The signature wounds of the “War on Terror” are ones not readily visible to the human eye; the disability resides in the mind and body of the soldier and the complexity that is the human brain. Many times these wounds of warfare do not rear their ugly heads immediately, but can manifest when warriors return to their lives in America. …
Competition Initiative Endorsements: Taxpayers Savings and Pension Reform
We’re pleased to announce two key endorsements for the San Diego Competition Ballot Measure. We will be announcing a new set of endorsements each week over the summer… -Carl Groups Cite Taxpayer Savings and Pension Reform in Endorsing Competition Ballot Measure Measure Wins Endorsement of 2 Statewide Taxpayer Groups SAN DIEGO – The campaign to pass the San Diego “Competition …
A city of 90,000 — with TWO city employees. It works!
Carl DeMaio’s San Diego managed competition proposal is a tad short of my ideal model – but a quantum leap forward from our present predicament. I enthusiastically support his efforts. Yet it does raise the question – what WOULD be my ideal model, given the constraints of the real world we live in. My proposed model is indeed not a …
Honest pension liability accounting will bring needed change
Posted on my blog: RiderBlog.NotLong.com It appears that reality finally is coming to the arcane field of government pension accounting. So why should you care? Consider the following. If (as the Dan Walters article below suggests) we start getting really serious about fully accounting for the unfunded liability of government pensions, bankruptcy can’t be far behind for many local jurisdictions. …
Summer Reading List — The 3 Best-Ever American Novels about Elections — “The Ninth Wave”, “Last Hurrah”, “All the King’s Men”
Here are the three best American novels ever written about politics and elections. Each is first and foremost a Work of Art, but they are also entertaining and brilliant, making for good Summer Reading. Here they are: “All the King’s Men” by Robert Penn Warren. Pulitizer Prize winner, and Academy Award for Best Picture when Hollywood did its version. “The Ninth Wave” by Eugene Burdick. …
Breitfelder Resignation Announcement
Following up on my post of Thursday about Chula Vista City Council candidate Larry Breitfelder’s surprising resignation as an Otay Water District trustee, he sent me this press release… For Immediate Release: Thursday, June 17, 2010 Breitfelder to Resign from Water Board Today Larry Breitfelder, winner of the Chula Vista City Council primary, will resign today from the Otay Water …
No on Crash Tax in Chula Vista
Guest Commentary by Ed Herrera As municipal government and public agency budgets continue to feel the ripple effect of the nation-wide recession, we have begun to observe one of either or a combination of reforms, budget cuts, and increased scrutiny of wasteful spending, followed immediately by an action plan, or a simple refusal to make reforms and/or adopt aggressive economic …
Iran’s ability to strike Europe prompts White House to update Missile defense
Iran’s ability to launch several hundred missiles into Europe prompted the White House to begin overhauling the U.S. missile defense program. In a U.S. intelligence briefing, Defense Secretary Robert Gates informed cabinet and congressional members that Iran was getting very close to procuring 100s of missiles capable of striking most European nations. The United States will begin work on the …
Marti Emerald: Biting Her Own Tongue
Before today I heard very little about a serious decision to recall Marti Emerald. Today, I’ve had the conversation a dozen times. There is a movement afoot. I don’t know if this movement will succeed or fail, but it is afoot. What I think is that Marti is rather foolish for bringing it up the way she did — it …
Emerald Melt Down On KPBS
It’s no secret that community leaders in the 7th Council District have been seriously discussing a recall of Councilwoman Marti Emerald. Recently, though, more serious ‘downtown’ types have also been overheard having similar discussions. A poll taken several months ago showed pretty conclusively that a funded recall would succeed. Apparently the buzzing is getting to Emerald, never known for stability. …
Obama’s handling of the oil spill sinks his popularity
Back in February a billboard was placed along side a freeway in Minnesota displaying a picture of former President George W. Bush stating; “Do you miss me yet?” The billboard created an instant internet buzz something President Obama could use right about now. It’s no secret that Obama’s poll numbers are sliding south to 40 percent and his continued inaction …
Larry Breitfelder, leading vote-getter for open Chula Vista seat, resigning as Otay Water District trustee
When was the last time a candidate for office voluntarily gave up an existing elected title in the middle of a campaign? It’s happening in the Chula Vista City Council election. What’s more, it’s happening in a contested race, in a key business-labor battleground city, as the leading vote-getter in the June 8 primary is now seemingly dismissing the very …
Equality Is Not Enough For Them
A while ago, I wrote in one of my blogs that groups once persecuted who come into power are never satisfied with mere equality. Feminists, for instance, began with the proper assertion that women were equal to men, but today radical feminists insist they are superior to men. In that vein, I predicted the day would come when militant gay …
The costs of the ‘War on Terror’ escalate with each deployment
As the nine-year “War on Terror” rages onward, high suicide rates, multiple deployments and lack of psychological treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) alarms military personnel and many point to the real cost of the Middle East offensive will be health care after the war has ended. This disparity will likely exact a large toll on the nation’s military …
UC-Irvine MSA Suspended: A Milestone in the Battle Against Islamo-fascism
Read my NewsReal Blog debut piece here! UC-Irvine MSA Suspended: A Milestone in the Battle Against Islamo-fascism After a year filled with anti-Israel sentiments at University of California campuses, society can find solace in UC-Irvine’s decision to punish its Muslim Student Union. On June 14, 2010, an AP piece revealed that the infamous UCI “11,” MSU hecklers that disrupted Israeli …
Slater-Price’s Ticketgate Scandal = Need for a Gift Ban
The Smiling Spotlight keeps Smiling because people send us such enlightening emails! Thank you, and keep ’em coming. By Steve Danon San Diego Union-Tribune investigative reporter Jeff McDonald has just been nominated for a “Golden Watchdog” award by the San Diego County Taxpayers Association for breaking the story how San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Pam Slater-Price has funneled millions …
Arizona warns residents not to hike near Mexico border
The drug cartel violence coupled with increased crime along the Arizona/Mexico border has prompted Arizona officials to place signs along a heavily-traveled and known smuggling route leading from Mexico to the state’s capitol of Phoenix. Signs went up a couple weeks ago along the southern side of I-8 between Casa Grande and Gila Bend Arizona. The region is about 80 …
Hamartia
This week could be the beginning of the end for Councilwoman Marti Emerald. Today Councilman Carl DeMaio, joined by a coalition of businesses, community groups, and taxpayers, delivered over 135,000 signatures to the City Clerk to place an initiative on the November ballot that mandates voter approved managed competition and ensures it is implemented by the City Council. The labor …
Your Flag Day Update: New vote totals in Oceanside, Chula Vista, San Diego City Schools and Poway
The Registrar has counted 2/3 of the votes left as of last Friday, leaving just 40,000 to tabulate county- wide. Today’s developments: CHULA VISTA Jill Galvez (6151) still leads Patricia Aguilar (6102) for the 2nd runoff spot in Chula Vista, seat 2. Larry Breitfelder (10156) awaits the runoff. OCEANSIDE Lloyd Prosser (9344) remains just behind Chuck Lowery (9412) in Oceanside. …
Mainstream Media Is Dead! Long Live The New Media
From Pajamas Media June 13, 2010 regarding PBS pundit Travis Smiley’s interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali. “Recently, Smiley’s guest was none other than Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the internationally renowned social critic and author of Infidel. She was on the show to promote her new book, Nomad. If you are unfamiliar with this woman’s amazing and courageous story, Hirsi Ali fled …
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