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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger disagreed with his fellow Republicans in the Legislature over the issue of health care for undocumented children Thursday, saying the state should provide insurance for all children regardless of whether they are in the country legally. Republicans in the Legislature say they won't vote for the state budget if it includes about $22 million the governor is proposing for county health-insurance programs that cover all children, including those who are undocumented. Republicans, whose votes are required to reach the two-thirds margin necessary to approve a budget, also oppose another $1.8 million Democrats added as a first step...

Adult topics, again. Someday I'll find a way to make this scroll down from the preview... See for example this thread first. An anchor-ette (ABC News) Has shown us that she is a flooz She was caught in the nude Doing something lewd "She stoops to conquer," the phrase I would use!

JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's new centrist party on Monday declared Palestinian statehood as a central goal, and Israel signaled it would drop a threat to ban Jerusalem's Palestinians from voting in their parliamentary election. The signs of a moderate line for present and future political moves were tempered, however, by an announcement of new Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank. The latest building, disclosed in newspaper ads published Monday seeking bids from contractors, would violate Israel's commitments under the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan. The plans include 228 homes in the settlements of Beitar Illit and Efrat...

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A state appeals court issued a favorable ruling Tuesday for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in a lawsuit over a lavish 2000 Hollywood fundraising gala. A three-judge panel of the 2nd Appellate District ordered a Superior Court judge to reconsider the senator's motion to remove her from the lawsuit filed by businessman Peter F. Paul, who bankrolled the event. Paul alleged in a February 2004 lawsuit that Clinton; her husband, former President Bill Clinton; her former national finance director, David Rosen, and others fraudulently induced him to underwrite and executive produce the star-studded gala that attracted celebrities...

We have commented on actor Tom Cruise using the media to preach the virtues of Scientology and the evils of psychiatry. He gave interviews about his new film, "War of the Worlds," as long as he was permitted to talk about his religion. But Scientology not only has a base in Hollywood, it has enjoyed powerful friends in Washington. For years, Scientology fought a battle with the IRS because the government would not recognize its claim to be a religion. The IRS finally granted Scientology its desired status under President Bill Clinton, the recipient of massive donations from Hollywood. Now...

<p>About a third of the 152 adult guests who slept at the White House or Camp David last year were fundraisers or donors to President Bush's campaigns, but at least half of those also are family or old friends.</p>

The government’s Assistant Attorney general, Shai Nitzan, said that it might be appropriate to keep Jews under arrest without indictment or trial as the date for executing the government’s plan to expel Jews from their homes in the Gaza region approaches. The procedure for arresting people without due process rights of indictment and trial, known as administrative detention, has been considered a measure to be used only for jailing suspected terrorists who pose an immediate threat to the country. Administrative detention has also been used on rare occasions against Jewish citizens, persons who were deemed dangerous because of their extremely...

LEWISTON, Maine -- A general assistance caseworker for Lewiston's immigrant population has resigned amid allegations he used his position to solicit sexual favors from a woman coming to him for help."I did it because it is in the best interest for the immigrant population," Ali said in his resignation. He refused to elaborate and declined further comment.

2003 Sun Journal file mug of Abdiaziz Ali LEWISTON - A caseworker assigned to the city general assistance office has been charged with using the power of his office to solicit sex from a local woman. Abdiaziz Ali, 34, of 27 Flanders St., Auburn, was summoned on misdemeanor charges of engaging a prostitute and official oppression. Police say Ali, who also serves as a liaison for the Somali community, pressured a local woman to have sex with him by promising her reduced rent. He has been placed on paid administrative leave while the city investigates the charges against him....

BELOIT, Wis. - Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites), in a veiled swipe at Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites), said Tuesday that he won't dole out special favors to corporations if elected president. "My vice president of the United States will never meet secretly with polluters who want to rewrite the environmental laws," the presidential nominee told a cheering crowd packed into a hockey arena. The barb referred to Cheney, who met with industry officials while drafting proposals for new energy laws. Democrats want more information about those meetings and have argued that Cheney, the former...

COSTA MESA - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's extraordinary political ascent has relied on a mixture of charm, charisma, determination and popular support. But another ingredient has been key to his success: a low-profile band of moderate Orange County Republicans working to steer the party away from its ideological fringe. Led by a former Nixon White House aide, an affable high-tech executive and a low-key venture capitalist, the group known as the New Majority is quickly gaining influence and access because of its close ties to the new governor. In the past eight months, the group and its 130 members have donated...

Blow to Chirac as presidency poll favours Sarkozy Amelia Gentleman in Paris Friday October 24, 2003 The Guardian (UK) The waning popularity of France's president and prime minister was highlighted yesterday in a damaging opinion poll which revealed that the powerful interior minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, was rated more highly as a potential president-in-waiting than either of his masters. Mr Sarkozy was described as an "excellent" or "good" right-wing presidential candidate by 50% of those polled for a survey published in the weekly Le Point magazine. President Jacques Chirac was seen as a positive runner by only 40% and the prime...

<p>Gov. Gray Davis on Tuesday said he supports an effort by Assembly Democrats to raise personal income taxes and undo the vehicle license fee increase.</p> <p>Lawmakers are crafting legislation that would wipe out the tripling of the car fee that is to go into effect Oct. 1. Instead, the bill would add two new top income tax brackets and bump up taxes on cigarettes.</p>

Waddle meets with survivors of Ehime Maru accident Yomiuri ShimbunScott Waddle, the former skipper of the USS Greeneville, a U.S. Navy submarine involved in a fatal collision with a Japanese fisheries training vessel off Hawaii last year, met four survivors of the accident at a hotel in Uwajima, Ehime Prefecture, on Sunday.Nine people aboard the Ehime Maru, including four students from Uwajima Fisheries High School, were killed in the accident on Feb. 9, 2001.Waddle had expressed a desire to meet all of the nine surviving students. The four students, who have since graduated, agreed.During their 30-minute meeting, Waddle offered a...

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott adamantly denied on Sunday that ex-President Clinton or his wife had a role in staffing the office of city Education Chancellor Joel Klein, after a report claimed that Klein was hiring too many "old Clinton cronies." "These are a few people who worked in the Clinton administration," Walcott admitted to WABC Radio's Steve Malzberg. "But they're there at the Department of Education, not connected to Clinton.... they're focused on education and they have expertise in the area of education." Walcott bristled at the cronyism charge, saying it was unfair to...

This evening the DC Chapter held a protest on the corner of Whitehaven Street and Massachusetts Avenue. The esteemed Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was hosting a fundraiser for Julie Thomas, a democratic candidate for a House seat in Iowa (and perhaps collecting a few political favors for future use). We were delighted to welcome TheBatLady and TheBatLady'sHusband (from the Heart of Texas Chapter in Austin, Texas) as honorary members of the DC Chapter. Other members of the Chapter in attendance were: Jimmy Valentine's brother, BufordP, sauropod, kristinn, GunsareOK, Trueblackman, Gore_ War_ Vet, leadpenny, tgslTakoma, Exit148 and Angelwood. Gore_ War_ Vet,...

As president Dean would recognize same sex unions By Ross Sneyd The Associated Press PHILADELPHIA -- Vermont Gov. Howard Dean said Saturday that if elected president he would recognize the marriage rights of same-sex couples. Dean said he would not propose a federal law to give gay and lesbian couples the right to get married, but he would advocate that the federal government recognize state laws that granted gays and lesbians the rights and benefits of marriage. "As president of the United States, I will recognize civil unions, which will then allow full equality under the law as far as...