Walking with Eddie Cat

Violence against the Homeless still a factor of life

2008-05-21T21:39:00.001-07:00

St. Petersburg Police cutting up homeless tents

Recent studies have shown that there is a drastic rise of violent crimes where the homeless are the target victims. Some of these studies have correlated the volume of violent crime with the amount of civil-rights violations city officials are committing -- in the public view, and in the way of illegal laws, such as the Santee Lodging Law.

Someone Called?... you're kidding.

2008-05-21T20:43:00.000-07:00

Linda called us today using the GrandCentral button at the top-right of the page. It was nice to hear from her, and nice to find the button really works.

The GrandCentral service has been more than useful for my travels. When I'm inside a hotel or room, I can have all the calls transfered to that phone, or set them to go straight to voice-mail. Or to my cell-phone the rest of the time.

When you use the button, you put in your phone number, then the GrandCentral service will call your phone, and connect you to my phone. This way, the phone call is effectivly free (unless your cell-service charges you for in-coming calls as well... which many do).

The GrandCentral Service also allows different settings for each phone number (and the web button calls seperate as well), so that I can set the web button to go to voice-mail, with its own message. My first thought was to use the web button as a way of Voice Posting messages and information, and also allowing visitors to the Eddie Cat Project page to post Voice Comments.

The GrandCentral Web Button defaults to keeping your phone number private; if you want me to call you back, then uncheck the privacy check-box, or be sure to put your phone number or other contact information in your voice message.

Google Health

2008-05-20T01:56:00.001-07:00

Google has opened up yet another new service, which allows clients to keep all of their medical records and information in one area, on line, and also the ability to share this information with specific people (doctors, family, pharmacy etc). I have yet to delve very far into the area now called Google Health, but I plan on getting in there and seeing all it has to offer. This may be another good tool for the homeless and those having to change careers, jobs, and geographic locations several times in a year in order to keep above water in the budget areas of life.

New Eddie Cat Project Web Site

2008-05-20T01:10:00.001-07:00

Since I've decided to get just a bit more formal with my efforts, I'm moving the Eddie Cat Project blog to a new server. So to see new posts and information on this Homeless Project go to www.eddiecat.org.

The Lawless Christian writings (or whatever we might want to call that particular distraction) is going to have it's own blog as well.
Nothing fancy with this one, just a WordPress Blog.

I'm going to return to posting personal logs on MySpace and Live Journal.

Truth is that I've have found Blogger to be rather difficult to work with, lacking in features common on most blogging web sites, and very limited in its exposure. (Even wrote a Freelance Blogging Post about this). While I'm not out to become famous, I would at the very least like to be found if someone is looking for me, or the topics I find important.

Of course all of my Freelancer Articles and Classes will still be on the main web site.

The catalyst for the big move however was the Eddie Cat Project becoming a real effort, with actual goals. In order to provide the information I would like to, and to achieve some of the other goals, I needed more than a blog -- I needed a real web site. So since most of this blog was for the Homeless information -- might as well move everything out.

Hope to see you over there!

Fifteen Minutes

2008-05-15T17:50:00.001-07:00

Have you ever met some one for fifteen minutes (on a train or a bus), and found yourself wishing you could stay with them for the rest of the day? -- but you couldn't. Not for some trivial work-related matter or some other silly reason, but for something important. Something you promised...

That happened to me today, and I had to snap my mouth shut because it was on the verge of a lunch invitation which was probably going to be accepted. Life is full of messed up conflicts; full of moments that appear, and then pass on by. Part of us stays on though, doesn't it? I can feel that part of me is still back there, and I suspect that part of me is having a great deal more fun than the rest of me is right now.

Working Wednesday (...yes I know it is Tuesday)

2008-05-13T12:05:00.001-07:00

Caught a cold, or some minor flu, over the weekend. This is a challenge for the homeless, let me tell you. I finally broke down and got a room at the hotel, and have been here for the last two days. While I am feeling much better today, I'm going to continue to rest up.

