Can We Please Start Packing And Get Out Of There?

Andre Whyte, left, father of Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Whyte helps hold up Annette Whyte, center, as she places a flower on her son's casket during a burial ceremony at Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, N.Y., Friday, June 30, 2006. Whyte, 21, of Brooklyn, died June 21 after being hit by sniper fire while on patrol in Ramadi, Iraq.(Yahoo photo)

Any Chance Lynard Skynard Lynyrd Skynyrd Was The Band Of Choice?

These Girls Say "Hey, Wise County, Have A Good Weekend!"

Flying Wise County Built Motorcycle
This appeared on Channel 8 a few weeks back. It looks both cool and frightening.

Chicago Bears Quarterback Kyle Orton Is Keeping In Shape

The Blog: Your Source For News

This a band called "Girls Aloud" out of the UK. One of these girls is named Cherly Tweedy and it is her birthday today. I don't know which one. I'm too lazy to find out. But here's a big shout out to the Mother Country on this 4th of July weekend.

Uh Oh

CNN Breaking News: "The confession of a man charged with kidnapping, raping and killing 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford isn't admissible in court, but the discovery of her body can be used as evidence, a judge ruled today. John Evander Couey, a 47-year-old convicted sex offender, gave the confession to detectives, but also told them that he wanted to consult a lawyer. He wasn't given the opportunity to do so."

I would go into a "rules have to be followed" or "the 5th amendment is there to protect us", but I suspect 99% of you don't want to hear that right now.

Sunday Bloody Sunday by Bush
Clever. Very clever.

Secret Society

From The Update: MASONIC INSTALLATION — The Decatur Masonic Lodge #447 A.F. & A.M. will hold its installation of officers at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Masonic Lodge Building at 202 W. Walnut in Decatur. I've always wondered what those boys were up to.

Mortgage Interest Rate Chart

Why didn't America collapse in 1982?

"I Had No Idea The Cameras Were Here"

There was a weird Amber Alert this morning concerning kids that had allegedly been abducted by their dad in Missouri and headed for Texas. Mom, dad, and the kids were all headed for a family law hearing in Tarrant County. I'm sure the judge had no idea that she was going to be on the news. ("overly emphatic" comes to mind.)

Invisible Octopus

This video making its way around the Internet has stirred a huge debate: Real or Fake? I have my doubts (but I doubt everything), but I've yet to see anything definitive. For now, it's pretty cool.

Fetal Position

Mena Suvari Pumps Her Own Gas

Justice De-Something

Just got word that the County Attorney's office won a DWI case today with a blood test of .05 (the legal limit is .08). Read that sentence again - yep, you read it right. But I heard that the videotape was great for the State which explains the verdict somewhat. They've tried four cases in two weeks (three this week) and went 3 - 1. I am way too humble to reveal who the defense verdict belongs to. (Once again, no comments. You people go crazy on courthouse posts).

Guaranteed Tired Head

This is kinda long and complicated, but if you want to hear how Dallas Can Academy ended up suing Channel 8's Dale Hansen, here it is. (It involves a golf tournament, a rich oil guy, Hansen's son, Fossil Creek golf course, and Dennis Miller rejecting a private jet. Like I said, it's complicated)

Luv Serving Luv

In the hottest tennis match in the history of ever, these two girls (Maria Sharapova and Ashley Harkleroad) played each other today at Wimbledon. Sharapova won.

Tempting Click Of The Day

I wonder if there is a pic that involves: PETA, London, Pamela Anderson, a "I'd Rather Bare Skin Than Wear Skin" campaign, and half nudity. Yep, here (mild PG-13 rating).

Maybe Civil Law Is More Interesting Than Criminal Law

Many of you probably saw this in the Star Telegram: Two girls, both 17, are on vacation at the beach. They see the Girls Gone Wild video crew, flash their ta-ta's (that's a legal term), tell the video guys that they are of legal age, and then sign a consent. Girls Gone Wild then produces a DVD where the 17 year olds' ta-ta's (I think the term has a Latin origin) are shown. So what happens? The girls sue. Even in conservative Denton County (where the mere utterance ot the word ta-ta's will get you arrested), a jury decided the girls didn't deserve a dime. Go Denton! Go Girls Gone Wild! Go ta........uh, nevermind.

