Thursday, March 31, 2011

LightItUpBlue

http://blue.autismspeaks.org/c.ckLOI6NRIfJ2G/b.6612519/k.C4ED/Participant_Search/siteapps/personalpage/ShowPage.aspx?c=ckLOI6NRIfJ2G&b=6612519&sid=hwJWIfPZJkLXKbPZKxG

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Is Small Business bugging out of California?

Hmm... this was off an email sent to me...
got me thinking- is it legit?
is it fear mongering?
is it something in between...?
Anyone a victim of the exodus and want to share...?

To ALL MY CALIFORNIA FRIENDS!

Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 3:50 PM

I don't care who you are or what you "believe" politically, you had better take note of what is going on in California . We are already over 12% unemployment here, and if the current "thinking" in Sacramento doesn't change, there won't be any jobs or tax base left.

There was a political fundraisera for Meg Whitman a short while back... At this event were several owners of manufacturing companies in the central valley. They represented hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs. They stated that if Jerry Brown wins in November, they are GONE, and taking their businesses with them to some other state. These jobs will permanently leave California . These owners say they simply cannot survive the taxes and the over regulation.

So take a look at this list below and think about all the additional jobs that will soon be leaving this state if we are not smart enough to take it's control from the unions and give it back to the people.

Even if you do not read this entire e-mail, you ought to scroll down and see how massive this list really is. California is no longer the Golden State , thanks mostly to the inept morons in Sacramento and their asinine policies.

It costs a company lots of money to pull-up roots and move; a decision not to be taken lightly. The majority of these jobs and companies will never come back. The last part tells the story we, the small business owners, deal with every day.

JOBS LEAVING CALIFORNIA

Abraxis Health, a unit of Los Angeles-based Abraxis BioScience Inc, opened a new plant that will create 200 jobs in 2010 -- in Phoenix . This follows the company's Phoenix expansions that occurred in 2007 and 2008.

Alza Corp. In 2007 eliminated about 600 jobs in drug R&D while also exiting its Mountain View , Calif. , HQ. At the time the company said that its 1,200-person Vacaville facility will continue to operate. But the Vacaville Reporter on Oct. 23, 2009 revealed that the plant is being offered for sale by J&J, its parent company. It's unclear if more layoffs are in the facility's future.

American AVK, a producer of fire hydrants and other water-related products, moved from Fresno to Minden , Nevada .

American Racing moved its auto-wheel production to Mexico , ending most of its 47-year operation in California .

Apple Computer has expanded in other states, most recently with a $1 billion facility planned for North Carolina .

Audix Corporation relocated from Redwood City , Calif. To accommodate growth it moved to a 78,000-square-foot facility in Wilson , Oregon .

Apria Health care Group of Lake Forest is shifting jobs from California to Overland Park , Kansas , a K.C. Suburb.

Assurant Inc. Cut 325 jobs in Orange County and consolidated positions in Georgia , Ohio and South Carolina .

Automobile Club of Southern California placed 1,100 jobs in Texas .

Barefoot Motors, a small "green" manufacturer, moved from Sonoma and will grow in Ashland , Oregon .

Bazz Houston Co., located in Garden Grove , has slowly been building a workforce of about 35 people in Tijuana . In early 2010 the company said it expects to move more jobs to Mexico , citing cost and regulatory difficulties in Southern California .

Beckman Coulter, a biomedical test equipment manufacturer headquartered in Brea , relocated part of its Palo Alto facilities to Indianapolis , Indiana , two years ago. In early 2010, it's making a multimillion-dollar investment to expand and create up to 100 new jobs in Indiana . The company said the area offers a "favorable business environment and lower total cost of operations, plus a local work force with strong skills in both engineering and manufacturing."

Bild Industries Inc., which specializes in business news, directories and market reports, moved to Post Falls , Idaho , from Van Nuys, a part of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles .

Bill Miller Engineering, Ltd., suffering under the "hostile business climate" in California and Los Angeles County , moved from Harbor City to Carson City , Nevada .

BMC Select has conducted an unusual relocation. The company, which had shifted its headquarters from Idaho to San Francisco , relocated its HQ. Back to Boise in January 2010. The building materials distributor said that regaining its footing in Boise retained access to high-quality employees while reducing wage and occupancy costs.

BPI Labs, which formulates, manufactures, and fills personal care products for the health and beauty industry, relocated from Sacramento to Evanston , Wyoming , a move the company's owner called "very successful . . . . It felt good and we've never looked back.

Buck Knives, after 62 years in San Diego , moved to Post Falls , Idaho .

CalPortland Cement has announced in late 2009 closure of its Riverside County plant because of new environmental regulations from a state law (AB 32). The company's CEO wrote, "A cement plant cannot be picked up and moved, but the next new plant probably won't be built in California; meaning more good, high paying manufacturing jobs will be lost to Nevada or China or somewhere else."

California Casualty Group left San Mateo for Colorado , cutting operating costs to remain competitive.

CalStar Products Inc., headquartered in Newark , Calif. , in the San Francisco Bay Area, in January 2010 was awarded $2.44 million in federal clean energy tax credits. The company said in the future it expects to build additional plants in the Mississippi Valley and the East Coast. In late 2009 CalStar opened a plant in Caledonia , Wisconsin .

Checks-To-Go moved to Utah , where workers' comp rates helped make the troubled company healthier.

Chivaroli & Associates, a health care-related insurance service based in Westlake Village , California , moved a regional office to Spokane , Washington .

CoreSite, A Carlyle Company, is delaying a Santa Clara project while it expands its data center in Reston , Virginia .

Creators Syndicate may flee L.A. because it operates like a Banana Republic.

Creel Printing Left Costa Mesa for Las Vegas and Southern California loses 60 more jobs.

Dassault Falcon looked at building an aircraft services facility in Riverside County but instead located in Reno .

DaVita Inc., moved its HQ from Los Angeles to Denver ; expects to see millions of dollars in savings over time.

Denny's Corp., the large restaurant chain, once had its headquarters in La Mirada and later in Irvine , Calif. It then moved to Spartanburg , South Carolina . In fairness, I note the move occurred in the early 1990's. However it's noteworthy because the company was founded in California and its growth over time created HQ jobs in another state.

Digital Domain, the Academy-Award-winning visual effects studio based in Venice , California , placed new studios in Vancouver , British Columbia , and Port St. Lucie , Florida , which combined will have about 500 employees. The facilities will allow the company to reduce costs while continuing to deliver cutting-edge work.

Ditech, headquartered in Costa Mesa , announced in January 2010 a 269-job cut and is moving most activities to the GMAC Financial Services (parent company) headquarters in Fort Washington , Pennsylvania . In 2007, Ditech relocated some workers from Costa Mesa to Phoenix . A once robust Costa Mesa facility employing hundreds will be down to 20 or 30 workers.

DuPont Fabros Technology suspended a $270 million Santa Clara data center project in favor of one in Ashburn , Virginia .

eBay, based in San Jose , will create 450 jobs in Draper, Utah , in a new $334 million operations, customer support and data center.

EDMO Distributors, Inc., a world-wide wholesaler of aircraft avionics, test equipment, and pilot supplies, moved its HQ from Valencia , Calif. , to Spokane Valley , Washington . Since then, it has built a larger headquarters in the city's Mirabeau Point community complex.

Edwards Life Sciences, based in Irvine , will expand with 1,000 employees -- not in California , but in Draper, Utah .

EMRISE Corporation completed its HQ move from Rancho Cucamonga to Eatontown , New Jersey , in May, 2009. The company said the move "will result in additional annualized cost savings of approximately $1 million and facilitate improvements in operating efficiency". . . . The cost savings associated with relocating our corporate headquarters will start immediately. . . The aggregate total of these expense reductions will increase our profitability and cash flow in this and succeeding years and, over time, substantially improve our ability to further reduce their long term debt.

Facebook, based in Palo Alto , will expand in a major way in Oregon by locating a custom data center in Prineville. It will be a 147,000-square-foot facility costing $180 million and will employ 200 workers during construction and another 35 full-time once operating in 2011.

