LA's Other Half

LA Voice has a good article on Neil Kadisha and other LA Billionaires playing the Political Game.

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BOIFROMTROY.COM is now up and running. Please go read the latest at boifromtroy.com! There's nothing to see here.

I'm cheating on you...

...but it's for the better, I promise. I am in the process of re-building this blog over at boifromtroy.com I am tediously working through a handful of technical issues... 1) I have to rebuild titles for old entries... 2) I have to assign authorship to guestbloggers... 3) I HAVE to find a better color scheme/graphic design...volunteers accepted. Once the move is final, you will see one more note on this site, until then, start updating your blogrolls and links, please!

New Blog for the News rolls

From Gawker comes the Wonkette...check out her hilarious glossary of D.C. terms. (thanks for the link, Toby, who pans it here) I say this is more East-coast media bias...when will you come to Los Angeles--the world's entertainment capitol?

Before they deny it...

Let's remember all the illustrius figures to have endorsed Howard Dean. If he keeps having weeks like this, it will be fun to remind them of their lunacy (and his!) California Attorney General Bill Lockyer California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley California Speaker-Elect Fabian Nunez Former Texas Governor Ann Richards California Congresswomen Lucille Roybal-Allard, Hilda Solis, Grace Napolitano and Dianne Watson Former US Senator Bill Bradley Former Presidential Candidate Al Gore The California Teachers' Association And...on January 15, 2003, Once and future presidential candidate... Carol Mosley-Braun There are more...but I have two questions for the aforementioned: Did you know about Dr. Dean's personality "stability issues" when you endosed him or did you fail to do your due diligence? Either way, do you think we should trust anything you endorse in the future?!?

Crowded Skies

I would never refer my readers to a good editorial in my local Times, for all the obvious reasons. However, the NYT has an excellent editorial today on demands on the nation's air traffic system, with which I wholly agree. "The fact that the nation's aviation system is overwhelmed at crucial choke points is a source of tremendous frustration to travelers, and it poses safety challenges to a strained air traffic control system. Reducing flights is a short-term but ultimately unsatisfactory fix. Increased capacity (more runways, for starters), instead of arbitrary caps on flights, is the real solution." I wish the folks who manage LAX and Bob Hope Airport were reading!

Secret Project Underway

Some of you know about my secret project. Others will know soon. In the meantime, I am compiling a list of things to do beforehand in order to make it happen, and I want your help. While the Bear Flag League remains a constant, I want to consolidate my gay and news/blog links into their own blogrolls. Are there any really good sites I am missing or people who want to be on that list?!? In addition, I am going to have a section for quotes from other bloggers...here some samples I plan on using... "Margaret Cho's Worst Nightmare" - Dan Renzi "Boifromtroy, link whore...beware!" - Sometimes Happy Troy "That guy is a tool." - "Toby" Boifromtroy "doesn't feel like a news article but more a conversation between friends." - Lance Arthur "Not a lesbian" - Andy Towle "Our favorite gay republican" - Evil Robot I am sure many of you have said wonderful things and would appreciate top billing once the "secret project" is unveiled...do you want to add your own quote or comment?!? Leave it below or drop me an email! UPDATE: I am assembling the "Ultimate Gay Blogroll" with the intention of making it open source for everyone who wishes to put it on their sites...please review it on the right...some additions and some deletions from before!

Pretty Good Presidential Selector

Even though I took the gayest of stances on they gay questions, I still got the following results on this President Selector, which confirmed my feelings on the top choice in each Party: Bush.........100% Liberman....71% Although, if I were a military Reservist or veteran of the reserves, I would take offence to their saying that George W. Bush has "NO" military experience. Hat tip: Discount Blogger.

SoCal Shaking?

Not yet, at least, but apparently so-called "experts" at the "University" formerly known as 'Los Angeles High' are predicting a 6.4 temblor in Southeastern California before September 5, 2004. If you don't care about L.A. or earthquakes, go take a ganer anyways...the graphic on the map is, well, quite graphic!

Glotating...

Permit me to gloat for a moment as you read this prediction about Dr. Dean from a two weeks ago.

