Pillar of the Community Busks to Fund Lawsuits

That's right, I am a pillar of the community, anonymously and invisibly. However I did agree to play a sort of gig prior to a town hall meeting here in East County. That is boondock hilly mountain region of SD county.

My partners in musical crime are heavily versed and involved in the effort to thwart a very devious and dishonest scheme being perpetrated by the public utilities board and SDGE in very southern CA. The catchy, happy go lucky name of the project is Sunrise Power Link. It is supposed to provide power from "sustainable, renewable sources" like wind sun, and maybe cow flatulence. A wonderful project to bring GREEn energy to Caleeforneeya del Sud.

The reasons my neighbors are not pleased are myriad. One primary concern is that they'd run the lines right through Ballistic Mountain. These aren't like regular lines, they are very large towers carrying something like 500,000volt lines. In that range you run into electro-magnetic issues, some of which are suspected to influence humans on the cellular level, promoting not such good results. But that is only a fringe concern.

Before I list the highlights of the scam, let me tell you about the busking. My compadres wanted to play a bit before the meeting, just acoustically at the entrance to the community center. They laid their guitar cases on the ground and I saw the chance to live the dream. I always wanted to play on the sidewalk with a hat or open guitar case for people to drop in tips. I convinced Kevin to leave his case open, and toss in a few dollars of shill money--give the people the idea.

It worked, we raised a double digit figure to contribute to the legal efforts now underway to squelch this tyrannical boondoggle.

The project is being touted as something to bring clean energy to SD county in a way that will be wonderful for all. Here's the real story:

* By their own data, SDGE does not actually need this, as it has been shown that they cut back supply purposely to simulate shortages that don't exist

* The actual hookup is to unregulated plants across the border in the Baja which are oil and gas fired plants.

* the proposed path of the lines looks like a gerrymandering scheme for congressional districts. It zigzags everywhere, and could be run down the median or side of I-8, but some other agency doesn't want that.

*Plan A was a route north of here and while pushing that they said they'd never run it here.

*they claimed the board hearings on this were open to the public yet the neglected to let any public know about their meetings.

*Locals found out the plan when surveyors showed up on their property. More than one property owner ran them off

*they got caught by Mexican officials bribing other Mexican officials to secure that end of things.

*they actually plan to run the power to LA, not San Diego as advertised.

All these things are fact, not conjecture.

They'd go underground with the part they plan to run down the main street of Alpine. Two large underground conduits down a two lane road which is like many of the western towns, bike, pedestrian and horse friendly, small shops and businesses on either side---a nice little stretch of things.

Construction of that part would take 2 years, and the whole time it would be down to one lane. If there is a fire that will make evacuation a nightmare. It was bad enough in the past when they had to skadootle under normal conditions.

The process of erecting the towers involves a lot of water, not sure why. It also requires blasting and that could collapse the veins which feed our wells.

So many issues which SDGE clearly is not addressing and has no intention of "mitigating". They like that word, mitigate.

The meeting itself was one designed to give information and to provide a forum for people to ask questions of our county representative and SDGE. The county has no direct power over it. That goes to the state's Public Utilities Board, appointed by Arnold. He threatened to fire them if they did not ram this through. Must have skin in the game. It is not a case of logical development being opposed by modern day Luddites and people who worship all of nature except their own species.


Totally irrelevant, but I became bored with this post. Surf's up off Sunset Cliffs.


SDGE classes one issue as one which simply can't be mitigated---that is the fire danger issue. The towers and lines prevent air support in case of wild fire for a broad distance around the towers. Air support is crucial to the fire fighting procedure. That means any property near the towers is a greater risk, and could possibly be destroyed in cases which otherwise would not happen. It also means that in cases in which the spread of fire could be squelched before it got out of hand, it would have to be allowed to go unchecked.

My thinking is that from all standpoints the plan smacks of corruption. I've never been fond of long distance power transport anyway. If you don't use many local points of generation, then put a damned nuclear plant somewhere and be done with it. I also thing the waste ought not be trucked out but secured in the deep down, on site. Peeling away the knee jerk fears and emotional aspects, it turns out that nuclear is actually a better deal than most methods, when properly done. The horror stories of Chernobyl and such had mitigating circumstances which were way out of the realm of reasonable practice.

Anyway, we have a project to supply that which may not even be needed according to the power companies own data, running a route which is not only more expensive than other routes, but which disrupts more private property, and would pretty much ruin businesses in Alpine. It would transport relatively dirty energy from Mexico, which has nothing to do with the friggin windmills and such, draining more money from the US.

The path of the lines across the border apparently makes for a bad security situation and a better opportunity for people to sneak in.

