Free Republic

A great explosion of purity is about to come , But "not" as before(as Katrina) ,something straight from my kingdom , The heavenlies are about to applaud , I AM The Lord behold I alone am God ! Yet for my children of my rod and staff , They shall rest in my bossom of Zion and laugh , For the Joy of The Lord is their strength , And these are my children of victiory that have gone the full length , Obedience to me has become their rod , My staff is their com(fort) for I AM their...

A production line for uniform lipid-coated microspheres has been created by Japanese scientists. Using a microfluidic device, the team can continuously generate fluid-filled vesicles that are all the same size and all have a single lipid bilayer surrounding them, and could one day be used in drug delivery or artificial cells. Whilst lipid vesicles are used widely, problems with current production methods mean it is difficult to ensure they are all uniform in size and there is just one lipid bilayer surrounding each vesicle. Another tricky issue is developing an efficient encapsulation process, making sure the vesicle contents aren't lost during...

Assemblyman Roger Niello, who cast a key vote to pass a state budget that raised taxes this year, has been replaced as the GOP's point man on the Assembly Budget Committee. The Fair Oaks Republican will hand his committee post to Assemblyman Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber, who is a freshman in the lower house but served a dozen years in the Senate, leaving in 1990. The switch was made by the Assembly's new Republican leader, Sam Blakeslee of San Luis Obispo, who has stressed that taxes cannot be raised again in tackling a $24.3 billion shortfall. "There is no doubt that...

THE GOVERNMENT HAS FORCED AMERICA TO ASSEMBLE FOR THE SINGULAR PURPOSE OF PROTESTING THE PLUNDERING OF OUR MONEY AND THE MONEY OF OUR CHILDREN THROUGH A OF A WHOLESALE SURRENDER OF THE FISCAL AUTHORITY OF THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE BRANCH TO A MORALLY CORRUPT MARXIST, ANTI-AMERICAN, ANTI-CHRISTIAN FEDERAL EXECUTIVE BRANCH PLACE : IRS Offices 55 S. Market St., San Jose, CA ( across the street from San Jose's Saint Joseph’s Cathedral ) WHEN : Twelve Noon - April 15th!!! BRING : Signs; Flags; Horns; Drums; YOUR AMERICAN SPIRIT!!! SIGN SUGGESTIONS : WE WON'T FORGET; FIRE CONGRESS; STOP THE THEFT OF AMERICA;...

This video with the accompanied piano instrumental, Rock of Ages and view of a pet kitty and outside bullfrog was arranged to bring awareness of the need to assemble with other Christians.

SACRAMENTO – Moving to break a three-week deadlock, the Assembly approved a slimmed-down state budget shortly before midnight yesterday that faces an uncertain future in the Senate. Senate Republicans have been holding out for deeper spending cuts than those approved by the Assembly. The Senate Democratic leader complained that the Assembly also is considering about $500 million in tax breaks for special interests. The budget that passed 60-11 on a bipartisan vote cuts $1.3 billion from the $104.4 billion general fund in the original Democratic budget, which is $700 million short of a $2 billion cut sought by Senate Republicans....

The state Assembly is voting on hundreds of bills each day this week as lawmakers rush to meet a Friday deadline to send legislation to the Senate, which did not meet Tuesday. Here are some of the bills acted upon: GLOBAL WARMING - By a 44-26 vote, the Assembly sent the Senate a bill by Assemblyman John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, that would require coastal cities and counties to consider the impact of rising sea levels brought on by global warming when they amend their general plans. "If we bury our heads in the sand on this one we will drown,"...

The state Assembly on Tuesday voted to allow gay couples to marry in a challenge to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has said he would veto the bill if it passes the full Legislature. Lawmakers approved the measure on a party-line vote, with the majority saying the Legislature should not to wait for the state Supreme Court to act on the issue. It passed 42-34. "This does in fact provide equal marriage rights for all citizens of California," bill author Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, said as he began what marked the lengthiest debate so far this year on the Assembly floor....

