Theproblem with a state of emergency is that it sounds so urgent.

So whenGov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declareda state of emergency last Tuesday due to swine flu, it immediately bestowed theoutbreak a greater sense of urgency than it had at that point. Or has at thispoint, for that matter - there still are only 14 confirmed cases in the state.

Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, an early candidate forgovernor in 2010, recently announced that he will drop efforts to become theGolden State's next chief executive and instead run to replace U.S.Rep. Ellen Tauscher in the 10th Congressional District.

Garamendi, ala Gavin Newsom, made the announcement via Twitter, Facebook and
YouTube and during in-person stops in Concord and Fairfield.

Californians are taking an increasingly dim view of the governor andmembers of state legislature, according to a new Field Poll released onFriday.

The poll shows that nearly three out of four surveyrespondents -- some 74 percent -- say they do not approve of the jobthat members of the California Legislature are doing -- likely areflection of their deep dissatisfaction surrounding the state'smangled and heavily politicized budget process.

Approximately 1,500 fewer high school seniors will become freshman at University of California campuses than last year this fall.

Fewer students were admitted for Fall 2009 to the UC campuses, mainly owing to a budget crunch and fewer allotted spaces. While more than 60,000 students became first-time UC freshmen last year, fewer than 60,000 have earned that distinction for next fall.

Months ago, when budget issues throughout California came to a head, UC officials announced that fewer first-time college students would be admitted to a UC campus for the next year.

The California Car Buyers' Protection Act of 2009, appears to protect car buyers; however, it may, by extension, end up hurting car buyers. By presenting greater leeway to punish auto sellers, if fewer auto dealers are willing to sell cars in California and become more risk-averse, buyers may be adversely affected, as well.

As the circusof delusion surrounding California's special elections continues, theunrealistic optimism of those pushing the elections is only becomingmore and more obvious, and more and more self-evidentlycounter-productive.

Now not only are politicians asking California'speople to approve spending caps, tax increases and borrowing againstthe lottery, they're also asking them to publicly admit they were wronglast November.

Stungby a unanimous stream of criticism from the state's top three press andconstitutional rights organizations, lawyers for the state AttorneyGeneral's office said they have placed a bill aimed at addressingabusers of the state's Public Records Act on a legislative "slow track"while they give the issue further study.

If SB 810 is passed, universal healthcare may soon be a reality for California citizens. SB 810 covers the issue of "single-payer health care coverage" and is titled the "California Universal Healthcare Act." This bill provides a road map for government-sponsored universal healthcare throughout California.

Let'shear it for Pittsburgh, which Tuesday made dirtyair not just California'sproblem.

The Pennsylvania city topped the American LungAssociation's annual list for the worst short-term air pollution fromparticles and was barely second to Los Angeles for year-round levels.

It's thefirst time in 10 years that a city outside California has headed any list in the yearlyState of the Air report, the lung association says.

A minorlegislative scandal has rocked California, and from the looks of it,all that pro-Proposition 1F sentiment wasn't just sentimental. Despitethe pleasant 60 degree weather, the winter of California's discontentcame rushing to Sacramento after Speaker Karen Bass and Minority LeaderMike Villines proposed pay increases for their staffers numbering close to half-a-million dollars.