What Song Is This?

Stick with it. At the halfway point it all becomes clear.

Offensive?

This is the front page of the sports section of the Ohio State University student newspaper on the day after the school lost the National Championship game to LSU.

Controversial? Are you reminded of anything?

Friday Afternoon Pick Me Up

Let's Just Crown Everyone Champion

Story.

The World's Gone Crazy

Story. Yep, that's the case from Tyler that made headlines earlier this week.

Sirens

There have been a bunch of sirens going off in Decatur over the last 30 minutes. And it can't be related to the earlier bus wreck. Anybody know anything?

And It's The High School Making The Mistake

A Picture

The Update made reference to a school bus wreck this morning on 287. A fellow blogger snapped a couple of pics here.

Hey, I Knew Who That Guy Was

Random thought as I otherwise ponder that Countrywide's stock went up over 50% yesterday:

I mentioned a couple of days ago that I have begun listening to an unabridged audio book: Into Thin Air. Let me say this about audio books since this is the first one I have ever listened to - they are absolutely great. Fantastic. Wonderful. Since I listened to it exclusively in the car, I'm tempted to go drive around right now. I'm forever hooked.

And Into Thin Air (I'm halfway through) is incredible. It's about a writer/climber who went with a group to the top of Mount Everest in 1996 only to meet tragedy - apparently the greatest death toll in any one day in the history of the mountain. But, as any book like that will do, it gave some background on the subject, to-wit: Mount Everest. For any of you that have become immersed in a book, you feel like its subject should be on everyone's mind even though you're the only one interested. That being said, my ears perked up yesterday, when I learned that Edmund Hillary, the first man to ever reach the summit, died yesterday. Oddly, I had learned a great deal about him only the day before.

Reading about those guys that defy death (sometimes) as they chase their dreams makes my day job seem very boring at this moment.

Jacksboro Needs To Set Its Goals Higher

Hey, I've heard of people seeing the face of Jesus in a muffin or the face of Mary in a bean burrito, but in Jacksboro they've got people seeing Our Lady of Guadalupe in a tree. Heck, I don't even know who that Lady is. Since those images are always so open to interpretation, I'd have called it Mary just for the publicity. Or at least Our Lady Of The North Fork of The Trinity River.

Friday Morning One Video Dance Off

Ok, I promise to do better in the future to have a true Dance Off. For today, please enjoy these guys giving it the What For with the briefest appearance by a toddler.

We've Reached A Milestone

And Another

But I'm drawing the line on this one. Completely unacceptable.

Edit: But we do have some good news today as the hottest teacher in the history of ever won't have her probation revoked.

Cowboy Playoff Pre-Game Party

Hey, this was posted on Sports Illustrated and the D Magazine blog, so it must be OK. They say that the jersey is "painted on." Not so sure about that.

National Weather Service Is Jumpy

I've got a little widget connected to my Firefox browser that pops up a warning every time the National Weather Service issues one. I've learned that it doesn't take much for the NWS to fire off a warning. That freakin' thing goes off 40 times a week.

But, uh, I wouldn't shoot offf a bunch of fireworks today if I were you.

I Can't Imagine

A two year old drowned in a backyard pool in Colleyville yesterday. Awful. The location was only referenced as the "6900 Block of Shephards Glen." Looks like a nice area. Not that that matters.

Very Random Traffic Thought

That goofy back road that you have to take to get to all the restaurants near Western Center Boulevard was not well planned. You know, exit Western Center, hang a left to go under 35, and then hang a quick right at the dry cleaners as you sneak through a tiny entrance. Only to then navigate a winding road with tons of pot holes.

Saw it driven last night by a massive new pickup at a ridiculous speed while jumping a curb. And I got to see the driver stop at a restaurant as his wife and baby got out. Sheesh.

Dirk Nowitzki's Wedding Proposal

Wise County Truck Safety

From the Star-Telegram yesterday. And I know you loves you some truck safety. Click to enlarge.

(Thanks to emailer.)

Hey, Now

A reporter who just happens to be from Mexico showed up at Valley Ranch today and got the only interview with T.O. Fox 4 had the screenshot above (that's Owens behind the curtain) and then Dale Hansen of Channel 8 identified her as Ines Sainz.

You're welcome.

Fox 4's Coverage Of Cold Case Murder Arrest

Channel 8 covered the story as well. Not sure about Channel 5.

Star-Telegram story here which made the front page.

Those Dang Southern Transplants

There's really not much of a story here other than this guy just got his fifth DUI arrest in Massachusetts. That and he has a great mug shot. I mean, it just yells, "I've had a bad freakin' day! A really bad day!"

But we do have a Texas connection: He has two DWIs from the Lone Star State. Figured there's a chance he might be from Rhome or something.

