Friday, May 18, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007  
Wednesday, May 16, 2007  
Tuesday, May 15, 2007  
Monday, May 14, 2007  

Oregon News:

• Salem Resident So Disgusted With OR Lawmakers On Civil Unions Vote, He Will Run for Office.   (SJ)
• [Sissy] Complaints Filed Against Oregonians In Action.   (Oregonian)
• Walden, Wyden Use White House Tour To Lobby President for Federal Funding.   (Oregonian)
• U.S. House Rejects DeFazio's Proposal Against War With Iran.   (Democrat Herald)
• HB2503:   Latest Lawmaker Scheme To Take $$ Not Theirs.  Bill forbids expiration dates on gifts cards, then takes money not spent by purchaser of card. (Oregonian)
• DeFazio Signs House Transportation Committee Letter "Strongly Discouraging" Public-Private Partnerships Endorsed By Schwarzenegger.   (Inland News)
• Curry County Commissioners Ready To Declare Emergency.   Precedes revision of budget, sending layoff notices to county employees by end of next week after county voters defeated a "temporary" tax increase by a 2-1 margin. Commissioner Marlyn Schafer said at least five counties planned to issue an emergency declaration on Monday... La Bonté said there is a chance the county could get something from Washington. "We're hearing there will be a bill on the president's desk by Memorial Day," she said. "Congressman (Peter) DeFazio yesterday was supportive about getting something from Congress," she said. "He was a county commissioner. He understands what we're going through." [Well now. See what you mean and nasty voters did. Don't you feel guilty? Now you've done it. You've forced them to either learn to manage their budgets or do without county services. Are YOU going to take the blame the way they want you to? Hmmm.](Curry Coastal Pilot)
• Senate Passes Robo-Call Bill.   (Oregonian)
• CHURCH UPSET POLICE "INVADED" HOLY SANCTUARY During Standoff With Gunman.   Police said their first concern was for public safety, and that tactical measures had to be taken immediately. [Pastor] Knutson hopes to continue talks with the bureau and members of the city of Portland to keep sanctuaries sacred in the event of future emergency situations. [Thank goodness the police know that it is human life which is "sacred" even if this mentally ill pastor does not.](KGW)
• Gun Restrictions Invite Criminal Activity.   (Max Whitaker, letter to Ed., SJ)
• Blumenauer Rules Out Running Against Gordon Smith.   (Oregonian)
• Wu Won't Run Against Smith.   (Oregonian)
• H1-B Worker Visas On the Rise.   State visa are soaring, though Congress has imposed stricter limits. Demand has skyrocketed in OR in the past five years. (Portland Business Journal)
• Senator Smith Joining Top International Liberals for Speaking Engagement. (American Progress PR)
• NOW Happy To Stand With Senators Smith, Kennedy On Hate Crimes Bill.  "...this law will finally classify as hate crimes certain violent, criminal acts that are motivated by the victim's gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability." (now.org)
• Three Teachers Caught In Park Sex Sting.   (KATU)
• Portland Fur Protester Told To Keep Distance.   (Oregonian)
• Rep. Peter DeFazio Trying To Kill Conservative Talk Radio.   (Write Idea, Blogspot)
• Bill To Stop Gobbledygook?   And the stipulations for that are? (SJ)
• Statesman Journal Columnist Wants Schools To Have Authority To Tax Counties & Cities.   Senate Bill 1036 finally would give our school districts the ability to levy charges on new developments to help defray the costs of new schools made necessary by the new developments.  
• Anti-War Democrat Says He May Run Against Gordon Smith.   (Mail Tribune)
• Military Honored with Events, Speakers, Thursday At Capitol.
• HB 2273:   Billboards Will Require Permits.   [Anti-free speech?] (Mail Tribune)
• Ashland Mayor Vows Library Will Reopen Library Following Defeat of Levy.   (Mail Tribune)
• Senators Smith, Clinton Call for Release of Iranian Journalist.   (Arabisto)
• E. Oregonians Oppose Partial Ban On Motorized Vehicles In Forest.   (KATU)
• DA's (Josh Marquis) Salary Reduced In Clatsop County.   (KXL)
• HB 2760 Ends Forced Annexation.   Blocks city of Eugene from surrounding a neighborhood, and then annexing them without a vote. (KEZI)
• DEPT. OF PEACE As a Presidential Cabinet Position?   Ashland residents support Dennis Kucinich idea. (Daily Tidings)
• House Approves $425-M for County Timber Payments.   Threat of a presidential veto brought dramatic rhetoric on the House floor from Reps. Walden & DeFazio. (KOIN)
• Portland Rabbi Does the Kulongoski Food-Stamp Sacrifice, Thanks Kulongoski.   [Now he is an authority of what it feels like to live on $3/person for food. It is really terrible. Why, did you know it means no alcohol or gourmet foods? Isn't that awful? This article is an insult to those who HAVE been truly poor & HAD to live on pennies (as had The Oregon Conservative).] (Jewish Review)     You can leave your own comments/opinions of the Rabbi's praise of Kulongoski at this blog.
• Dire Predictions:   In 13 and 33 Years Is Anyone Going To Refer Back To How Off Base This Article Was?   OR wildfires will increase 100% despite the most intelligent preventions. Salmon habitat will be greatly reduced. [A panel of 11 "independent" scientists say... SO, you know they absolutely, positively have no political agenda. Uh huh. Will the scientists even be alive to be held accountable for their 'know it all' predictions? Playing it safe is making predictions 33 years ahead of time. No one will even remember what dunces they were.] (AP)

