The Hackenblog

Which was not good:

“‘Q: You cut jobs at HP, you know what it’s like to cut jobs, you made tough choices – so are you saying that you want to go to Washington, DC to cut jobs? Is that the argument to the people of California – ‘Send me to Washington, I know which jobs to cut, and I’ll cut them?’ Is that what people want to hear when they need jobs?’

“‘A: Well, look. It’s unacceptable that Californians are living with 12.6 unemployment and federal employees are growing at 14.5% a year. That is unacceptable. So yes, let us start with the basic proposition that the federal government shouldn’t be getting any bigger.’

“‘That’s why, by the way, I would have voted against the financial regulatory reform bill….Barbara Boxer’s solution is to create yet another agency, to hire yet more people.’

“Just so we’re clear, Fiorina believes that in the worst recession in 60 years, government should not be hiring to fill in the gap, that higher unemployment is good, that more federal employees should be laid off so that everyone is miserable.

“What more evidence do we need that Fiorina does not understand how the economy works? She has no clue about the need for government to step in to provide stimulus and job creation when the private sector is not creating jobs.”
Fiorina: Higher Unemployment Good for America, by Robert Cruickshank, July 13, 2010

What planet is Carly Fiorina living on? Does anybody know?

Vote for Barbara Boxer. She’s rich, but at least she gets how the rest of us live.

“California is winning a race to the bottom and our children are paying the price. The report finds that, when compared to other states, California ranks:

• 50th in student to teacher ratios, with 21.3:1 compared to a national average of 13.8:1
• 49th in student to guidance counselor ratios, with 809:1 compared to a national average of 440:1
• 46th in student to school administrator ratios, with 358:1 compared to a national average of 216:1
• 46th in education spending as a percentage of personal income, and
• 44th in spending per student, with $8,826 spent per student compared to a national average of $11,372

“Unfortunately for our children, in the context of our $19.1 billion deficit, California could soon place 50th in all categories. The governor and Republican legislators are refusing to discuss revenue alternatives. Their cuts-based approach to closing our budget gap inevitably places a huge target on K-12 education because it is the largest single expenditure from our General Fund.”
Public Education in Crisis, by Assemblymember Noreen Evans, July 10, 2010

Assemblymember Noreen Evans, Cassandra of California.

Alas.

Good work by the LA Times!

“Orange County pension records show that convicted former Sheriff Michael S. Carona collected about $215,000 last year in retirement payments — and he was just one of more than 400 county pensioners who received more than $100,000 in retirement in 2009.

“Carona, who was convicted last year of witness tampering, remains free on bail pending appeal. But his indictment in 2007 rocked the county and forced major changes to the county’s top law enforcement agency.

“Also on the list is former county Treasurer-Tax Collector Robert L. Citron, whose investments led Orange County into bankruptcy in 1994. He collected about $142,000 last year.

“The information was released by the Orange County Employees Retirement System following a lawsuit by the California Foundation for Fiscal Responsibility, which advocates for pension reform and has filed similar suits throughout the state. The county retirement agency initially refused to provide the information, saying that releasing the names of those who receive large pensions would compromise their privacy.”
Convicted Orange County sheriff collects $215,000 pension, by Paloma Esquivel, LA Times, July 8, 2010

And people worry that the puny pensions of state employee are going to break us. I, personally, find it more disturbing and distasteful that taxpayers pay millions to felons and fiscal idiots such as Carona and Citron. And this is just 2 of them; the rest of the list probably isn’t prettier.

Can California be saved…from itself?

“Along with Molina, health department officials, physician and hospital trade groups and independent consultants all urged that the new hospital be built to hold 750 beds. Advocates said that capacity was needed to allow the county to provide life-saving care to anyone unable to afford it, as required by California law.”
, by Rong-Gong Lin II, LA Times, June 26, 2010 and additional comments

Oh, it’s worse than that. The original County hospital had about 900 beds and Womens and Childrens hospital down the street from it had about 650 and they’ve both been crammed into a 600 bed new LAC USC hospital. I am told there are only 19 pediatric beds in the whole building. Thanks Michael Antonovich, Yvonne B. Burke, Don Knabe and Zev Yaroslavsky, thanks a lot you westside class warrior idiots. Betcha no County patients are getting beds in Cedars Sinai Hospital. I mean, LAC USC is in Molina’s district, she might know what her own district needs more than anyone else. Geeze.