I did complete an article on Freelance SEO writing yesterday (with some minor edits this morning), posted several bids on Guru.com, and some other Freelance Work sites; but other than these fairly simple tasks, I've done little this morning.

It is now about noon, Eddie Cat is sleeping away, as he is apt to do during daylight hours; and I'm attempting to look like I'm still functioning as a normal human being.

Eddie the Cat Moving Fields

2008-05-10T19:05:00.000-07:00

Something I'm asked frequently is 'How did you train Eddie Cat to live on the leash?', and first off the answer is 'you don't train cats'.

This may sound like a cheap way out of the conversation, but it is true, training cats is nothing like training dogs. With cats, especially Eddie Cat, it is always a matter of enhancing habits and desires the cat already wishes to do, and guiding these tendencies to the desired behavior.

The cart training is a perfect example. Eddie Cat already enjoyed the cart the day we purchased the first one. But keeping him cooperative with the cart came by always feeding him inside the cart. I mixed up his dinner and said to him "Cart" until he jumped into the cart, and then I gave him his dinner.

I'll try to write more on this topic soon, because, as I said, I get asked about it all the time.

Eddie the Cat is not the happiest of cats this morning. It seems that he has cleared out all gophers in the CAP Little League Field on Mission Gorge Road, so we are moving to the Major Field tonight, so he can have a decent hunt. He staid awake all night looking for gophers (or anything really). The last two nights we were in hotel, and Eddie Cat got a little stir crazy during the second night. After months of night-time hunting, I suppose it is difficult to amuse yourself with Late Night movies. Needless to say he was very excited to arrive at the hunting fields last night (didn't even wait until I stopped the Cart before jumping out to start his prowl).

I picked up some Blue paint to take care of some of the graffiti and a couple of tarps to replace the ones which are weather torn at the Cap Field. Normally I simply pick up some of the trash, but I've been getting more ambitious of late (not too ambitious obviously, its not like I'm going to do 'real' work, like mow the laws or something radical like that). Taking care of the graffiti seems to be easy enough.

The EddieCat.org cards are in, picked those up today, and will probably be passing them out soon. I think they turned out fairly good, and I've been wanting them for some time. There is something about Eddie Cat that simply raises questions in peoples minds, and being able to easily refer those who are honestly curious to this blog, is a good thing. I would like to hear comments and suggestions from as many sources as I can entice.

We are still looking for an apartment. I've made several phone calls, but haven't been getting any call backs. Terron is doing what he can, but right at this moment we've hit something of a stone wall. Hammers (of all sizes) are available however.

I am continuously surprised by the level of problems facing the homeless these days. While I did grow up on the streets, I don't remember it being like this back then. I'm perfectly capable of giving two months rent in advance plus a deposit, and can't find a place to let me move in... while, as I've suggested, I know several ways around this particular problem, I doubt many homeless coming off the street have the resources or even the right questions to ask. I'm not overly intelligent, but lets face it, getting sober and getting steady work, while surviving on low quality food and lack of sleep (because cops keep waking you up so you are sleep depraved), takes a lot out of anyone, and I'm not dealing with these particular obstructions.

I've been digging further into the HUD funding Santee has been getting over the years, and quite frankly, getting rather pissed off. The more I find out, the more I don't want to know. I'm teetering on the knife-edge of continuing my original goal set, or expanding the targets much further. But you will learn enough about that here soon enough.

Santee Little League Fields - Eddie the Cat Hunting Ground

2008-05-10T18:42:00.001-07:00

The Cap Field is cleared of Gophers, so Eddie Cat is moving to the fresh hunting grounds of the Major Field

Google Give Homeless Phone Numbers and Voice Mail

2008-05-09T19:47:00.001-07:00

Through the Project Homeless Connect group in San Francisco, Google is sponsoring a mass sign up on its GrandCentral Service for the Homeless. GrandCentral is a new service purchased by Google, which gives a phone number to individuals, and voice mail, which can be accessed in a number of ways; in with Internet Phones such as Gizmo, or Skype, or through a land line phone, can even provide free phone calls.

