Jeff Moder and Jeff Ward have launched a new Saturday morning talk radio show on AM 990, KWAM. They also have a new blog to support The Point Radio Show.

Moder ran a grassroots, internet-friendly campaign for U.S. Senate in the 2006 Republican primary; he is an internal communications executive for a hospital in Memphis.

Ward is an attorney who made a big splash in Tennessee as a founder of, and blogger for, TeamGOP.

Congratulations, guys! And welcome back to the blogosphere.

The CA adds a few new details to the Mahmoud Maawad account:

Mahmoud Maawad, who was convicted in a Memphis federal court in 2006 for fraud and deported to Egypt, ordered DVDs on pilot training, Memphis airport layouts and how to pass himself off as a pilot.

When authorities raided Maawad’s University of Memphis-area apartment they found a prayer rug, a desk, a computer and a model of a tanker truck — and a pilot’s uniform.

Maawad had used the computer to download information on ways to thwart airport security and to research terrorist Web sites.

“Was he the real deal?” [FBI special agent Eric] Jackson asked. “In my experience, I think he was.”

I’ll bet you $5 he’s already back in the United States.

Eating birthday cake in 1990 or 1991. It would help if I could remember if Anthony, Alejandro and John were the guys who joined me for the opening day of the original TMNT movie, but that tidbit seems to have escaped me.

Tonight’s bottom three:

Baby Syesha, Boston Public, and Captain Stinkyhair. 2 out of 3 ain’t bad.

Results (more…)

On the way.

I’m not sure what the argument is in favor of toll roads owned and operated by the state, but the bill passed the House convincingly with 77 votes.

No member from Shelby County opposed the bill:

State Rep. Ron Lollar, who represents several Shelby County suburbs, voted for the bill Monday, as he said most of the county’s representatives did.

Lollar said he voted against the legislation last year when it was approved for two pilot projects.

But he changed his mind upon learning the state had lost more than $200 million in federal road funds in recent years, and municipalities need a way to pay for new, unfunded projects.

Rep. Frank Niceley and 12 others voted no:

“There’s bridges in England that were built by the Romans where they’re still paying tolls,” said Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains. “Once you start paying tolls, you don’t stop paying tolls. They keep them forever.”

Niceley said he’d prefer to see the state withdraw from the federal highway program and keep the gas tax money it currently sends to Washington.

I guess that’s one way to keep the tax base alive in Memphis — tax the people who try to leave.

Theme: Songs From Their Birth Years

Hair Curtains

Birth year: 1987
Tonight: “Alone.” She’s having major pitch problems, and she looks like she’s up there because she has to be, not because it’s fun.

Randy: Wrong song choice. Too big for you, too pitchy.
Paula: I’m glad America has heard you sing before. You were brave. (read: that sucked)
Simon: It wasn’t as appalling as last week.

Final take: She should be in the bottom three.

Captain Stinkyhair

Birth year: 1987
Tonight: “Fragile.” Good adjective to describe his voice. This sucks, but I think it might actually be decent if he slowed it down. The guitar is very amateurish and all over the place. Is there a point to singing half the song in Spanish?

Randy: Good song, but it didn’t do much vocally for you.
Paula: It was true to who you are, but there was no “wow” factor.
Simon: It’s time for you to take this more seriously.

Final take: I’m fairly certain he smokes a lot of weed.

Baby Imitator (Yes, we know you can do the baby sound. Please stop now.)

Birth year: 1987 (more…)

Cubs GM Jim Hendry has just signed OF Reed Johnson for $1.3 million, believing him to be “the best guy” to serve as center field backup.

Among his features, “Johnson is a career .281 hitter and has a lifetime .308 average against left-handed pitching.”

On the other hand, Johnson missed half the season last year because of an injured back: “He had surgery last April to fix a herniated disc and hit .236 — a sharp drop from his .319 average in 2006.”

But, says Hendry, “He’s an extremely good hitter against left-handed pitching.”

It’s a good thing the Cubs snatched him up, because where else are you going to find another right-handed outfielder who hits extremely well against lefties?

I mean, other than your own bench.

OF Matt Murton is a career .296 hitter and has a lifetime .326 average against left-handed pitching.

Shelby County Register Tom Leatherwood is on WREC with Ben Ferguson to announce his bid for U.S. Congress, running against Rep. Marsha Blackburn in the 7th District. Leatherwood has been Register since 2000, and may be term-limited* in the near future if the County Commission gets its way.

Leatherwood doesn’t have a campaign website up yet, but VoteTomLeatherwood.com was registered on March 13th.

UPDATE: *Make that “will be term-limited immediately if…”

Heh: Commercial Appeal editorial cartoonist Bill Day’s obese, balding, crowbar-wielding bigot stereotype is back.

It’s as (unintentionally) funny as last time.

(I appreciate James Surdi for bringing this to our attention.)

Crazy Uncle Jeremiah gets carried away sometimes. It runs in the family.