Walnuts are a big crop in this area. Orchards spread out around the outskirts of Visalia, and throughout this region of Central California. I’ve always pretty much taken them for granted, they’ve been a staple of my life since childhood. With the advent of mechanized harvesting, walnut theft has taken on new dimensions. Part of the problem is the way most crops are harvested these days. A honkin’ machine rolls up and grabs the trunk of the tree, and proceeds to shake the hell out of it! Walnuts cascade to the ground, and once the operator is satisfied that he’s dropped all he can, he moves on to the next tree. The crop lays on the ground until the next guy (or the same one in a different machine) comes along with what amounts to a broom-and-vacuum machine to pick it up. Often times the crop sits on the ground overnight. This is the perfect opportunity for theft. The call of the night was an interesting twist on the walnut-theft capers we usually get.
Routinely, someone will see strangers in an orchard, and call the Sheriff to report possible theft. Often vehicles will be stopped for one reason or another, and we’ll find sacks of walnuts, but no receipts. Other times we simply catch them in the act, picking up walnuts in orchards they don’t own. It’s an ongoing thing, every year. Tonight’s call was a bit different.
Mom called this one in.
Thank you, California. You told Meg and Carly they couldn’t buy an election, that out of state oil companies couldn’t scuttle anti-pollution laws, and that we’re not all potheads. Even though I live in California’s Tea Bagger ground zero, there’s enough sane folks in Los Angeles and San Francisco to keep the state in the blue. I do have a couple of complaints about things locally, however.
I don’t care. At all. One bit. Hope you enjoyed it.
It’s pretty cool to interact with people who make a difference on a national stage. Lt. Dan Choi Tweeted that he was making an appearance on CNN, so I caught that short broadcast this morning as I was winding down my day. A good but short segment, he spoke briefly about Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and the recent court actions. After the CNN appearance, he Tweeted that he would be on CSpan, so I decided to stay up later than usual and catch that as well. CSpan allows for a more thorough examination of subjects, and callers can ask their own questions or make comments. I thought Lt. Choi did an excellent job, and fired off a Tweet to him after the CSpan segment. I was surprised to see a response 10 minutes later. With over 9,000 followers, I suspect it’s a challenge for Lt. Choi to keep up with comments, let alone answer them.
JimmieJoe / KC6YRU 
The Hottest Video I Don’t Understand
November 7, 2010
Jim Reeves commentary, Personal, video Burhan G, Danish Pop music, Tættere På Himlen Feat. Nik & Jay Leave a comment
Well, I don’t understand the words, anyway. The rest of it is pretty clear. Except for the woman. I don’t get that at all.
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