So much information came out of the meeting, I was impressed. The people kept their tempers down and let the SDGE reps have all the rope they wanted to hang themselves. Townspeople were incredibly articulate and well informed. They had facts figures and data that none of the power company people could or would dispute. They just tried to side step. The county rep was obviously on the side of her constituents and couched her info without much spin, but she let them know the who, what and where if they wanted to influence the outcome of this thing.

The place was packed, maybe a couple hundred people, plus. Here I kind of thought the place was populated by California rednecks, and there are plenty. Maybe so, but they sure are a bright bunch. How many times, in a setting which fires passions, do you see a crowd like that be quiet and let people talk, even when they disagree? It was absolutely the most well conducted and most substantive town hall or civic function I've ever seen. It made me kind of proud.

Maybe a Good Omen

As I tested something to do with saltillo sealants over at the O house, it occurred to me, once again, that SoCal is the land of humming birds. Maybe I was near a nest because one with a very bright ruby head buzzed me when I least suspected it. He was like the Red Baron, buzzing in out of nowhere.

I've gone years of my life without seeing one of those little birds. Now I can see them from my front door, back door and in the fountain at the sometimes residence of my indirect employer.

Yesterday this character was perched at the edge of the fountain. He just sat there while I stood on the other side, not three feet away. He finally took off, but now he likes to buzz me when I don't expect it. So far he hasn't attacked, but he's come close enough for me to feel the breeze created as he buzzes by at near supersonic speeds. Those things are quick.

I take it as a good omen. Not as good as it would be if he landed on my hand and told my fortune in English with a slight southern accent, but good enough.



My friend K's boyfriend, M, who is now also a friend, had a very good humming bird omen. They are young punk kids, about 21. He was at a friend's house which is undergoing renovation, and a humming bird was upstairs, confused and trying fly out the closed window. It was just bouncing off.

M saw this and said the bird kept it up even when he walked up to it, so he gently scooped it into his hands. The bird was exhausted so it just sat there resting on his hand while he took a picture or two with his phone, walked downstairs and out the back. After awhile he set it on a bush and it flew away. It could have flown anytime because it wasn't confined, just sitting on his hand.

To me that is a remarkably good omen. I think young K has done well in her choice of this guy. He may be living a charmed life.

About Smiles

Here in the out country of SD county I've casually encountered a couple of people whose countenance set me to thinking. One of these guys drives an older Cadillac, and from over hearing conversation, seems to fancy himself a ladies' man and rock star.

He is never without a grin of sorts. I think he's proud of his teeth. We've had a few words and I noticed the smile doesn't match the eyes. It is more a sneer than a smile. It is the sort of smile I do not trust. Not a real smile but a posturing of some kind. He'd slit your throat.

Then there is the Smiling Cowboy down at the bottom of my road. He owns the alpaca, some horses, cows and a pig or two. He's always got a big grin and friendly wave when I pass by. I mentioned him to my guitar playing insurance friend and he volunteered his theory on this man. "If you've ever seen his wife, you'd understand the smile."

It turns out he is a successful lawyer of some kind in San Diego. Apparently he spends large blocks of time breeding horses and doing work on his place out here. And his young, healthy wife seems to work along side him. His smile appears to be the real thing. Just a guy doing what he loves and having a fine time with the company he keeps. Maybe the relief of being away from the lawyer game is key, I don't know. I guess it is possible for a lawyer to be real. Jury is still out on that. Probably 80% of them give the other 20% a bad name.

The other type of suspicious smiler is the perpetual smile talker. People who smile when talking to you about things that don't warrant a smile. Some people smile and tell you things in a way that is either condescending or just things they don't want you to question. They have some compulsion that makes them smile while they talk, no matter what the subject. That's different than those who smile because the idea is stimulating or amusing. Al Gore is a smile talker. It is a defense against dispute, I think, or the reflex of one who has something to hide. I find it hard to trust.

People in small positions of power sometimes smile talk while informing you of some ridiculous hoop you must jump through to get past whatever hurdle, or maybe while escorting you to the strip search room. Usually you find that in the sort of snitwit who manages to inform you of some catch 22 situation. "I'm sorry but you can't get there from here, but you must go here before going there." Smiling as they deliver the bad news.

I like the spontaneous smile that has no deceit or affectation. Honesty revealing itself involuntarily. Now that sort of thing can be magic. It definitely feels good when I catch myself actually smiling. Sometimes I go much too long without that experience. Since I headed west, it has been far more common. I know for sure I've laughed more in the last year and a half than I did in the ten years before my journey out west. That is a understatement.

