Death Toll Expected to Climb

(VIDEO)

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

The vicious tornado that ripped across Moore, Oklahoma yesterday killed at least 24 people — with more bodies expected
to arrive at the Oklahoma state medical examiner’s office, Coroner
Amy Elliott said today.  Roughly nine of the bodies are children.

Even for a city toughened by massive tornadoes, Moore has never seen this kind of devastation.

Despite the woeful news, rescue workers clung to the hope of finding more survivors and scoured mountains of rubble where houses and schools once stood.

Many killed were children, including seven from Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore — the site of a frantic search this morning.  The school was in the direct path of the storm’s fury.  About 75 students and staff members were hunkered down in Plaza Towers when the tornado struck.

At one point, an estimated 24 children were missing from the school, but some later turned up at nearby churches.  It’s unclear how many may still be trapped in the wreckage, and how many are dead or alive.

Parents of survivors couldn’t wrap their minds around the tragedy.  A father of a third-grader still missing sat quietly on a stool outside.  Tears cascaded from his face as he waited for any news.

 “I’m speechless.  How did this happen?  Why did this happen?”  he asked.  “How do we explain this to the kids? … In an instant, everything’s gone.”

Across town, Moore Medical Center also succumbed to the tornado.  Some doctors had to jump into a freezer to survive.

“Our hospital has been devastated,” Mayor Glenn Lewis said.  “We had a two-story hospital, now we have a one.  And it’s not occupiable.”  As a result, 145 of the injured were rushed to three other area hospitals.

That number includes 45 children taken to the children’s hospital at Oklahoma University Medical Center, Dr. Roxie Albrecht said.  Injuries ranged from minor to severe, including impalement and crushing injuries.

The town of Moore is far too familiar with the extent of nature’s wrath.  The Oklahoma City suburb recovered from a fierce 1999 twister that killed six people there and dozens in the area.  When that tornado struck, it had the strongest wind speed in history, Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Tom Lamb said.  Another tornado tore through Moore in 2003.

This time, the two-mile-wide twister stayed on the ground for a full 40 minutes, carving a 22-mile path where thousands of residents live.  The devastation and swath of destruction is mind boggling.  The death toll has far surpassed anything the city has seen from a tornado — and is expected to climb.

The tornado first touched down in Newcastle, Oklahoma, before ripping into neighboring Moore. An early estimate rated the tornado as an EF4, meaning it had winds between 166 and 200 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

After the ear-shattering howl subsided, survivors along the miles of destruction emerged from shelters to see an apocalyptic vision.  Homes and other buildings were shredded to pieces.  Remnants of mangled cars were piled on top of each other.  What was once a parking lot now looked like a junkyard.

“People are wandering around like zombies,” reporter Scott Hines said.  “It’s like they’re not realizing how to process what had just happened.”

Hines said rescuers found a 7-month-old baby and its mother hiding in a giant freezer.  But they didn’t survive.

The tornado sucked up debris along its path and swirled it several miles into the sky, landing up to 250 miles away.  Resident Lando Hite, shirtless and spattered in mud, described how the storm pummeled the Orr Family Farm in Moore, which had about 80 horses before the storm hit.

“It was just like the movie ‘Twister,’ ” Hite told reporters. “There were horses and stuff flying around everywhere.”

“The structures that were just demolished were picked up by the twister here and just jettisoned up into the atmosphere, 20,000 feet,” reporting meteorologist Ivan Cabrera said.

James Dickens, a gas-and-oil pipeline worker, grabbed a hard hat and joined rescuers at Plaza Towers Elementary School.  “I felt it was my duty to come help,” he said Tuesday after a long night of searching.  “As a father, it’s humbling. It’s heartbreaking to know that we’ve still got kids over there that’s possibly alive, but we don’t know,” he said.

But the storm system that spawned Monday’s tornado and several other twisters Sunday isn’t over yet.

Southwest Arkansas and northeast Texas, including Dallas, are under the gun for severe weather today.  Those areas could see large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes.  A broader swath of the United States, from Texas to Indiana and up to Michigan, could see severe thunderstorms.

“We could have a round 3 coming,” meteorologist Cabrera said.

And In Your Head
(VIRAL VIDEO and LINKS)

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Our fascination with strange, weird and scary creatures has kept monsters alive in our psyche for thousands of years, leaving
us hanging on the edge of our seats just to see what they might do next.

Dwelling around in dark places and corners, monsters are found under your bed, in your closet, and outside the safety of your home and family, just like Stephen King and your big brother always told you.

More often than not, though– and fortunately for you– these creatures with the creepy human or animal appearances are usually imaginary.  They are typically found living only in your head.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  Well, most of the time.

Real or imagined, they share the same terrible motive.  Creeping, lurking, and waiting to scare the holy bejeezus out of you at every chance they get, guaranteed.

The word monster is derived from the Latin word “monstrum”, which means ‘omen’.  Monsters of legendary lore– vampires, werewolves, chupacabras– are often described as morally evil, sadistic, uncaring, and larger than life.  They can be a mere freak of nature, a display of God’s anger, an omen of the future, or a symbol of moral virtue or vice.

Horrible things with an evil mind, moral defects, and physical deformities, monsters inspire horror and disgust on a deeply intrinsic level within ourselves and in our minds.

Wherever they reside, they’re scary.  Just run like hell.  You should be OK.  Most of the time.

If you want to know more about the strange things seen above, here’s some links for enlightened reading:

Encantado
http://www.helium.com/items/1688824-t…
http://karlshuker.blogspot.com/2012/0…

Kraken
http://www.unmuseum.org/kraken.htm
http://lozanox.deviantart.com/art/Kra…

Chupacabra
http://randomactsofartwork.tumblr.com…
http://animal.discovery.com/tv-shows/…

Mongolian Death Worm
http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/24/mon…
http://crimzonlogic.deviantart.com/ar…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vrvpsb…

Vinegaroon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o16jYG…

Bootlace Worm
http://www.aphotomarine.com/worm_line…

Electric Eel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP-kWY…

Werewolf
http://aznkyuubi.deviantart.com/art/W…
http://alam25.tripod.com
http://www.livescience.com/24412-were…

Loup Garou
http://www.mythicalcreaturesguide.com…

Bigfoot
http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/02/21/b…
http://www.bigfootencounters.com/

All Of The Giant Ape Monsters
http://www.crystalinks.com/bigfoot.html
http://www.paranormal-encyclopedia.co…
http://www.livescience.com/8766-bigfo…

Mothman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78qG8e…
http://www.monsterparade.com/portfoli…
http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/…
http://mothmanfestival.com/

Wendigo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFMakW…
http://apparitionabolishers.com/expos…
http://www.gods-and-monsters.com/wend…

Vampires
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/96…
http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/the…
http://www.livescience.com/24374-vamp…
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/ne…
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/12/…

Yara-ma-yha-who
http://fetus-man.deviantart.com/art/Y…
http://www.bogleech.com/yaramayhawho….
http://treebeerdstuff.com/2012/04/02/…

Yara-Ma-Yha-Who, by Blanca Martinez de Rituerto
http://vimeo.com/12554098
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Up7yX…

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Taking a Trip to Somewhere Different

Or, Taking a Trip Back Home

(VIRAL VIDEO)

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Africa is one vast, beautiful, and spectacular place.

It’s the most interesting and diverse continent on the earth:  home to an incredible variety of people, animals, geographies and climates.

Africa covers six percent of the earth’s total surface, has a billion people, and speaks over 2,000 languages in its 54 countries.

It was also your house at one time.  Like, home.

Long before we were around, Africa was joined to the other continents in a massive continent called Pangaea.  Over millions of years this huge continent broke apart, shaping the landscape as we know it today.

The cradle of mankind, ancient ancestral hominids first appeared in Africa more than 3-4+ million years ago; anatomically modern human beings migrated in several waves from here more than 200,000 years ago.   The first great civilization, Egypt, arose from Africa’s humble origins.  All of humanity– all of us, you and I, we– likely descend from this very place.

It’s also home to the world’s largest and shyest primate (the gorilla), the largest land mammal (the African elephant), and the fastest and the tallest animals (the cheetah and giraffe)– among its 3,700 unique species.  It is where the largest reptile, the Nile crocodile, resides.

Straddling the equator, Africa is the only continent to extend from the northern temperate zone to the southern temperate zone, laying claim to being the hottest continent on the planet.

Africa has the longest river in the world, the Nile, meandering along for 4,132 miles.  The world’s largest desert, the Sahara, is almost the size of the United States.  Victoria Falls, Africa’s largest waterfall, is 355 feet high and one mile wide.

Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain on the continent, towers above 19,300 feet.  It’s so tall that glaciers can be found at its summit– even though the mountain is near the equator.

What a long strange trip it’s been:  Out of Africa and Into the Wild.  We’re fortunate to be here in this diverse world, a beautiful planet, living, breathing, and dancing for a brief evolutionary moment.

Let’s hope we don’t wear out our welcome.

Devin Graham’s high-def video is best seen at the full-screen setting.  Giving us a special glimpse into an extraordinary place, he and his girl describes their mighty-white-of-you Mogambo experiences in Kenya, below, along with some stunning visuals and an absurd breakfast on the Maasai Mara savannah.

Waldo Mellon
Professional Guesser

Dear Waldo,

I was in the college library where I was supposed to meet this girl who never showed up and I’ll admit it, I was gassed out of my mind on this sick weed my roommate brought back from Humboldt, and I wandered up to the third
floor which I had never been to and there was this enormous
globe of the world.

I had heard about it but I never saw it due to my not liking of geography and my not coming to the library almost ever.  This fucker must be ten feet in diameter.  So I started spinning it because a sign says that’s OK to do if you want to for research purposes.  At first I zoned out on all the colors, but then I started to notice there goes China, there goes India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the Atlantic ocean, New York, the Great Lakes, Pacific ocean and then it all started up all over again, China, India, around and around.

And then I had this amazing thought I admit I probably wouldn’t have had if I wasn’t so ripped out of my gourd.  What if I had this giant rake, OK?  And what if what this rake did is, it raked up just these two things: People, plus all the things that people have ever made.  And what if I’m standing in the library with my giant rake and I keep spinning the globe and running my rake over the entire ball except now it’s the real world and I’m raking up all the people and all the things that people have ever made into one gigantic pile.  I rake up the Empire State Building, every house on the planet, every truck, every couch, every shoe, books, the Great Wall of China, tools, pipes, wires, oil tankers, movie theaters, every screw, every brick, every road, airplanes, building materials, bulldozers, cranes, hottubs, garbage, bottles, let’s even say satellites. Everything, every single person and every single thing people ever made, into one gigantic pile.

Here’s my question: If I raked up all that stuff into the United States, what’s the smallest state you think I could fit that entire junkpile in?

I just got back from going into the bathroom and I’ll admit it, I sucked down some more Humboldt weed because I was getting all cheesed out on this globe thing and a whole nother unbelieveable idea came to me: What if a sorcerer came along and I traded my rake for a magic wand which I know is a cliché even wrecked, but what if I made the trade anyway and then poof, I got rid of the entire pile of people plus all the shit people have made.  Poof.  Pile gone.  Which leads to my question number two: Would the planet be better off or worse off?  I can not deal with my own question. That is one mind-fuck question.

Well, that’s it.  No, one more question.  Do you think smoking dope
is good or bad.  Because I’m guessing I’m going to wake up tomorrow
with a familiar feeling that goes What the fuck.

Thank-you,
Paul

Dear Paul,

Stoned out of your ever-loving mind or not, I think you’ve stumbled upon a fascinating proposition.  I’ll bet most people think of the world as theirs, as a platform made especially for them.  There’s animals and bugs and plants and that kind of thing, but most folks think this production is sponsored by us, humans, and that the planet is really our stage, and so quiet down Everything Else because we got a show to put on.

But this giant rake concept of yours makes it clear that people, for all their huffing and puffing, have had nothing to do with most of what goes on in our planet.  My guess is that the smallest state that could accommodate all of the things your rake rakes up would be, ohh, Massachusetts.  I live in Massachusetts and it seems to me, as I look around while driving, that there’s plenty of extra room here for a gigantic pile of every house, battle-ship, truck, cinder-block etc., particularly if you take care to pile things efficiently.

