Some crazy asshole tried to blow up the Austin Women's Clinic Health Center in South Austin. What the hell kind of world are we living in when even the blue state of Austin is hit by such insanity/inanity?

Senator Rep. Juan Garcia joined the chorus of legislators upset at some errors in a report detailing gifts accepted by outside sources. "Blasting a message like this out that's now viral all over the blogs is disheartening to those of us committed to addressing the invisible hand wielded by the lobby over the members. I thought we were on the same side of this problem."

Those damn blogs. If only the legislators themselves were this quick to notice when they made an error and then fixed it with the speed and efficiency as the Texans for Public Justice did! Can you imagine? No. Me either. But, on the bright side, Senator Garcia knows what viral and blog mean.

Quick update: the photos here totally kick the above photo's ass.

About half of all men and women are infected with HPV at some point in their lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency recommends that girls get the vaccine when they are 11 or 12 so they will have immunity before they become sexually active.

HPV Causes 93 percent of all cervical cancer in women. [About.com]

The overall (all stages combined) 5-year survival rate for cervical cancer is about 72%. [Cancer.org]

There's an article about state lawmakers taking trips funded by lobbyists in today's paper. No one gives three shits about it, because everybody does it, no one is going to vote to change it and it's boring. But, Rep. Mike Krusee R-Williamson County is quoted:

You, sir, are an ass. This quote ought to be the main plank of the Republican Party's platform. People (the voters) may disagree with us, people may be be critical of our policy positions and initiatives but we will not be deterred from our stubbornness, blatant disregard for the will of the people we were voted to represent.

Basically, I'm entitled to do whatever the hell I want to do once I'm elected and the rest of y'all can just suck on it. I would suggest Rep. Krusee take a class in "class" and civic duty before he shoots off his big mouth again with such a doozy of a quote. [Statesman]

Man: It's not my fault the guy was a fucking idiot... It may have been my fault that I told him, though.

Overheard in the Office.com
New Street Station
Birmingham

Wal-Mart can now be blamed for the recent layoffs at Circuit City and the closing over hundreds of electronics stores across the country. The reason? They're forcing suppliers to give them the lowest price on high demand items like flat panel televisions. Wal-Mart is a phenomenon that invites harsh criticism. Sure, they offer deeply discounted prices on a variety of craptacular products, but they leave devastated communities in their wake.

How? The electronics market meltdown is just the latest. The first were mom and pop retailers, then regional retailers, then grocery store chains (including my favorite, Winn-Dixie) and so on and so forth. Additionally, Wal-Mart receives tax concessions to enter a small town then hires part-time employees that are not provided with health insurance and use county services putting a burden on the county budget, etc. Fun, huh?

What does this have to do with politics? Everything and nothing...it just pisses me off.

The Senate voted to overturn Perry's HPV campaign, seriously jeopardizing his campaign contributions for Merck. Oh, and also condemning many young girls to cervical cancer and death. But, you know, whatever. Dead teenage girls don't vote anyway.

The House passed the Mary Denny bill tonight, 76-68. Rep. Anchia condemned the sponsors of the bill for the inability to identify one instance of someone impersonating a voter. He said it was a pig...a pig with lipstick...then he gave up on that analogy and just said it was really bad.

Speaking of really bad, Mark! I mean The Honorable Mark Strama what the hell was with your suit today? Did you borrow it from someone that shops at JCPenny's? Maybe it just didn't come across on camera very well, but it certainly wasn't tailored to fit. You are so not getting best dressed this year. At least you know something about voting and GOTV and how to prevent fraud. Too bad I was apparently the only one that heard you...even chuckling when you pointed out that what's her face couldn't table your amendment, the members decide that. BURN!

The stink of this bill can be smelled across the state.

Update: passes 76 to 68 to engrossment, with 3 who apparently forgot how to use their voting machine.

And Rep. Brown just gave a shoutout to Mary Denny. We miss her, too.

P.S. The comment and links pages are FINALLY fixed. Comment away with fast page load times back.

The Associated Press gives a good overview of the scandal plagued Bush Administration. Theme: Loyalty versus Competence.

Sheryl Crow was apparently offended at a dinner when she felt Karl Rove was rude to her. Uhm, if you are an invited guest to a formal dinner it is not the appropriate time to heckle people on the staff of your host. As much as Karl Rove makes me shudder, I have the upbringing to know walking over to his table at a black tie dinner to call him a douche is highly inappropriate. Jeers to you Sheryl.

I rented a Hummer and drove through fields of wildflowers. You?