Red-bellied woodpecker, Sunday Feb. 17, 2008

The Great Backyard Bird Count was this weekend.

It was a good year at our house.

Species observed after the jump...

WBIR: Knox County Commissioners fire off tough questions

Commissioner Mark Harmon entered the meeting wearing a t-shirt with the words "proud to be a university twit" printed on the front.

One of the featured writers for the Knoxville News Sentinel's citizen op-ed series writes:

To ask that I be muzzled from stating my opinion, though, is certainly not a shining example of the commitment to individual freedoms to which these liberals claim I am neglecting them ascription.

She claims she has a BA from Duke University. Apparently they no longer teach English Composition there.

Then there's this:

...his political strategy of vague themes of hope and change will be held to the fire...

Is she suggesting these vague themes are soft marshmallows, or left-over bits and pieces mashed up into a hot dog? (Just trying to help her develop the metaphor...)

And then there's this:

The emergence of a Michael Bloomberg run would only exacerbate the Republican Party's chances.

I'm not sure what this means, but I think she's trying to say it might hurt their chances.

We also learn that all these mean liberals bubbling up to the top on both tickets means conservative hacks are free to take cheap shots at everybody. Or, as our Ann Coulter on wobbly training wheels writes, "stand as a conservative ideologue apart from any politician, figure or group." See, she's not taking sides. She's just pointing out the obvious failures of democracy.

Where does the KNS find these people? Dr. Pete may be loony tunes, but at least he can string together a coherent paragraph or two.

You might think the KNS is over the top with some of these guest op-eds. On the contrary, they're performing a public service by exposing them to ridicule. (While giggling in anticipation of the letters they are sure to receive.)

So, KNS, please don't muzzle these valiant keyboard crusaders for truth, liberty, and the free market exchange of ideas. They're too entertaining!

The KNS has an in-depth article about Knoxville College today. Can a school with 66 enrollees, $7 million in debt and millions more in maintenance backlogs survive? It sure sounds like they're trying.

The Sunday "President's Day Eve and only 337 more days of Dubya" edition of the TennViews weekly blog roundup is here...