Let's Get Copernicus!

When Molly Ivins called the Texas Legislature "The national laboratory for bad ideas," she had public servants like Rep. Warren Chisum (R-Pampa) in mind. But now we know that some of those ideas are imported from elsewhere. Especially some of the really exceptional ones.

Last week, Chisum circulated this helpful memorandum to his colleagues (page one and page two, helpfully provided by the fine folks at The Austin Chronicle). It's copied from Georgia State Rep Ben Bridges who originally circulated a memo to his colleagues that references the website Fixed Earth. You've got to hand it to these creationists: they recognize that Charles Darwin and his dangerous Origin of Species are just symptoms of the vast Jewish/Copernican conspiracy (see "Kabbalist 'Superstring' Physics") designed to return the ancient Pharisees to rightful prominence.

Rep. Chisum is the second-most powerful member of the Texas House behind Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland). Sleep well, fellow Texans.

Every One's a Winner, Babe...

As a kid growing up in El Paso in the 70s, I used to take the city bus downtown a lot before I had my license. One afternoon, I saw a woman who appeared to be very old carrying three large bags from one of the many "por libra" (per pound) used clothing stores that line the streets of downtown El Paso. As she boarded the red bus that would take her back to Ciudad Juarez, I noticed she was wearing an "I'm With Stupid" t-shirt. I'd be willing to bet she did not speak English, much less have any idea what the writing on her shirt meant. Lots of people have wonderful sites devoted to the joy that non-English speaking people get from wearing shirts with English on them. But I was glad to hear about Reebok and the NFL making sure that whoever loses this year's Super Bowl will live as winners in a land far, far away.

Molly Ivins 1944-2007

Stupid, stupid cancer! It has robbed us all of a beautiful woman who wrote like a dream, a journalist who used her bounty of humor to speak the truth. And a true Austin celebrity, especially in our Travis Heights/Bouldin axis of South Austin.

You can't find a better tribute to Molly than what her friends at The Texas Observer have on their website.

Who's gonna fill her shoes? I am bereft.