I could be laughably wrong.  I realize that there are minds capable of approaching your question with tools much more sophisticated and precise than my handy all-in-one Wild-Guess Mallet.  And so let’s choose a place on earth which we all can agree is sufficiently large to accommodate this pile you’re talking about Paul.  Texas?  Alaska?  Definitely one of those.  Let’s pick the bigger of the two: Alaska.

Rake rake rake rake rake rake rake.  Good.  Now there’s everything made by man ever, plus every person on earth, in a pile on Alaska.

Spin that globe Paul.  Well what do you know.  It’s clear we’re really not responsible for much, given all there is.  Just that little pile of shit every time Alaska comes around.

Anyway, in answer to your second question Paul, about would the world be better or worse without us.  If those are my only two choices, I say better off.  Please keep in mind that I could be laughably wrong.

In answer to your third question, here’s what I say about marijuana, chardonnay, Heath Bars, LSD, coffee, nutritious foods, nicotine, water, or anything else that eventually enters our bloodstream:  Holy shit!  How about this!  We’re nothing but test tubes filled with a balance of chemicals so delicate that we can change moods or even go kerflooey at the drop of a hat!

Thank-you for your letter Paul.  Happy Graduation!

Your Fan,
Waldo Mellon

* * * * * * * * * *

Waldo Mellon wishes he had more writing credits to boast about, but he doesn’t.

He did go to a fancy, expensive college, yet most of the things that got stuffed into his head there are now nowhere to be found.  In fact, he has a breath-taking lack of the kind of knowledge that comes from things he’s read and things he’s been told, as opposed to things he’s experienced.

A mysterious fellow, he likes his life very much and that’s the vat he draws from.

28-Year Old Bodhi Tree Taken Into Custody

–NEW UPDATES–

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Two people, a male and a female, were killed in a house on Eye Street in Arcata early this morning.

People staying at the house said that a suspect, another houseguest, shot the two with a revolver.  Police have one individual in custody, identified as Bodhi Tree, 28-years old, and transient,” according to sources.

The victims have not been identified.  The houseguests at the scene said the female was an 18-year-old high school student.

The female was pronounced dead at the scene, according  to Arcata Police Department Lt. Ryan Peterson.  The male died shortly thereafter at Mad River Community Hospital. 

The names have not yet been released.  The shootings occurred early this morning in close proximity to the Arcata Skate Park, community tennis courts, and Humboldt State University.

This is the official APD statement:

On May 18, 2013, at about 2:00 am, the Arcata Police Department received a 911 telephone call from a residence in the 2400 block of Eye Street.  The caller reported hearing multiple gunshots within the residence.  Upon investigating, the resident found two acquaintances in another room suffering from gunshot wounds.

Additional links for this fast-moving incident can be found here:

DOUBLE HOMICIDE ON EYE STREET (Update 2)  (Kevin Hoover/Arcata Eye)

Update: Police searching for Arcata double homicide suspect  (Times-Standard)

Suspected Double Homicide in Arcata This Morning (UPDATING)  (Hank Sims/Lost Coast Outpost)

Bodhi Tree, 28, arrested in connection with this morning’s double homicide  (Kevin Hoover/Arcata Eye)

Video of arrest of suspect Bodhi Tree (Andrew Goff)

UPDATE:  From the Arcata Police Department, May 18, 2013:

From the Humboldt County Coroner’s Office, May 20–  Victims Identified:

The Coroner’s Office identified the two people killed in the double homicide Saturday morning in Arcata.  They are:

• Alan Marcet – 27-years old, from Oak Park, Michigan
• Christina Schwarz – 18-years old from Eureka, student at Eureka High School

Autopsies pending scheduling of forensic pathologist for analysis.

* * * * * * * * *

(Our appreciation goes to Rose of the Watchpaul Blog for her updated links.  Thank you, Rose)

Ground Control to Major Tom

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Canadian astronaut and Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield just finished his five-month tour of duty aboard the International Space Stationship (ISS) this Monday.

During that time he sent out a flurry of songs, thousands of snapshots and tweets, and other social media beamed directly from outer space to Earth.

And this is also what he did:  a rendition of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.”  Since its posting this Sunday, it’s been viewed more than 14 million times.  Even Bowie has been retweeting it.

This music video took months in the making:  With Bowie’s approval, copyright permissions, and NASA signing off, the song’s lyrics were tweaked to reflect Hadfield’s return from the International Space Station aboard a Russian Soyuz craft.  His son, Evan, worked diligently on the production, too.  From Earth.

“Lock your Soyuz hatch and put your helmet on,” Hadfield sings in the video.  After showing scenes of Hadfield strumming on his guitar and gazing soulfully out the station’s windows in zero gravity, the video winds up with a Soyuz parachuting down to its landing– which is exactly how Hadfield returned four days ago.

Why did he do it?  Commander Hadfield said he wanted to do a different kind of farewell video than others have done, and using social media as a platform.  It was an emotional send off.

“Who’d have thought that five months away from the
planet would make you feel closer to people?” he asked.

“Not closer because I miss them, just closer because seeing an experience this way, and being able to share it through all the media we use, has allowed me to get a direct reflection immediately back from so many people,” Hadfield said.

“It makes me feel like I’m actually with people more– that we’re having a conversation.  This experience isn’t individual; it’s shared and it’s worldwide,” he said.

Indeed.  You can see the International Space Station from Humboldt.

It’s easy if you know where and when to look for it.  The ISS is the third brightest object in the sky, after the sun and moon.  You can’t miss it because it looks like an incredibly bright, fast-moving star.

Just remember there are people up there, an international crew of seven living for months at a time in a station, which, with its solar arrays out, is about the size of a football field.

Built in pieces and weighing in at over 4,000 tons, it has more livable room than a conventional five-bedroom house, with two bathrooms, a gymnasium, and a 360-degree bay window.

It’s been up there for 12 years now and has traveled more than 1.5 billion miles, or the equivalent of eight round trips to the Sun.  It’s made 57,000 orbits around the Earth traveling at 17,500 miles per hour.  That’s five miles per second.

110 years following the Wright Brother’s first flight, 204 individuals have visited the Space Station via rockets and shuttles, taking a total of 164 space walks outside the Earth’s atmosphere.

What a long, strange trip it’s been, Major Tom.

(For the best picture definition, see the video at the full-screen setting)

Man Shot As He Opens Door

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

On May 15, at 10:23 pm, The Eureka Police Department received several calls reporting approximately four gun-
shots in the vicinity of the 1900 block of J Street in the City
of Eureka. 

The shots occurred across the street from Eureka High School.  The shooting was not involved with the school and the scene is considered safe, EPD said in yesterday’s release.

Officers responded and attempted to locate evidence of a shooting.  At about 10:34 pm while officers were still on scene, the Eureka Police Department was notified by the St Joseph Hospital Emergency room that they were giving care to a male with a gunshot wound. 

Eureka Police Officers were able to connect the “shots fired” call to the wounded male at the hospital.  The Eureka Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division responded to assume the investigation.

The wounded man was 24-year old Eureka native Rhett August.  August’s official medical status is unknown but he was able to give detectives a statement this morning after recovering from surgery.

August suffered a single gunshot wound to the upper abdomen.  A
friend in August’s home drove him to the hospital. 

Detectives learned that August received a knock on his door.  August went downstairs to answer the door, stepped out into the alley, and was shot at by someone.  He was hit by one of four bullets fired.

Other than his wound, evidence of several other bullet strikes was located.

“We are looking at this case as an attempted homicide,” EPD Detective Harpham told the Times-Standard.  “We were able to locate evidence that there was a shooting there, other than the bullet into the victim.”

Around 9:30 hours this Friday morning, EPD Investigators, POP Detectives, Parole Officers and Patrol Officers conducted a parole search at a home at the 2100 block of Spring Street.

Several subjects were arrested for outstanding warrants.  A 30-year old person of interest in the investigation was detained, interviewed, and eventually booked into jail for minor parole violations.

“At this point, we’re focused on only one person,” Harpham noted.  “He gave us a statement which included an alibi, and we’ll work on proving or disproving that alibi.”

A motive for the shooting has not been established, EPD said, but we would suggest looking in the filing drawer under ‘R’ for revenge.

This investigation is ongoing and EPD Detectives are still seeking information about the shooting, their release said today.

Anyone with information regarding this shooting should contact lead Detective Pete Cress or Senior Detective Ron Harpham:

Detective Pete Cress
pcress@ci.eureka.ca.gov or 707-441-4390

Sr. Detective Ron Harpham
rharpham@ci.eureka.ca.gov or 707-441-4305

Discharging Gun At Neighbor Over Noise and Leaves, She Goes to the Pokey

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

On May 16, 2013 at about 8:30 pm, officers with the Fortuna Police Department responded to the 1800 block of
Kenmar Road in Fortuna for report of shots fired.

The reporting party reported that his neighbor was trying to shoot him.  Upon arrival officers determined that 66-year old Audrey Gipson had discharged her .357 Revolver at her neighbor during a dispute.

Upon further investigation, officers learned that Ms. Gipson was upset with her neighbor because of an ongoing issue with loud noise coming from the residence and leaves from vegetation in his yard that were falling into her yard.

Ms. Gipson admitted that during the dispute, she became upset over the ongoing issues and fired her revolver in the victim’s direction.

Ms. Gipson was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility.  The Fortuna Police Department said they will be seeking charges for the following:

• Assault with a deadly weapon
• Negligent discharge of a firearm
• Brandishing

* * * * * * * * *

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.  Nothing makes you more tolerant of a neighbor’s noisy party than being there.  If you can’t make it, leave a nice note.

Victim or Suspect of Sexual Assault?

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Kai, the ‘hatchet-wielding hitchhiker’ who became an Internet sensation earlier this year, has been arrested for the murder of a New Jersey man.

He was captured by Philadelphia police at the Greyhound Bus station in Philadelphia earlier today, Union County Prosecutor Theodore Romankow said.

“I believe that everyone is a little safer with this person off the streets,” the prosecutor said.

According to Glassboro Police Chief Alex Fanfarillo, he was taken into custody in Philadelphia shortly after his department was contacted about interviewing witnesses to Kai’s visit and discovering the drifter had stayed in the town of Glassboro, New Jersey.

Police were seeking the 24-year-old over the murder of attorney Joseph Galfy Jr, who was found dead in his Clark, NJ, home on Monday, May 13.  An autopsy showed that he died as the result of blunt force trauma.

Romankow said Kai met up with 73-year-old New Jersey lawyer in New York’s Times Square on Saturday night, left, and then returned to Galfy’s home.  Witnesses reported Kai was with Galfy over the course of two or more days.  Authorities suspect Galfy was involved in some sort of sexual encounter before being beaten to death.

After the alleged murder, Kai’s movements included two trips to meet a fan in Asbury Park, a trip to Philadelphia and another to Glassboro in southern New Jersey, before he took a train bound for Philadelphia, authorities said.

Kai, whose real name is Caleb Lawrence McGillvary, became an overnight hero after a man he was getting a hitchhiking ride with proclaimed that he was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ and deliberately rammed his car into the back of a Pacific Gas and Electric worker.  After a woman tried to help the worker, the driver got out of the car and started squeezing the woman.

Kai– or McGillvary, if you prefer–  then intervened and smashed the man three times in the head with his hatchet.

Kai is a drifter and prefers to call himself “homefree” rather than homeless.  He achieved semi-celebrity status after giving a colorful and profanity-laced F-bomb interview to a local news crew describing his Good Samaritan act that went viral.  He also appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show and Stephen Colbert.

He was a frequent traveler to Humboldt County and  the Arcata Plaza, last visiting in March.

A Facebook post from Kai last week thanked his many fans who let him visit, stay the night or share a meal in recent months:

“Hey id like to express my gratitude to all the gnarly awesome people whove invited me in, partied hardy with me, and brought me to such cool places to meet such cool people. ive met some of the greatest people in my life in these last three months and i wouldnt trade these experiences with you for all the money in hollywood.

“i was thinkin today about that whole thing and really the best thing in the world was getting to know all of you.”

But on Tuesday a far darker note emerged.  It suggested he woke up and discovered he had been drugged and sexually assaulted.

He asked his fans:

“what would you do if you woke up with a groggy head, metallic taste in your mouth, in a strangers house… walked to the mirror and seen come dripping from the side of your face from your mouth, and started wretching, realizing that someone had drugged, raped, and blown their fuckin load in you?  What would you do?”

One man calling himself Terry says he would beat the man with a hatchet.  Kai responded: “i like your idea terry.”

Galfy was found bludgeoned to death around the same time.  Police discovered his body while performing a welfare check after he failed to show up at work.  He was found dead in his bed, clad only in underwear and socks.

Investigators say Kai cut his long hair and tried to disguise himself.  He went on the run, staying with his Facebook fans after the murder before being caught and arrested in Philadelphia.

Kai’s carefree traveling days on the road may have come to an abrupt end.

Charged with murder, Romankow said the hatchet-wielding,  homefree hitchhiker will be processed on his arrest warrant and sent back to New Jersey for arraignment and possible trial. 

His bail was set at $3 million.

Officials to Update Public Later Today

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Last night, May 15th at 10:23 pm, The Eureka Police Department received several calls reporting approximately four gunshots in the vicinity of the 1900 block of J Street
in the city of Eureka.

Officers responded and attempted to locate evidence of a shooting.  About 10 minutes later while officers were still on the scene, the Eureka Police Department was notified the St. Joseph Hospital Emergency Room was giving care to a male with a gunshot wound. 

Eureka Police Officers were able to connect the “shots fired” call to the wounded male at the hospital and the Department’s Criminal Investigation Division responded to assume the investigation.

The wounded man is a 24-year old Eureka native and still in surgery at the time of this news release.  He is expected to survive. 

This incident occurred across the street from the Eureka High School.  The shooting was not involved with the school and the scene is considered safe.  No school shutdown is expected, EPD said. 

EPD Detectives expect an updated news release later this afternoon. Anyone with information regarding this shooting should contact lead Detective Pete Cress or Senior Detective Ron Harpham:

Detective Pete Cress
pcress@ci.eureka.ca.gov or 707-441-4390

Sr. Detective Ron Harpham
rharpham@ci.eureka.ca.gov or 707-441-4305

Pages From A Forlorn and Depressed Feline Existence

(VIRAL VIDEO)

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Now we know what lurks in their little minds.

Living in a world of insufferable confusion and loneliness, devoid of any logic, and surrounded by neglectful authorities, it’s a tale of sorrowful tragedy we can scarcely fathom.

The full story of their life hasn’t been revealed until now:  the Diary of a Sad Cat.

Dachshund ’Gigi’ May Hold Clue to Killer’s Location

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Photos and Description Given

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

On Monday, May 13, a McKinleyville man reported to a Humboldt County Sheriff’s Deputy that he had been intentionally struck by a truck.

Sheriffs are seeking the suspect.

From the Sheriff’s Office:

On 05-13-2013, at approximately 10:30 p.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a 20-year old McKinleyville man who told the deputy he was struck intentionally by a truck.

When the deputy arrived at the McKinleyville Shell Gas Station 1606 Central Avenue in McKinleyville, the victim related the following:
    
The victim was standing in line to make a purchase inside the gas station when a male suspect behind him in line became irritated because the line wasn’t moving fast enough.

The victim attempted to explain to the suspect that the person in front of him at the register was disabled and needed extra time to gather his items and make his purchase.

The suspect got angry with the victim and began yelling obscenities at him.  The victim decided to leave and began walking out of the gas station and across Central Avenue in McKinleyville.

The suspect got into his truck and drove out of the gas station.  He accelerated at the victim, striking the victim with his truck and causing him to literally get knocked of his feet and fly through the air.  The victim landed on the shoulder of the road.

Several uninvolved citizens witnessed the assault.  The victim sustained injuries to his elbow, hip and knee.  Medical arrived, but the victim refused medical treatment.

The investigating deputy was able to obtain a video of the suspect from the gas station.  The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s help in locating and identifying
the suspect.

Anyone with information for the Sheriffs Office regarding this case is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.

The suspect is described as:

• White male
• Approximately 6’ tall and 220 lbs
• Late 50’s
• Balding with some hair on the side of his head.
• Driving a dark colored pickup truck, possibly a Nissan.

Smiles and Laughter
(VIDEO)

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
–Dr. Seuss

It’s a universal trait.  Genuinely warm, touchingly human, and known throughout the world.  Everyone knows how to do it and how to say it.  It needs no language or translation.  Simply smile.

These are the smiles and laughter of the children at a small village in Kenya, Africa.

The continent of Africa has always been presented as a backward place where people constantly battle for survival.  It results from the continent’s internal instability, politics, or the dearth of proper food and water.

Children of Africa, however, takes us a step beyond all the troubles and toils that prevail in the different African states—if only for a moment– and shares the brilliance, beauty, and humanity of children and their smile.

The song is “Shiyambonga.”  Translating roughly to ‘We ask for peace on Earth,’ it was made especially for this video.  Photographer Devin Graham explains below how he got the children smiling; an extraordinarily simple lesson we all should know.

If you’re reading this… Congratulations, you’re alive.  If that’s not something to smile about, then I don’t know what is.

(For Caitlin and her Mom, Liz.  Your smiles make everyone feel good and welcome)

Traffic Stop Leads to Drugs, Warrant, and Arrest

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

On May 12, at about 7:30 pm, a Eureka Police Department officer on uniformed patrol saw a black 1999 Mercedes sedan
traveling westbound on the 200 block of 14th Street in Eureka.
The officer conducted a traffic enforcement stop on the Mercedes
for an observed vehicle code infraction.

The driver of the Mercedes, later identified as Steven Nicholas Upton,
yielded on the 1300 block of ‘A’ Street.

Upon contacting Upton, the officer recognized him.  He recalled Mr. Upton was presently wanted for a recent felony domestic violence offense and subsequently took him into custody.

Mr. Upton is well-known by police.

During a search to his arrest, the officer located several grams of marijuana and drug use paraphernalia on Upton’s person.

Mr. Upton, unemployed, was also suspiciously found to be in possession of multiple $100 and $50 dollar bills.

Additionally, Upton’s 32-year-old male passenger was on felony probation.

Officers conducted a search of Mr. Upton’s vehicle.  Under the driver’s seat, officers found a loaded .40 caliber Walther P99 semi-automatic pistol.  A criminal history check confirmed Mr. Upton was a convicted felon– and thus prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
 
The young Mr. Upton, at the tender age of 23, was again arrested by EPD.  This time he was pinched for:

• Carrying a concealed loaded firearm in a vehicle
• Being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm
• And being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition

He was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Pokey where he was booked on the aforementioned felony offenses, in addition to the separate domestic violence charge.

We don’t know what happened to the drug charges, traffic violations, the passenger or the money.  Loitering about somewhere, we think.

Door-to-Door Searches Begin in Mattole

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

The search for wanted triple-homicide suspect Shane Miller continues.

As of last Friday, 70 law enforcement officers were in the Mattole Valley and Bureau of Land Management’s King Range Recreation area, also known as the Lost Coast, searching for Miller following their sixth day of an intensive manhunt.  The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office reported door-to door are being conducted in efforts for finding the alleged killer, according to the HCSO press release. 

The area where Miller’s vehicle was located was searched extensively over the weekend, without results.

SWAT Teams from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office and the California Department of Corrections converged onto the scene last week in their search for the alleged killer Miller.

They were joined by a gaggle of law enforcement officers from the:

• Arcata Police
• Eureka Police
• Fortuna Police
• Rio Dell Police
• California Highway Patrol
• Bureau of Land Management
• Cal-Fire
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife
• Helicopters from the California Highway Patrol and Kern County Sheriff’s Office
• …And a team of United States Marshals– along with a Specialized Communications Truck they brought along with them.

The King Range Conservation Area is 65,000 acres in size and has no paved roads.  One of the most rugged and rural areas of Northern California, it’s located in the aptly-named Emerald Triangle, a region well known for  its intensive marijuana cultivation, off-the-grid self-sufficiency, and equally independent citizens.  Normally peaceful, quiet, and extremely private to the rule, the flavor of the bucolic area has changed as dozens of law enforcement have descended en masse into the Mattole Valley and the small town of Petrolia.

Officers are re-searching areas previously searched– and have been gradually expanding to additional areas outside the original scope.  They’ve also checking numerous cabins and vehicles in the area.

There has been no sighting of Miller since his truck was located in the 30000 block of Mattole Road last week.  He has seemingly vanished without a trace into the Lost Coast wilderness.

As of Friday, Mattole area residents were no longer being requested to shelter in place.  They are, however, being advised to stay in at night and lock their doors.  They are also requested to report any break-ins or other unusual activity immediately.  Check points may continue.

The Mendocino Sheriff’s Office had a 12-member SWAT Team arriving yesterday assisting in the search for Miller.  Officers will continue to search the King Range Conservation Area by foot with the assistance of helicopters today.

Ground search efforts were expanded to include door-to-door residential searches, the HCSO said.  They emphasized enforcement actions during these door-to-door searches will be limited only to the apprehension of the triple homicide suspect, Shane Miller.  They don’t want residents to be any more on edge than necessary and hope the necessary intrusions are minimal at best.

Area schools remain open with a law enforcement presence nearby.  Fixed roadway check points (north and south) of the search area remain in place.

Twelve additional United States Marshals are expected to arrive at the search area today– complimented by the twelve Marshals currently in place.

A two-hour Community Meeting was held Sunday at the Petrolia Community Center, where Shasta County Sheriff’s Office and Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office representatives answered questions and addressed concerns from the community.

A second Community Meeting is scheduled at the Honeydew School for Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 5:00 pm.

Officers continue to work together in an attempt to uncover information that might lead to the location of Miller, the HCSO said in their press release.

“We are trying to gather intelligence from people in the area and we want to make sure people are safe, advise them of what’s going on, and find out if they have seen anything suspicious,” Humboldt County Sheriff Mike Downey said.

Residents hope Miller is soon caught and that law enforcement will depart as quickly as they arrived so their lives and livelihood can return to normal.  No one knows when that will be– or if anyone will be hurt before that happens.

Additional information on the manhunt can be found in the Times-Standard article today, “Officials Update As Mattole Manhunt Enters Sixth Day“.

The HCSO would like to relay the following information:

“Anyone who witnesses any suspicious behavior or anything that appears to be out of the ordinary is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251, or 911 in an emergency.”

(Don’t Try This at Home– It Won’t Work)

A SHORT VIRAL VIDEO

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Just a little something to brighten your way.

Everyone loves a light show, large things that sparkle,
loud things that go boom in the night.

Vibrant colors, noise, and a freedom and fear factor all combine for
a brief moment or two, making for an incredible show.

Life is too short, so enjoy the ride while you can.

For the people of Boston, who looked after us when we were visiting.
Boston Strong throughout , you were proud and unwavering.  You
kindly showed us your beautiful City, the inspiring history of our
forefathers, and this sweet land of Liberty as the marathon
mayhem went down around us all.  You didn’t even flinch.

Thank you, Boston.  This is for you.  Let freedom ring.

(The above video is best seen at the full-screen setting)

Saturday, May, 11 at St. Bernard’s High School Gymnasium

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

The community is invited to attend ‘An Evening with Betty’.

Come hear local advocate for the homeless Betty Chinn share stories of her life, her work with our local homeless population, and her recent trip to China to receive an international award.  This was Betty’s first trip back to China after having escaped over 45 years ago.  

This event will take place at St. Bernard’s High School Gymnasium on Saturday, May 11.

Doors will open at 6 pm, with dinner at 7 pm.

This is a kick-off fundraiser for Betty’s new Day Center, which will open in the fall.  Come see the building plans and learn about the programs that will be offered, while enjoying a delicious dinner provided by Rita’s.

Beer, wine and margaritas will also be available.   

Tickets for this event are $20 each, and are available in advance at Picky, Picky, Picky or The Booklegger in Eureka, or at the door.  Get your tickets early!  This event WILL sell out!

For more information, please call Lisa at 822-7923.

~Thank You

City Attorney Threatens Legal Action for “Frivolous” Appeal of Pension Bonds

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

You’ll remember back in December the Eureka City Council, at the request of retiring City Manager David Tyson,
quickly approved a resolution allowing the city to issue pension
funding bonds.

The measure would thereby refund the California Public Employees’ Retirement System Public Safety funds that the City was paying into.  According to a staff report, the action would save the City an estimated $1.4 million.

The City sought a court decision allow it to approve the issuance of $8.2 million in bonds without the standard two-thirds vote of the public.

City of Eureka Finance Director Paul Rodrigues stressed the bonds would pay off the City’s $7.8 million unfunded liability debt due to the state public employees’ retirement system, CalPERS.

“We think, as a city, that we have the potential to save $1 million to $1.4 million over the next 14 years,” Rodrigues told the Times-Standard.  “We view that as a positive.  We are not trying to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes.”

Rodrigues added that the unfunded liability is “very common” among member agencies.  “There is some misperception that somehow the city has fallen behind on their pension obligations,” he said.  “This is not the case at all.  The city of Eureka has always met its pension obligations to CalPERS and never once fallen behind on its payments.”

Eureka resident Bill Holmes challenged the bond matter in April, believing the  issue deserved a vote by its citizens.  Mr. Holmes said at the time:

For my fellow Eurekans who treasure their right to vote:

The Constitution of the State of California has guaranteed since 1879 the voters the right to approve by 2/3 majority the sale of long term obligations (Bonds).

In the dark of election night last November, the Eureka City Council passed a resolution that in effect filed a lawsuit against “All Persons Interested.”

In effect every citizen of Eureka was sued, but more importantly the 14,000 voters of Eureka were sued to strip them of their right to vote on an $8.5 million bond issue – and ALL PENSION BOND ISSUES IN THE FUTURE.

We have (less than) one week to fix this.

Trial is next Monday, April 8th, and I have asked for a jury trial.

I am not a lawyer and the best defense I will be able to mount will be a few simple constitutional arguments– and hope that the jury rules in our favor.

If you want the details go to my blog:  http://highboldtage.wordpress.com

This is a bizarre reverse class action lawsuit and I was the only one to answer it.  Am I the only one in Eureka that cares about the right to vote?  I don’t think so, but where are you?

I think the bonds are crappy junk bonds but the city has the right to issue crappy junk bonds – if the voters approve.  That’s my issue.

Call the City Council and demand that they end this farce NOW!  Demand that they WITHDRAW THE LAWSUIT AGAINST YOU AND PUT THE BOND ISSUE ON THE BALLOT.

Have a peaceful day,

Bill

Mr. Holmes went to court– and lost.  He was ill-prepared, jurisprudentially speaking.  He is appealing the decision.

Yesterday, the City of Eureka sent out an unusual press release to the Sentinel singling out Mr. Holmes for bringing the matter to court, adding that it is “considering its legal options against Mr. Holmes for the filing of the frivolous notice of appeal and opposition to the validation action.”

The City Attorney’s unsigned letter read:

“On November 21, 2012, the City of Eureka filed a validation action in the Superior Court of Humboldt County seeking a judgment validating that the City had properly authorized the use of pension refunding bonds for the purpose of refunding unfunded liabilities of the City to the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS).

Issuance of the bonds, which was approved by the City Council on November 6, 2012, would be advantageous to the City due to current low interest rates, resulting in considerable interest savings to the taxpayers of the City of approximately 1.4 million.

On April 8, 2013, Judge Dale Reinholtsen of the Humboldt County Superior Court held a hearing on the City’s request for a judgment validating the issuance of the bonds. The only person opposing the validation was William Holmes, who failed to give any legal basis for his opposition and failed to file an opposition brief as required by law.

The Superior Court entered judgment in favor of the City that same day, first determining that the City had complied with all requirements for giving notice to the public of the action, and then validating that the City is authorized by law to issue the bonds. Judge Reinholtsen’s order stated that all proceedings by the City with respect to issuance of the bonds in question were “valid and binding.”

Mr. Holmes filed a notice of appeal of the judgment on May 7 in an attempt to prevent the City’s issuance of the bonds.

“We are disappointed to learn that Mr. Holmes has filed a frivolous notice of appeal which could delay bond issuance even though the appeal has no merit,” said Mayor Frank Jager. “The City has a rare opportunity to take advantage of very favorable market interest rates which the City may lose if issuance of the bonds is delayed.”

If the bond issuance is delayed the taxpayers stand to lose 1.4 million dollars.

The City will take prompt action to obtain dismissal of the appeal and is considering its legal options against Mr. Holmes for the filing of the frivolous notice of appeal and opposition to the validation action.”

Make of this what you will.

We have our own take of Eureka’s continual efforts towards gilding its finances and payroll to its own benefit.

You are already aware of the fact that the Eureka City Council has also been handing over money and staff time for a private railroad proposal, slipping a smooth $100 grand to the Eureka Chamber of Commerce every year, and paying oodles of dough defending and losing costly lawsuits.  They still haven’t hired a new police chief after several years.

We were also none too pleased reading Grant Scott-Goforth’sTime-Standard article reporting that “Eureka paid $16 million in wages — the 10th highest total out of more than 100 cities with populations between 10,000 and 30,000,” too.

We hope the City can gets back to basics– like repairing the miserable condition of its streets– rather than looking after its own and leaning on the little guy standing up for his day in court.

Tons O’ Fun
(VIRAL VIDEO)

Devin Graham
DevinGraham Blogspot

So I’ve been trying to put out a video once a week.

Which let me tell you… this has meant I don’t sleep, and have been working around the clock 24/7.  Not only am I creating the main video, but also the behind the scene videos, which is a full time job within itself… So yes, I don’t sleep very often, haha.

Here’s the latest video I shot a couple months back.

In fact, I have shot 19 YouTube videos within the last 3 months that I still have to release.  I have a ton of content I shot during the warmer months, so I could release them each week and be a head of schedule, but I often find that because I’m a perfectionist I don’t have the videos done until the day I release them

These videos I did with my friends company at the BlueHouse Ski Company.  They provided the house boat, skis, food, and helped make it all happen!

If you read the comments on a lot of the videos, everyone says that we must have rich parents, haha, when in reality, I’m able to pull off these videos because I get sponsors and people that believe in what I’m doing.

So they help pull resources together to make them happen, and that’s what happened with BlueHouse Skis.

Here’s the main video above, and the ‘Behind the Scene’ video below.

(Posted by Skippy Massey)

Cinematographer Chad Ross Shows His Work At Eureka High School, 6:30 pm

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

This evening, Thursday, May 9 at 6:30 pm, filmmaker Chad Ross will be sharing his work with Humboldt County residents.

Ross will relate his “Art Meets Storytelling” projects such as the film “100 Elephants,” an excerpt of his documentary “Walking Dreams,” as well as his recent commercial work for Nike and Chanel as part of the continuing series Local Filmmakers Night.

Director/Cinematographer Chad Ross has been making videos and films since 2003.  While attending film school in Seattle, he got his first break making short visual films with break dancers.  The videos caught the attention of Microsoft, who then hired him to work on a project called The Green Room, where he traveled the world over, shooting interviews with some of the world’s best and most famous musicians.

Shortly after, Ross was awarded a Seattle City Artist grant award for directing his first feature film called “The Way of the B-boy.”  The film won an award for Best Music Documentary in the New York International Independent Film Festival.  Soon after, he started work on his second film “Walking Dreams,” a documentary on the famous performance painter, David Garibaldi.

Ross is currently working on music videos and commercial work, most recently for the iconic fashion company Chanel, featuring artist David Garibaldi.

Local Filmmakers Night, a collaboration between Access Humboldt, Film Humboldt, and the Eureka High School Media Club, is a screening series that supports and promotes the local film community.  The event is held at the Eureka High School Lecture Hall on the corner of Humboldt St. and K St. (next to the Gymnasium).

A Question & Answer period will follow Ross’ screening.  Movie trivia, prizes, and a reception will follow at the adjacent Access Humboldt Community Media Center.

Doors open at 6:30 pm. Screening starts at 7 pm. Cost of admission is $5 per person and all are welcome to attend.

More Allegations of Misconduct Face DA Alexander in Federal Court

By Chris Marshall
Courthouse News Service

SAN FRANCISCO (CN) – California officials shielded a child molester who contributed to a district attorney’s campaign,
and arrested a mother when she took the children to be examined
in another county, the mother claims in court.

Barry and Jennifer Brown sued Del Norte County District Attorney Jon Alexander, the county itself and five other people, in Federal Court.

Jennifer is the mother of two co-plaintiff children Jane Does 1 and 2; Barry, her father, is a former investigator for the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.

They claim Alexander refused to investigate claims that defendant Donald Crockett – Jennifer’s Brown’s ex-husband – had molested their children.

And, the Browns claim, Alexander et al. had Barry Brown falsely charged with kidnapping when the Browns took the children to Eureka to be examined.

DA Alexander’s Woes

This lawsuit is not the only challenge facing Alexander.

The San Jose Mercury News reported in May 2012 that Alexander faces possible disbarment for professional misconduct: allegedly taking a loan from a defense attorney working on a case he later dismissed.

The newspaper reported , in an Associated Press article, that Alexander was a recovering methamphetamine addict when he was elected in campaign using the slogan “Death to Meth.”

Alexander also has been sued by Michael Riese, the former Del Norte County district attorney whom Alexander defeated in the 2010 election. Riese claimed Alexander tried to frame him for child endangerment and driving under the influence.

Allegations of the Suit

In the Browns’ lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim that when Jennifer told a sheriff’s deputy in June 2009 that her 2-year-old daughter said Crockett “had hurt her vagina with his finger” and that it appeared red and irritated, the sheriff took no action.  A local hospital refused to examine the girl and neither she nor her daughter were interviewed by police about these or earlier complaints against Crockett, the Browns say.

Crockett is co-owner of a flower-growing business, which is one of the largest employers in the county, and has other business interests, according to the complaint.

The plaintiffs claim Crockett and his family contributed to Alexander’s election campaign and “have exerted their personal and political influence throughout county agencies to effectively protect Crockett from criminal and child protective investigations and also to inflict harm on plaintiffs.”

Crockett and Jennifer Brown divorced in 2009 after 4 years of marriage, after which they shared custody, with Jennifer the primary caregiver of their twin girls, born in 2007.

The Browns claim that sheriff’s deputies in November 2011 destroyed a tape of a police interview with Crockett, after Jennifer Brown reported that her children said he had showed them movies of men and women “naked belly dancing on a bed.”

When Brown asked police why they destroyed the tape, they told her that “showing pornography to children is not a criminal offense,” according to the complaint.

Alexander and his co-defendants again refused to investigate Crockett after Sutter Coast Hospital Urgent Care filed a report against him for neglect and molestation after both children alleged that Crockett had molested them, the complaint states.

The Browns claim the defendants “were made aware of the claims of Jane Doe 1 and 2 and that the defendants decided not to investigate Jane Doe 1 and 2′s claims about Crockett, whose family exerted political and personal influence over the defendants, whose careers rose and fell on the favor or disfavor of the Crockett family.”

Concerned that the officials were ignoring their claims, Barry Brown claims he contacted his former employer to obtain a Sexual Assault Response Team exam.  He was told the children could have the exam if they went to Eureka, the seat of Humboldt County.

Falsely Arrested

Barry says he wrote a letter to the defendants and told Alexander over the phone that he was temporarily removing the children from Del Norte County for their safety and under the terms of California Penal Code Section 278.5.  But Alexander and other officials had a magistrate judge issue a warrant accusing the Browns of kidnapping the girls, and said they did not know where they were, according to the complaint.

“These defendants knew that the basis for the warrant was false when it was presented to the judge for issuance,” the complaint states.

An all points bulletin was issued for Barry Brown and he was arrested the next day at the Crescent City office of the California Highway Patrol while working on a separate investigation, he says.  He works now as a licensed private investigator.

Alexander and defendant Deputy Sheriff Ed Fleshman agreed that no criminal charges would be filed, but booked and photographed Barry Brown on felony child-stealing charges, creating a felony arrest record that made its way into national criminal background databases, according to the complaint.

Barry Brown says he was released within a few hours and no charges were filed against him.  He says he suffered financial loss and personal embarrassment when the all points bulletin with an enlarged photograph was sent to police in Humboldt County.

Jennifer Brown claims that in March 2012, county sheriffs used excessive force while arresting her, though she was not resisting. They took her to the Crescent City jail and put her in a holding room with glass walls, which was brightly lit day and night and in full view of male correctional officers and the public, according to the complaint.

Jennifer claims she was held in jail there for two days while the jail staff mocked her and refused her requests for medical attention for lupus.

She claims the jail staff even threw a pizza party in front her cell, “celebrating her arrest and further humiliating her.”

After she was arrested, Child Welfare Services took her children into custody “without benefit of due process hearings,” while Crockett had unfettered access to the children, the Browns claim.

Crockett was grated custody of the children in June 2012 and Jennifer Brown was limited to 10 hours of visitation per week, according to the complaint.

Officials Turn a Blind Eye

One of the girls told defendant Child Welfare Services worker Cindy Salatnay in January this year that Crockett had molested her, according to the complaint.  Salatnay examined the other girl’s vaginal area and told court-appointed visitation monitor Arlene Kasper “there’s something there,” the Browns say in the complaint.

When Kasper asked Salatnay what she was going to do, Salatnay “said there was nothing she could do as she had been told by her supervisor, defendant [Julie] Cain, that no matter what Jane Doe 1 or 2 said, she (Salatnay) was to come back with either an inconclusive or unsubstantiated report,” according to the complaint.

Kasper said her “hands were tied,” and repeated it in front of two other witnesses, according to the complaint.  Kasper is not a party to the complaint.

Though Child Welfare Services documented the molestation allegations, they placed the children in a foster home instead of returning them to their mother, Jennifer Brown claim.

She claims the defendant claimed that she had “created stress on the children by reporting abuse and molest.”

Salatnay returned the girls to Crockett’s custody without supervision in March this year after they refused to repeat the allegations to a male detective, which was done without court authorization though a child dependency petition hearing had been held and a subsequent jurisdictional hearing was set for the next week, the Browns say in the complaint. Jennifer Brown says she was allowed to be with the girls only 5 hours per week under supervised conditions in a small room.

Salatnay then lied to and misled the court in a jurisdictional report in which she argued the girls should be left in Crockett’s custody, the Browns claim.

They claim that “only sham investigations were conducted so as to protect Crockett from scrutiny by law enforcement.”

They seek millions of dollars in damages for conspiracy, false imprisonment, false arrest, defamation, abuse of process, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, vicarious responsibility and other civil rights violations.

Del Norte County Sheriff Dean Wilson also is named as a defendant.

The Browns are represented by Thomas N. Petersen, with Black, Chapman, Webber & Stevens, of Medford, Oregon.

* * * * * * * * *

Article by Chris Marshall and the Courthouse News Service

Shasta Triple Homicide Suspect on the Loose in Southern Humboldt

Mattole Residents Advised to ‘Shelter in Place’ by Sheriff

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

From the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On May 8 at approximately 3:30 p.m. the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a citizen that wanted Shasta County Homicide suspect Shane Miller’s Gold Dodge 2010 pickup truck was seen at the mouth of the Mattole River in Petrolia.

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Deputies, along with officers from the California Highway Patrol, the Fortuna Police Department and the Rio Dell Police Department responded to the area.

While enroute to the scene, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office began receiving 911 calls that Miller was in the truck and was driving on the Mattole Road towards Honeydew.

Deputies and officers from the other agencies converged on the area.  After an extensive search they located the truck parked and vacant in the 30000 block of Mattole Road.

Deputies searched the area and are still on scene looking for Miller.

Anyone who resides in the area is requested to shelter in place.  If anyone sees Miller they are requested to call 911.

 Anyone with information for the Sheriff’s Office regarding this case  is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.

* * * * * * * * *

Previously from the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office:

Shane Franklin Miller is a suspect in the triple homicide shooting of his wife and two daughters in Shingletown, CA.  Miller is considered armed and dangerous, and possibly having access to a cache of weapons. 

Sheriff’s Officials are pursuing leads in the Northern California Region and a nationwide manhunt bulletin has been issued.

Suspect is believed to be driving a Gold 2010 Dodge Mega Cab Pickup with a camper shell.  CA License #8Z75988

VICTIMS:

Sandy Miller, wife, 34 years old 
Shelby Miller, daughter, 8 years old
Shasta Miller, daughter, 4 years old
  
SUSPECT(S):

Shane Franklin Miller: White male, Red hair, Blue eyes, 5’10”, 200 pounds
DOB 05/08/1968, 45 years of age

* * * * * * * *

More information can be found at The Record Searchlight.

Welcome to the Machine
(VIRAL MUSIC VIDEO)

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

This video features a huge Rube Goldberg machine, a deliberately over-engineered contraption that performs a very
simple task in an overly complex and nonsensical fashion.

Why?  Who knows why.  That’s the whole pointless point.  Just like your daily 9-5 workday, it’s an enigma wrapped up in a bean burrito.

In the video, the entire “This Too Shall Pass” song by OK Go is sung to a set of mechanical ‘dominos’ falling in a chain reaction.  It was built and engineered by a creative geek group of mad scientists, art lovers, and inspired geniuses collectively going by the name of Syyn Labs.

In total some 65 people worked three months to build and film the machine in an Echo Park warehouse in Los Angeles.  It took over 60 takes to get the one perfectly filmed version you see here, shot perfectly in time to the music.  It was no easy task; resetting the machine after each failed try took over an hour.

The tune is catchy and the overall piece is engaging, inventive, and original.  It would be wholly unbelievable if it weren’t shown in one uninterrupted take.

The video went on to become one of the most watched viral hits on YouTube with over 40 million views since appearing in 2010.

(Filmed in high-def, it’s best seen at the full screen setting)

This Saturday, May 11th from 9am — 7pm
(VIDEO)

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

“Our vision: We envision a community where no one is hungry, and everyone in Humboldt County has access
to good quality, nutritious food, everyone in the community
understands the consequences of hunger and poor nutrition,
and that each one of us has a role to play in creating a
strong, healthy community.”

Serving Humboldt County since 1979 and serving as Humboldt County’s Food Bank, Food for People brings together community participation and volunteers helping to continue the fight against hunger.

Humboldt County residents are asked to volunteer and help “Stamp out Hunger” during the 21st annual Letter Carriers Food Drive taking place this Saturday, May 11, from 9am to 7pm at 307 W. 14th Street in Eureka.

Postal employees in Humboldt County will be picking up donations of nonperishable foods and delivering it to the local Food Bank headquarters.

Volunteers help unload the incoming postal carrier trucks, sort the food, and package it properly for storage.  You can help.  It’s easy to participate, your help is greatly needed, and it’s the right thing to do. 

Here’s What You Can Do:  Simply volunteer for an hour or more the day of the food drive.

Please contact Anna for details and to sign up for a shift at anna@foodforpeople.org, or call (707) 445-3166, ext. 310.

All ages and abilities will be working side-by-side for our local folks, families, children and seniors needing food assistance.  With our local and national economies facing significant challenges, cuts at the state level, and increasing numbers of people out of work or unable to earn enough to pay the bills, the success of this year’s drive is important.

It’s a fun gathering.  Over 100 folks, civic organizations, churches, families and students will be there.  Come join us, meet your community, and let’s work together.  They put out a very nice spread of refreshments, food, pizza, and other goodies available for everyone, so it’s a great way of getting those teenagers into some meaningful community service!

Food Donations Accepted– Every Can Counts:

Community members can also help through donations of food.

Check your pantry and leave a donation of nonperishable food by your mailbox on Saturday.  Your letter carrier will pick it up and take it to Food for People.

 Thank you, Humboldt County, and to our local postal carriers.

~Please pass this on and we look forward to seeing you there!

More Reports From the County Sheriff’s Office

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Violent SoHum Claw ‘n Hammer Assault

Phillipsville– On May 7 around 10:00 in the morning, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received multiple 911 calls from citizens about a violent altercation taking place.

They told the dispatchers a female and her boyfriend were fighting at the Deerhorn Trailer Park located in the 2700 block of Highway 254 in Phillipsville.

While the dispatchers were on the phones with the citizens, they were told the female had left, but then returned to the residence and was now hitting the male with a claw hammer. Deputies and medical personnel were dispatched to the scene.

When the first deputy arrived at the residence he heard a male screaming inside, “She is still hitting me!”

The deputy attempted to enter the home after announcing his presence; however the front door was locked.  The deputy then kicked open the door and shoved his way into the residence.

The female suspect had shoved a couch in front of the door to block law enforcement from entering the residence.  Once inside, he witnessed the female suspect, later identified as Jessica Ann Darsch, 31-years old, beating the living daylights out of her 32-year old live-in boyfriend with her fists.

Ms. Darsch’s boyfriend was covered in blood and holding their 20-month old female child.  The deputy immediately grabbed and subdued Darsch, who fought with the deputy’s attempt to handcuff her.  After he successfully handcuffed Darsch, medical personnel entered the residence and began treating the victim.  He had wickedly been struck in the head, arms, and hands with the claw hammer–  in addition to being pummeled with fists.

The victim told the deputy that he and Darsch got into an argument and she began hitting him with her fists and an even harder-headed hammer.  He said she was holding their child while she was doing the beat down.

Ms. Darsch was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence, felony child endangerment and resisting arrest.

She was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where she was booked on those charges and an outstanding domestic violence arrest warrant.  Her bail is set at $75,000.

The male victim was transported to a local hospital where he was treated for his injuries.  He is expected to fully recover.

The child was not injured. Child Welfare Services were notified and authorized the child to be watched by a neighbor until the father can take custody of the child.

* * * * * * * *

Missing At-Risk Juvenile

Eureka– On May 4 at approximately 8:00 p.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by the grandmother of a missing juvenile.

The grandmother told the investigating deputy her granddaughter, Kirin Aurealas Maciel, 14-years old, from Eureka was missing.

She told the deputy her granddaughter has medical issues and was very concerned for her well-being.

Maciel left her grandmother’s residence on Meadowbrook Lane in Eureka on foot.  A friend of the grandmother told her she saw Maciel walking towards downtown Eureka about 4:30 p.m. that afternoon.

Deputies checked the area for Maciel but didn’t locate her.  The Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s help in locating her.

Kirin Aurealas Maciel is described as:

• 14 years old
• white female
• 5’3” tall and 140 lbs
• Blue eyes and strawberry-blond colored hair

She was last seen wearing a dark-colored sweatshirt and dark-colored pants.

UPDATE:  On 05-14-2013, approximately 10:00 a.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office spoke with Redding Police Department who informed the Sheriff’s Office Kirin Maciel had walked into their office and was located safe and in good health.  Her grandmother picked her up from Redding Police.

* * * * * * * * *

Anyone with information for the Sheriff’s Office regarding these cases or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.

Thousands of Christian Peeps Battle for Glory–

(VIRAL MUSIC VIDEOS)

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Time out for a little fun and sun from an otherwise typical
college day.

Thousands of young Mormons gathered on the field of battle in Provo, Utah, armed with nothing more than a few thousand water balloons and a strong sense of destiny. 

The Brigham Young University students threw their virginal, uncaffeinated selves into the fray, thereby setting a Guinness world record for the Largest Water Balloon Fight in July of 2010.  They also made the viral video above, “You Always Make Me Smile” by Kyle Andrews, garnering over two million views on YouTube.

