If you thought the bullet train project couldn't be equaled in scope (or if you believed that nothing else would ever have as unlikely a chance of happening), we'd like to introduce you to the Hyperloop One.
Coleen Sullivan with ABC reports: "Traveling from Los Angeles to San Francisco in just 30 minutes? A group of Southern California engineers are working to make that idea a reality with the use of a hyperloop."
"Hyperloop One says the future of transportation with be at incredible speeds inside a vacuum tube in which travelers can reach speeds of hundreds of miles per hour."
"The company, headquartered in Los Angeles, gave a glimpse of its propulsion system for the first time on Wednesday in North Las Vegas."
Meanwhile, PG&E is doing everything it can to slow down the progress of the legal case building up against them after a fatal gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno that killed 8 people.
George Avalos reports in Mercury News: "PG&E's criminal trial linked to a fatal gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno will be delayed until mid-June following a fierce battle by the utility to postpone the case."
"It's very disappointing that we are not seeing the trial that we believe will expose even more of the criminal behavior of PG&E," said state Sen. Jerry Hill, whose San Mateo County district includes San Bruno. "Will we ever see justice?"
"PG&E argued in U.S. District Court in San Francisco that to prepare an adequate defense against the criminal charges, it must fully review 110,000 pages of documents it has received from prosecutors in the case."
Tax returns are being doled out, and people want to know what clues Trump's financial records might give as to what kind of economic policies he may have in store.
AP's Nancy Benac reports: "Donald Trump told The Associated Press this week "there's nothing to learn" from all those income tax returns he won't release until an ongoing audit wraps up."
"Really?"
"Tax experts say the feet-high stack of returns that he's posed with for photos could provide significant insights about the presumptive GOP nominee -- new details on his income and wealth, how much he gives to charity, the health of his businesses and, overall, how Trump plays the tax game."
Clinton and Mitt Romney both took aim at Trump, accusing him of hiding damaging information within his tax return.
AP's Ken Thomas writes: "Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton took aim at Donald Trump on taxes Wednesday and quickly found an unlikely ally: 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney."
"Clinton noted at a New Jersey campaign rally that Trump had yet to release his tax returns and said he would slash taxes for the nation's wealthiest people if elected president. Hours later, Romney issued a withering post on Facebook, accusing Trump of hiding a damaging revelation in his tax returns."
"There is only one logical explanation for Mr. Trump's refusal to release his returns: there is a bombshell in them," Romney wrote. "Given Mr. Trump's equanimity with other flaws in his history, we can only assume it's a bombshell of unusual size."
Speaking of presidential politics, what lies in store for Bernie Sanders after June 7? An all out blitzkrieg on the Trump campaign.
Gabriel Debenedetti with Politico writes: "A group of Bernie Sanders staffers and volunteers is circulating a draft proposal calling on the senator to get out of the presidential race after the final burst of Democratic primaries on June 7, and concentrate on building a national progressive organization to stop Donald Trump."
"Operating under the assumption that Sanders will win the California primary but still fall far short of amassing enough delegates to claim the Democratic nomination, the document calls for the Vermont senator to exit the race and launch an independent political group far larger than any other recent post-campaign political operations, such as those started by Howard Dean or Barack Obama."
"The working title for the roughly 1,600-word document: “After Winning on June 7th Bernie Sanders Should Suspend his Campaign and Launch an Independent Organization to Defeat Donald Trump."
The polling wars have started, and now candidates are looking for ways to snipe every possible point from their opponents.
Politico's Steven Shepard reports: "The 2016 presidential polling wars have begun."
"With the release Tuesday of new polls in three key battleground states showing Donald Trump running neck-and-neck with Hillary Clinton, the sniping began in earnest, with partisans on all sides taking aim at Quinnipiac University — a four-year college in Connecticut best-known for its polling institute and top-ranked ice hockey program. Pro-Trump Republicans celebrated the results, and Trump himself tweeted a chart displaying the numbers. The conservative New York Post referenced the polls in a front page that questioned whether Clinton’s “coronation” as Democratic nominee — and, subsequently, president — was in jeopardy."
"Democrats, many of whom have taken for granted that Clinton was beginning the general election phase of the campaign with a commanding lead over Trump, immediately began attacking the methodology of the surveys. Some argued the racial composition of the samples underestimated Clinton’s advantage. Others said too many less-educated voters were being surveyed."
Candidate hopefuls vying for position of L.A. County Supervisor will be having a public forum in Pasadena on Thursday night.
Daily Bulletin's Brenda Gazzar reports: "Eight candidates vying for the seat of outgoing Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich will participate in a public forum at 7 p.m. Thursday at Pasadena City College."
"The forum, sponsored by the League of Women Voters-Pasadena Area, the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and the college, will ask candidates about the most critical issues facing the Fifth District and take questions from the audience. Antonovich, whose district covers a little more than 2 million people, is vacating his seat after 36 years in office."
"The forum will take place at the college’s Creveling Lounge at 1570 E. Colorado Blvd."
UC's Board of Regents discussed funding and aid programs for undocumented students Wednesday night in Sacramento.
Harini Shyamsundar reports in Daily Californian: "The UC Board of Regents convened Wednesday in Sacramento to discuss updates to the 2016-17 state budget caused by growth in enrollment and extended retirement benefits for UC employees."
"Before discussion began on the budget, UC President Janet Napolitano announced a three-year commitment of $8.4 million per year for system-wide undocumented student support. Of this annual fund, $5 million will go toward the university’s DREAM Loan Program, $2.5 million will go toward student services and $900,000 will go toward legal services."
"Incoming ASUC senator and campus undocumented student Benyamin Mohd Yusof expressed appreciation towards this initiative and said it would greatly aid the development of undocumented student resources throughout the UC system."
And now from our "Double or Nothing" file ...
Some people have horrible luck, and some people just seem to have the best. A New Yorker who won his second million dollar scratch-off would argue that the cards seem to be stacked in his favor.
"A New York man won a million dollar scratch-off lottery game for the second time in five years."
"Bruce Magistro, a 48-year-old construction worker, bought his second winning ticket at Mike's Super Citgo in the town of West Babylon on Long Island on April 11 after winning $1 million from an "Extreme Cash" game in 2011."
"The first one I told before my fiancée was my son," he told the New York Daily News. "He was in the shower, and I said, 'I told you Pop was going to win twice.'"
