A Pumpkin Without A Country

I asked him for his I.D., he had the gourd to say that he wasn't from here.  Said his name was Jack and he was just looking for some of his old Ewok friends from around here.

Cheap Halloween Costume

Times as they are demand cost savings. Here are a couple of ideas for a cheap and fun Halloween.

I saw this moss growing from the trees in my yard. I could make a ZZ Top beard or if I were bald, I could put it on the top of my head and go as Donald Trump. The accessories with Trump can get expensive though. With enough of this all over you, you could be the swamp monster.

There is however, an obvious costume this Halloween. I call it the H1N1 respirator.

Happy Halloween!

Gateway to Trinidad Taking Shape.

Several Gateways are in the planning stages for the California Coastal National Monument




CCNM Manager Rick Hanks noted that the BLM is moving into the third year of implementing the Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the California Coastal National Monument. The plan established a preservation framework to protect the geologic formations and the habitat they provide for biota.
The monument corridor is 14,600 square nautical miles containing more than 20,000 rocks and small islands totaling about 1,000 acres of land area. Partnerships are the keys to management, with local gateways providing for local community involvement in management.
Three broad implementation priorities are protecting the resources, inventorying the resources and building partnerships, including gateways.
There are 12 identified gateways along the coast. These are areas where the public can learn more about the monument and specific parts of the coast and their communities. BLM is focusing now on building the Palos Verdes, Piedras Blancas, Trinidad, Pigeon Point, and Point Arena gateways.


Trinidad was first and is the most actively functioning gateway group.

The Chevron station in Trinidad removed their tall freeway sign today.  This evening, the new, much shorter sign in the picture above is in it's place.  The prices came down but stayed the same.  Well at least they were lower.  The less imposing sign is part of the Gateway project.

Eureka City Council to Certify Marina Center EIR Tonight

The Final Environmental Impact Report on the proposed partial cleanup and development of the Balloon Tract known as the Marina Center is the only thing on the agenda at tonights meeting.  The Eureka City Council is expected to certify the report on a 3 to 2 vote, with Larry Glass and Linda Atkins expected to vote no.
The meeting is at the Eureka City Hall at 531 K Street, 6 pm. and will be broadcast live on Access Humboldt Cable Channel 12.
Live Now On Access Humboldt!

The Makings of a Police State-Part III, By Sibel Edmonds

From her blog at http://123realchange.blogspot.com/

"From the 143,074 NSLs requested, there was only 1 confirmed terrorism-related conviction."

Here are a few highlights on National Security Letters (NSL):

A National Security Letter (NSL) is a letter request for information from a third party that is issued by the FBI or by other government agencies with authority to conduct national security investigations. Government agency issues the request for information without prior judicial approval. Obtaining NSL requires no probable cause or judicial oversight. They also contain a gag order preventing the recipient of the letter from disclosing that the letter was ever issued. The non-disclosure rules have helped prevent the full extent of the NSL program from becoming known, as the FBI has systematically underreported to Congress the number of letters sent. Unlike other subpoenas and warrants, no approval from the Judicial Branch is required to issue an NSL. An NSL may be issued by "the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or his designee in a position not lower than Deputy Assistant Director at Bureau headquarters or a Special Agent in Charge in a Bureau field office designated by the Director” with no checks and balances in place until after the NSL has been delivered.

An internal FBI audit found that the bureau violated the rules more than 1000 times in an audit of 10% of its national investigations between 2002 and 2007. According to the September 9, 2007 New York Times report on the FBI's use of NSLs to obtain broader information for data mining purposes, "In many cases, the target of a national security letter whose records are being sought is not necessarily the actual subject of a terrorism investigation and may not be suspected at all. Under the USA PATRIOT Act, the F.B.I. must assert only that the records gathered through the letter are considered relevant to a terrorism investigation." (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/washington/09fbi.html?_r=1 )

In April, 2008, the American Civil Liberties Union alleged that the military was using the FBI to skirt legal restrictions on domestic surveillance to obtain private records of Americans' Internet service providers, financial institutions and telephone companies. The ACLU based its allegation on a review of more than 1,000 documents turned over to it by the Defense Department in response to a suit the rights group filed in 2007 for documents related to national security letters.

Photo from http://www.bradblog.com/

Power Outage South of Trinidad Tonight

From Mccanahas Creek just south of Trinidad to Crannel Road.  Power went out around 5:40 pm. 
All of Westhaven is dark.  Trinidad has power.
The blinkers on the power line are flashing just above Mccanahas creek on Westhaven Dr. North.
I don't have a reason yet.  Posting this in the dark.

Update: PG&E aware of outage.  Will have power back by 9:15 pm. or update message again at that time.

CA Medical Board Revokes the license of Dr. Hany Assad (effective November 23, 2009)

Bill Holmes brought this to my attention.  This is from Compassionate Coalition.
Involves Local doctor from Arcata and Ukiah.

As of November 23, 2009, at 5 p.m., Dr. Assad will no longer be a licensed physician.


You can search for the PDF decision on the California Medical Board's website via the "Enforcement Public Documents Search"
I've posted the PDF at medpotcrisis.com, and you can read the PDF on the page:

CA Medical Board Revokes the license of Dr. Hany Assad - medpotcrisis.com/hanyassad.html

or download the PDF directly from:

http://medpotcrisis.com/2009.10.23-HanyAssad-DecisionRevoked.pdf

of particular note, the Medical Board said:

"Respondent reached the conclusion that marijuana would be an effective mediation for SW [patient] without following the well-settled standards for licensed physicians. The overall impression is of a cursory office visit. Accordingly, there is no reasonable basis upon which to base a belief that he will conform to the standard of practice in the future. Patient safety is at risk by his continued practice and the public interest requires that his certificate be revoked." - California Medical Board"

If you have any questions of what the Medical Board means by the well-settled standards, please see:

What is an appropriate standard of care for Physicians who recommend Medical Marijuana for their patients - medpotcrisis.com/docs/practicestandards.html

for a one-stop summary of the appropriate standard of care for physicians that recommend Medical Marijuana - this page links to all of the documents that make up this standard, including the Medical Board's basic guidelines, the CMA (California Medical Association)'s Guidelines, the Mikuriya Case (which the Medical Board adopted as precedent at their June 2007 meeting), and some other relevant information - the Conant Decision, information about the illegal practice of medicine, and more.

If you are a current patient of Dr. Assad, be aware that your physician's statement recommending medical marijuana will be invalid as of November 23, 2009. It would be advisable to secure a new physician (and this time, perhaps you might want to consider a legitimate doctor?!?) as soon as possible.

Congressman Mike Thompson Introduces Thermal Energy Storage Legislation

Congressman Mike Thompson (D-Ca) introduced legislation that provides a 30% tax credit for the purchase of thermal energy storage systems for homes and businesses.  Energy storage technology allows consumers to purchase electricity during off-peak hours and save it use during peak hours.  This will reduce consumers' electricity bills and greatly enhance the reliability of alternative energy sources such as solar and wind.

Thompson said, "Investing in new technology such as thermal energy storage will help create new jobs and save people money on their electricity bills.  Distributedenergy storage technologies are also a great way for our country to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on fossil fuels.  Jast as important, the jobs created by the manufacture and installation of these new technologies would come at a critical time for the U.S. economy."

The current electricity infrastructure is highly inefficient.  The ability to store energy will allow consumers to use more renewable energy by, for example, collecting solar energy during the day and storing it for use at night.  Allowing consumers to reduce their electricity demand with thermal energy storage is also a way to reduce unnecessary electricity generation and waste.

Congressman Thompson added "As is the case with many new energy technologies, numerous barriers exist that impede the adoption of these beneficial and cost-effective new technologies.  These Federal tax incentives will enable us to take steps toward achieving energy security and slowing global warming, while advancing the creation of a smart grid energy infrastructure."

The bill will be assigned to the House Ways & Means Committee.

Should We Ship Our Extra Water South?

This week's North Coast Journal has a great article about the problems facing the Humboldt County Municipal Water District now that two pulp mills have closed.
Heid Walters does a great job talking about some of the options available to us in this article available for free on news racks Wednesday morning. Correction: The paper comes out on Thursday morning, I got an early copy tonight.

One of the ides put forth is by Terry Spragg is to put that water in large bags. Tow several together like a water train and sell the water to somewhere in the San Francisco Bay area. Due to the closing of the last pulp mill, the county has up to 60-thousand extra gallons of excess water a day. The pulp mills paid for roughly half the cost to run the water district. Finding a way to capitalize on the excess water and retain the rights to the excess water are key in the reasoning behind the plan.


Another idea floated by fisheries consultant, Bill Kier, is to use the extra water to provide more salmon habitat. Read the article and learn more about this.

Some have said that in the future, wars will be fought for water instead of oil. If that is true, we have a commodity here on the north coast worth shipping. If water was worth as much as oil, it might be something to ship via railroad to dry, dusty, inland areas of California.

Photo of work on Mad River Ca. during Caltrans bridge replacement earlier this summer.
The bag is filled with water to divert the fish in the river away from pile driver sounds.
They literally put a fenced in corridor down the center of the river for about a month.

Eureka City Council Considers Overnight Transient Parking Lots

At the Eureka City Council meeting tonight, John Shelter spoke to the chamber about establishing overnight parking lots for transients that sleep in their vehicles.  He talked about a controlled environment where people would be required to check in and they would have to leave in the morning.

 If the police were to find someone camping in their vehicle on the city streets, they would direct them to the parking lot.  They would also give them an orange sticker that would allow them to register in the morning if they were sent there late at night. This way they wouldn't have to wake people up.  Also the person or persons in charge would know that they were sent there and should be allowed to sleep until the next morning.  At that time they would register with the site manager.

Councilmen Mike Jones and Jeff Leonard spoke in favor if the proposal. 
The Council l voted to consider the idea.  It was a brave and progressive step for the City of Eureka.

Apple Season On The North Coast

It's foggy and cool, the leaves are turning and the apples love it.
We're expecting showers overnight and rain for Monday.

Grannies For Peace At Eureka Peace Rally

There are many grannies for peace but only one Humboldt County Chapter.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xl4_9-UUfI

Alexander Cockburn At Eureka Peace Rally

Rain dampened the crowd at the Peace Rally in Eureka Ca. today.  It didn't dampen the spirits though.
Here is local resident Alexander Cockburn addressing the crowd. To put the video on you-tube, I had to break it up into 4 parts.

Part 1


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVUYwA4Eu1g

Part 2


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRvo5jKm6n4

Part 3


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O_hXI2Wfqs

Part 4


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tulO4z2QG70

Contrail Season

It's that time of year again.  Actually, any time of the year is good for contrails.  The story is that the cold, condensed, moist air in the upper atmosphere is disturbed by the object or jet moving through it.  This creates ice particles that form contrails that turn into long clouds.   What is not in the story is the question, why are there so many jets over Humboldt County?  We must be a popular fly over route both north and south over the mountains and in all directions elsewhere.  Only over the mountains is there a clear traffic pattern.  My favorite of these photos are the two jets crossing paths in almost the opposite direction.

Note the pockets of warm or dry air where the contrails stop and start again.
Looking up can be fun!
Click images to enlarge.

Anti War Rally On Saturday

Sohum Parlance II
Rally starts at 1 pm. at the court house in Eureka.

Jumping Through Windows And Cheap CD Players

If your computer is doing strange things, you might not have gotten the Windows updates that need to be installed. For you Macintosh people, those aren't real computers so things should be working just fine.

There are about 20 recent Windows updates that need to be installed ASAP. It took me a half hour of South Park, My Secret Girlfriend, The Daily Show and The Colbert Repor (t) to get everything updated.

