• Hurricane Katrina

    Hurricane Katrina Watch: Let Rudy Do IT!

    The ASSociated Press and WNBC have Republicans Urge Bush To Ask Giuliani To Guide Relief Effort.

    Rep. John Sweeney, R-N.Y., urged President Bush to appoint former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani or two former military officials to run the ground response in the Gulf Coast, saying local authorities are not up to the task.

    Sweeney suggested Giuliani or retired generals Colin Powell and Tommy Franks could take charge of the much-criticized hurricane relief efforts.

    “We owe it to the American people to have America’s best leaders with experience on the ground running this,” said Sweeney. “It’s been painfully obvious over the last four or five days that the circumstances and challenges coming at us are new, are nothing that had ever been anticipated.”

    Sweeney said Giuliani proved his ability to lead in a crisis during the Sept. 11 attacks, adding the president should also consider Franks or Powell, men with long military resumes.

    One prominent Republican, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, criticized the Bush administration for being sluggish, and urged the president to name Giuliani as the White House point person for relief efforts.

    “We need to get the job done now, and I don’t think anybody is better prepared to do that psychologically and otherwise than Rudy Giuliani,” Gingrich said.

    Giuliani has been traveling in Australia this week and only recently returned to the United States. His spokeswoman, Sunny Mindel, declined to comment Friday on calls for his involvement in the Hurricane Katrina response.

    Gingrich said the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina “puts into question all of the Homeland Security and Northern Command planning for the last four years, because if we can’t respond faster than this to an event we saw coming across the Gulf for days, then why do we think we’re prepared to respond to a nuclear or biological attack?”

    Flap agrees with Newt.

    Bush should appoint Rudy and let him run the show.

    The sooner ………The BETTER!

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  • Dentistry

    Nanospheres: Block the Pain of Sensitive Teeth

    MedGadget has ‘Nanospheres’ that Block Pain of Sensitive Teeth.

    Research presented yesterday at the Institute of Physics conference EMAG-NANO 2005 shows that nanospheres composed of a ceramic material called hydroxyapatite could be a cure for sensitive teeth.

    The Press Release is here.

    Nanospheres could help dentists fill the tiny holes in our teeth that make them incredibly sensitive, and that cause severe pain for millions of adults and children worldwide.

    Preliminary research presented today at the Institute of Physics conference EMAG-NANO 2005 shows that creating tiny spheres of a ceramic material called hydroxyapatite could be a long term solution or cure for sensitive teeth.

    Sensitive teeth or ‘dental hypersensitivity’ is a condition that arises when the dentine of the tooth is exposed. The dentine is made up of thousands of tiny fluid-filled channels which radiate outwards from the nerve endings at the centre of the tooth. Heat, some chemicals, and physical contact can cause the fluid in these channels to move – in or out – triggering the nerve endings and causing sharp pain.

    If these channels (or ‘tubules’) are fully or partially blocked, the flow can be reduced and the pain stopped or significantly reduced. Currently, the only way to treat this condition is through good dental hygiene – using special toothpastes and fluorine mouthwashes which encourage re-mineralization of the dentine coating.

    Jonathan Earl, David Wood and Steve Milne from the Institute of Materials Research at the University of Leeds have found that the most successful particle shape for filling these channels is a ‘nanosphere’ and are now trying to synthesize nanospheres of hydroxyapatite. Hydroxyapatite is a ceramic material which is highly compatible with teeth and bone and so is widely used by medics for bone grafts or dental coatings (because it binds strongly with the bone material).

    Interesting research.

    Look for new restorative materials made from biotechnology and biomedical material research.

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  • Health,  Morons

    South Africa Watch: The Rape Trap

    South African inventor Sonette Ehlers and her new anti-rape female condom.

    The Los Angeles Times has A New Strategy to Fight Rapists.

    A medieval device built on hatred of men? Or a cheap, easy-to-use invention that could free millions of South African women from fear of rape, in a country with the worst sexual assault record on Earth?

    Dubbed the “rape trap,” trademarked Rapex, the condom-like device bristling with internal hooks designed to snare rapists has reignited controversy over the nation’s alarming rape rate.

    Some say the inventor, Sonette Ehlers, deserves a medal; others, that she needs help.

    The device, which is worn inside a woman’s body, hooks onto a rapist during penetration. It must be surgically removed.

    Ehlers, a former medical technician, said the rape trap would be so painful for a rapist that it would disable him immediately, enabling his victim to escape. She insisted it would cause no long-term physical damage to the assailant, and could not accidentally injure the woman.

    Some women’s activists call the device regressive, putting the onus on individual women to address a societal, male problem. Even Charlene Smith, an outspoken journalist and anti-rape campaigner, said the device “goes back to the concept of chastity belts” and predicted it would incite injured rapists to kill their victims.

    “You will get a higher rate of women being killed,” Smith said. “We don’t need these nut-case devices by people hoping to make a lot of money out of other women’s fear.”

    Yup……

    Ehlers said she was inspired to design the device after meeting a young rape victim in a hospital in 1969, who told her, “If only I had teeth down there.”

    A moronic device.

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  • Arnold Schwarzenegger,  California,  Education,  Politics

    Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: Governor Visits UC Merced

    The Modesto Bee has Governor gets tour of UC Merced, Campus leaders show off school’s energy efficiency.

    Gov. Schwarzenegger showed up for a short, private lesson at the new University of California at Merced on Thursday, five days before classes start.

    Led by Chancellor Carol Tomlinson-Keasey and Vice Chancellor for Administration Lindsay Desrochers, the governor took a brief tour of two buildings on the new campus.

    He saw the central plant, the energy-efficient heart of the school, and the Leo and Dottie Kolligian Library, a 120,000-square-foot building that will house the majority of classes for the next few years.

    “It’s really amazing,” Schwarzenegger said, during a press conference after watching a demonstration on solar energy designed to show off the school’s environmental efficiency. “This is the future.”

    Will he be at the dedication on Monday?

    The press is happy to beat him up on whether he will attend.

    If the Governor does attend then it will be unannounced at the very last minute so the union protest stalkers don’t ruin the moment.

    But the governor said there’s still a possibility he can attend UC Merced’s opening day on Labor Day.

    “We have prior obligations on Monday, but I’m still working on it,” Schwarzenegger said. “I never say a complete no.”

    UC Merced Chancellor Carol Tomlinson-Keasey guided Schwarzenegger through the campus.

    “Without (Schwarzenegger), we couldn�t have opened on time,” Tomlinson-Keasey said to the governor. “We will reward you with an array of inventions and research.”

    As the governor walked out of the library to greet UC Merced faculty and staff members, one person asked when he’ll be back for a return visit.

    The movie star turned governor responded with his catch-phrase, “I’ll be back.”

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  • Arnold Schwarzenegger,  Bear Flag League,  California,  Politics,  Proposition 77,  Special Election 2005

    California Special Election: Schwarzenegger Will Consider Raising Taxes if Proposition 76 Fails

    California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger visits residents at the Villages at Cabrillo in Long Beach, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005, where he pressed for ballot initiatives set to go before voters in a Nov. 8 special election.

    Sacramento Bee columnist and blogger, Dan Weintraub has Gov: Will consider taxes if 76 fails.

    Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said today he would be forced to consider raising taxes if voters don’t pass his budget reform, Proposition 76, on the Nov. 8 ballo

    Is this a surprise?

    The California state budget has had structural deficits since Governor Gray Davis was elected and bankrupted the state.

    Proposition 76 restores the authority that the Governor of California had between 1939 and 1983 to make mid-year spending cuts whenever spending outpaces revenue without having to return to the legislature.

    Why is it trailing so badly in the polls?

    I interviewed Schwarzenegger on KTKZ 1380 in Sacramento this morning and asked him if his reform proposal was his last shot at balancing the budget without raising taxes, as he pledged to do when he ran for governor in 2003. Schwarzenegger has said that Proposition 76 is a crucial piece of his plan to finish erasing the state’s structural budget gap, which has shrunk from about $10 billion to $6 billion since he was elected. But he’s never said what he would do if the voters decided they don’t want to give him the tools he says he needs. I asked him about that possible scenario.

    Here is a transcript of the exchange:

    Governor: “I think we have to understand, there’s only two ways to balance a budget. Theres only two ways to go. One is that we live within our means and that we only spend what we have, which is the way we should go, the responsible way. The other one is the way, the direction they are going right now, which is to spend more and more money and what they want to do is drive us into a corner so that they can raise taxes.”

    Weintraub: “You’ve put the solution out there, you’ve put your answer out there. If it is not adopted, won’t you then be into that very corner and forced to consider —

    Governor: “Absolutely. Absolutely. Then we have to look at raising taxes. Because this is the only option we have in order to create the money. This is why I tell people, vote yes on Proposition 76, and make sure that we do everything we can to pass this proposition so that we force our legislators once and for all to live within their means and not to continue spending money and to keep making promises to people that they can’t keep.”

    California voters will have a clear choice this November.

    Reform or Tax Increases.

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    Cross-posted to the Bear Flag League Special Election Page

  • Hurricane Katrina

    Hurricane Katrina: The Blame Game for President Bush

    New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, left, Councilman Oliver Thomas and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco speak during a news conference about Hurricane Katrina, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2005. Residents of low-lying coastal communities were told Saturday to pack up and head for higher ground before Hurricane Katrina strengthens and takes a “possible direct hit” on southeast Louisiana.

    The ASSociated Press has New Orleans Mayor Fumes Over Slow Reponse.

    A day beforePresident Bush headed to the hurricane-ravaged South, Mayor Ray Nagin lashed out at federal officials, telling a local radio station “they don’t have a clue what’s going on down here.”

    Federal officials expressed sympathy but quickly defended themselves, saying they, too, were overwhelmed by the catastrophe that hit the Gulf Coast region on Monday.

    Nagin’s interview Thursday night on WWL radio came as President Bush planned to visit Gulf Coast communities battered by Hurricane Katrina, a visit aimed at alleviating criticism that he engineered a too-little, too-late response.

    “They flew down here one time two days after the doggone event was over with TV cameras, AP reporters, all kind of goddamn — excuse my French everybody in America, but I am pissed,” Nagin said.

    Nagin said he told Bush in a recent conversation that “we had an incredible crisis here and that his flying over in Air Force One does not do it justice … I have been all around this city and that I am very frustrated because we are not able to marshal resources and we are outmanned in just about every respect.”

    In an interview Friday on NBC’s “Today,”
    Federal Emergency Management Agency director Michael Brown stood behind the massive federal relief effort that’s under way.

    “I understand the mayor’s frustration. … We have been having a continuous flow of commodities into the Superdome, there were five trucks arriving last night to feed well over 50,000 people.

    “We’re also diverting supplies to the convention center which I learned about yesterday and that area. … This is an absolutely catastrophic disaster,” he said.

    Gov. Kathleen Blanco, who like Nagin is a Democrat, was less confrontational than the mayor.

    “When the system goes down, this is pretty much what you get,” she said on CBS’ “The Early Show.” “We don’t get into the blame game. We just work with what we got.”

    But, the BLAME GAME it is……..

    Michelle Malkin has a list:

    Brian Maloney at The Radio Equalizer, my indefatigable blog investigative partner, spotlights the hurricane-induced insanity of Air America Radio hosts Rachel Maddow and Randi Rhodes, who really have bigger things to worry about. (Audio of Rhodes here.) Jim Hoft comments.

    This nutball refuses to support Katrina victims because of his anti-conservative hang-ups. (Hat tip: Erick at Red State.)

    This group is totally bonkers.

    Arthur Chrenkoff compiles a list of left-wingers using the disaster to stoke Bush hatred and eco-zealotry.

    Patrick Ruffini documents a “hurricane of hatred.” Alenda Lux has a reality check.

    Kevin Halpern has more on the Bush-bashers and adds:

    One more thing on anti-war mom Sheehan. She is leaving Texas and taking her protest on the road with a bus caravan to Washington. I hope she runs out of the gas she is wasting.

    Politburo Diktat documents Left vs. Right bloggers on Katrina. So does Rick Moran.

    And via Radioblogger Duane Patterson, Hugh Hewitt’s producer, here’s the anti-Bush meltdown of CNN buffoon Jack Cafferty. More from Brent Baker at Newsbusters.

    Cafferty is fuming because Bush did not drop sandwiches into the waterlogged, chaos-racked Superdome. I kid you not.

    The Anchoress takes stock of the political and physical landscape 100 hours after stormfall. Read the whole thing.

    It does little good to play this game.

    However, the Left and the MSM seem almost delighted in the crisis.

    Time to get back to business, help these folks and rebuild.

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  • Arnold Schwarzenegger,  Bear Flag League,  California,  Politics,  Proposition 75,  Proposition 78,  Special Election 2005

    California Special Election Watch: Latest Field Poll

    Reuters has Poll finds Schwarzenegger’s popularity remains low.

    California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s popularity has not improved as he heads into the campaign season for a special election he has called for November, according to a poll released on Friday.

    The Field Poll found just 36 percent of 891 registered voters approved of Schwarzenegger’s performance as governor, compared to 52 percent disapproval.

    In a June Field poll, 37 percent of those surveyed approved, with 53 percent disapproving.

    The latest survey, which had 3.4 percent margin of error, found that 57 percent opposed the November special election, which will consider issues such as how California draws its legislative districts.

    The latest Field Poll is here.

    This is continuing bad news for the Governor and what is to be expected when you allow your opponents to seize the initiative with an early media campaign.California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger waves to the crowd as he watches the game between the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels with Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno (L) in Anaheim, California, August 30, 2005

    Schwarzenegger can rebound and Flap has given his suggestions here and here.

    A Fall campaign cannot happen soon enough.

    The one good note for Schwarzenegger from the Field Poll:

    State legislature ratings even lower than Governor’s

    As poorly as voters view the Governor’s performance, their assessment of the job the state legislature is doing is even more negative. More than one-half (54%) now disapprove of the job that the lawmakers are doing and just 27% approve. Since The Field Poll began rating the performance of the state legislature more than twenty years ago, voter assessments of that body over the past two and one-half years have been among its poorest.

    Voters of all political parties have a more negative than positive view of the legislature’s
    performance.

    If the Governor can run a modest campaign this Fall he has won this special election – even if he loses every proposition and the status quo remains.

    CNN has California labor unions lack resources in special election fight.

    The lack of national labor money means California’s local unions will have to pick up most of the tab for their campaigns, and they have already spent millions to discredit Schwarzenegger and his ballot measures.

    Whether that will be enough to counter the campaign by Schwarzenegger and his supporters is unclear. The governor has set a goal of raising $50 million to promote the measures.

    This is campaign money that will not be used against the Governor in the Fall of 2006, nor in election year propositions, nor in Democrat Primary races, nor in California State Senate or Assembly contests…..

    and…. should the Paycheck Protection Initiative, Proposition 75 pass ( it is leading in the latest poll) it will freeze the ability of public employee unions to exploit their memberhsip with dedicated dues increases to fund liberal initiatives and candidates…..

    Well….. you get the idea.

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    Cross-posted to the Bear Flag League Special Election Page