Month: December 2001

Categories
Just Shelley

Bad Knee

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Walked to Pier 39 tonight. Weather was very pleasant, and crowd was fun. I got some silly socks for my brother and his family for Christmas.

Walking back, my knee gave out completely and I literally couldn’t walk at first. I managed to hop to a wall to sit until the pain stopped a bit. I grabbed the streetcar and was finally able to make it home, though going was slow.

I hurt my knee when I tripped over computer cables while working at what is now the defunct skyfish.com. The orthopedic surgeon I saw recently thinks I may have broken my knee at the time and have damage now. I’m supposed to try therapy for several weeks to see if we can avoid surgery, but the insurance company is being extremely difficult. As an FYI, If your company has Liberty Mutual for worker’s compensation insurance, all I can say is good luck if you get hurt on the job. Cheap assholes.

Categories
History People Political

Bridge Security

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Hmmmm. Increased security at the old Bay Bridge anchor room today. National Guardsmen in plain view as well as some suspicious black vans with heavy privacy glass parked right next to the barricade on my side of the barricade. I should grab my camera and go down and take some pictures — see what kind of excitement I can generate.

Week before last some poor folks moving out of the Bayview Apartments had their moving van surrounded by four CHP cars and two CHP motorcycles. Reason? The movees were darker skinned, had dark hair, and I think one had a mustache. Ah, folks — I have a hint for you. Darker skinned folks with black hair aren’t that uncommon in California.

Last week a homeless person breached the Bridge security and set up an encampment right next to the bridge. It wouldn’t be so bad but this particular homeless person is scarier than shit as he has a habit of chasing people screaming at them. If he’s there, I can’t go to the only store in the area because I don’t know what he’ll do. When I called the San Francisco police department with the problem I was connected with a Sargeant responsible for San Fran’s vagrancy problem. According to him, the San Francisco police department isn’t responsible for any bridge security in any way. I would need to call the CHP instead.

Okay.

I called the CHP and was connected to Dispatch. I told them a homeless person had violated the Bridge security and was encamped next to the bridge. They said they would send someone out to check it out.

Two days later the homeless person finally just moved away on his own. Today, three days after the homeless person left, Bridge security is stepped up.

There’s a moral to this story somewhere, but damned if I can figure it out.

Categories
Just Shelley

While in San Francisco

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

I just noticed that a lot of folks running weblogs have the flu or bad colds this week. Tis the season I guess. To all the sickies out there, get well.

I’m feeling pretty good myself. Friday was a beautiful day and looks like the weather will be nice next week. Bad knee or not, I’m getting off my butt and am heading into the wilds surrounding San Francisco. I’m in an antsy mood and need to cut loose a bit! It’s either go out of town and do some hiking, or hit some of the bars in SOMA or Mission. Of the two choices, I’ll be safer in the back country.

Categories
Political

Early Weblogging Dec 2001

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

If you’re concerned that Ashcroft and the White House are going too far in their hunt for terrorists, email Senators Leahy and Kennedy, as well as your own state senators. You can find senator email addresses at http://www.senate.gov/contacting/index.cfm. Even if you don’t agree with me, email anyway — let your voice be heard.

Categories
Political

Agreeing on Ashcroft

This is likely the earliest weblog entry I’ll be able to recover from the Wayback Machine. My earlier Manila weblog site entries were overwritten by an overzealous web bot that Userland was running. This includes postings that happened right after 9/11/. And before that, I created each individual writing using static HTML. 

I’ve found that weblogging is particularly useful when you want to say something quickly. What can I say? I just can’t stay away!

Speaking about saying something, Dave Winer writes about his concerns regarding Ashcroft’s recent actions. I’m writing to say that I concur with Dave, completely and totally on this issue.

The scariest thing I’ve heard from a member of the ruling politic is the following, from Ashcroft:

    • To those who pit Americans against immigrants, citizens against non-citizens, to those who scare peace-loving people with phantoms of lost liberty, my message is this: Your tactics only aid terrorists for they erode our national unity and diminish our resolve. They give ammunition to America’s enemies and pause to America’s friends. They encourage people of good will to remain silent in the face of evil.

I supported President Bush and his campaign in Afghanistan. I still do. And the more I hear about the Taliban the more I think we should have gotten involved with the situation a long time ago. However, I draw the line at secret military tribunals, holding people for months without any legal representation, profile-based questioning without merit or just cause, and most particularly, telling the people of this country that criticising the white house is aiding terrorism.

Liberty. Freedom. Justice for all. What the hell are we fighting for if these are nothing more than token words: red, white, and blue-speak. These are rights we have to fight for daily; to preserve not only from the enemy without, but also from the enemy within.

Previous weblog entries can be seen here.