As if we needed any more reason to be proud of Bill Morrison

There's a really nice story on new City Councilor Bill Morrison in this morning's CA, and I urge you to go read it.  Hell, I didn't know he'd had to have part of his leg amputated; you sure couldn't tell it as hard as he works at whatever he's doing at a given moment.

He always listens when you have a suggestion or an idea, and I know his constituents will appreciate him for that.  This is good for the whole city, not just District 1.

A new old blogger?

In any event, we welcome Glen's blog Leaning Left but Thinking Right to THE ENDLESS BLOGROLL, and he has an interesting post about how we might regard the candidates if we were dating them:

They say dating is like a job interview. I think running for
political office is a bit like that as well. As the various Republican and
Democrats travel back and forth across the country selling themselves we get a peak at to what kind of person they would be on a date. I am basing this more on the image they present themselves on the campaign trail and not so much about their own personal lives.

Enjoy!

This may be the all-time champion from THE ONION

And no, it's NOT safe for work, but it IS hysterical.  Just click on the title and enjoy...

I Got What America Needs Right Here

OK, what the hell's wrong with me??

Why haven't I had LIBERADIO up on THE ENDLESS BLOGROLL before now??? Ok, I'm an idiot, but at least now I have rectified the problem, go to their site, download their podcasts, and read their posts.

Welcome to the blogroll!!!!

Vibinc says it's WHAT that's more important than WHO we elect in a President

Vibinc has a really solid post that you need to read. Here's a taste:

I want a President that will lead the conversation to the left. Someone who will vigorously debunk the right wing conventional wisdom that has trapped us in the spiral of stagnation. Who will fight like hell to make sure that America is living up to the grand ideals that make America great.

Go read the rest!

Cohen Open House Tomorrow; Congratulations to Randy Wade

January 10, 2008
Press Release
For Immediate Release

CONGRESSMAN COHEN OPEN HOUSE TOMORROW, FRIDAY, JANUARY 11
RANDY WADE NAMED NEW DISTRICT OFFICE DIRECTOR

Washington, DC – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) will host an Open House at his 9th District Congressional Office on Friday, January 11, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. There, constituents will have the opportunity to meet the Congressman as well as the District staff and learn how they can be assisted on a variety of issues. The District Office is located in Suite 369 of the Clifford Davis / Odell Horton Federal Building at 167 N. Main St.

“As we begin a new year and approach the beginning of a new session of Congress, I want to invite you join me this Friday at my District Office located in the Clifford Davis / Odell Horton Federal Building for an Open House to discuss issues of interest to our Congressional District,” said Congressman Cohen.

In conjunction with the Open House, Congressman Cohen has just announced that long-time law enforcement officer and community leader Randy Wade will take over as District Director, replacing Sherman Greer. Mr. Wade served as Deputy District Director for Congressman Cohen for the past year.

“I’m thrilled to have someone with Randy’s experience and knowledge of the community directing our staff,” Congressman Cohen explained. “Through his years of service both as a mediator between law enforcement and the African American community and as a civic leader, Randy has shown his deep commitment and love for the City of Memphis. He has been a great friend to me and I have the utmost faith in his abilities.”

Mr. Wade has been a prominent figure in the community since his appointment in 1982 to the position of deputy administrator of the Shelby County Sherriff’s Department. “I was the blocker,” he said. “If people had problems, then they would come see me before they went to a lawyer because I could usually solve their problems by talking to the right people in the right division.”

Congressman Cohen added, “That’s what Randy brings to the table: the ability to solve problems. He’s been doing it for over a quarter of a century, and he has the trust of people in the community.”

Mr. Wade is also credited with elevating the Sherriff Department’s drug prevention program with the help of an old friend, former NBA All-Star and Memphis Tiger basketball legend Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway. “Penny and I always had a great relationship,” explained Mr. Wade. “He had to grow up without a father and so did I, so I tried to be a mentor for him over the years. When I was trying to get the youth anti-drug program in Memphis off the ground, Penny was a big help because all the kids look up to him.”

Born and raised in Memphis, Mr. Wade served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War, receiving numerous accolades for his service. He said that his most memorable experience during that time was recovering the Apollo 10 spacecraft while aboard the USS Princeton in 1969 after it landed in the Pacific Ocean near American Samoa.

Mr. Wade said that he is looking forward to continuing to work with Congressman Cohen in the area of constituent service for years to come. “Steve and I have been close friends for years,” he said. “He’s done a great job handling the responsibilities of representing the people of the 9th District and helping out the people when they come to him. I think that I can make our office even better, though, with my previous experience. I’ve been doing this kind of work all of my life. The people of Memphis and Shelby County need to know that if they ever have any problems that Congressman Cohen can help with to call us at the District Office and we’ll take care of it.”

Congressman Cohen reiterated that sentiment, saying, “Our office prides itself on providing the highest level of constituent service in the country. I think with Randy Wade at the helm of our District Office, we are going to up the ante. Randy has more experience doing this than anybody in Memphis, and I have the utmost faith in him to get the job done.”
- 30 -

Jim Kyle, you da man!

The Democratic leader of the Senate has come up with a bill that would enable Senator Ophelia Ford to temporarily step aside from her seat due to health reasons, and appoint a temporary successor.  It would also enable the Governor and/or the General Assembly to do the same if she refused to do so.  Click the link for the CA story and the bill itself.

Look, something has to be done here; as I have noted previously, the citizens of District 29 have no representation, and the Senate, even though tied at 16-16-1, could be run roughshod by the Republicans, and that is NEVER a good thing.  If Senator Ford were to give us more information and her doctors could provide a prognosis, this might not be necessary.  This simply CANNOT continue as it has, and I fully support Senator Kyle's actions.

