Friday, December 31, 2010

New Law Requires Calorie Count On California Fast Food Menus

A Law that goes into effect on New Years day requires fast food restaurants in California to post calorie counts on their menus.


Subway in Eureka had already posted calories on some items today with the new menus ready to go up tonight. (I actually took a picture of the Subway menu but blogger.com won't let me post it now, I'll try again later)

Will this change the way we eat? I think so. It won't make us all thin but when faced with a 450 calorie item verses a 12-hundred calorie item, most people that can read will think twice now about what they are ordering. Of course, people that really care about what they eat don't eat fast food much if at all. Still, with a little knowledge, I think a lot of people will change some of their regular menu choices.

Here is more from the La Times

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Some Sights From My Trip South

I went and saw the family for Christmas.  They live in Fullerton Ca.


The trip was beautiful. Orchards and rolling hills. 



My mom's back yard has some critters.  Squirrels and hummingbirds were abundant.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Kucinich worries his district will be eliminated

(CNN) – The state of Ohio will lose two congressional seats thanks to the latest U.S. Census figures, and liberal stalwart Dennis Kucinich is worried his seat is on the chopping block.


The Los Angeles Times early in the week said that the census under counted California by about 1.5 million less people than are here.  We should be getting another seat in the US House. Don't hold your breath.

I like Kucinich and hope he can win a seat in his new district if this happens.

If Your Place Catches Fire, Make Sure It Happens During Normal Business Hours

Good work on the Eureka Fire Department.  Yen Chin Restaurant has some serious fire damage but the entire 500 block of F St. in Old Town Eureka could have gone up if?
Here's a paragraph from the press release, followed by the entire release. "Had this fire occurred later at night, delayed notification of the fire department would have resulted in a much larger fire."
At 9:30 PM last night, Sunday December 26th, 2010 units from the Eureka Fire Department and Humboldt Fire District #1 responded to a commercial structure fire at the Yen Chin restaurant, 525 “F” Street, Eureka. A second alarm was requested, triggering remaining available units to respond to the fire scene, and Arcata Fire Department providing mutual aid response to the scene as well.
  They entered the restaurant through the front door and extinguished an active and growing fire on the first floor.
Smoke had spread through the second and third floors of the building through open stairwells and vertical openings.  Crews were on scene for an extended period of time ventilating the smoke and searching for fire extension.  The last crews left the scene at approximately 1:00 AM.
There was extensive fire, heat and smoke damage to the restaurant.
The cause of the fire in under investigation.
This fire could have been much more significant.  The restaurant is located mid block in an older commercial area.  The relatively early stage of the fire when it was noticed resulted in extinguishment of the fire just before it grew to a point where it spread to the rest of the building.  A major fire in the building could have resulted in damage to one or more of the neighboring commercial structures.
Had this fire occurred later at night, delayed notification of the fire department would have resulted in a much larger fire.
This fire would have been easily extinguished by an automatic fire sprinkler system with a fraction of the damage.  Nationally, Fire sprinklers have successfully extinguished over 96% of fires in buildings equipped with functioning systems.


 

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Christmas Prime Rib, Not Intended For Viewing By Vegetarians

I have been off the blog for a bit while doing Christmas stuff in Orange County So. Cal. I am heading north Wednesday and seem to be facing snow on US 101. I'll have to take it slow.


On Christmas Eve, my brother in-law Steve always does the honors with the big knife. A former butcher by trade, he just seems to come at it naturally. Family, friends and the holidays.

This year has been more frugal overall but the food was still top notch. I come from a family that has owned restaurants and catering and loves food. Some things never change. Happy New Year if I don't get there before then!
 
 
Below is a picture of Mt. Baldy Ca. taken from a hill top in Fullerton. Mt Baldy is over 10 thousand feet tall and has a ski park and several hiking trails that hikers often get turned around on. Many lives have been lost on the trails of this magnificent mountain.
 

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

How To Legalize Marijuana, Use The Jury System.


http://www.oggenetics.com/
If a judge can't seat a jury to convict some one on a small pot charge, prosecutors will stop pursuing these cases and eventually, a small amount of pot by De facto, becomes legal.

In California next week,  possession of less than an ounce becomes nothing more than an infraction. Like a parking ticket. This however is not about California.

See the entire RawStory involving a Missoula  Montana Court.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Something Is Eating The Moon!

The Lunar Eclipse tonight is fantastic.  I am able to get a good look at it between the swift moving clouds. I can't get a photo of the actual eclipse because it is to dark for my little camera.  I did take a pretty good shot before it got dark.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

US Chamber Of Commerce Favors Foreign Businesses Over 9/11 First Responders.

It all has to do with a tax loophole benefiting foreign companies.
Read the Raw Story.

"The US Chamber of Commerce lobbied to kill a bill that would have helped cover medical expenses and compensation for first responders and survivors of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, according to documents available online."

