A Pakistani demonstrator stands next a barrier, behind which police officers guard the house of Pakistan's deposed chief justice Iftikhar Mahmood Chaudhry, during a protest against his detention in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, March 2, 2008. Chaudhry has been under house arrest for nearly four months.

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Local elections to be decided Saturday

For many Louisiana voters taking part in today's presidential primary, this might be Sublime Saturday compared to the hoopla of Super Tuesday in other states just four days ago. In some parts of St. Tammany Parish, though, there is more at stake.

There are 64,713 registered Republicans and 46,406 registered Democrats in St. Tammany Parish, according to Registrar of Voters M.

Thumbs up, thumbs down

Together, they held up the vehicle in the water for five minutes before Clovis police arrived. Now that's exceptional customer service.Thumbs down to the state Air Resources Board for refusing to allocate a fair share of air cleanup funds to the Valley. The board adopted staff recommendations that give the lion's share of Proposition 1B money for cleaning up pollution in the state's "trade corridors" to Southern California, despite the fact that the Valley is the most heavily traveled corridor of the four in the state. The Valley ought to be used to getting a raw deal from the state, but it's still galling when it happens -- which is nearly always.Thumbs up to the 12 volunteer fundraising guilds of Children's Hospital Central California for pledging $1 million over the next two years for an advanced child-abuse prevention program at the Madera County hospital.

Jeep Rubicon Offers an Off-road Blast from the Past

In an age when more and more vehicles seem to be embracing the look and/or feel of vehicles past (just look at the PT Cruiser or the current Mustang), the basic, garden variety Jeep doesn't have to follow such trends. Nope, it continues to look pretty much like it always has, the body style millions have come to know and love since the U.S. Army was given the Willys back in 1941.

Oh, it's changed, all right. In fact, for the 2007 model year the classic Jeep, now called the Wrangler, even stretches itself to add a pair of rear doors, while becoming even boxier than before. And it ups its off road ante through more ground clearance, larger wheels and tires, (optional) next-generation Command-Trac and Rock-Trac transfer cases, new electric axle lockers, and electronic-disconnecting front sway bar.

NASCAR takes wrong turn hopping on Avenue of the Stars

One of the laughable vanities of Southern California sports is the Fontana track's attempts to market itself as NASCAR's show-biz pit stop.

To hear track officials tell it, you could rub elbows with Jack Nicholson in the garage here. Bump into Angelina Jolie in the grandstand. Park next to Tom Cruise.

Apparently, they think we're that gullible.

It's the sort of positioning that probably looks great in memos to the suits at the Florida headquarters of the track's owners. "We'll leverage Hollywood into ticket sales and media buys. We'll sell the glamor!"

Probably .