The Weekly Roundup

Thursday, Nov. 17
From our Born to Run Files, Secretary of State Bruce McPherson, who was
appointed to serve after Kevin Shelley resigned in 2005, announced that he
will run for a full four-year term. He will likely face the winner of the
Debra vs. Deborah Democratic primary showdown.

“I’m determined to finish the job I came here to do — to bring California
into a new era of voting system technology and make certain that every vote
is protected,” McPherson said at a news conference.

Friday, Nov. 18
The Dept. of Corrections is joining the PR fight over the impending
execution of Crips founder Stanley “Tookie” Williams, who is scheduled to be
executed next month.

Williams has been painted by suppporters as the cover boy for the reformed
inmate. But the prison guards don’t see it that way. “The corrections
department earlier this month posted a news release on its Web site about
the upcoming execution, detailing Williams’ crimes and asserting that he has
continued to be a gang leader while on death row at San Quentin Prison.”
San Quentin spokesman Vernell Crittendon, speaking on behalf of the
department, went further in an interview last week, saying he suspects
Williams is orchestrating gangland crimes from his cell.’I just don’t know
that his heart is changed,’ Crittendon said.”

Saturday, Nov. 19
Gov. Schwarzenegger returned from China today, thereby ending Lt. Gov. Cruz
Bustamante‘s run as acting governor. But John Ellis reports that the gov and
lite gov don’t really get along. “Let’s just say that — how do I put this?”
Schwarzenegger said when asked about his relationship with Bustamante. “I
would just say that I think that the system is not set up the right way.”
Ellis says Schwarzenegger’s wife, Maria Shriver, called Bustamante’s wife,
Arcelia, and talked about getting together, but notes, “it’s never
happened.”

Sunday, Nov. 20
The Associated Press reports former “Hollywood Madam” Heidi Fleiss, is
“returning to the world’s oldest profession,” opening an all-male brothel in
Nevada that would cater to women.

Fleiss said on Thursday she has struck a deal with a licensed brothel owner
in Nevada, where prostitution is legal, to turn one of his three
establishments, the Cherry Patch, into a glitzy new bordello that she will
rename Heidi Fleiss’ Stud Farm.

Good to see she’ll finally be making an honest living.

Monday, Nov. 21
From our What’s So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding Files The LA
Times reports anti-tax crusader Lewis Uhler plans another shot at limiting
union political activity with a measure that would be more restrictive than
Prop. 75. Uhler says the new initiative will be modeled after a Utah law
that would forbid public employee unions from using any political dues on
politics.

“What is he smoking?’ asks Democratic consultant Gale Kaufman, who
coordinated the unions’ victory over Schwarzenegger’s ballot measures.
‘They’re out of their minds. What’s that about?”

Tuesday, Nov. 22
Two Minnesota turkeys are on their way to Washington D.C. to be pardoned by
President Bush. The two toms will then head to Disneyland, where they will
serve as grand marshals in the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in Anaheim.
The two turkeys, tentatively named “Snowball” and “Blizzard,” were chosen
for their ability to strut. Official turkey selectors said they were
“looking for a bird that will stand up well on its feet, that presents
itself well and one that’s regal looking and worthy of the honor to be the
National Thanksgiving Turkey.”

Disneyland will be the turkeys’ permanent new home. To get them ready for
the Disney parade crowds, the birds’ handlers have been tossing handfuls of
confetti at them and repeatedly playing the Disney theme song at full
volume.

Isn’t that what the troops did to Manuel Noriega to try to get him out of
his compound?