The deadline to file to run for a local office was extended to 5PM today for positions where an incumbent did not file to run. Here is a list of the candidates that includes the names of incumbents that did not file.

Do you expect any surprises?

( Video from the first ever White House Science Fair)

I am proud to be a teacher in Simi Valley. I have been given the opportunity to work with many innovative educators and inspiring young people.

I support education reforms at the state and federal level. This includes portions of NCLB and RTTT. Both of these education reforms have flaws but their benefits shouldn't be ignored.

I support changes to our local school system including using webgrades and fixing the calendar.

The rate of change often frustrates me but when educators unite to make progress I want to show my appreciation. Making Garden Grove Elementary into a Math and Science Academy is a great idea.

President Barack Obama has challenged educators to help our nation win the future. New investments and added enthusiasm for science education will be needed if our nation wants to stay competitive.

That's why I support local newspapers answering the President's call to celebrate the winners of local science fairs. I would like to read about these students on the front page of our local newspapers. If you support this idea post a comment. I will then forward this link to editors of a few different papers.

I am excited that Garden Grove will be helping students build a foundation for increased success in the sciences.

This article was in The Acorn:

Simi Valley Unified School District will open the new Garden Grove Elementary School Impact Academy of Math and Science in fall 2011. Families not residing in the Garden Grove Elementary School attendance area will need to apply during the School of Choice window of Feb. 1 to 28.

Families interested in enrolling a student in this program are invited to an informational meeting and Astronomy Family Night at 6 p.m. Wed., Feb. 16 in the multipurpose room at the academy, 2250 Tracy Ave., Simi Valley.

At this event, parents and students can learn more about the night skies with activities by the Simi Valley/Moorpark Astronomy Club, solar system exploration and moon and constellation hands-on activities.
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The academy staff is updating classroom resources to become a 21st century campus to include DVD players, LCD projectors and document cameras in each classroom. An Exploration Center will include science lab stations, state of the-art technology and an outdoor learning area.

Students attending the academy will develop critical thinking skills through focused instruction in math and science beyond the core curriculum.

The entire campus will be immersed in unified science theme instruction throughout the school day. The program will integrate PTA assemblies, field trips, classroom instruction, student activities and family involvement around math and science concepts.

( Check out The Radiation Rangers on YouTube. I am not a marketing professional but something tells me that super hero uniforms might be needed to capture the attention of the public more.)

To the consternation of the Simi Valley Radiation Rangers the proposed project at Runkle Canyon, pejoratively named Runkledyne by critics, is coming closer to getting final approval. I wonder if the economic slow down will do more to delay the project than all of the recent hearings, meetings, and tests have done.

Local investigative environmental reporter Michael Collins isn't satisfied and continues to insist the project is unsafe and that the process of testing for unsafe chemicals has been riddled with errors.

Here is a quote from a recent article that appeared in the Ventura County Reporter:

Hirsch then zeroed in on Dade Moeller's radiation plan and on the controversial company itself, whose namesake testified back in the 1990s that money spent on cleaning up Cold War-era nuclear facilities was being wasted since there would be a cure for cancer.

Click here for the article printed in the Ventura County Reporter.

Click here for the EnviroReporter website.

Click here for the developer's Runkle Canyon website. Their website has a FAQ covering environmental safety, traffic, and a list of some of the prominent local charities they have supported.

Click here for the blogger Mike Chandler's aggressive defense of the Simi Valley City Council on this issue.

Click here for the Radiation Ranger's website.

Click here for the City of Simi Valley's website devoted to this development.

Before voting check out some of the links above. You can vote for as many as you want.

Real estate professional Ted Mackel hosted a tech night for local business people recently that I posted the announcement for on my blog. I wasn't able to make it but Mike Chandler, the blogger behind The Simi Show and VoteSimiValley.com, went with his camera. The above video is mostly a summary but after watching it if you are interested in attending the next session leave a comment to help Ted Mackel gauge the demand for his seminars.

Ted, my sister went and said she was going to use many of the ideas you explained. Thanks for offering the free seminar.

On a related note both of you owe me at least 10 comments for all the free plugs I have posted linked to your blogs. You have 7 days or I will Google b-o-m-b you. Just kidding guys. Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog.

Click here for Ted Mackel's blog.

Click here for The Simi Show.

Click here for VoteSimiValley.com

Local Democrats are planning an Inauguration Party. I wouldn't normally post this so early but tickets are already on sell and expected to sell out before the event.

Click on continue reading for details.

You going? I haven't made my plans yet. I usually enjoy watching these things at home with family and friends.

Now that the voters of California have banned gay marriage what's next for advocates of marriage equality? I know political winners will tell the political losers to give up. That's expected but not really going to happen. I think it is a matter of time before gay marriage becomes legal in California. Banning it in the constitution delays it for at least a few years it would seem. Do you agree?

I support marriage equality but I have many questions and views on the aftermath of the vote.

1. What happens to the reported 18,000 people that were married in the time same sex marriage was legal?

2. There are pending lawsuits arguing that Proposition 8 was a revision of the constitution, not a simple amendment. Revisions have to go through the legislature, whereas amendments can be put on the ballot by petition. This attempt failed in court when opponents of Proposition 8 tried to eliminate it from the ballot.

I don't have an opinion yet on if it is really a revision or an amendment. I am going to wait to read from some of the best legal minds around. I think many people will just decide to support whatever legal reasoning supports their position.

Click here to read an article about the lawsuits and the revision versus amendment argument.

3. I think the state legislature should pass a series of laws that clarify and strengthen the arguments against Proposition 8. Laws could be passed that update and empower parents to increase their ability to opt out of lesson plans they disagree about. Religious liberty laws could be made more clear. A whole series of laws that would have wide based appeal could be implemented.

That way when the vote comes up again, which seems like it will, the focus could be on gay marriage and not the other issues that were brought into the debate.

4. Somebody asked me if I thought people that voted Yes on Proposition 8 were bigots. Before I answer click here to read the dictionary definition of bigot by clicking here.

I do think that some of the people that voted yes on proposition 8 were bigots. But I also believe that many of the people that voted Yes on 8 were not bigots. I would treat them as individuals and not groups to answer the question.

But that goes for both sides. I argued with No on 8 people that had become bigots against Christianity in part because they saw some Christians as the people leading the movement to remove their basic rights. As a Christian I was offended to stand next to anyone, from either side, displaying bigotry towards others.

Both sides had people that stole signs, yelled hateful language, and likely turned off more voters than they convinced to support their cause.

So, what do you think is next?

None of the options looks great at this moment in time.

I took this picture at a phonebank Sunday in Simi Valley. The place was packed and the technological sophistication of the campaign is amazing. We would dial into a number and then it would connect us with voters at a rapid pace. At the end of each call we would enter data about the call including if they were going to support Barack Obama, if they needed help finding their polling location, and if they wanted to volunteer.

The volunteers were able to walk around in the backyard or sit in the house and not worry about keeping track of paper much. But the most important aspect of the phonebank was what motivated people to be there. Unlike previous elections it wasn't about anger or attacking an opponent but instead the crowd was full of hope. Hope that we can play a role in changing our path as a nation. Hope that this election will be different.

Barack Obama represents the American dream. It doesn't matter where you start off at, but what you make out of yourself. To quote Barack Obama:

"I will never forget that in no other country on earth is my story even possible"

This picture was taken by a Democrat doing walking a precinct in Thousand Oaks and emailed to me. There are a few more viewable by clicking on continue reading.

But I am not going to focus on them much when that no longer represents a major force in our nation.

Tuesday night it looks like hope, not fear is going to win.

What are your predictions?

Post them in the following format:

1. Popular vote
Barack Obama/ John McCain by ________%.

Example: Barack Obama by 7%

2. Electoral Vote
Barack Obama:
John McCain:

There are prizes sponsored by The Star ( I probably shouldn't do that since I haven't cleared it with them yet.) of likely very little value.

To comment you don't need to use your real or full name, nor do you need to register or use your real email address.

Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog.

I will have news about traffic numbers and the new directions I am going in next week.

I appreciate your support and your comments.

The Star published a news report about Barbra Williamson's campaign donations last Saturday. Click here to read the story.

Barbra Williamson has explained some of the issues on a past entry. Click here to see that entry.

Now, she has issued a press release with more information. Click on continue reading to see it.

For the best interest of our communities it is good the election is almost here. Most of the campaigns and causes are pretty mild but Proposition 8 has been fraying the patience of many people.

Both sides have been stealing each others' signs. I have no way of verifying or knowing which side is more likely to steal signs. A Yes on 8 supporter suggest I call the Sheriff and ask. I don't think that would prove much except people shouldn't be calling the sheriff over a stolen yard sign.

My No on 8 sign was stolen Friday night. My Mom's and her neighbor's signs were stolen WHILE I WAS THERE Saturday night. They did leave behind the Barack Obama signs though. If you are like me when you look in your front yard you are somewhat surprised your sign is still there. I am going to check on my sign now. Alright, I am back and my sign is in my lawn.

At the rallies and around town people are getting angrier and angrier at each other. It isn't normally the people waving signs, but people driving by. Here are a few examples:

1. Lots of name calling on both sides. From people trying to promote equality or promote their version of family values the language doesn't always makes sense. Besides, yelling something from a car doesn't often elicit a thoughtful response. F$#@ me? Well then F%# you!

