District 9: The Sequel

I'm not exactly sure what the purpose is of the new street repair around the courthouse in Decatur. It seems the go about two blocks away from the square, tearing up the road next to the curb (but not the curb itself), and then placing a brick crosswalk in at the farthest (furthest?) point away. But it's finally heading toward my office, so I'll take it.

Tuesday Morning Pick Me Up -- The Different Kind

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• I've heard for years that most money in the U.S. has cocaine residue on it, and yesterday there was a new report putting that number at 90%. I don't believe that. At all.
• It's extremely rare to even see a cocaine criminal case these days.
• KXAS's Jane McGarry said last night at 6:00 that Sen. Kay Baily Hutchison officially "threw her name in the hat" for Texas Governor. Uh, isn't that "threw her hat in the ring?"
• Frequent commenter Denny Crane says if he wants to call our President a "nigger", he will. Good lord, man. Throttle back! Throttle back!
• Over at the Morning News web site this morning, they had a "Live Blog" covering something called Plano ISD's Convocation (which sounds like a pep rally for all of the teachers.) It started at 7:00 or so and included school board members being led in by cheerleaders. That would power me down.
• And that live blog posted this thrilling poll: "Are you ready for the 2009-2010 school year to begin?" After it had been up for over an hour, no one had responded.
• Outliers, which I promote constantly, made the case for year round schools.
• Watched a bit of Hard Knocks on HBO (the documentary about preseason training camps, this time with the Cincinnati Bengals.) Former Cowboy Roy Williams was schooled in a drill getting knocked on his back but, after the fact, wasn't even embarrassed by it. Good riddance.
• Woodstock looked like it would have been a beating. I don't do crowds. I don't do mud. I don't do bad music.
• Y.E. Yang, who bested Tiger Woods this weekend and who lives in Southlake, speaks no English.
• Ticket Fans only.
• Yesterday we had Britney in a pink bikini, today we've got a new color. Love that girl.
• Did the ol' slice the thumb with a knife in the kitchen trick last night. But it wasn't too bad.
• Last night was the deadline to sign players from this year's Major League Baseball draft. The first pick signed for a record $15 million. The Rangers failed to sign their high school pick who now heads to TCU. To paraphrase Dale Hansen from many years ago, "The kid needs an education."
• Reader's Digest filed for bankruptcy reorganization. I liked it as a kid, but haven't read it since then (unless I was stuck at a doctor's office.)
• The Obama kids always look like they are having the time of their lives

Squirrel Photo Bomber

I thought this was fake, but the couple in the background were on The Today Show this morning telling me differently. And, of course, we have to photoshop the squirrel into other pics.

The Kid That Caught Two Foul Balls At The Same At Bat

Unfortunately, we have about 55 seconds of Jim Knox not wanting to shut up, and 10 seconds (if that) of the kid catching the ball.

I'm No Construction Guy

. . . but a garden hose hooked up to a fire hydrant seems like a bad idea. (On the square in Decatur -- it was already leaking big time.)

I Was Half Asleep Yesterday . .

. . .when I looked up at the TV screen (showing the Little League World Series) and saw some kid with the graphic underneath him that read, "Luke Ramirez, 6'2", 205 pounds. 13 years old." Good grief. I wasn't dreaming. It's some kid named Luke Ramirez out of California and, trust me, this picture does not do him justice.

Definition of "Odd"

A guy strikes a bicyclist head on in Grand Praire, the cyclist ends up going through the back windshield, the driver decides it's a good idea to park his car with the body in it near his home, and to hide under a neaby car. Story.

Jerry Jones Meets A Monkey

And I noticed that after the Cowboys played the Raiders on Thursday nights, that the Oakland A's, who play in the same stadium, had to compete with the football line markings in the outfield. Unstable.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• New candidates for Dancing With The Stars have been announced this morning. It includes a former Texas Congressman and a former Dallas Cowboy.
• Ranger Ian Kinsler almost got killed with a fastball to the head on Saturday night. (Great quality video here.)
• A lot of people tell me to watch Mad Men but I really don't know anything about it.
• We've still got a five year wait until Southwest can fly out of Love Field and not first stop in a neighboring state.
• Seventy-seven banks have failed this year, but no one seems to care. This country is so odd because no matter what happens, there's this "everything will be all right" attitude.
• I've stopped buying a daily paper.
• Britney in a pink bikini this weekend. Hey, now.
• For some reason those Bill Kurtis AT&T ads really bug me.
• Former Red Raider Michael Crabtree has yet to sign with the Oakland Raiders. I don't think that guy is very smart. Edit: Apparently I'm not very smart since I said "Raiders" instead of 49ers.
• Funny protest sign.
• My back pain went away over the week. That's good. Really good.
• I stayed out too late on Saturday. It used to not impact me on Sunday. I think those days are gone.
• Weekend sports shockers: Rangers lead in Wild Card (it's all about pitching), Tiger blows a fourth round lead in a major (way to let a South Korean beat us), and we have a new 100 meters world record (but you can't really use that skill anywhere else, can you?).
• Looks like the "public option" for health care is dying a slow death.
• I've never really thought much about "falling rocks" signs, but this horrible incident in Colorado makes me rethink that.

