Television

Well, good luck on getting any police cooperation with your investigation in the future:

Sad news for all of us aging, cartoon-loving baby boomers:

A pioneer of local television in Fort Wayne, John Manahan Siemer passed away over the weekend.

Siemer known fondly as “Engineer John” for a generation of baby boomers served the Fort Wayne area as the host of morning cartoon show 'The Cartoon Express."

He was employed at WKJG Channel 33 from 1954- 1971.

David Brooks has finally seen the light:

Yes, I'm a sap. I believed Obama when he said he wanted to move beyond the stale ideological debates that have paralyzed this country. I always believe that Obama is on the verge of breaking out of the conventional categories and embracing one of the many bipartisan reform packages that are floating around.

Another good reason to just stay home and watch all the games on the big-screen TV:

The NFL wants all fans patted down from the ankles up this season to improve fan safety.

Uh-oh:

How quickly things change. It seems like only yesterday when Jerry Falwell was claiming that Tinky Winky was the gay Teletubby. Now we've gone from right-fringe nuttiness to left-fringe nuttiness, with a petition being circulated online to let Bert and Ernie go ahead and get married since they're obvious a gay couple. The petition is getting so much attention that PBS felt compelled to respond:

All right, troops, listen up! We're getting the Super Bowl in here, and millions and millions of dollars will be floating through for the taking. All you enterprising souls who want to get in on the gravy, take one step forward. Not so fast there, scalper scum!

Indianapolis is looking to crack down on ticket scalpers.

OK, all you long-shot artists who bet that a debt-ceiling compromise would be reached before the NFL owners and players would settle, pay up:

Yes, please, and amen:

Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees say "it is time" for NFL owners and players to wrap up negotiations on a deal to end the league's lockout.

Ayieeee! If I say it's as hot as a Texas summer, take heed. I know whereof I speak.

Anyway, glad to be back and blah, blah, blah.

Often on vacation, I try to completely ignore the news, as a palliative for my workday immersion in it. But this time, I decided to pay modest attention to the reported events of the day, the way most people do. That way, I could catch the highlights without having to obsess over the small stuff. So, the news that broke through my short attention span in Texas: