12.19.2013

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts



  • So some guy on Duck Dynasty makes anti-homosexual remarks so the network suspends him? I'm serious when I say this: I think the A&E Network was caught off guard by the comments but then decided to do a publicity stunt with the suspension. His words come as no surprise, and his audience will rally to support him. So why else suspend him other than to grab headlines? The publicity that the show is getting this morning is both outrageous and priceless.  This is all an orchestrated charade. 
  • In the last eight years, only four of almost 2,700 UT Law students have failed the bar exam at least two times.  Two of those four students are children of state lawmakers who may have peddled their influence to get their kids admitted to the school in the first place.
  • Kidd Kraddick is on the cover of  D Magazine's January issue with an accompanying long article about "his secret". It is fantastic, riveting, and a must read if you have any interest in the guy at all.  But I've got a feeling that article only scratches the surface of a complicated and tormented guy.
  • There was a wreck on 380 in Bridgeport yesterday and, if my math is correct, there were seven people in one of the cars. 
  • A Waco Grand jury cleared Baylor football player Ahmad Dixon of any wrongdoing after a September arrest. He was suspected of assaulting a guy he thought broke into his apartment (no medical attention was needed) . TCU coach Gary Patterson is not impressed. (Patterson thought Dixon should have been suspended.)
  • Funny line heard on the radio yesterday about the "Jesus was white" controversy: "If God could pull off the virgin birth, it's not hard to believe he could make Jesus white, too." 
  • I'm not a basketball fan, but I love  rules and their interpretation. That's why I find this full court pass and shot with .3 on the clock (which was made but waived off) so fascinating. Who knew there was a specific rule when there was .3 or less on the clock?
  • A positive sign for Republicans: A shocking number of people (72%) consider "big government" the biggest threat to the U.S.  They've been preaching it for years. They would be smart to run with it.
  • The Dallas Observer blog got tons of hits, and sucked in The Drudge Report by claiming that Texas highest criminal court had approved search warrants based upon "future crimes." And although the Minority Report type headline gets attention, nothing could be further from the truth. That was one line from the dissent, and the majority opinion didn't address the issue. 
  • I think Will Ferrell is funny. I liked Old School, Step-Brothers, his bit in Party Crashers. his very small role in the greatness that is Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, A Night At The Roxbury (very underrated), and Talladega Nights (his best).  But here's a confession: I thought Anchorman was average at best, and I may be giving it too high of a ranking.
  • Stumbled upon the old Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song last night. I promise that if you played that for a 20 year old today, she/he would have no idea who 90% of the people referenced in the song are. (Dinah Shore, Rod Carew, Bowzer.) We be getting old, people.
  • Probably the greatest ending to any TV show was that of Six Feet Under
  • We've got a new "And Another" out of Wylie but with no details and only a bad book-in photo.
  • UT has appointed an eight person "advisory team" to help the athletic director in selecting a new football coach.  It looks like they chose people who are in fields completely unrelated to football.