A blog about Technology, Family & Home, and Business & Finance.
Real Name: Curt Dalton Gender: male Date of Birth: December 27, 1953 Member Since: March 14, 2006 Last Signed In: November 18, 2009 Profile Views: 7265 Blog Views: 14205 {{Sigh}} Another Dirty Democrat... Attacked by Two Pit Bulls In My Own Garage! The "White Trash" Chronicles N. Korea Threatens War if 'Satellite' Is Shot Down Why we're in for a LONG economic recessioon What campaign promises did you know would never be kept? Politics is like a cesspool…. The really big PIECES always rise to the top. Is Brighthouse a Rip-Off? Vacant Houses in Disrepair Getting to know you June 06 July 06 August 06 September 06 October 06 November 06 December 06 January 07 February 07 March 07 April 07 May 07 June 07 July 07 August 07 September 07 October 07 November 07 December 07 January 08 February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 September 08 October 08 November 08 December 08 January 09 February 09 March 09 April 09 May 09 June 09 July 09 August 09 September 09 October 09 November 09 The two most common elements in the universe are Hydrogen and stupidity. 
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From the news.... By James Rosen
As lawmakers return to the Capitol for the fall’s epic battle over health care reform, Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) appeared likely to retain his chairmanship of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, despite new allegations about his tangled finances and fresh calls for the Harlem Democrat to relinquish his leadership post. Although Rangel has not been formally charged with any wrongdoing, he has been under investigation by a House ethics committee for nearly a year, following published reports alleging a broad array of financial improprieties. These include allegations that the chairman of the House’s top tax-writing committee failed to report income derived from a beachfront villa he owns in the Dominican Republic; falsely listed a Washington, D.C. residence as his primary address when he was living in rent-stabilized apartments in New York City; used congressional letterhead for fundraising purposes; and helped a wealthy donor to a school bearing Rangel’s name establish a lucrative tax shelter in Bermuda. Nearly a year after the New York Times called on Rangel to step aside as chairman of Ways and Means – and House Democrats successfully blocked a resolution introduced by Republicans to censure him – the capital is hearing fresh calls for Rangel to turn over his gavel while the various ethics investigations remain underway. These came in the wake of Rangel’s acknowledgment, in updated financial disclosure forms filed late last month, that he failed to report more than $660,000 in assets during 2007. The assets included a credit-union checking account worth up to half-a-million dollars, stock in PepsiCo, some mutual fund investments and a handful of vacant lots in southern New Jersey. In an editorial, The Washington Post echoed the Times, urging Rangel to step down from his chairmanship, and congressional Republicans swiftly followed suit. “I have long considered you a friend, and I still do,” House Minority Leader John Boehner wrote to Rangel on Sept. 4. “But friends are not infallible… [and] as chairman of the powerful House committee, entrusted with the responsibility of writing the tax laws that affect every law-abiding American citizen, you, along with the Speaker and other leaders of the majority party have an obligation to help set the pace when it comes to standards of official conduct.” But a spokesman for Rangel, who has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, rejected these calls for the chairman to relinquish his leadership post, saying any such move would “prejudge” the findings of the ethics committee and thereby “undermine” its work. First elected to the House in 1970, the raspy-voiced Rangel drew early public notice as a member of the House Judiciary Committee during that panel’s Watergate impeachment hearings against President Nixon. In addition to a long string of legislative accomplishments, mostly focused on domestic programs for the poor and disadvantaged, the Harlem Democrat has also earned a reputation as a shoot-from-the-lip public speaker, sometimes forced to retract or apologize for provocative comments. As chair of Ways and Means, however, Rangel has wielded exceptional clout. His committee was one of three in the House to put forward a version of health care reform legislation before the summer recess. Rangel’s version was notable for its proposal to raise income taxes on Americans earning over $350,000 a year in order to pay for the expected trillion-dollar cost of health care reform. Because the question of how to finance the various reforms is central to the health care debate, Rangel is expected to figure prominently in that debate. Still, the chairman is seen by some, both in and out of his party, as a liability. “There seems be almost three-quarters of a million