The Agrinautica

   I'll do a more thorough update on what I've been up to later, but for now, we have this.


   Internet in my apartment here went out sometime Thursday morning, and then I was on the road and then our hotel didn't have free internet access so I basically went from Wednesday until tonight (Sunday night) without internet access. I don't know how I survived!

   Driving down to OC I have the gas situation figured out: I fill up right at the station right next to the 113 and then again when I get to Gorman 325 miles later. Returning, however, is a different story. The nearest diesel that I know of anywhere near my house in Mission Viejo in a northwar direction is at the very tedious intersection of El Toro & the freeway, so I like to avoid that if I can. However, travelling further north there are no diesel gas stations until Gorman which are easy to find or known to me.
   To make matters more exciting, my gas gauge does not work below the halfway point. The low-gas warning light does work, so I know I really need gas but not how far I can go before I'm stranded.

   So on the way back up today, my warning light came on as I was driving through Los Angeles. I held out for awhile hoping to see a gas station with a diesel sign from the freeway, and then at least a gas station. Finally I got desperate and got off in the general area of the centre of this map (looks like Glendale, CA, part of LA). I found a gas station, but it didn't have diesel. The attendant gave me some confusing directions about going under a bridge and I followed them as best I could and came to this ghetto looking gas station with a diesel pump. Unfortunately however, I soon learned that they were out of diesel. The attendant told me gas was at "the other station." "other station?" "next building over ::Gestures next door::" I look outside, knowing there's not a gas station right beside this one. "down the street you mean?" "yeah!" ... weirdo.
   Anyway down the street I find another even dodgier looking station with a diesel pump. Once again, the pump ain't pumping anything. Turns out that that pump is broken though and I move to a different pump. Now I'm several turns away from the freeway and my hands are filthy trying to operate the broken pump. )=

   Light lit up again several hours later in Ceres, just south of Modesto. Once again I held out for an obvious diesel station until I was getting desperate. Seeing a Valero sign from the road I get off to investigate. No diesel, and the attendant has no idea where the nearest is. Back on the freeway and a few more exits I see another gas station. There's one that does have diesel, but its closed down for the night. I go into the one beside it and ask where the nearest diesel is. Attendants speculate that they think this one does thats four blocks down the road (away from the freeway).
   Arriving there, they do not have diesel. Lady gives me barely intelligible directions to another gas station even further in a different direction. This station finally has diesel (but not a working restroom!).
   At this point I'm in some obscure corner of Ceres. Fortunately I'd been to Ceres once before, and since I actually do have a photographic memory for directions I was able to find this hidden freeway onramp I never would have found otherwise.


   And then I get back to Davis, completing my 500 mile return journey, and there is some bozo in a white pick-up truck parked in my spot! )=<


Completely Unrelated Picture of the Day

   Things slowed down a little bit last week, I think all the bees were fried from the heat. One morning (Thursday?) five of us (all technicians except Bobby) turned up to do a relatively simple removal in Mission Viejo. It was kind of funny to see all four trucks on one job.
   There are different levels of state liscense for pest controllers, from lowest to highest: Applicator, Field Representative, & Operator. I'm told normally the field representative runs the company and the operator almost never leaves HQ. On this job we had two Operators and two Field Representatives.
   Then we all went to the restaurant Coco's & office Amy met us there, and Dave treated us all to breakfast. It was excellent.

   The next day (Friday?) the first job on the schedule for Dave & Ryan the Elder was a fishing trip on Dave's 16ft boat in the ocean.

   Office Megan, soon to be on "Real Desperate Housewives of OC" as a daughter (shooting starts tomorrow) got a second speeding ticket in so many days in Coto de Caza. This time the officer wrote her up for her windows being too tinted and not having her liscense plate on (and thus being able to use the tollway for free) .. I think he was pissed once he ran her through the computer and realized she'd gotten a speeding ticket the day before.


   On Saturday evening my friend Nidia, her friends, & myself convoyed down to this party way down in Vista, CA, in three cars. Aaron met us there, as he'd been in San Diego that day.


