Time to do something I haven't done in over 30 years

Looks like the "Mill" isn't going to start back up any time soon (see article below)
So I'm gonna have to look for employment elsewhere.... I havent' had to look for/apply for a job in 32 years. This will be an experience.... Wish me luck!



Pulp mill start-up aims dim
John Driscoll and Thadeus Greenson /The Times-Standard
Posted: 03/14/2009 01:28:50 AM PDT

The Samoa pulp mill -- at least in its current state -- will not run again anytime in the near future.
Owner Freshwater Pulp said that it now believes that there are not enough wood chips, from which the mill makes pulp, available in the region to supply the plant. That's due to protracted poor market conditions for lumber and widespread sawmill curtailments.
”I've always said that by May 1 we would know whether there is an adequate chip supply,” said Freshwater Pulp's Bob Simpson. “Well, what I'm telling you today is we know there's not an adequate supply.”
Unless the lumber markets unexpectedly rebound and sawmills begin operating at high levels in 2009 or 2010, it's unlikely the mill will start up again, he said. In that case, Simpson said, the company would pursue plans to convert the facility to a pulp and fine-paper mill, which would produce toilet and tissue paper. But Simpson said that conversion would take two years and $400 million.
Still, Simpson insisted the facility would not die.
”We look at it much differently,” Simpson said. “We look at it as not a case of if the pulp mill will run again -- it's a case of when.”
Samoa Acquisition Corp. bought the mill from Evergreen Pulp in early February after the plant was shut down on Oct. 15. That put some 215 employees out of work. Samoa Acquisition, renamed later Freshwater Pulp, at the time expected to fire up the mill within 90 to
180 days. But Friday Simpson said a chip supply was uncertain.
Simpson said that Freshwater Pulp's payment of a $51,000 bill Evergreen owed to the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District is evidence that it is committed to eventually restarting the operation.
Recently, workers have been heeding the recommendation of their union, the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers Local 49, to look for other work and take advantage of retraining. Some of those workers may have missed a deadline to state their interest in retraining, said Local 49 President Tom Reilly.
”They're realizing it's not going to restart, or that the hopes of it restarting are slim,” Reilly said.
Reilly questioned the feasibility of Simpson's plan to convert the facility to a pulp-and-paper plant, especially given the $400 million in financing Simpson is seeking. As for Reilly, he said he's been looking for work out of the area.
The mill would face other battles even if it had a reliable chip supply. It needs to negotiate another contract for water with the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District and a permit for its effluent -- pumped into the ocean -- with the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, which would include discussions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The effects of eliminating the mill's contribution to the water district's costs would likely increase regional wholesale water costs 22 to 25 percent, as laid out in the district's Thursday meeting. That cost would be passed on to ratepayers. The district has been planning for a future without the mill.
Freshwater Pulp intends to plug its effluent line into the ocean while it works on plans to convert to a pulp-and-paper operation. Simpson said that Freshwater and neighboring DG Fairhaven Power are working on a valve system that will allow the power plant to get rid of its own waste water, which flows through the mill's effluent line.
One of the most immediate effects will undoubtedly be on the local economy with the possible elimination of many well-paying jobs at the mill. The aged workforce earned substantially more than the average for Humboldt County. Now many are looking for work elsewhere, including at another mill in Everett, Wash., said employee Richard Marks.
”I'm really disturbed for my fellow workers, and I've talked to enough of them who are not going to return,” Marks said. “I think we're going to lose a lot of people from the area.”

Stranger things have happened !

Being "unemployed" I seem to have what some people call... to much free time, but I have taken it as an opportunity. Take yesterday as an example. Sitting at my computer around 10 am, I hear an odd noise... sort of a cross between an un-tuned VW and a Semi's jake brake. Leaping from my chair, I go to the sliding glass door in the family-room and behold a UFO landing in the pasture next door. Now I don't know if it was curiosity or fear but I could not move, I was transfixed! All these thoughts raced through my head... they're going to abduct me and do all kinds of wierd experiments..... It's an invasion ala War of the Worlds.... or they want to give us, the human race, unlimited energy technology in exchange for a glass of water. As I stood there, transfixed, three figures emerged from the craft, looked about and then one of them spotted me and pointed. Oh My God... I'm gonna die, I thought. The three beings then seemingly floated towards me... as they neared I was overwhelmed with a strange, pungent odor... it was the stench of .....petuli oil.... and then I noticed... these "beings" have dreadlocks. Turns out, these "aliens" were just some lost, wayward intergalactic Rastafarians looking for Garberville., and some spare change to buy some Di lithium crystals. So I told them to go south, following US 101 and gave them some Crystal Lite, (it was the only crystals I had in the house) and sent them on there merry way. I was able to snap this pic as they flew off.

