Men Are Such Pigs

Taken at The Ticket's "Fight Night" last week at The Village in Dallas. (The one with the curves is a ring girl.) And if you want to see what's been referred to as "the most violent punch in the history of Fight Night", here ya go. (Match featured Rugby Player vs. Australian Rules Football Player.) Good times.

Wake Forest v. Baylor

I'm going to try a little experiment in this online laboratory tonight while I watch the Baylor/Wake Forest game. Yeah, it's of limited interest but I thought I'd give you the heads up.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• I bought a Texas Monthly magazine the other day. I had forgotten how good that thing is. And it seems like every great article I ever saw in that publication is written by Skip Hollandsworth.
• You would not believe some of the "common man" speakers at the Democratic Convention that you don't see unless you've got the live feed from C-SPAN on. The common man looks like a dear in headlights who can't read a teleprompter.
• I've said this before, when I was a kid I was lucky to have two college football games on television on any given weekend. This weekend, there are an amazing 27 games that will be available for viewing on cable and/or satellite. (More if you are willing to pay-per-view or go with ESPN's Game Plan.)
• Man, 287 and the I-35 merge near Basswood sounds like a mess this morning due to construction.
• I wonder if there is any hotel or motel that still uses actual "keys" for the doors.
• Dallas Morning News story: "A man renting a storage unit near Love Field in Dallas found an unpleasant surprise locked inside this week — a large stash of pornography, police said." Did that say "unpleasant"? And the guy called the cops? I don't understand people any more.
• In related news, Sheriff David Walker announced a dragnet had been called to try and find property believed to be lost or stolen (described only as "voluminous reading material") with a complainant only identified as "Jarhead". Developing . . .
• The Star Telegram travel section last weekend (which is now incorporated into the Life section) had a story about a four day hiking trip to the Machu Picchu ruins in the mountains of Peru. I'd like to do that.
• It's sad that I already realize how many regrets of "things not done" I'm going to have when I'm on my death bed.
• Assistant Wise County Attorney Thomas Aaberg started riding a bicycle competitively about five weeks ago. He then decided to take part in the Hotter Than Hell race in Wichita Falls last weekend. Results: He completely 100 miles in a little over five hours. I told him he was a Kenyon on two wheels.
• OK, I admit it, I tricked up the daily photo today that always appears with the Random Thoughts.
• If you think this video is funny you are a bad person. I decided I was a bad person after hitting "replay" ten times.
• Hillary's best line last night was her reference to the Supreme Court being in a "right wing headlock." Preach on, bruther.
• That was weird: I'm alone in my office but one of our phone lines lit up in a solid (not flashing color) for about three minutes. I am alone, right? Kind of like a horror movie.
• The recession is over. I noticed frequent commenter Anobiter posted on her blog yesterday that she had lunch at La Madeleine, then went shopping at Nordstroms, and then picked out new granite counter tops for her kitchen. And it was a Tuesday.
• I had a TV dinner, shopped at Walmart, and wiped down the formica with a paper towel.
• It's official: Boyd's own Greg "The Hammer" Williams has a new gig. Or job.
• Ok, do a man a favor. I've never met Keith who runs the Bag Of Nothing blog which I link to over there on the right. But he seems to be a good guy and, just like you Wise County folks, is a God-fearing boy who grew up in a small town. But, to get to the point, he's trying to win some crazy Southwest Airlines contest by submitting a video which is both nerdy and funny (which I can relate to). You can watch it, and more importantly, VOTE FOR IT here. Don't disappoint. Sic 'em.
• Edit: One of the commenters reminded me that you have to pick up a Messenger today and read the story of the stowaway cat. It has the most shocking addendum in the history of ever.

Of Extremely, Extremely, Extremely Limited Interest

Ok, only three of you will care about this (shout out to my brother, nephew, and buddy Kevin.) I've read for months about cutbacks at the Dallas Morning News. It's simply a financial reality of today's print business - many whom believe that the industry is dying. That means the quality of reporting should be dying as well. I've got at least some evidence that is true. But I do know that due to the magic of RSS feeds I just read the "Season Preview" about Baylor which will appear in this week's college football preview issue of the Morning News. This is what has go me riled up:

Quarterback: Three players remain in the running for the job. "It's not like we can say this guy is that much better than that guy," Briles said. Incumbent Blake Szymanski ranks 12th in school history with 3,533 passing yards. Senior transfer Kirby Freeman, who starred at Brownwood before signing with Miami, and freshman Jeremy Sanders are pushing for the job.