FallLine Corporation left Huntington Beach , where they were being "hammered" with multiple governmental regulatory fees, for Reno , Nevada .

Fidelity National Financial left Santa Barbara for Florida , spurred by California 's 'oppressive' business environment.

First American Corporation, based in Santa Ana , will open a call center in March 2010 -- not in California , but in Phoenix , where it expects to employ about 400 people within two years.

Fluor Corp. moved its global headquarters from Aliso Viejo to Irving , Texas , with about 100 employees asked to relocate; while the company planned to hire the same number there. In 2006, when Fluor moved into its new headquarters building, a company statement said: "The official dedication had a decidedly Texas theme" as a horseshoe was raised on the building, a time-honored Texas tradition.

Foxconn Electronics, a large contract electronics maker, moved some of its Fullerton operations to Dallas .

Fox Family moved its farming operations to Cookeville , Tennessee . All employees moved with the firm.

Fuel System Solutions moved its headquarters from Santa Ana to New York .

Gregg Industries, owned by Neenah Enterprises Inc. in Wisconsin , closed a 300-employee foundry in El Monte . The firm was under pressure from the South Coast Air Quality Management District to make $5 million in upgrades. The company didn't want to make the investment in the difficult economic climate, so it decided to leave the state, instead.

Helix Wind Inc. may move its research and development, engineering, and testing departments from San Diego to "more supportive" Oregon .

Hewlett-Packard, HQ'd in Palo Alto , at various times has moved jobs to Tennessee and Texas .

Hilton Hotels Corp. in 2009 moved from its longtime corporate H.Q. in Beverly Hills to a new office in Tysons Corner , Virginia .

Hino Motor Manufacturing, USA, moved from California to Williamstown , West Virginia , in 2007, where it now employs about 100 workers. The company has growth plans to "Raise Hino's presence from medium-heavy/heavy-duty trucks to all ranges of trucks" and an aggressive program to improve fuel economy and emissions. The company builds trucks under its own brand and also manufactures Toyota-branded vehicles.

Intel Corporation, HQd in Santa Clara , has chosen to expand operations in neighboring states.

Intuit, of Mountain View, created a customer support office (110 people), not in California but in Colorado , because of lower operating costs. Intuit placed a data center near Quincy , Washington . Intuit also located Innovative Merchant Solutions LLC in Las Vegas as part of a $1.8 million investment in Nevada .

J.C. Penney closed its Sacramento call center and moved the work to five out-of-state centers.

Kimmie Candy Co., a manufacturer that was started in 1999, moved from Sacramento to Nevada in 2005. "I really don't have a lot of regrets about moving up to Reno ," said owner Joe Dutra.

Klaussner Home Furnishings in closing its La Mirada manufacturing plant will maintain its NC and Iowa operations.

Knight Protective Industries moved to Oregon "where 4-day work weeks were permitted by the state" and wanted by the employees.

Kulicke & Soffa Industries Inc. announced in February 2010 that it is closing its Irvine plant, laying off 56 people, and will shift the work to Malaysia and Singapore . The facility had been owned by Orthodyne Electronics Corp., which Kulicke & Soffa bought in 2008.

LCF Enterprises, which makes specialized high-end amplifiers used by researchers, medical professionals and others, moved from Camarillo, California, to Post Falls, Idaho.

Lennox Hearth Products Inc., in Orange , California , will lay off 71 workers and by March 2010 will transfer the jobs to Nashville and Union City , Tennessee , "to reduce costs and increase operating efficiencies."

Lyn-Tron, Inc., a supplier of electronic hardware, moved from Los Angeles to Spokane , Washington. Their website states: "Our commitment is to maintain a manufacturing

environment that is progressive and safe, where our employees are able to achieve their personal objectives, thereby adding to their quality of life and to the community in which they live."

Mariah Power, a "green" manufacturer of small wind turbines, moved from California to Nevada and, in 2009, teamed up with another company to begin production in Manistee , Michigan .

