There's been a little bruhaha today because the state Republicans have been distributing a flyer in which Rob Kreibich (who was at one time an Eau Claire Channel 13 reporter) throws his support behind Dave Zien (R) over Pat Kreitlow (D). Well, no big surprise there. -- Update - I have added a link to a statement from Pat Kreitlow on the ad.

The point of contention, though, is that they used Channel 13's and NBC"s logos in the flyer, which may or may not be legal. And it certainly adds to the confusion that a few people in the area seem to be getting about the two former Channel 13 employees, and which is which (geez, if you ever talked to either of them you'd be able to keep it straight, I think - Kreitlow, Kreibich - Democrat, Republican - Black, White - all fine distinctions).

As always, good funny advice:

Thanks to the Anti-Corruption-Voters:

As expected, Xcel Energy announced Wednesday that they have decided not to build a power plant at the Tyrone location north of Durand, but instead will pursue other plans:

Xcel on Wednesday said it filed an application with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission for a combined Manitoba Hydro and wind-power package to fill a 375-megawatt shortfall by 2015.

The plan calls for purchasing power from Manitoba Hydro in 2015 and purchasing or building 380 megawatts of wind generation by 2015 or earlier.

This decision has been expected for months, and is a big relief to CVSEA and to other groups that have been fighting against this location for a huge coal-powered generating plant. This location, which had been purchased by Xcel's predecessor as a site for a nuclear power plant that was rejected after immense opposition, is a spectacular wildlife area that would not have absorbed the building of a power plant in any sustainable way.

Dodged another bullet.

According to Rolling Stone, our very own James F. Sensenbrenner is the second worst congressperson in the US, closing in quickly on Denny Hastert. This is particularly embarrassing, as in one of my past lives Hastert was my representative.

No politician better embodies the zealotry of the 109th Congress than Sensenbrenner, chairman of the powerful House Judiciary Committee. His solution to hot-button issues is always the same: Lock 'em up.

This article is a sidebar to the primary article about the current Do-Nothing Congress. Read both articles - it'll make you want to vote more than you already do.

I'm beginning to find it a little disheartening that Rolling Stone is becoming one of the better investigative journalism sources in the US. Where the hell is everyone else?