Public Unions Dealt Costly Blow in Wisconsin

At the Wall Street Journal, "Governor's Victory Deals Costly Blow to Organized Labor" (via Google):

Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker's victory marks a costly blow to organized labor that could weaken its political muscle over the long term.

Governors and legislators in Republican-led states across the country could be emboldened to pursue the same type of curbs on union-worker rights that Mr. Walker installed, and to move forward on right-to-work legislation, which would bar contracts requiring employees in private-sector firms to be union members and pay union dues. In Wisconsin, the change has significantly reduced public-employee union membership since last year.

The shift could hit union membership across the country and weaken labor's ability to raise money that is a significant source of Democratic political funding.

The political-action committees of public-sector unions have donated $4.7 million to candidates for Congress so far in the 2012 election, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. That made public-sector unions one of the biggest sources of donations to candidates behind Hollywood, Wall Street and the insurance industry, according to the center.

About 90% of the donations from the public-sector PACs went to Democrats.

The three largest public-sector union PACs have so far raised $23.4 million in this election cycle. That money can be used to donate directly to candidates or pay for television advertisements, mailings or other election activities.

Republicans control legislatures and governorships in 24 states, making them the most likely to pursue curbs to union-worker rights and benefits if they haven't already, according to Americans for Tax Reform, a conservative anti-tax group.

RTWT.

And watch that video above carefully.

I was watching MSNBC last night and I tweeted, with some surprise, the network's early call for Scott Walker. Rachel Maddow handled the news quite professionally. She just reported it without getting too hot and bothered. But boy did Ed Schultz have a hard time with the news. You can see him go through a couple of stages of grief right there in those few minutes. First he was denying it, looking a little depressed. But as he kept talking he started to accept the results and then got combative about what progressives need to do in November. And I mentioned it earlier, but the left is going to blame this on the money. You'll be hearing all week reports about how much money big out-of-state donors sent to Wisconsin. And while it was a 7-1 advantage for Walker over Barrett, less than three percent of voters decided at the last minute. Indeed, about 90 percent of voters were fully committed to their vote weeks ago. What mattered most was the ground game. CNN's Dana Bash reported last night from Walker's victory headquarters and she said that in all of her reporting she'd never seen a more enthusiastic victory crowd --- and that was after reporting on the GOP primaries all year long! Enthusiasm made the difference, and obviously a lot of Wisconsinites are pleased with Walker's record on government.

It's going to be interesting to watch how the left spins this out. One thing I can tell you, though, Baracky was smart to stay away from the Badger State. What a disaster for the left.

I'll have more later...

G.O.P. Governor's Win Is Seen as Blow to Labor Unions

Here's your ultra-mainstream reporting on last night's failed recall election, at the New York Times, "Walker Survives Wisconsin Recall Vote":

WAUKESHA, Wis. — Gov. Scott Walker, whose decision to cut collective bargaining rights for most public workers set off a firestorm in a state usually known for its political civility, easily held on to his job on Tuesday, becoming the first governor in the country to survive a recall election and dealing a painful blow to Democrats and labor unions.

Mr. Walker soundly defeated Mayor Tom Barrett of Milwaukee, the Democrats’ nominee in the recall attempt, with most precincts across the state reporting results. The victory by Mr. Walker, a Republican who was forced into an election to save his job less than two years into his first term, ensures that Republicans largely retain control of this state’s capital, and his fast-rising political profile is likely to soar still higher among conservatives.

Here in Waukesha, some Republican voters said the result ended the most volatile partisan fight in memory, one that boiled over 16 months ago in the collective bargaining battle and expanded into scuffles about spending, jobs, taxes, the role and size of government, and more. Democrats, some of whom are already pledging to mount strong challenges for state lawmakers’ seats in November, seemed less sure about the meaning of Mr. Walker’s victory.

“Tonight, we tell Wisconsin, we tell our country and we tell people all across the globe that voters really do want leaders who stand up and make the tough decisions,” Mr. Walker said, delivering a victory speech to supporters here. “But now it is time to move on and move forward in Wisconsin.”

In his concession speech in Milwaukee, Mr. Barrett said: “We are a state that has been deeply divided. It is up to all of us — our side and their side — to listen, to listen to each other.”

The result raised broader questions about the strength of labor groups, who had called hundreds of thousands of voters and knocked on thousands of doors. The outcome also seemed likely to embolden leaders in other states who have considered limits to unions as a way to solve budget problems, but had watched the backlash against Mr. Walker with worry.

 Some Republicans said they considered Mr. Walker’s victory one indication that Wisconsin, which President Obama won easily in 2008 and which Democrats have carried in every presidential election since 1988, may be worth battling for this time.

“Obviously, Scott Walker winning tonight means that the Republicans are here for real,” said Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee. “Conservatives are here for real.” Mr. Priebus was attending Mr. Walker’s victory party at the Waukesha County Exposition Center, where “We Stand With Walker” signs were all around.

RTWT.

And at Freedom's Lighthouse, "Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s Victory Speech after Winning Recall Election by Wide Margin – Video 6/5/12."

April Rose: A Decade of Hometown Hotties

April reports from Maxim's command center:

U.S. Kills Abu Yahya al-Libi, al Qaeda's No. 2 Operative

This is good news.

At the Wall Street Journal, "CIA Kills al Qaeda's No. 2: Senior Terrorist Official Dies in Drone Strike in Pakistan, U.S. Says, Citing New Blow to Organization":

WASHINGTON — The militant considered to be the No. 2 leader of al Qaeda was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan, U.S. officials said Tuesday.

Abu Yahya al-Libi was seen as al Qaeda's most versatile leader, and his death on Monday was the latest setback for a group that U.S. officials say is reeling from recent losses.

The operation that killed Mr. Libi also showed the U.S. has maintained its intelligence capacity in Pakistan amid tension with the Pakistani government and despite enhanced security measures that al Qaeda has taken in the wake of the raid that killed its leader, Osama bin Laden, a year ago.

The attack was the latest in a rapid succession of Central Intelligence Agency drone strikes in recent weeks, after attacks slowed in the wake of the accidental killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers by U.S. helicopters at a post at the Afghan border in November. There have been 22 strikes reported so far this year, according to the New America Foundation, which tracks them.

Yep. Good news, but again the progs are unhappy. See Firedoglake, "How Coverage of Obama’s Role in Drone Executions Provokes Liberal Outrage."

FLASHBACK: Andrew Breitbart at Madison, Wisconsin, Tax Day Tea Party 2011

Andrew is smiling down on Wisconsin this morning. I'll tell you.

And I'm moved to post this since he calls out the AFL-CIO's Richard Trumka. As I reported earlier, the AFL-CIO is the biggest f-king loser in all of this, one hella sore f-king loser.

Via Liberty Chick on Twitter:

Miss Ohio Claims 'Pretty Woman' Prostitute is 'Positive Role Model' (VIDEO)

I don't know.

I guess if the movie has a happy ending it's alright.

At London's Daily Mail, "Miss Ohio names Julia Roberts hooker in Pretty Woman as 'positive portrayal of women'."

No Democracy Didn't Die Tonight, Progressivism Did

As I reported earlier, progressivism died tonight.

But for some people, progressivism and democracy are the same thing, or something. Via Dan Riehl:

And I'm going to have more on this, but get a load of No More Mister Nice Blog: "WELCOME TO THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY." (Hint: It's the money, to the progressives at least. But as much as it helped, it wasn't all about the money. More on that later...)

California's Prop. 29, Tax on Cigarettes for Cancer Research, Holds Narrow Lead

I see only 25 percent of the precincts reporting at the moment, so who knows how it'll end up?

Proposition 29 leads 50.6% to 49.4%.

But see the San Francisco Chronicle, "Dollar-per-pack cigarette tax passing."

Progressives Utterly Crushed After Failed Wisconsin Recall

I'll be trolling around looking for updates, but I doubt you could find a more abject sore loser than the AFL-CIO. And this ultimate sore-loser tweet was posted after the networks projected the Scott Walker win. It wasn't a "win or lose" scenario by that time. The left lost, and they lost bad.

And see Twitchy, "Walker wins; Twitter explodes."

I tweeted Markos Moulitsas:

You lose, @Markos. Progressivism died tonight. You should quit. You and your movement objectively suck. #WIRecall
— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) June 6, 2012

Markos threw in the towel here.

And I really do believe that progressivism died tonight. For the last 18 months we've heard leftists proclaim a surge and revival of progressivism, following the first protests against Walker in Madison, and then when the Occupy movement gave fresh hopes to so many more. But when push came to shove in the Badger State, all the left's forces couldn't get it done. But note something here: While progressivism as a functional, viable ideology in American politics is dead, the activist left will continue to drone on like a Zombie starved for brains. As Roger Simon noted a couple of weeks back:

Liberalism as an ideology is in its death throes. Only the power trip remains.

More later...

Added: Hey, Instalanche! Thanks!

BWHAHAHA!! Check out Erik "Union Boss" Loomis, at Lawyers, Guns and Money:

As I mentioned before, I am generally opposed to the idea of recall on principle.

Yeah. Right.

And if Walker would've lost you'd be dancing a jig until the cows come home. What a loser and a clown.

More, from PoliPundit, "Bwahahahahaha!":

In 2010, the greatest Republican landslide in decades, Scott Walker won by 6 points. In 2012, with the left throwing everything it had at him, Walker became the only governor ever to survive a recall, crushing his hapless opponent by… 10+ points!!

Bwahahahahaha!

Republicans also appear to have taken all four senate seats by massive margins.

Bwahahahahaha!

I love it!

More, 9:30pm, at Lonely Conservative, "Forget the old media. They stink. Try the new media. We rock."

Also, at Blazing Cat Fur, "Hope For Canada: Scott Walker Wins - Parasite Public Service Unions Defeated."

Too Close to Call in Wisconsin? — UPDATE! Rachel Maddow Projects Scott Walker Win With 23 Percent of Precincts Reporting!!

UPDATE: MSNBC just called it. See Teri Christoph on Twitter.

*****

I'm updating all night, so check back periodically for fresh posts.

William Jacobson has a live event tonight: "Wisconsin Recall LIVE."

And exit polls are showing a 50-50 race. See Twitchy, "Exit polls show dead heat in Wisconsin."

Plus, at New York Times, "Close Race Could Mean Recount; Absentee Ballots Remain."

Folks on Twitter are reporting that Walker is pulling out a lead, but it's early.

Also, at WaPo, "Unions flex muscle in early Wisconsin recall exit polls" (via Memeorandum).

'We Could Get a Replay of Florida 2000'

Via James in the comments at Althouse:

Stephen Hayes just tweeted:
"Two WI GOP sources say Dems/Barrett preparing lawsuit to keep polls open late in Dane & Milwaukee counties. GOP will fight it."

We could get a replay of Florida 2000.

And while there's some doubt that Democrats will fight to keep polling places open (check Hayes' Twitter feed), I'm sure something will happen to drag this recall late into the night, if not longer.

Meanwhile, this thug says he hopes Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch gets colon cancer. See Twitchy, "This is what civility looks like: Anti-Walker protester wishes death on Wisc. Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch."

More at Memeorandum.

Democrats Busing-In Out-of-State Supporters for Wisconsin Recall

Well, Fox News is reporting that Democrats are "busing people in" to Wisconsin, and there are allegations of Democrat voter fraud.

See Gateway Pundit, "Wisconsin Democrats Are Busing in Supporters From Minnesota for Recall Vote (Video) …Update: Michigan Too!"

William Jacobson is updating: "Wisconsin updates."

And check Memeorandum for all the updates.

BONUS: There's some debate on the exit poll data coming out. See Althouse, "'Early exit polling in the Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election suggests that union household comprise roughly a third of all voters...'"

Expect updates...

Woman Who Snatched Donald Driver Cleat From Boy Wants to Apologize, Return Shoe to Young Fan

Seems like this stuff is happening way more often lately. And this one's over a stinky cleat.

Here's the report at the Herald Times Reporter‎, "Woman who took cleat from boy at Donald Driver Charity Softball game will return shoe."

And the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported the story, which went viral, "Video: Someone really, really wants Driver's cleat." And see, "Wagner, Driver are Good Morning America bound."

9th Circuit Rejects Proposition 8 Appeal

It's about time.

See LAT, "Prop. 8 ruling may soon face the Supreme Court."

Added: From Althouse, "'The Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on Tuesday declined to rehear arguments over California's ban on gay marriage...'"

Battleground Wisconsin: Democrat Fleebaggers Prepare for the Worst

The Lonely Conservative comments on today's recall election in Wisconsin:

Will the Democrats live to regret this recall election in Wisconsin? We’ll find out soon enough, but it looks like they’re kind of freaking out.

And Michelle has the key headline: "Decision day in Wisconsin: Democratic fleebaggers prepare for the worst."

The MacIver Institute is tweeting the election in real time.

And expect a lot of great blogging at Althouse.

BONUS: From Byron York, at the Washington Examiner, "Wisconsin labor fight started ugly, ended ugly":

For some so-called progressives in Wisconsin, the threat posed by Gov. Scott Walker's policy limiting the collective-bargaining powers of some public employees has justified almost any response.

Democratic lawmakers fled the state rather than allow a vote on Walker's proposal.

Some teachers and other public employees abandoned their jobs to protest in the streets.

Some doctors violated ethics standards by issuing medical excuses for protesting teachers who walked out on students.

Unions threatened boycotts against businesses that declined to publicly side with organized labor.

AFL-CIO officials equated the cause of comfortable and well-paid unionized employees with the work of Martin Luther King Jr. and striking Memphis garbage collectors.

Anti-Walker forces set off an astonishing controversy amid a state Supreme Court election when they alleged that one justice had physically attacked another.

Unions successfully pushed for recall elections against several Republican lawmakers, resulting in two losing their seats.

And finally, the intense, lasting anger on the union side led to a recall election for Walker himself. And in the final hours before that vote, anti-Walker activists have spread ugly and baseless rumors that Walker is about to be indicted and -- in perhaps the lowest and most ridiculous point of the entire spectacle -- that Walker fathered an illegitimate child in college...

Keep reading

EXTRA: At Politico, "Wisconsin recall: Democrats prepare for recall recount." (Via Memeorandum.)

And at World Workers Party, "June 6 Wisconsin: ‘Keep it in the streets’."

It could get violent out there.

I'll have more throughout the day...

What's at Stake in the Wisconsin Recall Election

At the Wall Street Journal, "The Wisconsin Recall Stakes":

A single election rarely determines a democracy's fate, but some matter more than others. Tuesday's recall election of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is one that matters a great deal because it will test whether taxpayers have any hope of controlling the entitlement state and its dominant special interests.