In total, 3,927 Mormons lobbed 120,021 balloons, unleashing a massive barrage of colorful cool frolic for six minutes.  It had taken the students three days just to fill that many balloons.

Most water balloon fight observers thought the BYU record would last the ages.  It was certainly a stout and glorious victory that would be hard to beat.  But alas!  A couple thousand Kentuckian faithful proved them wrong.

Mind you, Kentucky held the previous record– until the Mormons came along and stole it out from underneath them.

So the University of Kentucky Christian Student Fellowship led the charge to recapture the Mormon-held record once and for all.

In August of 2011, over 5,000 equally wholesome young people from the Bluegrass State launched 153,497 balloons.  Some, like the video below, claim it was really 8,957 people and 175,141 balloons, but you know how confused facts get in the heat of battle.  Especially when setting a new world record for college glory.

Whatever the numbers, the Guinness guys said Kentucky had it– and BYU lost it.

Below is the video of that epic winning event.  The Kentuckians, though, lost the video side of the competition to their Mormon brethren, capturing only one million YouTube hits.

Let’s Review the Imagery
(VIDEO)

Dr. Joseph A. Palermo
Joseph A. Palermo.com

SO WE’VE REACHED  the 10th anniversary of President George W. Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” spectacle, the nadir of any US presidency since the time Richard Nixon made his getaway in a helicopter from the White House lawn.

The aircraft carrier stunt was a Karl Rove PR production designed to provide images for Bush’s 2004 reelection campaign.  Back in 1984, Ronald Reagan’s media Svengali, Michael Deaver, patched together– to great effect– campaign footage of a flak-jacketed Reagan gazing into binoculars at the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.

As with everything else, Rove sought to turn Bush into a cowhide version of the Great Communicator.

On May 1st, 2003, Rove apparently believed that a victory lap with Bush donning a “Top Gun” costume and prancing around the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln would be political gold for 2004.  Bush could burnish his “wartime president” bona fides and thwart any Democratic attempts to talk about anything other than the “War on Terror.”

When the U.S. occupation of Iraq soon degenerated into the totally predictable ethnic and sectarian bloodbath it became, Rove dropped the idea of running the images and even used surrogates to blame the sailors for erecting the “Mission Accomplished” banner.

In US-occupied Iraq, every car bomb, every IED, every suicide bomber, and every sectarian killing that followed that sunny day in May off the San Diego coast made a mockery of Bush’s premature spiking of the proverbial football and brought deserved derision from the rest of the world.

“Major combat operations in Iraq have ended,” Bush proclaimed.  “In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.”

This news might come as a surprise to the families of the 3,424 Americans who died in combat in Iraq over the course of the next eight years.

With all the warmongering we’ve heard lately regarding Syria from the usual suspects and the anti-Muslim bigotry following the Boston Marathon bombings, I wonder if we’ve learned anything over the past ten years…

 …You can continue reading the rest of Dr. Palermo’s article here.

* * * * * * * * *

The Humboldt Sentinel appreciates Dr. Palermo sharing his article with our readers. 

Before earning a Master’s degree and Doctorate in History from Cornell University, Professor Palermo completed Bachelor degrees in Sociology and Anthropology from UC Santa Cruz and his Master’s degree in History from San Jose State University. 

An Associate Professor of History at California State University, Sacramento, Professor Palermo’s most recent book is The Eighties.  He’s written two other books:  In His Own Right: The Political Odyssey of Senator Robert F. Kennedy; and Robert F. Kennedy and the Death of American Idealism.

He currently writes for the Huffington Post, LA Progressive, his website, and other publications.

From the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office This Week–

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

HOMELAND SECURITY LEADS TO  ARCATA ECSTASY BUST

Arcata– On April 26, the Humboldt County Drug Task Force was contacted by an Agent with the Homeland Security Investigation Unit (HSIU) regarding a package that they had intercepted.

The Agent with HSIU relayed that the package was being shipped from China through the United States Postal Service to a residence located in the 4900 block of Airstream Avenue in Arcata.

The package contained 106 grams of MDMA– also known as Ecstasy.

On May 3 the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the Drug Task Force and HSIU, conducted a controlled delivery of the 106 grams of MDMA to the residence. After the delivery of the MDMA, officers served a search warrant at the residence.

Officers detained 5 suspects at the residence.  During their investigation officers learned that Bradley C. Remington, age 20, who was one of the five subjects detained, was the suspect that had ordered the narcotics from China. 

Mr. Remington, to note, was on felony probation for assault with a deadly weapon and with a search and seizure probation clause.

Officers learned through their investigation that Remington’s residence was located in the 4900 block of Valley East Blvd in Arcata.  Officers then went to Remington’s residence to conduct a probation search.

Officers located 10 pounds of processed marijuana in Remington’s residence.

Officers placed Remington under arrest for possession for:

• Sales of a controlled substance (MDMA)
• Possession of marijuana for sales
• Violation of probation

Mr. Remington was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility.

The other four suspects at the residence were released at the scene.  This case is still under investigation by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigation Unit.

 Anyone with information on this case or related drug activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Drug Task Force at 707-444-8095 or the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Tip line at 707-268-2539.

ALDERPOINT ROAD RAGE BEATING

Alderpoint– On May 4 at 9:20 p.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call regarding some type of road rage incident– two to three miles past the Harris-Alderpoint Junction– on Alderpoint Road in Alderpoint.

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Deputies and California Highway Patrol Officers responded to the scene.  When they arrived they spoke with the victim, a 28-year old male from Alderpoint.

The victim told the deputies he was driving a U-Haul truck when he became involved in a traffic accident with a 2011 white Toyota Tacoma truck, rear ending it.

After the accident, the victim reported seeing the male passenger– later identified as Terry Robinson– in the Toyota truck and exiting the vehicle carrying a silver-colored metal pipe, four feet long and three inches in circumference, in his hand.

Mr. Robinson approached the driver’s door of the U-Haul truck as the victim was attempting to exit his truck.  Robinson began striking the victim two to three times on the right side of his arm with the metal pipe.

The victim retreated into the truck and closed the door to escape the attack.  Robinson then struck the truck several times with the pipe and shattered the driver’s side window of the truck.

The victim called 911 to report the attack.  The victim had injuries to his arm consistent with being stuck by a blunt object, and the U-Haul truck had damage including a smashed in drivers side window.  The victim denied medical attention.

Deputies spoke with Terry Michael Robinson, 31-years old from Eureka, who was still at the scene.

Robinson admitted to having a pipe, but denied striking the victim with it.  Robinson told the deputies “it was for protection” because he believed the U-Haul intentionally ran into the Toyota truck he was in.

Deputies arrested Robinson for assault with a deadly weapon and transported him to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility.  He was booked and his bail was set at $50,000.

DETERMINED DIESEL DWEEBERY

McKinleyville– On May 5 at 7:00 a.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by an employee of the McKinleyville Community Services District (MCSD) regarding a vandalism and theft.

A deputy met with the employee at the end of Letz Lane, McKinleyville.  The employee told the deputy unknown suspect(s) cut and removed the gate to their building located at the end of Letz Lane using bolt cutters which were found at the scene.

The suspect(s) then cut the diesel tank intake fuel line and attached a garden hose to it.  Once the hose was attached, the suspects removed approximately 150 gallons of red dye diesel from the tank.

The employee believed the crime occurred between May 4th and 5th during the late night or early morning hours.

There was a large amount of fuel spilled on the ground leaking into a drainage ditch and then into a stream. MCSD immediately worked to contain the spilled diesel and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with Humboldt County Environmental Health, were notified and responded to the scene.

MCSD had placed a camera on top of the building because of a previous incident in December of 2012 when 130 gallons of diesel was stolen, and that camera was stolen by the thieves.

The total loss this time was estimated at $2,000.

MISSING JUVENILE GONE LOST

Eureka– On May 3 at approximately 10:00 p.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by the father of a missing juvenile.

The father told the investigating deputy his daughter, Michelle Hibberts-Goodwin, 15-years old and from Eureka, was missing.

She goes by the nickname of “Elle.”  She was last seen in the area of Eureka High School around 2:30 p.m. and was supposed to take the bus home.  She failed to show up.

Michelle Hibberts-Goodwin is described as:

• White Female
• 5’2” tall, 125 lbs
• Blue eyes, blond and black hair

She was last seen wearing jeans with sparkles and a black top.

UPDATE,  MAY 7:

On 5-7-2013, approximately 12:00 noon, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office was notified by the Principal of Eureka High School that missing person Michelle Hibberts-Goodwin, 15-years old, showed up at school.

A deputy responded to the school and confirmed Hibberts-Goodwin was there.

She was in good health and told the deputy she voluntarily left home, but decided to return due to media attention.

* * * * * * * *

Anyone with information for the Sheriff’s Office regarding any of these cases or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.

Be Scared and Be Prepared
(VIRAL VIDEOS)

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Utah native Devin Graham’s video of people cliff jumping in Hawaii will mostly leave you wishing you were there, though
some moments– especially with the point of view cameras–
are a little stomach churning.

They deserve to be.

Cliff jumping or tombstoning sometimes makes the news, and unfortunately for all the wrong reasons.

Every summer, many youngsters severely injure themselves or die because they dive off rocks and cliffs – often inebriated – into waters of unknown depths and submerged obstacles.  Some are knocked unconscious; others drown.

We’ve had our fair share of accidents off Big Rock, Sandy Beach, Swimmer’s Delight, and a host of other Humboldt jump spots.  It’s a death wish of sorts if one isn’t thinking about taking the fun jump halfway seriously and with a clear head.

Tombstoning, however, has a long tradition that goes back to ancient tribes – inhabitants of Easter Island or Hawaii, for example – that used cliff jumping as an initiation rite.  Tombstoning is done in such a way that the jumper enters the water from a very high point vertically straight, like a tombstone.  It was practiced with some degree of, well, let’s just say institutional experience, the wisdom and experience and trepidation of those mentors and elders who went before you.  If you didn’t listen to your elders, you were toast.  After all, these were the same guys who navigated thousands of miles across the ocean using only the stars and memory for a compass.

Instead of condemning the activity, we say go ahead and do it if you must– but do it wisely with someone who knows and has carefully checked out the lake, pond or ocean they’re jumping into.  Or simply watch the pros do it.  Heed your elders, because as you can see there are plenty of cool cliff jumping and tombstoning sites all around to live and dive for.

These viral videos by Devin Graham are best seen at full-screen resolution. 

Tarsiers, the Wild Kingdom, and Finding Out Life Isn’t Fair
(VIRAL VIDEO)

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Freaky, freak, freaky.

Tarsiers are that much and more, as the above video shows.

Don’t worry, it’s safe to watch.  There’s not too much drama and trauma going on.  Just those big bug eyes staring blankly into your soul.

I’ve always been wary of animal flicks ever since they offed Old Yeller.  Some boundaries are sacred and shouldn’t be crossed.  Old Yeller was one of those.  A protective and gentle yellow Lab winning the heart of the frontier family, the faithful old dog was put down because he contracted rabies.  It was one of those unfair endings brutally assaulting and ripping the innocence out of our childhood and leaving us bawling on the floor.

OK, life is unfair.  We get that.  And we’ve never been
the same ever since.  Thank you, Walt Disney.

Then there was the “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin.  He was a  total pain in the ass for any animal crossing his path.  There’s a way to film animals without harassing them and screwing up their day, but this guy didn’t know it.  He constantly had to be poking, taunting and wrestling them, working his schtick to prove what a brave Aussie scamp he was until nature finally canceled his film contract.

You’ll recall it was a benign stingray calling it curtains for Irwin.  This should have been a normally uneventful crossing of paths between man and aquatic beast.  But no-o-o-o…  Mr. Crikey had to  screw with the stingray and catch a spike to the heart.  Nature is all about the quick and the dead.  Nature batted first, not last, with the Crocodile Hunter.  It’s surprising it took that long.

Mutal of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom reflected the realism of nature early on for those who remember.  No longing shots of doe-eyed baby seals and cute furry-faced koalas here, but ’round-the-clock-murder that constituted the natural world and made observing its moments of grace such an ephemeral joy.

Wild Kingdom was hosted by the gentlemanly, avuncular, and dapperly-dressed Marlin Perkins.  Mr. Perkins was an expert on reptiles and particularly venomous snakes, of which he was bitten four times.  Unlike Irwin, however, he survived.

Perkins took his viewers all over the world and was one of the first voices to embrace the idea of conservation and  the protection of endangered species.  He had a particular love of odd animals and was fond of civets, mongooses, hyenas and the wild dogs of Africa.  Neatly dressed in his khaki safari suit, Perkins loved square-offs and showdowns between nature’s Davids and Goliaths– the weasel-like mongoose killing the infinitely more frightening king cobra, a scorpion backing up a coyote with a bad-ass tail display, a six-ounce kestrel pounding the holy crap out of a pigeon in flight.

Mr. Perkins was a stickler for realism.  His show was filmed on location and very often his co-stars, Jim Fowler and Stan Brock, would wind up in some hair-raising struggles with wild animals.  Being the boss and certainly being no one’s dummy, Mr. Perkins usually stood in the foreground when danger was most imminent.  He would remind the viewer just before the commercial break, “If a Bengal tiger ever tries to chew your face off… make sure you have adequate insurance coverage with Mutual of Omaha.”

Jim Fowler, freaked out and frantically pointing at his head, was screaming and yelling as stuff poured out.  Perkins wryly retorted, “Jim is getting quite a workout now, isn’t he!”

A Soon-to-Be Viral Video.  We Don’t Know Why…

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

“Hey, let’s blow up a cow pattie with an M~80.”

“Whaddya think’s gonna happen?”

“I dunno.”

“Do you think it’s gonna blow up?”

“Maybe, maybe not.  But let’s see, we’ll find out.  Do ya think cow pie shit really can hit the fan?”

“Nah.  But let’s try it.  It’s better than cow tipping.  You go first, shit-for brains.  I’ll film it.”

“Uh… well …yeah, OK.”

…Silly sod farm boys looking for fun in all the wrong places.  LOL.  Silly people.  It’s going to be stuck in his braces forever.  Hope he didn’t have a date that night.

Who knew they could have so much redneck dairy fun in McKinleyville?

Ah, to be young and dumb again…

World’s Best Pro Scooter Riders
(VIRAL VIDEO)

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

They’re the Lucky Pro Riders:  Kota, Jon, and Mike.

Yeah, they’re really good, they’re professional, and they’re
sponsored by the Lucky Scooter Company.

Who knew scooters could be so cool.  Or you could get paid to ride them.  We didn’t.

Scooters, or kick scooters as we knew them, used to consist of a thin stamped steel or wood platform, a soon-to-be wobbly handlebar, and some ultra-cheap, cheap, wheels propelled by the rider furiously pushing himself off the ground.  They were notoriously flimsy affairs that often fell apart or broke in short order about a week or two after Christmas.  Doing any sort of tricks on them was akin to taking your life into your hands.

That all changed in 1996 when a Swiss company produced the Razor, a durable and foldable aluminum scooter with inline skate wheels.  After it was introduced in Japan in 1999, many young people used it for simple transport, and the Razor became the fad du jour throughout the world.

Due to the new light weight and durability, a new sport, “freestyle scootering,” was born from the folding scooter which you can see in the above video.

Today, unfoldable professional scooters with rigid one-piece welded chromoly or 6061 grade aluminum stems and handles with a flip-deck are the choice for the pro trick riders you see here.  Competitions involving tricks, stunts, flips, whips, and spins are held similar to BMX freestyle events.

Scooters are now designed with wider decks, hand brakes, and larger wheels.  Some models sport three, and even four, wheels for added stability.  Another brand of scooter advertises it can support up to 300 pounds of weight.  Some are motorized.

Below is the ‘Behind the Scenes’ 7-minute clip describing more of what it’s all about and how it was filmed for those scooter and photography buffs out there wanting to know more.

Filmed in high-def by Devin Graham, both videos here are best viewed at full-screen resolution.

–Taking The Three-Wheel Trikes Out For a Little Spin– (VIRAL VIDEO)

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Who says there’s not enough for kids to do.  Kids are an adventurous and innovative lot.  Especially when it comes to
slapping on some wheels, the need for speed, and trying out
something new.

Move over, Big Wheels.  Enter Trike Drifting.

Drift trikes are modified tricycles that have slick rear wheels, normally made from a hard plastic, most often PVC.  They are usually ridden on paved roads with a steep downhill grade and some corners.  Smooth roads are preferred to coarse roads so they don’t wear out the rear wheels faster.

Riders gather most of their momentum through gravity, but many trike drifters choose to have a freewheeling pedal front wheel which makes for a more versatile trike.  Operating speeds for drift trikes is generally between 15 and 40 MPH, but higher speeds are attainable.

Many drift trikes are homemade or custom fabricated affairs by professional welders.  However, Huffy, Trek, and a number of other companies have released children’s versions commercially.  Two companies, MadAzz Trikes and Maple’s Wheels, produce full size custom trikes for adults in New Zealand.

Once up to speed, trike drifters engage in ‘drifts,’ taking pride in their ability to cut corners and spin.  Trike Drifting is commonly within the jurisdiction of cyclist traffic laws, but many districts, regions, and countries require the use of safety gear– helmets, brakes, a rear red reflector, and lights– along with shoes, which are notably absent in the top clip.

A spin-off of drifting has been trike racing, seen in the second video here.  It’s a different deal altogether.  It’s fast and furious and freewheelingly far more dangerous.

The origins of drift trikes come from New Zealand, where the sport was first invented.  The above video, for example, was shot along New Zealand’s Colonial Road, a popular drifting spot.  Fueled by New Zealand’s on-going car and drift culture of ‘boy racers’ and car enthusiasts, the sport has a dedicated following and it’s quickly growing in popularity across the globe.

It’s not without controversy, however.  Trike Drifting and trike racing have led to their share of scrapes, bruises, and worn out shoes.  Yes, there’s been a few crashes and collisions along the way.  Life has risks.

Kids just wanna have fun.  Like everyone else.

* * * * * * * *

Young filmmaker Devin Graham talk a little about the photography techniques and equipment he used in Trike Drifting Behind the Scenes.

The tune is ‘Toys for Boys’ by Can’t Stop Won’t Stop.

These videos are best viewed at the fullscreen setting.  Other film works by the young Devin Graham that we’ve covered include Wingsuit Racing and The Phantom of the Opera.

Popular Annual Event To Benefit Animals

Saturday, May 4, 9 am-2 pm
2941 Williams Street, Eureka

(And here’s a tip:  Our plants and books are priced very, very low.  The best bargains may be towards the end of the day when we discount everything even further)

 

The Humboldt Low-Life High Style

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

On May 1 at High Noon, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Community Response Unit (CRU), assisted by the Rio Dell Police served a Humboldt County Superior Court
search warrant for marijuana on five storage units on
Northwestern Avenue in Rio Dell.

The deputies had been working on this investigation for over a month after receiving complaints from citizens.  The storage units were located in the old Eel River Saw Mills Industrial Park Planer Shack which had been converted to other industrial uses.

When deputies arrived on scene they located a sophisticated marijuana growing operation in the storage units.  The units contained:

4,300 growing marijuana plants– ranging in size from three inches to five feet

76 pounds of dried processed marijuana

And 49 Peyote buttons.

They also located two aggressive Pitbull Terriers at the grow site and evidence that someone lived at the storage site.

While deputies were searching, the person who lived on site arrived on scene and was arrested for cultivation and possession for sale of marijuana, along with possession of an illicit drug.

He was identified at Geoffrey Allan Davis, 32-years
old, of Rio Dell. 

Mr. Davis was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked and released.

Davis’ girlfriend was called to the scene and took custody of the two Pitbulls.

Some of the storage units had medical marijuana cards posted in them.  However, due to the quantity of marijuana, package material, scales and other evidence indicating this was a commercial “For Sale” growing operation, all of the marijuana was removed.

Deputies are still investigating other
suspect’s involvement and anticipate
further arrest warrants being issued,
the HCSO said.

Anyone with information for the Sheriffs Office regarding this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.

A Dumb Spud in the Hand is Worth Two in the Hazzard County Bush

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

On May 1 at approximately 1:30 a.m., a Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Deputy driving a marked patrol car spotted a
stolen Green 1995 Honda Civic in the parking lot of Blue Lake
Casino.

The Honda was unoccupied so the deputy concealed his patrol car and watched the Honda from a distance.  Approximately 15 minutes later the deputy saw three peeps enter the Honda and drive away.  The deputy got a good look at all three occupants, including the driver.

The deputy attempted a traffic stop on the Honda as it was leaving the parking lot.  The Honda sped up as soon as it saw the patrol car was attempting to stop it– and the Dukes of Hazzard potato-headed pursuit was on.

The Honda fled northbound on Chartin Road towards Blue Lake Blvd. in Blue Lake, then turned westbound on Glendale Drive reaching speeds of 70 mph in a 35-mph zone.

The Honda then turned onto Fieldbrook Road.  Additional deputies
joined in the pursuit.  The pursuit ended when the Honda turned onto
David Lane, Fieldbrook, which is a dead-end dirt road.  All three suspects
in the vehicle immediately ran into the heavy brush at the end of the roadway.

A homeowner hearing the sirens and commotion exited his home and caught one of the spudly suspects trying to sneak away as deputies were searching the heavily wooded area for the suspects.  The homeowner saw the suspect walking up his driveway behind where the deputies were searching.  The homeowner grabbed him by the shirt collar and held on until the deputies took custody of the ‘lil tuber.

That suspect was identified as Dana Alan Cooley, 21 years old, from McKinleyville. Deputies were unable to locate the other two dim bulbs who fled into the bush.

The Blue Lake Casino is assisting the Sheriff’s Office with the investigation by providing video surveillance of the suspects getting into the car.  The initial deputy identified Cooley as a passenger– and not the driver– of the vehicle. 

A relatively small Mr. Potato Head of sorts in this criminal caper and certainly no Lex Luthor of organized crime, Mr. Cooley was booked and released on his own recognizance from the Humboldt County Correctional Facility (HCCF) on charges of probation violation and resisting arrest. 

The HCCF sign at intake reads, “You must be this tall to be booked into the Pokey” and Potato Head Cooley was a peach fuzz Tater Tot kid in comparison.  No Russet Burbank, Cooley failed meeting the minimum height requirement by several inches.

The dumb-as-a-potato driver of the Honda was described as:  White male adult with a goatee, wearing a baseball cap and was wearing a dark colored jacket or sweatshirt, approximately 5-4, 130 lbs, with brown hair.

The fingerling female– a french fry passenger– was described as:  Dark skinned, possibly Native American or Hispanic.

The Sheriff’s Office is actively working to identify and Shanghai both of the dumb spuds, coercing them gently into the deep fat fryer of justice.

Anyone with information for the Sheriff’s Office regarding this small-potatoes case, or any related criminal activity for that matter, is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office
Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.

They left their plan below.

–The Lemonade Lesson–

Humboldt Sentinel
Good Humor Department

Yes, one can click on the ‘toon to clarify or biggify.

Leave it up to Calvin to explain something so simply.  Our appreciation goes to the creator of Calvin and Hobbes, Bill Watterson.

We hope this gives you a jest-deserved chuckle today– a small snicker, a smug giggle, a bigger titter, or a teensy tee-hee.

This post originally appeared in the Humboldt Sentinel November 3, 2012.  It seems just as relevant today as it was then, or when Bill first penned it to life over 20 years ago.

Bill retired Calvin and Hobbes in 1995.  We miss his good humor and the ever-thoughtful messages he crafted in an innocent and gentle way.  Thanks for the memories, Bill.

(Posted by Skippy Massey)

Shooting the Tube and the Far-Flung Slip ‘N Slide Slingshot
(TWO VIRAL VIDEOS)

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

This looks like something tailor-made for Humboldt peeps.

We know of a few good spots to try.  C’mon Summer.

Devin Graham’s video features a 1/4 mile culvert transformed into a 1/4 mile water long slide.  Water draining from nearby mountains of a semi-secret Utah location are blocked for about 4 minutes and then released, slip-sliding the riders away down the heavy current through the culvert to the other side.

The song in the video is ‘Come With Us‘ by Can’t Stop Won’t Stop and Lindsey Stirling.

Almost as cool is the ‘Slingshot Slip And Slide’ Devin shot last year, below.  Devin’s an old pro at filming this sort of thing, having been around the block before.  It’s one of the coolest things we’ve seen.  Just hold on to the tube and be prepared to be slung and flung.  Happy flying!

Looks like an awesome time and almost worth a little injury.

As always, these videos are best seen at full-screen resolution.

$14 Million Modern Health Care Facility Comes to Fruition

Newest Open Door Clinic Provides Affordable Care and Access to All

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Open Door Community Health Centers has finished construction of the new Eureka Community Health and Wellness Center located at 2200 Tydd Street in Eureka.  The Center officially opened its doors with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday.

The Open Door Community Health Centers’ newly-built clinic is a $14-million, 27,400-square foot operation that will provide medical and behavioral healthcare.
 
Herman Spetzler, CEO of the non-profit Open Door Community Health Center and board chairman of the North Coast Clinics Network, Congressman Jared Huffman, Eureka Mayor Frank Jager, and Humboldt County Supervisor Virginia Bass were on hand for the festivities, joined by other local leaders in the community who played a big hand in the opening.
 
At the podium, Representative Huffman addressed the many people who helped make this center a reality and spoke about the benefits to the local area.  Funded in-part by the Arcata Economic Development Corporation, The Headwaters Fund, and the Humboldt Area Foundation, the Center is designed to bring significant savings to the community while providing low-cost and affordable health care to all.

State-of-the-Art Facility
 
This 27,400 square foot facility providing primary medical and behavioral health care is almost triple the capacity of the formerly crowded clinic site on Buhne Street.  The new clinic is expected to serve more than 12,000 individuals, providing over 50,000 visits per year.

The clinic integrates strong design and state-of-the-art diagnostic, telehealth and electronic health record systems with innovative team care to improve health outcomes by facilitating best medical practices, patient education, and efficient clinic operations.

The exemplary building was designed to support team care, patient-centered health homes, wellness and illness prevention activities.  Created using principles of green and sustainable design, habitat and wetland protection, and energy efficiency, the facility will be a showcase model for other health care providers from across California and the nation, Open Door officials said.

In October 2010, the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration awarded a grant to Open Door under the Affordable Care Act Capital Development Program.

These funds, paired with an innovative loan agreement with the Arcata Economic Development Corporation, the Headwaters Fund, the Humboldt Area Foundation, and a significant investment by Open Door, brought the $14 million facility to a reality.  Open Door used local resources constructing the building, investing millions of dollars into the local economy.  Danco Builders Northwest was the project’s general contractor.

To match the facility’s expanded physical capacity, Open Door has hired new providers and support staff.  Six new medical and behavioral health providers have been added to the clinic staff.  Another 25 positions, from front desk to medical assistants to registered nurses, have also been added.

Creating the Vision for Affordable Health Care Access

“We opened the original Eureka Community Health Center in 1991,” says Cheyenne Spetzler, Chief Operations Officer of Open Door Community Health Centers.  “We recognized that many Eureka residents were going without health care because of financial or transportation barriers.”

CEO Herman Spetzler reminisced on Open Door’s progress over the years, leading to this moment.

“When Cheyenne and I moved to the north coast in 1977, we thought it was a good place to spend a few years.  I knew I was joining an organization scraping for every dollar and pinching every penny, but the committed people who began Humboldt Open Door Clinic in 1971 were convincing: there wasn’t enough access to health care on the north coast and we could do something to change that.

“Forty years later, we still have that original clinic, and we’ve added nine more clinic sites.  Under the banner of Open Door Community Health Centers, we serve folks from Garberville to Gasquet.

Last year at least one out of every four residents of Humboldt and Del Norte Counties was served by Open Door.  To visit one of our clinics is to see every segment of the population living on the North Coast of California.

“We have matured and our patients have become representative of all who live in our community.  We have expanded services to be more responsive and comprehensive in our care.

“Our clinics offer primary medical, dental and behavioral health care for urgent, acute, routine and chronic needs.  We have specialists in a variety of fields.  We offer services for women’s health, teen health, prenatal care and deliveries, specialized services to prevent or treat HIV/AIDS and, through the use of technology we can connect our patients to specialists anywhere in the world.  We focus on disease prevention and health improvement through nutrition counseling, smoking cessation, a community garden, chronic disease management and other wellness activities.

“While so much has changed, so much has remained the same.  Open Door is bigger, better and provides much more health care than we ever imagined, yet I still work for an organization that scrapes for every dollar and pinches every penny.”

 
Transforming the Mission of Health Care

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Willard “Bill” Hunter agreed, saying the Eureka Community Health Clinic is also transforming the mission of health care delivery.

“We are making a real shift in how we provide care, and it is a direction that makes sense to our providers, staff and patients here at ECHC,” Dr. Hunter said.  “We’re moving from the idea of doctors as ‘all-knowing-experts-in-everything’ to a team approach model.  The goal is that we work together – patients included – to coordinate the care that best meets our patients’ health needs.”

“We get the best results through a team approach, and we have fully evolved teams, with physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, behavioral health specialists, nurses and medical assistants all contributing to care.  We’ve literally rearranged our work stations so that the entire team is in constant communication.  We know each other’s patients; we can maintain the continuity of care.  We’ve seen a tremendous expansion of access and a positive response from our patients,” Dr. Hunter said.

In addition to increasing patient health care access and services, the Center is a long-term investment in the economic health of the community.  The project came together quickly: less than 30 months from grant award to project completion.  The new clinic began serving patients on December 26, 2012.

Open Door will treat patients regardless of the ability to pay and no one is turned away.  Offering extended evening and Saturday hours, the clinic’s pediatric services will soon be gearing up next providing walk-in services and evening hours for the entire community.  When the situation is not life-threatening, the new facility is expected to provide patients an affordable and quality alternative to visiting the emergency room.

“There still isn’t enough access to health care on the North Coast, and Open Door can still do more to change that,” Spetzler noted.  “We may be celebrating 40 years of service, but we are not resting.  The North Coast still seems like a good place to spend a few years.”

Garret Rodriguez last seen on Murder Mountain

Staff Report
Humboldt Sentinel

Another prospective pot farmer who came to Humboldt County to grow has gone missing.

Garret Rodriguez has not been heard from for over six months, according to his father, who has also contacted all of Garret’s friends. His father claimed Rodriguez arrived last year “to work on a ranch growing medical marijuana,” according to Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant Steve Knight.

The ranch was located in the “Murder Mountain” area, according to the father.

The HCSO is asking for the public’s help in locating Rodriguez, who is described as a 29-year-old Caucasian male, 180 pounds and 5 feet, 8 inches tall with brown hair and green eyes. He was last known to be driving a 1998 Dodge Ram pickup truck with California plate number 7P63498.

Members of the public with information on this case are asked to contact the HCSO at (707) 445-7251 or their Tip Line at (707) 268-2539.

Department of Defense and DARPA’s Latest Pet Projects (VIDEOS)

Meet Mr. Domo DARPA Roboto– and His Little Friends

Skippy Massey
Humboldt Sentinel

Imagine this Mr. Roboto guy knocking at your door to conduct a police manhunt for a suspected terrorist.  Stayin’ Alive takes on a whole new meaning.  Say hello to the future.  Say hello to our little friend(s).

Released on April 5, the PETMAN robot seen above was developed by Boston Dynamics with funding from the Department of Defense (DOD) CBD program.

PETMAN is used to test the performance of protective clothing designed for hazardous environments.  The video shows initial testing in a chemical protection suit and gas mask.

PETMAN has sensors embedded in its skin that detect any chemicals leaking through the suit.  The skin also maintains a micro-climate inside the clothing by sweating and regulating temperature.

We suspect Mr. Roboto will take on other military and combat applications for the battlefield soon.  Partners in developing PETMAN were MRI Global, Measurement Technology Northwest, Smith Carter, SRD, CUH2A, and HHI.

DARPA’s Cheetah robot, above—already the fastest legged robot in history—just broke its own land speed record of 18 miles per hour.

In the process, Cheetah also surpassed another very fast mover: Olympic runner Usain Bolt.  According to the International Association of Athletics Federations, Bolt set the world speed record for a human in 2009 when he reached a peak speed of 27.78 mph for a 20-meter split during the 100-meter sprint.

Cheetah was recently clocked at 29.3 mph for a 20-meter split.  The Cheetah had a slight advantage over Bolt as it ran on a treadmill.

Cheetah is being developed and tested under DARPA’s (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Maximum Mobility and Manipulation  program by Boston Dynamics. The increase in speed since results were last reported in March of 2012 and is due to improved control algorithms and a more powerful pump.  The goal is to reach 50 mph.

DARPA’s intent with the Cheetah-bot and its other robotics programs is to attempt to understand and engineer robots having certain core capabilities that living organisms have refined over the course of evolution:  efficient locomotion, manipulation of objects, and adaptability to environments.

By drawing inspiration from nature, DARPA gains technological building blocks that create possibilities for a whole range of robots suited to future Department of Defense military missions.

For more on Cheetah and DARPA’s other robotics programs, visit: http://go.usa.gov/rVqk or https://twitter.com/darpa

Here’s where it all comes together:

The Pentagon’s DARPA and others reveal their most sinister robots coming together into a cohesive whole in the above collage clip.  The wickedly Star Wars-like project named the LS3 starts at minute 2:34.  The new developments in insect drones start at 3:50.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, released video footage of these projects that have been long in the works and are now starting to take shape.  These related projects could very well be all it takes to scare off any insurgents once they’re combat ready for the battlefield.

Produced in numbers, they may very well counter the largest standing army in the world:  China, with 3.5 million available soldiers at the ready (though estimates of their size vary and kept secret by Chinese officials).

Better living– and an even quicker death–  through science and technology in the 21st century.

Welcome to the future, our Brave New World, brought to you by DARPA, the Department of Defense, and your generous tax dollars.

Styx got it right 30 years ago for those who remember:

“MR. ROBOTO” by Styx (from the album Killroy Was Here, 1983)

You’re wondering who I am, (Secret secret, I’ve got a secret)
Machine or mannequin, (Secret secret, I’ve got a secret)
With parts made in Japan, (Secret secret, I’ve got a secret)
I am the modern man.

I’ve got a secret I’ve been hiding under my skin,
My heart is human, my blood is boiling, my brain IBM,
So if you see me acting strangely, don’t be surprised,
I’m just a man who needed someone and somewhere to hide,
To keep me alive, just keep me alive,
Somewhere to hide to keep me alive.

I’m not a robot without emotions, I’m not what you see,
I’ve come to help you with your problems so we can be free,
I’m not a hero, I’m not a savior, forget what you know,
I’m just a man who’s circumstances went beyond his control,
Beyond my control, We all need control,
I need control, We all need control.

I am the modern man, (Secret secret, I’ve got a secret)
Who hides behind a mask, (Secret secret, I’ve got a secret)
So no one else can see, (Secret secret, I’ve got a secret)
My true identity,

Domo arigato, Mr, Roboto,
Domo, Domo,

(Thank you very much, oh Mr. Roboto,
For doing the jobs that nobody wants to)
 (And thank you very much oh Mr. Roboto,
For helping me escape just when I needed to)

(Thank you thank you, thank you)
Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto,
(I wanna thank you)
Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto,
(Please thank you)

The problem’s plain to see,
Too much technology,
Machines to save our lives,
Machines de-humanize,

The time has come at last, (Secret secret, I’ve got a secret)
To throw away this mask, (Secret secret, I’ve got a secret)
Now everyone can see, (Secret secret, I’ve got a secret)
My true identity…

I’m Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy…