Okay, I'm back to doing daily "bloggings".
I got out of the habit almost two weeks ago.
For me blogging is a creative process as much as anything and I have to feel inspired which I have not of late.
Not until tonight, when the suffocating malaise of inertia I have been languishing beneath lifted and I had a productive evening and to a lesser extent, day.
Perhaps it was having A&E's "Andromeda Strain" remake/reinterpretation keep me company helped inspire me.
Such End-Of-The-World themes have always haunted me and increasingly much it seems such is the case with my fellow countrymen as well. I'll post a blog about that movie later this week as I'm watching the two-part movie tonight and tomorrow night.
There seems to be an increasing fascination with and attraction to such themes throughout the world.
It's as if on some level or another most of us know we're screwed in the Long Haul and it's just a matter of time and the specific details to play themselves out.
Me: I'm betting on the big bolide impact.
Fini
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Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
High-Tech Dependency
Tonight I was going to blog about my experience at a friend's forge today replete with photos I took.
Unfortunately, tonight my Charter Bundle (internet, telephone, and cable television) all failed for a few hours so that will have to wait until tomorrow night.
We moderns are pathetically dependent upon high technology.
Three major functions of my household failed tonight due to a smoking box down the street.
Had I not had a cell phone and had needed 911 I would have been in trouble as the phone was dead.
This Charter Bundle saves me a whole lot of money but it also makes me even more vulnerable to the precocious whims of high technology than when I had a different provider for phone than for my cable television and high speed internet.
How tonight's episode played out was actually kinda cool.
I was on my cell phone talking to the very friend whose forge I visited today and I noticed my internet connection died at one point as we talked while I sat at my computer.
My first reaction was concern that it was a failure of my equipment so I tried unsuccessfully to reset my connection to the internet.
I then began to feel the problem was elsewhere as has happened before so I was a bit relieved.
A short time later I took a break in my phone conversation with my friend in order to switch the conversation over to my home phone but found it as dead as a doornail.
I then checked my cable television and found it was out, too.
This gave me upmost confidence the cause was Charter Communication's problem and not mine.
I was relieved as I can ill-afford another expense like that right now.
A bit after that when I had finished up my conversation with my friend I called mom to see if her cable television was out and she informed me it was not.
I then called Charter Communications and found out there was indeed an outage in my immediate area and they were working on it.
Not too much later I was out taking some house trash out to the waste bins and low and behold a service truck with a man-lift/cherry-picker came up the street and through the glare of my lights out front I could make out it was a Charter Communications service vehicle.
This made me very happy as you might imagine as they were indeed clearly on it aggressively.
A short time later that truck and two others like it rumbled down my street and all parked a few houses down with great fanfare replete with floodlights and flashing lights and headlights and slamming doors and people talking and noises of trucks backing up and going "beep, beep, beep" and so on.
I decided to get my flashlight and put Tequila on her leash and walk down there and thank them for leaving their homes and coming out and fixing my problem and to see what exactly happened.
As I walked down the street and approached all the hub-bub up I realized these guys were like the keepers of the flame of technology.
The flame of high technology had flickered low tonight in my neighborhood and they were here to get it vigorously burning again.
The movie Quest For Fire came to mind: how pathetic is that?!
Anywho, I walked up and thanked the three fellas for coming out to help me which they acknowledged with the two of them standing in their man-lifts wearing helmets with attached flashlights both suddenly looking down at me and consequently illuminating me while slightly blinding me which struck me as sort of funny for some reason.
I then asked them what the problem was.
They replied that they didn't yet know but one of them mumbled that whatever it was it was in the metal box up on the pole they were looking at from their man-lifts.
As I turned away one of them said that a certain box was smoking and asked the lone technician standing on the ground if he had one in his service truck to which he responded in the affirmative and went to get it as I walked away to head on up the street to my home.
Not long after that everything came back on line and the service technicians working down the street left and quiet descended upon the neighborhood once again.
Our modern high-tech system is so fragile that all it takes is for one link in the chain to break and the whole thing grinds to a halt.
Fini
Unfortunately, tonight my Charter Bundle (internet, telephone, and cable television) all failed for a few hours so that will have to wait until tomorrow night.
We moderns are pathetically dependent upon high technology.
Three major functions of my household failed tonight due to a smoking box down the street.
Had I not had a cell phone and had needed 911 I would have been in trouble as the phone was dead.
This Charter Bundle saves me a whole lot of money but it also makes me even more vulnerable to the precocious whims of high technology than when I had a different provider for phone than for my cable television and high speed internet.
How tonight's episode played out was actually kinda cool.
I was on my cell phone talking to the very friend whose forge I visited today and I noticed my internet connection died at one point as we talked while I sat at my computer.
My first reaction was concern that it was a failure of my equipment so I tried unsuccessfully to reset my connection to the internet.
I then began to feel the problem was elsewhere as has happened before so I was a bit relieved.
A short time later I took a break in my phone conversation with my friend in order to switch the conversation over to my home phone but found it as dead as a doornail.
I then checked my cable television and found it was out, too.
This gave me upmost confidence the cause was Charter Communication's problem and not mine.
I was relieved as I can ill-afford another expense like that right now.
A bit after that when I had finished up my conversation with my friend I called mom to see if her cable television was out and she informed me it was not.
I then called Charter Communications and found out there was indeed an outage in my immediate area and they were working on it.
Not too much later I was out taking some house trash out to the waste bins and low and behold a service truck with a man-lift/cherry-picker came up the street and through the glare of my lights out front I could make out it was a Charter Communications service vehicle.
This made me very happy as you might imagine as they were indeed clearly on it aggressively.
A short time later that truck and two others like it rumbled down my street and all parked a few houses down with great fanfare replete with floodlights and flashing lights and headlights and slamming doors and people talking and noises of trucks backing up and going "beep, beep, beep" and so on.
I decided to get my flashlight and put Tequila on her leash and walk down there and thank them for leaving their homes and coming out and fixing my problem and to see what exactly happened.
As I walked down the street and approached all the hub-bub up I realized these guys were like the keepers of the flame of technology.
The flame of high technology had flickered low tonight in my neighborhood and they were here to get it vigorously burning again.
The movie Quest For Fire came to mind: how pathetic is that?!
Anywho, I walked up and thanked the three fellas for coming out to help me which they acknowledged with the two of them standing in their man-lifts wearing helmets with attached flashlights both suddenly looking down at me and consequently illuminating me while slightly blinding me which struck me as sort of funny for some reason.
I then asked them what the problem was.
They replied that they didn't yet know but one of them mumbled that whatever it was it was in the metal box up on the pole they were looking at from their man-lifts.
As I turned away one of them said that a certain box was smoking and asked the lone technician standing on the ground if he had one in his service truck to which he responded in the affirmative and went to get it as I walked away to head on up the street to my home.
Not long after that everything came back on line and the service technicians working down the street left and quiet descended upon the neighborhood once again.
Our modern high-tech system is so fragile that all it takes is for one link in the chain to break and the whole thing grinds to a halt.
Fini
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Paso Robles Gun Show May 17-18th, 2008
Well folks, my buddy "Studebaker Dave" called me last night and during the course of our conversation informed me that the gun show at the Mid-State Fairgrounds (now pretentiously called "The Event Center") that I mistakenly believed would be occurring on the first weekend of June like it was last year is actually this coming weekend, May 17-18th, 2008.
I had planned on attending it under that mistaken impression so I had to scramble today and call Central Coast Gun Shows and see if they had any openings in the show.
Lo and behold they did and I got myself two tables in the show.
However, the more I think about it I want an end space so if one is available I'll upgrade to three tables.
I'll call about that in the morning.
My business partner Mike Lyons is down south doing some work so he won't be attending so I've invited the aforementioned friend Dave to man my booth with me and sell his metallurgical artistic creations and whatever else he choses.
I sure hope to see as many of my regular customers as possible as well as any readers of this blog.
If any of you can do it and want to do it, please come on down and drop by our booth while you're there. ;-p
Oh, and by the way, if you have a hang-up about guns and gun shows you really should go to at least one in your life.
They're not as bad as you might imagine and they aren't as boring as you might think if you happen to not be a "gun person".
Gun shows are sorta like swap meets with a heavy emphasis on guns and ammo and gun accessories like holsters, cleaning kits, conversion kits, sights, etc. There are also plenty of outdoorsy things at guns shows, as well, plus there is not a litle bit of antique and collectible stuff being sold, too, along with even some arts and crafts-y sort of stuff by one or two dealers usually.
Anywho, I'll be selling my usual gems, minerals, fossils, and artifacts under the name of K&K Earthwerks.
My inventory will emphasize home decor and not minerals like would be the case at a rock show.
Dave will be selling his homemade metallurgical creations and perhaps some other things as well.
I had planned on attending it under that mistaken impression so I had to scramble today and call Central Coast Gun Shows and see if they had any openings in the show.
Lo and behold they did and I got myself two tables in the show.
However, the more I think about it I want an end space so if one is available I'll upgrade to three tables.
I'll call about that in the morning.
My business partner Mike Lyons is down south doing some work so he won't be attending so I've invited the aforementioned friend Dave to man my booth with me and sell his metallurgical artistic creations and whatever else he choses.
I sure hope to see as many of my regular customers as possible as well as any readers of this blog.
If any of you can do it and want to do it, please come on down and drop by our booth while you're there. ;-p
Oh, and by the way, if you have a hang-up about guns and gun shows you really should go to at least one in your life.
They're not as bad as you might imagine and they aren't as boring as you might think if you happen to not be a "gun person".
Gun shows are sorta like swap meets with a heavy emphasis on guns and ammo and gun accessories like holsters, cleaning kits, conversion kits, sights, etc. There are also plenty of outdoorsy things at guns shows, as well, plus there is not a litle bit of antique and collectible stuff being sold, too, along with even some arts and crafts-y sort of stuff by one or two dealers usually.
Anywho, I'll be selling my usual gems, minerals, fossils, and artifacts under the name of K&K Earthwerks.
My inventory will emphasize home decor and not minerals like would be the case at a rock show.
Dave will be selling his homemade metallurgical creations and perhaps some other things as well.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
First California Heat Wave of 2008
It looks like we're headed into the first genuine, full-blown California heat wave of 2008 starting Thursday.
Already we're heating up with today hotter than yesterday and tomorrow hotter than today.
Our grasses are rapidly turning brown and our flowers are rapidly shriveling up.
This has brought high fire danger to California early this year compared to normal.
Already serious fires have stricken the state north and south this year as the plentiful rains ended months ago leaving us with thick grasses that are now prematurely dry.
Currently, there is a serious fire burning on the Angeles National Forest on the flanks of Mount San Antonio a.k.a. Mount Baldy in Eastern Los Angeles County.
It is known as the Bighorn Fire and currently stands at 300 acres charred with 0% containment.
Tomorrow looks to the be the decisive day as to if it will go on to become a big fire or has already pretty much done what it will do.
Of course, this fire follows on the heels of the recent Santa Anita Fire in the same general area a few weeks ago that charred over 500 acres.
By the way, you can visually monitor the Bighorn Fire from the Mount Wilson Towercam operated by UCLA.
You can further monitor the progress of this fire on my Yahoo group California Disasters Group.
Remember to not lock children or pets in cars with the windows up during this time and to watch yourself while out excercising in this upcoming heat and renew your fire preparations if you live in an at-risk fire zone.
Fini
Already we're heating up with today hotter than yesterday and tomorrow hotter than today.
Our grasses are rapidly turning brown and our flowers are rapidly shriveling up.
This has brought high fire danger to California early this year compared to normal.
Already serious fires have stricken the state north and south this year as the plentiful rains ended months ago leaving us with thick grasses that are now prematurely dry.
Currently, there is a serious fire burning on the Angeles National Forest on the flanks of Mount San Antonio a.k.a. Mount Baldy in Eastern Los Angeles County.
It is known as the Bighorn Fire and currently stands at 300 acres charred with 0% containment.
Tomorrow looks to the be the decisive day as to if it will go on to become a big fire or has already pretty much done what it will do.
Of course, this fire follows on the heels of the recent Santa Anita Fire in the same general area a few weeks ago that charred over 500 acres.
By the way, you can visually monitor the Bighorn Fire from the Mount Wilson Towercam operated by UCLA.
You can further monitor the progress of this fire on my Yahoo group California Disasters Group.
Remember to not lock children or pets in cars with the windows up during this time and to watch yourself while out excercising in this upcoming heat and renew your fire preparations if you live in an at-risk fire zone.
Fini
Monday, May 12, 2008
Random Musings of a Ramblin' Fool V
Mea Culpa
I beg your pardon for my not posting anything for over a week ending yesterday.
I was fatigued from doing shows consecutive weekends not to mention everything else going on in my life.
Add to that the fact blogging is akin to art for me in that it is a creative outlet for me.
I typically must feel inspired to do it or at least to do it well, anyhow.
Anywho, I feel inspired once again so now we're rolling again with "bloggings".
Whole Lot of Shakin' Goin' On
Anybody notice all the interesting stuff going on of late in the natural world?
Of greatest significance is what is going on in Asia with the big earthquake in China that has killed at least 10,000 people as well as Cyclone Nargis that hit Burma (Myanmar) killing at least 30,000 people.
Add to that the deadly twisters that struck Middle America over the weekend killing 22 people along with the other 76 people killed by tornadoes this year putting us on a pace to be the deadliest year for tornadoes in the U.S. since 1985.
Add to that wildfires in Florida burning a dozen homes and closing I-95 and another wildfire over the weekend in Colorado that burned homes.
Add to that interesting earthquake activity of late in this nation like M5.2 in Illinois or the M5.4 in Northern California or the the strange earthquake swarm off the coast of Oregon recently and even a good little jolt here in Atascadero, CA, a couple of weeks ago.
Now we're going to get a major heat wave across the West starting Wednesday and going into this coming weekend.
Toss in the current eruption of Chile's Chaitin Volcano which could yet erupt catastrophically along with the ongoing but gradually escalating ominousness in Hawaii at Kilauea Volcano and you get the feeling that we're in an especially dangerous time.
I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. Aren't you?
There Goes The Neighborhood
The other day for the very first time I saw an abandoned car in my neighborhood that somebody had just dumped up the street and around the corner.
Talking to a neighbor next to where this happened I learned of a possibility it was from a tenant who just left the house in back next door that was being rented, but regardless, it was a first in yet another sign my town is changing towards a more busy and urban environment with the multitude of petty crimes that go with that such as litter and tagger graffiti and break-ins to cars and vandalism, etc.
Lack of Respect
Speaking of tagger graffiti, I was walking the railroad tracks here in Atascadero with my dog Tequila for exercise this afternoon.
I like doing this in the particular area I was in (south of Curbaril Ave.) as I have walked there since 1982.
Doing so gives me a sense of continuity like a touchstone.
I get good thinkin' and prayin' done when I walk in places like that I've noticed.
Anywho, there is a railroad trestle about a half a mile south of Curbaril Avenue that used to be pristine and I played around and under it back in the halcyon days of my youth in the early 1980's.
Walking there today I noticed a whole assortment of dumped furniture and household refuse and tagger graffiti all over the concrete walls of the trestle stamped with the year "1943".
This newer generation clamors for "respect" all the while not showing it to other's and their stuff and to old places and old things that have meaning they can't even comprehend.
People built that trestle during World War Two.
That thing has been there for 65 years.
Who built it?
What were they like?
What did they think of their accomplishment in building it?
What happened to them in their life?
This trestle and any others they built are probably their only monument that they were ever here on this earth other than perhaps their gravestones.
I as a youth respected their work and the railroad's property but these new punks these days do not it seems.
I realize they are probably not representative of their entire generation.
Yet, NOBODY from my generation graffitied up that trestle unless those responsible are guys in their late 30 to early 40's.
Absurdity of the Day
Today I heard that the junior Senator from Illinois claims he has more foreign policy experience than either Hillary Clinton or John McCain.
Oh really?
Whatevah!
"Idiot of the Week"
I only just today became aware that Bob Barr is now a Libertarian and today announced his candidacy for President.
I'm the closest to being a Libertarian of any of the political parties, but have never registered as one as I never like any of their candidates and don't agree with them on enough things to feel at all connected to them.
Now I have one more good reason not to vote Libertarian for President this year.
This guy is the single most obnoxious figure (other than Clinton himself) related to the Clinton Impeachment (which I didn't disagree with mind you).
He came across at that time as a pompous and sanctimonious character (see how honorably I worded that as "character" was not the word I wanted to use).
Anywho, it later came out that he, of militant anti-abortion and anti-adultery timber, had in 1983 pressured one of his former wives into getting an abortion and then two years later used a legalism to avoid having to answer in divorce proceedings if he had cheated on Wife Two with Wife Three.
Did you know he has his own talk radio show in which he has a segment entitled "Idiot of the Week" and then he has a playoff of those "idiots" and the winner is "Idiot of the Year"?
Is that rich or what?
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
On a more positive note I'm indescribably excited at the prospect of another Indiana Jones moving coming out.
The new one is called Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
I'm relieved they used Harrison Ford, again, instead of some newish "Young Indiana Jones" sort of thing. The TV series by that name was great but let's not go any further down that track and just enjoy Ford as Indy while we have Ford and then when he's no longer able to do the character let it rest.
TV Show Theme Song Website
Could any of you help me find a website whose address I've lost?
It contained a nearly complete collection of all the great and not-so-great American TV show theme songs and scores which played in full and for free. It even had the new Battlestar Gallicata themes as well as the old one and hundreds more.
They were all organized in alphabetical order.
If you know of what I refer to please post it as a comment here.
Thanks in advance.
Fini
I beg your pardon for my not posting anything for over a week ending yesterday.
I was fatigued from doing shows consecutive weekends not to mention everything else going on in my life.
Add to that the fact blogging is akin to art for me in that it is a creative outlet for me.
I typically must feel inspired to do it or at least to do it well, anyhow.
Anywho, I feel inspired once again so now we're rolling again with "bloggings".
Whole Lot of Shakin' Goin' On
Anybody notice all the interesting stuff going on of late in the natural world?
Of greatest significance is what is going on in Asia with the big earthquake in China that has killed at least 10,000 people as well as Cyclone Nargis that hit Burma (Myanmar) killing at least 30,000 people.
Add to that the deadly twisters that struck Middle America over the weekend killing 22 people along with the other 76 people killed by tornadoes this year putting us on a pace to be the deadliest year for tornadoes in the U.S. since 1985.
Add to that wildfires in Florida burning a dozen homes and closing I-95 and another wildfire over the weekend in Colorado that burned homes.
Add to that interesting earthquake activity of late in this nation like M5.2 in Illinois or the M5.4 in Northern California or the the strange earthquake swarm off the coast of Oregon recently and even a good little jolt here in Atascadero, CA, a couple of weeks ago.
Now we're going to get a major heat wave across the West starting Wednesday and going into this coming weekend.
Toss in the current eruption of Chile's Chaitin Volcano which could yet erupt catastrophically along with the ongoing but gradually escalating ominousness in Hawaii at Kilauea Volcano and you get the feeling that we're in an especially dangerous time.
I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. Aren't you?
There Goes The Neighborhood
The other day for the very first time I saw an abandoned car in my neighborhood that somebody had just dumped up the street and around the corner.
