Recycle Your Scrap Metal

I guess not everyone knows that used metal can be recycled. I was at Eureka City Garbage today. Saw a guy back up to the dump area and start dumping. At first it looked like he just had wood in the back of his truck and I wondered why he didn't drop the wood in with the green waste. Then I realized he had a lot of plywood. Plywood doesn't belong with the green waste.

Then he starts unloading a bunch of thin flat pieces of aluminum, or some other metal. Looked like something taken from a bunch of appliances and flattened out. He just tossed them in with the rest of the garbage. I thought I should probably go over and say something to him but it was probably too late. Then again, I suppose he could of loaded the stuff back up and taken to the other side of the lot to the scrap metal pile and saved some weight he'd be paying for.

Anyway, for those of you that don't know, Eureka City Garbage has a scrap metal bin at its recycling center. It's the first one on the left as you look into the recycling center from the parking side.

You can dump all kinds of metal there. I just dropped off an old lawnmower blade today and, after my trailer got wrecked that last time, I disassembled it and dropped the pieces in the scrap metal bin. Nice way to get rid of some rather hefty stuff.

I think Eureka City Garbage should put a scrap metal bin over at the regular garbage dump spot. They already have a cardboard and wood bin. Neat thing about that would be City Garbage gets paid twice for the same scrap metal: Once by the guy who goes through the scales and pays for all the weight when he leaves and again when they sell the metal for scrap.

Nothing wrong with taking advantage of some folks ignorance in a case like that and they kind of do that already with wood and cardboard.

No on 8 yard signs ARE available

What a coincidence. I mentioned just a few days ago that I was disappointed there didn't seem to be any yard signs available for the No On Prop 8 campaign. Their web site only has that downloadable window sign.

Then, today I'm driving up H Street in Eureka, just before Buhne Street and there's a NO on Prop 8 yard sign out in front of someone's house. I almost turned around and stopped to find out where they got it but decided to look again online when I got home. I could always go back.

I get home check my e-mail and from a Gay/Lez e-mail lists I'm on I found this message:

get your “no on proposition 8” supplies AT AUNTY MO ’S LOUNGE:

Aunty Mo Lounge will be the central pickup location for your “NO on Proposition 8” supplies. Get your lawn signs, bumper stickers, window signs, and donation envelopes at Aunty Mo ’s Lounge any day after 6pm. Ask for Andy or Justin.

“NO on Proposition 8” Supplies

Aunty Mo ’s Lounge

535 5^th Street

Eureka , CA 95501

Redwood Camera Club

I don't believe I'd heard of the Redwood Camera Club before I read about it in the Times- Standard yesterday. Looking at the gallery on their web site, seems to me some of our local bloggers would fit right in with them. At the very least, Kym and Jack should think about joining up, huh?

Quail Line Expanding?

Not sure just what is meant by this item in this week's Humboldt Beacon. Maybe someone can help me out.

The title says the shuttle that takes people from Eureka to Fortuna and Garberville is expanding. I was under the impression it had been suspended, or they were thinking of suspending that ride. Is this actually an expansion, or just a continuation of service?

No On Prop 8 Signs

The No On Prop 8 folks have a window sign you can download (.pdf file). Not real big but I suppose if that's all you got, that's all you got. Might work well on side windows of vehicles, too.

I was hoping they'd have some real yard signs.

Measure T Going To Court

Finally. The Pacific Legal Foundation is taking Measure T to federal court. Hard for me to believe they can lose this one. I wonder who got PLF's attention focused on this one?

Long's Gone?

I believe at least one of our local papers mentioned this a while ago, but the Ukiah Daily Journal reminded me that Long's Drugs has been bought by the CVS chain of drug stores. What this means in real terms I'm not sure.

I'm wondering what exactly the changes will be. Will they actually change the names of the stores, or will they still be named the same and operate as they do now but just be owned by CVS? Anybody familiar with the CVS chain? I'm just hoping they don't screw up Long's Drugs like Rite- Aid did when they bought out Payless.

No more clean ups?

You know, like the annual beach and river clean ups we have around here. I suspect the Adopt- a- Highway program would be affected, as well. The Sacramento Bee reports if the legislature doesn't act by the end of next week, any program that accepts government money and uses volunteers will have to begin paying those volunteers.

