Memorial Day 2009 - It's on days like this that I recall my experiences in the military and question the current direction of U.S. service. I spent nearly four years on active duty with the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War era. I didn't volunteer because of patriotism or my belief in the war. I took the Navy gig instead of going into the Army as a draftee and possibly being sent into battle.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Marriage equality proponents and critics alike likely passed a jittery few days this Memorial Day weekend following the California Supreme Court's announcement Friday that it will issue its long awaited rulings on Prop. 8, the November ballot measure that banned gay marriage in the Golden State, next Tuesday morning.

ALAMEDA -- An East Bay woman who in 2007 allowed then Sen. Barack Obama to accompany her on her job caring for a homebound man during his presidential campaign has become one of thousands caught up in a power struggle between President Barack Obama and his administration and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger over whether the Golden State should collect billions in federal stimulus money.

To deal with the "fiscal emergency" in California, the Los Angeles Superior Court will be shutting down... once a month, that is.

Two pieces of legislation designed to strengthen thestate's governmental sunshine laws were recently approved by the stateSenate Judiciary Committee and will now go to the full Senate forconsideration.

State Sen. Leland Yee authored both SB 786 and SB 218,which if ultimately signed into law, would patch an important loopholein so-called "anti-SLAPP" (strategic lawsuits against publicparticipation) lawsuits and broaden the California Public Records Act,respectively.

California often gets a bum rap, as an ultra-liberal free-fall of taxation and unrestrained spending. What is often taken for granted is that Californians don't like to follow what is expected, and are known as huge innovators. California is a state of people with no desire to lower taxes?

Only two days after the second pointless special election in California's recent history, and the results are notencouraging for California's political class. What's more, if mostsources are to be believed, the turnout was apparently abysmal.

A day after an angry and frustrated Californiaelectorate trounced five of six measures on a special election ballot,an influential Bay Area business group announced their intention torestructure state government by holding a rare constitutionalconvention.

Now that the smoke has cleared and thepublic has spoken against all of the ballot measures that would require anychanges in taxing policies, the question before California remains: how do we solvethe fiscal crisis? A few suggestions follow:

To the Legislature:

-Do your job, and quit asking the voters to do it for you. Your current approach is obviously not working.

-Grow up. Real adults retreat from fixed positions when they must.

-Quit trying to satisfy all constituents. You've ended up annoying everyone.

Yourbudget deficit continues to grow by leaps and billions, and voters are tellingyou to stick your plan for closing part of the gap in your ear. What's the nextlogical move, state of California?

Continuedefending a law aimed at stopping children from buying violent video games -litigation that's already cost the state close to $400,000.