The classic movie, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, has captivated our imaginations for two decades. Ferris lives out the dream of the ultimate sick day–one that few would dare to attempt. Most notably, while his day begins with innocent fun, it ends with a very expensive mistake–a classic Ferrari is totaled. It’s amazing how one day off could have such serious financial repercussions.

More than twenty years later in real life, we have a story of "hooky" that involves more people and a much greater financial loss. We’ll call it the San Jose City Auditors’ Months Off. This time, the loss is not a car–instead it’s hundreds of thousands of San Jose taxpayer dollars.

The San Jose City Auditor’s Office staff is staying home "sick" due to internal office turmoil over a sexual harassment lawsuit, and taxpayers are footing the bill. According to the San Jose Mercury News (July 20, 2007), "In the first month after [the] sexual harassment… Read More

Where I live, instead of bringing mail to my house, the United States Postal Service has set up one of those pedestals with a box lock box with twelve slots where my incoming mail is deposited. So I have to walk about 100 feet from my front door to retrieve my mail. I am sure this is done so that the mail carrier can zip up in their truck and efficiently deal with mail delivery, and zoom off again. Of course, any efficiency in the process for me is offset by the fact that I typically only bother to check the box two or three times a week. Saturday I went to check my mail, and as I walked over, I realized it had been since Tuesday that I had done this last… Well, apparently three days of mail to the Fleischman household is about the limit for my mailbox, as I was greeted on Saturday with an empty box, except for one brown slip of paper, which indicated that because my box was full, all of my mail would have to be picked up at the local post office. Groan! So, I got in my car, and drove over to my local post office. Of course I was nervous heading over there because nothing good ever comes out of a trip to the post office. This trip, of course,… Read More

Where I live, instead of bringing mail to my house, the United States Postal Service has set up one of those pedestals with a box lock box with twelve slots where my incoming mail is deposited. So I have to walk about 100 feet from my front door to retrieve my mail. I am sure this is done so that the mail carrier can zip up in their truck and efficiently deal with mail delivery, and zoom off again. Of course, any efficiency in the process for me is offset by the fact that I typically only bother to check the box two or three times a week. Saturday I went to check my mail, and as I walked over, I realized it had been since Tuesday that I had done this last… Well, apparently three days of mail to the Fleischman household is about the limit for my mailbox, as I was greeted on Saturday with an empty box, except for one brown slip of paper, which indicated that because my box was full, all of my mail would have to be picked up at the local post office. Groan! So, I got in my car, and drove over to my local post office. Of course I was nervous heading over there because nothing good ever comes out of a trip to the post office. This trip, of course,… Read More

By a vote of43 to 32 of the Assembly today [43 Democrats voting "aye", all Republicans present plus one Demvoting"no"] a bill, AB 924,goes to the Governor, [if the Senatevotes to concur onthe amendments],that would place on the February ballot, a measure asking voters if they want to advise the President to withdraw from the "occupation" ofIraq.

Assemblyman Plescia, in his floor speech,made a strong point. He expects that those legislators voting for this measure would also be endorsing Cindy Sheehan for the Pelosi Congressional seat.

For the reasons I stated in my previous post, I call on our Governor to vetothis measure, oneharmful to our troops morale and to the prospects ofthe newly forming free Iraqi goverment. … Read More

Pete Wilson was protested yesterday by immigration and other liberal activists.

Uhh, just in case you’re wondering if this is a 1994 déjà vu, it wasn’t Pete himself that was protested as much as it was a bronze likeness of him, dedicated yesterday afternoon in downtown San Diego. The much anticipated statue unveiling was attended by some of the usual suspects…and I don’t mean Mayor Jerry Sanders, San Diego councilmembers, and members of the Board of Supervisors, although they were there as well.

The media seemed to be overly focused on the protesters who were decrying the dedication as unbecoming a "diverse, border city" to recognize Wilson.

Pete’s tenure as mayor is widely considered legendary, as he presided as a strong mayor years before the city charter mandated one, fostering a time in San Diego’s history when the city positively grew and prospered in ways unmatched before and — most certainly — since.… Read More

Pete Wilson was protested yesterday by immigration and other liberal activists.

Uhh, just in case you’re wondering if this is a 1994 déjà vu, it wasn’t Pete himself that was protested as much as it was a bronze likeness of him, dedicated yesterday afternoon in downtown San Diego. The much anticipated statue unveiling was attended by some of the usual suspects…and I don’t mean Mayor Jerry Sanders, San Diego councilmembers, and members of the Board of Supervisors, although they were there as well.

The media seemed to be overly focused on the protesters who were decrying the dedication as unbecoming a "diverse, border city" to recognize Wilson.

Pete’s tenure as mayor is widely considered legendary, as he presided as a strong mayor years before the city charter mandated one, fostering a time in San Diego’s history when the city positively grew and prospered in ways unmatched before and — most certainly — since.… Read More

This morning, the Sacramento Bee has an article about former Placer County GOP Chairman Ken Campbell’s decision to pull his endorsement of Congressman John Doolittle for re-election next year. Ken’s a long-time friend (as is Doolittle, for that matter) and sent over the following statement about his decision… Campbell references the Club for Growth RePork Card, that measured how all memberse of Congress voted on up and down votes on 50 of the most egregious pieces of pork barrel spending. You can read how your Congressman voted here. MY DECISION TO PULL MY ENDORSEMENT FROM JOHN DOOLITTLE By Ken Campbell … Read More

Today marks the first time that the Boss has let me write the Daily Commentary, and it’s a privilege that I do not take lightly. Thanks, Boss!

What Jon has done with the Flash Report in the short amount of time that it has been “live” embodies the pioneer spirit that drew me from my native Illinois to the Golden State. It is that same pioneer spirit-that celebration of individual freedom and liberty-that drew me away from my parents’ Democratic Party to join the Republican Party on my 18th birthday. My, how quickly 10 (or so) years go by… (:

As this article goes up on the Flash Report today, I’ll be driving up to Sacramento in my 9 year old, beat up minivan to attend an open meeting regarding the CRP platform that will soon be revisited. Based on the phone calls and emails I’ve received lately, there is no shortage of diversity of opinions on possible revisions to the platform, and I think that is a great thing! While there are some who drop the “RINO bomb” on anyone who doesn’t plug into their uni-mind, I think the majority of delegates and platform committee members will remain open-minded as we respectfully consider the thoughts of our… Read More