There's some dispute amongst the powers that be whether the state can exempt volunteers from this soon- to- be- enacted state law. I would hope the Governor would act to exempt the volunteers, assuming there's legal grounds to do so. I don't expect the legislature to act on this, but maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised?

Grocery Bills Might Go Even Higher

With grocery bills already climbing upward, it looks like some of us might have and extra $2.00 added to our tab under some proposed legislation. Not satisfied with forcing grocery stores to provide containers for used disposable plastic bags, there's a movement afoot in Sacramento to add a twenty five cent fee on all disposable shopping bags- paper or plastic.

The fee is capped at $2.00, at least for starters. Wonder how long that will last? We've seen with tobacco and liquor how a small tax ends up going up astronomically over time.

Astounding that at least some in Sacramento could care less how high grocery bills go. Goes to show the truth to that old saying that if you give someone an inch, they'll try and take a mile.

As always, if asked for a login to the Sacramento Bee site, you can use humboldtlib for the username and blogspot for the password.

Salzman's Blog

Looks like Richard Salzman just started a blog. Will it be a flash in the pan, as so many others have been, or will he stick with it? Only time will tell.

Spending Cuts #umpteen

# umpteen because maybe I bring this up too often?

I've said many times when politicians and the media talk about spending cuts, they usually mean spending isn't being increased as much as some would like. Today's Sacramento Bee makes that point, probably not really meaning to. Bold print is mine for emphasis:

"Compared with the proposal advanced by Democrats, the governor's budget compromise includes $2 billion in additional spending reductions. Public education would get $1.1 billion less than what Democrats propose but would still get a $1.2 billion increase over last year's allocation."

Told you so!

Obama Worship On Steroids?

It has to be. Unbelievable that the North Coast Journal used a rambling, Obama worship commentary for their cover story this week. Stunning to see a local publication come out so openly in support of a candidate. I think that's the first time I've seen such blatant support for a candidate in any of our local papers.

Stuff like that belongs in editorial columns, not the front page.

Our Obama, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name...

Water Conservation Measures Needed?

I've been thinking so, although I've been wondering just how bad Humboldt's water situation is. Mendocino and Sonoma Counties instituted water conservation measures some time ago.

The Redwood Times reports the Mattole River is having one of its lowest flows ever. It seems the Eel River is low enough the Redway Community Services District has suspended bulk sales of water until the rains come.

While I'm glad to see at least one other person suggests we need to institute some water conservation measures, I don't know that the situation is as serious as that story on the Mattole puts it: Our fish are in crisis --.

I'm sure the fish have had low or no flows long before we were around and still survived. Still, it certainly looks like there should be at least some voluntary, if not mandatory, water conservation measures taking place now. Southern Humboldt should certainly be doing it and it might behoove us up in north county to do the same.

The Triplicate Gets Tough

Del Norte County's Daily Triplicate has had enough. They're not gonna take it anymore. They're tired of people freeloading by reading the news on their web site and not paying for the hard copy. From now on stories on their web site will show up a day late. If you want current news, buy the hard copy.

I suppose I can't blame them.

Education Spending "Cuts"

Hard- hitting commentary on the state budget in the San Diego Union- Tribune this morning. They gave out at least one figure that I've been looking for. Some, particularly the Democrats in Sacramento, keep screaming that education spending is always being being cut. The U-T points out spending on education has increased 46% over the last five years.

Another Win!!!

Three pretty decent wins in three months! Not bad.

First I won that L&G Electronics cell phone back in June. I gave that to some in- laws because you had to use it with Verizon and I didn't want to switch to Verizon. Still, not a bad win as the phone was valued at up to $300.

Then I won that Motorola cellphone valued at almost $300 . I'm using that one now, my old analog bag phone having been delegated to my electronic scrap pile.

And now, just got a call from Nebraska Steaks, the girl telling me I was their monthly winner of six 10oz. steaks. They let you chose from different kinds of steaks, including filet mignon. I gave the phone to the wifey and let her decide. She chose New York steaks.

Weird thing about Nebraska Steaks is I thought I stopped entering their drawing quite some time ago. I used to enter every day for years until something happened. Maybe their web site went down for an extended period of time. I don't remember, but I remember the name and web site.

Oh well. Cool win and, in keeping with tradition, once I win a drawing I don't enter it again so other people can win. So, head to their site and enter the drawing. If memory serves me correct you can enter every day and they give away a prize each month. Best of all, if you head to their site now, you can see me listed as their latest winner.

Northcoast Travelogue: 8/17-8/18

Headed to San Francisco again Sunday. Didn't think I noticed much tourist traffic until we got to Richardson Grove. Then it seemed there was a fair amount of people stopped at all the tourist traps. I guess not everybody stayed home this summer.

******

With what looks like a serious drought looming, it was no surprise the Eel River was low, but it's usually low this late in the summer. What surprised me was the Russian River. It looked about as full as it always does to me for this time of year. What's with that?

*******

Worst time we had getting through Santa Rosa and Petaluma in quite a while- going both ways. Must have been our timing.

*******

All good things must come to an end. We had been staying fairly regularly at the Cathedral Hill Hotel in San Francisco. The Pacific Medical Foundation owns the hotel and and had been offering free rooms to cancer patients from their hospital and UCSF Medical Center. They apparently can't handle UCSF patients anymore so the door is closed there. A devastating development for those who benefited from them.

We could have stayed there for $110 a night, I think it was, and be given the same deal we usually got: Free breakfast and parking. That's not really that bad a deal for San Francisco and at first I thought we'd just stay there as a real guest for a change. In the end I decided to stay at the Novato Day's Inn. We've stayed there a number of times before and enjoy it. It's not only cheaper, but not in San Francisco.

So I made a reservation weeks earlier specifying we wanted a room with a fridge and microwave. Some rooms don't have them but they can often bring one to you. Last time we stayed there they said there weren't any available and we did without. This time the whole arrival was a bit goofy, though I don't really fault the management. Well, it wasn't too big a deal to me, anyway.

I go to check in and reiterated that we wanted a fridge in the room. The manager says they had a room on ground level and one above. The upper one had a fridge in it already. I prefer ground level but wanted the fridge so chose the upstairs room. She makes a phone call to confirm the room is ready and gives us the key.

We drive around the corner to the room. I go upstairs to open the door and find the door already open, someone having left the door lock open to block the door. The cleaning gal was cleaning the room next door so I figured she had just finished our room. I go in and notice the room hasn't been touched- trash is full, bed all messed up. I use the phone to call the office and advise them of the situation.

I go back down to get another room. They give me the room next door to the first one. We go in there but there's no fridge. I call down again and they say they'll have the one next door brought to our room. Nobody comes, although I didn't wait very long.

I finally decided the fridge/ microwave combo was light enough I could probably drag it the eight feet through both room's sliding glass doors myself. I went next door- the cleaning gal was in that room now- and used my worst spanish to explain to her that her boss said I could take the fridge. I don't think she understood me or really cared either way.

Moved the fridge fairly easily and called down to tell them they didn't need to send someone to move it. Gal in the office seemed really appreciative that I'd moved it. End of story but strange how hard it was for them to get it together.

********

Next time we might be staying at that place for free, though. Just by coincidence, the day before we left, I received some mail from that [formerly] Trip Rewards program. It's now called Wyndham Rewards. It's one of those programs where you get points when you stay at certain places. Eventually, you can cash in your points for a free stay at certain hotels.

I had been using my Travel Rewards card for a while but gave up on it for a couple reasons: First, I had a hard time figuring out how the rewards worked. Their web page was difficult to find information on. Not only that, but I had problems when I first logged in and ended up with two accounts. I could only log in to one account and that one wasn't the one the Day's Inn points were being accrued in.

Secondly, from what info I could glean, it would take something like 20 nights at the Day's Inn for one free stay. Hardly seemed worth it. Eventually, I stopped presenting my card upon checking in and pretty much gave up on the program.

But I'd figured the points accrual wrong and, luckily, Saturday was the first time I'd closely read anything they'd sent me. Right off the bat it mentioned I had over 6000 points and was entitled to one free night at one of their Tier 1 hotels or some "travel miles", or some such.