dollars failed to be reported,” said Rep. John Carter (R-TX) of the latest financial problem to embarrass Rangel. “ That's a lot of forgotten bank accounts and a lot of forgotten pieces of land and a lot of forgotten assets. And it's a little too much to think that it's just an ‘oops.’” Former Rep. Martin Frost (D-TX), who served thirteen terms alongside Rangel, predicted he would remain in his leadership post at least until the ethics committee delivers its findings. "This is not your run-of-the-mill congressman,” Frost told FOX News. “This is somebody's who's been a leader in civil rights and economic justice, served in Congress for thirty-eight years, [and who is] generally regarded as a very serious member and a good member….The people in the business community have a high regard for Charlie, even if they don’t agree with him on everything.” At the same time, Frost said, the mounting allegations of financial impropriety will not immediately disappear. “The failure to report large assets is a problem; everybody understands that.” Rangel has indicated he plans to run for re-election in 2010, and again in 2012, when he will turn eighty-two. But Stu Rothenberg, the non-partisan analyst who authors “The Rothenberg Political Report,” pointed to the steady trickle of damaging stories and their timing – smack in the middle of the health care battle – as the key factors in the chairman’s future. “It is developing in a very uncomfortable way for Democrats,” Rothenberg told FOX News. “Little by little, more information seems to come out and it's possible that it could seriously, seriously hurt the congressman's career. “He's at a tax-writing committee when the administration may have to talk about raising revenue to pay for health care,” Rothenberg continued. “So he is in an unusually important position and taking the criticism that he is now taking is a major problem for him, but also for his party.”
No doubt this will be burried (as usual) by mainstream media in the current news cycle by the "non-issue" of the Presidents speach to school children. Last night (Saturday) I was sitting in my garage with my wife and two good family friends. (I live in the Southwest) Joining us, on her leash, was my 9 month old Black Lab/ Golden Retriever mix Gracie. Gracie is a lovable "pound puppy" my daughter-in-law rescued from the SPCA. I became the proud owner of this delightful puppy last week when my son Andrew was assigned to the Naval Base at San Diego and they couldn't have her on base. While we were sitting in the garage, two pit bulls ran into my garage almost from nowhere. In the blink of an eye, they were attacking my dog trying to eviscerate her. In the 1-1/2 seconds it took to jump up and grab the pit bulls collar, they had ripped open several large gashes in her right side and abdomen. When I yanked the pit bull off my dog, the pit spun around and bit me on my left hand. The owner of the pit bulls then ran up and into my garage and grabbed one of his dogs, the other was grabbed by one of my guests and the Bakersfield Police Department was called immediately. Much to my surprise, I was informed by the BPD they would NOT send out an officer - since the owner of these vicious dogs had them "under control" (yeah, riiiight). I had to call the BPD again this morning and wait until an Animal Control officer could finally take a report. We took Gracie to the Vet and they stitched up all of her wounds and she will ultimately be OK. She was in a lot of pain last night so I slept on the floor with her. So far, the owner of the pit bulls hasn't provided me with their rabies status and I'm not too sure he will as he didn't seem too overly concerned about the whole thing and seemed to think a simple apology is sufficient and since he apologized, I should just forget the whole thing.
Thank God for credit cards as there is no way I could have come up with the immediate cash necessary to cover the vet bill. However, I must say, the Bakersfield Veterinary Hospital on Harris Road was WONDERFUL in providing emergency care to Gracie.
When are people going to learn? If you own a vicious dog, you MUST control them so they do not attack someone. The law does not allow anyone to walk down the street with a loaded gun, so why is a vicious attacking dog any different?
White Trash Chronicles You may be wondering: "What the heck is a "White-Trash" Chronicle anyway??? Well, hopefully this is will be an informative and humorous area where you can post your experiences with those pesky and annoying neighbors that can only be described as White Trash. Feel free to tell everyone about those “Unique” White-Trashers you have had the misfortune to live near. Just be sure to change the names so you don't get sued! I'll start off with the first of what I hope will be an on-going chronicle of a neighbor of mine.... Here's the chance for "Economic Recovery! In a page right out of history, here's an opportunity to rev up our sagging economy! Nothing like a good old fashioned WAR to get our economy back on-line!
