Stumbling along the campaign trail, we spot the L.A.Times' George Skelton's personal tale of the travails of marijuana use. With an Austin
Healey 3000 thrown in. Go dude!
"For me, it started one night at a party when we ran
out of grass and I volunteered to replenish the supply.
I stepped into my Austin Healey 3000 roadster and sped down the freeway at around 90 mph, oblivious to the fact that the highway had not
yet opened or even been completed. Miraculously, I
hit the brake just short of a flimsy barrier perched
atop a 40-foot chasm.
"A couple years later, my editor at The Times sent
me to Oregon to write about that state's new marijuana
decriminalization law, which California soon copied.
While up there, besides taking some hits with old friends,
I talked to doctors, professors and judges about weed.
And they convinced me that, among other dangers, the
drug could result in memory loss."
"Maybe that's why, to this day, I still can't remember
then-Gov. Jerry Brown raising taxes, as Meg Whitman insists he did. Never
mind. Different subject."
Meanwhile, the top Democratic contenders are happy
with the weekend polling: Jerry Brown is 13 points up over rival Meg Whitman and Babara Boxer
has an 8-point edge over Carly Fiorina.
And this morning, another round of polling gave heart
to many Democrats, among others. The latest L.A. Times/USC survey shows hefty opposition to blocking California's
law curbing greenhouse gases and support for budget
approvals via a simple-majority vote.
From the L.A.T.'s Evan Halper: "Proposition 23, which would put the new emissions standards on hold,
is trailing 48% to 32% among likely voters, according to the survey."
"But as voters look inclined to stay the course with
the state's global warming policies, they appear ready
to radically change state budget policy. The poll found
that 58% of likely voters support Proposition 25, which would replace the constitutional requirement
that the state budget be approved by two-thirds of the Legislature with a simple majority vote
requirement. Such a change would allow Democrats to pass a budget without any GOP votes under the current makeup of the Legislature."
Speaking of Democrats, Jerry Brown ramped up his populist message as he campaigned in
Los Angeles at traditionally black churches, reports the Sacramento Bee's David Siders.
"Brown, the Democratic nominee, cast himself as a populist,
criticizing Whitman for her infrequent voting record
and characterizing her policy proposals as elitist. I'm not going to tell you, but you've probably heard
that the person I'm running against didn't vote most
of the time," Brown said at Little Zion Missionary
Baptist Church in Compton. He said California is a wealthy state and that "we've got to spread it
out to everybody," not "suck it all up to the top."
"Brown has made Whitman's proposal to eliminate the
capital gains tax a point of emphasis, saying it would benefit the rich
and cost billions of dollars."
Not all is grim for Republicans, however. Carly Fiorina's focus and drive have made her a serious
contender against Barbara Boxer in the U.S. Senate
race.
From Brian Joseph in the Orange County Register: "Such single-minded focus was a hallmark of Fiorina's celebrated
career, which culminated with her being named Fortune
magazine's "most powerful woman in business" for six
consecutive years, from 1998 to 2003."
"In her 2006 memoir, "Tough Choices," Fiorina returns time and
again to the theme of perseverance as she recounts
the obstacles she faced as a woman in the male-dominated culture of business."
Moving off the campaign trail for a moment, we see yet more problems at CalPERS, reports CalPensions' Ed Mendel.
"A new pension reform requires CalPERS to report the
risk of investment earnings shortfalls when raising
employer rates, but there is a problem."
"The CalPERS chief actuary, Alan Milligan, says he
lacks the staff needed to make multiple calculations
for each of the 2,200 plans in the giant system.
The reform is a response to criticism that CalPERS
estimates of future investment earnings are too optimistic."
And finally we turn to our "Hard to Stomach" file, where we find a man who likes to contemplate
his navel. Really.
"But that's not a problem for librarian Graham Barker
who is celebrating being recognised by the Guinness
Book of Records - for collecting 'belly button fluff.'"
"He has saved 22.1 grams of lint - after 'harvesting' it every day for 26 years and has even considered stuffing a cushion with
his bizarre collection. The 45-year-old plucks the 'fluff' while he waits for his shower
to warm up.The colour depends on what towel Graham uses."
"Graham first began his record-breaking collection when he was bored one evening.
'I noticed the lint in my navel and became curious as
to how much of it one person can produce,' he said."
And that's the way it is....
