Carrie Prejean Racy

Carrie Prejean Racy might exist has stunned California's state pageant officials. Prejean, the center of controversy ever since expressing her anti-gay marriage sentiments at the Miss USA pageant last month, apparently told pageant officials that only one provocative photo existed - the one first posted at TheDirty.com earlier this week. But on Wednesday, pageant officials learned that at least three other racy pics exist.

TMZ reported that Prejean sent an e-mail to Keith Lewis, co-director for the Miss California USA pageant, saying, "This was when I was 17 years old. I was a minor. It was when I was first getting into the modeling world, being naive, and young. I shouldnt (sic) have taken the photo of me in my underwear. There are no other photos of me. This was the only one I took." "I'm absolutely stunned. This completely changes things for us," Lewis said in a statement to "Access Hollywood."

"Yesterday, we thought she had explained things accurately. We need to revisit this issue with her." Prejean signed a contract stating she has never been photographed nude or partially nude and the Miss California USA Organization told "Access" they will meet with runner-up Miss Malibu Tami Farrell in the next few days, suggesting she may soon be taking over the title of Miss California from Prejean. Farrell told Billy Bush of "Access Hollywood" that she was ready to assume the tiara if need be.

National Day of Prayer

National Day of Prayer, a response that has disappointed both Christian conservatives and an atheist group that wants to end the tradition. Congress established the day in 1952 and in 1988 set the first Thursday in May as the day for presidents to issue proclamations asking Americans to pray. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said President Barack Obama would issue such a proclamation Thursday but not hold any public events with religious leaders as President George W. Bush did.

Obama's decision drew a rebuke from the National Day of Prayer Task Force, a private group that promotes prayer events around the country. The task force estimates 2 million Americans attended more than 40,000 events marking the day last year. "We are disappointed in the lack of participation by the Obama administration," said task force chairwoman Shirley Dobson, wife of Focus on the Family founder James Dobson. "At this time in our country's history, we would hope our President would recognize more fully the importance of prayer."

The debate over the day has landed in federal court in Wisconsin. The Obama administration has asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which claims the day violates the separation of church and state. In a rare alliance, 31 mostly Republican members of Congress and a prominent Christian legal group are joining the administration to fight the lawsuit. Freedom From Religion Foundation Co-Director Annie Laurie Gaylor welcomed Obama's more scaled back observance but said she has been shocked by his administration's strong defense of the day in court.

Odd Day

Today is “odd day” - one of only six days this century that feature three consecutive odd numbers in the date: 05/07/09. Of course, the year is actually 2009, so it isn’t really consecutive. A “real” odd day would have been January 3rd, in the year five. But math geeks don’t have a lot to get excited about, so we’ll let ‘em have the day today. Another major local employer is on the ropes, with word that Crucible Steel is filing for Chapter 11.

Let’s hear it for Senator Ben Nelson (DINO-NE), who says he’ll oppose giving people the option of public healthcare, because it would be so much better than private insurance, that it would hurt the insurance companies. Yes, Senator, we must protect the sacred insurance institution at all costs. This is why we needed to have Arlen Specter jump ship and swim over to the Democrat’s big tent, because when Repubicans act like scumbags, it sucks, but when Democrats do it, it’s a good thing. Or something.

Speaking of romance - or lack thereof - Granny leaves for Minnesota today, to go visit the kids and grandkids. Since I started a new job back in February (same place, but in a bit of an odd technicality involving working for the State vs. the SUNY Research Foundation, I was considered an “off the street” new employee, forcing a criminal background check and piss test - both of which I found highly insulting), I lost all my vacation time (got paid for it, at least), and don’t have enough built back up to make it past next Wednesday. So, the critters and I will be spending the next couple of weeks alone, which I, frankly, am not looking forward to.