Sending text messages to 9-1-1 is something few PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points) are ready to receive. The ability is in the works, however, and the FCC is working with carriers and 9-1-1 centers to roll out the service beginning this year. If you attempt to send a text message to a 9-1-1 center that is not capable of receiving it, after June 30, 2013 you will get a “bounce back” message telling you to use other means to reach 9-1-1. Prior to June 30, you will receive no notice that your message did not go through. Equipment upgrades and policy decisions must still be implemented in most PSAPs before they will be able to respond to text based 9-1-1 calls. If you intend to use text messages as a way to contact 9-1-1, you should check with your local PSAP to find out when they will be able to receive and act on your message. Until then, use voice, TTY, or relay services to reach 9-1-1.
Texting to 9-1-1 is just around the corner
January 23, 2013
9-1-1, News 9-1-1, 911, PSAP, text to 911, text-to-9-1-1, texting 1 Comment
Hobnobbing with the stars
November 10, 2012
commentary, News, Personal Democratic Party, Devin Nunes, Otto Lee, Tulare County Democratic Party, US Congress 1 Comment
This afternoon I attended a gathering at the Tulare County Democratic Party’s office in Visalia. The event was hosted by Otto Lee, who ran against Devin Nunes for the office of Congressional Representative for the 22nd District of California. Nunes won, but Otto made a respectable showing, even with Nunes refusing all offers to debate or appear together to discuss issues.
I spent two hours at the event, meeting a few people, talking with Otto and others, and came away hopeful for the future. In a very red area, there’s real potential for putting a bluer hue on the picture. The future may surprise Nunes, especially if he continues to discount competition for his seat. Nothing in politics is guaranteed, and taking your constituents for granted is never wise. Next election, Nunes will have been in office for 12 years, and his district has next to nothing to show for it. It’s still one of the poorest in California, with some of the highest unemployment, and that has not changed during his tenure.
I don’t know if Otto Lee will run again in two years, but I hope he does. This district could use new ideas, and a fresh perspective. Sometimes, it’s possible to be to close to a problem to see a solution, and having the viewpoint of someone new to the area might just be the fresh air we need. Regardless of whether the next election sees Otto run again, or some other Democrat steps up, the demographics of the region are rapidly changing, and the GOP has been doing everything in it’s power to run from the very groups that will dominate the future. If they don’t change, their party faces a future of marginalization and irrelevance.
Otto Lee 2014! 😉
The Definition of Insanity
August 13, 2012
commentary, News California Congressional District 22, Clovis, Devin Nunes, Otto for Congress, Otto Lee, Tulare County, visalia 1 Comment
… is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.
For almost ten years, voters in the Visalia area have elected, and re-elected, Devin Nunes to be our congressman in the House of Representatives. In at least one election, Nunes ran unopposed. In those ten years, we’ve seen a dramatic jump in the number of dairies in Tulare County and the surrounding area. Tulare County is now #1 in dairy production in the United States. Tulare County is also consistently #2 or #3 in overall agricultural production in the United States, usually hot on the heels of Fresno County. Despite this leadership in the dairy industry (Representative Nunes’ family business) and agriculture, Tulare County is also one of the poorest counties in California. Nearly a quarter of the population live in poverty, and one in three residents receives state aid.
One has to ask, in the midst of such wealth, why is the poverty level so high, and what has Devin Nunes done in his tenure in Congress to alleviate that poverty? The answer, based on continuing high poverty levels, would seem to be “not much”. Republicans love to talk business, and clamor for government to be run “more like a business”. Well, we’ve had ten years of Mr. Nunes’ being in our employ, and we don’t have much to show for it (unless you’re a dairyman or farmer). It’s time we seriously considered firing Mr. Nunes for his lack of success in solving the problems that have been plaguing Tulare County for years. After all, that’s what any business would do, right?
On Sunday, August 12, 2012, I attended the grand opening of the Otto For Congress office in Visalia. Otto Lee is a Commander in the Navy, Bronze Star recipient, private business owner, and former Mayor and Council member in Sunnyvale.
Otto Lee brings a fresh perspective to the needs of the new 22nd District.
Sunday’s office opening was a chance for people to meet the candidate, and talk to him about his goals and plans for the future.
There are many different groups that fall under the banner of what might be called Democratic “special interests”, and my interests are, of course, in the area of LGBT issues. I had an opportunity to sit down with Otto for a few minutes, and discuss those subjects.