Howard Dean's Plan

We all know Howard Dean is an angry man we would never trust with the 'football', but what of his ideas? When I asked people to name five campaign issues of his without using the words "not" or "Bush", no one responded. Well not Dean is returning to message (if he had one), which includes a national health insurance scheme. If you're under 25 or make less than $35,000, you have the option to purchase a federal health insurance policy on the cheap. If you're over 65, you get Medicare...not just Medicare, but Howard Dean's new-and-improved medicare that's not George Bush's plan, no it's a real plan. Oops, I said the words "not" and "Bush". For the rest of us, we can "invest" in the national health insurance programme for just 7% of our income a month. That's right. If you make $36,000, you will pay $210 a month. If you make $48,000, you will pay $280 a month for national healthcare. If you make, say, $85,000, that's $490 a month. And so on and so forth. Now there are SOOOO many problems with this plan. First of all, I (well, my employer and I) pay $160 a month for Health, Dental, Vision and Prescription coverage with a $10 co-pay and no deductible. I find it hard to imagine that HowardCare will be so generous. Assuming it is, what's to say that the new government health insurance plan won't become a pricing point for private carriers? Why should my healthcare provider not switch to the same pricing scheme...or price their product accordingly? By interfering in the free market, HowardCare will increase the costs of private health insurance AND, likely, reduce the benefits people receive. That makes me angry...just like Howard Dean.

A bright idea from Sacramento

Apparently that Donna Arduin woman that Governor Schwarzenegger brought from Florida has come up with a bright idea, according to Dan Weintraub's print column today: "She wants California's budget writers to change their focus from how much is going in to what is coming out. Are we, in other words, getting our money's worth?" An example not cited by Weintraub, but most glaring in the Reason Public Policy Institute's 2003 "Citizen's Budget" is my personal favorite (see page 9, here): "The Department of Consumer Affairs spent $62 million on the Low-Income Repair Assistance Program, established to provide state assistance to eligible low-income participants for smog check automotive repairs, in 1998-99 and was allotted an additional $62 million in the Governor’s 1999-00 budget, despite the fact that only 3 people had participated in the program." So until every taxpayer fraud like this is cleaned up in Sacramento, DO NOT TALK TO ME about a tax increase!

NYT Parrots BFT on Parsing

I have been criticized for pointing out the President Bush was Clintonian in his parsing of words on marriage--never actually mentioning "gay marriages" in his State of the Union. For all we know (har har), he could be talking about incestuous marriages or activist judges that grant divorces willy-nilly, as in the case of Britney Spears. Well the New York Times this morning is reporting that it seems many people read into the President's statements whatever they didn't want to hear...something I myself was guilty of. "The mixed reactions reflected wording seemingly intended to rally conservative voters without spooking too many moderates, who might find the idea of changing the Constitution over gay unions intolerant or an overreaction." Perhaps, we can always hope, he mentioned this now so that by the time of the GOP convention in late August, he won't have to...who knows. Oh yeah, Karl Rove. UPDATE: Beaverhausen points out that the NYT misrepresented the LCR position--which I knew instinctively when reading the article this morning, at 6:01am at the gym.

Free Money Giveaway!!!

Don't ask me why, but tonight, I obsessively went through and sorted all of my coinage by country...and alot of it is now worthless, thanks to the euro...even more will cost me more to make it worth something than the coinage is worth. So I figure what better way to drive traffic to my site than give away free money!!! Here's the basic groundrules. First come, first serve...by leaving comments below this post with an email of how I can get your address. One country's currency per person...please state your preference. If you want to contribute to the postage, I will send information on how you can do so later. So here are your choices for free money!!! 20 francs from French Polynesia 10 Mexican cents $1.38 Canadian (that's real money!) 187 Spanish pesetas 21 French francs 10 gilders, 85 cents (Dutch) 500 Italian lire 1 krone 50 ore (Norwegian) 7.40 Swiss francs (about five bucks, real money someone can actually use!) 2500 Turkish lire 1 Swedish krone 1 Czech koruna 1 markka 70 penni (Suomi-Finland) 20 senti (origin unknown - reads "Eesti Vabariik") 46 pfenning from West Germany 48 forints 10 fillers from Hungary, including Communist-era coinage

G:LAB reminder

Three days until L.A.'s premiere gayblogger event at the Abbey! See y'all there! Of course all my boifromtroyfriends...Aaron, Toby, Trey and Bradford...are welcome to attend as honorary Los Angeles bloggers.

World Hug Day

Yes, it's true, today is World Hug Day, even if Grouphug hasn't recognized it yet. So I will spread the love around to some folks who need it...Toby, for one, could use one, but it will have to be virtual. Michael needs a hug (and a candidate) too! Chris, now, what can I say...can't we all just get along? "Jeff" needs a hug for his un-X-plained Venemous omission. Mike Williams could benefit from a hug, too, as he struggles with the local police department. Justene gives a hug to Dan Weintraub, but I say she deserves one for being such a trooper! And you and you and you and you and you and you...and all of you...consider yourselves hugged.

Constitional options...

While Bush did not endorse a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, he said we may have to look towards constitutional remedies. Here are some options to consider: 1. Amendment XIV, Section 1: Strike "nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without the due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." or... 2. Amendment I: Make it read, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, orabridging the freedom of speech, or of the press..." or... 3. Amendment X: Delete the whole thing. or... 4. Article IV, Section 1: Delete "Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the Public Acts, Records and judicial Proceedings of every other State." See, we don't need to ban gay marriages in the Consitution...we can just gut some of the most important provisions to suit the "will of the people and their elected representatives."

Overheard this morning...

...at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf "I wish there were a candidate who would just tell the government to get out of everyone's business." Indeed. Whether with money or marriage, one party wants to meddle.

USC Day in L.A.

The City of Los Angeles honors its THREE national championship teams today. City Council ceremony at 10 AM. Parade down Figueroa at 11:15 AM. Rally on USC Campus at 12:30 PM. Fight on! UPDATE: That was about the lame-assest parade I have ever seen from my office window...

X-cellent

I am amazed...by today's letter of the day, and the most obvious omission. Must be because of that blogroll incident.

Parsing words...

People will say that George Bush endorsed a marriage amendment...but he did not. Here's the official text: "A strong America must also value the institution of marriage. I believe we should respect individuals as we take a principled stand for one of the most fundamental, enduring institutions of our civilization. Congress has already taken a stand on this issue by passing the Defense of Marriage Act, signed in 1996 by President Clinton. That statute protects marriage under Federal law as the union of a man and a woman, and declares that one state may not redefine marriage for other states. Activist judges, however, have begun redefining marriage by court order, without regard for the will of the people and their elected representatives. On an issue of such great consequence, the people's voice must be heard. If judges insist on forcing their arbitrary will upon the people, the only alternative left to the people would be the constitutional process. Our Nation must defend the sanctity of marriage. "The outcome of this debate is important -- and so is the way we conduct it. The same moral tradition that defines marriage also teaches that each individual has dignity and value in God's sight." It comes close...but technically, it depends on what your definition of "sanctity" is...

State of the Union Stream of Consciousness notes...