Me Getting Ready For The Weekend

A Couple Of Weeks Ago . . .

. . . I gave a birthday shout out to Juliett Lewis. Now I see this picture. I'm torn between retracting the happy birthday wish or issuing a double happy birthday wish.

Now I'm Awake

The baby drowing Andrea Yates is on trial again (her first conviction was reversed after a government witness made up some crazy story about how Yates was pretty much following a plot she learned on Law and Order.). I can think of three women who have recently been successful using the insanity defense. Being too lazy at this moment to research their names, there was (1) the kill my kids in the rock garden lady in East Texas, (2) the cut off my baby's arms lady in Collin County, and (3) I'm pretty sure there was a young hispanic lady, also in Collin County, that killed her three year with a knife. Yates (before the conviction was reveresed), was the only high profile defendant I can think of to have that defense rejected. Her lawyer was George Parnham the first time. She's using him again. Let me begin a George Parnham rant . . . I think he is one odd (and full of himself) guy. Check out his web site - it has this touchy feely music in the background and when you first enter, up pops a quote from Abraham Lincoln, then one from the Magna Carta, and then one from . . . omg . . . George Parnham! Lincoln, the Magna Carta and Parnham? And then a second quote pops up from Parnham: "If we do our jobs correctly, an innocent person may be spared punishment he doesn't deserve." What the hell? You might be able to get an innocent person off? That's your selling point? And then click on his list of "clients". His first one is Andrea Yates (that's not going too well) and then the second one is Clara Harris! You might remember that Harris ran over her sorry husband with a vehicle in a hotel parking lot after she caught him having an affair. She got 20 years in prison! (Ok, I'm done. I think something took over my body for a second.)

Sleepy Thought

An Update item: "VOICE FOR CHOICE — Bridgeport residents will have a chance to sign the alcohol petition tomorrow and Friday at Bridgeport City Park from 6 to 8 p.m. The petition drive is being held to seek an election which would determine if alcoholic beverages should be sold in the city. For more information, call (940) 393-6392." Isn't that more like an ad than a news item?

Random Thoughts Not Worthy Of Individual Posts

- The country should have a one week holiday declared every year. We would all be on vacation at the same time without guilt. (Except hotel, food and entertainment employees would have to work.) - I started watching the Godfather for the first time ever. I had to put the subtitles on. But so far, so good. - I haven't been in the Decatur Lowe's yet - The headline in the Messenger today that read "Silence of the Stands" was very clever (it was about the fireworks ban) - Every morning I eat one low fat eggroll with skim milk - Jeff Crilley of Fox 4 News has the most dramatic silent voice in the history of ever - I have no idea who the girls in this photo to right are - I don't believe you can ever learn anything meaningful if you eat lunch with more than three people at one time - Tazers are a great idea. In a person to person stand off, no one has to die - At every Dallas City Council meeting, there is a sign interpreter for the deaf. I bet 99% of the time there is not a deaf person in the audience - The Supreme Court opinion today about Texas redistricting was over 100 pages long. - My favorite moment of the day is when I crawl into bed - I watch HBO's Entourage but that's about it (as far as regular entertainment programs are concerned) - I don't understand anyone who eats alone that doesn't have a magazine or newspaper to read - I know of three Dallas Morning News newstands in Decatur. (And the one across from the Messenger is oftentimes empty by noon). - I read the sports page first, the editorial/op-ed page next, then the metro section, and then the business section. (And I generally skim all of it in the matter of 15 minutes) - There should be a standardized concept to the "home menu" of every DVD. - I receive Newsweek and People at my home. - I never buy the USA Today but it is by far the best newspaper in America - The first time I saw the Internet was in 1996. A buddy of mine showed me a weather satellite photo that had been taken 15 minutes earlier. I couldn't believe that could be delivered on demand into your home. I rambled on and on about the Internet for the next couple of months and people looked at me like I was crazy. - I had a jonesin' for Elaine in the first three years of Seinfeld. After that, didn't care for her too much. - One of these days I'm just going to walk away from it all

I Never Watch "The View" But This Is Fairly Interesting

Star Jones tells the audience of "The View" yesterday that she won't be coming back in the fall. Behind the scenes, everyone knew it because the network had decided it didn't want Star on the show anymore. But Star surprised all her co-workers by announcing her upcoming departure to the world yesterday - something that she wasn't suppossed to do. Result: She is immediately thrown off the show and Barbara Walters lets the world know it. Never double-cross Barbara.

You Wanted A Picture Of The Sheriff . . .

. . . we got a picture of the Sheriff. (From this week's front page of the Messenger on a story regarding the banning of the use of fireworks.)

Tell Me She Didn't

Another one is here and here. (Rumor has it that she will not appear on the cover after the Dateline appearance didn't go as well as planned.)

"Our Little Girl's All Growns Up"

LeAnn Rimes has released a pop album in England that you can't hardly find in the U.S. For those interested, you can check out a video from the album at youtube.com. (Sounds pretty good, and she looks really hot).

Supreme Court Rules: Republicans Are God

The Supreme Court just ruled that the redrawn Congressional districts in Texas that were redrawn in 2003 are (mostly) constitutional. In other news, former Rep. Charles Stenholm just fell down.

What About Kissing Girls That Smoke?

The Surgeon General issued a report on second hand smoke yesterday that was over the top. Yeah, being locked in a room of smoke for a week might cause a problem, but the extremes to which the report went were silly: "There is no safe level of secondhand smoke, and even brief exposure can cause harm," the report concluded. He made it sound as if walking by someone who is smoking may make you fall dead of cancer within the next 10 steps. Somebody's got an agenda to ban smoking from every building, public or private, in the nation. Heaven forbid for the market place to decide where smoking is allowed.

Jessica Simpson Pops Into My Mind On Thursdays

Crime Stoppers Fees

Channel 5 just told me that Wise County Crime Stoppers would pay up to $1,000 for tips leading to the arrest (and conviction?) of anyone using fireworks over the July 4th holidays. Question: I know that every person who ends up on a misdemeanor probation (and that is a ton of people) pays $50 to the Crime Stoppers fund. I seriously doubt that the fund ever pays out many rewards. I wonder how much money is sitting in the Wise County Crime Stoppers Fund. (If anybody at the Treasurer's Office or Sheriff's Office emails me with the answer, I'll tell you.)

Israel Chaos

As I say time and time again, I'm an idiot on foreign relations. But the news today that an Israeli soldier was kidnapped by the Palestinians which prompted the Israelis to roll tanks into the Gaza Strip is big news. Make no mistake about it: If any Arab country ever attacks Israel, the U.S. will commit billions of dollars and every last soldier to protect them. Hold your breath. Iraq would look like High Tea.

"I Think I Love You, But What Am I So Afraid Of"

This is David Cassidy's daughter, Katie, who has beaten out Jessica Simpson and Kristin Cavallari for the role of Lucy Ewing in the big screen version of 'Dallas'. The movie will start production in October and star John Travolta as J.R. Ewing and Jennifer Lopez as Sue Ellen.

The Partridge Family seems like a long, long time ago.

I'm Glad This Wasn't Done For Publicity

President Bush jogs with Army Staff Sgt. Christian Bagge, 23, from Eugene, Ore., who lost both legs to a roadside bomb in Iraq, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington Tuesday, June 27, 2006. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Eva Longoria Hits The Pool This Weekend

Whew. That Almost Ruined My Weekend.

Today the Senate failed, by one vote, to pass a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban flag burning. I fully expect the sun not to come up tomorrow and civilization to be over.

Missing Irving Boy

"Almost a week after a 2-year-old Irving boy disappeared from a city park, utility workers are monitoring sewer lines in case the toddler fell into a sinkhole, a police spokesman said Tuesday." Have you guys seen the news coverage of this? Mom is chit chatting (or whatever) with her boyfriend in a truck and the two year old wanders off in the park. The police, for some crazy reason, think he was abducted. Then yesterday the news shows us this HUGE sinkhole by the park. Uh. I'd check the sinkhole.

