Getting Healthy, the Anthem Blue Cross Way

Anthem Blue Cross recently sent a form letter to an unknown number of its 6.8 million members.

The letter was signed by Dr. Michael J. Belman, the health insurance company’s medical director for quality management.

Dr. Belman’s letter begins:

“We’re much more than just your health care plan. We’re also want to help you get and stay as healthy.”    Read more »

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Former GOP Assemblyman Turned Independent Nathan Fletcher Registers as a Democrat

Fletcher’s explanatory email to friends and supporters follows:

Ralph Waldo Emerson had a famous saying, “Life is a journey not a destination.”

For me, the last couple years have been quite a journey—going to war, serving in the State Assembly, campaigning for Mayor (of San Diego) and now teaching and working in the private sector.    Read more »

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Attention California’s 40 Freshman State Lawmakers

“If you don’t make mistakes, you can’t make decisions.”

–Warren Buffett    Read more »

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Brown’s Actions and His Rhetoric

With California sitting on more than $4.5 billion in expected revenue, Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation May 1 spending $25.6 million, all but $1.6 million to fix a problem he and Democratic lawmakers created two years ago when they hamstrung the state’s efforts to take away weapons from Californians prohibited from owning them.    Read more »

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Slight Population Growth in 2012, Brown Administration Reports

SACRAMENTO— California’s population grew by almost 298,000 residents in 2012 to 37,966,000 as of January 1, 2013, according to a population report released today by the Department of Finance. 

The report shows preliminary January 2013, as well as revised January 2012, population data for cities. Highlights include: 

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The Assembly and Senate’s Star-Crossed Calendars

For the first time in nearly 50 years, the Assembly and the Senate have different calendars.

Separate calendars don’t seem remotely like either calamity or catastrophe but in the insular world of the state Capitol, seemingly small stuff – like summer vacation or lack thereof — often becomes A VERY BIG DEAL.    Read more »

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What Makes the Golden State So Golden

Politics on Tap Explores California’s Heritage with Nancy Lenoil,  California’s Chief Archivist, and Dori Moorehead, Executive Director of the California Museum    Read more »

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Full Frontal Identity

California Legislators Race to Play Catch-Up with Internet Privacy Concerns—and Consumers’ Evolving Online Habits

By Greg Lucas 

Sacramento News & Review, April 18, 2013 — Big Brother has been watching since 1949 when George Orwell’s book 1984 was published. He keeps getting better at it.

Orwell’s dystopia is bereft of privacy.    Read more »

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Hard to Spend It All in One Place — Or Is It?

(The Legislative Analyst said April 26  that despite an uncharacteristic month of income tax collections, the state will likely end April with $4.5 billion more in revenues than predicted in the budget GOv. Jerry Brown introduced in January.

“Our best estimate is that the state will end April with (personal income tax) collections for the fiscal year to date … somewhere around $4.5 billion ahead of the administration’s estimates.    Read more »

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Apodeictic

Adjective: “True as proved by demonstration. Incontestable because it has been shown to be true or proved that it can be shown to be true.”

Used in a Sentence: “That the worst offenders are kept behind bars where they belong as a result of these sentencing guidelines is apodeictic.”

-30-

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