That's wrong. Simply wrong. Jeremy Sanders isn't in the running. Highly touted freshman Robert Griffin is. ESPN (which shouldn't have better info that Dallas' only daily) knows that simply by reading the Waco paper. Heck, even MSNBC calls Griffin one of the "fifty most intriguing players" in America. Yeah, it's just college football. But if they can't get that obvious fact correct, what are they screwing up in news that really matters?

Let Me Beat A Dead Horse

I mentioned a web site the morning the will email and/or text you when a close game is going on in a sport you designate as one of your favorites. I just got the above email. It, obviously, tells me the score and what channel to go to. I don't care about baseball, but in college football season this is going to be very cool.

The Star-Telegram's Watchdog Gets Arrested

Sounds like he did something stupid (he even admits that), but I'm not sure an arrest and charges are warranted. Heck, just have CPS bang on his door and chew him out - that should be enough. But like I wrote about a few days ago in exasperation, everything is a big deal these days. Everything requires a law enforcement response.

Bumper Sticker I Just Saw

Fire!

Emailer Kasie writes: Van on fire on Hwy 114 between Boyd and Rhome, has hwy closed!!! Yeah, it was in pink. (Click to enlarge.) With an update from emailer Leland: "Noticed you already had a post on this. Here’s some video from my phone (poor quality). From what I’ve heard, these folks were 3 miles from home when they noticed smoke coming out the rear A/C vents. By the time they were able to stop and unload, which included a man in a wheel chair, flames were coming out the vents. It was surprising how fast the entire van was engulfed in flames. Thank God every one made it out." Video now uploaded to youtube:

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Michelle Obama was great last night and, as she spoke, I could only think about the racists that post in the comments on here sometimes. Uh, boys, she's black and smarter than you.
• But it was pretty funny watching the CSPAN coverage of the Democratic convention. With no commercial breaks, the cameras would just pan around the arena during down time. Amongst the predominately minority crowd were lots of old white man doing some pretty bad dancing.
• I'm pretty sure CSPAN is owned by a private company and not government run or subsidized.
• Hot sports opinion: Tony Romo will be injured at some point causing the most promising season in years to go down the drain.
• Found a website that will send you an email or text when a game involving your sport of choice is going down to the wire with a close score. It's pretty cool.
• My favorite protest sign posted yesterday from Denver by a D Magazine reporter.
• I washed my iPod shuffle in my jeans a couple of months ago, and I thought it was ruined. Nope, the little sucker fired up and started working the other day.
• I saw a garbage truck yesterday which was violently launching trash containers after it emptied them. I could have watched that all day.
• Mccully Culkin is 29 today. Worst. Actor. Ever. I hope he saved his money.
• I finally bought sandwich stuff. I bet I've had six sandwiches in the last week.
• I'm still enthralled by the Chinese. Criticize them all you want, but when all is said and done, they will be around and we won't be.
• I finished the very odd movie Funny Games. Pretty shocking but I absolutely turned on the film when one of the "bad guys" turned to the camera and spoke directly to the audience ("Who are you pulling for?") Dumbest movie trick ever.
• Video of the day: This man did not take Hurricane/Tropical Storm/Whatever Faye seriously.
• Video of the day #2: I can't believe this didn't work (Extreme language warning from a couple of incredibly stupid kids that do not need to go forth and populate the earth. But it does involve fire which is always a bonus.)
• Two people that sound scared to death whenever they speak: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Texas Ranger GM Jon Daniels
• I turned over to Fox News to see the haters' take on the DNC and caught a little bit of Bill O'Reilly. He seemed old, tired, and out of touch. And I used to at least be entertained by the guy.
• I bet that Obama has a contingency speech in case it rains at Mile High Stadium on Thursday. "It's OK to take chances. It's OK to walk in the rain every now and then. It's OK to believe America can take a brave new step and go where it's never gone before. And it's OK to embrace the newness of this vision just like we embrace this refreshing rain together.")
• The girl above in the pic is famous for the "whipped cream" scene in Varsity Blues.

Kennedy Tribute At the Democratic National Convention

• If you didn't see it, that was pretty good.
• But I know the mindless "Hey, what about Chappaquiddick!" comments will flow. Give it up people.
• Caroline Kennedy has always come across as completely charismatically-challenged. And I remember I bought a book of hers several years ago about the Bill of Rights and, even though I'm a constitutional idiot, even I could tell she seemed to have no idea what the Bill of Rights was* about.
• In about 50 years when the dumbing down of America peaks, you'll have someone like the ailing Kennedy walk out on stage and fall on purpose only to have the presidential candidate rush from behind stage to save him. And the public will eat it up.