2. A young woman I know had a bottle thrown at her for holding a No on 8 sign last week.

3. The Star reported a knife being brandished at a Thousand Oaks rally. Click here to read the story. Sidenote: If you think the comments on my blog get heated or don't make sense I urge you to go read the comments on many of the news stories. They make CAP, Flamo, and the gang here look like a poetry recital!

4. Today at the corner of Los Angeles and First street I came across a ugly scene.

I saw a young man getting pushed into the street so I pulled over. I got my camera out and starting filming.

The Yes on 8 people from Sonrise Christian Church said that the young man got out of a car and tried to take away a sign from a woman supporting proposition 8. Somehow she had trash thrown on her, they started wrestling and the young man went back to his car. By then another person had pulled over and was standing in front of the alleged attempted sign thief and was blocking his vehicle and traffic from moving. That's when I showed up.

I didn't interview the person that allegedly tried to steal the sign, as he was in his car with someone yelling at him in a threatening way to get out, but I did interview the Yes on 8 people and I did watch what happened next.

The man blocking traffic was yelling at the young man to get out of the car and the young man in the car was blowing his horn constantly. Eventually the car, that was in the turn lane left and the man that was blocking it lashed out with some R rated words including a common insult for gay people.

I did get the license plate numbers of the people involved on video.

I then interviewed the Yes on 8 people who told me their side of what happened. I waited with them for the police to show up in case they needed to see any of the video.

The police were there quickly and after talking with me and the Yes on 8 people for about 5 minutes they said there wasn't anything for them to do as the woman wasn't injured. I offered to let them see the video but they declined. I did direct them to my blog if they wanted to contact me later. I don't think they got the phone numbers or names of the Yes on 8 people that were there, although I might have missed that.

I am not posting the video at this time because it contains the license plate numbers of people from both sides that were involved. I do not want to give the information away to anyone reading my blog to go after each other. But if law enforcement or another person has a legitimate need for it, let me know. When I have the time I might get a friend to edit out some of the video for us.

It seems clear from the scene I arrived at that the Yes on 8 people were the victims of someone going after them for their political views.

I don't agree with their views, but their freedom of speech should be protected. I feel law enforcement didn't spend enough time on this situation, but I don't know what other calls they needed to respond to next. People should feel safe waving a political sign on a street corner in Simi Valley.

If you were there, add any details that I missed. There was about 5 to 6 Yes on 8 people I think.

5. To end on a more uplifting note the other day at the Corner of Sycamore and Cochran there were many No on 8 people and just a few Yes on 8 people.

A sign twirler, not a No on 8 person, started getting in a Yes on 8 person's face and trying to intimidate him. My brother, who was there waving a No on 8 sign, got between them and stopped the sign twirler from harassing the Yes on 8 supporter.

Brother, thanks for defending freedom of speech, even of those that disagree with you!

Everyone else, bring a camera with you! People tend to be on the better behavior when there is a camera pointed at them. If you go to a rally without getting someone to bring a camera, then you aren't prepared.

I was driving by Alamo and Tapo Canyon, by city hall, when I saw No on Proposition 8 people waving signs and people supporting city council candidate Mike Judge. I only had time for one interview. In the interview the Mike Judge supporter calls out an incumbent and explains his support for Mike Judge.

Here is the video:

Click here to read a past question and answer entry with council candidate Mike Judge.

I expect Mike Judge will learn from his mistakes in this campaign and run again. Don't be surprised to see him joining more charities and keeping a higher profile.

Of all the candidates locally that you don't expect to win this time out which would you like to see run again? Include mostly school board, city council, and mayoral candidates.

Another day, another rally.

Click on continue reading for more pictures, videos, and comments.

Quick thoughts:

1. For a rainy day there was many people at the rally.
2. The age demographic went up a few years.
3. Both sides agreed that they were all getting along peacefully and debating respectfully.
4. There wasn't that many Yes on 8 people, they were out hanging flyers on doors across town.
5. Most of the gays and lesbians there are from Simi Valley and said they felt they were treated with respect living here.
6. If you are making videos or taking photos of almost any local political events that you want posted, send me an email.
7. Phonebanks at Democratic HQ in Simi Valley and across the county continue tomorrow.
8. There will be a rally again tomorrow.
9. I need a better camera. Bruce at The Star, are you reading this? Maybe as a holiday bonus?
10. To my new readers, thanks for reading and commenting on my blog. If you ever see a comment that needs to be deleted please email me.

My close friend Carlos Cabrera wrote an analytical article discussing the claims of both sides of the Proposition 8 campaign. Finding the truth when most of the information comes from a side in the debate is often times very difficult, but Carlos has done a great job.

Please give his article full consideration of your thoughts and leave him some critical feedback whether you agree or disagree.

When did you make up your mind on Proposition 8? Have any of the arguments you have heard changed your mind or have they simply reinforced your prior position?

Click on continue reading to see his essay.