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    California Majority Report: Mephistopheles, Are Those Ice Skates on Your Feet?
    News flash ... Hell has frozen over. Tuesday night, Mississippians elected a Democrat to fill the remainder of Republican Roger Wicker's term. Really ... No joke ... We picked up a House seat deep in the heart of Dixie, in a R +10 district..< >  < > Democrat Travis Childers defeated Greg Davis 52% -48-%, with 89% reporting. < >  < > This is the third Republican seat that Democrats have picked up in the past two months. In March, we took Speaker Hastert's former seat. And, last week, we won Louisiana's 6th District.< >  < > Republican threw their entire arsenal at Childers, spending more than $1.3 million dollars, not including what their 527 allies pumped in, to air a constant stream of ads tying Childers to Obama and Reverend Wright. The result? Mississippi now has three Democratic House members in a delegation of four.< >  < > There was a lot of GOP hand ringing after the Loui
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 08:05 PM)
    Mayor Sam: The 70s at 7
    What can we learn from the 70s? One college professor is teaching that to his students. Link [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 07:00 PM)
    Greg Lucas's California Capitol: The Only Thing New In The World Is The History You Don?t Know
    A quarter century ago, another GOP governor, George Deukmejian, faced a fiscal crisis eerily similar to the one Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will attempt to solve when he issues his May Revision on Wednesday the 14th.  Smart and respected folks have urged Schwarzenegger to take the kind of action Deukmejian’s successor Pete Wilson did and raise taxes.  In [...]
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 05:24 PM)
    California Majority Report: Speaker Karen Bass' Swearing In Address
    Today, Speaker Karen Bass was sworn in as California's 67th Assembly Speaker. Here are her remarks: “To the former Speakers who joined me today as my escorts -- you honor us with your presence the way your service honored this house and this state. Thank you for taking the time to be here today. Since I have been in the legislature I have sought each of you for your guidance, critique and solidarity. And I thank you for that -- and assume you’ll be available for many more phone calls. < >  < > Members….honored guests…dear friends and family….since my election on February 28th to be the 67th Speaker of the Assembly, I have had the opportunity and experience to be part of an incredible transition –  part of a complex and comprehensive process of receiving the torch from the 66th Speaker of the Assembly, Fabian Núńez.< >  < > I know the
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 05:01 PM)
    California Majority Report: My Thoughts on the Likely Anti Gay-Marriage November Ballot Initiative
    After learning that the November ballot will more than likely include a Constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, I was inspired to offer some personal, rather than just purely political, commentary on the issue. Of course I'm a proponent of gay marriage and vehemently oppose this possible ballot initiative, but simply saying "I support this" and "I oppose that" is not good enough. I'm a 22 year old, politically-inclined, gay Democrat working in the California Legislature. Shouldn't I have something fresh, personal, and touching to say about this issue? Well, here is my attempt:< >  < > I think I am part of a new era for LGBT folks. I have tons of gay and lesbian friends that experienced their teenage years in the 1970's, 80's, and 90's, and I think their experiences were significantly different than mine. The new millennium marked the beginning of high school for me as well as
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 05:00 PM)
    Mayor Sam: Five O'Clock Funnies
    Star Trek: The Next Generation as brought to you by the producers of Dallas. Link [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 05:00 PM)
    Mayor Sam: Senator Clinton Takes West Virginia
    Cue the John Denver song and allow me a shout-out to Coro alumna Dr. Shelley Savage of the Mountaineer state, Senator Clinton has won today's West Virginia primary. Although pundits and political observers say the nomination race is all but over, Clinton picks up at least 15 of the 28 delegates at... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 04:43 PM)
    Jon Fleischman's Flash Report: John Fund: Reagan's Radio Days Returning
    From today's Wall Street Journal Political Diary... Re-Airing Ronald Reagan !!It's been two decades since Ronald Reagan left office and so many young people under 30 have little or no understanding of him or what he represented. The Ronald Re…
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 02:37 PM)
    California Progress Report: In Her Own Words--Karen Bass Speech as She Assumes the Speakership of the California Assembly