This connection of the Homeless with basic communication needs, which do not have the worry of expiration or heavy fees (the GrandCentral service is free) offers a way to acquire employment and keep in touch with relatives. Users of the GrandCentral Service can customize voice mail messages to every phone number in their account book, and easily change the messages, so relatives and friends can get updates without having to be on the phone or available at the time.

The GrandCentral Service offers a number of other tools for communication, such as the Call Me button on the Walking With Eddie Cat blog, which gives direct connection to Eddie Cat and Glenn for free, no matter where you are, or where we are. Your number stays private and you can use all the normal GrandCentral
screening, blocking, forwarding, and other features that put you in
control. The WebCall button takes care of connecting the call to you
after getting the caller's number. Try it! Doesn't cost anything and we would certainly like to hear from you.

These CallMe Buttons are very easy to install on MySpace, Live Journal and several other Social web sites.

Pavlov's Cats (Eddie Izzard)

2008-04-30T12:53:00.001-07:00

Last Night's Mayor Gopher Hunt

2008-04-30T12:45:00.000-07:00

Eddie Cat is cleaning up the ball field from the Mayor Gophers, so I guess I better get going with my hunts as well.

Hate Crimes Against Homeless Rise in 2007

2008-04-29T14:27:00.000-07:00

A rise in attacks against homeless people in 2007 has more states considering harsher penalties in hate crime laws for attacking a homeless person.

Legislation is pending in Ohio and Massachusetts and Alaska. In Alaska, the bill passed the Senate and House and awaits Gov. Sarah Palin's signature.

Attacks against homeless people increased from 142 attacks in 2006 to 160 attacks in 2007, says a report released Tuesday by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty.

Twenty-eight of those attacks were murders, up from 20 murders in 2006. The report was based on media reports and other data collected by advocates for the homeless, the coalition said.

"This is about punishing people who take advantage of the most vulnerable in our society," says Ohio State Rep. Mike Foley, who introduced the state's bill. "There is too much of it going on."

Link between hate crimes and laws that criminalize homelessness

2008-04-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

There is a documented relationship between increased police actions that criminalize homelessness and the rising number of hate crimes and violent acts against homeless people.

It appears that violent citizens become emboldened to attack homeless people because their city has responded negatively to the homeless population. These violent attacks occur especially where the city has portrayed homeless people as the cause of unemployment, decreasing property values, vacant storefronts or other problems.

Advocates from around the country have cited the relationship between municipal laws to banish or restrict visibility of homeless people and hate crimes and violence. This overly broad enforcement of the laws passed by city governments specifically targeting homeless people are documented in NCH's Illegal to Be Homeless: The Criminalization of Homelessness in the U.S.

This survey of cities and states that violate the civil rights of homeless people concluded that California is the "meanest" state in the nation for poor and homeless people, followed by Florida, Hawaii and Texas. The NCH study also ranked four California cities as among the top 20 "meanest cities" in the nation for violating the human rights of homeless people: Berkeley, San Francisco, Fresno and Los Angeles. [See "California Named as Meanest State in the Nation," Street Spirit, December 2004.]

HUD Complaints for Fraud, Waste, or Abuse

2008-04-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

If you are aware of fraud, waste, and abuse in HUD programs and operations, report it to HUD's Inspector General Hotline!

What kinds of things should you report? Mismanagement or violations of law, rules, or regulations by HUD employees or program articipants.

Your complaint will be kept confidential if you are a federal government employee. If you are not a federal government employee, a complaint can be kept confidential if you request it. The Office of Inspector General will accept anonymous complaints.

