Keep things in perspective!
Remember…
May 21, 2010
commentary Earth, rock, you are here Leave a comment
Keep things in perspective!
Some Old Signs Remain
May 20, 2010
commentary, News Civil Rights Act of 1964, Rachel Maddow, racial discrimination, Rand Paul Leave a comment
Photo by Sarah Goodyear, on Rachel Maddow's Blog
In a conversation with Republican Senate candidate from Kentucky, Rand Paul, Rachel Maddow asked about recent comments he made regarding the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Rather than give a direct answer, Mr. Paul danced around the question, leaving the impression that he was fine with the idea that a private businessman should have the right to discriminate against anyone he wants, and that the government didn’t have the right to tell him he could not. Mr. Paul defended the law as it applies to government, but would not come right out and say either businesses had a right to discriminate against anyone they liked, or they do not. He may have just handed the election to his Democratic rival.
Lady Gaga says (sorta) “Don’t Get Caught In A Bad Hotel”
May 14, 2010
commentary, Gay, Humor, video HAVOQ, Lady Gaga, One Struggle One Fight, San Francisco, San Francisco Hotel boycott, San Francisco Pride at Work, The Brass Liberation Orchestra, Westin St. Francis Leave a comment
In what may be the cleverest picket action ever (of course it’s in San Francisco), the Westin St. Francis (a VERY nice hotel that I had a chance to stay in some years ago) is hit with a Lady Gaga inspired protest.
Employees are fighting for health care benefits, and apparently the hotel negotiators have dug in their heels. Stay tuned.
Last Flight of the Shuttle Atlantis
May 14, 2010
commentary, News, Personal Atlantis, flying car, Mars, moon base, NASA, Space Shuttle Leave a comment
Space Shuttle Atlantis Photo Credit NASA
As of this writing, the Space Shuttle Atlantis sits on the pad at Kennedy Space Center Florida, ready for today’s liftoff on a mission to the International Space Station. Barring any last-minute reprieves, this will be Atlantis’ last flight. After this mission, Orbiter OV-104, first flown in 1985, will be removed from service as NASA retires the Shuttle fleet. There are only a few more flights remaining in the construction of the International Space Station, and once those flights are done, the shuttle program will be ended. The orbiters will be safed, and shipped off to various museums and institutions for display.
Once the last Space Shuttle lands sometime in 2011, the United States will have no manned access to space. While there is an impressive list of rockets in NASA’s fleet, once the Shuttles are retired, American astronauts will only be able to go into space on the rockets of other nations, primarily Russia.
Essentially, the only way for the United States to access it’s Space Station is to hail a cab.
Advanced Dispatcher Training
May 12, 2010
9-1-1, commentary, Personal 9-1-1, dispatch training, Sequoia Field, TCCC, Training For Safety Inc Leave a comment
So for the past two days, I’ve been dragging my ass backside out of bed at 7am to attend “Advanced Dispatcher” training. Held out at our “Training Facility” at Sequoia Field, the class starts at 8am. As you can imagine, 8 am comes damned early to someone who is usually just entering REM sleep about that time! 15 + years of swing shift does not allow easy shifting of one’s biological rhythms! One more day, then I’ll have a nice certificate that will tell all assorted and sundry individuals that I am a certified advanced dispatcher. And that I really CAN get up at 7am, if I have to. I will hate it, but I can.
Three of us from TCSO are attending, several from VPD, Kings County, and surprisingly, Turlock and Tracy PD sent dispatchers all the way to Visalia’s boon-docks for the class.
The training is out at our offices at Sequoia Field, a WWII era pilot training facility. Remodeled who knows how many times, several Sheriff’s Department offices are housed at the site. It creates an interesting mix of the old and new.
One more day, and we’re done. The two days so far have been interesting, and I feel that I’ve learned some things. One, that all dispatchers are nuts, and two, that we all have the same problems!
The instructor is an interesting fellow, good speaker, tells some interesting stories, and is a fellow HAM radio operator! With an repertoire like that, there’s no way the class can be boring. The last day will be a different teacher, and rumors have been floated about her… “different”… methodology. It will be interesting to see what happens. I’ve heard things about a guitar, and candles.
Yeah, Thursday might be very interesting!