    Members of the California State Assembly today elected by acclamation their 67th Speaker, Assemblymember Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles.) Speaker Bass’ as-prepared remarks are below: “To the former Speakers who joined me today as my escorts - -you honor us with your presence the way your service honored this house and this state. Thank you for taking the time to be here today. Since I have been in the legislature I have sought each of you for your guidance, critique and solidarity. And I thank you for that – and assume you’ll be available for many more phone calls. Members
.honored guests
dear friends and family
.since my election on February 28th to be the 67th Speaker of the Assembly, I have had the opportunity and experience to be part of an incredible transition – part of a complex and comprehensive process of receiving the torch from the 66th Speaker of the Assembly, Fabian NĂș&Ati
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 02:35 PM)
    Calitics: The RIAA (and the MPAA) visits the CA state legislature in search of corporate welfare
    Andrea Foster filed a story with The Chronicle of Higher Education that should send a chill down students' spines everywhere. As if the recent spike in bogus copyright infringement lawsuits gushing out of the RIAA and MPAA wasn't enough, it looks like these organizations are taking their fight to California's state legislators. More below the fold... Here's Foster's lede: Higher-education officials say that the entertainment industry is pushing for state laws that would force colleges to police their networks for illegal trading of music and video files and to buy software to stem the problem. Lawmakers in Tennessee and Illinois recently considered such legislation, and a similar bill may be brewing in California, according to officials who spoke at a technology-policy conference here on Thursday. To be honest, I'm kind of surprised they haven't tried something like this in California already - after all, the RIAA and MPAA practically own L.A.... Foster continues: There is no legislat
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 01:56 PM)
    Greg Lucas's California Capitol: The Plus Side of Term Limits
    Karen Bass sworn in as California’s 67th Assembly Speaker
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 12:16 PM)
    Calitics: Congratulations Karen Bass
    Karen Bass is making history as we speak.  She is currently being sworn in as the first Democratic female speaker in California history. Furthemore, she is the first African-American female to be Speaker in any of the 50 states and the federal government. Good Luck Speaker Bass. And if you are really prepared to take on reforming our tax structure, we'll be in good hands for the next two years. With so much worth protecting and so much that threatens our economic well-being, it is far past time to move beyond simply patching over budget problems to finding a real, creative -- and bipartisan -- way off the budget roller coaster we seem to be stuck on year after year after year.(LAT 5/13/08) UPDATE: Check the flip for Speaker Bass' speech. "To the former Speakers who joined me today as my escorts - you honor us with your presence the way your service honored this house and this state. Thank you for taking the time to be here today. Since I have been in the legislature I h
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 12:09 PM)
    Calitics: Right Wing Already Going After Madame Speaker Karen Bass
    Chris Reed, as in "America's Finest Blog" Chris Reed, is leading the right wing shill campaign against Karen Bass. We were both on a conference call with Bass yesterday, and Reed wasted no time going after pre-school kids as his suggestion for budget cuts followed by an attempt at a gotcha on taxes. For the life of me I don't understand why he is coddled, he's nothing but a right wing shill and Sacramento press types could learn a lot from the national movement to no longer legitimize Fox News and other partisan propaganda outlets. You'll be shocked, simply shocked to see Chris Reed's write-up: I think Bass' personal story is admirable and she seems smart and good-natured. But I have a bad feeling about her. With Nunez and Perata, I never really got the feeling that they were dyed-in-the-wool hard-left liberals who were eager to expand government whatever the cost. Instead, I often got the feeling that they posed as ideologues of the left to please their powerful union and tr
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 11:50 AM)
    LA Observed: 100+ tires slashed in San Pedro
    Vandals even got the tires on the local tow trucks, forcing delays in the Auto Club's response the next morning. Residents in several neighborhoods discovered they had all been victimized when they compared notes in line at a crowded tire store. Some store employees also had their tires slashed. "It appears that it was just a bunch of jerky kids doing their thing," an LAPD officer tells the Daily Breeze.