Anyway, the subject caught my attention as I saw the sneer guy, with his pasted smile,/sneer, checking himself out in the mirror before backing out of a parking lot. That guy gives me a bad vibe.

I also crossed paths with the smiling cowboy who doesn't give me a bad vibe. And that is that. His wife seems to have a cheerful look but not quite the same gregarious countenance. He nabbed a mysterious beauty. I guess cheerfulness pays off. Then again he could be a smile talker of a lawyer. I doubt it. The other people down there working with him seem cheerful too. I can't imagine they are a cult of smile talkers.

New Coyote Hope

I've been under the impression that no one ever raised coyote pups to be manageable pets, but now I hear that maybe they have. I still have no specific instances of it, only that some people out in the country have big dogs that play with them some, the dogs being big and tough enough that coyotes don't push their luck.

These are smart animals and made to be formidable predators. Maybe I should go live with them long enough to steal a couple of their babies and raise me some hell dogs.

Then again I don't want to become delusional like some of the bear people who think that grizzly isn't really a wild unpredictable eating machine. Still, if a coyote could be trained to behave like I want, that would be a cool pet. Cheap to feed. Just let him out to find his own. Sorry if that turns out to be Fifi, or your cat. I'd rather raise a couple of them, and train them to whip up on really jerky helldogs with jerky owners. Miami has more people and dogs like that than anywhere I've ever lived.

I still bear the inner scars of the trauma inflicted while the dog owner said, "Just don't make any sudden movements", while the 200 pound hound from hell growls at my crotch. Boy would I love to have a gang of coyotes at my command for those people and their psycho dogs.

How-To Book Recall, a good illustration of...

A little while ago I caught some news describing how a company had to recall a bunch of books which purported to give readers the info needed to do their own electrical work. The problem is, if you follow the guide, you could get shocked, electrocuted or simply burn the house down.

Obviously a case in which editors and publishers did not exercise any reasonable degree of quality control. To me that shows a lack of pride in one's work.

I've worked for companies, too many times, who rushed the product at the expense of quality. Unfortunately the more consumer oriented portion of the population chalks such negligence up to the ways of capitalism and freedom. That is not good in my opinion because the usual conclusion is that more regulation and maybe new agencies will make it all better.

The trouble is that what results is a blueprint which those who can afford it dance around while stifling honest competition. The facade of the thing is one of reasonable guidelines, but the meat of the matter is much less pure.

I do find that lack of effort to determine that the product is what it should be quite prevalent in the market, and very frustrating when I've been in the employ of such firms. Come to think of it, only the smaller companies I've been part of tend to deliver in a way that engenders pride. Diversified Controls under Bill Grant, and Able Equipment Company under Lennie Ellis are the only two I can think of that were larger than a one man operation. Bill was someone they should do a movie about. But that's another story.

Textbooks have forever been a sham as far as accuracy and quality is concerned. I don't know how many math books had wrong answers to problems in the back of the book. Fortunately, the few times I bothered with homework, I was sure enough of myself to know when they were wrong. To me, that is inexcusable. Either taxpayers pay or people trying to put themselves or their kids through school pay. Texts at universities were rarely better than the trash used in public school. It seems there was an economics book that was flawless. Probably written by Sowell or Milton Friedman.

The trouble is that such haste too often carries over into tangible products. You expect the defects when it comes out of China because it is cheap and you know they crank it out under any conditions they can can.

Perhaps the problem is that you cannot legislate self respect, pride or integrity. The host of agencies and oversight which has cropped up over the last hundred years has not done a whole lot to lessen the assault of junk in the marketplace. Some things may have improved but the overall effort to slide under the radar hasn't. None of the very large "reputable" companies which have enjoyed my services in the past were even remotely honest in how they put out their service or product.

What frustrated me most was that, in the long run, it would not have cost them more to do it right. In the case of textbooks, especially math and chemistry, it was as if they had relevant words and terms in a giant salt shaker and just sprinkled them on the pages at random, calling it an explanation of the principles at hand. I've tutored math and always had to go from the sample problems in the book ignoring the alleged instructions in order to teach the poor tutoree.

It is a challenge to make the information interesting and intelligible, but that is the job of a teacher and a textbook. They do their job quite poorly. At least they did. I am from the pre-handheld computer school of mathematics, and I was quick enough at arithmetic that I rarely used a calculator.

Anyway, I think the issue is actually a mindset, not regulation. Half the book distribution is controlled by organized crime anyway, and that might be part of the trouble with textbooks, but why makers of things and providers of major services follow the same half baked path is a mystery. People will say it is money but a profit motive is not necessarily married to a lack of integrity. Another misconception we've been fed over and over.

