Free Republic

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Swimmers off the coast of La Jolla, California are being fined while swimming at public beaches. The reason: harassment of harbor seals that colonize the beach. Authorities are worried that actions that cause the seals to flee to the surf endanger the seal population, and that can generate fines up to $1000. "One of the common responses for seals and sea lions to stimulus that startles them is to run into the water, if you do that during the pupping season there's opportunities for trampling of pups, there's opportunities for separating mothers from young," said Jim...

An 18-year-old woman accused of pretending to be twin 12-year-old boys and simultaneously dating two adolescent girls will undergo a psychiatric evaluation to determine her competency to stand trial in San Mateo County Superior Court. Lakesia Michelle Mason pleaded not guilty in March to 13 counts of lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14 for her alleged relationships with a 13-year-old girl and an 11-year-old girl. She denied the special allegations of substantial sexual conduct with a child under the age of 14 and allegations that the offenses were committed in more than one jurisdiction and that...

Oakland takes dim view of bid to rename Bay Bridge The loyal subjects of Emperor Norton were none too thrilled with the idea of sticking his royal highness' name on that big gray thing in San Francisco Bay. It's every bit as good an idea, said most folks, as Emperor Norton was an emperor. "Emperor who?'' said Oakland City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente. "You're kidding, right?'' On Wednesday, the day after the San Francisco Board of Supervisors cast its whimsical vote to rename the Bay Bridge in honor of the 19th century eccentric, the rest of the Bay...

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Phone rechargers, TVs, CD players, VCRs, and all those other appliances you plug into the wall and forget were called "energy vampires" Wednesday by state regulators, who voted to make them more efficient. Proponents hope the world's first such regulations force others to the follow the lead of the most populous state. The new standards adopted by the California Energy Commission will be phased in starting in 2006. Televisions, videocassette recorders and digital video disc players use two- to 10 watts even when they're turned off. California is requiring them to use one- to three watts. Power...