This, essentially, is the concept of administrative leave, whereby a person can step aside from their duties until such time as their health improves or their legal situation is resolved.  It works in other parts of the country, why not here?

All in all, thumbs up to Senator Kyle for this solution to a sad and potentially tragic situation.

Finally, it's over, thank heavens

The final case in the Tennessee Waltz scandal has been adjudicated, as former School Board member Michael Hooks Jr. plead guilty to one embezzlement charge this morning; the US Attorney's office agreed to dismiss the other three counts.

This brings to a close a sordid era in local politics, one that teaches a solid lesson: don't be so damn bold in taking money, learn how to disguise bribery like the Republicans do!

Enough said.

I really hate having to say this, but....

UPDATE 01/09, thanks again to ACK:

From the office of Jim Kyle:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JANUARY 9, 2008
ADVISORY: KYLE AVAIL ON DISTRICT 29 BILL NASHVILLE -- At 8:45 a.m. CST on Thursday, January 10, Democratic Leader Senator Jim Kyle, D-Memphis, will hold a media availability in the Legislative Plaza Press Gallery to discuss legislation related to the situation in Senate District 29.
WHO: Senator Jim Kyle
WHAT: Avail on District 29 legislation
WHEN: Thursday, January 10, 8:45 a.m. CST
WHERE: Legislative Plaza Press Gallery

Ruh-roh.

If Senator Ophelia Ford (D-29) is going to be absent from her Senate duties for an extended period of time, as her attorney has advised, then the question must be asked: What is her long-term prognosis?

I'm not the first to ask this question; Senator Jim Kyle (D-28), her party's Leader in the Senate, has apparently asked this as well. From his perspective, he needs to know whether he can count on her vote at any point in the legislative session, which begins tomorrow.

As you know, I supported her in her first election, and through the fol-de-rol of whether it was legal or not. I don't want to throw her out in the snow if there is a reasonable chance that she will return soon. However, her constituency has a right to know if they are going to have representation this spring, or ever. I believe that someone with a knowledge of her condition needs to make a public explanation, so that the citizens of Senate 29 can determine if they need to request that she resign in order to take care of her health and that they can replace her.

This is not meant with any disrespect to Senator Ford or her family or anyone connected to her. Her constituency needs to know what the prognosis is for her recovery, as her physical inability to perform her duties effectively disenfranchises them while session is going on.

Personally, I think I speak for everyone in the Democratic family when I am hoping and praying for a speedy and full recovery for Senator Ford. She has a good heart and the best intentions for District 29.

However, it is becoming apparent that she simply may not have the physical health necessary to perform her duties at the level her constituents require. There is no shame in this whatsoever, and I wish her only the best.

If this in fact is the case, it is incumbent on those around her to make this public, or at least explain the situation and make clear that she can recover, if possible.

I believe this is in the best interest of Senator Ford and her constituents.

Thanks to Kleinheider for the hat tip.

The TNDP has their OWN blog, and they've linked to US!

We welcome THE DONKEY'S MOUTH to THE ENDLESS BLOGROLL, and we are delighted and honored that they have your Cracker on their blogroll. Of course, we are responding in kind.

We suspect that they are kind of new to this, as they left TennViews off their roll, I have asked them to add it, and I know they will. As some of my brother and sister bloggers here have dubbed me the Blogfather, Mr. Neal at TennViews is that figure for the state. If he hadn't started SouthKnoxBubba, I would never have done this, and I owe him greatly.

Go enjoy THE DONKEY'S MOUTH!

We welcome Lovable Liberal to THE ENDLESS BLOGROLL

Lovable Liberal is the new kid on the block, and an Edwards supporter. I first read this blogger at TennViews, so when they put up their own blog, I thought I would link them over here.

Go read it!

OK, now what?

It's not over yet, boys and girls; Hillary Clinton won a close victory in a small state over Barack Obama on Tuesday night. It probably had nothing to do with Obama, or Edwards, but with the media's vicious assaults on the Senator from New York after she had a truly human moment on Monday where her voice cracked while talking about her personal this race was for her. It was great human theater, while being pure and sincere at the same time.

She's still my third choice in the primary, after John Edwards and Obama, but she brought the race back to even after two weeks, which is a good thing. The longer this stretches out, the better I like it. We need to see more from everyone, and I am hoping for a win from Edwards (and he NEEDS one).

I'm not a fan of HRC by a long shot, but the vitriol that media people like Chris Matthews show toward her is out and out misogyny, people; Matthews is a punk and not to be trusted.

There are men who absolutely fear her because she is a strong woman; I think she makes their balls shrink up because she does not take bullshit from anyone. Well, except for one Big Dog, maybe.

Frankly, they are looking for ANY excuse not to vote for her if she is the Democratic nominee. She is not who I want as our nominee, because I don't like a lot of the people around her except for those directly related to her. I think she puts us in the most vulnerable position in November, no doubt about it.

However, if she is our nominee, I will support her. I won't be thrilled, I think she's too corporate, but I will support her. America will not survive four more years of a Republican presidency, period.

However, at this time, I have a choice, and his name is John Edwards.

BREAKING NEWS

But not surprising news: former Mississippi Governor Ronnie Musgrove is going to challenge newly-appointed US Senator Roger Wicker for that seat.

More news as it arrives...

UPDATE: Former Congressman Ronnie Shows is also entering the Democratic Primary for Senator! H/T to 2008 Senate Guru....

Great article from FearlessVK

In which she writes about the CA's decision to have a graphic on their site counting out-of-wedlock births.