Specifically, we will learn if a politician can dare to cross government unions and survive. Mr. Walker isn't facing this extraordinary midterm challenge because he and a GOP legislature asked public workers to pay 12.6% of their health insurance premiums and put 5.8% of their paychecks toward their pensions. Those are small sums compared to what private employees typically pay.

His political offense was daring to challenge the monopoly sway that public unions have come to hold over modern state government through collective bargaining. Public unions aren't like private unions that negotiate labor terms with a single company or workplace. Public unions have outsize influence because they can often buy the politicians who are supposed to represent taxpayers. The unions effectively sit on both sides of the bargaining table.

Thus over time they have been able to extort excessive wages, benefits and pensions, as well as sweetheart contracts like the monopoly provision of health insurance. Their focused special interest trumps the general interest of taxpayers, who are busy making a living and lack the time to focus on politics other than during elections or amid a fiscal crisis.

RTWT.

And see James Taranto, "What's at Stake in Wisconsin."

RNC Rips Obama's Anna Wintour Ad

At ABC News, "RNC Web Video Lampoons Obama’s Anna Wintour Fundraising Effort."

'Fear' #hopechanged

From American Crossroads, via Theo Spark:

The DDG-1000 Zumwalt, the U.S. Navy's Next-Generation Destroyer

This is cool.

At London's Daily Mail, "Navy's answer to a rising China: $3 billion warship that can sneak up on coastlines undetected and fire missiles at twice the speed of sound."

IMAGE CREDIT: Wikimedia Commons.

Ed Schultz: From Panic to Incoherence Over Wisconsin Recall

Notice how Schultz is sounding pretty combative at the video clip from his MSNBC broadcast last night. That's an obvious attempt to rally the troops for a final push to victory. Remember, the polls have looked bad for the unions for some time. And in fact, a number of outlets have been downplaying expectations on the left. For example, here's the headline for AP's report at the Washington Post: "Nothing to see here: Wisconsin recall will provide few hard clues on who wins the White House." That's a genuine headline, not a joke. And Will Oremus piles on the stupid at Slate: "What the Wisconsin Recall Tells Us About November: Nothing."

Now check NewsBusters, which plots how Schultz himself has come around to the combative tone in just the last couple of days. See, "Ed Schultz Lurches From Panic to Incoherence Over Wisconsin Recall."

Read it all at the link. This is going to be something else tonight.

Marine Le Pen Threatens to Sue Madonna Over Swastika Concert Image

At Telegraph UK, "Marine Le Pen threatens to sue Madonna":

Marine Le Pen, the leader of the French far-Right, has threatened to sue Madonna over a video depicting the National Front chief with a swastika on her forehead.

The fleeting image was shown at a concert the US-born singer gave in Tel Aviv last Thursday as part of her MDNA world tour.

Projected during the song Nobody knows me, the film morphed Madonna's face with a number of famous figures, including Chinese leader Hu Jinatao, US Republican former presidential candidate Sarah Palin and Pope Benedict XVI.

Miss Le Pen's eyes and forehead then appear for a second before a swastika and the eyes of Adolf Hitler are superimposed onto the FN leader.

Furious, Miss Le Pen threatened to sue the singer if she kept the video unchanged when she performs in Paris on the July 14 national holiday and in Nice in August. "If she does that in France, we'll be waiting for her," she told Le Parisien.

Hitting back at Madonna, she was quoted by the newspaper as asking: "By the way, has Madonna given back the children she stole from Africa? Or did she end up buying them?" Madonna adopted two children, David and Mercy in Malawi in 2007 and 2009, sparking a coalition of around 85 local NGOs to accuse her of "child kidnap".

Also at London's Daily Mail, "Madonna attacked by French National Marine leader Marine Le Pen after depicting her with swastika on face during Israeli concert."

The image appears at about 1:30 minutes at the clip.

Ali Akbar Targeted by 'Breitbart Unmasked'

Linkmaster Smith has the report: "Gauntlet Thrown Down @ali."

The likely Brett Kimberlin front-site "Breitbart Unmasked" posted a photograph of Ali's mother's home in Texas --- a clear thug-style warning and implied threat of violence.

Bob Belvedere links to the Breitbart Unmasked hit piece: "The #BrettKimberlin Report [D+10]: Ali Akbar And Family Targeted":

Ali Akbar, one of the founders of the National Bloggers Club and a conservative political consultant, is the latest conservative to be targeted by Leftist thugs.

As is typical, they’ve gone after Ali’s family as well.

And see AoSHQ, "National Day of Blogger Silence -- This Friday."

Plus, check Twitchy as well: "National Bloggers Club president targeted by Brett Kimberlin supporters; National Day of Blogger Silence planned for Friday."

Purported Tunisia Apostate Beheading is Recycled Video From Syria's Al-Nusra Front (al Qaeda) — EXTREME CONTENT WARNING!

The video below is c/o Blazing Cat Fur.

It's getting a lot of attention, for example, at Israel Matzav, "Graphic video: What a 'moderate' Islamic revolution does to Christians (and to Jews if they get the chance)." And Gateway Pundit, "Arab Spring... Muslims Behead Christian Man in Tunisia While Reciting Anti-Christian Islamic Prayer" (via Memeorandum).

But Jawa Report indicates this is a recycled clip said to show al Qaeda forces in Syria (see here):

The BBC has background: "Does al-Qaeda have a foothold in Syria?" And at Telegraph UK, "Al-Nusra Front jihadists claim Damascus suicide bombs."

Audiotapes From Aaron Worthing's 'Peace Order' Hearing in Maryland

William Jacobson posted a vital reminder yesterday on the importance of keeping the spotlight on the Brett Kimberlin story. William praised Robert Stacy McCain for his investigative reporting: "Good job." And William also points us to the latest developments this morning: "Another good job."

It turns out that Patterico has the transcriptions from the Aaron Worthing hearing. See: "Audio and Transcripts from the Hearing Where Aaron Walker Was Arrested for Blogging About a Public Figure."

And Michelle Malkin has a shout-out: "Contempt: Free speech-trampling judge in Kimberlin case exposed; help Aaron Walker fight back."

Now, checking back over at The Other McCain, Robert has a new post up: "‘A Faint Whiff of Vigilante Hysteria’: Weinergate’s Kimberlin Connection."

Recall that I visited my congressman's office last week: "Is Convicted Terrorist Brett Kimberlin Abusing Tax-Exempt Status? Calling for Congressional Hearings on Continuation of Section 501(c)(3) Benefits."

I urge others to contact their representatives and keep blogging and tweeting this story. Keep the pressure on. As Michelle notes:

This isn’t just a one-day commitment. It’s an ongoing battle for free speech. Every voice, every blog post, every tweet, every e-mail counts.

Who to Blame On Wednesday?

Here, in a sense, are your overlapping memes for the Wisconsin recall.

It's full panic mode right now, remember.

At the second half of the video (skip to about 6:00 minutes), Rachel Maddow dissects the union defeat in Wisconsin, and she interviews Ed Schultz. There's a lot of pathetic leftist spin, and outright lies, but it's a beauty to behold the progressive dejection. And I completely agree with Maddow's thesis, that Republicans are determined to destroy unions across the states. Shoot, if we could get a conservative Republican in California this once-great state might have a chance:

Now, for a very different picture, check the report from Althouse on the mood in Madison:

By the way, I spent time in various Madison spots today — 2 cafés, walking on various streets including State Street and around the Capitol, basking and brat-eating on the Union Terrace — and I didn't see any activity related to Tuesday's recall election. No signs, no protesters, no drumbeating, no clipboards. And there were lots of people out on this beautiful June Sunday. I did see an old chalking on State Street.

