Celebrate Our Veterans.... Or Else

Today is a day to celebrate the men and women who have served in the military. These people have put themselves in harms way to provide the comfortable lifestyle we live in the United States of America. If you feel you don't owe them your gratitude, I suggest you go sign up and head out to the foreign lands of the people that hate us and try your hand at fixing things. I'm pretty sure you'll realize very quickly that people have given far more than their fair share while in uniform in the duty of this Country.

If you see someone in uniform, thank them. If you know someone who is a veteran, thank them. If you do nothing else, look up at an American flag and realize there is a tremendous amount of blood, sweat, and tears that have been shed for the flag to fly proudly.

To All Who Serve and have served My Country: THANK YOU! I am grateful and honored to work for you and with you. May your journeys be as safe as possible, and your Veteran years, long and prosperous.

Here we are! I'm sitting at the computer looking over my blog and trying to figure out if I can make it cooler. There seems to be a lot of work making these things "pop"! Time to head out the door, but I will be back to add something fun.

Howard's Blog - Page 1

Hi All, Well is everyone numb?? The events of yesterday have brought change good, bad or otherwise. Now let’s hope the Beltway crowd can get together & get something done. Time will tell. Still trying to get 4 folks I know of to contact me with their info so I can get them back on my list. Larry Kern,Joe Walthers, Mike Mulchay, & Charlie Brown. If anyone has contact with any of these folks have them contact me. Thanks. Hard to believe 2016 is nearly finished. This weather is not fall like. The Fire Lookouts have been given the word by USFS 11-30-16 we end fire season. Not sure but we have only had 1/10 th inch rain so far at my house. Well the Cubs also did the unbelievable what a series. As for us Padres fans hope renews for next year. Wish all a great Thanksgiving & a hopeful holiday season. Hope to see everyone next Wed. 11-16-16 0900. Gill
1) City of San Diego posting all emergency calls on line (Updated) http://apps.sandiego.gov/sdfiredispatchqa/Default.aspx
2) No more Navy rating's https://www.navytimes.com/articles/navy-scuttles-sailors-enlisted-rating-titles-in-huge-career-shake-up
3) National Interagency Fire Center http://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/nfn.htm
6) The Pentagon is closer to extending a generous new benefit to millions of veterans- http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/benefits/2016/08/15/pentagon-closer-extending-generous-new-benefit-millions-veterans/88775046/
7) SDFD Station 45 in Mission Valley Award winning http://www.firehouse.com/in_quarters/12270231/fire-station-photos-san-diego-fire-station-45-firehouse-photos?utm_source=FH+Station+Design&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS161025013
8) San Diego Firefighter's Helmet Camera (Rescues 3 Children) http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Mount-Hope-House-Fire-Rescue-Caught-on-Firefighter-Helmet-Cam-398695921.html
9) 2017 FEHB Open Season Guide
10) From LA Times there is a www.911truth.org organization led by architects and engineers who naturally know how building are constructed. they contend the twin towers could not have fallen at free fall speed without some assistance.
11) Better fire protection may lower insurance rates http://enewspaper.sandiegouniontribune.com/infinity/article_popover_share.aspx?guid=1c36d350-597e-49bb-9b46-b7fd306fe621
12) FW: Firefighter overtime an issue in Santee mayor race http://enewspaper.sandiegouniontribune.com/infinity/article_popover_share.aspx?guid=01fcaa28-c817-4a91-abb6-fd8c8f7aab35
13) Some OPM data breach victims must re-enroll for ID protection https://federalsoup.com/articles/2016/11/01/some-opm-data-breach-victims-must-reenroll-for-id-protection.aspx?s=FD_021116&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWkdabVpERmtOekpqWkdKayIsInQiOiJiTDVNRnM0TzQrQ08wenVHMHlqQWwzNHgwVGJiYk5rRWpVcktmdFV6NHIyVmI1K2d0eURocExHSGJtaEtscldYTW5HQ0thNVltaW5UVXJINEJQNVpOMFAzbXBZdGdtcTBzcmkwMVc0UXdzbz0ifQ%3D%3D
14) OPM retirement claims backlog increases https://federalsoup.com/articles/2016/11/07/opm-retirement-claims-backlog-increases.aspx?s=FD_081116&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTkdNek9ERmtZakpoTmpBMyIsInQiOiJaRkpxcnMrRTI0NWdkMjdmTTArMFU0S1VJQmUxYXJsdHFNeHNiV0JYUlwvTkYyRTJcLzhyMEJObDY4S3BFaGhsMWpocU9NYzJVVmFNUFdhTlwvZWEzU1ZMXC93cVRkektQbmFSbnMyeFU0Y1A0akE9In0%3D
15) The California man who in 2013 shot to death a Transportation Security Administration officer at Los Angeles International Airport was sentenced Nov. 7 to life plus 60 years in prison, per Justice Department
Cal Vet http://www.abc10.com/money/consumer/real-money/veterans-license-designation-opens-world-of-benefits/122655403 . You can get a Veterans ID card by appointment only, by calling 858-505-6457 this is through SD County @ 5560 Overland Dr. Suite 310 San Diego, Ca. 92123 . While you are there you can fill out paperwork to take with you to the DMV to place Veteran on your New / Renewed Ca. Driver’s License as well.
Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans, Agent Orange there are 2 bills in congress HR. 969 & S 681 & the following site for info www.action.fra.org/action-center check it out.
*F-33 Dues for Retiree's: $6.00 a month or 72.00 for the Year* Checks can be mailed to the Union Office: Federal Firefighters, San Diego IAFF Local F-33 P.O. Box 131378 San Diego, CA 92136, Or contact F-33 Union Secretary: Eli Castillo via email: elias.castillo@navy.mil
WEP reform / legislation http://www.narfe.org/enarfe/home/articles.cfm?ID=4008
Firefighter Cancer Support Network 2600 West Olive Ave, 5th Floor – PMB 608 Burbank, CA 91505 866-994-FCSN (3276) http://www.firefightercancersupport.org/contact/
Local F-33 encourages and will do anything to assist our retirees in remaining active-retired members of the IAFF/CPF. As well as encourage participation in the CPF call back association. These memberships will ensure our retirees stay informed and are able to maintain ties to the job they did for so long and so well. If any retirees need assistance with this please call Secretary Eli Castillo, he can be reached at elias.castillo@navy.mil .
If retirees need help with obtaining a license plate and are not current members of the Local and do not wish to join the CPF will still help. Retirees can call Cynthia Clark at 916-921-9111 as long as they were members and are still in the recorded archives Cynthia will be able to help. Hope this helps and as always let me know what we can do to help. Fraternally, Mike
Our Monthly meeting is Wednesday 11-16-16 @ 0900 at D Z Akins in La Mesa. I have everyone (176) on one massive list now. If I have missed someone that you know of let them know or bring them along.

We need to make it easy on the wait staff & cooks at D Z Akins.
The price for breakfast is NOW.... Coffee / Juice $3.25 & Special $4.99 or $8.90 with tax.We have been collecting $10.00 to include the tip. As you can see $1.10 is not enough for a 18% tip. We need at least another .50. Those that do not have drinks have been paying $5.00 just for the Special & we get another dollar for tip money for a total of $6. So.... we need to toss in some more for the tip money. It’s really not the price it’s about the Fellowship of good friends. Things financially went well last month barely.*
This including 18% tip for large groups (over 6). The wait staff will put all the specials on 1 ticket. If you do not want the special the wait staff will place your order on a separate check and you need to add in the 18% tip.
Sept. 2011 was our largest attendance with 30 folks. On 10-19-16 we had 19 retiree’s & 2 guest attending total 21. If you are a Veteran there are lots of benefits that could be important to your family & you. Save that DD 214 & check out www.va.gov/ . If you know an elderly Veteran in need of home care check of www.va.gov/ “Aid and Attendance”. Another benefit one can check out is Lifetime Disabled Discount Passes to the State Parks as well as Distinguished Veteran pass. Go to www.Ca.Gov & click on Park & Recreation for details.
NARFE is our lone voice in DC & they are asking folks to contribute to NARFE-PAC, so if you enjoy your earned benefits think about a donation. See me for NARFE membership or NARFE-PAC forms.
Rich Ortloff will have the Retired stickers & patches available. The retiree stickers are $3.00.The retiree cloth patches cost $6.00.
Hope to see you all Wed.
Gill

Tired but Felt Like Typing

Hey there crew...

The day started off with a medical call for a guy who had a piece of piping fall and puncture his arm. Ouch! Luckily he toughed it out and was one of our better patients. It's always nice to get patients who know how to control themselves even when they're truly wounded or sick. My hat is off to these kinds of people. They actually make it so we can concentrate on getting the job done more efficiently and faster. I'm not saying I don't like other types of patients (well, minus the one's who should just pick themselves up and take care of the minor issue they're dealing with rather than waste an emergency vehicle). There are just people who handle themselves better when things happen.

So...time is coming for me to move to a new station. It is exciting, but change is NOT my deal. I'm one of those types that likes to get into a nice rhythm and just ride it out like that. Yes, some change here and there is fun and cool, but major changes like the one that is coming stress me out. I'm not sure why. It also seems that the older I get, the less I like change. I guess that is just another sign of aging, but it's just strange how I used to "do things" and never thought much about it. Now, I pause, ponder, worry, think, drag out, and generally try my best not to deal with things. What the heck??