Wednesday Afternoon Pick Me Up

That murder talk got us all depressed.

Murder Arrest

Crazy story in the update of a New Fairview guy being arrested on a two decade old murder out of Wyoming. In googling the name, I came across this pdf file from a New Fairview city council meeting. Was this guy a city councilman?

A Jacksboro Kinda Morning

So it will be slow around here.

But along the way I'll utilizing the Ipod Shuffle I got for Christmas (which is great by the way) by listening to an audio book I bought off I-Tunes (which is greater by the way.) It's old but I've always wanted to "read" it.

Oh, My

Headline in a story in the Wise County Messenger.

Wise County's (Kinda) Brush With Greatness

I have a faithful reader who swears Paris Hilton was in Denton today at Sally's Beauty Supply to hawk her new products. He says the company sent out an internal email telling the employees not to harass her if they saw her.

Developing . . .

Politics

This is written at 8:13 with 34% of the precincts reporting in New Hampshire:

- If Hillary wins this thing (she is up 40% to 36% over Obama), her acceptance speech will be gold. Thought to be dead in the water, she'll be crazy with glee. To quote Pulp Fiction, "Just be cool, Honey Bunny. Just be cool."
- Fred Thompson has 1% of the Republican vote. Yep. 1%. (For every 66 people that voted for McCain, 1 voted for Thompson.) Did he die earlier today? I think I could have received more than 1%.
- John McCain can smile all he wants. I'm counting him out.
- Mitt Romney did the smartest thing: Be the first one on TV to address his crowd even though he came in second. He knows we have a short attention span and wouldn't be around later.
- Good lord, Ron Paul and Rudy Giuliani are neck and neck at around 10% of the vote. Talk about dead in the water.
- Good grief, John Edwards gave the EXACT same speech as last week - going into stories of three people he had recently met who got screwed by the health care system. The exact same speech. Yeah, I know that happens but could you change it up just a little?

Edit:
- Just watched Obama's speech. Man, when he gets going he gets going. I think, and I can't believe I'm saying this, I had chills. The man may win it all when it's all said and done.
- But Obama's entry music of Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" should have been changed.
- The Democrats seem energized. The Republicans seem, well, defeated and uninspired.

Fox 4 Headline Writer Still Slapping His Knee

Original.

(Thanks to emailer.)

LSU Wins Championship - Kid Probably Misses Daycare

Legal News That Even I Don't Understand

Back in 2004, a verdict was handed down in Wise County for $23.6 million in connection with the death of a "Kim Hughes; her mother, Joyce Watkins, and her two children, Shiloh Hughes and Afton Hughes Royse, all of Paradise. Royse also lost her two unborn children." Last year, the Fort Worth Court of Appeals took away some of the damages but left most of the verdict intact. The defendants then appealed to the Texas Supreme Court that only has to hear the case if it wants to. Normally, the court's web site would say the Defendant's Petition for Discretionary Review was either "granted" or "denied." At least I think that's the way it works, but I haven't practiced civil law in 20 years. But the court's web site is showing that something is going on because it has requested both sides to submit "Briefs on the merits." (Here.) I'm sure someone out there can explain it. Edit: To "Family Friends". Sorry that I couldn't publish the comment.

Dark Days Ahead

Well, the college football season came to a close last night which means my depression is sure to follow. Where's the Paxil online prescription web site? But, as we bring the curtain down, the final AP and Coaches Polls were released with Tech managing to make it in and the Evil Empire even having a Top Ten finish in one of them.

But with only three weeks left of NFL action (and with a very real possibility the Cowboys are down to one week - get ready for my Sport Genius prediction later this week), the dark days of sports are coming. The NBA? Kill me. Baseball? Triple Kill me. March Madness? Ok, don't kill me for the opening weekend.

Mayor Of The Year

And this story comes from Arlington, Oregon where (according to an emailer), former Messenger Editor Skip Nichols is residing (at least nearby.)

Fate

I'm not particularly interested in SMU paying June Jones a fortune to become its new head football coach. But I was reminded that he almost died in this car crash in 2001.

Edit: Additional thought. Jones will be making $2 million per year placing his salary in the Top 20 in America. Amazing. UNT's Todd Dodge makes $266,000. Gary Patterson at TCU makes $1.29 million.

From A . . .

. . . random Wise County emailer this morning:

I was standing in line at a local grocery store this morning and a lady was buying milk, bread, and eggs with food stamps. If that does not take long enough, I became irritated that I was in the "short line" and it was taking a really long time because the lady that was running the check out, had no clue how to use food stamps. Then, to TOP OFF my irritation, the customer, (very nicely dressed I might add) tried to slide in some Camel cigarettes with some "extra food stamps" she said she had..............LORD ALMIGHTY, the checker had to ask the manager, then they tried to "confiscate" the food stamps from the "smoking in line lady."