Picture of the Day

I uploaded a bunch more pictures of bee busting on to flickr the other day.

   Alright so tonight I'm writing a paper on St Francis of Assisi. Or more specifically, I am to compare and contrast two movies about him, Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972), in which he's portrayed as a flaming hippie, and Francesco (1989), in which this apparently famous guy named Mickey Rourke plays him and he's a bit more emo and rolling in the dirt oriented.
   Anyway, I really don't mind writing about history, but I hate having to analyze films for a history class. Maybe if I'd signed up for a film class I'd expect this kind of crap, but I didn't. I signed up for a history class, and here I have to write several pages on some crap-ass director in the 70s wanted to portray a 13th century masochist as a hippie.

   Anyway, so yeah I'm disgruntled, and in a hurry, so yeah. But by Wednesday I'll be done with finals, so I'll have almost as much free time as otimus, so y'all better look out.. at least until I die on the 18th.

   So for todays little entry, by popular demand, I am going to talk about Bailey. Bailey appears to be mostly an unusual breed called "Australian Mist," causing him to have an aweomse grey-&-black leopard pattern, with a golden belly. slosha got him at the Woodland animal shelter when he was wee (and sick). But Sloshie's allergic reactions to cats proved too much so his Other Mother Kristy took over Bailey-raising.
   Because he was really sick for much of his wee-er weeks, he grew accustomed to being held constantly. As a result, he is much more cuddly than most (and especially male) cats. When one comes home after he's been left alone, he'll frequently mew until you pick him up and hold him for a bit.

   Bailey is BFF with Kristy's flatmate Jardine's pet bunny. The bunny was named "Oreo" by Kristy's former flatmate Chrissy, who got him as a gift from some sorority older sib or something. Since Chrissy literally never took care of the bunny, however, it was adopted by Jardine, who just calls him "Mr Buns." Me I call it "Orca," since its patterned like an orca. One thing we can all agree on though is that "Oreo" is a dumb name.
   But yeah, Orca & Bailey are best friends. Also, Bailey is fond of lying about on his back. In fact he's doing that right now! He's such a master of loungin.

   Bailey likes to wake us up in the morning by licking our faces, something that kittenbehaviour.com (or something like that - I don't have time to check facts here) says is a sign of particular loving.


   But he's not all well behaved. He likes to throw fiestas & pool parties. Crap fiestas that is! He gets a little carried away while burying shit in his litter box, and next thing you know he's just watching the litter fly for the fun of it. And then when we are emptying his litter box and have his little gifts all wrapped up in a plastic bag, he likes to bat at it, and we have to say "no bailey, no! NOT a pinata!" And if one leaves the toilet lid up (which is gross anyway people, seriously), he will sometimes decide to throw a pool party in it.

   But mostly he's a good kitty, waging war on his eternal enemy, Dots on Walls, sitting in windowsills, and hanging out with his catmom Kristy. He's one of the most loving cats I've ever met.


And now for the only reason half of you read this crap: Entry of the Day Awards: xaositecte definitely wrote another entry which will be remembered in blog-memory for years to come (at least when I'm reminiscing about past 30 in 30s) - What the various 30 in 30 participants would do with two cows, respectively.

Previously on Emosnail
   Three Years Ago Today: Previous Year in Summary - Or at least highlights of it. Yeah and cryptic references to missing my friend Kristy over the summer.
   Year Ago Today: Controversial Sauce II - The Sanctity of Marriage - Man if I'd remembered I'd have linked back to this when I got you all hot & bothered about polygamous marriage this year. Anyway, last year's conclusion: as far as "abominations to the sanctity of marriage" are concerned, divorce is many times worse than allowing gay marriage; or at the very least, allow seperation if people were dumb and make eachother miserable, but disallow remarriage. Also, a picture of a typical Davis student behaving as we typically do.

