where they were a year ago.As The Conway Daily Sun reported last Saturday, unlikely revolutionary Richard Jones of Bartlett is mad as heck about rising energy prices so mad that he asked people to join him in a weekly protest by stepping outside every Saturday evening at 7 and banging a pot, in hopes of eventually creating enough noise to get the attention of congressional leaders.The first "Bang a Pot for Energy Independence" protest was held Saturday, July 5. Jones said he was heartened by the response.I am greatly encouraged, said the former ski shop owner and frequent world traveler. "People mentioned it to me several times. The reaction has all been favorable with two exceptions. I am happy with that why wouldn't I be? I think it will all pick up in a matter of time. People who were in the valley for the Fourth of July will have seen it in last Saturday's paper, and they'll go home and tell their friends about it."Jones took out a full-page advertisement in the Sun July 4 and is taking out thank-you ads in Friday and Saturday's editions, he said.I want to thank everyone for their participation, said Jones.The Sun this week received a photo from Brett and Cindy Russell of Center Conway, showing a few local residents banging the pot for energy independence.It won't matter where you are at home, visiting friends or in a restaurant. Everyone has a pot and a spoon so let your message be heard! wrote the Russells. They also said they let their relatives in California know of the protest, and that they carried out a mini-protest there as a result. To those who think the pot banging is not a practical enough approach to solving the nation's energy dependence problem, Jones looked back to the lessons of history.I say to critics: Don't you think that when they threw tea over the side of the ship into Boston Harbor at the Boston Tea Party that people thought they were not too bright? That was the start of our revolution, of how we threw the yoke of England off our backs. This is our start of saying we're not going to take it anymore, said Jones.In time, he hopes his Bang a Pot for Energy Independence will spread throughout the country and maybe the world.People are scared, Jones said. "People are going to have to make eat or heat decisions this winter. This is my way of getting our leaders' attention. This is not a Democratic or Republican issue it's an American issue that is about our preserving our way of life.He is urging the federal government to offer a $100 million reward to the person who can invent a new and better automobile engine. I don't care who receives the $100 million prize, or what country they come from just do it, said Jones.Jones is asking all to write their congressmen and senators. In New Hampshire, those elected leaders are U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg (202) 224-3324; U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu (202) 224-2841; U.S. District 1 Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (202) 225-5456; and U.S. District 2 Rep. Paul Hodes (202) 225-5206.