Here's a taste:

It almost makes me pine for fire-breathing right-wingers who at least admit what they're really up to: the demonization of single mothers. Cashman, on the other hand, insists that "we're not picking on anybody." This is either stupendously naive or profoundly disingenuous.

More here, go read the rest!

Well, Vibinc has taken the ball and run...

For a couple of touchdowns, at least.

Our blogging compadre takes the subject of my earlier post on consolidation and takes it to another level:

Herenton’s been beating this drum since the mid-90’s, and he has some compelling arguments in his favor. Unfortunately, at least this time around, he brings up consolidation with no plan, other than the tyranny of the majority, in the form of a state constitutional amendment. A sales pitch like that will have the starving running away from free food.

That's just the tip of the iceberg, here's another morsel:

Aside from the linguistic intricacies there are some structural issues that could also be a barrier to a unified County government. Currently, the cities of Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland and Millington, cities that would be consolidated, have 32 Aldermen between them. If there are some 250,000 people in those 6 communities that amounts to a representation rate of 1:7800, far better than the current rate in the City of Memphis, 1:50000. Would you give up that level of direct representation without some guarantee that what you were getting was either as good, or better? I didn’t think so.

Now, you need to go over there to get the rest of it; you'll be glad you did.

Your first liberal blogger roundup of 2008 is here!

As always, thanks to TennViews!

A "corn fed" edition the TennViews weekly liberal blog roundup, with Iowa caucus/straw poll reaction from some of Tennessee's best and brightest bloggers:

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Almost spot on prediction, and The Kids are Alright

• Andy Axel (at TennViews): The latest unbelievable wingnut spin

• BlountViews: Respect for Dodd and Biden

• The Crone Speaks: Electability over issues, and Voter turnout is the big story

• Enclave: The Obama Edwards dilemma

• Fletch: The Gaussian candidate

• KnoxViews: Down to the wire, and Knoxville News Sentinel has a sense of humor

• Lean Left: Caucus thoughts: A mess for the GOP, a remarkable win for Obama, and The "Not Clinton" problem

• Left of the Dial: Sick babies and loose meat sandwiches

• Left Wing Cracker: So much for Iowa being a Republican state

• NewsComa: Going against the grain, and Bold predictions for the aftermath

• Pesky Fly: Interpreting the tongues, and Fear of success

• Progress Nashville: Status quo: 0, Change: 1, and The young and the restless, plus Two miracles

• Russ McBee: Thoughts on Edwards, bonus: Quote of the day

• Sean Braisted: The awesome power of hope, and The defeat of absolutism

• Sharon Cobb: Iowa votes for change, plus Cause and Kucinich/Nader effect?

• Silence Isn't Golden: Post Iowa scenarios

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: Only fools are dancing on Hillary's grave and a Hillary provides baby sitters for caucus goers, right wing whines

• TennViews: Results and observations, and More questions than answers?

• Vibinc (a new addition to the Tennessee liberal blogroll): Snakes on a campaign, and About last night, and Live Blogging the Iowa Caucuses from Drinking Liberally Memphis, bonus: Hilarious predictions

• Whites Creek Journal: What happened

And folks that's just what they're saying about Iowa. There's a lot, and I mean a lot, of other stuff going on. Check out the "Volunteer Blogs" blogroll at TennViews and read what Tennessee's best liberal bloggers have to say about it.

The opening round goes to Obama and the Huckster

My, my, my. Obama's people had predicted over 200,ooo Iowans would caucus on the Democratic side, when I couldn't remember there ever being more than 125,000. I thought either they were blowing smoke up our collective arses, or they had a great organization in the Hawkeye State.

Pick the latter, folks. There were over 218,000 who caucused Democratically on Thursday night, and the junior Senator from neighboring Illinois pulled 37.58% of them, topping John Edwards and Hillary Clinton, in that order. Mighty well done, sir, mighty well done.

I was at Drinking Liberally at Dish on the hippest corner in town, Cooper and Young, where our pal Vibinc rocked the house with his live-blogging of the current state of affairs in each party.

As for the Goopers, Mike Huckabee, after only being in the state three months and having been out-spent by Mitt Romney, who I believe had been in Iowa over a year, thoroughly tromped on the former Massachusetts Governor, 34% to 25%. Fred Thompson, rumored to be dropping out, limped in just ahead of the man he is rumored to be endorsing after said departure, John McCain.

Oh, by the way, our Blog-Ruler Kos noted the following tonight:

There were approximately 356,000 Iowans turning out from BOTH parties. Here's how the top four candidates fared when grouped together:

Obama 24.5%

Edwards 20.5%

Clinton 19.8%

Huckabee 11.4%

So much for Iowa being a Republican state!

Hi, Mr. Mayor. Could we talk for a minute?

First, Happy New Year, here's hoping you are well.  I want to be supportive here, as this is one of those subjects on which we agree, consolidation.  It would clearly be better for all citizens in this county if all services were consolidated.  We'd have to let G-Town keep GPAC, and Bartlett could keep BPACC, but still, it's a wise deal for everyone.

I understand your frustration here, but maybe your suggestion about how the referendums should be conducted might not have been the best way to approach the part of the County outside Memphis.  Oh, I know, they would still get a vote as County residents, and it might have been represented by at least one media outlet as the equivalent of tanks rolling down Poplar Avenue, but still, it DID seem a bit heavy-handed.

Look, don't take this personally, we're on the same side here and I want to see this happen as much as you do.  I think you should listen to Calvin Anderson here, I think he's going in the right direction.  You need to work on this quietly, and take yourself out this as much as you can.

I want to address this as delicately as I can, so here goes:  if you REALLY want to see this get through, you should make a public announcement that you would NOT consider running for a consolidated County Mayor's office.  Simply put, you are a lightning rod, and there are a LOT of people who would vote for this if you were out of the equation.