Maxwell America, a boating equipment maker, closed its Santa Ana offices and moved them to Hanover , Maryland in February 2010. One reason given was the indirect impact of California environmental regulations. A company official said over the years many California boat builders relocated to the Midwest and East where they don't face the same restrictions.

MiaSolé, based in the Silicon Valley , was reported in January 2010 to be planning a 500,000-square-foot plant, which could be one of the largest solar factories in the United States . The location is not near its Santa Clara headquarters but in the Atlanta , Georgia , area where its workforce eventually could exceed 1,000. The news came one week after MiaSolé received $101.8 million in federal tax credits.

MotorVac Technologies announced in February 2010 that it's leaving Santa Ana for Ontario , Canada . MotorVac's CEO said he 'really fought hard to keep MotorVac here, but unfortunately the numbers didn't support it.' The move cuts costs because it's new owner, UView, has its own plant with excess capacity in Canada, and the general cost of doing business in California is much more expensive.

Nissan North America moved its Los Angeles headquarters to Nashville , Tennessee .

Northrop Grumman, by 2011, will relocate its Los Angeles H.Q. to the Washington , D.C. metro area. It's the last major aerospace company to leave Southern California , the birthplace of the aerospace industry.

One2Believe, a specialty religious-toy maker, left California for East Aurora , New York .

Patmont Motor Werks, Inc., (GoPed manufacturer), after being hit by California regulators for hundreds of thousands of dollars in small fines (even though his company has a stellar safety record), moved to Nevada .

Paragon Relocation Resources moved from Rancho Santa Margarita to Irving , Texas .

Pixel Magic, headquartered in Toluca Lake , Calif. , ( Los Angeles metro area), is locating a studio in Lafayette , Louisiana , where it will create 40 new jobs between 2010 and 2013. The company, which provides digital effects for motion pictures and television, said the Louisiana people they were in contact with have an immediate understanding of technology and data handling.

Plastic Model Engineering, Inc., a custom plastic injection molder and mold manufacturer, moved from Sylmar , California , to the "Inland Northwest," notably Post Falls , Idaho .

Precor will stop manufacturing fitness machines in California and re-open in North Carolina.

Premier Inc., the largest health care alliance in the nation, will move its HQ from San Diego to Charlotte , North Carolina , involving an investment of $17.7 million and adding 300 jobs in North Carolina . The announcement was made October 14, 2009.

Pro Cal of South Gate , in Los Angeles County , a unit of Myers Industries, expanded its Sparks , Nevada , operations to become the company's primary West Coast production and distribution facility. Pro Cal is a plastics manufacturer of nursery containers and a big recycler.

Race Track Chaplaincy of America started 2010 by shifting its headquarters from Los Angeles to Lexington , Kentucky . The non-profit group said it had wanted to relocate from the Hollywood Park Race Track for several reasons, one of which is the significant cost of doing business on the West Coast.

Red Truck Fire & Safety Company left Fresno for Minden , Nevada in 2007, because of California's myriad fees and regulations that meant "death by a thousand cuts."

SAIC will move its headquarters east, from San Diego to McLean, Virgina, which the Washington Post called "Another Coup for Area." The announcement was made Sept. 24, 2009; it is unclear how many employees will move east in 2009 and 2010.

Scale Computing, a data-storage developer and manufacturer, is leaving Silicon Valley for Indiana .

Schott Solar Inc. will close its sales and customer service office in Roseville and will relocate the office to Albuquerque , New Mexico .

Simple Tech transferred its manufacturing work from Santa Ana to Asia more than a year ago.

Smiley Industries, an aerospace manufacturer, moved to Phoenix , where productivity improved.

Solaicx, based in the Silicon Valley, said in early 2010 that it will expand its manufacturing plant in Portland , Oregon . Solaicx received $182 million in federal tax credits as part of Washington 's efforts to advance green energy.

SolarWorld, a maker of solar technology founded in Camarillo , consolidated manufacturing in Oregon , after that state offered property tax abatement and business energy tax credits. The company will employ about 1,000 in Oregon by 2011.

Special Devices Inc., brought 250 jobs to Mesa , Arizona , from Moorpark , California .

