May 07, 2008

Bush Administration has destroyed critisism

San Francisco Radio Station KGO has announced the former and long time talk show host Bernie Ward has, on advice of his attorney, agreed to plea guilty to the charges filed against him on December 7 by the Bush Justice Department.

Ward, a long time passionate critic of the Bush Administration, was taken off the air right after the indictment was filed and was subsequently fired by KGO. He has been under house arrest wearing an ankle bracelet for the last six months.

The original charges were filed against Ward in 2004. He now faces a mandatory five years in federal prison for each count of the indictment.

The effect of this federal victory is that significant criticism of the federal government has been quashed, our rage over being screwed by high gas prices has been silenced, and any voice of protest has been muted. The conservatives and republicans have won with their complete domination of the media.

And this is supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Posted by Gary D. Brune at 08:18 AM | | Comments (0)

May 03, 2008

Veteran's flag salute legislation apparently stalled

a hospital flag flipblog.JPG

photo by Gary D. Brune copyright (c) 2008

Bob Barret from New Hampshire just asked; " I heard recently that this honor to the flag has been approved. Can someone confirm or deny that fact? I think it is a special honor to the flag and ever Vet I have mentioned it to agrees as well. I am Navy Vietnam Era Vet."

After researching this issue in the House of Representatives wbsite, I found that it was sent to the House Judiciary, Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties on September 10. GovTracks.us showed no further action for H.R.3380/S.1170l at the moment.

Both bills have identical text under the title; SECTION 1. CONDUCT BY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS OUT OF UNIFORM DURING HOISTING, LOWERING, OR PASSING OF FLAG.

The bill itself is simple; ?Section 9 of title 4, United States Code, is amended by striking `all persons present' and all that follows through the end and inserting `those present in uniform should render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute. All other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Citizens of other countries should stand at attention. All such conduct toward the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes.'."

This is a 40 member committee chaired by Representative John Conyers, Zoa Lofgren and Daniel Lungren are the only Northern California Representatives. I will try to contact Lungrne to see tne current status of this bill, and will report the results.

Posted by Gary D. Brune at 12:29 PM | | Comments (0)

April 30, 2008

Perfect economic storm predicted at Chico State

Dr. Gallo's storm crop blog.JPG

photo by Gary D. Brune copyright (c) 2008

One of the invited guests that presented the economic problems of the indicated California budget deficit to Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, California State University, Chico Professor of Economics David E. Gallo made the point that the deficit is analogous to The Perfect Storm.

"My projection for Butte county is for the growth rate to drop from the 4.91% average growth rate between 2001 and 2005 to less than 0.5% for the next year," Gallo said in an email this morning after citing same yesterday.

This morning's report that the expected deficit is projected to be $20 billion. Gallo said it " is maybe a scare tactic designed to get everyone's attention regarding the severity of the problem." He expects the actual deficit to come out at between $12 to $14 billion. The discrepancy in figures comes from the unanticipated collapse of the real estate bubble.
.

Posted by Gary D. Brune at 08:39 PM | | Comments (0)

April 29, 2008

Garamendi visits Chico State

a visit from Garamendi crop blog.JPG

a CSU protest from the left blog.JPG

a CSU protest from the right blog.JPG

Photos by Gary D. Brune copyright (c) 2008

The budget situation for California State Universities is serious as Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi visits with President Paul Zingg and invited guests at Chico State's Free Speech area on a fact-finding visit earlier today as two sets of protesters silently express their points of view.

I asked the Lieutenant Governor later what he would tell Bill Gates in light of the proposed budget cuts and Gates seeking to import technically educated people from India in order to get cheaper labor than the CSU system can produce.

Garamendi said that he needs to help the CSUs get the funding/investment they need to produce technical students in California alluding to a conversation he had with an official from Seagate Technologies.

Posted by Gary D. Brune at 09:11 PM | | Comments (0)

April 25, 2008

Free bus rides next week.

a car in the mirror of 712 blog.JPG

Photo by Gary D. Brune copyright (c) 2008

While avoiding afternoon traffic, this was shot from one of the venerable B-Line buses that ply the Ridge every day, with gasoline approaching $4 a gallon, next week will be good for free rides. It is Spare The Air week, and everyone who rides B-Line buses will ride without having to pay

Posted by Gary D. Brune at 09:29 PM | | Comments (0)

April 19, 2008

Supercar? -- Supergas -- Super trouble

Photos by Gary D. Brune copyright (c) 2008
presentation by Soundslides
theme "Supercar" (1961) by Barry Gray

In light of the most recent rising gas prices in Chico and on the Ridge and our fascination with the automobile, this theme song seemed most ironic

Posted by Gary D. Brune at 02:35 PM | | Comments (0)

Lobsang Samtem and the Wheel of Time mandala

Photos by Gary D. Brune copyright (c) 2008
presentation by Soundslides

Earlier in this weblog, I promised more photgraphs from my coverage of Lobsang Samtem's sand sculpture he did in February at the Bell Memorial Union of the California State University, Chico. Samtem considers himself an artist, and the final day of his mandala drew one of the largest crowds seen at the BMU

Posted by Gary D. Brune at 11:23 AM | | Comments (0)

First photos of Spring 2008

Photos by Gary D. Brune copyright (c) 2008
presentation by Soundslides
theme Falcon Crest by Bill Conti

This is one of four Soundslides presentations on my new website. That url is complicated; http://myweb.csuchico.edu/~gbrune/gdb/sonofabuilder.html

Posted by Gary D. Brune at 10:41 AM | | Comments (0)

April 17, 2008

Unmet transit need?

a pair of bikes blog.JPG

photo by Gary D. Brune copyright (c) 2008

While riding the B-Line 40 bus down the Skyway this morning with a full two-bike bicycle rack, we couldn't pick up two passengers because they had bicycles with them. With gasolene les than a quarter from $4 a gallon on the ridge, we expect this will happen more frequently.

Is this an unmet transit need? With the annual Clean Air celebration for the B-Line coming up April 28 to May 2 where all bus rides will be free, this might indeed be a more common problem

Posted by Gary D. Brune at 08:26 PM | | Comments (0)

April 16, 2008

This may be smart, but is it fair?

383gas blog.jpg

photos by Gary D. Brune copyright 2008

These are the latest gasoline and diesel fuel prices on Fair Street in Chico as of 11 am today.

a smart car parked blog.JPG

This is one of a few Smart Cars running in Butte County. Starting at about $12,000 this European sub-compact gets an estimated 47 miles per gallon. The driver of this car said it takes $20 to fill the gas tank.

Is this where we have to go to cope with escalating prices?

Posted by Gary D. Brune at 07:57 PM | | Comments (0)