Guess The Missing Word In This Story

1. Read the excerpts below:

Legislator says colleague made threatening phone call
BY CAROL MARBIN MILLER AND MARY ELLEN KLAS

When state Rep. Ralph Arza found out over the weekend that another legislator had filed a complaint claiming Arza slurred the African-American chief of Miami-Dade's schools, he started drinking. And he got mad.

Arza called the colleague, Rep. Gus Barreiro, and left him an angry message on voicemail, cursing him out and calling Miami-Dade superintendent Rudy Crew the N-word. That was the same thing -- a racial, profanity-laced voicemail -- Barreiro had complained about in the first place.

The upshot: Barreiro called the cops Monday, saying he felt Arza's diatribe was ''threatening.'' Police, who now have a tape of Arza's phone call -- and a second anonymous call made hours later -- say they have opened an investigation.

On Monday night, Arza issued a stunning apology in an e-mail to The Miami Herald, saying he has trouble controlling his temper, especially when he's drinking. He also asked Barreiro, his family and voters for forgiveness.

''My emotions got the best of me and I left some offensive and shameful messages,'' Arza said. ``I have embarrassed myself, my family and the constituents that I serve.
``At times I have had difficulty controlling my emotions and anger. I have noticed that this problem is made worse on those occasions when I have been drinking. Saturday night was one of those occasions.''

Arza said he will seek ``immediate counseling.'' --snip--

Some time after Arza's call, someone else called Barreiro on his cellphone and left a threatening message calling Barreiro a ``snitch.''

Barreiro declined to discuss the investigation in detail, but confirmed receiving the two phone calls between 8 p.m. Saturday night and 1 a.m. Sunday morning. Barreiro says he recognized the first caller as Arza -- and his caller ID displayed Arza's number. He did not recognize the voice of the second caller. Arza told The Herald he does not know who the second caller was. --snip--

Sources with knowledge of the investigation told The Herald the second man told Barreiro: ''We're gonna get you, you snitch. We're gonna teach you a lesson for being a snitch.'' The sources also said that in the voicemail message, Arza called Barreiro a ``bitch.''

Spokesmen for both the Miami Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirmed they have begun an investigation, but declined to provide any details.

2. Guess the missing word.

If you guessed "Republican," you either live in Florida or you clicked the link and read 8 (Count "EM! 8!) whole paragraphs before seeing the R word.

Congrats, Winners! Here's a cookie!



Best bar bet in the world: Delilah didn't do it.
Judges 16:19-- And she made him (Samson) sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head.