Video Yesterday From Rice, Texas

Sign Of The Week

(LSU fans)

Funny Bit

A review of the week's news through a fake Obama Facebook page.

All of it here.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• Arkansas is underrated -- especially in the fall when the leaves are changing. 
• Awkward moment this weekend when I met the neighbor of the Arkansas residents that we were visiting. "And you must be [insert name of Mrs. LL's ex-husband]."  Our host jumped in at break neck speed from across the room to get that train back on track. (I laughed and kidded the neighbor.) 
• How could Ron Washington, when addressing the crowd on Friday night, not fire off a "That's the way baseball go!"
• Maybe the best picture from the Rangers' win on Friday.
• The shark attack that killed a man last Friday off the coast of California might be the closest thing to Jaws I've ever seen. (Link includes a picture of his wakeboard with a chunk taken out of it.)
• Remember that cute little girl who became famous a couple of years ago because she couldn't stop hiccuping (even made an appearance on the Today show)? Well, she's been charged with murder. Wait, what?
• From the Update: "Chico Midget Cheerleaders will host a Father/Daughter dance 7-9 p.m. Friday in the elementary school gym."
• Made the 400  mile trip yesterday with just one stop to eat and get gas. And not a peep of complaining from the kids in the back or the spouse to the side. Then again, there was a lot of sleeping going on. 
• I drove right through the thunderstorms that tore up East Texas yesterday. It was the same storm that pounded Greenville with hail (although we met it after it had gone through Greenville and had somehow lost all its hail making capacity.)
• A Lamborghini crashed at the "Texas Mile." Uh, what/where is the Texas Mile?
• Stubhub link for tickets to Saturday's World Series game in Arlington.
• Crazy situation in Southern part of the county: Rhome's police chief is hired on Thursday night as the part time Chief of Newark and then on Friday morning Rhome places him on administrative leave. I think it was because of taking on the additional responsibilities but the Messenger story was unclear.
• Edit: Someone tricked up the sign in front of Newark City Hall!
• All the sports shows are trying to rank the Rangers making it to the World Series in the list of metroplex sporting events. Some folks bring up the Stars winning the Stanley Cup when composing their Top 5. That wouldn't make my Top 20. 

Yes, I'm Giddy

• But being on the road all day keeps me from yapping about it.
• How weird is this: Baylor is in the Top 25 and Texas and Florida are not.
• I'd bet the house that would not happen within 25 years.
• Now Baylor plays Texas next week and a sense of dread overcomes me. Mack Brown, in his post game press conference, was pissed. I feel a beat down coming on.
• In case you missed it, Texas lost to Iowa State at home. That's an Iowa State team ranked 112th in total defense and 104th in total offense, and was beaten by Oklahoma by 52. Oh, my. 
• Baylor could beat the Texas v. UCLA team or Texas v. Iowa State team, but will get killed by the Texas v. Nebraska team. 
• And Baylor was also #25 in the BCS rankings. So they're telling me there's a chance for a National Championship? (That's a movie reference that you'll either get or not.) 
• I can't tell you how great Baylor's quarterback is. The guy is a world class sprinter but decided to stay put and pass for over 400 yards on Saturday.  He takes a below average team to, admittedly, a slightly above average team. And for that, I'm thankful. 
• I'm still amazed at how TCU's defense shut him down. No one else has. 
• Baylor, and I can't believe I'm saying this, leads the nation in total offense.

I haz pre-season arrogance syndrome.

Fatality On 380 On Saturday Night

Or so I'm told.

The Day After: Compare and Contrast

"It's Time"

So I found myself in the dark hills of Arkansas as the Rangers played to get into the World Series. Who would have thought a trip planned months in advance of October 22nd would conflict with Texas Rangers baseball?

But I had a panic moment. Leaving Texarkana shortly after 7:00, I couldn't find the game on Satellite radio to save my life. I've got three ESPN channels and I knew the game was on ESPN radio, but all the channels were playing junk.  I defaulted to the regular car radio and .... nothing. I couldn't find the game on any AM or FM station.

From there, I fired up a baseball scoring app that kept me abreast of what was going on, but that's not exactly the safest way to get your family down a dark highway.

