5.31.2013

TCU Taking You Into The Weekend



Today the Big 12 announced it would split up a record $198 million in sports revenue earned from last year. Each school gets $22 million except for TCU and West Virginia who get $11 million each as part of their agreement to join the conference. Don't feel bad for TCU, it had never earned more than $2 million in its prior conference.

Friday Court Ruling Impacting Texas: Hide yo wife, Hide yo guns

More.

First North Korea Then Decatur High School


Based upon a Facebook report, it looks like we had a rocket launch at Decatur High this morning.  First they had a school board shake up, and now we've got some saber-rattling missile launches directed at Bridgeport. Probably some nuclear warheads in that red bucket.

Call the U.N. Trouble's brewing.

Prancersise? How Have I Missed This? And Why Hasn't Mrs. LL Been Doing It?



Amazon – Prancercise®: The Art of Physical and Spiritual Excellence, is a whole new way of thinking and approaching fitness. To be really fit we need to consider more than just ourselves; we need to also consider the conservation of the environment (as through vegetarianism), and non-violence, through our thought process and behavior. This book is a true literary resource well researched and documented, not just propaganda. It’s a recipe for fitness, health, and self-fulfillment!

If Mrs. LL does prance herself into the kitchen to make me a sandwich this evening, it's going to be a long weekend. Time for her to step up her game if she wants to keep up with grandma there.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts


  • There is  a commercial running on the radio advertising former Monkee star Peter Tork's appearance at the Granada Theater tomorrow. But the background Monkees song being played wasn't sung by Tork. I don't know why that bugs me so much. 
  • Have we ever had a Wise Countian compete in the big time National Spelling Bee? (It was on yesterday and I meant to watch part of it.)
  • And if you ever get a chance to see the documentary on the Spelling Bee, be sure to see it: Spellbound.  Still love the girl from Indian competing in the American competition, "In India we don't get second chances." She was speaking in the broader sense instead of competition specific.
  • A reporter for The Oklahoman was arrested for taking upskirt pictures of high school girls at the Moore graduation (the same town hit by the tornado.) He allegedly deleted the photos when confronted. But they better have fantastic proof that he did the deletion or that case is going no where. 
  • We say "thank you" a lot in the house. I like that. 
  • Iraq death toll will break 500 in May. And over 400 were killed last month. There going to have to keep updating the Bush Library aren't' they?
  • There have to be lots of administrators/teachers who watch high school graduations and thank god that some of those troublemakers aren't coming back. 
  • "IRVING -- Irving Independent School District is investigating how a yearbook photo was altered to include a sexually-offensive remark. The caption 'Ugly Hoe' appeared instead of a cheerleader's name in a group photo." I don't know how any yearbook gets published without some prankster tricking up at least one page. 
  • Lots of press yesterday about a guy being sent to prison for 50 years for stealing $35 worth of ribs in Waco. That crime normally carries with it a maximum of 180 days in jail but Texas laws allow for some crazy enhancements if someone has a criminal record and/or threats made at the time of the theft. 
  • Ricin letters were sent to the President and the New York mayor over the last couple of days. Why does no one get bent out of shape about whether to label the act as "terrorism"?
  • Kansas City and St. Louis' game last night was delayed over five hours and the final pitch came at 3:14 a.m. Here's a look at the seats behind home plate
  • Hey, cops are killing citizens in Waco, too:


5.30.2013

Everyone Seems A Little Up Tight Today


Let's just all go relax and see a well made movie. (It's real.)

Star-Telegram Opinion Police On Recent Police Shooting

The money line from the article:

Even without knowing all the details, this event provides a clear lesson for those who own firearms, even for use in protecting their homes. Those weapons must be put away or surrendered when police arrive to take charge.

Really? How about cops putting away their weapons until they figure out the right house to go to.

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts



  • It looks like the shooting of the Fort Worth homeowner is probably going to be a major police screw-up.  But the ol' "we were in fear for our safety" has already been bantered around. 
  •  "Kountze ISD say it is appealing a district judge's decision to allow cheerleaders to display banners with Bible messages at district sporting events." That struck me as odd at first but I think I know why the school is appealing. (Stay with me here.)  It's all about framing the legal issue. If it is the ACLU vs. both The School and the Girls, then the school has to support the kids' right to make the banner and we get perilously close to having a school sponsored religious message. If the school, on the other hand, takes the opposite side of the girls, the issue is framed as government trying to suppress free speech. This give the girls a better chance to win. And I think that's what the school wants. 
  • Tell me when the hockey and basketball season is over. 
  • Heard on the radio yesterday: The new fashion trend for younger men is a tank top with horizontal stripes? (The first internet search I did revealed one from Brooks Brothers for $50.)  Ugh. So it's a fashionable wife beater? 
  • If I just mention the word "Benghazi" every now and then will it make some of you feel better?
  • Lots of news talk about a tornado near Alvord last night but some weatherman kept referring to it as Alverd. (And I think the worst of it was closer to Sunset.)
  • The number of typos and errors were even higher than usual on here over the last couple of days. And that's because most of it was written while I was loopy off of medication. 
  • The boys on the radio keeping talking about a tornado movie over at the OMNI in Fort Worth in IMAX format. Anyone seen it?
  • In our own American version of a Sunni-Shiite battle, The United Methodist Reporter is ceasing publication while The Baptist Standard keeps plugging along. The Paper Holy War is over. 
  • What in the heck are they doing to the roads at I-35W and 287 at "the Decatur cutoff."   The whole metroplex is under construction. Sheesh.
  • From the Update: "CSCOPE MEETING – Alice Linehan with Women on the Wall will speak about CSCOPE curriculum and Common Core state standards 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, at the Decatur Civic Center." Uh. Did someone not get the message that the curriculum is gone? Or did I miss a new memo?
  • Obscure baseball stat that only I care about: Chris Davis, the one time hapless member with the Rangers after getting chance after chance, is now batting .359 with 19 homers and 50 RBIs  He's 27 years old from Longview, Texas and may have finally figured it out. (I think my sister-in-law knows his mother and says he's a good kid.)
  • Most Recent Dennis Prager beatdown: A caller, for some reason, mentioned his diet and Prager shut him down and said, "Let me tell you, I know a great deal about nutrition."  What does he not know!!!???



