Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

Another Record Rainfall for Southern California?

Since July 1 of this year, Southwestern Los Angeles County has received about 0.90 inches of precipitation. Last year, a record-setting wettest season since they started measuring rainfall, we had only 0.68 inches. What does this mean? Another record-setting season?

Not according to Ken Clark, meteorologist for AccuWeather.com. Clark, in an article in the
Daily Breeze, said he forecasts heavy, moisture-laden storms this winter:

“I wouldn’t say we’d get as much rain as last year, which was one for the record books and the chances of equaling that are pretty small,” he said. Last “rain year” — July 2004 through June 2005 — saw about 37.25 inches of rain, making it the second wettest in history.

“But it sure looks like there is going to be more rainfall than we normally get in Southern California.”

Meanwhile, our local mainstream media outlets maintain that due to the fires and this rainfall, we will have mudslides and land erosion – we’re dooooomed. (Yawn)

Photo credit: Sean Hiller / Daily Breeze

18 Oct 2005 by California Environment

Bush hates poor? Only if numbers lie

Larry Elder, an attorney, syndicated columnist and national radio talk-show host provided some interesting counterpoints to the “Bush hates the poor” moonbats.

Some of the facts highlighted in Larry’s column:

  • Education: Under No Child Left Behind, Bush increased federal spending on education — in inflation-adjusted dollars — from 2001 to 2005 by 38 percent.
  • Job training: President Bush’s 2005 budget included 12.5 percent more funding than in 2001 for job training and employment assistance.
  • Community service: The budget of the Corporation for National and Community Service — which includes funding for former President Bill Clinton’s pet project, AmeriCorps — grew by an inflation-adjusted 76 percent from 1995 to 2005.
  • Health care: The federal share of Medicaid, the joint federal/state program, increased from $129 billion in 2001 to $176 billion in 2004, a 36 percent increase, averaging over 10 percent a year. Health research and regulation funding has gone from $42 billion in 2001 to $63 billion in 2004, a 48 percent increase.
  • Faith-based initiatives: Under President Bush, 600 religious organizations received federal grants for the first time in 2003 and 2004, and faith-based groups received 8 percent of available social service grants in 2003, and 10 percent in 2004.
  • SBA loans: The Small Business Administration provided twice as many loans in 2004 than it did in 2001, providing over $19 billion in loans and venture capital to almost 88,000 small businesses.

Each of the programs mentioned above that are supported by the Bush administration are directly aimed at providing advantage to economically challenged people in this country.

Read Larry Elder’s column “Bush hates poor? Only if numbers lie” in the Daily Breeze.

It’s a shame that the weak-minded minions of the left parrot these ideas that have no basis in truth. As we have stated before, there is a shortage of gray-matter in brains of those making these vain repetitions until they themselves believe the lies.

17 Oct 2005 by Money and Business Whacko Politics

Alligators in the Sewers – Still!

A 6-foot long alligator loose in an urban lake in Southern California, a hurricane-displaced ‘gator wrangler named T-Bone Quinn, a dysfunctional swamp buggy and impending cooler temperatures force a stalemate in a strange game of chess.

This almost sounds like fiction or comedy, but it’s true. After a resident of nearby San Pedro, CA, released an alligator he couldn’t keep into a city lake, three potential reptile trappers have been thwarted in their attempts to capture the elusive ‘gator.

The amusing story is in the Daily Breeze: T-Bone Quinn throws in the towel in Reggie search

I’m rooting for Reggie, the ‘gator in this one . . . hope he gets safely caught and sent to an alligator retirement community.

Update 10/18/2005: The Daily Breeze offers an archive of alligator articles.

15 Oct 2005 by California Environment

Why We Love the Gov

When we voted to recall Gray Davis last year, we were faced with the dilemma of voting for a staunch conservative, Tom McClintock, or a “liberal” Arnold Schwarzenegger. While McClintock’s political philosophy is actually closer to our own, we knew that Arnold would provide us with enough conservative fiscal leadership, which, after all, was the most attractive aspect of his candidacy, given the fiscal mess that Davis and the Democratic legislature had caused. Since taking office, Governor Schwarzenegger has exhibited strong conservative behavior, vowing to let the voice of the people be heard.

Mark Noonan, a favorite blogger of ours at Blogs for Bush, makes some very good points about the Governor’s choices. From Blogs for Bush: We’re Winning the Political War, Too:

As it was, Davis was forced out and Schwarzenegger got in – and since then, while making his bows to his liberal proclivities from time to time, Governor Schwarzenegger has governed from the conservative end of the ideological spectrum. Why should this be?

Because conservatism works – it works everywhere and all the time. It is the only rational set of governing principles to have. Given this, any halfway intelligent government official is going to apply conservatism to whatever problem comes up. We’ve won the debate, boys and girls – the only thing left to do is figure out the best way to implement the program. In socially liberal California, the conservative medicine goes down better with a more socially liberal Republican in charge – in spite of Governor Schwarzenegger’s liberalism, he is the man who veto’d a gay marriage bill because it was a direct attempt by establishment elites to undo the definitive will of the people. And he’s also the man leading the charge in a set of conservative reforms for California.

Thus far, Governor Schwarzenegger has not let conservatives down on the main issues for which we elected him.

15 Oct 2005 by California

Like I’m SOOOO Scared . . .

Don’t mess with Damsel‘s apple harvest unless you want to tangle with these spooky critters. Witches, vampires, ghoulish trolls and ambulating jack o’lanterns stand guard over the centerpiece basket.

Click on the greeting above for a special message (turn on your speakers).

14 Oct 2005 by Culture Photography

Halloween Theme

Damsel and I love the holidays, both secular and religious. Halloween, although largely celebrated as a secular event, is actually based in Christianity. Legend dictates that on All Hallows Evening, or, the night before All Saints Day, demons, ghosts and and other spirits are restless and come out of their graves and roam the Earth. And indeed they do!

In the fun spirit of Halloween, we have changed our theme for the rest of October.

13 Oct 2005 by Blogosphere Culture

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