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08 Sep 2011 10:12

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Offbeat: Gumby wannabe robber: This guy’s headed to the Pokey

  • Gumby attempted a robbery, you guys. Put away your Etch-A-Sketches and your Stretch Armstrongs, boys and girls. Childhood is over. In the San Diego area, a man dressed in a Gumby costume tried to rob a convenience store; he left with nothing, but there’s a $1,000 reward for info related to his eventual capture. Police are taking the matter seriously, however; we know we wouldn’t be able to do so. source
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Sep 2011 22:27

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U.S.: Texas, California wildfires threaten, destroy homes

  • 476 homes burned in Texas east of Austin since Sunday; Gov Rick Perry canceled an appearance at a forum in South Carolina in response
  • 800+ homes threatened by fire in California; officials are unsure how long it will take to contain the fires, caused by a plane crash on Sunday source
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink

30 Aug 2011 22:53

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Politics: Why to be careful when blocking judicial nominations

  • cause Back in May, Goodwin Liu’s nomination to the 9th Circuit Court was blocked by Republicans, due in part to his support for same-sex marriage.
  • effect Liu is now on track to be seated on the California Supreme Court instead–and will likely be confirmed in time to hear the case to repeal Proposition 8. source
  • » One note: Goodwin Liu has publicly opposed Proposition 8 in the past, so if he ends up hearing the case, supporters of the law will likely ask that he recuse himself. But that doesn’t mean he has to.
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Jul 2011 11:01

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U.S.: Smart move: California allows illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition

  • While many states have chosen to legislate hate and division by approving anti-immigrant laws, California’s governor sends a strong message that investing in today’s student population, regardless of their immigration status, is smart, practical and the right thing to do.
  • Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles leader Angelica Salas • Speaking favorably of Gov. Jerry Brown and the California State Legislature’s actions in passing a bill that allows illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition for their schooling. Eleven other states have laws comparable to California’s, while a dozen others block the practice outright. But considering California is on the literal front lines of the immigration debate, it’s of note. Two other border states — Texas and New Mexico — have similar laws. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Jul 2011 16:53

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U.S.: California’s new district lines no longer in political hands

  • 14 California residents control the state’s political redistricting source
  • » Power to some people! It’s congressional redistricting time in California, which can play as big a role in the outcomes of elections as the candidates themselves. By way of a 2008 ballot initiative against gerrymandering, that power has put in the hands of fourteen citizens. Criticism has come quickly — Latino advocacy groups are saying that the influence of their voters will be diminished by the first drafts of the new map, and retiring congresswoman Lynn Woolsey complains that her once compact Marin County district would stretch more than 350 miles up the west coast. Principally, we object to gerrymandering; it’s an unpleasant underbelly of American politics. That said, subjective judgments that will tilt the balance of power are a necessity of the system, as there isn’t really such a thing as an objectively honest state district map. So, can you really avoid this problem just by bringing in ostensibly less political people? We’re not so sure.
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 Jun 2011 02:29

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U.S.: Woman grabs phone, records man burglarizing her home

  • Not long after the woman taped this video, she was sexually assaulted. A 28-year-old Oakland, Calif. resident recorded video of the man shown here brazenly breaking into her home, stealing her electronics, and then, after she was done recording, coming back to assault her. And now, in hopes of catching the perpetrator, the Oakland Police Department released a video of the man stealing her stuff. “She was very much behind the release of the video,” said Oakland Police Officer Holly Joshi. “She wants justice, she wants the public to be aware of this man so this doesn’t happen to another woman.” Here’s the video for you guys, in case you might know anything about this mess. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

31 May 2011 21:52

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Music: Yay awesome! Coachella expands into a multi-week endeavor

  • 2 weekends of hot, sweaty people dancing to tunes in the desert source
  • » The lineups stay the same, though: The Coachella fest, which has earned itself many imitators since it started in 1999 (including a retooled Lollapalooza!), will offer music fans options for the next festival go-around. They pretty much need to: This year’s event sold out in six days, despite the fact that over 90,000 people bought tickets. The bands will sign on for two weekends, not just one, so don’t worry about missing anyone.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

23 May 2011 15:42

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U.S.: SCOTUS rules CA prisons unconstitutionally overcrowded

  • “Incompatible with the concept of human dignity”: So said Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the 5-4 Supreme Court majority that ruled California’s state prison system is so overcrowded that they say it violates constitutional rights (the level of health services available to inmates who sorely need them has been a relevant issue of late). As such, the ruling may force the state to release nearly 40,000 prisoners. “The release of prisoners in large numbers … is a matter of undoubted, grave concern, yet so too is the continuing injury and harm resulting from these serious constitutional violations,” said Kennedy. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 May 2011 21:09

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Culture: Arnold Schwarzenegger had two kids by two women in one week

  • 09/27/97 the birthdate of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s youngest son with wife Maria Shriver
  • 10/02/97 the birthdate of Arnold’s son with his former housemaid; her husband left her three weeks later source
  • » This makes things even more awkward: According to birth records released regarding Mildred Patricia Baena’s child with the former governor, he was born less than a week after Maria Shriver had a child of her own. The actor has supported the child since his birth. The superstar actor, who is taking this hard, “is doing everything he can to take full responsibility to take all of the spotlight off his children and wife,” according to a CNN source close to Schwarzenegger. Still though, it’s kinda tough to do so with this kind of scandal. This is pretty weird, right?
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

17 May 2011 10:11

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Culture: On Arnold Schwarzenegger’s mind-blowing out-of-wedlock bomb

  • So yeah, that was kind of an atomic bomb of a news story TMZ just dropped, eh? It says a lot that the revelation that Arnold Schwarzenegger had a child out of wedlock would be shocking if he was just a movie star. (Over a decade ago, but still.) Problem is, though, he’s a former California governor, and as a result, the standard is way higher. Plus, he was married to a Kennedy! Anyway, here’s the apology: “I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family,” he said. “There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologized to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry.” Considering he’s done with political life, will this hurt his career going forward? Or will his now-revived movie career survive the revelation? (photo via the Port of San Diego‘s Flickr page) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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