Roots

I just completed watching the 1970s mini-series Roots (which took quite a while since I viewed it in 40 minute segments whenever I was on the treadmill.)

For you youngsters in your 30s out there, Roots ran in January of 1977 and the entire nation stopped down to watch. Except me. It's a story of watching generation after generation of a black family from Africa to post Civil War days.

This year while watching the Golden Globes, the cast of the mini-series came out on stage for a 30th anniversary reunion. It dawned on me I had never seen it. So it's stuffed by Netflix queue ever since.

Verdict: Pretty darn good. And observations:

- Anyone who was anyone in the 70s had a role in the series. From a little Todd Bridges to Sandy Duncan to Burl Ives to O.J. Simpson to Robert Reed.
- There was some poor acting every now and then. I could have sworn that John Amos' character would sometimes morph into the the father he played in Good Times.
- The "n word" was thrown around so much that I'm not sure you could show it on regular TV today.
- Chuck Connors and Lloyd Bridges had the most uncomfortable black hating rolls of all. And Conners was great.
- There was no depiction of a plantation with 100s of slaves. Most just showed a nice home with a few acres around it with maybe 10 to 15 slaves.
- While I was watching it, I thought how much history would anger me if I were black man. And then I thought perhaps the series gave rise to some of the gang violence we saw in the 1980s. I mentioned my theory to someone else this weekend who retorted, "Blacks weren't angry before that?" Good point.
- A kind of dumb white guy made an extended appearance at the end. I thought he looked familiar and I was right. It was Brad Davis who I discovered last year in Midnight Express.
- I had more, but can't remember them right now.

Boyd's Road To The Final Four

Sketchy

Don't know much about it, but about 2 miles north of Decatur on 730 a guy ended up in a ravine after swerving to miss a deer.

On a similar note, the Star Telegram had an article today on the dangerousness of 380.

Bikers Invade Wise County This Morning

For a good cause: Christmas toys for the less fortunate. Good times.

(Pics by emailer Tony. Thanks.)

And Who Doesn't Love That Charlie Brown Christmas Special?

Decatur Getting All Christmas-ee-eey Tonight

A Reader . . .

. . . says he took this picture yesterday in "north Decatur."

"Ice" At The Gaylord Texasn

I went to the "everything is made of ice" exhibit at the Gaylord Texas last night. I went about three years ago and I will sweat swear there was a whole lot more to it back then. Although what you see is amazing, there didn't seem to be much of it. When I was at the end, I actually retraced my steps to make sure I didn't take a wrong turn. I didn't.

At $20 a ticket, it's getting close to being overrated. (But getting to see the inside of the Gaylord Texas this time of year makes it all better.)

Evil Knievel Has Died

Nothing would make me stop down more as a kid than seeing Evil Knievel on Wild World of Sports. It was absolute gold.

And he once jumped a bunch of buses at North Richland Hills at some drag strip called Green Valley Raceway and I remember waiting for over an hour and half as ABC, carrying it live, hyped the thing. I also remember Evil saying, "I broke my back when I landed." It's not his most spectacular jump but, like most everything else, youtube has it. Howard Cosell and Don Meredith had the call.

The Black KKK

The Internets are aflame as the link to the writings of a black columist from Fox Sports begins to place the blame for the death of Washington Redskins' Sean Taylor. An excerpt:

You're damn straight I blame hip hop for playing a role in the genocide of American black men. When your leading causes of death and dysfunction are murder, ignorance and incarceration, there's no reason to give a free pass to a culture that celebrates murder, ignorance and incarceration.

Of course there are other catalysts, but until we recapture the minds of black youth, convince them that it's not OK to "super man dat ho" and end any and every dispute by "cocking on your bitch," nothing will change.

Does a Soulja Boy want an education?

True dat, my nizzle. Link.

I Should Make This My Logo

(Reader submitted. Thanks.)

Wowza

There is a street in Dallas called Waggoner Drive. I really don't know much about it other than it seems to a little bit above Highland Park and well within the LBJ loop. This is a screenshot of a few random homes I got of Google Maps.

I was curious. Why? Because a lady was mugged in her garage on the street yesterday and her wedding ring was stolen. The value of that ring? $350,000.00

Edit: Channel 5 tracked down a duplicate:

I Think Katie Holmes Is Gettin' Hot

Saw This Over At Frontburner

From the Dallas Morning News today about the downtown area and the club Purgatory:



And then Google revealed this image with the caption, "After we left the Purgatory Club."

Wisconsin Papers

I was curious about what the front pages of the Wisconsin papers looked like today after a Packers loss, but the biggest story up there is s crazy one: A guy is accused of spiking his girlfriend's drink with the "abortion pill" thereby causing a miscarriage.

Another Day. Another Overturned 18 Wheeler at 287 & 380

Although I may be more fascinated with Victory Church's new billboard.

Edit: The aftermath

The Today Show . . .

. . . is obsessed with the story about missing wife of this guy. Everyday they've got someone remotely related to the case on the show who has a big bag of nothing to add.

Oh, wait. Ann Curry just dramatically told me about an upcoming segment that will teach me "the truth about salt!" Gotta go.

A Thursday Night Cowboy Game

Is odd.

Edit @ 6:34 p.m.: I just checked in on the NFL Network (whose pre-grame show is so Wheels Off) and noticed the Cowboys are wearing the "throw back" uniforms. I hates me some Throw Back uniforms.

Edit: Funny bit