I also hadn't realized that once Day's Inn had my Rewards number in their system, the Rewards program adds up my stay points without me having to present my card to the front desk. They had our last two stays there listed correctly. Cool!

That gave me the incentive to go back to their web site and try to log in to the right account. Took just a few minutes to get the right username and password. Why I gave up before I have no idea.

The only problem is, they have Tier 1 through Tier 4 hotels. I'm sure the Tier 1 ones must be the lower class hotels, but is Days Inn low class enough for Tier 1? I tried but couldn't find the Tier criteria on their web page. I'll just have to find out when I make our next reservation. To get the free stay you have to make the free stay's reservation thru the Rewards program. I'll find out then.

********

After hearing that leaving my truck's tailgate up was supposed to be better aerodynamically than leaving it down, I decided to give that a try. I'd always left it down thinking there'd be less wind resistance thus better gas mileage.

Last time I believe I got a little over 19 miles per gallon driving from Willits to San Francisco and back to Willits. This time, with the tailgate up, we figured around 18.5. That shows slightly worse gas mileage but that could be due simply to different driving conditions.

I'll call it as there being no significant difference between leaving the tailgate up vs. having it down.

A Look At Prop 2

The Santa Rosa Press- Democrat takes a look at Prop 2 this morning. That's the one that will prohibit keeping chickens in small cages, among other things. The P-D also takes a look at Sonoma County's egg industry.

As I mentioned earlier on, I'm sympathetic to the issue, but not sure how I'll vote on that one. After reading those two articles I'm leaning pretty much against Prop 2.

First of all, the price of eggs will almost certainly go up- cage free eggs costing $1.00 more than caged as it is. Food prices are already soaring. Not something we need to help along by voting for higher prices. I'm also worried about all or part of the state's egg industry moving out of state should this proposition pass.

There's still time to hear more arguments for or against so I won't commit myself to a yes or no vote just yet.

The Bee On The Budget

As I was reading what I thought was an editorial in the Sacramento Bee yesterday, I thought it was one of the more level headed looks at California's budget problems I'd read. The Bee generally takes a big government approach to issues and I was surprised at the perceived change. Reading further, I realized it wasn't an editorial but an op- ed, or guest editorial.

Nonetheless, I thought this guy wrote a real good commentary. He points out we didn't have the budget problems back when the Gann Limits limited spending increases to account only for population growth and inflation. Those limits have been amended so many times since then they've become essentially meaningless.

I've mentioned here before what past State Senator, Ray Haynes, pointed out some years ago. He was referring to the 2000- 2001 state budget when spending all the spoils of the dotcom boom put us on the road to the deficits we face today: If the legislature had simply increased spending to account for population and inflation (the old Gann Limits), we would have ended up with a budget surplus in the billions. What happened instead is billion dollar shortages.

I think this Matsusaka guy that wrote that op- ed is right on the money.

******

As an aside, I've read a couple of different news reports saying the Democrats proposed budget is 3 billion dollars larger than last years. You'd think that when you're in a hole the first thing you'd do is to stop digging.

*******

Also from yesterday's Sacramento Bee, Dan Walters reminds us of some other things that resulted in our budget mess including one looming problem: The Unemployment Insurance Fund. Yipes!

As always, if asked for a login to the Sacramento Bee site, you can use humboldtlib as the username and blogspot as the password.

Klamath Fishing Opened Friday

Fishing for fall- run chinook salmon on the Klamath River opened yesterday, according to The Daily Triplicate. The allowed catch is the second largest allocation of fish on that river in 30 years. The Klamath is one of only two rivers where salmon fishing is allowed this year, the other one being a short stretch of the American River, if memory serves me correct.

Someone is going to have to explain to me, once again, why the dams on the Klamath need to come down. If those dams are so detrimental to fish, why does the Klamath have enough salmon to be one of only two rivers in the state allowing salmon fishing?

The Wiggins Affair

The North Coast Journal already covered this and there's been coverage in some local papers. The Santa Rosa Press- Democrat published this editorial on the issue yesterday. I guess I should throw in my two cents worth on our very own State Senator, Pat Wiggins, gaffe in a committee meeting the other day.

