Keeping Bush's name in circulation

With fewer than 200 days until President Bush leaves the White House and moves to Dallas, some people are already working to commemorate the outgoing commander in chief.

But not necessarily in ways Texas’ former governor would appreciate.

The Presidential Memorial Commission is a group of activists in San Francisco who are running a petition drive to rename the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant the George W. Bush Sewage Plant.

The group needs 7,168 valid signatures by Monday to get the initiative on the November ballot. If the initiative makes it onto the ballot and passes, the plant would be renamed on Jan. 20, 2009, the same day a new president will be sworn in.

"We believe this is an appropriate honor for a truly unique president," the group says on its Web site.

Commemorate part deux?

Another backhanded honor for Bush comes from Americans United for Change in Washington, D.C.

The liberal group has created a bus full of exhibits critical of Bush’s record as president. The Bush Legacy Tour will spend four months crisscrossing the country, ending in Dallas on Oct. 14 and 15.

Meanwhile, a project intended to honor Bush’s presidency is being challenged.

A group of Methodists at Southern Methodist University is expected to present a petition to the trustees of the United Methodist Church’s South Central Jurisdiction this month opposing plans for a George W. Bush library, museum and think tank at SMU.

Heating up the kitchen

Tracey Smith is ready to start cooking.

Smith, the Democrat who is challenging U.S. Rep. Kay Granger for her House seat this fall, recently became an award-winning cook.

His lemon meringue pie won the blue ribbon for the Taste Test category at a recent Bubba Crocker Pie Bake-Off at First Methodist Church of Fort Worth.

In this contest, the only competitors are men — and they must do at least 51 percent of the preparation themselves. (Women do the judging).

Smith’s key to success? Following the directions.

"The recipe is off the back of a box of cornstarch, using real lemons," he said. "I never expected to hear my name called for first place. Before this, I once won a handball tournament and broke up a no-hitter with two outs left in the game in Little League.

"The Little League experience was definitely the biggest surprise before this."

Gas politics

The list of people who want Gov. Rick Perry’s job just got a little longer.

A man named Kenneth Griffin has posted 11 YouTube videos talking about his own campaign for Texas governor. His YouTube channel: TexasGov2010.

So far, he says he likes Ron Paul and Hugo Chavez and is "extremely angry" about a lot of things, including high gas prices, toll roads, speed limits and 9-11.

As Griffin sees it, he has already won.

"I’m not waiting for Day One," he said in his video. "I’ve begun working as governor right now.

"I’m currently talking with various oil executives to see what it would take to get gasoline back down to $1.50 a gallon."