And the answer is.....

Yvonne DeCarlo aka Lily Munster

Guess Who?

This sultry movie star of the 30's and 40's later went on to star in a 60's sit-com. Anyone know who she is? and what was the sit-com?

It was a dark and stormy night!!

Does anybody remember in the Peanuts cartoon, the running theme with Snoopy as the novelist with chronic writers block? He would sit down in front of his typewriter to write the next great novel and could always only get as far as the first line "It was a dark and stormy night". Well I've come to the conclusion that it wasn't writers block at all.... I think he lived in Eureka and dark stormy nights were all that he knew.

Have you heard....

About the cotton mill that had to close because the market was soft.... or the balloon factory that closed because it couldn't keep up with inflation...... the safe manufacturing plant that that couldn't get a loan because all the money was locked up..... and the boat builder that closed because he couldn't float a loan..... the goose down supplier that went bankrupt cause the market had flown south..... the laundry that was all washed up.... the tire store whose business had gone flat.... the coffee shop that closed because the owner didn't see the problem brewing...... the window shade plant that got blind sided...... the flower shop whose business had wilted.... the electrical contractor that got caught short..... the wheelchair factory that no longer had a leg to stand on.... the bicycle shop that could no longer peddle their wares.... the whole point..... even when times are tough, ya gotta keep your sense of humor!

It's Official

People have told me for years I was Certifiable

Emergency, Emergency !!

Yesterday, early, I get a phone call from my dear wife... she has fallen at work and has a "HUGE" knot on her right shin. Her fellow co-workers are urging her to go to the Emergency Room. I ask a few basic questions.... Can you walk on it?....yes, Can you move your foot without massive pain?....yes, Can your wiggle your toes?....yes, Can you feel it when someone touches your foot?.... yes, (I've had a little experience with broken bones). Now I don't think it's broken, just badly bruised, but she insists... so of to the ER we go. Three hours, one x-ray and one tetenus shot (I was against the shot... thinking maybe lock jaw might not be a bad thing) later, we find...it's a bad bruise... your fine.... for this I missed breakfast. Am I wrong to play the victim here?

Now, that, was a Superbowl!

Not having a real vested intrest in who won or lost, I was able to view this game from a unique position. My thinking before the game was that I'd like to see the Cardinals win simply because they had not won a Superbowl yet, but really was indiffernt as to who won. The fact that this game ended the way it did made this not just one of the best Superbowls I've ever seen, but one of the best footba;; games I've ever watched. During the third quarter, It looked as if the Cardinals were struggling and the game would go to the Steelers... then Mr. Warner came alive and the next thing you know the Cardinals had the lead... the in the final seconds the Steelers pulled it out. Great game...The Cardinals should not hang their heads walking away from this game... My thanks to both teams for making it the game it was.

Obituary

Veteran Pillsbury spokesman Pop N. Fresh died yesterday of a severe yeast infection. He was 71. Known to friends as Brown-n-Serve, Fresh was an avid gardener and tennis player. Fresh was buried in one of the largest funeral ceremonies in recent years. Dozens of celebrities turned out including Mrs. Butterworth, the California Raisins, Hungry Jack, Aunt Jemima, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Skippy. The graveside was piled high with flours as longtime friend Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy, describing Fresh as a man who "never knew how much he was kneaded." Fresh rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with many turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes -- conned by those who buttered him up. Still, even as a crusty old man, he was a roll model for millions. Fresh is survived by his second wife. They have two children and another bun in the oven. The funeral was held at 350 for about 20 minutes.