Sooner Nation? How About Sooner Chaos

OU beat Tulsa today with two very late touchdowns and, overall, struggled all day. Get this stat: They have struggled at the quarterback position and today went with redshirt freshman Rhett Bomar who completed only 5 of 13 passes in the first half and had two interceptions. So what does OU do in the second half? They didn't allow their quarterback to throw a single pass. None. Nada. There is trouble in Norman.

Good Old Day Syndrome?

In light of TCU's victory over Oklahoma last week, the Star Telegram asked author (and overrated author) Dan Jenkins to "put together a list of TCU's 20 greatest upsets". In reviewing the list, I quickly noted that 19 of the 20 came before 1961. (And 10 of them before 1950). Very exciting . . . yawn . . . reading.

While Thinking of The Pompatus of Love . . .

. . . I wondered why you never hear of a reunion tour involving the Steve Miller Band.

Chris Rock On Katrina Fund Raiser

"We've all heard the question," Rock said. "Why didn't these people just leave when they had the chance? But now we realize that not everybody can just jump into their SUVs and drive to a nice hotel. These people depend on public transportation and these people can't afford a nice hotel, because some of them work there. Now it's your chance to help them." And he looked into the camera and said, "George Bush hates midgets." Pretty funny.

Desperate Housewife

Eva Longoria at the MTV music awards.

Some Pretty Good Hurricane . . .

. . . pictures can be found here.

Uh Oh

Bulls lose. Eagles lose.

It's Been A Hard Two Weeks For This Old Country

Milvertha Hendricks, 84, center waits in the rain with other flood victims outside the convention center in New Orleans, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005.

OK, Homosexuality Is Legal but . . .

. . . remember the lady in Burleson that was prosecuted for selling, er, "devices" at little adult Avon parties? The prosecutor in Johnson County finally came to his senses and dismissed the case. Of course, the big point of discussion (even on the national morning shows) was: Shouldn't any law in the state of Texas that makes the selling of those devices illegal be declared unconstitutional as a violation of the right of privacy? Well, guess what? We have a development. A trial judge threw out a similar prosecution in El Paso and the government appealed. Last week, the appellate court in El Paso ruled that the prosecution can continue! To make your head spin, you have to read the fairly short opinion that ends with: "It is appropriate for the [government] to act to protect the social interest or order, morality, and decency by restraining commercial dealing in . . . objects designed or marketed for use primarily for the stimulation of [the privates]. "

You Would Have Think She Would Have Remembered Her Shirt For the Photo Shoot

"Paris Hilton is seen on the cover of the October issue of Vanity Fair, which hits newsstands in New York September 7, 2005 and will be available nationally in the U.S. on September 13. (Mario Testino/Vanity Fair/Reuters) "

Our society values (1) looks, (2) fame and (3) money. Paris has absolutely nothing else to offer - and it gets her on the cover of an international magazine.

Liberal vs. Tolerant vs. Compassionate

I had a court appointment recently who, I learned during a meeting at the jail, was a member of the Aryan Brotherhood (a white supremacist group). It wasn't a secret. He had the tattoos to prove it. You know, my "liberal" mindset wasn't to storm out of the room while yelling what a racist he was. Instead, it was to sit and talk with him while thinking "how in the world did you end up with those attitudes?" He couldn't possibly have been born that way. People fascinate me.

Breaking News

"Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown is being removed from his role managing Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, The Associated Press has learned. " Translated: We have got to get his face off of TV and do some damage control.

You Knew It Was A Matter Of Time

A church in Tyler decides to take the lead. (Thanks to a reader for tipping me off to this one).

Wreck?

From Channel 8 web site: "RHOME Accident E TX-114 at US-287 S - accident - the ramp is blocked from eastbound 114 to southbound 287, involving a tractor trailer. About a mile backup." I guess that would mean that traffic coming out of Boyd to Rhome is notagood.