Federal laws protect federal government employees from reprisals for filing complaints. Many states provide protection from reprisals to non-federal government employee complainants. State whistleblower statutes are normally administered by the respective state's attorney general office.

http://www.hud.gov/complaints/fraud_waste.cfm

Eddie Cat chasing Mayor Voepel's twisted right wing

2008-04-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

Thou shalt not lie. Thou shalt not kill.

Perhaps [Mayor]Voepel skipped those commandments back in Sunday School. But by refusing to help stop what many now believe is the worst threat ever to face our planet, the righteous Mayor had best be prepared to accept his share of guilt ... --Miriam Raftery

I'm not really fluent in the economics of city management. For example, as I am going through the numerous Santee City Council Meeting Minutes, finding the Federal and State funds which qualify for my next step in ridding the State of California of one of the last remaining Hate Crime laws of Homeless Sleeping, I'm finding these funds in references to the appropriation of monies from these funds for use in other (non-associated) management activities.

For example, it appears a great deal of the CDBG fund from HUD has been appropriated for use in other areas. Looking into the CDBG fund, it appears that its main purpose is :

CITY OF SANTEE PRIORITIES PER THE FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN:
(The Consolidated Plan 2005-2010 may be viewed or purchased from the Finance
Department, City of Santee, 10601 Magnolia Ave, Santee, CA 92071.)
1. Assist lower income renters.
2. Assist lower and moderate income homeowners.
3. Provide housing assistance to the homeless.
4. Assist public and community service providers that enable lower and moderate
income residents to remain in their homes.
5. Improve and provide public services and community facilities and infrastructure
to serve lower and moderate income persons.
6. Ensure effective use of limited CDBG resources.
7. Promote fair housing.

This list seems a bit odd to me. The fund from last year supplied over $300k to the City of Santee, and just from my basic browsing through the minutes and budgets, very little of these monies were spent in any of these 7 areas. To be sure, they weren't spent on number 3 (Provide housing assistance to the homeless).

I then came across a small statement which appeared at first meaningless to me --

During fiscal year 2007-08 the City received a $323,958 CDBG allocation. It is unknown at this time what the available funding for fiscal year 2008-09 will be. In addition the City may reallocate any available remaining funds.

Now, I don't want to start screaming the "C" word (as in "conspiracy"), but if the City of Santee, using unconstitutional municipal codes and Federal funded Task forces to force out of the city anyone who might qualify for the intended dispersement of these funds, or turn down any project for "quality of life" purposes which might qualify for the intended dispersement of these HUD funds, would then the city be able to "appropriate" all of the funds for its own use in other areas?

"Basically we don't have a homeless problem (in Santee), except down by the river, and those people are camped illegally and destroying the environment," Mayor Voepel said. "I'm not a homeless advocate in any way, shape or form."

The Mayor is also on record for turning down and fighting against many Low Cost housing projects in the City of Santee. So, how does that match up with a yearly request for CDBG funds from HUD which are intended for exactly these purposes?

Being a researcher by trade, I'm certain I'll understand these City Management intricacies soon.

Mayor Voepel and the Heat

2008-04-28T15:50:00.000-07:00

"I like it hot" -- Randy Voepel, Republican Mayor of Santee, California

This makes me feel very good about my next course of action, because it is heat that I'm bringing in to the Santee area, in the form of audits and litigation. Since I've never been a fan of fair fights however (at least fair in the way that I have to expend an equal amount of energy as my opponent), I won't be the one brandishing the sword. I'll humbly hand this task to the Federal and State experts.

After a bit of research I've discovered a number of Federal and State funds, as well as Grants issued by Corporations which have in their basic requirement description; an absence of Civil Rights abuse. Failure to maintain a government which is not abusing the Civil Rights of all of its citizens, results in the withholding of the Grant payments, and may result in other Civil Litigation as well. HUD of course is a great institution for pressing the "other Civil Litigation" option.

So, stay tuned; the heat is blowing in...

Eddie Cat vs City of Santee Round 2

2008-04-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

Since I'm no-longer getting the Lodging Tickets (as mentioned in my previous post), it would seem that all I've been able to do to this point is to waist my time, and Eric's time as well. Eric has helped me out a great deal with this project, not only with bright and early rides to the courthouse, but also in the area of spiritual support. One can easily slip into the depressing mood of "being alone against the world" out here on the road. Having good friends like Eric remind me of why I'm doing this, and what I'm really gaining through the effort, breaks up that dark wall of cloud and keeps my mind in the sunshine. So, if you need a Jacuzzi Cover, give Eric a call. I've seen the covers and his prices are very good.

Getting back to the point of "waisting my time", I've been seeking out other ways of accomplishing my goal over the last week. Eddie Cat has shown me many times; there is always more than one way to get the gopher.

It is a long standing saying in the Private Detective world, that if you are dealing with white collar types, "Follow the money". The crime, no matter what it is, always comes down to the money trail. While it is true that my goal is the eradication of a SMC, I am still dealing with White Collars who see money as the justification for all things. So according to the street-wise Private Eye, it is the money trail which will lead me to the solution I seek.

This was an interesting thought, and since I had nothing else to go on Monday, I started there; with the question "who gains by maintaining and enforcing of an illegal law, which only effects the homeless?"

I didn't get very far with this line of thinking. The answer seemed rather obvious...
"no one really." Not on the money trail at least. Heck, it would seem that the enforcement alone is a deficit in the equation. There is no way that the City of Santee could be getting back from the homeless enough revenue to cover the enforcement of a law like Lodging. I very strongly doubt that there is profit in it at all, since I know that one Sheriff spends all of his time, day after day, week after week, completely dedicated to the ferreting out and ticketing of homeless people. His salary alone would make such a venture unprofitable. It would be less expensive and much less hassle to simply open up a homeless shelter and fund a program.

The whole idea makes no sense at all when you add in the risk of civil liability.

Even with this obvious conclusion staring me down Tuesday and into Wednesday, I was unwilling to give up on the Shaman Wisdom of old. After all, there is money involved, somewhere, and White Collar types going to rather interesting lengths to protect the Lodging Code. So, while I may not see the puzzle as a whole, it does exist... somewhere.

It was Wednesday night, while working through an advanced Hwa Rang Do form, that my mind gleaned on an answer. The form in question uses, as one of the techniques a movement called Elbow Defense. This move is rather bizarre to witness, when done against an invisible opponent. In fact it makes no sense at all, and with its name "Elbow Defense" it makes even less sense. When observing the final stance of the movement, it appears to break every common sense rule of close combat (never cross your arms in front of your body, never leave your mid-section completely exposed, and undefended...etc.). It is only after you add a physical opponent to the move, and understand its true nature, that you realize its devastating effect on the human body. The form, as well, is a series of mis-direction movements and combinations, all of which are brutally lethal (which might be labeled as a redundant description since I've already mentioned the style of the martial art is Hwa Rang Do).

As I finished the form, my creative mind Eddie-Pounced on the gopher. Yes, there is money involved, and yes there are White Collars involved, I've just been looking at the movements without seeing the nature of the gopher.

Catching Up

2008-04-27T22:07:00.000-07:00

These last few posts have not been what I've wanted to post of course, but I did commit to several of my friends to post regularly. I've had a great deal of work to do of late, and while I feel good at the end of the day, having taken back a little bit of my life from whatever condition this is which devours hours and days from my conscience experience, by the time I get set in for the evening I've been too tired to press out a real blog entry. So, I've copied a few articles which were of interest to me that day, and published those.

Much has occurred over the last week however, and trying to catch up is becoming more burdensome on my mental state every day.

The Santee Municipal Code (10.20.150) is still being enforced. The Sheriffs have simply quit enforcing it on me. I've changed my sleeping space several times, so they have run across me, expecting I was some place else; but once they find me occupying a homeless-frequented space, they simply walk away. Sort of a reverse discrimination; several of the homeless here in Santee have shown me tickets they have received over the last week.

One in particular (we'll call him Troy if we need a name) just got out of jail after doing 60 days for the Lodging Code. Unfortunately, he has now lost everything (again), all of his tools, the job he was working and even his bicycle. Since he pleaded guilty to the offense, there's nothing we can do about any of these losses, or the legality of the law with him. This really upset me to hear.

Since I'm no longer getting these tickets (though I'm sure if I break a "real" law I'll be treated as any other criminal, as it should be), I've been putting my creative mind to the stone and trying to come up with another route to pursue.

I'll have to post a few times to catch you all the way up.

Comon Poisons Cats fall prey too...

2008-04-26T20:26:00.000-07:00

Poisoning is an ever present danger. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, sleepiness, shaking or trembling, twitching, staggering, convulsions, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, and paralysis. If you suspect that your pet has ingested or come in contact (i.e., skin contact) with poison, call your veterinarian immediately. If possible, identify the source of the poison. Do not induce vomiting unless so directed by the veterinarian. If your veterinarian cannot be reached, call the emergency animal clinic in your area. Remember, the best antidote is not to need one.

Common household poisons include:


acetaminophen  furniture polish paint & paint remover
(Tylenol, etc.) gasoline    permanent wave lotion
antifreeze*  hair coloring  phenol
aspirin   herbicides  photo developers
bleach   insecticides  rat poison
boric acid  kerosene       rubbing alcohol
brake fluid  lawn chemicals  shoe polish
carbon monoxide  laxatives  sleeping pills
chocolate  lead      snail/slug bait
cleaning fluids  lye    soaps/detergents
deodorizers/deodorants matches   suntan lotion
disinfectants  metal polish  tar
drain cleaner  mineral spirits  turpentine
dye   mothballs  windshield washer fluid
fungicides  nail polish & remover wood preservatives

(*Antifreeze is a common poisonous substance because its sweet taste is attractive to pets. Watch that radiator for leaks!!)

Please note that seemingly innocent substances can be toxic to your pet. The two lists presented here should not be considered all-inclusive. If in doubt, please contact your veterinarian for advice.

Keep the Homeless from Sleeping, but don't pull strings!

2008-04-22T20:42:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, there are days when I'm going through the daily news, searching for topics of interest and education, that I come across an article which rattles me with the question "why are you even bothering?" I suppose the answer is that I simply don't want to face the fact that our system needs serious work.

In a decision that sets a new standard for what constitutes a legal search by police, as well as serving to remind why doing crack is a terrible idea, The New York Court of Appeals ruled that "reasonableness" should remain the touchstone for searches in order to not violate the 4th Amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizure. Defining reasonableness was the basis of the case in question, which involved the searches of body cavities. The NY Times summarizes:

The case before the court involved Azim Hall of New York, who was arrested on Feb. 8, 2005, on charges that he sold two pieces of crack cocaine outside a grocery store. After his conviction, Mr. Hall filed an appeal, arguing that the police had conducted an illegal search by pulling a string, attached to a plastic bag containing crack cocaine, that was dangling from his rectum. A State Supreme Court judge dismissed the indictment, but the Appellate Division reversed that.

The most recent decision said that the State Supreme Court was correct in its initial finding and that pulling the string attached to the bag of crack secreted up a dealer's ass was an unreasonable search. To pull the string, a warrant is required.

As much as I am for the Bill of Rights and the Basic rights of Human Beings, I find this ruling to be a bit absurd. I don't know all of the facts in the case, but strip searches and cavity searches are fairly typical when incarcerating certain types of criminals (suspected drug dealers being high on that short list).

I will admit that I have very little use, or patience for the plight of the drug dealer, so my personal views may be skewed in this case.

Eddie Cat Adaptability

2008-04-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

After only fifteen minutes of consciousness, …
WACK
running quickly, yet methodically, through experimental attempts to remove the cone-collar Eddie woke up with this morning…
WACK WACK
Eddie Cat has successfully turned what many cats and dogs might feel to be a handicap…,
WACK, SCRAPE, WACK
into a very effective AACD (Advanced Annoyance Communication Device).
WACK SHIN-SCRAPE SPEAR WACK
By utilizing complicated combinations of percussion signals, and the cone's rigidity as an effective edge-weapon, Eddie had conveyed to me in a language previously inaccessible to him, that he is extremely unhappy with the results of yesterdays Vet visit.
WACK WACK THUD SPEAR

Paul the Lawless Christian

2008-04-14T17:04:00.000-07:00

I've been looking at I Corinthians (and other segments of Paul's work), prodded to interest with my continued research into the idea of the Lawless Christian.

Paul is rather definite throughout most of the works. Almost commanding, but then he puts in this verse:

"We are free to do all things, but there are things which it is not wise to do. We are free to do all things, but not all things are for the common good." (1 Corinthians 10:23 BBE)

I think that most of the texture of Paul's writings are from his indelible personality, and schooling as a Pharisee; though he had strong beliefs of what was right and wrong, he also knew that under the new Word of Love (The Fulfillment of the Law), there were no real rules laid down, and so with this verse, he let's us know that all of his don't and do's are really just guidelines. A rather long winded way of saying "Hey, don't hurt each other!"

I really like the change from "right" "wrong" verbiage to "wise" and "unwise" though most translations don't use those words. There is a huge list of actions that I balk at thinking "wrong" or "right" about, but am fine with seeing them as "wise" or "unwise".

Something I find very "unwise" is justifying my desires or my conscience by using razored off verses from the Bible. Something I have always found distasteful is building up belief structures using verses as the foundation stone. It is so easy to go astray, especially in the works of a man like Paul, whose authoritative tone spans thousands of years to our ears today; and so easy to forget to read a bit further..

So… I win?

2008-04-10T18:25:00.000-07:00

The last couple of nights I've been woken up by different sheriff deputies, and not given a ticket. This is interesting to me because 1) it is in fact dark, 2) I am in fact sleeping at the time, 3) this is the place that I was given a ticket for "lodging" during the day when I'm not sleeping (or doing anything against the law for that matter).

The deputies tell me that I …'have to wake up and get out of [where ever I am at], but they don't stick around, ask for ID, run checks or anything else for that matter. They are gone within 5 minutes. Just here long enough to wake me up and justify hassling me. The justifications are rather random (I think they are making them up as they are talking).

So it appears they are no longer enforcing the lodging code.

I'll need to do some checking around to verify this status, but at this point, it looks like a small victory.

Okay, this was fun... Paying with Blank Paper..

2008-04-08T17:27:00.000-07:00

Oh, about the April 1 Court Date

2008-04-07T20:11:00.000-07:00

On April 1st I went to court on (This Ticket). So what happened on that day? Obviously I didn't go to jail. I didn't get a new court date either. In fact, I never made it into the court room. I showed up, and at the check-in area was told by the clerk no charges were going to be filed, due to lack of evidence. While it was clear to me that I wasn't going to be found guilty, this was a surprise. I was also aware at the time that the arrest also had no probable cause as well. Again, however, while these were evident to me, I still did not expect such a direct back-down from the D.A.

I have been giving this a great deal of thought, as to what my next actions should be with matter and the Municipal Code 10.20.50 . I have decided to find a lawyer and press with this matter to civil court. I'm also going to continue "enjoying my rights" as a citizen and move forward as I did the last couple of months.

I have learned and even witnessed that my actions during the last few months have been making a positive change with the handling and rights-trampling of the homeless in Santee. I've also found that the Sheriffs are less likely to respond to calls of "homeless people existing" in public areas. Basic harassment has been down. It hasn't gone away, not by a long shot, but there have been changes.

Giving these two decisions, I'm also going to focus more energy into my work, and push back this project on the importance-list. Not back-burning, just an adjustment of priorities.