StarKist headquarters is leaving San Francisco for Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania . (Pelosi's Husband's Company)

Stasis Engineering moved from Sonoma County to West Virginia , a 'friendlier business climate.'

Stata Corporation, which specializes in data analysis and statistical software, moved from Santa Monica , California to College Station , Texas .

Tapmatic, a metalworking firm whose owners were "fed up with the onerous business environment," moved from Orange County , California to Post Falls , in Northern Idaho .

Teledesic moved to Washington state in anticipation of better capital gains.

Telmar Network Technology Inc., moved from Irvine to Plano , Texas , consolidating some 150 workers there.

Terremark postponed a Santa Clara project earlier this year, to invest $50 million in a Culpeper, Virginia , project.

Terumo Cardiovascular Systems is moving R&D from Orange County to Ann Arbor , Michigan , involving 65 jobs and $3.5 million in investments.

Toyota will stop making cars in Fremont , which will idle 4,700 workers, and will move work to Canada and San Antonio , Texas .

True Games Interactive Inc., will its H.Q. from Irvine to Austin , Texas , where it expects to have about 60 workers by the middle of 2010.

TTM Technologies will leave Los Angeles & Hayward and move to other states and to China to achieve big cost savings.

Twentieth Century Props of L.A. has gone out of business as film-making firm and has moved to lower-cost states

Understand.com moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Reno, Nevada; a loss for California in that the company is a leader in web-based patient education content and shows strong growth. The company was named '2007 Innovator of the Year' by a Northern publication and the company's founder received a Media and Reno-Tahoe Young Professionals Network 20 Under 40 award and was selected as a 20/20 Business Visionary by Nevada Business Magazine.

US Airways is realigning operations and California is no longer considered part of its 'core.' The airline is closing its John Wayne Airport maintenance station and, in early 2010, will redistribute the mechanics across its system.

US Press shifted work from Los Angeles and San Diego to Portland , 'where union rules were almost rational.'

USAA Insurance closed its 625-person Sacramento campus in favor of other states.

Yahoo opened a data center in Quincy , Washington , a community that now hopes to land high-tech manufacturing.

The list will grow as Sacramento considers more measures that will increase corporate taxes, increase workers' comp costs, increase regulatory reporting requirements (along with higher fines for minor infractions), increase gasoline and diesel-fuel taxes, increase water rates, increase electric-power rates, and increase assorted fees that will cause services to become more expensive.

Meanwhile all the elected dolts in Sacramento are planning to boycott Arizona .
YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID!!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Raindrops on roses; whiskers on kittens...


Yeah... a few of my favorite things...



I grew up listening to his albums...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYW50F42ss8

for when you just "gotta blow stuff up!"...

http://www.dsc.discovery.com/tv/mythbusters

Wry and interesting...(I also like 'Bones', 'Castle', 'Criminal Minds', 'CSI NY'...oops... there seems to be a theme...

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/the_mentalist/about/


hehehe...hehehe...so sorry- I also enjoyed the original: Japan's 'MXC'...
http://www.abc.go.com/shows/wipeout

Action, Mythology, Witty/Snarky dialog and buff guys...(what's not to love?)

http://www.stargate.mgm.com

-Cause I like it...ok?

http://www.archaeology.org

a near and dear subject.

http://www.autismspeaks.org

'cause I'm a Mom, nya, nyaa, nyaaaa! (thankyou Julie Brown for the 80's inspiration!)
http://www.sesamestreet.org

Because I can double-check the veracity of those "emails"
http://www.snopes.com/glurge/glurge.asp

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Up! themed engagement photoshoot.

Just saw this & found it utterly charming (and I loved that movie... cried all over my hubby while watching it).
It is sweet and innocent and photographed in soft tones.

http://www.weddingchicks.com/wedding-chicks/engagement-sessions/37401/disney-pixars-up-engagement-shoot/

Monday, March 15, 2010

Celebrate PJ Library at the Sacramento Zoo!

*Update: It was marvelous sunny day enjoying the animals, then sitting under a shade tree, nibbling treats and enjoying the music and the wonderful storyteller and his juggling.


