California judges plastic bags more important than budget crisis

If you're a politician facing re-election with a crushing budget deficit, impossible budget, and hard decisions that require strength and fortitude, what do you do? In California, you change the subject.

Supporters of AB1998 say the 19 billion plastic bags Californians use every year harm the environment and cost the state $25 million annually to collect and transport to landfills.
"California is poised to lead a national movement against plastic bag pollution that is injuring and killing marine life and imposing a costly blight on our land," said the bill's author, Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, D-Santa Monica.
The ban, if eventually signed into law, would take effect in supermarkets and large retail stores in 2012. It would apply to smaller stores in 2013.

Here's hoping Republicans - especially the governor - are able to call Democratic lawmakers on this attempt at sleight-of-hand. California needs legislators and executives ready to make tough choices, not politicians ready to run away to "easy" wins.

I am curious to hear what our Caliornian Mod-Bloggers and readers think of this.

California Hurts Brick And Mortar TV Sellers

One great thing about living in California is that we're big enough to do our own thing. One not so great thing about living in California is that we're big enough to do our own thing. The California Energy Commission has passed (unanimously) new energy efficiency requirements on all televisions up to 58 inches that are sold in the state of California. This does not apply to companies such as Amazon shipping into California or prohibit consumers buying out of state. The effect they hope to have? Efficiency in what accounts for 2% of electricity use across the state. Combined with the highest sales tax rate, look to see more California retailers struggling and closing their doors as they have to sell more expensive televisions or have less selection to sell. The real kicker will be if 59 inch televisions become cheaper than their energy efficient counterparts.

Do as I SAY not as I do!

A major disconnect between the Right and Left on the issue of Health Care Reform is our relative trust of government. The Left tends to see government as made up of well-intentioned activists, looking to do what is right without regard to personal profit. The Right tends to see government as a necessary evil, run by people who ultimately do what we all do - look for ways to make their own jobs easier, even at the expense of others. This is, in my opinion, the source of the "Death Panel" quote that has been attributed to Sarah Palin. She is not talking about what has been proposed, but the logical extension of many of the proposals, once bureaucracy has gotten ahold of them.

For those on the Left who do not understand this attitude, consider this story about the State of California. The State, in the middle of a financial crisis of historical proportions, had put off its debt holders with IOUs which promise payment at a future date. This allows the state government to spread out payments to manage its cash flow. Seems reasonable, right? The problem is, they have one set of rules for themselves and another for the People. If you have been paid with an IOU, you are expected to pay Income Tax on the IOU. But the State won't take their own IOUs as payment!

Consider if you are a company whose only customer is the State of California. You may now be shut down for non-payment of taxes because the government won't pay you!

These are the kinds of "Hypocrisy Overload" scenarios that create nightmares in the minds of Health Care Reform opponents.

Cheap Shot, But Still Funny

From here. Especially appropriate as TERMINATOR SALVATION comes out tomorrow with a "digital Ahnuld".

When Minimum Wage Isn't Minimum Wage

California legislators can't decide on a budget. The Republicans want to cut spending to come up with the $15.2 billion. The Democrats want to increase taxes, specifically on the wealthy. Governor Schwarzenegger's solution? Stop overtime allowing overtime, lay off 22,000 employees, freeze hiring, and drop pay for 200,000 workers from the state minimum wage to the federal minimum wage. The first three are good business sense. The last one, while technically legal by a court ruling (so long as the government makes good on the difference once the budget has been settled) seems highly unfair. For one, it's unfair to the employees who have no control over a legislature that is currently out of session (but being called back for an August 4 vote). Secondly, why can the state of California pay less than state minimum wage when other businesses are required to pay minimum wage. If a private company tried to do this, they would be slapped with fines. Thankfully, the one group that can do something about this, the legislators and their staff, aren't getting a dime of their pay or per diem until they come to a resolution on the budget. More on this here, though it reads as a partisan article.

Singing In Our Public Buildings

A friend of mine is involved in an organization that puts on a weekly conference every year for teens to learn more about government called City on the Hill. During this conference they visit the California State Capital. This year, they decided to sing the national anthem and "God Bless America" in the rotunda. Sergeant-at-arms and California Highway Patrol officers (we don't have state troopers, the CHP takes on this role) entered the rotunda to stop the singing because they did not have a permit. Now, my first reaction to this was "duh, you're supposed to get a permit before singing on public property." Then I thought, why should we need the government to give us permission to sing PATRIOTIC songs on land that belongs to us, the people. I understand the need to not have groups coming in selling CDs or disturbing the peace, but it seems to me that those could be handled as separate issues. What do other Mod-Bloggers think? Should citizens be required to get a permit to sing patriotic songs in a publicly-owned place?

Graduation: Your First Step Into Adulthood

17 Sacramento students were not able to attend their graduation ceremony after putting dye in the pool and cutting bird netting around the school. The students were warned, but now are trying to use the defense, "but it's tradition to do a senior prank." Welcome to adulthood where you have to take responsibility for your actions. Vandalism is vandalism and you were warned of the rules beforehand. There are many non-destructive pranks that can be done if you wish to participate in senior prank.

