Again the talk on the radio and all over the television set has been illegal immigration and the Mexican uprising.  Last night on the O'Reilly Factor, John Kasich sat in for O'Reilly and had Javier Rodriguez, Spokesperson, Great American Boycott of 2006: who has been in charge of sponsoring and organizing the movements here in southern California, and I guess their next big movement is to stage a walkout on May 1^st, where Mexicans will not go to work or school, and will not do any shopping.

Perhaps they will also not collect welfare, use our hospitals, and maybe their street gangs will not murder anyone that day.  Actually I am glad to see it happening, as it is starting to wake people up to the problem.

This talking head just didn't seem to see anything wrong with folks being here illegally.  Every time Kasich tried to ask him a few questions and all this guy did was keep talking about all the good they do and would not answer anything.  Text of the interview is here.

These organizers do not get it.  Their uneducated followers don't get it.  They are here illegally, they do not follow our laws, they do not respect our people, and now they are flaunting it in public.

I have a suggestion.  They are going to have a million or more people holding a peaceful protest.  Since they are here illegally they have no right to protest, but they do have the right to be detained and deported.  I say lets get law enforcement; border patrol, INS, and the National Guard to round all these folks up and then deport the illegals.  Think of all the money that will be saved as they are all in one localized area.  They could have special planes at the airport, or busses, or maybe even a train, but I say to my elected officials, do not waste this opportunity.

When we are banning the display of the flag in our public schools to keep from aggravating people who should not be here in the first place, then we have a problem.  Look at what has been going on in France and other European countries and ask yourself, do I want that to happen here? 

Well only two days to go now before Laila and I will be reunited.  I am so excited and am finishing up things with my current class.  Today is their last day of lab work, tomorrow they clean the classroom and Friday they start the next area.

I am so glad I finished everything on time and that the lab is operating great today.  I guess it is running smooth as I took the time yesterday to get everything checked out and fixed all the problems. 

As soon as these guys are done, then I have to make a parts run to Willy’s Electronics to look for a cable for our Smart board and I will also get a USB extension cable for Laila’s new headset, so she can lay flat in bed when talking to me on the net, after this visit.  I hope I can find the cable conversion for the Smart board.  I think it may be a special proprietary cable and if so, I may not be able to get it.  I guess we will see.

When I get home tonight I will start packing and I am also going to take my son grocery shopping for him and the dogs.  I want to make sure he has stuff to cook and that he likes when I am gone, and the easiest way is to take him and have him do the shopping.

I also have to buy a few things like more vitamins, toothpaste, cough drops and gum.  Oh and shampoo and conditioner, wow almost forgot those.  As I think that list is growing. 

Anyway as the hours pass I get more and more excited.  When I think of how much time I have left and the things I need to get done before I leave I know I will be busy enough to have the time pass quickly.

I did get up late today.  I woke up at five but I guess I was dreaming, because when I woke up I had it in my head that it was Saturday.  I then rolled over and went back to sleep.  I got up in time to shower, shave and get ready for work, but instead of having coffee and chatting with Laila, I had to skip the coffee and was only able to log on to chat long enough to say I was leaving for work.

I hope I don’t do that again, as I was lucky I still got up in time.  This is not the first time I have done that and probably will not be the last.  Somehow, my internal body clock always saves the day.  I just get that way when I am happy and content, and dreaming of good stuff.  I think the rainy weather may have played into it too.

So tomorrow will be my last entry from here in San Diego for a few weeks.  After that I will be blogging from Laila’s PC about our adventures there.  Maybe I we will just blog together in her blog, we will see.  Until tomorrow, I hope everyone has a great and prosperous day.

Occasionally I put things in my blog for my Navy guys to read, as they are technical in nature.  Anyway, here is one of those types of entries.

This morning while the class was taking the test I decided to get everything set up for the Tactical Data Processor (TDP) lab as I have learned from experience in the past, if it is not checked out in advance, I will have problems.  Wow, am I glad I checked it out today.

I got the computers all fired up with no hassle and I was able to get stations 25 and 26 to work intermittently, but something was definitely wrong today.  I was getting strange errors on station 24 that I have not seen in the past.  Stuff like OTC INTERFACE DOWN, and (V) 6 to (V) 6 INTERFACE DOWN and even a LINK FAULT, which is not even listed in the book.   I couldn’t get it to transmit anything from the TDP from either OTCIXS or TADIX.