We had to update computers at the station and while we were waiting we fixed 3 Numark CDN15 CD players. My engineer and I, (he did the soldering and most of the work) replaced the lights in the back lit window of all 3 units that had failed. The CD players still worked but you couldn't read the track or time in the window. The lights were incandescent and we put LED's in. They will now work until the laser reader dies or something else.
The display window and circuit board seem to have envisioned LED lights but were probably substituted for cheaper bulbs at the Chinese factory where they are made. Numark has a newer model called the MP102, and it has LED lights in the display but the logic circuit freezes up on these models and they spend a lot of time shipping back and forth from the repair shop while under warranty.

We use single tray CD players and used to buy Sony or Yamaha units, but they stopped making them. Pete Meyer has 3 vintage Sony's in his studio. They last about 10 years. The new ones, about 3 months to 2 years. If anyone knows of a company making single tray, stackable or rack mountable CD players for less than $300-dollars, please comment and enlighten me.

P.S., Don't forget to go to Windows Update and expect to spend a little time.

Everyone Deserves A Roof

Shelter from the storm and mobile too.  I think this is a great idea because it allows people to move around and keep their living space with them.  This is important in places like Arcata where there is an entire blog devoted to photographing the homeless and complaining that they don't move along. 
I have to thank pls8395 for posting this under my last blog. 
They cost about $500.00 and are way more usefull than a shopping cart.

This is from the website:
During the day, the EDAR unit is used to pursue the necessities of life. Personal belongings are secured by the use of locks. The front and back of the cart have storage baskets with removable canvas pouches. The unit is waterproof and provides protection for what it contains. EDAR's wheels are better than a supermarket cart's, being slightly larger and easier to steer in a consistent fashion. There are two brake and locking mechanisms which ensure the unit will not move on its own.


At night, the EDAR unit easily hinges out and down to Night Mode in less than 30 seconds, becoming a sleeping unit. Unfolding the unit allows it to lock in place as the flat metal base extends. The metal and wood base has a mattress and military-grade canvas cover, providing a robust tent-like shelter. The unit is flame-retardant, waterproof, windproof and helps protect from the elements. There are translucent windows that provides light and a view of the surrounding area. By re-folding the unit, the EDAR quickly returns to Day Mode,

Addendum:
I'd put up 10 percent or 50 bucks for one EDAR to any local Humboldt organization that wants to give it a try. If there were enough of these to really do some good, the idea could be expanded.

A trailer with laundry and showers that had access to city sewer, water and power would also go a long way. This would require a real commitment from cities or organizations to fund something like that but it would make such a difference in peoples lives.


At the same time, we could make the environment better by allowing space for the wash trailer and a some of these EDAR's to park overnight. Solar hot water on the trailer will help with costs. Only people with EDAR cards could use the facilities. The location could have a mail box and pay phone with answering machines for those with an EDAR card to have access. This gives a sense of belonging and responsibility to those in the program.
Better than unaffordable housing and paying to lock people up just because they don't have anywhere to sleep.


These little shelters would be an alternative to building tarp shelters in the forest and marshes that have to be cleaned up after they are abandoned or in some cases, while they are still being lived in.
Those involved could have to agree to bring only what can fit into the EDAR and be required leave after showers except for those that are there for their laundry day.


There are answers to making things better for the houseless, and people without so much as even a car, people that have nothing more than a few simple belongings and themselves.
Crazy ideas for crazy times.
It's time to do something about providing shelter from the storm.
 
I wonder how Tad would feel about this?

Big Winter Storm is Forcast for Humboldt County!

Link to Special Weather Statement.  Updated at 8:53 pm 10-12-09

Let us remember the men, the women and the children, our brothers and sisters, our mothers and fathers, our sons and daughters who are huddled under a bush shivering in the rain.


Please join me in contacting Eureka Mayor Virginia Bass and requesting that she use the emergency powers vested in her to open an emergency shelter in a city facility for our homeless during this rainy period, and during the rainy periods to come this winter.

Mayor Bass Office: (707) 441-4200
Mayor Bass Email: virginia@ci.eureka.ca.gov

It is the responsibility of our government to care for the vulnerable among us.

