Naked City

Austin photographer Alan Pogue left for the Middle East earlier this month, and by the time you read this, he should be in Iraq. Pogue has made previous trips to the favorite military target of the Bush family (and Bill Clinton, and Tony Blair, for that matter) to document the devastating effects of the sanctions and bombs we lob at its people. Pogue especially hopes to find Asmaa, a girl he photographed in 1998 who had her arm blown off by a U.S. missile. To see Pogue's work from previous Iraq visits, see p.22. (Photo By John Anderson)

Quote of the Week: "I must admit I had segregationist feelings [about Rep. Cynthia McKinney] ... I mean, she was such a bitch." -- U.S. Rep. Cass Ballenger, R-N.C., claiming the now-ousted Georgia Democrat drove him into solidarity with disgraced Sen. Trent "Vacant" Lott.

"Mold queen" Melinda Ballard's $32 million judgment against Farmers Insurance was reduced to $4 million by a state appellate court. See Farmers Beats Back Ballards.

Council Member Will Wynn entered the 2003 Austin mayor's race as the odds-on favorite, as former Save Our Springs Alliance Chair Robin Rather opted out. Mayor Pro Tem Jackie Goodman remains undecided at press time. Brewster McCracken, who finished a strong third in the May race that was won by Betty Dunkerley, announced a run for Wynn's vacant seat. See Austin@Large.

State Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander announced this week that -- as many Capitol insiders had feared -- the state budget deficit was likely to be larger than the $5 billion she originally forecast. See Deficit? What Deficit?.

Dogs and cats lie down together: State Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs backed legislation to protect the environment, and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled not once but twice in favor of the wrongly convicted. See Beyond City Limits and Beds, Banks, and (Dirt) Bikers.

Oral sex! Anal sex! We can say it, but Leander ISD can't. See Beyond City Limits.