Talking to a neighbor next to where this happened I learned of a possibility it was from a tenant who just left the house in back next door that was being rented, but regardless, it was a first in yet another sign my town is changing towards a more busy and urban environment with the multitude of petty crimes that go with that such as litter and tagger graffiti and break-ins to cars and vandalism, etc.
Lack of Respect
Speaking of tagger graffiti, I was walking the railroad tracks here in Atascadero with my dog Tequila for exercise this afternoon.
I like doing this in the particular area I was in (south of Curbaril Ave.) as I have walked there since 1982.
Doing so gives me a sense of continuity like a touchstone.
I get good thinkin' and prayin' done when I walk in places like that I've noticed.
Anywho, there is a railroad trestle about a half a mile south of Curbaril Avenue that used to be pristine and I played around and under it back in the halcyon days of my youth in the early 1980's.
Walking there today I noticed a whole assortment of dumped furniture and household refuse and tagger graffiti all over the concrete walls of the trestle stamped with the year "1943".
This newer generation clamors for "respect" all the while not showing it to other's and their stuff and to old places and old things that have meaning they can't even comprehend.
People built that trestle during World War Two.
That thing has been there for 65 years.
Who built it?
What were they like?
What did they think of their accomplishment in building it?
What happened to them in their life?
This trestle and any others they built are probably their only monument that they were ever here on this earth other than perhaps their gravestones.
I as a youth respected their work and the railroad's property but these new punks these days do not it seems.
I realize they are probably not representative of their entire generation.
Yet, NOBODY from my generation graffitied up that trestle unless those responsible are guys in their late 30 to early 40's.
Absurdity of the Day
Today I heard that the junior Senator from Illinois claims he has more foreign policy experience than either Hillary Clinton or John McCain.
Oh really?
Whatevah!
"Idiot of the Week"
I only just today became aware that Bob Barr is now a Libertarian and today announced his candidacy for President.
I'm the closest to being a Libertarian of any of the political parties, but have never registered as one as I never like any of their candidates and don't agree with them on enough things to feel at all connected to them.
Now I have one more good reason not to vote Libertarian for President this year.
This guy is the single most obnoxious figure (other than Clinton himself) related to the Clinton Impeachment (which I didn't disagree with mind you).
He came across at that time as a pompous and sanctimonious character (see how honorably I worded that as "character" was not the word I wanted to use).
Anywho, it later came out that he, of militant anti-abortion and anti-adultery timber, had in 1983 pressured one of his former wives into getting an abortion and then two years later used a legalism to avoid having to answer in divorce proceedings if he had cheated on Wife Two with Wife Three.
Did you know he has his own talk radio show in which he has a segment entitled "Idiot of the Week" and then he has a playoff of those "idiots" and the winner is "Idiot of the Year"?
Is that rich or what?
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
On a more positive note I'm indescribably excited at the prospect of another Indiana Jones moving coming out.
The new one is called Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
I'm relieved they used Harrison Ford, again, instead of some newish "Young Indiana Jones" sort of thing. The TV series by that name was great but let's not go any further down that track and just enjoy Ford as Indy while we have Ford and then when he's no longer able to do the character let it rest.
TV Show Theme Song Website
Could any of you help me find a website whose address I've lost?
It contained a nearly complete collection of all the great and not-so-great American TV show theme songs and scores which played in full and for free. It even had the new Battlestar Gallicata themes as well as the old one and hundreds more.
They were all organized in alphabetical order.
If you know of what I refer to please post it as a comment here.
Thanks in advance.
Fini
Sunday, May 11, 2008
50th Annual "Art In Stone" Bakersfield Show, Pt. 3
Saturday night passed without incident.
I did neglect to mention that while out walking Tequila Saturday night, May 3, I saw an urban black dude with the "homey" look out in the parking lot of the Motel 6.
Earlier in the evening I had seen he has four pre-teen children staying with him so he was out taking a smoking break away from his kids.
When I encountered him during my walk I was out in the grassy area adjacent to the parking lot out of the main glare of the lights of the parking lot.
He was in that glare and had some trouble seeing me out in the dark and was really checking me out as if concerned I was the constabulary. I simply disarmingly waved in a friendly manner and he waved back friendly and that was that.
I could distinctly smell the odor of marijuana on the air in his vicinity: 'nuff said.
We checked out of Motel 6 and arrived at the Kern County Fairgrounds a bit later than Saturday morning as we had no set-up to do this time around and Sunday mornings are typically quiet at the start.
The second day of the 50th Annual "Art in Stone" Bakersfield show started slow but picked up as the day progressed with an unexpectedly brisk level of activity even before the church crowd showed up from noon onwards.
Over the course of the afternoon I traded for some more meteoritic and tektitic material from Sandi's Jewels & Gems of Maricopa, CA.
This time I picked up a polished Nantan meteorite sphere and some tektites from either the Berringer Crater area in Northern Arizona (Meteor Crater/Canyon Diablo) or Kingston Range in the Eastern California Desert.
We got some more repeat business from previous shows on this day and even a visit from a customer from the day before (that guy from Wasco I mentioned from yesterday) which was nice as it is these sorts of customers that keep you in business.
This was the first show I really felt I turned the corner in my business as far as being connected and keyed into a faithful following of repeat customers who follow us from show to show and seek us out which is a deeply gratifying feeling.
About halfway through the afternoon Mike realized his prized boytroidal jade from Monterey County was missing from our display: it had been stolen.
It was priced at $400 but was worth more than that to Mike as it was part of her personal collection and his pride and joy, too.
He felt sick as did I.
I immediately notified show chair Ismael and also walked over to neighboring dealer Kelly to inform her of what happened.
Earlier in the afternoon she informed us somebody had stolen a rutilated quartz crystal priced at $250.
I only told her to make her feel a bit better about her loss (misery loves companey).
She immediately looked at me strangely and told me to send Mike over to her which I did.
She then asked Mike to tell her what was on the bottom of his missing stone and he said a label with the price of $350 (or something like that) which was correct, of course, and so she gave it back to him.
As the two of them were in the midst of that exchange I could see down low out of Mike's direct line-of-sight she had his jade specimen which flabbergasted me.
Apparently what happened is when Kelly noticed her stolen crystal was missing she noticed about a foot away was this unfamiliar stone that turned out to be Mike's boytroidal jade specimen.
My theory is whomever stole Mike's stone saw her's and liked it even more and essentially exchanged one for another.
In any case it was a weird happening with a wonderful outcome for Mike although he still felt stung by the fact somebody had ripped him off for a short time with the original intent of doing it permanently.