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Truck Stolen, Husband (Accidently) Shoots & Kills Wife In Orleans

12-18-10 Press Release:
Subject:  Homicide Investigation
Humboldt County Sheriff’s Detectives arrested a Happy Camp man early this morning after a woman was killed in Orleans. At about 3 a.m. the Sheriff’s Office received a report that there had been a shooting on State Route 96 near the Orleans Elementary School.  Deputies learned that earlier in the evening the victim and two friends had been inside a bar in Happy Camp.  When they left the bar they discovered their truck, a brown Ford flatbed, had been stolen.  The victim telephoned her husband, James Arnold Roberts, 30, and asked for his helped.  Roberts drove to the bar to pick them up. They decided to look for the stolen vehicle and traveled south on SR 96 towards Orleans.  About one mile north of Orleans they found the truck parked along the highway but nobody was with the vehicle.  The group continued along the highway, reportedly looking for anybody who may have stolen the vehicle.  When they arrived in Orleans they saw a group of juveniles near the elementary school.  The group got out of the vehicle and approached the juveniles.  Witnesses indicated that the victim, Robert’s wife, had become involved in a physical fight with the group of juveniles.  At some point during that confrontation Roberts returned to his vehicle and retrieved a firearm.  During the continuing fight, Roberts’ firearm discharged, striking his wife.  Roberts then placed his wife inside his vehicle and drove her back to Happy Camp.  There he made contact with ambulance personnel at the ambulance staging area in Happy Camp.  The victim's wound was fatal and she was pronounced dead at the scene.  Sheriff’s Detectives arrived in happy Camp and arrested Roberts for murder.
Roberts was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional facility.  He is expected to be arraigned by Wednesday.
The identity of the victim is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
This case is still under investigation; they are continuing to interview witnesses.  Anyone with information about this case is urged to call Detective Wayne Hanson at (707) 268-3639.
 Additional information will be released as it becomes available and appropriate.
Sometimes a gun is the last thing you need.  Although this is still under investigation, on the face of it, this appears to be an accident. A very sad accident.




Friday, December 17, 2010

What Caused An Alarm At PG&E Power Plant On Humboldt Bay?

I am still awaiting word from PG&E as to why they sounded a blaring alarm today at about 12:15 pm.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG-JrbxiMtY

Update:  PG&E says that it was a test of their new tsunami warning system.  I have to say, it works well at getting your attention.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Smokin' Diesel 4X4

There was a dark cloud on my way to work today.  It looked like there might be a freight train ahead or something until we met miles later.  Every time this guy put his foot down, he disappeared into a cloud of black diesel exhaust.  Those of us behind him  in the safety corridor were not amused.
In the audio you can hear Thom Hartmann on the radio talking about tax rates.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKwS7G8frWk

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Huge Crowd At Warfinger For U.S. Navy Meeting

A discussion hosted by the U.S. Navy about increased activity at the Northwest Training Range Complex drew a huge crowd tonight. The meeting held at the Warfinger in Eureka was from 5 to 7 pm. I was late due to work so I didn't expect a good parking spot. When I got there, the parking lot was full and there were another 75 or 80 cars parked along the street.


The crowd was lively and at times heckled the Navy representatives that were there to try to answer questions from concerned citizens of the north coast.

Former City Councilman Dave Meserve is featured in the grainy videos I took holding my camera over my head standing in the back with the overflowing crowd. The audio is pretty good as he asks about sonar and it's effects on whales.
I couldn't get the video to play from the embed so if it doesn't play, use the link below it.

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



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHqxQOUM-O8
Here is one more where a letter from State Senator Noreen Evans of Ca. District 2 is read followed by uncle sam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CU3YNy9lX8
Here is another one where a guy suggests that the crowd could detain the Navy speakers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTrXZ6PoDa0

Veteran-Led Civil Resistance Tomorrow 10:00 AM At The White House

"We Demand Our Bonus -- Peace"

by Mike Ferner

December 3, 2010

Dear President Obama,

A week ago, I wrote you on this same subject but since I've not yet received a reply either personal or automated, I felt I should try again.

As president of Veterans For Peace (VFP), a national organization of military veterans, I want to convey to you our serious opposition to your administration's policy of ongoing wars, proxy wars, occupations and drone strikes in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Palestine and Yemen.

Your policies are taking innocent lives, causing untold, lifelong suffering, rapidly destroying our economy, our environment, and ultimately making all of us considerably less safe.
Since there are no logical reasons rooted in human or planetary betterment for these policies, we are left to conclude what is logical and obvious: that their purpose is to maintain and advance what has sadly become the global U.S. Empire.

VFP has voiced our opposition to these wars at every national demonstration and with countless local actions, letters, faxes, emails and phone calls.

We requested a meeting with you shortly after your inauguration, to no avail. We are now requesting another meeting. And since we have tried all the above many times over, this is what we now propose.

If, within 10 days from now, we do not hear a positive response to our request for a meeting, we are prepared to bring a large delegation of our members to Washington before the end of this month. We will come in person to the White House to meet with you or until we are dragged away in full view of our nation and the world -- military veterans, carrying their nation's flag, seeking a meeting with their president in the season of Peace.

Like the bonus marchers of the 1930's, we demand our bonus be paid. The bonus for our service and the many sacrifices of our comrades is peace.

In this season of Peace I remain
Most sincerely yours,

Mike Ferner, National President
Veterans For Peace
USN Hospital Corps 1969-73

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Emails Have The Same Fourth Amendment Protections As Regular Mail And Telephone Calls

"Given the fundamental similarities between email and traditional forms of communication, it would defy common sense to afford emails lesser Fourth Amendment protection," the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled (PDF).
If the ruling is not overturned by the Supreme Court, it will put an end to the practice of law enforcement agents using court orders, rather than warrants, to gain access to emails. Court orders require a much lower standard than warrants.
More at RawStory

This One Is For Rose

Over the weekend, I was on a blog where Rose posted about politicians that spent like drunken sailors.  People spoke up in defence of sailors and she was wondering what a better analogy would be.  I suggested Wall St. Lobbyists. It wasn't that good.  So I ask the question. What is a good analogy for politicians that spend too much?  

