Lots Of Snow In Buffalo, NY

Sex. Religion and Law

There was a story in the DMN about a lawsuit filed by a former pre-school teacher at the First Baptist Church of Dallas. Quick facts: She gets pregnant while unmarried and then, according to a lawsuit, a meeting was called by her employer where she was asked questions of “Were you a virgin when you had sex with the child’s father?” and “Why can’t you just get married to the child’s father?” She also alleges that at another meeting, the human resources director told her that “she was not living a Christian lifestyle” and that she would have to sign a statement agreeing not to have premarital sex if she wanted to keep her job. The church was going to let her go but finally let her stay as a part time employee. There are laws prohibiting the discrimination against pregnant women, so she sues. My (irrelevant) take on the matter: I don't have any problem with the church's actions at all. This is the "other side" of the much hated "Separation of Church and State" doctrine. Just like the government shouldn't require prayer in school, it also should not interfere by reviewing what standards a church uses in the matters of hiring and firing. And Texas courts routinely back out of church related suits - it's called the "Ecclesiastical Abstention Doctrine." Lots of "doctrines" in the law.

Lightening Never Strikes Twice . . . Or Does It?

In 1997, and I remember this, a lady was seriously injured in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Paradewhen the Cat in the Hat balloon hit a big street light and it went crashing to the ground - on her. Her name was Kathleen Caronna (which, incidentally, sounds like the name of our County Treasurer.) Anyway, this week a plane carrying Yankee's pitcher Cory Lidle crashed into an apartment in New York City. You know whose apartment that belonged to? Kathleen Caronna. Yep. Same one. (Source.)

Did Anyone Call 911?

Decatur 56 Bridgeport 20 (Box Score)

Bab's F Bomb

Even the straight laced Today Show informed me this week that Barbara Streisand dropped an F Bomb in her concert this week. Apparantly she was going on an anti-George Bush rant when a fan yelled at her to shut up and sing. And then she dropped The Bad Word. Someone had a video camera. Someone put it on youtube here. (Warning: It contains a bad . . . oh, you know.)

"They're All White Up"

The Star Telegram's Bud Kennedy is on to the Wise County European American Republicans in his own blog. (And I'll give him credit: He saw it before I did.) Edit: This will be the subject of Kennedy's Saturday column that will appear in the Star Telegram.

Crazy Football Stat

Dallas Cowboys third-year running back Julius Jones has rushed for 2,200 yards after 25 games. Tony Dorsett had 1,875 after 25 games, and Emmitt Smith had 1,766. (source)

Borat

The more I see of the new Borat movie, the funnier it looks. On the other hand, the new Robin Williams movie ("Man of the Year") does not look as promising. And how many times can they run the advertisement of the scene where he says,"I did not have sex with that woman. But I wanted to"?

Decatur Replies, "We Are?"

"Britney Spears Through The Years"

"Ghetto Fabulous"

That was the theme of a party that a bunch of first year University Texas law students had. Now they are in trouble. But get this, it was just a private party and not sponsored by the school or any organization. The little UT students have their own set of blogs and one of them posted pictures of the party where "partygoers carried 40-ounce bottles of malt liquor and wore Afro wigs, necklaces with large medallions and name tags bearing traditionally black and Hispanic names." He has now been named in the above national news story. And this is all his blog says now. You think he is worried about job opportunities? P.C. to the Nth degree. Makes me want to reach for a forty [edited] ounce.

Really Cool or Really Sad

A Waxahachie couple love living 'Munster' style in the replica house they created based upon the TV show. Story.

Salma Friday

"Jacksboro teen dies from gunshot wound"

I don't think this story made the Star Telegram this week.

Katie Couric's . . .

. . . proposed "sign offs" for her new gig on the CBS Evening News. (As seen on David Letterman last night.) 31 seconds and well worth it. (And that last one strangely turned me on.)

Entertainingly Painful

Lt. Governor David Dewhurst's TV ads kill me. He must spend all of his time on a horse (because he loves that image) but now I learn he's saving babies "one at a time". As his ad tells me, after being elected Land Commissioner he [confusing correlation forthcoming] "championed the Baby Moses Program, encouraging mothers to bring their unwanted babies to safe places." And he actually had a re-enactment of the Baby Moses Program in action: An African-American firefighter longingly looks into the eyes of baby that was abandoned into his arms. Sheesh. (Maybe I'm just grumpy today.)

Hey, Now

MADD

I can't stand MADD. Not that their hearts aren't in the right place - it's just that they have too much influence. One of the first things I heard when I was a misdemeanor prosecutor in the Tarrant County DA's office, was "Be on the lookout for a representative from MADD being in the courtroom to observe you." They tend to be bullies more than advocates. But they sure know a thing or two about PR (as the graphic shows). Source. And, yeah, comments off. I've heard your wrath before. Today I just can't take it.