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Officials detained an Iraqi man during a security scare at Los Angeles International airport on Tuesday but said a suspicious object found in a body cavity search did not pose a threat. The man, identified by law enforcement officials as Fadhel al-Maliki, 35, was detained at passenger screening at the airport just before 6 a.m. on Tuesday morning. The bomb squad was called as a precaution and authorities said they found wires in his clothing and a magnet inside a lower body cavity. The man was preparing to board a US Airways flight to Philadelphia. The...

California lawmakers on Tuesday are expected to move the state's presidential primary from June to February, positioning the state as a compulsory campaign stop for White House contenders. "California has 16 million voters who ought to get a first bite of that apple, not simply be the recipient of other states' legislative and electoral leftovers," Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, said during a Capitol news conference. The Assembly was scheduled to debate the bill Tuesday afternoon and was expected to pass it on a party-line vote. Republicans, who are in the minority in the 80-seat chamber, oppose the measure...

(Left) Independent s-bots with blue lights, and (right) s-bots joined into a swarm-bot with red lights. Credit: Groß et al. ©IEEE 2006. In one of the latest studies on autonomous robots, scientists sat back and watched as their robot created itself out of smaller robotic modules. The result, called “swarm-bot,” comes in many varieties, depending on the assigned task and available components. As the current state of the art in autonomous self-assembly, swarm-bots offer insight into the potential versatility and robustness that robots may possess to perform missions beyond human abilities. A project coordinated by Professor Marco Dorigo, which was...

Assembly Democrats convened this week for their annual policy retreat, choosing a luxury resort renowned for its world-class golf course in the heart of California's wine country. Republicans, meanwhile, are holding their annual policy retreat in more modest accommodations in a former Sierra Gold Rush town in Calaveras County. The Murphys Suites charges $95 a night and boasts a coin-operated laundry and a microwave in every room. Despite the differences in the locations this year, the annual caucus retreats regularly lead to questions about how they are funded and whether corporations and the wealthy are buying influence with state lawmakers....

Republican Assemblyman Mike Villines of Fresno is circulating a letter among Assembly Republicans seeking to dump GOP Assembly Republican Leader George Plescia and claims to already have 15 votes to replace him, the California Majority Report has learned through Capitol staff sources. Villines, former chief of staff to Senator/AG candidate Chuck Poochigian, is focusing his attention on courting the more conservative incoming class of Republicans and lining up votes of Caucus conservatives. Plescia emerged as the GOP Assembly head last year after then-Republican leader Kevin McCarthy stepped down to focus on his run for Congress. At the time, his main...

Freedom is a fragile thing. A candlelight in a windstorm, if you will, requiring constant vigilance to preserve. It is never safe, as the old saying goes, as long as the California Legislature (or Congress, for that matter) is in session. That is because the ruling class, that is, elected officials, bureaucrats, and their allies in the private sector, get money, power and prestige from bigger government, and bigger government is an anathema to freedom. Therefore, those who are in charge of protecting our freedom, (i.e. government officials) have a vested interest in taking it away. Human nature being what...

Ahmadinejad to take part in UN General Assembly THE JERUSALEM POST Sep. 6, 2006 MK Dan Naveh (Likud) called on Israel Wednesday evening to demand that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad be barred from attending next week's United Nations General Assembly. Ahmadinejad announced that he was to participate in the assembly by his own initiative. Naveh said that it was impossible for a man who has called for the destruction for the State of Israel to participate in a United Nations meeting.

An Assembly committee killed legislation Thursday that would have required the California Energy Commission to analyze and rank four existing proposals to import liquefied natural gas into the state. In the absence of such a comparative statewide review, environmentalists argued, Californians will be stuck with whichever proposal wins the race to first gain a federal permit. The bill, SB426, was first proposed last year but was resurrected as lawmakers neared the end of their session because all the LNG proposals — including two off the Oxnard coast — remain stalled in the federal regulatory process. After a brief and hastily...

