California state politicos were granted a nice little 5.3 percent pay hike yesterday. The cash will come from Prop 30 tax increases.

In other words: Less for you, more for them.

The pay increases were approved on a 5-1 vote by a so-called independent commission: The California Citizens Compensation Commission. Apparently, they're under the impression that the state is swimming in cash.

The pay hikes will go to the likes of Gov. Jerry Brown, Attorney General Kamala Harris and other lawmakers.

The UT reports: Brown is set to receive $173,987 a year, Harris will make $151,127 and legislators will be paid $95,290, plus tax-free daily expense stipends that can work out to about $30,000 a year. READ MORE HERE >

Unlike in most worlds, raises in the California state government aren't based on performance and hard work... The based on political and union butt-grabbing.

Why can't the state be more like Carlsbad?! As of this week, unionized employees with city of Carlsbad agree to pay-for-performance contract:

• “The one that works the hardest will get raises” - For once tenure won’t matter in government!

(10News) The City of Carlsbad took a bold step Tuesday night, agreeing to the first pay-for-performance contract in San Diego County with its unionized city employees.

On January 1, 2014, about 330 members of the Carlsbad City Employees' Association could earn larger or smaller pay raises based on their performance.

"It really is a whole new system," said CCEA President Pam Drew. "I think the days of expecting a cost of living raise every year is probably gone."

Drew told 10News the employees realized Carlsbad could not sustain itself and still give across-the-board raises every year.

"The issue with PERS and being unsustainable and being behind on PERS payments … we just knew it was a losing battle," she said.

While Carlsbad is the first to get a pay-for-performance contract in the county, other cities in San Diego County are watching to see if they are successful.

READ MORE HERE >

How soon will San Diegans have to pay before riding a wave?

Soon, if certain local governments have their way.

This week the LA County Board of Supervisors made some interesing adjustments to their policy on beach permits for so-called "organized group summer activities," (meaning, 10, 15, 20 people...)

Water sports enthusiasts and fitness groups will now have to get permits for "gatherings." 

Anything that resembles any kind of "class" or "group" will be forced to do this.

“Someone on Facebook will want to meet up for yoga on paddleboards, and one week 12 people will show up, and the next week there'll be two," says Beaches and Harbors spokeswoman Carol Baker. "But whatever the size, if something happens, the lifeguards are the first responders and have to know who’s out there."

Thing is... This means birthday parties too.

This can mean almost anything!

Beaches in Los Angeles County - apart from the only city-managed beaches in Santa Monica and Hermosa - will literally be charging $200 if you want to hang out by the shore with more than a couple people.

Lifeguards will also be playing police...

How soon before this moves down to San Diego County?

Now... LA County may not be familiar with the California Constitution. But we are:

Article X, Section 4 of the California State Constitution states:
No individual, partnership, or corporation, claiming or possessing the frontage of tidal lands of a harbor, bay, inlet, estuary, or other navigable water in this State, shall be permitted to exclude the right of way to such water whenever it is required for any public purpose, nor to destroy or obstruct free navigation of such water; and the Legislature shall enact such laws as will give the most liberal construction to this provision so that access to the navigable water of this State shall always be attainable for the people thereof.

The 1976 California Coastal Act, Section 30001.5 states:
The legislature further finds and declares that the basic goals of the state for the coastal zone are to: . . .(c) Maximize public access to and along the coast and maximize public recreational opportunities in the coastal zone consistent with sound resources conservation principles and constitutionally protected rights of private property owners.

See also Section 30211 of the Coastal Act:
30211. Development shall not interfere with the public's right of access to the sea where acquired through use or legislative authorization, including, but not limited to, the use of dry sand and rocky coastal beaches to the first line of terrestrial vegetation.The state owns the tidelands and submerged lands seaward of the "mean high tide line." The public/private boundary is also sometimes referred to as the "ambulatory high tide line."

Man who disrupted this flight from Hong Kong to Newark was a former government contractor.

STAR TRIBUNE REPORTS: The man's name has not been released but passengers described him as American. Passengers said he started screaming about 9 hours into the 15-hour flight about being afraid of the FBI and fearing he was going to be killed. He asked that the flight be diverted to Canada. READ MORE HERE >

Listen to him FLIP OUT:

Here are some passenger reactions:

"Suddenly the question of whether or not Burt and Ernie are gay is eclipsed." - LaDona

Kevin Clash, the Elmo puppeteer who currently has five sex abuse lawsuits filed against him, won three Daytime Emmy Awards for his work on "Sesame Street."

Why does Hollyweird love perverts?

He won as outstanding performer in a children's series.

Clash shared trophies for outstanding pre-school children's series and directing in a children's series.

He now has 26 Daytime Emmys for his work on the PBS show.

On a side note, how could anyone win an AWARD for sticking your hand up a puppet's ass and doing a really cheesy voice?

Check out this headline, from March of this year: Suit accuses Elmo puppeteer of meth sex party >  

Flashback... Watch Whoopi defending child rapist Roman Polanski:

What's NOT detailed much is whether or not the bar will be lowered for the military... All in the name of political correctness.

"The days of Rambo are over," said Maj. Gen. Sacolick, of the U.S. Special Operations Command Force Management Directorate. Is this a good thing?

The Pentagon says that branches of the service are developing "gender-neutral tests" that will be tailored to their units. They may request a special exception to the policy shift if they find that female members can't perform the duties of a specific job.

Are we screwing our selves here? 

Top intelligence officials told Congress yesterday that National Security Agency surveillance programs made public this month have helped thart more than 50 terrorist plots since September 11th, including one to blow up the New York Stock Exchange.

Is it worth it?

"In recent years, these programs, together with other intelligence, have protected the U.S. and our allies from terrorist threats across the globe to include helping prevent the terrorist — the potential terrorist events over 50 times since 9/11," National Security Agency Director Gen. Keith Alexander told Congress.

Does this testimony help the Obama Administration sell the NSA surveillance programs to Congress and the American people?

Watch:

It hits us locally, too...

The case against four SAN DIEGO Somali men relied on information from the sweeping surveillance program. Read more at the UT > 

Federal officials in San Diego confirmed this. The four Somali immigrants were arrested in 2010 and charged with providing financial support to al-Shabab in Somalia. They were convicted earlier this year.

The case was primarily based on government wiretaps of calls between the men and members of al-Shabab.