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 11:25 AM)
    Calitics: SD-23: Vote for Pavley or the Polar Bear Gets it
    I really like Fran Pavley, and have enormous respect for her. She's running in a tight race with Asm. Lloyd Levine for SD-23.  And, fortunately, the former Assembly Leader doesn't have to take credit for this horrendous website and the accompanying mailers.  This is an Independent Expenditure (IE) by EdVoice with the mailing address of a law firm up in Marin. I'm not totally sure what EdVoice, an education group is doing sending out environmental mail, but let's just go with it. In short, the mailer says, you better vote for Fran Pavley or the Polar Bears are all going to die. The other mailers displayed on the website's "Gallery" are not so egregious, but they are all based upon this "carbon-free" concept. David Dayen, who lives in the district, points out that he's now received  several mailers from the group, which undercuts the "Carbon-free" argument. Sending 5 mailers and offsetting one absentee vote.  I'll let othe
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 11:23 AM)
    Calitics: SD-23: Vote For Me Or I'll Have This Polar Bear Shot
    I don't think that's the message Fran Pavley wanted to convey in this mailer (PDF), but that's pretty much what I'm getting out of it.  The front page is a polar bear standing on a lonely block of ice after much of it has fallen away into the sea, looking forlorn.  Accompanying the picture is the text "Save a Polar Bear, Vote Carbon Free For Fran Pavley."  The inside of the mailer explains why; Pavley is an environmental leader, and fighting global warming will help save the polar bears, the reasoning goes. Now, I've already explained once why this carbon-free voting idea is kind of a joke, particularly when it's being conveyed to the public by using multiple full-color mailers.  I know from my mailbox that Pavley has been far more aggressive in direct mail than her opponent Lloyd Levine.  The new information in this mailer is that Pavley's campaign has "purchased carbon offsets to cover every vote-by-mail ballot in the 23rd S
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 11:20 AM)
    Jon Fleischman's Flash Report: Bass' Vote Already In The Bag (with "silent support" from Republicans) - Sigh
    My column of yesterday where I urge Republicans in the Assembly to nominate and vote for Mike Villines as Speaker came about as I had some discussions with some well-heeled Capitol types about the upcoming vote (today) for Speaker. Well, I just go…
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 11:15 AM)
    LA Observed: Sporadic posting
    Busy day and a deadline week, so posting will be lighter than usual. Check our Mark Lacter's Morning Headlines at LA Biz Observed. This was also Mark's morning to make his regular weekly appearance on KPCC.
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 09:54 AM)
    Jon Fleischman's Flash Report: Breaking News: Poll Shows Hunter with Massive Lead in 52nd Congressional
    A huge thanks to Adam Day of Sycuan for sending the attached survey results and memo along. Some excerpts... Survey Shows Duncan D. Hunter with Comfortable Lead In 52nd Congressional District Republican Primary Race El Cajon, CA (May 12, 2008) – I…
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 09:30 AM)
    Jon Fleischman's Flash Report: Inside the Beltway News: Tuesday
    Today's news is a mixed bag of fun, nostalgia and news. Das German Embassy has launched a good-sized media buy in the DC market commemorating the historic and cooperative relationship between the two nations including some great online video ads. R…
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 09:28 AM)
    Calitics: Taco Trucks And The Future Of California
    UPDATE by Brian: Video from current over the flip. I know that we're going to have a historic new Speaker today, and tomorrow the Governor is going to prevent a revised budget that will set the course for the next few months in the Legislature.  But for the moment I want to talk about taco trucks. Los Angeles County has enacted rules basically banning the taco truck, the rumbling restaurants on wheels serving Mexican food to lunchtime office workers, day laborers and others throughout the city, particularly in East LA.  The previous order by the County Board of Supervisors was to force taco trucks to move every hour or face a $60 fine.  Most trucks paid it as the cost of doing business.  Now the supervisors have upped that fine to as much as $1000 and possibly jail time. Make no mistake - the taco trucks are being harassed because restaurants don't like the competition.  As one truck owner said, "We are hard workers and we pay taxes...
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 08:57 AM)
    Jon Fleischman's Flash Report: No Complaining, Please
    Today each Republican in the State Assembly will have their opportunity to make it clear that ultra-liberal Karen Bass is not their choice for Speaker. Whether by voting for Mike Villines for Speaker (if his name is placed into nomination) or by ins…
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 08:12 AM)
    California Progress Report: “What to Expect from California's New Hands-Free Law” by the Public Policy Institute of California is our site of the day
    The Public Policy Institute of California has released a 30 page report, “What to Expect from California's New Hands-Free Law”, that comes to the conclusion that the law that goes into effect in less than two months in our state—requiring California drivers to use hands-free devices while talking on their mobile phones--is likely to save 300 lives a year and reduce the number of non fatal accidents as well. These findings comes from a sophisticated study looking at “aggregate fatality data” across states from 1997 through 2005—a large statistical sample from which conclusions can be drawn. There are some interesting wrinkles to the analysis. Based on other states’ experiences that have adopted hands free laws (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and the District of Columbia), the law is expected to have its biggest impact in bad weather driving—something we don’t have as much of in our sunny state—in pa
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 07:47 AM)
    California Majority Report: Speaker-elect Bass to be Sworn In as Assembly Speaker Today
    History will be made today at the state capitol when current Assembly Majority Leader Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles, District 47) is sworn in as the first African-American female Speaker of the California Assembly. She will be the first African-American female to hold such a high legislative post anywhere in the United States. Speaker-elect Bass will have just about 24 hours before she will know the extent of the state’s financial crisis. Governor Schwarzenegger is scheduled to release his revised budget proposal Wednesday afternoon.  Speaker-elect Bass says, regarding the state budget deficit, she’s concerned but hopeful that a balanced approach of spending cuts and new revenues can be hammered out.
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 07:44 AM)
    California City News: Vallejo city workers offer to cut pay
    In a joint statement, three Vallejo employee unions said police officers and firefighters would sacrifice 6.5 percent of their salaries for a year and give up raises totaling 11 percent for the next two years. General workforce employees, represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, would give up 3 percent of their salaries for a year and forego anticipated raises of 10 percent over the next two years, according to the unions. The Story in the San Francisco Chronicle. Story developing....
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 07:43 AM)
    Calitics: Arnold Abandons Early Prisoner Release
    The first major change in the May Revise budget has leaked to the SacBee - Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to release 20,000 low-risk offenders from prison has been dropped in the face of legislative opposition: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has dumped his plan to release about 22,000 lower-risk inmates from prison before they complete their terms, The Bee learned Monday. The revised budget he will present on Wednesday will jettison the plan, which would have freed prisoners doing time for crimes such as drug possession and car theft who had less than 20 months to go on their terms. The governor had sought the change as part of a 10 percent, across-the-board general fund budget cut to deal with a multibillion-dollar deficit. His plan was unlikely, however, to win support in upcoming budget negotiations. Not a single legislator in the state had expressed support for the idea. It's unfortunate that this plan is being dropped, as most of these inmates targeted for release are not particularly v
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 07:39 AM)
    California Majority Report: Schwarzenegger's Budget Choices: Will He Lead or Wimp Out?
    Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's chickens are coming home to roost on Wednesday, when he'll announce a budget deficit somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 billion caused by his tax-cutting actions of the last few years. Rumors are swirling in the Capitol about what action he'll take. But the bottom line will be whether he chooses to lead or wimp out. Here are some of his options: Raise Taxes -- Schwarzenegger has hinted that he's willing to "get creative" and propose some type of revenue raiser, though his office goes bananas anytime suggests it will be raising taxes along the lines of what legislative Democrats want. Yet Schwarzenegger could defy conventional wisdom and propose some modest tax increases in an attempt to win favor from Democratic legislators who will ultimately be responsible for getting the state budget bill to his desk. The political downsides are minimal. Sure, he'll have broken the only promise he made
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 07:37 AM)
    California Majority Report: Why Schwarzenegger's Redistricting Plan Won't Work: It Defies Political Population Polarization Trends
    Sunday's New York Times Magazine had an amazing article titled, "Vote Like Thy Neighbor," which pinpoints exactly why the Governor and his band of merry do-gooders are wrong in thinking redistricting reform will foster political competition. "You are less likely to live near someone whose politics differ from your own," the writers, William Galson and Pietro Nivola, editors of "Red and Blue Nation," discovered. "When counties become more homogeneous, it becomes harder to use redistricting to create more competitive Congressional districts." The authors point out that in 1976, only 27 percent of voters lived in "landslide" counties where one candidate prevailed by 20 points or more. By 2004, 48 percent of voters lived in such counties. The article goes on to say that "once a tipping point is reached, majorities tend to become supermajorities." That's exactl
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 07:30 AM)
    California Majority Report: McNerney Race Moves to Toss-Up List
    The influential Cook Political Report has moved Congressman Jerry McNerney's race in the 11th Congressional from the "Lean Democratic" to "Toss-up" category. Nobody ever thought McNerney would have a cakewalk in his re-election bid. But he's gotten high marks for his freshman year on Capitol Hill. On the political front, he has a sizable cash advantage over his opponent, Republican Dean Andall. Plus he's going to be running in the Bay Area in a strong Democratic year. So I'm not quite sure why the Cook Report has downgraded his chances to even at this juncture, since everything seems to be going his way. Nonetheless, there's something you can do here: contribute to his campaign before the next filing deadline. He's got a near-term goal of raising $10,000. Visit his website to contribute.
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 07:24 AM)
    California Majority Report: Today's Fresh Meat
    Governor Schwarzenegger has dropped a plan to release 22,000 prison inmates early, reports the Sacramento Bee. "Not a single legislator in the state had expressed support for the idea."< > < > East Bay residents may be forced to reduce their use of water by 20 percent under a rationing proposal by the East Bay Municipal Utility District expected to be announced today. "We could have an even drier year next year, and we could end up with even half that or less. So, we have to stretch every last drop," said EBMUD spokesman Charles Hardy.< > < > The LA Times reports disappointment among many female supporters of Hillary Clinton in West Virginia. Clinton is likely to sweep West Virginia, but it won't make a difference at this point. There's more... 
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 07:20 AM)
    California Progress Report: Think California Depends Too Heavily on the Rich for Income Taxes? Think Again
    By Mark Paul Senior Scholar New America Foundation Like generals who are always fighting the last war, California's pundits are still fighting their way out of the last budget crisis. Latest case in point: George Skelton of the Los Angeles Times, who recently complained again that California's income tax "depends too heavily on the wealthy." In Skelton's world, the wealthy are just like those men mothers always warn their daughters about: they'll show you a good time, and then disappear, leaving you heartbroken. "Their incomes rise and fall steeply with the economy," he writes, "and therefore so do state budget deficits." Except that's not why California has a budget crisis. As the state controller reported on May 9, personal income tax collections for the first nine months of the current budget year are $1.4 billion over the estimate in Gov. Schwarzenegger's January budget and within a whisker of the amount budgeted last summer. Through the first ni
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 06:56 AM)
    California Progress Report: Ventura Comes After Vallejo? Some Thoughts on Municipal Finance in California
    By Frank Pecarich Bad investments may lead California cities other than Vallejo into dire financial straits. As we see below, Ventura's problem is different from Vallejo’s -- not labor contracts -- and the handwriting is not on the wall yet regarding the final outcome of their “investment”. But it is a wake up call to us and potentially other cities about their investment policies and procedures. A few weeks ago after saying they believed they only had a minor problem with revenue this year, the City of Ventura came out with a revised position which said the City budget was in crisis. Well, they put it a bit differently in their March 19th press release with this euphemistic title, “City of Ventura Executes Immediate Steps to Preserve Fiscal Sustainability” With all due deference to the recent popularity of the term ‘sustainability’, after reading the press release I prefer my description of the situation as a ‘cris
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 06:50 AM)
    California Progress Report: Clearing the Air in California’s Central Valley
    By Alan Kandel In the May 11, 2008 Fresno Bee edition, columnist Bill McEwen in “Driving a little less can go a long way to clean the air,” offers suggestions to Bee readers for lowering their carbon footprints and more specifically, embracing alternatives to driving; in other words, driving less or fewer miles when possible. Awesome! I couldn’t have said it better myself. However, having said that, still the article left me hanging; something was missing. But what? I my mind’s eye I reasoned the alternatives to driving the columnist provided are laudable, but what is the likelihood that significant numbers of folks living in these here parts are going to actually follow through on them? For instance, where McEwen wrote: “Walk to the market and hardware store for small items. Ride [a bicycle, (I presume)] or walk with the kids to school instead of driving them. Ride to the gym, thus cutting time on the cardio machines. Car pool to lunch. Take
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 06:42 AM)
    Jon Fleischman's Flash Report: Joel Fox Launches New Website on California Business and Politics
    FlashReport readers will now have another place to aim their browsers as my friend Joel Fox has launched a new website with what promises to be an interesting blog - Fox and Hounds. Joel is the President of the Small Business Action Committee, and i…
