The Other Kaus

Unless you follow the Huffington Post, you may be just as surprised as I to learn that Mickey Kaus has a moonbat brother. He dismisses the recent Rasmussen Poll which says that a majority of Americans support support allowing the NSA to listen to conversations between terrorists abroad and people here because the question did not say "without a warrant". He then continues and references the warblogger Instapundit and other wingnuts.

He then proceeds to denigrate the President:

There undoubtedly is something to the point that people are happy to hear that Bush is doing anything, even somethibng illegal, to actually fight terrorism. Given the massive ineptitude of the Katrina effort, the documented disaster that is the Department of Homeland Security and the lack of any discernable security benefit from the war in Iraq, even an illegal effort could be seen as at least a sign of life.

Read the comments if you can stand it.

One sample:

Bunch of cowards you are, eager to sell your precious and hard-fought liberty because of a relatively minor tragedy.

Technorati Tag politics moonbat

Happy New Year from your Electric Utility

Guess which utility is owned by its customers and which are controlled by several unaccountable state agencies.

Last week, Southern California Edison announced plans to hike electric rates about 15 percent next year, while Pacific Gas & Electric is looking at an increase of 6 percent to 7 percent.

High natural gas prices could be a major challenge for SMUD in the future. But the District expects to get through 2006 and 2007 without having to raise rates.

Details for the IOU's here.

SMUD details below:

High natural gas prices could be a major challenge for SMUD in the future. But the District expects to get through 2006 and 2007 without having to raise rates.

That was the message executive managers conveyed Tuesday evening to SMUD directors at a meeting of the Board Finance Committee. As background for discussions on staff’s proposed 2006 budget, Chief Financial Officer Jim Tracy gave a presentation on SMUD’s financial outlook through 2010.

“Our bottom line is we’re seeing some pressure from natural gas prices, but not to the same degree that other California utilities are,” Tracy said. “Through 2007, not much will happen to our net income as a result of natural gas prices, provided we have normal water years.”

SMUD already has lined up all the natural gas it will need for power generation in 2006 and 90 percent of needs for 2007.

“In 2008 to 2010, gas prices prices could be more of an issue. Right now, almost 50 percent of our energy portfolio is exposed to natural gas prices in those years,” Tracy said.

A $1 change in the price of natural gas would have a $40 million annual impact on the SMUD budget in 2008 through 2010. But the market is extremely volatile, and it is premature to draw conclusions about how natural gas prices will affect the budget after 2007, Tracy said. Staff will re-evaluate the gas price outlook a year from now.

While staff foresees no need to increase rates in the next two years, the pressure from gas prices will make it very challenging for the District to reach its financial goal of achieving 20 percent customer equity by the end of 2007. The 20 percent equity level would leave 80 percent of the District’s assets financed by debt. The Board adopted the 20 percent goal two years ago to bring SMUD in line with other companies that have an ‘A’ credit rating and ensure that SMUD can continue to borrow at reasonable interest rates.

“Our objective still is to try to reach the 20 percent level,” Tracy said. “If we continue to save $5 million to $10 million a year on non-commodity operating costs compared with the budget, and we have decent water years, we may meet the 20 percent target. We are always looking for opportunities to use our power plants and other generation and transmission assets to be more efficient than we’ve budgeted for.”

The high cost of natural gas leaves SMUD vulnerable to some eye-popping costs if winters are dry enough to sharply reduce hydroelectric output from the Upper American River Project. Dry years also could mean substantial reductions in hydro power the District buys under federal contracts. Less hydro power would force SMUD to make unplanned purchases of wholesale power, and market prices for electricity have risen because California is highly dependent on gas-fired power plants.

The District has hydro hedge contracts that act like insurance, but the “deductibles” are relatively high. The net effect is that dry winters could cost SMUD $30 million to $50 million in any given year. On the upside, wet years could result in an extra $20 million to $40 million.

Natural gas is not the only big-ticket item that will affect the budget in coming years.

SMUD’s contributions to the CalPERS retirement plan will increase by an estimated $12 million next year. And beginning in 2007, staff is planning for $18 million in annual contributions that will build a fund to cover the long-term costs of retiree medical benefits.

On the plus side, Tracy said, SMUD could save up to $22 million a year on Rancho Seco decommissioning costs, beginning in 2009.

Technorati Tag energy

Why is MSM Moonbatty?

Why does the MSM hate President Bush, and why do they seem to be doing everything in their power to sink him? The stock answer is "ideological bias", but it occurred to me that there's another, deeper reason. They view him as a threat to their very existence -- and they're right to do so.

Steven DenBeste says it is a power struggle.

Technorati Tag politics MSM

Better All the Time

For you political junkies, it may be a shock to learn that sometimes things get better.

This list is made up not of things we hope for some day, but that are here now, improving our world and promising an even brighter tomorrow.

Here is the good news.
Young Cowboy needs to check out number 9.

It is time to say 'TREASON'

As the national security leaks increase, it is difficult to understand the thinking of the leakers. Clearly the intent is to weaken the President by suggesting that his contitutional duty to protect the country is somehow over the edge. They are clearly in denial that there is any serious threat to our country requiring extraordinary efforts to identify and stop those who want to destroy us. Otherwise, not even the most rabid Bush-haters would risk their friends and family by exposing our national security operations.

Major Mike says it is time to call a spade, a spade.

I suggest that we need to start viewing the conscious publication of known classified documents what it truly is… TREASON, and not some mythical right to “FREE” speech that comes with a magic First Amendment Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free card.

Jen has thought as well and some links.

Technorati Tag treason

Chaffee Blocks Endangered Species Reforms

Long overdue changes to the Endangered Species Act which continues to burden landowners and raise costs for everyone have been bottled up in Committee by Lincoln Chafee. This is just one more reason to contribute to Steve Laffey, his primary challenger.


Technorati Tag lincoln chaffee endangered species RINO

HT Hugh

For the Cowboy's Target Practice

The Cowboy recently posted on his defiant possession of a non-EPA approved fireplace. Well here is the guy from the EPA he can blame. Just remember that these folks are from the government and they are only here to help. And it only takes 300 pages.

EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson said science does not support a more stringent standard than the one EPA is proposing

EPA proposes tightening its standard on fine particulates
The Environmental Protection Agency this week proposed a new standard that would tighten the daily limit for fine particulate matter (particles 2.5 microns in diameter and smaller) from power plants, cars and other sources, and would leave the annual limit on soot unchanged. EPA said it wants to reduce the daily limit on soot, which currently stands at 65 micrograms per cubic meter of air, to 35 micrograms. The annual standard-15 micrograms per cubic meter of air-would not be changed.

The agency issued the draft rule on Tuesday to meet a court-ordered deadline of midnight. The proposal was immediately attacked by environmental and health groups as too weak, while the Edison Electric Institute said it was too strong.

EPA's independent Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee recommended in June that the agency strengthen the daily standard to between 30 and 35 micrograms and reduce the annual limit to between 13 and 14 micrograms. Health and environmental groups wanted the agency to adopt an annual standard of 12 micrograms, the Associated Press reported.

EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson said the scientific evidence, taken as a whole, does not support a more stringent standard than the one the agency proposed on Tuesday.

The American Lung Association estimates that 60,000 people die prematurely every year in the United States because of fine-particle pollution. The tiny particles, which are no wider than one-thirtieth of a human hair, lodge in lungs and arteries and make people more susceptible to heart attacks, strokes, asthma attacks and other respiratory diseases, a number of studies have concluded. More than 2,000 new studies have been published on the risks of these small particles of soot, The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday.

EPA will take public comment on the proposal for three months and will hold public hearings on it in Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco. The proposed rule, which is nearly 300 pages long, is posted on EPA's Web site, www.epa.gov.

Technorati Tag EPA wood burning

Sacramento State Administrator Bans Christmas

... and St Patrick's day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving .... *

An administrator at California State University, Sacramento has banned decorations pertaining to Christmas and the 4th of July, among other holidays, from her office because they represent "religious discrimination" and "ethnic insensitivity."

Read more from Darleen's Place.

Looks like I'm not the only one.

As I look for a state with a future. Ideally one that is both fiscally and physically beautiful, I find that I am not alone.

Successful Democratic Blogger Can't Afford Blue State

Tecnorati tag California economy Daily Kos

Duh!

Educators stunned by drop in adult literacy.

Perhaps it shows that education is not their highest priority. Witness the amount of money spent in California to defeat a relatively minor modification to acheiving tenure status.

Technorati Tag education

You have to have priorities

The LA City Council believes strongly in public input.....
just as long as they don't have to listen to it.

Technorati Tag los angeles politics

No Brainer on ANWR Drilling

Erstwhile Californian offers thanks to Senators Boxer and Feinstein.

it is not surprising that Republicans would resort to such immoral acts of adding this piece of legislation to a must-pass Defense Bill. As we have all come to learn, Senator Frist and his cohorts will do anything they can to line their pockets with gold by rewarding their supporters with "quick money." Americans know that oil corporations would enjoy huge profits from ANWR. And we know that Senator Frist doesn't really care about helping Americans in this time of rising energy costs – Senator Frist just wants to go on more expensive vacations and dine at fancy 5-star restaurants paid for by his donors.

Of course, it should have been obvious, Frist is only after free meals in 5 star restaurants. Much better that we stay dependent on Saudi oil.

Technorati Tagb ANWR moonbat

Pollution can be our friend.

Just when we were thinking we had the global warning situation all straightened out, they start throwing curveballs. First, lets review the basics. We now know that global warming can mean cooling so we don't have to be constrained by any arbitrary standards of measurement.
Now we learn that pollution can inhibit global warming.

"It’s quite a bizarre thing, because the last thing you want to suggest to people is that it would be a good idea to have dirty air, but as far as climate change is concerned, that’s right.”

HT Tim Blair

Technorati Tag global warming pollution

NRSC Against Drilling in the Arctic

As Lincoln Chaffee votes against another Republican program, the Defense Appropriations Defense Fund which contains provisions to permit oil drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge, the NRSC spends money to keep him in office. This is just one more in a string of votes against Republican Programs and the President's agenda. But apparently supporting Republicans and the President are unimportant to the NRSC.

So this is the way it looks to me. According to a NRSC spokesman, "Senator Chafee has the full support of the NRSC and is the only Republican who can keep that seat from falling into the hands of a liberal Democrat."

So if Chaffee's voting record is something the NRSC is willing to spend money to prolong by running ads agains his Republican primary challenger, then I conclude that the NRSC does not want drilling in the refuge either.
Technorati Tag Lincoln Chaffee ANWR

Meanwhile Deep in the Fever Swamp

John Conyers has introduced legislation to censure the President and the Fever Swamp goes ballistic.

The AfterDowningStreet.org coalition, an alliance of over 100 grassroots organizations, has launched a new campaign called CensureBush.org in order to support new legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers that would censure President Bush and Vice President Cheney and create a select committee to investigate the Administration's possible crimes and make recommendations regarding grounds for impeachment.

Tasmanian Enbigening

Now that we know that global warming means cooling as well, here is some good global warming news from Tasmania.
HT Tim Blair

Christmas Shopping

My wife and I spent the afternoon Christmas shopping. We had done most of our shopping on line, so no panic. Covered most of the shops in the Roseville Mall, had a great chopped liver sandwich at Max's and returned home. It is certainly great to be out on a weekday.. and with no real intent. We just looked and picked up a few thngs that caught our fancy.

Johan Norberg

As the World Trad Organization continues to face demonstrations and orchestrated chaos wherever it hold its meetings. The litany of these demonstrations is the evils of multinational corporations and the damage to the individual (particularly the poor) from the expansion of these corporations throughout the world.

From Eric a link to a Swedish Economist who is promoting global capitalism. He visits the victom countries and has a completely different perspective. It seems that the citizens of these countries do not see those corporations as evil and favor free trade.

Techorati Tag Free Trade

Future Expat Update

Since the election last month, nothing much has happened to make me rethink the necessity of leaving California to its inevitable decline and finding another state where the economy and infrastructure are functioning and not under attack by out-of-control professional politicians.
In the short span of a month, it has become clear that the California Republican Party is nothing more than a phantom. What passes for leadership of the party, having been abandoned by one movie star turned politician can think of nothing more clever than finding another.

California, as things stand, has no future until Democrat voters are forced by economics to recognize what a union controlled government can do to their lifesyle.

I posted here and here about where Californians might go to preseve the sanity and net-worth. I was thinking Oregon because of the coast and a relatively pleasant climate but this makes me wonder.

Decontaminating the world of American influence.

An idea whose time has come.

Canadian World Domination.

Technorati Tag canada

Are the Iraqi's Better Off?

As the sane among us celebrate the tremendous turnout for the Iraqi elections today, I have to wonder what impairments cause an inability to recognize the difference between a tyrannical dictator and a freely elected government. Some like Erwin Chemerinsky, the lefty Duke law professor can state that the Iraqi's are worse off. And he uses the cost and deaths to support his decision. That he favors totalitarian governments is probably not a surprise if you listen to his opinion on things legal but is a clear warning about what lefty's want for us. What drives me really insane, however, are the people who tell you, when asked, that they don't know.

Blogger Conference on Laffey

Ankle Biting Pundits provides a summary of a conference call with the Club For Growth discussing the Steve Laffey primary challenge to Lincoln Chaffee. There has been some questioning of Laffey's conservative credentials because he raised taxes in Cranston as mayor. Don't jump to conclusions and check out the facts.

Technorati Tag Lincoln Chaffee

Dave Brubeck still going strong

I first discovered Dave Brubeck in the 60's when a life drawing course I was taking in summer school played him while we drew. The music is still timeless and captivating and now that I am living in Sacramento, I discover that he grew up on a ranch near here. I always thought he was a sophistocated city boy. American Spectator has a good read about how he is stil going strong at 85. Check it out.

Why Are Workers Earning Less Than They Used To?

It’s not hard to understand how this happened. The early 1970s witnessed an environmental awakening -- some of it visionary, but much of it myopic. Along with Earth Day and popular campaigns to promote conservation came books such as The Limits to Growth, whose computer printouts gave a scientific veneer to the text’s prophesies of economic doom and massive loss of human life from overpopulation and environmental degradation.

From TCS, the suggestion that there is actually a cost for environmental activism. Is it time to subject the assertions of environmental wnthusiasts to economic measures?

7 x 7

The Young Cowboy turned up a matrix of seven questions for which seven answers are supplied which he posted and asked other bloggers to join in the tomfoolery. So here are my responses.


Seven things to do before I die


1. Buy a beach house.

2. Retire for the second (and last) time.

3. Become independently wealthy.

4. Spoil any grandchildren my sons provide.

5. Drain the swamp in my backyard.

6. Give money to people with BIG dreams.

7. Show my wife the world.


Seven things I cannot do.