In some magical synergy, this ended up in my inbox tonight. 

Monday, December 13, 2010

Regulators Exist To 'Serve The Banks,' Next House Finance Chairman Declares

From the RawStory

"In Washington, the view is that the banks are to be regulated, and my view is that Washington and the regulators are there to serve the banks," Bachus told The Birmingham News in an interview.

Bachus was just put in charge of the House banking committee and isn't afraid to say who he works for.  And I thought the democrats were tied to Wall St.?  They were, but how does one compete with Bachus ? He just flat out says it for the banksters, you work for us.

If we the people are the government than he is saying that we are the servants to the banksters.
Those same banksters have been gambling with our retirements, homes and lives.
They have purposely led people into risky loans when they qualified for normal 30 year loans on their homes and have bet against the workers of this country through hedge funds so that they could use our money to bet against our futures.

This isn't a stretch or just a wild observation on my part. This is what happens when most people don't vote.  I should remind you that republicans, although a minority, always vote.  I saw a bumper sticker that said " If no one votes, the white guy will win".  Statistic show that in the November 2010 election, young people didn't vote.  They will have to deal with the future that they failed to prevent.

Welcome to machine. Please do read more at the RawStory.com 

I Can See You...

Google Street View car is in Eureka again today.  They pulled in to the Subway across from Red Lion at about 10:35 this morning as I was pulling out.

Time to clean up the front yard and get those Christmas decorations out.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Clam Beach Camp Ground Closed For Remodeling



Clam Beach Campground Closed For Remodel
Picnic benches, fire rings and camp site markers are stacked in the parking lot of Clam Beach Campground.  The gates are closed and there is no camp host.  Just a couple of guys working on the remodel. 

I asked a few questions and got some good news for local campers.  When the camp ground reopens, there will be new fire rings, new picnic benches and real defined camp sites.  Before there was a hodge podge of camping sites that had people wandering through other peoples camps to get to their tents.  There will be about a dozen sites when it is finished sometime around Christmas.  Picnic benches were sort of on back order and they are not sure when they will arrive.  That could hold the project up and put the reopening closer to New Years.
A new camp host site has also been built across the road from the entrance and lots of grading has taken place.

Located between Trinidad and McKinleyville Ca. next to U.S. Highway 101Clam Beach Camp Ground is run by the County of Humboldt and offers tent sites with pit toilets and rv parking with no hookups.  It is literally on the beach situated next to Strawberry Creek just steps from the surf.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Eureka Holiday Blood Drive

Holiday Blood Drive

City Ambulance of Eureka, Humboldt Fire District #1 and the Eureka Fire Department will be conducting their 1st annual Emergency Services Holiday Blood Drive.

This is a perfect opportunity to contribute to our community by giving the gift of life during the holiday season.

The three agencies will be engaged in a friendly competition. The agency with the most blood donated in their name will take home the coveted "Celebration Cup" and the bragging rights that come with it. The agency's name will be engraved on the cup and it will be proudly displayed in their trophy case until next year's drive.

The public is encouraged to come out and support our community and your local emergency services agencies.

Dates and locations of the drives are:

Tuesday, December 14th 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM Denny's Parking lot, 6th / “C” Eureka.


Friday, December 17th 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM Grocery Outlet, 625 Commercial Eureka


Saturday, December 18th 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Humboldt Fire District Station 11
across from Redwood Acres

You can donate blood in the name of the agency of your choice at any of these locations. When making a donation, let the blood bank staff know which agency you are supporting.

Every day over 60 local blood donations are needed to meet the needs of hospitals served by the Northern California Community Blood Bank. Blood donations are used for the treatment of injuries, burns, surgeries, and illnesses such as cancer.

“It doesn’t really matter who wins the competition”, said Matt Dennis, blood drive coordinator, City Ambulance employee and Humboldt Fire District Firefighter, “we all win with every donation.”

Giving blood is a fast, free and easy way to help our community when they need it the most.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Eureka Crack Dealer Busted Twice In The Same Week

Eureka Police Department Press Release:
On 12/09/10, at about 12:45 PM, officers with the Eureka Police Department’s Problem Oriented Policing Unit served a search warrant on a suspected crack cocaine dealer at a motel room in the 2200 block of Broadway, Eureka.  Officers located and detained 3 adult males inside the room, including Derrick Deshawn Harden (38 of Eureka).  Harden was currently out on bail after having been arrested by POP last week (12/02/10) for possession of crack cocaine for sale at another motel on
5th Street
. 

During a search of the room, officers located a baggy containing approximately 10 grams of crack cocaine, several digital gram scales, numerous drug packaging baggies, and suspected pay and owe notes. 

Harden was arrested and transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked for possession of base cocaine for sale.

John W. Dixon, 59 of Eureka, was arrested and transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked for possession of base cocaine for sale and maintaining a place for purposes of drug use/sales.  Dixon was the primary tenant of the motel room. 

Clarence Ervin Wallace, 37 of Richmond, was also arrested and transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked for possession of base cocaine for sale and maintaining a place for purposes of drug use/sales.  (Wallace was staying in the room with Dixon). 

This was the third drug sales search warrant the POP Unit has served at the Blue Herron Motel this year, resulting in multiple arrests for drug related offenses on each occasion. 
Anyone with information concerning suspected drug sales activity occurring in Eureka is encouraged to call the Problem Oriented Policing Unit at (707) 441-4373.

