Batman 3, The Dark Knight Rises, steps into the light

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeBatman 3 finally has a name, The Dark Knight Rises. But many answers remain in the shadows.


By Chris Gaylord / October 27, 2010

After the Dark Knight had the most successful opening weekend in box office history, a sequel has only been a matter of time. Batman 3 has lurked in the shadows for two years now, revealing very little information about its whos, whats, and whys. Until today.

In an interview with director Christopher Nolan, the LA Times unveiled the name of his upcoming sequel: The Dark Knight Rises.


"As with 'Dark Knight,' the new film has a script written by Nolan and his brother, Jonah, and it’s based on a story by the director and David Goyer," reports the Times.

Even thought the plot has been nailed down, Nolan hasn't mention whom Batman will be chasing this time around. It's not the Joker. Not Mr. Freeze. And Nolan told the Times it would not be the Riddler either.

Deadline reported this month that Inception costar Tom Hardy has accepted "a lead role" in the movie – presumably as a foil. On top of Hardy's role in Inception, Nolan's last film, the actor will headline the upcoming Mad Max reboot and has signed up for Tomas Alfredson's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and McG's romantic comedy This Means War.

Nolan also mentioned The Dark Knight Rises will not be filmed in 3D. He opted for IMAX instead.

Any guesses on what role Tom Hardy will play? There aren't many classic characters left. Dr. Hugo Strange? Clayface? Man-Bat?

Video shows team of 'ninjas' breaking into house, shooting man

By the CNN Wire Staff

(CNN) -- Video aired in court Tuesday showed a team of masked men dressed like ninjas break into a Florida home -- with one of those men singling out Leonard Gonzalez Jr. as the group's ringleader who held a gun over Byrd Billings and shot him.

Gonzalez, 35, is on trial for first-degree murder, with prosecutors alleging he and six others donned black masks and clothes before creeping into a Beulah, Florida, home on July 9, 2009, and killing Melanie and Byrd Billings execution-style.

The Billingses had 16 cameras around their home, set up to keep tabs on the 13 special-needs children for whom they cared. Nine of the children were home during the invasion.

One of the videos aired in court Tuesday shows the scene from one girl's bedroom as a red van packed with people arrives outside the house. The girl gets up out of bed as the masked men enter the house, then hides under the covers pretending to sleep after hearing the commotion nearby.

Another camera depicts several people in a room, including a shirtless Byrd Billings and his wife. One man hovers over Byrd, gun in hand, and shoots him twice in the leg before leading Byrd and Melanie Billings upstairs. Frederick Thornton, who has plead guilty to second-degree murder for his role in the invasion, identified the shooter in the video as Gonzalez.

It was in the master bedroom, prosecutors say, that Gonzalez fatally shot the couple as one of their special-needs children watched from inside the room.

Earlier Tuesday, Tony Eisa testified that he had turned down Gonzalez' request to be the getaway driver for the scheme.

Prosecutors contend that the testimony of Eisa and others offering similar stories prove Gonzalez actively recruited people to be part of his plan, thus making him guilty of premeditated murder.


"He wanted me to be the getaway driver," said Eisa, recalling that Gonzalez was sweating and "looked like he was up doing drugs."

"I put my hand around the back of his neck, and escorted him out the door."

The defendant's wife, Tabitha Gonzalez, testified that the family's business, a karate school, had gone under. Prosecutors argue this indicates that financial gain was Leonard Gonzalez's overriding motive, as he headed the team plotting to steal the Billings family's safe, which they believed contained as much as $13 million.

A small safe containing prescription medication, family documents and some jewelry was taken from the house, and later was found in the backyard of a woman who said she was a friend of Gonzalez, authorities have said. Two sources familiar with the investigation told CNN that a second safe at the home contained at least $100,000.

"He was so broke ... that his mother had to buy him a car, which turned out to be a big red van that was used in the murders," prosecutor Bill Eddins said in his opening statements of Gonzalez, who had six children with Tabitha.

Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan has said Gonzalez once worked for a car dealership that Byrd Billings owned, and court documents state that Gonzalez received financial support from the family for his martial-arts studio.

The Billings were known for their efforts caring for special needs children. A tearful Ashley Markham, the couple's daughter, testified Tuesday that she talked to one of those children minutes after her parents died.

"He was just screaming into the phone," she recalled.

Of the eight people arrested in the case, seven males faced charges of murder and home invasion robbery. Two of them have already pleaded guilty to second-degree murder charges. The woman is accused of being an accessory after the fact.

The remaining males, including a 16-year-old charged as an adult, have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The trial in Escambia County Circuit Court in Pensacola is expected to last three to four days. If convicted, Gonzalez could be sentenced to death.

The New Bin Laden

newsweek.com

The terrorist behind recent scares in Europe and America has a grim record—and a knack for staying alive.

Evil geniuses are a rare breed, even in the ranks of Al Qaeda. Those few who planned the attack on the USS Cole in Yemen 10 years ago and the atrocities in America on September 11, 2001, were killed or captured by the spring of 2003, and Osama bin Laden has been hard pressed ever since to recruit anyone able to take their place. But now, at last, he seems to have found his man, and that’s a major reason intelligence services from Washington to Paris to Islamabad have been acting so jittery of late.

Ilyas Kashmiri, 46, has the experience, the connections, and a determination to attack the West—including the United States—that make him the most dangerous Qaeda operative to emerge in years. “This guy ties everybody together,” says a veteran U.S. intelligence officer who has been watching Kashmiri’s rise to prominence closely but is not authorized to speak publicly. Kashmiri fought the Soviets in Afghanistan, and the Indians in Kashmir and in India itself. He also worked with the Pakistani intelligence service, but turned on Islamabad with a vengeance in 2003, trying to murder then-president Pervez Musharraf. Since then Kashmiri has been linked to planned attacks in Denmark, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, most probably Chicago.

Today, Pakistani intelligence assets on the ground and American drones in the air hunt Kashmiri relentlessly in the ungoverned tribal areas near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan. Pakistani officials fear that if Kashmiri carries out another major attack on India or in the West, their country could suffer massive retaliation. A senior Pakistani military officer who tracks militants, and declines to be named for security reasons, says Kashmiri’s “skill, his leadership, and his wide relations with Pakistani and foreign militants make him the most dangerous man for Pakistan, Europe, and the U.S.” Kashmiri agrees. After erroneous reports that he’d been killed in September 2009, he gave an interview and gloated that the Americans were right to pursue him. “They know their enemy well,” he said. “They know what I am really up to.”


Born in the Pakistani-controlled section of Kashmir in 1964, this veteran terrorist lost an index finger and one of his eyes during the fight against the Soviets in the 1980s. In such photographs as exist, he’s often shown wearing aviator sunglasses. He reportedly changes the color of his thick beard frequently, and it may be white or dyed red with henna, or then again dyed black. But his imposing presence and the deference shown him can still make him stand out.

The facts about removing odor from the fridge

Image via WikipediaBy Brian Clark Howard

The nontoxic, natural cleaning powers of baking soda have been known for generations, and many people leave a box of the stuff in their refrigerator to try to fight odors. But many of us aren't using it correctly. There are some things you should know about how baking soda works to get real results and the best value for your money.

Baking soda, which is really 100% sodium bicarbonate, eliminates odors by neutralizing strong acids and stabilizing strong bases – the root causes of most bad odors.

According to Leslie Stein of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, there aren't any real-world studies that prove the odor-eating effectiveness of baking soda, but there are reams of anecdotal evidence and lessons from the lab.

To get the most out of baking soda, follow these three guidelines.

1. Replace it often

Most of us leave an open box of baking soda in the fridge for months, if not years. But experts recommend changing out a fresh box every one to three months.

Baking soda neutralizes odors by turning them into inert crystalline salts, according to Ray Brown, a research and development scientist with Church & Dwight, the company that makes Arm & Hammer. Over time, the salts build up (that's the crust that develops on the top) and baking soda loses its effectiveness. Brown says the odors work their way through the box, and stirring it up doesn't really help.

After its odor-fighting ability is exhausted, the used baking soda will still have enough power to use for cleaning counters, trash cans, or drains, Brown says, but don't use it for baking or personal care.

2. Open the box in the right location

It's critical that the baking soda powder actually come in contact with the odors. Tear off the box top, and make sure that airflow around the baking soda isn't restricted by a shelf or other items in the refrigerator.

The best bet is to place an open box as close as possible to the refrigerator's fan.