1. Pick a grocery store line.

2. Listen to John and Ken.

3. Watch TV news shows.

4. Drive the speed limit.

5. Behave.

6. Sit Still.

7. Stay away from the library.

Seven things that attract me to (people).

1. They always surprise me.

2. They can be very helpful.

3. They are always around.

4. Most are tidy.

5. You miss them when you are alone.

6. They can be entertaining.

7. They buy things.


Seven things I say most often.

1. There is no try.

2. Quelle Horror!

3. Did you miss me?

4. Are we having fun yet?

5. Why is that?

6. Are you making all the money you want?

7. What’s up, young man?

Seven Books that I love.


1. Sunset Garden Guide

2. Any by Raymond Chandler

3. Horton Hatches the Egg

4. Think and Grow Rich

5. The Magic of Thinking Big

6. Rich Dad, Poor Dad.

7. The Cash flow Quadrant.

Seven movies I watch over and over again (or would if I had time).

1. Alexander Nevsky

2. Any Thin Man

3. Key Largo

4. Strangers on a Train

5. Roshomon

6. The Road Warrior

7. American Graffiti



Seven people I want to join in.

1. Bill

2. Bat

3. Liam

4. Odograph

5. Steve

6. Jerry

7. Duane


Next?

Chaffee's Challenger

One of the problems with being financially challenged is that I am required to spend eight or more hours per day away from my family doing things somebody else wants. In return I am permitted to flow money through my account to my creditors and suppliers.
All this to explain that during most of the Hugh Hewitt show, I am otherwise occupied and I missed this, an interview with Steve Laffey who is challenging Lincoln Chaffee in the Republican Senatorial Campaign in Rhode Island. In case you are financially challenged as well, take a look now.

Technorati Tag Lincoln Chaffee

A Tale of Two Cities

Joel Kotkin contrasts New Orleans and Houston.

New Orleans was for much of its history the Queen City of the Gulf of Mexico, the cultural, economic, and commercial center of the Caribbean basin. Until well into the twentieth century, the city was an entrepreneurial cauldron, for blacks as well as whites, providing a greater degree of freedom and opportunity than virtually anywhere in the South.



Houston, in comparison, is a newcomer. In 1920, its population was barely a third of New Orleans’s, and its role in U.S. commerce was insubstantial. Since that time, the two cities have been heading in opposite directions. New Orleans has been living off its history, while Houston tore earnestly into relentless self-improvement. Its leaders dredged its harbor, improved drainage, and constructed state of the art industrial facilities that made it the great Gulf Coast port. Houston grabbed leadership of the world’s energy industry, and quietly built the most impressive medical complex in the world. With a gritty efficiency, the city transformed itself into a major global center.

In two essays, he describes the process by which cities succeed or fail.

HT Dan Weintraub

Stop the McCainity

Says Carol Platt Liebau

Meanwhile, I have getting really torqued about having to qualify every criticism about politicians who have served in the military with a disclaimer about their service. I am happy to honor all veterans but I am a veteran too and it doesn't have a lot to do with how I live my life today, nor does it make me an expert on how to conduct a war or run a country and I don't think it works any differently for Murtha, McCain or Kerry. Neither does it, by itself, make them presidential timber.

What Jessee Jackson Couldn't Tell You.

Albert Owens
Thsai-Shai Yang
Yen-I Yang
Yee Chen Lin

The names of Tookie's victoms.

More, including links to pictures of the crimes here.

24 Years.

Now we know how long justice takes in California.

Technorati Tag tookie williams

Wall-Mart - there are two sides.

Aaron Bernstein in Business Week Online reports;

Some Uncomfortable Findings for Wal-Mart
At a gathering sponsored by the retailer, economists will present studies of the giant's economic impact -- not all with flattering results

Erik finds some studies that show the economic benefits from having Wall-Mart around

Show Lincoln Chaffee the Door

Today, the Club for Growth PAC will endorse Steve Laffey, the Republican Mayor of Cranston, R.I., in his primary challenge against Sen. Lincoln Chafee. Steve Laffey is a pro-growth, Reagan Republican. Sen. Chafee epitomizes the GOP's waning commitment to limited government and economic freedom.

Read the endorsement in the Wall Street Journal and check out Steve Laffey, an actual Republican.

Technorati Tag Lincoln Chaffee

Must the UN stay in Manhattan

Is it necessary for a cash-strapped organization whose mandate is to preserve world peace and fight poverty to occupy one of the most expensive pieces of real estate in one of the world's most costly cities?

An Opinion Piece in the International Herald Examiner asks.

and answers no.

HT Chicago Boyz.

The Anniversary of John Lennon's Death

The anniversary of the killing of John Lennon has brought out some blog posts on John and the Beatle legacy and roused me to comment as well. I, like many of the commenters came of age during the Beatles ascendancy and many of the early songs give me a rush when I hear them again, taking me back to the idealism and energy in the air of the eastern university where I was persuing my graduate degree in the 60's.
The early songs were fresh and the Beatles themselves were appealing, unthreatening and slightly exotic ( being, of course, British). Then they, like my generation, got full of themselves.

The innocence of the early 60's gave way to the pretentious arrogance of the late 60's. The Viet Nam war became political All of the wrongs in the worlds could be blamed on prior generations who had inexplicably made an incredible mess of the world in general and the United States in particular. No one in our generation thought it odd that the wisdom to correct all these failings should be revealed to twenty-somethings and to noone else and no one thought it odd that any means should be applied to correct the world/s wrongs. And the Beatles were right there urging us on, voicing our incoherent thoughts and making them seem so right..

It never rang true to me then, but I wanted it to be true and I carry the results of that weakness with me today in the way I lived my life, raised my sons, honored my parents and loved my wife.

I don't blame John Lennon - or any of the Beatles for what happened to my generation but I don't honor them either. And I am repulsed by their music. The sophomoric lyrics cut deep when I remember how they colored my world as a young man.

ShrinkWrapped, who was a resident at Bellvue the night John Lennon's killer was sent for observation) has a thoughtful post on this anniversary.

I will give the last word to my twenty-one year old son who ocasionally tries to help with my blog.

He said, “Who cares about John Lennon? That was forty years ago.”
And he collects the Stones.

If you are planning to give a tie for Christmas.

Read this first.

Another Wasted Year

Social Security is a ticking time bomb and our gutless Congress has dithered and backtracked instead of taking action while there is still time to repair the situation.

Will Franklin has a seried of posts discussing the issues and consequences of inaction. In this week's post he shows the demographic tsunami.
Check out the nodomitor on the sidebar to see what delay is costing the next generation.

Technorati Tag social security

Tech Central Covers the Global Warming Love-in in Montreal

Scientist learns new lessons about the realities of global warming.

As one of the very few scientists at the UN's eleventh Conference of the Parties climate meeting (COP-11), I feel like an outsider.

Global Warming is more than science. It's an ideology.

I suppose the only way to have avoided getting ourselves into this whole climate change mess was for us to have never progressed as a civilization in the first place. We could still be hunters and gatherers. Children would probably die at an early age from disease or exposure, but at least the population would not be so burdensome to the Earth. I guess we would all be much happier with a simpler existence, communing with nature, gathering berries, killing wild hares.

Technorati Tag global warming

Willisms Deserves your vote.