Knowing how the DART cards get moved all over the lab as we troubleshoot and since the dart cards are interchangeable they get mixed up.  While the Crypto DART and the Black DART slots are the most critical, and the rest are not, we always concentrate on keeping the best DART cards in those slots.

When we do the TDP lab though, our configuration is such that we have to use the Vocoder DART slots, so the OTCIXS and TADIXS can talk to each other since we do not have a Generic Front end Communications Processor (GFCP).  Since Vocoders are obsolete and we do not have any we usually use the Vocoder DART cards as built in spares and so the weak DART cards migrate to the Vocoder Slots.

When I started getting the strange faults and all, I started swapping the Vocoder DART cards around, believing that I was have in a coprocessor communications problem.  I just by happenstance noticed that on unit 24 the TADIXS had the Read Only Memory (ROM) Cards for OTCIXS installed and the OTCIXS had the TADIXS ROM cards installed.

I know we put out that you can run OTCIXS on a TADIXS ON-143 and vice versa, but I am always careful to stress that you also have to reconfigure the rest of the equipment.  The programs (ROM) will support either operation, but the programs are not 100% the same.  After I swapped the ROM to the proper units 24 was up and running.  I then found that 26 had the TADIXS ROM installed in both the TADIXS and OTCIXS units.  I when ahead and installed the OTCIXS ROM in 26 and it was then up and running great.

So the lessons learned here is that the programs while able to run either mode of operation will not work properly unless the equipment is also reconfigured.  So if you have something like this come up make sure you have not somehow mixed up your ROM cards.  Also remember, if you switch 1 ROM card you have to swap all four as it is a computer program.

Before I blog about the lighter side of life I have to say something about what I heard this morning shortly after getting up.  I will post some links to this thing when I get home from work and getting a few things for my trip.

It seems that some school administrators have decided in light of the recent illegal alien uprising that it would be politically correct to ban the flag of the United States from being flown at their school.  May I point out that these schools are in the United States, and the taxpayers of the United States pay the school administrators.  I as a taxpayer and a veteran want anyone who bans the flag from being flown in this country to have their employment terminated.  This is so stupid, and I am so angry I can’t coherently comment about it any further. 

So on a lighter note and to get me calmed down I will have to relate to all you folks that know Laila, that she is very excitable, over the game show Deal or no Deal.  She screams and she moans and yells at the contestants, at me, and people watching it with her.

I think it would be awesome to get her on the show and see how she does.  It certainly would not be boring.

Anyway last night they had a special 2-hour version of the show.  I don’t know how she still has a voice after 2 hours of excitement.  I have also found that while I always try and take the safe bet she will take chances.  Maybe that is why she has so many more neopoints than I do, and seems to be a better gambler.  Anyway I was disappointed that Medium was taken off for the Apprentice. 

Oh well, as long as they do not take off House tonight for American Idol I will be happy.

Well I had another scare over the weekend with my car.  I ran a lot of little errands yesterday that involved me starting and stopping the car frequently.  I got home from my errands and then went in the house, made a few moves on blogshares, paid my bills and then decided to head to the supermarket.

For the second weekend in a row the car wouldn’t start.  I went ahead and thinking I might have a soft spot on my starter, let the car slide down the driveway while in gear, and unlike last weekend, it didn’t work yesterday.

I hooked up my battery charger to the battery and let it charge for several hours, then went and tried it again, and still no start.  I then spent a sleepless night wondering how long it would take me to get to work by bus and trolley, and of the long walk to even get to the bus stop.

After tossing and turning all night I woke up at five, slipped on some clothes and ran out to the car.  It started right up, so I let it run for about 15 minutes while I went in and started getting ready for work.  I was still a little apprehensive about it starting a second time, but it did and I made it to work on time.

I hope I am not having trouble with the alternator or starter.  I am not getting any malfunction lights or anything, so I figure I either have a short, a bad battery, a bad alternator, or maybe it overheated.  I did not have any problems with it during the week, but then I was not doing a lot of starting and stopping during the week. 

