The only certainty in the June 5 primary in California appears to be that incument Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein will finish first.
According to a May 27-29 poll of voters by SurveyUSA, Feinstein leads 23 opponents with 42 percent of the vote.
Her nearest rivals are Elizabeth Emken and Dan Hughes, each with four percent.
Rick Williams and Al Ramirez have three percent each, while Donald Krampe, Dianne Stewart, David Levitt and Gail Lightfoot have two percent each.
Polling at one percent were Orly Taitz, Greg Conlan, Robert Lauten, Nachum Shifren, Dennis Jackson, John Boruff, Dirk Allen Konopik, Colleen Fernald, Mike Strimling, Marsha Feinland and Don J. Grundmann.
Listed with zero support are Oscar Braun, Kabiruddin Karim Ali, Nak Shah and Rogelio T. Gloria.
About one-fourth of the state's voters are undecided.
Feinstein also has an overwhelming lead in the November race.
Feinstein receives 50 percent of the vote in a race against Emken, who receives 34.
Feinstein leads Taitz, 54-29; Ramirez 52-32; and Hughes, 52-31.
Source: www.examiner.com
Mitt Romney attends Southern California fundraisers - Abc Local Web
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (KABC) -- Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney will be in Southern California Thursday and Friday to attend several campaign fundraisers.
Romney kicked off the fundraisers in Beverly Hills Thursday night with a $50,000 per couple dinner at the home of Hyatt heir Anthony Pritzker. The home reportedly has a bowling alley, media library, gym and guest house.
Friday, Romney will head to an afternoon fundraiser in Riverside at the Victoria Club, which will be followed by a $25,000 per couple fundraiser at Newport Beach's Balboa Bay Club and Resort. That ticket price is inclusive of a Romney photo op.
Romeny's California tour began in Fremont at Solyndra headquarters Thursday. The solar panel manufacturer received a half-billion-dollar loan from the federal government before declaring bankruptcy last year. While the Republican National Committee has launch new ad campaigns attacking the Obama administration's handling of Solyndra, Democrats want the attention to be on Romney's record as Massachussetts governor.
The president's senior strategist David Axelord tried to make that point in Boston, Mass., but Romney supporters wouldn't stop screaming Solyndra.
"You can shout down speakers, my friends, but it is hard to etch-a-sketch the truth away," said Axelord.
Back at Solyndra, Romney was asked if he condones heckling.
"If the president is going to have his people coming to my rallies and heckling, we'll show them that we conservatives have the same kind of capacity he does," Romney said.
Earlier in the day, Romney also stopped by Nancy Reagan's house to pick up her endorsement. She says her husband like Romney's business background.
A group of protesters who support President Obama are expected to be at the Romney fundraiser in Newport Beach dressed as fake billionaires to protest his influence with the so-called 1 percent.
election, mitt romney, president barack obama, politics, elex michaelson
Source: abclocal.go.com
California passes tougher energy code for new construction - Sacramento Bee
The California Energy Commission on Thursday approved what it called nation-leading efficiency standards for new homes and commercial buildings.
Approved by a 4-0 vote, the upgraded standards include improved windows, insulation, lighting, air-conditioning systems and other features to reduce energy consumption in California homes and businesses by a projected 25 percent or more, compared with previous standards approved in 2008.
The amended standards are due to take effect on Jan. 1, 2014, applying to new construction of houses and buildings. The standards also will apply to major building additions and retrofits.
"These standards are the strongest in the nation … giving us the most efficient buildings in the nation," said Commissioner Karen Douglas. "The package that the commission approved is the greatest savings increment that the commission has ever achieved in a standards update in over 30 years."
The CEC said energy efficiency standards it has approved have saved Californians more than $66 billion in electricity and natural gas costs since 1978.
The new standards come as California's residential and commercial real estate markets are staggering to regain their footing after being steamrolled by the recession.
The commission stressed that while the new standards will make houses and buildings more expensive to build, that will be overridden by numerous benefits.
The commission said the standards will increase the cost of building a new house by $2,290, on average, but will return more than $6,200 in energy savings over 30 years.
Based on a 30-year mortgage, the CEC said, the new standards will add about $11 per month to the payment for the average home, but save consumers $27 on monthly heating, cooling and lighting bills.
"Improving the energy efficiency of buildings in which we will live and work will save Californians energy for decades," Douglas said. "These standards will help save consumers money on their utility bills, keep them comfortable in their homes, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through better, more-efficient buildings."
The CEC also projected that, within the first year of implementation, the standards will add up to 3,500 new building industry jobs.
Unlike other hot-button energy issues, the standards voted on Thursday had a relatively smooth ride to approval.
CEC commissioners attributed that to many months of meetings with builders, installers, contractors, energy experts, environmental groups, utilities and others. Over time, various parties came to a consensus on what the standards should be, and that was reflected in some of the post-approval comments.
"With the residential construction industry still struggling to emerge from the worst economic downturn in 60 years, the California Building Industry Association supports the … standards to balance the state's objectives of achieving greater levels of energy efficiency with the need for housing affordability," said Layne Marceau, Northern California division president for Shea Homes and chairman of the CBIA Governmental Affairs Committee.
Noah Horowitz, senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said the new standards are "wildly cost-effective and will ensure every new building constructed in the state is an energy-efficient one."
Steve Malnight, vice president of Customer Energy Solutions for Pacific Gas and Electric Co., said, "PG&E is a strong supporter of codes and standards as a vital tool in helping California achieve its clean energy goals."
The standards did not sail through unopposed, however.
Critics included the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association and the American Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute. Both expressed concern that the standards would raise construction costs.
Even with approval, builders and contractors have extensive work to do to gear up for the Jan. 1, 2014, deadline.
Ken Nittler, a licensed mechanical engineer and an expert on building energy codes, recently told a regional gathering of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association that the CEC standards are "very serious and ambitious goals and will require substantial improvements in efficiency."
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Source: www.sacbee.com
California Ban on Foie Gras: No More Fatty Duck Livers Allowed (Floridians, However, Feel Free to Eat Up) - Broward New Times (blog)
Animal rights activists object to the method with which the ducks and geese are reared in order to make foie gras. According to the Humane Society's website, "Foie gras producers shove pipes down ducks' throats to force feed them far more than they would ever eat. The force feeding can cause bruising, lacerations, and sores." In the last few weeks of their lives, the ducks' livers expand from three ounces to over a pound.
Cruel? Absolutely. But many foodies say it's freaking delicious -- richer and butterier than your regular duck liver.
But don't expect the added attention to the cruelty of foie gras to prompt South Florida chefs to voluntarily ban it from their menus. Truth is, chefs who feature it say it's often a top seller, so if the South Florida customers are buying it, they're going to continue to serve it.
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Source: blogs.browardpalmbeach.com
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