Jerry Brown's Choo-Choo Cost Skyrockets

The Looney Left Report

California Governor Jerry "Moonbeam" Brown and his fellow Democrats in the legislature have one big boondoggle on their hands. And, it's getting even bigger!

That's the bullet train, of course. Now it has been revealed that the cost of the project has jumped.

The Los Angeles Times reported:

The price of the California bullet train project jumped sharply Friday when the state rail authority announced that the cost of connecting Los Angeles to San Francisco would be $77.3 billion and could rise as high as $98.1 billion — an uptick of at least $13 billion from estimates two years ago. 

The rail authority also said the earliest trains could operate on a partial system between San Francisco and Bakersfield would be 2029 — four years later than the previous projection. The full system would not begin operating until 2033.

To read more, go here. 

Clamper Oktoberfest At Camp Okihi

The Fall clampout of Peter Lebeck Chapter #1866 of E Clampus Vitus at Camp Okihi near Bakersfield is now history. It was an enjoyable weekend of fun and friviolity (despite having one of my camp chairs stolen following last night's initiation ceremonies). It had been years since I last attended a Peter Lebeck clampout.

There were about 80 Clampers and 4 PBCs in attendance.

Above, the Kern River flows alongside of Camp Okihi. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The weather was nice and the clamp-site, Camp Okihi, was perfect. It was on the north shore of the Kern River.

Someone asked me if there are fish in the river and the answer is yes. I was with a Clamper who decided to try his luck at a little fishing and within five minutes after his casting his hook into the river, he caught himself a small bass. He tossed it back in. But the catch is recorded in a photo below.

Friday night was enjoyable with a Oktoberfest-themed dinner. Most everybody, including XSNGH Glenn Thornhill and myself, arrived on this day.

Saturday began with breakfast provided by the chaper's cook crew (with some food donations by the membership). Relaxation and the PBC interrogation took place with a hot dog lunch (by the chapter taking place at noon).

The evening events were the PBC initiation and raffle.

As I had mentioned, Camp Okihi was a perfect location for the clampout. It is rumored that Kern County is putting it up for sale. This would be unfortunate (besides being stupid) for future generations. The politicians are rumored to be saying that it is "too expensive" to keep up. Naturally, all they are interested in is the money from some greedy developer to blow on something dumb. The people of Kern County should try to get the politicians (if the rumor is true) to retain the camp.

Here are a bunch of photos from the clampout (since a picture is worth a thousand words):

Above, relaxation, conversation and adult beverages. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, The Beast. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, XSNGH Glenn Thornhill. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Peter Lebeck Chapter store. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, some of the goods for sale at the store. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Catch of the Day. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the gathering for the PBC interrogation. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, XNGH Gary Julian and XSNGH Glenn Thornhill at the interrogation. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, enjoying some German beer.

Above, the official chapter bar sign. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, one of the Friday night raffle items. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, yours truly at the interrogation. Photo by Glenn Thornhill.

Above, the Saturday night dinner chow line. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Saturday night chow. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the bar. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the area of Camp Okihi where our camp was located. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Glenn and I will be doing all this again in two weeks when Platrix Chapter #2 holds its Fall clampout in Tehachapi.

SATISFACTORY!

Oktoberfest Along The Kern River

Preparations are being made to get ready for this coming weekend's clampout north of beautiful Bakersfield for their 2017 Oktoberfest (yes, I know this is still September) with the Peter Lebeck Chapter #1866 of the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus. It has been a while since I last attended a Lebeck clampout.

Glenn Thornhill, XSNGH and I will be heading up to join the guys along the Kern River at Camp Okini. Glenn tells me that this is a beautiful location for clampin'.

Yesterday, I bought my usual supply of soft drinks and, most importantly, beer.

Tomorrow, I will be taking The Beast to get the propane tank filled up. I used quite a bit during the Great American Eclipse trip of last month.

Two weeks following the Peter Lebeck clampout, we will be heading (again) up to the Tehachapi Loop area for Platrix's Fall clampout.

Satisfactory!

Roadtrip To Fresno

Above, a cigar store (?) Indian in the patio of Bravo Farms. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today, I began my trip up to Yosemite National Park.

I left Tarzana around nine o'clock this morning. The weather was cloudy with occasional light rain. Not too bad.

Above, The Beast across from Bravo Farms. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I headed north on Interstate 5 and then merged to U.S. Highway 99 in the Grapevine area. The road conditions were pretty good, with only one stretch of rough road.