I would like to thank Highboltage for reminding me of those that don't have a roof to worry about blowing off.  This storm looks like it will drop more rain south of Eureka than north.  Clean out the drains and get ready.  One thing we can almost count on is that there will be pleanty of room in the Eel River to hold the rain from this first big storm of the season.

Surf 4 Peace

Just ahead of a large Pacific storm on Saturday, a surf party of sorts. Right on the beach in Trinidad were a sand castle competition, food, beer, vendors, raffles and even a D.J. Funds raised went to the Humboldt Surfrider Foundation.

I shot a you-tube video of the surfers but it was too long to load at just over 8 minutes. Here are some still shots of the cool event.

LA County prepares to raid ALL medical marijuana dispensaries

All L.A. County medical pot dispensaries face prosecution, district attorney says
By John Hoeffel

Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley said today that all the medical marijuana dispensaries in the county are operating illegally, and that "they are going to be prosecuted."
From the L.A. Times, but I saw it here.  From As It Stands.

Keith Olbermann Delivers Hour Long "Special Comment" On Healthcare

You can watch it at the Huffington Post.   It was a good one. 

He is not happy with what insurance companies are doing and is setting up free, one day health care clinics in cities where democratic senators live from Arkansas to Bozeman to draw attention to the problem facing all of us. He talks about how he was able to hire the best care for his dad because he has the money. Others he dealt with while helping his father through the system, didn't have it so good.

Fresh quakes renew tsunami fears for Pacific

From Reuters ad 4:27 pm Pacific time.
YDNEY (Reuters) - Pacific nations braced for a fresh tsunami on Thursday after two huge subsea quakes struck the region, sending islanders fleeing for higher ground, only a week after a series of deadly tsunamis devastated the Samoa islands.


The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued the warning for 11 nations, including Papua New Guinea, an oil and gas supplier, and the popular resort islands of Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

The Hawaii-based center also issued a tsunami watch for the wider western Pacific, including Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and the nations of American Samoa and Samoa, where about 150 people were killed by a series of tsunamis last week.
Authorities in New Caledonia, a French territory, were evacuating people from the island's eastern shore and from the nearby Loyalty Islands to higher ground, local police said.
A police spokesman in the capital, Noumea, said the nation was bracing for a tsunami to hit around 11:15 a.m. local time on Thursday (0015 GMT or 8:15p.m. EDT).

The Hawaii-based tsunami warning center said it was still evaluating whether to raise a Pacific-wide warning after two subsea quakes struck between Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands, one measuring 7.8 magnitude and the other 7.3.

"An evaluation of the Pacific-wide tsunami threat is underway and there is a possibility that Hawaii could be elevated to a watch or warning status," the center said.

Socks For Soldiers 6th Annual Dinner/Auction Tonight At Cher-Ae Heights Casino

Dinner at 7 pm. and No Host Cocktails at 6 pm.  Tickets are 20 dollars and that includes dinner and $10 dollars casino cash.  Tickets can be purchased at the Casino. 

Click on image to enlarge.

Sorry image is a bit crooked.

Exclusive report by Robert Fisk. This Is The End For The Pound And The Dollar.

photo from http://www.munic.state.ct.us/

Article from The Independent UK

This article is a quick education into something the John Birchers have been talking about for a long time.
Tuesday's The Independent.co.uk spells out the demise of the U.S. Dollar and the British Pound by 2018.
It starts when the dollar is no longer used to trade oil world wide.
Here are a couple of excerpts from the article.

The Chinese believe, for example, that the Americans persuaded Britain to stay out of the euro in order to prevent an earlier move away from the dollar. But Chinese banking sources say their discussions have gone too far to be blocked now. "The Russians will eventually bring in the rouble to the basket of currencies," a prominent Hong Kong broker told The Independent. "The Brits are stuck in the middle and will come into the euro. They have no choice because they won't be able to use the US dollar."

