Ranking it

Texas universities make list of amazing but overlooked colleges

There are factors in higher education that can be measured, like "best value colleges" and "party schools." But some qualities — like amazing cafeteria food (served at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas) and luxurious dorm rooms (like the too-nice-for-teenagers units at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) — are too often overlooked on those lists.

That's where the Daily Beast comes in. This past week, it published a roundup titled "Amazing But Overlooked: 25 Colleges You Haven't Considered But Should," and two Texas schools made the cut.

The Daily Best reckons that Texas A&M University's most overlooked quality is its "school social spirit," and applauds the Aggies for an unparalleled following on Twitter, Foursquare, YouTube, Facebook and Pinterest. The university uses these social media outlets "to create excitement around campus developments."

Rice University is recognized for its diversity. Less than half of the student body comes from Texas, "and more than 10 percent are foreign. Plus, Rice is racially and ethnically diverse as well: a fifth of students are Asian, a fifth are African-American or Hispanic, and 5 percent are two or more races."

When it published the list, Daily Beast knew it would incite a flurry of reader responses. Within days, the site received hundreds of submissions for other amazing-but-overlooked institutions.

According to readers, two more Texas universities — University of Texas at El Paso and Austin College in Sherman — deserve props. The former, for its award-winning journalism program; the latter, for its leadership program.

The Daily Beast recognizes Rice University for its diverse student body.

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Animal News

Dallas police seek help in identifying 2 jerks who dumped their dogs

DPD

Fat jerk getting back into his red Jeep after dumping his dog.

The Dallas Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying not one but two men who abandoned their dogs off Dowdy Ferry Road in southeast Dallas.

In Texas, abandoning a dog is considered animal cruelty. The penalties for abandoning a dog in Texas can include: Misdemeanor – Abandoning a dog is a Class A misdemeanor in Texas. If convicted, a person can face up to a year in jail and up to $4,000 in fines. That's something but it's not enough.

Both incidents took place in the 2400 block of Dowdy Ferry Road, an area well known amongst low-lifes for dumping animals and anything generally sketchy.

The first took place on June 3, 2024, at about 5:15 pm, when a male exited a red Jeep with a black hardtop, opened the back door to let out a black pit bull type dog, then drove off.

The dog sniffs some paint cans, also dumped on the side of the road, then notices the Jeep has driven off, and runs after him.

How do you be that guy? How do you be a jerk with a fat gut, scraggly black hair, ballcap, scraggly chin fuzz, stupid tattoos on your calves, who looks to be in your 30s yet goes around outside wearing flip-flops as regular shoes, have a sweet dog you dump on the side of the road?

Sometimes it's easier to identify someone if you see them moving. To see this guy as he waddles to the back of his Jeep, click here for the video.

If he or his Jeep looks familiar, this investigation is case number 086508-2024.

Fat dumpy male, dark car, Dowdy Ferry Road Dumpy male gets out of his dark car, while his two dogs are still inside.DPD

The second incident took place June 18, 2024, at about 12:05 pm, when a male exited his dark-colored car and opened the front passenger door to let out two Cane Corso dogs, then abandoned them at the location.

He looks to be in his 40s, with a paunchy gut, wearing a pale collared jersey, jeans, and sneakers. His car is a beat up old Scion, around a 2006, dark gray or black with a few dents in the front. Who do you know who drives a Scion?

This guy exhibits guilt. He gets out and trudges around the area with the two dogs following him. He returns to the area of the car and the dogs jump back in. He looks around, then stumbles a bit down the street before returning to shoo the dogs out.

To see him in action, click on the video here. This investigation is ongoing and is documented on case number 094077-2024.

The videos are from the Dowdy Ferry Animal Commission, a group of volunteers, some of whom live nearby, who've spent a decade documenting this behavior. Their Facebook page is here, and they accept donations for cameras and other gear.

Anyone with any information regarding these offenses is asked to contact DPD Crime Stoppers at 1 877-373–TIPS or Detective H. Tamez, #8518, with the Animal Cruelty Unit, at 214-671-0115.

animals