Look for the one with the spoon on his head

The Smoking Gun has pictures of packs of cocaine seized by Customs agents adorned with the image of the Teletubbies.

This reminds me of Super Troopers, in which bricks of marijuana are found near the Canadian border featuring an Afghani cartoon chimp character named Johnny Chimpo ("It's Afghanistanimation!")

... and the posts grow short when you reach September

Two posts this month, not counting this one. It certainly wasn't from lack of subject matter; I just wasn't feeling the blog for the past few weeks.

I listened to the Roberts confirmation hearings in the Judiciary committee and the floor deliberation leading up to the vote. For an interesting analysis of the Roberts vote (as well as the Bork Senate vote and other votes of interest on judicial nominees, such as the cloture vote for the Fortas nomination) see this page from Keith Poole's Voteview.

There's a lot of speculation about the nominee for O'Connor's vacancy, who may be announced sometime today, although I think it's more likely that they'll let the Roberts confirmation have the weekend news cycle and wait until early next week. On the question of who that nominee will be, one of my favorite law blogs, Underneath Their Robes, speculates that Maureen Mahoney might be the pick. Mahoney has been referred to in some circles as a "female John Roberts" much to the chagrin of those of us who call Roberts the "male Maureen Mahoney." Article III Groupie, the author of UTR, also notes that Karen Williams is going high on Tradesports. Williams, as I recall, wrote for the 4th circuit that Miranda v Arizona had been overruled by the Crime Control and Safe Streets Act back in the late 60s, a conclusion that made conservatives very happy until it was reversed by the USSC in 2000.

A bunch of the speculated leading candidates are being profiled by ACS blog. One of their names, Arizona CJ Ruth McGregor, seems a likely pick if Bush follows through with a Roberts strategy, since McGregor, like Roberts, once clerked for the justice she'd be replacing. Yeah, I know, Roberts was initially picked to replace O'Connor, but the speed with which he was moved over to the Rehnquist seat strongly indicates that they had been considering him for CJ the entire time. Personally, I'd like to see Bush pick one of the Bodacious Babes of the Bench. For more, sometimes creepy info about these and other superhotties of the federal judiciary, see here.

Observances, observations

Today (Sept 16) marks the first observance of Constitution Day, per Public Law 108-447, signed by President Bush on 12/8/04. Today is devoted to the consideration of our Constitution and efforts to educate young people about its qualities and virtues, including the First Amendment to that document, ratified in 1791 along with the 9 other Amendments comprising the Bill of Rights.

The text of the First Amendment begins: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..."

In other news, President Bush has declared today a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. This follows our National Day of Prayer after the 9/11 terrorist attack and several such days in 2002 and 2003.

Today's National Day of Prayer follows another National Day of Prayer earlier this year and a long weekend of National Days of Prayer only five days ago. An obvious priority of the administration, President Bush's first proclamation as President was of a National Day of Prayer.

I look forward to more faith-based Homeland Security, War on Terror, Disaster Preparedness and Recovery, Energy and Environmental Policy, Economic Policy, etc.

When the Levee Breaks

I haven't posted anything since CJ Rehnquist died, but it's hard to concentrate on the upcoming Supreme Court term with the Gulf Coast devastated and New Orleans under water. There are several sources online for those looking to offer or looking for help, but the Katrina Help Wiki collects many of them (mirror).

A few other links of interest:

A somewhat politically-interested timeline of Katrina events.

Two songs responding to Katrina from K-Otix and Mos Def.

On the subject of music, let's remember an early warning of sorts from Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy, who recorded "When the Levee Breaks" (about the Great Tennessee Flood of 1927) back in 1929. Minnie is probably best known for "Bumble Bee" (at least by me), but Led Zepplin did a version of "Levee" on their fourth album.

Lyrics to the McCoys' "When the Levee Breaks" below (from Blues Lyrics Online)


If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break (2x)
And the water gonna come in, have no place to stay

Well all last night I sat on the levee and moan (2x)
Thinkin' 'bout my baby and my happy home

If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break (2x)
And all these people have no place to stay

Now look here mama what am I to do (2x)
I ain't got nobody to tell my troubles to

I works on the levee mama both night and day (2x)
I ain't got nobody, keep the water away

Oh cryin' won't help you, prayin' won't do no good (2x)
When the levee breaks, mama, you got to lose

I works on the levee, mama both night and day (2x)
I works so hard, to keep the water away

I had a woman, she wouldn't do for me (2x)
I'm goin' back to my used to be

I's a mean old levee, cause me to weep and moan (2x)
Gonna leave my baby, and my happy home