Tom on kgoe

This Blog Is No Longer In Service

2009-07-27T19:31:00.001-07:00

I am now blogging over at http://tomsebourn.blogspot.com/

Good Bye

2009-06-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

For reasons beyond my control. I have been ordered to kill the blog.
This will be my last post.

On the Street and On Facebook: The Homeless Stay Wired

2009-05-30T23:58:00.000-07:00

Check out this story in the Wall St. Journal about houseless people with laptops and email.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124363359881267523.html

Health Care Protest In Eureka

2009-05-29T20:38:00.000-07:00

It started at 5 pm but I didn't get off work until after 5:30 so I got to the Humboldt County Courthouse just before 6 pm. I was handed a small hand bill that said:

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY supports the right to health care. No nation can be healthy whose citizens are not healthy.

Call your Representative Mike Thompson 202-225-3311 and ask him to support the National Health Insurance Act HR 676

Call Senator Feinstein 202-224-3841 and ask her to support the Senate Companion Bill S 704

Call Senator Boxer 202-224-3553 with the same message.

An opinion piece by Star Parker in today's Times-Standard newspaper said that doctors didn't want this system, but doctors and nurses were behind today's event.

Star Parker supports the Republican plan that instead of covering everyone, would give tax breaks. What if you don't owe any taxes? Once again, a Republican program that favors insurance companies and those with jobs, money or that owe taxes.

The Democrats are also holding up Single Payer Health Care. Chairman of the Finance Committee, with jurisdiction over the major public health insurance programs, Democratic Senator, Max Bacus said he doesn't want to waste his time on S 704

http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/max-baucus-on-single-payer-im-not-going.html

http://missoulian.com/articles/2009/05/29/news/local/news02.txt

Rally for Single Payer Health Care Friday In Eureka

2009-05-28T22:30:00.000-07:00

Doctors and nurses along with many others will put on a show at the Humboldt County Courthouse to educate people about the need for health care reform in the U.S.
The rally is set for Friday 5-29-09 that's tomorrow, today or in the past, depending on when you discovered this post.
Single Payer Health Care is the main subject of the rally and the public is invited to join in and participate.

H.R. 676 is the House Resolution that advocates for a single payer health system similar to Medicaid, that would cover all taxpayers and more.
We are already paying for the non insured, and we might as well include them as a part of the pool.
http://www.familiesusa.org/issues/uninsured/
Small business would be more competitive if the cost of their employee health care were not on their backs.
Rally tomorrow at 5;pm Friday 5-29-09
Be there,or enjoy for profit executives deciding which health care procedures they should provide to you based on their bottom line.

Arcata Stop The H-8 Rally

2009-05-26T19:45:00.000-07:00

The Arcata rally was in full swing when I got there. People were gathered around the statue and taking turns speaking into a megaphone. After a while the crowd got mobile and marched around the plaza. Then more speakers, some more marching and chanting.

Eureka Anti Prop.H-8 Rally 5-26-09

2009-05-26T19:26:00.000-07:00

Close to 100 people gathered at the steps of the Humboldt County Courthouse today. The crowd assembled at 6pm when I took the picture, but grew while I spoke to some in the crowd.

Most of those I spoke to could believe that the California Supreme Court would uphold a proposition that takes rights away from a minority with a simple majority vote of the people.

As a Republic, California's system was supposed to keep this from happening.

The opinion is that this will be back before voters as soon as they can get the signatures on the petitions to qualify. Maybe as soon as 2010.

If a simple majority can take rights away, a simple majority can restore those rights.

Anti Prop. 8 rallies Today In Humboldt County.

2009-05-26T13:19:00.000-07:00

In response to today's decision by California's Supreme Court to remove same sex couples right to marry, protesters are planning protest rallies at 6pm today. In Eureka, the rally will be at the Humboldt County Courthouse. In Arcata, a rally is planned for the Plaza.

More Photos

2009-05-23T14:46:00.001-07:00

Kinetic Grand Championship Race Today

2009-05-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

Some 37 engineering marvels began their 3 day trek from Arcata to Ferndale Ca.

There will be a large party at 5 pm tonight at Halvorson Park in Eureka. That's where leg one of the race ends today. The public is invited and it's free. Food and beer will also be there. This is a great place to get up close and personal with the crews and their machines. I took some photos along Samoa Blvd this afternoon. The largest traffic jam in recent Humboldt history was found by people trying to get to Dead Mans Drop. A steep tall sand dune the racers have to climb and descend.

Robin Arkley To Register In Louisiana To Avoid Taxes

2009-05-22T22:45:00.000-07:00

Speaking as a Republican to the local Republic(an) Party, local billionaire Robin Arkley said to the Humboldt County Women's Federated Group, that he would register to vote
in Louisiana to avoid Arnold Schwarzenegger's new taxes. It is comforting to know that Mr. Arklyey will no longer be voting in Humboldt County. He has and will continue to try to effect local politics and that is his right as a U.S. Citizen. Even though unions only make up less than 10 percent of U.S. workers, they are his main argument for the fall of California. Evidently, California is a big union state. It should be noted that while he has said in the speech you can hear at the link below, that he would move his registration for voting to Louisiana, he said in the clip that he would not be moving. Robin Arkley in this clip says that he will vote in a prescient that he does not call home. Next time he tries to effect local politics he should be called out as a carpetbagger. In reality, he should only be called a carpetbagger in Louisiana where he votes but does not consider home.
Mr. Arkley, thanks for your contributions to the local commons. Sorry to hear that you no longer support them.
See the man for yourself courtesy of Old Glory Radio
Mr. Arkley, by your own admission, you are no longer a Californian. If you think that Louisiana has superior emergency management and a better quality of life, than say so. Stop trying to fill the heads of our Republic(an) women with false visions of a state you do not support.
(Arkley, with all of his education does not know how to pronounce the most popular political party in the U.S., the Democratic Party. He calls it the Democrat Party. This is why I referee to the Republic Party). Good Bye Mr Arkley, don't let the door hit you in the ass.

Darth Cheney Emerges From His Bunker To Offer Advice On Keeping America Safe From Terrorism

2009-05-22T16:00:00.001-07:00

Just what we needed. Advice on keeping America safe from terrorists from the guy who made us less safe. It was on Dick Cheney's watch that the second worst terrorist attack occurred against the U.S. since the war of 1812 when the British burned down the White House.

Cheney said he was in his bunker at the Pentagon when we were attacked on 9/11. Former Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta said in public hearings on May 22 and 23, 2003:

Mineta: "During the time that the airplane was coming into the Pentagon, there was a young man who would come in and say to the Vice President...the plane is 50 miles out...the plane is 30 miles out....and when it got down to the plane is 10 miles out, the young man also said to the vice president "do the orders still stand?" And the Vice President turned and whipped his neck around and said "Of course the orders still stand, have you heard anything to the contrary!??"
http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20050724164122860

Cheney knew the plane was coming and was still unable to stop a commercial jet from taking out the Pentagon. Not a single shot was fired.

Now Cheney is lying to Americans: http://rawstory.com/blog/2009/05/cheney-lied-repeatedly-in-speech/

This guy should be tried for war crimes and people are taking his advice on how to keep America safe? If he couldn't do it when he knew we were under attack, why would anyone listen to his lies?

I don't actually believe the conspiracy theory set forth that day by the press or the Bush Administration. Steel buildings don't just melt and the Pentagon is capable of defending itself.

Any Cheney supporters want to have it out with me?

Photo is from: www.opinionatedoldfart.wordpress.com

Trinidad Artisans Market Opens Today

2009-05-17T14:15:00.000-07:00

You know summer is coming when the Trinidad Artisans Market opens. The market runs through Labor day every Sunday from 11 am to 3 pm.

The town is packed today with locals and tourists and many of them stopped by to enjoy some music from "The Fabulous Blue JayZ" Karrie Wallace on guitar and vocals and Marla Bartlett on a cool looking base. You can check them out at http://www.bluejay.pnn.com/

Penny Gunn is the organizer of the weekly events ( giving peace sign in photo). She tells me plans are in the works for a Thursday or Friday, once or twice a month music event, on the patio at Kihishs Catch Cafe located in front of Murphy's Market.

I also heard from my neighbor Sue that her horse drawn wagon will be available for rides in town as soon as the insurance clears. She was going to a meeting today at the museum to see about establishing a hitching post at that location. Rides will go from there down to the light house and up around the old Catholic Church, past the Eatery and school and back to the museum.

I will do a whole blog about the wagon rides as soon as things are finalized so check back for that.

KGOE Goes Mobile

2009-05-15T15:49:00.000-07:00

Wow! We have our own station vehicle!

O.K., we do share it with our sister stations, but it's still pretty cool for KGOE as we have never had our logo on a vehicle.

Recently we built another studio here too.

We had 5 stations and 4 studios. Sometimes this can be a problem. We're still putting the finishing touches on it to make it a full fledged on air studio but hope

to have it done within the next few weeks.

Times are tough but we are making plans for the long run.

Maybe we will even have bumper stickers one of these days.

I can't complain though, we are getting special hats made with

the KGOE logo and Crabs Baseball on them and we hope to have

those in time for Crabs Baseball which starts on June 6th.

We are the radio home of the Humboldt Crabs.

It's a short season so don't miss it!

Go Crabs!

Crabs picture courtesy of Solo Sports, KGOE logo on vehicle courtesy of our new G.M. Robert Endsley. Thanks Rob.

Are The FBI In Town?

2009-05-11T12:51:00.000-07:00

I have an unconfirmed report of the FBI staging at the Red Lion this morning. My informant believed that they were here to serve some 70 or so warrants. The subject of the warrants is said to be Campaign Finance.

We're still waiting for a callback from the FBI.

Does anyone have any information about this?

