March: Six Initiatives Fail to Qualify; Six Begin Collecting Signatures

March was a mixed bag for ballot measures: Six failed to gain the signatures needed to qualify while six others won the green light to begin collecting signatures.

It’s unlikely any of the six measures that began collecting signatures in March will appear on the November ballot although a temporary tax increase backed by Gov.    Read more »

More

Former Democratic Campaign Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Clients of Millions

Kinde Durkee, once California’s go-to Democratic political campaign treasurer, pleaded guilty March 30 in Sacramento to five counts of mail fraud stemming from filing false campaign reports to cover up stealing millions of contributions made to her clients — the largest campaign embezzlement scheme in state history

Durkee, 59, “routinely” defrauded at least 50 candidates, office holders and political groups of more than $ 7 million over more than a decade, according to federal prosecutors.    Read more »

More

Mitt Romney Wants Money

The following letter was recently sent to GOP households in California:

   Read more »

More

Hoodies in the State Capitol

This is the text of an email from Cine Ivory, chief of staff to Sen. Rod Wright, a Los Angeles Democrat:

“On Thursday, March 29, members of the California Legislative Black Caucus, Latino Legislative Caucus and Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus will don their ‘hoodies’ and join together in a show of solidarity with the family of slain Florida teen Trayvon Martin, who continue to seek justice in his death.      Read more »

More

Meaning of the Name “Yosemite”

A group of some 200 miners called the Mariposa Battalion entered the Yosemite Valley on (March 27) 1851, hoping to drive out a tribe of Native Americans who lived in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and were threatening the miners’ claims to the land and its ore.

The group was led by John D.    Read more »

More

Happy Birthday Robert Frost!

The American poet was born March 26, 1874.

Below is “Dedication,” the poem Frost wrote for President John Kennedy’s 1961 inauguration.

He didn’t recite it, however.

The sun’s glare off the snow blinded the 86-year-old poet. Instead, he recited from memory, “The Gift Outright.”  

NBC’s Brian Williams offers a touching postscript.    Read more »

More

There’s No Shortage of Stupid Headlines

Deaf College Opens Doors to Hearing

Enraged Cow Injures Farmer with Ax

Include your Children When Baking Cookies

Iraqi Head Seeks Arms

Jerk Injures Neck, Wins Award

Kids Make Nutritious Snacks

Lack of brains hinders research

Legislator Wants Tougher Death Penalty

Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half

Messiah Climaxes In Chorus Of Hallelujahs

   Read more »

More

As The Assembly Conducts Its Annual ‘Woman of the Year” Ceremony March 26…

…Its 80 members and their honorees should consider these facts from a March 5 article in The Daily Beast called “Women and the Leadership Gap:” 

The United States ranks 71st in the world in female legislative representation. Bangladesh, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates score higher.

Seventeen percent of US Senators are women.    Read more »

More

A State Refund Coming Back? Here’s 15 Places to Donate Some of It

It’s tax ciphering crunch time.

If there’s a potential refund coming, the state has created 15 options to donate some of that cash to various causes.

There’s one new tax check-off for 2011 to be found on Page 3 of the Franchise Tax Board’s Form 540. It’s a fund to help child victims of human trafficking.    Read more »

More

The Graying of California

“The state should see more than a 50 percent increase in the population over age 65” between now and 2020, according to the Legislative Analyst’s California Facts for 2011.  

Some 10,000 Baby Boomers are turning 65 every day — and will continue to do so for 19 years. 

About 4.4 million Californians are over 65, 11.5 percent of the population.    Read more »

More