Our President has violated the US Constitution.
reposted from CNN


ABA: Bush violating Constitution
Bar association president says signing statements erode democracy

Monday, July 24, 2006; Posted: 11:05 a.m. EDT (15:05 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush's penchant for writing exceptions to laws he has just signed violates the Constitution, an American Bar Association task force says in a report highly critical of the practice.

The ABA group, which includes a one-time FBI director and former federal appeals court judge, said the president has overstepped his authority in attaching challenges to hundreds of new laws.

The attachments, known as bill-signing statements, say Bush reserves a right to revise, interpret or disregard measures on national security and constitutional grounds.

"This report raises serious concerns crucial to the survival of our democracy," said the ABA's president, Michael Greco. "If left unchecked, the president's practice does grave harm to the separation of powers doctrine, and the system of checks and balances that have sustained our democracy for more than two centuries."

Some congressional leaders had questioned the practice. The task force's recommendations, being released Monday in Washington, will be presented to the 410,000-member group next month at its annual meeting in Hawaii.

ABA policymakers will decide whether to denounce the statements and encourage a legal fight over them.

The task force said the statements suggest the president will decline to enforce some laws. Bush has had more than 800 signing statement challenges, compared with about 600 signing statements combined for all other presidents, the group said.

Noel J. Francisco, a former Bush administration attorney who practices law in Washington, said the president is doing nothing unusual or inappropriate.

"Presidents have always issued signing statements," he said. "This administration believes that it should make clear ... when the Congress is getting close to the lines that our Constitution draws."

Francisco said the administration's input is part of the give and take between the branches of government. "I think it's good that the debate is taking place at a public level," he added.

White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said last month that "it's important for the president at least to express reservations about the constitutionality of certain provisions."

The ABA report said President Reagan was the first to use the statements as a strategic weapon, and that it was encouraged by then-administration lawyer Samuel Alito -- now the newest Supreme Court justice.

The task force included former prosecutor Neal Sonnett of Miami; former FBI Director William Sessions; Patricia Wald, former chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit; former Republican Rep. Mickey Edwards; and former Reagan administration lawyer Bruce Fein; and law school professors and other lawyers.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press.

My heart goes out to the victims of that horrible fire in Stanislaus County.
Teardrops.... to the loss of Pioneer Town, and the people who lost homes because of that fire.

Decomposition rates for garbage.
Aluminum cans....................80 yrs.
Steel cans.............................100 yrs.
Orange peel..........................6 months
Plastic bag............................10-20 yrs.
Plastic containers.................50-80 yrs.
Styrofoam..............................10-20 yrs.
Wax paper cup......................5 yrs.
Wood......................................4 yrs.
rubber....................................NEVER
Glass......................................NEVER
Cigarette butts.....................1-5 yrs.
Plastic six pack holders.....100yrs.
paper.....................................2-5 months
milk cartons..........................5 yrs.

Tenants gain some rights in San Francisco



Tenants scored a victory last Friday night when Mayor Gavin Newsom allowed legislation preventing landlords from severing services from a rental unit to become law. The proposal, sponsored by Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, did not receive the necessary eight votes at the Board of Supervisors to override a mayoral veto, but Newsom decided to allow the measure to take effect. As a result, landlords can no longer remove parking spaces, laundry facilities, and a variety of other amenities from tenants at will. The new law eliminates one of the most common means for landlords to force tenants out of their homes, and Newsom’s approval of it reveals the way the passage of Proposition B last month may have altered the city’s political landscape.

Story is a repost from IndyBay.
Written by Casey Mills, Beyond Chron

San Francisco Poised to Make Transgender History, Again!
by Cecilia Chung
Monday Jul 10th, 2006 2:58 PM

Board of Supervisor’s Budget Committee recommends $300,000 in 2006 budget to increase opportunities for transgender employees and entrepreneurs.

San Francisco, CA – June 30, 2006 – Last night, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Budget Committee unanimously approved a historic $300,000 commitment aimed at turning around high rates of poverty in San Francisco’s transgender communities. Thirteen years after San Francisco outlawed discrimination against transgender employees, the Committee earmarked funds to improve employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in order to overcome high rates of unemployment and underemployment among transgender people in the city.

“The Comprehensive Transgender Employment Initiative is a great investment for San Francisco,” said San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty. “Too many well qualified transgender people who want to work or start businesses are frozen out of the market. The Initiative is a vital first step in making sure that this community can fully participate and contribute to the wellbeing of our great city.”

The unanimous support of the Committee demonstrates the importance and timeliness of the Initiative. Joining Supervisor Dufty in voting for funding the Initiative was Committee Chair Chris Daly, Board President Aaron Peskin, Supervisors Ross Mirkarimi and Sean Elsbernd. “This commitment is overdue,” said Daly. “For too long, transgender people in my district and throughout the city have been isolated from living wage jobs and career opportunities. This initial investment signals an end to that reality and a strong step forward in full inclusion.”

Community members hail the vote and the support of elected officials. “It’s a great time to be living and working in San Francisco. This historic vote reinforces the city’s role as a national leader in the transgender equality movement,” said Cecilia Chung, Deputy Director of the Transgender Law Center. “Just five years after the city began offering health insurance equality for city employees, this initiative will set a new milestone in transgender history by creating full and fair employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for our community.”

Funding for the Initiative will be managed by the City’s Human Services Agency (HSA) which oversees workforce development. HSA Director Trent Rhorer added, “we are excited to be part of a public collaborative developing this much effort.” San Francisco’s Airport and the Public Utilities Commission collaboratively contributed $100,000 to the Initiative so that some of the employment training programs will be specifically geared to meet their employment and hiring needs.

This is a repost from IndyBay

Uh OH!

According to WorldNetDaily.com, Britain's secret intelligence service, MI6, has established the first proof al-Qaeda is playing a major role in the new Cold War between North and South America – with Osama bin Laden's terror network seeing itself in league with Mexican subversives in infiltrating the U.S. border.

In the words of a MI6 memo, the situation "is a new and dangerous threat to stability that is also being exploited by al-Qaeda."

Details of al-Qaeda's penetration into Latin America emerged from documents discovered during recent anti-terrorist operations in Pakistan to try and locate Osama bin Laden.

The documents included evidence that al-Qaeda has established links with the Colombian terror group, FARC, and the Shining Path, SL, in Peru. They also reveal al-Qaeda's links with thousands of Muslim students in the Dominican Republic.

Want to learn more about it? Visit the source: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=50130

ERRI analysts and EmergencyNet News Correspondents are presently examining additional indicators and reports about possible infiltration and collusion between Jihadist and S. American terror organizations

Transgenders Claim FEMA Sex Change Scandal Was Fabricated, Fraudulent

Joan Michel-Lehman carries two air horns with her at night.

Leave the Mountain Lions alone.

They build on their(Mountain Lions)land and expect to be safe from the wrath of Mountain Lions. If you don't want to deal with nature then don't build on their land. If that old lady is that scared then she should move the hell away, because eventually we the people will defend the rights of the Mountain Lion.

Story excerpt from sfgate.com

Betty Kasnoff brings her beloved tabby Tiger Lilly in by 9 p.m. and locks the doors.

Eunice Brill is worried about the effect on property values.

The source of their consternation: mountain lions.

There have been half a dozen recent sightings of the fearsome, 120-pound beasts prowling the secluded streets of Rossmoor, a retirement community in the bucolic, rolling hills of Walnut Creek.

"I am scared out of my mind," Michel-Lehman said. "Half the people here can't see, the other half can't hear, the rest can't think -- they need to get rid of these things now before something terrible happens."

Wildlife experts say the big cats pose little danger to people and are just exhibiting normal mountain lion behavior -- hunting deer and keeping to themselves. But an article in the Rossmoor News, warning signs from the Department of Public Safety, and the usual chatter around the golf course and beauty salon have left some of Rossmoor's 10,000 seniors with acute cases of lion phobia.

San Francisco Pride committee ignores complaint.

On June 26, 2006 I sent a letter to the Pride committee complaining about the treatment I got from their media credentialing office. And to date they have not responded to my letter. I have copied the letter in this statement.

This raises some serious concerns. The mission statement for this years' Pride says "educate the world, commemorate our heritage, celebrate our culture, and liberate our people." To liberate means to release someone from a situation that limits freedom of thought or behavior. Denying the appropriate media passes to a person who creates media that educates the world on issues regarding the transgender community has directly limited my ability to educate the world. Not following through with a mission statement is a symptom of bad management. Not serving the community is also a symptom of bad management.

It is my opinion the most effective way to deal with bad management is to speak out, stand your ground, and speak your concerns loudly and clearly. The Pride committee has turned their backs on their own community, and if we value what we have then now is the time to contact the Pride committee and or President and tell them how we feel.

Pride committee contact info:
President: Joey Cain
415 864-3733
info@sfspride.org

I have heard from numerous sources that Pride has gone corporate and most people are not happy with that result. Eventually what may happen is the community will start an alternative Pride thus making the corporate Pride less attractive to locals. At that point the corporate Pride will be an event every San Franciscan will regret, because it takes up so much space. I know at least a hundred parking spaces in the Tenderloin that are sacrificed for the sake of an event. I know lots of locals who are pissed off about losing their parking spaces.

My final question is will Pride become an obstacle in our lives or will it perservere and continue to serve the community?

Story and thoughts by Dina Boyer

Support the Bikers.



Bikers Defy Officials, Rally in Calif.

HOLLISTER, Calif. - Thousands of bikers roared into the town made famous by Marlon Brando's 1953 film "The Wild One" on Saturday, defying a city council decision to cancel one of the country's most celebrated motorcycle rallies.

The bikers cruised Hollister's streets on personalized choppers, racing bikes and tricked-out Harley Davidsons. One man rode with his goggle-sporting dog in a sidecar.

Dozens of police officers, many from other cities, patrolled the streets. Bars were packed before noon.

"We're the taxpayers. We're not hoodlums," said Jack Stout, 51, of Gilroy, who has logged more than 40,000 miles on his 2003 Harley Davidson Superglide and plans to come annually even if the event isn't officially sanctioned.

The Hollister Independence Rally has been a summer destination for bikers for decades, much like the Sturgis rally in South Dakota. But earlier this year, the Hollister City Council voted to cancel the 4th of July weekend event, saying it was too expensive and too dangerous.