A lot of people are all upset about her telling someone testifying at the committee meeting she felt his arguments were "bullshit". Well, as you can imagine, that doesn't bother me all that much. I'm much more concerned that she apparently feels that way in regards to the guy's arguments that poorer people were affected much more negatively than others by some global warming legislation the committee was considering.

It's hard to say whether the senator actually wasn't concerned with how the legislation affected people in the poorer communities or she felt, somehow, the guy disagreed with her views on global warming and went off on the guy for that. Seems to me that dismissing the guy for testimony she didn't like should be the real concern.

As far as there being a medical problem with Senator Wiggins, who knows? I suppose the people do have a right to have some idea of what might be wrong with their State Senator. My gut feeling, just from what I've read, is maybe early onset of Alzheimer's Disease, or something along that line, and I don't say that in jest. I've known a few people with Alzheimer's. One thing in common with all of them is they started having problems recognizing people. Senator Wiggins seems to be having such problems.

Something seems to be changing her behavior. I suppose we'll find out eventually.

Jager's REAL Kick- Off Event

Ok. This looks like the real thing. Frank Jager is formally announcing his candidacy for the Eureka City Council today down at the foot of F Street in Eureka at 12:30pm. Everyone's obviously invited or it wouldn't be in the paper, would it?

Esquan, head on down there and, if you can work your way in close to Frank, you might be able to wiggle your way into press camera view.

Funny thing is, the first I heard of this was when I read it in the paper this morning. You'd think there would of been some kind of communication with the supporters that attended that garden party last Sunday.

Sign the vow to vote NO on Prop 8

This just in from the Libertarian Party of California:

On August 2, 2008, the Executive Committee of the Libertarian Party of
California unanimously endorsed a vote of NO on Proposition 8 (the
California Constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage). I have
been invited to join the statewide NO on 8 Campaign Committee, to
represent the Libertarian Party, and I would like for us to show that
Libertarians are overwhelmingly opposed to this Constitutional amendment.

Everybody needs to go to the Vote NO on Prop 8 web site and sign your name to the vow. I already signed it. Who's next?

Connie and Janna's Place

We finally remembered the address of the place Connie stayed at when she got her bone marrow transplant. Google Street View was right on with this one. She stayed at the place at the bottom for like three months. Janna Matteoli [Francis] took care of her the whole time:

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Another Win?

I doubt it. Fed Ex just dropped a box off at my house. Inside was this Motorola cellphone. Since there was no note with it, I wondered who sent me the cell phone. I've entered sweepstakes for a number of cell phones. At first I thought this might be another win but, oops, the box says U.S. Cellular on it.

Someone mentioned in an earlier thread on cell phones that U.S. Cellular gave him or her a replacement for their old analog phone. I guess this must be my replacement.

Bummer. I appreciate them sending a replacement phone at no charge, but I pretty much had my mind set on switching to Tracphone or Virgin Cellular. I like the way their deals work where you can build up time.

But I'll check back with U.S. Cellular. I believe the sales gal I spoke with down there said something about them having a couple different calling card type offers. If they have anything like Tracphone's deals, I wouldn't mind staying with U.S. Cellular. At least then I could keep my current cell phone number.

If not, then I guess I'll be giving away yet another fairly expensive cell phone.

Traffic Problems Around The Park

This is the second letter I've read in the Times- Standard about traffic problems in the area of Eureka's Sequoia Park. I suppose it's not for me to say since I don't live there but I drive in that area fairly often. I've never noticed any of the problems the writers have described and would hardly call the situation "out of control". Maybe I just need to pay more attention?

Eureka Candidate Forum in Arcata?

This certainly puts a different spin on "Local Control". Apparently the Greens are having a candidate forum for Eureka City Council candidates in Arcata. What?

From the Redwood Peace and Justice Center e- mail list:

CANDIDATE FORUM FOR EUREKA CITY COUNCIL

Sunday, August 17, 6:00 p.m.

Arcata Library Conference Room

500 7^th Street

(behind Arcata City Hall)

As the civic and economic center of Humboldt County, decisions made by the City of Eureka affect all of us, not just those who live in the city limits. Two critical seats are open this year. Candidates for City Council, George Clark, Linda Atkins, and Frank Jager, will discuss key issues facing Eureka in a public forum hosted by the Humboldt Green Party at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 17, in the Arcata Library Conference Room, behind Arcata City Hall.

