January 10, 2007 5:30

California Dreaming of Being Climate Change Leader

Audacious is how the LAT terms Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's call for California to "show the United States, China and the rest of the world how to free themselves from dependence on OPEC and fossil fuels". Arnie's State of the State speech Tuesday night proposed new rules that would guarantee a 10% reduction in greenhouse gases from California motor vehicles by 2020 and grabbed the attention of local and national press. "California will create the world's first global warming pollution standard for transportation fuels," writes the San Francisco Chronicle. ""California has the muscle to bring about such change. I say use it," the WPost quotes Arnie as pledging. California's ability to guide the national policy agenda is well documented but, cautions the LAT, where will the money come from to fund this and the governor's other ambitious initiatives? Next out of California....a phone that connects to iTunes. Okay, perhaps it's not as ambitious as combatting global warming but yesterday's other big news - Apple's announcement of its long-awaited cellphone - garnered more digital ink than even Schwarzenegger could muster. The iPhone isn't exactly revolutionary but it does look cool and Apple is banking on it replicating the iPod success. Why isn't this just a tech story? Because Apple offers the sexiest consumer gadgets on the market and, as every news editor will tell you, sex sells. Read here and here and here and, oh, here for proof. While California continues to dream and live the dream, New Orleans is hellbent just on surviving. Yesterday, local police established checkpoints, and are considering a curfew, to quell a murder spree that has seen 9 people killed so far this year. Says District Attorney, Eddie Jordan, "We're drawing a line in the sand, and we're saying, We've had it."