Closing arguments in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, a.k.a. the Prop 8 trial, were June 16th, though the judge has not indicated how long he will take to reach his decision.  From everything I've read, the defendant's position was extremely weak, offering just two (rather poor) witnesses to the plaintiff's 17.

Whatever the outcome, the case will almost ( Read more... )

Appearing on the June 8th ballot will be Proposition 16, the New Two-Thirds Requirement for Local Public Electricity Providers Act.  If passed, it will require a 2/3 voter approval before city or county governments can provide electricity to new customers or establish a community choice electricity program using public funds.  Only a simple ( Read more... )

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which brought you hour-long lines, top secret no-fly lists, taking your shoes off, and banning screwdrivers and jelly doughnuts, is making another grab for power.  They are proposing to regulate all "large" aircraft in the same fashion as the airlines:  passengers will have to be screened through ( Read more... )

It was 5 years ago today that Bush proudly declared "Mission Accomplished in Iraq".

Since then, over 4000 American soldiers have been killed and nearly 30,000 wounded (and this doesn't account for the psychological effects that may plague combat veterans for decades).  At least 90,000 Iraqi civilians have lost their lives (some sources estimate as ( Read more... )

This scares me.

http://www.thetechherald.com/article.php/200812/483/FBI-conducts-raids-and-makes-arrests-for-clicking-on-hyperlinks

Summary:  The FBI is posting fake links to kiddie porn on various chan sites and other forums.  Click on one of the fake links and you get a visit from the Party Van.  But they aren't recording the referrer, so they have ( Read more... )

From the Letters to the Editor in today's San Jose Mercury News:

"In order to stimulate the economy, President Bush wants to give individuals $600 at a total cost of $150 billion. Now, since the war in Iraq is costing us approximately $250 million a day, adding up to that $150 billion every six days, why not leave the Iraqis to solve their own ( Read more... )

Bush wants to drop money from a helicopter, but this isn't going to do anything to help the economy, and it'll be just another $150 Billion added to the national debt.

What I think we need to do is reestablish the Works Progress Administration or something like it.  Use the money to offer people employment, doing jobs like improving freeways, ( Read more... )

I thought this phenylephrine stuff was junk.  Turns out I'm right.

The government banned phenylpropanolamine, which worked fantastic for me.  Then they severely restricted the sale of psuedoephedrine and ephedrine (it has to be kept behind the counter, you have to present ID and then fill out a form to buy no more than 3.6 grams per day, or more ( Read more... )

US Patent # 5443036, Method of exercising a cat