Last Try

Refreshing the Street View page, I get a close up of my house again. Will it work this time?

View Larger Map

Street View#2

Using my address it wasn't quite accurate and I got a picture of the Nazarene Church and parking lot, the church being a block away. The picture looked like it was taken from the Matteoli's side of the street. So, I used their address and it was still a bit north, but I could turn the camera view around and see my house to the south. Let's see if the zoomed in version showing my truck out front of my house works with the html I'm pasting:

View Larger Map

Google Street View

I wasn't going to post on this since everyone else did but I'm trying to see how to save pictures from the Google Earth Street View. So, here's a test to see what happens if I paste the html from the picture of Connie's parents house:

View Larger Map

Did it work?

Mario Does Humboldt County Fair

If you haven't been to the Humboldt County Fair yet, you'll want to plan your visit for at least one of these two days. If you've already been there, you'll want to go again on either August 13 or 14. Mario Matteoli will be performing on the Midway Stage from from 5 to 8pm.

He's a native born Eurekan, although he's on the road quite a bit traveling from performance to performance and is based in Texas now.

Clark, Atkins Kick Off Partisan Campaign

I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Looks like Goerge Clark and Linda Atkins have joined their campaigns together at the hip, even to the point of using campaign signs with both their names on them.

I'd wondered how partisan Clark was going to make this race after he started out right at the start emphasizing his so- called progressive credentials. Now we know for sure. He's started a blog with the first post a stab at Republican's proposals for more offshore oil drilling.

And don't you love his logo at the top right of the blog: Going local? Right out of the gate he takes on an issue that's outside the jurisdiction of the office he's seeking. You can be sure we'll be seeing some letters to the editor in the local papers within the next few months from either Clark, Atkins or others comparing Frank Jager or Polly Endert to George Bush. Wonder if Jake Pickering is working on one already?

What an ugly campaign Clark has started. It will be interesting to see which style prevails. Jager's non- partisan approach dealing with local issues, or the Clark/ Atkins approach of using a city council race to pontificate national issues? I'm hoping Eurekans will be as fed up as I am already with turning this into such a partisan race.

Farmer's Markets Getting Hassled?

I guess I don't feel so lonely anymore after finding out I'm not the only one that gets annoyed by the local Farmer's Markets. Not that big a deal. I just don't like them screwing up the parking in Henderson Center each Thursday.

The wife has actually been buying some produce from the Henderson Center Farmer's Market as of late. Not sure why as that's probably the most expensive place to buy produce. They do offer good tasty veggies, though.

I was surprised to learn there are state certified farmer's market inspectors. Equally surprised the farmers are being jerked around and required to file reports with the state on what they sell. Is there nothing that doesn't require a government inspection anymore? The farmers certainly have my sympathy on that issue.

Blown Head Gasket? Try this:

Poor Hank Sims broke down by Richardson Grove, so he tells us in his latest Town Dandy column. Turns out his car had a blown head gasket. Before you take the car to the junk yard, Hank, or spend megabucks on getting it fixed, you might try some of that stop leak stuff you use for radiator leaks and such. It worked for me.

I used to drive an old Volkswagon Rabbit Diesel. Great gas mileage. One day while I was driving out on Walnut Drive, heading home to my place in Cutten, the temperature gauge went from normal to overheated really fast. I get out and open the hood and there's bubbles in the plastic water reservoir, an obvious sign of something wrong.

To make a long story short, I wasn't too far from home and just drove the overheated car the rest of the way.

For reasons that escape me, I couldn't figure out just what the problem was and took it to the Volkswagon dealer in Eureka. I don't even remember what they did or recommended but I ended up, for whatever reason, buying a new radiator. It was pricey at over $300.

I put the new radiator in and drove off, having left the car in the dealer's lot for a couple days. I hadn't driven more than a few blocks when the temperature gauge goes into the red again. I turned around and went back to the dealer. I tell the parts guy what happened and he suggested maybe I had a blown head gasket and it would be real expensive to fix but suggested I try some stop leak stuff he had.

