Crosblog

How about this idea - a Georgia state representative who was charged with DUI initially tried to fight the charge by arguing that, since he was coming from a legislative dinner meeting when he was stopped, he was covered by a statute giving legislators immunity from arrest for acts committed while in session, in committee, or in transit to one or the other.

He has ultimately decided against pursuing that particular defense, although it sounds like that was more for political than legal reasons.

About the Tom DeLay indictment I don't have much to say. Feel free to read the thing, and note how little DeLay's name actually appears when they talk about the crimes that were being committed. This in itself may mean little, as the man in charge, DeLay would have had other people sign their names to the illegal stuff. They will have to prove he knew about, or approved, or somehow took a knowing, active involvement in this illegal transaction. It's not enough that underlings did something illegal - if it were, DeLay may well ultimately end up with Chuck Schumer as a cellmate. If DeLay's involvement can be proven, toss him out, lock him up, and good riddance to bad rubbish.

What I'm looking forward to is the dawning of prosecutor as hero to liberals. With the indictment of a prominent Republican, I welcome the realization that prosecutors bring charges based on a genuine belief that the accused has committed a crime, rather than trying to further some political agenda. I dream of the day that David E. Kelley re-writes all the prosecutor roles in Boston Legal - changing the unethical, incompetent, politically motivated hacks we've come to know with the dedicated, incorruptible public servants we know them to truly be. (Or, if he can't do that, at least explaining how a civil law firm comes to be embroiled in a high-profile murder case every week. Is it really that hard to write compelling drama about civil law? Are their lives and jobs really that dull?)

Hey, the George Ryan trial is underway. Those guys are heroes too, I suspect.

Joke sent to me by a co-worker:

George Bush Jr. asks, "Donald, any news from Iraq I should know about?"

Rumsfeld: "Well, three Brazilian soldiers were killed today."

George Bush flops at the desk, head in his hands and wails loudly "Oh my God, Oh God, Oh No, I don't believe it."

The staff rushes into the oval office to see what the matter is. A distraught Bush calms himself, blows his nose and wipes away the tears.

Then he turns to his secretary and asks..."How many is a Brazilian?"

...directions to anywhere in Phoenix, Arizona.

We won a little money at the casino, by which I mean I won a little money, and the wife didn't lose enough to offset that. (In her defense, she's usually does OK at roulette, and the casino didn't have roulette.) It was a lot of fun to sit down at a blackjack table again - you forget that when you live in a bible belt state that considers gambling immoral and wrong, and by the way, would you like to buy some lotto tickets?

Thanks to the hotel throwing us out, we actually got to the airport early. Spouse's new mission - how can I turn this early, stress-free arrival into a mad last-second dash to board before they slam the doors on us? Answer - extensive dawdling at a gift shop halfway down the terminal.

The in-flight movie is The Longest Yard, which isn't half bad. It's actually made funnier by the attempts to censor it for the airplane viewing audience. Cause when you think of groups of people that don't swear, you think of convicts and prison guards.

And speaking f football teams - I get back to learn my fantasy squad has hit 3-0, thanks mainly to two simple words.

Shaun. Freaking. Alexander.

Yes, Edge, that is in fact three words.

Motto: The Burnt Umber State.

The trip out was the usual entertainment produced when traveling with my wife, who genuinely thinks it's acceptable travel strategy to just show up at the airport without a time or gate of departure, figuring we'll figure it out, and if not, hey, flights leave every hour.

Her: Traveling with me is an adventure!

Me: Traveling with James Bond is an adventure. Traveling with you is an aneurysm with airline food.

Still, we made it, which someone should tell my spouse does not make her method of preparation OK, and the trip has proven reasonably successful, as measured in U.S. dollars spent. Hitting a casino tonight, then home tomorrow. According to the spouse, we're leaving "sometime between noon and six."

Great Ceasar's Ghost, I married the cable guy.

OK, I married the hot chick cable guy.

It's not this quote from Haseeb-ul-hasan Siddiqui regarding top Indian tennis player Sania Mirza, explaining a fatwa against her for, you know, dressing like a tennis player when she plays tennis:

"The dress she wears on the tennis courts…leaves nothing to the imagination," Haseeb-ul-hasan Siddiqui told The Hindustan Times. "She will undoubtedly be a corrupting influence."

No, the line of the day is this response posted at Winds of Change:

(D)o you think it's too soon to crack the joke that Mr. Siddiqui clearly lacks imagination?

What the hell - imagine away:



Honorable Mention for Line of the day goes to Dawn Summers for the phrase "Memo to self, tell the Spaniards about the horns."

You know you married well when your spouse gets you this for your birthday:



The figures are based on the Season 2 Halloween episode, where everyone gets changed into their costumes.

Unfortunately, a long scheduled weekend trip to Phoenix is going to cause me to miss a chance to take advantage of the whole blogger Serenity screening thing. (The Atlanta show is the day before I leave, and the Phoenix show is the day after I get back.) If you're going - enjoy the show, and don't spoil it for the rest of us.

I posted a quick comment on the Chinese attempt to keep the world away from a Buddhist figure known as the Panchen Lama, primarily because I saw an opportunity to take a cheap shot at the talentless load known as Steven Seagal.

The whole story is actually really interesting. The Dalai Lama identified one Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama. The Chinese government arranged for his disappearance. At the time, he was 6 years old. This was a decade ago. China assures us that Gedhun and his family "do not wish to be disturbed by foreign media", leaving unsaid the follow-up "because if they talk to anyone, it's electroshock time."

The Chinese then went and picked their own Panchen Lama, a kid named Gyaincain Norbu, who then spent most of the next decade in Beijing, although he did deign to make a couple visit to the region of which he's supposed to be the spiritual leader, which calls to mind an image of the Pope saying he's heard the Vatican is a really nice place, and he really means to get over there sometime.

Why go to such lengths? Well, the extent to which the Dalai Lama is a pain in China's ass is well known. And, I'll be damned, guess what the biggest role of the Panchen Lama is:

One of the most important roles of the Panchen Lama is to identify the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama.

Well, give the Chinese credit - they do plan for the long term.

Amazing what you can learn when you seek to mock Steven Seagal. We should all do it more often.

I have not, to put it mildly, been having a good work week. And as if that weren't enough, I'm also apparently old now, having turned 33 at some point today. (Or, as I put it when asked today "25 and change.")

And I could very well be old. A case I came across involved as a property in dispute, a CD by someone named "Lil Wyte". Who the hell is Lil' Wyte? Apparently he is a rapper of some kind. Once upon a time I was more than willing to purchase (stress purchase) CD's from second-rate rap artists in my ultimately futile quest to be cool and edgy. Now I'm the guy talking about how in my day, people made real music.

"No they didn't!" I swear I can hear my father yelling.

Ah, well. I'll go home tonight, and I'll talk to the other old man in the house. He's always good for a laugh.



"Hey, you're only as old as you feel!"

I feel like a nap.

Just something worth noting - several years ago, the Chinese government kidnapped a Tibetan boy who had been identified by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnated Panchen Lama, the second highest position in Tibetan Buddhism. The Chinese behavior has even managed to offend the United Nations, as the Chinese continue to keep the world away from this kid, sponsoring their own candidate for Panchen Lama.

I'm willing to be diplomatic about this. Let's make a trade. China lets the Panchen Lama go, we give them "The Action Lama" - Steven Seagal.

Georgia's Voter ID bill was passed and signed into law, and even approved by the Justice Department. The inevitable lawsuit has now been filed, thankfully ensuring once again that no democratically elected body may change the rules without the consent of duly licensed members of the bar. (We own you. Get used to it.)

Jimmy Carter is outraged:

Carter called the Georgia statute a "disgrace to democracy."

"If you read the Georgia law that was passed this year, you see that it is highly discriminatory and, in my personal experience, directly designed to deprive older people, African-Americans and poor people of a right to vote," he said.

Photo ID's as a requirement to vote are racist. Unless photo ID's as a requirement to vote are suggested by Jimmy Carter:

Voters should be required to present photo ID cards at the polls, and states should provide free cards to voters without driver's licenses.

Sounds familiar:

The law, which went into effect earlier this year after approval by the Legislature and Gov. Sonny Perdue, requires voters to show one of six forms of government-issued photo identification, such as a driver's license. Previously, Georgians could show one of 17 forms, including a Social Security card or utility bill.

The new law waives the ID fee charged to indigent voters, and the state is sending a bus around Georgia to issue free IDs to those who need them.

This is why I don't like listening to Jimmy Carter. Even when he's right, he's wrong.

My squad is now 2-0. Despite the best efforts of some to jinx him, I think Carson Palmer has all but wrapped up the official role of fantasy starter.

