More voting problems in -- you guessed it --Florida

From: Disputed Fla. election to spill into U.S. House

Buchanan was certified the winner of the November 7 election by a 369-vote margin. Oddly, about 18,000 ballots in Sarasota County had no votes recorded for the disputed House race, while other races on those ballots were voted on.

TV plans tasteful coverage of Saddam execution

Possibly my favorite headline of the year (I don't even need to read the article). I'll have to catch the Fox coverage.

TV plans tasteful coverage of Saddam execution

Let the Investigations Begin

Well, now they figure maybe $1 billion of the $12 billion spent on Katrina cleanup was stolen, by big corporation, mostly ( Auditors: Katrina waste could top $2 billion ). I bet it's more than that, depending on who's counting. I'm still suspicious of the claim of theft by individuals topping $1 billion. I recall some odd tallying of this indivudual theft. Like watching pay-per-view movies at a hotel on FEMA's tab. Or buying booze (not food) with funds. I know the Federally Funded drinking would really annoy some of my Texas neighbors, probably more than the corprorate shennanagins.

"Competitive" FEMA Funding

Originality must not have been involved in the "competition" for FEMA Funding. I don't think anyone in Mississippi has as good a poster as this George Rodrigue offering. That should be worth a million or two, dontcha think?

But then again, our governor doesn't have as much Federal swag as Hayley Barbour. Bet he'd get more than a $1.00 bid for lunch.

The Associated Press has put out a little story on Shady Grove, the RV park in downtown Austin, TX. It's right near some good local restaurants like Chuy's and Shardy Grove Burgers and across from the Barton Springs pool. ( RV 'village' stands out in tony Austin ).

Alas, this story misses something important. The deal to convert Shady Grove to high-end conds has already gone down earlier this month ( Condos planned to replace Shady Grove RV Park ). Yet another charming part of this charming city falls to 'progress'. People used to live in Austin mostly because they didn't want to live in a big city. The joke around here is that you might have avoided moving to Houston, but now Houston is coming to you.

FEMA Screws La. (Yet Again)

Out of $400 million in new FEMA funding, Mississippi will get a whopping $280M, with Louisiana getting $75M (Texas gets the rest). This money was somehow allocated on a 'competitive' basis. I'm not sure what this means. Was there a swimsuit competition? I thought FEMA was there to help US Citizens after disasters. Now we are making the vicitms 'compete' for funds. I suppose 'politics' could be involved here, too.

Tom Delay Blog

They say you can't keep a good man down. Seems you could say the same for Tom Delay. He has a new blog at: http://www.tomdelay.com/ Hope there are some good pest control hints out there. I have a serious fire ant problem lately.

New Orleans Still Awaiting Hurricane Aid

A Washington Post story that has been mentioned elsewhere. Seems the Feds sent over $5 billion to the state of Louisiana, but the state has passed on less than $2 billion on do actual repair work from after Katrina. Note that this is distinct from the FEMA grants homeowners are supposed to be getting for private home repairs (which has also been slow in coming). This is all 16 months after the storm.

New Orleans Still Awaiting Hurricane Aid

A Cheap Date with the Governor

A charity raffle auctioned off dinner with Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco. The price? One Dollar, bid by a banker from Capital One. From the International Herald Tribune:

Offer of dinner with embattled Louisiana Gov. Blanco fetches $1 at business group auction

Marijuana 'top cash crop in US'

In the article Marijuana 'top cash crop in US' the BBC reports that marijuana is the largest cash crop in the US, surpassing corn and wheat combined with an annual value of $35B.

Length DID matter

Here's a warm hearted (but icky) tale of two dolphins being saved by a VERY tall guy. You won't believe how he did it.

She's no lady

Who knew that in these days with the multitude of tests on winning athletes for illegal substances that someone would try the old impersonate-a-chick thing. So if “she” isn’t a she, then is she a he? The story refers to her (he, it?) as a she even though a panel of medical experts report that she (he, it) “does not possess the sexual characteristics of a woman”. What equipment does he/she/it possess? How much of an expert do you need to be for this test?

Would anyone have noticed?

In case you missed it, Amarillo, Texas was almost vaporized a few months back. Oddly, this story was only picked up by a small handful of newspapers in the US and two internationally (in Germany and Kazakhstan). And interesting report about the people who build nuclear warheads in the US, and their safety record. Pantex in Amarillo is ths only assembly facility for nuclear warheads in the US.

Group: 'Near miss' at Pantex could have set off nuke

Sen. Johnson critical after brain surgery

Uh oh. That Democratic control of both houses of congress may be slipping away due to the mysterious and sudden illness of Sentor elect Tim Johnson. Better test him for traces of Polonium-210, quick. Of course, we could just end up with a brain-dead Senator, still occupying his office officially. But this hasn't happened in the US since the Jesse Helms' last few terms. Perhaps Doctor / Senator Bill Frist will get to examine a video tape of Semator Johnson to see if his life support plug should be pulled.

Told You So

Who could have predicted that the Iraq war would turn out so badly? Just about everyone outside of the Bush administration, it turns out. And with stunning accuracy. Paul Krugman in a recent NYT article ('They Told You So') quotes all sorts of leaders (including Papa George Bush I) predicting, well, exactly what has come to pass in Iraq. A copy of the article can be found here. One quote:

Former President George H. W. Bush and Brent Scowcroft, explaining in 1998 why they didn't go on to Baghdad in 1991: "Had we gone the invasion route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land."

There Goes That Decider Again

Dub is decidificating again - this time it's about the country's course in Iraq. But he's not talking about his decidering until next year.

Also, here's an op-ed on Bush's success or lack thereof in the Middle East.

Rude Pundit on William Jefferson

I know many don't share my appreciation of the Rude Pundit, but in a recent post he takes on the William Jefferson and Louisiana politics in general. Is the gentleman right, or what?

William Jefferson's Re-Election - Oh, Get Over It:

Funky Forever

Got Brian Stoltz's "East of Rampart Street" for my birthday. Some good stuff, with track 5, 'Funky Forever' being downright addictive. Good to see home-grown New Orleans funk ain't dead yet.

David Duke in Iran

The Chicago Sun Times, in a Tehran by-line, reports that former Louisiana Republican Representative David Duke will be joining those of a similar worldview in Iran this week to discuss the holocaust. Just a tip for anyone who ever thought either Duke or Mahmoud Ahma-lama-ding-dong were anything but a few buritos shy of a combo platter.

Duke joins deniers at Holocaust conference

Who Dat Beat Dem Cowboys?

OK. Since this was a nationally televised game, I'm considering it "news" and worthy of a post. It was a complete pleasure to see the Saints kick the hineys of the self-appointed "America's Team". The NYTimes provided good coverage. ESPN's story is also quite good. And here's the AP Wire story.

Larger-Than-Life Sheriff Rules Louisiana Parish

An NPR story on Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry lee:

Larger-Than-Life Sheriff Rules Louisiana Parish

Cheney's Grandchild Will Have Two Mommies

The Gods do seem to have a sense of humor, or at least irony.

Cheney's Grandchild Will Have Two Mommies

U.S. mulls removing lead from list of pollutants

Perhaps this is all a plan to lower our (collective) I.Q.s, The last election might indicate that too many people are wising up.

U.S. mulls removing lead from list of pollutants

Nagin: Feds have abandoned New Orleans recovery

From the USA Today:

Nagin: Feds have abandoned New Orleans recovery

Tribe bans church protest at soldier's funeral

I think this nutjob Fred Phelps made the old Morphy mailing list. I see his group is still protesting at military funerals claiming the death of soldier \s in Iraq is God's punishment for our country's toleance of homosexuals (really!)

Tribe bans church protest at soldier's funeral

Military Radio Signal Jams Garage Doors

Military Radio Signal Jams Garage Doors

A Dream Blown Away

More on insurance. It seems whether you believe in Global Warming or not, the insurance companies are taking it seriously. This Washington Post article tells you why large parts of the US are losing their insurance, with more almost certainly to follow.

A Dream Blown Away
Climate Change Already Has a Chilling Effect on Where Americans Can Build Their Homes