And in the first café — where I sat alone, grading exams — there were about 6 people sitting at another table, talking politics. But they weren't talking Tuesday. They were talking Wednesday. What should they say on Wednesday? Who should be blamed for this calamity? They sounded especially upset at how much money had been thrown away. Not the $18 million dollars of tax money the state must pay to conduct the election, but all the contributions that went to the Democratic candidates... down the rat hole.

BONUS: From William Jacobson, "Desperation wearing a cheesehead hat" (via Memeorandum). And at Twitchy, "Last minute smear job: Dems claim Scott Walker fathered ‘love child’ 24 years ago; Update: Debunked by reporter" (via Memeorandum).

UNHAPPINESS = IMAGE - REALITY

I keep wondering if I'm going to have a midlife crisis --- I haven't had one yet, and this last year's been tough. But listening to Dennis Prager on happiness at the clip, I just think I'm pretty realistic about things. And I'm pretty happy, in any case. I'm not having a crisis.

Via Theo Spark:

And I've just about finished Prager's new book, Still the Best Hope: Why the World Needs American Values to Triumph. I'm expecting to write some review-type comments when I'm done. Maybe tonight...

'Your First Amendment Right Can Be Terminated'

Via Glenn Reynolds:

And Althouse comments:

That this police officer would talk like that to news reporters is evidence that he talks like that on such a regular basis that he doesn't even notice how shocking it sounds to people who know what rights are. It's important to push back hard against this kind of policing for the sake of all the people who don't know what their rights are and who can be controlled and oppressed by false information coming from an authority figure.

Jessica Simpson's 'Baby Bliss' at People Magazine

I'm reading my wife's People Magazine, with Jessica Simpson featured on the cover, "Jessica Simpson, Daughter Maxwell Do First Photo Shoot."

She had a cesarean section. The baby was two weeks early, at 9 lbs. 13 oz. And she put on a lot of weight, apparently. Simpson is now a new spokeswoman for Weight Watchers, "Jessica Simpson Reveals After-Baby Weight Loss Plan."

She's going to be fine, but TMZ didn't take long to heap the ridicule: "Jessica Simpson -- Professional Fat Person -- Weight Watchers."

April Rose at Maxim: Top 100 Most Annoying Songs

April Rose is Maxim's Hometown Hotties 2008 winner.

She's lovely.

The End is Near for Higher Education in California

I'm only being slightly facetious at the title.

It's been 52 years since Gov. Pat Brown signed California's Master Plan for Higher Education into law. The commitment embodied in that program --- guaranteed public education at nominal cost to the state's citizens --- can no longer be sustained. But rather than serious proposals to reform the system, we're getting more and more hysterical warnings about declining quality and access only for the wealthy. And that's just in California. Now here comes the New York Times with this sky-is-falling report, "California Cuts Threaten the Status of Universities":

LOS ANGELES — Class sizes have increased, courses have been cut and tuition has been raised — repeatedly. Fewer colleges are offering summer classes. Administrators rely increasingly on higher tuition from out-of-staters. And there are signs it could get worse: If a tax increase proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown is not approved this year, officials say they will be forced to consider draconian cuts like eliminating entire schools or programs.

For generations, the University of California system — home to such globally renowned institutions as Berkeley and U.C.L.A. — has been widely recognized as perhaps the best example of what public universities could be. Along with the California State University system and the state’s vast number of community colleges, higher education options here have long been the envy of other states.

But after years, and even decades, of budget cutbacks from the state, that reputation is under increasing threat. University leaders, who had responded typically to earlier budget cuts with assurances that their institutions were still in top form, now are sounding the alarm. In trying to rally support, they openly worry that their schools do not offer the same quality of education as a decade ago.

“I’d be lying if I said what we offer students hasn’t been changed and that there hasn’t been a degradation of the learning environment,” said Timothy White, the chancellor of the University of California, Riverside, which has had record growth in recent years. Last year, plans to open a medical school on the campus were shelved after state budget cuts.

While there are more students than ever, the number of academic advisers has dropped to 300, from 500 a few years ago, for more than 18,000 undergraduates. Courses that used to require four writing assignments now demand half that because professors have fewer assistants to help them with grading papers, something other campuses have implemented as well.

While no one is arguing that cutting higher education spending is a good thing, some say that the state budget crisis makes it necessary — and may provide an opportunity for needed changes.

Jon Coupal, the president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which strongly opposes the proposed tax increase, said the colleges should do more to show they are cutting spending, like reducing pay for top administrators or closing programs that do not directly benefit the state.

“We’ve had the luxury in prior years of heavily subsidizing colleges,” Mr. Coupal said. “But like anything in California, the delivery of higher education is not performance based. They’ve created new campuses and programs based on politics and not need.”

Chancellor White and others say the concerns about the budget cuts are beyond academic. For generations, the universities have been economic engines for the state, graduating hundreds of thousands of students each year. At every level, the universities are receiving more applicants than ever. But without more state money, colleges are struggling to find room for eligible students.

Nathan Brostrom, executive vice president of business operations for the University of California, said the system was now in the middle of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. In the last year, the state has cut $750 million from the system’s budget. This year, for the first time, the system receives more money from tuition than from state aid — but that only makes up for roughly a quarter of the cuts from the state. Over all, the budget is the same as it was in 2007, when there were 75,000 fewer students enrolled.

Continue reading at that top link.

We need reform. We need rationalization. And that's going to entail some program cuts and cost increases --- at least until we restore a full employment economy in the state.

PREVIOUSLY: "Community Colleges All But Eliminate Summer School Classes."

Sunday Cartoons

I've been hanging out watching baseball all day. I almost forgot to post my Sunday cartoons.

Check Flopping Aces, "Sunday Funnies."

Also at Reaganite Republican, "Reaganite's Sunday Funnies." And Theo Spark, "Cartoon Roundup."

BONUS: At Jill Stanek's, "Stanek Sunday funnies 6-3-12."

Elizabeth Warren Is a Liar and a Phony

William Jacobson has a summary, "Elizabeth Warren: Exposing me for who I am means you’re nasty":

Elizabeth Warren is the Democratic Party nominee for Senate, after party leaders twisted arms to make sure Marisa DeFranco did not make the primary ballot.

Warren may have become the nominee, but she’s stil not Native American.

Whereas prior to May 2012 one might have said Warren simply believed what she (allegedly) was told, now the genealogical evidence has come out that Warren is not Cherokee  and there is no evidence she is any other Native American group.  So when Warren now insists she that being Native American is who she is, she knows that the facts contradict her; she’s no longer just mistaken, she’s lying.

Warren also has been caught lying about how she used her false Native American status professionally.  Her initial denial has given way to revelations about getting herself listed as a “Minority Law Teacher” in a law faculty directory, in the federal diversity reports filed by U. Penn. and Harvard, in the Harvard Women’s Law Journal, and in Harvard’s promotional campaign in the 1990s.  Only when all this evidence came out did Warren finally, a couple of days ago, admit that she had informed U. Penn. and Harvard of her Native American status.  Caught.