You've got to be high when you think that because you are out on bail for selling crack, that you can just start selling crack again and the cops won't notice.  Here's a tip, we don't have enough jail cells but we apparently have enough cops to keep arresting you.  This would seem to be a waste of time for drug dealers and the cops but apparently it isn't.  Now what? Charge these people, release them and bust them again? Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.  Is our system insane?  Or is our system in serious need of reform?

I Got An Email From Senator Bernie Sanders

Thomas -

President Obama is right about one thing -- Republicans in Congress are holding the middle class hostage.

We have a $13.8 trillion national debt, a collapsing middle class and the most unequal distribution of wealth of any major country. With all this in mind, Republicans in Congress say they will block tax cuts to the middle class and block unemployment benefits to more than two million families unless the President gives huge tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires.

Their behavior is morally bankrupt. It is reprehensible.

But instead of challenging the Republicans for their absurd demands and their outrageous tactics, the President gave them virtually everything they wanted.

I cannot and will not support this deal. I will do everything I can to uphold the promise made to the American people to end the Bush tax cuts for the rich.

Join me and my friends at Democracy for America today and sign our pledge calling on Congress to reject this deal.

One of the most underreported parts of this deal is a cut to the Social Security payroll tax. In just one year, over $120 billion of revenue will be cut from Social Security under the President's compromise plan, weakening the program and virtually guaranteeing benefit cuts in the future.

Make no mistake about it. Social Security has not added one dime to the national debt and this cut will only embolden Republican attempts to privatize the program and increase the age of retirement. Social Security is a vital safety net for all Americans and a cornerstone of our commitment to protect the middle class.

We are not alone in standing against this compromise. Republicans are holding the middle class hostage and the American people know it. I come from a small state and yesterday my office received more than 1,000 calls on this issue, with over 90% of them in opposition to this deal.

Last night, thousands of DFA members joined me on DFA Live where we had a lively discussion on this issue. One thing was clear to me during that call -- DFA members nationwide want Democrats to stop this deal and fight for the middle class, working people, senior citizens and the unemployed while making sure that millionaires and billionaires are not given massive tax breaks.

Make sure Congress gets the message -- Join the fight now and sign the petition opposing this so-called "compromise."

Thank you,

-Bernie

Bernie Sanders
U.S. Senator

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

U.S. House Passes Bill on Drug Cartels Growing Marijuana in National Parks

 
Cops and Border Patrol Agents Say the Only Real Solution is Marijuana Legalization
WASHINGTON, DC --  The U.S. House passed a bill today directing the White House drug czar's office to develop a plan for stopping Mexican drug cartels from growing marijuana in U.S. national parks.  A group of police officers and judges who fought on the front lines of the "war on drugs" is pointing out that the only way to actually end the violence and environmental destruction associated with these illicit grows is to legalize and regulate the marijuana trade.
 
"No matter how many grow operations are eradicated or cartel leaders are arrested, there will always be more people willing to take the risk to earn huge profits in the black market for marijuana," said Richard Newton, a former U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent who is now a speaker for the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. "My years of experience in federal drug enforcement tell me that only when we legalize and regulate marijuana will we put a stop to this madness.  After all, you don't see too many Mexican wine cartels growing grapes in our national parks, and that's because alcohol is legal."
 
The bill, H. Res. 1540, which was passed by the House via voice vote, points out many of the harms of the current prohibition policy that leads to drug cartels growing marijuana in U.S. national parks, including that
 
* drug traffickers spray considerable quantities of unregulated chemicals, pesticides, and fertilizers;
 
* drug traffickers divert streams and other waterways to construct complex irrigation systems;
 
* it costs the Federal Government $11,000 to restore one acre of forest on which marijuana is being cultivated;
 
* drug traffickers place booby traps that contain live shotgun shells on marijuana plantations;
 
* on October 8, 2000, an 8-year-old boy and his father were shot by drug traffickers while hunting in El Dorado National Forest;
 
* on June 16, 2009, law enforcement officers with the Lassen County Sheriff's Department were wounded by gunfire from drug traffickers during the investigation of a marijuana plantation on Bureau of Land Management property; and
 
* Mexican drug traffickers use the revenue generated from marijuana production on Federal lands to support criminal activities, including human trafficking and illicit weapons smuggling, and to foster political unrest in Mexico.
 
The bill points out that law enforcement efforts to date have only brought about "short-lived successes in combating marijuana production on Federal lands" but offers no suggestions for solutions that would actually hurt the cartels in the long-term.  The law enforcement officials at LEAP believe that legalization is the only long-term solution, and if the bill is enacted into law they will be working to make sure that the White House drug czar's office seriously weighs ending prohibition as part of the strategy called for by the legislation.
 
The full text of the bill can be found at: <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.RES.1540:>
 
Speaking on the floor today, Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), said the bill "serves to perpetuate this failed policy of prohibition which has led to rise of criminal production of marijuana on federal lands."
 
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) represents police, prosecutors, judges, FBI/DEA agents and others who want to legalize and regulate drugs after fighting on the front lines of the "war on drugs" and learning firsthand that prohibition only serves to worsen addiction and violence. More info at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com.

Man In Van Investigated For Rape Of Woman-Police Seek Other Possible Victims

Arrested but not yet guilty.