Assembly Republican Leader George Plescia of San Diego announced Friday the members of a newly-formed task force on illegal immigration. The all-Republican group will hold town hall meetings across the state in the coming months to determine the costs illegal immigrants impose on local communities and the state, Plescia said in a news release. It will hear testimony from law enforcement, elected officials, business owners and the public. The information it gathers may be used to write legislation to address the issue, according to the release. The panel includes Assembly members Shirley Horton, R-Chula Vista; Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine; Audra Strickland,...

When Gov. Jon S. Corzine looks back at the Budget Crisis of '06 and begins to ponder re-election, he may be able to say that his tough-medicine plan to increase the sales tax was the right way to turn around the state's troubled finances. But as New Jersey braced for the fourth day of a government shutdown ordered on Saturday by Mr. Corzine — at a cost of several million dollars a day to the state coffers — he is the person residents seem to be holding responsible for the loss of services. Some have been heard to grumble that...

If you're looking for a gay candidate to vote for in this fall's California legislative races, there are several out there. But they're more likely to be Republicans than Democrats. GOP voters nominated five openly gay candidates in Assembly races. But all five will face general elections in urban districts with heavy Democratic registration advantages. This group includes William Chan in Sacramento (AD 9), Ralph Denney in northern San Diego (AD 76), Brenda Carol Green in South Central Los Angeles (AD 48), Mark Patrosso in San Jose (AD 23), and Steven Mark Sion in West Hollywood (AD 42). Only Denney...

SACRAMENTO The Coastal Commission has told an appointee of Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez that she should not show up to vote on a high profile Pebble Beach golf development because her appointment was made in violation of state law. The commission's executive director, Peter Douglas, said Monday that Elizabeth Brem's appointment as an alternate was not sanctioned by the commissioner she would represent. She agreed to skip the meeting, Douglas added. Nunez last week named four people to serve as commission alternates just days before the panel was set to vote on the Pebble Beach development, which is backed by...

Legislation that would give 1.4 million minimum wage earners a $1-an-hour pay raise and then tie their wages to increases in inflation was approved by the Assembly Wednesday night, setting the stage for a possible election-year fight with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The 43-30 vote sent the measure by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Santa Clara, to the Senate, which planned to vote on an identical increase by Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, on Thursday. Both bills would raise the minimum wage from $6.75 to $7.75 an hour in two 50-cent steps - the first on July 1, 2007 and the second on...

As several hundred immigrants rallied on the west steps of the Capitol, the Assembly on Monday voted for a resolution calling on President Bush and Congress to reject extreme immigration laws. The party-line vote was symbolic, but the debate showcased the ideological emotions that have divided lawmakers in California and Washington, D.C. On one side, Democrats led by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez of Los Angeles said Congress should give an estimated 12 million immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally a path to citizenship. But Republicans insisted that immigrants who have crossed the border illegally should not be rewarded for...

Prior to the May 1 illegal immigrant rallies, the Democrats in the California State Senate endorsed the protests and boycotts, calling it "The Great American Boycott." Keeping with their party's tradition of siding against America, Democrat Candidates for Assembly in District 6 held a forum for Latino voters sometime in April. On the evening of May 20, Novato Public Access Television replayed "Encuentro Latino - CA Assembly (District #6) Candidate Latino Forum." All candidates--Jared Huffman, Cynthia Murray, Alex Easton-Brown, Damon Connolly, Pamela Torliatt and John Alden--attended the event. District 6 includes Marin and Southern Sonoma counties. Besides the bilingual nature...

Well, it seems as if the rank and file elitist Country Club Republicans are flexing their muscles in the High Desert, not to mention down the hill, too, when it comes to who backs whom for the 59th assembly district race and why. When it comes to the two most likely frontrunners in the Victor Valley—encompassing Hesperia and Apple Valley—longtime GOP grass-roots crusader and people’s champion, Barry Hartz, versus government bureaucracy insider and recipient of Supervisor (San Bernardino County First District) Postmus’ back-scratching political favors, Anthony Adams, the battle lines have clearly been drawn and it’s easy to see, when...

Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez has put the brakes on legislation that would require judges in some cases to censor personal and financial information from divorce records and is working to revise the bill. Assembly Democrats have been working behind the scenes this week to modify the bill so that judges could keep their discretionary powers and preserve the public's access to trial records, said Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa. "I believe we need to have an open as possible process in our judicial system," said Evans, who is among the lawmakers seeking amendments to the bill. "Openness in judicial proceedings...

If you're looking for a blood-letting, money-spending, down-and-dirty campaign fight, you might want to look somewhere other than Assembly District 34. Sure, this sprawling district - running from Porterville to Needles - is one of the few districts in the Central Valley with a competitive primary election. But the challenger, Republican Jon Zellhoefer, has no expectation of ousting incumbent Bill Maze, R-Visalia. "I think he's doing a very good job," Zellhoefer says of his opponent. It's hardly the kind of zinger that's going to grab headlines. So why run? "I really expected that (Maze) was not going to run," Zellhoefer...

And as far as the U.S. effort is concerned, it seems there is almost nothing the White House, the Pentagon, or for that matter any American rifleman on the ground can do that is good enough to garner so much as a one-line "attaboy" from many of our country’s largest newspapers and television news networks. Let’s look at last Thursday, March 16, the day the Iraqi National Assembly opened in Baghdad and a high-profile "air assault" northeast of Samarra, as an example:

Facing a midnight deadline, the state Assembly was called back into session Wednesday to consider placing at least part of a massive public works bond proposal on the June ballot. The session was called shortly after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and leaders from both parties met for about an hour in a last-minute round of negotiations. Steve Maviglio, spokesman for Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, said the Assembly was to consider placing two measures on the June ballot: a $10.4 billion bond to build schools and upgrade universities, and an undetermined amount to repair the state's fragile levee system. "We...

March 3, 2006 -- Brian McLaughlin, head of the Central Labor Council and a Queens assemblyman, is in big trouble. FBI agents swooped down on CLC offices yesterday, carting off documents by the boxload in what they confirmed was an ongoing probe of McLaughlin (and who knows how many others). The investigation reportedly targets bid-rigging involving at least $162 million in city contracts for street-lighting projects over just the past two years. The news sent shock waves through both political and labor circles. But it really shouldn't surprise anyone. The CLC, an umbrella group for nearly 400 public- and private-sector...

"You are exactly right, and let me tell you one thing: those people, who say Iraq is not ready for democracy, are racists. They are absolute racists! They are saying that the Iraqi people are neither intelligent enough nor mature enough to be able to experience democracy."

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2006 – The new Iraqi national assembly must bring all Iraqis together to ensure a stable and prosperous future, Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq said. "The national unity government will need to implement a program that brings all Iraqis together, builds a happy future for the people of Iraq, and gets Iraq to stand on its own feet," Khalilzad said in a Feb. 10 statement as he welcomed the announcement of the final certified results of Iraq's Dec. 15 legislative elections. "We hope that this will be a government based on national unity, formed without regard...

On the surface, it was gratifying to note a peaceful protest by Muslims against the Mohammed caricatures today in London's Trafalgar Square. Peaceful assembly and free expression are the means by which civilized societies work out internal differences. But was today's demonstration truly a spontaneous, lawful expression of free speech, or carefully orchestrated public relations damage control for Islam? The BBC reports: Protests held in London last week sparked outrage when demonstrators carried placards with strong messages - the Metropolitan Police said some protesters could be charged with "incitement to murder". According to CNN.com, last week's Muslim "protestors" carried placards...

MADISON, Wis. -- The controversial concealed carry bill is in the crosshairs of the state Assembly on Tuesday. Lawmakers are expected to consider whether to follow the state Senate and override Gov. Jim Doyle's veto of the bill. The override would end a 133-year ban on allowing Wisconsinites to carry concealed weapons. The Senate voted to override the veto last week. A two-thirds majority vote is required to override the governor's veto, so the focus of many Capitol watchers will be on just a few Assembly members whose votes will decide the bill's fate. The bill's author, Dave Zien, said...

