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Some Updates

So, it appears that we have a new builder coming into the neighborhood.  They are removing all the weeds from the empty lots and there seems to be some site work going on.  This is good news!  New homes means a complete neighborhood and a healthier HOA.  Also, they replaced the burnt out playground that was an eyesore in the community.  Things are looking good!  Oh, the city is also working on getting the new park finished next to the neighborhood.  It looks like this fall the dogs and I will have a new place to walk!

My DLP needs a new bulb.  I bought one and it has arrived but I need to install it.  My TV randomly turns itself off at the moment.  :)

Other things are falling into place as well… things are turning for the better, I think!

St. Louis Update

Today’s humidity was insane. Insane.

No pictures to upload because I forgot my card reader at home and since Apple feels those are useless features to include on their MacBooks, I am stuck with no options. I will post a couple tomorrow as I don’t get back into PHX until late this evening.

Weekend in St. Louis

I’m spending the weekend in St. Louis. I will try and post some photos of my adventures before I come home on Sunday, but no promises!

Oh, and lucky me, the temps will be in the mid to upper 80s with 70% humidity. Ugh. I may die.

Inconsiderate People

Yesterday, as I was walking from the parking garage to the office, I was following a woman.  She got to the door and had to rifle through her purse to find her security badge to open the door.  It looked like she was having a hard time so I figured that I would just use mine once I caught up to her.  As I get closer, she finally finds her badge to scan at the door.  I’m probably no more than 10 feet away from her and the door.  She barely opens the door and squeezes through as if opening the door all the way would cause all the cool air inside to escape or something.  Prior to this she has made eye contact with me but I guess holding the door open so that I don’t have to get my badge out is against the rules or something.  I couldn’t believe that she couldn’t wait the 10 seconds it was going to take for me to get to the door.  Ugh.  Sometimes I hate people.

New, Old Chairs

The chairs below belonged to my great grandmother on my mom’s side.  My grandmother brought them to Arizona from Pennsylvania in the 50s when they moved and they’ve been sitting in their house ever since.  Well, now that my grandmother is no longer with us and my grandfather is getting older, my mom is trying to clear out their house to make things easier when he passes away.  My mom has been looking for someone to take the parlor set off her hands since there are so many pieces and she asked me if I was interested in having a couple.  I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to keep them in the family (I think my mom was just going to give them to Goodwill!) so I took two of them.  My mom had them reupholstered and I think the restoration came out really well.  They are currently sitting in my living room.  I’m not sure if that’s where they’ll stay or if they’ll find a home in the library or guest bedroom.  They don’t really “go” with any of my current decor but that’s not always a bad thing.  Anyone have any thoughts?

Album Art

Last weekend my mom came over to help me put up some artwork around the house.  The grid of albums was a two person job, for sure.  I wanted to make sure everything was even and nothing was crooked.  It took us about two hours to measure and finally get them on the wall.  This probably isn’t the greatest photo I could have taken but it gives you a pretty good idea of what it looks like.

Arizona Immigration

The Arizona Senate passed Senate Bill 1070.  It’s very controversial and I am against it becoming law.  It will do nothing to help with border security and will most likely be too difficult to enforce.  It’s also very possible that it is unconstitutional.

The city attorney for Phoenix has instructed the Phoenix Police Department that, if this bill becomes law, every time a civilian is stopped they will need to provide proof of citizenship as to protect the city from a racial profiling lawsuit.  An Arizona driver’s license would suffice but out of state licenses may not as not all states require proof of citizenship to get a driver’s license.  Basically, if you don’t live in Arizona or don’t have an AZ driver’s license, I hope you have a passport or visa showing that you’re a legal citizen if you’re pulled over while driving through Phoenix.

WTF.  How does that make any sense?  Read the main points of the bill below and sound off in the comments, if you wish.

Senate Bill 1070

The bill addresses a range of issues relating to illegal immigration. It would:

• Prohibit state, city or county officials from limiting or restricting “the enforcement of federal immigration laws to less than the full extent permitted by federal law” and allow an Arizona resident to sue an official or agency that adopts or implements a policy or practice that does so. The bill contains a “loser pays” provision that may deter frivolous lawsuits.

• Require law enforcement to make a reasonable attempt “when practicable” to determine the immigration status of a person if reasonable suspicion exists that the person is in the U.S. illegally. Officers do not have to do so “if the determination may hinder or obstruct an investigation.”

• Make it a state crime to be an illegal immigrant, by creating a state charge of “willful failure to complete or carry an alien registration document.”

• Allow law enforcement to stop a driver if there is reasonable suspicion that the driver is in violation of human-smuggling and any civil traffic law.

• Make it a crime for illegal immigrants to work or solicit work in Arizona.

• Make it a crime to pick up a day laborer for work if the vehicle impedes traffic while doing so. Make it a crime to be picked up as a day laborer if the vehicle they get into is impeding traffic.

• Make it a crime to conceal, harbor or shield an illegal immigrant if the person knows or recklessly disregards the immigrant’s legal status. Does create a legal defense for someone providing emergency, public-safety or public-health services to illegal immigrants.

• Allow law-enforcement officials to arrest a person without a warrant if they have probable cause to believe the person has committed a public offense that makes him or her removable from the U.S.

• Require employers to keep E-Verify records of employees’ eligibility.

• Reiterate Arizona’s intent to not comply with the Real ID Act of 2005, including the use of a radio-frequency ID chip.