From the Associated Press….

Live round on desk blows off part of hand

VENTURA – A teacher who kept a 40mm round on his desk as a paperweight blew off part of his hand when he apparently used the object to try to squash a bug, authorities say.

The 5-inch-long round, which Robert Colla had found while hunting years ago, exploded Monday while Colla was teaching 20 to 25 students at an adult education class. Part of Colla’s right hand was severed and he suffered severe burns and minor shrapnel wounds to his forearms and torso, fire Capt. Tom Weinell said. No one else was injured. He was reported in stable condition at a hospital.… Read More

My blogmate Barry Jantz has written a few times about the antics of the ‘Republican’ majority on the San Diego County School Board. There are three Republicans on the County Board – Sue Hartley, John Witt, and Bob Watkins. Two of the three Republican members recently voted to appoint Democrat Sharon Jones to a vacant largely Republican east county based seat. Hartley and Witt joined the sole sitting Democrat member of the board in appointing the Democrat. Hartley was particularly smug about the appointment. Whether or not that Democrat will survive election is anyone’s guess… but I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.

But the story isn’t over. Liberal Republican Boardmember Sue Hartley represents a heavily Republican North County San Diego district. Four years ago, Hartley defeated a more conservative candidate in a fairly hot race. Whatever her merits on the policy issues the conservative had a shrill style that alienated much of the Republican and donor community. Time and time again the incumbent ignored issues that would have united her base, and focused on issues which divided them. Many if not most of the partisan officials,… Read More

Back in January of 2003 there was a friendly wager placed between then California Governor Gray Davis and Florida Governor Jeb Bush (pictured to the left) over the outcome of Superbowl XXXVII, a battle between the country’s top two football teams – the Oakland Raiders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Of course, in that duel, the Raiders were spanked by the Bucs by a lopsided score of 48 – 21.

One of the items put up in that wager by… Read More

Back in January of 2003 there was a friendly wager placed between then California Governor Gray Davis and Florida Governor Jeb Bush (pictured to the left) over the outcome of Superbowl XXXVII, a battle between the country’s top two football teams – the Oakland Raiders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Of course, in that duel, the Raiders were spanked by the Bucs by a lopsided score of 48 – 21.

One of the items put up in that wager by… Read More

Tom Delay was a conservative member of Congress. Although he announced his resignation yesterday, he had ceased to be a conservative congressman several years earlier. He became part of the club. He supported other Republicans because they were part of the club, regardless of whether that protected the family or our pocketbook.

This disheartening trend is happening in Orange County in the 35th Senate District. The Choice is clear. An Assemblyman named Tom Harman that has voted for bigger government, was first elected in the open primary with Democratic votes and has the support of labor unions or Diane Harkey, a pro-family, anti-tax conservative.

Look at the list of Harkey endorsements Congressman John Campbell Congressman Dana Rohrabacher Congressman Ed Royce Senator Tom McClintock Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, who maxed out at over $3,250 Assemblyman Ray Haynes

Now look at the Harman endorsements. Senator Jim Battin Senator Dave Cox Senator Bob Margett Senator Sam Aanestad Assemblyman Russ Bogh Assemblyman Bill Emmerson… Read More

FOCUS ON DC

DARRELL ISSA TAPPED BY SPEAKER The House Select Committee on Intelligence is a very small, carefully chosen bi-partisan Committe on Capitol Hill. It is the members of this small group that are given exclusive briefings on covert operations, intelligence data and other confidential information and actions of the federal government. It is an important oversight role that is played by the members of this Committee as they literally have access to information that the vast majority of Congress does not. For years, the now-disgraced Duke Cunningham served on this committee. It was recently announced by Speaker Dennis Hastert that California Congressman Darrell Issa will be replacing Cunningham on this important panel. This is a great appointment for the Congressman, and increases his growing clout on Capitol Hill. Congratulations Darrell Issa!… Read More

FOCUS ON DC DARRELL ISSA TAPPED BY SPEAKER The House Select Committee on Intelligence is a very small, carefully chosen bi-partisan Committe on Capitol Hill. It is the members of this small group that are given exclusive briefings on covert operations, intelligence data and other confidential information and actions of the federal government. It is an important oversight role that is played by the members of this Committee as they literally have access to information that the vast majority of Congress does not. For years, the now-disgraced Duke Cunningham served on this committee. It was recently announced by Speaker Dennis Hastert that California Congressman Darrell Issa will be replacing Cunningham on this important panel. This is a great appointment for the Congressman, and increases his growing clout on Capitol Hill. Congratulations Darrell Issa! … Read More

I was on vacation for a good chunk of last week, so I am playing catch-up on "Appointment Watch" where we review the Governor’s appointments to various positions, and look at the partisan registration of those individual, using the basic guideline that voluntary association of an individual to a political party gives some indicator of their basic ideological and philosophical leanings.

Last week Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced the appointment of longtime Democrat Richard M. Goul to a judgeship in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Goul, 48, of Newport Beach, has served as a deputy district attorney with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office since 1989. He is currently deputy-in-charge of the sexual assault unit of the Long Beach branch of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Goul was a law clerk for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office from 1986 to 1989. He also served on the Cerritos College Board of Trustees from 1979 to 1985. Goul… Read More