And now- for an upcoming event that is close to my heart:





PJ Library is turning 1 years old!
Join us and meet other PJ Library families, enjoy performances by storyteller and juggler Izzi Tooinsky, dance to the klezmer music of the Freilachmakers, and visit the zoo animals. Arrive at any time. The event is ongoing with repeat performances and continuous fun!

Bring a blanket and a picnic lunch. light refreshments and birthday cupcakes will be served.

Sunday, April 18th 11am-3pm

The Sacramento Zoo
Land Park Dr. &16th Ave

Child-$6
Adult-$10

Family Packs
Leap like a Snow Leopard-$25
Stretch like a Giraffe-$36
Roar like a Lion-$56
...all to support The PJ Library

All proceeds provide subscriptions for additional children to participate in the PJ Library program.

Schedule
Izzy Tooinsky (Story Teller and Juggler)-12:00 & 2:30
Freilachmakers Klezmer band-12:00 & 2:00

Directions fron I-80:
Merge onto I-80 W
Slight right at Capitol City Fwy/I-80 BUS W (signs for Watt Ave/Sacramento/I-80
BUS/CA-99 S/Capital City Fwy) 8.6 mi
Take the I-80 W exit toward I-5/San Francisco 0.7 mi
Merge onto US-50 W 1.2 mi
Take the exit onto I-5 S toward Los Angeles 2.2 mi
Take exit 516 for Sutterville Rd toward Wm Land Park/Sacramento Zoo 0.3 mi
Turn left at Sutterville Rd 0.5 mi
Take the 1st left onto W Land Park Dr
Destination will be on the left
-------------------
The Sacramento Zoo
3930 West Land Park Drive
Sacramento, CA 95822

Parking is free on the street.




a little info on the PJ Library:


The PJ Library® - Jewish Bedtime Stories & Songs for Families

The PJ Library program supports families in their Jewish journey by sending Jewish-content books and music on a monthly basis to children from age six months to five, six, seven or eight years depending on the community. Created by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, The PJ Library is a national program implemented by local communities.

At this time, The PJ Library is available in more than 100 communities across the United States. Each community is sponsored by a local Jewish organization and local donors who share a passion for vibrant Jewish life.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009





About a year ago I sat down to do a bit of spleen-venting about the state of politics...


(it still applies)





I still feel these should be new rules for politicians:





  • Politics should not be a full time job (If you had to hold down a real job, maybe a bit of that smug, patronizing exterior would wash off).


  • Term limits are a good thing.


  • All politicians are overpaid (No ,you don't need another bloody damned raise, you're already overpaid and underskilled!). Considering how overpaid you happen to be; you are waaay too corrupt, it's not like you need to save for your retirement like real people, you have a guaranteed golden parachute!


  • 1st thing that should happen in a budget crisis: all political pay should be frozen (poof-gone).


  • Everyone should have the sweetheart deal medical coverage that politicians & their families get

  • everyone should have the sweetheart deal retirement benefits that politicians & their families get (for life! as if that isn't nauseating).


  • (As the previous two are not feasible- politicians need to feel the pain of half-assed coverage like everyone else. Want to know why healthcare issues are ignored? polotocians don't care,they don't see it as a problem- it doesn't affect them & theirs and they can't relate...force them to get crappy coverage too and it'll ZOOM to the top of the political radar)


  • No per diems- they can damn well suck it up and rent an apt in DC. (none of this 20 room house in the DC suburbs nonsense.) Better yet: Senatorial Dorms! Make them share a bathroom with their fellows. Don't cry about missing your families for a few weeks; try that nonsense on deployed military personnel and see how they weep for you.


  • Politicians should have to travel coach: 1st class or private jets beddamed. Get crammed in like sardines and I bet a Passengers Bill of Rights and air travel reforms get passed.


  • No more flaking on parking tickets or any other infractions and misdemeanors (levy those fines with regular increases & then during a televised debate: have a fine -enforcement officer collect the fees in front of their adoring constituents. (Look: your pol is a slacker-weasel scofflaw...)


  • Its a Democratic Republic (the people elected you to represent their interests-so you danged well better represent!)