Free Lawn Mower, Needs Work

2009-05-09T20:20:00.000-07:00

There is still some good tread on those tires.

We're talking Tecumseh quality.

Needs carb and some rust work.

Sad thing is, this thing ran until it was unsafe to operate.

Tecumseh makes a pretty good engine.

Humboldt winters in a car port however, are brutal on a chassis.

Why Did God Give Man A Penis?

2009-05-05T15:12:00.000-07:00

Really, why? The bible says that God recreated the earth from what had become void and a wast land. He or she added the oceans, the sky and stars. He or she created land and filled it with animals and birds and put fish in the seas. Last but not least, he or she created man in his or her image. The story says God created man and it was good! God and the man spent time exploring the wonders of the earth and naming the animals. After some time, God changed his or her mind and decided that it was not good and that man was lonely. God put man asleep and took a rib and made woman. If woman was an after thought, why did God give man a penis?
Originally, man was created to rule the world without any women on it. It is unclear how God intended for man to reproduce. There must have been a plan that didn't include woman but did include a penis. No one seems to know what that plan was. Luckily for us that like women, the original plan was scrubbed and our penises now have a purpose other than writing our name in the snow.
I bring this up because of all of the anti gay rhetoric I hear from so called Christians. They say that gay sex is unnatural. Really? What do they base this on? The evidence in their own book would suggest otherwise.

DUI Check Point Cancelled in Eureka

2009-05-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

The Eureka Police Department DUI Check Point has been cancelled tonight due to forecast of inclement weather.

This doesn't mean you can drink all the Tequila you want and then get into a car and drive.

The check point has been cancelled, not the police force.

It is Cinco De Mayo and the battle of Puebla celebration is as good as any reason to celebrate, just be safe.

photo from www.socalimages.com

Nice Rain Storm

2009-05-04T18:57:00.000-07:00

This first picture is what I call Tom Creek. The drainage area that goes into this is over half an acre of mostly grass and trees.

The small drainage ditch that emerges from underneath the patio is about half full tonight. Earlier today, dad said it was up to the top!

It's good to see the rain gutters getting a work out again.

This water flows about 6 feet from dad's front door.

The warm storm is racking up some numbers on the old rain gage.

We got over 2 inches of rain here just south of Trinidad. From 7 am today we measured about 2.18 inches at 7 pm this evening.

More rain to come before it's all over.

Hainging out with J.B. Mathers, Tag and The Super Fan

2009-04-30T17:50:00.000-07:00

News and Sports guy J.B. Mathers takes his sports talk show on the road twice a week. On Mondays, they do the show from Six Rivers Brewery in Mckinleyville. Tonight is Thursday and that means a live broadcast from Big Pete's (New York Style) Pizzeria in Arcata.

Pictured from left to right are Tag Wotherspoon, Gary Batini (Super Fan), J.B. Mathers and Coach Robert Miranda, currently coaching Ferndale Baseball but open for suggestions.

The show usually runs for an hour and a half and includes interviews, local and national sports talk, girls, beer and pizza. Sometimes the show time moves to accommodate games. This is the case tonight as we wait for the H.S.U. Lady Jacks post season softball game to end. You can normally catch the show at 4pm, Mondays and Thursdays on AM 1340.

Learn more about J.B.'s world at www.jbmathers.com

It's after six and we are still waiting for the show to begin. That's where the beer and pizza enter the picture.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Tea Bags!

2009-04-28T17:47:00.000-07:00

There is another "Tea Bag Party" or protest a brewin'. May Day 5-1-09. It all starts at 11:00am at 1624 E. St. in Eureka. That's where you can pick up your signs. From there you will march to Assemblyman Chesbro's and State Senator Wiggins' office on 7th and E. streets. From there it will go to Old Town ending at Congressman Mike Thompson's' office at 317 3rd street.

This rally is going to focus on the special election coming up on May 19th. They are urging a no vote on propositions 1-A through 1-F.

Proposition 1-A is to set up a rainy day fund for the state to draw upon during budget shortfalls.
This seems to make sense to me. Our state has a budget the size of a large country but it can't print it's own money. Current law requires extra tax money to be returned to us tax payers, a good idea until we are short and have to come up with the cash at the last minute. This sounds like the Conservative thing to do rather than borrowing money and paying interest on it.

If tea bagging isn't your thing, you can make a difference at the Planning Commission meeting on April 30th, at the Supervisors Chambers, 825 5th st. or if the crowd is too large, at the Eureka High School Gym at 1915 J st. Eureka. Do you want urban sprawl or growth that focuses more in infill development? Let them know!

Dave Meserve on Laura Ingram Show Tomorrow

2009-04-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

The voice behind Measures F and J, the Arcata and Eureka Youth Protection Acts says he will be on the Laura Ingram Show tomorrow 4-29-09 at about 10:30 Pacific to discuss the measures and the fight with the feds over passage of the two measures. Both ban military recruitment to anyone under the age of 18 without parental consent.

The Laura Ingram Show is aired locally in a delay from 9 am to Noon on right wing radio station KWSW 790 am.

This will give Dave a large, right wing audience to enlighten.

Photo from North Coast Journal.

Friday Night On The Beach At Sunset

2009-04-24T20:12:00.000-07:00

On the beach, just feet from the mouth of the Little River south of Moonstone.

I caught some folks enjoying the beach tonight mixing fire and water.

It looked like they were having a good time.

Here's to the weekend!

TGIF

Free Movie, If You Can Handle It!

2009-04-22T22:09:00.000-07:00

I just watched Alex Jones' latest movie called "The Obama Deception". I was turned off by the title and thought it should be called something more like "The Great Banking Deception". All in all I thought it was worth seeing by anyone. I have a couple of problems with the movie. One, Alex doesn't always have a lot of reference to back up his arguments. Another was the short section on global warming. I think the science is on the side of things getting warmer, but is it just sun spots?

With that said, make up your mind and watch it for free if you like at the link below.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAaQNACwaLw

Humboldt Creamery files for bankruptcy

2009-04-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

According to tomorrows Times-Standard.

Humboldt Creamery has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in San Francisco today.

X Marks the Spot

2009-04-21T12:04:00.001-07:00

Not sure why but strange flight patterns over Eureka today.

I took these pictures just before noon 4-21-09.

Another beautiful day in Trinidad

2009-04-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

Hope you enjoyed the weekend. Godwit Days was going on all over the county. It usually rains for the birding event but this weekend was perfect for wildlife viewing and picture taking.

Anyone that ended up in Trinidad on Saturday would have seen things looking like this photo. More sun was available on Sunday along with a few contrails.

I thought the photo would make a nice screen saver so if anyone wants to copy it for that purpose, you have my permission.

Fox News’s ‘coverage’ of tea parties: 23 segments, 73 on-air promos in eight days.

2009-04-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

Think Progress.org posted this yesterday.

As ThinkProgress has documented, Fox News has aggressively promoted today’s conservative, anti-Obama tea parties. A Media Matters analysis found that Fox dedicated 23 separate segments to the tea parties between April 6 and April 13; it aired at least 73 in-show and commercial promotions for the parties as well. Of all the Fox programs, Neil Cavuto’s “Your World” dedicated the most time to the tea parties:
See Media Matters’s full findings, including an analysis of Fox’s weekend programs, here.

If anyone really wants to protest, there will be a demonstration at Rep. Mike Thompson's office on 3rd street in Old Town Eureka on Friday 4-17-09, from 11am till at least 1pm. People are asked to bring questions including the subject of war, CIA rendition, FISA or any other question you want to direct to your congressman.
The event is sponsored by Communities For Justice and Peace.
P.O. Box 1052, Eureka Ca. 95502

Tax Protest in Eureka Today!

2009-04-15T15:56:00.000-07:00

Hundreds of revolting tax payers came out in force today.

I find it hard to believe that all of these people attended the Tea Party at the Humboldt County Court House. Do any of them think that their federal taxes will be going up next year?

If they make less than 250-thousand dollars after deductions, they will be getting a tax break.

None the less, most of them seemed very patriotic but didn't fully understand what the Boston Tea Party was all about.

Here's some info from Thom Hartmann writing over at CommonDreams.org.

Published on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 by CommonDreams.org
The Real Boston Tea Party was an Anti-Corporate Revolt
by Thom Hartmann
CNBC Correspondent Rick Santelli called for a "Chicago Tea Party" on Feb 19th in protesting President Obama's plan to help homeowners in trouble. Santelli's call was answered by the right-wing group FreedomWorks, which funds campaigns promoting big business interests, and is the opposite of what the real Boston Tea Party was. FreedomWorks was funded in 2004 by Dick Armey (former Republican House Majority leader & lobbyist); consolidated Citizens for a Sound Economy, funded by the Koch family; and Empower America, a lobbying firm, that had fought against healthcare and minimum-wage efforts while hailing deregulation.
Anti-tax "tea party" organizers are delivering one million tea bags to a Washington, D.C., park Wednesday morning - to promote protests across the country by people they say are fed up with high taxes and excess spending.
The real Boston Tea Party was a protest against huge corporate tax cuts for the British East India Company, the largest trans-national corporation then in existence. This corporate tax cut threatened to decimate small Colonial businesses by helping the BEIC pull a Wal-Mart against small entrepreneurial tea shops, and individuals began a revolt that kicked-off a series of events that ended in the creation of The United States of America.
They covered their faces, massed in the streets, and destroyed the property of a giant global corporation. Declaring an end to global trade run by the East India Company that was destroying local economies, this small, masked minority started a revolution with an act of rebellion later called the Boston Tea Party.

Click for entire story.

9/11 Commission Counsel: Government Agreed to Lie About 9/11

2009-04-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

From PrisonPlanet.com

New book from man tasked by government to help investigate attacks unveils how “official story is almost entirely untrue”

Paul Joseph WatsonPrison Planet.comTuesday, April 14, 2009
The senior counsel to the 9/11 Commission - John Farmer - says that the government agreed not to tell the truth about 9/11, echoing the assertions of fellow 9/11 Commission members who concluded that the Pentagon were engaged in deliberate deception about their response to the attack.
Farmer served as Senior Counsel to the 9/11 Commission (officially known as the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States), and is also a former New Jersey Attorney General.
Farmer’s book about his experiences working for the Commission is entitled The Ground Truth: The Story Behind America’s Defense on 9/11, and is set to be released in September.
The book unveils how “the public had been seriously misled about what occurred during the morning of the attacks,” and Farmer himself states that “at some level of the government, at some point in time…there was an agreement not to tell the truth about what happened.”

Only the very naive would dispute that an agreement not to tell the truth is an agreement to lie. Farmer’s contention is that the government agreed to create a phony official version of events to cover-up the real story behind 9/11.

Click here to see entire story.

More CEOs received pay hikes than cuts in 2008.

2009-04-14T13:06:00.001-07:00

This is from Thinkprogress.org

According to a new AFL-CIO survey of 946 companies, last year, 480 executives received pay raises, while 463 received pay cuts. Furthermore, the “median CEO salary rose 7 percent in 2008. CEO perks at the companies surveyed also went up, nearly 13 percent to an average value of $336,246, according to the survey. Of CEOs whose compensation increased, the average was $5.4 million, including salary, bonuses and stock options.” Today, the AFL-CIO also launched a new Executive PayWatch site.

Wow the Clinton Administration sure did a lot for CEO pay according to this chart.

Dobson concedes that the far right has ‘lost’ the culture war.

2009-04-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

From ThinkProgress.org

Posted on Easter Sunday

In a farewell address to the staff of Focus on the Family, James Dobson conceded that evangelical conservatives had lost most of the recent so-called “culture war” battles. Attributing the right’s recent failures to the “internet” and the election of Bill Clinton, Dobson said, “Humanly speaking, we can say that we have lost.” He added that the nation is now “absolutely awash in evil“:

Trinidad Easter Bunny?

2009-04-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

What appeared to be the Easter Bunny was spotted just off the road on Trinidad Head.

Actually, there were two of them but only one was willing to pose for me.

Happy Easter everybody!

Google Helping Local Transit?

2009-04-09T20:17:00.000-07:00

Referring to to Humboldt County:
They have one of the best fare box return ratios of any rural transit system in California.
See Trillium Solutions blog

Public Input on Off Shore Drilling on the West Coast

2009-04-09T00:33:00.000-07:00

The following is an excerpt from the Humboldt Herald is guest blogged by Jim Ferguson.

On Thursday, April 16, 2009, the U.S. Department of Interior will be holding a public hearing on the opening of the outer continental shelf (OSC) to oil and natural gas exploration and production. This hearing, the only one scheduled for the west coast, will be at the University of California-San Francisco’s Mission Bay Conference Center in San Francisco, California beginning at 9:00 a.m.

If you can't attend, see Humboldt Herald for other ways to have input.

Photo courtesy of : weblogs.sun-sentinel.com

Paper Companies Add Diesel To Process To Get 8-Billion Dollars in Subsidies

2009-04-08T00:30:00.000-07:00

The Nation Reports:

Thanks to an obscure tax provision, the United States government stands to pay out as much as $8 billion this year to the ten largest paper companies. And get this: even though the money comes from a transportation bill whose manifest intent was to reduce dependence on fossil fuel, paper mills are adding diesel fuel to a process that requires none in order to qualify for the tax credit. In other words, we are paying the industry--handsomely--to use more fossil fuel. "Which is," as a Goldman Sachs report archly noted, the "opposite of what lawmakers likely had in mind when the tax credit was established."

If we are subsidising the paper companies, could we also tell them to reduce the cost of paper to newspapers to help keep them going as part of the fourth branch of government?

The bigger question is why in the world are we letting paper companies put diesel in their process when we are finally getting rid of the chlorine process?

Photo from blog.tourismthailand.org

Monday Could Be Last Chance To Comment On Housing Element

2009-04-05T23:40:00.000-07:00

From Humboldt Herald:
Monday, April 6 is your last chance to submit written comments on the Housing Element of the General Plan Update.
The Planning Commission’s final decision — including whether to allow the hot button issue of Inclusionary Zoning — may be decided at its April 16 meeting.

Great Weather For A Garden Party

2009-04-05T23:20:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday was beautiful but windy. April 5th was outstanding weather for the Trinidad North Coast Garden Event. Heck, it was nice enough to do just about anything if it involved the outdoors.

Why not end it with a bite to eat at the Eatery.

Problems with our food supply or just Pissed Off Stachios?

2009-03-30T23:05:00.000-07:00

A nation wide recall of pistachios from California. No one has been sickened as of yet according to ABC News, but the recall is due to Salmonella contamination that turned up in tests by Kraft Foods. See N.Y Times article. They are telling us not to eat pistachios but not to throw them away either. Pistachios have a long shelf life and they hope to be able to identify the contaminated batches.

Our federal government has a plan, H.R. 875, but watch this short video from Free Speech T.V.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epXNJNjYBvw

The FSTV reporter says the bill contains regulations that criminalize all aspects of organic farming by listing them as sources of seed contamination. Penalties are up to 500-thousand dollars.

Also watch this farmer's rant.

I failed to mention Senate bill 425.

Also see this short video about the possible outlawing of local organic gardening.

It doesn't sound like a good plan and we have less than two weeks to stop it. With stories like these grabbing the headlines, people might be willing to forgo their freedoms for safety.

Oops, we got a little Alex Jonoes

2009-03-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

Had a problem with Newsweek tonight. Put in some Alex Jones on KGOE at about 6:15pm.

No one probably heard it due to the 10 minutes of Dial Global technical phone number loop. It's enough to drive anyone crazy. Sorry about that. Hope you caught a bit of Alex.

Rescue at Camel Rock

2009-03-29T12:14:00.000-07:00

Other than a lot of wind, it was a beautiful day in Trinidad this Sunday. I took drive down Scenic Drive at about 11 am and saw a lot of rescue vehicles near Camel Rock. The Coast Guard had landed one of their helicopters on the beach.

I was unable to speak to the rescuers at the time. I called CDF and dispatch said an injured surfer was airlifted to St. Joseph Hospital. The injuries didn't appear to be life threatening. They said someone had a dislocated or injured hip. The steep cliffs at the beach made carrying the injured surfer up to the road an undesirable option, so they got an exciting helicopter ride.

That's all the info I have now.

Partly Cloudy?

2009-03-28T22:15:00.000-07:00

So much for our weekend forecast on kgoe. We were under the impression that by broadcasting information from the National Weather Service web site that we would give a fairly accurate accounting of what you or I might run into over the weekend, as far as weather was concerned.

To be fair, the NWS forecast was for partly cloudy skies for the next 4 days. In fact the skies are partly cloudy. The other part contains measurable rain. As of this posting 11:00pm ish, we have just under a quarter of an inch of rain since about 7:30 near Trinidad.

It was a great day though and after some weed whacking, I spent a couple of hours trying to get the gas powered push mower to work. It had jelly in the float bowl. The tank was empty from winter neglect and I know better, the lawn tractor was fine and the weed wacker worked and the two generators were in perfect working order but I had over looked the push mower. Used about 2 thirds of a can of carb cleaner and still no luck. I took it apart and cleaned it some more, almost got it to run. It sputtered pretty good before dieing over and over again. Oh well there's always tomorrow when it is supposed to be partly cloudy.

No matter. I have a pork shoulder in the bottom of the fridge in a salt and sugar brine ready for smoking in the morning, rain or shine. It was less than a buck a pound at Winco.

A trimmed yard is nice, but I have my priorities.

If I can get the lawnmower to start, I'll be smoking while cutting the grass at the same time. Life in Humboldt County, it's not heaven, but sometimes you can smell it from here.

Farmers Worry About Proposed Legislation

2009-03-27T15:08:00.000-07:00

Published on Friday, March 27, 2009 by The Memphis Daily News

Some Mid-South farmers who sell their products directly to consumers worry that a food safety bill in Congress could put them out of business if enacted into law.

U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., has introduced legislation that would divide the responsibilities of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and put food under the purview of the Department of Health and Human Services, which would have more stringent guidelines. The legislation is HR 875 or the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009.
Keith Forrester, the owner of Whitton Flowers and Produce Farms, which is about 40 miles from Memphis in East Arkansas, got worried when he read a summary of the bill. He is concerned the regulations would make it financially cumbersome to sell his products at the Memphis Farmers Market and other venues.
"It will wipe out the direct market aspect," Forrester said. "It's going to put more of the burden of responsibility on so many levels of the government that it's going to make it basically impossible to directly market food, is what it's going to do. You're going to have to be a corporate farm, man. You're going to have to be a corporate farm to make it work. We're not."

More at Commondreams.org

200-Thousand Dollar Remodel Planned For Eureka Co Op

2009-03-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

A meeting is planned for tonight at the Warfinger building on the water front to discuss a proposed 200-thousand dollar remodel for the 2 year old Eureka Co op. The building seems fine.

Why a remodel? Concerned citizens and Co op members will meet at 6pm tonight to discuss the issue.

I got word that there is a box for comments at the Co-op and that there will be 3 more meetings on this issue.

Beer & Bread to beat the recruiters

2009-03-25T21:40:00.000-07:00

From the Humboldt Herald
Fund raiser for Measure J. Local ballot measure passed by voters to limit military recruitment within city limits to those 18 years and older. The money raised goes to fund defense of measure challenged by the military and D.O.J.
Did I mention, there will be beer?
See the Humboldt Herald for details.

