Oh My God, it's an election!

The Governator endorsed McCain. And the Kennedys (who just can't get over that their legacy is so 40 years ago) endorsed Obama.

And does anybody care?

Someone should do a report/study/research into whether endorsements make any, tiny, even little bit of difference.

And, don't forget, you can submit questions for the Democratic debate tonight. Or vote on other people's questions.

I vote for no more of these 'questions from the people'.

Health Care Committee Kills Universal Healthcare

Yesterday, the Senate Health Committee voted down the healthcare reform that the Governator spent the last year trying to pass.

It only got 1 vote. Even Perata, who co-authored the original bill, took it back.

Don't Forget to Be Afraid!

For anyone who might have missed it, at about minute 50 or 54 in tonight's State of the Union address came the reminder that we could be seconds from a terrorist attack right.now.run!

And here I thought we might get out without another good scaring.

What, we have until Friday to renew a law or we're all going to die! Dear Lord! Who will save us!

Happy Birthday Prop 13!

CityBeat celebrates Prop 13's 30th Birthday this week

Appropriate as we face a crushing budget crisis. The Governor swears it's a spending problem not a revenue problem. But thanks to Howard Jarvis, we most definitely have a revenue problem.

The same Howard Jarvis who said at the time of passing Prop 13:

That we don't need schools, since “What we’re really doing in the public school systems is nothing short of manufacturing people for the welfare rolls.”

And we don't need libraries, since "63 percent of the graduates are illiterate, anyway”

Right, we don't need revenue.

Health Care? Not this week.

The Governor's healthcare plan, which would provide insurance for 70% of unisured Californians through mandatory employer fees and other complicated stuff, has been the subject of ALOT of debate.

We all know we need to fix the system, but no one agrees on how.

The plan is finally going to go before the state Senate, if it can just get out of the Health Committee, who are postponing the vote until next week on orders from Don Perata. I guess he needed another week to twist all the right arms.

So you'll just have to wait a little longer before you get that surgery you need.

Doo-Dah

The 31st occassional Doo-Dah Parade.

Chelsea Campaigning Too

To add to the list of candidates out here, Chelsea Clinton was out in LA campaigning for someone. Oh, right, her mom.

After campaigning with Ugly Betty's America Ferrera in Reno, Chelsea (now a fashionable hedge fund exec in manhattan) was at the Farmer's Market on Fairfax Ave.

Meet the stars while you still have time to.

Obama in the Valley

Obama campaigned in the San Fernando Valley yesterday.

"I love it," said Obama, smiling confidently and looking at ease in shirt sleeves. "You have a nice home."

Arroyo Seco

Pasadena is trying to revive the Arroyo Seco.

"For about a million years, there's been a ferocious little stream that comes roaring out of the mountains ... on its way to the Los Angeles River," said Tim Brick, managing director of the Arroyo Seco Foundation and chairman of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

"As it carved its way, it also carved its way into the history and culture of Southern California."

Feinstein in Santa Monica?

The Honorable Senator was added to the list of speakers for the first ever State of the City address.

They will be addressing in-depth pressing issues affecting the city. Like I dunno the budget. And Britney. Of course.

When You Know There Isn't Enough Going On in Glendale...

Prompted by a resident’s complaint, city officials have their eyes trained on another new Glendale restaurant suspected of being an illegal banquet hall.

Ah, I remember my youth, when we use to go out, pary hard and end up at the illegal banquet hall.

Where Did All the Water Go?

See the gallery of photos of the water levels at the San Gabriel Dam.

Because Britney is like totally a 'big deal'

Even though it was the State of the State today (Pshaw, whatever, those people are like so old), the Associated Press has decided 'everything involving Britney [Spears] is a big deal'.

from the AP's LA assistant bureau chief

From: Baker, Frank S.
Sent: Tue 1/8/2008 11:58 AM
To: News - Southern California Editorial Staff
Subject: Britney
All:

Now and for the foreseeable future, virtually everything involving Britney is a big deal. That doesn't mean every rumor makes it on the wire. But it does mean that we want to pay attention to what others are reporting and seek to confirm those stories that WE feel warrant the wire. And when we determine that we'll write something, we must expedite it.

Thanks.

Frank

The Storm

The local news has been warning of storms to come, but this morning I didn't see a whole lot of anything but morning dew.

Apparently, we need to keep waiting.

A flash-flood watch was issued for recently burned areas from this afternoon through Saturday morning.

In case, the fires weren't enough.

Or, you could just use the high-winds as an opportunity to go surfing.

From SF Gate

And a Happy New Year

To kick off the year, or rather close out the old one, here are the Glendale News Press' Top 10 Stories of the Year.

Personally, I think there may have been more exciting stories than tree ordinance fines. But at least Britney Spears isn't on the list.