StumbleUpon

I think this is great. A quick download creates a little toolbar on your browser with a "StumbleUpon" button. You click it and it takes you to a random website that you are probably interested in (you set up a checklist of interests in the beginning). Some screen shots and explanations are here. You can go straight to StumbleUpon here. I messed with a little this morning and I think it is great. Really great. That button just stares at you daring you to push it.

Random Weather Thought

I was of high school age on April 10, 1979 when a violent tornado hit Wichita Falls. I remember that night my family in Bridgeport went across the street to the neighbor's storm cellar (remember those?). When the wind kicked up that night, everyone was gun shy because of what had happened in Wichita Falls earlier in the day. I stumbled across the page of photos of the damage cause by the storm. Fascinating stuff.

"That's Where I Draw The Line"

CNN had a special on tonight about racism in America. This woman from Vidor, TX made the program. She discriminates against blacks but, it seems, not against cheeseburgers. Lots of cheeseburgers.

I Triple Don't Know

I Don't Know

I Was Able To . . .

. . . snap this picture of a table ornament - a blatant establishment of religon - at the Wise County District Clerk's office. I'm calling the ACLU! They'll have an injunction slapped on 'em as quickly as you can say Kwanza.

UCLA . . .

. . . has something called an "Undie Run". That's "undie" as in "underwear." I refuse to link to it.

Strangest Headline In The History Of Ever

Story.

Getting Ratings By Being Holier Than Thou

Dr. Phil Kicks "Bumfight" Producer Off The Show

This is so weird - it happened a few days ago. Dr. Phil has some guy on his show who produces "Bumfights" - videos of homeless people doing violent acts for money. Dr. Phil starts the show with a pre-packaged video segment of excerpts from the videos then, after the thing is clearly about over, dramatically says "Stop the tape." Then, it gets stranger. The young producer of "Bumfights" is sitting on stage dressed as Dr. Phil - complete with a bald head. Then Dr. Phil kicks the guy off stage because "I don't want to talk to you." Then Dr. Phil turns to the audience and says, "I'm sorry. I just watched that footage and it is despicable and I refuse to publicize it." What? This show isn't live is it? Didn't he make a decision to publicize it by airing it?

Elf Yourself?

www.elfyourself.com It really works. Place your face (or someone else's face) on a dancing elf and send it in an email. Uh, is that the Sheriff?

Father Pansa Pansza?

It looks like a priest from Wichita Falls has been removed of his duties after a possible sexual offense in the 1970s. He apparently served in Bridgeport and Decatur based upon a Fox 4 News report tonight. (The Star Telegram has the story here. It reads: "He has served as pastor at St. John the Baptizer church in Bridgeport, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary church in Decatur and St. Mary church in Jacksboro.")

The Star-Telegram Was Bi-Polar Today

Both articles appeared today. (But the cutting and scanning was sooooo not worth the effort.)

A Pee Wee Size Mike Singletary

(That's a linebacker reference for you non-1980s-Baylor-Fans). Sidenote: Check out the huge size of the kid not involved in the play - he can be seen a second before the video ends. (It's short - about 13 seconds.)

Look out!

I didn't get a picture of it, but I'm pretty sure I saw a camera set up along the highway to catch speeders in Rhome a second ago.

Barney Got Me A Thinkin'

Decatur resident and good guy Barney Williamson wrote a Letter to the Editor to the Messenger last week. Barney had fallen in a parking lot of the Decatur Post Office and was almost was run over by a car that was backing up. As he wrote, "The back end of her car moved directly over my head. I was looking up at the bottom of her car. I couldn’t roll out of the way, and there was no way I could push myself away from the car." But a man, who he does not know and cannot identify, got the attention of the driver and stopped a possible catastrophe. But what got my attention was this from Barney: "I have prayed many times in the past 24 hours. I have thanked God for His intervention, for permitting me to live a little longer. I thank God for those people, for THAT MAN. I wish I knew his name. I wish I could tell him personally how truly thankful I am." This got me thinking about God's intervention. I guess in Barney's scenario he (and perhaps most) believe that God stepped in and put the mystery man in a position to save Barney's life. But to believe that also means that you believe God had no role whatsoever in placing Barney in the parking lot at that moment, in that piece of ice being on the sidewalk, in Barney slipping on that ice, or Barney being alone when he fell. It's as if God is generally "hands off", letting the world go in its own natural course, but only intervenes when he sees fit. Which gives rise to some troubling questions when we read about accidental deaths (like the one Barney avoided). In those situations, did God choose not act? Did he see a tragic death about to occur but simply didn't intercede? And the converse question must also be asked: Does God ever set the wheels in motion for the "accidental" death to occur? I think about stuff like this a lot.

I Think I Have Repressed Memories . . .

. . . of my brother doing this to me when we were kids.

Top Grossing Movies for 2006

Link. Man, Pirates of the Caribbean was a money machine.

Baby Beyonce

I laughed at this the first time I saw it a couple of years ago. First watch this 10 second clip of Beyonce doing some booty shaking in the "So Crazy In Love" video and then watch this clip from America's Funniest Home Videos. Triple good times.

The Star of "Brokeback Mountain" . . .

. . . Jake Gyllenhaal. Hook 'em.

Merry Christmas From The Bushes

The jacket thrown over the shoulder look is a little gay, but what is up with the tie-over-the-shoulder look? And was Barbara ever young?

A Sweet Christmas Story

There is a man who has been on Texas' death row since January 8, 1976. And he's still alive. That, my friends, is a record. Appeals, reversals, and re-trials have caused the delay. But not for much longer. An execution date has now been set for January 25, 2007. It looks like it will happen. Check out his TDC information here.

Time Waste

I have no idea what the purpose of this is.

Todd Dodge To North Texas

Southlake Carroll's Todd Dodge is headed to the University of North Texas as its head coach. Random thoughts from my large Sports Brain: - I'm not so sure that the Southlake job isn't a better gig. - For a salary of $200,000 a year, North Texas got a bargain. Heck, the school has received that much in free advertising over the last 24 hours due to the coverage. - The Dallas Morning News had a good headline: "Enter The Dragon" - Dodge's last game at Carroll will probably be next week against Austin Westlake High School. His next game after that will be September 1st against the Oklahoma Sooners.

As I Ponder About How E-Coli Can't Touch Me . . .

. . . I also wonder why the Taco Bell drive through greeter says, "How are you today?" followed by an awkward pause.

Santa Just Gave Me His Number

800.972.6242

Update On The Pauly Shore Punch

Story.

Screenshot From ABC's World News Tonight

He bet his presidency on it. He lost. Big time.

I Scream, You Scream

The homepage of Google confused me today for awhile. But I learned that it is the birthday of artist Edvard Munch. Uh, he painted this.

Pause

This story, of the presumed death of the daughter of former Dallas Stars general manager Bob Gainey, has been in the news for about four days. But there is just something about it. If she had died in a car crash or of cancer, it probably wouldn't even have made the news. But being swept overboard off of a boat into the cold Atlantic Ocean gets our attention. Maybe it's because we all wonder about the horror of what that experience would be like.

Matt Damon Impersonates Matthew McConaughey

Not bad. Not bad at all. (As a tech sidenote, this youtube.com clip is authorized as part of an agreement between CBS and youtube. CBS, you see, gets it.)

Frilly's?

You Might Be A Redneck . . .

. . . if you punch Pauly Shore last weekend in an Odessa Comedy Club. Google video here (warning - lots of F bombs). I'm trying to confirm this (it certainly looks real) and he was scheduled to appear in Odessa last weekend. There is obvious editing at the end of the clip of the audio. Edit: You know, the more I think about this, the more I think it may be staged. What greater way to get free press for a very spare comedian than a 'Kramer-esque' like comedy club video? If so, Shore probably agreed to subject himself to a pretty good blow, but it was all in the name of free advertisement.

Fun With Meth

Just move the mouse over the pictures.

Don't Click On That Link

Link.

"Do Da Heizman on Dat Ho"

I've got a new dance move I'm breaking out at Northside this weekend. Guys do it. Girls do it.

The Cowboys' New Stadium Looks . . . Cool

Teach Your Children Well

An instructional video to teach children how to act once dad arrives home (as it appeared on Mystery Science Theater 3000 - where wise guy comments are overlayed.) It's a little long, but funny. My favorite part: "With your own family, you can relax. Be yourself. Just be sure it's your best self" and "unemotional conversation helps digestion."

Let's Keep Those Dirty Illegals Out Of Our Country!!

Right? Because this is our country! Right? Well, here is part of the new immigration test - How well do you know your country? 1. What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution?

2 The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

3 What Cabinet-level agency advises the President on foreign policy?

4 Who is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court now?

5 What does it mean that the U.S. Constitution is a constitution of limited powers?

6 What is the current minimum wage in the U.S.?

7 What are "inalienable rights"?

8 Name one of the writers of the Federalist Papers.

9 What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

10 What is the tallest mountain in the United States?

Answers.

Ok, You Hardliners . . .

. . . how do you feel about a 17 year old Hispanic who gets drunk and makes "a pass" at a 12 year old? Do you think he should be "beaten, kicked, stomped, burned and sodomized with the plastic pole of a patio umbrella"? If you answered "yes", here's what could happen to you.

Bow To Your Sensei

Random pic I found when I googled "Decatur Texas" images.

My New Trial Suit

If it's good enough for Matthew, it's good enough for . . . uh . . . nevermind.

My Final Marathon Post

For the full marathon, there are apparently two huge hills that begin at mile marker 19. They have been dubbed "The Dolly Partons" by those that regularly run the course. (Insert childish giggle here.) This pic was taken yesterday at the beginning of the hills - A local resident decided to do some schtick. Ya think a huge question mark formed over that Kenyon Kenyan runner's head?

What Is Wrong With This Sign?

You know, I think I'm at least guilty of saying that. Source.

Let Me Bore You A Little More

Now I don't know what my time was on the half marathon. My "bib number" was 9157 but the results for that number came back to a "Barron Green" who ran a 2:02:43 (and "that person" was listed in an age division higher than mine). Today the results list a "Barry Green" with a bib number of 9158 who ran a 1:51:51 (and was listed in my age range.) I'm just gonna declare myself the winner and be done with it.

Paris Hilton And Her Sister

I'm very offended by this. So offended that I did not look [link fixed] at the other pics taken at the same time.

Sheesh

In looking over the Dallas Morning News at lunch I learned that Mayor Laura Miller ran the half marathon and beat me by four minutes. And then, depression set in.

Contrast

Seen a moment ago in Fort Worth: a poor lady beside a bench sign that advertised 'Upscale Resale' clothing.

This Kid

. . . a high school running-back from Cypress, TX has become a youtube.com phenomenon for a couple of runs this season. See them here. See a list of colleges that he is considering here - Baylor isn't on the list so he may be a legitimate prospect.

Covenant Marriage?

From the Star-Telegram:

Rep. Bill Zedler, R-Arlington, hopes to stem the divorce rate with a bill that would make covenant marriage an option for Texans, as it already is in three other states . . . .

Zedler's bill would allow couples to choose a covenant marriage, which is harder to dissolve than a traditional marriage.

Couples who agreed to a covenant marriage would have to undergo premarital counseling and get marriage counseling before filing for a divorce.

Unlike traditional marriages, which can be dissolved in Texas without either party admitting fault, a covenant marriage could be terminated only on grounds such as adultery, abuse or a spouse being convicted of a felony. Absent that, a couple in a covenant marriage could be granted a divorce if they lived separately for at least three years.

Anybody want to sign up?

At The Start . . .

. . . which was at the Victory Plaza (?) development, there were a couple of huge video screens which, I think, are always there.

Artists On My MP3 Player This Morning

I'm In Pain

I'm proud to announce that I didn't die and successfully completed my first half marathon this morning. (Although, as the clip above indicates, I will never be able to prove it since I will forever be remembered as "Barron Green" in the official records. Question: How does that happen when I'm the one that entered my name in the registration system?). Time: 2:02.43. Pace per mile: 9:22. Sore? You bet. Observations: - 13.11 miles is a long way - I really got light headed on the last three miles - When I passed the 8 mile mark, I realized I was now running a longer distance than I ever had in my life. A very odd feeling for a middle aged white guy. - Very interesting: 4,570 people participated in the half marathon of which 2,501 were female and 2,069 were males - There were a lot of those women that passed my by - Several times I thought to myself, "Hey, now!" - The event started at the American Airlines Center and you can't believe the amount of construction going on around it - The race began by winding us through Uptown. I ran right by an apartment I lived in exactly 20 years ago (at a rate of $350 a month) - The race is a huge event for those just watching - neighborhoods were lined with people cheering us on and holding signs. - My favorite signs: "Run Forest Run!" and one with a picture of Borat reading: "You run far. Niiiiiice." - The homes in the Turtle Creek area were amazing. The homes on Swiss Avenue were older but beautiful. - After the race, the AAC was opened up with free fruit, yogart, and (oddly) pizza. But that's not as odd as the free beer stand - There is absolutely no way in the world I could complete a full marathon