Oh well. If you don't understand anything about electrocution, and wiring principles, it may be best to get a friend to test out the how-to book's methods in his home before you try it.

Coyote 2, research yields brilliance

My search for things related to vile coyotes brought me to this picture. It pretty much speaks for itself, I guess.
He's feeding the coyote. Very sweet. Brilliant!

WTF?
I'd not have felt bad had this guy been feeding it poison or pointing a crossbow at the sneaky coyote.

The guy who took the shot chased the critter away and tried to explain to the people both the danger of feeding coyotes and the law. It is a federal crime. But so is killing a bear in many places. Being law doesn't mean it is wrong or not.

A kid who somehow killed a bear with a rock because his scout pack was surprised and scared when the bear came into their camp was actually prosecuted. We live in a world run by unabridged fuquits. Seriously, what a freak shot that must have been, like hitting a basket from half court at the buzzer. They say it is better to make noise than throw things at bears. You may just annoy the bastard and get mauled. To me that kid is a hero, and possibly a great future pitcher or quarterback.

****story of possible coyote shooting in the night, which just occurred down the hill, at my keep connected live sometimes mirror blog, sometimes not.

Coyotes conspire in the shadows

They have been laughing and taunting me--the coyotes. I think they may be reading my mind. They are more cruel than bratty young kids born of nitwits. Their eyes glow yellow.

They wait until I am almost asleep, then they laugh and yelp and howl, just out of sight. It is dark enough up here that ten feet away is plenty enough to be hidden from view. But I hear them. They laugh arrogantly, smugly and with malice.

Just wait until I get a fresh load of marbles for the slingshot. Throwing larger stones has yet to yield a hit. All I can do is throw toward the sound. The cowards generally tone it down until I return inside from the deck. I'll bet they are forming some kind of animal union with the bears. Soon we'll have an Obnoxious Animal Czar to ensure that no one hurts their feelings or turns them into ugly hats and coats.

I hope to find a way to nail one, knock it dead, then laugh maniacally as its comrades have it for dinner without the slightest hint of conscience. But they will know I have drawn the line. I will at last be respected by these heartless bullies. I will have revenge.

Something Must Be up--I don't feel like writing--but I did

It used to be that I could think of almost any word, or idea, and write a page on it, often zooming off on five or six seemingly unrelated tangents in the process. Lately, I think of things I want to write, writing what I think still being a compulsion, but then when I am home and fire up the computer, I lose the willingness. Often, I just shut it off again before I even look to see if I have any email.

The reason is not all that clear and any theories I have on the subject are too personal to discuss. Or stupid. In the old days of the HarpO blog I did not get many comments but I knew a number of people dropped by to read. Even a nasty stalker. I pushed it a little because I'd write things that I knew would anger a few people who kept up but pretended they didn't. Band members and offshoots.

That brings me to the latest California fun on the news. The state is broke. Taxes are high and it takes a lot to keep up with the general cost of things. State workers here think they should not cut back hours or benefits at all while their employer goes broke, unlike any private company that has to cut costs or go under. It is baffling how they go on the news with no suggestions other than that it would be OK for everyone else to be taxed more. Unions of tax paid workers make no sense to me. And they have the nerve to call it "public service".

But, this is such a beautiful and varied state that people just shrug and go on with it. I kind of like that, as long as I can pay the rent, and as long as I can still live in this awesome cottage. With a view. And coyotes having parties down the hill out back. Not very far down there, but it is so dark I can never see them.

Last night they were yipping and howling like crazy. It sounded like ten of them all together having a macabre festival. I shined a flashlight out there and saw nothing until the light caught the eyes of one. That was all you could see, two yellow luminescent dots. At least they shut up until I went inside.

This year I have to make more progress toward gaining some control of things. That means money and endeavors which spark a little passion. Other than the spring loaded zipper idea, I have a couple of plans but not along the invention lines. They will best be implemented if I don't go around not knowing my fly is open, so I guess it all ties in and works together.

The stark fact of my life is that some of the most basic things have taken me half a century to begin to grasp. Things that most people pick up by age 30 or younger. Of course, in other ways I've been ahead of my time, so I'm not a total idiot. Apparently it is not genetic because others in my family don't share my empty spots. They lack where I don't but have a hell of a lot more to show for it.

Not having anything to show for time is a tough one for me. I guess that is why I can enjoy fixing teak or doing other things which have an obvious end. It was one of the things about different jobs I've had which frustrated me; the work was a repeating process, but you had nothing tangible to look at. It never felt like anything was being built. I'm wanting something project oriented, unless I happen to get paid well to play music. But in that case, you can record it and have that as something to show.

