Dallas is the “Meanest City” in all of Texas -- and the sixth meanest in the nation when you throw in cities from the Other 49 -- for homeless folks, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless in a study published today.

In a report oddly titled “A Dream Denied: The Criminalization of Homelessness in U.S. Cities” – begging the question of whether anyone’s dream really is to be homeless – Dallas is knocked for ticketing panhandlers, outlawing the taking of shopping carts from store grounds, and the current proposal to ticket people who give to panhandlers.

Leaving aside broader philosophical arguments over civil liberties, police priorities, and the seemingly random battles that Mayor Laura Miller chooses to cling to – who wants their hometown known as “Most Welcoming to Scary Street People?”

The full report can be found here and the page on Dallas can be found here

The good news: Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Rayfield Wright were just announced as among the 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The bad news: Morning News football writer Rick Gooselin is not willing or able to handle his job as unofficial "campaign manager.'' So, Cowboys fans and Cowboys players, don't get your hopes up, y'all:

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George Herbert Walker BushIn James Risen’s new book, State of War: the Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration, the author discusses a conversation that George Herbert Walker Bush had with his son, the current President, in 2003. According to Risen, George W. Bush "angrily hung up the telephone on his father" who was complaining to the President about the excessive influence wielded by the neoconservatives over American foreign policy. Here is what Risen writes: "George Herbert Walker Bush was disturbed that son was allowing Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and a cadre of neoconservative ideologues to exert broad influence over foreign policy, particularly concerning Iraq."

In a review of the Risen book for the New York Times, James Bamford describes how the then head of the CIA, George Tenet, was torn between the views of his mid-level CIA analysts and station chiefs who were reluctant to go to war in Iraq and the neoconservative "hawks" who were pushing hard for military action against Iraq. Tenet in the end sided with the neoconservatives. Here is what Bamford has to say:

"The book also provides a close look at how George J. Tenet, then the tough-talking, cigar-chomping CIA director, had to decide between the counsel of many of his middle-level analysts and station chiefs who advised caution when it came to Iraq, and the Pentagon’s hawks and neoconservatives who were hungry for war. ‘George Tenet liked to talk about how he was a tough Greek from Queens’, Mr. Risen quotes a former Tenet lieutenant as saying. But the former official added that in reality, ‘he just wanted people to like him.’

With regard to Iraq, Mr. Risen writes, it was the hard-line Israelis that Mr. Rumsfeld and his deputy, Paul D. Wolfowitz, were listening to, not the cautious CIA. ‘Israeli intelligence officials frequently traveled to Washington to brief top American officials,’ he writes, ‘but CIA analysts were often skeptical of Israeli intelligence reports, knowing that Mossad had very strong – even transparent – biases about the Arab world.’ After their visits, CIA officials would often discount much of what the Israelis had provided. ‘Wolfowitz and other conservatives at the Pentagon became enraged by this practice.’ Mr. Risen writes."

State Rep. Terry KeelDallas Judge Robert Francis had his name taken off the Republican ballot yesterday in the race for Place 8 on the Court of Criminal Appeals by a District Judge in Travis County because of Francis’ failure to get enough signatures on his petition requirement.

His opponent, State Representative Terry Keel, already had succeeded in getting the Texas Republican Party to knock the current Judge, Charles Holcomb, off the ballot since Holcomb failed to get enough signatures in one of the appellate districts. That proved to be the same problem for Judge Francis. At the moment, Terry Keel is running unopposed for the Republican nomination for Place 9 of the Court of Criminal Appeals.

Buck Wood, attorney for Judge Francis, says that he intends to appeal the District Court’s decision, according to the Texas Lawyer. To read the full story link here:

Scott Bennett says the outrage of Mexican politicians at even faltering US steps to control its border is outrageous.  That millions must flee their own country indicates that country is an abject failure that is exporting its own people as an economic policy.  However, Scott says that does not mean the US should not welcome Mexican immigrants.  Nor does it mean we shouldn't build a wall on the border.

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Adam agrees that health care costs are high, often times with good reason.  But he also notes that consumers still have a lot of power.  There are a lot of tools out there for controlling costs if the health care consumer will be a little discerning and willing to spend a little time comparison shopping.

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Wendi is back from the holidays and is missing all of the space that seemed available a short time ago.  Everything is full again.  Her advise:  back off.

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If Mike Zimmer and Sean Payton depart Valley Ranch, who will step up as Bill Parcells' top Cowboys assistants? The Fish has the scoop:

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John Sharp is a good choice to chair the Governor's Tax Reform Commission.

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