"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear -- not absence of fear." -Mark Twain - riceme's Blog - Tehachapi News

Tehachapi City Council Election Results

Yay! Congratulations, Shane and Ed!

CITY OF TEHACHAPI COUNCILMEMBER - Vote For 2Completed Precincts: 5 of 5

VOTE COUNT	PERCENTAGE
D. SHANE REED	1149	29.81%
ED GRIMES	1141	29.61%
HENRY L. SCHAEFFER	929	24.10%
RICHARD TRIPP	623	16.17%

Closing the 'Collapse Gap': the USSR was better prepared for collapse than the US

I am more than a little bit terrified after reading this article. I just finished it, and may need a few days to fully digest it.

Not for the faint of heart:

http://www.energybulletin.net/node/23259

It is a fairly long read, but if you start, don't close-out without reading the slides toward the end.

What is the definition of African-American?

I copied this from the Pensacola News Journal Forums... We've been having a very involved discussion on this topic for a few days now, and I'm interested to see where the same topic-starter/question goes in Tehachapi as opposed to the Deep South. I am not the original author of the "ponder this" below. -riceme

PONDER THIS...

While reading and learning about Obama's background I became curious about what actually made a person "African-American".
Only his father was African. He was raised by his white mother and white grandparents.

If my family history includes one African-American in a great-great-grandparent, am I considered African-American?

I have heard comments about African-Americans that have two African-America parents as not being "black enough." So is African-America or "blackness" really a culture thing? If so, then Obama is not really African-American.

Just some thoughts.

-KevinMichaels (PNJ username)

Women's Clinic

A little truth, a little humor...

Enjoy.

When nerds collide by Mike Suchcicki

Posted 9/10/2008 5:50 PM EDT on pnj.com

Scientists in Switzerland were cheering today following the first successful test of the world's largest atom smasher, a massive, underground machine known as the Large Hadron Collider.

With but one push of a button, this apparatus has united all the peoples of all the nations of the world, united us in the fact that all but about 14 of us are clueless as to what the thing even does.

After a few trial runs, scientists fired a beam of protons clockwise around the 17-mile tunnel of the collider. Then they sent another beam in the opposite, counterclockwise direction. Then, happy with those two tests, they used the collider to pop a bag of popcorn.

"The secret," said one of the scientists, "is to listen carefully to the popping, to determine exactly when to turn the collider off."

I just made the popcorn part up -- I think -- but I ask you, what's the point of building some 17-mile long scientific apparatus if you're not going to do something fun with it every once in awhile? Can you play Tetris on it? You can play Tetris on my cellphone, and my cellphone didn't cost $10 billion.

And that's another thing: For $10 billion, certainly scientists could have developed something really cool, like flying killer robots.

I'm not quite sure how the thing works, but the photos I've seen so far make it look like that big gun on the Death Star that blows up planets, so it has THAT going for it.

Apparently scientists want to use the machine to smash protons into one another, with the hope of replicating events that led to the creation of the universe.

Critics of the LHC are concerned that the Colliderites might just be a little too successful in their attempts to recreate the beginning of the universe, with the unfortunate result that they might just create a universe. Creating a universe is kind of like getting a puppy: Sure, it starts out all cute and cuddly and everything, but eventually it grows and gets into everything and stops being so cute and it scratches up your furniture and chews up your slippers and just keeps getting bigger and bigger until eventually it obliterates life as we know it.

(At least, so I've heard; I'm a cat person.)

At the very least, the critics warn, the LHC might inadvertently lead to the creation of a black hole:

Scientist 1: "Oops, Bjorn, I think we just created a black hole. What do we do now?"

Scientist 2: "Just slide the couch over it, no one will know."

One thing I'm wondering about the LHC is, what happens when they're done. That is, what are the scientists going to do once they've uncovered the secrets of "dark matter" (dark matter is like matter, only with less sugar and a bitter aftertaste), antimatter and the foundations of life itself?

Scientist 1: "OK, that happened. Now what?"

Scientist 2: "Now let's collide Diet Coke and Mentos."

Scientist 1: "Cool!"

POSTSCRIPT: For a concise, colorful and musical explanation of exactly what the Large Hadron Collider does, check out this video.

Resident Kills Intruder With Shotgun: Florida's Stand Your Ground Law

Resident kills intruder

Rebekah Allen • rallen@pnj.com • August 10, 2008

The resident living on Srant Drive who shot and killed an intruder Saturday afternoon will not be charged, said Glenn Austin, spokesman with the Escambia County Sheriffs Office.

At about 4:30 p.m., two men broke in through the side door of the West Pensacola home. At least one of the men was armed, Austin said.

The man living in the residence heard the disturbance and shot one of the suspects while the other one ran away.

The suspect who was shot, Rodney Allen Williams, 27, staggered out of the house and died, Austin said.

“He was an armed intruder who came in with a weapon. The homeowner saw the threat and defended himself,” Austin said. “When you’re threatened you have the right to defend yourself.”

According to Florida’s “Stand Your Ground Law,” homeowners are entitled to shoot a person who unlawfully and forcibly enters their home.

Officials are looking for another man connected to the break-in, Austin said, but could not provide a description of the man.

Kim Bragg lives five houses away from where the break-in occurred. She hopes this incident makes law enforcement pay attention to the crime in the area.

“Some of these homes have been broken into so many times it’s not even funny,” Bragg said.

The two men who broke into the home were dropped off by a woman driving a car, she said.

Bragg said she’s concerned about the safety of her neighborhood, made up of many children and seniors.

She doesn’t keep a gun at home because she has children but says that doesn’t stop her from encouraging neighbors to keep them.

“We’re going to have to start carrying baseball bats,” Bragg said. “If the police don’t help us, we’re going to be swinging first and asking questions later.”

http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080810/NEWS01/808100345

http://www.glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11044890#post11044890

(P.S. The neighbors were NOT happy with the implication that Ms. Bragg was speaking on their behalf... -MCR)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Alrighty kids! It's survey time!! YAY!!

As you have probably just read, a Pensacola gentleman's home was broken into yesterday and he shot and killed one of two armed intruders. We have a "Stand Your Ground Law" and can assume that an intruder intends to do harm to you and your family, and you can respond with anything up to and including lethal force.

I want to know what your thoughts are about our law? This is one of my favorite subjects. I would love for you all to weigh-in on this hot topic.

The links I provided are from the article in the Pensacola News Journal, and a link to a Glock Talk forum where I found some additional details.

Tehachapi High School Multi-Year Reunion: Saturday, 16 August 2008

MONDAY, 11 AUGUST 2008 UPDATE

DEADLINE EXTENDED!!

Hello all:
I just got off the phone with Tina at the BVS Resort. I prepaid for those who paid so far, but she gave me the okay to add more people until Thursday this week! So if you still wanted to come the deadline has been extended until August 14th. Spread the word. If you are going to mail a check it needs to go out today or tomorrow at the latest. At this point the best way to pay would be via credit card on paypal.

As of today we have 93 attendees and 71 are former classmates!

Please help me spread the word!
Thanks,
Allison

Allison Fallick-Mupas
Aug 11 2008 12:07 PM PST

*****

****SATURDAY, 9 AUGUST UPDATE****

Hey, everybody! See Allison's comment below that ALL Tehachapi High School Alumni are welcome to the multi-year reunion! Mimi, Vader, yaso, eek, (EVERYONE!!), sign-up and pass the word!!

.....

I've heard that some folks aren't aware of the THS Multi-Year Reunion that's right around the corner. Following are the details, which can also be found via www.classmates.com

Event Type: Reunion

When:
Aug 16 2008 6:30 PM -
Aug 16 2008 11:30 PM

In-Person Event: Confirmed

Where:
Oak Tree Country Club
29500 N Lower Valley Rd
Tehachapi, CA 93561 USAmap

Price: $65.00 payment info

Organizer: Allison Fallick-Mupas

Posted Jan 10, 2008 10:17:26 PM PST
Created By Allison Fallick-Mupas
Reunion: Seeking photos from 86-91
For the Multi-Year Reunion if you wish to send me any fun or cute photos to be used to make a presentation for the reunion please scan and send them to Allison Mupas or e-mail for a postal address. Please put names and dates on a sheet with the photo or on the back of the photo and a postage paid envelope if you wish to have the photos returned. Thanks, Allison

