Friday, August 26, 2005

New exhibit at London Zoo - humans

New exhibit at London Zoo - humans - Yahoo! News

(This blog not only roams beyond California, but, check this out: London.)

Good idea having the human animal along with the other creatures at the zoo. Check out the photo in this article of the humans in their zoo enclosure.

Skinny Firefighter Slithers to the Rescue

Skinny Firefighter Slithers to the Rescue - Yahoo! News

Firefighters - my heroes!

Thursday, August 25, 2005

SCE - Rotating Outages Information (SoCal Edison)

SCE - Rotating Outages Information

What the hey. This caught me offguard!

Didn't affect me, as my neighborhood had our turn last time.

Yes, it's too bleeping hot here today! Hurry, Fall, hurry!

Today's Outlook - The California ISO

Today's Outlook - The California ISO

Whoa - rolling blackouts this afternoon!

California sues 39 drug makers for inflated prices

California sues 39 drug makers for inflated prices - Yahoo! News

Hurray!

Now, let's fix the rest of our health care system...

Killer whales learn to gull a gull

Killer whales learn to gull a gull - Yahoo! News

Yet another example of how clever whales can be.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Nonprofits Cloak Donors to Governor

Nonprofits Cloak Donors to Governor - Yahoo! News

Yet another story about Arnold's fund-raising and his special interests.

[Former CA Governor] "Gray Davis in a loincloth" is what he's been called.

Why did we ever have that (embarrassing) special election? What did it prove? Was it worth the time, trouble and $$? I think not. We're not any better off.

CNN.com - Robertson apologizes - Aug 24, 2005

CNN.com - Robertson apologizes - Aug 24, 2005

Good.

To me "take him out" means "kill him." Isn't that the general definition?

I'm all for "Freedom of Speech", of course (note that I practice it a lot). But should a person - a famous person yet - be saying things which could endanger all America?

Robertson is long overdue for learning to put his brain in gear before opening his mouth.

WSJ.com - Poll Shows Bush Approval Ratings Sink to Lowest Point in Presidency

WSJ.com - Poll Shows Bush Approval Ratings Sink to Lowest Point in Presidency

Other interesting poll info here in this WSJ feature, as well.

Note that Americans in general are dissatisfied with both the executive and the legislative branches of the Federal government, much as we Californios are dissatisfied with both our executive and legislative branches in Sacramento.

2006 Elections!

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

A9.com Maps/Block View - Amazon's Answer to Google Earth, it seems - but very cool.

A9.com Maps

Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Diego, Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Jose are among the many interesting cities featured.

The Blockview feature is viewing a chosen block just as you would if you were walking or driving down the street.

Monday, August 22, 2005

Asians, Americans Show Perceptual Divide

Asians, Americans Show Perceptual Divide - Yahoo! News

Interesting and important how Asians and Americans quite literally view the world differently.

As for Asian-Americans? According to this article they fall in the middle between the two perspectives.

Folk Singer Supports Anti-War Protesters

Folk Singer Supports Anti-War Protesters - Yahoo! News

Remember the comparisons of these times to the Vietnam War era? Further confirmation: Joan Baez has showed up and started singing.

Sunday, August 21, 2005

GOP Senator Says Iraq Looking Like Vietnam

GOP Senator Says Iraq Looking Like Vietnam - Yahoo! News

Duh.

I remember the Vietnam era well. About the only thing that's missing today are all the kids yelling "Hell no, I won't go!"

The Safety Net She Believed In Was Pulled Away When She Fell

The Safety Net She Believed In Was Pulled Away When She Fell - Yahoo! News

Already ticked by our health care system, I read this article over my breakfast (it's on the front page of today's LA Times), and I got even way more ticked.

Time to do something - I've been looking into Props 78 (no) and 79 (yes). And, it sounds like it may be time for some new graphics for my store(s)...

California Secretary of State - Elections & Voter Information - Voter Information Guide

California Secretary of State - Elections & Voter Information - Voter Information Guide

Want to know more about the Propositions coming up for a vote in the Special Election on Nov. 8th? Don't wait - and whatever you do don't pay attention to those stupid TV commercials (you know you can't get good, solid information from them, whatever the subject) that are already on our TVs.

This Web Page is a draft copy of the Voters Guide we registered voters get in our mail.

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Bush invokes Sept 11 to defend Iraq war

Bush invokes Sept 11 to defend Iraq war - Yahoo! News

Oh, not AGAIN.

And, please note that it is now generally recognized that Saddam had nothing to do with 9/11.

Bush has got to fix that broken record of his in regard to his Iraq War: 9/11, 9/11, 9/11....

