Despite the swine H1N1 flu scare in Mexico gradually easing, they are still canceling events. So, how about a festive open thread! Oh, wait this is California in budget crisis, so let’s just get to the links, depressing as they may be:

• Everybody in local government, grab your wallets. Arnold wants to raid local governments to the tune of $2 Billion.  Thank Prop 13 for this lovely mess, as it brought about the situation where local governments were dependent upon the state’s ability to tax.

• Repealing Prop 8 in 2010? That’s the opinion of Gavin Newsom and Rick Jacobs of the Courage Campaign.  Of course, the Supreme Court could save a lot of hassle here.

• CSU fees are going up 10%. And the shift to a government by, for, and of the rich continues…

• The No on Prop 1D campaign has some web ads on YouTube

• It is generally not a good idea for one’s sanity to read many of the comments on newspaper’s websites.  This article featuring Dan Walters answering questions about the special election has some of the most offensive I’ve seen.  Beyond the fact that apparently there are a big crew of conspiracy theorists think that there is going to be election fraud to pass the props (um…what?), the one that got me was a comment by “GNBGMO” suggesting that we scrap the school system and instead create a two-tier system. One system would simply  “wharehouse and babysit incorregibles where minimum money is spent to house the unwilling; and a superior system with small class sizes and highly motivated educators providing the very finest output for the benefit of industry and society.” This advocates for some sort of either socioeconomic division of the school system. Sure, it is never going to happen, but just the concept that somebody would think of this is offensive.

• In more promising news, the state has applied for $1 billion dollars in stimulus money for broadband development with the goal of wiring every household in California.  Closing the digital divide will increase access to information, knowledge and civic participation for a traditionally disenfranchised group of citizens, and may even lead to better newspaper comment sections!

• Carla Marinucci has the sad tale of Michael Savage’s ban from the United Kingdom.  Yup, the San Francisco dean of hate is officially not allowed in Britain. His company on the banning list includes Muslim and Jewish extremists, Fred Phelps, the homophobic preacher from Topeka, and some Russian gang leaders.

• The city of San Diego today approved the first round of mandatory water use restrictions, limiting car washes and lawn watering. It’s overdue, and likely to be just the beginning.

• Finally, it’s ugly to link to Michelle Malkin but, if you want to feel the warm flow of schadenfreude wash over you, her assessment of the California GOP is fun.