Rangers Ground Crew Trying To Keep It Dry Last Night

5.29.2013

New Interactive Graph For School Funding Over Next Two Years


All schools here.  Seems like a little increase, but not much.

Don't Throw Beer At Jimmie



That's the easiest way to have your woman slap you, walk off, and divorce you.

It's Marriage 101.

Hot Chick Wins Contest And Then Told "We've Made A Horrible Mistake"


I've told this story before, but when I was a kid there was a huge Little Miss Bridgeport contestant. When it came down to the five finalists, there was a screwup between the scorers and the announcers.  A "1" written down on the car  could either mean (1") "First Place" or it could mean (2) "Only One Point" out of a possible five.   One little Bridgeport girl was named queen when she should have taken fifth place.

I was a kid, but man that tension in the auditorium lives with me today. The negotiations to fix the situation were so intense we probably could have ended the Cold War if we taken them internationally.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughs



  • Update: Edited a little bit. My wheels were off this morning. 
  • Lauren Green is a McKinney High student with a GPA near 4.0 and 30 college credit hours. So far so good. But the district says she is one of 13 kids who showed up to senior prom drunk, on a rented bus. She was ordered to attend a disciplinary alternative school for 30 days, which would make her miss graduation. I never have understood kids like that being banned from the ceremony -- after that, they still get to graduate and get the diploma. 
  • Your Fort Worth house is your castle until the cops come by looking for a different house and then shoot you six times until dead while your in your own garage. Looks like the 72 year old dead man used to have a father who pastored a church in Jacksboro.
  • I'm all the way up to date on Breaking Bad. Nice touch for them to play "crystal blue persuasion."
  • The Texas House passed some huge "water bill" but for the life of me I can't figure out how it impacts Wise County. 
  • Mrs. LL is always monitoring my mental health. I'm concerned that she thinks she has to do that. 
  • Isn't it about time for the West Nile Freakout?
  • Mrs. LL and I played x-box's beach volleyball. We managed to get into a fight. A brief one but we sent each other to our rooms for 15 minutes. That seemed to do it. 
  • And it only seemed months ago that the "Economy" was the major issue of every election. 



5.28.2013

Missing College Football In May


Random Monday Morning Thoughts


  • I had always heard about the shocking ending to The Cabin In The Woods, so I finally watched it over the weekend. It was beyond horrible.
  • One of life's mysteries is that Mrs. LL sees no humor in Arrested Development. It is so frustrating. 
  • But she was locked in to Behind the Candelabra on HBO on Saturday. Michael Douglas is great in whatever he does.
  • And now to lower the bar: We saw The Hangover III at the 7th Street Movie Tavern on Saturday. Verdict: They just keep getting worse (with the exception of the last 15 minutes which were shockingly funny.)
  • I don't see the Star-Telegram's paywall.  I mean, it no longer appears when I visit the site. 
  • The New Puppy In The House is now able to walk and run. Mrs. LL will take it for a short walk down the street and literally stops traffic because of its cuteness. 
  • CBS 11 says that the storm shelter business is booming in Decatur.
  • There was a moment the other day where I caught myself watching The Kids laughing as they jumped on the trampoline while the dogs were running around in joyful glee. This is life, right?
  • I saw a 40 Something lady at the softball park in a sun dress. She was pretty dignified but she had a ton of tattoos. It was one of those "what will she think when she gets older" one of moments. That time has arrived. Yu Darvish struck out 14 and lost?
  • Rick Perry paid a visit to the world's oldest WWII veteran (107 years old) yesterday and gave him a bottle of whiskey. I would think the casualty count of The War is high enough.
  • The alleged drug cartel hit in Southlake Town Square is more shocking after a few days have passed. 
  • Lake Bridgeport is now down 19 feet. 
  • "PHOENIX — A federal judge ruled on Friday that Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his deputies had violated the constitutional rights of Latinos by targeting them during raids and traffic stops here and throughout Maricopa County." I wonder if Republican presidential candidates will continue to kiss his ring or realize he's hurting their cause as he parades as the last living dinosaur?
  • Do young people still go to the Colonial golf tournament? 
  • I don't play any online/app games but I almost got addicted to "Dots" this weekend. The most simple of games has exploded over the last month. Remember: Squares begat squares.
  • An ice/water dispenser it the door of a new refrigerator? Maybe the greatest invention in the history of ever. 
  • Very funny: JC Penney sells a tea kettle that looks like Hitler. Wait. What?
  • The legend of Chris Kyle becomes more and more muddied. It seem that his war hero status gives him immunity from being called a liar.