Invitation

The Public Is Invited
To Attend a
School Board Candidate Forum



Saturday, February 3, 2007
10am-12 noon

In the
Media Room
Evansville High School
640 5th St

Case Closed- Book 'Em Danno

From Euless, OK CSI. Another case solved, complete with a map of the scene.

4 towels, ashtray taken from Motel 6
By DOMINGO RAMIREZ JR.
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
STAR-TELEGRAM

EULESS -- For at least one customer, Tom Bodett probably won't be leaving the light on.
A thief took two cotton towels, two hand towels and an ashtray from a Motel 6 in the 100 block of Airport Freeway on Monday.

A police report did not have the dollar loss in the theft.

Bodett, the longtime spokesman for Motel 6, uses his trademark promise that "We'll leave the light on for you" to entice customers to the economy motels.

But Bodett won't be losing sleep over the Euless theft.

A police report states that a 28-year-old Watauga man who had been registered to the room from which the items were stolen was questioned by police officers in the motel's parking lot.
Patrol officers interviewed the man after noticing that he had been sitting in his vehicle in the parking lot for a long time.

In his vehicle were the missing towels and ashtray, reports state.

Playing To His Strengths

From Think Progress.

The new White House pastry chef,
William Yosses, actually co-authored this book:

A Clarification

If the story of your arrest contains the words "naked" and "tasered" you have made, perhaps, some poor choices.

If that story also contains the words "cafeteria" and "grapeseed oil" you're just showing off.

"That prank went a little farther than he intended, I guess," Lt Jeff
Gaylor said.

School officials reported that Killian was a good student, Gaylor said.
There was no indication of substance abuse or a medical problem.

The Always Classy Chicago Bears Fans

In case you were undecided about who to root for in XLI.

Impressions On The SOTU

Didn't Joe Lieberman look just a little too much like Eddie Haskell last night? It's tough to simper and fawn at a distance but he was doing his best.

I'm betting that Flyin' Jim Sensennbrenner swallowed his gum when the President started talking about immigration reform.

Sec Rice spent most of the night looking as if she'd just smelled something bad. Do yo suppose she's loving her job right now?

I'm pretty sure that I heard one open guffaw when the President started to talk about balanced budgets and fiscal restraint. That's just not something that anyone thinks of when they think of GWB. You could almost feel John Murtha and Ted Stevens rolling their eyes when the President talked about earmark reform.

Did anybody ever wake Teddy Kennedy? He was showing more jowl than a plate of collards at a Waffle Hut.

The curtain time on the event was 9 PM EST. Anybody that couldn't be in their seat by then should have been made to wait until after the first song. Michael Chertoff came into the room looking like a Tom Turkey on the morning after Thanksgiving. He must have felt relief when he read the prepared remarks and there wasn't a single mention of New Orleans.

Josh makes a point about the Pres that I would have missed.

After disarmingly gracious opening remarks about Nancy Pelosi's speakership, the
president congratulates the 'Democrat majority' -- words most every Democrat
takes as a calculated insult. The prepared remarks say "Democratic majority".
But apparently he couldn't help himself.

When did this foolishness start and why?

I thought that it was one of this President's better speaking efforts. I wish I had more faith in his pledges of goodwill and bipartisanship. I know that his remarks must have rocked the red-meat true-believers to their very cores and that he'll take grief for that. It's important to remember that GWB has targeted his Presidency to benefit a very narrow slice of his party while taking advantage of perceived alliances of principle. He's not going to abandon the friends who got him to where he is now.

Owen Defends The Confederacy

He says that secession is okay if it's for economic reasons.

Is it racist? Maybe for some people, but it makes a lot of
sense.

Government should be representative. If there is a large
minority of people whose opinions are constantly negated by a majority, why
shouldn’t the large minority have the opportunity to form their own political
unit? This is especially pertinent when the minority is wealthier and ends
up paying for most of the majority’s policies.

Racist? Cultural? Economical? Regional? Does it
matter?

Troubled Men Lead In Troubled Times

One for everybody.

He Should Have Taken A Pass On The Fish

Why does this happen just before I'm getting ready to take a flight?

Newt's Message

"If you get to the bottom of the barrel you can count on me."

"We Were Too Busy Planning A Surge To Try To Figure Out If A Surge Was A Good Idea"

The National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq still isn't done. They were just too busy to figure out what was needed in Iraq because they thought something was needed in Washington.

CBS Must Be Giddy

They've got an all-Midwest Superbowl that's going to last until just about 11PM on the East Coast. Vegas is opening early with the Colts as a touchdown favorite with an over-under at 49.5.

Maybe they should skip straight to the overtime and get it over with. Then they could have Dave Coulier do a 90 minute special with just the commercials and we'd still all be in bed at a decent hour.

All The Cool Kids Are Doing It

Folkbum started it. I just wanted to make sure that I remembered as much as I thought I did.

You know the Bible 88%!

Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!

Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes

Just Askin'

If you're working as a spokesperson for a candidate for the Supreme Court of the state shouldn't you, at least, give lip service to the presumption of innocence and the accused's right to a trial?

I'll Repeat The Question

Did Mark Green write a letter to the judge on behalf of Bob Ney?

From TPM

Journalist Ellen Ratner, writing on Rep. Bob Ney's (R-OH) behalf to the
judge who will sentence him, reports on her conversations with the "many"
lawmakers who "would like to support former Congressman Ney, but because of the
political climate in Washington, they dare not."

"If You're Not With Us, You're Against Us"

Nouri al Maliki tells Condi and George to stop helping the terrorists.

The head of Iraq's Shiite Muslim-led government defended his country's
independence and sovereignty and called on U.S. leaders to show faith in his
ability to lead.

Maliki disputed President Bush's remarks broadcast Tuesday that the
execution of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein "looked like it was kind of a
revenge killing" and took exception to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's
Senate testimony last week that Maliki's administration was on "borrowed
time."

The prime minister said statements such as Rice's "give morale boosts
for the terrorists and push them toward making an extra effort and making them
believe they have defeated the American administration," Maliki said. "But I can
tell you that they have not defeated the Iraqi government."

This Is A Bad Idea

I can certainly understand the desire to not so much as acknowledge an amendment to the Constitution with which one disagrees. However, the object of the Democracy is to honor the institutions even while working, within the system, to change them.

Letting this one slide opens the door to reciprocity for other exceptions until the oath becomes nothing more than a vehicle for holding loopholes together.

Does BioDiesel Make Your Car Gay?

I think this guy is serious. He says that soy formula is making our kids gayer.

I'm spucking feechless.

We Regret The Error- The Best Retractions Of 2006

They call these Crunk's. I don't know whay. They just do.

I Need Some Help, Please

I'm too busy to get all outraged right now but I guess I should be so I'm asking for help.

Would one of you work up a little high dudgeon on my behalf, please? You see, I got a Canadian quarter in change back from the vending machine and it's de riguer right now to get all pissy about foreign money.

I just don't have the time or energy so if one of you could get all outraged and stuff about Canadians coming here to take away our ice carving jobs I'd really appreciate it.

Which Definition?

Surge

Main Entry: surge
Pronunciation: 's&rj
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): surged; surg·ing
Etymology: earlier, to ride (at anchor) probably in part from Middle French sourgir to cast anchor, land, from Catalan surgir to heave, cast anchor, from Latin surgere to rise, spring up; from sub- up + regere to lead straight; in part from Latin surgere -- more at SUB-, RIGHT
intransitive verb
1 : to rise and fall actively : TOSS
2 : to rise and move in waves or billows : SWELL 3 : to slip around a windlass, capstan, or bitts -- used especially of a rope
4 : to rise suddenly to an excessive or abnormal value
5 : to move with a surge or in surges
transitive verb : to let go or slacken gradually (as a rope)

M-W.com Says

Escalate

Main Entry: es·ca·late
Pronunciation: 'es-k&-"lAt, ÷-ky&-
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): -lat·ed; -lat·ing
Etymology: back-formation from escalator
intransitive verb : to increase in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, or scope

transitive verb : EXPAND
2 - es·ca·la·tion /"es-k&-'lA-sh&n, ÷-ky&-/ noun -
es·ca·la·to·ry /'es-k&-l&-"tor-E, ÷-ky&-/ adjective

Tired of that I-Pod already? Do you just want to see it go away?

The good folks at willitblend.com have a way to brighten your day.

Why Do It?

When I first started blogging I said that the only possible reason was to say, "Look at me!" My thinking hasn't changed much. I sit at the keyboard typing away at something I hope will strike a chord or give someone that, "a-ha," moment of which I'm so fond.

Over at Firedoglake there's a piece that describes the 5 stages of blogging for those who have never gone through them. Please, take a moment and look to see yourself in that piece.

I Have A Question, Please

If a state refuses to recognize gay marriages but are willing to recognize gay separation agreements haven't they, in fact, created something substantially similar to divorce?

Doesn't that, in turn, mean that the state recognized the validity of the original union as substantially similar to marriage?

Oh, For Cryin' Out Loud

Just dip him in bronze and put him up outside the courthouse for the pigeons.

If the only way to get some good press is to have your wife do it maybe JBvH was right.

Ticky Tacky

You didn't ask, but I'm just sayin'

I don't care if some of the proceeds did go to a good cause. Raising a third of a million dollars for a second inauguration for a governor is just wrong.

Compared to the obscene levels that Presidential inauguration have raised lately it is a drop in the proverbial bucket but giving a little money to the Boy's and Girl's Clubs doesn't take away the stink of fund raising and selling access outside the campaigning process.