California would consider switching to public financing of political campaigns under a bill approved by the Assembly on Monday. It was the first time assemblymembers have ever passed such a measure. The bill would provide public money to candidates who voluntarily give up outside contributions similar to systems in use in Arizona, Connecticut and Maine. The voluntary system would require candidates to first raise a large number of small donations from within his or her legislative district before qualifying for public financing. The candidate would then have to agree not to spend additional money, including his or her own money....

I wonder what would happen if I were to march into Governor Daniels' office and declare, "Pack your stuff and git, Mich; I'm the Governor now." We all know what should happen. He should use his executive power to have me dragged away. But judging from recent events, I wonder if he'd instead say, "I just think it's regrettable," and shuffle out of his office, mumbling something about "activist citizens?" In claiming that public prayers can't mention Jesus Christ, Federal District Court Judge David Hamilton invoked the so-called "establishment clause" in the US Constitution's 1st Amendment. In response, our Governor...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2005 – Just as election activities wrap up in Iraq, the people of Afghanistan are looking toward a historic event in their own country, as its National Assembly convenes Dec. 19 for the first time in more than three decades. Formation of the parliament marks the latest step in Afghanistan' path to democracy and follows the country's Sept. 18 parliamentary elections, a State Department official told the American Forces Press Service on the condition that he not be identified or quoted. Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police and international military forces ensured a relatively safe and secure...

Madison - A Republican-controlled Assembly committee today approved a bill that would allow people to carry concealed weapons after rejecting a Democratic amendment that would have barred guns in child care centers. The approval by the Criminal Justice and Homeland Security Committee clears the way for a vote Thursday before the full Assembly. The committee also threw out Democratic proposals to make it easier for businesses to keep people from carrying guns on their properties and to allow police officers to check whether drivers had concealed weapons permits before approaching their cars during routine stops. Under the bill (AB 763),...

Nobody was surprised that state Sen. Carole Migden voted in favor of her own cosmetics bill. The problem was that she did it in the wrong legislative house. Toward the end of Wednesday's floor session, Migden, a San Francisco Democrat, pushed the voting button of a GOP assemblyman who was temporarily away from his desk. Her action violated Assembly rules and drew an angry response from Republicans. "That behavior cannot be tolerated," said Assembly Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield. "It's unheard of on this floor, it's against the rules, and it cannot be tolerated." Migden, chairwoman of the powerful...

SACRAMENTO - In the face of fierce opposition from high-tech companies, landmark state legislation to limit public agencies from using radio frequency devices was dealt a major setback Thursday. The Assembly Appropriations Committee, without discussion, shelved the measure for the year, though Sen. Joe Simitian, who has been pushing the proposal, vowed to try to revive it before the Legislature adjourns for the year on Sept. 9. At issue was whether advanced forms of the technology would threaten personal privacy if embedded in millions of state-issued driver's licenses, public school IDs, government health benefit cards and public library cards as...

ALBANY, Aug. 22 - More than three years after a casino company gave Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver a discount rate at a luxury suite at one of its Las Vegas hotels, the staff of the state lobbying commission is recommending that the company pay a $25,000 fine, according to a staff memo. In its proposed "civil penalty settlement," the commission's staff is proposing that the company, Caesars Entertainment, pay the fine for violating the state's $75 limit on gifts from lobbyists in 2002, when it gave Mr. Silver and his wife a V.I.P. suite at the Paris Las Vegas hotel...

Aug 2, 2005 : 9:26 pm ET RALEIGH, N.C. -- Democrats worked Tuesday to settle differences over pay raises, cigarette taxes and a lottery so they can close a budget deal for state government. House and Senate Democrats, who hold a majority in the Legislature, met privately for much of the past three days -- in caucus meetings, negotiation sessions and one-on-ones between House Speaker Jim Black and Senate leader Marc Basnight. "We're getting closer on these things," said Black, D-Mecklenburg. Legislative leaders want to have their final $17 billion spending blueprint for this year by late Wednesday. The new...

