The Drug War: 2009

Just walked up to the courthouse and it looks like we've got a drug case going to trial. I saw Jim Shaw out of Fort Worth at the defense table. The jury just got picked: 7 women and 5 men if I remember correctly. It was 1:40 and they hadn't broken for lunch yet although I think that was about to happen.

Hot TV Chick Alert

I've never watched any of Good Morning Texas because I work for living in order to pay child support to various children living, I believe, in Mexican resorts. (Shout out to little Juan.) But I got to check it out the other day during one of our weekday Christmas holidays. Low and behold, this gal got my attention. I think her name is Amy Vanderoef but I'm not exactly sure because I had just finished off some oatmeal sprinkled with Xanax. I'm not saying she's the best host in the world or all that bright, But she was pretty cute. That makes her an A+ television personality in my books.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• While you were sleeping: Abilene Christian 147, Texas Women's 143.
• I went to bed before the end of the Texas/Ohio State game got exciting. Ugh. I knew better. (Texas won in the last seconds for those that care but don't care enough to watch it.)
• Colt McCoy's hot girlfriend runs track at Baylor? Well, that's just not right.
• "New Texas speaker to shift House dynamic toward middle." I keep saying that the era of the far right conservative is over.
• I bet Phil King is sad.
• When I see the cops have someone pulled over, my initial reaction is one of "Who are they screwing with now?"
• Legal note of the day: Is it illegal to cuss out a cop?
• Gas seems to have shot up 20 cents a gallon over night.
• Is everyone truly "refreshed" after the holidays?
• If I wrote "see AnnaLynne McCord in a bikini" would you click on that link even if you didn't know who AnnaLynne McCord is?
• I watched the opening credits of Reversal Of Fortune the other night and in the background, shot from a helicopter, was mansion after mansion along the coast. I spent the next 30 minutes tracking down where that was and looking at satellite images of it on the Google. (Turned out to be Newport, Rhode Island.)
• I had a horrible nightmare last night. I woke up and found my heart pounding. And now, for the life of me, I have no idea what it was about. Drives me nuts.
• I haven't been in a limo in 10 years.
• For folks going from Bridgeport to Fort Worth, I think it's easier to go through Decatur now that 380 has been expanded.
• Most Bridgeport folks make it to (or at least through) Decatur all the time. I wonder if your average Decatur resident ever goes to Bridgeport?
• I'm still made at UPS because of The Christmas Eve Incident of 2008. I response, I've had friends send me hidden camera videos of UPS throwing packages at doors here and here. And then someone tried to make me feel worse by claiming my UPS delivery person looked like this.

We've Got Us One Heck Of A Transformation

Remember this gal? She's a former Wise County girl that first made her shocking appearance on Liberally Lean on October 19, 2007. Well, she's gone on to do some more modeling with her latest gig being on the cover of a magazine. Want to see? Sure you do.

Ref Gets Handsy

Odd and funny.

From My Email Bag

"Some good news and bad news out of your hometown. 1st the good news is that 11 BHS football players made the Texas High School Coaches Assoc. All State Academic Football Team. 2nd the bad news is that BHS All State running back, Corbin Green, has reportedly transferred to Paradise as of today. PHS Coach Danny Neighbors has just received his best Christmas present of all time."

Hey, You Jurors For Tomorrow

If you've got jury service tomorrow in the 271st Judicial District court tomorrow in Decatur, it's been backed up by one hour. The reporting time is now 10:00 a.m.

Weather Talk

Per Update. Anyone having trouble out there?

A Couple Of Things

Let's all think of the beach. (It might be sleeting outside but I didn't care enough to look since it'll be hours before I cross a "bridge or overpass.") Now back to the picture. First, this gal is Chloe Sevigny. I had to look her up to find out who she was, and I was surprised to learn that she's been in a ton of movies that I've seen --- even one just the other night (Boys Don't Cry.) I've decided there are just too many people in this world to keep track of. Either that or I'm becoming more stupider*. Secondly, what's up with the guys in this picture? With the exception of the creepy guy in the upper left hand corner, all the rest of them are sitting around yucking it up as if a gal in a bikini is not right there in front of them. Everyone knows the drill: Grab a book, put on a pair of sunglasses, tilt your head down, and then look up to check her out. That's what made this country great. ___________ *Yeah, I know.

Well That Was Disappointing

You'd think a new video of the Crazy Mexican dressing up like Britney Spears would be the mother load of entertainment for me. But, alas, it just didn't deliver. 2009 better step it up a notch.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• Boy, the TV stations were in full "Arctic Blast" mode this morning.
• There has to be something to film other than a sand track on days like this.
• If I was a school superintendent, I'd be a little nervous that everything freezes up at the exact moment everyone should be arriving for school.
• There's someone playing blackjack and drinking at this very moment in Vegas. Heck, that might be going on in Rhome right now.
• I've seen Jimmy Johnson on some infomercial about stock market investing. Cheezy.
• I hate the first full week after the holidays.
• There was a story in the Star Telegram yesterday about a couple adopting nine kids -- mostly kids who were abused or neglected. Man, that makes me feel like a slug.
• I wish Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp would take over as head coach. That would make the Evil Empire more fun to hate.
• I always like the Messenger's "year end wrap-up" issue.
• Ever think about completely changing your life? Anyone have the courage to do it?
• I'm thinking about banning the 2012 doom and gloom commenter. Either he's a nutcase that believes it, or he's trying to be funny --- which he isn't.
• Any ad on a web page that automatically starts playing video or audio should be banned.
• Saw the Timothy McVeigh traffic stop video the other day (really wasn't much to it.) But I had forgotten he was stopped because he didn't have a license plate on the rear of his car. All that planning and he overlooks that detail?
• Two guys died in the crash of an old plane near Justin this weekend. I had gone through Justin about an hour before the crash. That's really not that big of coincidence, is it?
• I think the airport is the one off of 730. I always thought it was odd that there were "low flying aircraft" warnings along that road.
• I've never had a desire to get a pilot's license.
• I'll admit it. I got a big bag of nothing this morning.

My Arctic Blast Report

At 6:30 a.m. it was raining with my outside car temperature gauge reading 32 degrees. It should be seeing freezing stuff falling from the sky, but I didn't. Developing.

Incredible Random Thought

Hush a by Baby On the Tree Top, When the Wind blows The cradle will rock When the Bough breaks The Cradle will fall, Down tumbles baby, Cradle and all. What does that mean?

Our County Neighbors Have Now Gone National

Recliners? Aunt Bea around? (Thanks for the head up, Chris). Edit: Even better. It makes the Yahoo home page. (Thanks Thomas.)

The Tipping Point

I got this guy's third book for Christmas but I decided I'd read (uh, listen) to his first book before I started it. I love this stuff. It's basically an analysis of how "things" explode into national phenomenons. Described . . . The first example in the book - that of how Hush Puppies went from being a moribund brand, sold only to the un-hip, to a hugely successful national brand, thanks to a handful of downtown New York trendsetters - is a prime example of how such shifts can occur. A [handful of guys who wanted to be hip] started wearing these shoes; others saw them and copied the style, with people even driving to out-of-the-way places to buy up stocks of Hush Puppies. Then a few fashion designers used them on the walkway, and visibility reached the "tipping point". The brand then experienced a renewal that, to this day, astounds even those in the company, who had been ready to throw in the towel. The guys behind Hush Puppies even acknowledged they had nothing to do with the brands resurgence. They didn't advertise. They didn't plan for it. It just, well, happened. But the book basically tries to answer the question: How and why does stuff like that occur? After the first two chapters, I think he has a pretty good handle on it.

Random Saturday

Editor's Note: Uh, no. That's not me.

Ole Miss 47, Texas Tech 34

Well, that didn't go well. But I was distracted all game long because Ole Miss has a player named "Mike Wallace" who saw a lot of action. Every time his name was announced, all I could think about was the old guy from 60 Minutes.

Speaking Of Motorcycle Deaths (Avoided)

I was going to watch this on NYE but forgot about it. I'm normally not a fan of crazy stunts, but this is impressive. That's on the Las Vegas strip. And stick around to watch him come down.