Slowly but surely, Warren is being exposed as a phony.  She is a real estate flipper  who took advantage of foreclosures, yet she decries people who take advantage of the financial misfortunes of others.  She overstated the financial difficulties of her parents when she was growing up, and makes bizarre boasts about being the first nursing mother to take the New Jersey Bar exam.

Warren stresses how she has overcome huge odds, but she ignores that her career owes much to her landing a job at U. Penn. law school because the law school wanted to hire her husband.  (Funny how that revelation has not received much attention yet.)

Warren started creating a persona of being Native American while at Penn and then parlayed that “woman of color” and “minority” status — as well as her gender – into a job at Harvard Law which was under enormous pressure at the time to diversity its faculty; only a complete naif would believe it played no role.

And last for now but not least, the woman who is the champion of the little people and transparency worked with Democratic Party bosses to prevent the little people from voting to decide who would become the nominee of the Democratic Party to go up against Scott Brown.

Warren, however, considers it “nasty” campaigning when she is caught and called out on lies and exposed...

And that video c/o Lonely Conservative, "Video: Elizabeth Warren Says She’ll Be Massachusetts 1st Native American Senator."

Progressives in Full Panic Mode in Wisconsin

There's a lot of activity in Wisconsin. Via Memeorandum, we see that the so-called Wisconsin Citizens Media Cooperative has published some pathetic rumors about a Scott Walker love child. And Althouse responds: "Wisconsin Citizens Media Co-op drops a load on Scott Walker."

But it's the earlier Althouse reporting that's especially messed up, and reminds me of the thug intimidation in California after Proposition 8 passed. See "'We have seen the power of a single mailer disclosing the voting behavior of oneself and one’s neighbors'."

The surveillance effect! It's important for people to know when political organizations, like the Greater Wisconsin Political Fund, are deliberately using a psychological manipulation that has been tested and studied. Please, get out the word that mailers like this are trying to mobilize...

The Surveillance Effect.

And here's the mailer Althouse received, complete with a list of her own and her neighbors' voting activities, "'We're sending this mailing to you and your neighbors to publicize who does and does not vote'."

William Jacobson has more: "Just letting you know your neighbors’ political contributions."

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee

This is great.

See the Telegraph UK, "Eyes of the world on the Thames."

And more coverage at the link.

More video at Blazing Cat Fur.

Homosexual Bullies

Via Blazing Cat Fur, "The Ugly Dyke Screams 'You Deserve to Be Bullied' at the End."

Background at the Daily Caller, "Legislation could force Ontario Catholic schools to recognize gay student clubs."

And see Pete John Mitchell, "Legislation won’t stop bullying."

Van Halen at Staples Center: 'Getting Along Famously'

When Rolling Stone reported last month that Van Halen was postponing its world tour after the Southern California leg, the explanation was that the band members "hate each other." Yet, in a video last week David Lee Roth reported that the band was "getting along famously." As Roth remarked in an interview at the Los Angeles Times:

Contrary to rumors that the famously volatile band isn't getting along, Roth said Van Halen is simply attempting to avoid exhaustion. "We bit off way more than we could chew, when it came to scheduling," Roth said. "The band is winning, but our schedule has been sidelined for unnecessary roughness."

And if there was any lingering doubts, last night's performance at Staples Center certainly dispelled them. It was all smiles for two hours, plus a few hugs and kisses too. These guys were having a blast and it was genuine. Here's a clip of the opening number, "Unchained," from the band's fourth album, Fair Warning:

Now, I'm calling this guy either crazy or a Grinch, but Randall Roberts at the Los Angeles Times claimed the gig last night was a "lackluster" performance. I'm guessing this dude needed to pump out 1000 words of copy for newspaper's dead tree edition and decided to pad it with a heap of drivel.

Seriously.

Leo Howard, who plays "Jack" on Disney's comedy series, "Kickin' It" (watched regularly in my household), gave a superlative review in 140 characters on Twitter:

My mind is officially blown!!! VAN HALEN KILLED IT! @WolfVanHalen nailed it all, and @eddievanhalen was on fire! I'm still in shock!
— Leo Howard (@iamLeoHoward) June 2, 2012

You can say that again.

To be fair, Roberts makes a good point about some missteps with the set list, and the Hollywood Reporter picks up on that as well at their otherwise excellent review, but it's extremely uncharitable to dismiss Van Halen in 2012 as a nice but low-charged bit of nostalgia:

Despite all the talent, and those songs, Friday night offered evidence that nostalgia by definition seldom moves a person forward, rarely satisfies in the long run, and can only sustain a certain number of concerts before weariness sets in.

I'm going to disagree, and I'll bet most of the 20,000 fans at the sold-out arena would too. That place was on fire alright. If the band is indeed "getting along famously," I see no reason not to expect a long touring run and perhaps another trip or two to the studio. Roth, at 57, looks happy and healthy --- with plenty of trademark high kicks --- and Eddie Van Halen remains one of the world's premier guitarists. The Hollywood Reporter has the set list from last night. Eddie turned "Eruption" into a 9-minute guitar solo, and that was the lead-in to a smokin' rendition of "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love." And with "Jump" closing out the concert as the grand finale, complete with confetti and Roth waving a king-sized checkered flag, this was one homecoming that won't be easily forgotten.

If Van Halen makes it to your town when the tour kicks back up, do yourself a favor and catch the show. These guys still got it going on and how.

Elizabeth Warren Wins Massachusetts Democratic Nomination

The state's Democrat big wigs rammed this nomination through at the party convention.

See the Boston Herald, "Elizabeth Warren knocks Marisa DeFranco off primary ballot."

Also at Big Government, "Nominee! Dems Circle Wagons For Embattled Warren."

And at Legal Insurrection, "Results of Massachusetts Democratic Convention":

Now it’s on the Dem leadership as Warren’s drip-drip falsehoods about her family history and her personal narrative continue to play out.

RELATED: At the Boston Herald, "Records: Prof profited by buying, selling homes." (Via Memeorandum.)

This lady is utterly morally bankrupt. She's got a lot to answer for and ultimately she owes the voters a huge apology. The drip drip of this campaign continues. It's going to be extremely interesting.

Obama Longs for the Good Old Days of '08

Well, what do you know?

Mitt Romney's really is throwing the progs into conniptions.

See Byron York, "In tough fight with Romney, Obama longs for McCain" (via Memeorandum):

The last week, more than any in the campaign so far, has shown Team Obama that Romney and his aides are prepared to fight as hard as needed to win in November. The Romney-organized shouting-down of top Obama aide David Axelrod in Boston; the Romney sneak event at the old Solyndra headquarters in California; Romney's refusal to give in to Democratic demands to repudiate Trump; and Romney's determination to avoid side controversies while remaining singularly focused on the economy all revealed a candidate who has resolved to battle Obama on his own, and not Obama's, terms. It's no wonder Obama has become nostalgic for the relatively comfortable days of 2008.

Also blogging:

* Neo-Neocon, "“In tough fight with Romney…”"

* Pundette, "Obama diagnoses the opposition: They've got 'a fever'."

* Q &O, "Obama: 'Hey, Mitt, wouldn’t you rather be a nice loser than a mean winner?'"

* Wake Up America, "Romney Rallies The Base While Obama Becomes Nostalgic For John McCain."

