Posted under That's Life Columns
By Ted Hickman©2010
Feel Free to Email: Tedhick@gmail.com
USAF Effort to reduce bird strikes…Nancy Bird

This ought to scare the hell out of anything.
One Rare August
Look at your calendar for last month….this is a rare occurrence. For those who have children show them because they will never see this again. An interesting fact about August 2010 is that it has 5 Sundays 5 Mondays and 5 Tuesdays all in one month. It only happens once in 823 years. Next time I’ll try to alert you before hand.
One Gripe
Not that there weren’t probably more, but I only heard one gripe (second hand from a guy who griped to Mike Ceremello about something I wrote no less) about the motorcycle story I did last week. It seem a “used to be police officer” was unhappy with fact I didn’t make the visiting members of the Solano County (Vallejo) Hells Angels look bad…and the fact they were allowed here in the first place. I thought you have to be able to read to become a police officer and understand our constitution? I guess it depends where you are a cop huh?
Most people who read the story saw that over 30 different motorcycle clubs from throughout Northern California came here for a day of “end of the year” relaxation luncheon party. Of the 500 or so bikers gathered here (a vast majority reportedly were vets) I only saw about six folks identified to me as members of the notorious biker club. I heard there were as many as 20 were there but you couldn’t prove it by me. Either way it doesn’t matter. Those present set an acceptable level of decorum that was held to while everyone mingled, ate, enjoyed a raffle, had fun, left a $1,000 donation for the American Legion and went home. Those of you who know me know had it been any other way I would have reported that too.
What they did before or after that is none of my concern. While they were here they were good guests who caused no problems and cleaned up after themselves…You got a beef with that give me you name, number or email address and I’ll see if I can’t have one of them to contact you OK?
Call 511 For Highway Help!
As we were headed on I S 80 for Woodland to set up for the Yolo County Fair we lost all of the tread on a tire on the trailer we were towing. We heard a loud “bang” and I looked in the rear view mirror to see the entire tire tread flying through the air so I pulled off the highway just feet before the Pedrick Road off ramp. Before the dust settled I saw a white CHP car with a tow truck close behind pull up behind us…Instantly. I mean I looked up through the cloud of dust and there they were…like magic. It just so happened the CHP was a couple of cars behind us, the tow truck behind him and they saw the flying tire tread. The tow truck was right there to help us almost as soon as I got out of the SUV..
It’s called the “Freeway Service Patrol” a state financed program that works in conjunction with the CHP and MTC and Cal Trans as part of the San Francisco Bay Area Freeway Service Patrol. If you have problems traveling on 530 miles of Bay Area freeways around San Francisco, in any of the eight Bay Area Counties, and need help you just call 511. They can change a flat tire, jump a dead battery, tape leaking hoses and refill your radiator or even giving you a gallon of gas if you run out. If they can’t get you back on the road they will tow you off the freeway to a CHP safe location then take you to the nearest pay phone to call for whatever help is necessary…The charge for all of this? IT’S FREE…well not really, as a taxpayer you pay for it but it COST YOU NOTHING. You just dial 511 and tell them where you are and one of two trucks on a continual rotating route will find you.
The object is to get disabled vehicles off the freeways and reduce the number of accidents caused by such disruptions of traffic. It worked really well for us and we were really glad to see them…its dangerous and scary out there. They operate a split shift of four commute hours in the morning and four in the afternoon…You have a problem on the freeway during these times just dial 511…it just could get you out of a bad situation and/or save your life.
From the Email Box
Ted: Opposing Manhattan Mosque …is aiding and abetting our enemy. That is not an opinion, it is a fact. Even if it is the right thing to do (I disagree) it is still a fact that it is giving aid to our enemy. It was inevitable, and has now been reported from multiple sources, that Islamic terrorists would use this controversy as a recruiting tool:
http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/30/taliban-using-mosque-controversy-to-recruit.html
By opposing the this Islamic community center (it is, in fact, more like a YMCA than a Mosque) you are telling all Muslims that Osama is right: the west is trying to destroy Islam and he is only fighting back. It seems to me that actively trying to make enemies of one billion Muslims is not a good idea. Richard Smith (Ted: For a change I’m speechless.)
Did You Get Stupid Phone Survey?
The Dixon Library’s phone survey was even more insulting that the stupid one the school district did trying to manipulate the public’s thought process…What BS questions. Can we have a copy of the “GRA Public Research” survey questions? I bet not. Linda and I both got “the call.” If I had even remotely thought of destroying the Historic Carnegie Library before, I certainly wouldn’t allow it now. Have you been to the library? It’s fine. Its good and it serves us well as it has for years. I’ve never seen it over crowded or lacking for any service. I have heard the librarian threatened his people with dismissal if the speak out against the multi-million dollar bunko scheme to build a new palace…primarily for the librarian…Go figure. You will have your chance to voice your opinion at the ballot box. If you got the survey and think it wasn’t loaded, biased, and just plain out of whack let me know. Hope I don’t get my library card yanked over this by the beastly librarian…the thought of him being mad at me just makes me shudder.
Block Unwanted Calls
Cell Phone Numbers have Gone Public so this is a REMINDER….all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls. You can be charged for these calls if you have a limited calling plan. To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222. It is the National DO NOT CALL list it will only take a minute of your time…It blocks your number for five years. You must call from the cell phone number (or your home phone) you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number.
Ignored Soccer Scandal?
I was taking my semi-regular bike ride around Northwest Park a little while back and I heard parents talking about the Dixon Soccer Club being “corrupt,” re-writing their own by laws, not having legal elections where the members can select the board and the whole “club” being dominated by one woman. There apparently are questions about the lack of credible (if any) audits, missing funds, and the complete lack or leadership or regulation of parent or coach qualifications or behaviors….and this was just listening to about a five minute conversation…No separate PAD committee? No field marshal’s to protect the young referees. If they have a 5013-C non-profit status they better come clean
The soccer parents that are paying the bills have every right to demand free and open elections with a one-vote per member and a objective outside accounting for all funds for the past 10 years. If not the IRS and the State will be happy to come in and examine the books and bylaws.
If any of this is true I think SYSL and CYA should be pressured to look into this matter or perhaps and outside entities like the grand jury or district’s attorney’s office if necessary. The city, allowing taxpayers fields to be used might put a hold on the use of the fields until open and fair elections are held…that is unless the current board can explain some of these things and their re-written by-laws are explained, modified and made right.
My wife was one of the first board members and helped write the fair by-laws and I served as head referee and helped arrange for all of the soccer facilities we have today. All four (our two sons) of us have all been certified referees and certified coaches. Our eldest son and I were certified state level coaches and referees and I still am a USSF state referee with over 3,500 games experience and USSF referee instructor so don’t tell me we don’t know what we are talking about…If any of what I heard is true this current organization has a lot of explaining to do and now is the time. We have grandkids about soccer age and if they want to play, everything better be on the straight and level.
Golf Or Sex?
Tim is watching a game of golf on TV. But he keeps switching channels to a sexy movie featuring a lusty couple having raucous sex. “Man, they are really getting’ it on! I don’t know whether to watch them or watch the game”, he says to his wife. For Pete’s sake, dummy,” his wife says, “Watch them! You already know how to play golf!















