Above, the entrance to Bravo Farms gift shop. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Joining me on this trip is my cat Sierra. The last time she was in The Beast was when I brought her home from the shelter. She spent most of that ride exploring around. This time, she's been skittish and spent the whole trip from Tarzana to Fresno in my bed and hiding under the pillows.

Above, the sign over the urinal at Bravo Farms. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I made a stop at the Flying J truck stop just north of Bakersfield for fuel and then at Bravo Farms Cheese Factory in Traver for lunch. I had a cheeseburger. It was great! I recommend a stop here if you happen to be traveling up U.S. 99!

Above, some of the shops at Bravo Farms. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Bravo Farms has a gift shop with all kinds of "tourist trap" stuff to choose from.

The men's room was covered with vintage and humorous signs. One sign made me laugh. It was above the urinal. I had to take a picture of it.

Above and below, the snack bar at Bravo Farms. Photos by Armand Vaquer.

My stop for tonight is the Blackstone North RV Park in Fresno. I will rest up there tonight and head into Yosemite National Park tomorrow morning. This stop will serve another purpose: empty the holding tanks and to fill up the water tank.

Above, yours truly and The Beast at Bravo Farms. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

So far, I am enjoying this trip. It is nice to not be in any kind of hurry. If something seems interesting (like Bravo Farms), then I will stop to check it out.

Hero Kitty! (Warning: Graphic Scenes)

In this day and age, one hears of too many stories of people in close proximity to a scene of a crime where someone is viciously attacked, leading to serious injuries or death, but do nothing about stopping the perpetrator as they "don't want to get involved." Well, here's a story of a cat who "got involved" and came to the rescue of a child.

Well, here's a story of a cat who "got involved" and came to the rescue of a child. The video and story of the Bakersfield cat who came to the rescue of a four-year-old boy has gone viral. I am glad that it has.

According to Newsday.com:

A May 13, 2014, surveillance video of a cat protecting a 4-year-old boy from a vicious dog attack went viral when Roger Triantafilo, the boy’s father, uploaded it to YouTube Wednesday.  

The video, titled “My Cat Saved My Son,” shows the boy riding a bike in front of his Bakersfield, Calif., home when a neighbor’s dog attacks him. The dog begins biting and dragging the boy, when suddenly the cat pounces on the dog, chasing it away.

That is one heroic cat! (We cat-owners aren't surprised that a cat should come to the rescue. Cats are a lot smarter than some people give them credit for.)

A slight digression:

Several years ago, a neighbor lady was being assaulted and punched by a crack whore in front of our apartment building. I was nearby and had a container of mace (I think mace is more effective than pepper spray) on me. I ran out, fired off a good shot of mace to the crack whore's face and she ran down the block screaming. That was the end of that attack. That's also involvement.

End of slight digression.

I hope the owners of the dog are prosecuted or get a big, fat lawsuit on them for letting such a vicious dog run loose in the neighborhood.

More people should be like that cat.

To read more, go here.

Weekend Reflections

Memorial Day was a good laid-back day.  We spent almost half of it sleeping.  I had some sleep to catch up on, as I worked the graveyard shift in my "parachute" job Thursday night/Friday morning in Burbank and immediately had to go to Bakersfield from there for a mandatory settlement conference on a subrogation claim.

I was thinking about going to Riverside National Cemetery but was too tired to go and didn't feel like fighting traffic (or pay $4.30/gallon of gas).

However, we did treat ourselves to steak and crab legs for dinner (with ice cream for dessert).  Following dinner, we watched two rental movies: Dinner For Schmucks and Office Space.  Those were entertaining comedies.
*******************************

It is frustrating for someone who is willing, able and eager to work, but is having a hard time getting work.

Tony Isabella is a comic book writer and columnist who created Black Lightning for DC Comics.  He's a little older than me.  We're poles apart politically, but he's a real cool guy.  He currently has a write-up on The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan in the Comics Buyers' Guide (CBG).  He's also a Godzilla fan.

His writing career has hit the doldrums of late.  It is hard enough to get work past 50, and it is even harder to get writing gigs in comics at that age.  The comic book companies seem to think that 20-to-30-year olds are what the comics writing market seems to require.  I really have to doubt this as older writers have more life experiences to tap into for great writing.

Anyway, Tony could use some writing gigs.  I like helping out friends and he's one of them.  Today, he posted at his blog:

A couple friends/readers seem to think I won’t accept work-for-hire
jobs.  That’s simply not the case.  I’m open to almost anything as
long as its work I think I can do well...that pays a decent wage or
has other benefits to make up for low pay...that doesn’t violate my
moral code.  I do believe I can do my best work when the editor’s
hand is the lightest.

 If you are in need of a writer for a comic book (or whatever), kindly give Tony Isabella a shot!  You can reach him through his blog at http://tonyisabella.blogspot.com/.
*********************************
This has been a great weekend for The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.  On Sunday, it was reviewed by Gianni Simone in The Japan Times.  Thanks to Simone and The Japan Times!

Year Almost Half Over Already?!

Above, the TA truckstop at the Grapevine.  I'll be stopping there Friday.

It seems like only yesterday that it was New Year's and now we're fast approaching Memorial Day weekend.  Time flies when you're having fun (or being busy as hell).  So far, no plans as yet.  I may go out to Riverside National Cemetery to put flowers on my parents' grave.  

Thus far, it has been a good year in sales of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.  Sales are up over at ComiXpress.com and the current pre-vacation season sale (through me) has brought in many orders.  A thank-you to all.

Claims work is picking up again.  I have to be in Bakersfield this coming Friday morning for a settlement conference.

*******************************

I saw an article at FoxNews.com about extra fees some airlines are planning to charge people for aisle or window seats (or to just sit with family members or traveling companions).  This is getting ridiculous.  The traveling public is already getting gouged in baggage and fuel fees already.  Frankly, I wouldn't fly with an airline who would charge extra for an aisle (my preference) or window seat.   I don't like being boxed in.

*******************************

I read the transcript of Sean Hannity's interview with Gen. Colin Powell.  Very disappointing.  Hannity just tossed softballs and didn't really go after Powell over his 2008 endorsement of Barack Obama as he should have.

*******************************

The New York Times is reporting that Obama is using video from the bin Laden raid in new campaign ad.  Shameless!

Bakersfield: On The Road Again

It was an enjoyable day when I headed out to Bakersfield for a mandatory settlement conference.

I haven't been up to Bakersfield for a long while. There was light traffic on Interstate 5 going north. It was clear out and the surrounding hills were green. Pyramid Lake looked inviting. As I approached, on the left was the lake. Ahead and to the right was the Smokey Bear Road exit. (Yes, there really is a Smokey Bear Road. Google it!)

Beyond Smokey Bear Road and Pyramid Lake was Gorman. It snowed up in Gorman earlier in the week. There was no evidence of snow there today. The old Caravan Inn signs were gone, as was the Caravan Inn.

The Grapevine looked a bit more built up. There's an enormous Ikea distribution center there.

A little further up, I stopped briefly at the Wheeler Ridge TA Truckstop on the Tejon Ranch for coffee and snacks. I was disappointed that the sit-down restaurant they had was gone and replaced by several fast-food outlets.

Bakersfield looked a little more built up. Parking was a source of annoyance in the area around the courthouse. The nearest parking lot allowing parking for more than two hours was three blocks away.

Still, it was good to be up there after so many years.

From Burbank To Bakersfield

It has been interesting to see the venom from left wing bloggers and other sites directed at Andrew Breitbart, who passed away suddenly yesterday morning shortly after midnight. Interesting, but not surprising. It only shows what a bunch of classless bums they are. Breitbart was a happy warrior who championed truth that the mainstream media refused to cover, and for freedom.

It was a treat to listen to a local radio talk show tonight featuring actors Ed Ames, Clint Howard and Morgan Brittany, with Ann Coulter on the phone. Each praised the work of Breitbart.

*******************************************

Today is a busy one for me. It began with working in my "parachute" job patrolling the Burbank Hills on the graveyard shift. Following that, I will be immediately heading north to Bakersfield for a late-morning mandatory settlement conference on an insurance claim as the representative for the insurer.

I haven't been to Bakersfield for quite a long time (I can't even remember the last time I was there). It'll be interesting to see any changes to it and along Highway 99.

Thankfully, I will be well-compensated for my drive time as well as the mileage put on my car. Good thing I recently had the engine rebuilt. It should be fun. The car loves the open highway.

*******************************************

This should be a good month with insurance work coming in along with the sales of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. To cap off today's activities, I will come home to another great meal prepared by my roomie.