From the Water Cooler…er, Bowl:

Washington State Woman Pleads Not Guilty After Registering Dog to Vote SEATTLE — Duncan the dog is still registered to vote, and his owner isn’t pleased.

Jane Balogh signed up the dog in protest of a 2005 state voter-registration law she thinks makes it too easy for noncitizens to vote. She used a paw print to mark ballots on Duncan’s behalf.

At first, Balogh said she wouldn’t contest a misdemeanor charge of making false statements on a voter registration form. But on Thursday, she pleaded not guilty to the charge that is punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

She said she changed her mind when election officials claimed her efforts showed the system worked.

"She’s just kind of annoyed because Duncan’s still on the voting rolls," said her lawyer, Kristen Anderson. "Somebody is clearly not getting the message."

Laura Lockard, King County’s acting election program manager for voter services, said there is "an arduous process" to have someone, even if it’s a… Read More

The summer after highschool, I worked on a logging crew. We logged a swath of forest between Grass Valley and Lake Tahoe.I began as a "choke setter". Aftertrees were cut down, a bulldozer witha half dozeninch-and-a-half steel cables attached to the backwould pull up. My job was to grab the cables and quickly wrap them around the base of the trees setting slip knots, and then get the hell out of the way. The action was fast and furious and dusty as the bulldozer would roar away and the slip knots would tighten into the bark of the trees as they were jerked behind the big tractor. My personal goal wasnot tolose an arm or a leg.

As the summerwore on, Igot to know Jesse and his family. He was mid 50’s and had been logginghis whole life, justlike his dad. Jesse showed me the forest; how to fly fish,how to set up a campsite, what the different tracks and sounds were, andhe taught me about tree thinning.

Jesse’s a tree hugger.He made me a tree hugger, too. Iasked him about the damage to the forest we were causing with all the bulldozer tracks and such, so he took me on a two day hikeback into… Read More

The summer after highschool, I worked on a logging crew. We logged a swath of forest between Grass Valley and Lake Tahoe.I began as a "choke setter". Aftertrees were cut down, a bulldozer witha half dozeninch-and-a-half steel cables attached to the backwould pull up. My job was to grab the cables and quickly wrap them around the base of the trees setting slip knots, and then get the hell out of the way. The action was fast and furious and dusty as the bulldozer would roar away and the slip knots would tighten into the bark of the trees as they were jerked behind the big tractor. My personal goal wasnot tolose an arm or a leg.

As the summerwore on, Igot to know Jesse and his family. He was mid 50’s and had been logginghis whole life, justlike his dad. Jesse showed me the forest; how to fly fish,how to set up a campsite, what the different tracks and sounds were, andhe taught me about tree thinning.

Jesse’s a tree hugger.He made me a tree hugger, too. Iasked him about the damage to the forest we were causing with all the bulldozer tracks and such, so he took me on a two day hikeback into… Read More

Last month, whenever Canada was referenced in GOP leaning blogs, it was usually in conjunction with reports on media accounts of the California Republican Party’s hiring of a Canadian expatriate to serve in a top level capacity. Many news organizations weighed in the issue, some observers in favor of the move and some squarely against it.

But despite the criticism leveled during the hiring discussion, one theme remained constant among analysts, internet correspondents, and Republican Party activists: complete and total respect for the United States’ neighbor to the north, Canada.

Today is Canada Day, a day when Canadians celebrate their nation’s heritage. It is unquestionably the single most important day of national identity for Canadians everywhere.

It is estimated that Canadian citizens living in Southern California number in the tens of thousands.

In honor of Canada Day, it is important spotlight the contributions that Canada –especially under its new elected center-right government –are providing around the world,… Read More

About 17 or so years ago a young, bright San Diego up-and-comer was contemplating a run for State Assembly. Many in GOP circles were talking about him, as he clearly had a decent chance to take a legislative seat.

There was a problem, however … although it wasn’t a personal one for him, perhaps just a political one. Personally, he was in love with a young political reporter for the San Diego Union and they had become engaged. As the reporter often covered state legislative politics, she asked her employer about the situation and was told — as the story goes — that the pending marriage represented a potential conflict of interest, thus she would have to make a decision as to whether she wanted to continue her particular role at the newspaper.

The answer was simple … the young man opted not to pursue a political career at the moment, instead deciding to pursue his true heart. A smart man, I’d say.

What is remembered the most, though, is the big, annual San Diego County Republican Party Christmas Dinner — it had to be December 1989, if memory serves — and GOP Chair Betty Kujawa (rest her… Read More

The environment is one of the “big three” issues that are hurting GOP candidates – particularly here in California. And frankly, it’s an issue that Republicans should be leading rather than ceding to extremists on the far left.

It’s amazingly inconsistent to advocate tight control of tax-dollars, and then blithely ignore the value of irreplaceable national resources. It’s kind of like the penny-wise businessman who watches his bank account like a hawk, but ignores even routine maintenance of his building until it collapses around him. Eventually he’s going to have to deal with it, it’s just smarter and cheaper to do it along the way.

Don’t confuse real conservationism with the wack-nut extremists who think insects are equally (or even more) important than people.

**There is more – click the link**

View Full Commentary… Read More

The environment is one of the “big three” issues that are hurting GOP candidates – particularly here in California. And frankly, it’s an issue Republicans should be leading rather than ceding to extremists on the far left.

It’s amazingly inconsistent to advocate tight control of tax-dollars, then blithely ignore the value of irreplaceable natural resources. It’s like the penny-wise businessman who watches his bank account like a hawk, but ignores routine maintenance on his building until it collapses around him. Eventually he’s going to have to deal with it, it’s just smarter and cheaper to do it along the way.

And, don’t confuse real conservationism with the wack-nut extremists who think insects are equally (or more) important than people.

We have allowed the wacky-left to define environmentalism. But these extremists are not environmentalists or conservationist – they are the anti-humans. They oppose anything that helps make people’s lives easier or better. They have gone beyond NIMBY (Not In My… Read More

On Thursday night I attended the LA County Republican Party’s annual fundraiser in Beverly Hills. For a County Party that just a few years ago failed to be able to consistently make rent on their headquarters, the event was a huge success.

County Chair Linda Boyd and her team should be congratulated for the ongoing success of the Party.

The event itself featured several hundred paid attendees, and brought in over $100,000 to the Party. It honored longtime LA conservative fixtures Supervisor Mike Antonovich and donor extraordinaire Burt Boeckmann and his wife, Jane.

Also in attendance were CRP Chairman Ron Nehring, former CRP Chairs Shawn Steel and Frank Visco, Sheriff Lee Baca, super donor Eli Broidy, longtime politico Bill Saracino, and former Mayor Dick Riordan. It was also good to see former Assemblyman Tony Strickland, Palmdale Councilman Steve Knight, and Nathan Fletcher – each legislative candidates from around Southern California, make it out to the event.

The old adage is that money is the mother’s milk of politics, and after Thursday night, the LA County Party will have a few bucks to invest in the cause.… Read More