Some stories advanced whilst we were on our Labor Day weekend.

In Orlando, Florida the Orlando Sentinel reports that pro golfer Trip Isenhour has been sentenced for his killing of an endangered redshouldered hawk last December. The raucous hawk had reportedly been disturbing the videotaping of a golf instructional video featuring the 40-year old PGA TOUR pro. Incensed, Isenhour repeatedly hit golf shots at the hawk, finally hitting - and killing it - with what must have been a pretty smartly-struck iron shot.

Last Friday, Isenhour pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals and killing a migratory bird and agreed to a list of conditions to his not getting a stint in the pokey for his whack-a-hawk episode. Isenhour was sentenced to one year of supervised probation, four hours of anger management classes, and 100 hours of "alternative community service" - 40 of which will be completed at a wildlife or animal shelter.

In a true show of repentance (or prime example of equal justice), Isenhour bought out the remaining community service hours by making a donation of $1,500 to the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter, Florida.

Small, but prolific, quagga and zebra mussels are capable of spreading like wildfire.

In Reno, Nevada, reports of what officials call the first "close call of its kind" when a boat "encrusted" with invasive quagga mussels was stopped just before being launched into Lake Tahoe.

The boat, according to the Reno Gazette- Journal, had been removed from Lake Meade in late July. When the harbormaster at South Lake Tahoe's Tahoe Keys Marina saw the boat about to be hoisted into the water, he spotted the mussels and stopped the launch.

When an examination revealed the quaggas, the boat was ordered quarantined by California Fish and Game Department wardens. Officials say they'll check the now-decontaminated boat again on Wednesday. If it checks clear of the mussels, it will be released to its owner.

Quaggas were originally found only in the Midwest and northeast, but had been found in Lake Meade in early 2007. Since then, they've been found in Nevada, Arizona and parts of Southern California. The quagga and zebra mussels are rapidly- reproducing mollusks that have the capability to clog water intakes, encrust boat hulls and docks and generally screw up an ecosystem. They also produce stinky, sharp shells that litter beaches.

Frankenfish in the flesh.

Meanwhile, the Baltimore Sun is reporting the discovery of northern snakeheads in puddles near Mattawoman Creek - a feeder into the Potomac River. Officials recovered more than 150 adult, juvenile and a female "full of well developed eggs" from a pair of puddles near the Mattawoman.

The snakeheads are occasionally referred to as "Frankenfish" due to their apparently aggressive nature and a mug that only a mother could love. Prolific spawners, snakeheads eat fish, frogs, aquatic insects and can compete with native species for food supplies.

Despite reports to the contrary, the "Frankenfish" cannot walk, although they are tough and capable of surviving periods out of water.

Across the pond, British military leaders will be meeting today with PETA officials to discuss alternatives to the traditional bearskin hats worn by the guards at Buckingham Palace. PETA says they're suggesting alternatives with a design that could "still have regal-looking guards that look fantastic" but would be a "way of keeping up with the times and keeping an iconic status".

British officials, in their typically understated manner, have said they're not opposed to use of synthetic materials as an alternative to bearskins "provided such materials meet the requirement for a high quality product that performs adequately all weather conditions." Unfortunately, they add, that alternative "continues to prove elusive."

Maybe something in a tofutti-stack?

Yes, we're aware that Senator John McCain has chosen "one of us" as his vice-presidential running mate.

Sara Palin - definitely not a "Beltway Insider".

Alaska Governor Sara Palin, described by political pundits as a "dark horse" is a terrific running counterpoint to McCain. If you've listened just to mainstream media, you'd believe that she came from absolutely nowhere. If, however, you'd been reading the new media, you would have had an inkling that, althouth inexperienced, Palin was regarded as the best choice for a Republican ticket that, although not even completed, was being portrayed by the opposition as "more of the same" Washington politics.

With the selection of Palin, McCain has, in wrestling terms turned a predicament into an escape and reversal.

The Democrats are talking "change" yet have named one of their chronic old-line candidates to the VP slot, hoping to blunt the question of their presidential candidate's real-time experience at anything other than posing for photo ops.

Palin's selection also injects - if you'll excuse the expression - life into the McCain campaign.

Choosing a 40-ish Mom of five to serve "a heartbeat away from the presidency" certainly goes a long way toward taking that point off the debate boards.

In Biden, Obama's chosen an elder statesman with a longstanding penchant for sticking his foot in his mouth. Palin puts a young face - and straight-talking personality - into the fight. She also injects another essential quality into the campaign - humanity. Palin's skeletons are already out of the closet with revelations that her 17-year old and unmarried daughter is pregnant and her husband had a DUI conviction on his record.

To McCain's credit, he knew both these things prior to selecting her.

As expected, the Democrats are already attacking Palin for her "lack of experience". It's hypocrisy; but it is politics. And with just weeks remaining before the elections, there will be no shortage of claims, counter-claims and exaggerations before the election is put into the hands of the electorate. That is US.

If you're not registered - get registered.

Your vote counts - no matter what anyone tries to tell you otherwise.

And, as always, we'll keep you posted.