Hot off the Press: California on the brink of bankruptcy (yet again) edition

The high school dropout rate in Los Angeles has climbed to 34.9 percent: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-drop-out-rate13-2009may13,0,3837966.story. Yowza.

A German suburb without cars: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/science/earth/12suburb.html?_r=1&em.

Headline: Secret EPA coal ash report increases fear of contamination in Iowa: http://iowaindependent.com/15004/secret-epa-coal-ash-report-increases-fear-of-contamination-in-iowa.

To ease its budget woes, California may sell state properties including the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget14-2009may14,0,5258900.story. I'm not sure what I think about the Coliseum being on the sales block. I love the Coliseum, and seeing a game there two years ago was a dream come true. USC is likely the only buyer interested, but I'm unsure what they will do if they were given total control. As one person in the article says, "The Coliseum is a national historic monument. You cannot sell it anymore than you can sell the Statue of Liberty or the Washington Monument."

This is a little ironic: squatters were living in the old KCOP television studios in Hollywood: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-studio-squatters14-2009may14,0,810714.story.

Apparently southside IC has a new nickname: "Little Chicago": http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090513/NEWS/705139950/1001. The southside has always had problems, but this is reminiscent of the summer of '98.

I don't eat this kind of shit anymore, but for those who do you should read this NYT article on the safety of processed and frozen food: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/business/15ingredients.html?ref=us. This line says it all:

"...the corporations that supply Americans with processed foods are unable to guarantee the safety of their ingredients."

Another reason to eat fresh and organic.

The founder of a veterans group in Colorado, who claimed he was at the Pentagon on 9/11 and injured in Iraq, turned out to be a complete poser: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/us/15soldier.html?ref=us. I'm not sure if this is funny, sad, or maddening. I think it may be all three.

What Boy and Girl Scouts do in Imperial County: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/us/14explorers.html?em. Good Hitler Youth training for the Wehrmacht.

Cedar Rapids is now having their fall leaves vacuumed at the curbside like in Iowa City, only the City of Five Smells is doing it differently: http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090515/NEWS/705159966/1001/NEWS. My dad, one of those poor souls who sucks leaves for the City every fall, would love it if IC did something similar. He wouldn't have to breathe fine dust particles or come home with his hair, underwear, and socks loaded with bits of leaves.

After being ravaged by last year's flood, an IC area Chrysler dealership got the ax. But that won't keep them down: http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20090515/NEWS01/905150335/1079.

Scribd, a literary YouTube, was launched today: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/18/technology/start-ups/18download.html?em. I'll have to check it out, though I'm not sure what to think about it.

"As Alaska Glaciers Melt, It’s Land That’s Rising": http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/18/science/earth/18juneau.html?ref=us. Interestingly, this is also why the Great Lakes are shifting.

Jeremy Clarkson is the auto reviewer for the Times in London, and, true to his style, his review of the Honda Insight as got to be the most scathing criticism (of anything) I have ever read: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article6294116.ece. Ouch.

A new book alleges that Francisco Franco had one nut: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8055329.stm. What is it with one testicle fascist dictators?

China's sex theme park has been demolished before it could open: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8054893.stm.

More Americans are heading to the Great White North for a college education: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090518.wrecruiting18art2234/BNStory/National/home.

Apparently, members of congress must raise $10,000 a week to get re-elected: http://iowaindependent.com/15276/its-party-time-for-iowas-congressional-delegation. That's sickening. No wonder our politicians are constantly schmoozing with corporate cocksuckers.