Walking with Eddie Cat

The Hate of the Homeless

2011-11-14T13:18:00.000-08:00

The California State Legislature has finally gotten around to addressing the attacks and threats suffered by the homeless. This move is on the cusp of the [as the case of the burning alive of homeless man], and certainly a needed move.

I spent some time researching the number of attacks and other abuses rendered on the homeless population in California over the last five years. For this article I was planning on highlighting some of the more drastic encounters, in which the provocation for the attack was obviously against a homeless person (as a member of a population segment), rather than an attack on an individual person because of a personal dispute. It is not difficult to find large lists of these encounters in every major city of the state. It is also not difficult to find reports of attacks, which were at first ignored by the responding police units, simply because the victim was homeless.

On my way back from lunch, however, walking up Imperial Ave in San Diego, passing the Studio Fifteen building on 15th, I walked right into the middle of a perfect example.

On the ground, covering herself from attack (laying on her side, knees pulled up, hands clasped behind her head, elbows protecting her face) is a handicapped homeless woman. Her back is against the wall. In front and around her, are three young men; all of them yelling threats, laughing, and kicking at her. Most of the conversation is “Get out of her you bitch!” The young men are all between the ages of 18 and 25.

The woman's name, for this article, is Kim. Getting between Kim and the three young men (after checking to see if she was severely injured), I asked in my own threatening voice, what the heck they thought they were doing.

One of the young men, the youngest, is drinking a beer (it is 3:00 in the afternoon). Another is rather nondescript. The third is wearing the maintenance uniform for the Studio Fifteen building. The maintenance man tells me that his boss (the manager), told him to come out and move her away from the building. I guess he decided that this job required his drinking buddies.

After informing them that they were standing on a public sidewalk, and had no legal ability to follow the manager's directive, and listening to him disagree, I told him to call the police if he liked, but the hate party was over.

It takes a few minutes to get them to back off, but eventually they do. I ask Kim if she would like to walk with me to check my mail, but she says no. I walk on after deciding the young men have received the message.

On my return, the maintenance man is gone, but the other two are still hovering around Kim, and have attracted a few more residents into their chorus of laughing and threats. Kim, now confused, angry and injured, is yelling back at them (Kim suffers from acute schizophrenia. It doesn't take much to confuse her). Let's not be shy here, when Kim feels attacked, she can curl a curse offensive enough to make salty sailors blush.

It is about this time, that one of the young men, the one drinking the beer earlier, has run inside, declaring that he knows how to get rid of her. His answer is to throw urine tainted water out of his window upstairs down on Kim (and me, since I was again over by her, getting between Kim and her attackers).

Now the manager comes out. After witnessing that her reaction is to laugh, and listening to a resident (who identified himself as a employee of the Downtown Partnership) say that she had it coming, I decide to call the police.

I wonder, what the manager of the building found funny about the situation. That Kim was homeless, helpless or handicapped?

The police finally show up, after an hour. They can't find the person at home, who threw the water out the window (which also damaged my Blackberry phone), and decide that since there is no perpetrator present, there is no crime. I try to remind them that the saying is actually, “no victim no crime” not, “no criminal at home, no crime”, but they ignore me. Kim is homeless, she is not a victim, as far as they are concerned. They also do not choose to look at the security camera footage, or to even write an incident report.

Studio Fifteen houses several criminal types who regularly sell drugs and illegal cigarettes on the sidewalk in front of the building. The building's security guards do not get in the resident's way, or interrupt their occupations. They are not concerned with crime. They only focus on the homeless in the area (as far as I have witnessed, and I see them in action several times every day).

Adding the homeless to the Hate Crime list is not for the gruesome act of pouring gasoline on a helpless man and burning him to death. That act is called murder, and the citizens of California still view murder exactly as they should. Adding the homeless to the list, protects helpless members of our society from the predatory attacks which they endure every day.

Kim is homeless, but she doesn't panhandle, she doesn't commit crimes. Kim is not a criminal. She isn't even unsightly. Kim lives almost exclusively from the food she gets at places like Saint Vincent De Paul's, and the Helping Hand groups. The major part of her time is spent avoiding these types of attacks during the day, and hiding from worse attacks at night. She is handicapped, and her mental state is not a pretty one to live in. This state of helplessness should not be a reason for her to suffer even more at the hands of hateful people.

Online Income ideas -- eJury.com

2011-10-06T13:36:00.001-07:00

I mentioned a while back that I was looking into some passive and active income areas for supplemental income ... again, I want to stress that these are "real" supplemental income areas, and not get rich ideas. You are NOT going to make the rent with these places, but you could make enough to take some of the stress out of end of the month bills.

So, the first one I'm going to put out here is not one I would have thought to look into before starting this research... Online Juror duty... :-) .. no... I'm not kidding... Seriously...

http://www.ejury.com/jurors_learn_about.html

Okay, here's the gig... you read over a case... which takes you about 25-45 minutes ... you answer the questions, and you get paid $5-$10 depending on the case. That's it. You can do one case a day, an hour, a year... they don't care. You are paid directly through Paypal... that simple. The link is to their FAQ page. Check it out, and let me know what your experience is with them ... mine has been pretty good so far.

Police simply ignoring the law?

2009-11-03T15:46:00.001-08:00

Despite the state Supreme Court decision calling a 2006 law dictating where convicted sex offenders can live "unconstitutional," probation and parole officers will continue to enforce the law as it stands.
Read this story ...

While I am certainly no fan of sex offenders, and I'm not even sure I don't agree with the idea that they shouldn't be allowed to simply say "Hey, I'm homeless", it is a bit of surprise that the Law Enforcers, are not Enforcing the Law.

That said, I'm not all that surprised. The Courts have also ruled that handing out tickets to the homeless for sleeping in a public area are illegal as well, and yet, Santee California and other cities simply ignore the ruling, and hand out the tickets anyway, costing the tax payers millions of dollars a year in court fees and tying up the court systems with people who are not criminals.

I think it would be very interesting to find out exactly how much Santee has cost the County of San Diego in this area over the last three years.

Violence against the Homeless still a factor of life

2008-05-21T21:39:00.001-07:00

St. Petersburg Police cutting up homeless tents

Recent studies have shown that there is a drastic rise of violent crimes where the homeless are the target victims. Some of these studies have correlated the volume of violent crime with the amount of civil-rights violations city officials are committing -- in the public view, and in the way of illegal laws, such as the Santee Lodging Law.

Someone Called?... you're kidding.

2008-05-21T20:43:00.000-07:00

Linda called us today using the GrandCentral button at the top-right of the page. It was nice to hear from her, and nice to find the button really works.

The GrandCentral service has been more than useful for my travels. When I'm inside a hotel or room, I can have all the calls transfered to that phone, or set them to go straight to voice-mail. Or to my cell-phone the rest of the time.

When you use the button, you put in your phone number, then the GrandCentral service will call your phone, and connect you to my phone. This way, the phone call is effectivly free (unless your cell-service charges you for in-coming calls as well... which many do).

The GrandCentral Service also allows different settings for each phone number (and the web button calls seperate as well), so that I can set the web button to go to voice-mail, with its own message. My first thought was to use the web button as a way of Voice Posting messages and information, and also allowing visitors to the Eddie Cat Project page to post Voice Comments.

The GrandCentral Web Button defaults to keeping your phone number private; if you want me to call you back, then uncheck the privacy check-box, or be sure to put your phone number or other contact information in your voice message.

Google Health

2008-05-20T01:56:00.001-07:00

Google has opened up yet another new service, which allows clients to keep all of their medical records and information in one area, on line, and also the ability to share this information with specific people (doctors, family, pharmacy etc). I have yet to delve very far into the area now called Google Health, but I plan on getting in there and seeing all it has to offer. This may be another good tool for the homeless and those having to change careers, jobs, and geographic locations several times in a year in order to keep above water in the budget areas of life.

New Eddie Cat Project Web Site

2008-05-20T01:10:00.001-07:00

Since I've decided to get just a bit more formal with my efforts, I'm moving the Eddie Cat Project blog to a new server. So to see new posts and information on this Homeless Project go to www.eddiecat.org.

The Lawless Christian writings (or whatever we might want to call that particular distraction) is going to have it's own blog as well.
Nothing fancy with this one, just a WordPress Blog.

I'm going to return to posting personal logs on MySpace and Live Journal.

Truth is that I've have found Blogger to be rather difficult to work with, lacking in features common on most blogging web sites, and very limited in its exposure. (Even wrote a Freelance Blogging Post about this). While I'm not out to become famous, I would at the very least like to be found if someone is looking for me, or the topics I find important.

Of course all of my Freelancer Articles and Classes will still be on the main web site.

The catalyst for the big move however was the Eddie Cat Project becoming a real effort, with actual goals. In order to provide the information I would like to, and to achieve some of the other goals, I needed more than a blog -- I needed a real web site. So since most of this blog was for the Homeless information -- might as well move everything out.

Hope to see you over there!

Fifteen Minutes

2008-05-15T17:50:00.001-07:00

Have you ever met some one for fifteen minutes (on a train or a bus), and found yourself wishing you could stay with them for the rest of the day? -- but you couldn't. Not for some trivial work-related matter or some other silly reason, but for something important. Something you promised...

That happened to me today, and I had to snap my mouth shut because it was on the verge of a lunch invitation which was probably going to be accepted. Life is full of messed up conflicts; full of moments that appear, and then pass on by. Part of us stays on though, doesn't it? I can feel that part of me is still back there, and I suspect that part of me is having a great deal more fun than the rest of me is right now.

Working Wednesday (...yes I know it is Tuesday)

2008-05-13T12:05:00.001-07:00

Caught a cold, or some minor flu, over the weekend. This is a challenge for the homeless, let me tell you. I finally broke down and got a room at the hotel, and have been here for the last two days. While I am feeling much better today, I'm going to continue to rest up.

I did complete an article on Freelance SEO writing yesterday (with some minor edits this morning), posted several bids on Guru.com, and some other Freelance Work sites; but other than these fairly simple tasks, I've done little this morning.

It is now about noon, Eddie Cat is sleeping away, as he is apt to do during daylight hours; and I'm attempting to look like I'm still functioning as a normal human being.

Eddie the Cat Moving Fields

2008-05-10T19:05:00.000-07:00

Something I'm asked frequently is 'How did you train Eddie Cat to live on the leash?', and first off the answer is 'you don't train cats'.

This may sound like a cheap way out of the conversation, but it is true, training cats is nothing like training dogs. With cats, especially Eddie Cat, it is always a matter of enhancing habits and desires the cat already wishes to do, and guiding these tendencies to the desired behavior.

The cart training is a perfect example. Eddie Cat already enjoyed the cart the day we purchased the first one. But keeping him cooperative with the cart came by always feeding him inside the cart. I mixed up his dinner and said to him "Cart" until he jumped into the cart, and then I gave him his dinner.

I'll try to write more on this topic soon, because, as I said, I get asked about it all the time.

Eddie the Cat is not the happiest of cats this morning. It seems that he has cleared out all gophers in the CAP Little League Field on Mission Gorge Road, so we are moving to the Major Field tonight, so he can have a decent hunt. He staid awake all night looking for gophers (or anything really). The last two nights we were in hotel, and Eddie Cat got a little stir crazy during the second night. After months of night-time hunting, I suppose it is difficult to amuse yourself with Late Night movies. Needless to say he was very excited to arrive at the hunting fields last night (didn't even wait until I stopped the Cart before jumping out to start his prowl).

I picked up some Blue paint to take care of some of the graffiti and a couple of tarps to replace the ones which are weather torn at the Cap Field. Normally I simply pick up some of the trash, but I've been getting more ambitious of late (not too ambitious obviously, its not like I'm going to do 'real' work, like mow the laws or something radical like that). Taking care of the graffiti seems to be easy enough.

The EddieCat.org cards are in, picked those up today, and will probably be passing them out soon. I think they turned out fairly good, and I've been wanting them for some time. There is something about Eddie Cat that simply raises questions in peoples minds, and being able to easily refer those who are honestly curious to this blog, is a good thing. I would like to hear comments and suggestions from as many sources as I can entice.

We are still looking for an apartment. I've made several phone calls, but haven't been getting any call backs. Terron is doing what he can, but right at this moment we've hit something of a stone wall. Hammers (of all sizes) are available however.

I am continuously surprised by the level of problems facing the homeless these days. While I did grow up on the streets, I don't remember it being like this back then. I'm perfectly capable of giving two months rent in advance plus a deposit, and can't find a place to let me move in... while, as I've suggested, I know several ways around this particular problem, I doubt many homeless coming off the street have the resources or even the right questions to ask. I'm not overly intelligent, but lets face it, getting sober and getting steady work, while surviving on low quality food and lack of sleep (because cops keep waking you up so you are sleep depraved), takes a lot out of anyone, and I'm not dealing with these particular obstructions.

I've been digging further into the HUD funding Santee has been getting over the years, and quite frankly, getting rather pissed off. The more I find out, the more I don't want to know. I'm teetering on the knife-edge of continuing my original goal set, or expanding the targets much further. But you will learn enough about that here soon enough.

Santee Little League Fields - Eddie the Cat Hunting Ground

2008-05-10T18:42:00.001-07:00

The Cap Field is cleared of Gophers, so Eddie Cat is moving to the fresh hunting grounds of the Major Field

Google Give Homeless Phone Numbers and Voice Mail

2008-05-09T19:47:00.001-07:00

Through the Project Homeless Connect group in San Francisco, Google is sponsoring a mass sign up on its GrandCentral Service for the Homeless. GrandCentral is a new service purchased by Google, which gives a phone number to individuals, and voice mail, which can be accessed in a number of ways; in with Internet Phones such as Gizmo, or Skype, or through a land line phone, can even provide free phone calls.

This connection of the Homeless with basic communication needs, which do not have the worry of expiration or heavy fees (the GrandCentral service is free) offers a way to acquire employment and keep in touch with relatives. Users of the GrandCentral Service can customize voice mail messages to every phone number in their account book, and easily change the messages, so relatives and friends can get updates without having to be on the phone or available at the time.

The GrandCentral Service offers a number of other tools for communication, such as the Call Me button on the Walking With Eddie Cat blog, which gives direct connection to Eddie Cat and Glenn for free, no matter where you are, or where we are. Your number stays private and you can use all the normal GrandCentral
screening, blocking, forwarding, and other features that put you in
control. The WebCall button takes care of connecting the call to you
after getting the caller's number. Try it! Doesn't cost anything and we would certainly like to hear from you.

These CallMe Buttons are very easy to install on MySpace, Live Journal and several other Social web sites.

Pavlov's Cats (Eddie Izzard)

2008-04-30T12:53:00.001-07:00

Last Night's Mayor Gopher Hunt

2008-04-30T12:45:00.000-07:00

Eddie Cat is cleaning up the ball field from the Mayor Gophers, so I guess I better get going with my hunts as well.

Hate Crimes Against Homeless Rise in 2007

2008-04-29T14:27:00.000-07:00

A rise in attacks against homeless people in 2007 has more states considering harsher penalties in hate crime laws for attacking a homeless person.

Legislation is pending in Ohio and Massachusetts and Alaska. In Alaska, the bill passed the Senate and House and awaits Gov. Sarah Palin's signature.

Attacks against homeless people increased from 142 attacks in 2006 to 160 attacks in 2007, says a report released Tuesday by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty.

Twenty-eight of those attacks were murders, up from 20 murders in 2006. The report was based on media reports and other data collected by advocates for the homeless, the coalition said.

"This is about punishing people who take advantage of the most vulnerable in our society," says Ohio State Rep. Mike Foley, who introduced the state's bill. "There is too much of it going on."

Link between hate crimes and laws that criminalize homelessness

2008-04-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

There is a documented relationship between increased police actions that criminalize homelessness and the rising number of hate crimes and violent acts against homeless people.

It appears that violent citizens become emboldened to attack homeless people because their city has responded negatively to the homeless population. These violent attacks occur especially where the city has portrayed homeless people as the cause of unemployment, decreasing property values, vacant storefronts or other problems.

Advocates from around the country have cited the relationship between municipal laws to banish or restrict visibility of homeless people and hate crimes and violence. This overly broad enforcement of the laws passed by city governments specifically targeting homeless people are documented in NCH's Illegal to Be Homeless: The Criminalization of Homelessness in the U.S.

This survey of cities and states that violate the civil rights of homeless people concluded that California is the "meanest" state in the nation for poor and homeless people, followed by Florida, Hawaii and Texas. The NCH study also ranked four California cities as among the top 20 "meanest cities" in the nation for violating the human rights of homeless people: Berkeley, San Francisco, Fresno and Los Angeles. [See "California Named as Meanest State in the Nation," Street Spirit, December 2004.]

HUD Complaints for Fraud, Waste, or Abuse

2008-04-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

If you are aware of fraud, waste, and abuse in HUD programs and operations, report it to HUD's Inspector General Hotline!

What kinds of things should you report? Mismanagement or violations of law, rules, or regulations by HUD employees or program articipants.

Your complaint will be kept confidential if you are a federal government employee. If you are not a federal government employee, a complaint can be kept confidential if you request it. The Office of Inspector General will accept anonymous complaints.

Federal laws protect federal government employees from reprisals for filing complaints. Many states provide protection from reprisals to non-federal government employee complainants. State whistleblower statutes are normally administered by the respective state's attorney general office.

http://www.hud.gov/complaints/fraud_waste.cfm

Eddie Cat chasing Mayor Voepel's twisted right wing

2008-04-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

Thou shalt not lie. Thou shalt not kill.

Perhaps [Mayor]Voepel skipped those commandments back in Sunday School. But by refusing to help stop what many now believe is the worst threat ever to face our planet, the righteous Mayor had best be prepared to accept his share of guilt ... --Miriam Raftery

I'm not really fluent in the economics of city management. For example, as I am going through the numerous Santee City Council Meeting Minutes, finding the Federal and State funds which qualify for my next step in ridding the State of California of one of the last remaining Hate Crime laws of Homeless Sleeping, I'm finding these funds in references to the appropriation of monies from these funds for use in other (non-associated) management activities.

For example, it appears a great deal of the CDBG fund from HUD has been appropriated for use in other areas. Looking into the CDBG fund, it appears that its main purpose is :

CITY OF SANTEE PRIORITIES PER THE FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN:
(The Consolidated Plan 2005-2010 may be viewed or purchased from the Finance
Department, City of Santee, 10601 Magnolia Ave, Santee, CA 92071.)
1. Assist lower income renters.
2. Assist lower and moderate income homeowners.
3. Provide housing assistance to the homeless.
4. Assist public and community service providers that enable lower and moderate
income residents to remain in their homes.
5. Improve and provide public services and community facilities and infrastructure
to serve lower and moderate income persons.
6. Ensure effective use of limited CDBG resources.
7. Promote fair housing.

This list seems a bit odd to me. The fund from last year supplied over $300k to the City of Santee, and just from my basic browsing through the minutes and budgets, very little of these monies were spent in any of these 7 areas. To be sure, they weren't spent on number 3 (Provide housing assistance to the homeless).

I then came across a small statement which appeared at first meaningless to me --

During fiscal year 2007-08 the City received a $323,958 CDBG allocation. It is unknown at this time what the available funding for fiscal year 2008-09 will be. In addition the City may reallocate any available remaining funds.

Now, I don't want to start screaming the "C" word (as in "conspiracy"), but if the City of Santee, using unconstitutional municipal codes and Federal funded Task forces to force out of the city anyone who might qualify for the intended dispersement of these funds, or turn down any project for "quality of life" purposes which might qualify for the intended dispersement of these HUD funds, would then the city be able to "appropriate" all of the funds for its own use in other areas?

"Basically we don't have a homeless problem (in Santee), except down by the river, and those people are camped illegally and destroying the environment," Mayor Voepel said. "I'm not a homeless advocate in any way, shape or form."

The Mayor is also on record for turning down and fighting against many Low Cost housing projects in the City of Santee. So, how does that match up with a yearly request for CDBG funds from HUD which are intended for exactly these purposes?

Being a researcher by trade, I'm certain I'll understand these City Management intricacies soon.

Mayor Voepel and the Heat

2008-04-28T15:50:00.000-07:00

"I like it hot" -- Randy Voepel, Republican Mayor of Santee, California

This makes me feel very good about my next course of action, because it is heat that I'm bringing in to the Santee area, in the form of audits and litigation. Since I've never been a fan of fair fights however (at least fair in the way that I have to expend an equal amount of energy as my opponent), I won't be the one brandishing the sword. I'll humbly hand this task to the Federal and State experts.

After a bit of research I've discovered a number of Federal and State funds, as well as Grants issued by Corporations which have in their basic requirement description; an absence of Civil Rights abuse. Failure to maintain a government which is not abusing the Civil Rights of all of its citizens, results in the withholding of the Grant payments, and may result in other Civil Litigation as well. HUD of course is a great institution for pressing the "other Civil Litigation" option.

So, stay tuned; the heat is blowing in...

Eddie Cat vs City of Santee Round 2

2008-04-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

Since I'm no-longer getting the Lodging Tickets (as mentioned in my previous post), it would seem that all I've been able to do to this point is to waist my time, and Eric's time as well. Eric has helped me out a great deal with this project, not only with bright and early rides to the courthouse, but also in the area of spiritual support. One can easily slip into the depressing mood of "being alone against the world" out here on the road. Having good friends like Eric remind me of why I'm doing this, and what I'm really gaining through the effort, breaks up that dark wall of cloud and keeps my mind in the sunshine. So, if you need a Jacuzzi Cover, give Eric a call. I've seen the covers and his prices are very good.

Getting back to the point of "waisting my time", I've been seeking out other ways of accomplishing my goal over the last week. Eddie Cat has shown me many times; there is always more than one way to get the gopher.

It is a long standing saying in the Private Detective world, that if you are dealing with white collar types, "Follow the money". The crime, no matter what it is, always comes down to the money trail. While it is true that my goal is the eradication of a SMC, I am still dealing with White Collars who see money as the justification for all things. So according to the street-wise Private Eye, it is the money trail which will lead me to the solution I seek.

This was an interesting thought, and since I had nothing else to go on Monday, I started there; with the question "who gains by maintaining and enforcing of an illegal law, which only effects the homeless?"

I didn't get very far with this line of thinking. The answer seemed rather obvious...
"no one really." Not on the money trail at least. Heck, it would seem that the enforcement alone is a deficit in the equation. There is no way that the City of Santee could be getting back from the homeless enough revenue to cover the enforcement of a law like Lodging. I very strongly doubt that there is profit in it at all, since I know that one Sheriff spends all of his time, day after day, week after week, completely dedicated to the ferreting out and ticketing of homeless people. His salary alone would make such a venture unprofitable. It would be less expensive and much less hassle to simply open up a homeless shelter and fund a program.

The whole idea makes no sense at all when you add in the risk of civil liability.

Even with this obvious conclusion staring me down Tuesday and into Wednesday, I was unwilling to give up on the Shaman Wisdom of old. After all, there is money involved, somewhere, and White Collar types going to rather interesting lengths to protect the Lodging Code. So, while I may not see the puzzle as a whole, it does exist... somewhere.

It was Wednesday night, while working through an advanced Hwa Rang Do form, that my mind gleaned on an answer. The form in question uses, as one of the techniques a movement called Elbow Defense. This move is rather bizarre to witness, when done against an invisible opponent. In fact it makes no sense at all, and with its name "Elbow Defense" it makes even less sense. When observing the final stance of the movement, it appears to break every common sense rule of close combat (never cross your arms in front of your body, never leave your mid-section completely exposed, and undefended...etc.). It is only after you add a physical opponent to the move, and understand its true nature, that you realize its devastating effect on the human body. The form, as well, is a series of mis-direction movements and combinations, all of which are brutally lethal (which might be labeled as a redundant description since I've already mentioned the style of the martial art is Hwa Rang Do).

As I finished the form, my creative mind Eddie-Pounced on the gopher. Yes, there is money involved, and yes there are White Collars involved, I've just been looking at the movements without seeing the nature of the gopher.

Catching Up

2008-04-27T22:07:00.000-07:00

These last few posts have not been what I've wanted to post of course, but I did commit to several of my friends to post regularly. I've had a great deal of work to do of late, and while I feel good at the end of the day, having taken back a little bit of my life from whatever condition this is which devours hours and days from my conscience experience, by the time I get set in for the evening I've been too tired to press out a real blog entry. So, I've copied a few articles which were of interest to me that day, and published those.

Much has occurred over the last week however, and trying to catch up is becoming more burdensome on my mental state every day.

The Santee Municipal Code (10.20.150) is still being enforced. The Sheriffs have simply quit enforcing it on me. I've changed my sleeping space several times, so they have run across me, expecting I was some place else; but once they find me occupying a homeless-frequented space, they simply walk away. Sort of a reverse discrimination; several of the homeless here in Santee have shown me tickets they have received over the last week.

One in particular (we'll call him Troy if we need a name) just got out of jail after doing 60 days for the Lodging Code. Unfortunately, he has now lost everything (again), all of his tools, the job he was working and even his bicycle. Since he pleaded guilty to the offense, there's nothing we can do about any of these losses, or the legality of the law with him. This really upset me to hear.

Since I'm no longer getting these tickets (though I'm sure if I break a "real" law I'll be treated as any other criminal, as it should be), I've been putting my creative mind to the stone and trying to come up with another route to pursue.

I'll have to post a few times to catch you all the way up.

Comon Poisons Cats fall prey too...

2008-04-26T20:26:00.000-07:00

Poisoning is an ever present danger. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, sleepiness, shaking or trembling, twitching, staggering, convulsions, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, and paralysis. If you suspect that your pet has ingested or come in contact (i.e., skin contact) with poison, call your veterinarian immediately. If possible, identify the source of the poison. Do not induce vomiting unless so directed by the veterinarian. If your veterinarian cannot be reached, call the emergency animal clinic in your area. Remember, the best antidote is not to need one.

Common household poisons include:


acetaminophen  furniture polish paint & paint remover
(Tylenol, etc.) gasoline    permanent wave lotion
antifreeze*  hair coloring  phenol
aspirin   herbicides  photo developers
bleach   insecticides  rat poison
boric acid  kerosene       rubbing alcohol
brake fluid  lawn chemicals  shoe polish
carbon monoxide  laxatives  sleeping pills
chocolate  lead      snail/slug bait
cleaning fluids  lye    soaps/detergents
deodorizers/deodorants matches   suntan lotion
disinfectants  metal polish  tar
drain cleaner  mineral spirits  turpentine
dye   mothballs  windshield washer fluid
fungicides  nail polish & remover wood preservatives

(*Antifreeze is a common poisonous substance because its sweet taste is attractive to pets. Watch that radiator for leaks!!)

Please note that seemingly innocent substances can be toxic to your pet. The two lists presented here should not be considered all-inclusive. If in doubt, please contact your veterinarian for advice.

Keep the Homeless from Sleeping, but don't pull strings!

2008-04-22T20:42:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, there are days when I'm going through the daily news, searching for topics of interest and education, that I come across an article which rattles me with the question "why are you even bothering?" I suppose the answer is that I simply don't want to face the fact that our system needs serious work.

In a decision that sets a new standard for what constitutes a legal search by police, as well as serving to remind why doing crack is a terrible idea, The New York Court of Appeals ruled that "reasonableness" should remain the touchstone for searches in order to not violate the 4th Amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizure. Defining reasonableness was the basis of the case in question, which involved the searches of body cavities. The NY Times summarizes:

The case before the court involved Azim Hall of New York, who was arrested on Feb. 8, 2005, on charges that he sold two pieces of crack cocaine outside a grocery store. After his conviction, Mr. Hall filed an appeal, arguing that the police had conducted an illegal search by pulling a string, attached to a plastic bag containing crack cocaine, that was dangling from his rectum. A State Supreme Court judge dismissed the indictment, but the Appellate Division reversed that.

The most recent decision said that the State Supreme Court was correct in its initial finding and that pulling the string attached to the bag of crack secreted up a dealer's ass was an unreasonable search. To pull the string, a warrant is required.

As much as I am for the Bill of Rights and the Basic rights of Human Beings, I find this ruling to be a bit absurd. I don't know all of the facts in the case, but strip searches and cavity searches are fairly typical when incarcerating certain types of criminals (suspected drug dealers being high on that short list).

I will admit that I have very little use, or patience for the plight of the drug dealer, so my personal views may be skewed in this case.

Eddie Cat Adaptability

2008-04-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

After only fifteen minutes of consciousness, …
WACK
running quickly, yet methodically, through experimental attempts to remove the cone-collar Eddie woke up with this morning…
WACK WACK
Eddie Cat has successfully turned what many cats and dogs might feel to be a handicap…,
WACK, SCRAPE, WACK
into a very effective AACD (Advanced Annoyance Communication Device).
WACK SHIN-SCRAPE SPEAR WACK
By utilizing complicated combinations of percussion signals, and the cone's rigidity as an effective edge-weapon, Eddie had conveyed to me in a language previously inaccessible to him, that he is extremely unhappy with the results of yesterdays Vet visit.
WACK WACK THUD SPEAR

Paul the Lawless Christian

2008-04-14T17:04:00.000-07:00

I've been looking at I Corinthians (and other segments of Paul's work), prodded to interest with my continued research into the idea of the Lawless Christian.

Paul is rather definite throughout most of the works. Almost commanding, but then he puts in this verse:

"We are free to do all things, but there are things which it is not wise to do. We are free to do all things, but not all things are for the common good." (1 Corinthians 10:23 BBE)

I think that most of the texture of Paul's writings are from his indelible personality, and schooling as a Pharisee; though he had strong beliefs of what was right and wrong, he also knew that under the new Word of Love (The Fulfillment of the Law), there were no real rules laid down, and so with this verse, he let's us know that all of his don't and do's are really just guidelines. A rather long winded way of saying "Hey, don't hurt each other!"

I really like the change from "right" "wrong" verbiage to "wise" and "unwise" though most translations don't use those words. There is a huge list of actions that I balk at thinking "wrong" or "right" about, but am fine with seeing them as "wise" or "unwise".

Something I find very "unwise" is justifying my desires or my conscience by using razored off verses from the Bible. Something I have always found distasteful is building up belief structures using verses as the foundation stone. It is so easy to go astray, especially in the works of a man like Paul, whose authoritative tone spans thousands of years to our ears today; and so easy to forget to read a bit further..

So… I win?

2008-04-10T18:25:00.000-07:00

The last couple of nights I've been woken up by different sheriff deputies, and not given a ticket. This is interesting to me because 1) it is in fact dark, 2) I am in fact sleeping at the time, 3) this is the place that I was given a ticket for "lodging" during the day when I'm not sleeping (or doing anything against the law for that matter).

The deputies tell me that I …'have to wake up and get out of [where ever I am at], but they don't stick around, ask for ID, run checks or anything else for that matter. They are gone within 5 minutes. Just here long enough to wake me up and justify hassling me. The justifications are rather random (I think they are making them up as they are talking).

So it appears they are no longer enforcing the lodging code.

I'll need to do some checking around to verify this status, but at this point, it looks like a small victory.

Okay, this was fun... Paying with Blank Paper..

2008-04-08T17:27:00.000-07:00

Oh, about the April 1 Court Date

2008-04-07T20:11:00.000-07:00

On April 1st I went to court on (This Ticket). So what happened on that day? Obviously I didn't go to jail. I didn't get a new court date either. In fact, I never made it into the court room. I showed up, and at the check-in area was told by the clerk no charges were going to be filed, due to lack of evidence. While it was clear to me that I wasn't going to be found guilty, this was a surprise. I was also aware at the time that the arrest also had no probable cause as well. Again, however, while these were evident to me, I still did not expect such a direct back-down from the D.A.

I have been giving this a great deal of thought, as to what my next actions should be with matter and the Municipal Code 10.20.50 . I have decided to find a lawyer and press with this matter to civil court. I'm also going to continue "enjoying my rights" as a citizen and move forward as I did the last couple of months.

I have learned and even witnessed that my actions during the last few months have been making a positive change with the handling and rights-trampling of the homeless in Santee. I've also found that the Sheriffs are less likely to respond to calls of "homeless people existing" in public areas. Basic harassment has been down. It hasn't gone away, not by a long shot, but there have been changes.

Giving these two decisions, I'm also going to focus more energy into my work, and push back this project on the importance-list. Not back-burning, just an adjustment of priorities.

Five more minutes....

2008-04-07T17:18:00.000-07:00

Cool Show Terron showed me ("He's a Demon!")

2008-04-07T17:14:00.000-07:00

This just in... Waldo Eats CATS!

2008-04-07T16:27:00.000-07:00

don't really care about the two guys, but Eddie the Cat is pissed off about the Cat thing!

Neurotically Yours "New Used" Foamy Rant

2008-04-07T16:15:00.000-07:00

"NEW
USED"

Copyright Jonathan Ian
Mathers 2002-2006.

THANKS
TO THESE FOLKS! FOAMY WOULD NOT BE HERE IF IT WASN'T FOR THEM!

I love Foamy the Squirrel

Cats New Suspect in the War on Terror

2008-04-07T15:10:00.000-07:00

In this age of heightened awareness of terrorism, we're told we can't afford to let any possible terror activity go undetected. One surveillance initiative is placing sensitive radiation detectors on interstate highways. After all, you never know when Osama might be tooling down the highway with the ingredients for a "dirty bomb" in his turban.
...
Here's the story: a few months ago, police on Interstate 5 in the state of Washington were monitoring traffic for radiation emissions. A vehicle whizzed by and the detector "alerted" to the presence of radiation.

The police gave chase and pulled over the offending vehicle a few miles south of Bellingham. A cursory search of the car revealed nothing of interest—with the exception of a "radioactive cat."

(Read the Cat Terrorist Story Here)

On the differences between men and women . . .

2008-04-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

by Dave Berry

Let's say a guy named Roger is attracted to a woman named Elaine. He asks her out to a movie; she accepts; they have a pretty good time. A few nights later he asks her out to dinner, and again they enjoy themselves. They continue to see each other regularly, and after a while neither one of them is seeing anybody else.

And then, one evening when they're driving home, a thought occurs to Elaine, and, without really thinking, she says it aloud: ''Do you realize that, as of tonight, we've been seeing each other for exactly six months?''

And then there is silence in the car. To Elaine, it seems like a very loud silence. She thinks to herself: Geez, I wonder if it bothers him that I said that. Maybe he's been feeling confined by our relationship; maybe he thinks I'm trying to push him into some kind of obligation that he doesn't want, or isn't sure of.

And Roger is thinking: Gosh. Six months.

And Elaine is thinking: But, hey, I'm not so sure I want this kind of relationship, either. Sometimes I wish I had a little more space, so I'd have time to think about whether I really want us to keep going the way we are, moving steadily toward . . . I mean, where are we going? Are we just going to keep seeing each other at this level of intimacy? Are we heading toward marriage? Toward children? Toward a lifetime together? Am I ready for that level of commitment? Do I really even know this person?

And Roger is thinking: . . . so that means it was . . . let's see . . . February when we started going out, which was right after I had the car at the dealer's, which means . . . lemme check the odometer . . . Whoa! I am way overdue for an oil change here.

And Elaine is thinking: He's upset. I can see it on his face. Maybe I'm reading this completely wrong. Maybe he wants more from our relationship, more intimacy, more commitment; maybe he has sensed -- even before I sensed it -- that I was feeling some reservations. Yes, I bet that's it. That's why he's so reluctant to say anything about his own feelings. He's afraid of being rejected.

And Roger is thinking: And I'm gonna have them look at the transmission again. I don't care what those morons say, it's still not shifting right. And they better not try to blame it on the cold weather this time. What cold weather? It's 87 degrees out, and this thing is shifting like a goddamn garbage truck, and I paid those incompetent thieves $600.

And Elaine is thinking: He's angry. And I don't blame him. I'd be angry, too. God, I feel so guilty, putting him through this, but I can't help the way I feel. I'm just not sure.

And Roger is thinking: They'll probably say it's only a 90-day warranty. That's exactly what they're gonna say, the scumballs.

And Elaine is thinking: Maybe I'm just too idealistic, waiting for a knight to come riding up on his white horse, when I'm sitting right next to a perfectly good person, a person I enjoy being with, a person I truly do care about, a person who seems to truly care about me. A person who is in pain because of my self-centered, schoolgirl romantic fantasy.

And Roger is thinking: Warranty? They want a warranty? I'll give them a goddamn warranty. I'll take their warranty and stick it right up their ..... .

''Roger,'' Elaine says aloud.

''What?'' says Roger, startled.

''Please don't torture yourself like this,'' she says, her eyes beginning to brim with tears. ''Maybe I should never have . . Oh God, I feel so . .... .''

(She breaks down, sobbing.)

''What?'' says Roger.

''I'm such a fool,'' Elaine sobs. ''I mean, I know there's no knight. I really know that. It's silly. There's no knight, and there's no horse.''

''There's no horse?'' says Roger.

''You think I'm a fool, don't you?'' Elaine says.

''No!'' says Roger, glad to finally know the correct answer.

''It's just that . . . It's that I . . . I need some time,'' Elaine says.

(There is a 15-second pause while Roger, thinking as fast as he can, tries to come up with a safe response. Finally he comes up with one that he thinks might work.)

''Yes,'' he says.

(Elaine, deeply moved, touches his hand.)

''Oh, Roger, do you really feel that way?'' she says.

''What way?'' says Roger.

''That way about time,'' says Elaine.

''Oh,'' says Roger. ''Yes.''

(Elaine turns to face him and gazes deeply into his eyes, causing him to become very nervous about what she might say next, especially if it involves a horse. At last she speaks.)

''Thank you, Roger,'' she says.

''Thank you,'' says Roger.

Then he takes her home, and she lies on her bed, a conflicted, tortured soul, and weeps until dawn, whereas when Roger gets back to his place, he opens a bag of Doritos, turns on the TV, and immediately becomes deeply involved in a rerun of a tennis match between two Czechoslovakians he never heard of. A tiny voice in the far recesses of his mind tells him that something major was going on back there in the car, but he is pretty sure there is no way he would ever understand what, and so he figures it's better if he doesn't think about it. (This is also Roger's policy regarding world hunger.)

The next day Elaine will call her closest friend, or perhaps two of them, and they will talk about this situation for six straight hours. In painstaking detail, they will analyze everything she said and everything he said, going over it time and time again, exploring every word, expression, and gesture for nuances of meaning, considering every possible ramification. They will continue to discuss this subject, off and on, for weeks, maybe months, never reaching any definite conclusions, but never getting bored with it, either.

Meanwhile, Roger, while playing racquetball one day with a mutual friend of his and Elaine's, will pause just before serving, frown, and say''Norm, did Elaine ever own a horse?''

Some Good Books to read (Fantasy Novels)

2008-04-07T12:17:00.000-07:00

This is the one that I was thinking about. This is a great book, and has the same main characters running around as Night Watch. If you are going to enter the land of Terry Pratchett, not a bad way to start.

If you buy the books off Amazon, by using these image links, I credit for the sales.

I mentioned this Terry Pratchett book, but really it this one comes after Guards! Guards! and it would be better to start with Guards! Guards!, and then read this one
later.

Soul Music begins the books with my favorite character of Terry Pratchett, Susan; Death's Grand Daughter. In fact Susan is probably responsible for my character
Elaine, in the Shadow Dance series; Scarred Lands. Though the two characters are different in many aspects, their personalities certainly do have crossing points (mostly in the bones area).

Again, with this book, you really don't need to know anything about Disc World to enjoy it, but if you have already read Guards! Guards!, then you will enjoy it a bit more.

I have discovered two other books (by the same author "Scott Lynch") which are great fantasy books as well.

The Lies of Locke Lamora

Welcome to the world of Scott Lynch, a writer who appears not to be well known at the moment, but that is sure to change. It has been years since I've read a fantasy
novel that really captured both my interest as a fantasy enthusiast and as a writer. Scott Lynch has an amazing style of writing, and a truly fresh means of telling a story. Well worth the trip into his world. Read the Excerpt on my web site and decide for yourself.

Red Seas Under Red Skies

The Gentlemen Bastards are finally back in Scott Lynch's new novel Red Seas Under Red Skies. Locke and Jean decide that depression and longing for times past is just not making it, and set out to take on the biggest, most deadly target they can come up with, which in true Lamora fashion turns out to be fairly
accurate, especially the deadly part.

Scott Lynch certainly succeeds in creating a novel that meets any expectation built up from his first fantasy novel, The Lies of Locke Lamora, and in my personal view, exceeds them.

I have several web sites, which I post all kinds of stuff on.

http://www.scarn.com

My Fantasy web site

http://www.glennhefley.com The main web site

And of course this one.
http://eddiecatwalking.blogspot.com

The Walking with Eddie Cat Blog,
tales of my travels.

Well, have a good day off and I'm sure to see you around.

2008-04-04T19:56:00.001-07:00

"Though I did not know the place, I set out for the land of my dreams. Having arrived at the land of my dreams, I found I did not know the place."

Tree sap and Cat Fur

2008-03-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

Eddie got himself covered in tree-sap at some point during the night.

We have been over at the Sonrise Church, taking advantage of the age-old tradition of sanctuary, and the surprisingly warm hearts I've come across inside those walls. Anyway, we have been over there so often that Eddie has figured out his territory and boundaries, so I occasionally take him off the leash and let him "hunt". He's been very effective in removing several mice, a rat and a gopher so far (which he deposits at my head, then sleeps on the small of my back... job done).

Some how Eddie Cat got his back and hind-legs covered in some type of tree sap. Not sure what type, though it isn't the pine (which is good). I not really sure what it is, but it was hardening by the time I woke up and even minor movements were causing Eddie Cat obvious pain.

So I spent the morning rubbing coconut oil into his fur and brushing it out. Some of the clumps were too large for even that process so I scissored them.

To his credit Eddie Cat only bit me once, when his patience with the process had reached its limit. After growling at each other for about a minute, he laid back down and I finished getting the tree-sap out of his fur.

So it has been an active morning, and now it is well into the noon time, and I have to get a promised lunch. So off I go.

That was a bother…

2008-03-25T11:56:00.000-07:00

Apparently, even with all of the smoke and mirrors given to me last time at Court, … if I showed up this time (at the Readiness Trail), then I was innocent of all charges. I reason this because that is all I did…, show up…, and all of the charges were dropped. Since this one got muddled up by my past exploits, and I don't have video or recording of the event, I'm just going to let it go. The next fun filled adventure is on April 1, 2008. This is the one I have the video of (actual evidence) to support; so I won't be just "letting it go." I'm going to push it to trail and in civil court as well.

Have not heard anything yet from the ACLU, which is a bit disappointing, but I will continue to do the footwork and move forward. Hopefully they will be able to jump on-board as well. I would like to insure a very one-sided battle in getting this law unenforceable. I believe that what I have now is enough to insure a "win", but I'm not much interested in a "fair fight".

The San Diego County Superior Court however, appears to not be interested in prosecuting these Illegal lodging tickets from Santee. If they plead innocent, then it is dropped by the DA. But at the very least, this process of pleading innocent requires two days of court time. This is not enough to walk away from it and simply educate the homeless in Santee to plead innocent no matter what the "deal" is, or what the jail time threat is issued. The threat to the homeless is two days in court, sitting there while everything they own may be discovered and stolen. There is always the threat that the homeless may not be in a position to make the court date, or the follow up "Readiness" trail as well. Heck, a lack in meds could put some of them in a mental state that they don't remember to show up, or what they are doing there.

Besides that, even though the courts are not prosecuting, the Sheriffs are still enforcing (heartily) this unconstitutional municipal code. Enforcing it as a direct threat, and using it as an abusive tool under the badge of authority. As far as I can tell, this appears to be a Hate Crime on the part of the Deputies, but I'll let my lawyer see where we are going to go with that. Again, my main target is the SMC, nothing more.

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATION

Reports done by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the Department of Justice about hate crimes against homeless people prompted the California State Legislature to take action.

Senate Bill 1234, which was introduced in February of 2004 by State Senator Kuehl, became public law in September of the same year and went into effect in July of 2005. It is now California Penal Code 13519.64.

This law requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards to develop a two-hour telecourse to be made available to all law enforcement agencies in California on crimes against homeless people and how to deal effectively and humanely with homeless people, including those with disabilities. The telecourse is to include information on multi-mission criminal extremism, which includes crimes committed in whole or in part because of the victims’ actual or perceived homelessness. In developing the telecourse, the commission is to consult subject-matter experts including, but not limited to, homeless and formerly homeless persons in California, service providers and advocates for homeless people in California, experts on the disabilities that homeless people commonly suffer, the California Council of Churches, the National Coalition for the Homeless, the Senate Office of Research, and the Criminal Justice Statistics Center of the Department of Justice.

Something that has come to mind of late, with my "The Lawless Christian" research and these local experiences, is that Laws don't make you safe, or promote safety, or culture a feeling of safety. Laws are simply the beginning of arguments and battles.

The Word of God, beyond letters

2008-03-24T15:39:00.000-07:00

Too often, I feel, Christians hold the bible up, black covers clamped in righteous fist like a bludgeon, and say "This is the Word of God!" When what they mean is, "this is the Law of God". Some how the meaning and the text have become lost amongst the believers.

I don't feel this is simply semantics, since the disciples, following Jesus' example, go to great lengths to distinguish between the Law and the Word. The New Testament is not the Word of God, Jesus is the Word of God.(John 1:14) His message powered by the Holy Spirit transcends static text and language. The New Testament is a record of the Word of God, it is not the Word itself. I don't feel that this clarification devalues the importance of the New Testament in anyway, but simply recalls its original and intended value. I do believe however that to ignore the message and teachings of the Christ, and to insist that the Bible and the Word are the same thing, is to devalue the purpose and meaning of Christ's sacrifice. "The letter kills, but the spirit gives life," 2 Corinthians 3:6

We are too often distracted by the light glowing brightly on the dark wall and forget the value and purpose of the light's source. Too often we grasp at what we can see and hold in our hand, rather than reaching out to that which is beyond our current perceptions.

Jesus, the Word of God, is much like the concept of Freedom. Everyone believes that Freedom is a good thing, but not everyone is willing to take responsibility for their freedom. Thomas Jefferson once said "Those who wish for Freedom and Safety, deserve neither."

Freedom is a lot of work, and enacting Freedom in our lives is to take full responsibility for our lives; to give up all the excuses and crutches for our faults and shortcomings; to say "I am responsible for my life because I choose Freedom over servitude."

2Cr 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which [vail] is done away in Christ.

2Cr 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

2Cr 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

2Cr 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty.

2Cr 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.

St. Augustine - On Law and Spirit

2008-03-23T14:29:00.000-07:00

t is evident, then, that the oldness of the letter, in the absence of the newness of the spirit, instead of freeing us from sin, rather makes us guilty by the knowledge of sin. Whence it is written in another part of Scripture, "He that increases knowledge, increases sorrow," Ecclesiastes 1:18 —not that the law is itself evil, but because the commandment has its good in the demonstration of the letter, not in the assistance of the spirit; and if this commandment is kept from the fear of punishment and not from the love of righteousness, it is servilely kept, not freely, and therefore it is not kept at all.

For no fruit is good which does not grow from the root of love. If, however, that faith be present which works by love, Galatians 5:6 then one begins to delight in the law of God after the inward man, Romans 7:22 and this delight is the gift of the spirit, not of the letter; even though there is another law in our members still warring against the law of the mind, until the old state is changed, and passes into that newness which increases from day to day in the inward man, while the grace of God is liberating us from the body of this death through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Augustine's book on the Spirit and the Law is amazingly close to what I'm striving for here (again, I've never really been original in my works).

The letter kills, but the spirit gives life

2008-03-23T14:13:00.000-07:00

I'm still working through all of this "knowledge" that I'm compiling, striving to better understand the nature of what was taken from us at the Tree, and what was returned to us at the Cross.

I apologize if all of this research and fumbling about the scriptures has become a burden to you (reader), especially if you have come here to learn more about the homeless and how to help. But I am not a single minded person, who does not strive to become fuller in life and in the Lord. So, again, I've tagged these particular notations and entries as "The Lawless Christian", giving to you the ability to find all of these, or ignore them as a group.

These areas, as I read the bodies of work they are from, helped a great deal in bringing to mind what I is I am after. While still ethereal in my mind, the idea of the "Lawless Christian" manifests a number thoughts which require deeper research. Not just for the writings I would like to do on this subject (I definitely prefer to have a good foundation in my understanding of the scriptures before delivering commentary), but also for my own enjoyment of the scriptures themselves.

There are still many good works to cover. Questions and Focal-Points such as the ones I have, are by no means original thoughts. I have always found that these questions and topics have been well covered since the times of antiquity, and rarely can I even suggest the claim of original perspective.