On the lip side, he was also feeling overwhelmed with a sense of relief as well.
Indeed, so relieved was he that he rewarded Kelly for finding and returning his jade.
I made a buddy last year at this show in the person of a young gal named Kayleigh who is one of the Kern County Mineral Society (KCMS) "Mineral Mites" which is a youth program of that club and the best one I've seen to date of any of the club shows I've done.
Anywho, Kayleigh showed up later in the day looking a bit spooked.
Apparently, the odd-looking guy who had caught my attention some minutes previously had been real friendly with Kaylie and seemed to her to follow her from booth to booth so she came and hang out with us until he cleared out of the area.
Upon closer observation I noticed he talked strangely and had a wandering eye which she confirmed.
It might have been easy to pity the guy but she recounted his complaining to her about the overall prices at the show being too high.
As a dealer that sort of whining makes me mad as I know for a fact that overall the material at that show was not overpriced.
Apparently, Kaylie may not be at the show next year according to her which might be the case with Mike and I, too, as he really wants to do the Snyder Powwow next year although we are VERY happy with how this show went and have not made a final decision despite my verbal commitment to dealer chair Manny Hernandez to return next year.
In any case I now recommend this show to other dealers and suggest those whom left in the past try to get back in it in the future if they can as the KCMS appears to be serious about bringing the show back to its former glory.
At the end of the show at 5 p.m. Mike and I broke down our booth quickly and efficiently as we now have a great system in place and on our third show of the year have found our rhythm and were done inside two hours and so we helped Kelly get packed up and ready to go before we left and headed home.
I didn't feel like dealing with the freeways at the end of the day in an urban area so I led our caravan out Ming Avenue to the west all the way to Buena Vista Road north to Stockdale Highway west to Highway 43 north to Highway 58 west to a travel center at I-5/SR58 where we got gas and water and snacks.
From there it was on home via Highway 58 west to Highway 33 north to Highway 46 west to Highway 41 southwest to Atascadero which drive I needed to help me unwind from the stimulating and fulfilling weekend.
I did neglect to mention that while out walking Tequila Saturday night, May 3, I saw an urban black dude with the "homey" look out in the parking lot of the Motel 6.
Earlier in the evening I had seen he has four pre-teen children staying with him so he was out taking a smoking break away from his kids.
When I encountered him during my walk I was out in the grassy area adjacent to the parking lot out of the main glare of the lights of the parking lot.
He was in that glare and had some trouble seeing me out in the dark and was really checking me out as if concerned I was the constabulary. I simply disarmingly waved in a friendly manner and he waved back friendly and that was that.
I could distinctly smell the odor of marijuana on the air in his vicinity: 'nuff said.
We checked out of Motel 6 and arrived at the Kern County Fairgrounds a bit later than Saturday morning as we had no set-up to do this time around and Sunday mornings are typically quiet at the start.
The second day of the 50th Annual "Art in Stone" Bakersfield show started slow but picked up as the day progressed with an unexpectedly brisk level of activity even before the church crowd showed up from noon onwards.
Over the course of the afternoon I traded for some more meteoritic and tektitic material from Sandi's Jewels & Gems of Maricopa, CA.
This time I picked up a polished Nantan meteorite sphere and some tektites from either the Berringer Crater area in Northern Arizona (Meteor Crater/Canyon Diablo) or Kingston Range in the Eastern California Desert.
We got some more repeat business from previous shows on this day and even a visit from a customer from the day before (that guy from Wasco I mentioned from yesterday) which was nice as it is these sorts of customers that keep you in business.
This was the first show I really felt I turned the corner in my business as far as being connected and keyed into a faithful following of repeat customers who follow us from show to show and seek us out which is a deeply gratifying feeling.
About halfway through the afternoon Mike realized his prized boytroidal jade from Monterey County was missing from our display: it had been stolen.
It was priced at $400 but was worth more than that to Mike as it was part of her personal collection and his pride and joy, too.
He felt sick as did I.
I immediately notified show chair Ismael and also walked over to neighboring dealer Kelly to inform her of what happened.
Earlier in the afternoon she informed us somebody had stolen a rutilated quartz crystal priced at $250.
I only told her to make her feel a bit better about her loss (misery loves companey).
She immediately looked at me strangely and told me to send Mike over to her which I did.
She then asked Mike to tell her what was on the bottom of his missing stone and he said a label with the price of $350 (or something like that) which was correct, of course, and so she gave it back to him.
As the two of them were in the midst of that exchange I could see down low out of Mike's direct line-of-sight she had his jade specimen which flabbergasted me.
Apparently what happened is when Kelly noticed her stolen crystal was missing she noticed about a foot away was this unfamiliar stone that turned out to be Mike's boytroidal jade specimen.
My theory is whomever stole Mike's stone saw her's and liked it even more and essentially exchanged one for another.
In any case it was a weird happening with a wonderful outcome for Mike although he still felt stung by the fact somebody had ripped him off for a short time with the original intent of doing it permanently.
On the lip side, he was also feeling overwhelmed with a sense of relief as well.
Indeed, so relieved was he that he rewarded Kelly for finding and returning his jade.
I made a buddy last year at this show in the person of a young gal named Kayleigh who is one of the Kern County Mineral Society (KCMS) "Mineral Mites" which is a youth program of that club and the best one I've seen to date of any of the club shows I've done.
Anywho, Kayleigh showed up later in the day looking a bit spooked.
Apparently, the odd-looking guy who had caught my attention some minutes previously had been real friendly with Kaylie and seemed to her to follow her from booth to booth so she came and hang out with us until he cleared out of the area.
Upon closer observation I noticed he talked strangely and had a wandering eye which she confirmed.
It might have been easy to pity the guy but she recounted his complaining to her about the overall prices at the show being too high.
As a dealer that sort of whining makes me mad as I know for a fact that overall the material at that show was not overpriced.
Apparently, Kaylie may not be at the show next year according to her which might be the case with Mike and I, too, as he really wants to do the Snyder Powwow next year although we are VERY happy with how this show went and have not made a final decision despite my verbal commitment to dealer chair Manny Hernandez to return next year.
In any case I now recommend this show to other dealers and suggest those whom left in the past try to get back in it in the future if they can as the KCMS appears to be serious about bringing the show back to its former glory.
At the end of the show at 5 p.m. Mike and I broke down our booth quickly and efficiently as we now have a great system in place and on our third show of the year have found our rhythm and were done inside two hours and so we helped Kelly get packed up and ready to go before we left and headed home.