I think if a guy hasn't got kids, a wife, and a family built, he missed the boat along the way. In my case, I know how, when and maybe why. For a long time I thought I drank myself out of it. Now I think I probably wasn't equipped for it; judging by the things I am just now learning. That's the glitch.

OK. 2010 and no looking back. Screw any bad judgement ever made, person hurt or sincere heartbreak experienced. All there is is from now on, depending on how you define "is".

Idea To Prevent Chagrin and/or Possible Arrest: and a useful tip

It's a great idea, born of necessity. Spring Loaded Zipper.

How did I ever think of such a great invention? I was out and about, hitting WalMart's*** auto parts for an air filter, then washed a somewhat oil soaked drop cloth at the local laundry. I doubt I did much damage to the Speed Queen. I'll get to the oil situation in a minute.

So, there I was when I noticed someone's gaze reflected just a hint of alarm, aimed in the region of my lower belly. I continued walking to my car then checked the situation. Damn!! Open fly syndrome. In retrospect I think it was open for about three hours. Oh great, the ones with the horizontal red stripes on a field of navy blue. Beats going Apache at a time like this.

There it is. If zippers were in some way spring loaded, like those doors which close themselves, I would have been spared, as would the public at large. If the El Cajon highway patrol had seen me, I'd be up on charges and forever labelled as a sex offender. That would suck.

Another stroke of brilliance occurred when I drained the oil. I was supposed to do it days ago when I first obtained all the materials. But I froze up. It's a personal issue. Anyway, this oil plug is mounted at an angle, not vertically. About fifteen degrees or so up from vertical. That means the first rush of oil does not go straight down or just a few inches off to the left.

It goes way the hell over there, clearing the pan altogether. I had a drop cloth down and doubled to make a better work environment and because I didn't want to soil the soil--my drive is not paved.

I think a half cylinder made from a milk jug or big soda bottle could be used to deflect the oil downward next time. As it drains, the stream comes closer to running straight down, so even a regular oil collector pan that has screw on side and end is too small to cover the range an unfettered oil stream from this car travels.

The thing is, I was laying there, zipper wide open to the world, trying to minimize oil damage as my neighbor/landlord walked by saying, "hello". Was she talking to me, or what? I answered as if she were talking to my mind. No wonder she scurried off quickly to points unknown; probably warning the people on this hill to keep children and pets indoors until I drove away.

This is all part of my new effort to save money and not have commercial oil change people lose the little fasteners which hold the cover underneath, and not have leaks. Last time they did it, I had a leak. The oil filter, allegedly. I'm missing a couple of the fasteners, too. It's a bad design, but I notice the oil change people lose them without fail.

I admit, it was a rookie mistake and an indication that I've been lazy for too long. Long ago I learned not to be tricked by oil drains. I'm rusty.

The only troubling part of the spring loaded zipper is that you do not want it to be forceful or close tight if any obstruction might be in the way. Perhaps an electric eye, laser device could be installed.

***What they've been saying about walmart may be true. I was dirty and my fly was wide open, yet I didn't feel at all out of place. If I were on a search for mutants in America, I'd park myself in Walmart.
What is it about those people that they leave the cart between their car and the next even though only fifteen feet away is the cart corral?

Another Page From the Book

The Book is large and heavy, so trying to take a pic using the computer is a trick. This time I left the book laying flat and tilted the laptop, propping it up on my toe while I hit shift and clik at the same time to prevent flash. It's technical. The watercolor pencils and book have become an obsession. I feel like I have to add to it daily. It is intended to be a pictorial which might reveal the subconscious, or the meaning of life or where Blackbeard buried the treasure. Things of that nature.

Otherwise, I'd be ranting more about the insanity of the things which are in the news and which affect air travel, and more. If none of that had any impact on regular life it would be less interesting to me. It feels like I'm watching a thief raid the neighborhood and due to peer pressure, trying to look the other way and mind my own business, but I can't.

This page is different from the others, so far. Not quite sure what prompted it but it all has some symbolism. But then, what doesn't?

I think the colors are more vibrant in real life. This book is going to be a fun thing. I'm using the front and back of the pages. The paper is high enough quality to pull that off. So far I have eight sides done. They are almost radically different from one another, yet some patterns are beginning to emerge.

This year is at an end. I'm actually pondering some goals for 2010. That is a new thing. For a long time the only goal was not to be as sad in the coming year as I was in the last. Now it is to continue the journey, being sure not to become that sad again. 09 was not a sad year. It was like a dream, as was the last half of 2008. A better than normal life dream.

The next phase is still only half baked, if baked at all. The Book will probably help the next plan cook.