Monday miscellania

Blogger down this morning, and now I find that I have to leave work early for a (forgotten) meeting, so just some quick glosses on the day's news:

• As though the advances on their raises weren't enough cost to taxpayers, it turns out that defense fees from lawsuits challenging the state legislators' fall pay raise has already topped a million dollars. (For newcomers to this, one of the defining issues in current regional politics, the article gives a brief overview of the mess.)
  
  
• AA Jane notes another foot-in-mouth moment from state House speaker John Perzel, this time claiming that tattoo artists make more than legislators (among other crap). Guess a new media manager can only do so much...
  
  
• A couple of Inquirer short bits on politicians include a Spanish-language section of Rick Santorum's campaign website, explaining his stance on immigration. (don't tell Geno!)
  
  
• A YPP blogger notes an apparent push-poll aimed at undermining views of Bob Casey in the US Senate race (and asks for some research aid).
  
  
• AA Jane also catches a real heartening Congressional moment, as our great leaders vote to declare their intent to win the war on terror. Well, ok then! PA-06's Mike Fitzpatrick among those patting themselves on the back for this one.
  
  
• A snazzy new condo development is in the works for North Broad Street. Its developer hopes to draw pedestrian traffic northward from Center City, and is creating some destinations to drive that.
  
  
• Also exciting is UPenn's planned redevelopment of the West Philly waterfront, announced in a lavish spread in the Sunday paper. I, like Dan, am impressed with the scope and the prospects.
  
  
• I'd been enjoying the brief lull between onslaughts of the trumpeting of Philadelphia as New York's new "sixth borough," but I guess that's over with the debut of a student ad campaign aimed at luring more New Yorkers down here. The article devolves into navel-gazing...