We're done, other than checking in on the Little Rock Technology Park Authority Board meeting this afternoon. Until then, some final words:
* WHEN YOU USE A FIGHTING MAN KILLED DEFENDING HIS COUNTRY FOR POLITICAL GAIN: ....it just might bite you in the butt. See: Mitt Romney. Mother of dead former SEAL says stop using his death for political agenda. ANOTHER ROMNEY MOMENT: Great video of Romney "debating" himself with sharp contradictions.
* ABORTION POLITICS: Powerful ad for Claire McCaskill above, thanks to Raw Story, which also reports on a Republican pro-life legislator who ordered his mistress to get an abortion.
* OXFORD AMERICAN/UCA AGREEMENT: I wrote earlier about a draft agreement on a continuing relationship between the Oxford American magazine and the University of Central Arkansas. It will be considered Friday by the UCA Board of Trustees. Log Cabin Democrat reporting today says a few details remain to be worked out, but it sounds as if it retains generally the same shape I reported earlier on some continued UCA support, but more UCA student and faculty involvement, plus a commitment to debt repayment.
* DEUTSCHLAND UBER ALLES: I just got a copy of the state's report on foreign investment in Arkansas. Far and away, Germany leads the way (CLARIFICATION: in the number of foreign-owned businesses in Arkansas), you can see from a quick look. UALR just decided to drop its German studies program at the end of this school year, I can't help but mention. Friend the UALR German Club.
* AGAIN WITH THE ASSURANCES FROM UAMS: UAMS Chancellor Dan Rahn has sent a note to the institution's huge staff elaborating a bit on what he told us after a friend supplied a tape recording of Dr. Dean Kumpuris, city director and St. Vincent-practicing physician, telling a neighborhood group that a potential alliance between UAMS and St. Vincent would have St. Vincent operating University Hospital. Needless to say, the pope wouldn't approve of some medical procedures and practices currently followed at UAMS.
This is also interesting. Merger critic Joann Coleman sends a copy of the justification made by UAMS for hiring Deloitte Consulting without competitive bids to study the combination. It provides some background. St. Vincent hired Deloitte to find a partner. It found UAMS. Now UAMS wants Deloitte to study for them. Think they might conclude it's a match made in, dare I say it, heaven? Rahn's letter to staff follows: