Happiness For Blessing

Thank you to everyone who checked up on me following my camping trip in Arkansas. It was great, but I'm glad to be back. This week's IBTH is abbreviated as a result.

Film/TV
Did you know that there's a site where you can watch every episode of The Simpsons ever made? I just wasted a whole lot of time...

Dallas
I never would have heard of this had I not gone back through the Dallas Morning News archive after returning home, but apparently this story gained national attention last week:

NFL Running Back Ryan Moats, who grew up in Oak Cliff, was involved in a controversial altercation with Dallas Police Officer Robert Powell. Moats was on his way to attend to his dying mother-in-law at Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano when he ran a red light, prompting a chase by Powell, who then proceeded to be the world's biggest jerk, despite Moats' repeated pleas to let him simply go inside the hospital. The entire altercation was caught on Powell's in-dash camera, which is shown unedited here. Probably the most appalling part of the video (and there's plenty there to choose from) is when the nurse comes outside and informs the officer of the situation. His reaction is to snap back, "I'm almost finished here." Powell has since apologized, but apparently public backlash hasn't waned. This editorial lauds Moats' reaction, and I have to agree. It would have been easy for him to lose his cool, but he didn't raise his voice, curse, or act insubordinate in any way. Hopefully Ryan can transform his new-found (unwanted) fame into something positive, and I'm sure he will.

Politics/World News
In 2003, the Republican Party in Texas, led by Tom DeLay and Rick Perry, gerrymandered US Congressional Districts in a move that ranks among the worst abuses of political power in recent memory. Among many other things, the Abilene area (historically bipartisan) was lumped in with ultra-conservative Lubbock. As a result, Charlie Stenholm, a conservative Democrat who wasn't afraid to reach across the aisle, lost his seat in 2004. Stenholm served 13 terms as Representative from the Abilene area, and he was on several influential committees. He was replaced by Randy Neugebauer, a rookie who has since voted with the Republican delegation 98% of the time. Stenholm wasn't the only one to lose his seat.

Now, the Texas Senate has approved a measure that ensures that any future redistricting will be handled by a bi-partisan committee. The measure passed 19-12, with the only "no" votes coming from Republicans. The bill now has to go through the incredibly partisan House of Representatives. If there is any justice, it will pass, but I am not holding my breath.

Humor
A pub in London was recently evacuated after a replica "Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch" was mistaken for a real explosive device.

Youtube
Fans of Arrested Development should recognize this face: