Big Day in Merced

The First Lady, Michelle Obama is speaking at the first 4 year commencement at UC Merced.

First off. Its their graduation. The 500 odd souls who have braved the four years at UC Merced are graduating today. They have endured much to get their degree and deserve the recognition. A campus under construction with cows in the fields around the campus were considerable mind adjustments for the urban students that arrived to learn on a "UC campus." Already this campus has published some pretty remarkable research in the area of eco biology. A new sunblock is going to be born out of the research done on hippos and their bio that keeps them from getting sunburned. Its too bad it isn't out yet for the audience that will brave our hottest day of the year. Expectations are that the temp will be 103 in the shade. There is no shade up there this year.

It is expected that 250,000 people may be there. This town has a population of 80,000.

This morning on my walk, the motorcycle police officers were posted at the signals.Four or five lots have been designated for visitors. At 7:15 this morning every bus from the school systems was pressed into action. They were rolling in unison passed the community college and headed up to the commencement site.

My local starbucks was full of out of towners this morning. Some people were already dressed in their summer dresses and were getting ready to attend.

The former mayor was there, the one that lost the last election because he was a real estate banker and that profession did not meet the approval of the general population that votes. He did not have tickets.. but low and behold, a friend arrived in a suit and offered him up tickets and he took them. He said,"Walk me out to my car and I will get you some parking."

As always, in most events, parking is the most treasured of all elenents of the event. Tickets are easy to come by for the 49ers or the Oakland Raiders, but parking... you better get some and use it early.. or its gone and more expensive.. So parking was a real treasure.

All cars going up the road to the UC campus are requiring occupants to show ID.

A jumbotron is installed downtown for those that can't get tickets.

Cost.. estimated at 700,000 dollars. Pretty outrageous for this economic time. Do the math and its 3 bucks apiece. Will the average out of town visitor drop enough money to cover this cost? Sponsorship has been pretty had to get in this town. Granted, they were late in asking for sponsors... but.

We are getting out of here today. We are headed to Sacramento to enjoy our daughters for a belated Mother's Day event.

Hope you have a good one.

Pat