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a Dunsmuir man for rape late Saturday. Shortly after 11 p.m., deputies conducted a vehicle investigation on a van parked on Old Highway 299, near Blue Lake.  Deputies contact Benjamin Baszler, 25, who was seated inside the van.   Baszler, a registered sex offender, said he had just finished “having sex” with the woman in the back of the van.  Through the van windows, deputies saw a woman lying motionless.  The woman did not respond when the deputies tapped on the windows.  Baszler said the woman was sleeping.  The deputies asked Baszler to open the sliding door so they could check on the woman’s welfare.  Baszler agreed and opened the door.  Deputies attempted to wake the woman but she was unresponsive.  Deputies continued to try to wake the woman who eventually was able to open her eyes.  The woman was disoriented and did not know Baszler or how she got inside his van.
Baszler, who had scratches on his face, told deputies he had been drinking alcoholic beverages in Arcata with the victim and another man.  When the victim and the other man got into an argument the man left.  Baszler said the victim was intoxicated so he helped her walk to his van.  He drove to Blue Lake and parked.  He claimed the two had consensual sex but then admitted she was “asleep.” 

There was forensic evidence located inside the van that causes concern that there may additional victims.  The van Baszler was driving was a blue Chevrolet Astro Van with the back row of seats removed.  The Sheriff’s Office is releasing Baszler’s photograph in an effort to help in the investigation.  Anyone wishing to, may contact the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at
(707) 445-7251

Assange Set Up By CIA Operative?

Excerpts:
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange’s arrest over the dubious rape and molestation claims of two Swedish women is likely a political stunt, after it was revealed that one of the women has connections to the CIA and is a militant feminist who published a guide on how to get revenge on men and make them “suffer”.


"in August when he was visiting Sweden, both “sent SMS messages and tweets boasting of their conquests following the alleged “rapes,” reports Raw Story, strange behavior for people who subsequently claimed they were victims of molestation."

Read more at PrisonPlanet

Monday, December 6, 2010

The North Coast Journal Time Travelers

North Coast Journal Time Travelers
Judging from the North Coast Journal Blogwatch time stamp, the members of the NCJ are some how connected with time travel.  They are for some reason, existing in the time zone of Nova Scotia and are 4 hours ahead of us but posting in real time.  We have all known this for some time now. No one wanted to point this out for fear of being lumped into the conspiracy theory camp of questionable people.  We know who we are. 
It has been months since the NCJ Blogwatch started listing blogs that posted in the 8 pm hour to the next day.  I posted something about someone selling shrooms on Craigslist tonight.  Tomorrow, people will wake up and see the story as being fresh and the first story of the day that has been caught up into that realm that is the Blogwatch. 
It could just be some clock, like the ones that blink at us after a power outage.  Everyone can see it blink but no one knows where the set buttons are.  That is the most likely scenario but a plausible scenario is that the North Coast Journal Blogwatch is living 4 hours ahead of the rest of us.  That puts a lot of pressure on the rest of us bloggers that have to seek out stories in real time.
It makes it hard to get the scoop on the likes or Hank Sims, Heidi Walters, Ryan Burns, Amy Stewart and the rest of those smart journalists at the NCJ.
I've never felt that I was on the same plane as you guys in the journalistic world of media.  For some reason, I have always felt that you guys are a few hours ahead of me. 
I think that I have found the answer.  You guys have a time machine.
Tom Sebourn
Trinidad Ca.

Selling Mushrooms On Craigs List Leads To A Free Trip To Humboldt County Jail


                                                              
These are not the shrooms the story is talking about
Humboldt County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a McKinleyville man this morning after finding him in possession of 415 grams of psilocybin mushrooms.  Early this morning, deputies became aware that a person had listed the illegal mushrooms for sale on Craigslist, an online advertisement service.  When deputies called the number listed in the advertisement, a man identifying himself as Raymond confirmed he was selling the mushrooms.  He also told deputies he had hashish (concentrated cannabis) for sale.  He told deputies he would meet them at the McKinleyville Shopping Center and described his car.  At about 3:15 this morning, Raymond Dickerson, 28, arrived at the parking lot.  Deputies contacted him and smelled the odor of marijuana inside his vehicle.  Deputies searched Dickerson and found him to be in possession of 22 grams of concentrated cannabis and 415 grams of psilocybin mushrooms.  Deputies arrested Dickerson and transported him to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility.  He was booked for possession of psilocybin mushrooms, transporting psilocybin mushrooms for sale, possession of marijuana, and possession of marijuana/hashish for sale.  His bail was set at $25,000 and he is expected to be arraigned by Wednesday.
"So, so you think you can tell, heaven from hell, blue skies from pain, cold comfort for change, did you exchange a job selling shrooms on a list for a lead roll in a cage?"




Sunday, December 5, 2010

Freedom Riders Comes To College of the Redwoods

Below is a clip of Freedom Riders.  A movie about the civil rights movement in 1961.  Watch the clip and come to the Humboldt County Premiere of the movie.

When: Thursday, December 9th. at 6:30 pm. doors open at 6:00 pm.
Where: CR Forum Theater on the College of the Redwoods Campus.
More info: crstudent.action@gmail.com


Saturday, December 4, 2010

How To Grow Demand For Goods And Services World Wide By 40%

The President of the AFL-CIO, Richard Trumka, speaks with Thom Hartmann about how to grow the economy. I would like to hear the conservative argument against the ideas suggested in this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L1q2dfbSEA&feature=player_embedded

Friday, December 3, 2010

Skate Park Proposed For Trinidad

Lisa Espejo is spearheading a movement to build a skate park in Trinidad Ca.  She has put together a blog and email and held 7 meetings to find out what it will take to get a park built for skaters. 

