Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog

Flap previously had Connecticut Voters Say: Ban Dental Mercury.

The Hartford Courant has DEP Won’t Act To Ban Mercury Fillings.

Gina McCarthy, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection, announced Thursday that the state can’t legally ban dental amalgam, a mercury-containing tooth-filling material widely used by dentists.

Environmental groups – some of which had asked the DEP to clarify the state’s position on the use of so-called “silver” fillings – responded that they would challenge the ruling. The ban they sought would have been the first in the country.

Good News for dental patients but now the BAD news…….

Adam Breiner, a Trumbull naturopath who is a spokesman for the Coalition to Enforce Connecticut’s Zero Mercury Law, an alliance of anti-amalgam groups, said that his organization was surprised by the ruling. “Our coalition presented the commissioner with a detailed legal analysis showing that the law does ban continued use of mercury amalgam fillings,” said Breiner. “We have no choice at this point. We will file a court challenge to prevent dentists from putting poison in people’s teeth.”

Dental Amalgams live or the time being…… but look for more challenges —– especially about environmental mercury propagation.

Stay tuned.

Technorati Tags: dental, dental amalgam, dentistry, dentist

The Los Angeles Times has Gov. Vows to Veto Driver’s License Bill

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will veto legislation approved Thursday to create a separate driver’s license for illegal immigrants in California, a top aide said only hours after the bill passed the state Senate.

The upper house sent the controversial bill to Schwarzenegger on a 21-15 vote, the minimum needed for passage, only to have the governor’s office say he would reject it. It would be the second time in two years that Schwarzenegger has rejected Democratic legislation allowing licenses for illegal immigrants.

Richard Costigan, the governor’s legislative secretary, said the bill was premature because the federal government was still writing regulations on how states should, if they desire, provide driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.

“We will be vetoing the driver’s license bill,” Costigan said Thursday evening.

What a surprise!

Heh!

UPDATE:

Reuters has Calif. legislature OKs driver’s licenses for illegals.

California’s legislature approved a bill on Thursday that would allow illegal immigrants to get state driver’s licenses, sending Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger a politically charged measure similar to one he vetoed a year earlier.

The state Senate voted 21-15 for the bill, which would allow California to issue driver’s licenses with a distinct design and color for illegal immigrants. The licenses could not be used to open up bank accounts or for purposes other than driving.

Supporters of the bill, which the Assembly of the Democrat-controlled legislature approved on Wednesday, say providing licenses to illegal immigrants would make roads safer by putting more trained and insured drivers behind the wheel.

Sen. Gil Cedillo, a Democrat who sponsored the bill, said he had amended it from a year earlier to add the distinctive color to differentiate it from a standard driver’s license.

His office also amended the bill so that illegal immigrants will not get licenses until new federal regulations on driver’s licenses go into effect in eight months.

Cedillo’s office estimated about 2 million undocumented immigrants could apply for drivers licenses under the bill.

“This is not the bill you have seen in the past,” Cedillo said. “This reflects the national consensus.”

Opponents argue the measure would effectively sanction illegal immigration, an issue of concern for a large number of California voters.

National consensus for what?

Illegal immigration? HARDLY!

Governor Schwarzenegger will VETO this bill.

The Los Angeles Times has Illegal Immigrant License Bill Advances.

After a late-night debate on the politically sensitive issue of immigration, the California Assembly on Wednesday passed a bill to extend driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.

The measure would clear the way for California to create a distinct driver’s license, with a unique design and color, for people who cannot prove legal citizenship in the United States. The license could be used only for driving and would not be valid identification for other purposes such as opening a bank account or boarding an airplane.

The bill, SB 60 by Sen. Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles), would also allow roughly 800,000 people in California who have applied to federal immigration officials for legal residency to get a California driver’s license starting as soon as March 2006.

The bill passed 42 to 34.

Cedillo’s bill passed the Senate in June on a 22-16 partisan split. Now the Senate is expected to approve recent amendments and send it to the governor, who is under pressure from Republicans to veto the measure.

Another No-Brainer here…… California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will VETO this bill.

Technorati Tags: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gil Cedillo

The Smoking Gun has Richard Hatch Gets Hammered, “Survivor” winner indicted for tax evasion, fraud, charity swindle

After rejecting a plea deal earlier this year, original “Survivor” winner Richard Hatch was named today in a 10-count indictment charging him with tax evasion and fraudulently using charitable donations to cover personal expenses. According to the indictment, a copy of which you’ll find below, Hatch never bothered to report his 2000-01 haul for winning the initial installment of the CBS reality series–a $1 million check and a $27,000 Pontiac.

From the CBS Survivor website:

I’m speechless. It’s life changing, it’s literally life changing for me. Mentally I’m beyond exhausted, but I’m beyond elated as well right now, so much so I’m shaken. There will be more emotion when I have my wits about me and I realize what really just happened.

I really feel that I earned where I am. The first hour on the island I stepped into my strategy and thought, “I’m going to focus on how to establish an alliance with four people early on.” I spend a lot of time thinking about who people are and why they interact the way they do, and I didn’t want to just hurt people’s feelings or do this and toss that one out. I wanted this to be planned and I wanted it to be based on what I needed to do to win the game.

I don’t feel I was diabolical. There were ethics in this game. There was morality and I think that is a big part of why I won. I don’t regret anything I’ve done or said to them and I wouldn’t change a thing.

What a MORON!

Technorati Tags: Richard Hatch, Survivor

The Alliance for a Better California has a Blog.

The Alliance for a Better California represents nearly 2 million teachers, firefighters, nurses, health care workers and average, every day people who are devoting our careers to helping others. For some reason Governor Schwarzenegger has decided that we are the enemy. We are not. We want what’s best for Californians and we don’t understand why the Governor is blaming us for all the problems of our state.

Instead of dealing with the problems Californians care about, the Governor is still pursuing an agenda that will do nothing to fix schools, traffic or the state’s budget — and he’s still threatening to hold a special election costing taxpayers $70 million on ideas that aren’t ready for prime time.

Governor Schwarzenegger is out of touch with the people he claims to represent, and we won’t be fooled by his empty promises. If he insists on holding an unnecessary and expensive special election, we will put our own good ideas directly before the voters of California, and we will win.

The Alliance for a Better California includes:

* American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
* Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)
* California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA)
* California Faculty Association (CFA)
* California Federation of Teachers (CFT)
* California Labor Federation
* California Professional Firefighters (CPF)
* California School Employees Association (CSEA)
* California Teachers Association (CTA)
* Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC)
* Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
* SEIU Local 1000

Flap notices that the supporters are all public employee unions……

Oh! What a surprise.

These folks are the new Southern Pacific Railroad of the 21st Century.

Keep up with all of the Lefties and the California Special Election – tune in here.

Technorati Tags: Arnold Schwarzenegger, California Recovery Team, California Special Election, Bear Flag League, Proposition 75, Proposition 76, Proposition 77, Proposition 74, Proposition 80

Cross-posted to the Bear Flag League Special Election Page

The ASSociated Press is reporting that Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown is being removed from his role managing Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

Brown is being sent back to Washington from Baton Rouge, where he was the primary official overseeing the federal government’s response to the disaster, according to two federal officials who declined to be identified before the announcement.

Brown will be replaced by Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad w. Allen, who was overseeing New Orleans relief and rescue efforts.

Brown has been under fire because of the administration’s slow response to the magnitude of the hurricane. On Thursday, questions were raised about whether he padded his resume to highlight his previous emergency management background.

Fox News is also reporting that Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad Allen is being named to replace Brown.

Flap reported previously Hurricane Katrina: The Political Aftermath calling for Brown’s removal.

About damn time.

Technorati Tags: Michael Brown, FEMA, Thad Allen, Hurricane Katrina