PETA Protests Circus Today In Downtown Dallas

I might be coming around on that group. More.

Friday Afternoon Pick Me Up

That Katy Perry chick is getting better.

Your Liberally Lean World Cup Update

I have no idea what is going on here

I didn't get to watch this because I'm a working man, but the U.S. rallied from an 0-2 deficit to tie some country that used to be part of, I think, Yugoslavia. However, we have controversy. At some point the U.S. scored another goal but the ref disallowed it. But soccer is so goofy, he didn't have to announce why he disallowed it. My soccer friends are going crazy. And I'm not sure what our chances are of advancing now.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• I like the glasses on this Denton County DWI arrestee. And they need to give this gal a tissue.
• At the US Open yesterday, a guy was dressed in pink pants and a pink shirt. Here.
• I've seen three snakes this year in places where I've never seen them before.
• The guy that lined up a week outside the Apple store in Dallas to get the iPhone 4 is as nutty as a fruitcake.
• Congressional hearings, like the one with the BP Exec yesterday, drive me nuts. It's hours and hours of sound bites with no intention of solving any problems.
• Our office Internet went out yesterday around 2:00 p.m. I think most of Decatur was having problems.
• I actually watched a little of the NBA Finals last night but was so enthralled that I turned it off at halftime. But I was surprised this morning to learn that the Lakers won since they couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. (Kobe was 6 of 24.)
• And I haven't seen it yet, but I've heard Laker Ron Artest thanked his psychiatrist and promoted his new single in an on-the-court post game interview.
• Edit: Heck, I almost forgot I told you that I wouldn't be surprised if the Lakers won the last two. Me = Success.
• What's the point of being an incorporated city if you don't have enough tax revenue to even afford a one person police force? (Newark.)
• I can't believe this: The 16th floor pool at the swanky W hotel in Dallas is going to be open to the public during weekdays? Really? I just pictured Vacation's Cousin Eddie on the diving board.
• My secretary asked me a grammar question this morning. Girl, you're asking the wrong guy.
• Utah executed someone with a firing squad last night. Seems like something a civilized society would do.

Like A Zombie Movie

I walked by the district courtroom yesterday only to see a group of courthouse workers surrounding a table of torsos of naked males. Good times?

I wish I had a good story, but it was CPR training. For everyone.

Wow: Video Of Dallas Cop Last Night Who Got Drunk And Fired A Gun In Car

This is after it happened.

The Dallas Observer blog even has the video of the gun being discharged in the car (which isn't nearly as dramatic as you would think.) But, man, that off duty Dallas officer was DAAArunck.

I'll Admit . . .

. . . President Obama blew it the other night with his oil-in-the-gulf speech. When the nation sees a bunch of oil soaked birds, we don't want to hear about "going green."

Texas Congressman Apologizes To BP This Morning

Starts at around the 2:00 mark. Says White House created a "shake down" in the setting up of the $20 billion compensation fund.

Crazy Fire Video

Story.

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• A BP executive met with President Obama yesterday and then met with the press afterwards where he proclaimed the company cared about the "small people" on the coast. That's a non-story despite everyone trying to make it a story.
• I can't remember the last time I was in the Golden Triangle mall in Denton.
• For some reason, I never watch ESPN's SportsCenter but I do like the Top Ten Plays Of The Day when I do.
• Another sports note: Lakers coach/Zen Master Phil Jackson has never coached in a Game 7 in the NBA Finals (scheduled for tonight) despite winning ten championships.
• There was a story making the rounds yesterday of a flight attendant taking over for a sick co-pilot and helping to land a commercial jet. I don't know anything about flying one of those things, but I suspect one could be landed without a co-pilot easily.
• Michael Young became the Texas Rangers all time hit leader last night. And most of us couldn't pick him out of a lineup.
• Watched a little bit of the new ESPN documentary on, primarily, the OJ Simpson car chase last night. It was fantastic. I had no idea there was audio of OJ while in the Bronco saying he had already said good bye to his kids and wanted to "do it" at his home.
• Also Watched a little bit of a DUI case in Wise County yesterday. That's a Class C case (lowest level) where a minor was accused of driving after drinking yet not intoxicated. I'm not sure why it was being tried after watching most of it. (I didn't know the defense lawyer.)
• One Dallas cop gives a drunk female Dallas off duty cop a ride home and a gun goes off in the police car. I bet that was a scene inside the car.
• Lots of good sportzzzz this weekend: World Cup, College World Series, and the U.S. Open golf tournament.
• Someone mentioned to me that this would be something great to add to my Bucket List: In four years the World Cup goes to Brazil.
• This sounds like one horrific crash on I-35 in Fort Worth last night.