And before anyone says anything stupid: illegal immigration has nothing to do with this problem. Los Angeles has considerably more than 600 working poor U.S. citizens in need of medical care and no insurance, alas.

“So, sure, let’s teach Reagan’s legacy. But front and center of that legacy is the AIDS crisis. He stood by as millions died, including some of his supposed friends from his movie days. Reagan’s inaction directly led to many needless deaths. Teach about Ronald Reagan, if for no other reason that our students will never forget an American tragedy. A tragedy whose scope could have been dramatically changed by a rapid response, but was instead ignored because the victims weren’t favored classes.

“And when our students ask about Reagan, sure, by all means, you can talk about how he spent the Russians into bankruptcy, or how he blatantly and illegally defied Congress, but what I’ll remember most about Ronald Reagan will be the action that he didn’t take. And his inaction speaks as much about the man Ronald Reagan as any action, or any myth the Right is trying to build up about him.”
Ronald Reagan Day? I’ll Be Wearing a Red Ribbon, by Brian Leubitz, Calitics, April 9, 2010

Ronald Reagan and Co. were bad for America. Can someone name one Reagan and/or Reagan era policy that hasn’t become a nightmare in the present? Do we really need a day to celebrate dismal, malicious, dire, hateful failure and stupidity? I’m sure our great and glorious State has better things to do. Like saving us all from becoming Mississippi with a surf culture. (And if not, we are well and truly fucked.)

Oh, for those of you who haven’t gnashed your teeth today: Reagan visits Bitburg Cemetery

“In February 1985, then White House deputy chief of staff Michael Deaver made an advance-planning visit to Bitburg. The 32 rows of headstones were covered with snow. Deaver was usually very skillful in carrying out his role as public relations maestro for Reagan, but this time he and his team failed to discover that 49 members of the Waffen-SS were buried at Kolmeshöhe. A decision was made by the Reagan team not to include a visit to a concentration camp, as had been previously suggested by Kohl. The president said he didn’t want to risk ‘reawakening the passions of the time’ or offend his hosts by visiting a concentration camp.”

…reawakening the passions of the time…

“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
Wm Faulkner

And the real Reagan:

“Ronald Reagan destroyed unions…cut the budgets for education, EPA, poverty programs, etc…engaged in a public policy initiative aimed specifically at screwing over the poor…advanced the prison-industrial complex….hollowed out the Federal government to the best of his ability…ironically espoused the belief that government was the enemy (hello! he was the president *facepalm*)…was reckless and neglectful in responding to HIV/AIDS…tried to cut disabled people from social security rolls (that’s right…disabled people)…HUD grant fraud…Sewergate…”
General Electric Pandering To Right-Wing: Why Are Progressives Silent?, by Angelo, Another War of Jenkins’ Ear, March 20, 2010 (via)

And just to get back to me-me-me and my book, one of the many reasons I bothered to write the Hackenbush novels was to remember what Reagan, his policies, and minions did to hurt artists and anyone in the working class in the 1980s. To name just one here: 8% waitress tax anyone? Because the Reagan administration assumed all waitresses lie about their tips. C’mon, folks, tax cuts for the rich and balancing the budget on the backs of the working poor. It started with Reagan and he got away with it and I’m not forgetting or forgiving.

Angelo, at Another War of Jenkins’ Ear above, asks where the progressives are on this issue. Well, they’re probably too busy dealing with the horrors of the present to post about the horrors of the past. But if you have a Reagan horror story, please post it on your blog and everywhere else you can. Or if you don’t have a blog, you can post it in the comments here. You can also post the link in these comments if that widens the dissemination or something. I love Reagan horror stories, and for your convenience, I have a page of links to them.

Everyone else can go to hell.

“Kennedy is also a lesbian who married her wife in the summer of 2008 when such marriages were legal, prior to the passage of Prop 8. While many LGBT couples and activists have to make complicated decisions about how to match their personal life to their politics, Kennedy’s decision to advise Arnold to veto the legislature’s legalization of same-sex marriage shows again her refusal to use her power to advance sensible and proper legislation that would help people, preferring to use it instead to advance corporate-friendly deals that hurt people:

“Although she calls herself “a thorn in the side” of a state that does not recognize gay marriage, she has advised both governors she’s served to veto bills that would have legalized it. Overturning the voters’ will would be politically damaging and legally and morally wrong, she argues.

“California doesn’t need technocrats who sit in Sacramento finding ways to cut stupid deals in support of bad policy that makes our problems worse instead of better. But in Susan Kennedy, that is exactly what we have. The flaws of the Davis and Schwarzenegger Administrations cannot be laid entirely at her feet – the chief executives bear the primary responsibility – but when the history of California’s collapse is written, Kennedy’s role in the disaster deserves a prominent place.”
Susan Kennedy and the Failure of Corporate Centrism, by Robert Cruickshank, Calitics, January 17, 2010
Sun Jan 17, 2010 at 08:59:20 AM PST

Susan Kennedy, meet Anne Marie Schubert.

Susan Kennedy and Anne Marie Schubert are two reasons why California isn’t a better place.

Homophobia all in one family:

“The lesbian sister of Proposition 8 mastermind Frank Schubert has announced her candidacy for Sacramento County Superior Court judge.

“At her campaign Web site, Anne Marie Schubert, a deputy district attorney for Sacramento County, promotes herself as a law and order and victim’s rights candidate with several endorsements from local law enforcement organizations.

“According to voter records, Anne Marie Schubert is a registered Republican. She has hired Gilliard Blanning, a conservative political consulting firm known for championing some of the state’s best known Republican candidates and causes, to run her campaign.

“Anne Marie Schubert, 45, doesn’t mention her family or sexual orientation on her campaign Web site. But Sacramento County tax records show that Anne Marie Schubert purchased her home with Julie Greenberg in March 2005, where the women live together raising two children. Frank Schubert told the Bay Area Reporter the two women are in a registered domestic partnership.

“‘She and Julie are in a domestic partnership, and they have two wonderful children,’ Frank Schubert said.”
Prop 8′s Schubert Supports Gay Sister’s Bid for Judge, by Dan Aiello, California Progress Report, January 5, 2010 (via)

Apparently (to me), Frank Schubert has decided if a domestic partnership is good enough for his sister, he’s going to shove it down everyone else’s throat. What an asshole. So now I really wonder, given the option to marry Julie, what would Anne Marie Schubert do?

(Sigh)

“In his interview with NBC’s David Gregory, Schwarzenegger dodged a question about what he would do if the federal government does not come up with extra money to help plug the state’s $20-billion budget gap.

“‘I never really think so much about the Option B, because that’s a loser’s attitude,’ Schwarzenegger answered, saying he would keep pushing until he succeeds.

“He neglected to tell the national television audience that he does have an Option B: a ‘trigger’ he included in his budget plan Friday under which he would eliminate the state programs providing welfare, children’s healthcare and home care for the elderly and disabled, among other cuts, if the federal government doesn’t come though. That plan is unlikely to be approved by state lawmakers, however.”
Governor chides California’s Congress members over federal money, by Michael Rothfeld in Sacramento and Richard Simon in Washington, LA Times, January 10, 2010

Oh my God, how much longer is this poltroon going to continue to pretend he’s governor of California? How much longer can we last with this bs?

“As of July 2009, California’s budget shortfall was 49.3% of its general funds. States have considered drastic options to fill such gaps.

“‘I looked as hard as I could at how states could declare bankruptcy,’ said Michael Genest, director of the California Department of Finance who is stepping down at the end of the year. ‘I literally looked at the federal constitution to see if there was a way for states to return to territory status.’ (Man, we really are a failed state if we pay creeps like this to do anything governmental.)

“There were no bankruptcy options, and the legislature chose to cut back sharply on education and health care to fill the gap. Mr. Genest already predicts the 2011 shortfall will outpace the projected $7 billion gap. It is a smaller deficit than this year’s gap, but the choices will be more difficult because so many cuts have already been made.

“Mr. Genest estimated that, eventually, 40% of the state’s budget would go to the state Medicaid program, 40% to education, 10% to debt service and 6% to retiree medical services and pension—leaving little left for anything else, such as the state’s corrections system.”
State Finance Directors Warn of More Trouble Ahead, by Sara Murry, WSJ, November 13, 2009

California has really got to:

~ Ban paid petition signature collectors
~ Make referendums more difficult
~ Change the State Constitution for a simple majority for legislative changes (it’s been 2/3 for too long)
~ Factor income into property taxes more than the assessed property value (they’re not as closely related as they might seem [to an idiot])
~ Get rid of the evil 3 strikes law
~ Take term limits off the Ledge (the State ran better when there were knowledgeable people there who had something to lose [yeah, I know everyone hates Willie Brown, but this meltdown didn’t happen on his watch)

No comments on this post. I’m in too much of a fuck you mood as it is.