3. The fatal consequences came with a rush. There is a gulf between being tempted and sinning, but the results of the sin are closely knit to it. They come automatically, as surely as a stream from a fountain. The promise of knowing good and evil was indeed kept, but instead of its making the sinners 'like gods,' it showed them that they were like beasts, and brought the first sense of shame. To know evil was, no doubt, a forward step intellectually; but to know it by experience, and as part of themselves, necessarily changed their ignorant innocence into bitter knowledge, and conscience awoke to rebuke them. The first thing that their opened eyes saw was themselves, and the immediate result of the sight was the first blush of shame. Before, they had walked in innocent unconsciousness, like angels or infants; now they had knowledge of good and evil, because their sin had made evil a part of themselves, and the knowledge was bitter.
http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext04/7gens10.txt

--Expositions of Holy Scripture, by Alexander Maclaren : (1826-1910) "was a Baptist minister. Born in Glasgow to Baptist parents, he was baptized in 1840 and trained at Stepney ,College.
http://www.puritansermons.com/bio/biomacla.htm

"The letter kills, but the spirit gives life," 2 Corinthians 3:6 which merely prescribes that we should not take in the literal sense any figurative phrase which in the proper meaning of its words would produce only nonsense, but should consider what else it signifies, nourishing the inner man by our spiritual intelligence, since"being carnally-minded is death, while to be spiritually-minded is life and peace." Romans 8:6 If, for instance, a man were to take in a literal and carnal sense much that is written in the Song of Solomon, he would minister not to the fruit of a luminous charity, but to the feeling of a libidinous desire. Therefore, the apostle is not to be confined to the limited application just mentioned, when he says, "The letter kills, but the spirit gives life;" 2 Corinthians 3:6 but this is also (and indeed especially) equivalent to what he says elsewhere in the plainest words: "I had not known lust, except the law had said, You shall not covet;" Romans 7:7 and again, immediately after: "Sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me." Romans 7:11 Now from this you may see what is meant by "the letter that kills." There is, of course, nothing said figuratively which is not to be accepted in its plain sense, when it is said, "You shall not covet;" but this is a very plain and salutary precept, and any man who shall fulfill it will have no sin at all. The apostle, indeed, purposely selected this general precept, in which he embraced everything, as if this were the voice of the law, prohibiting us from all sin, when he says, "You shall not covet;" for there is no sin committed except by evil concupiscence; so that the law which prohibits this is a good and praiseworthy law. But, when the Holy Ghost withholds His help, which inspires us with a good desire instead of this evil desire (in other words, diffuses love in our hearts), that law, however good in itself, only augments the evil desire by forbidding it.

The necessity of the meaning of "Knowledge".

2008-03-23T11:18:00.001-07:00

Something that has always bothered me about the story of the Fall of Man, is this "Knowledge of Good and Evil", this sudden insight into the nature of Sin, and the subsequent requirement of Laws which we (Man), have no chance of really understanding.

This has bothered me since I was a child in my Grandfather's church.

To paraphrase the story, we (Man) is told not to eat (by God) of the tree of Knowledge. We do eat from it, and suddenly we have this Knowledge.

Now, what has always been a quirk in my understanding of this tale, has never been the reason for the existence of the tree, or why God put it within our grasp. Those are simply the parameters of God's creation. He wanted the Tree there, just like he wanted Lions, Tigers and Bears. What sticks in my head is what happens next…

We have this "Knowledge" and the first thing we come up with, is we are Naked, and Naked is "wrong"; Naked is something to be ashamed of… which surprises God. After all, he's been looking at our Naked selves for quite some time.

Genesis Chapter 3 verse:7-11

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked?

Now, later God says (verse 22) And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:...

While God determines quite soon that man's thoughts are "evil" we (man) have no real instruction as to the "rules" of life. We do have the "knowledge" of good and evil, but apparently we have a warped view of things.

It is not until after the flood with Noah, that God begins to give "Laws". The first being that eating meat with blood is not a good thing. (Gen 9:4) Then warnings against Murder (Gen 9:6) and the explanation given is that Man is Created in the Image of God.

We are then told that we are to have sex and children.

And then the first covenant with Man is given.

Gen 12 we find out that Audutry is not right with God, though he has said nothing about this, assuming we know, the Pharo or Egypt apparently knows and says that he would not have had sex with Abram wife, if he didn't believe she was Abram's sister (which is how Abram introduces her to the Pharo). God just plauges him.

17And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. 18And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? 19Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. 20And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

This type of discovery-after-the-fact of the Laws of God goes on until deep inside Exodus, which is the first time that God says, "Look, here are the commandments, and we'll go through the rest together later".

So, while we have this general Knowledge (awareness) of Good and Evil, we do not have clear understanding.

We know there are things that are Good and things that are Evil, but this understanding is at a very childish level. Good, we see as things that make us feel good, Evil are things that make us feel bad.

We have also lost the Spiritual connection with God.

Beginning thoughts on the Word and the Law

2008-03-23T08:32:00.000-07:00

The Law and the Word

Perhaps it is my focus during these last few months, and perhaps it is just the season, but I've been contemplating the differences between the biblical meaning of the Law and the Word of late.

Most of this contemplation has been fragmented and disjointed at best, as the period of time the subject entices me most, is when I'm walking to my work spot, or back to the Sonrise Church.

But there have been some interesting injections into my day from periodic readings, and the bible study groups I have been attending. Nothing thunder-stroked, but enough to see some perspectives, which I have been aware of, but have not fully appreciated.

Law is something we naturally seem to either think of defending ourselves against, or trying to work around so that we still get what we want. Laws, historically and sociologically, have never enhanced nor nurtured a population of peace; but rather a population of control.

We call it "Original Sin" but what I think the "apple" really signifies is the "Origin of Sin". For as we find in the verses of the New Testement, There is no Sin, without the Law, and only with the law is Sin and Death manifest.

Jesus came to return us to Lawlessness.

John 1:1:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14:
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 6:63:
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Acts 6:4:
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Acts 19:20:
So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

Hebrews 7:28:
For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

I John 1:1:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

The Law was given to the Hebrews through Moses. It is called the Torah by the Jews. The Torah (Hebrew: תּוֹרָה Translit.: torah Translated: doctrine, teaching) has been revered as the inspired word(s) of God, as it is said by tradition to have been revealed to Moses by God. The Torah is the (written) Law or written Torah (unlike the oral Law called Mishnah).

God gave Moses the law because after the fall of man and the ejection from paradise, man was lost and confused in his attempts to fin meaning or direction in life. More than that however, the Law became required because Man, through the eating of the fruit, became aware of "Good" and "Evil". The phrase is quoted as the "Knowledge of Good and Evil", however, this translation at this time may be confusing.

Rabbi David Fohrman of the Hoffberger Foundation for Torah Studies, citing Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed, states that "the tree did not give us moral awareness when we had none before. Rather, it transformed this awareness from one kind into another." After eating from the Tree, humanity's innate sense of moral awareness was transformed from concepts of true and false to concepts of good and evil. Genesis describes the tree as desirable (3:6), and our concepts of good and evil, unlike our concepts of true and false, also have an implicit measure of desire.

According to George M. Lamsa, "The tree of the knowledge of good and evil" is an Aramaic idiom that means moral law, the knowledge of good and evil. If so the fruit of the tree might be using moral law as a tool to break the commandment "Judge not."

Know; Knowledge:
no, nol’-ej (in Hebrew chiefly yadha‘, noun da‘ath; in Greek ginosko, oida’ "to know fully," epiginosko, noun gnosis epignosis): Knowledge strictly is the apprehension by the mind of some fact or truth in accordance with its real nature; in a personal relation the intellectual act is necessarily conjoined with the element of affection and will (choice, love, favor, or, conversely, repugnance, dislike, etc.). Knowledge is distinguished from "opinion" by its greater certainty. The mind is constituted with the capacity for knowledge, and the desire to possess and increase it. The character of knowledge varies with its object. The senses give knowledge of outward appearances; the intellect connects and reasons about these appearances, and arrives at general laws or truths; moral truth is apprehended through the power inherently possessed by men of distinguishing right and wrong in the light of moral principles; spiritual qualities require for their apprehension spiritual sympathy ("They are spiritually judged," 1Co 2:14).

Knowledge is affirmed of both God and man, but with the wide contrast that God’s knowledge is absolute, unerring, complete, intuitive, embracing all things, past, present, and future, and searching the inmost thoughts of the heart (Ps 139:1,23); whereas man’s is partial, imperfect, relative, gradually acquired, and largely mixed with error ("Now we see in a mirror darkly .... in part," 1Co 13:12). All these points about knowledge are amply brought out in the Scripture usage of the terms.

The Term Knowledge for me right now is in deep question. While the Hebrew uses the word "knowledge" I am not sure of the tense that is used, and the Tense in this case has huge alterations in meaning.

Ar Yehóva Eru tyarnë tuita cemello ilya alda i ná vanya cenien ar mára matien ho sa, ar yando i alda cuilëo endessë i tarvo, ar i alda istyo márava ar ulcuva.

And Jehovah God made grow from the earth every tree that is beautiful to look upon [cenien, "for seeing", dative] and good to eat from [lit. "good for eating from it"], and also the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of (the) knowledge of good and evil. [Yando "also", QL:104. This early "Qenya" word for "also" may well have been rejected along with the word ya for "and" - Tolkien's later Quenya has ar instead - but we know no other word for "also". - Tarvo, genitive of tarwa "garden". The combination wo is probably impossible in Quenya, and in this position it would likely turn into vo. Compare the name Curvo (Kurvo) in PM:352; this probably represents the impossible form *Kurwo, since the stem is clearly KURU as in Curufinwë, the longer form of this name (*Curuo > *Curwo > Curvo). - I alda istyo "the tree of knowledge", istyo being the genitive of istya "knowledge". Márava ar ulcuva "of good and evil": Ulco with stem ulcu- denotes "evil" as a noun, VT43:23-24. In the phrase márava ar ulcuva I use the "possessive" or "adjectival" case in -va rather than the genitive in -o, since the va-case seems to function as an "object genitive" in such phrases as nurtalë Valinóreva "hiding of Valinor" (Silmarillion ch. 11), Valinor being the logical object of the "hiding". In the case before us, mára "good" and ulco, ulcu- "evil" are the logical objects of the istya or "knowledge": good and evil are the things that are "known".]

http://www.uib.no/people/hnohf/genesis2.htm

John 1:17:
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ

Romans 6:14:
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 7:6:
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

Romans 7:7:
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Romans 7:8:
But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

Romans 7:9:
For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

Romans 8:2:
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

I Corinthians 15:56:
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

Galatians 2:16:
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Galatians 2:19:
For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

Galatians 2:21:
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

I Timothy 1:8:
But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

I Timothy 1:9:
Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

Titus 3:9:
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

Hebrews 7:19:
For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

I John 3:4:
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

James 4:11:
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Hebrews 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. 8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

Hebrews 9:19
For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

After waking up this morning and going over these notes I wrote last night, I believe that these are the small seeds of a much greater study which I would like to pursue. I'm going to categorize these notes into a collection called "The Lawless Christian".

My biblical study and research skills are very good, but I will probably be requesting help, and hoping for comment as I bring all of these thoughts into some semblance of order. It is my hope, and prayer that this study helps others in their search for understanding and faith.

Sure took them a long time to think of this...

2008-03-19T13:29:00.000-07:00

LA PUENTE - Authorities on Tuesday were helping the homeless near the San Gabriel Valley River bed find services.

All morning, transients trickled into San Angelo Park for a clinic, which included free medical evaluations, long-term health care options and other services from county public works, social services and law enforcement.

"Addressing the homeless problem is not unique," sheriff's Deputy John Rose said. "But this kind of collection of resources, addressing the problem this way, is unique."

(Read the full story here)

I don't want to sound judgmental on this one at all. It sounds like a great start, and as the Sheriff says, it is unique. It is sad that it is unique, but unique it is.

Most of the "crazy" people I run across out on the streets require so little to "straighten out", but what they require is absolute. If you are already Bi-Polar, or Schizophrenic, and; you don't eat, have a proper supply of vitamins, a good blood-sugar count, enough sleep, on top of not having your medication, then you are going to be a little crazy... or a lot crazy. But the basic fact is, you are not going to be thinking well enough to help yourself off the street.

A homeless person who gets a job, and later gets the flu, is sick for so long that he looses the job. A simple thing like the flu, something most people take as "part of life" can end a person on the street.

I also really liked the story on the "Homeless & Disabled" Court I read yesterday. Very cool idea and an amazing man running the show. (Read that story here)

Arsenic and Old Lace -- The Dark Side

2008-03-19T13:19:00.000-07:00

Two old women in Los Angeles called the "Black Widows" in the press have been arrested and charged with murdering two homeless men in order to collect the insurance on them. This money for murder scheme netted the two women 2.8 million dollars before police tracked them down. (Read the Story here)

I was just talking about that old Cary Grant film Arsenic and Old Lace yesterday. While Santee on the whole is certainly not a great place for the homeless person, even one trying to get off the streets and regain a position in life, So far they haven't started running them over with cars, or killing the homeless for money.

Feeding the Homeless with Sonrise

2008-03-16T19:20:00.000-07:00

I had a good time at Sonrise tonight. It was a good way to spend the evening on the 18th anniversary of my soberity. Being of service, no matter what the task or for whom is generally a good idea. The people at Sonrise seem to feel the same way, and I'm very grateful that there are still such people in the world.

Eddie wasn't exactly impressed, but ... he's a cat, and he always gets fed.

You can see more photos on my web album area

Sonrise March 13 2008 Giving Love

So, how was your morning?

2008-03-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

Some people just have to deal with traffic getting to work; the homeless in Santee have other problems.

The video cuts off quickly at the end, because I'm sticking the camera in my pocket, so that I have something to give my lawyer when this pillar of justice takes my stuff.

I really am getting quite annoyed with this Sheriff situation, and this whole thing. My purpose is the law, but more an more, I beginning to believe that perhaps people don't change until you make it hurt a bit.

Christopher Avery Promotion project

2008-03-04T16:14:00.000-08:00

Finished with Dr. Avery's project today, but we have a lot more to do together here in the future.

I like working with clients like Dr. Avery, he has a good message, and he's an excellent writer as well, meaning he knows how to bring his message across to the reader. I'll be working on book promotion with him, as well as some video work here in the near future, while he works on his next book.

I'm sure I'll be talking quite a bit about him in the future.

Eddie and Bird:30 AM

2008-03-04T11:35:00.000-08:00

Bird:30 AM was about 6:30 am this morning. The sun begins to glow in the East, the chill across the grass begins to mist, and the birds begin to gather from their night-time branchs. They gather in murders. Huge numbers alight on fence and powerline, and all of them begin to chirp to one another. The chirping is soon a deafening roar of high pitched yelling as each of the flock members fight to be heard.

Then they descend, a turmoil of atmospheric pressure.

It's one of Eddie's favorite moments.

Starbucks Hotspot changing to AT&T from T-Mobile

2008-03-04T11:24:00.000-08:00

A manager at one of my favorite hang-outs here in Santee told me the other day that Starbucks is going to change over from T-Mobile to AT&T for the wireless hotspot service.

These news articles appear to verify that story, but I did see some contrary articles out there.

Wall Street Journal

Wired News

ZDNet News

Washington Post

I don't mind the change, because it will save me about $50.00 a month not having to have both (I frequent Barnes and Nobel as well), so that is good, but AT&T has always been the inferior of the two services to me. First of all I can't use my POP account on Gmail with it (have to go to the GMail web site to send out mail), and the service cuts you off after an hour or so, requiring you to log back in, which is a pain when you are downloading large files (like videos from clients who need them edited the next day).

Of course, since I'm homeless right now in Santee, I probably use the services much more than the average person, and I certainly stress them much more than the average person because of my various trades. So my complaints may not be incidents which you may notice is your usage.

Something I have noticed however, is that T-Mobile hasn't bothered to send anything to me regarding this switch over.

Face of the Guiding Light of Santee

2008-03-02T17:32:00.000-08:00

I don't know the Mayor of Santee, never had the need to look anything up on him, or what his views really were; but I just ran across this little tid-bit of information:

"Basically we don't have a homeless problem (in Santee), except down by the river, and those people are camped illegally and destroying the environment," he said. "I'm not a homeless advocate in any way, shape or form."

Voepel said he'd received very few complaints from his constituents on Santee's abstention from supporting the plan I wrote about today. "I believe that the more homeless programs we fund in Southern California, the more people come here and be homeless," said the man who refers to his city as the La Jolla of East County. "I have a very hard-nosed viewpoint, a very conservative viewpoint. Some people say it's very un-Christian, but I am a Christian."

Well, as long as Jesus doesn't come through Santee, I guess he'll be OK.

These quotes are from an article Kelly Bennett wrote on the Voice of San Diego . Voepel goes on to say some other incredibly stupid and horrible things, such as suggesting that Genocide is a solution to political problems.

Now I don't feel bad at all. It is kind of like killing Hitmen, you can do anything you like to them, and you never feel bad about it the next day.

2008-03-02T17:17:00.000-08:00

While the police officers in Seattle use their Obstructing a Police Officer charge as leverage, the local Santee Sheriff deputies like to use the "Lodging" municipal code for the same thing, handing out Lodging tickets to any homeless person, who is doing anything within the sight of these roving patrols. Lodging is also used as an excuse to rough up homeless people. As was told to me, "You are trespassing in the public park, because you are homeless".

Despite the fact that the 10.20.150 SMC states that it is an "overnight" offense, the sheriff deputies seem to forget this aspect of the law quite frequently.

I am truly hoping that this week will begin to see some changes in this law. But what about the attitude behind the law? Will our local deputies simply switch over to another law, Obstructing an Officer, for example, and continue the harassment campaign? I would like to believe that the only reason they are enforcing this very silly code is they are being told to by local government. But my last encounter with the local law enforcement has left me feeling rather dubious of this assessment.

Something I have been curious about and finally got around to looking up is "what the heck is Lodging?" According to the Santee Municipal Code Definitions 17.04.140 a Lodging Unit is:

“Lodging unit” means a room or group of rooms used or intended for use by overnight occupants as a single unit, whether on a transient or residential occupancy basis, located in a motel or dwelling unit providing lodging, whether or not meals are provided to such persons. Where designed or used for occupancy by more than two persons, each two persons capacity shall be deemed a separate lodging unit. For the purpose of determining residential density, each two lodging units shall be considered the equivalent of one dwelling unit.

But there is no definition for Lodging as it pertains to the 10.20.150 law. There is also no definition of Camping, or what they could possibly mean by Tarry.

With out clear definitions to our Municipal Code, how can enforcement be available without the expectation of abuse? It would seem to me that Santee simply doesn't care, and expects the victims of its abusive law enforcement to simply be quite and take their punishment. The real shame of it is, that it could be just that simple.

I have been reminded several times that it is not just the homeless who have to deal with abusive and discriminatory enforcement tactics from the local municipal codes. Several home owners have told me about outrageous abuses in building licenses, building inspections, and value assessments.

So while it may be a pain to be homeless in a city like Santee, it might be worse to own a home here.

Jailed and Forgotten

2008-03-02T16:48:00.000-08:00

A homeless man in Seattle was picked up and brought to jail by a Patrol Officer, for "obstructing a public officer." What type of obstruction was never recorded, nor was the homeless man charged for "obstructing a public officer" or anything else for that matter.

He was then forgotten for 3 months.

The Story is on the Seattle PI web site.

And people ask me why what I'm doing while I'm homeless right now is so important to me.

2008-02-29T07:08:00.000-08:00

Acceptance

2008-02-29T06:59:00.000-08:00

Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy. -- Albert Einstein

Acceptance of a situation does not necessarily mean that we are released of responsibility for the situation, or its causes. Acceptance is merely the ability to see the situation or event for what it is, with eyes unclouded by fruitless thoughts.

Of course there is unfairness in the world; of course there is injustice and hate. The acceptance of these states as being real certainly does not relieve us of the responsibility of addressing these issues. And how we address these issues when they are in front of us is how we address our God.

Don Winslow's New Novel "Dawn Patrol"

2008-02-28T17:01:00.000-08:00

Jason Kincade, an online Marketer for Random House, just contacted me and let me know that Don Winslow's new novel "Dawn Patrol" will be coming out in June, so that is exciting news. I expect I'll be doing quite a bit of marketing for Don over the next few months, getting the word out.

What many new authors don't know is that while a company like Random House might publish your novel, they expect you (the author) to do a good portion of the marketing for its successful sales. Not knowing much about marketing (and why should they?) and even knowing less about marketing on the Internet, many good novels fall through the cracks, and show little success, even though the potential readership is gasping for new tales.

As Don is a personal friend of mine I don't mind helping him out with this side of his business at all, and in fact, since I'm a fan of his work, I look forward to it (and the free copy I usually get :-)

If you aren't familiar with Don Winslow's work, search out Power of the Dog, The Winter of Frankie Machine (soon to be a movie with Robert De Niro), and Cool Breeze on the Underground (also with a motion picture in the works).

2008-02-28T13:34:00.000-08:00

Eddie the Cat vs. Animal Control

2008-02-28T13:14:00.000-08:00

Ok, this one is new. I knew that after I started pushing against the Sheriffs and the local homeless laws I was going to start getting more than the average amount of flack, but I didn't see this one coming at all.

First of all, the report to Animal Services was that I was "beating" Eddie. Yes, you read that right... I was out there at high noon beating on my Eddie cat. how silly is that?

Once the Animal Services was here on the scene and talking to me, they asked how long Eddie was on his tether? The answer to that is pretty much "all day and all night". Her response was to give me a Correction Notice which, she said, states that animals could only be on a tether for 3 hours per day.

Health and Safety Code 122335(b): No person shall tether, fasten, chain, tie, or restrain a dog, or cause a dog to be tethered, fastened, chained, tied, or restrained, to a dog house, tree, fence, or any other stationary object.

I'm sure you can see what I see here... the word "dog". Eddie is not a dog. I can prove it. You can go right out there and say "Here boy!" and he won't come. He also will not fetch or chase a ball, nor chase a car. He won't bark or attack any post man (as long as they don't try to pet him) and he will never eat at the tone of any bell, Pavlov be damned.

The Animal Services lady was very nice and as expected from people in such occupations, much more concerned about Eddie than she was about me, or my wants and desires. I have no complaints there. However, the law doesn't apply to cats in anyway. I called the number on the form to make sure.

I still am interested in how the this law would apply to Service Animals though. If Eddie was a dog... awk!... how would a person in my current position deal with this situation?

I agree wholeheartedly with the thought behind the law as well, which is one of the main reasons I was going out to the park bull-pen to work during the day. I could shut the bullpen door and let Eddie run around at will, chase his fur-mice and laser point, and generally be full-fledge cat for a few hours. But, as we know from my last post, I can't go to the public park and into the bull-pen because Eddie and I are homeless.

Busy Cool Day

2008-02-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

So after my little "enlightenment" last week, where I suddenly realized that I was done with this journey and ready to get a place, and get back to serious work, two of my contract employers have contacted me and said they were willing to take me back on. How's that for timing? I have to suggest here, that if there isn't a God, then I'm just one lucky son of a bitch (and with my poker history, suggesting that I'm lucky is a bit insane).

I got the form filled out for the ACLU, and after going through some of the news articles on the local San Diego Chapter's website, I'm very optimistic about the effectiveness of them taking this on. There is one article in particular regarding day-workers in El Cajon, which would be simply fantastic if it went that well, and that simply, with my project to get rid of SMC 10.20.160. If they could get the code off the books or officially put into disuse with a letter, heck that would be ideal. With the 9th District Court Ruling, already upheld in several other cases, including San Diego, it seems to me that this could be very possible.

Eddie's paw doesn't have any infection, nor do I believe that he is going to need any further treatment, so I'm going to send off the Sheriff Complaint form today as well. I've also decided that is all I'm going to do with that particular episode. A basic complaint issued and recorded is enough. Eddie isn't permanently injured, and I don't need the hassle of a law suit, nor do I believe it would do any good. It is that last part which is most discouraging. If I believed that a law suit in that regard would wake up the consciousness of this deputy or others, then I would go through the motions, but I don't. Besides, I think I'm reaching my physical limit in keeping up with all the battles I've generated so far, adding another at this time is too much. I want to stay focused on the areas that are going to be of long term benefit to others as well as myself.

Ideally I would like 1) the ACLU to take on, and dispatch the Municipal Code, and 2) find a lawyer to take on the suit of discrimination. The ACLU isn't really up on lawsuits if they are not required, and I don't want to waste their resources, unless they show me that they really are the best resource for that part of this action as well. So having a lawyer who is more dedicated to that part seems like a better use of resources and time. I believe with these two actions, the City of Santee will change a great deal in how it interacts with the homeless. Perhaps for only a short time, but... I plan on living here for awhile.

Homeless have no rights in Santee Video

2008-02-26T12:22:00.000-08:00

While I could embed this video here, it would be better to go to the Google site to watch it, because in the comments section I have posted time-line links which help go to particular areas of the video. It is best to go to the Google page and let the video load all the way through, and then use the links or watch as your interest allows. I say all this, because for a good portion of the video I'm sitting silent and alone.

Here is the link

The time-line notes I've made are :
0:00 Deputy arrives on scene I turn on digital cameras as normal for any interview with police or officials of any kind.
01:19 Deputy Begins Interview
01:40 States I am trespassing
01:50 States it is not a public park
02:10 state I'm stealing electricity
02:23 states this park is not for my use
02:30 states I have to leave or I will be arrested and my property will be "taken"
02:45 tells me to stand up and put my hands behind my back. I ask if I am under arrest but he refuses to answer this question before attempting to handcuff and search me.

03:43 After allowing him to handcuff me "for his protection" I take a seat... most of this between here and the next part is silence to questions. At 4:13 I tell him I don't like being harassed and assaulted.

04:35 Begins to search my property without permission, but switches to haphazard search when I call him on it. I'm still not under arrest.

He calls for backup and I stay silent most of the time. I don't really have anything to say.

07:45 other deputy arrives, you can hear her in the background.

08:44 other deputy comes into view, talks a bit, says I can't be here, and can't use the electricity.

22:34 refuses to call City of Santee Community Services to see if use of the electricity is available to the public. Also refuses to hear or see anything that might disagree with her.

23:25 Deputy states that I am now under arrest for trespassing in a public park. And that I will leave or be taken into custody.

24:10 I ask to make it clear that I have to leave the public park due to trespassing and that I'm going to be cited for trespassing.

25:19 I tell them that I have written and verbal permission from Community Services for use of the electricity.

30:45 Other deputy interviews, asserting that I am not working, that I "set up camp", ignoring anything I say otherwise, or the laptop or any other evidence.

31:55 Other deputy states I have to leave the park.

33:45 Citation is given for Illegal Lodging and Theft of Services rather than Trespassing.

35:25 I move cameras to the top of Eddie's cart in full view of both deputies.

36:37 I make sure that both deputies heard me say I had verbal and written permission for the use of the electricity in the park from City of Santee Community Services.

37:15 I make it clear that I checked with the "City of Santee Community Services"

38:27 I play them the recorded voice conversation withe City of Santee Community Services using my laptop.

39:57 Highlight comment that during the recorded conversation with Santee Community Services I made it clear that I was a Private Citizen and not asking as part of the Softball league, and both Deputies exhibit understanding of that part.

41:05 Deputy states that the recorded conversation is invalid because I am "a homeless person" and a "transient" when clearly the permission is stated as to "any one using the park", not me specifically.

41:15 Deputy states that in the city of Santee the homeless do not have the right to use public facilities.

Not sure if anything after this point has any relevance at all. it is just me getting my stuff together as quickly as I can and BS conversation with the deputies.

And here is the MP3 of the phone conversation I had with Santee Community Services.

Things to note in this conversation. I didn't say who I was, or what I was going to use the outlets for, except for "stuff". She didn't give guidelines, or say "I" specifically was allowed to use them on a particular day, but rather it was a general "you are welcome to use them".

The "Letterhead" I refer to is the email I got from Santee Community Services, from their office from their URL, which as far as the courts are concerned, is legal letter head communication.
though there are some things that need to be done to insure the authenticity of the emails (which is why I'm not posting it here until I get the ok from my lawyer).

This morning I saw one of the deputies from yesterday and he said that he called the City of Santee and they said I didn't have permission... which I thought was bazaar ... but after some thought I don't really care if he was lying or not. If he is lying, then the false arrest is still on him; if he isn't then the city is liable for discrimination, because I never asked for personal permission, I always asked if the service was available for use by park visitors in general, and was always given a "general use permission" reply from the office. So if they are now saying that everyone can use it "but me" or "except the homeless" then that is discrimination.

I'm not really interested in the electricity thing, except to get the citation dismissed. I'm concerned with the homeless law, and the homeless discrimination regarding use of public parks and areas.

Homeless Not allowed in Santee Public Park

2008-02-25T18:08:00.000-08:00

It appears that the first ticket was not a fluke. According to the deputies on Jan 9th 9am and today (Feb 25, 11am), I am trespassing in the park because I am homeless. Also, according to the deputies, I am not allowed to use the facilities of the park, including the power (which the City of Santee Community services says is publicly available) because I am homeless.

I couldn't believe the deputy actually said that to me today while the cameras were on. But the status of homeless in Santee, from their perspective, is one of criminal and without even basic human rights.

Anyway, now that the deputies have confirmed this for me, my next step is to the ACLU. I'll be posting the digital video and MP3 Pod in a while (probably tomorrow) for your enlightenment, and I'll post what the ACLU tells me when I contact them in the morning.

2008-02-16T12:02:00.000-08:00

The new Polite device

2008-02-16T11:37:00.000-08:00

Eddie and I were at the park this morning. A man came up and decided that he didn't "like my kind" in the park, and told me to leave. I told him that Eddie just had surgery so I didn't want to jostle him around. The elevation to violent threats from the man was nearly instantaneous. While listening to him I took out my digital video camera and turned it on, telling the man while I was doing this, that I had 1.5 hours of time on the camera, and another camera in my bag to insure I got his "good side".

The elevation to polite and understanding conversation was nearly instantaneous.

The world of digital video is wonderful. It isn't like the film days, when the camera could be destroyed, and the film (evidence) with it; digital cameras use memory cards, which are very protected inside the hard body of the camera. Even if the camera is thrown into water, it is very likely the memory card will remain usable.

After Eddie was more alert and I gave him his medicine, we left the park.

At Starbucks I discovered the video clip of the cop throwing a man in a wheelchair to the ground, while other cops look on without comment. It appears the scene is taking place inside the police station, so the cop has to know that the video camera is there, and still he performs this assault.

so ... don't depend on a camera always having a "polite" effect on people. Some people are just violent no matter what is going on, or who is watching.

Eddie appears to be in normal-for-Eddie spirits. The first time I gave him his antibiotics he was ok with it, but the next time, he understood what was about to happen and he's fought me about it every time since. He can be rather indignant at times, and doesn't give a damn if I video tape his assault on my hand or not.

Rain, Sheriff Deputies and Cat Paws

2008-02-14T12:34:00.000-08:00

We haven't been able to get to the Vet yet. We have an appointment for 8:00 am Friday morning. Eric is going to take Eddie and I over to his vet. Seems Eric's dog got himself into a bit of a tangle and injured himself quite badly. Animals will do that when they are trapped and panicked. But Eric says this Vet is a good one, so we are going there.

I don't know how the Sheriff's department here in Santee exists in the state it is in. When I started the process of putting in a complaint on the deputy who injured Eddie, it took from 3:54 pm until 8:16 pm for a Shift Sargent to finally call me for the complaint. The Sargent, when he finally did call, then told me that there was a form I had to fill out, and I could pick it up at the Sheriff's station.

WTF?

So, all that time, for ... nothing. I could have picked up the form seven hours ago.

Of course when I did go into the office the next morning (since they were closed by then), it took three people and an interview with yet another Sargent in order to get the form. I really wish I did the digital camera thing for that trip as well. Lately however, taking digital video of the Sheriff office incompetence is like shooting chickens in boxes.

Its not just me though, or because I'm a homeless guy with a cat, or because I'm complaining about one of their own. While I was in there I overheard several people coming in to check on things that were weeks, and in one case over a month over due. Information and reports that are going to cost serious problems for those depending on the Sheriff's Department to furnish the information, if they do not receive the reports in time to use them.

Granted, they could simply be swamped, but more and more I'm starting to believe that they simply do not have enough accountability (on many levels). There is no outside force which is monitoring the situations within the office, or the reports from the patrol officers and putting two-and-two together.

How do I request a copy of a San Diego Sheriff Crime, Arrest, or Accident Report?