Look, don't get offended, I KNOW that there are lots of people out there who want Memphians to continue to subsidize their lifestyle so they don't have to pay their fair share of property taxes.  However, there are more people out there than you might think that will support consolidation.

Look, you know yourself who should be the front person for this effort, it's your buddy across the mall, you know he could sell refrigerators in Alaska in January.  Sadly, sir, this is not one of your strong points, even after 16 years in City Hall.  Take yourself out of the equation PUBLICLY, if not privately, and this can get done.

It might even be your crowning achievement, but you have to take one for the team.

Thank you for your time!

Very powerful....

Another reason I support John Edwards, H/T to Digby..

Happy New Year, and other ramblings.

Football-wise 2008 has started rather poorly, with the Fighting Illini getting their heads (and other body parts) handed to them in the Rose Bowl by USC, who is actually the best team in America, since the SEC is always over-rated.  Then Wisconsin lost to the Orange boys of East Tennessee (sorry, 'Coma, I am NOT a Vols fan, not since they sent a moving van to Bill Battle's house in 1976), which disturbed me to no end.  Oh well, at least Lloyd Carr went out a winner as the Maize & Blue beat the Florida Tebows, 41-35.  Yes, I'm a Big Ten guy, why do you ask?

Now, to other matters.  We are one year and 19 days away from the end of our long national nightmare, unless Bu$h and Cheney attempt to prevent the 2008 elections from happening for "national security" reasons.  Paranoid, you say?  Have you lived here for the last seven years?

I believe that a Democrat will be elected President, and not just because we will have the better candidate (even if it's Gravel), but for this reason:  the Huckster is the last hope of the religious conservatives in the GOP who actually believe in social justice (and there's more than you think).  If he wins the nomination, the Club For Growth crowd will vote Democratic or for the Constitution Party candidate.  If he LOSES, the people who have been the faithful foot-soldiers of the Republican Party since the mid-70s will stay home, no matter how hard Rove, Dobson and Robertson beg and plead for them to stop those commie Democrats.

So what needs to happen here is that we need to demand MORE and BETTER Democrats.  This is why I am voting for John Edwards, because his is the message that Democrats need to carry, and follow up on; that the last seven years have been nothing more than wealth redistribution to those who need it least, and NONE of it is based on merit.  This has to stop, before the nation is completely destroyed economically, and we're on the verge of that already.

Truly, anyone would be better than what we have now, at least if they're Democrats, but now is a time that calls for someone who understands the economic problems facing America, which is why the Kewl Kids of the Beltway are trying to get voters to care more about John Edwards' hair than his message.  They are frightened of Edwards, and that's why we're starting to see the likes of Rupert Murdoch cozying up to Senator Clinton.

Hillary?  A) she's NOT Bill, she grew up in the NW suburbs of Chicago and was a Goldwater Girl, for heaven's sakes.  She has relics of the past like James Carville and sellouts like Mark Penn running her show, and people need to understand that this is NOT a restoration, because we face different problems, due to the incompetence and malfeasance and unlawfulness of the Bu$h Administration.  She's not the answer.

Neither is the junior Senator from Illinois, I'm afraid.  A good man? Absolutely.  A great orator? He's almost in Bill Clinton territory.  So, why not jump on the bandwagon?  Because he is too timid to say no to business, or anyone else, for that matter.  He simply has not been around long enough to be tempered and tested for this office that he seeks.  2016? Quite possibly.  2008?  No way.

Confession:  Whenever I take one of those surveys that match me up with candidates, I inevitably wind up agreeing more with Dennis Kucinich than anyone else.  If I had any thought that he could win, I would send him money today, but I just don't, and the problem is we need someone with Kucinich's views and Bill Clinton's salesmanship to lead this country right now, and the candidate who, to me exemplifies the best combination of both is John Edwards.

So, now you know.

It's Sunday Blogger Roundup time!!!

An abbreviated "on-the-road live from Memphis" edition of our weekly sampling from some of Tennessee's best and brightest bloggers:

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Authentic Russian dinner for the holidays (yum!)

• Andy Axel (at TennViews): Red pickup on fumes

• BlountViews: Blount one of seven Tennessee counties to pass new property tax freeze for seniors

• The Crone Speaks: Who benefits?

• Cup of Joe Powell: Liberal fascism

• Enclave: Davidson Co. Election Commission data theft

• Fletch: Favorite 2007 photo

• KnoxViews: Fair tax discussion

• Lean Left: A holiday we should celebrate in America

• Left Wing Cracker: It's a cultural celebration, not a religious one

• Loose TN Canon: Bill Maher at Berklee

• NewsComa: Happy blog anniversary to NewsComa!

• Progress Nashville: Top 10 Progressive New Year's Wishes, Day 8

• Resonance: 2008 Energy outlook

• RoaneViews: Clinch River protection pact

• Russ McBee: Musharraf walks a tightrope

• Sean Braisted:Fun with framing

• Sharon Cobb: Analysis: candidates react to Bhutto assassination

• Silence Isn't Golden: Right of refusal does not extend to infants

• Southern Beale: Davidson Co. voter data theft casts shadow over next election

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: Ron Paul considers third party bid

• TennViews: Democratic candidates on health care

• Whites Creek Journal: Off the grid

• Women's Health News: Women's Health year in review

Why is it that Europeans appreciate Soul more than we do?

More Lisa Stansfield, this time doing a Barry White song....

Just for the hell of it

Here's Lisa Stansfield and the late, much-missed Mr. Barry White....

Merry Christmas from the girls...

From left to right, Zoey, Missy and Silky want to wish you all a Merry Christmas, and I do as well.