Local Veteran Plans Nation Wide Walk for P.T.S.D.

2009-03-24T15:51:00.000-07:00

A Eureka Veteran, former Staff Sergeant U.S.M.C., is asking for help in putting together a walk to raise funds for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.
Jamie M. McDavid, age 38, wants to start in Eureka and go north to Alaska then back to Washington state where she plans to head to the east coast, down the coast south and back to California.
Her idea is to meet with veterans groups in the towns she passes through and to raise funds in each town, money raised in each town will stay there and be used for P.T.S.D. treatment and support of those local veterans.
She needs a lot of help. She would like to go by horseback but needs a horse, two if possible, along with saddle, tent, sleeping bag, and other gear for the trek.
She only has a talk tracker type cell phone and has to pay for incoming calls. I am working on getting her pager to use while she puts the trip together and seeks donations. If that works out, I will post the the number on this blog.
Anyone that wants to help in the mean time can leave a message for me, (Tom Sebourn) at KGOE and I will pass it along to her. Our station number is 707-442-2000. Just say you want to help Jamie McDavid and leave your name and phone number and I'll get back to you or pass it along to Jamie.

Tsunami Warning Test Set For Wednesday On North Coast

2009-03-24T13:02:00.000-07:00

NOAA to Test Tsunami Warning Communications in
Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino Counties

Federal and state officials in the coastal areas of northern California will conduct a test of the tsunami warning communications system between 10:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, March 25.
During the test, the emergency alert system will be activated and messages will be broadcast on radio and television stations in Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino counties. NOAA’s National Weather Service, in collaboration with the California Emergency Management Agency and the Emergency Services Offices of Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino counties, is sponsoring the test. If there is significant seismic activity, the test will be canceled.
Citizens may receive a test message in one or more ways:
NOAA’s National Weather Service office in Eureka will initiate test broadcasts on NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards and local television and radio stations.
In Humboldt County, several outdoor tsunami warning sirens will sound.
Radio stations that participate in the emergency alert system will broadcast the familiar alerting tone of the Emergency Alert System followed by an audio message describing the test.
Television stations will also broadcast messages with either an audible or text notification that the tsunami warning is a test.
The National Weather Service asks coastal residents who do not receive the alert via broadcast radio or weather radio to inform the Eureka weather forecast office. The public can provide feedback online at http://www.weather.gov/eureka or by calling 707-443-6484.
This test will ensure that the emergency alert system will function properly if activated for a real tsunami. This is the second such test in California and the first to take place in multiple counties. Officials will evaluate the success of the test and correct any problems in the tsunami warning communications system.
In the event of a real tsunami, NOAA’s West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center will post watches, warnings and advisories at http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov, and issue public alerts through the emergency alert system.
NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources. Visit http://www.noaa.gov.

On the Web:
NOAA Tsunami Portal: www.tsunami.noaa.gov
Tsunami Test Feedback: http://www.weather.gov/eureka

Antiwar Rally In Eureka Tomorrow

2009-03-20T15:50:00.000-07:00

Where? Humboldt County Courthouse. When 3-21-09 at 1pm. Click for more info.

Forget the other New Schedule for KGOE, This Is The Final Cut

2009-03-19T15:38:00.000-07:00

O.K., we've been racking out brains here to get the best schedule we can in the time allotted.
Lunch time noon to 3pm will stay the same with Dr. Dean live at 1pm and Dr. Laura on either side. We do have some good news to tell you about, Ed Schultz will be on from 3 to 6pm.

Pictured here, Rachel Maddow is new to our line up and Ed Schultz is making a reappearance.

Here's the line up Monday through Friday.

2am to 3am Dr. Laura (recorded from 1 to 2pm day before)

3am to 5am Bill Press

5am to 6am Rachel Maddow

6am to 9am Stephanie Miller

9am to 12pmThom Hartmann

12pm to 1pm Dr. Laura

1pm to 2pm Dr. Dean Edell

2pm to 3pm Dr. Laura

3pm to 6pm Ed Schultz

6pm to 9pm Mike Malloy

9pm to 10pm Keep My House

(to be replaced by Clark Howard at a later date)

10pm to 2am Coast to Coast am

Once again, everything is subject to change, but this is what we have programmed for Monday.

Transmitter Repair

2009-03-18T20:52:00.000-07:00

I had to help one of our engineers do some repairs at one of Bicoastal Media's transmitters.

Our oldies station had a worn tube socket that needed repairs. I was real useful and held the flashlight and took pictures among other things. We used one to verify where everything was before we started, the engineer always makes a drawing but he liked the idea of using my laptop to blow up a digital photo for reference to check against his sketch. It made for a long day, I didn't get home until half after midnight.

The transmitter site above Kneeland is shared with kiem tv, kmud fm and kkhb fm.

It was an interesting thing to do and fun with a digital camera and a laptop, but I really have my work cut out for me for the next few days with March Madness on our espn station, am 1340 in case you're looking for the game, and all of the changes coming on KGOE.

New Schedule for KGOE 1480

2009-03-16T15:59:00.000-07:00

Due to the loss of the Peter B. Collins show from 3 to 6pm weekdays, we have to make some changes.
Monday through Friday

12pm-3pm Dr. Laura
3pm - 4pm Dr. Dean Edell
4pm - 5pm Rachel Maddow
5pm - 6pm Clark Howard
6pm - 9pm Mike Malloy
9pm-10pm Keep My House
10pm-2am Coast to Coast AM
2am - 3am Alex Jones * except Mondays (Joe Mazza) eventually will become Alex Jones
3am - 6am Bill Press
6am - 9am Stephanie Miller
9am-11:50 Thom Hartmann
11:50am -12:05pm Gill Gross (formerly Paul Harvey), Change that. I got the word today (3-18-09), from ABC that the segment would be replaced by the Reverend and former Arkansas Governor, Mike Huckabee. A squirrel eating, right wing, anti evolution spouting, fun, energetic, charismatic, bass playing musician. Lovable as he is, we opted out. Now Thom Hartmann will continue till noon, starting Monday with the rest of the new line up. EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT MUCH NOTICE.

Say Goodbye To Peter B. Collins

2009-03-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

I got the news this evening that the Peter B. Collins show heard live on KGOE from 3 to 6pm weekdays, has just one more week on the air.

Peter has had a hard time getting larger radio stations to pick up the show and he is self syndicated and pays his own bills. He told me tonight that Friday the 20th. of March is his last show.

Peter B. Collins will make the announcement tomorrow on his show.

I have considered Mr. Collins a good friend in the business and an excelent talk show host.

His style, grace and wisdom will be missed on the airwaves.

He hasn't ruled out doing a weekend show sometime in the future.

Tune in for more info.

Is it 101 and 5 or the 101 and the 5?

2009-03-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

I have been called out for referring to highway 101 as the 101. One of our radio listeners on kgoe calls every time I put the in front of 101 or 5. Many of us from Southern California add the to highway names because that's the way they are referenced during traffic reports on L.A. radio. From what I understand it is not necessary to put the in front of the highway number it's just something some of us do. It is also not necessary to add the when saying that someone went to hospital. In England they never ad the there. We, on the other hand, always ad the to hospital as in "I'm going to the hospital".
It seems like a silly thing for one of our listeners to get so wrapped up in, but if this person has such a problem with it, it is likely others are annoyed when they hear the 5 or the 36. My first inclination was to tell the listener to "go play on freeway", but it is not nice to ridicule your customers, so I wrote this blog instead.
How do you refer to our highways, hospitals etc.?

Oops, last minute schedule change on kgoe

2009-03-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

Tonight we had some tech. problems with the Keep My House show from 9 to 10pm.
I heard the dead air about 15 minutes into the show and got on the computer and filled the last half hour with Art of the Song, a great kgoe weekend show I had in the can.
If you haven't heard Art of the Song, you should check it out on Sunday at noon.

‘Accidental’ Contamination Of Vaccine With Live Avian Flu Virus Virtually Impossible

2009-03-10T22:25:00.000-07:00

From Prison Planet.com
Alex Jones live on KGOE' Coast to Coast AM tonight 10 to 11pm. George Noory says "what about all of those dead microbiologists we reported on?".
Jones says, "Forced massed inoculations are being planned".
Scary stuff.

Last Chance To Give Input On Richardson Grove Tree Removal

2009-03-10T16:46:00.000-07:00

Deadline is March 12th. Info. Also see Humboldt Herald

New Show on KGOE -Keep My House

2009-03-10T15:56:00.000-07:00

Bicoastal Media has added a new show to it's network of radio stations called "Keep My House".

The show discusses options available to homeowners facing foreclosure, bankruptcy and other problems due to the current economic meltdown.

Show airs from 9 to 10pm, Monday through Friday on AM 1480 KGOE in Eureka Ca.

A Tree Falls In Westhaven

2009-03-08T17:04:00.000-07:00

Sometime after noon today, a tree gave up living and laid itself down across Westhaven Drive near Foxfarm Road just north of Westhaven. It landed on the phone, cable and power lines. Power and other services were out in the area until near 4pm today.

Davy came and cut the tree, PG&E did their thing and everything is getting back to normal.

New Air Freshener Looks Like Candy

2009-03-07T22:29:00.000-08:00

Renuzit has a new air freshener that looks just like a bowl of candy. Is this a good idea for families that may have children around? It doesn't say if it is non toxic or not. With packaging and container that looks like a bowl of fruit candies, someone somewhere is going to wonder what they taste like.

Unless there is a caution somewhere on the label that warns people about this, (not that toddlers would read it), and unless this stuff is non toxic, this sounds like a bad idea.

The picture to the right reminds me of a serving suggestion.

I don't do photoshop but it seems like a little whipped cream would make a nice topping.