I didn't feel like dealing with the freeways at the end of the day in an urban area so I led our caravan out Ming Avenue to the west all the way to Buena Vista Road north to Stockdale Highway west to Highway 43 north to Highway 58 west to a travel center at I-5/SR58 where we got gas and water and snacks.
From there it was on home via Highway 58 west to Highway 33 north to Highway 46 west to Highway 41 southwest to Atascadero which drive I needed to help me unwind from the stimulating and fulfilling weekend.
50th Annual "Art In Stone" Bakersfield Show, Pt. 2
To my partial surprise, my pickup was still there safely in the Motel 6 parking lot in the morning and not even up on blocks and stripped down! ;-p
We sauntered over to the Kern County Fairgrounds and got their before just about any of the other dealers and finished our set-up.
When the 50th Annual "Art in Stone" show opened it began briskly with sales occurring in the first hour and it kept going all day which was nice.
By the end of the day my show was payed for (which includes my meteoritic purchase) and I was into the black the rest of the way.
Last year's show was a shadow of its former self as the Kern County Mineral Society (KCMS) had not been spending adequate money to promote their show in recent years.
The club's leadership is disproportionately older and they tend to think like things are how they used to be and Bakersfield is still a small city and one can have a show and folks will just show up as there is nothing else going on.
In reality, there are multiple things going on EVERY weekend in Bakersfield in the here and now and they need to spend money and go out and grab folks and bring them in.
This year they did at the urging of members like dealer chair Manny Hernandez and it payed off for me at least as I saw much more sales than last year.
Unfortunately, many of the dealers they used to have don't go there anymore so this year's show saw only four returning dealers from last year's show including us.
However, with what they did this year I feel they have an opportunity to build their show back up again and I now recommend this show to other dealers out there IF KCMS spends the dough for promotion again next year.
It was nice to see so many repeat customers from this show last year and from the previous weekend's show in Lancaster and even from the previous Bakersfield show the month before. We even had a guy visit us who we first met at last year's Big Sur Jade Festival who lives in Wasco.
There was no theft the first day in contrast to the year before which was nice.
At the end of the day we headed over to our room at Motel 6 and while checking in a young white gal ("white trash" all the way) with "meth mouth" (few teeth left and what few remained were discolored and rotten) and maybe even oral herpes as her lips were all swollen with boils (or maybe that's an element of "meth mouth") ambled in with three children in tow.
She told the clerk that her two-month old was locked in her room as she had left the two-year old to watch it while she got ice and it had left the room to join her closing the door behind it and now she couldn't get in.
When the clerk checked the paperwork for that room there was only one person, a man, registered there, but this gal said she was staying with her boyfriend.
A member of the housekeeping staff was then asked about it and they said this gal had been there for a couple of days at least.
The manager was then summoned and they were about to rescue the young'un but boot out the family for fraudulently paying for just one person but having six people staying in the room.
Situations like this further reenforce in my mind my view that the laws should be changed for the allowance of forced spaying and neutering of citizens like this man and woman who now have four children who will undoubtedly grow up to be like them and be a drain on the public treasury through the legal, welfare, and health care systems.
I must be a terrible person for feeling that way.
Anywho, after getting nested into our room we then went next door to Denny's for a nice, but inexpensive dinner and then settled in for the night.
I did take Tequila, my little Chihuahua/Jack Russell "Terror" for a walk in the "hood".
Up the short side street our Motel 6 is at the end of is a dirt area too small to build on trapped between the street and a fenced irrigation canal and located behind a gas station that is at the corner of White Lane and the aforementioned side street.
A large tree grows unchallenged in the middle of this small dirt area.
The dirt all around is pitted with mounds of dirt adjacent to large, dark holes with all other vegetation stripped from the area, not even a weed grows there. The texture and color and overall appearance of this scene struck me as ominous and reminiscent of Pitch Black and The Bone Snatcher as if some monstrous creatures lived deep down in those holes which led down to subterranean caverns where surface-dwelling victims are dragged down into to be bloodily devoured and use the confusion and anonymity of the urban jungle to remain undetected.
It would be kinda cool if this were true in a grim sort of way but alas, no dice, as I spotted ground squirrels on those mounds the next morning as I left.
We sauntered over to the Kern County Fairgrounds and got their before just about any of the other dealers and finished our set-up.
When the 50th Annual "Art in Stone" show opened it began briskly with sales occurring in the first hour and it kept going all day which was nice.
By the end of the day my show was payed for (which includes my meteoritic purchase) and I was into the black the rest of the way.
Last year's show was a shadow of its former self as the Kern County Mineral Society (KCMS) had not been spending adequate money to promote their show in recent years.
The club's leadership is disproportionately older and they tend to think like things are how they used to be and Bakersfield is still a small city and one can have a show and folks will just show up as there is nothing else going on.
In reality, there are multiple things going on EVERY weekend in Bakersfield in the here and now and they need to spend money and go out and grab folks and bring them in.
This year they did at the urging of members like dealer chair Manny Hernandez and it payed off for me at least as I saw much more sales than last year.
Unfortunately, many of the dealers they used to have don't go there anymore so this year's show saw only four returning dealers from last year's show including us.
However, with what they did this year I feel they have an opportunity to build their show back up again and I now recommend this show to other dealers out there IF KCMS spends the dough for promotion again next year.
It was nice to see so many repeat customers from this show last year and from the previous weekend's show in Lancaster and even from the previous Bakersfield show the month before. We even had a guy visit us who we first met at last year's Big Sur Jade Festival who lives in Wasco.
There was no theft the first day in contrast to the year before which was nice.
At the end of the day we headed over to our room at Motel 6 and while checking in a young white gal ("white trash" all the way) with "meth mouth" (few teeth left and what few remained were discolored and rotten) and maybe even oral herpes as her lips were all swollen with boils (or maybe that's an element of "meth mouth") ambled in with three children in tow.
She told the clerk that her two-month old was locked in her room as she had left the two-year old to watch it while she got ice and it had left the room to join her closing the door behind it and now she couldn't get in.
When the clerk checked the paperwork for that room there was only one person, a man, registered there, but this gal said she was staying with her boyfriend.
A member of the housekeeping staff was then asked about it and they said this gal had been there for a couple of days at least.
The manager was then summoned and they were about to rescue the young'un but boot out the family for fraudulently paying for just one person but having six people staying in the room.
Situations like this further reenforce in my mind my view that the laws should be changed for the allowance of forced spaying and neutering of citizens like this man and woman who now have four children who will undoubtedly grow up to be like them and be a drain on the public treasury through the legal, welfare, and health care systems.
