Wreck makes 410 a hot-metal mess

A fiery, 10-vehicle wreck turned a tractor-trailer and several other vehicles on Loop 410 into charred hunks of metal and sent a massive plume of black smoke billowing across the city. Although no one was seriously hurt in the collision near the Nacogdoches exit, hundreds of motorists saw their travels come to a complete stop as firefighters rushed to extinguish the blaze.

The 210 take: As if 410 needed pyrotechnics to come to a complete stop.

San Antonio's Murdock tapped to count heads

President Bush has nominated Texas' official demographer, Steve H. Murdock of San Antonio, to be the next director of the U.S. Census Bureau. If confirmed by the Senate, Murdock will be in charge of one of the country's most important federal agencies. It's responsible for counting the country's estimated 300 million people and analyzing the statistics.

The 210 take: The real news here is that they're entrusting a San Antonian to be able to count to 300 million.
 

CPS Energy offer: Save electricity, get cash

CPS Energy is trying to chip away at energy use by increasing the money set aside to pay customers who install eco-friendly devices. Customers would earn discounts for installing energy-efficient light bulbs, programmable thermostats or solar panels.

The 210 take: Extra green for going green? That's sure to make some folks green with envy — unless they're too green to realize what they're missing. Editor's note: We apologize for the author's lame humor. We hope it hasn't made you green around the gills. 
 

Ten Commandments for the highway

Now speeding, reckless driving and driving while drunk aren't just illegal — they're sins. So are rude gestures, cursing and showing off in fancy cars, according to a new Vatican document called “Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road.” It includes the “Ten Commandments” for drivers, starting with “You shall not kill.”

The 210 take: In the same statement, the Vatican described Austin as the Sodom and Gomorrah of road sins.
 

Aggies' longhorn logo is a go-go

A couple who own three Aggieland Outfitters stores in College Station have settled a lawsuit brought by the UT System over a parody longhorn logo featuring its horns sawed off. The solution was to add nostrils and a white patch on the forehead to create a new design.

The 210 take: A longhorn with its horns sawed off? That's like making a logo with the Georgia Bulldog in one of those damned cone-shaped flea collars or misspelling the Aggie logo ATM.

With wire reports