National News:

• IF YOU DON'T SUPPORT AMNESTY, PLEASE CALL YOUR SENATORS & MORE.   See contact info.
• Phyllis Schlafly Urges Action Against Amnesty Bill.   Tell senators to vote no on cloture. (Eagle Forum)
• Breakdown of Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2007.   (By Jed Babbin, Human Events)
• AZ Reactions about Proposed Immigration Overhaul.   (Fox 11, AZ)
• U.S. Senate Rejects Troop Withdrawal Bid.   (AP)
• House Votes To Restrict MX Trucks On U.S. Highways.   (Fox 11, AZ)    HR 1773
• Congressman Hensarling's Committee Aides Get the Shaft -- Literally.   (The Hill)
• Life Group Tells Congress Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Laws Being Ignored.   (Citizen Link)
• House GOP Conservatives Seek To Back Up Bush's Budget Veto Threats.   Republican Study Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, said he already has at least 60 signatures on a letter that will be released if and when it gets enough signatures to show that more than one-third of the House would vote to sustain vetoes. (Congressional Quarterly)
• NY Times Reporter Didn't Get Much Insight On Benefits Of "Private Equity" from Congressional Hearing.   "At one point, TX Republican House member Jeb Hensarling asked Mr. Stern: 'Does the janitor who cleans your office make the same income as you do?'" “No sir,” Mr. Stern responded, looking bemused by the question. -- “So,” Mr. Hensarling said, “one can say that you are practicing income inequality.”
• Dr. Dobson:   Conscience, Moral Convictions Won't Allowing Voting for Giuliani.   (AP)
• OK:   Anti-Abortion Bill On Governor Henry's Desk.   Will he sign? He vetoed the last anti-abortion bill. Bill would block tax-funded abortions. (KOCO)
• OK Lawmakers Consider Version of "Jessica's Law."   (KOCO)
• SOCIALIST CONGRESSMAN Serrano Vows To Help Michael Moore "With Cuba Issue."   (Serrano PR)
• Luis Posada Carriles:   Terrorist or Freedom Fighter?   Two years ago, a Cuban exile & former CIA operative named Luis Posada Carriles entered the U.S. & was promptly arrested for illegal entry. It was not the welcome he deserved...Finally, there is already a confession to the plane bombing of which Carriles is accused. (Front Page Mag)
• SOCIALIST CONGRESSMAN SERRANO Continues Castro Line Against Luis Posada Carriles Despite Being Cleared Of All Terrorists Charges.   Press releases repeats false info & ignores info which refutes what he is saying in this PR.
• Media Matters" Hit Job On Bay Buchanan Baseless.   (Ericka Anderson, Human Events)
• WA:   Settlement Buys Out Tribal Shellfish Rights.   (Oregonian)
• Edwards Held More Than $1-M In Fortress Funds.   The former U.S. senator, who has criticized some subprime mortgage lenders for predatory practices, said he didn't realize that Fortress has extensive holdings in subprime portfolios, the Washington Post reported. (AP)

National/International News

MILITARY NEWS SITES

• Bush Salutes Blair In Final Farewell.   (AP)
• ABC News Employees Killed In Iraq.

International News:

• ROME, Italy:   Estimate One Million People Demonstrate for Traditional Families, Against Civil Unions.   (Zenit.org)
• South Africa:  "WE CANNOT BLESS CIVIL UNIONS."   Six months after same-sex marriage was legalized, at least four major church groups have implemented policies rejecting same-sex unions. (IOL.com)
• Blair Tapped to Replace [The Character Assassinated] Wolfowitz.  [Pure happenstance?] (This Is London)
• New Zealand:   Judge Says Manager "Exploited" As Much As Illegal Workers.   Judge said although the workers, some from Vietnam, Thailand & Indonesia, were only paid $8.50/hr, the defendant did not stand to personally profit from their employment. He pled guilty to 3 counts of allowing foreigners to stay in the county illegally. (Marlborough Express)
• British Airways May Face £350m Collusion Bill.   The UK Office of Fair Trading, the European Commission and the US Department of Justice have been investigating alleged price-fixing of fuel surcharges for almost a year. (BBC)
• France:   Sarkozy Brings Socialist Human Rights Leader To Team.  Bernard Kouchner will now be Foreign Minister. The Socialist Party immediately moved to distance itself from Mr Kouchner, saying he was no longer a member. (BBC) [No matter where in the world they are, liberals prove they are the intolerant.]
• Some Researcher Claim Global Net Censorship "Growing."   (BBC)
• Brussels Warns Russia On EU Unity.   The European Commission chief tells Russia a problem with one EU nation is a problem with the whole bloc. (BBC)
• BOMB HITS HISTORIC INDIA MOSQUE.   Not yet known who did it. Seven known killed. (BBC)
• Britain:   Lawmakers Back Exempting Selves from Freedom Of Information Laws.   Attempts to block amendment fail. (Ananova)