I must be a terrible person for feeling that way.
Anywho, after getting nested into our room we then went next door to Denny's for a nice, but inexpensive dinner and then settled in for the night.
I did take Tequila, my little Chihuahua/Jack Russell "Terror" for a walk in the "hood".
Up the short side street our Motel 6 is at the end of is a dirt area too small to build on trapped between the street and a fenced irrigation canal and located behind a gas station that is at the corner of White Lane and the aforementioned side street.
A large tree grows unchallenged in the middle of this small dirt area.
The dirt all around is pitted with mounds of dirt adjacent to large, dark holes with all other vegetation stripped from the area, not even a weed grows there. The texture and color and overall appearance of this scene struck me as ominous and reminiscent of Pitch Black and The Bone Snatcher as if some monstrous creatures lived deep down in those holes which led down to subterranean caverns where surface-dwelling victims are dragged down into to be bloodily devoured and use the confusion and anonymity of the urban jungle to remain undetected.
It would be kinda cool if this were true in a grim sort of way but alas, no dice, as I spotted ground squirrels on those mounds the next morning as I left.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
50th Annual "Art In Stone" Bakersfield Show, Pt. 1
Well folks, I'm sorry I took so long to blog about anything at all and in particular my show last weekend.
I've been busy not to mention fatigued from doing shows consecutive weekends as well as not inspired enough to do it.
Alas, too many days and other details of life have come about since last weekend so I've undoubtedly forgotten some details of last weekend's 50th Annual "Art in Stone" rock show hosted by the Kern County Mineral Society (KCMS) which was held at the Kern County Fairgrounds, but I shall do my best.
For dealers/vendors Saturday/Sunday shows start on Friday with packing and travel to the venue and set-up.
I packed up in the late morning/early afternoon of Friday, May 2, 2008.
My buddy Mike Lyons and I headed over to Bakersfield via Highway 41 northeast to Highway 46 east to Wasco where we took at quick break and then onto Highway 99 south to Highway 58 east to Union Avenue south to Belle Terrace west to Avenue P and south into the Kern County Fairgrounds.
We then proceeded to unpack and begin the process anew of setting up our display and trying to make it look as attractive and inviting as possible using both our display equipment (Mike's glass plates are always the centerpiece of our display) combined with the inventory itself.
As is typical with set-up day we did a bit of hanging out and talking with the other dealers.
Part of this entails window shopping atnd actual shopping at other dealer's booths of which I partook purchasing a set of small meteorites and tektites in a nice leather and glass case from Sandi's Jewels & Gems of Maricopa, CA.
The host club feted us with a simple stew which was nice of them, but it was a step down from what they did last year.
The reason for this is they are an older club and they just didn't have the personnel available to fete us with anything more elaborate. This is a problem across much of our hobby as it seems to age faster than it can be replenished with infusions of new blood.
Over the course of the late afternoon and into the evening we accomplished most of our set-up and decided to leave the remainder for Saturday morning before the show opened as we'd have an extra hour compared to most shows as this one wasn't to start until 10 a.m.
We had brought our camping gear in case we could strike a tent in a situation as convenient for camping as the Bakersfield Rock & Gem Rendevous show we attended several weeks earlier but alas, no dice so we decided to get a room at Motel 6.
I dialed 411 to contact them but discovered that there are something like four of them in the Bakersfield area so I had to track down the closest Motel 6 which was in South Bakersfield.
We headed over there directly from the venue finding it quite easily despite my unfamiliarity with the neighborhood.
Check-in got bogged down as the gal who served us was new to the job.
I found it disconcerting how much "punkage" was spending the night there with us.
This was underscored by the presence of a roaming security guard all evening.
That night I was graced with his presence and rather quickly figured him out: middle-aged white male who couldn't hack it as a real cop so found this job gave him a badge and a modicum of authority which he projected to the full.
Although our room wasn't a "wireless" room the bleed-over from an adjacent room made it possible for me to log onto the internet although the signal was weak. Unfortunately, I was too tired to blog that day that night.
The night went smoothly with a comfortable sleep.
My little Chihuahua/Jack Russell "Terror" Tequila started the night on Mike's bed and ended it on my bed which she did the following night as well.
I've been busy not to mention fatigued from doing shows consecutive weekends as well as not inspired enough to do it.
Alas, too many days and other details of life have come about since last weekend so I've undoubtedly forgotten some details of last weekend's 50th Annual "Art in Stone" rock show hosted by the Kern County Mineral Society (KCMS) which was held at the Kern County Fairgrounds, but I shall do my best.
For dealers/vendors Saturday/Sunday shows start on Friday with packing and travel to the venue and set-up.
I packed up in the late morning/early afternoon of Friday, May 2, 2008.
My buddy Mike Lyons and I headed over to Bakersfield via Highway 41 northeast to Highway 46 east to Wasco where we took at quick break and then onto Highway 99 south to Highway 58 east to Union Avenue south to Belle Terrace west to Avenue P and south into the Kern County Fairgrounds.
We then proceeded to unpack and begin the process anew of setting up our display and trying to make it look as attractive and inviting as possible using both our display equipment (Mike's glass plates are always the centerpiece of our display) combined with the inventory itself.
As is typical with set-up day we did a bit of hanging out and talking with the other dealers.
Part of this entails window shopping atnd actual shopping at other dealer's booths of which I partook purchasing a set of small meteorites and tektites in a nice leather and glass case from Sandi's Jewels & Gems of Maricopa, CA.
The host club feted us with a simple stew which was nice of them, but it was a step down from what they did last year.
The reason for this is they are an older club and they just didn't have the personnel available to fete us with anything more elaborate. This is a problem across much of our hobby as it seems to age faster than it can be replenished with infusions of new blood.
Over the course of the late afternoon and into the evening we accomplished most of our set-up and decided to leave the remainder for Saturday morning before the show opened as we'd have an extra hour compared to most shows as this one wasn't to start until 10 a.m.
We had brought our camping gear in case we could strike a tent in a situation as convenient for camping as the Bakersfield Rock & Gem Rendevous show we attended several weeks earlier but alas, no dice so we decided to get a room at Motel 6.
I dialed 411 to contact them but discovered that there are something like four of them in the Bakersfield area so I had to track down the closest Motel 6 which was in South Bakersfield.
We headed over there directly from the venue finding it quite easily despite my unfamiliarity with the neighborhood.
Check-in got bogged down as the gal who served us was new to the job.
I found it disconcerting how much "punkage" was spending the night there with us.
This was underscored by the presence of a roaming security guard all evening.
That night I was graced with his presence and rather quickly figured him out: middle-aged white male who couldn't hack it as a real cop so found this job gave him a badge and a modicum of authority which he projected to the full.
Although our room wasn't a "wireless" room the bleed-over from an adjacent room made it possible for me to log onto the internet although the signal was weak. Unfortunately, I was too tired to blog that day that night.
The night went smoothly with a comfortable sleep.
My little Chihuahua/Jack Russell "Terror" Tequila started the night on Mike's bed and ended it on my bed which she did the following night as well.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Random Musings of a Ramblin' Fool IV
Bakersfield Show This Weekend
This weekend at the Kern County Fairgrounds will be the other Bakersfield gem and mineral show.
It will be an entirely indoor show.
I will be there as a dealer/vendor and hope to see as many of my readers there as possible.
My business partner and buddy Mike Lyons will be there with me.
We haven't made up our minds if we will camp like we did a few weeks ago at the Rendevous show or will get a room at Motel 6.
We'll have to eyeball the situation when we get there to see if camping will work or not.
Black Ministers Rallying Around Dr. Wright
Tonight I read reports that black ministers are rallying around Dr. Jeremiah Wright even as their sheep increasingly are not which puzzles me for a couple of reasons.
First off, I'm surprised to see the sheep showing so better judgement than their foolish shepherds.
Secondly, I'm perplexed that so many black ministers are praising such a pernicious and petulant man.
Some ministers have gone so far as to refer to him as a prophetic.
Whah???
Did he foresee the trouble he would cause Barack Obama?
Did he foresee what an ass he would make of himself in front of the world and in the process disgrace the name of Christ?
He's nothing other than a false prophet and false teacher who misled his wicked sheep who seemed to have had an appetite for his carnality for years and have replaced him with a young fool even more wicked than he.
This entire episode seems to clearly demonstrate the sorry state of the Black Wing of God's Church which clearly appears as screwed up as the White Wing.
Fire Is Ironic
Last Wednesday CALTRANS was mowing the grass along Highway 166 in the border area of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties just west of Rockfront Ranch.
This was done as a fire mitigation measure.
At some point a rock was struck by a blade from the mower generating a spark which caught the grass on fire which quickly ran up into the adjacent hills scorching 55 acres. This sort of thing happens in this area every year without exception.
Speaking of Fire
This past weekend the Santa Anite Fire broke out in the hills above my old stomping grounds in the Sierra Madre area along the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains in the Northern San Gabriel Valley in the LA Basin.
Not only was it weird to hear of this going on at all but in April?
That ominously portends what this fire season will bring to California.
Lot's 'O' Quakes of Late
Anybody notice how many quakes have rattled California/Nevada of late?
There was the Verdi/Mogul, Nevada, stuff recently and the Reno area has been strangely active since February and then we had a moderate quake near Hayfork, CA, and M4's in the Borrego Springs, CA, area as well as in the Mojave Desert east of Barstow and in Lake Isabella area. Here in Atascadero we had a M3.9 that sure felt like a M4+ quake which quake I even heard, not just felt.
Clear Creek Rockhounding Area Closure
The BLM has closed the Clear Creek Management Area ostensibly to protect the public from asbestos exposure.
This is hogwash as the area is a hotbed of off-road vehicle activity and bad apples in that community have made a lot of trouble up there and now they have found an EPA report as a fig leaf to cover their pusch to keep the taxpayer out of there.
Rockhounds once again get hurt by wayward off-roaders.
I had planned to go hunting for benitoite in that area this Summer which plan is now in jeopardy.
Ack!
Fini
This weekend at the Kern County Fairgrounds will be the other Bakersfield gem and mineral show.
It will be an entirely indoor show.
I will be there as a dealer/vendor and hope to see as many of my readers there as possible.
My business partner and buddy Mike Lyons will be there with me.
We haven't made up our minds if we will camp like we did a few weeks ago at the Rendevous show or will get a room at Motel 6.
We'll have to eyeball the situation when we get there to see if camping will work or not.
Black Ministers Rallying Around Dr. Wright
Tonight I read reports that black ministers are rallying around Dr. Jeremiah Wright even as their sheep increasingly are not which puzzles me for a couple of reasons.
First off, I'm surprised to see the sheep showing so better judgement than their foolish shepherds.
Secondly, I'm perplexed that so many black ministers are praising such a pernicious and petulant man.
Some ministers have gone so far as to refer to him as a prophetic.
Whah???
Did he foresee the trouble he would cause Barack Obama?
Did he foresee what an ass he would make of himself in front of the world and in the process disgrace the name of Christ?
He's nothing other than a false prophet and false teacher who misled his wicked sheep who seemed to have had an appetite for his carnality for years and have replaced him with a young fool even more wicked than he.
This entire episode seems to clearly demonstrate the sorry state of the Black Wing of God's Church which clearly appears as screwed up as the White Wing.
Fire Is Ironic
Last Wednesday CALTRANS was mowing the grass along Highway 166 in the border area of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties just west of Rockfront Ranch.
This was done as a fire mitigation measure.
At some point a rock was struck by a blade from the mower generating a spark which caught the grass on fire which quickly ran up into the adjacent hills scorching 55 acres. This sort of thing happens in this area every year without exception.
Speaking of Fire
This past weekend the Santa Anite Fire broke out in the hills above my old stomping grounds in the Sierra Madre area along the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains in the Northern San Gabriel Valley in the LA Basin.
Not only was it weird to hear of this going on at all but in April?
That ominously portends what this fire season will bring to California.
Lot's 'O' Quakes of Late
Anybody notice how many quakes have rattled California/Nevada of late?
There was the Verdi/Mogul, Nevada, stuff recently and the Reno area has been strangely active since February and then we had a moderate quake near Hayfork, CA, and M4's in the Borrego Springs, CA, area as well as in the Mojave Desert east of Barstow and in Lake Isabella area. Here in Atascadero we had a M3.9 that sure felt like a M4+ quake which quake I even heard, not just felt.
Clear Creek Rockhounding Area Closure
The BLM has closed the Clear Creek Management Area ostensibly to protect the public from asbestos exposure.
This is hogwash as the area is a hotbed of off-road vehicle activity and bad apples in that community have made a lot of trouble up there and now they have found an EPA report as a fig leaf to cover their pusch to keep the taxpayer out of there.
Rockhounds once again get hurt by wayward off-roaders.
I had planned to go hunting for benitoite in that area this Summer which plan is now in jeopardy.
Ack!
Fini