The Chron’s house editorial displays a stunningly good (for the Chron editors) understanding of economics. At least at the beginning. Unfortunately, the wheels fall off near the end, when the editorial board makes its recommendation about how Big EEEEVIL Oil can best help hurricane victims:

Houston’s safety net for the neediest residents is torn and stressed — by curbs on federal and state spending and by eroded corporate giving. Now is the time for energy companies, whose profits derive from high prices that many residents can ill-afford, to meet the high post-hurricane social needs by increasing the level of their giving.

Okay, I’m listening. How, Oh Mighty Editorial Olympians, should oil companies help the downtrodden in the aftermath of Katrina?

Houston’s fine arts organizations have had to tighten their belts in recent years as corporate support declined. Some, whose loss would be calamitous for a city with global ambitions, are struggling to survive. Flush energy companies have an opportunity to make up lost ground through endowments and operational funding. One way would be to subsidize the museum, theater and concert attendance of low-income families, whose members are in sore need of the inspiration and catharsis the fine arts supply.

Are these guys freaking kidding? Just about everything in that paragraph is dead wrong. Let’s analyze it, sentence by sentence:

Houston’s fine arts organizations have had to tighten their belts in recent years as corporate support declined.

That’s crap. As the Chronicle reported in February, the Museum of Fine Arts got the biggest donation ever made to an art museum. Meanwhile, the Houston Grand Opera described its latest fundraising campaign as a "stunning success."

Some, whose loss would be calamitous for a city with global ambitions, are struggling to survive.

I guess the editors got tired of the phrase "world-class."

Flush energy companies have an opportunity to make up lost ground through endowments and operational funding.

They already do that, more than any other industry. Take a look at the donor list of any arts instutition, and its a veritable Who’s Who of the Houston energy sector.

One way would be to subsidize the museum, theater and concert attendance of low-income families, whose members are in sore need of the inspiration and catharsis the fine arts supply.

How out of touch can you get? Find a low-income family who fled to Houston from Hurricane Katrina, and ask them what they need to get back on their feet. I’ll bet you dollars to doughnuts that artistic catharsis doesn’t crack the Top 100.

I’m dumbfounded:

Don’t let the antics of the pathetically delusional Mary Mapes distract you from the lunatics who haven’t yet been canned from the network that gave us both the tinfoil-hat–wearing Walter Cronkite and the propagandizing buffoon known simply as the Dan. NewsBusters reports on a milestone in tastelessness achieved by Bruce Rheins, the producer behind CBS’s coverage of the Michael Jackson trial, who has marketed a wine under the brand "Jesus Juice." The logo apparently represents a cross between Jesus Christ and Michael Jackson.

As you’ll recall, "Jesus Juice" is allegedly what the King of Pop called the wine he plied little kids with before raping them.

Rheins’ wife got the marketing campaign running while Jackson’s child molestation case was still in court. They made Jesus Juice t-shirts and other items too. As NewsBusters observes:

Rheins’s marketing of Jesus Juice wine (and apparel) raises some troubling journalistic issues since he was attempting to profit from a story which he was personally covering for the "CBS Evening News."

This is just dumb all around:

Republican Gov. Mitt Romney was introduced as head of a state run by the "KKK … the Kerry, Kennedy Klan" before a speech Thursday in Washington, words that sparked criticism from Massachusetts Democrats and a rebuke from Romney himself.

"It’s not appropriate to joke about the Ku Klux Klan," Romney said in a phone interview from Washington after his luncheon address to the Federalist Society.

Romney branded the remarks "ill-advised" and "inappropriate."

Romney laughed along with the audience, The Boston Globe reported in a story for Friday’s edition, and thanked the speaker for "a very generous introduction."

State Democratic Party chairman Phil Johnston, who has criticized Romney for making Massachusetts the butt of jokes as a liberal bastion during his out-of-state travel as he considers a run for president, said he was outraged that Romney could find any humor in the remarks referring to Sens. Edward Kennedy and John Kerry invoking the KKK.

Johnston is absolutely right. How dare this guy compare Massachusetts Democrats to the KKK? That dubious distinction goes to a certain West Virginia Democrat:

"Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds."

–Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.)

Thanks to ubertipster Byron for passing this one along. This is an email from Tom Stallings of the Houston Aeros:

We have our veteran’s day celebration [tonight] and are hosting any active duty or reserve serviceman at our game [tonight] thanks to season ticket holder and sponsor donations. We currently have filled all requests for tickets that we know of, but have additional season ticket holders wishing to contribute. Do you know any current or distinguished retired service members who would like to attend the game [tonight] at no charge? We will be saluting veterans throughout the game.

If you know of any vet who deserves to see a free hockey game, drop Tom a line at tstallings@aeros.com.

If you’ve got the day off, why not head downtown? Sure, you’ll have to dodge panhandlers and MetroRail killing machines, but you’ll also get a chance to honor Houston-area veterans:

On Friday, November 11, 2005, Mayor Bill White and the City of Houston will show support of the Armed Forces as we celebrate the 7th Annual Houston Salutes American Heroes Veteran’s Day Commemoration and Parade. We anticipate that thousands of members of the Houston-area military and veterans organizations will participate in the event to honor those who served our country. Commemoration at 10 a.m. in front of City Hall, parade at 11:30 a.m.

The parade will start at the corner of Smith and Texas. The Chron has a map.

Many of you may recall the story of Sean Lewis, a U.S. Army veteran who– just days before he was to ship our for Iraq as part of the reserves– narrowly escaped with his life from New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

LST image-meister extraordinaire Matt Forge and I first met Sean while smuggling ourselves into the Astrodome aboard a bus full of evacuees. (Note to "fellow" local journalists– instead of staying cooped up in the "official media zone" under the watchful supervision of government handlers, next time try finding a bus that is stuck in traffic after exiting 610, walk up to it, and knock on the door. The sleep-deprived driver will probably let you in, if only to have an excuse to open the door and let some of the indescribable stank out.)

Among the multitudes of suffering citizens, it seemed particularly wrong that a man about to head off to war should have to spend his last few days of freedom sleeping on a cot in the Astrodome.

After brief consultation, an executive decision was made to remove Sean from the bus, take him back to the "Command Post" being used by our writers as they covered the story (located on the 8th floor of the Reliant Stadium Holiday Inn), let him take a shower, order as much pay-per-view, fajitas and beer as he could stand, and have him sleep in a real bed until it was time to head off to Ft. Hood and ship out.

Well, we just received some pictures of Sean in Iraq, and we wanted to share a few with you.

Sean Lewis– you are but one example of literally millions of American men and women who have answered the call to serve throughout our nation’s history.

This Veteran’s Day, we honor your service and thank you for your sacrifice.

We pray for your safety and look forward to your return home.

David Benzion, for the entire staff and readership of LoneStarTimes.com

In honor of Veteran’s Day, allow me to quote from one of the great moments in American cinematic history:

We’re all very different people. We’re not Watusi. We’re not Spartans. We’re Americans! With a capital A, huh?

There’s something wrong with us, something very, very wrong with us. Something seriously wrong with us. We’re soldiers!

But we’re American soldiers! We’ve been kicking ass for 200 years! We’re 10 and 1!

There are a lot of things I like about writing for LST. But my favorite thing is this: I don’t have to write it in Spanish, German, Japanese, Russian or Arabic. Thanks, vets, from all of us at LST.

Happy Veterans Day!

And, the first ever LoneStarTimes.com "Golden RINO" award goes to…

Texas Lt. Governor David Dewhurst

Who most deserves LST’s first-ever "Golden RINO" award?

• Speaker Tom Craddick: 3% (16)
• Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst: 62% (312)
• Rep. Fred Hill: 31% (155)
• Gov. Rick Perry: 4% (18)

(Total Votes : 501)

Thank you for playing. Let the ridicule begin.

It’s Friday!

What’s on your mind?

Don’t forget about the get together this afternoon/evening at the Stag’s Head Pub!

Hope to see you there!

Houston Chronicle columnist Rick Casey makes the case today that Mayor Bill White is becoming well-positioned to run for Governor.

The column is worth reading in full, but in essence Casey’s argument boils down to this:

1. In light of repeat GOP failures in the legislature, Texas voters are thirsty for "competence"– a quality White has demonstrated in his first term and will continue to build on;
2. White has shown the ability to govern and appeal to residents of both large urban centers as well as their surrounding suburban communities, thus bridging traditional political divides;
3. White can boast of having "championed a successful revenue cap referendum";
4. Compared to most Democratic politicians, White is comfortable speaking of his serious and sincere Christian faith;
5. White is improving as a public speaker, and besides, people are tired of "slickness";
6. Democrats statewide will unite behind White (a perceived "winner"), and as former State Party chair, White will be able to exploit their support effectively;
7. White is healthy, fit, and "up" for some hard campaigning.

Question to LST readers, for all these claims– True or False?

Remember, you speak not just to today, but to all the oppo-researchers of the future. If you think Casey is wrong, speak now– or forever hold your wallet.