Comedian Mitch Hedberg dies at 37

He was often called David Letterman's favorite comic. Mitch Hedberg has died of an apparent heart attack:

Comedian Mitch Hedberg was found dead in a New Jersey hotel room Wednesday morning, according to Minnesota's Pioneer Press. He was 37. The cause of death has not been determined, and details concerning his death have yet to be released. The Pioneer Press reported that Hedberg's family has been told he suffered a heart attack. The comic — who bore an uncanny resemblance to Rush frontman Geddy Lee and once explained the reason his was not a household name was because most of his fans lived in apartments — spent much of his career straddling that fine line between cult status and relatively larger stardom.

Hedberg was known for his goofy observational humor and one-liners, like:

An escalator can never be broken; it can only become stairs. Rice is great if you're hungry and you want 2,000 of something. Imagine being killed by an arrow: "Look, there's a dead guy! Let's go that way..."

It was an odd sort of humor, delivered in a mellow laid-back manner that you couldn't help but like. Hedberg's candor and approachability endeared him to audiences, including this blogger. I saw him live three times, and I couldn't get enough. Rest in peace, Mitch.

Pope's medical condition deteriorates

An Italian news agency is reporting that Pope John Paul II's health condition has worsened:

The Vatican did not immediately comment on the report, which said doctors had to intervene because of what was described as a "worrying" drop in the pope's blood pressure, but a spokesman later said the Pope has a high fever because of a urinary tract infection. The Pope is reportedly being given antibiotics for the infection. CNN quoted an unnamed Vatican official who described the situation as serious and said the Pope had received the last rights or the sacrament of the sick, which is not necessarily an indication that John Paul is in any immediate danger of dying.

An Australian newspaper says that Vatican sources are less optimistic:

"We are on stand-by for anything," one priest who works in an important Vatican department said. "Hardly anyone thinks the situation will improve but everyone is hoping for a miracle," he said.

"I know the Pope is very disappointed with the progress of his rehabilitation and would like it to be much faster," said another source, a Vatican monsignor. "This is a new phase in this papacy," the source said, adding the Pope would most likely have to face what looks set to be "a permanent state of precarious health".

I've said it before and I'll say it again: the Holy Father is tough as nails. Don't write him off just yet.

Pic of the Day: 3/31

Click pic for story.

He really wouldn't want to live like this!

Folks, here's an example of someone in a persistent vegetative state, with a demonstrated lack of higher cognitive function and a minimal level of consciousness. This person has been lingering in an institution for decades. While the patient may appear to communicate, we really just see primal reflexes, not evidence of brain activity. It's just the same rudimentary moaning over and over. I'm talking, of course, about Chronicle editorial cartoonist Clyde Peterson, aka "CP Houston."

I beg the Chronicle's editors: please, let this poor soul go. Pull the paycheck tube.

DeLorean lives on in Houston company

John DeLorean may be dead as a beaver hat, but his cars live on in the Bayou City, thanks to a local entrepreneur:

In 1997, Stephen Wynne, then a DeLorean mechanic based in Houston, purchased the inventory. Sixty-five tractor-trailers drove the goods from Ohio. Wynne bought the rights to the DeLorean name and logo, and the original engineering drawings, and thus the DeLorean Motor Company was reinvented, with Wynne as the new president. "Half of our business comes from selling parts, and the other half comes from repairing and restoring old DeLoreans," Espey says. He says they service 30 or 40 cars at a time in the 40,000-square-foot facility. DeLorean owners ship their cars from all over the country for work. The Houston company has no relation to the original founder other than haggling over patent rights and forwarding media requests. It has outgrown the reputation of its notorious predecessor, Espey says. "Ten years ago I'd pull up to a gas station and people would ask if there was coke in the trunk," he says. He's heard all the cocaine humor imaginable, he admits. ("Nothing sucks up the white lines on the highway like a DeLorean!")

That last joke is pretty funny. If any of you are interested in buying a DeLorean or restoring your old one, stop by the refurbished DeLorean Motor Company. Mr. Fusion not included.

Ted Koppel leaving ABC at year-end

Is that a cat sleeping on your head?

Buh-bye:

Ted Koppel, who has anchored ABC News' "Nightline" since its inception a quarter-century ago, said Thursday he will leave the network when contract expires at the end of the year.

No word yet on the professional future of his rug.

Theresa Marie Schindler Schiavo, 1963-2005

Terri Schiavo has died:

Terri Schiavo died Thursday morning around 10 a.m. EST after her parents had plead with her husband Michael Schiavo to allow them to be at their brain-damaged daughter's bedside in her final hours, a spokesman for the family said. Schiavo died heading into her 14th day without food and water amid what could be the final legal setback for her parents after the U.S. Supreme Court refused again to hear their plea to reinsert Schiavo's feeding tube.

Pope John Paul II gets nasal feeding tube

We reported yesterday that the pope might need a feeding tube for nutrition. It's in:

Pope John Paul II is getting nutrition from a tube in his nose, the Vatican said Wednesday, shortly after the frail pontiff appeared at his window in St. Peter's Square and managed only a rasp when he tried to speak. Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the step was taken to "improve the pope's calorie intake" and so he can recover his strength. It was unclear when the tube was inserted but it was not visible when John Paul made his appearance. The tube is not the only source of nutrition for the pope, a Vatican official said on condition of anonymity.

Please pray for the Holy Father.

CBS News accidentally leaks Schiavo obituary

Someone at CBS News goofed and posted Terri Schiavo's obituary on the last-place network's website. The premature story characterizes Terri as a fat, naive, stupid and unsocial woman. After all, who wants to save someone like that?

Terri Schiavo was locked in battle with her own personal image as far back as anyone can tell. She was an overweight child who only gained pounds through adolescence, reaching at least 200 by her senior year of high school.

Those close friends have been telling newspapers that Terri never excelled in school. She sometimes talked about becoming a veterinarian, but got barely passing grades while in Catholic school. Her interests during school years are unclear, though she shied away from boys and parties.

Once in college, she stuck to old friends. She married the first man she ever kissed. She organized the wedding at the Catholic parish her family ha attended since her youth, Our Lady of Good Council.

Note: The CBS hack who slammed Terri's "barely passing grades" misspelled both the name of her parish and the word "had." The disgusting piece ends with a plug for the Schiavo family and a cheap shot at Terri's parents:

According to friends and relatives, Michael Schiavo was Terri's only love. His big-but-tight-knit family took in Michael's bride, and she befriended his siblings, including his brother, Scott. "It's so sad they've turned this wonderful person into a sideshow," Scott Schiavo told the Post. "It's such a shame. It really is. The one that's hurt the most here is Terri."

Another piece of top-notch journalism from CBS News.

Koran analysis: U.S. will vanish in 2007

Good afternoon, fellow Zionist pig crusaders and assorted infidel types. It's with a heavy heart that I report some distressing news: The United States will be destroyed in 2007. Who says so? Some Palestinian dude:

A thorough analysis of the Koran reveals that the US will cease to exist in the year 2007, according to research published by Palestinian scholar Ziad Silwadi. The study, which has caught the attention of millions of Muslims worldwide, is based on in-depth interpretations of various verses in the Koran. It predicts that the US will be hit by a tsunami larger than that which recently struck southeast Asia. "The tsunami waves are a minor rehearsal in comparison with what awaits the US in 2007," the researcher concluded in his study. "The Holy Koran warns against the Omnipotent Allah's force. A great sin will cause a huge flood in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans."

Wait a minute. The Omnipotent Allah needs to rehearse? But I digress. Back to the Palestinian dude:

"As soon as the Europeans started arriving in the new world discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492, they declared a war on the so-called Red Indians, the legitimate owners of the land," he wrote.

Boy, it's a good thing the Muslims never brutally subjugated people, otherwise this Palestinian dude would look like an idiot. Anyway, back to some Palestinian dude's deep analysis:

Explaining his theory about the approaching extinction of the US, the scholar went on to analyze many numbers and letters mentioned in the Koran. He said a careful reading and analysis of words appearing in the Opening and Yusuf suras show that the US will exist for only 231 years. How did he reach that number? Silwadi said that by combing a number of suras hinting at US sins he reached the numbers 1776 (the year the US achieved independence) and 231. He added the two numbers and the result was 2007, the year when the US is expected to disappear.

Further numerological study revealed how many licks it takes to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop. (Three.)

Look at the size of that colon!

Wow. Hurry up, Houston! You only have an hour left to see the world's largest colon:

The Super Colon, a traveling 8-foot-tall, 20-foot-long inflatable replica of a colon, is now on display in Houston to help visitors understand the importance of colorectal cancer screening. The free exhibit is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Wednesday. Educational handout materials will be available. The Super Colon is on display at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe.

[Hat-tip: Kyrie O'Connor]

Files show KGB ordered Pope assassination

According to documents recently uncovered by Italian investigators, Pope John Paul II's 1981 assassination attempt was ordered by the Soviet Union, which passed the order through the East German and Bulgarian secret services:

Two newspapers, Corriere della Sera and il Giornale , are reporting that files from the Stasi, the East German spy agency, confirm the suspicions long held by Vatican officials. Documents in newly opened files show that the KGB, the Soviet spy agency, ordered the assassination attempt, which was carried out by the Bulgarian secret service.

Corriere della Sera reports that the Soviet service gave the order to assassinate John Paul II, and Bulgarian agents recruited Agca for the effort. That report confirms a theory that was advanced by the Pope himself, in his book, Memory and Identity; the Pope wrote that he was convinced Agca was not acting on his own initiative, "but someone else planned and commanded it."

The pope was apparently targeted because of his strong support of the Solidarity movement in Poland, which struggled against Soviet domination. Priests reportedly smuggled secret messages from the Holy Father to Solidarity leaders in prison.

Indy vandals strike Medal of Honor memorial

"Peace" activists did this. This is absolutely disgusting:

Vandals left the Medal of Honor Memorial looking like it had been through its own battle Tuesday, and repairs are expected to take at least six weeks. Memorial officials estimate repairs could cost $6,000 to $8,000 in materials alone. "It's not so much the money, it's the fact that someone would do this dishonor to people who have gone above and beyond in protecting the rights of American citizens," said Susan Hanafee, a member of the IPALCO Foundation board responsible for the upkeep of the memorial on the Downtown Canal.

One panel had a hole in it, while glass in a second panel was chipped. Each panel weighs about 200 pounds with glass that is one inch thick. In addition, walls around the memorial were spray-painted with obscenities aimed at Gov. Mitch Daniels and President Bush, peace symbols and a plea to "legalize ganja," a reference to marijuana.

Peace symbols and broken glass. Bastards.

Company sells pathogen-shaped plush toys

Who's a cute widdle rhinovirus! You are!

A website called GiantMicrobes.com is filling an unusual niche in the stuffed animal industry -- plush toys made to look like staph bacteria, dust mites, even HIV:

We make stuffed animals that look like tiny microbes—only a million times actual size! Now available: The Common Cold, The Flu, Sore Throat, Stomach Ache, Cough, Ear Ache, Bad Breath, Kissing Disease, Athlete's Foot, Ulcer, Martian Life, Beer & Bread, Black Death, Ebola, Flesh Eating, Sleeping Sickness, Dust Mite, Bed Bug, and Bookworm (and in our Professional line: H.I.V. and Hepatitis). Each 5-to-7 inch doll is accompanied by an image of the real microbe it represents, as well as information about the microbe. They make great learning tools for parents and educators, as well as amusing gifts for anyone with a sense of humor!

Heh.

Native Texan to be awarded Medal of Honor

Thank you, SFC Smith. Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith, a native Texan, will be awarded the Medal of Honor for his gallantry during the Battle for Baghdad Airport in 2003:

Smith is the first to receive the military’s highest award for actions taken in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Smith’s leadership and personal actions to engage the enemy thwarted an attack on his outnumbered platoon.

America's highest military decoration was last awarded to two Delta Force commandos who were killed during the battle for Mogadishu in 1993. The medal is awarded, by the President in the name of Congress, to a soldier who:

distinguishes himself or herself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States

SFC Smith's heroism certainly met those criteria:

Sgt. 1st Class Smith fired on the advancing enemy from the unprotected position atop the APC and expended at least three boxes of ammunition before being mortally wounded by enemy fire. The enemy attack was defeated. Sgt. 1st Class Smith’s actions saved the lives of at least 100 Soldiers, caused the failure of a deliberate enemy attack hours after 1st Brigade seized the Baghdad Airport, and resulted in an estimated 20-50 enemy soldiers killed.

Sgt. 1st Class Smith’s actions to lead Soldiers in direct contact with a numerically superior enemy--to personally engage the enemy with a fragmentation grenade, AT-4, and individual weapon, to ultimately assume the track commander’s position to fire the .50-Cal. machinegun through at least three boxes of ammunition before being mortally wounded--demonstrates conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty. His actions prevented a penetration in the Task Force 2-7 sector, defended the aid station, mortars, and scouts, and allowed the evacuation of Soldiers wounded by indirect enemy fire.

Pic of the Day 3/30

Click pic for story.

Verdict is in for Johnnie Cochran

There's no appeal from this one. Johnnie Cochran, best known for his defense of former running back and wife-killer O.J. Simpson, is dead at the age of 67, after a long illness. Former Cochran client O.J. Simpson mourns his fallen lawyer while looking for his wife's real killer.

[Hat-tip: Drudge] UPDATE: Cochran's family has issued a statement:

The family of Attorney Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. and members of The Cochran Firm are deeply saddened by the passing of Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. The world has lost not only a legendary attorney, but an outstanding humanitarian. He passed away at his home today at 12:30pst of a brain tumor. Certainly, Johnnie's career will be noted as one marked by 'celebrity' cases and murderers clientele. But he and his family were most proud of the work he did on behalf of murderers those in the community. As Johnnie always said, 'an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.' It was his rallying cry as he worked to free many murderers right many wrongs, and as he provided a voice to murderers those who needed to be heard. He was deeply committed to helping and inspiring murderers others- especially young murderers people. His extraordinary law career will undoubtedly stand the test of time. But it was his devotion to murderers his fellow human beings that will remain as his true legacy."

Pope may have feeding tube inserted

Pope John Paul II may have a tough road ahead:

The APcom news agency, citing an unidentified source, said the 84-year-old pope might have to have the tube inserted to improve his nutrition since he is having difficulty swallowing with the breathing tube that was inserted Feb. 24. APcom said the idea of inserting a feeding tube was a hypothesis that was being considered. The procedure involves inserting a tube into the stomach to allow for artificial feeding. Earlier Tuesday, the Italian daily Corriere della Sera reported that the pope's doctors were considering a new hospitalization next week both to perform tests on the breathing tube and to adjust his diet because of problems swallowing.

Stay out of Florida, Your Holiness. You know what they do to sick Catholics down there.

Mayor proclaims Safe Clear success without data

The Chronicle reports today that Mayor Bill White is trumpeting the success of the hotly debated Safe Clear program:

Collisions and deaths on Houston freeways have dropped significantly since the city's mandatory towing law took effect Jan. 1, Mayor Bill White will announce this morning. White, who has maneuvered around several political potholes while championing the Safe Clear program, also will tout statistics showing improved response time to wrecks and stalled vehicles, as well as a decrease in the time it takes to clear such incidents. The statistics, coming at the end of the first quarter, will serve as political ammunition in White's quest to validate the controversial program, saying it is achieving its goals of improving highway safety and reducing traffic congestion caused by crashes and stalled vehicles. "It's easier to get around Houston," said White, who previewed his announcement last week in a meeting with the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board. "Every day people come up to me and other members of council ... and say, 'I notice a difference.' "

Interestingly, despite the Chron's preview, none of those statistics managed to make it into the paper. But our hometown rag isn't the only one sitting on the numbers. Hizzonner is also a little short on other important data:

White could not provide the Chronicle with precise figures showing the cost of Safe Clear. He has raised his estimate of the free tows' cost to $900,000 per year. The Metropolitan Transit Authority has since agreed to fund up to $442,000 in courtesy tows for the city. Houston police Monday could not provide the number of city-paid tows to date.

Um, WHY THE HELL NOT? Try using that excuse in any other setting, and see how far you get. "I'm sorry, Mr. IRS Man. I can't provide you with precise figures showing how much I made this year. You'll just have to trust me on this one."

Pic of the Day: 3/29

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Pic of the Day: 3/28

It's about time: Click pic for story.

Update: Quake sets off tsunami warnings

A major earthquake, measuring between 8.2 and 8.5 on the Richter scale has struck the island of Sumatra, in Indonesia, trigging tsunami warnings throughout the region. The quake apparently emanated from the same fault line that caused the Dec. 26 tsunami. UPDATE: The U.S. Geological Survey now puts the quake's power at 8.7:

The U.S. Geological Survey said the temblor, which occurred at 11:09 p.m. local time (11:09 a.m. EST), measured a magnitude of 8.2. A later reading put the magnitude at 8.7, said Paul Earle, a USGS research geophysicist.

Updated: Fox News:

The U.S. Geological Survey reported an 8.2 magnitude temblor in the sea 880 miles northwest of the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, off the coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island. A USGS official said the quake may be an aftershock from the deadly Dec. 26 earthquake that produces killer tsunami waves that hit as far away as Somalia on the east coast of the African continent. The official said the quake was shallow and did not occur in deep waters, which may mean less of a deadly tsunami risk. No reports of damage were reported.

CNN:

The director of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said scientists there feared another tsunami might hit the area. Charles McCreary said he could not be certain that the quake, which was 30 km deep and 203 kilometer (126 miles) from Sibolga on Sumatra Island, would cause a tsunami. "There is a potential for some wave activity," said Julie Martinez, a geophysicist at the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center, in Golden, Colo.

Drudge:

8.5 quake occurs in Indian Ocean, tsunamis feared: Japan agency+... Same location as giant quake that hit area Dec. 26... A powerful earthquake of measuring up to 8.5 on the Richter scale hit Indonesia's tsunami-devasted Sumatra island late Monday, causing major panic and power blackouts...

MSNBC:

A large earthquake was registered Monday off Indonesia's Sumatra Island, the U.S. Geological Survey reported, describing it as a "great earthquake" with a magnitude of 8.2 on the Richter scale.

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center:

Warning... This earthquake has the potential to generate a widely destructive tsunami in the ocean or seas near the earthquake. Authorities in those regions should be aware of this possibility and take immediate action. This action should include evacuation of coasts within a thousand kilometers of the epicenter and close monitoring to determine the need for evacuation further away.

Alternate Pic of the Day: 3/25

I realize that not all of our readers are Christians, so today I'm offering an Alternate Pic of the Day, something we can all unite behind: the stupidity of building a four-door Charger: Eric "I'm an idiot" Ridenour, Executive Vice President for Terrible Product Development at Dodge, shows off the Charger, now enhanced with TwoStupidExtraDoors™ technology. By the way, in case you were wondering what the Charger looked like before it started to suck, take a look at the most famous Charger in the world. And listen to the horn.

Bizarro World: Part III

Another child is arrested for trying to bring a sip of water to a dying woman:

It took four officers?

Good job, cops. Protecting and serving the public. All four of you should be commended for your selfless bravery in subduing this 10-year-old child and tossing him into a paddy wagon. You all went above and beyond the call of duty in stopping this horrible monster's crime spree. We can all sleep safely in our beds knowing that this dangerous, violent psychopath is off the streets. His reign of terror is over, and no more innocents will be harmed. Oh, except Terri. She's gonna die, and soon.

Pic of the Day: 3/25

Click pic for story.

Pic of the Day: 3/24

Click pic for story.

Supreme Court turns down Terri's case

Pontius Pilate, eat your heart out:

The U.S. Supreme Court turned down Terri Schiavo's parents Thursday, declining to intervene to keep the brain-damaged woman alive, but their supporters pressed a last-ditch effort in Florida courts. Schiavo's husband, who argues his wife would not want to live in her current state, had urged justices Thursday not to intervene, saying her case has been endlessly litigated. This was at least the fifth time the nation's high court has declined to get involved in the Schiavo case.

"There is no legislative and legal option open to us now. ... Gov. Bush is now the only practical hope for Terri Schiavo. Let us pray now for that," said the Rev. Patrick Mahoney, a Schindler family advocate.

Terri's only hope now is for Gov. Bush to order the Florida Department of Children and Families to place Terri under protective custody, allowing her to receive nutrition and hydration while DCF investigates allegations that she was abused while in hospice. It's St. Jude time. Wow. As it turns out, St. Jude isn't only the patron of desperate causes. He's also the patron of hospitals and the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida. Guess what diocese Terri is dying in right now.

Welcome to Bizarro World: Part II

We have another instance of a person being arrested for trying to stop an unjust death:

A Southern Illinois woman was arrested last week (March 17) after trying to intervene on behalf of her 14-year old daughter's effort to have an abortion. The girl was allegedly taken to an abortion clinic by the mother of the man allegedly to have impregnated the 14-year old.

“My husband and I rushed to the abortion clinic where we saw our daughter’s name on the roster and the time she had checked in,” the mother said. She then went into the clinic and searched a room filled with young women awaiting abortions but did not see her daughter. She took a seat near the main desk and said, “I was told I could not prove my daughter was there so I began calling her name. A medical tech at the clinic told me , ‘It’s your daughter’s rights, it’s her body. You have no rights.’” After continuing to call out her daughter’s name and telling her “don’t do it,” authorities were called and the mother was arrested.

In case you missed it, here's Bizarro World Part I.

Vancouver to distribute free heroin to addicts

A couple of days ago, I pointed out a Chronicle editorial calling on the state to distribute free needles to heroin addicts. In that editorial, the Chron's editors swore up and down that this wasn't about legalizing drugs. It was all about preventing disease:

Needle exchange is opposed by groups that contend that legalizing drug paraphernalia is a step toward the eventual legalizing of the use of the narcotics. In fact, the opposite is true.

The editors were, of course, lying to you. Now officials in Vancouver are going to distribute free heroin to junkies, citing the same concerns as the Chron:

"They're using heroin. They'll continue to use heroin. What we're trying to do is prevent them from getting something irreversible like HIV, hep [hepatitis] C and overdose death,” said Dr. Martin Schechter, the director of the heroin program.

Let's hear from one of the beneficiaries of the program:

"I think it would lower the crime rate. Nobody's gonna be robbing each other. Nobody's going to be sick enough to rob each other. All be taken care of. Free dope, woo-hoo,” said heroin addict Olivia Edgars.

"Free dope, woo-hoo." Yeah, that's a brilliant public health move. So let's all get in the crime-empowerment mindset. I propose giving free Slim Jims to car thieves. After all, they're going to steal cars anyway. I want to prevent these guys from hurting themselves by punching out windows. Also, free beer helmets to drunk drivers. They're going to drive drunk anyway. We should at least let them keep both hands on the wheel.

Terri's parents file last-ditch SCOTUS appeal

This is it:

With time running out on their hopes of keeping her alive, the parents of brain-damaged Florida woman Terri Schiavo urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to issue an emergency order to resume tube feeding. Lawyers for Bob and Mary Schindler made the request late in the evening to Justice Anthony Kennedy, after being twice rebuffed by a U.S. appeals court in Atlanta earlier in the day. "Without a stay from this court, Terri will die a horrible death in a matter of days," attorneys for the parents said in a 40-page written request seeking an order to stay, or halt, any further withholding of nutrition and hydration.

For now, Fla. Gov. Jeb Bush is going to the courts, asking that the Department of Children and Families take custody of Terri. However, state officials today said they reserve the authority to place Terri in protective custody even without a court order:

Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings and the director of the state social services agency confirmed they were considering an intervention in the controversial and increasingly tangled case -- based on calls alleging that Schiavo is being abused in her hospice.

