--- Thanks to Barry at the Lakeland Ledger for the kind comments in his blog on the newspaper's Web site, Polk NewsWatch. I've taken the liberty to add the blog to my list of Florida Press Related Blog Links in the right column of the page, along with those from the Miami Herald and Sarasota Herald-Tribune. While I may be occasionally critical of their editorial opinions and the slant of their political columnist, the Ledger is overall a good newspaper

--- Is Katherine Harris pictured getting too cozy with a collegue on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives? You be the judge of this video taken from C-SPAN's live coverage of the House on October 7. You need Windows Media Player to download.

--- Yesterday I posted a link to an audio story from NPR's outstanding news program "All Things Considered" regarding a challenge in one south Georgia county to the voter registration of almost every Hispanic resident. There was a hearing to be held today where those Hispanics who were challenged were required to show proof of their citizenship. Unfortunately, the NPR story was the only news organization that has mentioned it, even those in Georgia. Any time any side attempts to use race of other criteria to prevent people from casting their ballots, it needs to be looked at closely, and although this is one small, rural county in Georgia, the persons behind this should have the light of justice cast close on them.

The short story is that the three white men that has brought these challenges against almost every Hispanic in Atkinson County --- slightly over 100 people --- after the primary election, when their candidate for a county commissioner post lost in a close race. There was some rumours of the winner getting illegal aliens (read: Hispanics) registered to cast ballots for his race. The problem is: Many of these Hispanics being challenged are established, long term residents of the community. Let's keep an eye for stuff like this happening here...