BONUS: No More Mr. Nice Blog calls foul:

Right-wing spinmeisters are saying to the base, "Oooh, we took the gloves off and Obama is whining!" In fact, Obama's trying to warn centrist voters not to be fooled when they read that Romney is really, deep down inside, a middle-of-the-road guy.

Idiot.

It's not ideology. It's backbone. Romney's not capitulating to the left's narrative, freakin' dweeb.

Fifty-Seven Percent of Independents in New Boston Globe Survey Say Elizabeth Warren Has Not Fully Explained Claims of Native American Heritage

I have to agree with William Jacobson's response to new survey from the Boston Globe. See: "Not The Boston Globe’s headline: Scott Brown maintains lead, Warren negatives rise."

As you can see at the screencap, incumbent Scott Brown enjoys a comfortable favorability rating. And it's what's not shown that's even more important, frankly. The Globe's report is here: "Scott Brown, Elizabeth Warren neck and neck in new poll." Here's the most interesting passage:

The poll results among self-identified independents, whose votes Brown needs to win overwhelmingly in a state that traditionally favors Democrats, are particularly helpful to Brown. Fifty-seven percent of independents in the Globe survey said Warren had not fully explained the issue.

The Native American controversy has eclipsed the negative attention Brown has received from Warren supporters.

Only 19 percent of voters said they were very familiar with stories about Brown’s fund-raising from Wall Street interests, with 37 percent saying they were somewhat familiar.

And among those who were at least somewhat familiar, 66 percent said it would not affect their vote.

Brown also did well on a question that has, historically, often accurately forecast election winners. Voters, when asked who they think will win the race, regardless of their preference, chose Brown by a margin of 52 percent to 27 percent. Smith said that question is often a valuable predictor, especially farther away from an election, because it takes into account what poll respondents’ friends, relatives, and co-workers are saying about the candidates.

Laurie Petrie, a 60-year-old Chicopee Democrat who is unemployed, illustrates that point. She said she would be voting for Warren, but ‘‘I think a lot of people like Scott Brown; I wouldn’t be terribly upset if he beat her.’’

Basically, Brown is a non controversial incumbent, a finding even more significant in that both Warren and the national Democrats have made class warfare their rallying cry this election. Clearly, if the dynamics of the race don't change --- and the way Warren is responding to the controversy, that's not likely to happen soon --- then it's quite reasonable to expect Brown's favorability rating to stay well above the 50 percent line heading into the election. And as some say this is an anti-incumbency year, I'd say Scott Brown is sitting pretty, despite what the headline writers at the Globe would have you believe.

Remember, independents are key, and Brown's even doing well with self-identified Democrats.

BONUS: There's more at Legal Insurrection, "Mass Dems set to ditch true liberal in favor of self-aggrandizing fake Cherokee historic Bar-exam taking nursing mother foreclosure speculator."

Also at Memeorandum.

UPDATE: Protein Wisdom links. Thanks!

Americans Boast 82 Percent Favorable Rating of Queen Elizabeth

I'm not surprised at all. Personally, I love the monarchy and I've already noted the major royal revival a couple of times.

See CNN, "Queen's popularity sky-high in America on eve of Diamond Jubilee."

I'll have some coverage of the Diamond Jubilee this weekend.

Meanwhile, check over at Telegraph UK for the latest.

'Serious Headwinds' — Rash of Disastrous Economic News Pounds Obama's Reelection Prospects

Like I've been saying, things aren't going too well for Baracky.

Where to begin?

Well, Telegraph UK has the dire headline on the poor economic data out yesterday, "Stock markets slump as slew of poor data bodes ill for world economy." And the Los Angeles Times has more, "Stocks end down more than 2% in broad sell-off." The Dow erased the gains from the entire year and we could be looking at a Black Monday when stocks start trading again after the weekend.

And at the video, a beleaguered president speaks in Minnesota. See: "Obama says jobs report shows economy faces 'serious headwinds'."

Plus, "If bad job news persists, advantage shifts to Romney":

Another month or two of downbeat jobs reports like Friday's, and the 2012 electoral advantage will shift to Mitt Romney.
At the moment, the election is still a coin flip.  But even before the latest evidence of slowing job growth, President Obama was no better than a 50-50 pick to win reelection (as noted Democratic pollster Peter Hart put it recently).  And with economic storm clouds building, it’s easy to imagine that Obama could be the underdog before too long.

“If the May report is a harbinger of what's coming, Romney’s message that ‘We can do better, but Obama can't’ will really resonate,” said Bill Galston of the Brookings Institution, a White House advisor in the Clinton administration.

The latest blow to Obama’s prospects – and the corresponding lift to Romney’s — illustrate the teeter-totter nature of a tight election contest in an evenly divided nation.

The Republican challenger, careful not to celebrate his good fortune at the expense of millions of jobless Americans, issued a statement from his Boston headquarters that termed the latest jobs report “devastating” for U.S. families.

“It is now clear to everyone that President Obama’s policies have failed to achieve their goals and that the Obama economy is crushing America’s middle class. The president's reelection slogan may be ‘forward,’ but it seems like we've been moving backward,” Romney said.

A top White House economic advisor acknowledged that more  needs to be done to recover from the worst economic downturn since the Depression of the 1930s.

“It is important not to read too much into any one monthly report and it is helpful to consider each report in the context of other data,” said Alan B. Krueger, chairman of the president’s Council of Economic Advisors.

Actually, I'd say the advantage is already shifting. Obama is at 45 percent in Friday's presidential tracking poll at Gallup (more here).

So, again, things aren't looking too hot for old Baracky.

More later...

Van Halen Tonight

My wife and I are heading out to see Van Halen at Staples Center.

The Las Vegas Weekly has a review of last Sunday's show at the MGM Grand: "Van Halen pours out the power at MGM Grand Garden Arena." I guess David Lee Roth still does the high leg kicks, so that answers that mystery. He's in great shape.

I'll have a report later. Have a great night!

Left-Wing Strategy Preview: Attacking Mitt Romney as a 'Nasty Jerk'

BuzzFeed reports on Mitt's aggressive campaign stance, which has endeared him to the conservative base: "Mitt Romney Wins Over The Right By Confronting Obama." (Via Memeorandum.)

And this "punch back twice as hard" campaign has the radical left all wee-wee'd up and whining pathetically about how Mitt's all "mean" and "nasty." See Jed Lewison at Daily Kos, "Right wing falls in love with Mitt Romney ... because they finally realize he's kind of a jerk":

...conservatives are realizing that Mitt Romney, Cranbook's senior bully, and Mitt Romney, 2012 Republican nominee, are one and the same—and they'd love nothing more than to see Eric Fehrnstrom pin President Obama to the floor as Willard shaves that crazy hair right off Obama's head, lest it turn into an Afro.
They really aren't paying attention the substance of what he says, at least when it comes to policy, because so much of what Romney says on policy is a jumbled mess of contradictions and falsehoods. But when Romney goes after Obama, it really gets them hot-and-bothered.

For example, when Romney yesterday defended sending his staff to disrupt an Obama press conference on his gubernatorial record, he said he was merely responding to heckling from Obama. That would be reasonable (though childish) if true ... but it was utterly false. And nothing makes conservatives hornier than a brazen lie told in pursuit of the destruction of Barack Obama.

The only thing that surprises me is that conservatives are surprised that Romney can be so nasty. They were more willing to accept Romney's about-face on Romneycare and reproductive rights than they were to accept that Romney is a slash-and-burn politician, but that's exactly what he is. He won the GOP nomination by destroying his enemies, and there was never any reason to believe he'd back off once Barack Obama became his opponent.

