The Texas Rollergirls came with a Christmas gift for their final home bout of the year on Saturday. It wasn't just that Women's Flat Track Derby Association No. 3 team, the Texecutioners, dominated 16th-ranked Duke City Derby's traveling Munecas Muertas, but that Lady X returned. Sidelined after a brutal take-down during the still-controversial world championship semifinal against Rat City in September, she strapped the skates back on for a bout that could best be described as a friendly (in all senses of the word.)

The Texecutioners' domination was almost complete. With a 60 point lead by first period's end, Austin looked unassailable. With a final score of 158-36, that domination looked like an obliteration. But much of that Duke City 36 came courtesy of 13, the diminutive but effective Katie Chingas. With her long pigtails flying, as jammer she gracefully sliced out some credibility-restoring points.

The increasing viewership for MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann proves that there's still space in the media market for a New York-based liberal. But who's not watching Olbermann's evening show? Seemingly, MSNBC's Saturday morning host Chris Jansing. This weekend, she began a piece with the following:

"An outspoken critic of the war in Iraq is backing off a statement he made while visiting troops there. Pennsylvania congressman John Murtha now says that his statement Thursday that quote 'I think the surge is working' might need further clarification.'"

Which is sort of true, but only if you don't realize that Murtha wasn't back-pedaling, but asking journalists like Jansing to run the full, nuanced quote:

"I think the surge is working but that's only one element. It's working because of the increase in troops, but the thing that has to happen is that the Iraqis have to do this themselves."

His argument was that, without the political reconstruction required (and proven to be essential by minor examples like, oh, the long-term pacification of Germany and Japan after WWII) this was just boots on the ground creating the illusion of progress. And who was one of the first members of the mainstream media to point out that Murtha's stance was being misrepresented? Keith Olbermann on Friday night.

A wig!

There is no need for anyone but these guys to ever blog about Project Runway. EVER!

Did you know there is a Canadian Project Runway? Hosted by Iman?

Well, the voting has begun. As I'm sure you've noticed thanks to the new Club Chron home page.

I had hoped to bring my run time down further than I have, but all in all I did manage to shave off a significant amount time. The input and coaching from our Team Zen Coach - Patric (provided by RunTex) has been very helpful. I would not have been varying my work out as much as I am without his guidence.

Many of our Club Chron group members have been talking about continuing on with the Team Zen meetings after the Trail of Lights. I think this is a great idea. I'm sure I will be out there as often as possible, picking Patrick's brain and filling up on the Tokyo Breakfast.

I've read up a bit on the Trail of Lights and it turns out that they debut the trail on the night of the 5K! How fun is that!? So the lead runners are the first of the general public who get to see the trail all lit-up. I've also been told that it's a great family run, meaning that there a lot of kids, strollers and dogs enjoying the first viewing of the Trail as well. So now there's no reason you shouldn't be out there with us on the 8th. You will still be able to register Friday and Saturday before the race at the Riverside RunTex. So there really is no reason YOU should not come out with a big thermos full of Hot Cocoa and peruse the trail with everyone else.

Since we still have a while to go before this blog is shut down, I will be posting a few more times. Tell EVERYONE YOU KNOW to vote. We want this to be a great success for the Chronicle.

drew

Amongst the interim charges proposed over the last three days, hidden in the depths of the often over-looked Civil Practices committee section, Speaker Tom Craddick made a clear implication that he was looking to tighten up tort reform yet again, and even discourage ‘meritless’ litigation (i.e. the kind that loses) by introducing “recovery of costs and other financial penalties.”

But as vice-chair of Civil Practices, Rep. Mark Strama, D-Austin, politely implied that he’d be taking the list of charges under advisement, and expected committee chair Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, would be doing the same. “I would encourage the chair that we should study what we think we should study,” he added. He also noted that he didn’t know whether he or Cook would hold their posts next session, since their relationship with the speaker has been a little frosty since their personal privilege speeches during the last session asking him to resign (especially when Cook said Craddick’s tenure had been somewhat defined by “tyranny, bullying, [and] threats”.)

Wow, everybody really freaked out about their beloved Cowboys not being shown on Time Warner last night. And honestly, I was a little miffed as well. Not because I'm a Cowboys fan, because I'm not, but because I'm a fan of the NFL and 1) I don't like being inconvenienced (you heard me, I'm spoiled and proud of it) and 2) it was one of the biggest regular-season games of the year and actually lived up to all of the hype and hubbub. Brett Favre unwisely chunking up long balls almost blindly, Terrell Owens catching a TD pass and then somehow watching it fly out of his arms and into those of a thrilled Packer, and Aaron Rodgers replacing an injured Favre and showing the old man how it should be done – at least on this one occasion. I guess I should mention that the Cowboys won 37-27.

Most of the remaining Thursday/Saturday night NFL Network games lack the sex appeal of last night's matchup but there are a few interesting games on the schedule, including one featuring the Houston Texans and another Cowboys game. The following games will be available on the NFL Network to customers of DirecTV, Grande Communications, as well as at all area sports bars, and my friend Chris' house. Here's a look at the schedule:

Speaker Tom Craddick has finally unleashed his third and final set of interim charges for the House Committees this morning. (Also, check out the first two days' volumes of this trilogy, released Wednesday and Thursday.)

Obviously, this is a whole session's worth of agendas and responsibilities. Even though one committee clerk this morning described it as "very unlikely" that any committee would start any serious examination of any of this before New Year, Craddick has slapped it on the legislative chimney like a big regulatory Christmas wish list.

So what is he hoping to find in his stocking? Well, in today's commandments for 13 committees, the emphasis was on the bodies that cover where we live and how we get there. And, of course, the big gun on today's list (and the last to get its instructions) was Transportation. This will be the last time outgoing chair Rep. Mike Krusee, R-Round Rock, will get to shepherd legislation through the House (see next week's issue for Michael King's interview with Krusee on exactly what he's up to next.)