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 06:00 AM)
    John Myers's Capital Notes: Madam Speaker
    That title has only been used once before in the California Assembly (and then only under unusual circumstances), but it’ll be the buzz word for today when Karen Bass is sworn in as the 67th speaker of the lower house. Bass hooked the top job several weeks ago, but today formally assumes the title and the power. The 53-year-old Los Angeles Democrat replaces Fabian Nunez at the helm, three months after Nunez’s gambit to modify the existing term limits law was rejected by voters. Speaker Bass spent some time with several Capitol reporters over the past few days, including a brief interview with me late last week. In such a setting, it quickly becomes clear that she’s much more succinct than the often verbose Nunez. That truncated communication style may be the perfect fit for her similarly slim agenda as leader of the Assembly. In almost every recent interview, including ours, Bass has said that there are only three things on her to do list: solving thi
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 05:01 AM)
    Mayor Sam: Guess What? Mayor Admits Event Waivers Drive Up City Payroll!
    How do you win a jackpot if you don't go to Vegas or play the lottery? Be a city employee who gets overtime pay, usually for doing nothing. The Daily News reports that the City paid $350 million in overtime pay to employees last year. For at least 1500 city employees, the overtime earned them a... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 04:00 AM)
    Mayor Sam: Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday
    Despite the protests of NIMBYs, the City of Beverly Hills has approved a developer's $500 million project to bring the Waldorf-Astoria to the former hometown of Jed Clampett. Opponents plan to gather enough signatures to put a referendum on the ballot to overturn the Council's decision. Normally,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 03:00 AM)
    California Majority Report: Speaker Karen Bass' Remarks at Today's Swearing In
    Today, Speaker Karen Bass was sworn in as California's 67th Assembly Speaker. Here are her remarks: "To the former Speakers who joined me today as my escorts -- you honor us with your presence the way your service honored this house and this state. Thank you for taking the time to be here today. Since I have been in the legislature I have sought each of you for your guidance, critique and solidarity. And I thank you for that -- and assume you’ll be available for many more phone calls. < >  < > Members….honored guests…dear friends and family….since my election on February 28th to be the 67th Speaker of the Assembly, I have had the opportunity and experience to be part of an incredible transition –  part of a complex and comprehensive process of receiving the torch from the 66th Speaker of the Assembly, Fabian Núńez.< >  < > I know the
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 01:00 AM)
    California Majority Report: Speaker Karen Bass's Remarks at Today's Swearing In
    Today, beginning at noon, Speaker Karen Bass was sworn in as California's 67th Assembly Speaker. Here are her remarks: "To the former Speakers who joined me today as my escorts -- you honor us with your presence the way your service honored this house and this state. Thank you for taking the time to be here today. Since I have been in the legislature I have sought each of you for your guidance, critique and solidarity. And I thank you for that -- and assume you’ll be available for many more phone calls. < >  < > Members ... honored guests ... dear friends and family ... since my election on February 28th to be the 67th Speaker of the Assembly, I have had the opportunity and experience to be part of an incredible transition --  part of a complex and comprehensive process of receiving the torch from the 66th Speaker of the Assembly, Fabian Núńez.< >  < > I know
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 01:00 AM)
    Mayor Sam: Bedtime Music
    Chicago with Colour My World. Link [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 01:00 AM)
    Jon Fleischman's Flash Report: Commentary: Canadian “Human Rights” Commissions Coming to California?
    There is an ominous cloud on the horizon and conservative bloggers (and their readers) should beware. Conservative author, blogger and commentator Mark Steyn is about to go on trial in Canada to face charges of spreading “hate and contempt” for Musli…
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 12:01 AM)
    Jon Fleischman's Flash Report: Today's Commentary: Canadian “Human Rights” Commissions Coming to California?
