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Apparently, people love that picture of Our State’s Governor, flashing some kind of gang sign/plea for help/smooth move that I posted here. So here’s a weekend experiment: Duplicate the gesture, in a Dallas locale, this weekend. Use the camera on your phone. Tweet it, with the hashtag #perryhands. Monday, we’ll show a children’s treasury of Frontburnervians getting their Perry on.

Go forth and photograph.

The NYTimes‘ Peter J. Henning does a great job analyzing the S.E.C. case against Dallas’ Wyly brothers. Conclusion: It won’t be easy for the feds to win.

It’s summer. In the words of Kiss, kids “want to rock and roll all night, and party every day.” Okay, I’m old. Anyway, that first thing might prove difficult this weekend. Starting tonight, Dallas police are cracking down on kids under the age of 17 who are out and about after midnight. If your kid gets picked up, expect to make a drive to police headquarters to retrieve her. Oh, and bring your checkbook. The fine can be as much as $500.

I spent this morning at the municipal courthouse on Main and Harwood as part of a jury pool. Question: has anyone been called for jury duty as much as I have? This was my fourth such summons in, I want to say, six years. Maybe less. The first time, I served — prosecutor and defense attorney stipulate the defendant is crazy, we listen to brief testimony, hang out in the jury room for a minute, say she’s crazy, brushkadoo. The other three times, including today, I got bounced after doing nothing more than draining my phone’s battery. I’ve learned some lessons. Not always lessons I follow, but lessons nonetheless. Jump?

Do you look like Governor Rick Perry? Even a little bit? His opponent, Bill White, may have a job for you. Low/no/no idea if you get pay, but you get lunch, allegedly.

So, as we have learned last week, Mark Cuban was interested in being a bidder when the Rangers were auctioned off. But today we learn that the Greenberg-Ryan offer has been “substantially enhanced,” and if it’s deemed kosher, there may not be an auction.

Cuban and other potential bidders aren’t happy. Cubes’ attorney says that the Mavericks’ owner would bid aggressively if an auction were to take place, and might even best the new offer from Greenberg-Ryan, which sounds like he was more than just casually interested in possibly owning the team.

Sidebar:  I’d call Tom Hicks many things – some of them even printable – but “beleaguered” isn’t one of them – maybe because it sounds sympathetic. This is a pickle all of his making.

Happy Friday. You’re in the home stretch!

If you’re among those with time and money to burn this afternoon, drive yourself to Gypsy Wagon and get first dibs on the items at its rummage sale. Perhaps you will find a new pair of cowgirl boots. If so, you really have no choice but to wear them out tonight, and your first stop should be the Feast of Saint Martha at The Grape. Do it. Your friends will be jealous.

Lots of people have taken a buyout from The Dallas Morning News over the last 10 years. Some have stayed with journalism, most notably Uncle Barky. Others have turned their backs on the field and tried something completely different, most notably Michael Precker.

Recently, via Facebook, I’ve been keeping up with two former colleagues as they follow in Precker’s footsteps. Their status updates have been at the opposite ends of the appetizing spectrum.

Chris Velez, a former designer who worked primarily for Sports Day and Quick, is undergoing training at the Texas Academy of Animal Control Officers. His status updates have ranged from disgusting (descriptions of decapitating a puppy with parvo) to inspiring: “I plan on making a bigger difference than you might reasonably expect from one person in this field.”

Garth Lewis, on the other hand, has chosen a much less vomit-inducing career. The former Sports Day copy editor opened a Double Dave’s pizza franchise in Arlington on Wednesday. I plan on stopping by the next time I’m in A-Town for a Rangers game. You should do the same.

Pilar Sanders, the wife of former NFL and MLB player Deion Sanders, visited our humble offices downtown yesterday. She came for a photo shoot for a little contest we’ll start running online in a couple weeks. Other women have also been brought in for this shoot, and it typically takes us about 15 minutes to get them in and back out the door again.

With Mrs. Sanders, it took our team about an hour. That’s because she arrived with the crew of a TV show in tow. Pilar appears to be a pro in front of the cameras, having appeared in an Oxygen show with her husband. At times, the crew asked for multiple takes of the same action, as when they had our shopping editor Raya Ramsey and Mrs. Sanders make a second entrance into the photo studio.

Our video intern Robbie Curtis captured some of the fun and put a dance beat under it, just to make your Friday morning a little groovier. You’ll spot Raya and D‘s own jack-of-all-trades, Matt Shelley, the photographer for this shoot.

Dave Montgomery at the Star-Telegram is reporting that a White endorsement letter is circulating signed by Dallas business leaders who supported Kay Bailey in the primary, including John Adams, Lucy Billingsley, Mike Rawlings, and Rusty Rose.

1. You know, I understand the need to report the ever-unfolding investigation into the suicide of Coppell mayor Jane Peters, and the murder of her daughter Corinne. She was a public figure, and she apparently misused taxpayer money prior to her death. But when an anonymous donor gives the town money to pay for her debts, shouldn’t she stay anonymous?

2. Jessica Simpson is rumored to be in contention to replace Simon Cowell on American Idol. Because obviously, that’s an equal trade.

3. You know, sometimes, when I’m bored and daydreaming, I will think about how I’d knock over a liquor store, or a bank – what I’d do to avoid capture, where I’d go, what I’d wear. But you know what? I never considered merging two of my favorite movies – Sugar and Spice and Fame – in my planning. Thanks to these folks, I kind of have an idea how it’d play out. Band of roving dancers? I admire their moxie.

4. Alex Rodriguez has about 25 million reasons he objects to the auction of the Rangers.

5. It’s Friday, and to be honest, about 2:30 I will find myself watching the clock and wishing I had a flask to add to my Sonic slush (hint: Tito’s with cranberry slush is pure win. You’re welcome).  Would you like to listen to what I listen to when I watch the clock? Well, here you go.