Cowboys, Cowboys, Cowboys

If you have the normal urge to avoid your family and wish it were football season, you can watch this on the NFL Channel on Sunday: 1:00 PM CT: In Their Own Words: Emmitt Smith 2:00 PM CT: NFL Network Game of the Week: 2005, Week 14 -- Chiefs/Cowboys 3:00 PM CT: NFL Network Game of the Week: 2005, Week 10 -- Cowboys/Eagles 4:00 PM CT: Greatest Moments in Dallas Cowboys History 5:00 PM CT: Wizard: The Jimmy Johnson Story 6:00 PM CT: Emmitt Smith: Run with History 7:00 PM CT: NFL Network Game of the Week: 2005, Week 14 -- Chiefs/Cowboys 8:00 PM CT: NFL Network Game of the Week: 2005, Week 10 -- Cowboys/Eagles 9:00 PM CT: 1971 Dallas Cowboys Team Highlight 9:30 PM CT: Super Bowl VI Highlight 10:00 PM CT: 1977 Dallas Cowboys Team Highlight 10:30 PM CT: Super Bowl XII Highlight 11:00 PM CT: 1992 Dallas Cowboys Team Highlight 11:30 PM CT: Super Bowl XXVII Highlight 12:00 AM CT: 1993 Dallas Cowboys Team Highlight 12:30 AM CT: Super Bowl XXVIII Highlight 1:00 AM CT: 1995 Dallas Cowboys Team Highlight 1:30 AM CT: Super Bowl XXX Highlight

NASCAR Giggle

NASCAR driver Elliot Sadler was co-hosting a show on SPEED Channel when a co-host talked him into taking a stage dive into a crowd of adoring fans. And it didn’t go well. (But the "ooooohhhhh" at the 55 second point is very funny.) He was OK, by the way.

My Life Is So Odd

Texas isn't California: Spent the last 7 hours in a one day jury trial - from jury selection to verdict. Gave me Tired Head. But life is good.

And You Thought That 4 Hour Levitra Side Effect Would Be A Problem.

This is worse.

Only Trust him, Only Trust him, Only Trust him Now

"A bill becomes the rule of the land when Congress passes it and the president signs it into law, right? "Not necessarily, according to the White House. A law is not binding when a president issues a separate statement saying he reserves the right to revise, interpret or disregard it on national security and constitutional grounds. "That's the argument a Bush administration official is expected to make Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who has demanded a hearing on a practice he considers an example of the administration's abuse of power." (Story) We live in Bizarro world. But at least we now know what we all suspected: This Administration does whatever it wants, whenever it wants.

Does The Term "Hobbling" Ring A Bell?

"LONDON (Reuters) - Children's author J.K. Rowling has revealed that at least two characters will die in the seventh and final installment of her bestselling Harry Potter series, but was careful not to say who." (Story) Considering her crazy fan base, she might want to read or watch Stephen King's Misery first.

Random News Thought

Every morning on the local news, there are about three or four stories of fires (apartment, home, warehouse) that occurred the day before. Every report ends with "investigators have not determined the cause of the blaze." They don't have to say that.

Uh, No

There was a rumor that Reese Witherspoon was pregnant. (She is even suing Star Magazine for saying that she deceived a movie studio over her "with child" status.)

This pic was taken over the weekend.

Me loves me some . . . oh, you know.

Pat Riley Dancing At The Miami Heat Parade

Thank goodness we didn't see Mark Cuban attempt this. But Riley (I can't believe I'm saying this) didn't look that bad.

The Dog From "Frazier" Has Died

That makes me sadder than the death of Aaron Spelling.

I Do Not Take Joy In Other's Misfortune . . .

. . . unless you are a mean spirited hypocrite: WEST PALM BEACH - Sources have confirmed to CBS4 News that conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh has been detained at Palm Beach International Airport for the possible possession of illegal prescription drugs Monday evening. Limbaugh was returning on a flight from the Dominican Republic when officials found the drugs, among them Viagra. Limbaugh entered a plea deal back in April in a previous case where his charge of fraud to conceal information to obtain prescriptions was dropped under the condition he continue undergoing treatment for addiction. Limbaugh had admitted to being addicted to pain killers on his radio program and had entered a rehabilitation program prior to that arrest. (Source)

I Bet This Guy Is Pretty Funny

Being a wiseguy on a standard questionnaire for potential jurors earned a man a night in jail this week. Asked if had ever fired a weapon, Benjamin Ratliffe wrote, "Yes. I killed someone with it, of course. Right." Any serious health problems? "I’ve got a bad jonesin’ for heroin. Really I do," he wrote. "Massive amounts of lithium are needed for me to focus. That and Coke." (Story) "I got a bad jonesin'" may become my new catch phrase.