The City of Trinidad forbids skating on its three main streets and there are few places for skaters to go where they aren’t breaking the law.  Fundraising has already begun but there is a long way to go.  According to an article by Elaine Weinreb in the McKinleyville Press, City Councilwoman Kathy Bhardwaj said the City doesn’t own any vacant land and the few parking lots in town are privately owned.  She said all remaining flat areas are owned by the State Park system and the Trinidad Rancheria.

Penny Gunn who runs the Trinidad Artisan Market said she will help organize fundraising for the park and even supply a booth at the Artisan Market.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Republican National Committee Can't Pay It's Workers

RNC official admits to a "cashflow challenge"

By Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post
In a memo sent to vendors Tuesday, the Republican National Committee's chief administrative officer acknowledged that the committee is facing a "cashflow challenge" and that many of those who provided political services to it during the 2010 election would not be paid this week as originally planned.
More

Great! The people that the country just put in charge of the House of Representatives can't balance a check book.  They took in hundreds of millions of dollars during the elections but spent that with the media and didn't leave enough left over to pay the workers they hired. 
These are the people that will now run the House of Congress? 
I can't wait to get one of their jobs that will be created by those that say no to Wall St. reform and anything that would further the prosperity of most Americans.  They wouldn't even extend unemployment benefits to those that lost their  jobs at the RNC.  Fiscally inept is this republican party.  Will they some how create jobs by banning gay marriage and cutting off unemployment benefits?  Wake up!  They don't give a damn about the working people of this country.  They only care about the capitalists investment class that don't really use their capital to create jobs.  This is just the tip of the iceberg of what is to come from the dark spidery world these bastards offer up as our future.

Dr. Dean Edell To Quit His Radio Show

The host of a nationally syndicated radio talk show, Dr. Dean Edell announced his retirement today on the air.  After 32 years of giving medical advice to callers nation wide, the nations first syndicated radio show will have a new host next year.
The show airs locally  in Humboldt County on AM 1480.

Single Car Accident Causes Fatality, Closes US 101 For Hours.

There is not much information yet.  Eureka Police will issue a press release this afternoon with the details. Bystanders said it was a single car accident that occurred before 5 am on Broadway across from Taco Bell.  A person on the scene said they had heard that there was one fatality. 
US. 101 was still closed to northbound traffic as of Noon today as the investigation continued.
UPDATE: http://www.times-standard.com/ci_16750583

Sunday, November 28, 2010

California Dreaming In The QE2

I love California. 
I wish  to remain in California as I have for all of my life except for vacations. We all are all about to experience the so called Austerity Measures or QE2 "Quantitative Easing 2". A simple cartoon probably on the last page of my blog does a pretty good job of explaining this.  The first Quantitative Easing  happened at the end of the Bush era with the AIG and bank bailouts. 
What happens is the President and the Federal Reserve print a lot of money and give it to the banks.  Congress has nothing to say about this stuff unless they are motivated by the electorate or the corporations that pay for their campaigns that keep them elected.


I am not an economist but from what I know, Green Backs or dollars called green backs can be printed to deal with this kind of money manipulative system that requires sudden bursts of capital for large scale infrastructure projects, artificial bubbles or in times of war.  See History.  Read about the green backs. Instead of printing money and giving it to Goldman Sachs and then buying it from them at a percentage that goes to Goldman Sachs, they could just print money that is guaranteed for taxes and government contracts.  This kind of money could be used to rebuild the US infrastructure and create jobs that would create demand for goods that ultimately would help to restart our economy.

Could green backs pay down the debt as we inflate our way out of this mess?  I don't know.  But we are spending 600 billion dollars for QE2 (Not the ship) , now and more is planned for the future and all totaled I am told that the dollar is worth about 20 % less that it was in  2007.

Green backs don't get sold to Goldman Sachs and there is no interest to the government when they are issued.
Surely someone out there knows more about this than I do.  Why aren't issues of green backs being considered for debt relief in the US?  Why are we paying the Goldman Sachs?

With that rant, Charles Douglas of the
Sentinel,  turned me on to a good ( or sad) piece from On The Edge With Max Keiser called California Dreaming.  After watching both parts I just had to say, Isn't there another or better way  to fix the country and the ecomomy, than giving money to the banks that gambled it away?

Should California start a State Bank like
North Dakota?



Part 2

Friday, November 26, 2010

Man Beaten By Police Until He Was Unconscious, Charged with Resisting Arrest Without Violence For Putting Up His Hands.

From RawStory Gilberto Matamoros, a 21-year-old youth center worker, says he was doing nothing wrong when police arrested him during a brawl in Miami's Coconut Grove neighborhood on Halloween. According to his lawyer, Ricardo Martinez-Cid, Matamoros was picked out of an unruly crowd
Phot from Dees Illustration
and beaten unconscious by two Miami police officers. He had to be taken to a nearby hospital.

Really?  Is this what it has come down to?  You can't put up your hands when someone with a badge is beating you into unconcscious land?  Put up your hands and Miami Police will charge you with "Resisting Arrest Without Vilolence"? 
If this is non voilent, then I am Rush Limbaugh. 

After all, he was attacking the cops Billy clubs with the backs of his hands while on the ground. They had to hit him so hard he passed out!  That's pretty violent.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

It's 28 Degrees But I Have A Fire

I feel for those on the streets tonight in Humboldt County. It is 28 degrees outside where I live according to my RadioShack digital thermometer. For two and a half years I went without heat. I would hover over my laptop with a catalytic propane heater and go to bed early with many layers above a sleeping bag.


I am doing much better this year since I got my wood stove.  The grass outside is crunchy but I have it up to 68 degrees and would do better but the guy that usually brings my wood is missing. I have some wood , but it's not oak like Bill brings. He called and said he had some wood but never showed up. I hope he is all right. I also hope that those without houses or shelter are all right. It's damn cold and I am grateful for my stove.

If anyone in the Humboldt area has any good oak or madrone and wants to sell it, contact me at thomassebourn@gmail.com

For those without homes you can help.  http://highboldtage.wordpress.com/2010/11/22/parc-needs-blankets-and-warm-jackets-and-coats/

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Man With Eastern European Accent Sexually Assaults Woman In Arcata

The Arcata Police Department is reporting a sexual assault of a woman in Arcata on Sunday night just before midnight.
 
The assault took place in the 1300 block of 10th St.
 
The attacker is described as an adult male in his mid to late thirties, heavy build, about 5'11" with olive skin. The man was further described as having a thick eastern European accent.
 
The victim received moderate injuries and was transported to an area hospital where she received treatment.
 
Anyone having any information regarding the attack or the suspect, is encouraged to call the Arcata Police Department.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

California posts biggest job gain since May 2006

This is a good sign.  California needs all the good signs it can get right now.
Los Angeles Times has the story.

The Sacramento Bee has a nice breakdown of unemployment, county by county. in California.  Except for Del Norte and Los Angeles Counties, the lowest unemployment is mostly along the coast. 

Why We Should Beware Budget-Deficit Mania

This is a guest blog sent to me by Richard Salzman.  I thought is was worth passing on.

Why We Should Beware Budget-Deficit Mania
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2010
We're in for another round of budget-deficit mania.

The first draft of the President's deficit commission, written by its co-chairmen Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson, is a pastiche of ideas - some good, some dumb, some intriguing, some wacky. The only unifying principle behind their effort seems to be to throw enough at the wall that something's bound to stick.

At their best, presidential commissions focus the public's attention - not only on the right solution to some important problem but also on the right problem. Sadly, this preliminary report does neither.

As to solution, the report mentions but doesn't emphasize the biggest driver of future deficits  - the relentless rise in health-care costs coupled with the pending corrosion of 77 million boomer bodies. This is 70 percent of the problem, but it gets about 3 percent of the space in the draft.

The report suffers a more fundamental error - the unquestioned assumption that America's biggest economic challenge is to reduce the federal budget deficit.

The size of the budget deficit (and cumulative debt) is meaningless without reference to the size of the economy. What looks like a big debt 10 or 20 years from now may turn out to be small if growth has been rapid in the intervening years. By the same token, a seemingly small future debt can become unmanageable if the economy tanks, or barely grows at all.

In 1945, the nation's debt was 120 percent of GDP. That proved to be no problem in later years, not because the debt shrank but because the U.S. economy soared.

Our biggest problem isn't the size of pending federal budget deficits or debt but an anemic recovery that may drag on for years. And unless we're careful, budget-deficit mania may further slow economic growth - thereby making future debts even less manageable.

If Congress and the President started right now to cut the federal deficit - slashing spending and raising taxes on the middle class - our anemic economy would quickly become comatose.

That's because consumers still aren't spending much. They're overburdened by personal debt and don't qualify for new bank loans. And absent enough consumers, businesses still aren't spending on new factories, equipment, additional hiring.  Instead, they're expanding capacity abroad, buying back their own shares of stock, and gobbling up other companies. Exports can't possibly make up the slack.

That leaves government. Until we get out of the gravitational pull of the Great Recession, government is the only remaining booster rocket. If anything, we need more government spending and lower taxes on the middle class. This means bigger deficits, at least for the time being.

Even worse, budget-deficit mania will slow future growth if it forces government to cut the things that fuel growth  - education, basic R&D, child health, improved infrastructure.

No smart family would choose to balance the family budget over borrowing money to send the kids to college. The same logic holds for the nation as a whole. If certain government spending generates higher future productivity, we'd be nuts not to make the investment just to avoid a larger deficit.

Public investments like these are becoming ever more important to our future well being because private investment is more footloose globally. Giant American-based companies are now making more money abroad - and investing more there - than in the U.S. How do we get global capital to create good jobs in America? By having the skills and infrastructure to attract it.

Yet the deficit maniacs often want to slash spending across the board, including such key investments. And they often want to eliminate tax breaks that encourage these investments. (The Bowles-Simpson report is guilty of this.)

Don't get me wrong. America's projected budget deficits require attention. But in addressing them we need to focus on the right solutions, and make sure we're solving the right problem.

The preliminary report of the President's deficit commission doesn't help. It's another example of budget-deficit mania generating more heat than light.

The first link below will allow you to attempt to balance the budget your way.  See for yourself if you can.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/13/weekinreview/deficits-graphic.html?WT.mc_id=WIR-SM-E-FB-SM-LIN-BPY-111410-DB-NA&WT.mc_ev=click
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/13/weekinreview/deficits-graphic.html?choices=03x245qm

http://robertreich.org/post/1549020696

Pope Calls Health Care An ‘Inalienable Right,’ Urges World Governments To Provide Universal Coverage

At an international papal conference on health care yesterday at the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI and other Catholic church leaders said it is the “moral responsibility of nations to guarantee access to health care for all of their citizens, regardless of social and economic status or their ability to pay.” Saying access to adequate medical care is one of the “inalienable rights” of man, the pope said, “Justice in health care should be a priority of governments and international institutions”
Read More at ThinkProgress

Friday, November 19, 2010

Oregon Senator Wyden effectively kills Internet censorship bill

RawStory.com:
"It's too early to say for sure, but Oregon Senator Ron Wyden could very well go down in the history books as the man who saved the Internet".

