Chief Justice Rehnquist Has Died

ABC Meltdown

Bizarro world. As I'm sitting here watching the A&M/Clemson game, the audio cuts out and then suddenly I get to hear three minutes of Keith Jackson call the Notre Dame/Pittsburg game (while the video is still on the A&M game). As I love to say: "The wheels are off".

TCU 17, Oklahoma 10

ESPN's College Game Day

I love Saturday mornings in the fall with ESPN's College Game Day. The three man crew normally broadcasts from a college campus with a bunch of crazy college kids yelling in the background - many who hold up signs. The signs have become nuttier and more confusing over the years. But this morning gave rise to new level of oddness. I saw a kid from the University of Pittsburg holdking a sign that read: "WADE BOGGS IMITATES WIZARD OF OZ CHARACTERS".

Educational Tidbit

Is New Orleans under "marital law"? What is "martial law"? A quick article explains it.

Thanks But No Thanks

Three nuggets from the Dallas Morning News: - The City of Denton turned down Dallas' request for refugee help "because they don't have the resources or personnel to run such an emergency shelter, city spokesman John Cabrales said." - "Collin County has asked its five largest cities to take in at least 2,000 evacuees. Plano, Frisco and Wylie were considering setting up shelters." - And Mayor Laura Miller said this: "I'm amazed at the lack of help we're getting," the mayor said. "The state has done zero to help us, the governor has done zero to help us – besides coming here for a photo op."

When I'm Ready To Walk Away From It All . . .

... I'll do this on the courthouse steps. (Video).

Just When You Think Everything Has Been Invented

I've heard of Chinese Finger Cuffs but this thing creates far more questions in my brain than answers. (Warning: A tad bit sensative). Edit: I don't know if it will remain there, but the initial advertisement under the photo was for Yahoo Personals. A bit ironic.

10,000?

"US Senator David Vitter said that the death toll from Hurricane Katrina could top 10,000 in Louisiana alone. 'My guess is that it will start at 10,000, but that is only a guess,' Vitter said, adding that he was not basing his remarks on any official death toll or body count."

Salma Hayek

Happy 37th birthday to the hottest hispanic on the planet.

Christian Indian Football Update

Sam Houston State beat the Bacone College Warriors 77-7 last night. "Bacone College is a four-year liberal arts college affiliated with the American Baptist Church embracing a historic educational mission to American Indians."

Ok, I'll Go Loot Somewhere Else

Speaking of People On TV . . .

. . . . Louisiana Governor Katherine Blanco sure comes across as shell shocked and unsure.

Making Me Feel Guilty

A list of people willing to open up their homes to Katrina victims.

Gulfport, MS

Spam Spam Spam

Sheesh, the comments section is getting spammed with junk (well, it's happened twice). Anyway, I've enabled a spam-killer that will require those that want to comment to enter a code generated by this site. Here's an example of what it will look like.

Thank You, Sir. May I Have Another?

The head of FEMA, Michael Brown, has appeared on TV around the clock it seems to answer questions about the government's slow response to Katrina. I don't necessarily agree with him, but I'll give him huge credit for his willingness to step up to the plate and take a verbal pounding.

Uncomfortable Name

I remembered this morning the name of a one-hit-wonder band from the 1980s: Katrina and The Waves.

His Wednesday Was Better Than My Wednesday

How would you like to be 21 years old and a minor league baseball player? Let's add the fact that you are called up yesterday to the big leagues by your boss, the Florida Marlins. You don't start the game but sit on the bench. You are happy to be there. Then you are called into the game as a pinch hitter with the bases loaded (the Marlins are far, far behind so its not the perfect fantasy). That's what happened to Jeremy Hermida. Anyway, you guessed it, in his first major league at bat he hits a grand slam. That hasn't happened since 1898.

While The Poor Struggle In New Orleans . . .

.... it's good to know that Houston Rockets basketball player Yao Ming signed a $75 million contract extension today. Our society is so screwed up.

"Don't Buy Gas If You Don't Need It" - Pres. Bush

When I first saw that quote today, my initial reaction was (1) uh, thanks, I was going to buy a little extra just for fun and (2) I think I know what the guy means (don't use gas unless it is a necessity) but figured it was just another inartful Bushism that he is known for. Then I checked the official White House site and learned it was part of a prepared text. Edit: The first comment (inside) is proof that spam can even reach a blog. Sheeesh.

Race and Class

There is a great article in Slate that discusses the phenomenon of how the New Orleans crisis seems to have victims that are 99% black yet no TV broadcaster will so much as mention the subject. He writes: "Race remains largely untouchable for TV because broadcasters sense that they can't make an error without destroying careers. That's a true pity. If the subject were a little less taboo, one of last night's anchors could have asked a reporter, 'Can you explain to our viewers, who by now have surely noticed, why 99 percent of the New Orleans evacuees we're seeing are African-American? I suppose our viewers have noticed, too, that the provocative looting footage we're airing and re-airing seems to depict mostly African-Americans.'"

Missing

Fats Domino, 77, is missing in New Orleans.

He Has Some Good Tips If They Have to Pursue a Car In An Oval

At the Texas Motor Speedway yesterday, Dale Earnhardt Jr. assisted the Roanoke Police Department in training for high speed chases.

Speaking of Gas Prices . . .

any feedback on the average price of gas around Wise County on this the first day of September?

A One Day "Gas Out" In Response to the High Gas Prices

If I get another email asking me (and presumably millions of others) to "Participatie in 1-day boycott of gasoline" in September so oil companies will "choke on their stockpiles and bring down the price of gasoline", I might go crazy.

A Real Life "Escape From New York"

Are there "good" looters and "bad" looters?

Time Waste

Link. (Drag and drop for fun)

What Is This?

Photo.

Tombstone Building

If I could only engrave my own tombstone. Oh, wait, I can.

Random Thought About God

As I watched the Hurricane Katrina devastation (and thought about those girls who just happened to be named "Katrina"), I had these thoughts about God: (1) God created and caused the disaster to occur (but why?), (2) God watches the world and intervenes when he wants to but chose not to stop Katrina, (3) God has no control over the world and simply watches Katrina do her stuff, or (4) There is no ...[An alternative that has been censored in the Bible Belt]

I Didn't Know That . . .

. . . White people "find" while minorities "loot".

Thousands Dead?

AP - New Orleans - The mayor said Wednesday that Katrina probably killed thousands of people in New Orleans — an estimate that, if accurate, would make the storm by far the nation's deadliest hurricane in more than a century. "We know there is a significant number of dead bodies in the water," and other people dead in attics, Mayor Ray Nagin said. Asked how many, he said: "Minimum, hundreds. Most likely, thousands." And it looks like New Orleans is completely under water. Today, people are being told to "abandon" the city.

Like Sands Through An Hourglass

Debbie Gibson is 35 years old today.

Get Ready

A caller on WBAP's Mark Davis show this morning said he had just left Abilene and gas prices were $3.09 a gallon. With the hurricane coming through, I think we are about to get hit hard.

To The Astrodome

At least 25,000 of Hurricane Katrina's refugees, a majority of them at the New Orleans Superdome, will travel in a bus convoy to Houston starting Wednesday and will be sheltered at the 40-year-old Astrodome. (Source)

Not The Best Photo Op Considering We Have A Natural Disaster Going On

"President Bush plays a guitar presented to him by Country Singer Mark Wills, right, backstage following his visit to Naval Base Coronado, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005. Bush visited the base to deliver remarks on V-J Commemoration Day. (AP Photo/ABC News, Martha Raddatz) "

648 Dead, 322 Hurt . . .

. . . not due to Katrina but in Bagdad. Some type of stampede on a bridge happened yesterday when "panic engulfed a Shiite religious procession amid rumors that a suicide bomber was about to attack".

Sin City

If you like movies that involve lots of blood, lots of gore, lots of weirdness, and a strange plot, you have to check out Sin City. It's Pulp Fiction and Desperado wrapped up in a cartoon that's not a cartoon. I loved it.

Have These Guys Ever Served On One Of My Juries?

Video clip: Ok, here are two guys re-enacting William Tell (the guy that shot the apple off a guy's head with a bow and arrow). Except they decide to use a handgun and a beer bottle. Caution: (1) Multiple F Bombs will be dropped and (2) The first time you see it you will cringe when the gun comes into view.

Things I Have Learned From "The Blog"

Hot topics: Gays, the confederate flag, "Sissies", and teenage heat exhaustion. I've learned that there are some "commentors" that have a heck of a sense of humor and some that scare me a bit. I'm surprised by the number of people that read this. And I feel and odd pressure to post something every day even when I'm really busy or simply don't want to. I still hear from people that are mad that I haven't updated "The Muse" in a while. I've finally developed a thick skin (after years of having an onion thick skin).