N. Korea Threatens War if 'Satellite' Is Shot Down SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea put its armed forces on standby Monday and threatened "a war" if anyone tries to shoot down what regional powers suspect is an imminent test-firing of a long-range missile. Pyongyang also cut off a military hot line with the South, causing a complete shutdown of their border and stranding hundreds of South Koreans working in an industrial zone in the North Korean border city of Kaesong. Monday's warning — the latest barrage of threats from the communist regime — came as U.S. and South Korean troops kicked off annual war games across the South, exercises the North has condemned as preparation for an invasion. Pyongyang last week threatened South Korean passenger planes flying near its airspace during the drills. Analysts say the regime is trying to grab President Barack Obama's attention as his administration formulates its North Korea policy. The North also indicated it was pushing ahead with plans to send a communications satelliteinto space, a provocative launch neighboring governments believe could be a cover for a long-range missile capable of reaching Alaska.
U.S. and Japanese officials have suggested they could shoot down a North Korean missile if necessary, further incensing Pyongyang. "Shooting our satellite for peaceful purposes will precisely mean a war," the general staff of the North's military said in a statement carried Monday by the official Korean Central News Agency. Any interception will draw "a just retaliatory strike operation not only against all the interceptor means involved but against the strongholds" of the U.S., Japan and South Korea, it said. The North has ordered military personnel "fully combat ready," KCNA said in a separate dispatch. Obama's special envoy on North Korea again urged Pyongyang not to fire a missile, which he said would be an "extremely ill-advised" move.
"Whether they describe it as a satellite launch or something else makes no difference" since both would violate a U.N. Security Council resolutionbanning the North from ballistic activity, Stephen Bosworth told reporters after talks with his South Korean counterpart. South Korea's Defense Ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae downplayed the North's threats as "rhetoric" but said the country's military was ready to deal with any contingencies. Analysts say a satellite or missile launch could occur late this month or in early April when the North's new legislature, elected Sunday, is expected to convene its first session to confirm Kim Jong Il as leader. Ties between the two Koreas have plunged sinceSouth Korean President Lee Myung-bak took office a year ago halting aid unless the North fulfills an international promise to dismantle its nuclear program. In retaliation, North Korea suspended the reconciliation process and key joint projects with Seoul, and has stepped up the stream of belligerence toward the South. Severing the military hot line for the duration of the 12-day joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises leaves the two Koreas without any means of communication at a time of heightened tensions. The two Koreas use the hot line to exchange information about goods and people crossing into Kaesong. Its suspension halted traffic and stranded about 570 South Koreans who were working in Kaesong. About 80 had planned to return to the South on Monday but were stuck there overnight since they cannot travel after nightfall. Earlier, some 700 South Koreans who intended to go to Kaesong on Monday were unable to cross the border, the Unification Ministry said. All South Koreans in Kaesong are safe, the ministry said as it called on Pyongyang to restore the hot line immediately. The two Koreas technically remain in a state of war since their three-year conflict ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty, in 1953. Hundreds of thousands of troops are amassed on each side of the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas, making the Korean border one of the world's most heavily armed. The United States, which has 28,5000 troops in South Korea, routinely holds military exercises with the South. Pyongyang routinely condemns them as rehearsals for invasion despite assurances from Seoul and Washington that the drills are defensive. The exercises, which will involve some 26,000 U.S. troops, an unspecified number of South Korean soldiers and a U.S. aircraft carrier, are "not tied in any way to any political or real world event," Gen. Walter Sharp, commander of the U.S. troops, said Monday.
Note: This is offered as a tongue-in-cheek reminder there are other IMPORTANT things going on in the world OK, how many of you think this economic "problem" is going to be solved by the infusion of more taxpayer money into failing financial institutions? How about the creation of these new entitlement For the record, I think every single attempt by the government to shore up the financial institutions will fail and fail dismally. The current economic stimulus plan offered by our legislators is more like a shopping list of every pet project a politician ever dreamed of - all rolled into one - so in my opinion, you can count this stimulus package out as well as it will only create more government programs that will have to be funded in the future to stay alive. For every 100 dollars the government spends creating these entitlement programs, they obligate future spending of about a 100 thousand dollars so where is the net gain? There is none. Only taxpayer obligations that will take your grand-children's grand-children to pay off. Here is probably the best articulated reason on why we're in for a very long - very hard slog until our economy reaches any degree of normalcy: http://www.bloomberg.com/av... This guy really hits the nail on the head. Too bad no one is listening. It’s a political reality:
Politicians almost never keep their campaign promises. Yet, we still go into the voting booth, mark our ballots and hope against all hope the politician will keep his or her promises to us.
One side of us wants to believe the best:
The politician will keep his promises - but the other side, the realist in us, knows some of the campaign promises are just pie-in-the-sky promises conceived only to convince us to vote in a particular manner.
So fellow citizens, I have a question for you:
Assuming you voted for Barack Hussein Obama for President of the United States, what campaign promises did you know for certain would never be kept when you voted for him?
In case you forgot, here are some links to his campaign promises :
This is NOT intended to be a partisan Obama-bashing, I am just curious as to how people think when casting a ballot - when you actually believe the politicians campaign promise will not be fulfilled yet vote for them anyway.
Politics is like a cesspool…. The really big PIECES always rise to the top. In my 54 years on this planet I have searched in vain for a politician that actually has our nation (and citizens) best interests at heart. Like Diogenes searching the darkness for an honest man, the citizens of America search for honest politicians. Sadly, like Christ, all we find is a den of thieves in our state legislatures and Washington, DC. The prettiest face and the fattest wallet wins the political office and our House of Representatives continues to represent no one but their lobbyist and union buddy's . If my corner grocer runs his business to the ground he forfeits his business and learns from his mistakes. However, with their billions of dollars in generous campaign donations corporate CEO’s are free to rob, pillage and mismanage a corporation (AIG, Fanny Mae, and Freddy Mac) safe in the knowledge Uncle (Socialist) Sam will redistribute more wealth and further enrich these scoundrels while the infrastructure of our nation crumbles from neglect. I have a better idea. Why don’t we ARREST those who are responsible for the legislative oversight of these corporations and actually punish them to the fullest extent of the law? It’s a novel approach, but I believe it will actually work. While we’re at it, why don’t we DEMAND these CEO’s surrender their assets to prop up these corporations? If it’s good enough for the average taxpayer to bail out, it should be good enough for the CEO and corporate executives to pony up their money also… After all, THEY created this mess. In the same vein, why do we allow these very same irresponsible corporate CEO’s and executives to be “political consultants” to our legislators and executive office holders? If you research these failed organizations and compare the names of these corporate executives to those intimately involved in the political campaigns of our current presidential candidates (and current legislators) you will be amazed at the stupidity of those seeking / holding office (of course, you could also be depressed to the point where you will need a lithium prescription from your family physician). Folks, we deserve better. Sadly I don’t see any end in sight - simply because we-the-people are willing to tolerate this politically aberrant behavior.
Serving? Gimme a break! VOTERS, WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING???? We need a new and novel approach to political corruption and malfeasance where it’s “One strike and you’re out!” Politicians who break the law (or who can’t be bothered to cast a vote, by voting "present") should be run out of Washington, DC and the Statehouse and prohibited from holding further political office. The behavior you can expect is the behavior you are willing to tolerate. If you allow this incompetent political behavior to go unchallenged even once, like a spoiled two year old, the politicians will expect you to allow it every time. It’s time to get mad as Hell and put every single politician in the hot seat. From City Council elections to the President of the United States we deserve better and the only way it will happen is if YOU get pissed-off and demand the politicians start representing YOU instead of their lobbyist and union buddies.
Incensed at not being able to watch the Olympics, I called the Brighthouse support number for help. After describing the problem, I was told: “people all over Great. Sunday. So much for watching the Olympics!
Gee, it’s not like I can tune into re-runs next week. (and see what I am missing while still paying a kings ransom to Brighthouse!). Wouldn't it make sense to have a little extra service/repair manpower available since the Olympics only happen every four years???
Now mind you this happens on ALL my channels! I find great irony in the advertisements for Brighthouse extolling the virtues of a “Clear Digital Picture” and “Lightning-Fast Internet” Like a sucker, I have my phone, internet and cable all in one easy to pay (high priced) package that almost insures when the system takes a dive NOTHING works! Curious, I sought the advice of my neighbors. Kyler, my next door neighbor informed me he has had Brighthouse out to fix the problem “six or seven times” and still his television is all but unwatchable. Same thing for four other neighbors. See a pattern here??? OK, I know you’re wondering: “Is there a point here somewhere?” So here it is: What provider do you use for cable and internet and are you happy with the price, the level of service and the value for the money you pay? Would you be better off with Rabbit ears? “The Dish?” What??? Personally, I am convinced Brighthouse doesn’t care a whit about customer service and I am within a hairbreadth of cancelling all my services with Brighthouse and going with either AT & T or another provider. ANYTHING has to be better than this! So, what do you think? Oh one more thing. If YOU are having problems with your Brighthouse service, give them a call and see for yourself. Let me know if my impression of their uncaring attitude is an isolated incident or simply business as usual for Brighthouse. Just sign me Disgusted.
Location:
3501 soranno ,
bakersfield, ca 93309
Since our City and County Code Enforcement officers can't be expected to know where all of the foreclosed houses are, I decided to start this blog to help them find houses that are unoccupied and in a state of disrepair. You know what I mean: Two months ago, there were kids playing on the front lawn of your neighbors house and today it's knee deep in dry dangerously flammable weeds and an accident waiting for a place to happen. If there's one thing a politician can't stand it's the public airing of a problem so I am hopeful houses that make this list will be taken care of quickly. If you know of a house in your neighborhood that is abandoned and an eyesore, add it to the list. I'll start it off with my neighborhood. There are two houses within spitting distance of my house where the lawn is a tangle of dry, brown knee-high weeds and the yard is beginning to accumulate trash. 3501 Westchester Avenue - 93309 Corner house at Westbrook and Soranno - 93309 Normally, when something like this comes into my "In-Box" I hit the "Delete" button and send it to the cyber-trash. However, considering how we often get into heated discussions here on the blogs I think it would be fun to know a little bit about each other. This is a fairly benign questionnaire that won't give a cyber-stalker enough info to find you but will give the rest of us a small (very small) insight to you.
I'll lead off with the quiz and my answers. Just copy and paste into a new post and edit the answers to suit you.
-Curt
Welcome to the new 2008 edition of "getting to know your friends"!
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? Motorsports (IRL, Formula-1) 15. How do you vent anger? Clean the Garage 28. Favorite smells? Bread baking in the oven. 33. Favorite day of the week? Sunday 34. How many states have you lived in? 3
Here's a couple photos from the Shenandoah Valley. For more photog, go to my previous post: http://people.bakersfield.c... The photos are on the large side and may take a minute or two to load but they are worth the wait!
Enjoy!
Curt
It was with plesant surprise I read in the Californian Deputy District Attorney Lisa Green is considering running for the office of District Attorney.
I completely support Deputy District Attorney Lisa Green in her bid for the office of District Attorney of Kern County. Under the stewardship of Ed Jagles, the District Attorney’s office managed to bungle the trial and repeated re-trials of admitted cop-killer Bruce Sons. Bruce Sons, a defendant who ADMITTED he shot and killed Alan Maxwell, a California Highway Patrol Officer, and due to sheer blind incompetence, this cold blooded killer escaped justice. Like a boorish party guest who doesn’t know when it’s time to leave, Ed Jagels has overstayed his welcome and it’s high time he step down and let someone competent take the helm.
Location:
Washington, dc
I have been wanting to post a small compilation of my photographs here on Bakersfield.com for some time now.
The only thing that kept me from posting them was my worry they would get ripped-off and used in a manner I didn't want. My solution was to make a short video using my photos so they are difficult to extract.
If you want to see larger photos, go to this URL: http://www.youtube.com/watc...
I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed taking them. If you like them, let me know and I will post more in the future. Curt When I started my quest to have Caltrans allow the changeable message signs in Kern Canyon warn out-of-town visitors to stay out of the Kern River, I was 10 years younger and a whole lot more politically naïve. I actually thought our government was something that was responsible to the people – sort of a living, breathing entity that could change to benefit the public.
Boy, did I ever get a rude awakening!
It took ten years and countless hours and the only thing that kept this idea alive is the reaction I received from everyone I used as a sounding-board. Every single person I spoke with thought this was a terrific way to warn visitors to Bakersfield, who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the danger posed by the swift waters of the Kern River.
Initially, my letters to Caltrans were unanswered as were my many emails. (Humm, aren’t these public employees supposed to answer their correspondence?)
After receiving no answer to any of my correspondence, I had a brainstorm: Why not get local government on my side and let those who are politically powerful argue my cause for me?
With that thought in mind, I suspended my fear of public speaking and appeared before the Kern County Board of Supervisors to pitch my idea. To my delight, Supervisor Parra thought this was a fantastic idea and made a motion to refer this to KERNCOG with a recommendation for approval. Supervisor Perez seconded this motion and while I stood nervously at the podium, a vote was taken.
All of the Supervisors (Including the now forgetful Supervisor McQuiston) agreed warning people to avoid the dangers of the Kern River using the changeable message signs were a great idea. I foolishly thought this could happen before the next summer’s influx of tourists and perhaps some lives could be saved. Those who are familiar with government may not be the least surprised that nothing happened with the changeable message signs. No doubt they are still laughing at my political naiveté.
The signs sat month after month at the mouth of the canyon, unused - waiting for a traffic accident or a body recovery to impede traffic flow before these expensive signs could be activated with a message to the drivers on Highway 178. A big, black, and very expensive un-used electronic billboard!
Visitors to our county continued to come to the Kern River for a cool respite from the summer’s heat and predictably, several lost their lives simply because they entered the swift waters of the Kern River completely ignorant of the danger the river poses to anyone lacking the protective equipment necessary to safely play in the river.
After watching the death toll continue to rise unabated, it was the unnecessary death of a father of six children that made me decide to start using the Bakersfield Californian Editorial Page to nudge the political powers to implement my plan to use the Caltrans signs to warn people to either stay out of the water or at least be aware the seemingly calm waters will kill you if you aren’t careful.
To my utter amazement, my letter was selected as letter of the month. To my sheer disbelief, I was contacted by Dianne Hardisty and told I was a contender for letter of the year. My college English teacher is no doubt rolling over in his grave.
Honestly, I couldn’t understand the institutional resistance to this idea from Caltrans. These changeable message signs are very expensive pieces of publicly owned equipment that sit un-used for over 99 percent of the time and with the flip of a switch, they could revert to their originally intended use and warn of a traffic delay.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to warn visitors to stay out of the river in the first place than to warn motorist’s traffic would be delayed due to a body recovery? What's the big deal? Seems like a common-sense idea to me but the bureaucrats at Caltrans would rather keep the signs un-used than save a life.
Such a waste of taxpayer-owned equipment! Such a waste of life!
Finally, after spending untold hours trying to get this simple cost-effective plan implemented I came to the realization that no matter how good an idea is, no matter how many lives could be saved, it doesn’t matter a whit if a bureaucrat sitting at a desk somewhere doesn’t like it. Let the death continue - It's good politics!
After spending years trying to get this idea off the ground, I gave up. I rolled over and gave up; resigned to the fact your local and state government simply doesn’t give a damn about anything unless there are votes and campaign cash at stake. Caltrans administrators are appointed, not elected so nothing would ever come of it. I would just have to live with it. (This isn't something easy for a former Paramedic: Sitting on the sidelines and watching preventable death continue unabated!)
About three months ago, while driving to a business lunch, my cell phone rang and a member of The Bakersfield Californian Editorial staff advised me The Californian wanted to resurrect my campaign to utilize the Caltrans changeable message signs and wanted to know if I would be up for the challenge?
To be honest, my Yankee heritage chafes at giving up. I was raised by parents who were stubborn, opinionated New Englanders and I have been told my entire life anything worth having is worth fighting for. So before I could give it a lot of thought, the voice that is my conscience answered in an instant: “Sure, if it will prevent visitors to Kern County from dying in the Kern River, I’m all for it.”
