Eastward, Ho!… To keep Squid’s beak sharp and culture current, Squid likes to update Squid’s own real-world dictionary. It’s much more functional than a normal one. Note Squid’s definition for bizarre: Rich Iott – much more helpful than dictionary.com’s “markedly unusual in appearance or style; outrageously or whimsically strange.” For irony: The Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau’s new visitors guide. MCCVB’s been on a roll, pulling down awards for its website and generally thriving at its charge of advocating for local business and tourism. Only the would-be champions of right around here didn’t even stay stateside to publish its 2010-2011 Official Travel Guide to Monterey County. That’s gonna be done in Greensboro, N.C.

Desal Drama… When it comes to water politics in Monterey County, consensus is rare. So the fact that most decision-makers agree the Regional Desal Project is our best hope for a sustainable water supply seems just shy of miraculous. Of course, we all know where the devil is: It’s no surprise the state Public Utilities Commission’s admin law judge, Angela Minkin, thought there should be some democratic changes to the desal agreement details. You know, the ones that work out pretty nicely for the three “governing parties” that drafted them: Cal Am, the county Water Resources Agency and Marina Coast Water District. The Gang of Three whined to the PUC that any changes to the agreements would doom the entire deal. If the trio expects the PUC to green-light agreements exactly as drafted, there must be something in the water they’re drinking.

Cops ’n’ Jobbers… Just when Seaside police are finally getting a dose of warm and fuzzy – Squid hears good things about new Chief Vicki Myers – Pacific Grove cops are going below the belt in their pension fight against the city. Squid understands why the P.G. POA opposes the ordinance limiting retirement contributions, but the cops’ move to sue the five City Councilmembers backing the ordinance seems as appropriate as Tasing a jaywalker.

School Daze… The Monterey Peninsula Unified School District ordered up more than $1.3 million in new textbooks last year, but some tomes showed up a couple of months tardy, leaving teachers scrambling. Bad, but not as bad as the MPUSD staffer who wondered why the Weekly wanted the details. Maybe they didn’t get the memo: Voters agreed to pay $150 million for building improvements. Squid thinks they deserve a peek behind the MPUSD walls.