   So on Thursday afternoon I parked at the end of Oak St --since it is the closest free parking (after five) to the Memorial Union, at a distance of about a furlong)-- to go to Senate & give them the recent case opinion.
   I'm taking Intro to Public Speaking right now. People think its tedious to make a speech on some topic of their choosing to 20 or so people in the discussion group? Well try addressing a room full of Senators & other officers on a subject that (A) is kind of tedious to explain, & (B) is something they disagree with. Not that I stressed about it, I'm used to the senate, but it was a bit awkward that I was basically telling a room full of people that they were wrong on several important points.
   Anyway, I thought the issue was pretty clear when you got down to it, but some such as former senator Darth Lloyd say "to say that i disagree is an understatement my friend," so I've been meaning to once more try to lay out the issues in easily understandable terms. (see below)

   After Senate I was to play intertube waterpolo with Lyrakeet & others, so I left as local legislation enthusiast Brent Laabs was giving a presentation about why we should secede from the union University of California Student Association (UCSA) ("Their charter says 'Student Association,' but their webpage and a number of other documents say 'students association' -- it appears they don't even know their own name").
   Next I needed to get my swimtrunks which I thought were at Kristy's place in The Colleges, about four furlongs across campus -- I could drive there to have my car with me, but since there's only ten "guest" spots for the several hundred people that live there, the odds of getting one are slim and the closest free parking spot would probably still be Oak. So I walked over there.
   Only, they weren't there! I was supposed to be at the pool in fifteen minutes, yet I was half a mile from my car and it was hot and I wear wearing a suit & tie! )=
   Lyric & Kim picked me up and we made a mad dash to my place for my togs and back to the pool.... but the other team hadn't shown up anyway so it was all for nothing.

   Friday morning I toured McGeorge Law School with Φ A Δ, and then that evening Kritsy & I went to see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at The Warfield in SF.
   I'd never been to the Warfield before. It was pretty awesome. Looked like an Opera-house or something. Kitten-princess & I were only four rows back from the front of the balcony, which means we had an excellent view -- though Krispy Kritter would have liked to prance about on the floor.

   This morning I took a mock LSAT over at the UCD law school (BTW, I mentioned a bit ago that Sara Henry was running for president of the Law Student Assn -- well she lost). Before and after this I made an appearance at the dry run Davis MUN was doing for the upcoming conference we put on here. I started to take the "UberCAT" test (CAT = Chair Aptitude Test, but really it was megalomaniacally backronymed to be named after SG Catherine, who created them)to test out of chair training but then I had to leave for the Mock LSAT.


Picture of the Day

Bailey & Kristy slumber

Van Schoelandt v. ASUCD Senate
   Since its long and tedious to explain it in any more understandable terms than it already is in the opinion, I think I might address specific parts of the case in different entries. For now, an outline of the arguments:
   Of course the case regards a closed session that occured on 01/12/06 in the midst of a constitutional crisis. No reason for the closed session was announced, but after it was over the Senate had a Bill written to retroactively change the requirements for Senate office. The codes state that notification in various forms is to be given for closed sessions, and that these sessions can only be called for specificly listed reasons.
(1) Defence asserts the session was called as a "personnel matter." Does it fulfill the requirements for a personnel session?: (A) can a personnel closed session be called "in general" about nothing (and no one) specific? (B) Can Senators-elect be considered subject personnel? (Can the outcome of an election be considered a "Personnel Matter?")
(2) (A) Can a personnel closed session be called on people without their knowledge? (B) Can a personnel closed session be called without notifying the public?
(3) How can this situation be remedied in light of the potential privacy concerns of hypothetical subject parties who may hypothetically have been discussed?

   Once you are familiar with the discussion of these subjects, I believe you, like me, will be completely at a loss as to on what grounds Lloyd completely disagrees.


Current Music: I dedicate the song Hefner - To Hide a Little Thought to the Closed Session of 01/12/06 and everything that ensued. (= Dl it while its hot!

Previously on Emosnail
   Two Years Ago Last Wednesday: Getting Shafted By Airport Security - A chair my first PAXMUN conference down in San Diego. Mara talked me into it. This girl Swati was in my committee, two years later she's introduced to PAXMUN as a staffer for the San Diego conference 2006.
   Two Years Ago Yesterday: Day Before the Pixies Show - Which was followed by the day OF the Pixies day, incidently, which was a lot more exciting.

   I think I forgot to mention it, but Bailey, our favourite kitten, played a saucy prank on Kristy the other day -- He turned her screen upside down!
   Apparently the Dell Inspiron 6000 laptops Kristy & I both have have an option to rotate everything displayed 180 degrees. The primary purpose for such an option presumably is playing pranks on computer owners who are unaware of this.¹
   Personally I think Bailey actually whupped out a screwdriver while we were gone and manually rotated the monitor, he's such a crafty little scamp!


   Yesterday we had the hearing for Case 32, Nanakul v. SGAO (the mysterious missing Student Bill of Rights). It was less exciting than usual, since Justice Judy "I like to try to make counsel cry" Reed was flooded in down in Vacaville ("I have been up since 0400 moving livestock to higher ground" wtf Justice Reed?). Fortunately we made quorum without her and Justice Joe "Dissenting" Harney. As the rest of us were leaving after we'd finished deliberating for the evening we accidently stumbled upon a secret meeting, but they cleverly swore us to secrecy thus thwarting exposure.

   We decided in our opinion we are going to appear to favour one side on the first page, the other on the second², and then for the ultimate twist we are actually going to attach the missing Bill of Rights to end of the brief. Just you watch.


   I had my "second pass" the other day as well. The way this works is one can sign up for 12 units during first pass (but not upper division classes in impacted majors if you are not that major, so I for example couldn't sign up for any of the upper div Communication classes I needed first pass), and then up to 19 units second pass (which, since classes are usually 4 units, often results in an anticlimatic one more class). Then somewhere along the way they ease up and let you add up to 24 or something if you are feeling sadistic.
   I am now signed up for: HIS111C (Rome from its earliest history until 476AD), HIS121A (European history from 476AD until the 8th Century), CMN136 (Organizational Communications), and CMN1 (Intro to Public Speaking -- I wanted to take it with the legendary Professor Duax, but he's no longer teaching do to some kind of departmental drama). These classes will complete my minor in History. Additionally I already have a minor in Political Science and major in International Relations completed. I will need one more class for a minor in communications, and in order to graduate I will need to learn how to brew beer.³
   At the moment I have 191 units -- next quarter's classes would bring me up to 207. I will need to petition to take up to 225, but I'm told they really just want to make sure you have some kind of plan -- mine being to take those two remaining classes. If I take 12 units in Fall (those two + another class to keep me at full time status), I'll then be at 219. I will then formally integrate my transcripts from UCI & UCLA, which will bring my unit total to 239, thus giving the registrar's office a heart attack.


This Week in International Jurisprudence: The International Court of Justice begins hearings on Bosnia / Herzegovina v. Serbia & Montenegro, in which Bosnia alleges that the state of Serbia/Montenegro has committed genocide against it.

Random Fact of the Day: "Vesna Vulović, a flight attendant from Yugoslavia, survived a fall from 10,160 m (33,330 ft) when the DC-9 airplane she was traveling in blew up over Srbská Kamenice, Czechoslovakia, on January 26, 1972." -Wikipedia.


¹ Actually, as Chris "I Hate KDVS" McKenzie, who helped us figure it all out, explained, its because fancy shmancy computers for which its useful to turn the whole screen around use the same software.
²This may be a complete lie.^4
3For the science breadth requirement I need to take three science classes - I've taken winemaking and nuclear physics already.
⁴Don't think I won't attach the missing Bill of Rights though.


Picture of the Day

Bailey makes Kristy's screen display upside down (reenactment)

   It was raining yesterday. It was pretty cold and wet but I was kind of hoping it would rain again today. It was raining two years ago today, when I asked Kristy out down on Telegraph in Berkeley.

