Honeysuckle is an invasive species in Missouri.  It has overrun the Park.  Over the last two years Forest Park Forever and the Saint Louis Parks department have started to cull Honeysuckle from the park.  This picture of the latest culling is across the street from Jefferson Lake, near Stienberg ice rink.  In the spring these bushes are home to thousands of grackles.  I don’t think that they were consulted about the removal of the honeysuckle.

Thanks to Mac for figuring out that what I thought was American Patriot, was really American Chariot.  I could only see the side of the vehicle and as such could only see the last half of the name.  You know he looks like a chariot driver.  All he needs are a pair of those spinning blades, that were used in the movie Ben Hur.  Take that you pesky bicyclist.

My plan to game the system failed.  Yesterday, I reprised the same said American Patriot post because the day before I got a viral amount of hits.  It didn’t work.  I guess the blogosphere is more mysterious, more chaotic, more intelligent then me.

How about an election update?  The local news reports that Missouri is the only state left not to have declared a winner in the presidential election.  Fortunately, we here are spared Florida’s 2000 predicament.  Pretty much, the only people who still care how Missouri goes, live here.  All that is riding on the outcome is Missouri’s bellwether status.

The news today is that the vote count has tightened.  3,200 votes were found un-tallied and no they were not found at the bottom of Anne’s knitting basket.  They were primarily found in Saint Louis County, but on uncounted election vote counting machines not in knitting baskets.  This brings McCain’s current lead down to 4,968 votes.

While all the major news organizations have probably correctly called Missouri for McCain, the process marches on.  There are still some 7,000 provisional ballots to be adjudicated.  Each county has until next week to certify their vote count.  After next week, Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) has two weeks to certify the state’s results.  Only then can any recounts be sought, but as my wife and sometime election official always says, “If you don’t like this speed, you certainly won’t like the other.”