L.A. is a Judicial Hellhole, Di-Fi Not Running For Gov, Padres for Sale

Los Angeles County is a good place to file goofball lawsuits!  Di-Fi outta the Gov race to be a Senate Spy Diva?  Wanna buy the Padres?

The American Tort Reform Foundation has named Los Angeles county #6 on it’s annual list of “judicial hellholes.” According to the ATRF, Los Angeles County jury verdicts are so high that attorneys call the civil courts “the bank.” There’s also a monstrous racket where plaintiffs’  attorneys shake down mom-and-pop businesses for alleged Americans With Disabilities Act violations because their counter is 1 inch too high or a wheelchair ramp is one degree too steep. The lawyers get a cash settlement and then dismiss the lawsuit. Read all about it.  [ATRF/Judicial Hellhole]

Larver Version of L.A. County – Judicial Hellhole Report

The San Diego Padres are for sale. Since they’re not really a professional baseball team anymore you can probably get ‘em cheap. [SD Union Tribune]

The Republicans in the state legislature unveil their “budget plan.”  Same ‘ol same ‘ol.  But this article is worth a read if you want to see the comparisons between the Dems, GOP, and Governor’s plans.  [Sac Bee]

Sen. Feinstein has been nominated/appointed  to Chair the Senate Intelligence Committee.  This is a super powerful job (you get to work on spy stuff).  She’ll take the Chairwomanship in January.  This means that Di-Fi will most likely not run for Governor in 2010.  [SF Chronicle]

Private-Eye-To-Paranoid-Stars Anthony Pellicano got 15 years for running an illegal wiretapping scheme and racketeering.  [LA Times]

How bad is California’s water crisis?  In Orange County, they’re recycling raw sewage into drinking water.  Yum! [Aquafornia]