Got to pass the proverbial "props" to PinkDome for the above picture. No, the speaker was not responsible for the en-masse death of those 60-plus birds Downtown earlier this month – PD reports, via the Statesman, that they croaked due to parasites and a temperature drop.

We echo their disappointment.

The city itself may incur the final injury of the ice storm, if it doesn't stop patting itself on the back so hard. They could strain something!

A press release from the city trumpets their response to the storm and all its subsequent mayhem. Here's some highlights:

"City of Austin Public Works and Transportation: During the course of this event, 11 sanding truck crews and 21 hand-crews worked to clear off 130 bridges, maintained (sanded and cleared) 34 street locations, and continually monitored 22 locations that are potential dangerous in icy weather.

Austin Fire Department: From midnight, Jan. 15, through noon Jan. 18, AFD responded to 887 calls

Austin Parks & Recreation Department: PARD coordinated with local service agencies and provided a location for overflow capacity. On the nights of Jan. 14 through 17, more than 380 homeless persons were provided shelter at a PARD facility.

Austin-Travis County Health and Human Services: During this weather event, the Town Lake Animal Center followed established cold-weather procedures. At night, animals were kept in indoor kennels where heaters and blankets are provided."

A little more curiously, they say "ABIA had sufficient supplies of deicing agent for the taxiways and runways." So they had sufficient amounts for the taxiways and runaways… just not the planes. Hmmm, might want to tell that to these guys.

Entire press release pasted inside.

"Day after day, the egalitarian creed of our Declaration of Independence is trampled underfoot by hired experts and sloganeers, who speak of the "death tax," "the ownership society," "the culture of life," "the liberal assault on God and family," "compassionate conservatism," "weak on terrorism," "the end of history," "the clash of civilizations," "no child left behind." They have even managed to turn the escalation of a failed war into a "surge," as if it were a current of electricity through a wire, instead of blood spurting from the ruptured vein of a soldier." – Bill Moyers addressing the National Conference on Media Reform, Friday, January 12 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Read the transcript of Moyers' speech at Democray Now!'s Web site, or watch a YouTube upload of it here.

My God, I never thought I'd be so happy it was 36 degrees outside.

And Cap Metro says:

Capital Metro will resume regular service on Thursday, January 18.

All routes will be in service.

AISD magnet routes and UT shuttle service will begin two hours late due to the delayed opening of AISD schools and the University.

Due to road conditions, passengers should expect service delays through midday Thursday.

We will continue to provide updated information at www.capmetro.org.

Austin ISD says:

AISD will resume classes on Thursday, January 18, on a two-hour delayed schedule.

January 17, 2007 - The Austin School District will resume classes on Thursday, January 18, on a two-hour delayed schedule. All school buses will pick up students two hours later than their regular schedule, and all classes at the elementary, middle and high school level, will start two hours later than normal.

Transportation that Capital Metro buses provide daily for students who attend the Liberal Arts & Science Academy at LBJ High School, the Kealing Magnet Middle School, and the International High School at Johnston will also run two hours later than normal.

Dismissal of classes and bus routes on Thursday afternoon will be on their normal schedule.

Superintendent Pat Forgione said the two-hour delayed schedule was developed in consultation with City, County, University of Texas, and neighboring school district officials, through the Office of Emergency Management.

The delayed start of Austin schools on Thursday will provide additional time for maintenance crews to prepare areas roadways for increased traffic. The two-hour delay will also allow school principals additional time to make sure their campuses have ample heat, electricity, and running water, and that their walkways are free of ice, before students arrive.

Through the Office of Emergency Management, local officials have tried to ensure that the resumption of schools and other governmental services on Thursday will not overburden the region's still-limited highway system, brought about by more than three days of ice, sleet, and snow.

Press release from the Austin Independent School District:

No Decisions Yet on AISD Operations for Thursday, January 18
January 17, 2007 - AISD officials continue to meet with represenatives at the Emergency Operations Center, reviewing weather-related, transportation, and utility concerns, brought about by more than three days of freezing temperatures and icy roadways. No decisions have yet been made on the resumption of Austin schools on Thursday, January 18.

Additional deliberations will take place this evening, when District officials can better gauge the impact that freezing temperatures will have on Austin's roads and bridges on Thursday morning.

AISD officials are also working closely with the City of Austin, Travis County and the University of Texas to ensure that the resumption of classes and other governmental services will not overburden the region's fragile highway system, brought about by three days of ice, sleet and snow.

Additional information about AISD operations on Thursday, January 18, will be released to the Austin news media, as it becomes available; will be posted on the District's website at www.austinisd.org; and will be broadcast over AISD-TV, [Cable] Channel 22.

The city announced that garbage and recycling collection will resume Thursday, after a couple of days off due to our ice storm. Service will slide back a couple of days: Routes normally collected on Tuesday will be picked up Thursday, Wednesday moves to Friday, and Thursday and Friday routes move to Saturday. If you piled up too much trash for your cart, the city will pick it up without requiring an Extra Garbage Sticker through Jan. 26.

Full details and guidelines here.

A couple non-weather-related thoughts on yesterday's inauguration ceremony: the obvious topic was Rick Perry's transparent prattle about rogue states and terror cells, AIDS, genocide, and other national issues – issues he can (and will) do next to nothing about, but were obviously included to spark chatter and speculation about his national ambition. Fine. Whatever gets him out of here faster is fine by me.

Instead, what I'd like to focus on the cornerstone of Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst's inaugural speech: protecting kids from the vile scourge of sex offenders. After pressing for a minimum 25-year sentence for child sexual assault, he said he hopes to pass legislation giving two-time sexual assailants the death penalty. "Two strikes, and you're out, forever," said Dewhurst. “There's tough, and then there's Texas tough."

As untold numbers of assaults go unreported each year, it's tough to get a handle on how grave a problem child sexual assault is, especially as exacerbated by that everywhere-and-nowhere bogeyman, the Internet. But our “media” landscape certainly gives the impression Fester the Molester is prowling behind every corner.