Free Republic

Order was simultaneously restored and destroyed here Saturday night. Standard protocol in the Big 12 is this: Oklahoma owns teams like Texas Tech when they come to Owen Field. The challenge to that tradition was established when the undefeated, nouveau riche Red Raiders came to town ranked higher (2nd) than the once-beaten, old-money home team (fifth). The challenge was eliminated in an old-school, name-the-score massacre of a Red Raiders team that reverted to classic form -- too soft up front, and too intimidated to win a huge showdown on the road. And this shocking 65-21 beatdown gives "Big Game" Bob...

MADELEINE: POLICE TO SEARCH SHRINE FOR BODYPOLICE in Portugal believe Madeleine McCann may be buried at one of the holiest sites of the Catholic Church Officers were last night planning to launch a search at Fatima in central Portugal. Devout Kate and Gerry McCann made a pilgrimage there three weeks after their daughter vanished from their holiday apartment in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz. Just four days later they rented a car which police believe the couple used to return to the shrine and dispose of Madeleine’s body. The search in Fatima is said to be one of...

COLLEGE STATION - Josh Carter scored 24 points and Acie Law added 21 points and 15 assists, leading No. 6 Texas A&M to a 100-82 victory over Texas on Monday night. The Aggies, coming off a big win at then-No. 6 Kansas on Saturday, won their 21st straight home game and maintained sole possession of first place in the Big 12. Kevin Durant had 28 points and 15 rebounds for the Longhorns (16-7, 6-3 Big 12), but the Aggies finally found some scoring punch to go with one of the nation's stingiest defenses - and that was too much...

Austin City Manager Toby Futrell opened her Tuesday newspaper and saw that economic development glad-handers from Lubbock were in her town, flooding one of the world's most prestigious tech conferences with tote bags stamped with their logo. Futrell declared a marketing emergency. The city has no strategic reserve for a tote bag crisis, so Futrell whipped her staff into a frenzy Wednesday to quickly order 2,000 high-quality tote bags that say "Austin: Live Music Capital of the World." The order, which will cost the city about $2,000, was set to be filled by noon today, when city officials will begin...

Vice provost's new job includes shaking up the student body, and its perceptions AUSTIN - Gregory Vincent started over again last month, with a temporary office, shared secretary and pressing assignment: to help the University of Texas at Austin define and achieve diversity. It is no small task, but Vincent has faced it before. The new vice provost for inclusion and cross-cultural effectiveness filled similar positions at other predominantly white institutions, Louisiana State University and the University of Oregon. None of the universities had a high-ranking administrator to stand watch over matters of race, culture and ethnicity before hiring the...