On the other side, if I find something of interest, I dive in so deeply that I tend to lose track of other things around me. My current "obsession" is solar power . I love the idea of it. The technology is decent, but quite inefficient at this time. Panels are only about 15-18% efficient at transferring the power of the sun. You lose more going through the wires and systems. If you're going "off-grid", you get into batteries. What a jumble of information there is in that. Those too are inefficient. You send the "juice" into the battery, fighting the resistance and other chemical bonds, then just when you think you're good to go, the battery "sulfates" on you and it's life is cut short. My new way of thinking about batteries is that they are like friends. You need to nurture them or they'll leave you. A fully charged (appropriately) battery is a happy battery. Do NOT leave them to sit and discharge. If you let a battery get past it's 50% level, you have now just decreased the life and output of the battery forever. Of course I have to point out that these are the "deep cycle" types of batteries (AGM, marine, gel). I've found so much information about each piece of the solar puzzle that I'm still a bit overwhelmed. It's exciting for sure but it is not something you just say one day, "I'm going to be a solar expert" and never put in some time studying and playing with all the pieces.

Time to get moving on my other projects for the day. My mind is tired but always wanting to get things done. I hope everyone is having a great start to your weekend! Keep it real and always shoot for your dreams. The good stuff is always worth the extra effort.

Sitting Here at the Computer

Hey There Crowd... Hope life is going great for everyone! It's not too bad for me except feeling a bit crumby the last couple of days. I'm not quite sure what it is, but my stomach has been giving me all kinds of trouble. It started the other day after riding some "spin" type rides at Belmont Park in Mission Beach. My son and I had a really great time at the beach that day, but afterwards, I just didn't feel right. The following day, I felt nausea for most of the day and was quite tired. After some solid rest, the day after that (today), I've been feeling a bit better, but still not 100%. It's a bit weird and I'm not sure what is going on. I did have stuffy sinus' on the first day at the park and did soak up a good portion of ocean water in my nose while playing around in the surf. I did suffer from this, Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) or positional vertigo, not too long ago but seemed to have moved on from it with the exercises my doctor gave me. I'm guessing this had a little bit to do with it, but also the swelling of my nasal cavities. It's funny how easy it is to mess up the human body and suddenly be facing some pretty crumby situations from it. Of course, the answer lately is "you're just getting older". That is probably one of the worst things I've ever had to hear and deal with. I'm right at a point where I can still be pretty active and do most of the things I "think" I can do, but now-a-days, it seems to hurt more and for longer when things don't work out. And, it seems that just keeping things going has become a necessity and a chore. I have a whole new respect for people who make it to their 70's and beyond. Anyway...Hopefully things'll get better and I can move on from this weird event without too much drama. The weekend should be wonderful. It's fun time! Yay! Catch ya'll later.

A Test

What is the best way to create something profitable, that takes the least amount of effort but produces the largest profits? I don't have the answer. I would like to hear your ideas. I'm still working on it but still come back to the good ol' J O B that takes a lot of time and doesn't pay spectacularly. However...it is real and (at least for now), secure. Click here for a great example: The Million Dollar idea.

Days of Memoria

Well... it has been one hell of a week. It all began with a L O N G day on Wednesday. I worked my job as the pest control guy. I had to start in Vista (North of San Diego) with 1 job, then, pack up and drive all the way to National City (South of San Diego). Then, hip hop around Imperial Beach and Coronado. The homes were all beautiful and the neighborhoods were definitely "upper class". I didn't mind that part. I did mind all the driving and the couple of "needy" customers. I ended up taking so long that I gave my final job to my fellow pest pro. I didn't get any complaints from the boss thankfully, but I was exhausted and a bit grumpy by the time I finished. Then, came Thursday and Friday. Back to the fire house for my standard 48 hours... but these were far from the standard days. Each day we were jumping around, taking care of everything from ants in the station to new flooring. My 2nd Captain had taken off the weekend so I ended up having to crew for Friday. THEN... because he wasn't going to be around, I got stuck on mandatory overtime on Friday. Ugh! My family and I had already had some nice plans to take the motorhome out to go camping for the weekend...starting FRIDAY! To make these even more interesting, I had a call at 2 am on Thursday night, and then another on my mando day, also at 2 am. This second one was sad. A young man somehow fell from a 7 story barracks and was unresponsive when we got there. The tone out happened at 1:57am and I didn't get to sleep until around 9am after I had gotten home. I was done! After a good rest (around 2 hours), I awoke in a much better mood and spirit. We got all the final things packed up and headed to the camp ground. It was exactly what I needed. Sun, pool, family. Ahhhh! At this point, I'm back at home, getting ready for another round of days. I really hope these are just the standard, boring ol' days. I suppose you'll hear about it if it isn't.