I’ve only got so much room in my suitcase for our week-long Hawaiian cruise coming up, so here are some news notes and observations to help reduce the amount of baggage I’ll be bringing (as if I don’t have enough of my own…):

* Did you know yesterday (Sept. 22) was Elephant Appreciation Day? That’s right! And this site has everything you’ll need to celebrate the day – well, one day later. No wonder Academic Elephant at Red State is so excited. As he notes, tweaking those of the opposition party):

It’s a wonderful holiday in honor of a very special animal, which in 1874 became the symbol of the Republican party. While the GOP elephant’s entry into the political realm was not terribly auspiscious, the mascot stuck because elephants are loyal, intelligent, stalwart and fearsome when provoked. The jackass, on the other hand, well, this is a post about elephants so we will leave that topic for another day. It’s happy hour, folks–so raise a glass to all the brave and true pachyderms of the world.

Indeed.

* I’m a big BIG fan of The Weather Channel and its cadre of female meterologists, and I’ll bet they’re none too pleased at what stories like these means to their profession. (Hat tip: TheStormTrack)

* Tiger Woods hit his first drive into the water today and the Americans are down early 5-3, to the Europeans at the Ryder Cup. The heroes of the day were those Spaniards, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia, who were basically flawless in ever aspect of their game. Funny how Sergio can’t play the majors but does so well at the Ryder Cup. Today is a big day for the Americans, who can’t afford to lose any more ground to their hosts if they want to have a chance in the final mano a mano matches scheduled for tomorrow.

* When I first heard the story about the “official” Arizona state 9/11 memorial, I thought it was a joke – just a bunch of radio station hosts yanking on Governor Janet Napolitano‘s chains, but Flopping Aces has the lowdown on it and it’s, frankly, an unbelievable and inexcusable example of political moonbatiness and incredibly insensitive to the events it purports to memorialize. Not to mention being a true waste of public funds. (Hat tip: Free Republic)

* More good news about the progress in Iraq you won’t read on the front page of your local newspaper or hear from those like “The Perk” during your evening dinner:

Coalition forces in Iraq have suddenly received the manpower equivalent of three light infantry divisions. They did not suffer any repercussions in domestic politics as a result, and now have a huge edge over al-Qaeda in al-Anbar province. How did this happen? Tribal leaders in the largely Sunni province on the Syrian border got together and signed an agreement to raise a tribal force of 30,000 fighters to take on foreign fighters and terrorists.

As I mentioned the other day, it’s stories like this that could make it more difficult every day for the mainstream dino-media to project Iraq as a strife-torn total failure. There may indeed be difficult days ahead for Iraqis, but political and military strategy and its outcome should be a part of the journalistic equation. (Hat tip: Instapundit)

* Kudos to “Big Papi” David Ortiz on setting the Red Sox club record for most home runs during a single season. His 51st and 52nd home runs last night broke the club record of 50 previously held by Hall-of-Famer Jimmie Foxx. For one night, the disappointment of this season was forgotten, and Fenway Park once again became a rockin’ place. It was fun to watch and a joy to behold.