DeMaio Gearing Up… Carl DeMaio, head of the Performance Institute, advocate for reforms at San Diego City Hall, and thorn in the head of the SD City Council, has privately made it known he is running for a council seat (no surprise there), although a formal announcement will not be made until June (those pesky SD Ethics Commission rules). The word is he’s been meeting with steering and finance folks. Based on the constant media attention he garners for pushing reforms in the City of SD, I can’t possibly see any scenario other than DeMaio being in the contender category.
Tommy Thompson Hinting at a Pres. Run?… When HHS Secretary and former WI Governor Tommy Thompson spoke in SD Thursday, SDUT columnist Diane Bell has him answering a "broken health care system" question with, "It’s likely that I’ll be a candidate for the presidency of the United States, so I can take my ideas and get them implemented." Later, when talking with someone about how cold it’s been in Iowa the past six weekends — his firsthand knowledge — he said, "I would have to be either running for president or crazy…or both.”
Anderson Getting Notice on Iran Divestment Bill… Freshman Assemblyman Joel Anderson’s AB 221 (see prior posts) got some time in Capitol Weekly this past week, as well as some radio time on both the Roger Hedgecock and Rick Roberts shows. As for those questioning the State’s place in such an effort, Joel has this to say:
"I’m not trying to create our own state department," Anderson said, adding he was focusing on a country already identified by the U.S. State Department as being a state sponsor of terrorism. "This was there and I couldn’t just ignore it … we have a fiduciary duty here. How do I look a firefighter in the eye and say, ‘I just lost 20 percent of your pension to a Hezbollah rocket?’"
Jon, is the FlashReport ADA Accessible?… San Diego Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) warns us all of the next round of ADA lawsuits:
Is Your Website A Lawsuit Waiting To Happen?…If your business uses a website, you should know about a recent Federal court ruling which could open the door to a new breed of ADA/access lawsuits. Recently, a U.S. District Judge in Northern California allowed a lawsuit to proceed against Target Stores which claimed that their website was not adequately accessible to visually impaired users. This development is particularly important to businesses which use "internet only" promotions — because if something is offered only on a website, it is doubly important that those with visual impairments be able to access it.
If you’re worried, CALA is holding a seminar on the subject in late March. So as not to violate the quasi-rule on these pages about the FR become an event-promotions page, contact me if you want more info.
It’s Only Rock n’ Roll, but I like it… The other day I asked readers where I got the title of the post, A kinder, gentler machine gun. Some took a stab and said it was from a George H.W. Bush speech. Well…yes, but that was something about a kinder, gentler nation, I believe. The lyric "We got a kinder, gentler, machine gun hand" is from Neil Young’s 1989 "Rockin’ In The Free World," in which the artist (and I mean artist) seemingly takes shots at both the first Bush and those who consider the USA as Satan. One respondent indicated part of the song is in reference to the increasingly gov’t nanny state. Whether it’s a liberal or conservative song, I don’t know, but I do know that without liberal artists (or at least anti-establishment ones), there might not be a heck of a lot of good rock music. The question becomes whether the usually not-understood-anyway lyrics really influence anyone?
At any rate, those guessing correctly as to Mr. Young’s song: Joe Justin (which I knew he would), Anne Krueger, and Doug Yoakam. An honorable mention to Darin Schemmer for noting that Neil wasn’t the only artist referencing the first Bush’s speech…who can forget Dana Carvey’s "A thousand points of light" impersonation?
Have a great week!