Oh, My!

Someone uploaded some photos on Flickr from the 1977 Texas State Fair -- most of them from the "Freak Show." Oh, how far we've come. Can you even imagine the firestorm that would occur if something like that happened today. (And it's barely been just 30 years.)

But one of my greatest childhood memories is going into that very same "Freak Show" with my mom (I still can't believe we did that) and a "lizard woman" came out. I think that was only the "sneak peek", you had to pay more to go back and the see the really weird stuff. No way we were going to do that! Or, more precisely, there was no way my dad was going to allow that.

Cop Punches Girl

I've heard about this over the last 24 hours but just saw it.

You know, the cop can use "reasonable force". You make the call.

Wednesday Morning Pick Me Up

NBC 5's Kim Fischer

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• I saw that "The Lanier Law Firm" (headed by some guy that hires Miley Cyrus to sing at his Christmas parties) has filed suit on behalf of one of the guys killed in the North Texas gas line explosion last week. What took so long?
• The more I hear about the "saving" of the Big 12, the more it sounds like Texas acted like an abusive boyfriend. Of the $10+ million that will be paid by Colorado and Nebraska for leaving the conference, only Texas, OU and Texas A&M will share it.
• I told you that the Lakers might win the NBA Championship after all. (They won last night going away.) Me = Continuous Sports Genius. .
• My most obscure NBA observation ever: Bill Walton whips me to no end.
• A municipal judge in Fort Worth committed suicide. Not that you have to worry about me, but I think I understand that more than most people. Isn't life, after all, pretty dang hard? Even when things are going great?
• Did you see the story on Fox 4 last night about the guy that Six Flags denied admission to because he had a bracelet on that looked like a diamond handcuff and a tattoo on his forearm of a topless woman? He just couldn't understand why.
• But that was the lead story on Fox 4 last night.
• ESPN does something cool at night: It replays the day's World Cup games but cuts out all the dead parts. It takes about 30 minutes per game.
• I'll be on vacation during the first full week of July. Prepare to miss me.
• Odd but understandable note for the City of Decatur in today's Update: Juneteenth Parade canceled due to lack of entries. (And Bud Kennedy has already tweeted it.)
• I'm constantly amazed at people that seek out my advice and don't listen. One thing I try never to do is to speak without purpose. So it drives me nuts when someone wants to hear my opinion (sometimes even paying for it) and then, when I'm in the process of telling them something critically important, they interrupt me with an irrelevant fact.
• That sounds a little harsh but when I go to someone for help, I can't wait for them to start talking.
• Al Gore allegedly cheated with Larry David's ex-wife? All my brain can hear right now is the Curb Your Enthusiasm theme.
• I actually assume that my average reader knows who Larry David is. I like that.
• My worst fault is holding grudges.
• A guy I hate:Albert Haynesworth of the Washington Redskins is holding out. He has been paid $32 million over the last 13 months.

Jet Ski Loading Fail

Painter Of Light Might Have Been Lit

Story.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Where did that storm come from?
• I'm not saying a thing about this gal who was picked up on Wise County warrants in Denton County yesterday.
• Although I have no desire to go there, I had no idea the Hard Rock Cafe had opened a new location in Dallas.
• And that restaurant was in the news yesterday because it was selling hamburgers for 71 cents with people standing in line 90 minutes to get one. 90 minutes? Really? I wouldn't do that for a week's worth of hamburgers.
• And I won't watch any of it, but it wouldn't surprise me if the Lakers win the last two games over the Celtics.
• I'm still a fan of J-Lo.
• I called my mortgage company yesterday and ran into the best phone tree directory ever. You want to know principal balance left? Last payment? How much of that was interest? How much was principal reduction? Escrow balance? I got all of that without ever having to talk to a human.
• I watched a portion of The Sixth Sense last night. I can't remember a movie which is more fun to watch after you've seen it the first time. And I wonder how many people still have no idea what the spoiler is?
• The "blog style" experiment of "The Spin" might be a failure.
• I'm not sure I know where the Ivory Coast is, but that's a cool name for a country.
• There are currently two capital murder cases pending in Wise County. I feel confident in saying that's never been the case before.
• I tried to explain jury duty to an eight year old the other day. That's not easy. (Did I mention this already?)
• You don't think Supreme Court justices are astute? Look at this little blurb from a dissenting opinion in 1982 referencing Congress ignoring the problem of illegal immigration.
• Final Big 12 conference note: Since Colorado left a still existent Big 12, they may owe $6 to $8 million in a buyout.
• My oddest "Hey, now" ever: Cell phone bosomed Paraguay girl.

Big 12 (Less 2) Staying Together -- It's Official

On behalf of Baylor University, I'd like to apologize for every time I've dogged The Evil Empire one of the finest universities in the history of ever. Texas is staying, A&M is staying, OU is staying, and every other team breathes a sigh of relief.

They plan to go forward with 10 teams (Colorado and Nebraska have already bailed), get rid of the North and South divisions, have every team play each other, and get rid of the conference championship game. And Texas gets permission to form its own Texas Television Network as well as a bigger cut of the conference financial pie.

"Colonial, take us back to DEFCON 5." (Cheers. High fives. Hugs. Knowing nods of approval.)

Crazy News In Update

Car found in Wise County with burned human remains in it.

Wise County Caveman Crawl Last Weekend

Looks like some craziness. More pictures here. (Facebook link.)

A Picture I Thought Was Photoshopped But Not

Space shuttle.

Source.

Pat Robertson On How To Keep Your Man From Cheating

It's simple: Look hot.

(And we just thought he was crazy.)

Here's a direct link if video doesn't work.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• I didn't even make it in the courtroom for jury duty last week. The judge sent a note out excusing me without an explanation. I thought about muttering, "I guess that sex offender registration didn't play too well" as I walked past the other jurors who were still waiting.
• I downloaded the official song of the World Cup and listened to it over the weekend. It at least made me feel a little international.
• The Big 12 Conference realignment explained with MS Paint. Very funny. (Language warning.) Edit: And we have huge realignment news this morning.
• Ex-UT star Vince Young slugs a guy in a Dallas strip club at 3:30 a.m. because he was taunted with an upside down "hook em horns" sign? Well, that makes perfect sense.
• The flash flood in Arkansas over the weekend that killed nineteen was bizarre. How horrible would it be to wake up in camper being swept up in flood waters?
• Speaking of bizarre, this photo of Rick Perry speaking at the state GOP convention this weekend creeps me out.
• Look at the names of the 32 countries playing in the World Cup. Can you find them all on the map? Can you name their native language? Can you name anything about their culture? In the end, we don't know very much at all about this world at all.
• And every time I see the South Africa name on the World Cup logo, I think of Miss South Carolina saying, "Such as, South Africa."
• I appreciate that place in Boyd taking care of the black bear found in Alaska, but I'm not exactly sure I'd be thrilled if I were the bear.
• Caught up on a couple of episodes of Modern Family over the weekend. Man, that's funny. (And everyone keeps mentioning Breaking Bad as something I need to see.)

The Spin: Blog Edition

As I mentioned, I'm going to experiment with abandoning The Spin because of boredom. Alternatively, as a test run, I'll just post four or five headlines from The Messenger here every Sunday and have you boys go at it.

The World Cup Thing

It's odd, but I'm on board. I watched yesterday's match at the Tilted Kilt in Grapevine (note to travelers: That road construction will beat you down), and it was pretty cool. It's just odd to hear a room explode over a soccer goal.

And the HD replays that ABC/ESPN are throwing down are outstanding.

But I'd like to announce that I even I could have stopped that ball --- that goalie is a disgrace to the "Green" on the back of his jersey. Take it off, sir.