Report: California Insurance Commissioner Took Overseas Trips at Taxpayer Expense
Breitbart | 03/26/2025 | Joel B. PollakCalifornia Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has traveled extensively, including to overseas destinations, at taxpayer expense — and not always with a clear work purpose, according to an investigative report by KGO-7.
The issue arose earlier this month when Lara turned up at a conference in Bermuda with industry executives, rather than at a state legislative hearing, as thousands of homeowners are still waiting for help after the Los Angeles fires.
KGO, the San Francisco-area ABC News affiliate reported Monday:
7 On Your Side obtained and analyzed hundreds of public records that detail at least 46 cross-country and international trips all over the world — including at least 11 taxpayer-funded excursions to places like Bogota, Paris, and Toronto. But after more than a month of questioning his office, Lara’s staff has been unable to identify the business purpose for nearly all of them.
…
7 On Your Side’s Stephanie Sierra investigated hundreds of public records dating back to 2019 that detail a pattern of international trips at various luxury hotels. Our team found Lara’s been absent for at least seven other state insurance hearings since assuming office because he was either traveling abroad, cross-country, or chose not to attend.
For example, expense reports show during his first year in office in 2019, Commissioner Lara missed two insurance hearings while he was traveling to Washington, D.C. and Florida for conferences. In between those trips, he took a $6,000 trip to Paris for an “Economic Development Conference.” Taxpayers picked up that bill.
3 teen sisters arrested for trying to kill their mom after she turned off Wi-Fi
ABC News 24 Houston, Texas | 3/25/2025HOUSTON — Three teenage girls are in custody after allegedly planning to kill their mother because she turned off the Wi-Fi in their Texas home.
Harris County deputies say the incident occurred in Houston overnight on Sunday.
The girls, ages 14, 15, and 16, reportedly grabbed kitchen knives and chased their mother through the house and into the street, attempting to stab her. Authorities say one of the teens struck the mother with a brick. Their grandmother was also knocked down while trying to protect the mother.
Mother’s Day should be curated this year.
It’s Friday and my turn to guest host.
Results
| Valerie Leon | No Preference | Akiko Wakabayashi |
|---|---|---|
| 127 | 2 | 44 |
| Barbara Carerra | No Preference | Tsai Chin |
|---|---|---|
| 126 | 1 | 22 |
Week of 3/28/2025
Match 1
Karen Dor (Helga Brandt) vs Kim Basinger (Domino Petachi)
Actress: Karin Dor Nationality: German Bond Movie: You Only Live Twice (1967) Synopsis:
Helga Brandt was a SPECTRE henchwoman who pretended to fall in love with Bond and switch to his side, only to try and kill him the next morning. For failing to kill Bond, Brandt is killed by head of SPECTRE Blofeld, who drops her into a pool of piranha fish. Helga Brandt was very similar to prior Bond girl Fiona Volpe, as the producers tried to replicate their prior success.
VS
Birth Name: Kimila Ann Basinger
Age: 71, born 8 December 1953
Country of origin:
United States
Height: 5′ 6″
Relationship Status: In a relationship
Foreign Secretary Lord Ambrose orders a reluctant M to reactivate the double-0 section, and Bond is tasked with tracking down the missing weapons. Bond follows a lead to the Bahamas and finds Domino Petachi, Jack’s sister, and her wealthy lover Maximillian Largo, who is SPECTRE’s top agent.
Bond and Leiter attempt to board Largo’s yacht, the Flying Saucer, in search of the missing nuclear warheads. Bond finds Domino and attempts to make Largo jealous by kissing her in front of a one-way mirror. Enraged, Largo traps Bond and takes him and Domino to Palmyra, Largo’s base of operations in North Africa. Largo punishes Domino for her betrayal by selling her to passing Arabs. Bond escapes from his prison and rescues her.
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Match 2
Jill St. John (Tiffany Case) vs Jacqueline Bisset (Giovanna Goodthighs)
Actress: Jill St. John Nationality: American Bond Movie: Diamonds Are Forever (1971) Synopsis:
Tiffany Case was a diamond smuggler in part of a pipeline of smugglers that ultimately ended at Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Courier Peter Franks was supposed to pass the diamonds to Tiffany, but Bond intercepted and impersonated Franks, and managed to take the diamonds for himself. Bond’s involvement saved Tiffany being murdered, and she eventually switched to Bond’s allegiance.
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Miss Goodthighs is a Smersh agent who attempts to kill baccarat master Evelyn Tremble (operating under the alias James Bond 007) at Casino Royale in a bid to prevent him from bankrupting her employer Le Chiffre. She meets him in a hotel room, wearing a nightgown and cradling a large bottle of champagne suggestively in her arms. Despite successfully seducing and poisoning him with a spiked drink, he is rescued by his recruiter and ally Vesper Lynd. When Tremble asks what became of her, Lynd remarks that she “took care of her”.
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