    There is an ominous cloud on the horizon and conservative bloggers (and their readers) should beware. Conservative author, blogger and commentator Mark Steyn is about to go on trial in Canada to face charges of spreading “hate and contempt” for Musli…
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 12:01 AM)
    LA Observed: Tale of two books *
    Actually it's just one book, the new novel set in Los Angeles by fabulist James Frey. But look at how differently it's being read. LAT Book Editor David Ulin holds nothing back: "Bright Shiny Morning is a terrible book. One of the worst I've ever read....an execrable novel, a literary train wreck without even the good grace to be entertaining." Also this: "Frey seems to know little about Los Angeles and to have no interest in it as a real place where people wrestle with actual life." Ulin does give Frey credit for chutzpah, and notes that Harper Collins reportedly paid a million and a half dollars and that the book is a bestseller on Amazon. In the June issue of Vanity Fair, Evgenia Peretz gives Frey a much warmer welcome back: "...a sprawling, ambitious novel about Los Angeles, written with all the broad-stroke energy that was so irresistible to readers in A Million Little Pieces. By turns satirical, tense, and surprisingly touching, it is a portrait
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 03:59 PM)
    Orange Juice: THIS BLOG IS NOW LOCATED AT ORANGEJUICEBLOG.COM
    PLEASE VISIT OUR NEW SITE AT ORANGEJUICEBLOG.COM!COMMENTING ON THIS SITE HAS BEEN CLOSED.THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS AND OVER ONE MILLION PAGES SERVED...AS A NEW ERA BEGINS.PLEASE JOIN US!SMS,FOR EVERYONE AT ORANGE JUICE!
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 03:59 PM)
    LA Observed: 'Scriptland' writer moves to Hollywood Reporter
    Jay Fernandez will join THR as a senior film reporter to concentrate on breaking news, says Hollywood Wiretap. He has written the "Scriptland" column in the L.A. Times Calendar section since 2006. Fernandez's last column runs Wednesday.
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 03:59 PM)
    California City News: UPDATE: City workers hit OT jackpot
    The Los Angeles Daily News covers the ever growing government salary roles of Los Angeles in this second of a two part series aimed at showing the growth of higher range salary levels in LA. More than two-thirds of Los Angeles city workers earned overtime last year, totaling $355 million, even as the mayor issued a directive to curtail such payouts, a Daily News review has found. More than 29,000 employees worked overtime in the 12 months through April, with nearly 1,500 earning more than $50,000 each in overtime pay alone.
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 03:59 PM)
    California City News: If There Was Ever A Case To Be Made For Campaign Finance Reform...This Is It
    Our regular readers know that we here at CCN are ardent opponents of campaign finance laws that limit a candidate's ability to raise and spend money. Besides the obvious infringements on political free speech, the laws of unintended consequences that result from these silly restrictions are no laughing matter. Candidates are forced to scramble for money instead of votes and, more perniciously, independent expenditure committees take the candidates out of campaigns as they spend limitless amounts of money for or against candidates who are restricted from doing the same. As you can see we feel strongly about it, especially after having run dozens of campaigns. However, we have finally found the exception to the rule: Student government campaigns. Now prized as resume builders for going to college, many aspiring politicos are pulling all the stops to get elected - spending hundreds of dollars to get just one more vote than the opponent. Sounds like term limits are right around the co
    . . . [more] (posted 05/13/08 03:59 PM)
    Mayor Sam: The 70s at 7
    For today's feature here are snippets from local television news during the 70s. See if you remember any of these. KNXT (now KCBS) 11:00 p.m. news from around 1978 featuring a very young Connie Chung and Jim Hill. Here's a KNBC News clip from the 70s back when Pat Sajak did the... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
    . . . [more] (posted 05/12/08 07:00 PM)
    Jon Fleischman's Flash Report: Newport Beach Charter amendment "Beeked" but unbowed
    A new verb was created during the hearings on Robert Bork's unsuccessful nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. He was "Borked" by his opponents. A charter amendment I wrote for the City of Newport Beach, and proponents William Fick…
    . . . [more] (posted 05/12/08 06:29 PM)
    Mayor Sam: Five O'Clock Funnies
    The Japanese version of Candid Camera. Link [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
    . . . [more] (posted 05/12/08 05:00 PM)