Hey, What's That Sound? - New York Times

Hey, What's That Sound? - New York Times

Maureen Dowd on what Henry Kissinger had to say about Iraq:

"He said Mr. Bush had only a few things to accomplish: train a real Iraqi Army that includes all religious and ethnic groups, make the Shiites stop hating the Sunnis and the Kurds stop hating everyone, and keep the Iranians from creating a theocratic dictatorship in Iraq. Oh, yeah, and a couple of other teensy little things: our troops have to defeat the vicious Iraq insurgency, and Mr. Bush needs to keep domestic support for the war."

This sounds pretty much like the definition of impossible to me.

I am so reminded of the Vietnam War years, even down to hearing the exact same words used once again: exit strategy, troop withdrawals, quagmire...

Note that the column title comes from an anti-war song of the Vietnam era. "Everybody look what's goin' 'round..." would be the next line, as I recall.

"When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn?" The answer, my friend is "Blowing in the Wind", from yet another anti-war song, and pretty much summing up all of this.

Friday, August 19, 2005

Fugitive alligator becomes local folk hero

Fugitive alligator becomes local folk hero - Yahoo! News

Told ya.

Gator remains free (although very gawked at) as I write.

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

NBC 4 - News - Firefighter, Ranger Horse Teams To Patrol Fire Danger Zones

NBC 4 - News - Firefighter, Ranger Horse Teams To Patrol Fire Danger Zones

Firemen Cowboys?

Or, to be more politically correct, firefighter cowpeople?

Either way - cool - and makes plenty of sense with the terrain we've got around here.

NBC 4 - News - Gator Eludes Reptile Wrangler In Machado Lake

NBC 4 - News - Gator Eludes Reptile Wrangler In Machado Lake

We've a curious ongoing gator, as well as gator wrangler, story here...

You know there are frequently interesting animals loose around here (including the human kind): tigers, mountain lions, bears... Now an alligator which is defying capture.

Monday, August 15, 2005

CNN.com - A mother and the president (Re the Iraq War)

CNN.com - A mother and the president - Aug 15, 2005

From the article:

"In 1965 a group of just 25 antiwar protesters demonstrated outside President Lyndon Johnson's Texas ranch. Within a few years, the handful had turned into a movement."

??

I'm considering attending one of Wednesday's 7:30 candlelight vigils in my neighborhood in support of Cindy Sheehan, other military families, and our troops in Iraq (and Afghanistan!).

Experimental Hybrid Cars Get Up to 250 Mpg

Experimental Hybrid Cars Get Up to 250 Mpg - Yahoo! News

Good news.

Yes, we've got to get away from our reliance on petroleum. What's taking us so long!? Okay, big oil, Detroit...

Friday, August 12, 2005

Poll: Many Fear Financial Hit of Gas Prices

Poll: Many Fear Financial Hit of Gas Prices - Yahoo! News

Tell me about it. Unless you're wealthy this is going to hit home. I hope it doesn't do harm to the general economy.

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Discovery Lands Safely in California

Discovery Lands Safely in California - Yahoo! News

Hurray!

Also, what a relief!

As for the California part of the headline up there, that's cool, but the real story here is that this Discovery mission is safely and successfully over.

I was awake and watched the landing on TV. I could have run to my balcony to watch the Shuttle fly through the night sky to land at Edwards (I know where to look from past Edwards' missile launchings), but, out of thoughtfulness to my family's sleep, I
restrained myself.)

Monday, August 08, 2005

Human Space Flight (HSF) - Orbital Tracking - Track the Shuttle's Flight Real-Time

Human Space Flight (HSF) - Orbital Tracking

Watch real-time representations of the Space Station and the Shuttle as they orbit the Earth.

This is rather cool.

So, will the Shuttle land in FLA? or - I hope! - in CA? (We can hear the Shuttle landing at Edwards as it flies overhead making its distinctive Ba-BOOM! sonic boom which hits and bounces off our roofs. Cool - and I'd love to hear it again today.)

The main thing, of course, is for the Shuttle to land - safely!

All Eyes on Home Market in San Diego

All Eyes on Home Market in San Diego - Yahoo! News

About that possible housing bubble. Will it? Wouldn't it? When?

(I rent, but I'd love to see housing costs in general go down around here in SoCal!)

Sunday, August 07, 2005

Calif. Drug Proposals Spark Huge Campaigns

Calif. Drug Proposals Spark Huge Campaigns - Yahoo! News

Watching this with intense interest. Time for a closer look at that Prop #79. It would be wonderful - not too strong of a word - for me and many others if such a thing were to come to pass.

Maybe I'll make a T-shirt for it...? Buttons? Etc.

Hot, Humid Summer Days Tough on Asthmatics

Hot, Humid Summer Days Tough on Asthmatics - Yahoo! News

Tell me about it! (Cough, cough, rub my eye...)

I want clean air!

U.S. border volunteers on the rise, clashes feared

U.S. border volunteers on the rise, clashes feared - Yahoo! News

Definitely a hot issue around here.

Bottom line: these border and illegal immigration issues need to be resolved, and before there is violence.