Pope Spongebob I

Okay, this was taken with my cellphone so the image quality isn't too hot. If you can't read it, it says "Let Foodmax be your Seafood headquarters for Lent!" Which is all fine and dandy, though I actually don't eat much seafood and am not Catholic.

I do wonder about the propriety of using Spongebob Squarepants as their spokesman in this endeavor. Moreover, Mr. Squarepants seems extremely enthusiastic about Lent. And (I've never watched the show, because I don't use pot) aren't most of his friends, you know, fish?

Less nervous

Last nerve agent rocket destroyed

So far as they're saying, the folks at Anniston have managed to destroy all the nerve gas weapons at the Depot with no injuries.

Digital Tractor

Thompson tries to revive unfinished 280 hospital

Yes, it's the return of the "digital hospital", which I think was Richard Scrushy's plan to offer free WiFi in every ward or something. Anyway, it's been picked up by Hall Thompson, who has no medical background at all but is (a) the founder of Thompson Tractor Co. and (b) the developer of the infamous Shoal Creek golf club. I can't think of a better background for a hospital owner, can you?

Here's something I didn't know about the Digital Hospital:

Some complaints over the years from experts who toured the 13-floor facility include an odd design, such as the emergency department on the second floor; the high price to complete it; limited space for medical office buildings and parking decks; bad traffic on the highway, making access by ambulance difficult; and mold that developed because of the on-again, off-again construction.

IOW, if you had an emergency you'd probably be better off just staying home, because even if you could get to the hospital you'd probably just die of something else.

I wish I got a 62% pay raise

Legislators OK 62% pay boost

Heck, I'd settle for a 6.2% pay raise. Gosh, that's a lot. They go from a little over $30K to almost $50K, which is pretty good for a part-time job. And they threw in automatic raises adjusted to inflation. Riley says he'll veto but acknowledges they'll just override it.

Meat is Mooder

ABC News: Indian Calf Makes Meal Out of Poultry

A farmer in India thought that he had a problem with dogs or jackals. Turns out, it's just your garden-variety carnivorous calf. This is what happens when you coddle cattle, people -- they start eating the other livestock. I mean, you think that it's a coincidence that this happened in a country where cattle are allowed to roam around wherever and nobody eats them? You have to show these animals who's boss. If this spreads, the people of India will soon regret these customs.

(Thanks to Meryl, who also suggested the following graphic.)

Vaclav Claus is coming to town

Czech leader visits Magic City

Well, actually he's already been and left, but you know me and the jokes. Apparently, the Birmingham International Center was having a salute to the Czech Republic. Have you ever noticed how we call it the Czech Republic, because we can't call it "Czechia" because that looks like a sneeze? We really need an English name for that place. I propose "Czechmark".

Support our crooked ex-governors

Bill would let Guy Hunt collect $36,000 a year

Hunt doesn't get a pension -- what with the felony conviction that removed him from office -- so they want to call him a "governor's councilor" and give him $3000 a month. Will Siegelman get the same treatment?

Red Stick

After debate, funds OK'd for conference

So the Birmingham city schools are all underfunded? Time for a road trip! Let's spend nearly $200K to send a bunch of neighborhood officers to Baton Rouge for a conference!

I hate this state sometimes

Bill would let counties raise gas tax 6 cents for roads

What do you do when gas prices are already nearly $2.50 a gallon? Raise gas taxes! Okay, the bill probably won't pass, but it's just insane to start such a regressive tax now, especially when at the same time the governor is proposing tax cuts.

That's one

'Scooter' Libby guilty on four of five counts - CNN.com

Now if we can put the rest of this crew in jail.

Bullwinkle, no!

Charging moose brings down hovering helicopter - CNN.com

You have to admit, that's pretty impressive, though the moose paid for it with its life. Especially since the moose had already been hit with a tranquilzer dart.

Dueling candidates

Obama credits civil rights founders
Clinton says sacrifices should not be in vain

Stranger things have happened than the two leading candidates for the Democratic Presidential nomination being in Selma, AL, on the same day. But not many.

Obama denied that he wasn't black enough to be President; throw in Selma's history and things are getting even weirder. Nearly as popular as Obama was former President Clinton, who is a much bigger draw than his wife.