Will Franklin puts together one of my favorite blogs. He uses great graphics and presents timely and usefull information about the issues conservatives care about. He deserves your read and your vote.

Too Much

New Ad Campaign weighs in.

Global Warming can mean Colder

Global warming can mean colder, it can mean drier, it can mean wetter. That’s what we’re dealing with.

So says a director of Greenpeace from Montreal where it was -5 degrees centagrade.
Tim Blair on the worldwide protest against globl warming in Montreal last week.
No wonder.

But don't worry. Leonardo is taking charge.

Technorati Tag global warming

Internet Impairment

Are you addicted to the internet? Overwhelmed with electronic communications? It could have consequences.
Let Michael explain.

Arlen Just keeps on working.

Just when we thought Arlen Specter had forgotten his pledge to get those judges confirmed, he throws us a bone.

I signed the conference report at 9:00 p.m.," Specter said in a statement sent to CNET News.com. "They brought it to my house."

Now, can we get past Lisa Murkowski? She is one of a group of six unhappy with the current bill.

Technorati Tag arlen specter

Arlen Specter still on the job.

Senator Specter is still in town and working. He had a chat with Alito and then with the press.

Mr Specter said he decided to intervene because he “hate[d] to see the nomination process handled like a political campaign”, with opponents making allegations that the nominee was – according to traditional practice – not allowed to answer directly himself.

His mind is not decided according to Specter but...............

Daily Kos is worried.

Now how about the Patriot Act?

Technorati Tag arlen specter

More Info for Future Expatriots

As I considered the likelihood that Californians will be heading for the border when our nominal control of the executive branch of state government reverts to Democrat fiscal irresponsibility, I asked where we might go to find governmental sanity and a pleasant environment.
As far as the conomy goes, Will Franklin reports that state tax rates turn out to be highly corelated with the economy and migration in and out. California, to my surprise is not among the top ten tax collectors. I suspect from the comments that we can thank Prop 13 for keeping property taxes under control. Housing prices probably more than compensate in impact on households but that is speculation on my part.

Check out your favorite state. Maybe you want to reconsider.

NRSC Money May not help Chafee

You probably know that the NRSC is spending money to defeat challenger Stephen Laffey in the Republican primary. If you are like me, you will see this as another in the many self-destructive actions of the Senate leadership and you are refusing to contribute to their efforts.

Good news from the Club for Growth.

It seems polling indicates that the ads are not delivering the desired boost to Chaffee's campaign.

Pelosi's Bedtime Reading

Check out the details.

This is good news.

And we need some.
Mexico's Supreme Court decided that Mexico will no longer refuse to extradite criminals who face the death penalty. HT Prestopundit

Apparently even Mexico thinks that encouraging bad people to seek refuge has bad consequences.

Where can you go?

I hope that this is a premature chicken little attitude but before the recall, I was convinced that California was doomed. I believed that the state economy was entering a death spiral where businesses and investments would flee the over-regulation, over-taxation and failing government services choking the private sector. Apparently a majority of Californians agreed because we got rid of Davis for the more appealing Arnold.

Then he made the big mistake. He conspired with Democrats to paper over the crisis and gave shortsighted sybarites (arguably the majority of Californians) room to shrug their shoulders and defeat from disinterest, the reforms Arnold early on insisted were essential to put California right. The economy rebounded. Job flight was reduced. But only temporarily and the shoes are beginning to drop.

...And Californians went back to their Alfred E. Newman 'What? Me worry' attitude.

OK, I had hope for a while that the California I found in 1970 could return, but I am beyond all that now. What I want to know now is where can you go? No state has California's climate and beauty. Nevada is dog ugly. Arizona is hot (and has no ocean). I am thinking Oregon. Anyone else getting ready to bail? What are you thinking?

Arlen Specter's Priorities

Arlen Specter promised (in the Wall Street Journal) to expediciously move judges through the approval process. That was then, this is now. Judges are languishing as the Judiciary committee refuses to act on the President's nominations. Action on the Alito appointment are deferred to January- and the Patriot Act waits for his signature before it can be passed and he wants to get Democrat signers. I have asked before, "Where is the outrage". I will ask again. Contact him and ask what happened to his promise and why he is willing to water down the Patriot Act.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter,(202) 224-4254, e-mail

What he does get excited about is Terrell Owens.


Technorati Tag arlen spector

Strange Coincidence

Stephen St. Onge observes,

Here's another strange coincidence. Before Sept. 12, 2001, al-Qaida had major successes attacking U.S. targets. And during that time, al-Qaida had sanctuary from Sudan, then Afghanistan, and possibly Iraq (from sometime in 2002 till March 19th, 2003, al-Qaida definitely had sanctuary in Iraq). And before Sept. 12, 2003, al-Qaida showed great smarts, hitting U.S. targets of high visibility.

What a coincidence that that once we removed their sanctuaries in Iraq and Afghanistan, their power declined.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

Day trip to LA for business and wrapped up the meeting early enough to check out one of the new Architectural statments in the Civic Center before flying home. Thinking that I could see the inside of the new cathedral I chose it over the Disney Concert Hall. The Spanish architect, José Rafael Moneo, wanted to echo the Spanish mission heritage of the church in California.
My impression is that the building is heavy-handed and sterile. Impressive and dramatic without managing to be spiritual. Monochromatic in it's concrete walls and concrete colored windows. Spacy in its lopsided basilica form. The location is a disaster, between the county mall and the freeway in one dimension and the county cogen plant and the Music Center Annex in the other. Perhaps it looks good from the freeway. From the other sides it more resembles a prison. Even when you walk around to the entrance leading to a courtyard, it lacks drama. I give it two stars, mostly for trying so hard.

The Myth of the Scandinavian Model

America’s social model is flawed, but so is France’s,” the Parisian newspaper Le Monde recently wrote. According to Le Monde Europe should adopt the “Scandinavian model,” which is said to combine the economic efficiency of the Anglo-Saxon social model with the welfare state benefits of the continental European ones.

Only if you distort and misrepresent the facts. If you are looking at Europe, Ireland has the clearly superior model. From the Brussels Journal.

Hat Tip from The Manolo

Don't wear this hat!

They need government help.

In union-controlled California, politicians have waged war on Wal-Mart. How many times have you heard the litany - low wages, no healthcare and the political will directed to stopping the super Wal-Mart stores that challenge supermarkets which are firmly under union control. Supermarkets have a very small profit margin (one percent is what I understand it to be). One of the reasons is the union employees. (You may remember the several month long strike agains Southern California supermarkets a year ago). Wal-Mart has a four percent profit and some critics demand government control.

California Conservative cites several examples of superior service and compensation by non-union employees and asks this question:

The next time you shop at Wal-Mart, try to imagine the employees all replaced by Teamsters, auto workers, federal employees, or the French. Ask yourself what kind of service you could expect from overpaid employees who can’t be fired?

A Murtha Tradition

Murtha said the U.S. had to no choice but to pull out now, explaining, "There's no military solution. Some of them will tell you [that] to get [warlord Mohamed Farrah] Aidid is the solution. I don't agree with that."

You have heard about this, right?

Only this quote wasn't from last week, it was from 12 years ago.

After terrorists attacked U.S. troops in Mogadishu, Somalia 12 years ago, anti-Iraq war Democrat, Rep. John Murtha urged then-President Clinton to begin a complete pullout of U.S. troops from the region. Clinton took the advice and ordered the withdrawal - a decision that Osama bin Laden would later credit with emboldening his terrorist fighters and encouraging him to mount further attacks against the U.S.