Me Loves Me Some Keira Knightley

Worth Watching

A jury is deliberating in Dallas in a case where a SMU fraternity pledge was "pressured" into drinking a ton of water. The guy doing the pressuring - some how, some way - was convicted of aggravated assault last week. Sheesh. (The victim spent 10 days in a hospital but is fine now.) Any way, he is probation eligible but the Morning News reported this morning that he is currently on "six probations". The prosecutors are trying to send him to the pen. I don't know anything about his current probations other than they are either misdemeanors or deferred adjudication felonies - he wouldn't be eligible for probation otherwise. Despite his history, this doesn't sound like a case worth sending a guy to the pen for. Edit & Update: Probation it is.

Minor League, Major Meltdown

We Are So Slow To Respond To Societal Changes

I was listening to a recording of NPR's This American Life this weekend which involved a story about an interracial couple in the 1960s in the South and the difficulties they faced. As I was driving along, the narrator said that a state statute prevented the couple from getting married because the Supreme Court didn't declare such laws unconstitutional until 1967. 1967! You gotta be kidding me. I looked it up. It's true. Here's the text of the statute: "If any white person intermarry with a colored person, or any colored person intermarry with a white person, he shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by confinement in the penitentiary for not lass than one nor more than five years."

Any Chance Beer Was Involved?

It's Hard To Believe 10 Years Has Passed

You probably saw that Patsy Ramsey, the mother of JonBenet Ramsey, died this weekend of cancer. She was 49. A great line this morning on the news: "Her death is probably the only way she would ever find peace - both from the grief over her daughter and from the accusations that she was involved in the murder."

You Can Be Annoying

Click here and put your mouse over this guy's face.

This Won't Do It Justice . . .

But Fox 4 News just had the most moving feature on the American Child Photographers Charity Guild. The basics: It is an organization which allows for professional photographers to donate their talents for the purpose of taking photographs of terminally ill children and their families. Its web site doesn't do it justice either. The photographs that were shown on the news were so touching and tender. I'm frustrated that I can't describe it more effectively.

My Eyes!!!!

It's gay pride month across the world. I haven't seen a parade in Decatur yet, but the Village Voice in New York celebrates the event with this cover.

Choking Experience

On Saturday night I had dinner at Sam and Harry's in the Worthington Hotel. (Fancy restaurants, in general, violate my "restaurants are the worst bang for the buck" policy - but I digress). Anyway, I had the joy of seeing a lady at the table next to mine be subjected to the Heimlich Maneuver in the middle of dinner. (And that was performed by the waiter). Then, to my amazement, the lady goes right back to her steak and wine. A real trooper. We need more women like that.

Perky

It was 6:30 a.m. last Saturday morning. I, for some unexplained reason, always sleep with the TV on. I awake, groggily, and look at the screen to see Channel 8's Debbie Denmon (live) interviewing former Olympic Star Mary Lou Retton. Sweet Mary Lou was about to go to some "Race for the Cure" or something. But what's the real reason she was on TV at the break of dawn? Mary Lou is a new spokesman for a Pfizer product to assist those that constantly go to the bathroom. “I used to have to go to the bathroom constantly, sometimes more than 25 times a day,” I heard her say. I don't know why that moment was so surreal to me. But I did have to go to the bathroom at that point.

Yes, I Do Leave The House

I saw Lewis Black (contributer to Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show") at the Bass Hall last night in downtown Fort Worth. That was the first time I'd ever been to the Bass Hall. It's great. And I was stunned to see the place sold out for a left leaning comedian in the heart of Texas.

Spoof of Britney Spears Dateline Today Show Interview

This is kinda entertaining (one F bomb warning), but the production value is very impressive.