California Roundup: Carly On Fire, Weed On Demand, Greedy Old Ginks, and More

* "Republican Convention A Big Success!" reports Jon Fleischman. Flash includes at least one extended metaphor ("There is resolve in working to ensure that the GOP tide that is clearly sweeping the nation crash straight into California and sweep a lot of Democrats into the ocean") and a video clip of "Carly on fire" (something I and most other HP users have long wanted to see).

* "[Latinos] don't vote against Republicans based on issues, they vote against the Republicans because they think the Republicans don't like them." State GOP convention leaders kibosh pro-Arizona resolution. Meg Whitman opens an East L.A. office. Fiorina meets with "Amigos de Carly." It's all part of Republicans' new push to rediscover their shared "social conservatism" with Latinos. "The notion of throwing a piñata party or a sticker that says Viva the candidate's last name or a taco fiesta and expecting the Hispanic vote to vote for the party does not work," Republican Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado tells the L.A. Times. All-pink Quinceanera parties, on the other hand, are still welcome.

* Who wants to get high? The Oakland Tribune sorts out who's for and who's against Proposition 19. One surprise (to me): Against -- fabled medical pot activist Dennis Peron, who thinks the bill's limits on personal supplies, prison terms for underage smoking, and taxation guidelines are unfair to weed.

* "The amount of these pensions is patently ridiculous." The San Diego Union-Tribune gives a cheer to its 20 highest-paid retired city workers. Maybe you're one of those haters who didn't realize a librarian could make $143,577 a year even when she's working, let alone when she's retired. If so, say a prayer for the sitting judge who won't discuss his $144,099 pension with the media because, um, "the pensions have been before the court." Here's the roster [pdf].

* "Isn't that comparison an insult to the patriots who took real risks to found this country?" As noted here last week, a stop-running-businesses-out-of-California ad campaign by Joel Fox and the Small Business Action Committee has generated some controversy over the anonymity of its backers. Joe Mathews cries foul on the nameless. The Fantastic Mr. Fox responds.