Tickets For North Coast Idol semifinals on sale But This Is Not The Headline You Were Looking For

2009-03-07T18:19:00.000-08:00

I saw this story in the local Times-Standard newspaper today. I was searching for something about the 76+thousand dollars raised by the local population Thursday and Friday in a radiothon. Nothing. Compost bins are available in Arcata read another story. I thought that one was news enough to include in my kgoe newscast on Thursday.
Still, is the fact that tickets are for sale for North Coast Idol a bigger news story than local residents giving over 76 thousand dollars to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital? It's not like they were covering who won the contest. I did notice that KIEM was mentioned in the story. They also were absent from covering the radiothon. They are about 100 feet away from the studios where the radiothon was going on. We share a parking lot.
We made it as easy as possible to cover the event. We sent out a press release that could have been copied and pasted in the newspaper just like the N.C. Idol story appeared to have been.

Maybe the newspaper is too small now to include such events. Maybe the story about local firefighters saving cats was more important that local residents saving children. I like cats and don't have any children but I still don't understand the coverage. If we were another radio group we might have gotten a story in the paper like this headline that ran in November, KHUM hosts free stop the violence breakfast at Wharfinger.
I am against violence myself and think that the event was as newsworthy as the St. Jude Radiothon. The fact is that the N.C. Idol story and the breakfast were printed before the events even happened. Before the events were actually news. Now I know I'm being a bit hard on the old Times-Standard and to be fair, the North Coast Journal was nowhere to be seen either.
Maybe our event wasn't North Coast enough for them.
It's easy to overlook local stories when we are all facing cutbacks in the news business. The current economic situation would seem to make the fact that local residents raising over 76-thousand dollars for kids, is a big deal.
I guess it was just a big deal to the residents of Humboldt County, the kids at St. Jude and our radio group.
Is it possible I'm missing something here?

Latest Totals From St. Jude Radiothon

2009-03-05T15:18:00.000-08:00

Thank you everyone! We raised $ 76, 572 dollars for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital with our 2 day, 3 station Radiothon!

St Jude Radiothon This Thursday and Friday on KFMI 96.3 fm, KKHB Cool 105 fm and KRED Big Red Country 92.3 and 98.3

2009-03-03T19:52:00.000-08:00

The Legend, D.J. Pete Meyer of Power 96.3 with Rick from Buddy's Auto Center.

Phone bank volunteers working hard!

Rollin in kred 92.3 doing his best for St. Jude

Rock and Roll Burlyman on Cool 105.5 during radiothon.

Rick from Buddy's Auto Center enjoying some Porter St. tritip.

Above:

Pictures from today during the radiothon.

The St. Jude Country Cares Radiothon is this Thursday and Friday on KRED 92.3 and 98.3 fm.

Call 1-800-795-1800 to donate to St. Jude during the Radiothon.

Rollin Treahearne will be live on the air from 6am to 7pm Thursday and Friday.

http://www.countrycares.org/content/includetextmedia/2007-2008_CC_facts.pdf

Tour the hospital.

Last year we expanded the Radiothon to include KFMI Power 96.3 and KKHB Cool 105.5 fm.
The Legend Pete Meyer will also do two thirteen hour days on Power 96.3.
Cool 105's Rock and Roll Burlyman will be at the helm for the duration on KKHB.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tennessee, St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. No family ever pays for treatments not covered by insurance, and families without insurance are never asked to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization.

Study finds universal health care would cost less than bailouts

2009-03-03T13:28:00.000-08:00

The biggest obstacle to an enhanced national health care system wouldn't > be money, a study conducted by the Institute for Health and Socio-economic > Policy found. The transformation of America's current health care system > into a single-payer 'Medicare for all' system could cost six times less > than the bank bailouts.>> This week, Barack Obama is expected to start movement on an ambitious > overhaul of the country's health care system. Previous attempts at reform > by FDR, Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, and Clinton have proved largely > unsuccessful. 46 million Americans are without insurance, href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Business/story?id=6985561&page=1"> > ABC reports, and the US spends twice as much ..> http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Study_finds_universal_health_care_would_0301.html

Humboldt County General Plan To Be Finalized

2009-02-27T22:46:00.000-08:00

There's not much time left to get involved in the General Plan that will guide growth in Humboldt County for the next 20 years. Plans include doubling the size of Eureka with new houses near Cutten in the McKay tract, currently Green Diamond property, and an additional 4 to 8-hundred housing units on Humboldt Hill.

PUBLIC HEARINGS: 2009 Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Draft Housing Element
at the following Planning Commission meetings @ 6:00pm Humboldt County Courthouse

February 26th
March 19th & 26th

Public Comment will be accepted until March 31, 2009
Email your comments/concerns to:
mrichardson@co.humboldt.ca.us

Copies of the DEIR are available on the internet at www.planupdate.org

General Plan Update can be viewed at: www.co.humboldt.ca.us/gpu/overview.aspx

For more info on meetings, public comment and how to get involved to stop urban sprawl see link below.

http://www.humboldtccrd.org/

Free E-Waste Recycling This Weekend

2009-02-27T16:26:00.000-08:00

You can drop off your old and broken tv's, monitors, computers & components, printer's and cartridges, cd's and players, fax machines, printers, cell phones, dvds and vcrs. The event is at Redwood Acres Fairground Parking Lot and is from 9am to 4pm 2-28-09 and 3-1-09.

Please don't bring tires, paints, oils, toxic chemicals, glass bottles, cans or cardboard.

The free program has no load limit! You would normally have to pay to have these recycled, so this is a great event to take advantage of.

For more info contact:

East Sac E-Waste Collections at 1-916-871-5711.

Wow, Gov. Jindel Says New Train From Disneyland to Las Vegas

2009-02-25T12:01:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from Gov. Jindel speech:

But Democratic leaders in Congress -- they rejected this approach. Instead of trusting us to make wise decisions with our own money, they passed the largest government spending bill in history, with a price tag of more than $1 trillion with interest. While some of the projects in the bill make sense, their legislation is larded with wasteful spending. It includes $300 million to buy new cars for the government, $8 billion for high-speed rail projects, such as a "magnetic levitation" line from Las Vegas to Disneyland, and $140 million for something called "volcano monitoring." Instead of monitoring volcanoes, what Congress should be monitoring is the eruption of spending in Washington, D.C.

Read entire speech

So what about this new train to be built from Las Vegas to Disneyland? Jindal says it is now funded with 8 billion Stimulus dollars.

The Disneyblog says:

Mag-Lev Train from Las Vegas to Disneyland moving forward
by John Frost
About 10 years behind schedule, funding has finally been approved for a real study into the feasibility of building a Magnetic Levitation based railway between Las Vegas and Anaheim, arguably the two biggest tourist draws in the Southwest. If built, it would be the first Mag Lev system in the US.

So Gov. Jindel says it is funded with the stimulus plan, the blog says a study into the feasibility of it is being funded. I guess studying doing something is the same thing as doing it.

Obama Hits It Out Of The Park!

2009-02-24T19:06:00.000-08:00

"We are not quitters".
President Barack Obama took control of the minds of millions of Americans tonight in his speech just over one month from taking office. He challenged Americans to be a part of a new beginning of the country.
There were three basic areas lined out for more spending and changes. Health care, energy and education.
See transcript

Beijing Skyscraper Fire: The Silence Is Deafening

2009-02-22T21:59:00.000-08:00

Wow! The building didn't melt!

This from: Paul Joseph WatsonPrison Planet.comThursday, February 12, 2009.

Debunkers’ only response is to claim that no comparison to WTC 7 can be made, yet they feverishly compared completely dissimilar bridge collapses to twin towers in 2007.Three days after a towering inferno engulfed a 500 foot skyscraper in Beijing, debunkers have failed to come up with any answers as to why the building remained standing in comparison with WTC 7, which suffered a uniform 7 second implosion as a result of limited fires spread across just 8 floors on 9/11.
Beijing’s Mandarin Oriental hotel defied all known physics on Monday when it was consumed by fires but did not collapse, a modern day miracle in light of the commonly accepted premise that since 9/11, all steel buildings that suffer even limited fire damage implode in on their own footprint within seconds.

WATCH THIS VIDEO

Newly Poor Swell Lines at Food Banks Nationwide

2009-02-20T22:50:00.000-08:00

JULIE BOSMAN The New York Times February 19, 2009
Excerpt:
Over all, demand at food banks across the country increased by 30 percent in 2008 from the previous year, according to a survey by Feeding America, which distributes more than two billion pounds of food every year. And while pantries usually see a drop in demand after the holiday season, many in upscale suburbs this year are experiencing the opposite.
Click for story.
Isn't this about the same increase we are seeing in gun sales and ammo?
The recent rise in gun and ammo sales has been attributed by right winged fear mongers to the Obama Administration's plans to take our guns away.
George Bush already did this during the Katrina disaster. He used Blackwater agents to do it.
Is the current economic situation having more to do with these things than the current administration?

Bill proposes ISPs, Wi-Fi keep logs for police

2009-02-20T22:22:00.000-08:00

Declan McCullaghC Net NewsFriday, February 20, 2009
Republican politicians on Thursday called for a sweeping new federal law that would require all Internet providers and operators of millions of Wi-Fi access points, even hotels, local coffee shops, and home users, to keep records about users for two years to aid police investigations.
The legislation, which echoes a measure proposed by one of their Democratic colleagues three years ago, would impose unprecedented data retention requirements on a broad swath of Internet access providers and is certain to draw fire from businesses and privacy advocates.
“While the Internet has generated many positive changes in the way we communicate and do business, its limitless nature offers anonymity that has opened the door to criminals looking to harm innocent children,” U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, said at a press conference on Thursday. “Keeping our children safe requires cooperation on the local, state, federal, and family level.”
Two bills have been introduced so far–S.436 in the Senate and H.R.1076 in the House. Each of the companion bills is titled “Internet Stopping Adults Facilitating the Exploitation of Today’s Youth Act,” or Internet Safety Act.