After the Editorial appeared in The Californian with the Caltrans official’s phone number and e-mail address, I figured maybe, just maybe this time we could save some lives but after my previous ten years trying, I honestly held out little hope anyone was listening – let alone caring.
To my surprise Senator Dean Florez read the editorial and took it as a personal challenge to make this life-saving idea happen.
Now, I am an unapologetic conservative (NOT an unapologetic Republican – There IS a difference) and in the past I had taken Senator Florez to task for what I perceived as unnecessary grandstanding in the media, so Senator Florez championing MY cause left me speechless. I was grateful, but my latent distrust of ALL politicians left me with an “I’ll believe it when I see it” attitude. My original elation over the Board of Supervisors agreeing with me had turned into almost ten years of additional unnecessary deaths in the Kern River. To say I was skeptical, is the understatement of the decade. Even when his staff contacted me in person at work, I was skeptical it would really happen. - After all, since I first proposed this idea, a dozen preventable deaths have happened in the Kern Rivers swift waters.
To my surprise and delight, these signs were unveiled in the Kern River the next day. To assure myself it wasn’t some kind of cruel trick I drove up Highway 178 after work to see these signs with my own eyes. I parked my car and walked up to the sign and gazed up at the simple message warning visitors 250 people have died in the Kern River’s waters. I reached out and touched the sign, pondering the ten year battle and came to the conclusion all of the aggravation was worth it if it reaches out to just one person and saves just one life.
People can leave Kern County after visiting returning home with pleasant memories of fun near the River instead of living a life of anguish at having lost a loved one simply because they never knew the Kern River’s reputation of inviting you into her cool water and killing you for your slightest mistake.
An obituary in the July 4th, 2007 Bakersfield Californian says it all:
“Look closely at this picture. [Picture shown-Page B3] This is my 7-year-old daughter, my little “noonie” a cross between Pippi Longstocking and Cinderella, she made all of our raindrops into lemon drops and gumdrops. Her smile, her giggle, even her little runny nose, these things I miss so much. But mostly, I miss her arms around me; I won’t feel them again because she drowned in the Kern River on the 4th of July. She drowned with her daddy, Brett Schafer and her cousin, Joshua Patton. Don’t let this happen to your loved ones. BE SAFE, BE SMART, BE RESPONSIBLE. Things like this happen in a blink of an eye.”
In Loving Memory of Micaela Sherre Schafter, January 27, 1991 to July 4, 1998.
Could these changeable message signs saved this wonderful little girl, her father and her cousin? We will never ever know. Dead men (and children) tell no tales.
I have cut out this obituary and I carry it in my wallet. Whenever I start to second-guess myself I will pull it out and read it to remind myself sometimes fighting the good fight isn’t easy but in the end it IS worth the effort.
So far, we have watched Memorial Day and the Fourth of July holidays pass without a single loss of life in the Kern River. To me, these signs have proved to be an unqualified success at preventing unnecessary death. However, now these signs are in place, one of the Kern County Supervisors has developed complete amnesia of his original vote to go forward with this plan and a small group of merchants in the Kern River Valley are labeling me a hysterical” fear monger. They are putting profit ahead of public safety by actively working to have these signs removed.
I can only hope this supervisor grows a memory (and conscience) and these profit-minded merchants have to fight just as hard to have these signs removed as I fought to have them installed and in the end, the public will find out if political contributions take precedence over public safety.
Having officially reached the 1/2 century mark (plus 3) I was informed by my family physician I HAD to have a colonoscopy. I was filled with terror as I pondered the invasion of my most private part by a gazillion foot long clinical apparatus. In my entire life, NOTHING has ever gone IN that part of my body and it seems contrary to the laws of nature that anything should ever be forced the wrong way in what is essentially a "One Way Street." I was in a state of abject fear! Two days before the fateful day I chickened out and cancelled the appointment. Call me a coward if you will, but no matter what the internet said about a colonoscopy being "a commonplace medical procedure" I just couldn't muster up the courage to go through with it. When my lovely wife Leslie learned of my canceling the colonoscopy, she was as angry as I have ever seen her! Her former husband died at a fairly young age of colon cancer and she was determined the same fate would not befall me. Like it or not, I was stuck. I had to go through with the procedure. Getting the “bowel preparation” medication from the pharmacy I sat down and carefully read the instructions to make sure I got it right...
Let’s see: Mix packet “A” and packet “B” with one liter of water. Drink eight ounces every fifteen minutes so the entire liter is consumed within one hour. Wait three hours and repeat.
Seems simple enough. Hey, even I can't screw that up!
I mixed this evil potion as directed and at 4:00 PM proceeded to drink it as required. After the third glass, I was feeling full and it was difficult to chug the last eight ounces but I triumphed and polished it off. If not with gusto, at least with a sense of accomplishment. I remember thinking: Heck I've chugged more beer at parties in my younger days than this! Little did I
I settled into my favorite spot and watched the History Channel not quite knowing what to expect. After about an hour, the devil’s potion began wrecking its evil havoc and I was seized with the most urgent urge to expel this evil concoction.
A mad dash to the bathroom ensued. In my desperate attempt to cover the distance between my living room and the bathroom, (a hopelessly long fifteen feet), anything in my way was knocked to the floor with abandon. Barely making it to the bathroom I sighed with relief as the last of this evil evil brew was expelled.
With a sigh of relief and beads of sweat on my brow, I again settled into my favorite chair only to have my abdomen scream in pain as another wave of urgency swept over me.
Dear GOD! How long can this go on???
After my fourth trip to the bathroom, I finally felt as though I could leave the immediate area and venture outside for a breath of fresh air. No sooner I had walked to the end of the sidewalk than the devil inside me decide I had gone too far.
OH MY GOD!!! RUN CURT RUN!!! Up the sidewalk, I throw open the front door and sprint to the bathroom -- unfastening my jeans as I go. I made it in the nick of time vowing to the Gods above I would not leave the bathroom again – EVER.
As luck would have it, this was the last mad sprint to the bathroom. At least for now. In spite of the agony of the past hour and a half, I think I’ll actually survive!
Whoopee!
Eight PM rolls around and I eye the SECOND batch of mixed devils brew with a mixture of fear, trepidation and dread. After my previous experience with this medical wonder brew, I have a fairly good idea what I’m in for and I am NOT looking forward to drinking this metabolic dynamite.
With a dread bordering on terror I drink this mixture again. This time, I’m not messing around. I gulp it down in large draughts in an effort to get the inevitable over with.
This time I didn’t have to wait long. This evil magic potion took effect in under ten minutes. Learning my previous lesson well, I didn’t leave the bathroom until the entire ordeal was over.
In the course of eight hours from the first sip of the evil elixir to the final colonic spasm, I have a new-found respect for the pharmaceutical industry’s ability to wreck havoc on the human body. Feeling completely wrung out I lay my head on my pillow vowing to make amends with whatever Gods I offended and try to live a better and more wholesome life.
My sleep was fitful. All night long I was dreaming of running down a long hallway lined with bathroom doors and every door was locked! I awaken at 6:00 AM feeling lousy. Completely wrung out. I have a dry mouth and a headache and because of the procedure I am going to undergo, I can’t take an Advil or have a glass of water.
Ugh!
At 10:30 my wife and I head off to the medical office where the "procedure" is to be performed. After an all too short wait, I am called in and asked to undress and get into the classic hospital gown. (Hummm, NOW I know why they are open in the back!)
In a matter of minutes, a pretty nurse, Rachel, comes in and hooks me up to a cardiac monitor, takes a set of vital signs and starts an IV. She is way (way) too happy. (While I feel like a condemned person must feel as they are wheeled away to the execution chamber).
Within minutes, the doctor arrives and greets me with a cheery “Hello!” I answer him back and he requests I lie on my left side.
The next thing I remember I am lying on the gurney in a Versed/Demerol-induced fog trying to remember who and where I am. It’s over and aside from feeling like my stomach was used as a punching bag I’m fine.
The doctor found three small polyps and removed them without any problem.
Three potential cancers ????????? THREE POTENTIAL CANCERS! Three death sentences. You know, all in all, I got off lucky.
Until next time.... 
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