Oh, the poor babies. Romney comes out a might bit tougher than John McCain and it throws 'em into conniptions. I love it, frankly. Things are going really badly for the left.

More at Memeorandum.

Elizabeth Warren Admits She's 'Concerned' About Senate Bid

Actually, she admitted she was concerned while whining about how the Fauxcahontas scandal distracts from how Republicans are "hammering" middle class workers, or something.

See The Hill, "Warren admits she's 'concerned' about her campaign in wake of heritage controversy."

But it gets worse.

Warren may have issued yet another whopper yesterday, about how her parents "eloped." See Michael Patrick Leahy, "Exclusive: Eloped? Elizabeth Warren's Parents' Married in Religious Ceremony." It's not clear if Warren's parents married in church or in a private religious ceremony. Ed Morrissey has a big post up on this: "Warren: My parents had to elope because my mother was 1/16th Cherokee, or something..." (Via Memeorandum.)

And see William Jacobson, "Oh Elizabeth, there you go again."

More later...

CNN's Ashleigh Banfield Backtracks After Calling Homosexuality a 'Lifestyle Choice'

She says she misspoke, but she called radical homosexuality a "lifestyle choice."

And that threw the extreme homosexual left into fits of apoplexy.

See Towleroad, "CNN's Ashleigh Banfield Calls Homosexuality a 'Voluntary Lifestyle Choice', Tweets Clarification: VIDEO."

That's the walk back at the link. Here's the original segment.

Also at PuffHo, which has Banfield's tweets: "Ashleigh Banfield, CNN Anchor, Calls Being Gay a Voluntary 'Lifestyle Choice,' Says She 'Mangled Words'."

FLASHBACK: "ACTRESS Cynthia Nixon refuses to bow to pressure from the gay community to change her opinion that her homosexuality is a "choice'', despite facing criticism for her beliefs."

And I thought progs were supposed to be all choice? Well, not that choice!

Police Arrest Pro-Walker Protester at Bill Clinton Rally for Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett

The guy was hoisting a sign that said "Support Scott Walker, Not Union Thugs."

I guess that didn't go over too well with the union thug crowd.

See the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Clinton fires up Democratic faithful."

Clinton spoke in the very spot he appeared with former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl in May 1996. Clinton reminisced a little about his visits to Wisconsin as candidate and president, and said he remembered Milwaukee schoolchildren singing to him and Kohl in German.

While there were hundreds of Barrett signs throughout the park, one Walker supporters stood nearby holding a sign that said, "Support Scott Walker, Not Union Thugs."

After Clinton spoke, the man moved forward to a rope line where Clinton was shaking hands and posing for pictures. Asked by police officers to back away, the man apparently refused.

He was later taken away by officers and was arrested. An officer said the man would be charged with disorderly conduct.

Via the comments at Althouse, "Bill Clinton in Milwaukee, campaigning for Tom Barrett."

Added: Some video...

More Althouse has lots of news: "At the Clinton-Barrett rally: "'heyre arresting the walker supporter'."

And: "'Nice police department you got there, Mayor Barrett'."

Ann links Instapundit.

More at BuzzFeed: "Scott Walker Supporter Arrested At Bill Clinton Rally."

Guantanamo Prisoners Forced to Listen to Barney 'I Love You' for 24 Hours: Pentagon Claims It's 'Not a Form of Torture'

Hey, my brain and body functions would "start to slide" too, after 24 hours of Barney's "I Love You, You Love Me..."

Politico has the story, "Music used as 'disincentive' at Guantanamo Bay, Pentagon says."

This is just terrible treatment of these people. Terrible!

John Edwards Likely to Walk After Mistrial

At the Los Angeles Times, "In wake of John Edwards mistrial, a new trial is called unlikely."

WASHINGTON -- Having failed to convict John Edwards of campaign finance violations, the U.S. Justice Department must now decide whether to retry the former Democratic presidential candidate on the five charges for which the judge declared a mistrial.

Edwards had been charged with six counts of campaign finance law violations. He was acquitted Thursday of one charge by a jury of eight men and four women in U.S. District Court in Greensboro, N.C.

Several legal experts said a retrial seemed unlikely. They also raised questions about the trial's effect -- or lack thereof -- on campaign finance law.

"We knew this was a strange case, and it resulted in a strange trial with a strange ending," said Elliot S. Berke, a Washington attorney who  represents elected officials on campaign finance issues.

He said the jurors' inability to reach a decision on five of the six counts "largely reflected society's confusion about campaign finance law and where the lines are."

Also: "John Edwards owns up to 'sins' in wake of mistrial."

Compare Edwards to Sarah Palin....

Oh well, yeah, no comparison. The dude's a butt freak loser.

Top Strategist David Axelrod Heckled at Obama Campaign Event in Boston

God, this is brutal.

CNN has the background, "Axelrod launches attack on Romney's home turf."

And see Ed Morrissey, "Video: Famous Chicago political organizer … outorganized?":

This sums up perfectly the first month of the general election campaign. The team with the community-organizing experience thought they could secretly arrange a rally in their opponent’s home state to attack his record as governor, led by the chief organizing genius of the campaign. David Axelrod got a large, unpleasant lesson in Chapter One of This Ain’t 2008 Any More...

RTWT.

Worldwide Search for Homosexual Porn Star Luka Rocco Magnotta, Suspect in Grisly Killing and Dismemberment in Montreal

Gay family values.

At Toronto's Globe and Mail, "Manhunt goes global as police say killing and dismemberment suspect fled to France":

Police around the world are on the hunt for Luka Rocco Magnotta, who is believed to have flown to France on the weekend shortly after the brutal killing and dismemberment of a man in Montreal.

A Montreal police spokesperson confirmed Thursday that investigators “have good reasons to believe that [Mr. Magnotta] has left the country.” They have called on Interpol to place him on the international organization’s list of wanted persons, sending “red notices” to police forces in more than 100 countries....

The investigation of the gruesome crime recorded in a video posted to the Internet now appears to be focused on the international manhunt, with the scene of the crime wrapped up even though police are still searching for missing body parts.

The victim, an Asian man in his early 30s who has yet to be named, was reported missing Tuesday, Montreal police Commander Ian Lafrenière said. But the victim’s relatives live outside Canada, and police have been unable to reach them to notify them, another officer said.

Mr. Magnotta and the victim were involved, Commander Lafrenière said. “They were dating. They’ve been involved in a relationship,” he said.

The suspect remains mostly an unknown to neighbours in the Montreal apartment building where he lived for the past three months. Few of his neighbours in the dingy yellow-brick apartment building overlooking Montreal’s Décarie expressway saw him with anyone, and none said they had ever seen him with an Asian man.

“I’ve never seen [the victim] here,” said Richard Payette, 59, who lives down the hall from Mr. Magnotta’s second-floor apartment. He said he once heard a man’s voice inside the apartment, about two weeks ago, when Mr. Magnotta asked the man whether he was staying the night, but the man said he had to go home.

Mr. Magnotta didn’t speak much, never played music, and Mr. Payette said he had never seen him with anyone else.

Derek MacKinnon, a former resident of the building who still meets friends for a beer on the doorstep, said he was the only one around the building to whom Mr. Magnotta ever really spoke. That was perhaps because they were both gay, said Mr. MacKinnon, who identified himself as the actor who played a serial killer in the 1980 Canadian horror film Terror Train.

Mr. Magnotta asked what the gay bars were like, but didn’t say much about himself. “It was just normal conversation as he’s walking in and out the door,” Mr. MacKinnon said.

Lots more at that top link.

And see the National Post, "Luka Rocco Magnotta tried to drum up notoriety for years before being accused in gruesome murder."

BONUS: At Blazing Cat Fur, "Come Back Necrophiliac, Head Choppin, Kitten Killin, Gay Porn Star Luka Magnotta! All Is Forgiven! You Were Bullied!"

George W. Bush Steals the Show at White House Portrait Unveiling

President Bush is naturally hilarious. I miss him a lot.

And amid all our nation's intense partisanship, this was an even where past and present chief executives came together as Americans.

At Fox News, "Alongside Obama, George W. Bush steals the WH show."

And at the Los Angeles Times, "George W. Bush's White House portrait unveiled in ceremony with Obama."

Community Colleges All But Eliminate Summer School Classes

My college isn't mentioned at the article, but we're barely offering anything as well --- and this will be the second summer I've not been teaching (I'm enjoying it, actually).

At the same time, the faculty Academic Senate is up in arms about LBCC's administration advocating on behalf of SB1550 in Sacramento (Motion 2 at the link). Recall Santa Monica College's proposal to charge students a few hundreds bucks a unit for selected course offerings? I think it's a good idea. There's a report at UCLA's Daily Bruin, "Senate Bill 1550 proposes pilot program that charges higher fees to help offset community college cuts." The Academic Senate says it is opposed to "establishing an extension program based on funding from courses offered at the actual cost rather than courses funded with state apportionment." Got that? Opposed to funding offered at "actual cost," as if that "actual cost" goes away if the state government pays for it rather than students who need the classes. Amazing, isn't it?

In any case, here's the report on the summer classes at the Los Angeles Times, "College summer school in California largely a thing of the past":

In an informal survey of about half of the state's 112 community colleges, conducted by the chancellor's office, more than a third reported reduced offerings this summer and eight campuses planned no summer sessions at all. Overall, enrollment and course offerings have plummeted and are at their lowest level in 15 years. From 2008 to 2011, the number of students served fell nearly 43%.

Santa Monica College found in a recent study that 15 Los Angeles-area community colleges this summer are offering only a third of the courses they offered in 2008, equivalent to a loss of 6,000 teaching assignments and 168,000 classroom seats.

"The state cuts are in the range of 13%, so where does that come from?" asked Don Girard, director of government relations at the popular school. "Summer and winter session are the areas the elected board has the most authority over."

Santa Monica College is offering about 745 credit and non-credit classes, about the same as last year. Tuition from a large population of international and out-of-state students helps to fund the program, Girard said.

The problem is especially acute in the huge Los Angeles Community College District, where only one of the nine campuses, East Los Angeles College, is offering a full slate of courses — about 330, which is a 30% reduction from the previous year, said Richard Moyer, vice president of academic affairs.

A controversial new policy this year gives priority registration to continuing East L.A. students, leaving those at other campuses in the district with fewer options, Moyer said. About 15,000 students are expected to enroll, and the school could easily have doubled that number if it had the resources, Moyer said.

Although Pierce College and Los Angeles Trade Tech are offering a couple dozen credit courses, Los Angeles Harbor College is typical of others in the district, offering only a smattering of specialized or non-credit courses mostly funded by grants. Harbor student Devin Green managed to find a biology class he needs at El Camino College, which is outside the Los Angeles district. Green, 21, was lucky to get the course and managed to do so only because he has been attending both campuses and was able to register early.

Another Harbor student, Andrew Mestman, said he had unsuccessfully tried to enroll in summer classes for several years and has given up this time. He said he needs one math class to complete requirements to transfer to a four-year institution.

"At Compton College last year, there were 60 people in class and 15 more on a waiting list, so what's the point?" said Mestman, 20. "It's like gambling every summer."

It's not just students who are frustrated. Ken Sherwood, a public speaking instructor at Los Angeles City College, said this will be the third year in a row he hasn't taught a summer course, after 20 years of never missing such assignments. And because he's a full-time employee and can't apply for unemployment, his income will take a hit.

In previous years he might have been able to pick up a class in another district, but cutbacks have eliminated that option this year. He's unsure what he's going to do.

"It's not like I can walk into a McDonald's and say I need a job for two months, that's not practical," said Sherwood.

I guess I'm lucky. I've got money saved for summer, and of course my wife is working. It's going to be tight, but I get to be home with my family.

SpaceX Splashdown

At the Los Angeles Times, "SpaceX's mission ends with a splashdown in the Pacific."

Also at Daley Gator, "SpaceX Dragon Capsule Splashes Down In Pacific, Ending Historic Test Flight (Video)."

Most California Oppose Marijuana Legalization

I guess they're undersampling the Wiz Khalifa constituency.

At the Los Angeles Times, "Most California voters don't support legalizing pot, poll finds":

In California, cradle of the marijuana movement, a new poll has found a majority of voters do not support legalization, even as they overwhelmingly back medicinal use for "patients with terminal and debilitating conditions."

Eighty percent of voters support doctor-recommended use for severe illness, a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll found. But only 46% of respondents said they support legalization of "general or recreational use by adults," while 50% oppose it. Those against using pot were more adamant in their position, with 42% saying they felt "strongly" about it, compared with 33% for proponents.

The survey found opinions have not measurably changed since voters defeated the legalization initiative Prop. 19 in 2010 by similar margins. And oddly, given the state's long role as the leader of marijuana decriminalization and cultivation, support for sanctioning its general use here appears to lag behind the sentiment in the rest of the country.

A Gallup poll in October showed support nationwide for legalizing pot at 50% for the first time since the pollster began asking the question in 1969, when only 12% of Americans supported it. A Rasmussen Reports survey this month found 56% of voters favored authorizing and regulating cannabis sales like alcohol and tobacco sales. With this uptick in popularity, marijuana advocates succeeded in getting initiatives qualified for the upcoming November ballot in Colorado and Washington, while they failed in California.

Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC, said the California numbers suggest voters are concerned about the way the Compassionate Use Act, passed in 1996 to permit medical marijuana, has been carried out.

"They like the idea of providing marijuana for medical use, but they're worried that the law is being abused," he said.

Cities and counties have been struggling with how to rein in the proliferation of pot shops. Some law enforcement agencies have targeted them, while some have been more lenient. Some cities have tried to ban them, and courts have issued conflicting opinions up and down the state as to whether, where and how they can operate.

The federal government, which does not recognize medical marijuana as legal, has been shutting down dispensaries and growers, while threatening landlords who rent to them and cities that give them official sanction by granting permits.

Yeah.

It's pretty messed up.

Kim Kardashian Thanks Instagram Followers With Hot Photo Featuring Leather and Lingerie

Well, if you got it flaunt, no doubt.

At London's Daily Mail, "Kim Kardashian's lingerie and leather treat as she celebrates 2m Instagram fans."

Truck Crashes Into Bar at Gordie's Place in Little Canada, Minnesota

Talk about stopping in for a drink, sheesh.

See the Duluth News Tribune, "Truck crashes into Minnesota tavern, injuring patrons (with video)."

Thank God no one was killed. It's a really violent crash: