The World Around You

Kevin Drum has a good history and explanation of the “sexed up” controversy.

Thank you to the newest members of the Alabama Partnership for Progress:
- Children’s Trust Foundation
- Region 2020
- Alabama Heart Association
- Alabama Soft Drink Association
- Alabama Residential Childcare Association
- YWCA of Central Alabama
- One Montgomery
- Alabama Historic Ironworks Association
- Alabama Poverty Project
- Citizens for Responsible Government

The ranks of those who support Ammendment 1 just continues to grow.

Roy Moore will go to the Supreme Court to appeal the Ten Commandments Monument case. I really don’t have anything left to say on this subject. I hope the SCOTUS turn it down and we can move on to the protests.

Terry at PossumBlog has a tragic tale to tell. (NOTE: You may need to read this post first to understand the context.

The Dixie Chicks have joined forces with Rock the Vote to encourage young women to vote, as Talk Left reports. I received the e-mail from Rock the Vote yesterday and it made me smile. Maybe the Chicks have realized, if they’re going to step into the political arena, why not do what they can to help more young people get involved.

James posts the breaking news at MSNBC, Drudge also links to a Sky News story.

Good news, if we can believe it.

UPDATE: Straight from the horse’s mouth (for what it’s worth), CentCom reports,

On Tuesday, July 22, forces associated with the 101st Airborne Division and Special Operations Forces conducted an operation against suspected regime figures at a residence in Mosul, Iraq. The site is currently being exploited. Four Iraqis were killed in the operation. We have confirmed that two of the dead were Saddam’s sons Uday and Qusay.

Things turn around fast don’t they? Canadian Brodcasting Company reports,

York Regional Police north of Toronto are investigating a complaint about stolen marijuana – the first since an Ontario court decision that effectively decriminalized possession of the drug, they say.

An 18-year-old woman in the northern Toronto suburb of Thornhill filed the complaint last week. She claimed to have been robbed of about $20 worth of marijuana by two men, and assaulted when she tried to retrieve it.

“It’s a strange story because we’ve never had anyone call in to say they’ve had their drugs stolen,” said Const. Steve Morrell.

The incident is believed to be the first reported case of stolen marijuana in the Greater Toronto Area since May. That’s when a judge in Windsor ruled that possession of less than 30 grams of pot is no longer illegal.

Is this an unforeseen consequence? A huge increase in the reports of simple theft? Something to think about.

The Birmingham News editorial page takes the Republican Party to task for essentially kicking Bob Riley to the curb.

“This isn’t about the man, it’s about the plan,” state GOP Chairman Marty Connors said.

Nonsense. This plan is Bob Riley. As the Republican candidate for governor last year, Riley talked repeatedly of the need to reform an unjust tax system to make it more fair; he talked of more accountability in state government to make sure taxpayers are getting their money’s worth; and he refused to take a no-new-taxes pledge, acknowledging that state government may need more money for critical services.

“For anybody to be surprised by what the governor has done is unbelievable,” Riley spokesman David Azbell told the Mobile Register.

They also applaud the R.E.A.L. Republicans,

Saturday, a group of Republicans describing themselves as R.E.A.L. (Republicans for Education, Accountability and Leadership) touted the Riley plan. Among their numbers besides Windom: former U.S. Sen. Jeremiah Denton, state Sens. Jabo Waggoner of Vestavia Hills and Hank Erwin of Montevallo, former Secretary of State Jim Bennett (now state labor commissioner), former party chairman Winton Blount and 6th District U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus. Attorney General Bill Pryor, nominated by President Bush for a federal judgeship, is also a member and has endorsed Riley’s plan.

Thanks to these brave officials who are willing to take a stand, this plan stands a good chance of passing on September 9th.