Militias?!?!: Oh god. Chris Kenning’s wonderful story in Sunday’s CJ about the uptick in Kentucky militias — a reaction to the crap-ass economy and the election of President Obama — left us unsettled and a little afraid, with echoes of Waco playing in our heads. Read it.

Dog days continue: In last week’s print issue we reported on the worsening conditions at Louisville Metro Animal Services, as well as on the impending departure of director Dr. Gilles Meloche, who has faced a barrage of criticism since 2006, when this LEO investigation revealed he has a dirty past, and predicted what has come to pass in Louisville: Appalling conditions at LMAS, broken relationships with local animal services groups, and a witless director who seems to be wrecking everything in his path, including the very department he was hired to “change.” Once again, WLKY’s Andy Alcock offers more dirt, confirming reporting first offered by LEO that dead animals are being dumped at the city’s Outer Loop landfill. Meanwhile, lawsuits against Meloche, LMAS and interim director Wayne Zelinsky continue piling up. When, oh lord, when will it end?

Wallet on fire: Mayor Abramson submitted an ordinance to the Metro Council today that would pay the $45 million settlement with Louisville firefighters for overtime pay in three installments. The first, due Dec. 1, would come from a cash reserve set up by the city for this purpose and total $15.8 million. The next two, following in March and July, would be covered by the city selling bonds. The council will consider the ordinance at its upcoming meeting.

Look who’s coming to dinner: Guess who turned a nice profit in the third quarter? That’s right, folks: Ford and Humana. The bailout-less automaker reported $997 million in 3Q profits, as well as a temporary stop in its hemorrhaging of cash reserves. Health insurance behemoth Humana posted a 65 percent jump in profits in 3Q, lifted in no small part by a big increase in its Medicare Advantage enrollment. Which begs the question: Without government health care, would Humana be doing such a nice business?

Inevitable: The new line emerging from Congress and the White House on proposed health care and insurance reform is that it’s “inevitable,” with the biggest showdowns over the House and Senate bills still to come on the public option, which has been weakened by a provision that would allow states to decide whether to enact it.