San Mateo County

MC Frontalot in Mountain View this Thursday!

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:00:18 GMT

Who: MC Frontalot, MC Lars, YTCracker
What: Nerdcore Hip-Hop concert
Where: Zen Lounge in Mountain View
When: 7PM / 20 November 2008
Why: so the nerdcore can rise up and get elevated, also to celebrate Front's new album Final Boss!

Mountain lion seen running across San Mateo street

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:34:37 GMT

A motorist driving in San Mateo this afternoon spotted a mountain lion darting across a city street and into a residential yard, a police spokesman said.

The driver, who saw the roughly 75-pound mountain lion around 1 p.m., said the animal ran through the intersection of 31st Avenue and Fairoaks Court then jumped into the yard of a home, San Mateo police Lt. Mike Brunicardi said.

this isn't my craziest idea to date...

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:57:53 GMT

...but if you think it is consider that it kinda hit me over french toast & ham.

7:16 PM 11/10/08 · As much as I hate to admit it, Proposition 8 is a part of our lives now. It sucks on levels I cannot adequately express but there doesn't seem to be much to be done about it at the moment. Hopefully someone else will come up with a brilliant scheme to get around this but all I've got is the random notion...

...which I'll get back to in a second.

Of the 3 big reasons I was against Prop 8 (Prop H8 gets a tiny smile for creative phrasing) is that I'm not a big fan of discrimination. My entire family line, going back as far as we know, is the product of mixed marriages. Once upon a time such unions were also illegal for much the same reasons people are down on gay marriage...and possibly a few more. Most people wouldn't know it to look at me, when I've told friends they're generally stunned, but I'm Black. That's a whole mess of more reasons to not be fond of discrimination right there...especially with what's been a large part of the news in Palo Alto recently.

Which is why, especially how giddy the voting of Barack Obama as President had the entire family happy as can be, we were all stunned and royally pissed off when Prop 8 went through. Specifically because they put up percentages of votes for it and it turns out that of those that voted...about 70% or African Americans were in favor of banning gay marriage!

WTF?!?

The people for Prop 8 used a particular quote of Gavin Newsom, that was actually for gay marriage, to fuel the hate parade: "Whether you like it or not..." This was back when he first made it legal but that effort didn't last as long as we'd've liked. It took a more direction action from the courts to make it fully legal. Prop 8 nixed that in the bud rather successfully but it occurs to me that there are still two factors that can work to getting it back again: Gavin Newsom and the courts. I don't know how but if they managed to make it legal separately before then maybe a concerted effort together can get it back...

...at least until the next election.

10:45 AM 11/11/08 · There was a blurb on the morning news about this, that the courts in Sacrmento are trying to overturn Prop 8 on the basis that the voters did not have the right to ban gay marriage. Not sure what logic that's using but I'm crossing my fingers.

I'd like to say I took the moral high ground...

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:51:16 GMT

...but it took a minute for that little voice to kick in.

xposted to Public·Transit & San·Mateo·County

7:13 PM 11/10/08 · No matter how it tends to go or where I start from, I have this bizarre knack for getting the same train that used to take me home from work just about anytime I'm going home. At least so long as my starting point is North of where I live. That said, the one real exception to this is when my starting point is Redwood City because that station is cursed.

All the trains are listed on the schedule by a particular number but, even though I've been told it's there, I can never see it on the engine or passenger cars. There's plenty of numbers all over the thing but not the one I'm looking for. As this particular station is pretty much smack dab in the middle of the entire line, a lot of trains come through about the same time so I occasionally get on the wrong one.

It's the curse!

Yesterday I was on my way home and I got the right train in Redwood City. While I was waiting I spotted this really cute girl kinda hunched into a ball near a tree. Didn't pay her much attention at first because she was pretty much completely covered up and from my angle all I could see was that really big hooded sweatshirt...but that changed.

She kind went plumber pants on me.

Started hunched over but then she leaned even farther forward so that when I looked back that way I was seeing the line. Sweatshirt went up, pants went down, butt popped out. Up and down, and about the same side to side, it was about a foot of exposed flesh. This actually didn't register at first, I generally scan my surroundings when I'm bored so I looked at her and then looked away before my brain went "Wait a minute!"

She has a really nice butt by the way.

While I was appreciating this, deep down my conscience kicked into gear and started trying to get my attention. Managed to ignore it for about 45 seconds before I sighed, walked over, and poked her in the shoulder; if it wasn't clear from before, she was seated. She gave me a curious look (Oooh, freckles!) and I said, "Hey, I don't mean to alarm you but when you curled up like that you started giving everbody a show."

"Huh?"

Nobody speaks colloquial English anymore.

Rolling my eyes, "Your butt has popped out of your pants."

"Oh!" blush, "Thanks."

"Not a problem."

Personally I was surprised she hadn't noticed the cold, it was quite chilly out. Still, my general luck with this particular station being what it was I could see why this had happened to her...

...the curse!

Yay curse!!

we_need_a_life

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:52:59 GMT

In all my communities I allow for advertising so long as it fits the theme of the place. However, what a lot of people tend to miss is that I have an actual advertising community that they can advertise absolutely anything in.

Community·Crack

So I'm only posting this to my own comms...because it would be silly to advertise this in itself and to make sure you all know.
^{We use tags!}

bits from my Thursday morning news

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:40:03 GMT

xposted to Power·to·the·People, San·Mateo·County, Santa·Clara·County, Weirdfolks, & Welcome·to·Earth

10:25 AM 11/6/08 · Regardless of the fact I'm not working, my radio alarm (which stays on for 3 hours if I don't switch it off) goes off at 8am. Tuned to KCBS, I wake to the news everyday. Regardless, it was the alarm on my phone that got me up.

The following is what I got this Thursday:

Sarah Palin is still being criticized for the disaster her foreign policy actions would've been. Apparently, before this morning, she was unaware that Africa was a continent. She thought it was a nation.

Palin is also still getting flak for her extremely expensive clothes. Not only her own but she tried to allocate an additional $40,000 to buy new clothes for her husband.

Unable to catch a break, interesting how odd news comes in threes, Palin had been planning on delivering her own speech should McCain have won the election. She had it all written up and everything but the rest of McCain's staff took a very dim view on this.

There was a major delay for Caltrain travel between the Gilroy and San Jose stops. A woman backing out of her driveway got slammed full on by an oncoming train. The tracks are apparently not marked or have those handy little gates that come down there but I think that skips past the main issue...that backing out of her driveway puts her on the fucking tracks!

Russia hasn't acknowledged Obama as the next president to be of the United States. Shortly after he was voted in, Putin ordered the placement of missile launchers along the Russian/Georgian border.

An Obama supporting family in Pleasantown got assaulted the morning after the election. Their sign for him got sliced, the tires on all their cars in the driveway were slashed. Other signs in the neighborhood supporting Obama were untouched and as the family is of African American descent, they believed it was a hate crime; apparently they're the only Black family roundabout that location. Police investigated but deemed it was their other political views that caused this. No specification on what those were.

A county called Solina, that I've never heard of before, were apparently still performing gay marriages until this morning. They were aware that Prop 8 passed and banned this but were unsure of exactly when that officially went into effect. Even though they've since been informed they are strongly protesting this and wish to continue marrying gay couples. There's some debate as to whether or not the marriages that were performed after Prop 8 passed are valid or not.

A new study has revealed that women who get chronic migraines are less likely to get breast cancer. I'm not entirely sure that's a fair trade·off but it is interesting.

Not sure if it's because I'm not fully awake or not...but I clearly love the word 'apparently' today.

Also, on a slightly unrelated note, I caught a bit of South Park last night (don't usually watch it) and it was, as I understand it, the first time Obama was presented as president in the episode.

we've come so far...

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:19:34 GMT

...and went back a few steps too.

xposted to Power·to·the·People, San·Mateo·County, & Santa·Clara·County

9:11 AM 11/5/08 · Last night was great, for the most part. Don't know what channel you watched the whole deal go by but I watched Indecision 2008: America's Choice on the Comedy Network. Both because it kept me up to date as well as the fact that most of the others I've watched in previous years and despite the anticipation...they bore the fuck out of me! Still, while I got the presidential details, and some other wacky stuffs, I didn't get much in the way of the propositions and measures until much later in the night watching CNN. Even then I was kinda frustrated...

...because they kept skipping over Props 4 & 8.

Decided to table it all for the morning news. Least the reception will be clearer. If you missed my previous post on this, 106.9FM KRFC closed down this past Monday and was taken over by KCBS. Usually follow their 24 hour news on 740AM...but this one's got so much better reception!

Moving right along:

Barack Obama is our President...
...and he'll be getting official CIA intel tomorrow. Yay!

Proposition 4:
Well, I hope that when teen suicides pile up and back alley abortions make a comeback those that voted for this will be happy.

Addendum: Scratch that, the balance has shifted. It may not pass after all!

Proposition 8:
Discrimination has reared it's butt·ugly head again. Being so fugly, you'd think it would be more about getting itself married...but no! It can't get hitched, it has to target the next rung up and deny the rights of others as well.

Note: Lawsuits against it are already kicking in to fight for gay marriage, even though the count is still ongoing and there's a slim chance it won't pass. Unfortunately, kinda looks like 8 is a shoe in. One gay couple said this morning that even if 8 goes thru they take some comfort that, given the votes against, at least 4.5 million people did vote to keep them and other gay couples married.

Proposition 2:
Okay, I actually voted against this but so far I haven't heard the count on this one as yet. Dunno if it passed or not. Why against it? I love animals. They're wonderful and cuddly and lovely and ever so tasty if prepared properly. Two biggest commercials for it and against both said that somanilla (however you spell it) could result either way. Either from imported food if it passed or if it didn't from it just popping up in the enclosed pens. Funny thing? They don't mention these details in the measure...

...the exact text goes: Requires that certain animals be allowed, for the majority of every day, to fully extend their limbs or wings, lie down, stand up and turn around. Limited exceptions apply.

Basically, it's the equivilent of rotating your tires for the fluffy set. It doesn't say all animals, just some...which could mean it might not even be the same ones per area or district. There's no mention of any of the inhumane or possible disease generation that's been all the hype in the advertising. That and the Limited exceptions apply sounds ominously vague.

Got this text from Raven this morning: "Don't forget to shave in support of obama. No more bush!"

Cute.

While niveK thinks we're all DOOMed now, I remain all sorts of giddy. Obama is by far the superior choice and, if nothing else, at least Palin isn't in the White House. I think we should nuke her, just to be sure. Fairly certain that if McCain had won it wouldn't've been long before the secret service had found him at the bottom of a staircase with Palin at the top going "Oops!"

good to keep this sorta thing in mind

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:54:59 GMT

Proposition 8 is stoopid! It's evil, it's un·American, it discriminates against a good chunk of the population. If you're for it in order to safeguard your children then you should keep in mind that the only lesson that is being taught to them is that it's okay to deny some people of the same rights that everybody else has. It will show children that we are not all created equal. You don't have to like gay marriage but if you're going to continually argue that civil unions are just as good for having the same rights as non·gay marriages then you should keep in mind that the people that actually are gay don't tend to see it that way. Seeing as this is a gay issue and gay marriage is the hot button, it stands to rights that people that are gay may have a better idea of what's involved than you do.

Proposition 8 is stoopid! It's evil, it's un·American, it discriminates against a good chunk of the population. If you're for it in order to safeguard your children then you should keep in mind that the only lesson that is being taught to them is that it's okay to deny some people of the same rights that everybody else has. It will show children that we are not all created equal. You don't have to like gay marriage but if you're going to continually argue that civil unions are just as good for having the same rights as non·gay marriages then you should keep in mind that the people that actually are gay don't tend to see it that way. Seeing as this is a gay issue and gay marriage is the hot button, it stands to rights that people that are gay may have a better idea of what's involved than you do.

Vote no on Proposition 8
My apologies for the potential eye strain.

On a fundamentally silly note:

Burning Man is so 20th Century

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:24:01 GMT

9:11 PM 10/30/08 · Scooped up the Metro, which is Silicon Valley's free newspaper of choice, largely because of the catchy subject line I have up there which was on the cover under "Steampunk". I'd forgotten about this event, the first ever Steampunk convention that's going down this weekend in Sunnyvale.

I'm toying with swinging by. Not that I'm so much into steampunk as for familiar faces and it might be fun to take a walk through.

First page features the promoters of the event, Ariane Wolfe (Pixie) and Richard Bottoms. I largely know her through BaGG and her band Cuir·Bleu, the guy looks vaguely familiar but I can't quite place him.

The convention is called Steam Powered and it will be at the Domian Hotel, Oct 31st through Nov 2nd, 1085 E. El Camino Real in Sunnyvale. Brassworks perform at the Steampunk Ball Oct 31st at 8pm. Abney Park, Platform One, DJ Neshamah and DJ Anders perform at the Party at the Center of the Earth on Nov 1st at 8pm at the San Jose Civic Auditorium. Further details can be found at www.steampunkconvention.com and that's about that.

It's interesting that whoever wrote the article seems to center on the fallacy of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen film being the spawning idea behind the whole steampunk concept but that's hardly the case. I first heard of it in anime at least a decade back and I'm pretty sure that wasn't the origin of the concept either. Also, the great flaw of the film was only that it fell far short from the graphic novels and they severely undercut the characters from their much more sinister origins...

...but then again, I'm huge on the inconsistancies for such things.

First heard of this convention when Pixie handed me a flyer at either Further Confusion or some event around there, might even have been a post in her journal prior to that. So, the idea for this event has been in my head and likely other Bay Area convention goers for awhile. It's unfortunate that the event itself didn't happen until after the major drop in the economy which will no doubt effect the event to some degree...

...heard that was some of the cause behind the lack of members at SiliCon this year.

I know it's the one and only reason I won't be buying a membership for this event. Might not be my fandom but I like to support my friends when I can.

Then again, Steampunk has a massive following so even if turnout is low for this first event it will likely kick up more next year. Richard Bottoms is hopeful and optimistic but the article kinda portrays him as a glass ½ full kind of guy so while he does state his hopes for turnout, it also mentions he won't let the impact of the convention fully him him until they close it up at the end. He also has extensive plans for further related events in the area.

I'll be there with a camera on Saturday with any luck. Maybe Friday too depending.

If you haven't seen this issue of the Metro it's probably still around if you know where to look.

2:08 AM 10/31/08 · On a random note, it works out well that there seems to be something of a continual umbrella theme mixed in with the whole steampunk thing. Especially as it's supposed to be very heavy with the rain this coming weekend. I'm just saying...

you're probably sick of hearing about Prop 8...

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:29:42 GMT

...but tough!

11:28 PM 10/28/08 · One of the big things the ProtectMarriage folks keep harping on, though you'd think with a name like that they'd be for gar marriage really, is that if it's allowed to continue...children will be taught about this in school. Personally, I don't recall marriage being talked about in school at all when I was going. Certainly not in grade school with the possibile exception of history class when they mentioned various famous people getting hitched.

As gay marriage has a bit more history to it in Massachusettes the ad campaings for Prop 8 keep saying that since gay marriage was allowed there, children have been taught about it in school. I'm not sure in what capacity that was done in but there are some sweeping differences between the educational systems of California and Massachusettes. Take driving school for example. I spent 3 years in Massachusettes (boarding school) and did my intial drivers training there roundabout 1986. I passed the written easily enough, which I'll get back to but flubbed the driving part.

I may hold the record for the shortest time behind the wheel for the test but let's not go there. Not only is it way off topic...it's far too embarrassing to dwell on.

California's driving test, the written dealio, is 40 or so questions. In Massachusettes, at least when I took it in 1986, it's only 10.

This is really only a teeny tiny little thing...but if it's enough of a difference there on that one point then there may be other differences in other aspects there as well.

People much more learned on the topic than I maintain that marriage is not taught in our schools here in California. It's not as though if Prop 8 doesn't pass there will suddenly be a course developed for teaching gay marriage in the schools. Still, so what if it was?

For the life of me, I can't see anything wrong with teaching children that people that love each other have a tendency to get married. Big whoop! If Prop 8 actually does pass then the only lesson that's being taught, to anyone, is some people do not have the same rights as everybody else.

That's all I'm saying. I'm not sure what it is I'm saying...and there you have it.

No on 8...

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 02:07:55 GMT

Copied and pasted from sfbayarea:

Local folk musicians Ed Johnson and Steve Baughman are staging a "No on 8" old-time music jam in San Mateo Central Park on Saturday, November 1, at 2:00 p.m.

Steve writes:

Please bring instruments and SIGNS. I suggest a theme of "Old Fashioned Music, Old Fashioned Values, Equality" or some such thing. Ed & Steve will notify the media. The Yes on 8 folks used that park a few days ago, and there has been TV publicity of Yes on 8 demonstrations. We think that a bunch of musicians playing next to No on 8 signs would be a nice thing that might interest the media and the passers by.