Click for rest of story
This sounds like a bad idea.

Old Glory Challenges KGOE and Arcata Eye

2009-02-20T18:54:00.000-08:00

Right wing broadcaster and Eureka irritant Tom Fredricksen invited Kevin Hoover of the Arcata Eye and myself to break the law by camping in a city park overnight.
Mr. Fredricksen suggested Eurekans take their homeless to Arcata for services.
It all started here on old glory radio

See the challeng video here

My apoligies to Mr Fredricksen for getting the spelling on his name wrong.
I was calling him Mr. Fredrickson.

V-Day coming to Humboldt

2009-02-19T16:51:00.000-08:00

2009 Performances at Two Locations:
Eureka
Aunty Mo's Lounge
535 Fifth Street, Eureka
February 26th & 27th 7:30pm
(this event is 21 and over only due to full bar)

Southern Humboldt
Mateel Community Center
March 7th 7:30pm

Sanctuary Stage Presents the Obie Award-winning Vagina Monologues episodic play written by Eve Ensler. Ensler originally starred in the production; when she left the play it was recast with three celebrity monologists. The production has been staged internationally, and a television version featuring Ensler was produced by cable TV channel HBO. In 1998, Ensler launched V-Day, a global non profit that has raised over $50 million for women's anti-violence groups through benefits of The Vagina Monologues.

Proceeds Benefit: Wiyot Tribe Program, Vachurr Wimouthwilh

The Emma Center

North Coast Rape Crisis Center
WISHWomen's Shelter in Southern Humboldt

Grand Obstructionist Party

2009-02-18T20:27:00.000-08:00

Has the G.O.P. become the Grand Obstructionist Party?

Rachel Maddow Coming to KGOE

2009-02-18T13:11:00.000-08:00

Announcing Rachel Maddow coming to KGOE 1480 am here in Eureka.

Start date should be March 23, weeknights from 9 to 10pm.

Rachel will take the place of Jeff Rense who currently occupies that time slot.

I had toyed with the idea of putting Alex Jones in this slot, but Rachel Maddow is one of the fastest rising progressive talkers in the country. She recently got her own show on MSNBC and the ratings there are through the roof.

The radio industry is going through many changes due to the economic meltdown. The Adam Carolla show is no longer. Randy Rhodes is no longer on the air. Mike Malloy is on a bankrupt network. No one knows what the future holds for talk radio. We will start with just one hour of Rachel Maddow and expand the show if needed due to unforeseen circumstances.

Nova M Files For Bankruptcy, Founder Attempts Suicide.

2009-02-17T15:27:00.000-08:00

Malloy to stay on KGOE.

Randi Rhodes’ on-air home for less than a year will shut its doors. In an email message of February 17th from counsel for Nova M Radio, Inc. to Randi’s entertainment attorney, Robert V. Gaulin, the company is said to have been advised to file for bankruptcy protection next week. All payroll deposits were reversed on Tuesday, leaving Nova’s employees unpaid for the past two weeks. On Sunday, Nova received a letter from Mr. Gaulin asserting that the contract with Ms. Rhodes was terminated due to material breaches and other reasons. Ms. Rhodes had not broadcast for over a week prior to this time, a situation which was diplomatically referred to as a “problem” that was solely within Nova’s control to solve. A few days earlier, Sheldon Drobny, founder of Nova M, and a co-founder of Air America Radio, attempted suicide and is hospitalized in Chicago. Mr. Gaulin indicated on Randi’s behalf that “We saw this coming, but are most saddened by the tragic news regarding Sheldon Drobny. Randi is devastated by the impact of these events upon her fiercely loyal audience, affiliates and sponsors. Discussions are already being conducted for Randi’s swift return to the air. Stay tuned…”

Thank you, Robert V. Gaulin. GAULIN GROUP PLLC COUNSELORS AT LAW.

Mike Malloy will stay on KGOE 1480. I received a call from a represenitive of the company that says they will be taking over the Mike Malloy Show. They will also be adding Dr. Mike Newcomb to their line up although I currently have no plans to carry Mike Newcomb. Mike Newcomb was on Nova M when they began but left over a year ago.

Dairy Cows Head for Slaughter as Milk Prices Sour

2009-02-16T12:53:00.000-08:00

By Tracie Cone of the Associated Press.

TURLOCK, Calif. - Hundreds of thousands of America's dairy cows are being turned into hamburgers because milk prices have dropped so low that farmers can no longer afford to feed the animals.
Ray Souza, owner of Mel-Delin Dairy in Turlock, Calif., stands with a few of his Holstein cows on Jan. 10, 2009. As of Feb. 2, the price farmers receive for a gallon of milk has been 80 cents a gallon, less than half the $1.65 a gallon the California Department of Food and Agriculture estimates it costs to produce. 'I don't ever remember being able to produce milk at that price,' said dairyman Souza, who got into the business in 1963. (AP Photo/San Francisco Chronicle, Lance Iversen) Dairy farmers say they have little choice but to sell part of their herds for slaughter because they face a perfect storm of destructive economic forces. At home, feed prices are rising and cash-strapped consumers are eating out less often. Abroad, the global recession has cut into demand for butter and cheese exported from the U.S.
Read entire un-happy cow story here.

Photo of Obama is taken down at Peterson

2009-02-16T12:35:00.000-08:00

TOM ROEDER
THE GAZETTE

President Barack Obama's picture was removed this week from a Presidents Day sign at the Peterson Air Force Base commissary after customers complained that the image did not fit the holiday commemorating the birthdays of past presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
The head of the local NAACP and a commissary employee say it was blatant racism.
The picture of the first black president accompanied a sign near the entrance listing the government-run military grocery store's operating hours on for Presidents Day. The store will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Employees took the sign down after customers complained that the holiday wasn't about the current president, according to the Defense Commissary Agency, which oversees the base grocery stores.

To read entire story, click here.

WTF? Presidents day isn't about sitting presidents? WTF?

Be Aware of Property Assessment Scam

2009-02-13T17:06:00.000-08:00

This is in response to a scam that many property owners have reported. The Humboldt County Assessor's Office has issued this release:

No Need to Pay for Review of property Assessment
Property owners in Humboldt County have recently been receiving notices from a private company saying that the company will file an application for assessment review on their behalf. The company requires a payment of $179. There is a time limit given for this or a late fee ($30) will be added. These notices look official and appear to be from a government entity.
Humboldt County Assessor Linda Hill wants to make it clear that these notices are not from her office. The assessor will provide this service free of charge to anyone who thinks that the current market value of their property is less than the assessed value. An application for review can be obtained by calling the Assessor’s Office at 707-445-7663 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. (County offices will be closed Monday, Feb. 16.)
The downturn in the economy and the reduction in home values have resulted in a situation where many recently purchased homes are now worth less than their assessed value. California law requires that property be assessed at the lower of Prop 13 value or market value. For property purchased prior to 2004, the assessed value is probably less than current market value and no review is needed. However, property purchased in 2004 or later could see a reduction in taxes if a review is undertaken.
Once a decline-in-value reduction is granted the property will be reviewed each year by the assessor until the market value exceeds the Prop 13 value. At that time, the Prop 13 value will again be enrolled and annual increases to the assessed value will be limited to no more than 2%.
Any questions or requests for application should be directed to the number given above.

Changes at the Arcata Eye. Support your local newspaper.

2009-02-12T17:06:00.000-08:00

Everyone is going through tough times these days. Newspapers have been hit especially hard.
See Story by Eye editor Kevin Hoover
While radio is a great way to get breaking news, newspapers are able to go into depth and really get into a story. The two media serve the same purpose in different ways. While we are doing fairly well here at KGOE, (we still have a lot of advertisers on air), our industry as a whole is going through some of the same trials as the newspaper business.
As I always ask our listeners to support our local advertisers, I am also asking you that live in Arcata Ca. and that like to know whats going on in your local town to subscribe to the Arcata Eye. Call 707-826-7000 to subscribe.
While KGOE may be free, most things worth while aren't free.
Support your local newspaper, read your local newspaper and do it while listening to KGOE.

Action Needed to Save California Conservation Corps.

2009-02-12T16:28:00.000-08:00

ACTION NEEDED IMMEDIATELY!Yesterday, we sent out an urgent request to our friends and supporters asking to send faxes to the Governor and Legislative Leaders. Already 544 of you responded immediately. Thank-you!We need at least another 500 faxes today!If you have not yet sent a fax, please respond today, as we have heard the budget deal is very close to being finalized. Our voices must be heard now!Click below to send a fax (it won't cost you anything!):http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5766/t/4572/p/dia/action/public/index.sjs?action_KEY=289or: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5766/t/4572/p/dia/action/public/Our grass-roots effort has real momentum. So far it has produced:Over 500 faxes sent in one dayAlmost 3,000 letters have been sent to the Governor;An historic letter of support from four previous Governors2,000 names on petitionsStatewide and National Press in support of the CCCThank you,Paul Carrillo, ChairFriends of the CCCFor more information, see www.save-the-ccc.org

National Call In Day for HR 676 Health Care Bill

2009-02-12T13:53:00.000-08:00

Today, Single-payer health care reform advocacy groups across America are encouraging everyone to participate in today's National Call-in Day for HR 676.
This house resolution is not Universal Health Care, which is similar to California's Auto Insurance Program in which people are forced to buy health insurance from private companies.
It is also different from Socialized Medicine which is what the V.A. is.
This would create a single payer system to manage payments, run like Medi Care and without the overhead that private insurance companies have, (corporate jets, advertising, million dollar bonuses, etc.). Hospitals and doctors would would still be private.

Contact your Congressional Representative:
Congressional switchboard 202-224-3121

Locally call Congressman Mike Thompson at 707-269-9595

You may also contact:
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
Washington office 202-224-3542
Reno office 775-686-5750
Carson City office 775-882-7434
Las Vegas office 702-388-5020

Nancy Pelosi
Washington office 202-225-4965
San Francisco office 415-556-4862

Barbara Boxer
Washington office 202-224-3553

Dianne Feinstein 202-224-3841

Snow coming to Kneeland, Willow Creek and maybe Eureka.

2009-02-08T16:49:00.000-08:00

Bring a jacket to work day or is that snow?

The National Weather Service is expecting snow at low levels tonight and Monday.

Tonight: Rain showers before 10pm, then snow showers. Some thunder is also possible. Low around 33. South southwest wind 6 to 14 mph becoming northwest. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Monday: Snow showers likely. Some thunder is also possible. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Monday Night: Scattered showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Northwest wind between 3 and 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Re-Investigate 9-11

2009-02-05T17:20:00.000-08:00

9/11 Truth Humboldt Chapter
Investigate 9/11

More money has been spent on an on going marijuana grow investigation here in Humboldt County than was spent investigating 9/11.

Trinidad to Clam Beach Run This Saturday

2009-02-04T11:36:00.000-08:00

The 8 and 3/4 mile race starts at noon this Saturday 2-7-09. The run is sponsored by the Trinidad Chamber of Commerce. Participants can register at the Trinidad Town Hall Thursday Feb. 5th., between 5 and 7pm. The cost is $22.00 unless you wait till the day of the race when it goes up to $28.00. The entry fee includes a T-shirt and chili feed at the Trinidad School after the run.

Be on the lookout for the blue Chevy TrailBlazer Bicoastal Media vehicle with espn, kred, and kkhb plastered all over it. You might get a free station t-shirt. The vehicle doesn't currently have the KGOE logo on it, but they tell me that it is going to be added soon.

The race takes runners through Little River, literally right through the water and then up onto Clam Beach.

Bring dry socks for afterward.

Just up the beach from the end of the race is an eradication effort. ( see picture)

A joint effort between the County of Humboldt and the California Department of Parks and Recreation, seeks to eradicate European beach grass. The non native species has been crowding out native dune grasses to the detriment of the Western Snowy Plover, a bird that nests on the dunes.

Dozens of secret Bush surveillance, executive power memos found; Could be made public

2009-02-03T13:52:00.000-08:00

This is from the RawStory.com

Details about more than three dozen secret memoranda written by Bush Administration officials now sit atop a chart created by a public interest reporting group. The memos track new details about dozens of secret Bush Administration legal positions on torture, detention and warrantless wiretapping.

Meanwhile, Obama's freshly-confirmed Attorney General Eric Holder told senators that he was open to declassifying White House legal memos if no support for their original classification could be found, signaling a likely showdown with former President George W. Bush over executive privilege.

See e-mail chart

Some of these are still classified as secret but some can be read at the link.

Alex Jones on KGOE?

2009-02-03T11:42:00.000-08:00

I am currently looking at putting Alex Jones on KGOE 1480 from 9 to 10pm. This slot is currently held by Jeff Rense. Rense is live and Alex Jones would be in a delay from earlier in the day. This would make KGOE only live 21 out of 24 hours weekdays. I am considering this move in light of the show Rense ran the day Barack Obama was sworn in as President of the United States. Jeff Rense had racist David Duke on the show that night. While I am open to many points of view, I do not and will not tolerate racism.

Alex Jones is a compelling, in your face investigative reporter, movie maker and radio show host.

Subjects include the new world order, investigate 9/11, the U.S. Constitution, terrorism, IMF and the World Bank, and the erosion of our freedoms.

Stay tuned for confirmation and a launch date.

Food Not Lawns

2009-02-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

Thanks to local Blogger HighBoltage for this one.

Welcome to the new Internet hub site for the International movement to grow Food, not Lawns! Started and moderated by Heather C. Flores, co-founder of the FNL movement and author of the book, Food not Lawns, How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden and Your Neighborhood into a Community, this blog site will keep you up to date on upcoming events and exciting projects, and will help you find people in your community who are returning the concrete jungle into fruitful organic gardens.

Go To Food Not Lawns

I used to live in Anaheim and a neighbor two doors down, replaced his front lawn with drought tolerant plants and a garden. The house between us was up for sale and they were nice people so he and I did our best to make our yards look good for the prospective buyers. My neighbor's garden needed some weeding and he said he didn't have time. He bought some pumpkins and cantaloupe and put them amongst the weeds in his front yard.

The next day the realtor came to the house for sale with some folks looking at the house and my neighbor saw them pull up, he went outside and as they were coming up the front walk, he said howdy as he reached down into the weeds and pulled up a nice cantaloupe snapping off a weed and brushing off the dirt as he lifted the store bought fruit into his arms. The house hunters thought, what a nice garden and eventually bought the house.

I laughed my ass off as he retold the story to me. I just thought I'd pass that along for any of you that want a garden but are afraid of what the neighbors might say.

Lawns were made popular by rich people centurys ago to show that they were so well off that they could waste all that land and water on something other than food.

Homelessness Surges as Funding Falters

2009-01-30T12:18:00.000-08:00

Providers to the poor try to stretch meager resources to meet growing need
by Kari Huus.

Published on Friday, January 30, 2009 by MSNBC

In Photo on the left:

Ken Mildfelt, left, known as Pork Chop, and his brother Ernie, known as Lamb Chop, prepare dinner at their camp site along the Kansas River in Topeka, Kan., Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009. In the first major census of the homeless since the recession, thousands of volunteers across the country fan out in the thick of night this week to count the most desperate members of their communities. Both were counted at the community center where they eat lunch. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

Excerpt from article:

The CityTeam closure is a piece in the expanding problem of homelessness across the nation: Shelters and related services for the homeless are facing funding shortfalls as the downturn takes its toll on state budgets and corporate donations. And while individual donors in many cases are keeping up gifts - or even digging a little deeper for charities that help with urgent needs like food and shelter - the service providers say they are faced with a rapidly growing demand from people losing jobs and homes in the economic crisis.
"A downturn in (overall) funding in this case is accompanied by a surge in demand, so a homeless shelter, food pantry, or job-training program is going to feel it first," says Chuck Bean, executive director of Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington, in the District of Columbia. "Even if they have 100 percent of their budget compared to last year, they now see a 50 percent surge in demand. Then (they) get into the tough decisions: Do you thin the soup, or shorten the line?"

Click here for entire story

It never ceases to amaze me how so many people talk trash about our homeless in this country. Many of us are just a paycheck or medical problem away from joining the ranks of the houseless. Remember that many homeless people are veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and they could use our help. Another emerging homeless population demographic are those that have jobs but don't make enough money to pay rent and utilities. This demographic is growing by leaps and bounds.

A great web site for the houseless and those in Humboldt County that would like to offer a space to sleep or other help or services http://peopleproject.wordpress.com/

Peter B. Collins Eureka Visit?

2009-01-30T11:19:00.001-08:00

We are currently working on bringing Peter B. Collins back to Humboldt County. March is the target month.

Peter B. Collins is a nationally (self) syndicated live talk radio show that airs on KGOE 1480 in Eureka from 3 to 6pm.

I am toying with the idea of having him up on a Saturday. That would mean no live broadcast but we have other plans. Peter B. is trying to get permission to run the movie Loose Change ( about 9/11) and there is a peace march/event planned for March 21st. It would be cool to get him up here on that day.
Stay tuned to kgoe or this blog for more info. as we get it.

Recruiting stand-down ordered

2009-01-28T12:17:00.000-08:00

Probe of Houston suicides prompts wide-ranging action
By Michelle Tan - Staff writerPosted : Wednesday Jan 28, 2009 11:44:38 EST

Army Secretary Pete Geren has ordered a stand-down of the Army’s entire recruiting force and a review of almost every aspect of the job is underway in the wake of a wide-ranging investigation of four suicides in the Houston Recruiting Battalion.
Poor command climate, failing personal relationships and long, stressful work days were factors in the suicides, the investigation found. The investigating officer noted a “threatening” environment in the battalion and that leaders may have tried to influence statements from witnesses.

The four recruiters who killed themselves were all combat veterans of Iraq or Afghanistan. The Army did not identify them.
The Army Inspector General’s office has been asked to conduct a command-wide assessment of Recruiting Command to determine if conditions uncovered in Houston exist elsewhere.
The one-day stand-down of all 7,000 active Army and 1,400 Army Reserve recruiters will be Feb. 13.

See entire story from Army Times

January 31st. Last Day of Public Comment on Marina Center Draft Environmental Impact Report

2009-01-27T15:07:00.000-08:00

The property on the Old Town Eureka water front, known as the Balloon Tract, once ruled by trains, is set to become a glass and steel monument to local millionaire, Rob Arkley.

The Draft Environmental Impact Report is up for review and was the topic of a forum at the Warfinger Building here in Eureka last night. According to the Humboldt Herald, Ralph Foust spoke as a consultant to the Northcoast Environmental Center and said the project doesn't include enough housing. He questioned why the project proponents called the project "smart growth" when it lacks the live/work "integrated whole" aspects that characterize such development.

The public has until January 31st. to comment on the DEIR.

Arkley reportedly wants the anchor store to be a Home Depot. See Serving Suggestions for details.

Photo courtesy of balloontractwatch.org

PBS: NSA could have prevented 9/11 hijackings

2009-01-27T14:54:00.000-08:00

The super-secretive National Security Agency has been quietly monitoring, decrypting, and interpreting foreign communications for decades, starting long before it came under criticism as a result of recent revelations about the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program. Now a forthcoming PBS documentary asks whether the NSA could have prevented 9/11 if it had been more willing to share its data with other agencies.Author James Bamford looked into the performance of the NSA in his 2008 book, The Shadow Factory, and found that it had been closely monitoring the 9/11 hijackers as they moved freely around the United States and communicated with Osama bin Laden's operations center in Yemen. The NSA had even tapped bin Laden's satellite phone, starting in 1996.

Click for entire story.

Climate Change Killing America's Trees at Ever Faster Rates

2009-01-23T11:48:00.000-08:00

By Michael Wall at Wired.com

Trees in western North America are dying at faster and faster rates, and climate change is likely to blame.
The mounting deaths could fundamentally transform Western forests because tree reproduction hasn’t increased to offset losses, according to a new study published Thursday in Science. And new seedlings aren’t rising quickly enough to fill the gaps.
“If current trends continue, forests will become sparser over time,” co-author Philip van Mantgem, an ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, said in a press conference call. This would be a setback in the fight against global warming because thinner forests with small, young trees store less carbon, so more heat-trapping carbon dioxide would cycle into the atmosphere.
A large-scale transition to such threadbare woods would have other negative effects as well, van Mantgem said. Species that depend on big stands of old growth, such as marbled murrelets and spotted owls, would have much less room to roam. And the risk of catastrophic fires would go up with more dead, dry wood lying around to fuel it.
The evidence is mounting that warming and drought are changing ecosystems across western North America. Other studies have documented major tree die-offs and surging wildfires. Plant species have climbed uphill, and bark beetles are laying waste to ever-increasing tracts of woodland.
The new study “adds to the list,” said Michael Goulden, an ecologist at the University of California, Irvine who was not involved in the research. “Something large and important is happening to Western ecosystems, in correlation with climatic shifts.”
The research revealed that tree mortality rates in old-growth forests from southern British Columbia to Arizona have doubled every few decades over the past 50 years.

See entire story.

Free Speech T.V. Needs Your Help

2009-01-22T15:48:00.000-08:00

See Story at The Humboldt Herald

Leonard Peltier Beaten In Prison

2009-01-22T15:16:00.000-08:00

by Michael Borkson from Boston Indymedia 22 Jan 2009.

Native American political prisoner Leonard Peltier was badly beaten and injured by other inmates after being moved to a different prison in Pennsylvania. Here is an urgent call for action by Leonard's sister and the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee.

Forwarded on behalf of the Leonard Peltier Defense CommitteeURGENT! Leonard Peltier's Safety in Jeopardy!Dear LP Supporters,I am so OUTRAGED! My brother Leonard was severely beaten uponhis arrival at the Canaan Federal Penitentiary. When he wentinto population after his transfer, some inmates assaulted him.The severity of his injuries is that he suffered numerous blows tohis head and body, receiving a large bump on his head, possiblya concussion, and numerous bruises. Also, one of his fingersis swollen and discolored and he has pain in his chest andribcage. There was blood everywhere from his injuries.We feel that prison authorities at the prompting of the FBIorchestrated this attack and thus, we are greatly concerned abouthis safety. It may be that the attackers, whom Leonard did noteven know, were offered reduced sentences for carrying out thisheinous assault. Since Leonard is up for parole soon, this could bea conspiracy to discredit a model prisoner. He was placed in solitaryconfinement and only given one meal, this is generally done when youwon't name your attackers; incidentally being only given one mealseriously jeopardizes his health because of his diabetes. Prisonofficials refuse to release any info to the family, but they needto hear from his supporters to protect his safety, as does PresidentObama. His attorneys are trying to get calls into him now.

See entire letter including contact phone number for the prison.

See biography on Leonard Peltier

Prison will tell you to start here:

Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator 1-202-307-3126 or http://www.bop.gov/

You will need first and last name and age of prisoner.

Leonard Peltier (born September 12, 1944)

NSA Monitored All Communications

2009-01-22T13:19:00.000-08:00

Were you spied on?
Kurt NimmoPrison Planet.comThursday, January 22, 2009
On January 21, former National Security Agency analyst Russell Tice appeared Keith Olbermann’s MSNBC show. Tice, who helped expose the NSA’s warrantless wiretapping in December 2005, told Olbermann government programs designed to spy on the American people are more extensive and far reaching than previously admitted. “The National Security Agency had access to all Americans’ communications — faxes, phone calls, and their computer communications,” Tice said. “It didn’t matter whether you were in Kansas, in the middle of the country, and you never made foreign communications at all. They monitored all communications.”
During the Bush administration, it was claimed the intercepts involved foreign communications and the intelligence gathered was integral to the conduct of the so-called global war on terrorism. In order to get around the warrant requirements of FISA, a bill authorizing the use of United States Armed Forces against those supposedly responsible for the attacks on September 11, 2001, was passed (Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists). The authorization granted Bush the authority to use all “necessary and appropriate force” against those whom he determined “planned, authorized, committed or aided” the September 11th attacks, or those who harbored said persons or groups. AUMF allowed the Bush administration to avoid FISA and Wiretap Act restrictions.
But according to Tice, the NSA program was not limited to alleged al-Qaeda members, as Attorney General Alberto Gonzales claimed at the time, but included “news organizations and reporters and journalists” in the United States. The data “was digitized and put on databases somewhere.” It was not simply journalists, however, the NSA spied on and likely continues to spy now.
See entire story including video from MSNBC.

This could explain why for months, every time I went to the RawStory web site, I would have computer problems. As anyone that listens to KGOE 1480 here in Eureka Ca. knows, that didn't stop me. Sometimes I had to use multiple computers to get one story.

Ca. Attorney General Seeks to Block Bush Administration attack on Contraception and Abortion Rights

2009-01-16T15:51:00.000-08:00

SACRAMENTO—California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today joined a lawsuit against the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to halt the implementation of a Bush Administration “midnight regulation” that could potentially “endanger a woman’s right to contraception,” including emergency contraception given to rape victims. “California has carefully and thoughtfully struck a balance between the right to use contraceptives and the right of healthcare providers to abstain from administering them,” Attorney General Brown said. “This illegal and stealth regulation threatens to erode women’s hard fought privacy rights.” Poised to take effect on the day of President-Elect Barack Obama’s inauguration, the regulation undercuts state contraception laws and jeopardizes billions of dollars in federal public health money.

See Whole Story

Martin Luther King Jr. Unity March in Eureka Ca.

2009-01-16T12:05:00.000-08:00

On Monday January 19th., people interested in the march should meet at the Eureka High School Cafeteria at 9am. The march will take participants to the Adorni Center on the Eureka water front. Performances and presentations will take place at 12-noon at the Adorni Center, sponsored by the NAACP.

Everyone is welcome to attend the unity march.

Dress for rain of shine.

Single-Payer Health Care Would Stimulate Economy

2009-01-15T12:42:00.000-08:00

Published on Thursday, January 15, 2009 by The Nation by John Nichols.

There is an unhealthy tendency on the part of politicians and journalists to see discussions about economic recovery and health care reform as separate debates.
In fact, one of the most important steps on the road to economic recovery - or, more precisely, toward a new, responsible and sustainable prosperity - involves the fundamental reform this country's broken health care system.
But it must be the right reform: the establishment of a national single-payer style healthcare reform system by expanding the existing Medicare system to cover all Americans. According to a new "Single Payer/Medicare for All: An Economic Stimulus Plan for the Nation" study released today by the National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association, such a reform would provide a major stimulus for the U.S. economy by creating 2.6 million new jobs and infusing $317 billion in new business and public revenues into the economy. This reform would, according to the study, add $100 billion in wages to the currently sputtering U.S. economy.
Indeed, notes the NNOC/CAN, the number of jobs created by a single-payer system, expanding and upgrading Medicare to cover everyone, parallels almost exactly the total job loss in 2008. "These dramatic new findings document for the first time that a single payer system could not only solve our healthcare crisis, but also substantially contribute to putting America back to work and assisting the economic recovery," says NNOC/CAN c o-president Geri Jenkins, RN.
Specifically, notes Jenkins, expanding Medicare to include the uninsured, and those on Medicaid or employer-sponsored health plans, and expanding coverage for those with limited Medicare, would:
1. Create 2,613,495 million new permanent good-paying jobs (slightly exceeding the number of jobs lost in 2008) -- and jobs that are not easily shipped overseas
2. Boost the economy with $317 billion in increased business and public revenues
3. Add $100 billion in employee compensation
4. Infuse public budgets with $44 billion in new tax revenues

See Whole Story Here

Veterans Say CIA Tested Drugs, Mind Control on Them

2009-01-14T13:41:00.000-08:00

Published on Monday, January 12, 2009 by The News & Observer (North Carolina) by Jay Price. Photo by A.P.

It was 1968, and Frank Rochelle was 20 years old and fresh out of Army boot camp when he saw notices posted around his base in Virginia asking for volunteers to test uniforms and equipment.
harsh weeks of boot camp, he thought, and signed up.
Instead of equipment testing, though, the Onslow County native found himself in a bizarre, CIA-funded drug testing and mind-control program, according to a lawsuit that he and five other veterans and Vietnam Veterans of America filed last week. The suit was filed in federal court in San Francisco against the Department of Defense and the CIA.
The plaintiffs seek to force the government to contact all the subjects of the experiments and give them proper health care.
The experiments have been the subject of congressional hearings, and in 2003 the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs released a pamphlet said nearly 7,000 soldiers had been involved and more than 250 chemicals used on them, including hallucinogens such as LSD and PCP as well as biological and chemical agents. Lasting from 1950 to 1975, the experiments took place at Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland. According to the lawsuit, some of the volunteers were even implanted with electrical devices in an effort to control their behavior.