7 Minutes of Terror – landing on Mars – by Sky-Crane
August 6, 2012
commentary, geek, News, video 7 minutes, Curiosity, JPL, landing on Mars, NASA, seven minutes of terror 1 Comment
This is the best video I’ve seen so far explaining how Curiosity was designed to land. I’m just amazed that it worked. Twelve year old Space Cadet Jimmiejoe was bouncing up and down, telling me it was going to work no sweat, but I really didn’t believe him. I worried that the parachute would fail, or the heat shield would get hung up, or the retro-rockets wouldn’t fire correctly… and I really sweated the whole sky-crane thing. That was just crazy writ large! Hover 60 feet in the air, and drop this huge thing down on a tether? Are they nuts?? Then the tethers had to be cut, allowing the rocket frame to fly away. If that hadn’t worked, it would have dropped on top of the lander once it’s fuel ran out.
BUT IT WORKED!
Congratulations to NASA and JPL!
You know what would be cool? I know it can’t happen, but wouldn’t it be something if Curiosity could, at the end of it’s science programs, drive to one of the other lander’s locations, just to visit? Too far, over terrain that would probably be impossible, and the mechanisms of the machine would likely never survive, but that would be something to see.
Space Cadet Jimmiejoe is a happy boy – Curiosity safely on Mars
August 5, 2012
commentary, geek, News Curiosity, JPL, Mars landers, MSL, NASA, space Leave a comment
Photo illustration by NASA
Here’s what it might look like if you were there right now. Curiosity is safely on the surface of Mars! After a 7 minute landing program that took the lander from 13,000 MPH to a soft landing, the first pictures have been downloaded. Science starts soon!
Photo: Mars Curiosity/NASA
The parachute popped exactly right. The retro-rockets fired perfectly, bringing it to a hover over the ground, then dropped it to the ground on a sky crane system that has never before been attempted. Now the rover begins at least two years of science work.
Space Cadet Jimmiejoe is jumping up and down like crazy. I’m glad to see he’s still around.
NOH8 Open Photo Shoot in Fresno 7/13
July 12, 2012
commentary, Gay, News Adam Bouska, NOH8, NOH8 Campaign, The Big Red Church Leave a comment
Famed photographer Adam Bouska will take his NOH8 Campaign open photo shoot to Fresno, California, Friday July 13th. Held from 5pm to 8pm at The Big Red Church, donations to the NOH8 Campaign are $40 per single, and $25 per person for group shots.
For complete information, visit the NOH8 Campaign website.
I’ll be there, look for the tall skinny almost bald guy!
Sometimes, all you have to do is ask
June 16, 2012
commentary, News, Personal City of Visalia, Gay rights, gays in visalia, LGBT Pride Proclamation 1 Comment
It’s weird, every now and then, how things work out.
For years, various political figures have issued proclamations honoring June as LGBT Pride Month. Whether a Mayor of a major city, or the President of the United States, the whereas‘s and the therefore‘s have highlighted the triumphs and tragedies of the gay pride movement across the United States, and marked the month in remembrance. Some cities do it every year, Presidents (who are Democrats) issue one annually, and other government bodies sometimes do and sometimes don’t.
This is the story of Visalia’s LGBT Pride Month proclamation.
It was all quite accidental.
The Lady and the Enterprise
June 6, 2012
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The Space Shuttle Enterprise is on it’s way to New York’s Intrepid museum by barge. It has been lifted onto the flight deck of the U.S.S. Intrepid, the retired aircraft carrier now permanently on display in New York Harbor. The Enterprise was the first Shuttle built, and used for flight and landing tests in the late 1970’s. It was originally planned to be retro-fitted for spaceflight, and be the second orbiter, but structural refitting to bring the Enterprise to acceptable specifications became to expensive. The decision was made that it would be cheaper to build a new orbiter (Challenger) than to disassemble and rebuild Enterprise. Enterprise has been on display at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles International Airport since 2003.
Space Geek: Another private spaceship begins testing
May 31, 2012
geek, News Dragon, Dream Chaser, international space station, ISS, Space X, US spacecraft Leave a comment
Dream Chaser took to the air for the first time, in what is called a “captive carry” test. Designed to test hardware, facilities, and ground operations, the test was conducted at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Jefferson County, Colorado. A heavy-lift helicopter… lifted it. Eventually, they’ll let it go, and see if it can fly!
This one sure looks more like a spaceship than the Dragon, which just successfully docked with the International Space Station, and splashed down today in the Pacific Ocean. Of course, the Dragon is a working system, based on tried and true technology. The Dream Chaser is following in the footsteps of the Shuttle, a very much more complex design. I’m crossing my fingers.
JimmieJoe / KC6YRU 
February 12, 2013
Jim Reeves commentary, fiction, geek, News, Personal benedict xvi resigns, is the pope gay?, ratzinger, real reason the pope resigned, satire, vatican Leave a comment
My satirical look at the Pope’s resignation got over 500 views at Queerlandia on it’s first day. It’s already trending to be another busy day, with early traffic hits continuing to build. This is my third largest single day hit count since I started writing these blogs. I may have to start writing more “investigative” reports! 😉
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