This new Scientific American opinion piece is a brief and tightly reasoned approach to GMO and the thousands of years of history behind resilient food. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=can-we-trust-monsanto-with-our-food&print=true
Insightful political profile of Gov. Brown. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/17/us/brown-cheered-in-second-act-at-least-so-far.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1
The influential NYT national correspondent writes on golden rice, under development for more than a decade by a nonprofit, that will vastly improve third world nutrition. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/sunday-review/golden-rice-lifesaver.html?_r=0 Â
AP piece on the Calleguas groundwater project; illustrates the need for a mix of surface and groundwater storage, as well as the foibles of underground storage. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/millions-spent-water-storage-plan-leaks
Grocery stores are now a marketing research battleground, in the second story, where "two social scientists are outmaneuvering the processed-food giants on their own turf, using their own tricks…." http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/28/dining/wooing-us-down-the-produce-aisle.html?_r=0
In "Does Big Farming Mean Bad Farming," the first story, the variables of sustainability (a CAWG program) are contrasted with "industrial farming," the latest perjorative of foodies. Â Pesticides are part of the picture. http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/smarter-food-does-big-farming-mean-bad-farming/2013/08/26/fb1cbb94-0b7f-11e3-9941-6711ed662e71_story.html
Natural Resources Defense Council releases a report advocating a "fair" statewide water runoff program and ratepayer tax.  There is a regulatory impetus — one of the Water Board's major strategic priorities is a regulatory package for trash remediation.  Defining "fair" and "reasonable," as always, may be a key concern. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-california-litter-20130903,0,2178778.story?track=rss
The second is the long-troubled toll road authority in Orange County: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-09-11/california-road-near-biggest-default-since-detroit-muni-credit#p1
The first is the probable disincorporation of the City of Jurupa Valley in Riverside County: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-13/california-city-disincorporates-as-cash-goes-to-prisons.html
Bernstein, the veteran capital journalist, posits the end-of-session results mean a more moderate Legislature in 2014 as Dems face voter scrutiny: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/13/us-usa-california-politics-idUSBRE98C0ZI20130913?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews