Gov Perry on Homeland Security grant

Gov “McDreamy” Perry is not pleased with the state’s latest Homeland Security Grant.

AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry today released the following statement upon learning that Texas has been awarded $90 million in federal homeland security dollars, $39 million less than what it received last year.
“I am dismayed that Texas which shares a 1,200 mile porous border with Mexico would see a 31 percent reduction in funding for homeland security. It appears the federal government has given little consideration to our international border, which is viewed as a prime point of entry by terrorist organizations, drug traffickers and criminal gangs.
“The same federal government that short-changed Texas today continues to release illegal immigrants onto our streets because it has yet to build sufficient detention space. Continuing federal inaction jeopardizes our security, and this funding disparity will only make matters worse.”

Local is the key

Many studies have said that newspapers need to cover more local news. But which local?

It’s becoming a truism these days that “local” is the core value proposition for newspapers.
The reasoning goes like this: With tons of national and international news and other non-local content available free online, “local” is the one thing a local newspaper can do better than anyone else.
Which is true – but newspaper circulation keeps dropping, so apparently we’re not doing it well enough. Either we aren’t doing enough “local” or we’re not doing the right “local,” because more and more people are getting along fine without it.
So the multi-billion-dollar question for the newspaper industry seems to be, “What’s the right local content?”

Baby Jolie-Pitt born

From the AP:

NEW YORK – Nothing was normal about the birth of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s child, so naturally, neither was their baby’s name.
The child — whose pending arrival created a frenzy of hyperbole making it for some the most awaited baby since Jesus — was named Shiloh, which fittingly means “Messiah” or “Peaceful One.”
Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt was born Saturday evening — via Caesarean section, according to People magazine — in Namibia where her famous parents had withdrawn for the birth, aided by considerable protection from the African country’s government.

The article goes on to say the couple have two adopted children. Did I miss them getting married? I knew Jolie had two adopted children, but when did Pitt become the father?

Friedman admits mistake

Friedman admits mistake in calling for Perry and Strayhorn to return dirty money

Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman apologized late last week after he demanded that two of his opponents return more than $75,000 they received in 2000 and 2001 from the Enron Corp. Political Action Committee and from former Enron chief Kenneth Lay.
Lay was found guilty last week for his role in Enron’s bankruptcy in 2001.
According to Friedman, Gov. Rick Perry received $10,000 in March 2000 and $25,000 in June 2001 from Lay.
Comptroller Carole Strayhorn received $25,000 in June 2001 from Lay.
The Enron Corp. PAC gave an additional $5,000 to Perry in 2001 and $10,750 to Strayhorn in 2000 and 2001.
Lay also contributed $90,000 to the Harris County Republican Party between 2000 and 2001 and $10,000 to the Republican Party of Texas in 2000.
The Republican Party of Texas gave $143,000 to Rick Perry in 2002.
Freidman called on both Strayhorn and Perry to return the money, before releasing an updated press release noting that both candidates had returned the campaign contributions.
According to the Strayhorn campaign, Strayhorn gave the Enron Ex-Employees Foundation $34,500 and later gave the Greater Houston Community Foundation $51,750 in February 2002.
Perry donated $85,000 to the Texas Tomorrow Fund in May 2002.
“We salute both candidates for donating these contributions and regret the oversight,” Laura Stromberg, a Friedman spokesman said. “It remains unclear whether Perry returned all or only a portion of the contributions he received from Enron-related sources. The Friedman campaign encourages a swift donation of any remaining Enron-related dollars to organizations benefiting those affected.”
Democratic candidate Chris Bell used the incident for his campaign as well.
“If Texans want a governor who wouldn’t have taken Enron money in the first place and knows enough to check his facts before making a political attack, there is only one choice, and his name is Chris Bell,” Jason Stanford, a spokesman for Democratic candidate Chris Bell told the Waxahachie Daily Light Monday.