WON’T BACK DOWN… Not having one squidself, Squid never really set much store in the whole concept of backbones – you know, spines. Until last week, that is, upon witnessing the landlubbers on the Pacific Grove City Council.

On the Oct. 3 agenda was the wholesale re-org of city staff courtesy of City Manger Jim Colangelo. He wants to save half a million dollars a year by radically changing titles, salaries and duties in the well-loved recreation, museum and golf departments of the city. (A year ago councilmembers decided that if they were going to go to the public and request a tax increase, then they would need to cut the City’s spending as well.) As one after another of some 30 residents took to the podium, each waxing of the love that these city employees have for the town, the town’s kids and their jobs, Squid was certain that some squirming was ahead. For 90 minutes the fine folks of PG vented, pleaded, threatened and occasionally insulted the council and city manager. Then, as it came time to vote, instead of slithering away from conflict like most invertebrate leaders, the council voted unanimously to accept the re-org.

WON’T BE PUSHED AROUND… Say what you will about Democrats: They’re wimpy, they eat their own, they don’t know how to party. In Squid’s not-so-humble opinion, they can be damn funny on occasion. Funny – and hyperbolic.

Between shopping online and surfing for porn, Squid likes to visit the California Democratic Party’s website for kicks. Lately, the site shows a hand, reaching towards a California ballot box as if to steal a ballot being deposited in the box. Big, block letters screaming “BUSTED” are stamped over the villainous hand. “Your work stopping the Republican ‘Steal the State’ plot drove a stake in the Republicans’ heart,” reads a note from CDP Chair Art Torres. “However, like the hero in a horror movie, we must make sure that this Republican dirty trick doesn’t come back to haunt us.”

Torres is referring to the Republican scheme to change the way the state apportions its electoral votes – and to nab 22 of the 55 for the 2008 GOP presidential nominee. In late September, the committee that was pushing the ballot initiative threw in the towel after poor fundraising efforts. But then on Oct. 4, Lew Uhler, president of the Sacramento-based National Tax Limitation Committee, said he’ll raise millions to revive the campaign.

“Please be on the look out for signature gatherers in your area and e-mail us or call us immediately if you see anything,” Torres writes. Squid has a better suggestion: Pull a Buffy the Vampire Slayer on their collective ass.