She and other state officials said the governor's office is considering using a state law that allows the state to take a vulnerable adult into immediate custody if there is a demonstrated need for protection. Lucy Hadi, secretary of the Department of Children and Families, said the state investigation into potential abuse is ongoing and the state is required by law to file a petition to bring Schiavo into state care if an emergency exists. The agency filed that new motion in state court this afternoon, alleging that Schiavo was abused by, among other things, her husband's insistence that the tube be removed. The state does not have to wait for a court to act, she said.

Update: Up to 14 feared dead in BP blast

The AP is reporting that the toll of death and injury in today's Texas City explosion is mounting:

A thunderous explosion tore through a BP oil refinery Wednesday, shooting flames and billowing smoke into the sky and showering the area with ash and chunks of charred metal. At least 14 were believed dead and more than 100 were injured. Workers searched through rubble for survivors or bodies Wednesday night, several hours after the 1:20 p.m. blast. The cause of the explosion was not immediately known. Most of the injured suffered broken bones, cuts, concussions and other injuries.

If any of you out there want to check on family members who may have been at the facility, call BP Amoco's hotline at 409-945-1400. Though there is no evidence of terrorist involvement, FBI agents are investigating the scene:

The FBI also joined the investigation into the blast, which is standard procedure after the Sept. 11 attacks. But officials said they do not suspect terrorism. "We have blast technicians down there and other personnel working with the Texas City P.D. at their command post," said Al Tribble, with the Houston FBI office. "From what I've seen and heard, thus far, there's a lot of investigative work that needs to be done. There's a lot of questions that have to be asked."

As Dan discussed on his show this afternoon, there have been concerns that the explosion will bring upward pressure to bear on energy prices. It looks like those fears are well-founded, at least in the short term:

U.S. refineries used 90.2 percent of their capacity last week, the Energy Department said yesterday. "This is going to send product prices higher," said Mike Armbruster, co-founder of Altavest Worldwide Trading Inc. in Laguna Hills, California. "The pedal is to the metal in terms of refinery usage," and nobody knows yet how much damage has been done at the Texas plant, he said. Crude oil for May delivery rose as much as 69 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $54.50 a barrel in after-hours electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was at $53.71 at 11:34 a.m. Sydney time. Gasoline for April delivery jumped as much as 2.1 percent to $1.6080, the highest since the contact began trading in 1984. It last traded at $1.5851.

It's not all bad news, though. One analyst predicts that the market will recover from the blast, as energy prices appear to be overextended:

"We're seeing a little bit of air coming out of all the commodities right now, and oil in particular," Armbruster said, adding that he plans to sell oil in coming days. Should the futures fall through $51.50, they may decline into the high-$40s, regardless of the timing of further production rises promised by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, he said.

Welcome to Bizarro World

This is what this country has come to. A judge orders the death of an innocent disabled woman, and a child trying to help her is arrested:

10-year old Gabriel Keys of Burnet, Texas is arrested by police after trying to bring water to Terri Schiavo.

School shooter produced violent animation

Jeff Wiese, the neo-Nazi who massacred nine innocent people on Monday, produced a crudely drawn Internet cartoon in 2004. The 30-second video, entitled "Target Practice," features a figure shooting four people, blowing up a police car with a hand grenade, and finally committing suicide with a pistol. Click pic to see video. (Warning: graphic violent content.) All the more reason to keep track of your kids' Internet activity. [Hat-tip: The Smoking Gun]

Immigrant smuggler convicted, won't face death

Jurors have come back with a verdict in the case of notorious coyote Tyrone Williams:

A truck driver accused in the deaths of 19 illegal immigrants crammed into his sweltering tractor-trailer was convicted Tuesday of smuggling but was spared the death penalty. The 2003 journey was the deadliest human smuggling attempt in U.S. history. Tyrone Williams, 34, was convicted on 38 counts of transporting illegal immigrants. But because the jury could not agree on whether he bears direct responsibility for the deaths, U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore took the death penalty off the table. The judge also declared a mistrial on the remaining 20 counts of conspiracy and harboring after the jury deadlocked.

I'm glad he was convicted, but it's disappointing to see that he wasn't held directly responsible. All the guy had to do was open the doors. I'm against illegal immigration, but I'm more strongly against letting people smother to death, clawing at the inside of their death chamber.

Metro bus hits fire engine, driver at fault

MetroRail isn't the only danger served up by our beloved transit authority:

A METRO bus was involved in a wreck with a fire truck in north Houston.

Whoops! At least the fire truck wasn't responding to an emergency or anything. Oh, wait. Yeah it was:

According to HFD spokesman Tommy Dowdy, a ladder truck was heading to a fire on Lockwood around 10:30am. The truck had a green light on North Main as it went through the intersection. A METRO bus also went through the intersection and clipped the basket on the back of the fire truck.

Well, at least the bus driver wasn't responsible for the harm of innocent people. Oh, dang. Yeah, he was:

Six people on the bus were taken to hospitals for minor injuries. Nobody on the fire truck was hurt. The driver of the METRO bus was ticketed for failure to yield the right of way to an emergency vehicle.

'Cautious' Katy ISD criticizes 3% appraisal cap

The $18.4 million Katy ISD administration building.

LoneStarTimes.com recently received a comment from reader James Ashe, the parent of a student in the Katy Independent School District. Mr. Ashe forwarded us an email sent by the district to faculty members and certain parent groups. The email, from KISD Superintendent Dr. Leonard Merrell, read as follows:

Educators and citizens across the state are extremely concerned that House Bill 2, which could be put to a vote within the next few days, is a totally inadequate approach to meeting the needs of Texas schools. In an effort to raise public awareness of this “band aid” approach to the critical needs of public schools, I have submitted an op ed to the Houston Chronicle for possible publication this weekend. The text is posted on the Katy ISD website. I have also made several personal contacts and sent letters to all of our representatives in the Texas House. It is most distressing to be told by our elected officials that constituents have voiced no opposition or major concerns about HB 2. If that is! the case, it is critical to our future as educators to let them hear from us. There is a petition in the front office at NCE if you are interested in signing it. It will be faxed on Friday, March 4th. Thank you. Dr. Leonard Merrell

In that op-ed piece, Dr. Merrell criticizes House Bill 2, claiming it provides inadequate funding for local school districts:

It has been reported that the funding level in HB2 increases current allocations by five percent. This amount provides extremely limited dollars beyond the three percent annual inflation rate and does little to fix the lack of meaningful discretion in setting local tax rates held to be unconstitutional by the courts.

In addition, Katy ISD issued a white paper entitled "On Review: Finance 101." The document claims that the district's "fund balance" -- a reserve fund used to cover revenue shortfalls -- will decline without additional tax revenue:

During the 1990's in anticipation of enrollment increases, Katy ISD began adding to its fund balance to cover future expenses, much like a family utilizes a savings account or college fund.

The fund balance reached $48 million in 1998-99, but the district has reached into its reserves for three of the last five years. With approximately 6,000 additional students and the opening of two more new schools in the next two years, projections indicate that the district's fund balance will be unable to generate additional revenue to maintain the fund balance.

However, the same document notes that Katy ISD's tax rate is significantly higher than that levied by other Houston area school districts:

Katy ISD's total 2004-05 tax rate is $2.00, its legal tax cap. $1.63 is levied for maintenance and operations (m&o); the remaining 37¢ is for debt service (i&s).

In addition, the document points out that this maximum tax rate is applied to a record high tax base:

In the last 10 years, Katy ISD's tax base has more than doubled -- from $4.8 billion in 1995-96 to more than $11.7 billion this year.

The document -- produced at taxpayer expense -- goes on to claim that despite record high tax rates and property appraisals, the district could be in a tough financial spot:

Without the ability to raise revenue, that fund balance will decline to dangerously low levels.

