Equilibrium

Yesterday was Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. Observant jews fast, pray, typically wear white and both forgive and ask forgiveness. I did none of those things however I did lose Melissa's spoon and would like to ask forgiveness now if it is not too late?

I will find her another one.

Today is the fall equinox, well tonight at 5:04 p.m. pacific time anyway. What does that mean? It means that the sun is directly above the equator and that day and night is as even as it gets for light. Neither the southern or northern hemispheres is tilting away from the sun.

In astrological terms, the equinox marks the start of Libra, the sign of the scales, or balance. Makes sense.

The Jewish New Year started on the eleventh. It comes from the hebrew rosh or head and shanah year, the root noun shnai, time. The head of the year. It signifies the beginning of time and the start of Yamim Nora'im, the "Days of Awe." The Hebrew word for Rosh Hashanah biblically was Yom Teruah or the "day of trumpets."

In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. Leviticus 23.

I was thinking driving to work about the Jewish calendar, which is lunar and the difference between the Gregorian calendar which celebrates a January New Year. I guess it is totally arbitrary, could have started on any day in the cycle, I suppose.

The Persian New Year Mowruz falls on the Spring equinox in March. In Thailand Songkran is celebrated mid April. The Chinese calendar is solarlunar and Chūnjié takes place somewhere between January 21st and February 20th. The Maori New Year Matariki is celebrated in late may or early June. It is marked by the arrival of the Pleiades in the dawn sky.

So I guess the new year can start anytime, just depends on your culture and point of view. How do you enter a circle?

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I have been hankering to make a pot roast or brisket and my wife keeps saying no. "It is summer, that is winter food." Now with the equinox I have a green light again. She bought bone in short ribs and I am going to go to town tonight. Yay!

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I was just asking Leslie if she had seen Grumpy around? He was a very early contributor here who may have burnt out on the blast. I haven't seen him in years and was wondering if he was still alive?

I was hanging out with the car guys this morning and who should get out of his car? Nelson. Amazing, still with us if a little worse for wear.

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Truman showed up to coffee in his 68 Plymouth Station Wagon. Single owner I believe.

As beat up as the rest of us, this baby has 598,000 miles and change.

On its third engine.

His Mustang is on the fritz and he is back to the wagon.

Classic like its owner. Love this car. Grew up with a Plymouth fury station wagon, green. 64. With simulated wood paneling on the side.

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I see so much crazy stuff out on the road. I am at a stoplight waiting to make a u-turn in Temecula last week, inside lane, two lane left turn. We get a green and the car to my right makes a u-turn in front of me.

Unbelievable!

So lucky there was no accident. You just have to ask yourself if it is malevolence or stupidity? I think that young drivers are not getting trained properly these days, we have no road etiquette left whatsoever. 

The passing on the right, the tailgating, the turns across your forwards bow with no inches to spare, they think it is one big video game with no consequences.

And the ebikes might be the worst. I see the kids driving so crazy, was happy to see this yesterday:

TEMECULA, CA — Riverside County sheriff’s deputies impounded several vehicles and issued 13 citations during an enforcement operation targeting illegal electric motorcycles and e-bikes in Temecula, authorities said Sunday.

The Sept. 18 operation, conducted by the Southwest Sheriff’s Station Metro and Community Outreach and Engagement team, aimed to curb unlawful riding and educate community members on safety regulations.

Deputies towed and stored four electric motorcycles and pocket bikes during the crackdown. They also stopped multiple juveniles to explain local and state restrictions on motorized bicycles. Sheriff’s personnel formally admonished the youths and their parents about the dangers of unlicensed drivers operating motorized vehicles.

Department officials issued a public reminder that vehicles lacking pedals and featuring motors exceeding 750 watts are legally classified as electric motorcycles. Unlicensed drivers are prohibited from operating them on public thoroughfares. Authorities added that certain electric motorcycles are built exclusively for off-road use and lack the safety equipment required for driving on public roadways.

The kids simply do not have the training or expertise to be on the road. It wasn't long ago that an Oceanside woman went to jail because her stupid kid ran over an old man and killed him. Wasn't the first time the child had been cited.

We need to reign them in.

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Many of you do not know that for the last fifteen or twenty years I have supplemented my income by writing educational curriculum for teachers. I worked for a private company that was affiliated with a college located in Southern California.

My first course took me a year or so to finish. It was a history of Vietnam. After that I wrote so many courses, dyslexia, a book on basketball, Lewis and Clark, FDR, a Beginners guide to Photoshop now in its third revision and printing, more courses than I can remember frankly.

Things went swimmingly. I was paid a lump sum for every course and nine dollars for every course sold. This made for a nice annuity of about six or thousand extra dollars a year.

At a point in time several years ago the company was sold to the University. I worked with a wonderful dean, could not have been nicer.

He retired and things started to change. They sent me a new contract a few months ago with all sorts of new conditions like me having to grade papers for practically nothing and having to drive to school to meet with students. I told them I would not sign and they said that the contract was wrong and should never have been sent to me, with their apologies.

I called them on Friday needing a tax statement for the prior year. The woman said that there was going to be a big change coming. I got the letter yesterday. My services are no longer required. But they are apparently still going to sell my course, at least three of them are still listed. They just will no longer pay me any royalties. 

I wrote them back. They can get rid of my courses if they like but if they keep them without honoring our agreement I think there will be legal consequences.

I have to think that they have been less than honest with me. Ever since the old Dean left the communication lines were severed and things were in a state of flux. I could no longer trust them.

All good things come to an end. I enjoyed this job. It gave me an opportunity to learn and research and I think I made a valuable contribution to teacher's learning as well.

On to the next thing.

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Woman at Long Beach @ Robert Sommers 2026

We drove to Long Beach Sunday and got a few fill in pictures for my new book, Early Sunday Morning, twenty years at the Long Beach Flea Market. I have a good company that I am working with and a layout person in Ohio. 144 pages, 11 x 14" hardcover. Still deciding if we will print in China or Korea, the latter cheaper but better quality in China. About a thousand dollars difference in price, hope to go with China. I think I have at least fifty pre-sold already, maybe seventy five.

It is all starting to happen very fast. I finished the rough layout this week.

I'm very excited about it.