And speaking of selling access. The inauguration and victory dance of JB vanHollen showed up on the news the othermorning. I've seen cattle industry trade fairs with better ambiance than that. Drab folks, obliged to show up and celebrate the one small scrap they managed to cadge from the table wandered around a motel conference room that had been decorated by some Junior High School pre-prom committee.

I don't recall an inauguration for previous AG's. I don't recall hearing about a Friends of committee for a chief law enforcer. It all just seemed a little tawdry for a man whose bumper stickers said something about Integrity.

Extreme Makeover- Citywide Edition

Early April.

That's when the fun starts downtown according to the Gazette.

This Man Put Fear In All Of Us (in a good way, of course)

Rest In Peace, Mr Breitenbach. Madison and Wisconsin are better places because you were here.

One Last Holiday Thought

As I take out the trash this morning a question comes to mind.

What happened to the other nogs?

You always hear about Egg Nog but what about the others? Was there a Butter Nog? A Cheese Nog? Meat Nogs? What happened to them?

I bet it was those trans-fat people.

Last Look At 2006 In Blogging

October

We saw a ramp up to the elections. Michael J Fox gave his opinion.
There was writing on a wall.
Habeaus Corpus was an issue for Richard.
4K came to the forefront on the homefront.
Obamamania began in earnest.

November

There was an election. In the manner of Time Magazine, go find your own links.
The Trade Market Survey came around again.
Jess McBride still brought out the best in us all.
George W finally went to Viet Nam.
Brett Favre made it easy to be nostalgic for the present.

December

The month made it look as if 2007 would be a good blogging year, too. Mark Graul has another candidate to mislead.
Saddam is gone. Iraq isn't.
New House. Same as the Old House.
Nick saw a bad sign for the new year.
The November elections are still going on in the courts.

Today is the filing deadline for Spring elections. Let the Good Times Roll.

Blogging About Blogging- Q3 '06

Still more of the stories we blogged in 2006

July

James had some questions about running meat.

Tim had a very bad dream.

One of the County Sheriff candidates had a novel solution to crime by the mentally ill.

Paul looked at George's habit of secret touching.

Nick tried to give Mark Green some advice. Green ignored him.

August

Pluto had a size problem.

We had a look at statistics and growth here in town.

Tom Reynolds reinforced the impression that he may not be all there by not being there at all.

Nathan looked at the problem immigrants cause.

My very favoritest comment chain appeared in which Jess McBride tried to explain why her hsuband wasn't bitter or childish by being, well, bitter and childish.

September

The Brawler looked at some phone callers.

Everybody heard about Mark Foley.

Mark Green was sort of for stem cell research, kinda. Researchers didn't buy it.

Just go watch the video. It has nothing to do with politics.

Liquids on a Plane turned out to be the horror story of the Fall.

Leaning Blue went dark.

Looking Forward

It's time for everyone and their brother to make predictions. Have you met my brother?

1) Next year's Burlington Liar's Club winner won't be near as lame as this year's.

2) Scott Walker will feud with his County Board. Bloggers will step up to defend both sides. Neither side deserves their efforts.

3) Jess McBride will piss off the Brawler 3 days out of 5.

4) The Observer will remain our one best source for City news until the new Evansville website is up and running. Then the Observer will be the better of two.

5) November will find us wondering when the troops will start to leave Iraq. With poll numbers in the high 20's GWB will tell us that protecting the last 4 buildings in Baghdad is a mission whose success we haven't seen yet.

6) Dan Wietecha will be greeted as a conquering hero until the first budget cycle. After that his dog won't look him in the eye for two months. He will not deserve the grief he'll get from the city or his pooch.

7) Flyin' Jim Sensennbrenner will propose building a wall around Aurora HealthCare. Just because he can.

8) Riverboat gambling won't come to 6th and Vision in 2007. Neither will a dry collector.

9) Scott Jensen will lose on appeal. Mark Green will lose on appeal. The cranberry guy will lose on appeal. JB van Hollen will claim that injured consumers are clogging our courts.

10) William Jefferson will resign to spend more time with his family.

11) Tom Delay won't start posting to his own blog.

12) Bill Hammann will miss public life until the first time Melissa comes home after a contentious School Board meeting. Thanks, Bill for your hard work.

13) When a Progressive finally does declare candidacy for Mayor of Madison even the Democrats will be disappointed in who it is.

14) The backlog at the Crime Lab will be two days longer in December 2007 than it is today. Jim Doyle and JBvH will blame each other.

15) The Tommy Train will never get past the Des Moines station.

16) Mitt Romney drops out soon after that.

17) The City will wind up owning a lot more of the Value Store project than we want.

18) Building permits for new construction will triple in 2007 in Evansville. 60% will be for multi-family dwellings.

19) Paul Ryan will have a diving board installed on his campaign vault so he can dive into the surplus like Scrooge McDuck until the 1st District Dems can field a real candidate.

20) No TABOR. No Conceal and Carry. No school funding reform. No real ethics reform. No kidding. Some of this is too easy to write.

Happy New Year anyway.