Welcoming the Bridge...

The Bridge has been added to the blogroll. It's my understanding that it will serve as the blog version for the Louisville-based newsletter with political news from around the state.

It should be announced in a few days whether or not we know who our candidate for Congress is in the 3rd District. A poll is being conducted, or has been, to find out just how vulnerable Congresswoman Anne Northup is.

It has been announced that the Military Bill of Rights has been introduced in the State Senate. Rep. Mike Weaver has pre-filed legislation dealing with Veterans.

Rep. Mike Weaver, chair of the House Military Affairs Committee and the most prominent champion of Kentucky's military families for nearly a decade, has pre-filed legislation to provide hiring preferences in state government to veterans, as proposed in the MFBR. Other bills are expected to be filed soon to implement initiatives for military families that are not covered by the Senate bill.

The NY Times interviews Stephen Colbert. It's pretty hilarious.

In Indiana, winter heating bills will rise, but sadly, unless something gets done, assistance won't. What's sad is, while BOTH Indiana Senators signed a letter of request, Kentucky's own Senators have once again dissapointed.

Last year, the Congress sent $2.18 billion for heating assistance; this year, the proposal is to also spend $2.18 billion. In the energy bill, legislators recommended $5 billion be spent, but when it came time to find the money, the funding was the same. "All $5 billion could be put to good use," Ellerbrook said.

Indiana Sens. Dick Lugar and Evan Bayh and Illinois Sens. Barack Obama and Dick Durbin have signed a letter asking for another $1.2 billion for the federal Low Income Heating Assistance Program. They pointed out that damage to natural gas drilling from Hurricane Katrina is one factor driving up prices. Kentucky's senators did not sign the request.

"Hoosier families are already being squeezed by high gas prices," Bayh said in a statement. "To add the skyrocketing costs of natural gas to the mix is too much for many families to bear."

Paul McCartney is headed to Boston, playing the same stage that the DNC was at last year. Maybe not the same stage, but definitely the same venue.

Everybody except Virginians have an eye on the Kaine-Kilgore race for governor.

Taking a look at the Bayh watch, Senator Bayh appears to have a clean bill of health. This is great news. Let us not forget, he is a regular jogger.

"My cholesterol is a little high, but my good cholesterol is way high," Bayh said, "again probably because of the running."

Bayh does have to follow up on a few things, including getting checked out for basal cell carcinoma, a potential problem since he had "way too much sun as a kid."
Bayh also has to get his first colonoscopy in 10 years.

"They tell me I have to do that again, which I'm not looking forward to," he said. But "other than the normal wear-and-tear, so far so good."

Basal cell carcinoma is a common type of skin cancer.

Jim Bunning hates Alan Greenspan. Greenspan was appointed by Reagan. Reagan was a Republican. So why does a Republican hate another Republican? I happen to appreciate Chairman Greenspan's fine work for America.

Robert Klein gives props to Chicago. Chicago started his career.

In 1975, following the taping of Klein's first HBO special (a first for the young network as well), Seinfeld and a pal attended an after-party at Klein's apartment on 82nd and Riverside. "We were 22 years old at the time and just excited to be in something that was real show business," he recalls. "It was like being at Elvis' house."

Says Klein's friend and Second City mate Fred Willard, himself a lauded laughmeister, "I always say there's about five comedians that I would pay to see, and Bob is one of 'em. He is so bright, and he gets on this wavelength. And it's very disarming, 'cause he'll go along [for] a long time, and I'll say, Oh, Bob's lost his real zing. And all of a sudden, he'll pull something out, and I'll laugh."

It's amazing how much Second City has changed.

Both Senators Dodd and Lieberman are undecided with regards to John Roberts. My guess is that they have decided but refuse to make their vote public. We'll find out soon enough.

Mark Mulder picked up the loss last night against the Brewers. St. Louis just needs four more regular season wins to mark 100 wins in back to back seasons. Suppan starts tonight. Matt Morris will be the 4th 15 game winner for the Cardinals come Tuesday.

Boston became the first club this season to play in front of 3,000,000 (that's 3 million for you non-math people out there) this season.