MaxRedline

How Far Do You Trust Congress?

Eighty-three percent (83%) of U.S. voters say legislation should be posted online in final form and available for everyone to read before Congress votes on it. The only exception would be for extreme emergencies.

The Representative Republic is in serious trouble when 83% of the voters want to read legislation before allowing their elected Representatives to vote on it.  It speaks strongly to a breakdown of trust, which both Democratics and Republicans have brought about.

It's The End Of The World

Well, probably not.  Certainly, AlGore had better hope not, because if the world ends in 2012, he's got no way of cashing in on his carbon offset credit scam.

Portland City Hall Makeover

It was inevitable.  Portland City Hall will be getting a roof makeover, complete with a couple of "urban farm" plots, "habitat", and other essential features.  If the "urban farm" plots have cornfields up there, then Portland's pervy "mayor" has way better cover for his antics than the City Hall restrooms. 

That Visioning Thing Continues

The first new stop on the proposed light rail extension into Vancouver will be the subject of a public workshop next week at Jantzen Beach.

As several commenters on the story note:
WHAT PART OF 'VOTED DOWN TWICE' DON'T POLITICIANS UNDERSTAND?

'Proposed' . . . Proposed by WHO? This thing has been voted down over and over, and is not wanted! When are the politicians and the newspaper editors going to realize this?

Heh.  Portland-area voters also voted light rail "extensions" down.  Now we don't get to vote any more.  You can attend the "public workshops" if you want to waste time, but the politicians have a love affair with expensive trains, and they really don't care what you think.

Streetcars!

Each mile of streetcar rails that the City of Portland adds also adds 114 miles of road paving to the Portland backlog.  Portland’s current backlog could pave a two-lane road from Portland to San Francisco, California.  And the brain-trust in Portland's City Council continues to pursue bright, shiny streetcars.

In addition to the huge construction costs, CoPo's streetcars operate at a huge loss: by itself, CoPo subsidizes the tiny streetcar lines currently in place to the tune of $2 million tax dollars a year - while TriMet also kicks in unspecified funds to the operation.

Roads just aren't sexy enough for the alleged "mayor" of Portland - and if there's one thing we know about Sam Adams, only sex is important.  So far, there are no plans to extend streetcar tracks through City Hall restrooms, but that's doubtless on the agenda.

The Warbler

This is perhaps the best description of B0 yet to surface, and it's amusing that the diminutive president of a country widely associated with surrender publicly ridicules the President of the United States.  Clearly, Sarkozy knows a weakling when he sees one.  Everybody other than American voters recognize B0 for what he is, as well.  When the French hold the POTUS in undisguised contempt, there's a problem.

Health Insurance Reform In Deep Trouble

The more folks find out about it, the less they like it.  No wonder BO wanted to fast-track a "reform" proposal. 

Sen. John Ensign, a Nevada Republican, got an interesting handwritten note last week from the chief of staff of Congress' Joint Committee on Taxation. Tom Barthold told Ensign that an American who did not buy health care insurance or pay the fee — up to $1,900 — that is required from those who opt out would find themselves in deep trouble with the government.

"Violators could be charged with a misdemeanor and could face up to a year in jail or a $25,000 penalty, Barthold wrote on JCT letterhead," Politico reported.

The gulags appear to be not all that far off.

Blow It Out Your ...er...

Al Qaeda has apparently come up with an innovation in the art and science of homicide: presenting himself as a "repentant militant", a guy named al-Asiri got close to Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef, head of Saudi Arabia's counter terrorism operations.

The homicider was able to evade security systems because a pound of high-explosives and a detonator were stuffed into his rectum.  A text message sent by cell-phone acted as a trigger , blasting him to smithereens and lightly injuring the prince.  While CBS makes a big deal out of the technique, Lewis Page, an "improvised-device disposal operator tasked in support of the UK mainland police from 2001-2004," pointed outthat this isn't much of a threat for three reasons: 1) you can't stuff a lot of explosives into a body cavity, 2) detonation is, um, problematic, and 3) the human body can stifle an explosion pretty effectively (think of someone throwing himself on a grenade to save his friends).

Nonetheless, you can expect the TSA to come up with some additional, deeply probing approaches to security at the airport.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Saudi Arabia To Israel: Bomb Iran

Well, this is getting interesting.  When a Muslim country is willing to let Jews overfly their airspace in order to bomb another Muslim country, you know things are heating up.  Clearly, Iran's activities are making their neighbors nervous.

The "Conservative" Supreme Court?

Oddly, that's exactly how environmental law professors at the IU Maurer School of Law describe the Court.  Noting that in five of five environmental cases, the Court ruled against the enviros.  Fischman noted that, while each case was interesting, the Supreme Court term itself was fascinating for its anti-environmentalist rulings.

Anti-environmentalist?  Oh, really.  Apparently, if you don't go along with whatever the environmeddlists believe is appropriate, you are somehow an "anti".