July 10, 2015

Calif. Drought: "Water District Confirms Tentative Settlement In Tom Selleck Water Dispute"

Actor Tom Selleck has reached a tentative settlement with a water district over allegations he stole truckloads of water during California’s historic drought.

The Calleguas Municipal Water District in Ventura County claimed Selleck was siphoning water from a Thousand Oaks hydrant to his Hidden Hills Valley Ranch, a 60-acre ranch where he grows avocados.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/07/09/water-district-confirms-tentative-settlement-in-tom-selleck-water-dispute/

I didn't know this was going on—what a selfish, sleaze ball Selleck is.

July 8, 2015

California Lawmakers Block Bill To Regulate E-Cigarettes

Source: CBS Los Angeles

SACRAMENTO (AP) — A legislative panel has opted not to take up a bill aimed at curbing youth smoking by regulating e-cigarettes in California after a heated hearing.

A separate measure calling for the legal smoking age to be raised to 21 was pulled from the agenda just before Wednesday’s hearing by the Committee on Governmental Organization.

Committee members first amended the e-cigarette bill by Sen. Mark Leno of San Francisco, gutting its proposal to regulate electronic cigarettes as tobacco products. That prompted the Democrat to urge a no vote on his own bill.

Read more: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/07/08/california-lawmakers-block-bill-to-regulate-e-cigarettes/#.VZ2qTxEI4hY.twitter

July 8, 2015

I live in L.A. and I FINALLY saw a segment on the news about Bernie!

CBS Los Angeles channel 9 spoke of his growing popularity, and they played snippets of an interview with him.
It was great!
Now let's see if the L.A. Times will have an article about Bernie.

July 7, 2015

Pathway to "billionaires beach" in Malibu set for opening

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/07/07/pathway-to-billionaires-beach-in-malibu-set-for-official-reopening/

I was looking at that gate, and it appears to have a lock.
It's open an hour before sunrise, and closes an hour after sunrise.

So these billionaires have a private stretch of California beach in the evenings.

June 11, 2015

Former Judge Accused Of Firing Gun Inside West LA Home

Source: CBS Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Police Thursday arrested a former judge who allegedly fired a weapon within his home in West Los Angeles.
Around 1:45 a.m., officers were sent to a condominium located in the 1900 block of Barrington Avenue for report of a call for help.
Upon their arrival, police located a man who was alone firing a weapon inside the home, which subsequently lead to a barricade situation, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
SWAT members were subsequently called to assist at the scene.




Read more: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/06/11/former-judge-accused-of-firing-gun-inside-west-la-home/

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From what I found, this judge was appointed by California's Republican Governor Deukmejian in 1990, and was a big proponent of the original three strikes law (before it was amended by voters).
http://articles.latimes.com/1996-03-17/opinion/op-47981_1_los-angeles

June 9, 2015

Getting some nice heavy rain now in So. Cal

From what I saw there was only a 20% chance of showers today.
It was just coming down mighty hard. Rare for June.
Loving it!!


But I'm glad I got the pup out on a walk just before hand.

June 4, 2015

California Lawmakers Advance Right-To-Die Bill

Source: CBS Los Angeles

SACRAMENTO (AP) — California lawmakers have advanced a right-to-die bill, giving hope to those who want the nation’s most populous state to allow terminally ill patients to end their lives under doctor’s care.

The state Senate passed the measure on a 23 to 14 vote Thursday, ahead of a legislative deadline.

The issue gained traction nationally after 29-year-old Brittany Maynard moved from California to Oregon to end her life in November.

Read more: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/06/04/california-lawmakers-to-vote-on-right-to-die-bill/#.VXCvhSIdAdY.twitter

May 18, 2015

Billionaire Gets 4 Months For Sexually Assaulting 12-Year-Old Because He’s ‘Productive

I don't know how reliable this website is for news, but it sure sounds it's more likely than not to me. The uber-wealthy are above the law.

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/06/07/billionaire-gets-off/

Billionaire Gets 4 MONTHS For Sexually Assaulting 12-Year-Old Because He’s ‘Productive
In the United States, it doesn’t matter who you are; if you’re rich, you receive special treatment in our “justice” system.

SC Johnson, the “family” company’s billionaire heir, Samuel Curtis Johnson III, who confessed to repeatedly sexually assaulting his teenage stepdaughter has received an outrageous prison sentence of only four months because the judge, Circuit Justice Eugene Gasiorkiewicz, feels that Johnson’s importance to the community is valued much higher than the dignity of his abused step-daughter.

You read that right. Affluenza, as it has been dubbed, has struck again. This billionaire has officially plead guilty to mere misdemeanor charges of fourth-degree sexual assault and disorderly conduct instead of receiving the maximum which is felony sexual assault on a minor child. These charges originally stem from 2011. Think Progress reported Johnson’s stepdaughter “initially told police Johnson was ‘a sex addict‘ and touched her inappropriately 15 to 20 times starting when she was 12 years old. She told her mother about the abuse in order to protect her younger sister, and Johnson confessed when the mother confronted him.” Because Johnson’s victim was unwilling to testify in the case, the prosecutors had to make a plea deal with Johnson and his legal team.


Billionaire Gets 4 MONTHS For Sexually Assaulting 12-Year-Old Because He’s ‘Productive’
Author: Ryan Denson June 7, 2014 7:12 pm

In the United States, it doesn’t matter who you are; if you’re rich, you receive special treatment in our “justice” system.

SC Johnson, the “family” company’s billionaire heir, Samuel Curtis Johnson III, who confessed to repeatedly sexually assaulting his teenage stepdaughter has received an outrageous prison sentence of only four months because the judge, Circuit Justice Eugene Gasiorkiewicz, feels that Johnson’s importance to the community is valued much higher than the dignity of his abused step-daughter.

You read that right. Affluenza, as it has been dubbed, has struck again. This billionaire has officially plead guilty to mere misdemeanor charges of fourth-degree sexual assault and disorderly conduct instead of receiving the maximum which is felony sexual assault on a minor child. These charges originally stem from 2011. Think Progress reported Johnson’s stepdaughter “initially told police Johnson was ‘a sex addict‘ and touched her inappropriately 15 to 20 times starting when she was 12 years old. She told her mother about the abuse in order to protect her younger sister, and Johnson confessed when the mother confronted him.” Because Johnson’s victim was unwilling to testify in the case, the prosecutors had to make a plea deal with Johnson and his legal team.

Johnson’s attorney, Michael F. Hart argued to Judge Gasiorkiewicz that the maximum prison term for his client was not fair and that is should be reserved for “maximum defendants,” people unlike his client (aka not billionaires with a prestigious name), who has no prior record and who leads a “productive life.” Again, the billionaire status and famous name apply to that “productive life.” He’s an heir, so remember folks, he’s inheriting this empire and inheriting this money. Very productive.

Add insult to injury, the judge made his decision based on other cases in which he has rarely gives first time offenders the maximum sentence. So instead the judge gave Johnson, a billionaire, a fine of $6,000. The judge ruled that he must serve at least 60 days of the sentence before he will be eligible for release.

Billionaire rapes an underage child, gets a sentence that a teenager gets for shoplifting. That’s what some people like to call the “invisible hand” in economics.

May 14, 2015

"Mr. W." This is fantastic. It's probably been posted before as it's old. Watch the whole video!

May 12, 2015

M6.8 – Near the East Coast of Honshu, Japan

Source: USGS website

M6.8 – Near the East Coast of Honshu, Japan
Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 21:12:58 UTC
Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 06:12:58 Local

Read more: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/dyfi/events/us/20002et4/us/index.html