Lately there are a lot of discussions about the state’s construction of a new death chamber at San Quentin State Prison. Perhaps someone who is more of an expert at the death-penalty process can help me out with this query…

I can understand the need for a death "chamber" if you are putting someone to death using lethal gas. I can also appreciate the need for a chamber if you were going to electricute someone. But given that the method of choice these days is a lethal injection, why do we need a ‘death chamber’ at all?

It seems to me that you would just give an inmate something to knock them out (a pill, a powder, an injection), then, perhaps in an infirmary, you would then administer a lethal dose of whatever quick-acting poison is best suited to put the criminal to death.

Why does this require a ‘chamber’ of any kind?… Read More

Warning: This post is not for the weak of heart. Some of you may find the contents of these reports to be very disturbing, particularly if you value liberty and have respect for the dignity and choices of individuals. Be aware that freedom lovers may react to these reports with rapid movements and cries of anguish that could damage nearby breakable objects. In the event this occurs, however, do not immediately call a trial lawyer to begin class action proceedings. That will merely result in the payment of large attorney’s fees, and, as is often the case, the "injured party" (you) will get a nice gift certificate. Instead, vent your frustration in political activism for change.

Thought Crimes: I know it sounds a little like it’s out of George Orwell’s book 1984, but increasingly the federal government is creating new crimes based upon one’s thoughts. The latest is H.R. 1592 which passed the House last week by a vote of 237-180. The idea is to create a new and greater crime if you hurt or kill someone because you hate them…but only if you hate them for a particular reason. In 1994, Congress passed… Read More

In addition to my passion for politics, I am also a die-hard baseball fan.

So I have come to regard the Clintons the same way I view the New York Yankees.

I don’t like them. I root against them. I not only want them to lose, I want bad things to happen to them.

But like the Yankees, the Clintons are very good at what they do. And despite an early season slump that has both playing beneath expectations, it’s never a good idea to underestimate their skill, their perseverance, and their willingness to do whatever it takes to win.

That said, last week’s Republican presidential debate gave us our first chance to take a look at the field of contenders who will try to deny Hillary her White House pennant next year. (Barack Obama is the political version of an over-valued technology stock, to mix sports and business metaphors. The only question is whether his bubble bursts before the primaries or afterwards. So unless Al Gore runs or John Edwards steps up his game, let’s count on facing another Clinton in the 2008 World Series.)

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Want to get ahead? Just join the staff of State Senator George Runner. Apparently you just go on to bigger and better things. The Antelope Valley Press profiles Becky Warren, the new deputy communications director for Schwarzenegger and Ginny Justice who will work for Lynne Cheney. An interesting read. See ithere.

Congratulations to both, but Becky you could do better!… Read More

In addition to my passion for politics, I am also a die-hard baseball fan.

So I have come to regard the Clintons the same way I view the New York Yankees.

I don’t like them. I root against them. I not only want them to lose, I want bad things to happen to them.

But like the Yankees, the Clintons are very good at what they do. And despite an early season slump that has both playing beneath expectations, it’s never a good idea to underestimate their skill, their perseverance, and their willingness to do whatever it takes to win.

That said, last week’s Republican presidential debate gave us our first chance to take a look at the field of contenders who will try to deny Hillary her White House pennant next year. (Barack Obama is the political version of an over-valued technology stock, to mix sports and business metaphors. The only question is whether his bubble bursts before the primaries or afterwards. So unless Al Gore runs or John Edwards steps up his game, let’s count on facing another Clinton in the 2008 World Series.)

… Read More

The Steve Knight campaign is consolidating its local official endorsements on the LA side of the district. The campaign reported endorsements from all five members of the Lancaster City Council: Mayor Henry Hearns, Vice Mayor Andy Visokey and Council members Jim Jeffra, Ed Sileo and Ron Smith. Smith and Visokey have been interested in the seat in the past. Smith actually filed a candidate intention statement. See my previous post on the race here.… Read More

The LA Community College District is a sprawling district that takes in Los Angeles and several nearby cities. The LAACD has served as a launching ground for several politicians, Jerry Brown on the bad side. Mike Antonovich on the good side.

Lately, the LACCD has been a backwater for union hacks. There are serious management issues.

Next Tuesday’s election is expected to bring out an amazing 4% of the vote. Longtime Republican and former head of the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs made the runoff. Antonovich and The LA County GOP has endorsed Burns. Can a GOTV effort elect a Republican? See article here and see Shawn Steel’s post on the primary here.

On another note with three straight posts I have finally broken the Fleischman Monopoly! Freedom!… Read More

Phayre’s Leaf Monkeys: You probably have never heard of a Phayre’s leaf monkey. Neither had I, until last week, when the House voted on the reauthorization of the spending for the National Science Foundation. Never mind that the bill increased spending in excess of 25% over 3 years. I found 7 specific items of spending that were in the bill to be of particular interest. They were:

-Study the social relationships and reproductive strategies of Phayre’s leaf monkeys -Study of the sexual politics of waste in Dakar, Senegal -Study of the cognitive model of superstitious belief -Research the archives of Andean knotted-string records -Study the accuracy in the cross-cultural understanding of other’s emotions -Research of bison hunting on the late prehistoric great plains -Study of team vs. individual play

Now, I will give the academics the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps all of these studies have some value to academicians and maybe the results are interesting to those who study these areas. That is not the question. The question is whether or not they rise to the level of public need that… Read More