7 NOV 07: TAD-POLLS

It's good to be back, after a one-day blogging suspension. And we're happy to report the "Repo Man" from Bill Heard Chevrolet has NOT shown up, to seize that $50 gift card....

We're back just in time to review Election Day results from around the area. By a margin of 51 to 49 percent, Columbus voters rejected the creation of Tax Allocation Districts. This could be enough to spark Bert Coker to launch yet another write-in campaign for mayor.

Mayor Jim Wetherington openly admitted he voted for the TAD question. He said it would be a "win-win" situation for Columbus. So is this scored as a loss-loss - even if it was the only question on the ballot?

Some voters admitted they voted against the TAD question primarily because they didn't understand it. It's easy to point fingers at them - until I stop and realize that's part of the reason why I'm not married yet.

It's not like Columbus city officials didn't try to explain Tax Allocation Districts. The city arranged for Columbus State University to hold four public forums around town on the question - and they were carefully arranged to fall on nights when there weren't any big high school football games.

But perhaps too many voters were like one "no" voter who spoke on the evening news. He said he's concerned the mayor and city council "may not be aware of what.... is going on in this town." Well, that depends. I don't know how many councilors have newspaper subscriptions.

TV newscasts kept showing me a gutted building at Eighth Street and Eighth Avenue, as an example of what Tax Allocation Districts would accomplish. But didn't Allen Woodall once have big plans to renovate that building, as part of a new look for the Liberty District? Or did that new International Flea Market beat him to the tacky punch?

The TAD turn-down comes on the heels of Phenix City voters rejecting a property tax for schools in August. There could be a lesson here for politicians across metro Columbus - better surly early than late.

There was one small glitch with the voting process in Columbus Tuesday. Ballot materials for Hardaway High School and Midland Academy were mixed up, and sent to the wrong places. That might not have been a bad idea for this football season, though.

In Election Day contests outside Columbus, Talbotton voters reelected three City Council members -- despite the revelations about big city debts. Wow, maybe that old game show was right. It DOES pay to be ignorant....

(One of the Talbotton City Council members to win reelection was Fred Cotton. Voters may have decided his last name was too vital for reinforcing the city's Southern reputation.)

West Point had a surprise at the polls Tuesday night, as Mayor Billy Head was ousted by Drew Ferguson. Head has led the efforts to bring the Kia factory to this area - so was this a vote against Kia? Are all the Ford owners somehow hoping a new mayor will bring a merger?

We actually have two days' worth of news to review today, so let's get to it....

+ The overnight forecast in Columbus called for a low of 38 degrees F., prompting me to bring my plant in from the front porch. Take that, Columbus Water Works! Now I can pour a half-cup of water on the plant every day, without worrying about spies reporting me.

+ Former WXTX news anchor Roszell Gadson cleared up some rumors, by telling your blog he has NOT been hired to anchor WLTZ's new newscast. OK, now to the next rumor - where has WRBL hidden Creshon Saunders?

+ Columbus Council approved new rules requiring operators of city-owned heavy machinery to turn off their engines, instead of letting them run for more than five minutes. This should save on fuel and, reduce pollution. But on the other hand, it lowers the chances for a dump truck drag race at construction sites.

+ Panasonic confirmed it will close the battery side of its Columbus plant by March, and lay off more than 200 workers. The reaction of employees was predictable for a battery factory - going from positive to negative.

+ Phenix City Councilor Ray Bush was cleared of sexual harassment charges. The bench trial before a Lee County Judge was over in an hour - making you wonder why Bush's accuser didn't write Judge Judy, and get it settled even faster.

+ The RiverCenter completed a two-night stand by the national touring company of the musical "Hairspray." Hopefully the management has prepared a follow-up event for customers - with a special showing of the Warren Beatty movie "Shampoo."

+ Georgia ministers Creflo Dollar and Eddie Long denied to the "CBS Evening News" they've mishandled donations. They're among several TV preachers under a U.S. Senate investigation - and of course, any minister with a last name of Dollar comes under immediate suspicion.

+ Camden, Alabama police arrested a man who broke into a building and stole $500. The building he selected was the city's police headquarters. This is why Governor Riley is so concerned about improving reading scores....

+ Georgia football coach Mark Richt urged fans to wear black to Saturday's showdown against Auburn. The better for mourning if the Bulldogs lose, I suppose....

(I'm a bit surprised Mark Richt doesn't urge fans to send a moving tribute to Larry Munson - by wearing silver britches.)

