Happy 4th of July!

This year I’m looking at Independence Day a little differently than usual. I’m thinking about it on a more personal level, as in my independence from minor addictions. It has been almost thirty-two years since I last smoked a cigarette. It has been thirteen days since my last cup of coffee. I don’t remember it being nearly as tough to break the nicotine habit as it has been so far with the caffeine. Maybe it’s because I’m older now and no longer have the resolve of my youth. Maybe it’s because there are so few other vices left to indulge in. Maybe it’s because lately I’ve wanted a cup of coffee so damn bad that I’ve begun to percolate in my sleep. My wife thinks it’s just a little gas, but I know better.

Granted, as vices go, drinking coffee is way down there on the least dangerous end of the scale of bad things that I’ve done to my body over the years. I still want to stop drinking it, though. I’ve gone from drinking two cups a day, two years ago, to more than ten cups a day as of thirteen days ago. I love the stuff. But I want to stop. Or at least cut down. Damn, did you hear that? I’m beginning to give in already. Cut down. Like that’s going to help me stop.

I can do this. Maybe if I had a cigarette instead? After all, our founding fathers were surely more in touch with the killer tobacco weed than the coffee bean. What better way to honor them this 4th of July than to watch some fireworks and blow a few smoke rings? Give me a light, bartender, I’m celebrating Independence Day.

WAIT!!! What the hell am I saying? There will be no cigarettes or coffee today. Me and my bag of Cheeto’s are going back to bed until this feeling passes, which by my estimation will be sometime around Labor Day.

From a 6/30/08 San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office press release:

Assistant Assessor Adam Aleman
Charged with
6 Felony Counts

San Bernardino, CA - Today, Investigators with the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Public Integrity Unit obtained a warrant for the arrest of Adam Aleman, 25, of Rancho Cucamonga. Aleman was arrested at 10:45 a.m. today in Rancho Cucamonga without incident. Aleman is currently an Assistant Assessor with the San Bernardino County Assessor’s Office.

Aleman was charged with six felony counts. They are: Counts 1, 2 and 3 are PC 134, Preparing False Evidence; Count 4 - PC 132, Offering Forged or Altered Documents as Evidence; Count 5 - GC 6200, Destruction of Public Records; and, Count 6 - PC 594(b)(1), Vandalism Over $400.

Counts 1, 2 and 3 allege that Aleman prepared false evidence to be submitted to the Grand Jury. Count 4 alleges Aleman provided altered minutes that were submitted to the Grand Jury. Counts 5 and 6 allege that Aleman destroyed the hard drive of a laptop computer that had been issued by the County to Assessor Bill Postmus during his tenure on the Board of Supervisors.

Bail was set at $150,000. The investigation is ongoing.

And if that wasn’t enough to put a smile on your face, the following Bill Postmus quote should make you laugh out loud. From a prepared statement thanking the San Bernardino County grand jury for their recommendations for assisting the county in providing greater accountability:

Properly safeguarding public dollars and increasing public trust in government has always been - and will continue to be - the hallmarks of my career in public office.

From Tim Decker’s Web site:

Tim Decker is a professional pilot who has logged over 5000 hours in both military and civil aircraft. He gained most of his flying experience in the U-2, F-117, T-38, RV-4, and the Pitts S-2B. Tim has instructed in aerobatic and formation flying since 1990.

2008 marks Tim Decker’s fourth season of air shows after taking a one-season break to serve in the Persian Gulf. Tim spent 12 months as a U-2 squadron commander where he and his squadron flew daily combat missions over Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tim carries an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with airplane multi-engine and single engine instrument ratings.

So as of this afternoon, deep in the hold of a transport ship somewhere on the Pacific Ocean between Tokyo and Long Beach, there sits a 50mpg Toyota Prius with my name on it.

Environmental conservation has never felt so good. Unless, that is, you were one of the lucky few who bought one of these cars before they started selling like hotcakes (even at $2K to $5K over MSRP) and there were still $3000 federal tax credits available and California was still handing out HOV carpool lane stickers like condoms at a free clinic. Then it probably felt really good.

I’m beginning to feel better but I’m not too interested in completing the move. I’m hoping that will change soon. In the meantime, why not visit Sharon Gilbert’s Web site? She’ll entertain ya.