Modified Skattershooting while I wonder what it's like to be Mack Brown, Chris Simms, and Roy Williams as they traveled from Lubbock back to Austin:

On the Local Elections . . .
When I ran for DA back in 1992, everyone told me it was a "Democratic County" and there was no way I could win if I ran as a Republican. I was very confused about that statement back then. I mean, the party of Michael Dukakis, pro-choice, pro-gay, women's rights, civil rights, and welfare had a strangle hold on Wise County in 1992? It was as wrong then as it is now. I'm just glad I didn't have a Republican opponent to confirm my suspicions.

On Straight Ticket Voting . . .
I was stunned to learn that one out of every three Wise Countians voted "straight ticket". That is absolutely mind boggling to me. Do you not care to exercise any independent thought? For example, I'm a nut because I want liberals on the Court of Criminal Appeals (which decides whether evidence can be used against you when the Task Force lies about having "consent" to search your home) and conservatives on the Supreme Court (that determines when someone can recover from Walmart for slipping on a grape).  And for you right wingers out there, what about Charles Stenholm? Then again, why doesn't Stenholm change parties before his luck runs out?

On A Random Political Race . . .
Every local Democrat that won election was unoppossed. JP Jan Morrow had a Republican opponent early in the campaign but she dropped out after a couple of weeks.

On "The Bachelor" . . .
I love to watch television that makes me mad (I'm wierd in that way) and The Bachelor qualifies. For those that haven't seen it, 20 or so hot babes (who really just want publicity) try to be the lone selection of some guy who, in general, offers up a "big bag of nothing". Last season, the "winner" of the contest went out a couple of times with the bachelor once the show was over and then they went their seperate ways. What's up with that? Now if the bachelor was required to marry the winner and live with her for 10 years - no exceptions - then I'd watch the show with joy.

On Local News . . .
What's up with the following trends? All news must be "late breaking" (even if it occurred ten hours earlier) and all weather forecasters must give specific temperature projections for each town/city in the area. For example, "It will be 64 in Plano, 63 in Richardson, 64 in Allen and 62 in Wylie". Pleeeeeeeeeease!

On Tony Sanchez . . .
That wasn't exactly a concession speech we heard at about 10:00 pm on election night. "I've given him hell and I going to continue to give him hell until the last vote is counted."

On Melton Cude . . .
Messenger editor Skip Nichols was a little hard on County Court at Law Judge Melton Cude the other day when he, in an editorial, said that Cude had been critized for not holding court as often as he should. That seemed like an unfair shot to me. As a criminal defense lawyer that lives in the County Court at Law, Cude holds court almost too often. This week and last, he had four jury trials scheduled. That makes my life miserable and I'd love it if he didn't hold court so often. (Dear Judge, please remember these nice remarks the next time I file a Motion for Continuance).

On Eminem  . . .
I still don't get it.

On Exciting Football Players . . .
I'll stop whatever I'm doing to see Michael Vick of the Atlanta Falcons. A close second, especially in years to come, is Texas A&M freshman quarterback Reggie McNeal.

On The Friendliness of Wise County . . .
I always hear people talk about "how friendly" Wise County is. Let me please offer a counter point. I'm not exactly a social butterfly so there are tons of folks in the county that I don't know. My usual day always involves a couple of trips up the hill to the courthouse which takes me past Mattie's restuarant. I can't tell you the number of times when I've been glared down by someone I meet on the sidewalk or find a situation where the other person simply looks to the ground when we pass by each other. Maybe it's because I don't have a friendly face.

On Movies . . .
I really haven't seen many lately but I did manage to catch Robin Williams in One Hour Photo. Very good stuff. I'd like to see Michael Moore's' Bowling for Columbine (a documentary about America's love affair with guns),  Adam Sandler's Punch Drunk Love (funny guy not being funny), and I'd even suck it up for Sweet Home Alabama (which asks the very difficult question of: do I follow my heart or the Almight Dollar?). One very disturbing flick I saw on HBO the other morning was Bully which was based on a novel written by Dallas Observer contributor Jim Shultze.  Hide your teenage kids before you watch it.

On An Obscure College Football Game . . .
I love ESPN Classic which always replays famous college football games from years gone by (complete with with the original play-by-play and color commentary). The other night I was watching the famous 1978 Ohio State v. Clemson game which is legendary due to the fact that Ohio State Coach Woody Hayes lost his ever-loving-mind and slugged Clemson's Charlie Baughman after an interception. The most amazing part about the game was that play-by-play man Keith Jackson completely missed the incident. Even after a replay, Jackson remarked that he did not understand why a 15 yard unsportsman like conduct penalty had been called on Ohio State.

On Another (Not So Obscure) Football Game . . .
The Texas Tech - Texas game last Saturday may have been one of the best football games I've ever seen. (But I am curious why Tech coach Mike Leach looked like he had lost his best friend as he was being interviewed walking to the locker room).  A funny twist to the post game celebration was that school officials dismantled the goal posts before the students had a chance to tear them down.

On the Decatur Eagle Football Team's Perfect Record . . .
How did they do that?

On The Most Boring Sports Arguments . . .
First Place: Should Pete Rose be in the Hall of Fame? Second Place: How do you define "Most Valuable Player" (i.e. should Alex Rodriguez be named the American League MVP when his team would still suck without him?)

On Soft Drinks . . .
I have become addicted to Diet Mountian Dew's Code Red.

On Child Pornography . . .
Did you see that comedian Paul Reubens, best known as children's television favorite "Pee-wee Herman," and veteran character actor Jeffrey Jones (the Principal in Ferris Bueller's Day Off) were charged on November 15, 2002 in related child pornography cases.