Just 1 of 26 University of California Regents has spoken out against the Ethnic Studies Faculty Council's 10.16 statement, which equated labeling the Hamas attack “terrorism” with a malevolent “colonial narrative” bent on ethnic cleansing. Campus Reform reports that Jay Sures—UC Regent since 2019—criticized the council's letter as “appalling and repugnant,” given what he claims are “absolutely verifiable and undeniable” facts.

The Independent Institute looks into San Francisco's widespread problem of developers bribing low-level bureaucrats to speed up the permitting process. On the other hand, cities like Houston that minimize red tape and quickly issue permits don't face such rampant corruption. The Institute connects SF's excessive building codes/permitting procedures to its escalated bribery scandals (and housing shortages).

This week, Stanford junior and Free Press intern Julia Steinberg testified before Congress about rising antisemitism on college campuses. Her verdict? The hate didn't magically materialize on October 7th. Steinberg traces rampant anti-Israeli discrimination to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ideologies that “pit groups of students against each other.” The speech—hard-hitting and informative—excerpted below.

The San Jose Blog team asked leading generative AI tools to wax poetic on the “vibrant, beating heart” of Silicon Valley—and visualize, through surreal images of glowing aerial pods and skyscrapers, the tech epicenter's look come 2050. The Blog reminds that AI programs create from aggregated internet data, so their positive outputs highlight the culture, innovation, and hope San Jose has to offer. As the Bard (that is, Google's Bard) says: “Here, anything is possible, / The future is unwritten.”

University leadership that celebrates free speech selectively—i.e., for students chanting for Hamas to “smash” Israel, but not for scientists disproving school lockdowns or judges speaking at club meetings—is either part of the Woke mob or afraid of it, says the Wall Street Journal's Ruth Marcus. Marcus recalls Stanford's ousting of president Tessier-Lavigne, based on journalism now considered questionable, and wonders if his unpopular views on free speech had anything to do with it.

In a Reform California webinar, chairman Carl DeMaio breaks down the five key tenets of proposed Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act (starting with requiring voter approval of all State tax increases). San Jose CM Doan is the City's lone supporter for the Act, while others fear—contra the Wall Street Journal board's analysis—that it would roll the dice with essential government services.

While SJ is the least dangerous big Bay Area city, it isn't the safest big city in California (that's Sandy Eggo) and in fact ranks 46th out of 100 cities in California (over 50,000 pop.) when it comes to violent crimes. From a report by law firm Spolin and Dokes P.C.

In a Reason Foundation study, economist Pierre Lemieux envisions a “formal voluntary cooperation” model for healthcare. Considering individuals' willingness to cooperate with others to forward their interests, and entrepreneurs' ubiquitous profit motive, the health field could be propelled by innovative new institutions if gov't stepped back—and let local consumers shape the market. Meanwhile, Newsom and local Assemblyman Ash Kalra push for pricey “universal” coverage.