I thought it was a bit pricey at $10 for the can. The stuff inside was some kind of jello type silver colored balls in a black liquid. I poured it in the water reservoir and took off again. I didn't make it more than a couple blocks before the engine overheated again. Luckily, the Sequoia Auto Supply store was right nearby- on the corner of 7th and E Streets.

For some reason I was fixated on the stop leak solution and went in to Sequoia Auto in search of more stop leak. They had a small tube of silver grey powder for around $3.00. I felt kind of foolish having just spent $10 for something that didn't work and decided $3.00 was a pretty cheap alternative.

I poured the powder into the water reservoir and drove off, and drove and drove and drove. I drove that car- later it became the wifey's car to drive- for years and it never overheated again. We'd probably still be driving it if it hadn't gotten wrecked while parked a few years back.

That probably the best $3.00 I ever spent. The only downside being the $300, or more, radiator I bought that I didn't need after all.

You're From Eureka?

Isn't that up by San Francisco?

I guess even the Napa Valley has that geographical identity problem. Noticed this line in a sweepstakes I was checking out this morning:
Enter now for your chance to win a five-night getaway to Napa Valley in San Francisco.

Energy Stuff

Nice to see Obama changing his position on offshore drilling, most likely since it seems most Americans favor offshore drilling now. Gotta do what you have to to win.

The Orange County Register takes a look this morning at those opposed to offshore drilling. I was surprised to learn that just 25 years ago 60 percent of the oil we consume was produced domestically. Now we only produce 25 percent.

Speaking of energy, I'm surprised the Honda FCX Clarity (photo above), a hydrogen powered car that hit the market in June of this year, didn't get more press. I only noticed because of an ad I received from Honda this morning. Maybe because there'll only be a couple hundred released over the next three years? You'd think they could put them out faster than that.

Time To End 2/3 Majority Requirement?

So asks Dan Walters in today's issue of the Sacramento Bee. He thinks it's time to get rid of the 2/3 majority vote required to pass the state budget. Some of the comments made on his column also blame term limits for the perpetual budget messes and fiscal irresponsibility that plague this state.

I had to point out in my own comments to the story that the last time the budget was passed on time was the 2000-2001 budget which was passed on June 30, 2000. That's the budget where the legislature- giddy from overflowing state coffers- spent every penny of that revenue and then some. They didn't spend it on one time projects, either. That was when the state's current deficit problems really started.

As far as term limits are concerned, while I'm ambivalent about term limits myself, I don't know that term limits can be blamed for overdue budgets or our deficit. Term limits hadn't kicked in when the 2000-2001 budget was signed. Both State Senator Wes Chesbro and Assemblygal Virginia Strom- Martin were still in office at that time and signed the budget. Chesbro didn't leave office until 2006 and Strom- Martin in 2002.

I actually agree that maybe we should get rid of the 2/3 majority requirement to pass the budget if for no other reason than to get it passed and, whatever bad happens, it would be easier to point the finger at whose fault it is.

And put an end to term limits if you want. There are valid arguments for doing so, but don't expect any better decisions to be made in our state capitol as a result.

Fortuna Hates Weeds

Some folks in Fortuna are getting fed up with weeds on some properties down there, according to the Humboldt Beacon. What I'd like to know is whether the weeds on the properties referred to are on the pavement or the yards? Anybody know which properties the complaints refer to and just what the weed problems consist of?

We all have our pet peeves. One of mine is weeds in the cracks of sidewalks that are allowed to grow unchecked. I noticed a lot of that on some sections of H Street in Eureka. No, I won't be complaining but it's too bad at least someone living along those stretches can't buy some Roundup and spray the weeds every now and then. I do that on the sidewalks around my house.

S.F. To Get Tough On Trash

Looks like San Francisco is going to get even tougher on those who don't recycle "properly" with the Mayor proposing fines for people who don't separate their trash right. Funny, I thought they already did that.

What's interesting is that after all the fuss over those plastic shopping bags as of late, the table at the bottom of that story shows what is supposed to be put in the three garbage cans they use in S.F. Plastic bags are supposed to be put in with the trash, not recycled. Is that a mistake, or are they serious?