But a word to Jimmy Carter, on the release of his proposals for U.S. election reform.

Mr. Carter, someone who believes the elections of Yassir Arafat and Hugo Chavez were free and fair can best aid U.S. democracy by kindly shutting the fuck up.

Tip - Washington Monthly.

Some people collect stamps. Some play cards. Some surf the net for porn. Michael Newdow files lawsuits trying to stamp out signs of religion on public life. Having temporarily succeeded in a lawsuit against the Pledge of Allegiance, Newdow suffered a setback when he tried to bar Presidents from having prayers at inaugurations. (We should all take a moment to express our condolences to whoever gets elected in 2008, cause this dude ain't going away.)

My theory is a good friend of his is a vampire whose car registration expired several years ago, and he can't get the tags renewed because of holy symbols on government property. The whole pledge thing is a front to distract attention from his real quest, which is to remove a ten commandments display from the county courthouse where his undead friend lives. The other possibility, since he's turned his daughter's mother into an activist for conservative judges, is that he's being paid by Karl Rove.

I also understand it's possible that the pope has been known to practice Catholicism from time to time.

Jury selection begins today in the trial of former Illinois Governor George Ryan. It will probably take awhile to find a jury capable of listening to four months of testimony that doesn't have a firm opinion on his guilt or innocence. (Or on some other material matter. For instance, on the question of whether Ryan technically violated this statute or that statue - I have no opinion as of this time - how the specific facts apply to the law is something yet to be sorted out. On the other hand, my firm opinion that Ryan is a bottom-feeding crapweasel with the personal integrity and honesty of an internet Ponzi spammer would probably still serve to disqualify me, were I called as a juror.)

If Ryan is innocent, however, he's in pretty select company. Not many of the people charged as a result of the investigations can say that:

The charges grew out of the federal government's Operation Safe Road, which initially focused on bribes exchanged for drivers licenses but over seven years expanded into a full-blown investigation of political corruption when Ryan was secretary of state and later governor.

Seventy-nine people -- including many state employees -- have been charged, 73 convicted and none acquitted.

Of course - those employees could all have been acting without Ryan's knowledge or assent. Completely clueless, he could have been. In short, he's looking to persuade a jury he's this guy:

In honor of National Talk Like a Pirate Day...

A rollicking band of pirates we,
Who, tired of tossing on the sea,
Are trying their hand at a burglaree,
With weapons grim and gory.

Hey, the Pirates of Penzance are still pirates.

Please note yet another alternative commemoration of this noble and sacred day.

N.Y. Mayor Bloomberg announces he opposes Judge Roberts' confirmation because of Roberts refusal to promise how he'll decide on abortion cases.

“Judge Roberts’ response did not indicate a commitment to protect a woman’s right to choose,” Bloomberg said.

Uh...he means to apply the law fairly and impartially, and not use it as a tool to further his political beliefs.

Really.

There's going to be a World Cup of Baseball next year.

Kenny Chesney and Renee Zellwegger are splitting up.

After knowing how Four Months Feels, apparently neither of them want to know How Forever Feels.

And that's pretty much all the Kenny Chesney songs I know, thus ending this post.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says the U.N. should move to Jerusalem. The U.N. delegates rose en masse to applaud. Not to go along with him, and give up their comfortable lifestyles and access to New York nightlife for the sake of principle, of course. Just applaud.

Moment of unintentional comedy - Chavez leads by words:

"That's why we propose to this assembly that the United Nations leave this country, which is not respectful of the very resolutions of this assembly," he said.

Followed by Chavez leading by example:

World leaders had been asked to speak for five minutes, and when Chavez kept talking, the presiding diplomat passed him a note that his time was up. The Venezuelan leader threw the note on the floor and said if Bush could speak for 20 minutes at Wednesday's opening session, so could he.

Britney Spears is giving birth. Whether the child has her looks and Kevin's brains, or vice versa, I can't say I'm seeing med school in the future.

The great thing about Netflix is since they make it so easy to see movies - you end up seeing a lot of stuff you never would have seen in the theater or taken home from Blockbuster.

On the other hand, sometimes this results in you seeing In the Cut. Hoo boy - that movie defied physics by both sucking and blowing.

Brian Westbrook's performance, while good, was insufficient to bring about victory, both for the Eagles and the spouse.

Those of you who chose to side with the forces of darkness, just note that it will be remembered.

