Category: misc

Football afternoon

It’s 2:30 and the big college football games are about to begin.
The 102nd Red River Shootout between the University of Texas and Oklahoma University is about to kick off from Dallas and in 25 minutes or so, my alma mater University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (#2) takes on their arch-rival Hardin Simmons (#21).
If I remember correctly, UMHB has one 4 of the last 5 match-ups. This game will take place in Abilene, home of HSU, and the HSU Cowboys have already lost 2 games (almost 3) this season so it should be a great match-up.
I’ll be listening to that game online while watching the UT-OU match-up.
Here’s the preview from d3football.com:

No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (4-0, 3-0) at No. 21 Hardin-Simmons (2-2, 2-0): Usually this ASC showdown is a toss-up coming in. But the teams’ performances to date make the Crusaders the clear favorites this year, even on the road. Mary Hardin-Baylor has rolled over opponents by Mount Union-like scores while Hardin-Simmons has two losses and two victories by one score. The Cowboys’ hopes rest on the right arm of Justin Feaster who comes off a huge game against Mississippi College (495 yards, five touchdowns). But to beat the Crusaders, the Hardin-Simmons’ defense (43.8 points per game against) will have to play much better against Mary Hardin-Baylor’s offense (53.8 points per game).

Another note:
Mary Hardin-Baylor has one of the longest current conference winning streaks (16 consecutive ASC wins, last loss at Howard Payne, 24-20, Oct. 8, 2005)

There’s a reason it’s a product ‘party’

I started to tell Laurie about this NPR story tonight but I think my typical opening, “I heard this story on NPR today…” turned her off. So I ended up not telling her. Yeah that will learn her – I’ll just post it on my blog instead 😉
Anyways, Marketplace reported this morning on the growing numbers of product parties in recent months/years.

The words “product party” usually conjure up images of old ladies selling Tupperware. But Alex Goldmark discovered there were some out there that managed to be fun — and profitable.

According to the report, twenty-five to 40 percent of all sales at these product parties go to the “comfort specialist.” And by the end of the particular night NPR reported on, where almost everyone made a purchase, hostess Lisa Gillette, a rep for with Jockey, made $1,300. Not bad for a part-time job once or twice a month.
I know I have several friends who are rolling in the money with Arbon and others who are working there way through Mary Kay.
But the whole idea of a product party just brings to mind exactly what the story suggests, Tupperware or Amway. But I spose it’s working for some.
Listen to the story

A Day That Will Not Live In Infamy (But Should)

KERA ran a commentary by local (Midlothian) writer Tom Dodge this morning.
Pretty interesting. In it he talks about the killing of undercover Midlothian PD Officer George Raffield by two MHS students.

October marks twenty years since the world saw a news helicopter aerial video of a body lying face-down in the woods beside a red pickup. It was a young narcotics officer, murdered by Midlothian High School boys.
It was a tragedy but also an important story, important because the victim, George Raffield, was an undercover police officer and the assassins who planned it and carried it out were only sixteen and seventeen years old. It was also a huge story because it signaled to a complacent country during the Reagan “Just Say No” era that drugs were no longer just a big city problem, no longer just an inner-city problem, no longer just a minority problem. Drugs had come to the white middle-class, church-going, family-values-espousing, small-town suburbs.

Even though I grew up in East Dallas, I don’t recall this story personally, but it was mentioned several times in the newsroom when I worked at the WDL. Interesting history considering the impact it left on folks.
Read the full commentary or listen to the story.

Another kind of tree

Erin shares a funny story on her blog about the differences in culture between her American upbringing and the Nigerian way of life.
Just a sneak peak:

First, I have to say that lots of folks say the word s**t instead of ‘poop’ or ‘#2’, as we say in the States. Not sure why, but that is how it is and it is acceptable.

Waxahachie ISD student suspended for John Edwards shirt

I haven’t hadn’t seen this in the WDL or on other media, but Capital Annex in Austin East Texas reports that a local student was suspended for wearing a John Edwards t-shirt to school.
The WDL had a report yesterday that I missed.
Apparently Fox 4 picked up the story:

One Waxahachie family is threatening to go to court after their son was booted from school for wearing a t-shirt supporting a presidential candidate.
Pete Palmer, a sophomore at Waxahachie High School, says he didn’t think he was doing anything wrong when he wore a John Edwards 2008 shirt to school.
But according to the district, shirts with political slogans are against dress code policy.
Waxahachie High School officials told Pete he couldn’t wear it.
“It had nothing to do with trying to stifle anyone’s free speech,” said Thomas J. Collins, WISD Superintendent.
“It was an opportunity for us to continue to try and maintain a safe and orderly environment. The dress code gives us the tools to make a decision on what is right and what isn’t,” Collins added.

WISD’s dress code reads as follows:
“T-shirts, other than WISD clubs, organizations, sports, or spirit t-shirts, college or university t-shirts, or solid-colored t-shirts, are prohibited.”

Ingrid Michaelson does it on Myspace

Brian shares a little history on Ingrid Michaelson’s rise via Myspace on the encounter blog.
Her music has recently been featured on an Old Navy commercial as well as the Grey’s Anatomy Soundtrack Vol. 3 (which also features some of my favorites, Robert Randolf and the Family Band and Mat Kearney.