I meant to write something about this, but Smart City beat me to it

And they did a lovely job of it, too.  SCC eviscerates Probate Court Clerk Chris Thomas for his idiotic reaction to Commissioner Henri Brooks' Kwanzaa celebration on county property.  His failure to understand that this is a CULTURAL, not religious celebration makes him look racist and reactionary.

Read the whole thing, it's too good to excerpt!

TennViews presents the weekly roundup!

A "Jingle Bells" edition of our weekly sampling from some of Tennessee's best and brightest bloggers:

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Democrats fail to show up on SCHIP, bonus: Wordless Wednesday

• Andy Axel: Brr!

• BlountViews: Gemeinschaft to Gesellschaft, also BlountViews in the news, bonus: Best Christmas music video ever

• The Crone Speaks: Bad Santa

• Cup of Joe Powell: Without restraint, totally beyond the pale, bonus: Sophie spins some Christmas soul music

• Enclave: NOLA housing crisis roundup, plus The David Bowie/Bing Crosby Christmas duet classic

• Fletch: New coal plant on fast track, plus Wordless Wednesday, bonus: 'Tis the Season

• KnoxViews: Energy bill gets 50MPG on way to White House. plus UT launches tobacco research center - anything for a buck

• Lean Left: Obama and Alter's faulty memory, plus: Huckabee's video Christmas card

• Left Wing Cracker: Larry King impersonation ramble, plus: Nat King Cole for Christmas

• Loose TN Canon: Conservative climate science ignorance on parade, bonus: Fried Cheesecake

• NewsComa: The rural factor in presidential politics, bonus: Christopher Walken's Night Before Christmas (warning: children should leave the room)

• Pesky Fly: Separated at birth, plus: McCain beneficiary of Chucklebee fallout but Romney by a nose?

• Progress Nashville: Starving the poor, plus Corker wading into 2010 minefield, and Top 10 Progressive New Year's Wishes, Day 1

• Resonance: Pelosi surprised by Republican resolve

• RoaneViews: State Sen.Tommy Kilby on Tennessee's sunshine law, plus Alvin C. York and the origin of turkey shoots

• Russ McBee: State Sen. Randy McNally having second thoughts on changing Tennessee's sunshine law plus, A Christmas story

• Sean Braisted: (back at home) A law firm divided

• Sharon Cobb: Gov. Bredesen should follow Gov. Corzine's lead on death penalty, plus Expect to see Republican politicians, country artists and Ted Nugent on late-nite TV

• Silence Isn't Golden: Reporting in from the Obama Nashville HQ opening, bonus: possibly the stupidest letter to the editor ever, plus (sorry, missed from last week): Happy Hanukkah

• Southern Beale: Ron Paul's true Republican credentials, plus Gift idea for the person who has everything except health insurance, plus 12 Days of Christmas

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: Coverage denied, girl dies and a follow up, plus You're so lame - let the party begin!

• TennViews: Bush to California: Drop dead, plus State Rep. Beth Harwell's toxic toys, and Tennessee election study recommends paper audit trail and other reforms, and 1968

• Whites Creek Journal: Tilt and the gift of the mysterious, plus This technology must be stopped!

• Women's Health News: Spermicide in your hair dye?

It's sunshine time in Tennessee!

Thanks to our beloved Newscoma, I now know of a new blog, founded by our friend Tom Guleff, which is focused on maintaining the Open Meetings Law as it is now written. it even has a link or two to a Cracker column, for which I thank Tom.  

It's not easy or fun being on the opposite side of people you've worked for and still support, but it needs to be done.  Thanks, Tom.

OK, that WAS a little weird, so here's Nat

with the Greatest of them all, The Christmas Song, again with thanks to Orson..

Now, THIS says Christmas to me.....

Other than hearing the Nat King Cole or Mel Torme versions of the Christmas Song, nothing says Christmas than the greatest Christmas duet of all time, with a nod to Orson at EDSBS..

My Larry King impersonation

Well, we're in the middle of PEAK out here and our document system is fried, so I can't do any letters for my customers.

That means I'm doing a version of the old USA TODAY column that Larry King used to do, who knows what the hell I'll say next.

Whyizzit that I get pissed at Hillary, but get pissed when Goopers attack her as well? I still want Edwards to win.....Speaking of Edwards, hats off to David Holt, who is putting his time and money where his heart is, in Burlington, IA on the ground for John Edwards. Holt rocks, and any Edwards folks in town should thank him when he gets back.

In the state, tomorrow, I want you all to go show some love for our beloved Newscoma, who is starting the Bigfoot Fund for lonely sasquatches in NW Tennessee; it also helps her in the fight to find zombies! She deserves whatever you care to give, I will be in for $7.95 at least! In all seriousness, she has been a stalwart for the good on this side of the state, not to mention having a truly entertaining blog.

Say, you ever think that maybe Arthur Blank may have lied to Bobby Petrino about the situation with the Falcons when he hired him? Like maybe he told him that the Vick situation was under control and that he was just the guy to make Vick the all-around QB the Falcons had been waiting to see? I can hear it now, "Don't worry, Bobby, the players will LOVE you and the FBI is just trying to get Vick to roll on his friends, it won't be a problem!" Under THAT scenario, doesn't Petrino's escape to Fayetteville seem more sensible? I thought so.

Speaking of Larry King, I first heard him on the radio in 1980 and thought he was an 80-year-old guy humped over a microphone THEN, how has he lasted so long? OY. Partially on that subject, if you are a Don Rickles fan, you have to catch Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project, which is on HBO this month, it's a great capture of his career and how wickedly gifted he is at needling and insulting people why making you laugh like hell. HE's 81, for heaven's sakes.....

I think the Mitchell Report is mostly hearsay, but I have to admit I am gleeful that Roger Clemens has been accused of being injected with PEDs while with the Yankees. He's still a Hall of Famer, as is the man you love to hate, Barry Bonds, but I grow tired of Bonds being the scapegoat for an institution-wide problem. MLB, the media, and everyone else turned a blind eye when all this started, and they want to blame it all on Bonds because he is a spoiled, selfish (and, did I mention, BLACK) pain in the ass. It's not the whole story, but race has a part of this, doncha know.......

If you see Bill O'Reilly, tell him I said HAPPY HOLIDAYS! BWAHAHAHAHAHA.

The older I get, the more temperature-sensitive I become, and I'm getting tired of the roller-coaster ride the weather has taken recently. I either want it to go to 70 and stay there, or drop to 20 and have a blizzard. No, a real humdinger, like the winter of '67 in Chicago and the Midwest, when we were buried under two feet of snow. Oh, I would like that WITHOUT an ice storm, please!

While I'm at it, how about some applause for Lauren, who keeps me sane, and has put up with a great deal from me this week, more than she should have, for which I am grateful. We share the January 5 birthday, and yes, I'm really seven years OLDER than she is, though I like to tease her otherwise.

I know he's working on his novel, for which we wait with bated breath, but I (and many others) have missed The Freedonian's musings, he rarely misses when he writes and provides a great perspective on Mid-South life and politics. If his novel is as good as his blog (which I expect) who knows how long we'll have him here.

Who out there still watches local news on 3, 5, 13 or 24/30? I try to, but other than 3 at 10, it's just awful. No one seems to understand that Whitehaven is NOT South Memphis, and vice versa, or know where anything is in general. Note, Anna Marie Hartman at 5 is still terrific, though.

While he has gotten on my nerves in the past, send some thoughts and prayers to Stuart Scott at ESPN; he is battling cancer while back on the air at the World Wide Leader. Keep fightin' dawg.....

Anyone else think that Mike Huckabee is the man to beat on the Gooper side? I do, he scares the hell out of me. The evangelicals will STAY HOME if it's not the Huckster, or vote for whoever turns out to be the Constitution Party nominee.

Loved Bill Giannini's comment on the blog the other day; like anyone's going to beat him in the GOP primary. I'll enjoy eating that Republican pizza, dude, but I'm still for Cheyenne.....

OK, that's it for now, remember to watch the football Tigers take on Howard Schnellenberger's Florida Atlantic Owls in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl tomorrow night on ESPN at 7 o'clock. It's the final game for Martin Hankins, Joe Doss and the rest of the senior class, GO TIGERS!

Obama opened up his Nashville HQ last night

And GoldnI was there to capture it for us with pictures and a good post, which will also explain why Bob Tuke decided NOT to run for Senator.  

Now I've got your attention, eh?  Go here and read about it...

You will hopefully notice....

That, at the top of THE ENDLESS BLOGROLL is a new link to the website for the West Memphis Three. John Brummett of Stephens Media has a solid column today about how, at the very least, efforts to stop the execution of Damian Echols should be successful, and that the efforts to free these folks will eventually succeed.

As time goes by, frequent reviews of the court transcripts only increase, not decrease, any reasonable doubt regarding their convictions, which is the standard for any criminal trial. I urge you to read Brummett's column, and visit their website.

Update: Our friend and mentor Kibitzer takes a differing view.....

Live, from Knoxville, it's your Sunday Liberal Blogger Roundup!

Courtesy of TennViews, here you are!

A weekly sampling from some of Tennessee's best and brightest bloggers:

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: The Myth of "Curing" Homosexuality, bonus: excellent Friday creature

• Andy Axel: The view is exhausting

• BlountViews: Mayor attacks local paper, again, also doesn't like Russian student/cultural exchange program

• Cup of Joe Powell: More on the AT&T statewide cable franchise bill

• Enclave: Tennessee should ban pre-payment penalties, plus Asterisks

• Fletch: Friday bird blogging, plus CNBC's Mr. Drysdale

• KnoxViews: Homeschooling for religious reasons. plus Anatomy of a toxic radioactive plume (at Facing South by way of KnoxViews)

• Lean Left: Financial incentives that discourage pharmaceutical research, plus: Good argument against FISA immunity

• Left Wing Cracker: Dems in Congress: Dance with who brung'ya

• Loose TN Canon: Why pop music sucks

• NewsComa: Savage political season

• Pesky Fly: Harry on hold, plus: Remembering Ike

• Progress Nashville: If the Tennessee Lottery ran elections, plus The failure of privatization

• Resonance: Shared sacrifice, plus House protects Christmas

• RoaneViews: Tax exemptions, good and bad

• Russ McBee: ORNL data theft and me plus, Theme of the day: contempt

• Sean Braisted: (at TennViews) Sumner Dem v. Diane Black

• Sharon Cobb: The only thing the Democrat Iowa caucus will predict is who won't be president, plus Obama's Nashville HQ opening

• Silence Isn't Golden: Bye bye Freddie

• Southern Beale: Dr. Frist's new spots, plus Talking Jesus Action Figure

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: New Jersey abolishes death penalty, plus Huckabee on the Canadian National Igloo

• TennViews: What reporters should be asking candidates (Pam Strickland), plus UT McNair Scholars program in jeopardy (an update)

• Whites Creek Journal: What rule of law?

• Women's Health News: Fetal mortality rates by race/ethnicity, plus Good grooming

Yeah, I know...

I've been a slacker this week, but I'm not alone (Jon, where are you?) and I will have more up later, I promise, really, really, I do.

I am getting more pissed off at the Democrats in Congress (excluding MY Congressman, who, with one exception, has been his usual progressive self) for being the very wimps that the VRWC says they are. They seem to forget very easily why we sent them there, to stop at every turn the corporatist policies of the Republicans who have tried to destroy everything that America stands for.

Which is why Rahm Emanuel and Steny Hoyer should be run out of the party and kept out.

Enough on that.

I want to say GREAT JOB to the Flyer for expanding their blogroll, which I have been fortunate enough to be included for some time now, there are more great local blogs than ever, and Kudos to them.

More later.

It's Sunday, and you know what that means!

Courtesy of brother R.Neal at TennViews, here's your Sunday liberal blogger roundup...

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Huckabee stumbles, Clinton needs better friends

• Andy Axel: Fall Heron, plus Good little lapblogs

• BlountViews: Hometown poll not kind to Lamar Alexander

• Cup of Joe Powell: Christmas TV season preview, plus Joe has the incredible Sidewalk Politics video that's been making the rounds

• Enclave: Tennessee in another Top 20

• Fletch: Two men and a truck

• KnoxViews: KnoxViews 2007 Year in Review. plus W settles an old score, and Holiday shopping humor

• Lean Left: Weak-minded Huckabee

• Left of the Dial: Geek-o-rama, plus Bad boss

• Left Wing Cracker: TN Supremes should decide open meetings law

• NewsComa: No solar eclipse in government

• Pesky Fly: Impeach Hillary

• Progress Nashville: The blog business model and TV Guide, plus Missing Bill (no, not that one)

• Resonance: Expert advice on not getting shot in random mall shootings, plus "Serious" Primaries

• RoaneViews: 20,000 tons of nuclear waste

• Russ McBee: Carbon dioxide reduction not as expensive as we're being told plus, Candidate: Speak to the working people

• Sean Braisted: (at TennViews) The obstructionist Senate

• Sharon Cobb: Is Pelosi hurting Clinton?, plus I know what you did in nursery school

• Silence Isn't Golden: Mitch McConnell's unfortunate remarks, plus: Regent Law School needs a better recruiter (this is hilarious, especially keeping in mind that Regent is the law school supplying the Neocon cabal with legal foot soldiers who come up with crap like it's ok to lie to Congress)

Southern Beale: TN GOP bunker mentality

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: Harriet Miers knew

• TennViews, by Persimmon: Corridor K

• Whites Creek Journal: CIA: American heroes

• Women's Health News: Make your holiday donations count for women

We welcome to THE ENDLESS BLOGROLL...

At Home She Feels Like A Tourist, which should have been added long ago. This blog, run by that noted raconteur and Zombie aficionado Fearless VK, runs the gamut from politics to policy to life observations, and you should go there now if you have yet to visit.

Cheyenne Johnson for County Assessor

You might be saying, Cracker, isn't it a wee bit early for that?  Not at all; because the Tennessee Presidential Primary has been moved up, so too has the Primary for the two County offices due to be filled in 2008, Assessor and General Sessions Court Clerk.

Rita Clark is retiring after twelve years of service as the best Assessor we have had in this County.  At her side for the last several years as her Chief Administrative Officer, Cheyenne Johnson understands the day-to-day functions as well as the overall operations of the Assessor's office better than any other candidate.  She would continue the improvements in these functions that have taken place under Rita Clark, and we need to support her as she makes this run.

At the moment, I have no idea who may be running against her in the Primary; GOP Chair Bill Giannini is the leading contender for the Republican nomination.

Cheyenne Johnson is my choice to succeed Rita Clark, and I want her to be yours as well.

Newscoma explains it better than I can

Go here and read what our beloved Newscoma has written about the assault on the Open Meetings Law and why it must not be changed.  She may be an "interested party", as someone suggested to me over the weekend, but I say to you, we ALL are, or should be.

I also want to say that MY representatives are the most accessible of any that I know.  Whether it's Carol Chumney, Jim Strickland, Shea Flinn, Beverly Marrero, Steve Mulroy or one of my closest friends, Mike Kernell, all of these people are very open and, by and large, strongly believe in transparency of government.

This isn't about me; I'm fortunate in that regard.  This is about people like you'll read about in Newscoma's piece who want to cut deals in private, who want nothing to do with public input despite the fact that they were elected TO LISTEN AND REPRESENT THOSE VERY PEOPLE.

If they were all as trustworthy as the people I listed above (and there are others, I'm just not in your District or area if I didn't list you), we would not have this problem.  But they're not, and we do. so go read Newscoma, as it sums this situation up far better than I could.

Tuke's out, too; who's going to take on LAMAR!

Come on, people, LAMAR!'s not invincible, for heaven's sake!

Yet, tonight, the CA is reporting that Bob Tuke has announced that he will not seek the Democratic nomination for the US Senate.

Horsepiss.

Bob Tuke, ex-Marine, former TDP chair, seemed to me to be the type of guy who would be a bulldog, tearing up LAMAR!'s ass every chance he could get, the ultimate compare and contrast candidate.  Whether he won or not, he would force the GOP Old Guard to spend a lot of money on this race, keeping it out of others.

I knew it would be a tough race, and the old money would be behind Alexander, who has been around forever.  The plaid shirt is old news now, and with every national poll turning against Republicans, I thought we had a shot to make it close, if not outright win.

Some attorney from Nashville named Kevin Doherty has said he would run, but I have no idea who the hell he is; Kevin, if you're in this to run, email me so I can learn something about you.

This is not good news; sadly, we seem to be the one state where the Goopers still have some strength, and that is NEVER for the good, as Newscoma might say.

UPDATE: Thanks to GoldnI, here's a link to a piece Kleinheider did on Kevin Doherty.

I have kept silent for too long...

I have been lobbied, as it were, by two different people who represent me, regarding whether the state's Open Meetings Law should be adjusted. As you may or may not know, a Knox County judge said that whenever two or more local legislators talk about an issue in private, it's deliberation, which caused local (and STATE) legislators to have a fit, claiming that was NOT what they had in mind when the law was initially passed. I have been advised that if this is allowed to stand, that lobbyists can line up votes with County Commissioners or City Councilors but other Commissioners or Councilors cannot.

I have trouble with that statement, because I believe lobbyists CAN and SHOULD be more regulated than they are. I think the ruling may have gone a tad far, but maybe not.

Let's face it: either you're for transparency in government or you're not. This needs to go to the Supremes in Nashville for a definitive ruling so we can see what, if anything needs to be done.

In the interim, here are some writings on the subject from the various sides:

Change the law: Steve Mulroy

Keep it as it is:

Joe Lance

Newscoma

Jack Lail

Russ McBee

Knoxville News-Sentinel

Joe Lance (again)

I want you to read all these (and if there are more in the vein of Mulroy, let me know and I will link to them.

I just have REAL trouble with this, especially at a time like this, when the average public servant is trusted by the public less than a three-card-monte dealer.

I want to hear your thoughts.

Your Sunday morning liberal blogger roundup

Courtesy of TennViews, we present the Sunday morning liberal blogger roundup, featuring yours truly, among many others:

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Future game show host Tucker "whining drama queen" Carlson

• Andy Axel: Low Wake, plus Sex on the city

• BlountViews: Republican County mayor blasts local paper, liberal bloggers

• Enclave: Handicapping Nashville, plus: Mayor's community connecting disconnect

• Fletch: Blue Sky, plus Pelican launch

• KnoxViews: Report on Charlotte's light rail program, plus: Yet another Knox County sunshine lawsuit

• Lean Left: Iraqis denied political asylum

• Left Wing Cracker: Commentary on possible Kurita challenger and Jim Kyle's feud with her (money quote: Look, I know Kyle is still furious over this, but I have an answer for him: GO BEAT SOME REPUBLICANS AROUND THE STATE AND YOU CAN BE SPEAKER. It's as simple as that.)

• Loose TN Canon: Investigating the investigators, and A Huckabee theocracy

• NewsComa: Paid blogging gig therapy, plus Writer's strike update, bonus: Conversation with a CBS producer

• Pesky Fly: Is Trent Lott collateral damage?, plus a tribute

• Progressive Nashville: Why government is the solution, not the problem, plus Mexican Good Samaritan deported

• Resonance: The Winnebago Bellwether of the economy

• RoaneViews: "Why, in towns in which it is illegal to throw a snowball at a tree, is it legal to stand out in the middle of a five lane road and beg for money?"

• Russ McBee: Junk science in Texas plus, Not supporting the troops

• Sean Braisted: (at TennViews) Obama Nashville, plus Blog reboot in the works

• Sharon Cobb: Middle East peace talks dog and pony show

• Silence Isn't Golden: Tortured conservative logic, plus: BCS broken, time for a playoff system

Southern Beale: Memo To CNN: young women are not bimbos, plus Stuff I don't get (related 2005 article by R. Neal at Facing South)

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: Gee, thanks for the leadership Governor!, plus Fred Thompson: Lazy, arrogant, and grumpy, too.

• Whites Creek Journal: Uncalculated cost of war, plus How Evel got his nickname

• Women's Health News: Feminism and choice: The Business of Being Born

BONUS SECTION: GOP "Debate" Roundup

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: "Really, I honestly tried to find something positive in tonight's debate. But this selection of white men all seemed either really mean, crooked, or simply insane (what's the deal with Ron Paul's secret NAFTA superhighway?)."

• Lean Left: Hate on display at GOP debate

• Carole Borges at KnoxViews: "All in all it was a night of tired looking old geezers taking cheap shots at one another. They remained myopically focused on the wearisome old Republican talking points, immigration, no tax increases, crime, guns, abortion, Christianity. Expected answers to expected questions."

• Sean Braisted (at TennViews): "I don't think I've ever been more proud to be a Democrat than between the hours of 7 and 9 (CST) when I watched the Republican candidates for the Presidency make a complete mockery of themselves and their party."

• Sharon Cobb: "Well, the good news is that when you vote in 08, there has never been a clearer choice between the Republicans and Democrats."

• GoldnI: "First of all, I think the Republicans proved once and for all that the term "Support the troops" really isn't anything more than a bumper sticker for them. Otherwise, how could you look a retired Brigadier General in the eye, someone who has defended the country for 43 years, and tell him that his service is somehow less worthy because of his sexuality?" And: "My original plan for the Debate Drinking Game was that you had to take a shot each time Giuliani referenced 9/11. Of course, if you did that then you wouldn't have made it to the first commercial break."

• Egalia: Rightwing Rage: Hillary Plants Gay 'Operative' In GOP Debate! Hillary Wins!, plus more here, here, here, and here.

DOUBLE BONUS SECTION: Weakening Tennessee's Sunshine Law

• R. Neal at KnoxViews: It's pretty sad that elected officials have so much trouble understanding that they can't deliberate in secret and that the public's business must be conducted in public.

• Newscoma: "It’s not, as I’ve said 100 times, not about journalists. It’s about average citizens. It’s about things being discussed without input of government’s main boss."

• Progressive Nashville: "These recommendations undoubtedly weaken the current law and that's never a good thing when it comes to open government."

• Russ McBee: "This change would permit a level of corruption that would far surpass anything we've seen so far in our local legislative bodies, and that level of corruption is already unacceptably high.", plus: An eclipse of the Sun