I like Elon Musk. He’s one of the greatest innovators of our time. He revolutionized the automobile industry with Tesla, outpaced NASA with SpaceX, created a global wireless network with Starlink, and is on the cusp of a brain-computer interface with Neuralink. Think Thomas Edison. Musk – supposedly the world’s richest man – is a […]
DEI is under stress from within and without. President Trump issued on January 20, 2025, an executive order terminating “all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI in the Federal Government.” DEI’s roots are found in President Lyndon Johnson’s 1965 executive order 11246, which required federal contractors to “take affirmative action to ensure that employees are treated during […]
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At the recent Budget Workshops, County Health presented their 2025-2026 budget that included $119M in spending and 539 full-time employees. Given the scale, I thought I would sit with Director, Dr. Mouhanad Hammami to learn a bit more about what they do. Dr. Hammami’s urbane charm and dapper style – he really is the best […]
I’ve had many rabbis in my life – people who have given me spiritual counsel, friends, family members, and yes, clergy, who have been there with me and for me in life’s big and small moments – people whose wisdom I depend on when mine is hard to find. Rabbi Steve Cohen is the senior […]
Over the course of the past couple of months, I have written a few articles that teased at certain county mysteries and expenses. I thought it would be fun to revisit some of these pieces after receiving the information that I had requested through various Public Record Requests (PRR). I hope you find the updates […]
Kilmar Abrego Garcia was sentenced to jail without due process of law. You cannot look at it any other way. It is one thing to deport an illegal immigrant, it is another thing to put him in jail without a trial. It does not matter that the government outsourced the jail. The issue is one […]
California once proudly led the nation in solar energy adoption, pioneering policies that made rooftop solar accessible and affordable to millions. Yet today Governor Gavin Newsom, his appointed California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), and powerful utilities like PG&E and Southern California Edison (SCE) are engaged in what can only be described as a coordinated vendetta […]
I woke up this morning with the realization that one man ruling largely by fiat is causing global chaos. All everyone seems to talk about these days is Donald Trump and what he’s done or will do. And for good reason. It’s making us nervous. And it’s not just us: the whole world is talking […]
Much local ink was spilled after Santa Barbara Unified’s marathon School Board meeting, on March 11, where 85 teachers were tentatively axed. Much of the reporting touted Celeste Kafri, the Board’s newest Board Member whose focus on financial data was categorized as “a new way of thinking.” My interest was piqued, so I did a […]
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On January 3, and for 46 days thereafter, growing cannabis was illegal in the 25 California counties that had allowed it. But then, thanks to the efforts of Santa Barbara, the cannabis cultivation industry was rescued, permitting its powerful lobbyists, investors and growers to breathe a collective, and perhaps smoke filled, sigh of relief. Allow […]
Santa Barbara has always been a city of ideas. From environmental activism to technological innovation, we’ve led conversations that shape the future. However, when public discourse is often divided, and big ideas get lost in the noise, we need spaces where thoughtful dialogue and new perspectives can thrive. That’s where TEDxSantaBarbara comes in. Over the […]
I attended Radius Commercial Real Estate’s 15th excellent annual forecast at the Hilton. One of the presenters was economist Christopher Thornberg who gave an optimistic view of the economy, much of which I agreed with. Regarding the world since Trump took office Dr. Thornberg’s rosiness hit a wall. The current state of things? “Chaos,” he […]
In the annals of Cinderella stories, this was a good one. When Roy Lee decided to throw his hat in the ring against (former) First District County Supervisor Das Williams, naysayers abounded. He lacks the experience, the political savvy, and the familiarity with the Montecito community – were just some of the charges leveled his […]
As Trump said, the meeting was great TV. There was a crowd in the room at the meeting in the White House with President Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It was diplomatically nice-nice until the fireworks broke out. I’ve been around a long time and I can’t recall when world leaders revealed what they […]
