Gov. Schwarzenegger issued the following statement regarding today’s events in the Middle East [the part of the quote in italicized red really wasn’t said by the Governor, but I added it to say what I think the Governor could have added]: "As violence and terrorism once again erupts in the Middle East, we pray for the safety of all the people in the region. I urge all Californians to join with me in disavowing terrorism wherever it lives and rejecting any expressions of hate. No one benefits from violence whether they are Israeli, Palestinian or Lebanese." After the senseless attack on Israel and her people by the Hezbollah, not only do I not blame Israel for their attack on neighboring Lebanon, who shelter these terrorists, but I commend their strong action. There is only one way to deal with terrorism — and that is with force, and a resolve to never give in to their demands, which in this case, are for the end to a Jewish home state.

Israel is fighting for its very existence and for the lives of its citizens who live in constant fear for their lives at all… Read More

I’m sure Mr. Joe Justin won’t mind me borrowing the song title ideafor this post entry especially as a follow up to his Take Me To The River earlier…[who can name the artists of both songs without Googling the answer? a bag ofButteCountyrice in it for the first correct guess…maybe even some Sutter County peaches if you’re ‘in the building’]

I spent part of Tuesday afternoon with Governor Schwarzeneggar,DWR, Army Corps and others out on the Yolo County levee here in the 2nd Assembly District, near Knights Landing, cited in the Justin post and Bee article, viewing the rockplacement work being done there. It is a refreshing example of getting the work done now and worrying about a lot of obstructions later. The 29 most critical sights of erosion on levees are the focus of decisive action takenby the Governor,declaring a state of emergency on them. If you could have seen thebirds-eye-view of the mass volume of water up against this leveeand all over the SacramentoValley just a few months ago, from thehelicopters that a few of us legislatorstoured in, atthe Governor’s invitation, along with… Read More

State Sen. Abel Maldanado is apologizing for his publicremarksabout the Governor. Below is the short press statement. Can’t wait to see what is said tomorrow. Heads are spinning pretty fast, but that may be better than heads rolling.

RELEASE FROM ABEL MALDONADO’S OFFICE

Statement from Senator Abel Maldonado regarding his comments in July 12, 2006, Los Angeles Times: “I apologize to Governor Schwarzenegger for my public comments to the Los Angeles Times. The Governor and I have worked together for the past three years on important issues beneficial to California’s Latinos. I will continue to support the Governor in his efforts to strengthen… Read More

Metropolitan News-Enterprise is a LA paper that covers various legal issue in La and distibuted in la Courthouses. If you ever get a ticket and are waiting around for the judge you will end up reading this paper, but I digress.

Today at Metnewsis story about a guy suing the Ninth Circuit Court for being part of a conspiracy against him. Of course he lost. Poor guy didn’t have a chance—-if you know what I mean.

The story is pasted below.

Thursday, July 13, 2006 Page 3

Man Unsuccessfully Sues Entire Ninth Circuit Bench for Conspiracy

By TINA BAY, Staff Writer

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday affirmed the dismissal of a Nevada man’s lawsuit accusing all of the Ninth Circuit judges of criminal conspiracy.

Tevis R. Ignacio failed to establish subject matter jurisdiction, the panel ruled.… Read More

It always continues to amaze me that big businesses like PG&E, Gap and Clorox continue to have their corporate headquarters in San Francisco or Oakland. Both cities are governed by people who take businesses and the jobs they create for granted.

The other day the San Francisco Chronicle printed an excellent op-ed by Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council, that pointed out the many ways San Francisco city government is pushing businesses out of the city. According to a Colliers International report Wunderman cited, businesses in San Francisco pays 100 times it would in Walnut Creek, 10 mores than in San Mateo and double the amount in Oakland. Further, since 1990, 54 of the Bay Area’s top 200 businesses have left the city, with only 37 remaining.

What’s San Francisco’s the latest assault on jobs? Universal… Read More

OK, I have had about all that I can stomach of this post-primary Abel Maldonado ‘flame out’ on Arnold Schwarzenegger. While it is true that Senator Maldonado was an ally to the Governor — both in supporting his candidacies and in authoring the Governor’s controversial mandate on businesses, requiring them to pay a higher wage to employees — it is also true that the Governor was certainly very helpful to Maldonado in return. Maldonado wrapped himself in the Governor’s image, and happily sucked up to a lot of the Governor’s big donor friends. If the Governor had formally endorsed Maldonado in his contested GOP primary against former Assemblyman Tony Strickland, I don’t think it would have brought anything more to the table for Maldonado.

But you have to ask yourself, is it really that unexpected for an incumbent Republican Governor who is seeking re-election to not endorse one candidate over another in a contested Republican primary for statewide office? After… Read More

George Skelton writes today about Joe Klein’s new book, taking the common approach reporters love to take: bashing political consultants. Like reporters don’t play a role in shaping modern day campaigns.

Klein’s book is called "Politics Lost — How American Democracy Was Trivialized by People Who Think You’re Stupid." Klein and Skelton see the "People" in that title as political consultants; I’m sure the political consultants would say that "people" could easily be switched out with the word "reporters."

Klein writes: "I am fed up with the insulting welter of sterilized speechifying, insipid photo ops, and idiotic advertising that passes for public discourse these days. I believe that… Read More

OK, I have had about all that I can stomach of this post-primary Abel Maldonado ‘flame out’ on Arnold Schwarzenegger. While it is true that Senator Maldonado was an ally to the Governor — both in supporting his candidacies and in authoring the Governor’s controversial mandate on businesses, requiring them to pay a higher wage to employees — it is also true that the Governor was certainly very helpful to Maldonado in return. Maldonado wrapped himself in the Governor’s image, and happily sucked up to a lot of the Governor’s big donor friends. If the Governor had formally endorsed Maldonado in his contested GOP primary against former Assemblyman Tony Strickland, I don’t think it would have brought anything more to the table for Maldonado.

But you have to ask yourself, is it really that unexpected for an incumbent Republican Governor who is seeking re-election to not endorse one candidate over another in a contested Republican primary for statewide office? After… Read More