UPDATE: THURSDAY after the fold…
Homosexual Families Don’t Count
May 10, 2010
commentary, Gay, News, Personal gay rights stuggle, Iowa camping regulations, Merlin Bartz Leave a comment
Merlin Bartz, Iowa State Senator
This man does not believe your family should be treated the same as other families.
Merlin Bartz, a state Senator in Iowa, is trying to block the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) from changing the wording of regulations regarding camping sites at state parks. The regulations in question refer to the ability of a family group to pitch more than one tent in a campsite. In one part of the regulations, a reference is made to “mother, father, children”. “They’re citing the Supreme Court case and changing, you know, ‘husband and wife’ language to ’spouse,’ ” Bartz is quoted at RadioIowa. (He’s not even getting the regulation he doesn’t want changed correct! It’s clear it’s not well functioning state campsites he’s worried about!)
Iowa’s Supreme Court ruled in April 2009 that denying same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. The court overturned the Iowa Defense of Marriage Act, in effect legalizing same sex marriage. The ruling was unanimous. As government agencies move to make their regulations reflect the law, right wing forces have tried to prevent those changes.
Even after we’ve won, we can’t relax our vigilance. The forces of hate will still be out there, and they’ll still think we’re evil.
BoobQuake Results In – Earth Shrugs At Immodest Women
April 29, 2010
commentary, Humor, News, Personal atheist, boobquake, earthquakes, Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedigh, Jen McCreight, science Leave a comment
Photo by David Collins
What happens when a self-proclaimed “liberal, geeky, nerdy, scientific, perverted atheist feminist trapped in Indiana” dashes off a snarky response to Iranian cleric Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi’s comments that immodest women corrupt men and cause earthquakes? BOOBQUAKE!
On April 19, 2010, Jen McCreight dashed off some comments on her blog, Blag Hag, before running off to watch one of her favorite TV shows. Little did she suspect what her little spur of the moment missive would become!
On Monday, April 26th, I will wear the most cleavage-showing shirt I own. Yes, the one usually reserved for a night on the town. I encourage other female skeptics to join me and embrace the supposed supernatural power of their breasts. Or short shorts, if that’s your preferred form of immodesty. With the power of our scandalous bodies combined, we should surely produce an earthquake. If not, I’m sure Sedighi can come up with a rational explanation for why the ground didn’t rumble. And if we really get through to him, maybe it’ll be one involving plate tectonics.
Well, the internet being what it is, and the general response by straight males (and plenty of women, as well) to anything to do with boobs, it took off. Read the initial blog post by Jen here. The BOOBQUAKE event took place, and the results are in!
Jen has been interviewed by media around the world, including the BBC and CNN. Quite the subject for her 15 minutes of fame, huh? Even though I can only appreciate boobs from a purely aesthetic point of view, all I can say is, you go girl!
It Was Nuckin’ Futs Last Night!
April 27, 2010
9-1-1, commentary, Personal dispatch stories, Monday from hell, TCSO Leave a comment
I walk into dispatch at 1700 hours (5pm). It’s moderately busy, but not bad. I sit down at Channel 1, and prepare for my shift. The first hour or so is not bad, I get my shift rostered, tell various Sargents about pending calls, and generally settle in for 5 to 7 hours of radio.
It didn’t take long for the fan to be hit.
JimmieJoe / KC6YRU 
Amazing, Simply Amazing!
May 24, 2010
Jim Reeves commentary, Personal Central Point Networks, CPN computer club, CPNllc, Ted Freitas Leave a comment
I’ve been having some problems with my main computer. Part of a home network, it’s recently been sluggish, refusing to find websites, loading only parts of pages, and taking forever to boot up. I complained to Ted about it recently, just in passing, and he had me install his new service so he could take a look at my system. Well, I don’t know what he and his techs over at CPN did today while I was asleep, but the difference is night and day! Pages load in a snap, like they used to, and the computer alternates between programs without pouting about being made to work!
{Shameless plug} Surf on over to CPN (Central Point Networks, LLC) and check out the new Computer Club service. Well worth the price, it will insure your computers run like the screaming eagles you remember when you first started using them. Don’t let the malware, viruses, and other computer ills drag your computer down. Have Ted and CPN on guard 24/7!
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