As has been said and said and said again, the man is a veteran and deserves respect for that service. It doesn't, however, suggest that the man is smart.

And now we know that he is consistent as well.
HT Winds of Change

You won't believe how it ends.

I can't remember the last time I followed a television series but it may have been Mary Tyler Moore. So imagine my surprise how I was captured by the HBO series Rome from the first episode I saw. I had neard some favorable mentions on radio and some television ads while toggeling between Greta and Nancy for my nightly Aruba update, but I discounted them, thinking that it would be a PBS documentary type series. It wasn't until about halfway through the twelve episodes that I started to watch and there was no turning back. My 21 year old son saw only the last ten minutes but he has faithfully made time for the last episodes as well.
Well, the last episode ran last Sunday and now we have a profound sense of loss. There will be a second season but apparently not until 2007.
What made the series so memorable? Especially when you know how it turns out?
The characters are complex and compelling and the interweaving of fictional charazcters and history adds richness and insight into the lives of Romans, noble and plebeian.
Mark Goldblatt, a fan of the series, in the American Spectator points out how the series shows the morality of Rome to be quite different from ours in many ways.

This is the triumph of Rome. Along with the physical trappings of Caesar's world, the creators and writers of the series have sought to reconstruct the cognitive framework of Roman citizens in the first century BCE. Dignity, honor and benevolence are measured on their scale, not ours. The proposition that all men are created equal is not self-evident to them, 18 centuries before the Enlightenment

I just hope that HBO will rebroadcast the seies so I can see the first six episodes.

McCain, Graham Warn GOP May Be in Trouble

From AP

With the war in Iraq, higher energy costs and breakneck government spending, the GOP faces a tough round of congressional elections in 2006 unless things change, two key Republican senators warned during a campaign appearance

More.

The United States Needs To Lower Its Corporate Tax Rate

From the undefatigable Will Franklin this quote:

Other countries are catching on to the fact that globalization means economies do not exist in separate, sterile lab beakers. Countries must compete with each other, policy-wise, in order to lure (and/or keep) dynamic, job-creating, wealth-generating companies.

From 2000 to 2005, corporate tax rates around the world fell significantly, while remaining nearly unchanged in the U.S.

The Mission of the Senate

From Hugh.

Win the war.
Confirm the judges.
Cut the taxes.
Control the spending.

The mission is not 'Asbestos Litigation'. And what's with these vacations? Do you get 6 weeks off for the Holidays? Let your Senators know that you think they are not giving you your money's worth.

Senate Majority Leader Frist, (202) 224-3344, e-mail


Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, (202) 224-2541, e-mail


Armed Services Chairman John Warner, (202) 224-2023, e-mail


You can also use the Congressional switchboard to contact any other Senate office: 202-225-3121.

Where is the outrage?

Arlen Specter promised to advance the movement to the floor of the Senate of the Presidents judicial appointments. Instead, he delayed the hearings for Alito until January, has made no effort to move nominees languishing in the committee in a timely fashion and has refused to sign off on the renewal of the Patriot Act to let it out of the committee for a final vote. I have searched Technorati but no one seems to care.
Conservatives were concerned about Specter being chairman of the Judicial Committee, but were assured that he would do the job required of him. Now it appears that he has other priorities. Even Hugh despairs.
Technorati Tag specter

My Feelings Exactly

AARP has become America’s most dangerous lobby

Why?

Postal Rates Going Up Again

An example demonstrating the impact of the government's ability to print money.

PrestoPundit explains.

Freedom of the Press on the Line

Stephen S. points to Stephen Green as he considers the evolution of war in the 20th and now 21st centuries.

What I didn't see then - but what I do see today - is what "taking the initiative" really means.
it means communications and propaganda and has consequences.

It means, fighting a media war. It means, turning the enemy's one great strength into our own. Broadcast words, sounds, and images are the arm of decision in today's world.

He thinks that if MSM is responssible for losing the war on terror, the public will rebel and freedom of the press will be ended.

When a nation loses a war, it looks to punish the people it believes are to blame. After Vietnam, neither Washington nor our Armed Forces were ever the same again3. But if we lose this Terror War, our media will be seen as largely to blame. They'll suffer blame for their ignorance and for their petulance. They'll suffer blame for seeing al Jazeera as comrades closer than the privates and NCOs and officers fighting to protect the First Amendment. They'll suffer blame for putting their hatred of a Republican President before their love of country. Whether that assessment is fair or not, it is how the public will see things.

I don't know if it will get that far but I think if they accomplish their goal, we will be in such deep s*** that it won't matter.

Here are the consequences.

After the defeat of the Budget Proposition last week, you knew that the shoes would begin to drop. Here is number 1.
You have heard about the $50 Billion bond issue to bail California out.
PrestoPundit tells us where its going.

Senate Tribes

Hats off to Fellow Sacramentan Bat Guano who takes the pulse of the Senate Republicans and applies Bill Whittles categories of Pink and Gray. Read his post and see the breakdown.

The only thing I would add is that sheep goes with Pink and sheepdog goes with Gray.

Ruling from Weakness

The retreat of the Senate lead by a majority of Republican senators demonstrates the sorry state of this country. Despite a re-elected President with a mandate to fight this war on terror wherever it might take us, a one-note vendetta from the left and MSM has dissolved the spines of our Republican elected officials. What can one make of this retreat? How to understand the reasoning behind the revolt?

I am beyond words at this outrage. Vichy France had more principles than this Senate. And without an occupying army to threaten them. I am finished with making fun of the French, when our Republican leaders make them look courageous.

The details about the Senate resolution from Bloomberg.

The Anchoress had this to say:

I am no fan of the GOP Senate. I think they are to a one useless, meandering, and too concerned with their own re-elections, and I will not cut them some slack as I was admonished to do yesterday, because they have not earned my slack, they have earned my suspicion, my lack-of-faith, my raised eyebrow and my curled lip.

Andy at Residual Forces said,

Now is the time for those of us who still believe in America and Freedom to stand up to those who care not for such things, when their own self interests are at risk. We need to remind them that America has an old promise to fulfill. Not one made by the faint at heart. A promise for the ages. A promise made to those who could not stand up for themselves. One that should never be forgotten, or turned on. Those of us who still have faith in the dream and hope of freedom for all, must make sure that America will follow through on an old promise made by a President a long time ago.

Hugh has the phone numbers for Frist, Warner and McConnell and some comments from the left, gleeful about the retreat.

Let them know if you are displeased and cut off the money.

You gotta love the French

Parisian demonstrators plead to stop the violence.

It's a small, decorous demonstration, only about 200 people. But they do have the French trademark.

White flags.

College Life

What problems do you think today's college students face?
Biased instsructors?
Outrageous costs?
Limited jobs after graduation?

Nope.

Pomona College is in dire need of a gender-neutral restroom in the Smith Campus Center. As the situation currently stands, the campus center only has gender-specific facilities, creating an uncomfortable, exclusive and unsafe environment for students at the Claremont Colleges who do not choose to conform to heteronormative identities.

Silly me. I thought that Pomona was one of the few remaining colleges where it might be worth $40k/year to send your kid.

SCOTUS Bowl

Since this is the week of the Harvard-Yale football game, it seems like a good time to review the score of the SCOTUS bowl. Right now, there is a strong Harvard advantage.

Harvard 5

Yale 1

But with the ball in motion, expect the advantage to decline in January when Alito takes the field.

