Old timey-moderate(ish) Republican State Senator Tom Harman of Hungtington Beach has filed to run for Attorney General in 2010. Assuming he faces no meaningful GOP primary challenge, he will face neo-prog cutting edge Demorcratic San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris in the race.   [Capitol  Alert]

State Finance Director Mike Genest says California will start issuing IOUs to vendors starting in March?  Why? Because the state will be out of cash.  If you are a landscaper, carpet cleaner, food service, or construction firm with a state contract, it’s IOU time for you.  [Bloomberg]

San Diego teacher Tom Farber was  tired of having his classroom budget slashed.  So he started selling advertising on tests.  [California Faultline]

And Ron Kaye LA has this quote of Britney Spears and LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. With the caption “What is there to Say?  Could there be a truer image for the state of the city?”  Indeed.  Check out his site for the full background of this photo.  [Ron Kaye LA]

Roman Polanski has filed to have his 30-year old statutory rape conviction overturned once and for all.  This is not surprising in the wake of this year’s can’t-miss HBO documentary Roman Polanski Wanted and Desired showed how Polanski got railroaded by a judge with some serious mental health problems.  [LA Observed]

Is it possible that Antonio Villaraigosa is not pursuing a job in the Obama administration because he does not want to answer all those annoying questions?  Couldn’t be.  Mayor Villaraigosa’s got nothing to hide!  Right?  [Ron Kaye L.A.]

There’s giant pumps up there in the Sacramento River Delta that supply water to 25 million California residents.  A lawsuit was filed yesterday to turn the pumps off until a whole bunch of environmental standards are met.  This is far more interesting than it sounds,  Aquafornia blog does a much better job of explaining it than we ever could.  Their entire blog is great, they explain California’s water problems simply and clearly.  Good stuff.  [Aquafornia]

So there’s this bar up in Redding where they’re allowed to have live bands and karaoke, but fully clothed women are not allowed to perform as dancers.  But give them a guitar or a microphone and they can do whatever they want?  Huh?  [Redding Record Searchlight]

Freshman Congressman Duncan Hunter, Jr. just took over his dad’s Congressional seat. Seems that Junior is a chip off the ‘ol anti-immigrant-race-baiting block. Junior thinks that Tijuana is more violent than Iraq and Afghanistan. [Hat Tip: Voto Latino Blog]

It took all of 24 seconds into the education “webisode” before Newsom tells viewers why his education plan is better than “some Mayors’” education plans.  The “some Mayors” is really one Mayor– LA Mayor and soon-to-be-candidate-for-Governor,  Antonio Villaraigosa.  Villaraigosa failed in his attempt to take over the Los Angeles Unified School District.  A failure which derailed most of his education reform plans. Newsom rubs it in his face.

And so begins the 2010 Governor’s Race. When things get ugly between Newsom and Villaraigosa over the next 18 months, just remember that Gavin shot first.

Here’s the clip.  Also noteworthy is the horrendous use of the powerpoint slides.  Ya know Gavin, we’ve cracked the technology to insert powerpoint slides into a video presentation so people can actually read them.  But perhaps they’re just a prop to convey gravitas and substance — if ya catch our drift.