The Dog Days Of Summer

But things change.

Restaurant Review

I'm a horrible restaurant reviewer because I'm really not that big of a fan of food. Weird, huh? I think I've got a deadened tongue or something because unless it's spicy, it's all the same to me. But that won't stop me. This place is right off Western Center Boulevard as you head into Fort Worth. Take a right and its right there in a new, 90% vacant, strip mall. The atmosphere is really odd. It's dark and eclectic but also has three big flat screens showing sports. You don't know whether to wear shorts or slacks -- and there were plenty of both. Food: Hey, they've got a ton of sushi selections and a ton of other stuff. I went with the Korean Spicy Chicken in honor of Clinton and Kim Jung Il. And the prices were a heck of a lot cheaper than I expected. Also, if you are a high tone martini drinker, you're in luck. They specialize in that stuff. Verdict: Thumbs up. (The full menu is available on the web site link above.)

Video Game Talk

I've really got nothing since I was in hearings all day trying to defend some constitutional rights while they still exist. But I thought I'd post this clip from the new Madden '10 that's coming out. I don't play video games, and I don't even own an XBox or Playstation or whatever they are called these days. It's not that I think they are stupid, it's that I'm afraid I'd get sucked into that phenomenon never to return. I mean, look at those graphics above. Sheesh, when I was a kid, my video football game was this thing which had an object of getting a beeping red slash from one side of the screen to the other. And I loved it. I used to make an NFL playoff bracket and sit in my room for hours with the thing. Told ya I had nothing.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• A true "home invasion" robbery would be terrifying. (There was one last night in Oak Cliff -- and you hear about them more and more.)
• Sports: Cowboys got killed in a meaningless preseason game, Tiger Woods still great as he leads the PGA Championship, Michael Vick gets a second chance with the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Rangers play a very meaningful series this weekend against the Red Sox as they battle for the wild card. Highlights at 10:00.
• I strained my back mowing the lawn but it's in a weird place -- mid level, far right. At least I know it's not a disc. Maybe.
• I went half the day yesterday before I realized the guy that shot himself while driving near Newark and then was hit by a train survived. That'll be a good story to tell his grandkids.
• Kelly Clarkson photoshopped for Self magazine. I'm guessing she knows where Fred's hamburger joint is (callback reference from yesterday.)
• My Costa Rica trip for January is still a go but, man, flights there are outrageous. Anyone know any tricks? I've got an email notifier every week for changes in rates but I'm getting a big bag of nothing.
• The Town Hall screaming sessions are now giving me Tired Head.
• Things I don't understand: Tarrant County foreclosure postings are up for six month in a row but Perot's Hillwood company just announced that it will build 78 homes in the Heritage division in North Fort Worth.
• Ticket Fans: The Ed Carter bit may be my favorite.
• Steve Lamb on WBAP this morning talking about a few players in baseball who have been released this year but are still being paid: "They must have great agents!" Sheesh. Every major league baseball contract is guaranteed. It's not a great agent. It's a great union.

Fleeing From Police In Detroit = Firey Crash Today

I've got a question. Did that van intentionally strike the fleeing vehicle?

Friday Afternoon Pick Me Up (Edit: The Day Could Be Wrong. I'm Checking)

It's for because of posts like this that landed my me a Pulitzer.* _________________ *Worst. Sentence. Ever.

For Those Of You . . .

. . . who plan on becoming charter members in the "Fiona Gorostiza Stalking Club ^TM" (dues include my personal defense of any Protective Order you get slapped with), you might want to check her out singing "What I Like About You" at the studios of FM 92.5. It's not as good as her bopping around on the stage of the Fox 4 studio, but it will do.

My Ann Curry Obsession Continues

Yeah, I've got an unhealthy obsession with Ann Curry. She just drives me nuts and always has (in a bad way.) But I got a kick out of hearing on The Today Show this morning that she wasn't at the news desk because she was "on assignment." Then, at about 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, she fires off the above "tweet."