Fair And Balanced

Some people say that the Fox News Network is just a mouthpiece for the Republican Party. Hmmmmm. A couple of days ago, President Bush held a press conference to announce that John Roberts would be nominated for the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The press asked "What have we learned about him?" to which Bush responded "Well, he's a gentleman." Sheesh. Quite the qualification for the Supreme Court. Then, suddenly, Fox News put up the graphic (right). Click to enlarge. (This, by the way, was stolen from tonight's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart)

Random Thoughts On The Hour Long NFL Pre-Game Show

• The Rolling Stones are scary
• Freddie Prinze, Jr. was very annoying as the MC
• Michelle Branch is good looking
• Ozzy Osbourne might have died before his performance
• The presentation of the Patriot's championship banner was very, very cool
• The odd look on the players' faces after they ran out onto the field and stood around while Ozzy sang "Crazy Train" was pretty funny
• Trisha Yearwood has been eating a few chicken fried steaks
• The Patriots owner was cheered wildly when introduced
• And now I have to be beaten down by John Madden

Update: The Patriot Cheerleaders have just won the "I Just Dropped My Glass and Stared Award" for the skimpiest (sp?) outfits I have ever seen.

I'm Calling The FCC

Actual screen shot from tonight's NFL game. (I love technology).

Get Ready

WISE COUNTY WISE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT SEPTEMBER 12, 2005 COUNTY COURTHOUSE, JURY ROOM (3rd FLOOR) SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA

1. CareFlight to present proposal. Take necessary action. (RR) 2. After presentation a discussion will be allowed with five people speaking for and five people speaking against with a time limit of three minute per person. Dick Chase Wise County Judge

That's Weird

Mr. Bill knew about the levee problem. "That's right, the hapless clay figure once featured on NBC's Saturday Night Live starred in a prophetic public service announcement earlier this year to raise awareness about the environmental conditions that could lead to a hurricane drowning the city." Video here

If You Get A Chance . . .

. . . check out the photo spread in Time magazine this week which depicts Katrina's damage. It's incredible. (And several of the photos [edit] were credited to the Dallas Morning News and Fort Worth Star Telegram).

Maybe We Need One More

If you have cable or satellite TV, there are 17 college football games that you can watch on Saturday. (As a kid growing up, I was happy to have one .)

IPOD: Getting Small

Rah Rah TCU

Here's the real cover of Texas Monthly if you want to understand the humor.

Don't You Hate It When Those Liberals Try To Be Funny?

$$$$

WASHINGTON - The federal government plans to begin doling out debit cards worth $2,000 each to adult victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Associated Press has learned.

Legitimate News

Some guy named Ricky Roghair was just sentenced to 99 years in prison by a Wise County jury for aggravated assault. Since I didn't watch any of it, I really don't know much other than (1) he used a weapon the State called a deadly weapon (a fireplace poker, not a red hot poker, just a fireplace poker), (2) he had a prior felony conviction which increased the range of punishment from 2 to 20 years to 5 to 99 years/life, (3) the victim was a female who might have ended up with a pierced cheek because of the incident, and (4) I think it took place in Runaway Bay.

Well This Certainly Settles Who's Right

Kanye West (the rapper who is hated by W's supporters) debuted this week at #1 on the Billboard charts with his new album, "Late Registration". And he even topped the newly released album by Brooks and Dunn who came in #3 with "Hillbilly Deluxe".

We'll Worry About Freedom of the Press Some Other Time

FEMA doesn't want the press to take any pictures of the dead in New Orleans.

UT Fans Hoped He Was Downloading Game Film

The Dallas Morning News had this tidbit about UT coach Mack Brown: He spent part of this summer downloading 2,200 songs into his MP3 player (including Dr. Dre, 50 Cent and Jay-Z). "I downloaded every one of the songs myself," Brown said.

Slight Time Waste

Link

Worth A Giggle

Time For The Gubernator To Take A Stand?

CNSNews.com - The California Legislature on Tuesday became the first in the nation to pass a bill allowing same-sex, civil marriages. The legislation, AB 849, deletes "a man and a woman" from California marriage law, replacing that phrase with "two persons."The California Assembly voted 41-35 to send the bill to Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has not said whether he will sign it.

Poor Dogs

Dogs wait for their owners to return as they sit on top a flooded car in New Orleans, La., Monday, Sept. 5, 2005. Thousands of animals have been left stranded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

He Must Have A New Press Agent

Normally, Gov. Rick Perry is a walking disaster when it comes to public relations. For whatever reason, he's done a heck of a job in the aftermath of Katrina. This morning, he got five minutes or more on the Today show as he walked around the floor of the Astrodome with Katie Couric.

Stating The Obvious (Again)

Hurricane Katrina is the worst disaster for the United States since the Civil War. (Sorry, I stole that from someone else - but it is true). Over the next three weeks, the number of bodies that will be found will be staggering. And although everyone wants to be involved in the "blame game", I'm surprised that George W's playing of a guitar after the disaster doesn't rival Clinton's video clip of "I did not have sex with that woman". (As a friend of mine told me, "I don't blame Bush, I blame those hired by him to be in charge of the press that allowed that photo to be taken".) (Sidenote: The only thing more horrifying than the disaster is Oprah Winfrey showing up in New Orleans to capitalize on it).

Football Crystal Ball

The biggest game for the University of Texas in the last ten years happens this weekend when they travel to play Ohio State. And it occurred to me, with a suddenly weak Oklahoma on the schedule, there has never been more pressure on UT coach Mack Brown. My prediction: They beat Ohio State and Oklahoma and then get upset by some team they are overwhelming favorites to beat.

Maybe They Had Better Things To Do

Most of the major media tonight had film clips of the deceased Chief Justice William Rehnquist body being carried up the steps of the Supreme Court as 6 of the 8 remaining justices lined the passage way. I'm still trying to figure out who who the two missing justices were. (And the video of Sandra Day O'Connor crying was very moving).

Football Confusion

TCU beat OU on Saturday and then awaited the polls to come out. The results? They come in at #22 in the AP Poll but fail to crack the USA Today/ESPN top 25l. And, of course, OU is ranked above TCU in both polls.

Odd Movies I've Seen in Theaters Over The Last Three Months

• Happy Endings - a smart comedy with Lisa Kudrow, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Tom Arnold.
• My Date With Drew - a dumb documentary about a guy who tries to get a date with Drew Barrymore
• Mysterious Skin - probably one of the most bizarre movies I've ever seen
• March of the Penguins - I never dreamed it would be any good - but it really was.

Grim

The 22 people died together. "Police believe they tried to escape the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina lashed to one another with a rope. Rescuers found them last week in St. Bernard Parish just east of New Orleans. No one has identified them yet. No one has tried to figure out who they are or how they knew each other or how far they had come before a rescue crew found them wrapped around a pole."

Gilligan . . .

. . . or, more properly, Bob Denver, has died.

Lake Bridgeport . . .

. . . is six feet low and dropping. No rain. Spillway open. Notagood.

Going, Going . . .

I saw that Bridgeport fell out of the AP Top Ten 3A poll after losing to Mineral Wells on Friday. Before Decatur smiles, the #10 spot was taken by Abilene Wylie. (I think the schools know each other).

Big Deal

The "Drudge Report" tonight seems to be making a big deal out of this comment from former First Lady Barbara Bush regarding the refugees in Houston: "And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this --this is working very well for them." Audio of the comment is here. Seems like a non-story to me.

Dance Like A White Guy

I'm not real sure why there are so many guys in confederate uniforms in this video.

I Wonder . . .

. . . what it would look like to see a guy on a bike get clothes-lined by a railroad crossing arm? Oh, a video happens to exist to answer that question.

Ultimate Time Waste

Find a the only four leaf clover.