Stating The Obvious

I just watched ABC's World News Tonight (without Peter Jennings) - I record it every day. Anyway, I finally saw the "day after" effects of Hurricane Katrina. The damage is astonishing. New Orleans is under water and the coastal portion of Mississipi has been blown away.

More Proof That A Hurricane Makes People Cranky

As seen in this video clip (more audio than video) of Fox News reporter Shepard Smith attempting a "man on the street interview" with someone walking his dogs. (Language warning).

Well, We Know One Group Thankful For Hurricane Katrina

The University of North Texas' opening football game again national powerhouse LSU has been postponed due to Katrina.

All That Starbucks Gay Posting Below. . .

. . . . got me thinking. I wonder if Wise County would support a new business?

Don't Drink and ....

..... walk out onto an unstable awning 10 stories above the ground. (Star Telegram story)

I Wonder How This Will Go Over In Decatur?

Starbucks is getting a bit edgy with it's new campaign of "The Way I See It" which includes slogans on its cups. (Click photo to enlarge). A list of articles dealing with the subject is here.

I Wonder If This Is A Time Waste?

Link.

A Hurricane Can Make You Testy . . .

. . . especially this weatherman. (Video clip that takes a little bit of time to load, but worth it).

You Are A Sorry Individual . . .

.... if you take advantage of a disaster (i.e. the massive damage in the wake of Hurricane Katrina) and become a looter.

I Never Thought About Using A Weedwacker In A Wrestling Match . . .

. . . But this guy did. (Video: Warning, it looks painful).

Well, It's Kinda Like Meeting The President

"CRAWFORD, Texas - Cindy Sheehan hasn‘t achieved a meeting with the president during her three-week war protest, but she met a man who plays one on TV. Martin Sheen, who portrays the president on NBC‘s "The West Wing," visited Sheehan‘s makeshift campsite Sunday. "

And Al Sharpton was there as well.

Super Dome Damage in New Orleans

And I Wonder If She Owns A Crazily Painted Bus?

In case you ever wondered what David Cassidy's daughter would look like, here ya go. (From last night's MTV Awards).

There Are Dreams and Then There Are Dreams

I always cringe when I hear some high school kid talk about how he expects to play in the NFL. It's a tough climb. Take for example Taylor Stubblefield. He is 6'1" and was recruited by Purdue who is known for its passing offense. During the three seasons at the school, he catches 165 passes. No one, and I mean no one, has ever caught that many passes at the highest level of college football. He's the all time record holder. So, unlike your regular high school kid, you would expect him to play in the NFL. Right? Think again. Last April, not a single team drafted him. So he signs as a free agent with the Carolina Panthers. Last weekend, he was cut.

If You Are Missing an EMT . . .

. . . he/she was up at the courthouse this morning attending the Commissioner's Court. (Or it just looked like everyone of them was up there). That Careflight issue is a hot button.

Since U Gone Something

Anybody catch Kelly Clarkson's performance on the MTV Awards last night? The girl got a little crazy as she sang "Since U Been Gone" while being pelted with water falling from who knows where.

And in news not hurricane related . . .

HONEY GROVE, Texas - A man walked into a church yesterday and opened fire, killing two people and wounding another, before shooting two women dead outside and taking their car. Honey Grove is in Fannin County.

There Is Always A Lot Of Hype Over Hurricanes, But This Looks Bad

Jeers to the Cheers

I always get a kick out of the "Cheers & Jeers" section of the Star Telegram every Saturday although I admit to skimming over the Cheers in order to read every Jeer. (For some reason they are more fun). But I noted that Wise County Commissioner Mike Richardson received a Cheer this Saturday from Woody and Joyce Reynolds of Decatur for "doing a fine job of paving our road".

More High School Ball

I hate how much the Messenger dedicates itself to Northwest ISD (althoughI understand why), and here I am doing the same thing. I noticed that in the Texans 48-21 win over Granbury on Friday that sophomore Drew Ashley rushed for 200 yards and four touchdowns in the first half.

And I Bet There Was A Time When There Were "Whites Only" Drinking Fountians

This weekend marked the 85th anniversary of the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote. 85th? It constantly amazes me how much this country has progressed/and how back-woods we were. 85 years ago? That's it? There are women alive today that at one time could not vote in the United States.

It's About Time

Finally, the horrible looking roof of Texas Stadium will be painted - and it hasn't been painted since the place opened in 1971. The cost for the job? $570,000.

Now That's A Ton Of Pot

A "routine traffic stop" (I'm always skeptical of those) by a deputy sheriff out in Tyler netted 2,620 pounds of marijuana according to the Dallas Morning News.