
Daniel Mael, a senior at Brandeis University, blasted the administration’s decision to withdraw an honorary doctorate from feminist Ayaan Hirsi Ali due to her past criticisms of Islam. “I am appalled by the hypocrisy of the University administration and their
by Joel B. Pollak9 Apr 2014, 6:40 AM PST0

A lawyer for Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow, the alleged Chinatown gang boss involved in the federal case that snagged State Sen. Leland Yee, claims that his client is a victim of “unadulterated racism” by the government. The San Francisco Chronicle reports: “They
by Joel B. Pollak9 Apr 2014, 6:13 AM PST0

A new Field Poll of likely California voters shows incumbent Democrat Jerry Brown far ahead of any rivals in the gubernatorial election, enjoying the support of 57% of likely voters. Second place, with 17%, is Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, a Republican who enjoys
by Joel B. Pollak9 Apr 2014, 5:36 AM PST0

Though the administration of elections is improving in most states, according to a report by the Pew Charitable Trust’s State and Consumer Initiatives, California still ranks near the bottom, at 49th out of 50 states, ahead of Mississippi. North Dakota topped
by Joel B. Pollak9 Apr 2014, 5:14 AM PST0

Brandeis University has prostrated itself before radical Islam and the idol of political correctness, withdrawing an honorary degree that was to have been granted to feminist and Muslim critic Ayaan Hirsi Ali next month. The university’s excuse was that Ali
by Joel B. Pollak9 Apr 2014, 4:58 AM PST0

An LAPD sergeant who has been on the force for nearly 25 years is suing the city, claiming that he suffered religious discrimination for his religious beliefs, according to a news report by CBS News’ L.A. affiliate. Sgt. A.J. DeBellis
by Joel B. Pollak8 Apr 2014, 2:09 PM PST0

Veteran Republican political strategist and Beltway insider Karl Rove told a gathering of Sacramento business leaders that Neel Kashkari would be the party’s best choice “to lose to Jerry Brown” in the November election, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
by Joel B. Pollak8 Apr 2014, 12:25 PM PST0

Marin County is having a good laugh–and no small bit of outrage–at Assemblyman Marc Levine’s expense, after the local Press Democrat caught Levine sending mailers to his constituents calling for a moratorium on fracking, even though he had voted to authorize
by Joel B. Pollak8 Apr 2014, 9:19 AM PST0

Veteran blogger and law professor Glenn Reynolds points out in his latest USA Today column that Silicon Valley has lost the trust of the American people. The problem is not just that the tech giants have become embroiled in the scandals surrounding
by Joel B. Pollak8 Apr 2014, 8:43 AM PST0

The strangest thing about San Francisco is that no matter what time of the day or night it is, it feels like late afternoon. The city seems to bask in the glow of that soft sunshine at all hours, in
by Joel B. Pollak8 Apr 2014, 5:55 AM PST0

Nathan L. Gonzales of Roll Call’s “Rothenblog” has noticed something interesting about freshman U.S. Rep. David Valadao’s self-description on the primary ballot in California: he has declined to note that he is an incumbent congressman. Instead, Gonzales notes, Valadao will
by Joel B. Pollak7 Apr 2014, 6:43 PM PST0

Local NBC and CBS affiliates in San Francisco reported Monday morning that several Smart cars were upended around the city on Sunday night. KCBS reported that three cars were overturned in two different neighborhoods and NBC Bay Area spoke to witnesses
by Joel B. Pollak7 Apr 2014, 8:42 AM PST0

Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel granted the New Republic‘s Isaac Chotiner what the magazine describes as a “contentious” interview–and that’s putting it mildly. The mayor is highly combative and profane in the interview, showing a contempt for the public that is
by Joel B. Pollak7 Apr 2014, 5:44 AM PST0

A new Gallup poll reports that only 28 percent of Illinois residents trust their state government, by far the lowest rate of any state in the Union. The next-worst levels of trust are in Maine and Rhode Island, where only
by Joel B. Pollak7 Apr 2014, 4:38 AM PST0

A new Gallup poll reports that only 28 percent of Illinois residents trust their state government, by far the lowest rate of any state in the Union. The next-worst levels of trust are in Maine and Rhode Island, where only
by Joel B. Pollak7 Apr 2014, 4:38 AM PST0

California’s Attorney General Kamala Harris, who is “by far the best-looking” attorney general in America, according to President Barack Obama, is now engaged to be married, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Harris, who lives in San Francisco, is engaged to Los Angeles
by Joel B. Pollak7 Apr 2014, 4:25 AM PST0

California’s 17th congressional district, which includes parts of Silicon Valley and the East Bay, is rated as “Safe Democrat,” but it is the subject of fierce competition and charges of foul play on all sides in the 2014 primary. Each candidate–from
by Joel B. Pollak6 Apr 2014, 3:52 PM PST0

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), one of the country’s most powerful public sector unions, will file a ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage in San Francisco to $15 per hour (from $10.74), which would make it the highest
by Joel B. Pollak6 Apr 2014, 4:00 AM PST0

In 2010, your correspondent challenged incumbent Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) in the 9th district of Illinois. It was an exciting campaign, a real contest between Alinskyite socialism and Tea Party conservatism. I lost by 30 points in the deep-blue district,
by Joel B. Pollak4 Apr 2014, 2:15 PM PST0
One of the more shocking moments of the Obama presidency was the president’s attempt to bully the Supreme Court, in full view of the entire nation, during his State of the Union address in 2010. With six of the nine
by Joel B. Pollak3 Apr 2014, 6:13 AM PST0

Authorities in Los Angeles report that 457 marijuana dispensaries have filed tax renewals with the city this year. That is more than three times the 135 pot shops legally allowed to operate under 2013’s Proposition D ballot initiative, and represents
by Joel B. Pollak3 Apr 2014, 5:30 AM PST0

A new Reason-Rupe poll to be launched Thursday morning indicates that 35% of Americans trust the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with their personal data, while only 10% trust Google and only 5% trust Facebook. In fact, while trust in the
by Joel B. Pollak3 Apr 2014, 4:49 AM PST0

The Drudge Report takes up a full ten percent of all web traffic from the built-in web browser in Tesla’s Model S electric sedan, according to an analysis by Quantcast, as reported by Techcrunch. Though Tesla drivers are often thought
by Joel B. Pollak3 Apr 2014, 4:39 AM PST0
The Los Angeles Times reports Wednesday that a UCLA study showed that “Los Angeles has gone 23 years without job growth,” losing 3.1% of the jobs it had in 1990–dead last among U.S. cities, even behind Detroit. “Among problems plaguing the
by Joel B. Pollak2 Apr 2014, 6:27 AM PST0

California’s Democrat Party has canceled a lavish annual fundraiser “that costs as much as $65,000 per foursome,” according to Reuters, after a series of corruption scandals made party leaders skittish about associating so openly with wealthy donors. The party will
by Joel B. Pollak2 Apr 2014, 6:01 AM PST0