Time To Give It Up

"Eric Leese sits on a couch in his flooded living room in Metairie, outside New Orleans September 5, 2005. Thousands of residents of suburban New Orleans returned on Monday to inspect homes wrecked by Hurricane Katrina and President George W. Bush went back to the disaster zone to quell a political crisis over bungled aid efforts. (Lee Celano/Reuters) "

The One Most Displeased . . .

. . . with the President's announcement today that he wishes for John Roberts to replace William Rehnquist is Sandra Day O'Connor. In her resignation letter (reproduced here), she said her resignation would become effective upon the nomination and confirmation of her successor. It looks like she's headed back to work on the first Monday in October.

Stuff I Learned From The Sports Page

• Texas Ranger Michael Young is leading the American League in batting average at .326
• I think freshman UT running back Jamaal Charles (135 yards on 14 carries again a bad Louisiana-Lafayette team) is going to be a stud
• Last week two guys caught a 244 pound alligator gar in Sam Rayburn Lake
• The Denver Broncos cut former OU star tailback Quentin Griffin.

More Stuff I Learned From People Magazine

American Idol finalist (not winner, mind you) Clay Aiken is selling his 7,800 square foot San Fernando Valley home for $2.495 million. (He bought it last year for $2.3 million).

Sometimes I Think He Is a Chowder Head

In 2002, the Cowboys drafted wide receiver Antonio Bryant in the second round. Last year, Bill Parcels brings in WRs Keyshawn Johnson and Terry Glenn (old receivers from Parcells better days) and Bryant was traded to the Cleveland Browns for WR Quincy Morgan. Today, the Cowboys cut Quincy Morgan. On the other hand, all accounts have Bryant set to be the Brown's #1 receiver this year (in 7 starts with the Browns last year, he had 42 catches for 546 yards and four TDs).

What About That Weird Scott Peterson Juror?

From the same magazine listed below, I've learned that she writes Peterson in jail (her therapist suggests it) and "recently she found herself driving past the prison". Freak. [Spelling errors corrected - I was half asleep]

What About Scott Peterson's Girlfriend . . .

. . . Amber Frey. Well, according to People (and, yes, I read People), she has purchased a new silver BMW and a $400,000 plot of land near Fresno, CA with the money she earned from her wasteland of a book, Witness: For the Prosecution of Scott Peterson and from selling the TV rights to he story to CBS.

Do They See The Same Thing?

Funny screen shots of CNN's website (The Clinton News Network) and Fox News' website (all news as filtered through the Republican Party).

SixxMixx

I heard about this phenomenon on the radio and finally decided to track it down. There's a growing music concept out there that takes two (or more) popular songs, mixes them on top of one another, and then adds a bass dance thump to it. The results can be amazing or a train wreck. Mostly, however, they are incredible and great fun to listen to. For example, I've heard a combination of U2's "Vertigo" and The Beatles "Day Tripper", an Eagles and Kelly Clarkson mix, Michael Jackson and the Clash, Madonna's "Ray of Light" played on top of New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle", and Led Zepplin and Snoop Dogg. I was able to download two 40 minute complilations here (big download). Single tracks are available here but I had to go through a free registration process. The best I can tell, the whole thing is free - but I have no idea if it is is legal. (If I detemine it's illegal, I'll delete this).

"George Bush doesn’t care about black people."

You may have heard about Kanye West's rant the other night during the nationally televised concert to raise funds for the Red Cross to assist in the Katrina disaster. Here's the video of it but it's huge and will take a while to download. Two observations (1) Kanye ain't the smartest man in the world and (2) watching a very uncomfortable Michael Myers is the best part. Here's a transcript for quick viewing.

On "Meet The Press" This Morning....

.... they had, as a guest, Mark Fischetti who authored an article for Scientific America in October 2001 entitled "Drowning New Orleans". It begins with the introduction of "A major hurricane could swamp New Orleans under 20 feet of water, killing thousands. Human activities along the Mississippi River have dramatically increased the risk, and now only massive reengineering of southeastern Louisiana can save the city ."