If the report is less than one year old and generated at a Sheriff station or sub-station, please contact the station or sub-station to obtain a copy. If the case is older than one year, a Service Request Form must be submitted to the Records & Identification Division. You can do this by visiting our office during our regular business hours or by submitting the request by mail. A valid, government issued photo identification card (i.e., driver's license, passport, military ID) must be presented if request is submitted in person, or a copy of the ID must be enclosed if the request is submitted by mail. Please note that these reports are considered to be confidential and are generally releasable to "interested parties" (as defined by applicable State codes) only, or by subpoena. Additionally, fees when applicable must be paid before copies of reports are released. Our goal is to process all requests within 3 business days.

Like I was saying, like shooting chickens in a box. ... jeez.

Eddie gets Injured during Police Action!

2008-02-14T11:56:00.000-08:00

Formal Complaint Description against Santee Sheriff Deputy Wilson

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

C.C. Erik Bauer Attorney at Law

Statement of Glenn Hefley:

At or about 3:00pm on February 12, 2008, deputies Wilson and Levowitch<sp?> arrived at the softball park on Cuyamaca Blvd, across the street from Food4Less. I had been there since close to 9:00am working on articles and answering emails. I have been doing this (going to the park and working in the morning until about 2:00pm) almost everyday since January when I returned to Santee from a trip.

My service animal, a cat named Eddie, was off his leash, and I had the gap in the dugout doorway blocked with my cot so he could not wander out. I was in the process of trying to locate his other collar (as the one he was wearing had broke), when the deputies arrived.

When the deputies made it known that they wanted to come in, I announced that I needed to put the leash on Eddie, showing both of them my empty hands, before proceeding to place the leash on Eddie's collar. I attempted to do this minor task as quickly as I could.

Deputy Wilson forced open the dugout door, breaking the single bungee cord I had holding the cot loosely to the chain-link. This action was violent and unexpected. No command or request was given to me to halt my actions prior to this assault on my personal property or violent entry which resulted in the cot hitting me from behind. I decided that if this assault was going to continue, as I have witnesses in the past from other deputies raiding local homeless camps, that I was going to at least attempt to get it on digital camera, as I have a great deal of digital and computer equipment in my inventory which sustains my living. So, after securing Eddie to his leash, I said, "I'm going to take pictures of this." very clearly, letting both Deputy Wilson, and Deputy Levowitch<sp?> (at that moment I ascertained that she was out of line-of-sight, unable to see me through Deputy Wilson's body), know my intention, and then I reached for my Samsung digital camera. Deputy Wilson, seeing what I was going for, ordered me to "Drop the camera!" grabbing my wrist and attempted to twist my arm. The attempt was unsuccessful but I dropped the camera as gently as I could anyway, since Deputy Wilson's focus of assault had shifted from my personal property to my person, and prepared to meet his next assault.

His actions put me in a life threatening position, placing me under physical and heightened mental stress. I was very aware that he was not listening, observing, or using any type of professional judgment in his actions. Thus any attempt to defend myself, my service animal, or my belongings could, and I believed would, result in an escalation of violence from the other deputy, or Wilson himself.

There was no reason for the assault on my personal belongings, or the assault on my person. By his verbal order, "Drop the camera!", he clearly understood my intention and the nature of the object. He knew that it was not a weapon, or anything that could be a physical threat to him, or the scene. His command of "Drop the camera!" clearly states that the only threat he was attempting to avoid was documentation of his unprofessional behavior.

Even after it was clear to both deputies and the other witness, that I was not a threat, that my being at the public park was within my rights, that I was clearly working, that I didn't have drugs, alcohol or anything other than a laptop, digital equipment, some clothing and a cat, that I had no warrants for my arrest, or any other evidence that would could be construed as threatening by a rational mind, Deputy Wilson continued to physically provoke and verbally antagonize me , threatening physical assault verbally and physically.

I don't know what the complaint was which brought the deputies out to the public park, but I do know that the worst of the scenarios were at best misdemeanors and non-violent ones at that. The deputies cited "lodging". Which as I understand the law 10.20.150 STCM, would at the very least require the park to be closed, since while the park was open I could have had a barbeque going and four ice chests with me (as I have witness at this park during games many times).

None of the scenarios even hints at the need to assault me or my belongings prior to even assessing the scene, which both deputies had ample visual and temporal opportunity to do. Nor do any of the possible "complaints" which brought them out to the park to interrogate me, warrant the continued threat of physical violence and antagonistic behavior I had to endure during the rest of the interrogation. No action performed by me prior to the first assault (trying to put a leash on a service animal) be considered "threatening" to the deputies or to the scene… i.e. I was clearly visible through the chain-link between me and them, with ample visual field to see exactly what I was doing with my hands, and that I wasn't reaching for a gun or trying to shove dope down the cat's throat.

After the deputies left I got Eddie and set to settle him down. At this time I noticed that he had ripped off one of his claws (forward left paw inside claw). Since this injury was fresh and not present before Deputy Wilson's violent entry and assault, Eddie injured himself attempting to flee from the violent actions in front of him. I will be taking him to the vet today and expect full reimbursement for this injury to my service animal promptly.

I hereby request immediate compensation for Eddie's vet visit and any follow up care required for his full recovery, and to file this complaint with the Santee Sheriff's department against Deputy Wilson for unprofessional and highly illegal interrogation tactics, assault, the injury to Eddie as a direct result of Deputy Wilson's actions, and the willful destruction of personal property.

I reserve the right to press criminal and/or civil charges at a later date against Deputy Wilson and/or the Santee Sheriff's Department after consulting with my attorney, Erik Bauer , who may be calling (or arranging other means) to assess the progress and actions taken by the Santee Sheriff's Department as a result of this complaint.

Glenn Hefley

ghefley@gmail.com

619.631.4421

www.glennhefley.com

Digital Image Library

Let's Cat Paw through this...

2008-02-11T18:46:00.000-08:00

The first citation is for 10.20.150 STMC (Santee Municipal Code)...

10.20.150 Public parks and beaches.

A. No person shall camp, lodge, sleep or tarry overnight in any public park, public beach or any public street or highway; provided, that nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit camping in public campgrounds under permit authorized by other provisions of law or ordinance.

1. First Offense. The first violation of this section by any person is punishable as a misdemeanor.

2. Second Offense. Any violation of this section by a person who has previously violated this section one time is punishable as a misdemeanor.

3. Third Offense. Any violation of this section by a person who has previously violated this section two or more times is punishable as a misdemeanor. (Ord. 462 § 6, 2007: prior code § 73.108)

Now, I'm not sleeping, not tarrying over night and not camping. Even if I am sleeping, the 9th Court of Appeals has ruled that such a law is unconstitutional.

It is 9AM and I'm working. So, this citation was not only meaningless prior to me finding out about the 9th court ruling, it is unconstitutional now (see previous post). So, why is this law being allowed to be enforced?

The second one, as I've already posted (498(b) PC Utillity Theft), became meaningless when I got the Park Commissioner's email saying the electricity at the parks were in fact available for public use. This of course suggests that they are "available for use" during park hours, but again, I'm there during park hours.

So it looks like, from this point, that my actions are even more legal than I thought they were before. So, I will continue to show up at the park and continue to use the available utilities which are there for my use.

I suppose that I should also begin to look for a lawyer who wants to work a law suit against the city of Santee for false arrest and illegal seizure of property. I really didn't want to go that far with it, but at this point, what I'm seeing here is a City which knows that what they are doing is unconstitutional and simply doesn't care.

comments are welcome as always and of course if you don't feel like writing, the phone is right up there at the top of the page.

Confused? You betcha!

2008-02-11T17:24:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I'm doing a bit of research on this Illegal lodging thing and apparently the 9th Court of Appeals has clearly said that "the government can’t constitutionally cite someone from performing a biological function—sleeping—when there’s no place available for them to do so within the bounds of the law."

The Ruling and from the 9th court of Appeals can be downloaded here (PDF File)... so I have to ask myself now, WTF? Mate! Why do I even have this damn ticket? Why are these tickets being given out at all in Santee, a city which has no homeless shelter and is proud of that fact?

This ruling came down April 14, 2006! So again, WTF?

I was a little amused with the bicycle cop the other day, that I posted about, but now I'm very confused on this whole issue. If I can not be ticketed for "Sleeping on the public Sidewalk" then... why do they ask me "where did you sleep last night?" this is getting to be a bit weird.

Ever try to get your Arrest Report?

2008-02-11T13:34:00.000-08:00

So, when I got that ticket back on the 9th of January, which really set the fire for my Walking With Eddie Cat project here, the officer took from me a tarp I had been using to wall off the entrance to the dug-outs. It was a tarp I found about four months prior, which simply walled off the door area from all the dogs that run around the park area off their leash, while I was working on that morning's article. It is/was/is a nice place to work in the morning, except the unleashed dogs trying to catch Eddie, and of course the Deputies showing up at 9AM to say it is illegal for me to exist in the Park.

The Deputy (regarding the tarp) actually came back, after the two other deputies left. She had stopped to talk with the maintenance men (who started this whole thing), and they told her that the tarp was theirs. So, she came back and said she was taking it, and giving it to them. She said this with her hand on her weapon, and who is going to argue about a tarp, when you are faced with a gun? So, I said, "Take it." With my hands raised. (no, I wasn't in jest).

The maintenance men were probably also responsible for telling the deputies that the use of the electricity was not allowed as well, when this is not true and I have letters on City of Santee Letter head to dismiss that charge from Deborah Daunis, Administrative Secretary City of Santee Community Services Department, which is the only source of information on the rules of public park usage. A Deputy should know that, so I don't feel sorry for her on that account.

Now, I already have documentation from the City of Santee about the power, and I have the documentation about the law "Illegal Lodging" which is a joke if you ask me. So both of these charges will be dropped without much effort on my part. What I have been curious about was the seizure of the tarp, and how that would be justified in a police report. So, I went to the Sheriff's department this morning and asked them for a copy of the incident.

Seems that it is not an infraction, it is an "Arrest" and therefore an "Arrest Report" which in order to get a copy of, cost $20.00. So, before I shelled out $20 for three pieces of paper, I asked if the report included the seizure of the tarp. The detective (name with-held because I don't really think he is "working the case", just a detective that was available), looked through the three page report and told me "no". He also says that they have a new documentation system, which could be why he didn't have that part. So I asked him to look into a full copy of the report and I would purchase it when it was complete.

Now, all of this didn't happen nicely. In fact it was amazingly difficult to get them to even offer the report to me. They tried to turn me away three times, before they were even going to talk with a detective. Also, they refused to offer me the photos that were taken using a digital Nikon camera at the scene. (See the video for those conversations).

What bugs me quite a bit is not only the stone-wall effort (which I don't believe most homeless people would get through, if they did happen to get to the Sheriff's Office lobby), but the huge fee for what should be freely available information for such infractions. They kept telling me that I had to have my "lawyer" get the reports for me, or that I had to go to the "court" to get them. Which makes no sense at all. And $20.00 is some serious cash for printing out .03 worth the ink and paper. So I'm going to look further into this area.

All that aside, my first curiosity is now something of a burr in my saddle. It seems that not only was my tarp seized, without real cause, but that basic procedure was not followed afterwards. I know that the maintenance men threw the tarp away as soon as the Deputy left the park, seeming to make a point of letting me see them do this as I was walking Eddie towards the park entrance.

Do I really care about the tarp? No. What I care about is that a Deputy on the word of a Maintenance Man, walked over and took something of mine (as far as I'm concerned ... by force, because I didn't have the option of declining the request) and then didn't even bother to report the fact that she did so. That, really, upsets me greatly. So I will be pursuing that aspect of this incident.

So far, I don't have any new incidents, and will probably be moving down into Old Town or perhaps Mira Mesa, and seeing what I run across there, since I'll be here in San Diego until after the middle of March.

Mast Park Feb 09 2008

2008-02-09T22:36:00.000-08:00

Eddie doesn't wake up very well in the morning. This is his typical response to being asked to leave his sleeping bag anytime before noon.

We spent most of the day over at Mast Park, a rather nice place for a weekend visit. The library is right next to the main park area, which is convenient for WIFI Internet connection, and the facilities aren't bad. The people are nice too, which I was a bit surprised about.

Normally, you get into the nicer areas of a city like Santee and you run into a the cold hard nose of bigotry, especially for homeless folks. But I've acted extremely homeless several times over there, and never had a problem with the locals. The only real problem I've ever encountered was trying to get them to believe I really don't need a piece of pizza or a share of their picnic food. I suppose I could break bread with them, but today I was already full.

The city has really torn the place up though. On the map Mast park covers a lot more ground than the main park area would first convey. This back area use to be rather pleasant on the eyes, but they came in with bulldozers (it looks like) and tore out all the underbrush. While I understand the need for this, on many fronts (fire problems at the top of the list), it looks like hell right now. I suppose if they put in grass, and irrigation, it will look much better in a year or so.

Water levels in the San Diego river are certainly up. Apparently the needed quota of water has been filled by the winter and fall rains of last year, and the last few storms this year.

I'm not feeling well. My focus is way down and my drive is less than it has been for some time. I can't even concentrate long enough to finish a movie. That should change here in a day or so, as my cycle reasserts itself.

2008-02-08T15:03:00.000-08:00

Saw two (what I think were) golden eagles today at the softball field. Their actions lead me to believe they are mates. I believe they were golden eagles rather than red-tailed hawks because of the Phoenix glow I saw the male explode into as they flew into the sunlight. It really was amazing, and if I wasn't born into the high-tech special effects era that I was, I would have truly believed I just saw one of those mythical birds.

It seems that I was doomed to failure today as well. It is now 1:00pm and though several Sheriff vehicles have passed by, and I could see the deputies inside these vehicles pointedly starring and marking my presence here at the fields, none of them came over to harass me. I know what you are thinking, … bummer, but let's not give up hope yet. I'm sure that given time they will break under the pressure of powers greater than themselves to return (said with tongue-in-cheek of course).

I don't have anything against the Santee deputies. Most of those that I have encountered are very polite and professional. There are two, which come to mind, who are rude and arrogant beyond belief, but two in a group of over … what? 30 … 40? is a very good average.

****
I had just given up and left the park when a deputy on a bicycle (yes, a bicycle), pulled me over to ask "where did you sleep last night?". Rather personal question... what does a gentalman do in a situation like that? I really wish I had my camera out… damn! That was his whole purpose in pulling me over and interrogating me for 20 minutes on my lifestyle, and running a warrant check.

Heavy sigh, massively depressed that I don't have footage to share with you on this.

2008-02-06T17:05:00.000-08:00

Hasn't been much to say of late -- For the last week or so, we've been rolling out of bed at 10am, but we are back on a much earlier schedule again, getting up and on the road by 6:30 or so. This change in schedule is not due to desire, but to requirement. I'm attempting to set the same conditions in which I got my first Illegal lodging ticket, and acquire another.

This might seem like a rather odd way to spend the morning, and indeed it is, though it is not really doing anything new. I frequently go to the parks in the morning to begin my work day, rather than to Starbucks or something of that nature. Now I'm just doing it with other goals attached to the action.

To lure in my prey I'm not doing anything different than before either. I feel this is the best way (or at least the most honest way), of going about this particular task. I'm not out screaming at cars or doing anything to attract attention to myself. I'm just setting up my laptop, feeding Eddie, and setting to work, just like I did on Jan 09. So far however, I have received no attention at all. This of course is expected; my original reason for starting my writing day at this spot was due to the lack of distracted and attention ...

After our fruitless morning venture, I took Eddie by the PetSmart and let him look at the birds and fish. He enjoys this simple pleasure.

Eddie Plays in the Mud

2008-01-26T19:44:00.000-08:00

Extra Large umbrella, hotel room, and many other precautions dedicated to keeping Eddie the Cat dry and warm while under the deluge of long awaited storm, and Eddie goes straight for the mud hole.

Cnidarian windrow from north down tempest brew rippling across tropical updrafts were near text book perfection this afternoon, so no one should have been surprised that darkness brought dime size drops in heavy amounts.

My only surprise is the cat in the mud. Seriously, what is the point of the guardian weather watches and the doorman umbrellas?

New Tool: GrandCentral is now owned by Google. a phone message management tool based on the Internet, allowing several phone numbers to ring to a single number (or ring to multiple numbers). Best feature? Free. Second best, a stable dedicated local number which will remain mine for the duration of Google. Third best, direct web visitor to phone connection. Yes, that button over there at the top left side of the page really does ring your phone directly to my phone, without giving away my phone number.

GrandCentral also allows that button to go straight to voice mail; a voice mail that can have its own message, so I can leave "Blog" related messages on that button, while leaving my other voice mail greetings as they are. I can have different greetings for everyone in my phone book, as well as different rings and different transfer/forwarding plans.

While most people may wonder..."why would I want that level of complication in my life?" in my current lifestyle it removes complications with wide sweeping strokes. Between GrandCentral and Gizmo, I may never own another phone for the rest of my life (or pay for one).

Setting Tone

2008-01-21T18:28:00.000-08:00

I've been questioning of late what the heck I'm doing out here, but that seems to be answered now. I'm rather vocal and passionate on the Homeless issues in the United States. And though I have not thought of myself as homeless, I'm out here walking the world. What better place to be, with everything that is going on with the lawmakers across this great nation of ours?

It really seems that "homeless" and "criminal" are synonnms lately, and this is both frightening and appauling, espessially when this syncronization of terms is being done at the lawmaker level.

Homeless people are visible, and hard to ignore. It is an issue that anyone living in a large city has to deal with on one level or another. There are those who are terrified of homeless people, there are those who have built mental walls, and simply no longer recognize their existance to continue living.

Despite these "reactions" to homeless people, none of them alter the homeless themselves. Fearing them does not make them fearful. Denying their existance does not make them unworthy to live. Making them illegal does not make them criminals.

Santee Lakes Unaware of Zebra Mussels

2008-01-21T17:37:00.000-08:00

Just out of curiousity, I walked through the Santee Trolley Square asking random people if they knew what Zebra Mussels were, and if they knew what kind of threat they could pose. I asked 25 people today, only 3 of them were aware of the name, and of those, only two vaugley recalled that they were some kind of threat to lakes. "But that is back east, right?" one of them said to me.

HOLLISTER, Calif. -- State wildlife officials say a destructive species known as the zebra mussel has been discovered in California for the first time.

Department of Fish and Game spokeswoman Alexia Retallack says a fisherman found the mollusks while fishing in the San Justo Reservoir in San Benito County.

Lab tests conducted Monday confirmed that the creatures were zebra mussels, which are known to clog water pipes and boat engines and alter the chemistry of marine ecosystems.

State officials plan to conduct further surveys to determine the extent of the infestation and develop a plan to stop its spread.
They're asking fishermen and boaters to keep an eye out for zebra mussels and notify authorities if they find any. -- Chanel 10 News Website

I suppose what interests me most is that no study, prep or recommendations have been prepared for dealing with the Zebra Mussel threat, with the environmental impact study done by the Padre Dam Water District when this proposed Cable Ski park plan was brought to them.

So I've written the Padre Dam Water District asking them about this issue and I'm now waiting to see what, if anything, will be returned.

Rain Coming In

2008-01-21T15:36:00.000-08:00

We are on our way back out of Santee today, walking out of the rain. Over at Jim's house right now helping him with his mail list. Seems there is another web site out there that which is focused on Saving the Santee Lakes. We are going to contact them and try to combine efforts against this Ski Water Park idea.

The Pro Shop at this Ski Park is apparently going to be selling skis... what else would they be selling at a ski-park pro shop?

Skies being sold at the Pro Shop would then be used at the lake. So... Personal Skies are going to be used in the lake. This makes sense to me so far...

What doesn't make sense is using personal skies at the lake. There doesn't seem to be any measure or even concern with the safety of the lake or surrounding area against Zebra Mussels at all.

Targeted Intimidation to end Aggressive Panhandling?

2008-01-20T19:59:00.001-08:00

by Glenn Hefley

--Tacoma, WA

Last year Tacoma passed a blanket law against panhandling and public sales of any kind in any public area. This cover-all law makes no distinction between the guy asking for a quarter to the Girl Scout Selling you cookies in front of the supermarket.

Kim Gerhardt, the assistant city attorney who drafted the law stated, "The ordinance is absolutely blind, if it's in a public place, it would be subject to the ordinance." as if this were a selling point. Perhaps it should be remembered that Justice should be blind; Laws should know exactly what they are targeting.

The law, which is enforcable from "dust" to "dawn", prohibits asking for handouts within 15 feet of many common areas: bus stops, ATMs, pay phones, self-service carwashes and gas pumps. Soliciting isn't allowed at intersections and freeway ramps, or anywhere on private property without the owners' permission. And it forbids approaching people for money as they enter or exit vehicles. The penalty is up to 90 days in jail and up to $1,000 in fines.

"We were particularly targeting areas where it was reasonable to assume people felt intimidated," Gerhardt said.

My question here is "who felt intimidated? The solicitor or the subject of solicitation?" When blanket laws such as this are passed and enforced, the only reason they last anything like a year is when those who they are subjugating have no voice. If you started arresting politicians at the public park for asking for donations (basically panhandling on a larger scale, but it is a "blind law" right?), those laws would be changed quickly.

The law may be blind, but the instruments of enforcement are not. Something Gerhardt is either not aware of, or all too aware.

So donation signs on billboards next to freeway exits and intersections would also be subject to this law, correct?

The criminalization of the homeless and poor is becoming big political business, and it is both a sad look at our deteriorating perspectives and means which creates the ends it pretends to help.

While I'm not an advocate of straight-out hard-sell panhandling, I am all for the sales of newspapers such as the "Real Change" publication which allows the homeless and poor to sell copies and keep the money they make. This to me is called "Sales", if you don't like what is being offered, then you don't buy it, as with any other sales. And isn't sales what the United States is based on?

So, with laws, we strip from those with nothing the only sales job they might qualify for; with targeted intimidation we press him in the position of desperation... I'm just guessing here, but wouldn't that force him to quit asking for change and start demanding a wallet?

Tacoma's ordinance has answered the complaints of downtown businesspeople who were tired of aggressive pleading from transients, police spokesman Mark Fulghum said. Since the ordinance went into effect, he said, police have logged fewer complaints about aggressive panhandling. -- I wonder if a good portion of this drop in complaints is the realization, of a less blind and more human populace, that in filing the complaint you are sending a homless person to jail for 90 day and subjecting him to a $1000 fine?

Gerhardt said. "My impression is that it has been effective. There's been a dramatic decline, especially in panhandling directed at traffic." -- Impressions are all well and good, but I would imagine are subject to how many different routes Gerhardt takes to the office and back.

While Gerhardt and Fulghum might be able to report that this blind law has lowered the instances of aggressive panhandling in Tacoma (whether based on the dubious accuracy of impression and beat-cop logs, or something more substantial)... during the last year (2006) of the new law's enforcement, Tacoma has experienced a 3.8% increase in violent crime.

Santee City Council says No Problem to Zebra Mussels?

2008-01-20T13:12:00.000-08:00

by Glenn Hefley

-- Santee, CA

Glen Canyon began a very strict Zebra Mussel inspection program almost as soon as they heard of the possibility of being infested with the invasive Zebra Mussel.

Unfortunately they failed. Lake Powell is now host to zebra mussels.

The only true prevention method (and even it may fail due to chance and circumstance) is total seclusion of the lake from any introduction of ski, boat, ice chest or anything else that has ever come in contact with another lake.

This simple truth has been demonstrated over and over across the nation, as the best plans of science and city council have only succeeded in mapping out the advance of the Zebra Mussel.

The eggs of the Zebra Mussel are so small it is doubtful, even if you knew what you were looking for, that you would find one or two attached to a ski. The Zebra Mussel is a strong creature, even at this stage, and can survive basic cleaning efforts.

Realistically however, even if we set up a program which requires every ski coming near the lake to be dipped in acid, there will be those who simply don't follow instructions. Any drive through Santee on a Friday or Saturday night will give you ample auditory and visual proof that not all citizens of Santee's upstanding population are in fact, upstanding.

It only takes one miss. That is a cold hard fact that lake and reservoir across the nation has crashed against. Once infested with the Zebra Mussel, the water system, eco-system and city property values are destroyed.

With monstrous evidence and previous experience from the best minds across our nation, proving time and time again that prevention with a project like the Cable Ski project of Santee lakes is never going to happen; can the City Council of Santee prevail?

Seriously, would you trust anyone who could think up such a recommendation?

More about Zebra Mussels

Lake Powell Infested

California infested with Zebra Mussels

Too Little Too Late

Santee Lakes Manager and City Council Enthusiastic about Zebra Mussel infestation

2008-01-20T11:36:00.000-08:00

by Glenn Hefley

--Santee, California

Allen Carlisle Park & Recreation Manager of the Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve is very excited about a pet project of his; the Cable Ski Park, which is proposed for Lake 1 of the seven lake system. Despite the fact that Zebra Mussels are already in California water systems, and that they have been found to travel from lake system to lake system via boats, water ski, inner-tubes, boat trailer and anything else that touches lake water, and is not cleaned with great attention.

The eggs of the Zebra Mussels are incredibly small, so it is unlikely that a visual inspection of water equipment would discover their existence. Being kin to what are termed the "super glue" of the aquatic world, it is very unlikely that if eggs of the Zebra Mussel have adhered to a water ski, a simple hosing off (more than most kid's skis are given), is going to dislodge the tiny eggs. In fact, even a good scrubbing will likely miss Zebra Mussel eggs.

Zebra Mussel eggs can survive great lengths of time outside of the water while adhered to skis and other water equipment, allowing them to transverse great distances. Once introduced again to suitable lake water, the eggs hatch. Which is exactly how the Zebra Mussels crossed the Rocky Mountains and landed hard in the California water systems of Hollister-area reservoir that serves growers and residents in San Benito County. (This infestation was discovered January of 2008).

Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve proposes to use Lake 1, a lake which is connected to the entire water supply (both the main well, the connecting other six lakes and the recycled water plant), of the City of Santee. The infestation of Zebra Mussels would cripple the city itself, plummet Real Estate values, remove major business interests, and be disastrous to the surrounding areas. Yet Allen Carlisle and Santee Councilman Brian Jones are "enthusiastic" about the project after a trip to Texas where they got to play on ski for a weekend (according to a San Diego Tribune news article).

No area in the United States which has been infested with Zebra Mussels has come close to recovering the Real Estate and /or business value of the area prior to the infestation. No infestation has ever been reversed or controlled once Zebra Mussels have entered the water system. No eco-system (wildlife, fish, game, etc) has ever recovered from a Zebra Mussel infestation, the fish and plant life of the infested lakes are eradicated by the Zebra Mussel. "Even a moderate infestation can cause a 60 percent reduction in the fishery," said Jay Cowan, Lake Wohlford ranger supervisor who is on a San Diego County task force fighting the invasion of Zebra Mussels.

… still excited about a Ski Park in Santee?

Articles of Interest Might be:

More about Zebra Mussels

Zebra Mussels now crippling fish populations of Lake Michigan

Ticketing Jesus for Feeding People

2008-01-20T06:32:00.000-08:00

Check this out… there are now cities that have laws against feeding the poor, homeless or anyone else for that matter. That's right, you can't share food, its against the law!

You will see after reading through these amazingly callous citations and laws, that Jesus would have been in serious trouble at the Sermon on the Mound.

Atlanta, Georgia

In 2003, the City of Atlanta completed the implementation of its homeless "service provider system." As part of the system, the City designated eight organizations that will oversee the distribution of food to all homeless people in Atlanta. Any person wishing to provide food to homeless persons in Atlanta must now do so through one of these eight organizations. To ensure that the citizens of Atlanta use the system, the Mayor instructed the Chief of Police to begin enforcing existing Fulton County health ordinances. These ordinances prohibit serving food to the public without a permit. Any person or group who is found in violation of the ordinances will be asked to stop serving food and can be fined. This action is an attempt to use the existing health codes to restrict food sharing as part of efforts to “clean up the city.”

Baltimore, MD

The City of Baltimore's health code includes an ordinance that requires every food service facility to acquire a food license regardless of whether the food is provided for a fee or at no cost. The City Health Department also requires all facilities to have access to hot and cold running water in food preparation areas. In 2005, a city health worker used these requirements to stop a group of Loyola College students from sharing food with homeless people in a location near City Hall. The students had been volunteering as part of a college-sponsored service program. Following the warning from the Health Department, the school temporarily suspended the program. Eventually, the new city Health Commissioner, Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, stepped in and an agreement was reached: the students could continue to distribute food as long as they did so at one of Baltimore's designated outreach sites where additional services were available.

Chattanooga, Tennessee

In May 2007, a group that had been sharing food with homeless persons at a downtown Chattanooga park for seven years was told to move their operations to a new location. The group objected to the move stating that the new location was inconvenient and that the facilities were inadequate. The city also rescinded the group’s park permit required by city law for any gathering in a public park. Without the permit, any attempts to continue operations at the original location would be illegal. The city’s actions are considered particularly troubling since the mayor of Chattanooga has cultivated a reputation for being an advocate for homeless persons and often notes that his father was homeless for a time.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati ordinances require a park permit for gatherings of 50 or more people. Additionally, the Cincinnati Park Board has established a policy of requiring any group wishing to undertake “outreach ministries” in a city park to obtain a special use permit. According to Georgine Getty of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, the Park Board, by refusing to issue the required permit, has severely limited food sharing in a key city park directly across from Cincinnati’s largest shelter. This action has forced groups to move their food sharing efforts to less convenient shelter spaces.

Dallas, Texas

In 2006, the city of Dallas began enforcing new ordinances that severely restrict the distribution of food to homeless persons. Citing food safety concerns and problems with littering, the ordinances state that food can only be distributed at certain sites chosen by the city. In effect, these restrictions limit groups to sharing food in only one location in the city. Some groups that share food find the location restrictions interfere with their ability to reach out to unsheltered homeless individuals. Even though the city has claimed it is interested in ensuring the safety of food served to homeless people, the one location where groups are allowed to serve food is a highly unsanitary location. Some charitable organizations in Dallas have continued to operate in spite of the new ordinances. The city has issued warnings to at least two of these groups at separate times to cease operations and has threatened them with fines if the violations continue. Penalties for violating the ordinance include a fine of up to $2,000 and/or jail time for up to six months. In January 2007, NLCHP and Howrey, a law firm working in a pro bono capacity, filed a lawsuit against the city on behalf of these two organizations challenging these new ordinances. The case is pending.

Denver, Colorado

In 2006, groups that had been sharing food with homeless persons in a downtown Denver park were told to move their operations out of the downtown area. Denver ordinances require a permit for any scheduled event in a city park involving more than 25 people. To obtain a permit, a group may have to provide both proof of liability insurance and a security deposit. Even if a group satisfies these permit requirements, according to city officials, mass feedings are not among the accepted activities for city parks. In November 2006, the city made a temporary agreement with local groups that allowed food sharing activities to continue for 90 days while relocation options were discussed. The city is currently preparing to launch a public awareness campaign to match those who want to serve food with agencies where people congregate, including local day shelters and night shelters. Individuals or groups that want to share food will contact designated outreach workers and the outreach workers will direct these inquiries to appropriate service providers. The Mayor of Denver, John Hickenlooper, said that he used to bring food to a homeless man living near him, but then he "began to realize the amount of harm that just giving food or money to homeless people does." While the Mayor has done some positive things for the homeless population, this perspective shapes much of his downtown policies.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

As of August 2007, the group Food Not Bombs (FNB), continues a weekly food sharing program that has been operating for over a year in a Fort Lauderdale park. According to FNB, in July 2007, the Fort Lauderdale police threatened to shut down the program and to arrest anyone who attempted to continue the program. Fort Lauderdale Park Regulations prohibit using any city park for “social service purposes” without written authorization from the city. The regulations define social services as providing “food, clothing, shelter or medical care to persons in order to meet their physical needs.” In spite of the police order, the group subsequently returned and operated the food sharing program without incident. The police later stated that no threats of arrest were made to the group and that the group would not be arrested for sharing food in the park.

Fort Myers, Florida

In response to public outcry, Fort Myers officials recently abandoned plans to limit food sharing with homeless persons in city parks. The proposed ordinance would have prohibited the distribution of food in city parks to groups of ten or more people without a permit and would have limited groups to only two approved gatherings per year. NLCHP and NCH both communicated with the city attorney’s office and testified before the City Council along with local providers and advocates to oppose the proposed ordinance. Such negative public response and a subsequent initiative by a City Council member and local service providers to find an alternative solution led the City Council to reject the proposed ordinance and promise to work with homeless service providers to achieve better solutions.