Random Movie Thoughts

- I watched an old Jimmy Stewart movie (directed by Alfred Hitchcock) last week called Rope. I had never heard of it until Thomas Aaaberg in the County Attorney's office told me about it. Verdict: Not bad (with the exception of a very silly climatic speech by Stewart.)

- Finally saw Shaun Of The Dead. Verdict: Pretty clever. Pretty funny. (And I would mention that a couple of characters from the British version of The Office were in it, but no one cares. Uh, note to County Attorney Greg Lowery: Can I have my DVD multi-set collection of the British Office back? You've had it for three years.)

Poll Closed

Huckabee in a landslide of biblical proportions. [Rimshot.] He'll probably come in third or fourth in New Hampshire (since a Southern Baptist ex-preacher doesn't stand a chance up there), but I think he's in good shape the rest of the way.

(And, by the way, the graphics for the poll results are awful - one thing that Google, who hosts this blog, does poorly.)

You're Not What?

I don't know who Rudy Gay is, but you have to choose your words carefully when you discuss him. And check out the guy trying not to laugh. (It's a quick clip and the zinger occurs about halfway through.)

Triple Monday Afternoon Pick Me Up

Jennifer Aniston. "Hey, now" does not do thy justice.

That's A Lie, Too

The above is taken from Rudy Giuliani's web site about his stance on "The Second Amendment."

Explain to me how a President can "make sure" that if someone commits a gun crime, they will go to prison for the mandatory sentence?

That's A Lie

Dallas DA Craig Watkins writes an op-ed piece about his first year in office. Although I like the guy, this is crazy talk:

We came to office with the mantra of being "smart on crime." This encompasses vigorously prosecuting and seeking tough punishments for criminals who are found guilty of violent crimes. It also means we employ a method of prosecution that has produced a conviction rate of 98.5 percent over the last year.

98.5%? Absolutely impossible. No way. It cannot be done. If that number concerned only jury trials (which is doesn't), you wouldn't have a conviction rate even close to that. DWI trials alone are historically a 50/50 proposition. If that number involves all cases (including plea bargains) then I bet the number is under 50% when you consider how often deferred adjudication is given (which, by definition, means there is not a conviction.)

"98.5%" is an outright lie.

Edit: Someone wrote that he meant the conviction rate was 98.5% higher than the year before. I don't think that's what he meant at all. I think he is saying "Over the last year, we have a conviction rate of 98.5%" And whoever wrote the caption for the DMN for the photo above, sure read it as I did. (But it was an interesting take.)

Crazy Bob Knight

I know I've got a lot of Tech fans who drive by here. They'll probably be interested in this from the weekend.

Random New York Front Page

And, by the way, it has been 4,027 since the Cowboys last won a playoff game.

Edit: From today's Wade Phillips' press conference about the status of T.O.: “He was still limping [today], and we’ve got a little bit of a dilemma there,” Phillips said. “Looks like it will be a game-time decision. He couldn’t have played if the game was today.” Uh. Oh.

Not A Monday Morning Pick Me Up

Story. And it's odd when a myspace page of the victim is left up and running.

Edit: Found the following picture. And do you think your life has gone horribly wrong if the words "Accused Cannibal" appear by your photo?


Edit #2: Uh, not the best headline . . .

Olan Mills . . .

. . . from days gone bad.

Very Random Observation

While looking at the Decatur High School web site, I stumbled across a bunch of photos from the "Battle of The Big Sandy." (Note: you guys over there might want to think about "sizing" those photos for the web.)

Anyway, do all high school girls have manicured nails?

I Went To Cabo In July

But Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson are there now? We're doomed.

(Generic picture.)

Edit: Someone pointed out the picture was photoshopped. Thank goodness. I thought I was losing my mind - that arch is not along a beach but can only be visited by boat.

Ya Think?

In a page filler story in the Morning News about former Cowboys receiver Tony Hill, 51, who last played in 1986:

Mr. Hill said he follows the Cowboys but has no fantasies about being able to play again, noting that he's 30 to 40 pounds over his playing weight of 210.

Going Polling

I really like the poll on the side. I need to do that more often. And, with 70% of the precincts reporting, it looks like Huckabee in a landslide. I'm mad because I didn't save the results of the very same poll I put up about six months ago, and I'll swear Huckabee didn't finish with even 5% of the vote. Admittedly, I didn't know who he was either back then. (As a sidenote, I search this little blog for "poll results" and came up with quite a few that are here. It's a pretty entertaining look back.)