I’ve penned two commentaries (the first, the second) on the irrepressible Mark Nuaimi, who we call the "King of Fontana" because of his "my way or the highway" style of leadership. I still am getting stuff e-mailed to me on the guy, and since someone got this creative, I thought I would share this videos! You really have to have grated on someone for them to go through the trouble to produce this… … Read More

I am just arrived in Berlin todayfor a round of meetings to advance Mike Reagan’s trip here in early July. Mike will bebroadcasting his daily radio talk show from here. I am also on a secret mission,working on a project for Mike,which, if successful, will also be announced by him on his trip here.

The history of Berlin, particularly the more contemporary history, is both fascinating and heart-breaking. And Berliners really care about it. On a short walk this morning from Potsdamer Platz to Pariser Platz, the enormity of the confrontation between East and West that resulted in the creation in 1961 and destruction in 1989, of the Berlin Wall, is literally pushed into your face.Good for Berlin!

The street I walked along connecting the two traffic circles was itself literally ground zero of the Berlin Wall. At Potsdamer Bahnhof, where I started my walk, amidst a beautiful open-air shopping area, I encountered about 20 yards of the real wall, reconstructed as a monument to that grim time, for all to see. The Berlin Senate includes discriptive signs along with the pieces of the wall, and stories and pictures of its… Read More

Berlin has one sort-of Las Vegas style casino, named "Speilbank Berlin." It is on the Marlene-Deitrich Platz across the street from the newish Grand Hyatt Hotel. Both these enterprisesand the surrounding buildings and shops were developed by Daimler-Benz and Sony Corporation out of the rubble of the "no man’s land" that existed between East and West Berlin during the Wall period. People trying to escape Communism used to get shot at and chased by tommy-gun armed East German "Vopos" and their German Shepherds in this area. And now, since the early 1990s development boom,amongst other new development still buzzing in the area, and in old east Berlin, there is Der Speilbank.A monument to freedom. Acasino.

Purely for investigative purposes I visited Der Speilbank late last night after a plateof schnitzel and white asparagras (in season here and a local delicacy) at my hotel. The contrasts to Vegas,or one of our Indian casinos,were most interesting.

First, unlike Vegas, you need to pay 2 Euros (a little less than $4) just to enter this casino. Not a lot of money, but it seems the Germans… Read More

With just over five weeks to go, Bob Watkins is out a consultant and a fundraiser in the GOP race to replace Congressman Duncan Hunter.Both Sacramento-based JohnsonClark Associates and a local fundraiser confirmed with me that they ended their respective relationships with the Watkins campaign earlier in the month.

Media consultant Jennifer Kerns issued a statement in response to my resulting inquiry:

Bob Watkins’ campaign has confirmed they have concluded their contract with JohnsonClark Associates. Over the last seven months, JohnsonClark has created a strategic framework for the Congressional campaign; now during the final five weeks of the campaign, their execution plan will be carried out on the grassroots level. JohnsonClark remains available to the Watkins campaign as consultants, and will be assisting the campaign for the general election.What this means for the Watkins effort may be open to some conjecture. Yet, it won’t be lost on political watchers that the loss of one of the state’s most capable consulting firms at such a late date is significant.

Watkins, currently the… Read More

The California Republican Party has graciously helped Senator Oropeza and Sacramento Democrats properly index their “Appetite For Higher Taxes.”

In honor of Senator Jenny Oropeza’s SB 1443, which tells caterers what they must do with their leftover food we proudly bring you: Aunt Jenny’s Catering Menu. (See the full size version here.)

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The city of Seal Beach Monday ended a two-year battle over home improvements in a portion of town and their decision is bad for property rights.

At issue was zoning that allowed homeowner to build up and make their homes as high as three-stories. The city council voted on Monday to change the zoning and ban these home improvements.

I wrote on this issue way back in January 2007 and I thought the good guys won, but the vote on Monday was 4-1 (thank you councilman Mike Levitt for standing up for the cause of liberty). Councilman Ybaben apparently couldn’t take the heat and recently resigned from the council, his successor was not as wise nor as friendly to the rights of property owners.

The Orange County Register reported: James David, who lives in a one-story home in Old Town between two three-story homes, said his property rights are violated because there is too much shade cast on his home by one of the three-story… Read More

OC and Riverside Congressman Ken Calvert will appear on CNN with Lou Dobbs tonight at 7pm.

I wonder if Lou will talk about illegal immigration.

Calvert is the author of the Basic Pilot Program that has allowed employers to check and make sure names and social security numbers provided by job applicants match. It has been a great tool in preventing fraud. The program also makes it much easier for employers to identify illegal aliens before they hire.… Read More

Longtime FR friend Frank Schubert writes a weekly column on his website, Frank’s Rants. When I read his latest one, I thought it was a perspective definitely worth sharing, and Frank gave me a green light to reprint it, in full, here. A "must read" for every Republican legislator in the Capitol — especially those in the State Assembly – Flash

Caution Assembly Republicans: Following Governor Schwarzenegger Could Be Fatal To Your Career By Frank Schubert

Governor Schwarzenegger is barnstorming the state telling anyone who will… Read More