BTW Harvard, Yale and Princeton are tied for second place so this weekend should break things loose. Brown (Brown?) is number one.

Kleptocracy

Are we there yet? California pushes the frontier.

Kleptocracy (sometimes Cleptocracy) (root: Klepto+cracy = rule by thieves) is a pejorative, informal term for a government so corrupt that no pretense of honesty remains. In a kleptocracy the mechanisms of government are almost entirely devoted to taxing the public at large in order to amass substantial personal fortunes for the rulers and their cronies (collectively, kleptocrats), or to keep said rulers in power. Kleptocrats typically use money laundering and/or anonymous banking to protect and conceal their illegal gains.

Sounds like California to me.

Enriched Uranium in Iraq?

Stephen asks if you heard about this from MSM.
According to the BBC, 1.7 metric tons of enriched uranium were removed.

The J. Patrick Buchanan Memorial Library

We have all experienced the lemminglike waves of 'gloom and doom' books over the years and yet we are still here and coping.

Imagine if you will, a library that is stocked with books that relate to one thing, the Cassandra like predictions from the past that have failed to come true.

Varifrank tells what we would find there.

Porker of the Month

A new award from Citizens Against Government Waste.
The winner this month is John Spratt.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today named Rep. John Spratt (D-S.C.) Porker of the Month for working to thwart a budget reconciliation package that could save taxpayers $53.9 billion over five years. As ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee, Rep. Spratt preaches fiscal restraint yet refuses to offer savings proposals and even held a mock hearing to misconstrue miniscule spending reductions as deep cuts. The House is scheduled to vote today on the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (H.R. 4241).

Rampaging Rinos

'Moderate' Republicans killed the provision to allow oil drilling in the Arctic. In the name of the Republican Main Street Partnership, spokesman Charles Bass of New Hampshire, said they did it not because it was a bad thing to do but because it would jeopardize the Republican majority.

These fools, who were elected to make decisions for us citizens, would preserve the majority by letting the minority prevail. If you want a list of the fools -and there are some surprises there (Chairman of the Powerful House Rules Committee). Here is the list. Courtesy of Michelle Malkin.

Lucy, Hold that football up one more time. I want to give the Republicans more money.

Conservatives Abandoned Arnold

and California's future.


The evidence? Look at the voting from California's conservative counties.

Polipundit says,

Conservative/Republican turnout utterly was abysmal.

Gang of Fourteen Looses Another

From Carol Platt Liebau, news that Susan Collins regards a filibuster of Alito unlikely.

Go Back Machine

California voters - afraid to go forward, yesterday bought into the Democrat/Union vision of the future - the go back machine.

Why do we do it?

WunderKraut muses on a question without an answer. Why do bloggers blog?

Hang Tough on NRSC

Good old Will digs up useful information and posts it for us. Today, he notes how Republican Organizations are out performing Democrats in fundraising.

Except for the National Republican Senate Committee. These are the guys who fund attacks on conservative challengers to wimpy RINO senators like Lincoln Chafee.

If Elizabeth calls, don't respond.

Lemons – The Republican Fruit

There was a Peter, Paul and Mary song back when I was in college titled ‘The Lovely Lemon Tree’. The chorus as I remember went:

Lemon tree very pretty
And the lemon flower is sweet
But the fruit of the poor lemon
Is impossible to eat.

I am humming this song as I think about yesterday’s election in California. All that occurs to me as I read conservative posts about the election is that we have a mess of lemons in California and I am sick of making lemonade every time Republicans eat their own.

There is no good news here folks.

California Republicans would much rather be right than win.

Right isn’t even on the map for California Democrats but they have win down pat.

As a result we left Arnold to deal with the union thugs and complained that he is too liberal. Arnold has given us the only wins we have seen in decades but he, and his propositions, are not conservative enough. Arnold vetoes legislation – something Bush is unwilling to do- and has saved us from illegals with driver’s licenses, gay marriage and tax increases …..up to now.

We sent him out to slay the dragon but were not there to back him up. Now he will have to negotiate with thugs, bullies and liars and I can't wait to hear the self-annointed Republican leaders complain and criticize whatever he gets.

I am fed up with Republicans who - once they have their own- will let the rest of us go to hell.

The shoe fits, Doolittle, but its not very becoming.

Not Just Paris is Burning

Everybody has an opinion.

From Oxblog an observation from France.

Action from De Villepin.

A Poll from Daily Kos. Is it (the riots) Bush's fault?
Iranian Journalists call for probe into the unrest in France.

Jeff Jocoby has some thoughts for Prince Charles.

And finally terrorist fries.

A Prayer for Our Time

The Kansas Senate asked Minister Joe Wright to provide the opening prayer for the new session. They got more than they bargained for.

Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance.

We know Your Word says, "Woe on those who call evil good," but that's exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual Equilibrium and reversed our values.

We confess that:

PalosVerdesBlog has the rest.

The Bee Says 'NO'

Reading the Bee today, I find an interesting juxtaposition on the editorial page of the Sacramento Bee. In an editorial titled 'Hey, big spenders', the Bee chides our Senators for voting no on a bi-partisan bill to reduce farm subsidies and then recommends No on propositions 73 through 80. Leave the other propositions alone for the moment and consider Prop 78 - the baudget control proposition. In light of the impossibility of controlling the California budget under current mandates, the Bee will have nothing to do with reforming the process but will criticize our senators for continuing farm subsidies at their current inflated level. Talk about a double standard.

Conservative Elites Don't Just Triumph..

They gloat!
Read the observations of HedgeHog about how full of themselves are Peggy Noonan and Tony Blankly about the Miers withdrawal. Only they speak for the conservative movement. No matter what Gallup thinks.

French Rioting

There are optomists and pessimists blogging about the French riots while MSM is largely silent. Optomists think that Europe may be coming to its senses about the crisis created from isolated muslim communities which have no use for the native culture and economy of their countries of birth.
The usually funny Scott Ott calls amusing what the French have already done.
Cicero hopes that the French riots and similar events in Belgium and Denmark signal that the era of appeasement is over.
ShrinkWrapped comments on the French assertions that the riots were part of an organized effort and signal the failure of the French foreign policy.

Me? I'm an optomist. I don't believe even the French will roll over and let their precious culture be trashed.

Verbigeration

ver·big·er·a·tion Audio pronunciation of "verbigeration" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (vr-bj-rshn)
n.

Obsessive repetition of meaningless words and phrases, especially as a symptom of mental illness.

ShrinkWrapped observes that Democrats like Schumer seem unable to avoid it.

Some Things Even the LAT Gets Right

This cartoon from the LAT captures the moment. HT Prestopundit

Certified Classy

Will Franklin has a weekly Carnival of Classiness highlighing classic posts from around the balogosphere. At number 6 we find Lincoln Chafee as observed by AnkleBitingPundits.

Lost in all the euphoria (at least on the conservative side of the aisle) of the Alito nomination was news that a bill to streamline the permit process for the building of new refineries, increasing refinery capacity and simplified "boutique fuel" requirement was killed in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. And who do we have to thank for the inevitable continuation of the high heating bills that will result?

None other than Lincoln Chafee
He has an opponent in the primary election coming up. The RNSC is spending money to defeat him. Be certain not to give the RNSC any money.

New Polling on the Reform Propositions

OC Blog has the latest poling on the reform propositions. Not the Field Poll but the Stanford University/Hoover Institution/Knowledge Networks Internet poll.