Boiler Room Now Closed

It was a dive bar and I have to admit, I never went there for a drink but it is still sad to see a local business go away.  A lot of local bands played there.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Ring Of Fire Radio Talk Show Host David Bender Speaks In McKinleyville

College of the Redwoods sponsored a 2 hour discussion about the 2010 elections tonight at their McKinleyville campus. Nationally syndicated talk show host David Bender of Ring of Fire addressed about 50 people that showed up to find out what went wrong for progressives in the last election. Bender engaged the crowd and took questions for about the last 45 minutes. There was some lively discussion in the room and at one point Dennis Mayo said he actually agreed with Bender that corporations aren't people.


Ring of Fire can be heard locally on 1480 AM, Saturdays from Noon to 3 pm. Bender hosts the show with Mike Papantonio and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

David Bender has a long career covering politics. In high school he covered the campaigns of Richard Nixon, George McGovern and Hubert Humphrey. Rachel Maddow called Bender her "political guru",

Bender spends much of his time traveling around the country but for the last 4 years or so he has made his home in Trinidad Ca.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Next House Majority Leader Eric Cantor A Traitor?

Really?  Did Eric Cantor. the soon to be House Majority Leader, violate the Logan Act?  That would be a felony.
 "He condemned his own President and American policy for opposing the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Criticizing America while on Dreaded Foreign Soil is supposed to be one of the most extreme taboos in American politics".
Read more at democraticunderground

From the evidence here it would seem that Eric Cantor has some explaining to do. The democratic underground says: (he) vowed that he and his GOP colleagues would protect and defend Israeli interests against his own Government.






Two Arrested In Sexual Assault Of Teen

City of Arcata

PRESS RELEASE

On 11/04/2010 the Arcata Police Department received a report of a sexual assault that occurred on the evening of 10/30/2010 in the downtown area of Arcata. It was reported two adult male subjects had sexually assaulted a teenage female. The men met the girl that evening in the downtown area of Arcata and lured her to a secluded area where the assault took place.

After a lengthy investigation, Arcata Police Department Detectives identified the two suspects as 43 year old Anthony Jerome Pou and 21 year old Robert Calvin Lewis, both of Fortuna.

On 11/16/2010, both Pou and Lewis were taken into custody in Fortuna.

Pou was booked into the Humboldt County Jail on a charge of 288(c) (1) PC, Lewd Acts With a Child and Lewis was booked on a charge of 288a(b)(1) PC, Oral Copulation Person Under 18 Years.

Disaster Preparedness Event Saturday

Is your home prepared for an emergency? Where will your kids go if you're not home? What are the natural hazards you should prepare for? When did you last update your First Aid kit or skills? How much water should you have on hand? Are you able to shut off your gas line? Who responds to a natural disaster in Humboldt? How will you communicate if the phones are down? Is your car prepared if you're stranded? How will you get to your money if the banks are closed?


See what you can do to be prepared in the event that disaster strikes!
This event is free to everyone. There will be food and prizes!

When: Saturday November 20th., 10 am to 4 pm all day.
Where: Azalea Hall McKinleyville

Quantitative Easing Explained

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTUY16CkS-k
The Embed feature has been coming and going.  If you don't see the video click the above link.


It's a cute cartoon about the Bernake and the Fed.  Click the link to watch.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

These Guys Are Coming To Eureka On Saturday

This Saturday night at the Arkley Center For The Performing Arts will be House of Floyd.  This is a Pink Floyd tribute band that does a great job.  They sound a lot like Pink Floyd live and have a fantastic light, laser and video screen show to go with it. 


I have seen Pink Floyd live twice and these guys are the next best thing.  If you love Pink Floyd, you should try to make this show.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Veterans Day Events On The North Coast

Local Veterans Day Events
First of all, I would like to salute all of our veterans and thank them for their service.
Thursday is Veterans Day and there are a few events to celebrate.

Fortuna: Raise the flag will be the theme.  Veterans Memorial Building on Main St. 1:30 pm Thursday

Crescent City: Veterans Day Parade starts at 10 am Thursday.  Staging begins at 9 am and Eagle Scouts and adult former Eagle Scouts are encouraged to join with the vets.
Veterans Memorial Hall 810 H St. Parade goes to Front St. Crescent City.

All National Parks will honor service members by waiving the entry fee and day use fees for Thursday.  Includes Redwood National and State Parks Jediah Smith, Del Norte Coast and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Parks.
Weekend Events:

Saturday- Humboldt Brass Band, 8:pm HSU Fulkerson Recital Hall. $7.00 general, $3.00 seniors, HSU students with ID free.
No veterans discount.   ( the TriCity Weekly story didn't mention one)
More info.  Gil Cline 707-826-5441

Sunday United Bikers of Northern California Veterans Day Run.  Meet 10 am Sunday morning at Veterans Memorial Building in Arcata, 1423 J Street.  Bikes leave at Noon to Ocean View Cemetary's Veterans Grove in Eureka for a short ceremony.
All motorcycles welcome.  A get together at the Eureka V.F.W. Hall after.
More info: Vince 707-834-4826, Rocky 707-502-0240, Dirty Dave 707-442-4469

US Senator Joe Liberman, WTC 7 Did Not Occur