Ok, Funny Girl, Take A Hike

"NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Southwest Airlines kicked a woman off one of its flights over a political message on her T-shirt, the airline confirmed Thursday . . . . Lorrie Heasley . . . was asked to leave her flight from Los Angeles to Portland, Ore., Tuesday for wearing a T-shirt with pictures of President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and a phrase similar to the popular film title 'Meet the Fockers.' " -------------------- For what it's worth: I don't have any problem with the gal being booted off the plane since Southwest is not associated with the government. Now if she had been kicked out of a public college, a public library, or arrested for wearing it in a public park, that would be completely different.

Not That I Want To Die In Any Particular Way . . .

. . . but this isn't one of them: "FORT WORTH - A contract worker was killed this morning when he was struck and dragged beneath an asphalt paving machine during a project at South Hulen Street and Overton Plaza." (Source: Star Telegram online addition posted today at 10:56 a.m. )

OU/Texas

It's this Saturday. Noon. Texas is now favored by fourteen. Fourteen!!!! I'm popping Paxil like candy because I'm so depressed.

Giggle

Maybe I'm Not Liberal After All

I've never been a fan of personal injury lawsuits. I don't mind people being "placed back into the position they were in" before they were wrongly injured, but I hate people trying to get rich off our much maligned justice system. Which brings me to this story. Fox 4 News cameraman Larry Rodriguez has finally filed his lawsuit against (former) Texas Ranger pitcher Kenny Rogers. As much whining as he was doing after the incident, you knew it was coming. But get this: He also sued the Texas Rangers claiming they should have known Rogers boneheaded tirade was going to occur. Triple sheesh.

I Wonder . . .

. . . whatever happened to Phoebe Cates?

$2.99

I saw this gas price everywhere today. (And it's odd that we'll feel "good" when the price drops - I hope - to $2.55 or some such). And with winter on the horizon, I do not like the chatter I'm hearing about the price of natural gas.

Legal Stuff: Tired Head Warning

Today the Supreme Court heard arguments about the legality of Oregon's law that allows doctors to assist in suicide. (You are close to death, you want to get it over with, and you ask your doctor to provide you drugs to facilitate your impending death). If you ever heard the word "federalism", this is the perfect case to define it. The people of Oregon elected their state representatives. Those representatives decided that the people of Oregon would like a law passed that would allow doctor assisted suicide. They passed that law. Then the federal government came in and said "nope", that law violates a statute passed by Congress. The fight before the Supreme Court is simply one of semantics: Does the wording of the federal law prevent the people of Oregon from doing what they want to do? Of course, the bigger question is this: What business is it of the federal government to tell states what they can't and cannot do in this area? The Bush administration told the Court that the federal law should prevail over the wishes of the people of Oregon. Sheesh. So much for "state's rights".

A Worldwide Phenomenon

Fifteen year old golfing phenom Michelle Wie turned pro today. Her initial reward? A $20 million, four year, Nike contract. She also has signed a deal with Sony for an amount I haven't been able to determine but it should be in the same ballpark as the Nike deal. (And we haven't begun to count the money she will win from...er...golfing). Since the Asian markets appear to be ripe for capitalistic exploration, she may become the biggest worldwide star we've ever seen. (Or at least that is what ABC News said tonight).

Baby, Baby, From The Moment We Met

The Church of Scientology is getting larger.

Why Helicopters . . .

. . . should not fly too close to each other. (Video)

For Political Junkies Only

This Supreme Court stuff is getting good. Now George Will jumps on the President for the Harriett Miers nomination.

Time Waste

Link

Focus On The Family

More about Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers. . . From today's New York Times: "By day's end, [head of Focus on the Family's James Dobson], one of the most influential evangelical conservatives, welcomed the nomination. 'Some of what I know I am not at liberty to talk about,' he said in an interview, explaining his decision to speak out in support of Ms. Miers. He declined to discuss his conversations with the White House. " How is that James Dobson knows more about Harriet Miers than the Senate will ever know?

OK, I'll Leave Bush Alone For A While After This

From yesterday's press conference about nominee Harriett Miers: "THE PRESIDENT: Correct. And I'll say it again: There is no litmus test. Q But she is not someone you interviewed for the job that you didn't know. You've known her a long time. Have you never discussed abortion with her? THE PRESIDENT: In my interviews with any judge, I never ask their personal opinion on the subject of abortion. Q In your friendship with her, you've never discussed abortion? THE PRESIDENT: Not to my recollection have I ever sat down with her -- what I have done is understand the type of person she is and the type of judge she will be. " He's never discussed abortion with her? No way.

Trust Me

President Bush continues to take a grilling over whether Harriet Miers is conservative enough to serve on the Supreme Court. Since she has served as many days as a judge as I have (zero), there is no track record for the hardliners to rely upon. In essence, Bush said today in a news conference, "Trust me, this nomination will be fine." The far right wing is apparently not willing to do so. I wonder why?

It Just Seems A Little Weird

Fox 4 News ran a story last night about the Attorney General's office "cracking down" on those in Internet chat rooms "searching" for underage girls. They had an AG representative show how their undercover operation works and he tells the camera, as he looks at a computer screen with Yahoo Messenger activated, "I've logged on as 'CheerQueen95'". Then the camera panned back and there were about three or four AG agents doing the same undercover work. It just seemed weird that a bunch of grown men spend their time posing as teenage girls on the Internet while collecting a salary from taxpayers.

There Is A Special Place Somewhere For Those . . .

. . . "Nine Charged With Stealing Katrina Funds".