The findings:

-- Prop 74 leads, 54-47

-- Prop 75 is comfortably ahead, 64-36

-- Prop 76 trails, 45-55

-- Prop 77 leads, 55-45

Support is strengthening for three of them.

And some questions about the Field poll here.

Proposition 73

Using Technorati I picked up some blog posts about prop 73

BackupBrain seems most concerned that parental control of minor children could endanger a woman's right to choose.

Greengabbro says letting parents know that their daughter is having an abortion is hideously bad policy.

115.org explains why. It defines a fetus as an unborn child. Clearly a hideous policy.

Highwayscribery says that Beverly Hills activists at a recent ballot party felt,

.......... which only served to point up the shoddy drafting of a conservative measure most present were convinced was designed to discourage doctors and health clinics from performing such procedures.

Theocracy not being much in favor among those gathered, the “straw vote” on this particular item was 15 against and 2 in favor

.

For the record I am voting for.

Gang of Fourteen Breaking Down

Senator DeWine had this to say about filibusters on Hugh Hewitt's show today.

Oh, I absolutely do. I mean, this is not under what our definition of extraordinary circumstances is. This is a nomination that's clearly within the mainstream of conservative judges. This is someone who has a long, distinguished record, someone who I would classify as kind of a classic conservative justice, who believes you should decide each case one at a time, you should not be a judicial activist, you should not be intrusive, that a judge should kind of sit back, wait for that case to come, and then make a decision on the case, but not be really a legislator. And really, that's what this judge's record would, at least seem to me, to show.

RadioBlogger has the transcript.
With Senator Graham on record as well, Democrat ability to filibuster is fading fast.

Charmaine agrees.

Oil Shale to the Rescue

Michael Fumento says even though oil cost 50% more in 1989 than today, we are starting to see increased production of oil from oil shale. Current estimates suggest that known deposits will last 500 years at current activity. More at TCS.

Talk about a windfall.

With all the talk about oil company profits, maybe its time to see who else profits.
TaxProf Blog has the answer.

With BP, Exxon-Mobil, and Shell reporting record profits, the Tax Foundation reminds us in its latest Fiscal Fact that the biggest beneficiaries of gasoline sales are federal and state governments, not the oil industry.

HT Instapundit.

McMartin Preschool Revelations

Betsy's Page highlights a LAT article from one of the grown children supposedly molested in the famous trial from the 80's. I remember the case because we had lived in Manhattan Beach before moving to a bigger house after our son was born. Our kids were in preschool (not McMartin) at the time. We could not imagine from visiting our preschool how any of the activities claimed could have happened in secret given the overlapping activites of the various age groups and employees.
Reading about one grown child's experience and manipulation during the trial is sickening. It will never be possible to restore the dignity, property and loss of freedom to the McMartin family.

What Housing Bubble?

Wired magazine (no online link to this article) for November looks at 55 years of housing information and says,

Sure, buying a two-bedroom house in a city like Boston can cost you a million clams. But concerns that the US housing market is too hot - and the bubble is ready to burst- are what's really inflated. While average home prices have more than doubled since 1950, so have average home sizes. In today's dollars, that means Americans are paying less per square foot now than they did then. Plus, thanks to better financing options and smaller family sizes, a year's salary buys way more house than it used to, and everyon inside it gets more space. That McMansion you.ve been eyeing isn't so overprices after all.

In 55 years:
Housing prices are up 133%
Square footage is up 137%
Household income is up 113%
Heating costs are down 23%

And what energy crisis?

My Last Post on Miers

My take on the Conservative Borking of Ms. Miers is this.
I thought there was a conservative team that was fighting upstream for 25 years to turn this country around. I thought we were making good progress but have a long way to go and that we are a long way from governing from strength and conviction since we don't have a conservative majority in the Senate despite having a small Republican majority. I thought our President was a proven master at moving his agenda forward and that he deserved our support with the Miers nomination and the basis of his record on judicial appointments.

Well I know now that I was wrong. There is a team but I am not on it. I am a mere dolt with not enough wisdom or judgment to know how dumb the President is. My judgement (and incidentally, the President's) is worth nothing to what AJSTRATA calls the pureblood conservatives.

Fine. I know better now. It's just like getting picked for a team on the school playground. I'm not good enough.

Well, it works both ways. I thought there was some value in having the 'purebloods' on my team. I thought they were good sources of information and informed judgement about things political

Now I know that they are not. I don't need to listen to them or buy their publications and I certainly know that, not breathing the rarefied air at the higher levels where they operate their insights and judgements are worthless to me.

World Record in LA

Saturday, the Petersen Automotive Museum will sponsor over 100 hearses in a parade around the museum on Wilshire Boulevard.

There will be Wintons and Packards, Pontiacs and Cadillacs, Buicks and Oldsmobiles, not only in black, gray and white, but in red, blue and even pink. While many of the cars are from the '60s and '70s, some of the cars date as far back as 1916.It isn't just the blanked-out rear windows and curtains but the craftsmanship that distinguishes a funeral car from an average, everyday station wagon. The small, if steady, demand for hearses makes their mass production inefficient, so the coaches are always assembled and finished by hand.

Just one more reason for a weekend in LA.

Wake Up America

The noted pundit Frank J says it is time.

Every so often in our nation's history we adopt a policy of strict isolationism due to our fear and ignorance.

It is once again time for such fear and ignorance

My opinion is only worth $15 per month but I say, Read on.

I'm keeping my day job.

My blog is worth $5,080.86.
How much is your blog worth?

I am not sure how this value is calculated but I might be looking at $15.00 per month gross assuming that there is someone that recognizes this much value in my blog and has the money to prove it.

I support the President and Harriet Miers

George Bush is not my prefect president. He is, however, a better man than this nation deserves. One area where he has stood firm is with his judicial appointments. Without firm support from a limp wristed Senate, he has managed to get some outstanding new judges on the federal bench and a home run new Chief Justice. Now he has nominated Harriet Miers for a position on the Supreme Court and both he and his nominee get crucified, not by the ACLU or liberal Democrats but by Republican politicians and conservative pundits.
I am fed up with this backbiting by people who want to be thought important and don't care about the impact of what they are doing.
I would not have a clue about selecting a Supreme Court Justice. Thankfully, I do not have to because we have a President who has demonstrated that he does have a clue.
I want everybody to shut up and let the Senate hearings proceed.
Lowell at HedgeHog Blog is a lawyer and has some good observations about the critics of this nominee. Like this..

Wow. If you support the president on the Miers nomination you're blind; if you oppose him, you're still loyal to the president, but you can see - better than the president himself can. The anti-Miers people are the ones truly loyal to GWB. They're just trying to save him from himself.

Read the rest.

Given today's news that Ms. Miers has withdrawn, I thank her for being a good soldier and wish her well.

Looking for an honest politician?

Maybe General Zod is your man.

When I first came to your planet and demanded your homes, property and very lives, I didn't know you were already doing so, willingly, with your own government. I can win no tribute from a bankrupted nation populated by feeble flag-waving plebians. In 2008 I shall restore your dignity and make you servants worthy of my rule. This new government shall become a tool of my oppression. Instead of hidden agendas and waffling policies, I offer you direct candor and brutal certainty. I only ask for your tribute, your lives, and your vote.