   Today is also voting day for the Yolo County special election, as a Yes on X supporter helpfully illegally* reminded me via telephone last night.
   At this moment I know next to nothing about anything on the ballot other than Measure X, but I plan on educating myself on the other topics before voting later today. Measure X campaigning has been omnipresent for the last month or two, but its hard to sort through the bombardment of information on the subject and people's ulterior motives. Anyway I thought I'd share with you all the results of my analysis of the subject. There were several assumptions I had in mind when I began, these were: (1) that the City of Davis is currently ridiculously anti-growth; (2) the City needs to stop blocking Trader Joes from coming to town asap (incidently, not knowing the assumptions other people had when they first looked at this issue is the primary factor in me distrusting their opinions on the matter). Otherwise I was completely objective in my analysis.
   Measure X essentially extends the city limits to include the land which developers want to use to create Covell Village (ie Measure X essentially is a yes or no on Covell Village). Yes it might be a pleasant place to live if you're into that kind of thing but I'm gonna skip the fluff and get to my critical conclusions.
   (1) The least expensive housing unit created will be $538,000, with the average being $683,945. City analysts have determined that a "middle income" family cannot afford housing over $387,000. What this means is that students certainly won't be able to afford the housing, and furthermore prices city-wide will likely rise with the influx of more affluent persons. As we're not creating pile of new high income jobs around here, I'm assuming this is housing for commuters from Sacremento 11 miles away. Lets not make Davis a commuter suburb.
   (2) I've been pushing for a Trader Joes around here for awhile. I think its ridiculous that the city can even prevent an enterprise from situating itself in this town. The principal objection in the past has been that Trader Joes would put The Nugget or the Food Coop out of business. Covell Village proposes putting a Trader Joes right across the street from the Nugget. Smart one there. The Trader Joes in the package is the principal part of the deal Do X proponents use to appeal to students I think (other than free pizza coupons for support), but according to No on X people, the City is ALREADY in discussion with Trader Joes about two other locations. The retail portion of Covell Village wouldn't go up until 2009, but Trader Joes could begin moving into one of the other two locations much sooner, so the Covell Village Trader Joes claim is actually the opposite of true.
   (3) All Covell Village traffic will go out on Covell st, and apparently the planners did not make any plans to mitigate the congestion this will cause. The city Environmental Impact Report (EIR) estimates it will double traffic on Covell, producing Grade "F" traffic, with "conditions intolerable for most drivers." (!) If we're going to expand, there's no hurry, lets do it intelligently and actually plan ahead. If the traffic was a minor change I wouldn't even count it here, but from the looks of it, its going to be ridiculous, so its what really breaks the plan for me. Local green party officer Mike Siminitus had an interesting outlook on this: "I don't expect people to be driving much by 2009 anyway."
   So there you have it, having analysed the proposal with no ulterior motives or assumptions other than those listed, I have firmly concluded to urge one to vote No on X.

   I did my best to ignore the apparent inability of Yes on X supporters not to break laws and elections regulations (Two Pollworkers Found to be Publicly Pro X, Yes on X Supporters Accused of Illegal Campaigning) but it does make me suspicious that there must be strong ulterior motives to cause these people (predominantly developers and other bourgousie) to break so many regulations.
   I find it amusing that none other than the ASUCD Elections Chair, Jonathon Leathers, filed a case with the Yolo County District Attorney against Yes on X campaign violations. In the Aggie article they strangely didn't mention that he's the ASUCD Elections Chair, but I think its a good sign that our Elections Chair is actually attentive to electoral legal issues for once. Then again, in an ironic twist of fate, the current elections committee is made up entirely of the people who pwned the last elections committee over electoral misconduct last year.

   Feel free to tell me your thoughts on the other ballot measures, especially the obscure ones like school board and less talked about propositions. Also I need to write No on X two more times so there'll be the same number of bolded No on X's as their opponents in this entry.

*It is illegal to solicit someone on a cell phone, and makes me very angry when someone does. This caller was lucky they got my voicemail.


Picture of the Day