California Court Rules Ban On Gay Marriage Unconstitutional

Here in California we have a great process that allows us to keep our legislators in check. If we want a law and the legislature keeps dragging its feet, we can put it on the ballot, vote for it, and make it law. It's "government of the people, by the people, for the people." Back in March of 2000, California passed Proposition 22 which amended state law to read "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or
recognized in California." 61.4% of the people who voted on the proposition voted yes. Unfortunately, since it is only law and not part of the Constitution, it is still subject to the courts. Well, the top court in California has had its say and has deemed the ban on gay marriage unconstitutional. Now, I am against gay marriage, believing that, by definition, marriage is between one man and one woman, but I am also upset at how the will of the people were subverted by the courts. The system of checks and balances is a great thing... by having the courts able to declare a law unconstitutional, it is a check on the legislature. The problem I have is that the courts, instead of being "for the people" have decided to legislate from the bench not only overriding the people's will, but "creating law" as well - getting rid of the check and balance system. The next step for traditional marriage proponents will most likely have to be a constitutional amendment, which means more spending to "change" the law back to what it "is".

Information on Prop 22 taken from ProtectMarriage.com and the Official California Legislative Information site. Disclosure: ProtectMarriage.com is a former customer of my company prior to the sale of that part of our business.

Home Schooling Ruled Illegal in California (in most situations)

A California appeals court ruled that homeschooling your children is illegal unless the parent doing the teaching holds teaching credentials for the grades the students are in. This means that basically unless you are a teacher who stops working to teach your own kids, it will be illegal to homeschool your children. Perhaps the scariest part of this case is what the judge said in his ruling.

"A primary purpose of the educational system is to train school children in good citizenship, patriotism and loyalty to the state and the nation as a means of protecting the public welfare," the judge wrote, quoting from a 1961 case on a similar issue."

This is scary! I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up in front of the US Supreme Court.

Fighting Back Against Real ID

On May 11, 2005, the REAL ID Act was passed as part of a military spending bill. On March 2, 2007, enforcement was postponed to December 2009 and then again until 2011. What is the REAL ID Act? The theory is that it will tighten our borders and prevent another 9/11. One of the ways it attempts to do this is establish a national standard for driver's licenses / state identification cards and then establish a linked database. The problems with this act are numerous. First, the federal government is interfering with a state issue. Second, the federal government is not only mandating this, but requiring the states to foot the bill. Third, by linking the state databases together and having a national standard, we are basically at a national ID card - something that has been resisted because it brings to mind the idea of the Soviet Union and needing papers to travel from state to state. Fourth, it is wasteful spending in that most, if not all, of the 9/11 hijackers had valid ID. They would not have been flagged any differently than they were on that day. (Information about the REAL ID Act taken from Wikipedia.)

Unfortunately, my state, California has decided to go right along with the federal government. Montana, however, has led the charge in refusing to go along. Other states are also opposing the legislation. The Department of Homeland Security has stated that those who do not have a valid Real ID license (or other federally recognized ID such as a passport) will not be able to use their license as ID for federal purposes. This includes boarding airplanes without being subjected to increased security checks. The DHS is betting that citizens will complain to and blame their state governments. State governments are betting that citizens will agree with them and place the blame fully on the DHS. Citizens of these states will need to start providing alternative ID or be subjected to further security checks as of May 11, 2008. Not only will air travel be hindered, but you'll need a federal ID to "open a bank account, collect Social Security payments, or take advantage of nearly any government service."

I fear it's too late for California, but those in a state where there has not been major headway made can still contact your state leaders and push back against Real ID.

Update 1: Looks like there is some money available, but it basically amounts to pennies on the dollar.

Blogging from the Fire Zone

Yesterday, my company experienced an outage from a vendor, and were horrified at the long response times. We had customers to service, and had to wait for hours as they brought resources to bear. In the end, it turned out the problem was one of their main technical hubs is in the Evacuation Zone of the San Diego fires. I was shocked to learn that nearly their entire staff had been ordered to evacuate, and were too busy taking care of their families to deal with us. I was much more sympathetic then.

The link below is one tech user's account of how things are going in the Fire Zone, and how he is using technology to navigate the life of an evacuee. It is interesting whether you are a geek, or just someone who wants to know what it is like to be facing a conflagration.

http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/20911

CA.GOV Goes Down

I can't find an official press release on either California's Department of Technology's website or the U.S. General Services Administration's website, but it appears that for about 7 hours, the ca.gov domain was at least partially down. NetworkWorld has the story. It appears that the Transportation Authority of Marin County had their website get hacked and redirected to a website with pornography. In response, the U.S. General Services responded with too broad a "sword" and deleted the entire ca.gov domain. The proper procedure would have been to notify California's Department of Technology and then take down the site. Apparently, the wrong person or people were contacted. By the time the problem was realized on the west coast, it was after business hours on the east coast. The blame seems to lie with the federal government, though we'll have to wait for the report to here the GSA's response.

Please, Connecticut Senators, Pass This Law!

The California senate has just passed a law that every state in the Union should pick up. It bans employers from requiring their employees to accept RFID implants.

Tackling a dilemma right out of a science fiction novel, the state Senate passed legislation Thursday that would bar employers from requiring workers to have identification devices implanted under their skin.

State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) proposed the measure after at least one company began marketing radio frequency identification devices for use in humans.

The devices, as small as a grain of rice, can be used by employers to identify workers. A scanner passing over a body part implanted with one can instantly identify the person.

"RFID is a minor miracle, with all sorts of good uses," Simitian said. "But we shouldn't condone forced 'tagging' of humans. It's the ultimate invasion of privacy."

Simitian said he fears that the devices could be compromised by persons with unauthorized scanners, facilitating identity theft and improper tracking and surveillance.

Think I am overreacting? One company has already "tagged" 1000 of its employees.

mmm.... In-N-Out Burger

One of the things I enjoy living out in California now is some of the different restaurants we have out here. One of them is In-N-Out Burger. Even though it's fast food, everything is fresh. The other cool thing is that some of their containers such as their cups have Bible references on them. For the most part they only exist in CA, so come out and visit me and we'll grab a burger, fries, and milkshake.