"These plans will change the face of international financial transactions," one Chinese banker said. "America and ." Britain must be very worried. You will know how worried by the thunder of denials this news will generate

Read more here, if you have the stomach for it.

FTC to Fine Bloggers up to $11,000 for Not Disclosing Payments

October 5th, 2009

by Adam Ostrow

Bloggers now have up to 11,000 reasons to disclose when they are being paid to review products.

The FTC has updated its Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising for the first time since 1980, and among the changes, a requirement that “bloggers who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service.” Fines for violating the new rule will run up to $11,000 per post.
Read more here.

More Photos From Earthdance 2009 In Latonville

From the top, T-Pee near river, Wavy Gravy in a golf cart, Arlo Stage outside of the bowl in the camp ground and an artist near the stage Saturday night.

Earthdance Photos

Click on the photos to zoom in for larger picture.

Military lawyer says Defense Department ignored calls for war crimes investigation

From the RawStory.com 
By Kathleen Miller, Thursday, October 1st, 2009 -- 9:30 am.

WASHINGTON---The military lawyer that represents an Afghan youth who spent roughly seven years in U.S. custody says the Defense Department has repeatedly ignored his requests for a war crimes investigation into the detainee's treatment.


Air Force Maj. David Frakt, the attorney for former detainee Mohammed Jawad, says over the past 16 months he sent multiple memos to Defense Department and military leaders asking them to account for what a military judge called "abusive conduct and cruel and inhuman treatment” of his client. Jawad, who was arrested when he says he was 12 years old for allegedly tossing a grenade at U.S. military, was moved from cell to cell 112 times during a 14-day period to disrupt his sleep patterns, according to military documents. Frakt said he believes the treatment constituted torture, violated the Geneva Convention, war crime laws and Defense Department regulations.

"Why has no one--no one has been held remotely accountable for this," Frakt said in an interview with Raw Story. "This is a mandatory investigation. It's not optional, you can't just sweep it under the rug...but they did as far as I can tell.
Read more from the RawStory.com

Without the established rule of law, what is one to do if caught up in a situation like this. The authorities can get things wrong and then not have a way out. They can keep us locked up without a lawyer and for just about any reason as long as they wish. If the law gets in the way, they can ship us over seas in what's called rendition.


Our names are attached to this type of torture and treatment of human beings.
The last administration in the White House had little regard to established law and did what they could do to corrupt the laws of this nation. The truth must come out. These people can't hide in the dark forever. We must see that our names are removed from this lie and that the names of those that did these atrocities are brought into the light and held accountable. 


George Bush said. "9/11 changed everything". It changed our rule of law. It allowed the collapse of our economic markets, the creation of a police state. It became the straw that broke the back of the middle class camel of the U.S.
The corporations have shown that they own our elected representatives by writing legislation for a rubber stamping house and senate that doesn't even read the legislation that they sign.


The Patriot Act that encroaches on the civil liberties of U.S. Citizens, was passed in a time of panic. Anthrax had just been mailed to media in Florida and the leaders in the U..S. Senate that could have killed the bill. They were so scared that they voted for the bill that they couldn't read because it was in a building that was quarantined.
Osama Bin Laden and the anthrax killer were never caught.
More money was spent investigating the Clinton White Water real estate deal and Monica Lewinski's talents than was spent investigating what happened on 9/11.
9/11 changed everything, including our rules governing torture.


How do we take back love, peace, and leadership in the world. How do we become that shining city on the hill again? And why is the guy on the hill being held and tortured without charges and access to a jury of his peers?
We need to get our laws back. If we allow our leaders to break the law without repercussions, than how are we as a society to govern ourselves?

Earthdance in Laytonville Ca. 2009

If you went to Earthdance this year in Laytonville, you might have missed this trio playing on the banks of a mostly dried up river.  They didn't want to give me a name and they didn't even want me to video them but said I could keep this one.  In the beggining, my friends were trying to get me to use their camera and didn't understand that once the song starts, it's too late.  After we worked it out that I would use the camera that was rolling, the video gets better.

I will have more pictures to follow in the days ahead.