Maundy Thursday

- The Texarkana Gazette focuses on one of the failures of the 86th General Assembly this morning: failure to close the loophole on payday lenders. Of course, the effect down here on the border is to have the cash fairy and Mo' Money (any Ark.-side locations?) simply set of shop on the western side of State Line Avenue and continue transacting business with folks on both sides of the line. Regardless, I was a supporter and co-sponsor of HB1036 and have listed this as one of the five failures of the session, along with (1) failing to provide a funding mechanism for a statewide level one trauma system; (2) failing to pass either version of competing proposals to enhance penalties for animal cruelty; (3) failing to implement meaningful ethics reform; and (4) failing to provide an increase in state contributions to retired teachers for purposes of reducing the burden on their group health insurance premiums.

- I showed up at the gym this morning for the first time since January 5. It didn't take me long to learn how fat and out of shape I've gotten after jumping in the rotation like I'd been there every day this year. The group tried to get me to submit to a BMI, but they apparently didn't get the memo. The gauntlet was thrown down when I was given three weeks to shed the 12 pounds I've picked up since the first of the year or else change the profile pic over to the right.