Gainesville, Florida

In 2003, the city manager of Gainesville made distribution of food in front of City Hall illegal if not sponsored by the city. Gainesville has also enacted an ordinance that requires any “food distribution center for the needy” to obtain a permit. These centers are limited both in where they can be located and how many meals they can serve, though the city has shown some flexibility in accommodating groups regarding the number of meals served. One specific prohibition bans food sharing centers anywhere near the University of Florida campus. In September 2007, Gainesville city commissioners approved a plan to set up a one-stop homeless center that will be 33 blocks north of the downtown area. Two homeless service providers tentatively agreed to move their food programs from the downtown area to the new one-stop homeless center. On a more positive note, another provider of meals to homeless individuals, Fire of God Ministries, has been able to continue its food program and other services at its facility as a result of the settlement of its lawsuit against the city.

Hempstead, New York

In early 2007, members of the group Food Not Bombs (FNB) reported being approached by Hempstead police and asked to stop distributing food to homeless people in Hempstead or face possible arrest. Hempstead ordinances prohibit holding meetings of any kind in city parks without authorization from city officials. Since those initial incidents, the Hempstead police have not interfered with food sharing activities as long as FNB stays off Metropolitan Transit Authority property adjacent to the food sharing site.

Jacksonville, Florida

In 2004, the Jacksonville City Council passed an ordinance that prohibited the distribution of food on private or public property without a proper city permit. Religious groups objected to the ordinance and filed a lawsuit claiming that it violated their First Amendment rights. In May 2007, an apparent settlement was reached under which the city would amend the ordinance to allow religiously motivated sharing of food without a permit. However, by the end of July, the two parties still had not agreed on appropriate language. The city insists it is working on an amendment that will pass constitutional muster. Meanwhile, the religious groups have threatened to re-instate their lawsuit.

Las Vegas, Nevada

On July 19, 2006, the Las Vegas City Council voted to approve an amendment to an existing ordinance that bans “the providing of food or meals to the indigent for free or for a nominal fee” in the city parks. The ordinance defines an indigent person as someone who a reasonable person would believe to be entitled to receive public assistance. A separate Las Vegas ordinance requires a park permit for gatherings of 25 or more in a city park. A lawsuit in opposition to these ordinances was filed in federal court. NLCHP, NCH, and a number of other homeless advocacy groups filed an amicus brief in the case to oppose restrictions on sharing food with indigent individuals. In January 2007, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction preventing Las Vegas from enforcing its “sharing food with the indigent” ordinance. The court held that this ordinance was most likely unconstitutional because of its vague definition of “indigent” and because the city had not provided a rational reason for singling out indigent people as the only group with whom food could not be shared. In August 2007, the court made this injunction permanent, but in the same decision upheld the ordinance containing the park permit requirement.

Miami-Dade County, Florida

Miami-Dade County ordinances include a permit system that limits food distribution in certain areas of the city. Specifically, no food may be distributed on any public right-of-way, near any school, or in any city park or beach without a permit. While the ordinance seems geared towards vendors, it applies to those who offer goods or foods in any way.

Orlando, Florida

With an estimated 8,000 homeless people, Orlando has one of the highest populations of homeless people in the state of Florida. In early 2006, the Orlando City Council passed an ordinance that prohibits sharing food with more than 25 people in city parks without a permit and limits permitted groups to doing so only two times a year. In October of 2006, the ACLU filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the constitutionality of the ordinance. While litigation continued, in April 2007, a member of Food Not Bombs was arrested for distributing food in violation of the anti-feeding ordinance and was found not-guilty in October 2007. In an article in Street Roots, Montanez's attorney, Jacqueline Dowd, explains that food sharing restrictions are a new trend, "Instead of going after the homeless, they're going after people who serve the homeless." Most homeless advocates have spoken out against these ordinances, however some local homeless service provider groups insist that the “ordinance is not against homeless people” and that “homeless people do have a place to eat” in Orlando.

Pinellas Park, Florida

A Pinellas Park soup kitchen has been involved in an ongoing dispute with the city over an ordinance that limits food sharing through parking lot capacity requirements. The ordinance requires any facility to have adequate off-street parking based on the seating capacity of the facility. These requirements apply regardless of the type of individuals being seated or the type of facility. In January 2007, a tentative agreement was reached under which the soup kitchen would be able to continue distributing food but would do so at a city approved location rather than at the shelter itself.

Portland, Oregon

In August 2007, Portland Police asked a group sharing food with homeless people in a public park to stop its operation because the group did not have a permit. The food sharing events had been taking place in the city park for a number of years. However, the police had requested in May 2007 that the group obtain the necessary permit to serve food at that location. In addition, due to the large amount of traffic in that particular park, the city does not grant more than a one-time permit for that location. Although Portland Parks and Recreation require groups sharing food to obtain a parks special use permit, several groups have been able to obtain permits and have continued their food sharing operations for a number of years.

San Francisco, California

San Francisco’s food establishment laws include a category called “itinerant restaurants.” Like all other food establishments, these entities must obtain a permit even if they are giving food away. In spite of these ordinances, Food Not Bombs continues to hold regular food sharing events in San Francisco parks.

Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica has taken numerous steps to address the sharing of food with homeless persons in the community. The city’s ordinances directly limit food sharing in two ways. First, in a law recently passed by the City Council, the city has prohibited leaving food or clothing in city parks as a means of donation. Second, the city has an ordinance that requires any group who intends to “feed the needy” to first obtain a permit. In order to meet constitutional requirements, the city has amended language in another ordinance that prohibited the distribution of food on city streets and sidewalks without a permit. The new language exempts noncommercial food distribution from the ordinance’s scope.

Sarasota, Florida

The city of Sarasota requires any group planning a gathering of 75 or more people in a park to obtain a permit. The law further states that the city manger can, at his or her discretion, move a planned gathering from a requested site to any other park in the city. In January 2006, the city refused to grant a permit to a group hoping to share food with homeless persons in a city park. The group had been using this park for years but the city insisted that it move its operations to a different park. The group complied with this request only to have their plans thwarted when the new park was closed for renovations. Eventually, the group was forced to acquire its own property to continue its food sharing program. Since acquiring this land, the city has not interfered with the group’s activities.

Tampa, Florida

Tampa has a “standing policy” against sharing food with homeless persons in city parks. Tampa police have taken steps to stop individuals and groups who have attempted to distribute food in defiance of this policy. In 2004, police arrested Food Not Bombs (FNB) members for serving food in a downtown city park without a permit. However, due to the advocacy of two attorneys, Michael Maddux and Joseph Jackson, the city dropped the charges against the FNB members and agreed to cease enforcing the ordinance.

West Palm Beach, Florida

West Palm Beach has a law requiring a permit for any “special event” to be held on public property and the law defines the term “special event” very broadly. Additionally, the law requires permit applications to be filed from six weeks to six months in advance of the event depending on its type and size. In September 2007, West Palm Beach City Commissioners approved a ban on food sharing programs in several downtown city parks, despite public protests from city residents and providers. Local charity groups and legal organizations plan to take action on the basis of freedom of speech and assembly violations.

Wilmington, NC

Following complaints from downtown businesses, Wilmington has been very direct in its opposition to sharing food with homeless persons. The city passed an ordinance that prohibits the sharing of food on city streets and sidewalks. The passage of this ordinance has forced groups to seek out private property on which to conduct their food sharing activities. These private property activities continue to be monitored by Wilmington police.

Weather Blogging

2008-01-17T19:46:00.000-08:00

Started a Weather blog today. Seems that weather is something that I'm paying quite a lot of attention to lately. Heck, when the wind changes direction I wake up... so obviously I'm tuning myself to it whether I like it or not.

Clear understandings of my surroundings is part of the fun of this little adventure. I noticed that Eddie is always aware of his surroundings, you would never have to say something like "stay on your guard Eddie" because ... he is. When the four dogs came into our little area today, he went from lazing-looking-for-breakfast-stretching-kitty to howling black ball of fang and claw in the space of a heart beat.

I was a bit worried about him becoming something of a whimp around large dogs, since that time he got shaken around like a rag doll, but there was nothing to worry about. Three Labador's and hunting hound; Eddie is ready to take them all on, and took the back of my leg out trying to get at them as well.
That bit of damage is through my denim jeans. I kept telling the lady (who was really very nice and a great pet owner) that I was saving her dogs, not protecting Eddie. Saying this while feeling the blood run down into my boot added a degree of reality to my semi-joke.

Anyway... we both survived, the dogs as well as each other, and the day was fairly productive.

Still working on the Scarred Lands Wiki and getting all the basics down. There is quite a bit to learn in that piece of software.

I did wake in the night with some very cool solutions to puzzles I've been pondering. I love it when that happens. I don't like when it happens, and I go back to sleep, forgetting everything except that I had a good idea during the night.

Ok that was cold

2008-01-16T11:32:00.000-08:00

Getting down to 37 degrees is cold enough, but adding in the low fog was a bit much, even for me.

I've been conserned at night, when it gets this cold, about Eddie. For the last few nights however, I've made up warm-spots for him, and he has flat out ignored them, choosing to run about as he normally does, and even play in the mud. Then at about 5 in the morning he crawls into the sleeping bag with me. I'm guessing that the weather isn't bothering him at all.

Have to head up now and get with Terron. We are finishing up the module today.

Tired Tired Tired

2008-01-15T21:37:00.000-08:00

I could post a bunch of stuff today, and I'll probably do so tomorrow, but right now I'm too tired to make much of an entry.

I worked mostly on the Wiki, and putting in information, categorizing pages, finding out how to change some settings, basically it was boring stuff that needed to be done.

I was hoping to get the map done for the module, but never even opened the file. That's okay, Terron and I are meeting at noon to finish that up. So it really wasn't a day for working on that anyway.

Traffic slowed a bit on the scarn.com web site. Need to keep up with the blog and forum posts to keep the traffic coming in. My next big project there is to get the forum secure enough so that people can start signing up on their own again. Damn Spammers are a real pain in the ...

Opposing ideas

2008-01-15T10:41:00.000-08:00

It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. -- Einstein

How much further do we really need to go? Another quote I heard not long ago, is "The meek shall inherit the earth, the rest of us are heading to the stars" ... these two ideas are dynamically apposed and yet I agree with each of them.

We do not spend enough time and effort developing ourselves, and spend far too much time developing our surroundings and need-fillers. And yet, we are travelers, explorers, and those that walk the shores of the sea, starring out to the horizon in search of far away beauty.

Pleasure and Pain

2008-01-14T20:55:00.000-08:00

Well we are almost done with the module; it is very cool. Having a great time with it. Not sure which is more fun, making the module or making it with Terron. We work rather well together, and complement each other's interests and opinions. Terron has a very good feel for the game and its over all shape. I really enjoy working with him.

We are going to meet again on Wednesday and I think we will be finished with it then and ready to publish it on Scarn.com.

I have quite a bit of work to do on the Wiki. Seems like this is going to be my home for the next few weeks. There is so much I want to put on there and get published.

Santee has become a bit hostile since I was last here. The sheriffs are really after the homeless around these parts. They even gave me a ticket for Unlawful Housing, which I found a bit amusing. I may not be able to stay in this area though, no matter how amusing it is. Not sure where to go.

The wind changed early this morning. Woke me up. It doesn't feel like the Santa Anna is going to be with us very long though. Strong gusts up to 40mph felt good though. Of course, I was inside Starbucks most of the day working with Terron, so I didn't get to experience it for very long.

I'll be at the Barnes and Nobel on Tuesday, and then meeting Terron at the Starbucks beside the high-school on Wednesday.

Evening has come

2008-01-12T21:37:00.000-08:00

And another day gone…

A good day though. Terron and I worked as expected, on the module and got a great deal done. Even though it is just a day trip, it's going to be cool. We came up with the theme of developing day-trips for each of the Titan's.

Anyway… time to crawl into bed. It was a very good day, and I'm tired. I'm going to be around for at least another week I believe, because I want to finish up this first project with Terron before I leave (and I'm still not sure where to go with winter here in full swing through most of the country).

On that last note, perhaps I should give up the idea of heading out until at least March at this point. That kinda sucks but … well… too tired to give this serious thought.

Ah, there's the sun…

2008-01-12T10:48:00.000-08:00

I was tempted to write in my blog last night when I got to my hovel, but decided to get into covers and catch as much sleep as I could.

View Larger Map
It was difficult, because quite frankly I'm excited this morning; hence my awake and alert attitude at 6:30 AM. Terron and I have decided to go full-bore on the Scarn.com web site together, and start making modules.

We have committed to a module a month based on the Scarred Lands. I'm going over to his house this morning to get started. We got his laptop working yesterday (took most of the day to get that reloaded). Now we can start working together on these Scarred Lands Adventures. We even came up with a theme to get us going. Not going to say what that is, because it will ruin all the fun.

My first task will be to come up with a basic template/outline, so that we can focus on tasks easier while apart from one another. Terron is going to work on the first storyline, which will be based on an adventure he created for his party a while back.

I've got another set of committed activities that I'm formalizing over the weekend as well. I need to get into the code of the Wiki and figure out some basic things. Security is one of the top items, as well as file uploads, and some other features.

I would also like to get together with this Neverwinter Nights guy in Hawaii possibly join forces with him for mutual benefit. Not sure right now where he stands with his goals and ideas, but I don't see our efforts as competitive. I'm not interested in developing a software game, and I don't believe he is very interested in developing paper modules, so our efforts in the development of Wiki, forum, news blogs and so forth would only server to help one another, since most gamers I know are into both software and gathering RPGs.

Need to write some promised emails today as well, and get those out.

Lastly I want to get back on some of the online AA groups. I use to be very active on those, and since I plan on traveling, it would be good to get some support setup across the country again, so that when I hit a city, I have someone to call to get me to a meeting. Can't let the basics slide.

The travel setup I have now is very cool. Not only am I comfortable, but I feel secure in my ability to match forces with most weather changes and distance requirements. The Jeep Pet Gear Cart that I have now is much better than the other cart we had. Eddie is much more comfortable both during the travel day and during the night. The size and capacity of the Pet Gear Cart, allows for carrying a great deal of our gear, so my backpack has dwindled in weight considerably.

I have started my new AMV this week, and plan on getting that finished up during the coming week. One draw back to the drop in temperature at night is that I can't really work once I've left the place I've decided to make my office during the day. The cold really affects my fingers. I have some nice gloves which I could actually type with, but they don't allow me to use the pad-mouse… seems that heat is required on the pad as well as touch. Typing would still be a pain however.

Since Terron has decided to come onboard with me, I'm going to stay in Santee another week or so to get a working relationship going. Once we have the foundation laid on how we work together, then I'll take off. It will probably be warmer then anyway. Heck, daylight is getting longer already, today is going to be a whole 62 seconds longer then yesterday… woot!

To be honest, I still don't have much of an idea of where I want to go at the moment. I have places that I want to see, it is just that all of them are under a layer of snow and ice right now. There isn't much in Florida, or Georgia that I'm interested in; there are two friends who I would like to see, but honestly, going that distance, and having to turn around and come back with nothing else to see or experience, isn't that appealing.

I have a 60 day period that I can travel with, then I have to get back into California to get my medications again. So, it isn't like I can just take off and travel with immunity forever.

Well, the sun has risen, the sky is clear, the air is crisp. Time to get this show packed up and head up to Terron's house.

Back in Santee

2008-01-10T21:34:00.000-08:00

Today was our first day back in Santee. It was a bit cold this morning so we slept in well past 10am, and didn't really get moving until after 12. Such is our life.

As you can see, the mud is still available in Santee. Not sure why, because as far as I know it hasn't rained here in over 2 days, and the afternoon was certainly warm enough. But not only is it mud, but it is thick mud.

Got over to the Starbucks by the High School. Terron showed up and we tried to get his computer working again, but found we didn't have a WinXP CD (damn), and we didn't have the right wireless card to get Knoppix working (double damn), so while he can at least write and save, he can't get on the Internet (triple damn).

Eddie seems to be in good spirits and I'm working on good spirit. Not much else to say right now. so I'll just close out and say something intellegent tomorrow.

Back in Santee

2008-01-09T20:02:00.000-08:00

Eddie and I are back in Santee, working out of the Starby's on Mast and Magnolia. We'll be in this area for a few days and then planning on heading East, probably all the way to Florida, travel winds allowing.

Two months back indoors certainly had a nice feel to it, but I have to admit that I'm rather happy about being back on the road. Eddie seems to be getting back into travel mode rather easy as well. Perhaps he's enjoying himself more than I realized.

We have the new cart, which is very cool, and a very good setup now. After being on the road for several months, I've a much clearer idea of what makes life better and what is just "crap I'm carrying."

Anyway, I'll post some pictures and videos here soon and play with some google earth stuff.