We will meet on the El Camino side of this very small park. It is at 50 5th Avenue, cross street is El Camino and it's right off Hwy 92. VERY EASY TO FIND AND PARK.

Bring signs, and drinks, and instruments and your spirits. Let's have fun and hopefully make a difference.

I'm really looking forward to seeing and singing with y'all.

Steve Baughman
http://www.WhoWouldJesusDeport.org
Call or write w/ questions
415-310-1130 or talltree1@aol.com
Steve Baughman

a whole new level of wrongness

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:59:05 GMT

11:12 PM 10/23/08 · There was a blurb on the CBS Evening News regarding Proposition 8 and business that're supporting voting against it. Apparently, the businesses that want people to vote for it have been threatening the opposing businesses and stating that if Prop 8 doesn't pass they're going to publicly reveal which businesses were against it.

Clearly they've been taking a page out of the McCain/Palin fear mongering campaign.

This is just so sad. Personally I'd like a list of the businesses doing this outrageous blackmail attempt bullshit. I don't know that I'm doing anything to support them but I'd really like to stop now.

Propositions 4 & 8

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:57:42 GMT

9:42 AM 10/21/08 · There were some interesting bits about these two propositions on the new this morning, that I'd not heard before. I wake up to the news every single day, 740AM KCBS, so I'm assuming these are fairly new as I'd not heard about them before. So, thought I'd share.

Proposition 4: Parental Notification for Abortions
The people behind Prop 4 have been circulating this interesting recorded message. It's basically a young woman of 13 years who's calling multiple abortion clinics to see about getting an abortion. She says she'll be 14 soon and that she'd prefer that no one inform her parents. She says her 22 year old boyfriend has promised to take care of everything. There's also a voice from someone at a clinic informing her not to worry and that no one would be informed.

This recording is, as I'd like to think anyone with ½ decent common sense would assume, completely bogus.

It's about 5 years old and the jailbait girl in it is actually an adult actress local to Texas. Planned Parenthood is up in arms about this because it implies they, or anyone at such a licensed clinic, would just pass over the statutory rape situation it clearly represents.

Realistically, any licensed medical professional would likely help a girl in this situation...but the boyfriend would most certainly get reported.

Proposition 4 was bad enough before they tried to pull this fast one.

If you'd like to hear more about this, listen to 740AM (Bay Area) on the radio for about 20 minutes, they'll likely report the investigation piece.

No on 4!

Proposition 8: Ban on Gay Marriage
One of the biggies that is constantly getting touted on Prop 8 is that if it passes then gay marriage will be taught in schools. There's some professor (Richard Peterson) I see, or hear if the commercial is on the radio, that proclaims this and a couple other things. Then there's that other commercial that has the little girl running in from school to tell her mother that she learned that day how a prince could marry a prince and she could marry a princess.

Personally, that commercial makes me giggle and smile a lot.

If you were not aware of this already, they don't teach marriage in school. They would most certainly not suddenly include a course on it if gay marraige were fully legalized, it's currently legal in California and I'd like to keep it that way, but even if they did I don't think that would be a bad thing.

A good chunk of my family are the product of mixed marriages. I tell people that ask that I'm Black and as most see skin before facial characteristics...next to nobody believes me. Once upon a time mixed marriages were either illegal or highly discouraged from ethnically confused children excuses to general racism and prejudice.

While that first thing isn't really a factor here, Prop 8 is all about prejudice and discrimination and telling people that don't have the rights that everyone else does. Whether you go with my silly gay couples should have as much right to be as miserable as straight couples or whatever you like, denying them the basic right to get married is just plain wrong.

No on 8!

fear de evil dat is de red screen

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:50:18 GMT

10:07 AM 10/21/08 · On the offchance you haven't heard about this already, I'd like to spare your television from receiving several whacks on various sides and getting things thrown at it. See, tonight at 6:15pm (not sure if that's gonna be simultameous everywhere or 6:15p in each timezone) any television that hasn't been converted to HD or is on cable or is on some digital service or other...your screen is going to go bright red this evening.

Likely there'll be some message along with that too.

They're running a test and to show the public whether or not they need to convert. As you probably heard, February 17th 2009 all televisions that're still running on just basic analog are going to stop showing much of anything beyond static.

What I'm wondering, because it's hard to picture now, is are any of you still using analog?

MC Frontalot 2008 concerts!

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:43:11 GMT

11/01: Long Island, NY @ Crazy Donkey
11/03: Boston, MA @ Harpers Ferry
11/04: Teaneck, NJ @ Mexicali Live
11/05: Albany, NY @ The Linda
11/13: Boulder, CO @ Blacksheep
11/16: Seattle, WA @ High Dive
11/19: Oakland, CA @ The Uptown
11/21: Bakersfield, CA @ Jerry's
11/23: Las Vegas, NV @ Jillian's
11/28: Austin, TX @ Flamingo Cantina
11/29: Dallas, TX @ Double Wide
12/05: Marrieta, GA @ Swayze's
12/07: Charlotte, NC @ Milestone
12/09: Vienna, VA @ Jammin Java
12/10: Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
12/11: Doylestown, PA @ Siren Records
12/12: Philadelphia, PA @ Khyber Upstairs
12/14: Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwells

Palin is stoopid!

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:24:07 GMT

Palin swings through state - and at Obama

Decided to look up the supposed connection to the aforementioned "terrorist" Bill Ayers:
Bill Ayers and Barack Obama have been linked during their time in the city of Chicago, where they lived three blocks apart and led charges for education reform in the state of Illinois. The two met "at a luncheon meeting about school reform in a Chicago skyscraper." Obama was then named to the Chicago Annenberg Project board to oversee the distribution of grants in Chicago. Later in 1995, Ayers hosted "a coffee" for "Mr. Obama's first run for office." Both Obama and Ayers were members of the board of an anti-poverty group, the Woods Fund of Chicago, between 2000 and 2002, during which time the board met twelve times. Ayers also contributed $200 to Obama's re-election fund to the Illinois State Senate in April 2001." Since 2002, there has been little linking Obama and Ayers. Obama says he has not visited Ayers during the presidential campaign. The senator said in September 2008 that he hadn't "seen him in a year-and-a-half." In February 2008, Obama spokesman Bill Burton released a statement from the senator about the relationship between the two: "Senator Obama strongly condemns the violent actions of the Weathermen group, as he does all acts of violence. But he was an eight-year-old child when Ayers and the Weathermen were active, and any attempt to connect Obama with events of almost forty years ago is ridiculous." CNN's review of project records found nothing to suggest anything inappropriate in the volunteer projects in which the two men were involved.

Ayers views on what he did:
Ayers was asked in a January 2004 interview, "How do you feel about what you did? Would you do it again under similar circumstances?" He replied: "I’ve thought about this a lot. Being almost 60, it’s impossible to not have lots and lots of regrets about lots and lots of things, but the question of did we do something that was horrendous, awful? ... I don’t think so. I think what we did was to respond to a situation that was unconscionable." On September 9, 2008, journalist Jake Tapper reported on the comic strip in Bill Ayers's blog explaining the soundbite: "The one thing I don't regret is opposing the war in Vietnam with every ounce of my being....'When I say, 'We didn't do enough,' a lot of people rush to think, 'That must mean, 'We didn't bomb enough shit.' But that's not the point at all. It's not a tactical statement, it's an obvious political and ethical statement. In this context, 'we' means 'everyone.'"

What he did:
Ayers became involved in the New Left and the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). He rose to national prominence as an SDS leader in 1968 and 1969. As head of an SDS regional group, the "Jesse James Gang", Ayers made decisive contributions to the Weatherman orientation toward militancy. The group Ayers headed in Detroit, Michigan became one of the earliest gatherings of what became the Weatherman. Between the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago and the June 1969 SDS convention, Ayers became a prominent leader of the group, which arose as a result of a schism in SDS. "During that time his infatuation with street fighting grew and he developed a language of confrontational militancy that became more and more pronounced over the year [1969]", disaffected former Weatherman member Cathy Wilkerson wrote in 2001. Ayers had previously become a roommate of Terry Robbins, a fellow militant, Wilkerson wrote. Robbins would later be killed while making a bomb. In June 1969, the Weatherman took control of the SDS at its national convention, where Ayers was elected Education Secretary. Later in 1969, Ayers participated in planting a bomb at an offensive statue dedicated to riot police casualties in the 1886 Haymarket Riot confrontation between labor supporters and the capitalists' police. The blast broke almost 100 windows and blew pieces of the statue onto the nearby Kennedy Expressway. (The statue was rebuilt and unveiled on May 4, 1970, and blown up again by other Weathermen on October 6, 1970. Rebuilding it yet again, the city posted a 24-hour police guard to prevent another blast.) Ayers participated in the Days of Rage riot in Chicago in October 1969, and in December was at the "War Council" meeting in Flint, Michigan. Larry Grathwohl, an FBI informant in the Weatherman group from the fall of 1969 to the spring of 1970, thought that Ayers, along with Bernardine Dohrn, were probably the two most authoritative people within the organization.

In 1970 he "went underground" with several associates after the Greenwich Village townhouse explosion, in which Weatherman member Ted Gold, Ayers' close friend Terry Robbins, and Ayers' girlfriend, Diana Oughton, were killed when a nail bomb (an anti-personnel device) they were assembling exploded. Kathy Boudin and Cathy Wilkerson survived the blast. Ayers was not facing criminal charges at the time, but the federal government later filed charges against him. Ayers participated in the bombings of New York City Police Headquarters in 1970, the United States Capitol building in 1971, and The Pentagon in 1972, as he noted in his 2001 book, Fugitive Days. Because of a water leak caused by the Pentagon bombing, aerial bombardments during the Vietnam War had to be halted for several days. Ayers writes: "Although the bomb that rocked the Pentagon was itsy-bitsy - weighing close to two pounds - it caused 'tens of thousands of dollars' of damage. The operation cost under $500, and no one was killed or even hurt."

While underground, he and fellow member Bernardine Dohrn married, and the two remained fugitives together, changing identities, jobs and locations. By 1976 or 1977, with federal charges against both fugitives dropped due to prosecutorial misconduct (see COINTELPRO), Ayers was ready to turn himself in to authorities, but Dohrn remained reluctant until after she gave birth to two sons, one born in 1977, the other in 1980. "He was sweet and patient, as he always is, to let me come to my senses on my own", she later said. The couple turned themselves in to authorities in 1980. Ayers and Dohrn later became legal guardians to the son of former Weathermen David Gilbert and Kathy Boudin after the boy's parents were convicted and sent to prison for their part in the Brinks Robbery of 1981.

It should be noted that for the bulk of Ayers' "terrorist" activities, which I only refer to as there's been Americans before and since not viewed as such and more often referred to as protestors, that Barack Obama was 8 years old.

Persecuting Obama for this is ridiculous!

the least celebrated holiday

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 02:45:52 GMT

Turkey·Day

Recipes, funnies, family stories...
...and the ugliest and tastiest of all birds.

All Hail the Great Turkey Apocalypse!

just happens to be my favorite number

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:16:11 GMT

11:09 AM 10/1/08 · As much as I enjoy poking fun at McCain & Palin, could almost make a living off it if someone would pay me, there are other matters to be considered. That'd be the Propositions. Now I've really only heard about 2 of these so far, on the news, without doing any real research on them but one of them seems to be really key right now.

Proposition 8.

An oversimplification would be that if it passes then homosexuals will lose the right to marry. If it doesn't then they may continue and, with any luck, the ability for them to do so will be able to spread wider. More locations, more happy couples. Or, to put it another way, I think gays should have just as much right to be potentially miserable as everybody else.

I've really only seen two commercials on this particular proposition so far. One, which fortunately hasn't been getting as much screen time, makes this whole bit that if gays are allowed to marry then it will be taught in our schools and it will be in our churches and a few other vague references that personally I think would be a good thing.

The only other is in favor of it and I like how it presents itself. An older couple, old but not what I'd call elderly, going on about how they've always treated their children well and fairly. How that if Proposition 8 passes then a couple of their children's marriages will be declared invalid and how that's wrong.

I agree.

When I was a much littler me, my parents taught me about marriage. They said that when two people loved each other they formed this perfect union and made a pledge to one another of their love before the world and God. Now it's possible they meant a man and a woman but they didn't say that. Either way, they're definitely for gay marriage now...

...and frankly, I've never understood any reason as to why it was supposed to be wrong.

In my eyes there's 4 types of gay person. There are those born to it who either embrace it or choose not to live that way for any number of reasons; that's 2 right there. There's straight people, as though implying anyone else is crooked, who choose to become gay. Then there's ye olde school and lesser used anymore definition of an exceptionally happy person.

There are those of a more religious bent that say that homosexuality is evil and gays are a blight on the world or an affront against God. Personally I think they're idiots. Simply put, it would seem to me that if God was so against gay people then the Big Guy would stop making them.

Anyway, that's my 25¢ on the matter.

a borderline NWS community...

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 20:29:10 GMT

...with a lot of stuff that's actually not.

content from any and all video sites welcome
Video·Embedding

reminder...

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:38:57 GMT

Inked Books, the graphic novel book club, will be at 6:30 PM on Wednesday 10 September 2008 (tomorrow) at the usual place: Books Inc. Palo Alto.

We will be discussing Kingdom Come and Ronin, plus whatever else that happens to come up...

Hope to see you there!

oh lord

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 03:58:23 GMT

It's bad enough that a father posted an advertisement for his daughter on craigslist but he put it in the casual encounters section! I don't think he knows what that section is for!

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cas/819373098.html

kinda odd and some news

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:04:07 GMT

9:36 AM 8/28/08 · There's nothing quite so surreal as dealing with a late bus. The thing of it is, unless it broke down, that it will arrive but usually with the bus that followed it literally right behind it. So, as they don't stop at every single stop you get this thing where the two buses are constantly sliding past each other multiple times every couple miles or less.

Haven't been taking the train as much as I used to, got laid off June 16th, but I have been reading the Daily Post anytime I eat at Quizno's which has kept me well apprised. Two interesting things that have caught my eye has to do with bicycles and rate hikes.

The aforementioned items:

Given that people are driving less to save gas and piling onto the trains, there's been a lot more people bringing bicycles onto the train. This doesn't work out as well as you might think in that it's gotten to the point, which I personally witnessed a number of times 2 months back, that the conductors have been having to tell people at stations that if they have a bike there's no room for them on the train. Caltrain has so far not been able to deal with the excessive number of bikes, even when including two bike cars.

Also due to raising gas prices, Caltrain is planning on boosting fares again soon. However, unlike previous times they're not just boosting the overall price. The general fare will be increased by 25¢ but additionally it will also go up 25¢ per zone. I didn't see what date this would go into effect.

Oh, one thing I take away from my Caltrain experience, especially as I usually sat in the top row, they really need to work on the A/C. Those things are like really long microwave ovens!

cell phone?

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 02:36:03 GMT

Is there anywhere in the city or on the Peninsula that sells cheap cell phones? I managed to destroy mine, and Verizon charges $150 for their cheapest new phone if you're not signing a new contract. The big box stores like Staples only seem to sell expensive phones. I just want a cheap, no camera, no Internet connection, no service, no contract, nothing but the phone itself. I know I can buy one online, but I need one before Monday. Isn't there a store somewhere that sells cheap, unlocked phones?

x posted

this is probably sketchy at best...

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:10:59 GMT

...but I remain vaguely optimistic.

9:40 AM 8/14/08 · Haven't skimmed the internet for anything about this as yet but there's something really wonky going on here. It seems that two men from Georgia, not the one that Russia is currently blowing the fuck out of, have claimed to have in their possession defintive proof that Bigfoot exists. They've listed photos, DNA evidence, and an actual body. They plan to reveal the full details tomorrow in Palo Alto.

I've a couple problems with this...though the fact I heard about this on KCBS 740 AM radio news I'm inclined to not just brush this off as what it sounds. Kinda guy I am I like to think there actually is a Bigfoot but it seems really odd that people that get this proof from one side of the country are going to bring it all the way to the other side, to the very town I live in, to reveal it to the world.

Suppose there could be another Palo Alto than the one in California...I dunno.

Not going to bother tracking down a link to add to this. They plan to reveal all of this tomorrow (Friday) and I expect if they're for real then it will be all over the news. Clarification of a new or previously unknown species tends to make headlines.

The newscaster, this was from the Osgood Report, is about as sketchy on this as I am and mentioned it might just be a promo for some movie or something. He cited a similar case about a year back, that I never heard of, where someone popped up with a similar claim regarding alien life.

That fell through given that the wealth of evidence was an exceptionally blurry photo.

3:31 PM 8/14/2008 · Okay, I lied. Here's a link: Clicky!

the nutjob is back

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:21:28 GMT

Keeping in mind my information source was an onion, long but amusing story, I've learned that Weird Al will be performing at the San Mateo County Fair the 15th of this month.