  • We have to go thru TSA checkpoints: so should elected officials and mouth off to the police: pull jail time. No ifs, ands or whiny buts...


  • Rather than being seen as a right of political passage: cheating on your spouse should be viewed as being weaselly behavior committed by one whose word is worthless and obviously can't be trusted to honor any contract or deal (if sacred marriage vows can be taken so cheaply...)


  • Your office is not a dumping ground for loser relatives and current or former mistresses.


  • Hire Competent People dammit and maybe, just maybe, if you are honorable they won't be selling you out to the Media or some crappy Tell-All book...


  • Write your own danged speeches occasionally- enough with the professional spin-doctor crap... They can make a punch drunk boxer sound eloquent... If you cannot string two coherent sentences together; should you really be allowed to write policy for a nation?


  • Random Drug Testing... (most of our corporations and athletic teams require it and the military certainly does; shouldn't our Elected Officials have to stay clean?)


  • No concealed weapons w/o a permit (obtain one like anyone else, trust me, you aren't as special as you 'd like to think).


  • Cut back on most of the secret service details, sorry: after about 10 or so years does an ex-prez and their spouse really need round the clock babysitting? One would hope any codes they knew had changed...


  • Don't promise something just to get elected if you know danged well you aren't even going to pay it lip service (whatever that something happens to be).


  • Do your own danged shopping & see how expensive, frustrating, time consuming and irritating it is... (Also it might be an eye opener to see how expensive everything happens to be).


  • No weaseling out of anything (selective service, traffic infractions, substance abuse charges, battery charges) just because you're a politician or politician's family member, buckle down, we're all supposed to be equal in the eyes of the law, right?

  • While we're at it- curtail the perks that the PACs and lobbyists give pols to get what they want...


  • Pols must spend at least 10% of their month actually listening to constituents' issues -limit election ad time and funding... put the money to better use. How about funding those causes you tell your constituents you espouse.


  • Pols should have to prove they can hold down a job for at least 10 years and be self sufficient (no mommy/daddy/spouse/trust fundage): you can't chide people to 'pull themselves up by their bootstraps' while you have never had a real job)


  • Be accountable for both word and deed (especially in this day of cell phone, video and youtube). Now they won't be believed if they claim..."That's not what I said...", "I was misquoted...", "That was taken out of context..." (yeah, right).


  • Freedom of religion doesn't just mean for yours.


  • Crack open the bill of rights and get to know 'em every once and a while.


  • What the f*&% happened to "The Golden Rules"???


  • At least pretend it's a two (or more) party system rather than just one big pile of fecal-coated whiny, selfish, spoiled toddlers in overpriced suits.






whew!



*sigh, I needed to vent....I feel much better now..... So, did I miss anything??




Tuesday, October 20, 2009




oh this was great food, good music, laughter and fantastic crafts!
This year I've been really trying to reconnect with my roots- and what better way than a Food Fest? /yum./ Congregation Beth Shalom in Carmichael was wonderfully welcoming , (though I am rather ashamed to say that I've driven by them and never realized there was a shul right there...).
Once we parked we let the tasty aromas guide us to a wonderful assortment of dishes from veggie to meat to pastries. Naturally; we stopped by Canter's Deli's table to get a box of pastries to slaver over at home. What's a kosher food fest without a pastrami sandwich? Never fear: we devoured ours as we listened to some great live klezmer tunes. While we enjoyed our sandwiches our toddler cheerfully scarfed down a big bowl of chicken soup with matzoh balls.
From there was a tour through the craft vendor booths. The displays of handmade woodworking, jewelry, fused glass, ceramics, and crocheting were not to be missed. I had the pleasure of chatting with one of the artists. Marcelle Walliser (a talented maker of ceramic tableware, jewelry and judaica) is living her dream and doing a great job of it.
We admired all the congregation-made artwork decorating the halls and and I picked up a few goodies for our son and my nephew back east. Led by the sound of children's laughter we went to the playground and our little poopmeister went about burning off all the calories he'd consumed and got play with kids his age.
We had a blast-can't wait for next year!