Showing posts with label California. Show all posts
Showing posts with label California. Show all posts

Friday, May 22, 2020

Notations On Our World (Special Friday Edition): Out & About on the eve of #MemorialWeekEnd2020

On the Road in Irvine, California 

  



California is gradually reopening--Our team was on the road this week assessing the openings as we stopped at a McDonald's'--The McDonald's team member noted how hours were increasing which she felt pretty good about--and we agree.

Freeway billboards remind us all here in Southern California on the fight ahead.    On this eve of this #MemorialDay2020 here in the United States, we hereby present a snapshot of the challenging week there was as the dispute between the United States and China escalated, China held its' delayed Annual "Two Sessions" at the National Peoples' Congress, developments continued to occur on the development of a Vaccine--yet the number of afflicated in the United States continued  to increase.   This is as other challenges loom in the horizon. 

We leave you with a snapshot of the challenges courtesy the Washington Times on the 2020 Elections, on China, on developments on the vaccine front courtesy Abundance Insider along with the on-going daily developments (as of Thursday ) Courtesy the Washington Post.  We also note this on consumer spending trends courtesy the team at the Visual Capitalist along with a vision of the future courtesy the Economist. 

We close by wishing all our Muslim Brothers and Sisters around the World an #EidMubarak as we salute all the fallen as America remembers on this Memorial Day Week-End:




New polling suggests President Trump can use China this year to generate the kind of populist energy that helped propel him to victory in 2020.
China has become a key battleground issue for the 2020 election as supporters of Trump hope a hardening in public opinion offers a populist route to victory that mirrors their 2016 playbook.


Friday, February 28, 2020

Notations From the Grid (Special Friday Edition): As the #CaliforniaPrimary & #SuperTuesday Looms

For all our fellow California Residents, please enjoy!!!

Dear Friends and Colleagues,
As Super Tuesday approaches, PBI is proud to announce our partnership with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP on our Civic Quiz. With a shared passion for and commitment to civic engagement, PBI and Manatt invite you to test your knowledge of the hottest issues of the day by receiving the PBI-Manatt Civic Quiz every few weeks during this important election year.

Enjoy!
Cheers,

Dive In
 

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Notations From the Grid (Thursday Edition): #RandomThoughts On Our World









We begin with the Democratic Primary.    Bernie Sanders won New Hampshire and the race has turned into a three-person contest going into Super Tuesday with Pete Buttegig and Amy Klobuchar very much in the running.    The team at Counterpoint released a depiction of Mike Bloomberg when he declared--and he is betting on Super Tuesday as he continues to spend heavily on political advertising   

Beyond the US National Political Scene, the business of governing continues.  The California Budget has been submitted to the California State Legislature by the Governor.   A snapshot of the budget presented by our local State Senator, Senator Pat Bates, is hereby noted with her observations--our team will continue to note this as the State Budget of 222 Billion Dollars works its way through the California Legislature: 

2020-21 State Budget pie chart of “Total State Funds” by spending category

Governor Newsom released his 2020-21 budget proposal on January 10thClick here to read my thoughts and click here to read highlights and analysis on the budget proposal.

This was also a week that President Trump presented his 2021 Budget to Congress.  An analysis presented by the National Alliance for the Homeless is hereby noted below:


President's Budget Proposal Released: What Funding Cuts Will Mean for Homelessness Systems


The President’s budget proposal for FY 2021 was released yesterday. While homelessness programs were spared the kinds of extreme budget cuts that other programs saw, there will be important work ahead to secure appropriate investments for homeless assistance. 

Some notable points from the budget proposal:

  • Homeless assistance funds for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development are proposed to be cut by $4 million
  • Proposed 2.2% decrease in funding for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (which funds Housing Choice Vouchers)
  • Changes and cuts to Medicaid that would make it more difficult for low-income people to get health care, including mental health treatment and addiction treatment

Read the Alliance's analysis of the proposed FY2021 budget >>>



We also wanted to provide updated guidance as we went to press as of Feburary 11 on the Corona Virus--as we also went to press, China had begun a purge of local officials as well as the battle or what the President Xi called "The People's War" has continued:






We conclude with Iran.   During the Tuesday Edition of Notations, we provided guidance on the latest out of Iran.    Iranian Government Officials were dealing with the aftermath of an Earthquake and a major Snowstorm in the North of the Country as it also tried to organize Parliamentary Elections.   This is as it touted the large turnout during the Anniversary of the Revolution as proof that the People had faith--The reality was otherwise as exemplified by this captured by a skydiver above Azadi Square in Tehran as Hassan Rouhani, The President, Spoke:













Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Notations From the Grid (Mid-Week Edition): Out & About in Our World




Our team has been on the prowl assessing the fire in our home State of California over the past number of days as we captured these scenes from Grid.  

As we went to press, we were on the prowl as reports came down that the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley was threatened and staff was evacuated.      The Getty Museum in West Los Angeles was also on the fire Path as well.   We could not agree more with Lakers Star LeBron James when he noted how "crazy" he was--his family had to evacuate and he sponsored a Taco Truck for First Respondents.

Beyond the challenging scenes here in California, there is the on-going calamity in Syria as Syrian State Media is reporting clashes with Turkish Forces.    A Russian-Backed meeting  has been going on in Geneva to come up with a new post-war Constitution for Syria.    This is as Iraq Protests are continuing and the Shitte Bloc has withdrawn its backing from the Iraqi Prime Minister after he refused to call for elections.

Challenging Times....



Sunday, October 27, 2019

Notations From the Grid (Special Sunday Edition): On the #CaliforniaFires


As we went to press with this special Sunday edition of Notations, our team was monitoring the fires raging throughout California with CAL Maritime being threatened.       We commend Around the Capital for putting together this update as an estimated 2 Million People may be affected by the power outages to prevent fires--although we understand already faulty equipment may have been a contributing cause per an update from PG&E--we join Scott in noting for all to please stay safe:


Many of you likely had sleepless nights, either kept up by the weather like we were here in Sacramento, worrying about friends and family, or your own life and property.
Obviously, it's still dark and we won't have fire update reports for a couple of hours, but it hasn't been a good night in Sonoma County. The mandatory evacuation area now extends on the 101 form Geyserville to North Santa Rosa east into the hills and west to the Pacific Ocean from Stewarts Point to Bodega Bay. Highway 101 is closed from North Santa Rosa to Cloverdale, primarily to keep people from entering evacuation areas.
Winds continue to pick up in many of the affected areas, with the National Weather Service reporting a wind gust of 93 mph in the Healdsburg Hills in the last hour. For a point of reference, the hurricane range for category 1 is sustained winds in the range of 74-95 mph.
Instead of emailing you with constantly changing information, I have created a page with important links that I will update throughout the day. I am receiving regular updates from PG&E that I will post on this page, as well as there are links to Southern California Edison (SCE) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E).
Here are current numbers for the public safety power shutoffs:
  • Pacific Gas and Electric: 940,000 shut off
  • Southern California Edison: 4,048 shut off; 124,609 under consideration
  • San Diego Gas and Electric: no shut offs at this time
Stay safe,
Scott