Zod's Campaign Platform
* I do not take orders. I give them. Congress shall no longer have the ability to impeach me or override my decisions, and the Supreme Court shall not meddle in government affairs.
* Your freedom will be expanded. You will be even more free to give your money and lives to me, and to be my eternal subjects.

More here.

Halloween in LA

Halloween and Day of the Dead celebrations will be provided at 'Not a Cornfield', a 32 acre plot of reclaimed industrial land near downtown LA which is destined to become an historical park later on. Agriculture is pretty remote for most southern Californians and corn represents many things to all American cultures.

Muslim Pledge

BIAE - The Bureau of Islamic and Arabic Education is a website offering help with Islamic education for American muslims. This is their pledge.

Porkbusters Progess

Congressional support for Porkbusters is beginning to firm. Here are some responses reported to TTLB. Pelosi is for $70 million. No other Californian is on record.

Regulated Tyranny

Several northern California communities are attempted to escape the regulatory hell that produces sky-high prices and impersonal service from the state's Investor-owned utilities. Sacramento News & Review has discovered the utility's playbook and tell us what to expect as the process continues. Follow the money.

The Vote is Being Counted

Another big day for Iraq. Voting on the new constitution is over. Terrorists attacked the power grid in Baghdad but the vote continued. Itaq the Model has observation,voting statistics and some pictures.
More links and comments from Shrinkwrapped.

Sometimes Only a Texan

Can tell it like it needs to be told.

The Fat Guy says. 'Kill Me Soon'.

But Californians aren't far behind.
From Laer, "Shut up and let the woman speak!"

Apoplectic no longer.

I have been driven nearly mad by the discordant rants from conservatives asserting the disaster to come from Harriet Miers becoming a Supreme. Why are so many of the conservative elite so strident in their condemnation of Mier’s qualifications and the Presidents judgment? Surely they understand the damage to the President and his ability to implement his programs. Surely they will accept his nomination.
But no, they continue and become ever more shrill.

First, I denounced them all. A pox on all their houses. Who needs them? Get lost! Shove off! Where were you when Ginsberg was nominated?

But, then the light bulb lit,………….
Karl Rove.

I thought he was so occupied with the Plame affair that his talons were sheathed. ….

But maybe that is what we are supposed to think.

What better cover could there be? Surely only Rove could have coordinated such a masterful rebellion against the President involving nearly the whole panoply of conservative talking heads viciously attacking the President’s choice and dividing the GOP. No wonder the White House doesn’t defend the nomination.

What genius! What brilliance! What teamwork!

When conservatives attack the Miers nomination, the poor Democrats have no choice. They must support.

Cozy Tea Drinking out in Holland

Rita Verdank, the Integration Minister for the Netherlands, is ready for tough action against religious garb for muslims on the grounds of public safety. HT LGF

Another Perspective on the Supreme Court

Frank thinks that we are making the SCOTUS nomination too difficult. Heck, the constitution is only four pages.

And How About Those Bruins

UCLA continues undefeated this season with a 47-40 win over Cal. Here is the recap. And some music to enjoy while reading.

Brain Dead Legislature

One of the reasons I read the Bee - selectively - is Dan Walters. True, you can read him in other papers, like the Daily Breeze but unfortunately, El Dorado Hills is outside the delivery area for the Breeze. Today, he decks the California Legislature which he describes as brain-dead for at least four years.
My opinion is that they are not so much brain-dead as out-of-control with their focus only on enlarging the public sector control of our lives and enabling all of the special interest groups in the process.
But not to quibble with Dan's point which is that Prop 77 will bring back a measure of accountability to the legislature which has been eliminated by the safe districts developed by both political parties when they last redistricted California.
Read his opinion piece and then vote yes on 77.

GOP Rank and File Support Miers

While the Conservative Elites rant,
the rank and file support Miers. HT Hugh.

Thomas Sowell on SCOTUS

If you don't like the Miers nomination, don't blame the President...

Blame the Senate.

And Still More Chillin'

Savage Republican can't hold his tongue any longer.
And Just a Woman is fed up with Feminist hypocracy.

And Now a Fitting Tribute to George Will

George Will has recently weighed in with his opinion on the Miers nomination for Supreme Court Justice. Instapun***K caught this image of the sage in the moment.

Heh from Glenn

As all aspiring bloggers know, a HEH from Glenn means check it out.

Sky Car - Better than a Bentley?

I had a chance to hear the Sky Car inventor a few weeks back. The former UC Davis professor has spent 20 years developing the concept of a vertical takeoff and landing craft to bypass the outdated and overcrowded highway system.

I want one.

More Chillin'

And more intelligent posts on the Miers nomination.

From Suebob we get a Texas perspective and
from Shrinkwrapped, the cool analysis of an expert in human behavior.
and go to Patrick Ruffini if you want to join the coalition. No forgiveness for the gang of 14 is part of this coalition just a willingness to let Bush be Bush.

If you're willin' to be chillin'

If you are fed up with conservative snivelers and are mature enough to let Bush be Bush, then here are some posts you need to read:

Moosemuss from Major Mike

Bangladore Torpedo Parts 1 and 2 from Mr. Atos

Chillin' on Miers

Living in California for 30 years and watching the state party self-destruct over that time, I am familiar with the rejection of the better in the elusive quest for the best. When I hear the Republican elites snivel and whine about Harriet Miers failing to meet their expectations, it makes me sick.

She didn't go to Harvard. She didn't clerk with the Supremes. She actually worked in the private sector. She might be a Souter. Heck, She might be a space alien too.

Stephen Bainbridge, the wine snob, was on the radio this afternoon attempting to explain why he could't support her and he sounded like a spoiled teenager who just got the car keys taken away, not a distinguished legal mind.

Well, I am not a distinguished legal mind but I sure am fed up with the decisions changing my world made by the elitist justices on the court now and I don't care a whit for the opinions of the politicians and reporters who want to be go to guys for the President but arn't.

If they can't appreciate the majority position that this President has given them and let him do the job we elected him to do, the least they can do is shut up and accept that the choice was not theirs but his. I didn't vote for any of them.

She may be the best nominee we could want. She may not. But we elected Bush to make these decisions not those whiners. The Democrats will attempt to create enough problems for this nomination. They don't need help. Republicans shut up!

PC hits hardest in the pocketbook.

Aside from the social problems which political correctness ignores, there are real costs that affect everyone where it hurts most - the pocketbook. The continued quest for perfection with no regard for the costs of achieving perfection have contributed to the high costs for energy now emerging. ShrinkWrapped explains.

Just what NASA needs!

NASA has been a disgrace since it abandoned space exploration for the ride to nowhere program of the space shuttle and the nowhere itself of the international space station. While we extracate ourselves from the current money pit, here is a great idea from Ken, a NASA garage sale.

Another Katrina Danger

Armed and dangerous dolphins claimed missing by 'respected sources'. These dolphins may target divers in wetsuits, mistaking them for terrorists. More here.

Hoo Rah for KTKZ

I knew about the FM connection for KTKZ but just never got around to trying it. Imagine my amazement coming back from the coast on Thursday and searching for some music hearing Hugh Hewitt. We hadn't even reached Yuba City. I wasn't quite ready for catching up with politics after four mindless days but listened anyway.
I am guessing that the FM source is north of Sacramento because reception in El Dorado Hills is not much better for FM than AM. I wonder how far south the FM station reaches.

Ocean Getaway

Back to the coast for a few days of R&R. Checking out the Mendocino coast from Gualala up to Westport. No hurricanes. No politics. No MSM No weather porn.