Sexy styles for girls frighten some parents
Halloween hasn’t changed much for boys: Gory get ups and monster masks still sell.
But in the last few years costumes for girls have traded silly and sweet for skimpy and sexy.
It’s gotten so bad, one mother on an Internet bulletin board suggested renaming the holiday Dress Like a Prostitute Day. “That’s an awful thing to say,” the woman wrote. “But that’s what some of these costumes look like to me.”
Look in costume shops and you’ll see what she means. They don’t sell scary witches so much as saucy witches. Costumes that once were merely daring now look more at home on Vegas showgirls. Outfits that were once “cool” are now ” Hot! Hot! Hot . . .
Long-shot candidates plug away
It’s hard out here for third-party candidates.
Few listen to them. Fewer vote for them. And the media? Well, they don’t pay much attention to them at all.
So when the gubernatorial candidates whose names aren’t Schwarzenegger or Angelides gathered Monday for a candidate forum put on by the Commonwealth Club of California, it was a big opportunity before a small crowd to score some points, try a little humor and hope someone, somewhere, will take heed.
“You’ve got to step out of yourselves,” pleaded Janice Jordan, the Peace and Freedom Party nominee, hoping that she could persuade the few dozen in the audience and those who catch the forum’s broadcast in a few days. . .
Candidates Art Olivier, Janice Jordan and Edward Noonan will be on the show in the 6:00 hour
The holes in the border fence plan By Phil Angelides
ON THURSDAY, President Bush put his signature on a measure authorizing a new fence along 700 miles of the 1,952-mile-long border between the United States and Mexico. Funds for the fence may never be provided, and the fence may never get built. Regardless of its future, the fence legislation alone is no substitute for the kind of comprehensive immigration reform that California and the nation need.
The United States has long been strengthened by policies that have brought immigrants here from every corner of the world. And yet every period of high immigration also has been shadowed with fear, ignorance, hatred and racism. As we move forward with immigration reform, we must adhere to what makes our country great — freedom, opportunity and equality — and resist pandering to the lowest common denominators of divisiveness, stereotypes and ignorance.
Comprehensive reform starts with full funding for the strong border security provisions originally provided in the 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act in response to the recommendations of the 9/11 commission. The act calls for at least 2,000 new, permanent border agents a year and 8,000 new detention beds a year for five years. Investments in border personnel and surveillance technology are essential for protecting national security and regulating immigration, but the federal government has funded only a fraction of these requirements. . .
Monday, October 30th, 2006
UPDATE: Esperanza Fire expected to be contained by 6 pm
The arson-set Esperanza wildfire, which has burned over 40,000 acres and claimed the lives of four firefighters—leaving a fifth clinging to life—was almost fully contained today, according to the California Department of Forestry.
Fire officials said today that the fire was 90 percent contained and would likely be fully encircled by around 6 p.m. this evening.
The fire began in the San Gorgonio Riverbed at Esperanza Avenue at 1 a.m. Thursday, then—whipped by powerful Santa Ana winds—spread over 40,200 acres, or roughly 63 square miles, destroying 34 homes and 20 other structures, including barns and sheds, fire officials said. . .
Bustamante faulted over acts by aide
SACRAMENTO — In recent years, the lieutenant governor’s office under Cruz Bustamante fell $300,000 behind in office rent, and vendors exasperated by unpaid bills shut off cellphone service, stopped maintaining copy machines and threatened to cancel credit cards.
Aides to Bustamante blame the lapses on the lieutenant governor’s former fiscal officer, who used a state-issued credit card to make a down payment on a sports car, travel to Hawaii, buy stereo and computer equipment and rent videos, state documents show. The state has paid those costs.
Bustamante is the Democratic nominee for insurance commissioner, a post with far more responsibility than he has as lieutenant governor. The commissioner oversees a $200-million annual budget, 1,340 employees and an industry that generates $115 billion in annual premiums. . .
Big game Hunter: Seeks presidential bid for 2008
SAN DIEGO – East County Congressman Duncan Hunter announced Monday that he will seek the Republican nomination in the 2008 presidential race.
Hunter, R-Alpine, made the announcement on downtown San Diego’s waterfront against the backdrop of the aircraft carrier Midway and in front of about 100 enthusiastic supporters carrying signs and waving flags.
“As I finish my final two years as chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and serve you, I am also going to be preparing to run for president of the United States,” Hunter said. . .
Friday, October 27th, 2006
Flames ambush man ‘who could do anything’
IDYLLWILD—If anyone could be counted on to get you out of the woods alive, people said, it was Capt. Mark Loutzenhiser.
A longtime firefighter and avid outdoorsman, the 43-year-old Idyllwild man was leading a five-man U.S. Forest Service crew into the San Bernardino County wildfire Thursday when he and three of his men were killed. The other crew member was badly burned.
In addition to Loutzenhiser, the U.S. Forest Service today officially released the names of the others killed Thursday: engine operator Jess McLean, 27, of Beaumont, who had seven years of service; assistant engine operator Jason McKay, 27, of Phelan, a five-year employee; and firefighter Daniel Hoover-Najera, 20, of San Jacinto, who was in his second season of firefighting. . .
THE PRESTIGE
This is, after all, a movie about magicians, and magicians specialize in slight of hand. That would seem to be a strong hint that you are in for some twists and turns, so what happened to me? (more…)
Thursday, October 26th, 2006
President Bush this morning signed a law committing to nearly 700 miles of fence along the U.S.-Mexico border and pledging that the Department of Homeland Security will try to gain operational control of the nation’s borders within 18 months.
The signature, less than two weeks before the midterm elections, delighted congressional Republicans, who said it was about time the government got serious about enforcement, but infuriated Democrats and illegal alien rights groups, who said Mr. Bush abandoned his commitment to a more lenient illegal immigration policy.
“This bill will help protect the American people. This bill will make our borders more secure,” Mr. Bush said at a ceremony in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. “It is an important step toward immigration reform. . .
Congressman Ed Royce will be on the show at 3:00
Those backing border agents want to see evidence of wrongdoing
Department of Homeland Security officials told congressional leaders last month that two Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting a drug smuggler admitted to supervisors that they were “out to shoot Mexicans” the day of the shooting, but have yet to provide proof the agents made such statements.
In an effort to convince four concerned congressman that the trial, conviction and sentencing of El Paso, Texas, Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean were warranted, representatives of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General met privately with the congressmen to assure them of Ramos and Compean’s guilt.
The agents were convicted earlier this year of shooting admitted drug smuggler Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila in the buttocks as he ran away from them near the Rio Grande River in February 2005. Ramos and Compean were sentenced last week to 11 and 12 years, respectively, in prison. . .
Reporter Sara Carter will be on the show at 4:00
Wednesday, October 25th, 2006
Tan Nguyen, live in the studio on John and Ken! Today, 5:00 p.m.