Posted Jul 28, 2008 7:56:23 PM PST
Created By Allison Fallick-Mupas
Reunion: Multi Class Reunion
Hey everyone... The date is quickly approaching and I am hearing rumors that people are planning on Crashing the reunion! Here is the scoop! The resort will not have the ability to accommodate Crashers! I have to pay for everyone who is attending about 1 week prior to the event. They pre-order their food and will not be able to accommodate changes after that point! If someone shows up at 6:30 who has NOT prepaid they will be told to come back at 9:30pm and when they return they will be charged $30.00 to cover costs of the room, planning expenses & DJ. So they might as well be encouraged to come for the whole party! PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD! FINAL PAYMENT MUST BE IN MY HANDS BY AUGUST 9th! There will be a list at the front door of who has paid. If you have not yet RSVP'd please take a minute now and do so! Thank you for your help spreading the word! Allison

Posted Aug 04, 2008 8:24:10 PM PST
Created By Allison Fallick-Mupas
Event News: IF YOU RSVP'd YES
People who have RSVP'd yes need to have also prepaid in order to be counted for the reunion. I have to prepay for each person so I need the money in my hands by next Saturday August 9th, 2008 either via check or paypal. NO PAYMENTS WILL BE TAKEN AT THE DOOR...Help me spread the word!!!

HELP! I'm looking for the blogger who was looking for information about a creepy-looking guy!

I am looking for the TN blogger who posted an inquiry a while back (probably in the past month), where s/he was looking for information about a man, of whom a picture was posted. It looked like he was pushing a cleaning cart down the walkway of a hotel.

I have information for that person and need to contact them. I've looked through more pages of profiles. blogs and comments than I care to admit in the past two days in effort of finding the inquiring blogger, but have come-up empty handed.

Joty, I looked through Job's blogs and comments and found nothing there to indicate it was him. Thanks for the response, though... I appreciate it.

As Independence Day Approaches: FIREWORKS ARE ILLEGAL IN TEHACHAPI & SURROUNDING AREAS

Independence Day is now just a heartbeat away and, as it is my favorite holiday I would like to wish all of my friends and family back home in Tehachapi a wonderful and safe Independence Day. For all of our Veterans and service women and men, from the bottom of my heart I thank you and wish you well.

Please also be reminded that ALL FIREWORKS ARE ILLEGAL IN TEHACHAPI AND SURROUNDING AREAS. Please refer to the Kern County Fire Department website (info and link below) for additional information.

The White Fire from last year should still be fresh on everyone's minds, the Piute Fire should be close enough to scare everyone, and the loss of our treasured Railroad Depot should be heavy on everyone's hearts... Fireworks are not just illegal. They are not smart.

Firework Safety Information

Public Safety Announcement

The Fireworks Task Force, in joint operation between the Kern County Fire Department, The Kern County Fire Department’s Arson Division and the Kern County Sheriff’s Department, operates during the 4th of July holiday time period. The Task Force will issue Administrative Citations for violations of illegal fireworks in the amount of $1500 and legal fireworks used outside of the prescribed time limit in the amount of $500.

Other Statistics / Information

· On July 4, 2004, 45-year-old husband and father, Raymond Reilly III, was standing outside his home in a northwest Bakersfield cul-de-sac. Neighbors exploded a homemade device crafted from Piccolo Pete fireworks. The canister-in-a-watermelon bomb blew shrapnel 74 feet — straight into Reilly’s heart.

· In 2007, the Fireworks Task Force issued 100 citations with a total received of $30,221.20, which helped to fund the force. (KCFD Arson Investigations Unit)

· Illegal fireworks recently destroyed Tehachapi’s historic train depot. All fireworks are illegal in Tehachapi, as well as in all other local mountainous communities.

· Legal fireworks have the State of California Fire Marshal's seal and the slogan "Safe and Sane." All others, including "Safe and Sane" that have been modified, are illegal.

http://www.kerncountyfire.org/news.php?id=32