SACRAMENTO (AP) - A bill that would increase tolls on Bay Area bridges to pay for earthquake safety upgrades passed the California Assembly Wednesday and now goes to the governor for his approval. The Assembly voted 58-6 for the measure, which would result in toll increases of at least $1 on most Bay Area bridges. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders came to an agreement on the plan last month, ending a dispute between the Republican governor and San Francisco area legislators over how to cover $3.6 billion in cost overruns, mainly from the Bay Bridge project. The bill would...

No matter how often we hear the standard lecture about how liberal Californians are, events like this (Nancy Vogel, LAT) continue to call commonly held wisdom into question, even as such news passes by unnoticed: "The Death With Dignity Act cleared two committees but was never brought up for a vote on the Assembly floor. [Assemblymember Lloyd] Levine said 33 of the 80 lawmakers had committed to vote for the bill — short of the necessary 41." Sure, some of the polls say that most Californians have favored assisted suicide for years—but if this is the case, why hasn't state...

The Homeowner & Property Protection Act A resolution to propose to the people of the State of California an amendment to the Constitution of the State, by amending Section 19 of Article I thereof, relating to eminent domain. WHEREAS, This measure shall be known and may be cited as “The Homeowner and Property Protection Act”; and WHEREAS, Eminent domain has been subject to widespread abuse in California, whereby local governmental entities have condemned property and transferred it, by sale, lease, or otherwise, to the control, management, or exploitation of private entities for private use and profit on the theory that...

The bill provides: "Provides for the issuance of distinctive license plates for African-American veterans; provides that such distinctive license plates shall bear the words "African-American Veteran"; provides for a one-time service charge of $10 for each such plate."

Although most of the mainstream media reported on the Budget vote, it was interesting all of the interesting facts and details they left out of their reports. So I thought you might be interested in some of more relevant details not discussed. Read More... Craig DeLuzVisit The Home of Uncommon Sense… www.craigdeluz.com

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Democratic Assembly and Senate leaders announced Friday they have reached an agreement on a state budget, delaying a debate on the thorniest spending issue - public education. The spending plan approved Friday by the conference committee doesn't raise taxes and is balanced, according to Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata. However, not all legislators agreed that it is, indeed, balanced. "When you have a budget and the largest part is education, to suggest that you've balanced this budget is absurd," said Sen. Dick Ackerman, R-Tustin. "This is about narrowing the differences that...

The California Assembly is betting that kids learn more with small books. Lawmakers voted Thursday to ban school districts from purchasing textbooks longer than 200 pages. The bill, believed to be the first of its kind nationwide, was hailed by supporters as a way to revolutionize education. Critics lambasted Assembly Bill 756 as silly. "This bill is really the epitome of micromanagement," said Assemblyman Keith Richman, R-Northridge. "(It's) absolutely ridiculous." "With all due respect," said Assemblyman Ray Haynes, R-Murrieta, "this Legislature worries more about the rules than they do about whether children learn." But Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, a Los Angeles...

SACRAMENTO (AP) - The Assembly passed legislation Thursday that would curb Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's fundraising by putting a $5,600 limit on donations to ballot measure committees controlled by candidates or officeholders. The bill was designed to close a loophole in a voter-approved campaign finance law that Schwarzenegger has used to raise tens of millions of dollars to support his agenda at the ballot box. "This loophole is bad public policy. It undermines public trust," said Assemblywoman Lois Wolk, D-Davis, sponsor of the bill. Wolk's bill deals with contributions made to committees such as Schwarzenegger's California Recovery Team, which don't face...

/begin my translationChina, "A Pressure Cooker Which Can Blow Up Anytime"Seven Oppressions in China: an Analysis by Asia Weekly Ji Hae-bum hbjee@chosun.com  04/26/05  Chinese society  is like a 'pressure cooker' with its safety lid tightly closed. recent anti-Japanese protest served as a way to relieving pressure from 7 oppressions by (Chinese) authorities.  The latest (May 1st) issue of 'The Asia Weekly' in Hong Kong assessed, "For last 15 years, under the slogan, ' Stability is above everything else,' China repressed the freedom of public assembly, which was guaranteed in their constitution, thus closing the channel for expressing discontent and frustration. (Recent) Anti-Japanese protest  is...