This Is Big

A bus "exploded" on I-45 this morning as it headed away from the gulf coast. From news footage and reports, it looks like it was carrying a group of senior citizens. When WFAA took over the news from GMA at the bottom of the 7 o'clock hour, the in house reporter confirmed there was one dead and then threw it to the on scene reporter. I could have sworn I heard her say there were at least 20 dead. Update: The Morning News has put the "20 dead" figure on its website. (Photo from the CNN story).

I'll Say It Again: Barbaric

I posted this note last Sunday about a boxer who was in serious condition after a boxing match shown on HBO Pay Per View. There is a tragic update.

Do You Think It's Possible . . .

. . . there is at least one person out there who is actually concerned, considering that the hurricane is headed towards Houston/Beaumont, that Bud and Sissy will be OK?

Master Of The Obvious

The traffic jam getting out of Houston was incredible today. ABC News Tonight had a shot of one of the only gas stations open (at a Sam's Club) and Charlie Gibson said he counted 110 cars in line behind one of the pumps. Wow. Even at 5 minutes per fill up per car (which is ridiculously optimistic), that would be over a nine hour wait for car #110.

This World Is A Nutty Place

I wonder if there is a government in this world that would pay a person $11,000 to have a third child? Found one.

And This Is Just The "Regular" Chart

Talk about diversity. This week's Billboard Top Ten Album chart includes Kanye West (rapper), Trisha Yearwood (country), Paul McCartney (he was in a band once), and Mariah Carey (talk about a comeback).

Scapegoat?

Lynndie England, 22, is on trial again in connection with the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. (No, I don't know who the lady is in the picture with her - but I think she was always walking in and out of the courtroom with England during the first trial. And, no, I don't know if the court has a dress code)

Drifting?

The path might be headed more eastward. This link is updated throughout the day with the most recent landfall projections.

Hmmmmm

"FIRE CHIEFS PLAN FOR HURRICANE – Wise County fire chiefs meet tonight to go over plans for how to handle the remnants of Hurricane Rita, expected to bring high winds and heavy rains to Wise County over the weekend. " - The Update

JetBlue

Did you see the emergency landing of the JetBlue aircraft in Los Angeles? It's landing gear was screwed up and their was speculation its landing might not occur safely - possibly even disasterous. What's crazy is that the plane was equipped with satellite TV and each passenger viewing a screen attached to the seat in front of him. It was tuned to MSNBC which was broadcasting the story of the possibly doomed flight (at least until it was turned off for the final hour).

Homer Call

The SMU broadcast team got a little excited over the team's first touchdown against A&M in the first quarter. The Aggies would end up scoring 66 points.

The Movie: "Presumed Innocent"

Every time this movie comes on HBO (like tonight), I'm hooked. Actor Raul Julia (now deceased) may have been the coolest and smartest criminal defense attorney ever portrayed on the big screen. (The reason for changing his defense strategy mid-trial was, as he explained to his distressed client, based on "instinct"). And Judge Larry Little was great.

"The Office"

I saw this NBC show for the first time last night. Very funny. I was somewhat disappointed with "My Name Is Earl" (although I remain a big Jason Lee fan simply because of "Chasing Amy")

Taxicab Confessions

This HBO show is great. But it's been three or four years since it's been "really great". The shows from Las Vegas were absolute classics.

She's Baaaaaaaaaack

Anti-war activist, Cindy Sheehan, delivers a letter to the White House, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2005, in Washington. Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq last year, is calling for the immediate return of troops from the region. Her 25-state tour is set to culminate Saturday with an anti-war march in Washington.(AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)

Category 4

Uh.....No

Would you like your profile to be used as the basis for a wooden vase? A company can do it for you.

Dark

A technician secures a casket at the Southern Memorial Park in Biloxi, Miss., Aug. 30, 2005 after Hurricane Katrina ripped open mausoleums, sucked caskets out of their tombs, and flattened the offices. Company officials are trying to find all the missing caskets that were displaced due to the hurricane, but many are either buried under the debris, floated out to sea or possibly floated out and sank in the waters just off shore. (AP Photo/Rogelio Solis)