Cecile RichardsPlanned Parenthood Federation of America, the largest abortion provider in the United States, announced today that it has hired longtime Democratic activist (and daughter of former Texas Governor Ann Richards) Cecile Richards to be its new President. Planned Parenthood was responsible for performing more than 244,000 abortions in 2003, according to an Associated Press story on the appointment.

The announcement of the Richards selection indicates that Planned Parenthood is becoming more overtly political and even more closely identified with the liberal wing of the Democratic party than it has been in the past. Richards has served on the staff of Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and ran the Texas Freedom Network in our state for a number of years, an organization opposed to the religious right similar to Norman Lear’s People for the American Way.

The Richards appointment comes at a time when Liberal, activist organizations are waging a major campaign to defeat the Supreme Court nomination of Samuel Alito, principally over Alito’s perceived opposition to abortion.

There is a segment of this area’s football fans who want Terrell Owens here. They want him regardless of the type of emotional burden he brings.

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Y'all can have your mamby-pamby Pollyanna-ish 'Best Stories.' Me, I like it gritty, real, nasty. And usually, embarrassingly funny. In that spirit, The School of Fish presents 'The Bottom 10 Sports Stories of 2005'

The conservative group Texans for Texas has launched a campaign to oppose any attempt by plaintiff's attorneys to exert influence in Republican politics. The group has set up a website and a blog, where it will track efforts of the plaintiff's bar to influence Republicans. It has also issued a report that is highly critical of some GOP office holders.

Janelle ShepardThe group's executive director Janelle Shepard is a nurse who has been very active in the past in efforts to pass caps on non-economic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits. The group is distributing a pledge that it wants lawmakers to sign where they pledge not to work for a major plaintiff law firm and not to accept campaign donations from the "Tobacco Five" attorneys who sued the tobacco industry for the state or from Baron & Budd or Mark Lanier.

Already convicted of negligent homicide and serving a 7 and a half year sentence, former Dallas Cowboy cornerback Dwayne Goodrich was sentenced to an additional term of five years for fleeing the scene of an accident in which a vehicle driven by Goodrich killed two men.  Goodrich will have to serve the additional five year term after he completes the time in prison on his negligent homicide case.  Judge Lana McDaniel imposed the maximum sentence that Goodrich could be given for the offense of fleeing the scene of the accident.

Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong The World Affairs Council of Dallas and Fort Worth will host His Excellency Zhou Wenzhong of the People’s Republic of China on Thursday, February 2^nd at Noon at the Wyndham Anatole Hotel.  This will be the Ambassador’s first visit to the DFW area.  The program is sponsored by Texas Instruments, Mary Kay, PAJ, Inc. and American Airlines, and presented in cooperation with the Asian American Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Chinese Professionals, the Greater Dallas Chamber and the Asia Society.

Ambassador Wenzhong will speak on the “Peaceful Development of China and US Relations.” The Ambassador’s has served in his current post for nearly one year.  He formerly served as Ambassador to Australia and as Deputy Foreign Minister.  He is currently engaged in meeting face-to-face with all 535 member of the US Congress and visiting all 50 states.

Tickets to the even will be $40 for Council members and $50 for non-members.  Registration is available on-line at www.dfwworld.org or by calling 214/965-8400.

Norm believes that Vince Young is among the greatest college quarterbacks of all time.  But he does not believe he will be a number one pick.  At least as long as Houston holds the number one pick.  Nor will he be a running quarterback for any team.  The NFL doesn't have those anymore.

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Pappy O'Daniel and the Hilbilly BoysGovernor's race in Texas reminds Bill Murchison of the good old days of Texas politics.

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Our movie reviewer finds "The Matador" can’t make up its mind what kind of film it wants to be.

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