I think I will buy a new battery on the way home today, just to be safe.  They are not very expensive and at least I will have it as a backup in case it is the alternator.  I have a little stop and go driving to do before I take my trip on Friday.  I will try and keep the starting and stopping to a minimum until I am certain of what is wrong.  I just can’t afford to be without a car.

Well I talked to some of the guys that know about cars and they told me how to check and see if it is the alternator or the battery.  I found out that after starting the car, all I have to do is undo the black battery cable (ground side) and if everything dies it is the alternator.  If everything is good it is the battery.  Anyway, they also told me most car part places will check it for me so I may do that.  I just hope that if it is the alternator it will be easy to change.  I have been told it should not be too hard.  I guess I will ask when I am at Auto Zone.

I also learned some other stuff about it, like there is a high-speed diode and a low-speed diode.  Well now that I think about it I always drive with the radio on and the air conditioner or heater.  I have taken some long drives over both weekends and since I always have everything turned on if I do have an alternator problem then if I just leave some of this stuff turned off until I can get it scheduled for maintenance it would be cool.  I will just have to watch the use of electricity when I am driving and maybe charge it overnight one more time. 

Anyway, I will research how hard it is to change a Volkswagen alternator tonight when I get home.  I am so car stupid, but at least I know people who are car smart to ask.  If it is too hard I will take it to a shop.  I am sure they can fix it quick. 

This morning I woke up a few minutes later than usual, I guess because it is nearing the end of the work week and I always seem to have less energy, even though I have been making an attempt to go to bed earlier.  Gone are the days that I would stay up until 2 or 3 AM and still get up for work at 5:30.   I guess my age is starting to catch me.

Anyway I got up and took a nice warm shower and then got my coffee and opened up Trillian and Skype so I could spend the time before work with my beloved Laila. 

Anyway that is when I heard something that was very disturbing on the news and I heard it emphasized a little more in the car on the way to work.  It seems that the Junior High and High School students in Oceanside have created such a ruckus, that they have shut down the junior, middle, and high schools for the rest of the week.  I have not heard of that happening in the city limits here yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see that happen here too, as the word gets out that Oceanside has closed the schools.  After all, these kids all love an excuse to miss school, and even though they do not have a clue about what they are protesting about. 

It seems to me someone is putting these kids up to this and I do not think it would be their parents especially if the parents are illegal, as I would think they would want to stay out of the spotlight.  I am wondering if there may be a few folks out there in our schools encouraging these kids to do this for some reason.  After all I saw a picture of a Mexican Flag, flying over an upside down American Flag at one of the local schools.  Since the lanyards are locked after the flag is raised someone in authority had to be involved, and I want to know whom.  The taxpayers of this state pay teacher's wages and if there is someone out there being paid by me, that allow things like this to happen at our schools to the Flag of the United States of America, then I want that person terminated immediately.  I also want to see any teachers that may be encouraging this civil disobedience terminated too, as they are there to teach our children, not encourage defiance of authority.

Actually I think all the attention these folks have raised will actually hurt their own cause.  If I were one of the people inconvenienced by these kids blocking the roads and highways I would be a little angry.  And you know whom I would take it out on?  My elected officials, that's who.

Congress had better get this one right, and I will watch voting records very carefully.  I will not allow any of these people to tell me they are tough on immigration, unless I see them vote for those tougher laws.  I will not accept an amnesty program of any type and I think anyone who suggests it, should be voted out of office.

Reagan had his great amnesty program complete with tough laws to keep this problem from happening again.  See where that has managed to get us?  We have more illegal's here now than ever before.  We don't need any new laws; we need enforcement of the old ones.  I would have extremely stiff fines for anyone caught hiring or caring for illegal aliens.  I would have mobile boarder patrol and immigration enforcement offices at all the Home Depot's and Lowe's.  I would have an agent stationed at each emergency room. 

There is no need for a fence.  I say put the National Guard on the border.  Have them follow the same rules of engagement that the Mexican military has on its southern border.  When they have these protests I would like to see the border patrol and military show up and have them detained.  As illegal immigrants you have no rights or privileges granted to you by the Constitution of the United States.  At these rallies people need to show a valid ID or be immediately arrested and deported.  I want our government to treat these people the same way an American would be treated should he be caught being in Mexico illegally.

I see a lot of Mexican Flags at these rallies.  If you are so proud of Mexico and so disappointed with the United States then why are you here?  Why is it better to sneak in rather to apply for legal entry?  If you say it takes too long guess why, genius?  It is because of all the illegal's that are here now, which will cut down on legal immigrants.

You say that you are here to just raise your family and you hurt no one.  Wrong again, as I have a recent experience that demonstrates it. 

My son was at work a couple of weeks ago when someone driving a white pickup truck with Baja Mexico plates hit his car and caused a bunch of damages.  Of course this fine upstanding example of the type of good citizens, that are just trying to take care of their families and make money, stopped and swapped insurance information, drivers license information and checked to see if my son was ok.  Nope, or course not, the guy sped off as fast as he could, leaving me to pay my insurance deductable, watching my insurance rate rise, and having to watch my son lose time at work as he didn't have a car to make his deliveries in.

This is not the first time this has happened to me either.  It happened back in about 1986 when the then wife was run off the road by a group of these people.  In that one there were injuries to the wife and both kids. 

I want to see life imprisonment for identity theft as the illegal alien using someone else's Social Security Number is messing up someone's credit and tax status.  This has to stop and a really stiff sentence would do it.

What is with banks giving home loans to illegals?  That practice will definitely have to stop.  There are so many people that have a hard time qualifying for a home loan that are legal citizens of this country and here we have banks giving loans to people who are not citizens, who may flee the country instead of paying back the loan.

There are many questions I have concerning illegals, such as why do they seem to have more rights than citizens.  If they commit a crime they are deported only to sneak back in at a later date.  They pay cheaper tuition than out of state residents for our colleges. They don't have to register their car, get insurance or even learn to drive, though they know what to do in case of an accident, run to the border.

Frankly, I have had it and I want to see something done and amnesty of any type is not acceptable.  Anyone here when the law is signed should be rounded up, shipped home, and go to the bottom of the immigration list. 

Demonstrate your patriotism in your own country, not on my streets.  Learn English, but do not demand for me to speak your language.  Stop stealing Social Security Numbers, bringing your gang members, your drug dealers, and your thieves here.  Yes, immigrants founded our country, but they were legal, not lawbreakers like the ones coming here now.

Well again I am trying to think of something stellar to blog about.  But then there are so many subjects and so little time.  I did have a little fun today as my class was doing their first labs in the OTCIXS/TADIX areas, which is always good for a few laughs.

These are basically the name of some communications circuits that use some specific equipment.  Today I was injecting faults into the ON-143 Interconnecting Group.  For non-navy electronic types, an interconnecting group is an interface unit that allows different types of equipment to talk to each other.

What we have is several different computer systems, with different formats and capabilities that have to be encrypted and then through an Ultra High Frequency Transceiver to a satellite and then will go anywhere in the world the Navy operates.

In addition to acting as an interface to allow different equipment to talk to each other it also acts as a storage buffer, collecting all the message traffic from the different systems hooked to it, and storing it until given permission to transmit by the net control station.  It is pretty cool the way it happens and up to 9999 users can be on the net.  Just imagine if they all tried to transmit to the satellite at the same time. 

Anyway I get to teach the sequence of events that keep only one station transmitting at a time and all.  It is fun to teach the ways they do this stuff and keep everything in an orderly fashion and all.

Well I have taught all the classroom stuff and today was the time to break it and have them find the problems.  His piece of gear is very easy to troubleshoot because about 80% of the problems will generate a bit (built in test) code, and then all you have to do is look it up in the technical manual to have the problem localized down to just a couple of circuit cards.  They usually find the problems right off, but sometimes troubleshooting on the first day on a new piece of gear can get quite exciting.

Since the equipment is so easy to troubleshoot, sometimes they can't believe they found the problem that fast and so they do not believe their results.  Those are the fun ones because you get to ask them why they kept going after they identified the fault.  Once they get the hang of it though they can then rapidly solve most of the problems, usually within 10 minutes.

Sometimes they get way off the beaten path, or they forget their place in the procedures and I have fun trying to get them back on track, mainly by asking them questions about what they did.  I sometimes have to restrain myself from laughing, because sometimes the answers to my questions can be quite humorous.

Anyway, I guess that is it for today.  I have 7 more workdays to go before my vacation starts and I go see Laila and her family again.  9 days total to go, and I am getting very excited about it.