Oh, yes. Remembered.

I ask for your prayers tonight. Pray that Brian Westbrook has, at best, only an average game.

I know, I've spoken highly of the man in the past. But that was when he was on my team. Now he's on my wife's team. And we're playing each other.

Currently, I'm winning. By 25 points. Westbrook is her last shot. Now, the Falcons have a good defense, but Westbrook's whole contract thing could work either way. Will he be distracted? Or motivated?

25 points is a hard pickup - a merely great game won't suffice. However, in the past, the fantasy football gods have used the interspousal competition to laugh in my face.

I don't need the guy to die or suffer a career ending injury. Just an average game. Decent, even. Just don't go nuts.

Let us pray.

Well, I'll give 'em credit for honesty. The Palestinians really didn't want standing synagogues in Gaza because they didn't think their people had the class and decency to treat them respectfully. And I'll repeat - showing respect to a Jewish house of worship, even if it had to be ultimately torn down - would have built a lot of credibility for the Palestinian cause.

Of course, any student of the Palestinian movement knows that when two options exist, and one of them would enhance the Palestinian's credibility - they'll choose the other one:

"When I got here it was 12.30 and already there was no one, so we went straight to the synagogue and set it on fire," Talalka said. "It was an illegal building on our land. The Israeli Jews don't respect anyone's religion but their own. I am very happy. The Israelis are out of here. We have more land and we got rid of the roadblocks."

Yeah, dude - when your problem is a lack of respect for other religions - the best solution is to set their holy places on fire.

The world continually demands that Israel let down its guard in regards to the Palestinians - stop building the wall, don't impose so many checkpoints, don't place restrictions on workers entering - and never asks if Palestinians have done anything to merit the distrust Israel shows. They still won't ask - but just for fun, let's take a look anyway:

In Neve Dekalim the green flag of Hamas group hung from the roof of the ransacked synagogue and the black flag of Islamic Jihad was raised from a wall in the compound. A Nazi swastika was spray-painted on the wall. Police stood helplessly nearby.

A swastika. On the wall. Of a freaking synagogue.

They did this.



But putting a wall between the people who set the fire and the people who would want to pray there would be cruel and inhumane.

To the firestarters.

Yeah, that's about right. Hey, I could be meaner. I could be like Roger Simon, who compared Yahoo to German companies that complied with Nazi laws governing the roundup of Jews, gypsies, and gays.

Now, let's not pretend it would have been easy or painless for Yahoo to do the right thing. It would have lost them access to a huge Chinese market, costing them who-know-how much money. Some foreign provider would have jumped in, glad to sell out dissidents every time the Chinese said jump. And whatever high-minded pledges the rest of us might have made to support them, there's probably no way the business resulting from the good PR locally would have made up for it. Hell, even Bill Clinton turned down a chance to stand up for journalist Shi Tao specifically, and he used to be President. When Presidents punt, how can we expect a corporation to stand up?

Still, it hurts those trying to challenge the Chinese government to know American firms are helping out with their oppression. (And as for Clinton - let's just say if I were looking for someone to bluntly state an uncomfortable truth in service of a greater good - he wouldn't be the first guy I'd call.) I don't know how much damage can be done to Yahoo - they certainly aren't the only ones willing to obey the whims of tyrants and then say "Hey, local laws!" But bad press can, and should, follow them everywhere.

Just wondering - if you searched Yahoo for Martin Luther King's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" would Yahoo add "...which is where his ass deserved to be. He broke local laws and customs."?

Police protection is hard to come by in New Orleans nowadays. Here's how to make sure you get your share:

In the French Quarter, Addie Hall and Zackery Bowen found a unusual way to make sure that police officers regularly patrolled their house. Ms. Hall, 28, a bartender, flashed her breasts at the police vehicles that passed by, ensuring a regular flow of traffic.

Tip - Sully. What can I say, when he's on, he's on.

Britain's Holocaust Memorial Day offensive to Muslims.

I suppose "journalistic objectivity" prevents the Times from describing the offended folks as, instead of "Muslims", the more accurate "bigoted assholes who use Islam as a shield to prevent them from having to face inconvenient truths" would somehow be considered wrong. Somehow, I doubt the concept of a Holocaust Memorial Day offends these Muslims.

And if I may offer a word of advice to Prime Minister Blair, for whom I have nothing but respect - tell those cretins to cram their "Genocide Day" up their collective asses. The result may be that some people vote for another party next election. But others will applaud your courage, and support your crew. And since the former group is actually working towards a Britain where nobody will be allowed to vote for anything, ever, I would like to suggest their support is not worth courting so much.

Tip - Sully.

Israel was planning to demolish structures - housing, etc., in the now abandoned Gaza Strip. However, they are reluctant to destroy the synagogues that were built there, which should surprise no one. Destroying your own faith's house of worship can't be an easy thing to do.

The people tasked with trying to make the Palestinian cause look respectable are desperate to get those synagogues demolished before they get there:

"We maintain the highest respect for Judaism. We don't want to be put in a situation that we are demolishing synagogues in front of the world, or some of our people may do something that we don't want them to do," Erekat said.

For some reason that only a Zionist Neo-Con would think has to do with anti-Semitism, very few people of the Jewish faith have chosen to live in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. So one could understand if they didn't have any real use for the synagogues, and needed the land for other purposes. (Gaza is pretty crowded, after all.) Treating the buildings with dignity until such time as a professional, respectful demolition could be carried out would show a Palestinian entity able to deal responsibly with the Jewish state, and worthy of having their views taken seriously.

Having mobs of shrieking violent loons trashing everything - that'd show us something too.

Wonder what'll happen?

A family forced to leave their pets behind during Katrina are reunited.

A lot of kindness was involved in bringing them together again. One person stayed with 50 crates of animals until there was a chance to evacuate them. A veterinarian in Texas cared for the pets while people tried to connect with owners. And finally, a couple drove from Texas to Atlanta to bring the pets home.

Some might think it silly or wasteful to spend so much effort on two dogs, a cat and a guinea pig when human suffering still needs to be relieved.



Anyone who knows anything about the effects dogs have on the people who love them know how much suffering is being relieved in this picture.

Kofi Annan takes personal responsiblity for Oil-for-food scandal.

That said, Kofi clarified...

''I don't anticipate anyone to resign. We are carrying on with our work."

Takes personal responsiblity?

You know it's coming, right?



"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

Kofi Annan - who needs a Nobel Prize when you have a Montoya Award?

OK, so the California State legislature has approved a bill allowing same-sex marriage. It is noted by right-wingers dismayed to learn that California state government is full of liberals (can't say I was terribly surprised at the news, myself) that a referendum on this very subject previously passed with 61% of the vote. To the claim that the legislature is acting contrary to the will of the people, I say BFD. I say this because a remedy exists, and will become available to the good people of California (and the crazy ones, too) sometime in early November of 2006, when they can vote the will-of-the-people-ignoring bastards right out of office and into real jobs.

The Governator is saying he'll veto the bill "out of respect for the will of the people", even though he "believes gay couples are entitled to full protection under the law and should not be discriminated against based upon their relationship," Punk. "Hey, their idea, not mine." The bill is either a good idea, or a bad idea. Pick a side, and act accordingly.

If he wanted a legitimate reason to veto it, that I'd even agree with, despite my support of the underlying policy - he could argue that the bill in unconstitutional, and if the legislature insists on wasting taxpayer time and money passing bills that won't pass constitutional muster, it is the responsibility of the executive to veto said bill, even if said bill "sounds good." (If there's anyway to get the President to listen in, that'd be great. Campaign finance reform reminded us all of his need to hear this too.)

The argument against the bill's constitutionality rests with the legislature not being able to undo initiatives. (Since the whole point of ballot initiatives is to allow the populace to circumvent a recalcitrant legislature, it would defy logic to let the legislature just un-referend anything they wanted. The legislature could put a new measure on the ballot, they just can't undo the old one.) Kevin Drum adds a few details here. My gutshot reaction is the straightforward ruling is to strike down the bill, but I'd wager California has a Supreme Court willing to engage in the necessary rhetorical gymnastics necessary to affirm a gay marriage bill. (Which would be wrong in a technical sense, but like most well-meaning hypocrites, I'm willing to look the other way when such behavior coincides with my personal viewpoint.)

All of which may be moot if the Kindergarten Cop vetoes the thing and blames a poll taken in 2000 for something he did in 2005. Which, by the way, is kind of a girly man thing to do.

Some of the people helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina are deeply religious right-wing zealots.

And some of the people helping out are, well...um...not.

God bless them every one.

Just to repost the links - my endorsed charities are the Mennonite Disaster Service and the Humane Society of America.

Petitdov posts a great essay from Larry Miller on the whole Palestinian/Israeli thing.

Lance Armstrong is understandably miffed at allegations he cheated to win the Tour de France.

What would the best revenge he could possibly exact be?

You got it: Keep winning the damn thing.

Bob "Denver" Gilligan passes away at 70.

People always said I looked like him.





Can't say as I see it myself. Maybe it's the hat.

We both drive the hot redheads crazy, though.

Arizona Congressman J.D. Hayworth's proposal to crack down on illegal immigration as part of an increased guest worker program has something to aggravate everyone. Businesses who make money from our current "wink wink" attitude towards those who employ illegals? Pissed. Open border advocates who think immigration laws merit less respect than speed limits? Pissed. John McCain, who swears his bill is tough on illegal immigration and needs to look tough for the 2008 primaries? Don't ask.

The bill is doomed, of course - but it aggravates all the right people.

Curt Schilling - Pitcher and all-around good guy. Why do I say this?

1. He is hosting a family of nine who lost everything in Hurricane Katrina.

2. He is doing his part to stave off the inevitable collapse of the Chicago White Sox.

God bless you, Curt. The world needs more men like you.

Especially in the American League.

Tip - Corner (on the charity story). The getting thumped by the White Sox I found on my own.

I can't believe I missed this. The U.S. Soccer team qualified for the 2006 World Cup in grand fashion, shutting down arch-rival Mexico 2-0. (When I say "arch-rival", I mean "punks," just so everyone's on the same page. You know how Army considers it a successful season if they beat Navy, even if everyone else kicks their asses? The U.S.-Mexico soccer rivalry is getting there.

There's a chance for a rematch in Germany, assuming Mexico can be bothered to show up long enough to salvage a tie someplace. Against Panama, Guatemala, or Trinidad and Tobago. Try to find some motivation someplace. Punks.

Tip - Jessica.

Hugo Chavez tells Venezuelans to quit freaking shopping - we're trying to build socialism here...

Venezuelans respond - "Dude, check these jeans out!"

The Islamic Society of North America is holding their annual convention, where the big theme is defending Islam against those who make Islam look bad by saying stuff.

Action against those who make Islam look by by doing stuff (and claiming to be Muslim while they do it), is pending.

My league just held it's draft. I am pleased. My roster...

QB: Michael Vick, ATL
QB: Carson Palmer, CIN
RB: Shaun Alexander, SEA
RB: Tiki Barber, NYG
RB: Curtis Martin, NYJ
WR: Joe Horn, NO
WR: Hines Ward, PIT
WR: Ashley Lelie, DEN
TE: Jeb Putzier, DEN
TE: Ben Troupe, TEN
K: John Kasay, CAR
D: Minnesota Vikings
D: New York Giants

One waiver move pending, which will hopefully result in the addition of San Francisco WR Brandon Lloyd, who gets another chance to be the sleeper.

Check those RB's out! Spouse has Jake Plummer, Priest Holmes, Jerry Porter, Donald Driver, Bryan Westbrook, Bubba Franks, Jason Hanson, and the Panthers.

Thursday it begins...

Dawn Summers is Aikenblogging, which probably sounds worse than it is. She posts pictures...



...that make me wonder, are you sure it's Clay?



I'm just saying, is all.

If I may say something to my new hometown...

The only reason there is a gas crisis around here is because you nutjobs have made it one.

Somebody says something about supply being affected because of Katrina, and sure enough, everyone treats the local Chevron the way they treat the local Publix when we hear snow is coming. (An inch of snow in the forecast is enough to wipe the store shelves clean around here.) Nice town, really, but no sense of proportion.

And, as usual, when the government tries to help, people figure that if the government's invovled, there must be a crisis. Which there wasn't...or didn't have to be...

But hey, now there is! Hooray for us!

Somewhere in there is probably a lesson that explains the Atlanta Hawks.

My money went to the Mennonite Disaster Service. The Anabaptists are good at the building and the cleaning, and they're a reliable place to send your dough, if you're so inclined.



"Ahem..."

I also sent a bit to the Humane Society to help rescue pets. If something happened to me, I'd like to think someone would be there for my dogs.

Clearinghouses for places to contribute can be found at Instapundit and Truth Laid Bear.

Hopefully, the day will soon come when people only say "hurricane" when they're talking about...