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27 MAY 04: LAST RIGHTS?

Roy Moore announced Wednesday he's filing an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court, to regain his seat as Alabama Chief Justice. If that fails, Moore may have only one option left - President Bush winning re-election, then nominating him for a Supreme Court seat.

Roy Moore says his dismissal as Alabama Chief Justice last fall was loaded with hypocrisy. He notes God is referenced by name at the start of all federal court sessions -- not to mention under the breath of most losing attorneys.

The appeal by Roy Moore claims he was removed as Alabama Chief Justice merely for exercising his first amendment rights. As many speeches as he's made around the country, I wonder if Moore's making more money using his freedom of speech than he did promoting his religion.

Did you see one TV station call him "Honorable Roy Moore" on the screen? I'm not sure if that will stop the complaints to newsrooms by upset Republicans - or make them demand all members of the cabinet receive the same treatment.

The group "Alabama Atheists" is unimpressed with Roy Moore's U.S. Supreme Court appeal. Group leader Larry Darby claimed Wednesday people are growing tired of Moore. Of course, many Alabama Christians grew tired of atheists around the time of the school prayer ruling in 1963.

There's been a lot of speculation about Roy Moore running for political office -- but he denied the rumors again Wednesday, and I believe him. Somehow, I can't see John Kerry selecting Moore as a running mate....

Several candidates are invoking Roy Moore's name as they run for the Alabama Supreme Court. One of them is long-time colleague Tom Parker. You can tell it's a different era in the South when a "Tom Parker" mentions Roy Moore more than Elvis Presley.

Have you seen Tom Parker's campaign commercial on TV? It says he's "strongly against gay marriages." Well, why stop there? Go ahead and tell us how you'll vote on lawsuits of more than $20 million.

BLOG UPDATE: Columbus State's baseball team was knocked out of the Division II World Series Wednesday night, losing a gutwrencher to the Rollins College Tars. Aw c'mon -- the TARS?!

+ Shouldn't this be the name of a stock car racing team in the South?

+ What are the college cheerleaders called - the Tar Babies?

+ You can't expect me to believe the University of North Carolina broke away from this college, and that's why it's famous for Tar Heels.

+ Where do journalism majors at this college offer their publications - a Tar-Paper shack?

+ Do they have a fast-food restaurant on campus - selling Tar-Macs?

Things looked grim for C.S.U. as the last inning started - but the Cougars made up a 9-7 deficit with three runs in the top of the ninth. If this was the "Rollins" that's involved with protective services, I don't want to have anything do with it.

But Rollins rallied in the bottom of the ninth itself, with a two-run homer off C.S.U.'s ace reliever Brian Baker to win 11-10. It was Baker's fourth inning of pitching -- which almost makes you wonder if Cougar Coach Greg Appelton watched any of the Red Sox-Yankees playoff series last October.

At least Columbus High School still has some baseball left to play. The Blue Devils beat St. Pius X Wednesday - not only advancing to the state semifinals, but getting revenge for the girls' basketball finals in March. I wouldn't be surprised if a couple of those Columbus players have pictures of Ashley Powell in their rooms.

Now let's catch up on some other mid-week meanderings:

+ The Spectrum store in my neighborhood (believe it or not, there's only one) marked down all sizes of fountain drinks to only 79 cents. So you see - something IS going down in price, to make up for the gas and milk.

+ Georgia's Natural Resources Board decided to bring back mandatory restrictions on watering lawns. There's an odd-even system six days a week - and no one can water at all on Fridays. So why Fridays?! Do the board members think this will stop a Muslim terrorist attack?

+ The title of "American Idol" went to Fantasia Barrino - and that means Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue lost a bet. He owes North Carolina's Governor a bushel of peaches. But knowing our governor, he may outsource this and get the peaches from Mexico.

+ Instant Message to WRBL reporter Chris Sweigart: We welcome you to Columbus - but we can't help asking a question. If you took a taser shot Tuesday for a story on Harris County "stun guns," why didn't you light up a cigarette Wednesday for a story on Lee County smoking?

COMING FRIDAY: The end of an era in my refrigerator.... and did I resist doing that "something?"

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