+ Texas A&M football coach Dennis Franchione denied rumors that his contract might be bought out, so the university can go after Auburn's Tommy Tuberville. How strange would this be?! If the Alabama coach can't get the job done, you hire away his competition?

(And what sort of amazing justice would it be for Tuberville - to have officials from a university make a secret trip to hire him, instead of fire him?)

+ Instant Message to WHAL "Viva 1460": ¡Que bueno! Now that's a better music mix. With the weather turning colder, it's time for some more spicy salsa....

THE BLOG OF AMERICA: With the Writers' Guild on strike, there are no current late-night comedy monologues. So this non-union blog will bravely fill the gap, with jokes about national and world news you might be missing. We did this with "LaughLine" for almost three years - only we had the audacity to ask people to pay for it.

+ CNN reported Pakistan's government may have arrested one-fourth of the country's lawyers, under a state of emergency. In related news, the American Medical Association may declare President Pervez Musharraf its "Man of the Year."

(Did you see all the attorneys fighting police in the streets of Pakistan? The last time I saw lawyers fighting like that, they were racing to the scene of a 20-car pileup.)

+ The head of Pakistan's Supreme Court reported he's under virtual house arrest. Somewhere aides to Al Gore mumbled, "Why didn't WE think of that?"

+ The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11-8 to recommend Michael Mukasey as Attorney General. Some Senators openly wished Mukasey would take a stand on waterboarding. But if he does that, where does it end? With positions on snowboarding and skateboarding?

(National Public Radio noted waterboarding was used long ago by the Spanish Inquisition. But if they didn't do it in any episodes of "Monty Python's Flying Circus," we're not sure we believe that.)

+ Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul set a one-day record, by raising $4.3 million on the Internet. This money will be a wonderful economic boost to some poor, starving radio station manager in Iowa.

+ Crude oil prices went above $97 a barrel for a time, and public radio's "Marketplace" reported some futures traders have options for the price to hit $250. What do they win if they turn out to be right - a nice mansion in Saudi Arabia?

+ The son of "Dogg the Bounty Hunter" told the TMZ telecast his father is NOT a racist. We're not sure if TMZ paid for this interview, to prove conclusively that the son is a money-grubbing back-stabber.

+ A deer broke through a window, and ran through a Holly Hill, South Carolina funeral home. There is NO truth to the rumor that Elmer Fudd followed the deer inside, and asked about the price of a casket for it.

+ A Texan named Jackie Bibby claimed a world record, by spending 45 minutes in a bathtub - with 87 rattlesnakes. [True/Interprep.com] He actually could have claimed a second world record. But he didn't pick up any of the snakes, and preach a sermon.

+ Students at a religious college in Ethiopia protested, because the Ethiopian Orthodox Church patriarch had a meeting with Beyonce. I'm not sure why they're so upset. As long as Beyonce doesn't declare the mother of Jesus "booty-licious...."

+ The Kazakhstani movie character Borat came out with a new book about "Touristic Guidings to Minor Nation of U.S. and A." Let's all hope no school teacher uses this in a social studies class - not to mention English literature.

+ Rosie O'Donnell suggested she's in talks to host a prime-time show on MSNBC. You'll know it's official when the web site address changes to ms.nbc.com .

(We sincerely hope O'Donnell doesn't try to follow the lead of current MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann - and start analyzing the linemen on "Football Night in America.")

+ Meat Loaf canceled a nationwide rock music tour, claiming he has an illness. It would have been only ironic if he had e-coli contamination....

+ The tracking service ComScore revealed more than half the people who downloaded Radiohead's latest CD online paid absolutely nothing for it. The band decided to let the customers pay whatever they wished -- which shows why the band's name isn't Businesshead.

+ Sabrina Bryan of the Cheetah Girls revealed she's engaged to her partner on "Dancing with the Stars." Why does this series seem to have happier, longer-lasting romances than "The Bachelor?" Maybe that other show should move to a downtown dance studio.

(Meanwhile, Jane Seymour was voted off "Dancing with the Stars" Tuesday night. But with her British accent, she's gained great experience for the BBC and Australian versions.)

+ Major League Baseball's general managers voted in favor of limited instant replay. But the limits would NOT include the home-plate call which helped Colorado eliminate San Diego, and eventually reach the World Series. Sometimes baseball's progress is as drawn-out and slow as a World Series game.

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