A roundup of stuff that wouldn’t necessarily make it on the blog, but is worth noting:

• One of the most important issues facing Dallas in the Legislature this session is water. We need more of it to keep up with expected growth, and the Lege doles out water rights in the state. That’s why this story is so important, since it may be a way to get around the legislature’s distaste for granting us more water. Irving wants to buy water from a city in Oklahoma, which has extra, but the state of Oklahoma won’t let the city sell its water to Irving. Complicated? Certainly, and it may well go to the Supreme Court. But it could have a huge affect on whether we can water our lawns in 10 years.

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• Microsoft has offered a $250,000 reward to find out who is behind the Downadup/Conficker virus, which has infected millions of Windows computers in the past five months. The worm is a self-replicating program that can infect machines via the Internet or by hiding on USB memory drives. Don’t expect anyone to claim the reward, though. Microsoft has offered cash to for information for three other major computer worm threats known as Blaster, MyDoom and Sobig worms, and no one came forward.

• The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde was at a Chicago McDonald’s yesterday, part of a protest to urge the fast food giant to kill the chickens it uses for its sandwiches and food more humanely. This may all be well and good, but it’s also an excuse (after the jump) to play the Pretenders doing "Night in My Veins" video, courtesy of cockaleekieman at YouTube.