Skattershooting again . . . .

• Wasn't the China crisis a bit overblown?
• I'm a talk radio junkie, and I was stunned to hear the number of brain dead callers that suggested we go to war with China over the incident. That just tells me there are millions of Americans that have never gone through one.
• What would have America's response been if one of our fighters came in contact with a China spy plane 60 miles off the coast of Florida and it was forced to land in Miami? Do you think we would have demanded an apology? Would we have quickly turned tbe plane back over to the Chinese?
• Did anyone else at least crack a smile over the (presumably dead) Chinese pilot being named Wong Wei?
• Did you see that the Greenpeace organization unveiled a banner off the Crawford, Texas water tower that read: "Bush the Toxic Texan"? Stuff like that used get my "dander up" but now any tricked up protest is pretty darn funny.
• Why does Bush always return to his Crawford ranch when he could go to Camp David instead? His access to the ranch will always be available. However, his access to Camp David will be limited in eight years....or, perhaps, four.
• Did you notice that the Troy Aikman press conference announcing his retirement ran one hour and forty-five minutes long? I was also confused by his contradicting statements of "I just can't do it anymore" and "I'm not a washed up . . . quarterback."
• The President and Vice-President released their tax returns this week: Bush made $894,880 in 2000, and Dick Cheney made $36.1 million. Let no child be left behind.
• Anyone checked the gasoline prices this week? Cheapest I could find (and I used a half a tank driving around so that I could save $2.00) was $1.59.90.  (Sidenote: Why are gas prices listed in 9/10ths of a cent?)
• I am not a baseball fan in particular, but I saw this note in today's Morning News. The Oakland A's will start Barry Zito against the Rangers tonight. "Zito, a left-hander, was the Rangers' third round selection in the 1998 draft, but the sides squabbled over $150,000 and he never came to an agreement." Last year he was 7-4 with a 2.72 ERA. I hear that the Rangers are in need pitching and they were willing to pay A-Rod $25 million a year.
• All heck fire (it is Easter weekend) is breaking out in Cincinatti after a young black man was shot to death by police a few days ago - the fifteenth young black man killed by Cincy police since 1995.  In a largely ignored press conference on Friday, Keith Fangman, president of the Fraternal Order of Police in the city, announced that the Chief of Police doesn't represent the officers and then proceeded to hand out information on all of the shootings which was basically served as a "they deserved to die" brochure.
• Mark Cuban may be a genius but he is also lucky. His former company, Broadcast.com, was purchased by Yahoo "We Sell Porn . . . Oh, Wait No We Don't" Incorporated for bags full of Yahoo stock. He announced last week that he is all "in cash" now and holds no shares of stock. Very good timing considering the bottom fell out of Yahoo's stock price after the deal was completed.
• I saw that rapper Puff Daddy was dropping the name in order to symbolize his "new start" in life. I would like to take this opportunity to formally claim the name. Nothing would be funnier than to appear in front of a Wise County jury and utter the phrase "Ladies and Gentleman,  my name is Puff Daddy and I represent the John Smith."
• I have no idea why David Spade has a job, and you would have to drag me screaming to see his new movie, Joe Dirt.
• Why does the Wise County Messenger distribute the "American Profile" magazine? There is no local advertising contained in it so does the Messenger get paid for distributing it?
• I know nothing about foreign affairs, but it sure looks like Israel and the Palestinians are headed towards a major conflict.
• No joke: I am haunted by a dream that I am back at school and, having failed to attend classes during the semester, am horrified to learn that final exams are on the horizon. I have the dream at least once a month, and the school can be high school, college or law school. I never recognize the campus, however.
• I went out to Lone Star Park the other night, and have come to the conclusion that there is no stranger mix of people that at the horse races. Everyone from the high tone suite owners to the disturbing sight of the smoking mother holding her baby while she clinches her ticket for race #4.