SOTU: Confident and Strong. I'd add "optimistic." Terrorist attacks...Dubya includes Jerusalem, not an Al Quaeda target...hmmm...this will draw some of the greatest international attention Patriot Act...Ouch. Bet those 50 or so Dems who were clapping about the expiration of certain provisions felt like jackasses when he delivered that next line! War on Terror/Iraq...Good job reinforcing the multinational aspects of the coalition in Iraq and elsewhere. How can some of the Democrats give a standing-O for defeating Hussein when they themselves opposed the war?!?..."Found in a hole." Heh. Libya/Axis of Evil: Did he have to bring up enriched uranium?!? Good point on effective diplomancy...as long as Dubya is President, no one can doubt the words of America...and why bring up the deck of tha carrier?!? Terrorism as Crime: Attack #1 on Howard Dean...very subtle. Failure to Attack Iraq: Teddy Kennedy shaking his head in disgrace or denial?!? Dubya is right on the bottom line. Sans Saddam...world is a better place. Internationalization of war...hard to explain in Britain, etc. See below. Was he reading Boifromtroy?!? Probably not...he's much more eloquent...words I thought I'd never say. "Permission slip"...subtle Dean attack #2. Anything for Clark or Kerry? "Forward Strategy of Freedom": My prediction for the new hot buzzword. "Dignity and Rights of Every Man and Woman": I'm waiting to see if what's good for the gander is what's good for the goose on gay rights. On the Economy: Tax relief worked; I get it...hopefully others will, too! Although it's not "returning" people's money...it's not taking it in the first place! It's MY money, not YOURS, George!!! Education: Progress is good...increasing spending 36% since 2001 wouldn't be without results. Older students and adults...First domestic initative..."Jobs for the 21st Century"...as promised Community College will get money, but will focus on job training, not being a continuation of High School. Taxes: Unfinished business...need to make changes permanent. I agree. Strange reaction until the zinger from the chamber. Never seen that before. Tort reform: Attack on Edwards #1 Energy: The points he highlighted were fairly bipatisan...why not bring up ANWAR?!? Social Security: HERE HERE! Personal retirement accounts are what will bring the youth vote to the GOP. Budget: Limiting growth of discretionary spending to 4%...cut deficit in half over 5 years. I'll believe it when Congress passes it. Immigration: Temporary worker program...didn't think he'd mention it. First focus is on the economic benefits...then he re-casts the issue as an security issue. Someone must have told him to draw differences with Amnesty and focus on protections for those who seek citizenship in the proper manner. Heathcare: He's spending maybe 30 seconds on each of these domestic issues...not touching on too many details...after awhile it starts to sound like a bunch of platitudes...until now...now he's pandering to the old folks talking about all the great benefits of Medicare reform when what we needed was more reform, less Medicare. At least he's threatening to veto any attempt to undermine what little reform there was. Good point on eliminating wasteful lawsuits. Edwards attack #2...did they re-write after the Iowa caucus? Hillary attack #1...Government-controlled healthcare system is BAD...does Rove know something we don't about the future of NY's junior Senator?!? Institutions: Respect for different faiths, families; we will defend the institutions...stomache beginning to get queasy. Okay, drug use, blah blah blah...He's saying to children, "we love you"...someone call Tom Sneddon. Heh. Steroids bad...Tom Brady cute. 3 million teenagers get STD's each year?!? That's gotta be, like half of them. Abstinence, my ass! Decisions childrens make...negative influences of culture...yep, he's transitioning into the gay marriage thing. NOOOOOOO! Hailing Clinton signing DOMA...thanks for reminding the gay community that the Democrat President was the one who did so much harm to us! "The people's choice must be heard"...tyrrany of the majority, dude! He didn't say we must use the constitutional process, but hinted that it is the last resort. It is also the last resort to deny blacks the right to vote, if that's what the majority of us want. Faith Based Charities: What if a gay church wanted government money?!? Prisoner re-entry: $300 million program...I think that is the first dollar figure I have heard in the speech...and it ain't much in the context of the Federal budget. "A time set apart": Another buzzword candidate...but not quite as convincing as "Forward Strategy of Freedom". And Yes Sir! The next time I "see" a man in uniform, I will say "Thank you!" EXPLANATION: These were my thoughts updated continuously during George Bush's State of the Union 2004...unedited and unabashed. Everyone else will tell you what they thing later...you got it live, if not in person. REACTIONS AROUND THE HORN: What did you think?!? Leave me a link or a comment and I'll share your thoughts! I won't go as far as Discount Blogger, but I can sympathize...he did piss off gays...Republican and otherwise...such as Certain Disaster...why aren't Pelosi and Daschle attacking him on this issue?!? Oh, that's why I can't come to the same conclusion as Demmons. PatioPundit "loves this guy"...even if you two can't formally recognize it! "Very good" is Hugh Hewitt's take, albeit without a permalink. (Very yummy is how I would describe KCAL 9's Joel Connable, USC alum...does anyone have any online pictures?!? INstapundit unimpressed on domestic matters...but points to VodkaPundit blogging real time, just like Outside the Beltway, Poliblogger and BoiFromTroy! OTB has its own blog roundup...with a link to Calpundit's despair over the Democrat response.

Nyaaaaaaarrrrrr!"

I started channelling Howard Dean when reading this message from West Hollywood Mayor Jeffrey Prang: "...the Governor is promoting a $15 billion bond measure to finance current debt. Prop 57 on the March ballot will finance current debt obligations over the next 15-20 years. I STRONGLY OPPOSE this misguided financial strategy. "Traditionally, bonds have been approved to finance long term capital improvements, such as road, schools and universities, parks, libraries, and other infrastructure needs. Financing operating debt is unheard of and will saddle a generation of Californians with a huge debt service to pay off today's deficit. A reasonable alternative proposal has been suggested that involves increasing income taxes on the 400,000 wealthiest Californians on a sliding scale of 0.5% to 7% - this will result in new revenues of about $13 billion – almost enough to cover the cost of the bond." How may ways can he be more wrong?!? First, without the $15 billion bond, the State is $30 billion in the hole. Democrats are already salivating over an increase to 10% or 11% in the State's income tax for individuals earning over $136,000. Second, where was Mayor Prang when gray Davis borrowd $13 billion WITHOUT voter approval last year?!? Finally, with a 16.3% State income tax, a 35% Federal income tax and 8.3% in payroll taxes, the State's highest earners will be taking home just 40% of any marginal increases in salary...something that is likely to falsely inflate executive salaries in California and increase the gap between the State's richest and its poorest workers. MEANWHILE, our Mayor is doing something positive...warning WeHo residents not to get hooked into paying Los Angeles City Taxes: "As you may know, I have been leading the charge to have utilities change their billing practices to reflect our West Hollywood addresses. In the past, many of you have indicated you were billed for a LA Utility Users Tax, especially on cell phone and utility bills. "Also, it has been well documented that many West Hollywood businesses that identify themselves as "Los Angeles," are often improperly assessed City of Los Angeles business taxes and fees as a result of mis-identifying themselves as "Los Angeles." I have noted in particular that many West Hollywood hair stylists who file 1099 forms with the State are often billed for LA City taxes. "If you live in the City of West Hollywood, you are not responsible for paying business taxes or utility taxes for the City of Los Angeles and you are entitled to a refund for taxes previously paid. Utility user taxes ONLY apply to residents and businesses located in the city applying the tax. The tax cannot be applied to non- residents in other cities, like West Hollywood." I guess you have to take the good with the bad and be glad Hizonner Prang is just the Mayor.

Britblogging: Depends on what your definition of "unilateral" is...

From the grave, one deceased soldier makes American Democrats look like fools. Whether on the Beeb or on Sky News, the order of news stories in the U.K. went basically like this: New Rail Plan may lead to ouster of Rails chief Will University Fees Cost Tony Blair his job? Widow of deceased soldier to meet with Defence Minister In America, Democrat candidates seek Bush ouster The juxtaposition of these last two stories really made something hit home: America is not fighting alone in Iraq. Sgt Steve Roberts died in Southern Iraq after he was ordered to give his bulletproof vest to another soldier. There weren't enough of them, since the British military had sought to reduce inventories of supplies, and adopt a very dot-com-esque demand-response model for supplies. Now Defence minister Geoff Hoon is coming under attack, as Sgt. Robert's wife is blaming him for her husband's death. Meanwhile, in Iowa, Democrat contenders for the Presidency are attacking George Bush for his unilateral war on Iraq and his failure to consult with America's allies. The candidates promised that they would not "go it alone" and would bring other countries into the fold. On another note, Japan is sending 1000 troops into Iraq. The few Brits I spoke to, as well as the Spaniard and the Frenchies, all greeted the Democrat rhetoric with a collective "huh?" for a reason that became clear to me while in London: When Britons are dying as part of a coalition, the British people do not appreciate their efforts being ignored by leading politicians in another coalition country. Whenever Howard Dean or John Kerry or Wesley Clark refers to George Bush's "unilateral" action, it is, indeed, an offence to the Britons and Spaniards and Poles who have, alongside 500 Americans, lost their lives liberating Iraq. I have to wonder how well Tony Blair could work with a President Howard Dean after the Liberal Prime Minister's actions were ignored at the convenience of firebrand campaign rhetoric. I have to ask if Sgt. Robert's widow believes Iraq is George Bush's unilateral war. Perhaps the Coalition of the Willing, at some 63 countries isn't as large as some would have liked. Perhaps some countries could have contributed more. But the Coalition is by no means a Coalition of one. And anybody who criticizes President Bush for taking unilateral action is spitting on the graves of Sgt. Robert and his other fallen colleagues.