Water in California is as valuable as gold. Since there isn’t enough to go around, it has been rationed and supplied only to those whom the government believes need it the most. Unfortunately, the people who live in California’s San Joaquin Valley have had their water turned off in order to protect a tiny fish called the delta smelt. As a result farm land that used to be prime agricultural land are now dust bowls. It devastated the economy as well, driving up the the unemployment rate in some areas to as high as 41 percent. Yet for months on end, President Obama said and did nothing to help the people in the Central Valley.

But now the president’s health care reforms are on the ropes and the San Joaquin Valley’s two blue-dog Democratic congressmen Dennis Cardoza and Jim Costa have been reluctant to support the president’s reforms. So imagine everyone’s surprise when the Department of the Interior announced yesterday that it is dramatically increasing the water supply to the valley’s parched lands. And what a coincidence, now the two California congressmen who were once “undecided” are being moved over into the “yes” column.…

President Obama will head to California next month to campaign for Sen. Barbara Boxer...........

Effective April 16, Walgreens drugstores across the state won’t take any new Medicaid patients, saying that filling their prescriptions is a money-losing proposition — the latest development in an ongoing dispute over Medicaid reimbursement.

The company, which operates 121 stores in the state, will continue filling Medicaid prescriptions for current patients.

In a news release, Walgreens said its decision to not take new Medicaid patients stemmed from a “continued reduction in reimbursement” under the state’s Medicaid program, which reimburses it at less than the break-even point for 95 percent of brand-name medications dispensed to Medicaid patents.

Walgreens follows Bartell Drugs, which stopped taking new Medicaid patients last month at all 57 of its stores in Washington, though it still fills Medicaid prescriptions for existing customers at all but 15 of those stores.........

Melissy in comments

Troops aboard the Dutch warship HNLMS Tromp fired warning shots Wednesday off the coast of East Africa as suspected Somali pirates in two small skiffs raced toward their warship, the EU Naval Force said.

After the pirates realized they had made what spokesman Cmdr. John Harbour called a ”rather silly mistake,” they turned around and fled…

I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about what the procedural rules are in the House or Senate.......

Three unidentified women painted in colors of the Canadian flag hold a banner as they take part in PETA ( People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) picket in downtown St. Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, March 17, 2010. PETA members are protesting against the seal cull in Canada. The temperature in St.Petersburg is -15C.

Close the book.

A male voice came over the public-address system Sunday evening at a store in Washington Township, in southern New Jersey, and announced: ”Attention, Walmart customers: All black people, leave the store now.”

Bill “The Butcher” Cutting: That my friends, is the minority vote.

Now you tasted my mutton, how do you like it, huh? Look, I want you to see this. This is you, right here. Notch 45. You Irish bog bastard.

Why don’t you burn him… see if his ashes turn green.

“Hey, Leroy! Where’s my airy-rugala?!?"”

sooo *clicky*clicky*

Tycho Ted

whom to believe

“...Your employer, it’s estimated, would see premiums fall by as much as 3,000% [three thousand percent]; which means they could give you a raise. ...”

how is that even possible?!?

OR

(AP)—President Barack Obama says his health care overhaul will lower premiums by double digits, but check the fine print. Premiums are likely to keep going up even if the health care bill passes…

aaaand, for grounding, Heritage Foundation’s take

...but the Republicans only said no and left the Democrats with all the thinking. So if you dont like this...blame the Republicans.