_______ *Speaking of challenged, I'm correct in using "was" instead of "were" aren't I?

It's Opening College Football Week

And I love this picture (and the caption) of Evil Empire quarterback Colt McCoy. Credit: Burnt Orange Nation (a huge Texas fan blog that can't hide his embarrassment)

Just Curious

Does this mean the speed limit will drop from 70 mph to 40 mph as you enter Bridgeport? Man, that will be a speed trap of biblical proportions (which it pretty much is right now.)

And Another

Link. (And Maryland has a crime called "perverted practice"?)

Off To Fort Worth

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• Hey, don't yell, they are all Olympic athletes.
• It's the first day of school - a day when mothers cry uncontrollably.
• I was glad to get junior high and high school over with, and I've never had a desire to to back in time to those periods of my life. No desire at all.
• Each political party gets $17 million from federal government for their respective conventions. It's from that "Check here if you, or your spouse if filing jointly, want $3 to go to this fund (see page 12)" on your income tax form. I've never checked that box
• Someone suggested this to me as a Random Thought that wasn't my own: Whatever happened to trash compactors?
• Bill Maher was on Larry King last night and a caller asked if he was the guy that had the lead role in the film "Body Double." The answer, of course, is no but it dawned on me they looked exactly alike.
• It's a good Olympic moment when you've watched something great and you know it will be part of the highlight reel.
• Before political conventions became made for TV productions, George McGovern gave his acceptance speech in 1972 at 2:30 a.m. (That's what NPR told me this morning.)
• Holy cow: A Fox News reporter jumps in the middle of a protest rally yesterday in Denver and things get a little ugly. (Youtube clip here. Language warning.)
• Why is that only Democrats care enough to protest?
• I had forgotten about Biden's "clean" comment about Obama. But it's good to know Obama didn't care.
• There's a story today in the Star Telegram about the capital murder trial that begins this week based upon an incident that occurred at Putt-Putt Golf & Games in Hurst. Is that the one on Loop 820 just down the road from Northeast Mall? I went there last year.
• Putt Putt sounds like a beating but it's really pretty fun.
• Former Dallas Cowboy Frank Cornish was found dead late last week in his Southlake home. He played for the Cowboys in the early 1990s, but I really don't remember him.
• I need to remember to followup on this story about a PI lawyer in Houston who has pled guilty to settling cases and, uh, not giving any of the money to his clients. Sentencing will come later. Maybe he thought his contingency fee was 100%.
• The Rangers have lost 14 of 17. Yep, they are still playing.
• Earliest Monday Morning Pick Me Up Ever: Russia Cheerleaders v. U.S. Cheerleaders.
• Madonna, who seems to always need a bath, had a hot sports opinion during her concert this weekend as images of Hitler, Zimbabwean strongman Robert Mugabe, and John McCain were flashed in the background in succession. I think we all know the reaction of the crowd: Who is Robert Mugabe?
• I don't know if I'd rather be a "strongman" or a "kingpin".
• Someone in the comments last week told me to "quit posting pictures of girls in bikinis." I'm just glad he didn't bring it up during his Sunday sermon.
• The most shocking moment from the Olympics that you probably missed along with a very funny line from Jim Lampley.

Couple Of Images From Tonight's Closing Ceremonies

Probably worth watching.

Getting All Political Up In Here

CNN has a really good map of how the electoral college is panning out this fall. Good stuff. When you here about "national poll numbers" forget about what you hear. Those numbers are meaningless because it all comes down to the states. (Which, for the life of me, seems like the dumbest system a free country has ever implemented.) I've If I'm Obama or McCain, I'm camping out in Florida, Ohio, and Michigan.

I Like This Guy

You can stop watching after the "noun and a verb" line, but that line was golden. I had forgotten about that. I'll give Biden a thumbs up. The Democratic Convention is this week, and I bet Obama's speech at Mile High Stadium on Thursday night will be a scene*. (And I'll probably watch it live unless Baylor hangs around and makes the Wake Forest game interesting. Yeah, I'll probably watch it live.) __________ *Scene n. (sn) Defined as an event that is pretty cool or inspiring. (i.e. "I hung out with that guy at Sundance Square one night and women were all over him. Man, he's got a scene going on.")