Who are You?

In this day and age people are careful with the words that the use to describe someone in fear that they may be labeled as a bigot or a raciest. That makes sense. I mean who wants to be recognized solely by the color of their skin and the accent they have. This has become most apparent in the media. With fears of public outcry or lawsuits they choose their words a bit of apprehension. That's fine. But to a certain extent. When listening to the radio and I hear of a crime that has been perpetrated and they say, "police are looking for a six foot chubby man" I end up a bit perplexed. OK so is the man White, Mexican, Asian, or Black? In an article posted in the Contra Costa Times, they fail to give any sort of information that could help you avoid this person or inform the police.

The robber was last seen on the north side of the Pleasant Hill BART station. He was described as an unshaven man weighing about 200 pounds and wearing dark clothes.

Anyone with information can contact Walnut Creek police at 925-943-5844.

I am surprised they even described the person as a man. Isn't that gender labeling? Could the description be any more vague?Guess what? That is me. A man weighing about 200 pounds and unshaven. And I do own dark clothes. Good work! I am sure we'll find him now. Just in case anyone needs to know I was at home with my wife.

2012

I have often been intrigued by ancient cultures, their beliefs and origins. The mysteries as to how the ancient Egyptian pyramids were built or why the Nazca Lines were created are examples of events that have captivated me for most of my life. Now perhaps one of the more relative of these mysterious events is concerned with the Mayan civilization and their calenders. It seems that their calender is just about to finish a 5000 year cycle and there are many speculations to what will happen. The most sensational is that it will be the end of life as we know it. Or in other cases, some see it as simply a new beginning. Whatever your view, it will most likely be discussed in length in San Francisco this upcoming weekend. The 2012 Conference kicks off on Saturday at the Fort Mason Center. Although I don't believe that the Mayans were able to predict the future, it would be cool to learn about what they were thinking and believed concerning the cycle of life, the earth and the universe.

Stealing the vote

Here is an interesting map with dialog on each state's problems with voter fraud. Just click on the state that you want to read about.

Taboo Represents

I guess with a name like Taboo, nothing is. Here he is representing Obama on the red carpet at the 2008 MTV awards back in September.

At least she looks good...Right?

We'll if Sarah Palin is going to make an elephant's ass out of herself, the GOP and her supporters, at least she'll look good doing it. I think that money does need to spent on looking good when representing. You know-- a couple thousand dollars to doll up. But come on! $100000 for clothes and accessories!? You've got to be kidding me. Who the fuck does she think she is? The Queen of England? Give me a break.

The new threads and accessories for Palin and her family included $49,425.74 spent at Saks Fifth Avenue stores in St. Louis and New York and $75,062.63 at Neiman Marcus - stores that don't have outlets in the small towns of "real America" that the Republican vice presidential nominee has been referencing lately in stump speeches.

Is this putting lipstick on a pig? Just wondering.

Troy Davis

Although I am somewhat of a supporter of the death penalty, I do believe that it is crucial that alleged criminals get fair trails. So often in this county we have failed to protect the rights of many of our citizens and they have either been railroaded by the law or not given a fair chance by the courts. I know that there are many cases that come to light when the day of execution draws near. Often it is just one last attempt for the convicted to save there own skin. Who can blame them? What most recently comes to mind is Stanley Tookie Williams III.

Tookie was put to death by the State of California in 2005. As too be expected, there was a general movement by anti death penalty groups to save his life just before his execution. Although Tookie appeared to have changed his ways and became an anti gang proponent, it is still pretty straight forward that he committed the murders that he was convicted of. Not only was there a witness, but there was physical evidence to boot.

In the case of Troy Davis it is not so straight forward. There is a lot of speculation as to the integrity of the evidence. Not so much as to getting hung up on technicalities, but more so to inconsistent testimony from witnesses, no physical evidence, no attempt to find a "missing witness" and even witness tampering. There is a diverse group of activists showing support for Davis. Activists include your standard anti death penalty proponents, but also conservatives like Bob Barr. I think in this situation it is not only whether or not the death penalty is just, but is this case just?

The truth of the matter is that if we as nation allow our states to implement the death penalty, we need to make sure that we are Not Executing Innocent People. It has happened before and it cannot happen anymore. I am not saying that Davis should be off the hook if he indeed committed the crime. Surely, shooting another man in the face in cold blood warrants capital punishment in my book. Let's just be sure that we've got the right man before another life is unnecessarily lost. Let's give this man an appeal and if we cant, let's at least keep him alive. Just my thoughts. If you wish to help the cause, click here.