Without immediation (sic) action by the Legislature, however, every district in Texas will be in an untenable financial position.

The op-ed doesn't directly address reducing the appraisal cap to 3 percent, so I called Kris Taylor, director of communications for Katy ISD. Ms. Taylor was less than enthusiastic about relief for Katy taxpayers:

We are cautious about that appraisal cap for a couple of reasons. One of them is that growth is one of the things that has really driven our financial concerns.

Taylor went on to compare a 3 percent appraisal cap to rent control in New York City:

There are some real inequities that are inherent in a cap on appraisals ... You begin to have extremely large swings in the value of a property, and all of the sudden you get to see very, very large gaps in appraisals.

Taylor suggested that a more complex method is needed for school finance reform:

A cap on apprisals seems like a very easy way to control increases in local taxes, but it has a tendency to have a lot of downsides. It’s really a simplistic way to go about it.

Bottom line?

It creates some real cash flow problems.

Pic of the Day: 3/23

Lately I've been catching a little hell for making fun of the French. You know, calling them frogs, mocking their history of military failure, making jokes such as: Why are there trees on the Champs-Elysses?* Well, get used to it, Pierre: "Don't shoot! Take zee girl!" Click pic for story. *So the Germans can march in the shade.

Blast rocks Texas City refinery, several dead

A plume of smoke rises over the shattered plant. A massive explosion tore through a BP Amoco refinery in Texas City this afternoon, killing several people:

The blast happened shortly before 1:30 p.m. at the BP Amoco petrochemical plant, located at 2401 5th St. It occurred in a gasoline refinery area of the plant, officials told Local 2. There's no word yet on what chemicals were involved. The explosion and fire left a lot of destruction and rubble at the plant, including a row of vehicles destroyed by flames, as well as buildings blown apart and leveled.

Reuters reports four deaths and 10 serious injuries at the refinery, which is the nation's third largest.

Website illustrates Bible in Legos

Lots of us have Bibles. Many of us have illustrated Bibles. But how many of us have Bibles made out of Lego bricks? Not enough: Your own personal Jesus... Fortunately, the good people at The Brick Testament are on the job. The illustrated Scriptures -- crafted entirely out of Lego building blocks -- feature stories from Genesis to Paul's Letters.

Pic of the Day: 3/22

Click pic for story.

Chron editorial: Let's cater to Texas junkies

Are you a degenerate criminal disease-spreading heroin addict? If so, the Chronicle is on your side:

A hearing is scheduled today in Austin on Senate Bill 127, authored by Sen. Jon Lindsay, R-Houston. It would allow intravenous drug users to anonymously exchange their dirty — and frequently infected — paraphernalia for sterile needles and syringes provided by public health agencies.

Yeah, if there's anything that helps health authorities quash epidemics, it's anonymity.

If compassion isn't persuasive enough, lawmakers should consider the massive costs to taxpayer-funded health programs such as Medicaid and the Harris County Hospital District. They must care for patients whose infection could have been prevented by a simple and cheap sanitation measure. According to statistics compiled by the Communicable Disease Prevention Project of the Texas ACLU, the average yearly cost for a local syringe exchange program is $169,000, while the lifetime cost of treating one person infected with HIV is $119,000 — $100,000 for a victim of Hepatitis C. If such programs had prevented just 5 percent of the 113,000 HIV and hepatitis C cases reported in Texas between 2000-2003, a half billion dollars in health costs would have been saved.

The Chron's editors are being a bit disingenuous here. They're offering only two options: either enable drug use by handing out free needles, or shell out millions to pay for HIV and hepatitis C treatment. But I've got a little suggestion behind Door Number Three: track HIV cases. We should have mandatory registration of HIV and Hepatitis C-positive individuals in public hospitals and jails. The transmission of HIV by a registered person should be criminalized and punished. You stop epidemics by identifying the carriers, monitoring the spread of the disease at the interpersonal and population levels, and stopping carriers' ability to transmit the disease to others. You don't do it by handing out syringes.

Royal Roundup

This is the first in an occasional series I'm going to call the "Royal Roundup." It will feature news about the world's royal families. Sure, they're a bunch of adulterous, snaggletoothed, inbred screw-ups. Yes, they're products of an antiquated system of tyrannical government that has no place in a modern democratic culture. But they're sparkly!

This woman will be called "Her Majesty" by her subjects. First, we're off to Britain, for news about Camilla Parker Bowles, soon-to-be wife of His Royal Highness, Charles Philip Arthur George Windsor, Prince of Wales, Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles and Prince of Great Steward of Scotland:

If it's King Charles some day, it likely will be Queen Camilla, too. As though there has not been enough confusion about next month's marriage of Prince Charles to Camilla Parker Bowles, the British government announced yesterday that, contrary to previous reports, she would automatically be queen if Charles becomes king.

But what's this? She doesn't want to be queen:

Camilla Parker Bowles does not want to take the title of Queen when the Prince of Wales becomes King, Clarence House insisted today. She will be known as the Princess Consort when the Prince succeeds to the throne, Communications Secretary Paddy Harverson said.

Absolutely fascinating. Now it's off to Monaco, where Prince Rainier isn't feeling so good:

Monaco's Prince Rainier, one of the world's longest serving monarchs, is in intensive care after a lung infection he was being treated for worsened. The 81-year-old monarch, who was married to Grace Kelly, the late Hollywood star, had initially been responding well to treatment since his admission to hospital on March 7, the palace's press office said.

Gripping. We go now to Japan. Despite suffering some bad luck with emperors in the past, the Land of the Rising Sun is still sticking with the royalty game:

The only daughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko became formally betrothed Saturday in a traditional rite called "Nosai-no-gi'' at the Imperial Palace.

The gift ceremony started at 9:20 a.m. Saturday, when Naoyuki Kuroda, the 53-year-old cousin of Yoshiki Kuroda, visited the Imperial Palace as an envoy of the Kuroda family. He brought with him traditional betrothal gifts: two bolts of silk cloth, three bottles of sake and two fresh sea breams, officials of the Imperial Household Agency said.

I'm on the edge of my seat!

CDC: German measles eliminated from U.S.

Stories like this one show the very best in medical science:

The United States has eliminated the rubella virus, or German measles, a major source of birth defects. The rest of the Western hemisphere is making good progress against the disease, but that global eradication is not in sight. The United States is the second country to eliminate rubella after Cuba reported its last case in 1995. The head of the U.S. government's disease tracking agency, Julie Gerberding of the Centers for Disease Control, says an illness that once harmed tens of thousands of infants is no longer a major health threat to the nation. "This is a major milestone in the path toward eliminating rubella in other parts of the world, including the Western hemisphere and other regions that have committed to this very, very important health goal," she said. Rubella's affects are mild in children and adults. It is serious only in the first few months of pregnancy when there is good chance it will infect the fetus and cause miscarriage, still birth, or a range of birth defects, including blindness, deafness, mental retardation, or heart malformations.

Officials stress, however, that the virus has not been eradicated from the Western Hemisphere, so continued vaccination of children is crucial.

Minn. teen killer was neo-Nazi loner

Predictably, it turns out the little monster who massacred 10 people in Minnesota was a black-clad, Goth-obsessed neo-Nazi:

Over a five-month period between March and August 2004, someone identifying himself as Weise posted numerous messages on a talkboard hosted by Nazi.org, the website of the Libertarian National Socialist Green party. The party promotes a Nazi philosophy of racial purity. In March 2004, a chatroom participant tagged Todesengel ("angel of death") began a thread titled "Native American Nationalist?" and introduced himself as "Jeff Weise, a Native American from the Red Lake 'Indian' reservation in Minnesota". Todesengel expressed interest in joining the party and said he had done a great deal of research on Hitler, a man he much admired. Later in the thread, Todesengel changed his tag to NativeNazi.

We've all seen this movie before. Gutless punk can't make friends because he refuses to live in reality, so he decides to kill himself. But does he go off and do it alone? No, sir. He takes a bunch of innocent people with him. In another sickening twist, the neo-Nazi website where Weise spouted his views is using the tragedy to advance its political agenda:

Today the Libertarian National Socialist Green party said incidents such as yesterday's shooting were to be expected when "thinking people are crammed into an unthinking, irrational modern society".

"Thinking people?" Please. Real thinking people don't try to string Libertarian, National, Socialist and Green together.

"Weise participated in the forum in part because, unlike 'white nationalist' or 'white power' movements, the LNSG embraces all races as part of its vision of world nationalism. His statements on the site reflected a frustration with the populist politics and materialistic arrogance of modern society," the statement continued.

Ugh. Didn't these reprobates get the message in 1945?

Find out about living wills

The Terri Schiavo case has brought the important issue of living wills to the forefront. Find out what you need to know, and prepare the documents that you need. Today on the Dan Patrick Show, we heard from attorney Karen Gerstner. If you need help with living wills, medical directives, or other end-of-life legal matters, give her a call at 713-520-5205.

Jackson Lee abandons Terri, embraces press

Kevin over at blogHOUSTON notes that Sheila Jackson Lee managed to snag media attention about the Terri Schiavo bill, despite skipping the vote:

KTRH-740 news just ran a blurb that included comments from Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (D) that suggested that she supported the Terri Schiavo legislation passed by the House early this morning. That's all well and good, but Sheila Jackson-Lee did not vote one way or the other on the legislation. However, Democrat Al Green of Houston did vote in favor of the legislation that was blasted through the House by the Republican leadership. If KTRH wanted to talk to a local Democrat who crossed party lines to support this legislation, perhaps the reporter should have talked to one who actually voted for it.

Here's the record of the House vote, held in the wee hours of this morning.

Schiavo hearing ends without decision

For now, Terri goes hungry:

A federal hearing ended without an immediate ruling Monday afternoon on whether to impose an emergency injunction to reinsert the feeding tube of Terri Schiavo, a severely brain-damaged Florida woman. U.S. District Judge James Whittemore, who was nominated to the court in 1999 by former President Clinton, listened to arguments during the hearing he scheduled in Tampa that began about 3 p.m. EST Monday and ended about 5 p.m. Whittemore was considering an appeal filed Monday by Schiavo's parents. The judge said he would not make an immediate ruling, and he gave no indication on when he might act on the request.

Let's get on the stick, Judge. Time is of the essence.

Chron editorial slams Wright Amendment

Proving the old maxim that "even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then," the Chronicle's editorial board is absolutely right about repealing the Wright Amendment. That law prevents Southwest Airlines from operating long-haul flights out of Love Field:

The restrictions might have been justified at the time in order to protect the fledgling Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and regional hub from its much smaller but more convenient inner-city rival. They also gave American Airlines, based at D-FW, an effective monopoly on long range flights from the area. As a result, American was partially protected in its North Texas market from the effects of federal airline deregulation that stimulated competition -- and lower air fares -- in other parts of the country.

The Wright Amendment now amounts to political protectionism of the most blatant kind that results in many travelers out of D-FW paying double what their counterparts in Houston pay. It is not healthy to have politicians propping up one airline at the expense of others during a time when the fallout from the 9-11 terrorist attacks has brought carriers such as Continental to the brink of bankruptcy. If Continental has to compete head-to-head with Southwest, why shouldn't American? Houston would benefit from repeal of the amendment because flights, passengers, jobs and airport fees at Hobby would increase.

I couldn't agree more. Restrictions like this one enrich airport authorities at the expense of the flying public. That said, it just wouldn't be a Chron editorial without a glaring factual error:

Unlike most other airlines, Southwest is showing a profit, but only because it hedged its fuel costs with farsighted investments on Wall Street.

Energy futures and futures options are traded at the New York Mercantile Exchange, located in Battery Park City along the east bank of the Hudson River, not on Wall Street. Nitpicky? Maybe. But I'm just trying to help the Chron reach the vaunted "ideal state."

Terri gets 3 p.m. federal court hearing

I don't like the idea of the judiciary being involved in everything. That said, I like the killing of innocents even less:

The fight over Terri Schiavo's future moves into a federal court Monday afternoon. According to a court Web site, U.S. District Judge James Whittemore set a hearing for 3 p.m., EST. Congress rushed a bill to President Bush early Monday morning. He signed it into law, giving the brain-damaged woman's parents the right to ask a federal judge to order doctors to reinsert her feeding tube.

In the meantime, this is what's happening to Terri Schiavo, whose only crime was marrying a scumbag:

New Metro operations boss vows to cut service

Metro, the organization that's brought you scores of train wrecks, has a new senior vice president of operations:

But from the viewpoint of riders, he's simply the guy responsible for making sure the buses and trains run on time. David Feeley joined Metro's executive staff March 9. The 62-year-old, who recently returned from working in Iraq and was planning to sail across the Atlantic Ocean before being lured to Houston, brings decades of experience in transit maintenance, operations, labor relations, engineering and expansion planning. He'll oversee Metro's largest department with about 2,900 employees, including bus and rail operators and mechanics.

First of all, let me get nit-picky. They're not "rail operators," they're "train operators." We don't call bus drivers "road operators," do we? In addition, these little tidbits were a bit disturbing:

Feeley also brings experience from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

Feeley had been planning on ocean sailing from New York with three friends before Wilson convinced him to come to Houston. His trip here to scope out the job marked his first visit to the Bayou City.

Oh, great. So the new head of operations is not only stuck in an East Coast mindset, but he's also completely unfamiliar with Houston. Outstanding. But maybe it's not a total loss:

"The service we have out there, we want to be first rate and to satisfy demand," Feeley said. "Service that doesn't make any sense shouldn't be there."

Awesome. Bye-bye, MetroRail! Anne over at blogHOUSTON has more on this one.

Surplus Metro equipment still up for sale

As we told you a few weeks ago, surplus Metro property is being auctioned off at bargain-basement prices. What blew my mind is the size of the stuff:

Pallet ADR FXA Description 119 04-200 55182 VIEWSONIC 14' MONITOR 119 04-200 59010 VIEWSONIC 17' MONITOR 119 04-200 61294 VIEWSONIC 17' MONITOR

A 17-foot computer monitor? Wow! Just think of the possibilities, folks. You could display your favorite website to the whole neighborhood!

Frog reporters sue Google over news links

AFP's attorney.

Zee Americans! Zay are swiping our coverage!

Agence France Presse has sued Google Inc. (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , alleging the Web search leader includes AFP's photos, news headlines and stories on its news site without permission. The French news service is seeking damages of at least $17.5 million and an order barring Google News from displaying AFP photographs, news headlines or story leads, according to the suit filed on Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. "We are reviewing it," Google spokesman Steve Langdon said of the AFP lawsuit. The attorney for AFP was not immediately available for comment. AFP sells subscriptions to its content and does not provide it free. Google News gathers photos and news stories from around the Web and posts them on its news site, which is free to users. "Without AFP's authorization, defendant is continuously and willfully reproducing and publicly displaying AFP's photographs, headlines and story leads on its Google News web pages," AFP charged in its lawsuit.

The French are expected to surrender shortly. In all seriousness, though, Google News is an outstanding news site. Instead of editors, the site uses a computer algorithm to select stories for publication. The service draws from about 4,500 news sources, including Lone Star Times. If successful, this lawsuit could toss a monkey wrench into what is undoubtedly the most comprehensive source of news out there.

Moron 'sees' Satan in turtle shell

The demonic reptile from Hell Indiana. This story is proof of an long-standing belief I hold: If you want to find really bizarre news, look no further than Indiana:

An Indiana pet shop owner says a turtle that was the only animal to survive an October fire has developed an image of Satan's face on its shell. Bryan Dora says it looks like the devil wants us to know that he was there. Dora says he can see a goatee and a pair of pointy horns on the shell of the palm-sized red-eared slider turtle named Lucky.

Eeeeevil.

Time runs out for John DeLorean

This was not standard DeLorean equipment.

John DeLorean, the renegade carmaker whose eponymous vehicle was featured in the Back to the Future movies, is dead:

John Z. DeLorean, an automotive innovator who left General Motors Corp. to develop a radically futuristic sports car only to see that venture crash spectacularly as he fought federal drug charges, has died of complications from a stroke. He was 80.

DeLorean's company collapsed in 1983, a year after he was arrested in Los Angeles and accused of conspiring to sell $24 million worth of cocaine to salvage his venture. DeLorean used an entrapment defense to win acquittal on the drug charges in 1984. DeLorean was later cleared of defrauding investors, but continuing legal entanglements kept him on the sidelines of the automotive world.

Poor guy didn't make it to 88.

Pic of the Day: 3/21

This one isn't related to current events at all. It's just too adorable to pass up:

Click pic for joke.

Couey confesses to murder of Jessica Lunsford

We need tougher sentences for sex offenders, so scum like this will not be free to prey on our children:

A registered sex offender with an extensive criminal history confessed Friday to killing 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford, who went missing from her Florida home more than three weeks ago, officials said. John Evander Couey admitted abducting and killing Jessica, who had disappeared from her home on Feb. 23, Citrus County Sheriff Jeff Dawsy said.

But until those tougher sentences come, protect yourself. Search your ZIP Code for sex offenders and keep an eye out. Each dot on the map below represents a convicted sex offender in Houston:

And that's just inside the Loop.

Terri begins death by starvation

Following the orders of a Florida judge, doctors removed Terri Schiavo's feeding tube:

Doctors removed Terri Schiavo's feeding tube Friday despite an extraordinary, last-minute push by Republicans on Capitol Hill to use the subpoena powers of Congress to keep the severely brain-damaged woman alive, a source close to the case told The Associated Press. The removal came amid a flurry of maneuvering by Schiavo's parents, state lawmakers and Congress to keep her alive. Committees in the Republican-controlled Congress issued subpoenas for Schiavo, her husband, and her caregivers demanding that they appear at hearings on March 25 and March 28.

These are Mafia-style tactics. A witness is subpoenaed and soon thereafter winds up dead, murdered in bed by a very powerful person. UPDATE: I've received a lot of comments, many of which say things like "her soul is already gone, so let her body go." Could you justify handing Michael Schiavo a pistol and letting him blow her brains out? At least that would be a quick way to go. Instead, Terri faces a slow, excruciating agony for at least the next few days.

A prayer for Terri

The Divine Office, also known as the Liturgy of the Hours, is the daily prayer of the Catholic Church. It consists of a rotating group of psalms, hymns and canticles to be said at certain hours of the day. One of today's readings is Psalm 35, which I prayed on Terri's behalf:

Oppose, LORD, those who oppose me; war upon those who make war upon me. Take up the shield and buckler; rise up in my defense. Brandish lance and battle-ax against my pursuers. Say to my heart, "I am your salvation." Let those who seek my life be put to shame and disgrace. Let those who plot evil against me be turned back and confounded. Make them like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them on. Make their way slippery and dark, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them. Without cause they set their snare for me; without cause they dug a pit for me. Let ruin overtake them unawares; let the snare they have set catch them; let them fall into the pit they have dug. Then I will rejoice in the LORD, exult in God's salvation. My very bones shall say, "O LORD, who is like you, Who rescue the afflicted from the powerful, the afflicted and needy from the despoiler?"

Amen.

Chron assembles nonsensical energy policy

You'd think the only newspaper in the world's energy capital would know a thing or two about energy. You'd be wrong:

As Baker Institute energy fellow Amy Myers Jaffe noted in a recent interview with the Chronicle, Americans must drill more, conserve more and invest more in new technologies and alternative energy sources. If not, Americans must restrain or give up their high-energy lifestyle of gas-guzzling SUVs, air conditioning, home entertainment and computing.

The claim that home entertainment and computing are high-energy activities is just plain stupid. A computer, monitor, large projection TV, stereo and DVD player combined will use about 44 kilowatt-hours per month, less than 6% of the average home's consumption. High-energy my foot. True, this country needs a better balance of supply and demand for energy. It's too bad the Chron's recipe ignores the Baker Institute's first recommendation -- drill more -- and instead contains this goofy ingredient:

large investment in science and technology; greater utilization of available renewable sources such as solar and wind

Wasn't the editorial board just telling me I use too much technology? But let's leave that aside. Let's talk about the real-life application of solar power:

The environmental problems of solar center around the production of mirrors and land impacts. Regarding the latter, central-station solar requires between five and 17 acres per megawatt (see below), compared to gas-fired plants that a decade ago required only one-third of an acre per megawatt and today can be as little as one-twenty-fifth of an acre. The Department of Energy has spent approximately $5.1 billion (in 1996 dollars) on solar energy since FY 1978, more than $12 million per megawatt. This investment per unit of capacity is some 20 times greater than today's capital cost of modern gas-fired plants.

That's right, solar power wastes land and money. Whoops, so does wind power. As an added bonus for the eco-weenies, wind turbines shred birds by the thousands:

But for just as long, massive fiberglass blades on the more than 4,000 windmills have been chopping up tens of thousands of birds that fly into them, including golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, burrowing owls and other raptors.

The Chronicle would have us build ugly, expensive, inefficient, loud, weak sources of energy that dice eagles into endangered species confetti, while 16 billion barrels of oil sit underneath a desolate wasteland, untouched. Yeah, brilliant.

Terri Schiavo's death sentence reinstated

Once again, Judge George Greer has ordered the death of Terri Schiavo, reversing a brief reprieve for the brain-damaged -- but otherwise healthy -- Florida woman:

The presiding judge in the case of Terri Schiavo ruled Friday that the feeding tube keeping the brain-damaged woman alive must be removed despite efforts by congressional Republicans to block the move by seeking her appearance at hearings. Pinellas Circuit Judge George Greer refused a request from U.S. House attorneys to delay the removal, which he had previously ordered to take place at 1 p.m. EST. Greer determined that it should go forward about an hour after another judge issued a temporary delay blocking the tube's removal. "I have had no cogent reason why the (congressional) committee should intervene," Pinellas Circuit Court Judge George Greer told attorneys in a conference call, adding that last-minute action by Congress does not invalidate years of court rulings.

You want a cogent reason why someone should intervene? Because if they don't, you're going to kill her.

Terri Schiavo spared for time being

Terri Schiavo will live to fight another day:

A state judge on Friday temporarily blocked the removal of the feeding tube for severely brain-damaged Terri Schiavo as legal wrangling continued over efforts by congressional Republicans to keep her alive. Pinellas Circuit Court Chief Judge David Demers ordered that the feeding tube remain in place past a 1 p.m. deadline while fellow Judge George Greer, who is presiding over the Schiavo case, deals with conflicting legal issues. The delay came after U.S. Senate and House committees in the Republican-controlled Congress issued subpoenas for Schiavo, her husband, Michael Schiavo, and her caregivers to appear at hearings on March 25 and March 28 which would in effect keep her alive for the time being.

In the Florida state senate, Sen. Daniel Webster lived up to the oratorical standards of his name with a great analogy:

Florida Sen. Daniel Webster, (R-Winter Garden) tries to make a point using a one hundred dollar bill that it has value whether it's crumpled up or crisp and new, in connection with the Terri Schiavo case

How much more valuable is a human being?

Dick Cheney illustrates variety of fighting styles

Heh:

And Rummy's got a few tricks of his own.

Senate considers 'Support Our Scouts' Act

I've been involved with the Scouting program since I was six years old, so Scouting has always been very dear to my heart. That's why I'm happy to tell you about this bill:

U.S. Senators Bill Frist, M.D. (R-TN) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) will introduce legislation in the next few days "to ensure that the Boy Scouts of America are treated fairly by guaranteeing their right to equal access to public facilities, forums, and programs."

The “Support Our Scouts Act of 2005” guarantees the Boy Scouts’ right to equal access in a number of ways. The legislation removes any doubt that Federal agencies may welcome Scouts to hold meetings and go camping on federal property. It ensures the Defense Department can continue providing support consistent with U.S. law. The legislation also ensures state or local government entities do not deny Boy Scouts equal access to public facilities, programs, or forums. Finally, the act clarifies that federal agencies cannot provide less support to the Scouts than the agency has in the past.

The folks at Grassfire.org have launched a petition urging the passage of this legislation:

As a concerned citizen, I am deeply troubled by the recent attacks which have come against the Boy Scouts simply because the Scouts have taken a stand for faith and moral values. As a private organization, the Boy Scouts has every right to set standards for leadership and morality. The U.S. Supreme Court made this clear! I urge you to cease these hostile attacks against one of America's great institutions.

Well over 380,000 folks have signed the petition, but Grassfire is shooting for a goal of 500,000. Please, help the Scouts who have done so much for the youth of America over the last 95 years.

Pic of the Day: 3/18

After a night of celebrating the man who drove the snakes out of Ireland, I came into work today to find my office ... um ... altered. Turns out there are still snakes in Texas, namely my coworkers: Irish eyes are smiling. My chair was upended and my desk had been covered with Mardi Gras beads, empty 5-gallon Ozarka jugs and clip art pictures of beer. And then there's the confetti. Everywhere. In my keyboard. All over my desk. In my coffee cup. In my coffee cup. Ah, the joys of being the new guy.

St. Patrick's Day Aftermath

After a night of celebrating the man who drove the snakes out of Ireland, I came into work today to find my office ... um ... altered. Turns out there are still snakes in Texas, namely my coworkers: Irish eyes are smiling. My chair was upended and my desk had been covered with Mardi Gras beads, empty 5-gallon Ozarka jugs and clip art pictures of beer. And then there's the confetti. Everywhere. In my keyboard. All over my desk. In my coffee cup. In my coffee cup. Ah, the joys of being the new guy.

Ex-county judge recalls Social Security debate

In a USA Today op-ed piece, former Galveston County judge Ray Holbrook examines that county's successful privatization of Social Security:

Our plan, put together by financial experts, was a “banking model” rather than an “investment model.” To eliminate the risks of the up-and-down stock market, workers' contributions were put into conservative fixed-rate guaranteed annuities, rather than fluctuating stocks, bonds or mutual funds. Our results have been impressive: We've averaged about 6.5% annual rate of return over 24 years. And we've provided substantially better benefits in all three Social Security categories: retirement, survivorship, disability. Upon retirement after 30 years, and assuming a more conservative 5% rate of return, all workers would do better for the same contribution as Social Security: •Workers making $17,000 a year are expected to receive about 50% more per month on our alternative plan than on Social Security — $1,036 instead of $683. •Workers making $26,000 a year will make almost double Social Security, $1,500 instead of $853. •Workers making $51,000 a year will get $3,103 instead of $1,368. •Workers making $75,000 or more will nearly triple Social Security, $4,540 instead of $1,645. •Our survivorship benefits pay four times a worker's annual salary — a minimum of $75,000 to a maximum $215,000 — rather than Social Security's customary onetime $255 survivorship to a spouse (with no minor children). If the worker dies before retirement, the survivors receive not only the full survivorship but get generous accidental death benefits, too. •Our disability benefit pays 60% of an individual's salary, better than Social Security's.

[Hat-tip: LST reader Russell Rollins]

Pic of the Day: 3/17

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone!

Click pic for story.

Late Pic of the Day: 3/16

Sorry, folks, but I forgot to put up a pic of the day yesterday. So I'm making it up:

Click pic for story.

Wife-killing scumbag sentenced to die

Even in California, the state frowns on murdering your family:

A California judge has sentenced convicted double-murderer Scott Peterson to death. Wearing a black suit, Peterson had entered the courtroom around 9 a.m. PST. His hands were bound in metal chains.

Unlike the case of another cheating wife-killer, I think we can all agree on this one.

'Tour de Houston' skips bike lanes

The City likes to show how progressive it is by bragging about its extensive network of bike paths:

The Houston Bikeway Program provides a completed 290-mile bikeway network for urban cycling that spans across a 500 square-mile area of the city. This transportation network of designated bikeways is integrated into the overall transportation system and consists of a total of 345 miles of designated on-street and off-street bikeways.

Sweet. All those roads for bikes. So the Tour de Houston will probably make use of those lanes, freeing other streets for vehicular traffic, right? Nope. In fact, large portions of the Tour de Houston route fall on non-bike lanes, particularly the portions along 75th Street, Holcombe, Weslayan, Willowick, Kirby, Shepherd, 19th Street. Even portions of the race downtown will not be along designated bike routes, like the sections on Smith and Milam. Oh yeah, and it'll also be on Main Street. That's right. While the cyclists are taking up real roads, the bike lanes will lie empty. Thank you, Houston Parks & Recreation Department. Don't believe me? See for yourself. Take a look at the bikeway map and compare it to the Tour de Houston map.

Fla. legislature moves to stop Terri's starvation

Florida lawmakers have fired the latest salvo in the battle to save Terri Schiavo:

House and Senate legislators reached a deal Monday on a bill designed to prevent Terri Schiavo's death, as the Florida Legislature, for the second time in less than two years, moved to intervene in the internationally watched case. Key members in both chambers said they expected the bill to come up for a vote before Friday, the day the severely brain-damaged woman's life-sustaining feeding tube is scheduled to be removed.

But Bruce Winick, a constitutional law professor at the University of Miami, disagreed. "It amounts to another legislative interference with an ongoing court case, which was the issue the Supreme Court raised last time," he said.

Oh, that pesky will of the people! How dare it presume to interfere with the almighty judiciary? Welcome to Bizarro World, folks.

KTRK dishes up worthless crime coverage

This has got to be the least thorough reporting I've ever seen in my life:

A suspect is still on the loose after robbing a southwest Houston bank. HPD officers say a teller at the Chase Bank on Bellaire at Corporate was robbed about 10:20am Tuesday. There's no word on how much money the suspect may have gotten away with. No one was injured in the robbery.

That's it. After six hours of investigative reporting, Channel 13 ascertained that the bank robber was a male, of indeterminate age, appearance, height, weight and build. He may or may not have been armed with an unknown weapon or weapons. Distinguishing marks may or may not include one or more tattoos, scars, moles, brands, amputated limbs, pimples, freckles and/or razor burn. He robbed the bank of an unknown amount of money, then fled the scene either on foot or with the help of a car, truck, SUV, skateboard, bullet train, fighter jet and/or hang glider of indeterminate age, make, model and color. Be on the lookout!

'Tour de Houston' ready to zip through town

Yes, that is Mayor Bill White wearing a stupid cycling jersey and suit pants. In an effort to replace Houston's "Fattest City" rank with the "Wussiest City" honors, Mayor Bill White will be bringing sweaty, spandex-clad Euro types to a road near you:

On Saturday, March 19, 2005, the City of Houston is proud to present "Tour de Houston" Bike ride. This BP MS 150 Recommended Ride allows riders to complete a 20 or 40 mile bike ride through historic neighborhoods of Houston. Mayor Bill White, State Senator Rodney Ellis, and Council Member Carol Alvarado will kick off the event starting at 7:30 a.m. for the 20 mile route and 7:45 a.m. for the 40 mile route. The "Tour de Houston" will begin and end at Herman Square in front of City Hall, located downtown in the 900 block of Smith Street, with free parking for participants at Lots C and H of the Convention and Entertainment Facility parking.

Please, folks, I'm appealing for the safety of the participants of the Tour de Houston. Resist the temptation to clip one of these guys with your side view mirror. Don't get 'em with the door either. (Especially this guy; he'll see you coming.) And please, please, don't honk your horn at the mayor, causing him to careen into other cyclists and forcing the cancellation of the Tour de Houston, thereby returning the streets to their rightful purpose of carrying motorized vehicular traffic. Don't do it. Yes, that is Mayor Bill White adding to his collection of stupid cycling jerseys.