Posts Tagged: information

Analysis

PolitiFact: ‘Pants On Fire’ for report of Sanders’ CA win

A rally for Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders in Irvine, May 22. (Photo: mikeledray, via Shutterstock)

Polls showed Californians ‘Feeling the Bern,’ shortly before the state’s June 7 primary. Bernie Sanders had pulled even or surged slightly ahead of Hillary Clinton in the Democratic presidential race after barnstorming from Chico to Chula Vista. But early results on Election Day showed Clinton crushing Sanders by more than 20 percentage points, a margin that later narrowed to 12.6 points.

News

Voter registration spike linked to Facebook

Voters and potential voters at a political rally. (Photo: Joseph Sohm, via Shutterstock)

A hefty chunk of the new voter registrations for California’s June 7 presidential primary election occurred during a 48-hour period this week, stemming from a Facebook effort urging people to sign up, according to the state’s elections officer.

News

Hackers target two SoCal hospitals

Desert Valley Hospital, Victorville, Calif. Photo: nursesinternet.com

Hackers have attacked two more Southern California hospitals and federal authorities are investigating the case, according to the hospitals’ parent company. Prime Healthcare Services Inc., a fast-growing national hospital chain, said a malware attack disrupted computer servers at two of its California hospitals, Chino Valley Medical Center in Chino and Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville.

Podcast

Capitol Weekly podcast

Jim Heerwagen, left, and Shane McCloud, of Voters Right to Know. (Photo: Tim Foster, Capitol Weekly)

Voters Right to Know, a reform group seeking political transparency, has dropped a bid to qualify a constitutional amendment guaranteeing public access to campaign finance information. Instead, the group is backing a new bill, SB 1349 by Sen. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, that would improve Californians’ access to campaign data. Jim Heerwagen, a leader of the group, and campaign manager Shane McLoud stopped by Capitol Weekly’s office to talk about the new strategy.

Opinion

Prevention: The best way to fight meningitis

Illustration by Tasha Tuvango, via Shutterstock

Recent cases of meningitis B on the campus of Santa Clara University have reinforced the threat of vaccine preventable illnesses and the importance of education and vaccination in the fight against meningitis B. Meningitis is a dangerous bacterial infection that can cause neurological injury, loss of limbs and even death.

Opinion

California lags in embracing IT

Voluminous data displayed on a computer monitor. (Photo: Dimitri Nikolaev)

Information technology has been a key driver of productivity growth in the private sector, as evidenced by the fact that companies that have invested the most in computers, software, and communications grew their employees’ output per hour three times faster than other companies. Unfortunately, it appears that most state governments, including California, lag behind and are more like those companies that have invested less in IT.

Opinion

Labeling on children’s products would hurt business

Chilldren at play with assorted toys. (Photo: Iakov Filimonov, Shutterstock)

Californians are inundated with consumer labels. Some of these labels communicate valuable information, others do not. The sheer number of required labels almost guarantees that most of us will be overwhelmed by the fine print and the labels never read. This week, California policymakers are considering a bill (SB 763) that would add yet another label – this time to children’s products.

Opinion

Making the case for ‘open data’

Voluminous data displayed on a computer monitor. (Photo: Dimitri Nikolaev)

“Open Data” is a hot topic in the Capitol, and as legislative deadlines approach, it’s worth updating on where the issue stands, and what to keep in mind as the state considers a path forward. Standardized and freely shared, public data can inform policymakers as well as state residents about the operations and performance of government.

Opinion

With voters, candidates’ experience is crucial

Voters in Ventura County cast ballots during a recent election. (Photo: Spirit of America, Shutterstock)

OPINION: Inside the I-80 Beltway, aka Sacramento, there is no shortage of political writers and pundits, pollsters, candidates and campaign consultants that try to “explain” election results. They draw sweeping conclusions after analyzing turnout, cross-tabs from as many polls as possible, candidates’ mail and messaging, and all the money spent on behalf of, or against candidates by “independent expenditure committees”

News

A deep dive into Senate culture

The California Senate, Sacramento. (Photo: Trekandshoot, via Shutterstock)

When the California state Senate reaches the end of its 2013-14 legislative session later this month, it will mark the end of a highly tumultuous period in the institution’s more than 150-year history. Allegations of bribery, corruption, international arms trafficking, racketeering, perjury, illegal drug use and nepotism among senators and Senate staff have marred the institution’s public image for more than a year.

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