Daily Archives: March 22, 2007

Rating the minor league ballparks

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DellDiamond2.jpgAs we edge closer to Major League Baseball’s Opening Day just a little over a week away, Baseball Prospectus’ Christina Kahrl provides this Playboy.com article on her ten favorite minor league baseball ballparks, two of which are in Texas — Dell Diamond in Round Rock and Missions Stadium in San Antonio. The new Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi didn’t make the list, but probably should have.
By the way, if you have never witnessed the seventh inning stretch entertainment at Missions Stadium called “Tackle the Taco” featuring Missions mascot Henry the Puffy Taco, that alone is worth the trip.

The very funny Mr. Gaffigan

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Jim_gaffigan.jpgMy college age children have introduced me to the comedy of Jim Gaffigan, who is the subject of this nice NY Times profile. In addition to being a very funny fellow who remains quite appreciative for his good fortune, Gaffigan is one of the most prominent of a refreshing new breed of comedians (Frank Caliendo is another) who eschew profanity in their routines:

[Gaffigan] also said he was gratified by his fansí repeated support for the decision he made about five years ago to quite literally clean up his act and purge it of the ìcussing,î as he calls it, that he found he was using as a crutch. (On the meet-and-greet-line in Charlotte, he tried to warn some unsuspecting audience members about to buy one of his older CDs that his language was coarser.)
ìThe topics Iím discussing ó thereís no reason to curse when youíre talking about escalators,î he said. ìAmong comedians, George Carlin, Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce are, in a way, the martyrs who fought for us to have the right to curse. I feel like they also made it possible for us not to.î

Texas Supreme Court Webcast

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supreme%20Court.jpgD. Todd Smith of Austin, who runs a terrific new blawg, Texas Appellate Law Blog passes along this post informing that the Texas Supreme Court’s era of webcasting has begun. You can access the webcasts here.
As Todd notes, the feed has a bit of a “Court TV” feel to it, but it’s fascinating nonetheless. The webcast includes a brief summary of the case being argued and the main webcast page includes a schedule of upcoming arguments, along with links to digital briefs involved in the cases. Check it out.