"Baking soda is not like a fragrance, which goes into the air to cover up odors," says Brown. "Baking soda reacts with the bad odors. When the fridge door is closed, air is circulating past the baking soda, and odors are continually removed."

3. Use the right tool for the job

If baking soda isn't working on a tough odor, or if you want to get rid of all odors, including chemically neutral ones like fruity or floral scents, try activated carbon (sometimes called activated charcoal). This material is treated to make it extremely porous, like a sponge for the air, so it can absorb a large amount of odor – but it still must be replaced.

Activated carbon is used in water filters, shoe inserts, cat litter, and fish tanks, and can be purchased at pet stores or ordered online. The downside? It's not as widely available as baking soda, and it costs more (about five times as much, per pound.) So most of the time, you'll be better off sticking with baking soda.

Crocodile on plane kills 19 passengers

Image by Anders V via Flickrby Staff Writers

From: news.com.au

Crocodile escapes from carrier bag

Creature causes on board stampede

Plane tips, then crashed into house

All the latest travel news

A STOWAWAY crocodile on a flight escaped from its carrier bag and sparked an onboard stampede that caused the flight to crash, killing 19 passengers and crew.

The croc had been hidden in a passenger's sports bag - allegedly with plans to sell it - but it tore loose and ran amok, sparking panic.

A stampede of terrified passengers caused the small aircraft to lose balance and tip over in mid-air during an internal flight in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The unbalanced load caused the aircraft, on a routine flight from the capital, Kinshasa, to the regional airport at Bandundu, to go into a spin and crash into a house.

A lone survivor from the Let 410 plane told the astonishing tale to investigators.

Ironically the crocodile also survived the crash but was later killed with a machete by rescuers sifting through the wreckage.

British pilot Chris Wilson, 39, from Shurdington, near Cheltenham, Glocs was acting as the plane's first officer alongside Belgian pilot Danny Philemotte, 62, who was owner of the plane's operator Filair.


The plane smashed into an empty house just a few hundred metres from its destination.

"According to the inquiry report and the testimony of the only survivor, the crash happened because of a panic sparked by the escape of a crocodile hidden in a sports bag,” news organisation Jeune Afrique reported.

"One of the passengers had hidden the animal, which he planned to sell, in a big sports bag, from which the reptile escaped as the plane began its descent into Bandundu.

"The terrified air hostess hurried towards the cockpit, followed by the passengers."

The plane was then sent off-balance "despite the desperate efforts of the pilot", said the report.

"The crocodile survived the crash before being cut up with a machete."

The plane was a Czech-made Let L-410 Turbolet, one of more than 1,100 produced as short-range transport aircraft and used mainly for passenger services.

Elderly golfer dies days after injury

Image by danperry.com via FlickrAuthorities say a man who was hit in the head with a golf ball at a Southern California country club has died.

The San Bernardino County coroner's office said on its website Sunday that 69-year-old Hiroshi Tango died at a hospital Saturday.


On Oct. 7, Tango was playing golf at Los Serranos Country Club in Chino when he was hit in the head by a ball.

The coroner says he complained of head and neck pain after he was hit and he was taken to Loma Linda University Medical Center, where he "succumbed to his injuries" on Saturday, nine days after he was struck by the stray ball.

Cars Most Likely To Get A Ticket

Image via WikipediaBy Hannah Elliott

Contrary to popular belief, drivers in red cars don't get ticketed more often than their less-flashy comrades. Middle-aged males with a thing for foreign brands, on the other hand, had better watch out.


MORE AT FORBES.COM

» Cars Most Likely To Get A Ticket

» Most And Least Expensive Cars To Insure

» Worst-Made Cars On The Road

» The Most-Stolen Cars

Men who drive a Volkswagen GTI or Mercedes-Benz CLS-63 AMG are twice as likely to get a ticket than the average driver. If they're in a Hummer, they might as well plan on it--drivers of the Hummer H2 face more than triple the chances of a citation.

"It's the combination of the male driver driving the big old Hummer and a mid-life kind of person feeling good," says Bob U'Ren, senior vice president at Quality Planning, a San Francisco-based company that validates policyholder information for auto insurers. "That's the magical combination that drives some of these things.

To determine the cars most likely to get a ticket, Quality Planning's analysts looked at traffic violation data from February 2009 through February 2010, counting the number of violations racked up by different car models. To account for the difference in number of cars on the road, they averaged the violation count per 100,000 miles driven. Vehicles that have been discontinued for more than 10 years were not included in the analysis.

The most-ticketed car on the road, the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, is a two-door luxury convertible--suggested retail price for a SL550 Roadster is $102,600. Drivers of these cars are four times more likely to get a ticket than the average person.

Luxury coupes and sedans dominate our list: Only one SUV (the Hummer H2) and two hatchbacks (the Scion xB and Volkswagen GTI) appear on the top 10, and no minivans or wagons.

In fact, according to Quality Planning data, 8 of the 10 least-ticketed cars are SUVs and minivans. U'Ren says that's because drivers who carry multiple passengers--especially young passengers in car seats--significantly alter the way they drive. (For example, it's likely many drivers of No. 3, the Scion tC coupe, aren't toting kids.)

Our list of the cars most likely to get a ticket includes only two autos manufactured by Detroit's Big Three, both of them discontinued: the Hummer H2 and the Pontiac Grand Prix. Drivers of GM's discontinued sedan are almost twice as likely than the average commuter to be ticketed behind the wheel.

Another standout on the list: the Toyota Camry. Not known for its glamour or luxury, it makes the list for reasons having little to do with its mainstream popularity. U'Ren says there's a large segment of Camry drivers who are proportionally disposed for violations: older women, who are less likely to be driving with kids. It's also important to remember that this segment includes the Solara coupe--a sportier version than the ho-hum Camry sedan. "Sixty percent of those drivers are female, and they're a little bit older--50 years old on average," U'Ren says. "That's the profile of the type of person that would buy and drive a Camry and Solara--and drive it quickly."

So, what to do if you do get pulled over for speeding? Don't automatically admit guilt. Don't assume you'll have to pay the full amount of the fine. And make sure you've done research about what your options are when you speak with the police officer. Many states allow discovery requests, which let drivers get police department information about their particular traffic violation--details like officer credentials, the device they used to monitor speed, traffic flow status, etc. If certain discrepancies come up, they could help reduce or remove the ticket fee, says Bonnie Sesolak, the development director for the National Motorists Association.

"Pay attention to what's going on around you when the officer pulls you over," Sesolak says. "Certainly be respectful. You can answer his questions, but you only need to answer the questions  that are pertinent to why he pulled you over."


Or try chalking it up to the proverbial mid-life crisis.

Bumblebee Smashes Cop Car In Yet Another Transformers 3 Accident

jalopnik.com

The star-crossed filming of Transformers 3 suffered another accident today when Bumblebee drove through an intersection and sideswiped a Washington D.C. Police SUV. The crash was not part of the script and the yellow Camaro was seriously damaged.

Several streets around downtown D.C. were closed off for filming; why the D.C. police SUV with sirens blaring decided to use the closed street isn't clear. The video from local TV station Fox5 shows crew members covering Bumblebee up after the accident.

Another spectator near the scene showed how the filming began, with the Optimus Prime semi leading a number of vehicles down the street at high speed before Bumblebee was set to join them.

It's not clear who is at fault, but it's yet another example of an accident on one of Michael Bay's action-charged sets.

Send an email to Justin Hyde, the author of this post, at justin@jalopnik.com.

Every Cop in Puerto Rico Arrested for Corruption

gawker.com

The Justice Department has arrested 130 people in Puerto Rico—including 89 cops—and charged them with corruption and involvement in drug and gun trafficking. It's "the largest police corruption investigation in the history of the FBI." [CBS. Pic via]

6 Signs You're in the Wrong Career

If these warning signs are flaring up, it may be time to reevaluate your career.


By Chris Kyle

Your career is like a relationship...

Things can go from good to bad - and back to good again - in a flash.

In most cases, tough times at work are just temporary and quickly cure themselves. But when career pain becomes chronic, then it's time to consider making a change.

Check out these 6 signs that you're in the wrong career and learn about some solutions for getting into the right career for you.

Sign #1 - You want to make more money.

There's nothing wrong with wanting a bigger paycheck. It may not happen overnight, but if you're committed to this goal there are things you can do to work toward it.

Solutions:

•As a general rule, the more advanced degree you earn, the more money you'll make. This is true in almost every field including nursing, business, health care, and criminal justice.

•Management-level jobs also mean more money, so consider enrolling in an MBA program.

•Fields such as finance and accounting have some great salary numbers - especially at management levels.

Hot Training Options:

Bachelor's Degree in Finance

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Average Salary:

Office Managers: $45,790

Financial Analysts: $73,150

General Managers: $91,570

Search for Business schools and degree programs now.

Sign #2 - You are bored with your job.

Watching the minutes melt away at work isn't just boring; it's bad for you and bad for your company.

Solutions:

•Whether it's transitioning to another job in your company, or making a career change, pursuing your passion is a good place to start.

•Julia Child didn't learn how to cook until the age of 37, when she enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu. If you love the culinary arts, consider going to cooking school.


•Take the time to discover what moves you - and what careers can make use of your skills - whether it's graphic design, web design, interior design, or something else entirely.

Hot Training Options:

Associate's Degree in Graphic Design

Culinary Arts Certificate

Average Salary:

Photographers: $29,440

Chefs: $38,770

Graphic Designers: $42,400

Start pursuing your passion. Find the right Art school for you!

Sign #3 - You are getting passed over for promotion.

No matter the job or the circumstances, watching others leapfrog you at work is a difficult thing to endure.

Solutions:

•The key is to demonstrate that you deserve a promotion. Let your boss know that you have aspirations to move up and ask for areas where you can improve your performance.

•Consider adding to your qualifications by getting a certificate or degree.

•For those looking to move into management, you can handpick the MBA program that's right for you, whether it's management, marketing, or human resources.

•Keep in mind that many companies offer tuition assistance plans to ease the cost of going to school.

Hot Training Options:

Bachelor's Degree in Marketing

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Average Salary:

Sales Managers: $97,260

Financial Managers: $99,330

Information Systems Managers: $112,210

Search for local and online MBA programs.

Sign #4 - You are afraid of getting laid off.

It's no secret that the unemployment rate is up, making job security a common concern for many Americans. But if your lack of job security is detracting from your work, it may be time to focus on long-term career stability.

Solutions:


•Some careers are more stable than others. If you are fearful that you will lose your job, start putting together a plan for other careers that fit your qualifications and personality.

•Education may be part of an effective long-term strategy, or even a near-term one, since there are plenty of shorter training programs, like a paralegal studies certificate or a technology support certificate.

•Consider career tracks that are growing - not shrinking. For example, the U.S. Department of Labor forecasts excellent job prospects for medical assistants, accountants, and nurses.

Hot Training Options:

Paralegal Studies Certificate

Medical Assisting Certificate

Technology Support Certificate

Average Salary:

Medical Assistants: $28,300

Paralegals: $46,120

Computer Support Specialists: $46,370

Search for certificate training programs.

Sign #5 - You search job postings while at work.

Trolling for a new job while on the clock isn't just dangerous; it's inappropriate. It's also an indication that all is not well at work.

Solutions:

•First of all, stop! You'll only make things worse if the boss or a co-worker nabs you.

•Next, start using your free time to beef up your resume and network.

•Earning a certificate is a quick way to boost your qualifications. With some previous education, you may be able to get the education you need to start a career like medical assisting or paralegal in as little as 18-24 months.

•Getting a degree, while it's a longer commitment, can indicate to potential employers that you have the necessary skills and drive to succeed.

Hot Training Options:

Associate's Degree in Paralegal Studies

Bachelor's Degree in Accounting

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Average Salary:

Associate Degree: $39,572

Bachelor's Degree: $53,300

Master's Degree: $65,364

Find local and online degree programs now.

Sign #6 - You dread waking up in the morning.

Hitting the snooze button isn't a warning sign that you're in the wrong career, but having recurring nightmares about your job could be a signal that it's time to make a change.

Solutions:

•Do a self-assessment or talk to a career counselor. What's bothering you at work - and why? If it's time to change careers, make sure you look before you leap.•Getting a degree can arm you with the skills and confidence you need to make the transition.

•Going to school at night or online may allow you to keep your current job while looking for a new one.

•Health care is one hot option. The industry is ripe with employment opportunities.

Hot Training Options:

Associate's Degree in Medical Assisting

Bachelor's Degree in Health Care Administration

Medical Technician Certificate

Average Salary:

Medical Records Technicians: $30,610

Registered Nurses: $62,450

Health Services Managers: $80,240

Search for online Health Care training programs.

*Salary data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor using 2008 survey info, except average salaries for different degrees, which comes from 2009 figures for persons age 25 and older.

Ahmadinejad calls for US leaders to be 'buried'

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated Press Writer Ali Akbar Dareini, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 17 mins ago

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran's president Sunday called for U.S. leaders to be "buried" in response to what he says are American threats of military attack against Tehran's nuclear program.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is known for brash rhetoric in addressing the West, but in a speech Sunday he went a step further using a deeply offensive insult in response to U.S. statements that the military option against Iran is still on the table.

"May the undertaker bury you, your table and your body, which has soiled the world," he said using language in Iran reserved for hated enemies.

Several top U.S. officials including Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff have said in recent months that the military option remains on the table and there is a plan to attack Iran, although a military strike has been described as a bad idea.

The crowd of military men and clerics in the town of Hashtgerd just west of the capital chuckled at the president's insult and applauded.

The speech was broadcast by both state television and the official English-language Press TV, but the latter glossed over the insult in the simultaneous translation.

Ahmadinejad's remarks come in sharp contrast to ones he made to Al-Jazeera Arabic news channel in August in which he offered the U.S. Iran's friendship.

In Sunday's speech, Ahmadinejad also questioned once more who was behind the Sept. 11 attacks in the U.S. and said they gave Washington a pretext for seeking to dominate the region and plunder its oil wealth.

During his speech in front of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, he said a majority of people in the U.S. and around the world believe the American government staged the attacks, drawing a strong rebuke from President Barack Obama.

Ahmadinejad often resorts to provocative statements to lash out enemies. He has already compared the power of Iran's enemies to a "mosquito," saying Iran deals with the West over its nuclear activities from a position of power and he has likened the United States to a "farm animal trapped in a quagmire" in Afghanistan.

Iran also condemned the latest U.S. sanctions slapped on eight Iranian officials Wednesday, saying they show American interference in Tehran's domestic affairs.

Washington this week imposed travel and financial sanctions on the eight Iranians, accusing them of taking part in human rights abuses during the turmoil following Iran's June 2009 presidential election.

California Governor Signs Marijuana Decriminalization Bill

Image via Wikipediaby Phillip Smith, October 01, 2010, 03:25am


Posted in: Budgets/Taxes/Economics, Decriminalization, Marijuana -- Personal Use, News Brief, State & Local Executive Branches, State & Local Legislatures

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Thursday signed into law a bill that decriminalizes the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana. The bill reduces simple possession from a misdemeanor to an infraction.

Currently, small-time pot possession is "semi-decriminalized" in California. There is no possible jail sentence and a maximum $100 fine. But because possession is a misdemeanor, people caught with pot are "arrested," even if that means only they are served a notice to appear, and they must appear before a court.

That has happened to more than a half million Californians in the last decade, and more than 60,000 last year alone. Every one of them required a court appearance, complete with judge and prosecutor. That costs the cash-strapped state money it desperately needs.

Under the bill signed today, SB 1449, by Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), pot possession will be treated like a traffic ticket. The fine will remain at $100, and there will be no arrest record.

In a signing statement, Schwarzenegger said he opposed decriminalization for personal use—and threw in a gratuitous jab at Proposition 19, the tax and regulate marijuana legalization initiative—but that the state couldn't afford the status quo.

"I am signing this measure because possession of less than an ounce of marijuana is an infraction in everything but name," said Schwarzenegger. "The only difference is that because it is a misdemeanor, a criminal defendant is entitled to a jury trial and a defense attorney. In this time of drastic budget cuts, prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement, and the courts cannot afford to expend limited resources prosecuting a crime that carries the same punishment as a traffic ticket."

"Gov. Schwarzenegger deserves credit for sparing the state's taxpayers the cost of prosecuting minor pot offenders," said California NORML director Dale Gieringer. "Californians increasingly recognize that the war on marijuana is a waste of law enforcement resources."

The law goes into effect January 1. Even if Prop 19 passes in November, it leaves in place misdemeanor charges for smoking in public or in the presence of minors. Those misdemeanors would become infractions under the new law.

Sacramento, CA

United States