“INGLEWOOD, California (Reuters) – Inside an aging sports arena, where rows of dental chairs and a hospital smell have replaced the former Los Angeles Lakers basketball court, thousands of Americans are seeking free healthcare.

“Hundreds were turned away just on Tuesday, the first day of a weeklong clinic run by the nonprofit Remote Area Medical Volunteer Corp as part of its mission to provide free health, dental and eye care in needy spots around the world.

“It marks the first time in RAM’s 25 years that it has gone to a major U.S. metropolitan area — a reminder that even in Los Angeles, with world-class doctors and hospitals, many do not have access to affordable healthcare.”
LA sports arena hosts health clinic of last resort, By Dan Whitcomb, Reuters, August 13, 2009

Does somebody want to tell me again why, in what should be one of the richest cities in the richest country in the world, this should be so and why we don’t need universal healthcare? Or, Christ, just give Medicare to anyone who applies for it. Is it really that difficult?

“‘State controller John Chiang warned today that if legislators and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger fail to come up with a budget-balancing package in the next week, he would begin paying California’s bills with IOUs on July 2.’” (via Calitics)

Y’know, this would be funny if it were remotely funny at all. Fuck.

It’s nice the Lakers won, but could you please shut the fuck up and GO HOME? I can hear you all the way up on N Broadway. Christ, no wonder the LAPD was stressed out about this.

I mean, I hope it’s just that the Lakers won and the world isn’t ending. Or something. Great, now there’s sirens. Laker fans, you assholes, the LAPD have real crimes to deal with instead of your crazy-ass behavior.

Update: Now I’m really pissed off:

“At the Holy Grail, a vintage sneakers store around the block from Staples Center, owner Richard Torres appeared exhausted from staying up all night after revelers ransacked his shop after the Lakers’ victory.

“Torres was watching the Lakers’ game Sunday night at his father’s house in Corona when he saw images of the civil unrest on the TV news. He recognized the intersection of Pico Boulevard and Flower Street, where his store is located. Torres and his girlfriend, who works as the manager, jumped into their car and headed downtown.

“About fifteen minutes later, their security company called, saying the store alarm had been triggered. When they arrived less than an hour after the game had ended, shoe boxes were scattered all over the block. Some shoes had been lit on fire and thrown down the street.

“Torres and his girlfriend entered through the back door and saw the storage room all but empty. Fewer than 20 pairs of shoes were left out of the 800 pairs they had in stock. The floor was littered with receipts, price tags, tissue paper and crumpled-up shoe boxes.

“Torres’ eyes grew teary at the sight. Neighbors told them the revelers had gone to the back of the store, and pulled and pulled at the white metal door until it broke open, all the while chanting: “We want shoes, we want shoes.” Glass display cases had been shattered. Two computers, cash, sunglasses and hats were also looted.”
Owner of looted sneakers store surveys post-Lakers-victory damage, by Amanda Covarrubias, LA Times, June 15, 2009

and

“After the Lakers’ victory Sunday night, fans swarmed into the convenience store at a Shell gas station on Grand Avenue and Olympic Boulevard and started shouting: ‘Free soda! Free soda!’

“The rowdy crowd of about 20 young men, many wearing Lakers apparel, entered the store about 10:20 p.m. and started grabbing bottles of water, chips, candy, chocolate and six-packs of soda off the shelves, said 27-year-old employee German Bonilla.

“They loaded their arms with whatever they could grab and threw other items on the floor. They were gone less than five minutes later, Bonilla said. Bottles were shattered and cans of soda exploded on the floor. Bananas were trampled on, creating a sticky mess. A cashier in the store tried to tell the young men to leave and usher them out the door, but was unsuccessful.”
Looters raid a gas station store after Lakers’ win, by Amanda Covarrubias, LA Times, June 15, 2009

I’d rather my tax dollars go for the riot squad to protect the people and property downtown when the Lakers win and there’s a Laker riot than pay for this stupid “victory” parade thing. Oh, and by the way, eight LAPD officers were injured last night, so the LAPD probably isn’t in the greatest mood right now. And if they bust some heads at the “victory” parade, this will be the first, and hopefully last, time I won’t mind very much. Have fun on Wednesday, Laker fans. Yeah.

I like my city better when the Lakers lose. Sorry, that’s just the way I feel about it.

Some of you might recall when I blogged about the starting to start-up comic publisher, Furies Publishing, (Furies, not furries) and asked that y’all go look them over and click on their Google ads.

Well, thank you, all those clicks added up to almost $100! And then Google pulled their ads for some obscure reason and now the Furies won’t ever get that money your diligent clicks to Google’s advertisers made for them. This is very sad.

What is even SADDER is that the Furies are very clever women who were planning to spend that first $100 on cute little marketing thingys like bookmarks, bookplates, whatnot. What is totally TRAGIC about this is that these Furies know cute, like CUTE, like, Lawdy, do they know CUTE. So, now, not only do they not get their first start-up $100 to make some cute marketing things, we, World, will not be able to get any of these cute marketing things. And all because of Google Legree.

However, the Furies still have a donation button on their website. It’s tastefully at the bottom of the left sidebar. If any of you fine people who read this blog could toss them a few bucks, like more than $5, I’m sure they’d send you some cute Furies swag when they get enough dosh to make some. This is also a good deed: these are very brave women to even be thinking about starting a business, let alone one as risky as comics, in this economy. They’re taking it slow, so the Google shenanigans is a big-ish set back.

Also, if you could spread the word about the Furies Fundraiser, I’d be much obliged.

“I managed to take 2 photos before I was caught and unable to take
the piece de resistance of parking tard photos:

“Owner: Can I help you?
“Me: Is this your truck?
“Owner: Yes.
“Me: You’re taking up 4 compact spots.
“Owner: Well it is a big truck.
“Me: There are other non-compact spots to park in.
“Owner: Sorry to ruin your day.

“My thoughts after that were that ‘no, you didn’t ruin my day’ and
‘you’re going on teh interwebs about to be famous on LA Metblogs.’”
Parking Tards! Our readers are hunting for you too, by Sean Bonner, LA Metroblogs, June 1st, 2009

Un-fucking-real. Arrogant and stupid squared. FOUR COMPACT CAR SPACES FOR ONE GAS GUZZLER!!! W.T.F! A photo of the back of his truck after the jump (scroll to the end).
(more…)

Arnold can’t do math:

“In the short-term, expenditure reductions in any of these programs (CalWORKS, etc.) have significant implications for the state economy. The multiplier effects for these programs are found to range between 1.05 and 1.44, meaning that output and employment resulting from human services program expenditures are greater than the expenditures alone would suggest.

“In particular, In-Home Supportive Services are found to provide in excess of a 40 percent boost to the local economy. The multipliers for CalWORKs and Food Stamps are also significant and comparable at 1.34 and 1.37, respectively. Other programs, those that provide primarily services and less in the way of cash benefits, are found to have a smaller multiplier effect. The importance of these services, however, should not be diminished by the smaller multipliers that were found. This report discusses the likelihood that service reductions in many of these programs may result in the following: a higher incidence of homelessness, poverty, malnutrition, substance abuse, violence, and negative health outcomes for toddlers and infants. Aside from the toll these harmful circumstances have on the individuals involved, a higher incidence of these maladies produces not only higher economic costs today, but in the future as well. This suggests another sort of multiplier that ought to be included in the analysis – the indirect effect of reducing the demand for services tomorrow by providing them today.

“Finally, many of these programs are funded by federal in addition to state expenditures. These federal dollars are often only available as matching funds to state expenditures. The effect of matching funds was found to raise the multiplier for some state spending as high as 7.35. With matching funds, $1 in state spending translates into between roughly $3 and $5 in total spending on most of these programs. The effect on output and employment, and on the economic stimulus effect of state spending on these programs, is thus significantly magnified.”
SPENDING ON COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAMS IN CALIFORNIA: AN EVALUATION OF ECONOMIC IMPACTS (pdf), By Jon Haveman, Ph.D., Beacon Economics, Eric O’N. Fisher, Ph. D., California Polytechnic State University, Fannie Tseng, Ph.D., Berkeley Policy Associates, Presented to Child and Family Policy Institute of California, March 17, 2009 (via, which has more links and is a faster read)

$1 CA dollar can, with matching funds, turn into up to $5 spent in grocery stores, doctors, public transit, etc. in California. I’m not very good at math either, so bear with me:

$1M = $5M, so $500K = $2.5M, $0.50 = $2.50, but $0 = $0, which is what I think the heartless bastard rightwingnuts in California ultimately want. Don’t any of those people have businesses, homes or investments in California? Or, y’know, humanity? Because sinking the whole State to gratify some sick fear and loathing of children, disease and poverty seems pretty crazy to me.

So, really, the only reason Arnold is going after these programs is because they have no powerful advocates. And he’s a heartless bastard placating heartless bastards.

And at a church, no less.

“KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) – A Kansas doctor who was a controversial provider of so-called ‘late-term’ abortions was shot and killed at his church on Sunday, local media reported.

“The Wichita Eagle newspaper reported that 67-year-old George Tiller, a longtime target of anti-abortion activists, was shot to death as he walked into services at Reformation Lutheran Church.

“Police are searching for a white male who fled the scene after shooting Tiller with a handgun, local media reported.”

~snip~

“Tiller’s clinic in Wichita has been the site of mass protests by anti-abortion groups and was bombed in 1985. Tiller was shot and wounded by an abortion opponent in 1993.”
Kansas abortion doctor shot dead at church: report, Reporting by Cynthia Osterman, editing by Anthony Boadle, Reuters, May 31, 2009 (also of note)

Don’t like somebody? Shoot ‘em! It’s the way we live now!

Fuck California:

“Consider this partial list of the governor’s proposed cuts to health and humans services:

· Elimination of the CalWORKs program;
· Elimination of the Healthy Families Program;
· Eliminating certain Medi-Cal state-only programs;
· Elimination of community based services programs at the Department of Aging;
· Eliminate State funding for Community Care Licensing;
· Elimination of remaining General Fund for Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health;
· Elimination of funding for community clinic programs, such as Rural Health Services and the Seasonal and Agricultural and Migratory work programs;
· Elimination of funding for drug treatment programs established by the voters through Proposition 36;
· Reducing in-home supportive services eligibility and care provider pay;
· Reducing funding for foster care rates; and
· Reducing SSI/SSP monthly payments benefiting the aged and disabled to the minimum allowed under federal law.

“All of us know someone who will be affected by these cuts. This is not just a matter of balancing the state’s books. For some Californians, it is a matter of life and death.

“A society in crisis should not throw women, children, and seniors overboard first.”
Impact of Governor’s Proposed Health and Human Services Cuts, Budget Blog, by Assemblymember Noreen Evans, May 27, 2009 (also see Noreen Explains the Budget Crisis)

I think what you mean, Assemblymember Evans, is that a civilized society in crisis should not throw women, children, and seniors-who-didn’t-buy-their-home-in-the-1950-70s overboard first. We’re talking about California, not, y’know, something civilized.

By the way, when you run for higher office, Noreen, I’m sending you some money.

“It’s just wrong to claim that civil marriage equality would force changes on religious institutions. No rabbi has ever been forced by civil law to conduct a marriage between a divorcée and a Kohen, just as the availability of non-Kosher food in the general marketplace doesn’t force cheeseburger onto anybody’s plate.”
Judaism and Same-Sex Marriage, by Robin Podolsky, Jewish Journal May 26, 2009

Civil marriage is what is says it is: civil marriage. Not spiritual marriage. They’re different. Vive la difference. It’s part of the freedom of religion we all love so much in the country. Civil institutions are (generally) free of religious governance and (largely) religious institutions enjoy the protection of the law that allows them to believe and worship as they please as long as they aren’t breaking any laws. Gay CIVIL Marriage does not force any sect to recognize or sanctify any marriage between any two people. Prop 8, however, forbids religious leaders from signing a marriage license for two men or two women. Talk about the state curtailing religious freedom in a big way. Well, there you have it!

“A former probation department guard convicted of child abuse for letting five minors beat a boy who she wrongly believed had taken her cellphone at a Los Angeles juvenile hall was sentenced to a year in jail.

“Diane Buchanan was also sentenced to four years’ probation. The judge said Buchanan showed no remorse and she was fortunate the victim did not suffer more severe injuries and die.

“Deputy Dist. Atty. Natalie Adomian said that despite her conviction on three felony assault charges Buchanan she never apologized.

“Lawyers for Buchanan told the court she dedicated her life to helping children and her community and was destroyed by the case. In May 2005, Buchanan lost her cellphone at the Sylmar juvenile hall. Another boy at the facility said the victim had flushed the phone down the toilet.

“Prosecutors alleged that Buchanan opened the victim’s cell door and let in five boys to attack the youth. Buchanan did not report the incident or seek medical help for the victim.

“She later found her cellphone in her car, authorities said.”
Former juvenile hall guard sentenced to year in jail, by Richard Winton, LA Times, May 27, 2009

Over a fucking cell phone. This is a very sick woman. What does she do when something serious happens?

They’ll decide your project is obscene, sorry, “disturbing,” after they’ve taken the job.
Docucopies fucks over the Yaoi Press (also, via)

Here’s the TOS. Not a word about what kind of “disturbing” content they reserve the right not to print. Jerks.

For those of you wondering what the hell is going on in California:

“Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, Chair of the Budget Committee, spells out slowly for everyone the structural problems and false assertions about the California budget process.”

(via)

“But the California precedent still has me rattled. Who would have thought that America’s largest state, a state whose economy is larger than that of all but a few nations, could so easily become a banana republic?”

But, Paaaaauuuuuuulllll! It’s not a banana republic! It’s a Libertarian Paradise!

Me, I think it’s more of a dystopia.

Celestine Arnold at psfk.com

“4. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum

“Country: Dubai

“As the current crown prince of Dubai, Sheikh is the first in line to be the city’s next Emir. The prince moved up two spots this year and is the only young royal to surpass a British royal according to our measure of influence. He’s known as a leader, as the chairman of the Dubai Executive Council and the president of the city’s Council and Autism Centre, and as a poet.”

And, of course, he’s Number 4. Yes, yes, the poetry thing is nice, too.

I love to hate these lists. Really I do.

“WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Moving with unusual speed, the Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed legislation to recoup most of the $165 million in retention bonuses paid to American International Group Inc employees.

“Responding quickly to public outrage over the bonuses after the giant insurer received government bailouts of up to $180 billion, the House voted 328-93 to approve a 90 percent tax on bonuses for some executives at companies getting federal aid.

“The tax would apply to executives with incomes over $250,000 who worked for companies that got at least $5 billion in government aid. That could ensnare others getting federal help, such as mortgage financing company Fannie Mae.”
House votes to recoup bonuses from bailed-out firms, by Jeremy Pelofsky and Susan Cornwell, Reuters, March 19, 2009

Or maybe it’s just a bot thing. Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be an appeal. Oh well.

Femme Femme Femme is a magnificent art blog that is a joy to read and voyage of discovery. It also gives my crappy French a nice work out, n’est-pas?

“Watching the national news media struggle to cover the economic crisis lately, one could be forgiven the fear that the United States had grown too ignorant and lazy to govern itself.

“Between mis- and disinformation, cheap political posturing and crowd pleasing histrionics masquerading as commentary, the public has been inundated by a flood of dangerous nonsense. Cable news networks must think their audiences have the attention span of fruit flies.

“Many in the New York/Washington media establishment appear to identify with the financial and political geniuses who got us into this mess, and to share their values. Jamison Foser at mediamatters.org noticed that coverage of President Obama’s budget in The Washington Post and The New York Times centered mainly upon increased taxes affecting “the oil and gas industry, hedge fund managers, multinational corporations and nearly 3 million of the nation’s top earners,” poor babies.

“ABC News produced a heartbreaking tale of woe about harried professionals scheming to reduce their incomes to avoid higher tax brackets. A dentist told the reporter she was contemplating cutting her income from her current $320,000 to under $250,000 by having her dental hygienist work fewer days and by treating fewer patients.

“Neither she nor the reporter appeared to have any idea how marginal tax rates work. To wit, she’d pay the higher 36 percent rate only on income above $250,000. The current rate is 33 percent. Hence, Dr. Happy-Tooth’s brilliant plan would save her exactly $2,100 in taxes at a cost of $67,900 in forgone income. No wonder people like her vote Republican.

“ABC subsequently filed an amended version of the story making itself look a bit less foolish.”
Simple story fails public, by Gene Lyons, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, March 12, 2009

Is it even possible for ABC and Greedpublicans to look less foolish?

As usual, Gene Lyons nails it.

God dayam that was boring.

The parts in the jail and the jailbreak were the best parts, but the rest was just boring. This movie had even less dimension than the comic.

You could spend about the same amount on the collected comics and get more for your money. They’re better, deeper, and more satisfying.

Full disclosure: I read the collected Watchmen about six years ago and have thought about it and reread it a lot since then. But I didn’t really understand it until I saw “Dark Knight,” and starting reading and thinking about libertarian fascism. Watchmen makes the same point that a Big, Wise Daddy is not going to save us in any way we’d like him to, but the Watchmen comics do more to make that idea crystal fucking clear. (Super secret fact: if you hold the comic up to a mirror by candle light under a full moon after payday, you can see ‘fanboys are stupid’ watermaked on certain pages. Not many people know this, and I’ll be killed if I reveal my source [I just made it up]).

They’ve lost it:

“License and warrant your submissions: You do not have to submit anything to us, but if you choose to submit something (including any User generated content, ideas, concepts, techniques and data), you must grant, and you actually grant by concluding this Agreement, a nonexclusive, irrevocable, worldwide, perpetual, unlimited, assignable, sublicenseable, fully paid up and royaltyfree right to us to copy, prepare derivative works of, improve, distribute, publish, remove, retain, add, and use and commercialize, in any way now known or in the future discovered, anything that you submit to us, without any further consent, notice and/or compensation to you or to any third parties. By submitting any information to us, you represent and warrant that such submission is accurate, is not confidential, and is not in violation of any contractual restrictions or other third party rights. You further agree to inform LinkedIn in the event that any such information has changed since your registration with LinkedIn and, if appropriate, you agree to make such modifications yourself to your profile.”

~snip~

“Indemnify us: You have to indemnify us and hold us harmless from any damages, losses and costs (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees) related to third party claims, charges or investigations, caused by (a) your failure to comply with this Agreement, including, without limitation, your submission of content that violates third party rights or applicable laws, (b) any content you submit to LinkedIn or (c) any activity in which you engage on or through the LinkedIn.”

I think this means if they have a data breech, they’re off the hook for anything the data raiders get. Or if they hand over your data to whomever, like the TSA, that’s okay, too.

And from the “Privacy” Policy:

Log files, IP addresses and information about your computer

“Due to the communications standards on the Internet, when you visit the LinkedIn web site we automatically receive the URL of the site from which you came and the site to which you are going when you leave LinkedIn. We also receive the Internet protocol (IP) address of your computer (or the proxy server you use to access the World Wide Web), your computer operating system and type of web browser you are using, email patterns, as well as the name of your ISP. This information is used to analyze overall trends to help us improve the LinkedIn service. The linkage between your IP address and your personally identifiable information is not shared with third-parties without your permission or except when required by law.
Consent to LinkedIn Processing Information About You

“Certain information you provide to LinkedIn may reveal, or allow others to identify, your nationality, ethnic origin, religion or other aspects of your private life, and more generally about you. Please be aware that in providing information to LinkedIn for the purposes of opening your user account, you are expressly and voluntarily accepting the terms and conditions of this Privacy Policy and LinkedIn’s User Agreement. The supplying of all such information by you to LinkedIn, including all information deemed “sensitive” by applicable law, is entirely voluntary on your part. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time, in accordance with the terms of this Privacy Policy and the User Agreement, but please note that your withdrawal of consent will not be retroactive.”

I like LinkedIn, I just never put much on it, like 70% of my Profile. It’s probably harmless, but even paranoids have enemies.

Ah, the internet. It’s like life now: gotta be careful what you say to whom, where, and how you say it.

Yes, I am still angry. Here’s the sortable, searchable excel file with more information, like, employers, State, zip, etc. Here’s where it came from. (via).

Know anybody on this big, long list?

JOHN TEMPLETON JR: $450,000.00
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS HEADQUARTERS: $250,000.00
MANCHESTER FINANCIAL GROUP: $125,000.00
JOSEPHINE TEMPLETON: $100,000.00
TERRY CASTER: $100,000.00
TERRY CASTER: $62,500.00
GERALD SIMONSEN: $50,000.00
JOSHUA BAKER: $50,000.00
ROGER BENSON: $50,000.00
CALIF. STATE COUNCIL KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: $25,000.00
LARRY SMITH: $25,000.00
ADAMO CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT CO.: $25,000.00
ROBERT HOEHN: $25,000.00
DAVID LESUEUR: $25,000.00
THE VINEYARD GROUP, LLC: $25,000.00 (more…)