Up date:

Stay of execution issued for Georgia prisoner

Posted: 12:27 PM ET

(CNN) — The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a stay of execution Friday for a Georgia death row inmate who had been scheduled to die on Monday, his attorney said.

Troy Davis was convicted in 1991 for the murder of a Savannah police officer three years earlier. He has always maintained his innocence in the killing of Officer Mark MacPhail, and since his conviction, seven of the nine witnesses against him have recanted their testimony.

The Court of Appeals granted a 25-day stay so Davis’ attorneys can file a new habeas corpus brief with a lower court, Davis’ attorney, Jay Ewart, told CNN.

Ewart said Davis’ attorneys will argue that his execution would be a violation of the 8th Amendment. The amendment reads, “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”

California Academy of the Sciences in San Francisco

Alright! I went. I know I should have waited a while until the crowds waned, but we could not resist. As I mentioned before. This building is on the forefront of green technology. Never mind the treasure of knowledge beyond the doors.

So we braved Saturday afternoon traffic into the City and made our way slowly but surely over to Golden Gate Park(AKA the Outside Lands). Of course the line was long but I was able to cut our wait in half by going down the the little kiosks that were lined up about 75 yards out from the main entrance.

After shelling out $50 for two tickets, we cruised right in. The interior architecture was very modern with sky lighted rooftops, glass domes, white concrete walls and supports. The main attractions seemed to be the Morrison Planetarium, the rainforest, and the aquarium. For the planetarium, you need to buy tickets. It seems that getting the tickets in advance is the way to go seeing as it was all sold out. The line to the rain forest seemed have a hundred people waiting, so we did not bother. We did however check out the African Exhibit where they had a live South African Penguin environment and many replicated animals in their respective settings as well. In the main lobby, there were many interactive displays that let patrons guess and learn about evolution, listen about extinct insects, and watch blazing California forest and brush fires.

Then we went down below to to check out the aquarium. Talk about a mad house. New rule here. If your baby is in a stroller, chances are you baby is too young to appreciate the science that surrounds them. So... No Stroller! But back to nature at hand. The aquarium did not disappoint. They have the "Philippine Coral Reef" with all the fish and animal life playing the parts. They have a deep see exhibit where all you could see is the luminescence of the fish. To be honest I could not discern if the deep sea dwellers were real or fake. There were so many people down there that I couldn't get to the plaques that explained and describe what one was looking at. But is was cool nonetheless. Oh. I cannot forget the petting pond where you can pet starfish and the like. I remember the previous one as more aesthetically pleasing, but this one was obviously more functional.

Up to the roof. This is "the spot". Besides the rain forest and the planetarium (which I did not see on this round) here was where the most obvious changes were. With a large observation deck surrounded by native California ground cover, it was like looking over a green rolling hills with strange ocular like protrusions rising up every so often. There was a very cool view of the Sunset district to one side and a stunning gaze of the recently rebuilt De young Museum to the other. Oh and that reminds me. Your $25 admission to CAS also get you in the the De Young. So get an early start.

All in all, the Academy was a good experience. This was just a taste for me. I will go back after the new year and maybe on a weekday so that I can truly enjoy all that it has to offer.

Something silly

Hey blogosphear people. I know its been a week since my last blog. But I am back here just something neat that was sent to me from a family member. Check it below


HalfTime Basketball Creighton University Omaha Nebraska - Watch more free videos

There you go Joe!

It's settled. Until last night, I was on the fence as to who I was going to vote for. I was leaning towards Obama, but now I am all about "Joe the plumber". I' m thinking that if he gets a piece of the action, he'll definitely be over the quarter million mark. Oh and also, don't let Vic Mackey know that Joe stole his look.

important stuff here

Hat tip Steph

Today in Histroy

Well as many of you know Sunday was Columbus Day(observed on Monday). That is the day that we in the Western Hemisphere recognize Christopher Columbus's discovery of what is today called the Americas.


There is a lot to be said about good Ole Christoforo. For starters he is touted as a great sailor and explorer. He is the man that finally convinced someone of significance to back him in his trip "around" the world. He in fact was able to convince Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain that the world was indeed round and that it would be most lucrative to explore this alternative route to the East. Boy was he right about the lucrative part.Well I guess the whole round part too. I digress. The gold, silver and other natural resources of the Americas made Spain the richest country in the history and helped to insure Spain as the preeminent Super Power of the world. That would remain true for some three hundred years.

In that three hundred years and today, the influence of Spanish culture as instigated by Columbus's discovery and the subsequent colonization of the Americas can still be seen today all over the western hemisphere. And I am not talking about hidden artifacts buried under layers of dirt(although they do also exist). Spanish Cultural influence dominates most of the sovereign nations in the Americas and the Caribbean where Spanish is the official language. Even in the USA where the culture base is dominated by Northern European customs and where we speak English, one can see where Spain made it's mark. Many major U.S. cities have Spanish names from when the were part of the Spanish Empire. E.g. San Francisco, Las Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, El Paso, San Antonio, Colorado Springs, Sacramento, Santa Fe just to name a few.

However, pointing out Spain's influences as something positive should be left to the public school history books of the past century(do I detect a bit of irony). The truth of the matter when concerning Spain and specifically Columbus is that those influences came a great cost. Let's face it. Columbus was a tyrant. He was so eager to please his leaders, obtain power and line his personal coffers, that he set forth a precedent of slavery, genocide, and thievery that is arguably unrivaled to this day. He, (according to Howard Zinn) would mandate that the natives of Caribbean nations bring back gold and silver(which did not exist on their island in any significant amount) or he would chop off their hands. And he did. It wasn't until later that the Spanish discovered that all the true treasures lay on the continent. He enslaved them, took their land and destroyed their families and lives.

Today in our lives we look at the man, this tyrant and thief as a hero. We take the day off. Our public offices close their doors, and in some spots we celebrate with big parades. Sure, in recognition of who Columbus truly was, some groups have changed the name of the holiday to "Indigenous People's Day", but in reality, the people that benefit the most are NOT indigenous people at all. Now some of you may think that this whole Columbus thing is a bit played out. But I disagree. People need to understand their pasts so that when it comes for a change to the future, that we do not make the same horrible greed driven decisions of those in the past.

We could have learned so much from those that were destroyed, but now all we have is Club Med and a bullshit holiday.

Just my thoughts?

Today in Histroy

earthquake

just felt one here in Walnut Creek about two minutes ago. Although the USGS has pinpointed the epicenter, has not released the intensity yet. Actually lets call it a 3.o shaker centered around Berkeley.

Big Oil now at $80 a barrel

I've said it a hundred times before. The price of gas can be controlled by the simple rules of supply and demand. The less the demand the greater the supply thus the price will fall. This is also based on the premise that Saudi Arabia will hold true to it's own mandate to produce enough oil to keep the prices down so as to keep global economies afloat.

Now my manner in tackling this on a personal level has been only to use the gas that I need. What I mean is that I do not fill my gas tank up every time I go to the pump. If I fill my tank completely, it would probably last me a week and a half. So I just put in a third of a tank. That way the gas sits in their tank and not mine. In theory, this creates a glut in the market, the gas companies end up sitting around with a bunch of product on their hands and you keep the money in your wallet a little longer.

So here we are immersed in a global recession. People are tightening up their purse strings and not filling up their SUVs or their boats. They have not been jet setting all over the county and the world like they had in previous years. The airlines have cut flights. People just aren't spending money on gas. So one can see that due to the lack of demand, the price of oil is plummeting. Today the price per barrel fell just below $8o and has endured an over all loss of 40% since July. That is great! I paid over $4 a gallon in July and now it is down to $3.50 and less in some spots in our region. Just six months ago we were looking at the end of cheap gas as we know it. And for the most part that still remains true, but it is not dire situation that OPEC and big oil companies had us believing. I am saying that there is no need to pay $140 a barrel for gas. Unless it was the goal of all thees entities to curtail the demand as to preserve supply for our own good. I doubt it!

OPEC is starting to panic. They are meeting soon to determine whether or not to reduce oil production in order to rid the market of excess product and to drive the price up again. This (cartel), these bastards, are the same guys that were getting nearly $140 a barrel not six months ago. Now I understand that oil producing countries need to get their share and be duly rewarded for the natural resources that they extract and produce. Personally I think that they should be happy with $80 a barrel at this point. Fifteen years ago they were getting $10 a barrel and although I concede that oil prices must go up in order to meet demands and to compensate for other increased expenses, that doesn't mean that they (OPEC) and the oil companies should gouge us. We've already seen a market shift in the U.S. economy towards alternative energy sources and more efficient use of petroleum products. This is bad new for the cartel. The drop in demand means less money for government and private coffers. Once again, I understand that they do need to get good value for their diminishing supplies but I also understand that it is inevitable that the oil will run out and that we'll have to look somewhere else for all of our energy needs. So it seems that it would behoove OPEC to not cut production too drastically and to not drive up the prices too much. At 80$ a barrel, one would think that should be enough money for a county like Saudi Arabia or others to invest in their own future without sticking it to us. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Smart car kits

If you were ever worried about looking like a geek driving your smart car, fear no more and behold the The Smamborghini! Now obviously this is fake but I thought it was cool. Just search smart car kits to see more models.

Hat tip Steph

The Old Vote

In this day and age of political tumult it is good to know that even the very old are voting. KCBS reporter George Harris reports that Andrew Hatch celebrated his one hundred and tenth birthday in the big bad O on Monday.

Secret of California's Oldest Man: Wake Up Every Day

OAKLAND, Calif. (KCBS) -- Andrew Hatch was a bit surprised by all the media attention surrounding his birthday party in Oakland Monday. All the Louisiana native did was turn 110, and he had no great secrets to explain his longevity. Born on Oct. 7, 1898 in Louisiana, Mr. Hatch moved to Oakland in 1933 after living for a time in Houston, Texas. When KCBS reporter George Harris asked him the inevitable, all Mr. Hatch could say, “That’s a stupid question.” But anyone who’s spent time around him at the San Pablo Senior Residence knows they can expect to laugh. A lot. And Mr. Hatch did eventually concede that living a long life boiled down to a simple fact, he was able to get up everyday. With the assistance of a power chair, he still shops for himself, does his own laundry and votes in every election.

I would love to spend some time talking to that guy. I mean really. He has seen it all. Technologies that we take for granted came to fruition in his lifetime. The phone, the T.V., the radio, the car and nuclear power just to name a few. You name it. He was alive before most of this countries natural landscapes were for the most part untainted. Also, I am not sure but I believe this man sounded African American based on the interview that I heard on the radio. Which could mean that his grandparents might have been slaves or might have know people that were slaves. Purely speculation on my part, but I maintain that it would be fascinating to talk a few rounds with this guy. All the history within books cannot measure up to first hand experience. When it comes to making decisions, Andrew may have some wise advise. Happy Birthday Andrew Hatch

History Exposed

Lake Shasta reveals its past as water levels decrease. Being that my hobby is photography, I wish I could be up there to shoot the relics of achatecture and who knows what else. In this shot you can see the top of an old train trellis. Anyway, check out the article and pics. It's pretty neat. That's right I said "neat".

Born in the U.S.A

I have had mixed views on the "Boss" in the past. For many years I falsely thought of him as your typical right wing red neck kind of guy based on the sound and style portrayed in his more main stream music. In recent years I have started to think differently. It first started when I learned that Bruce regularly performed "This Land Is Your Land" By Woody Guthrie and that he often added alternative lyrics that cried for equality and against oppression. Later, Springsteen put out an album of old folk songs from the early part of the 20th century. "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions" introduce me and others to the works of black listed artist and political activist Peter Seeger.
On Saturday, Bruce performed at a "register to vote" rally in Philadelphia and did some Obama praising as well. I am now officially a big Bruce fan. He delivered what seemed to be a well thought out(but not rehearsed) speech that was honest and ponderable. See below.

O.J. Simpson

13 years ago to the day from when the" Juice" was acquitted of the charges of slaying his x-wife and her "friend", he gets lambasted with a volley of guilty verdicts. Now it seems that in the years that have passed since his acquittal, public opinion has made a volte-face on the subject and now believes(as I have all along) that he is indeed guilty. Today, some assert that public opinion played a part to the current verdict. However public opinion should have no affect on his sentencing. Or will it?With this new ruling, O.J. Faces 5 years to life. Does he get the life sentence that many believe he should? Is this the judge's opportunity to avenge the victims of Simpson's previous "alleged" crimes? Regardless, in watching the video and seeing the vapid look on O.J.'s face, it is as if though he had been waiting along time for perhaps what he saw as inevitable. Anyway you look at it, it's a damn shame. All of it.

But man he was so cool!

Bear Gets The Munchies

I used to work in sandwich shop. This never happened though.

Pumpkins gone bad

This one is making the rounds in email world right now. I have seen similar parodies to this one but not this one specifically. Anyway, just something fun to get a laugh.