Then in the third inning I was able to find the game on an FM station broadcasting dang near from Tennessee. But the signal was great, and I was happy. Rangers up. Rangers winning. All is right with the world.

Then the signal cut out. I'm scrambling again.

In the meantime, Mrs. LL is feeling extremely guilty for my dilemma even though I know it is not her fault. Then, like the voice of Baseball Angel, I hear the familiar voice of Eric Nadel coming out of her Android. Not only had she tracked down the Ranger game, she had found the Rangers' home broadcast. (The gal tracked down the MLB.com app and shelled out some bucks and then figured out how to use it.) We routed it through the auxiliary jack as the game filled the car.

So an hour or so later we are driving down a lonely stretch of dark highway as the Rangers recorded the last three outs. She's like me -- We weren't going to believe it until the final out was called. There was something kind of romantic it about it as the kids got involved and were listening to the radio along with us. Eric Nadel, the Rangers' radio play by play man, has suffered with that team for decades. So there was something pretty neat listening to that man excitedly tell us that strike three had been called on Alex Rodriguez (it couldn't have been scripted any better) and that "the Rangers are going to the World Series." That's something I truly believed I would never hear.

I've got myself a memory.

He's Going To Perform Where?

Answer.

I thought Tort Reform killed all this excess.

Arkansas Homer Call Of The Week

Everyone is talking about the announcer going crazy, but I'm more fascinated by the fireball shooting across the screen at the :40 second mark.

WBAP's Mark Davis This Morning: "Can We Have Our 7th Inning Stretch Back?"

At least he asked if the question should be asked.

It was prompted after wondering whether we've grown tired of God Bless America in the 7th Inning of every game. And that thought was prompted by the lady pictured above singing that song at the Giants/Phillies game last night.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• Others have already said it, but pitcher Tim Lincecum of the Giants (who was on TV last night) looks just like that kid from Dazed and Confused. (And there was a scene in the movie where he was a pitcher.)
• Bud Kennedy asked last night if it is appropriate to start an article about four women vying for two political positions with the sentence, "Four ladies. Two seats."  I thought it was kind of clever.
• Brooke Hogan in a bikini.
• I attended a middle school band concert last night. It finished up in less than an hour so a didn't even gripe much. (But I didn't expect to hear "Funkytown".)
• Saw a guy that showed up in jogging shorts and a white T-shirt. He wasn't poor, just oblivious. 
• Worse that Rick Perry may be Lt. Governor David Dewhurst whose commercials invoke Nancy Pelosi's name and say we must "repeal Obamacare." Repeal? Our Lt. Governor votes in Congress? I know why they put stuff like that in the commercials but it's shameful. 
• This "So You Want To Go To Law School" video has been popping up over the last couple of days. It's kind of inside humor.
• Commercials are promoting the next Glee episode which will focus on The Rocky Horror Picture Show - a film I've never had even the slightest bit of interest in.
• Dallas Republican Congressional candidate says the idea of a violent overthrow of the government should be "on the table."  The outrage is expected but, like it or not, that idea is always on the table for every government on the planet.
• The family kitten will suck on my shirt like she's nursing. Weird. 
• No offense, but why does breast cancer get so much more publicity than every other type of deadly cancer? (Chico is having a "pink out" tonight at its game, and First Financial in Decatur is serving pink lemonade today.)
• Later today, I'll be taking the longest road trip with kids in the car that I ever have in my life. I think I'll download "Holiday Road" before we take off. 
• Bad timing. A jury convicts a Fort Worth man of murder. Last month, the Fort Worth Court of Appeals reversed the conviction based on the doctrine of "factually insufficient" evidence. A couple of weeks later or so, in a different case, Texas' highest criminal court holds that the "factually insufficient" doctrine is dead. The Fort Worth Court of Appeals (who still had jurisdiction for a few more days) then withdraws its opinion yesterday and upholds the conviction. Talk about an emotional roller coaster for the Defendant. 
• And get this: If you are a defendant who had your conviction overturned for factually sufficient evidence in the past, you're safe. (Like this doctor who was tried for murder in Fort Worth.)
• The Rangers must win tonight. I have a bad feeling about a Game 7 regardless of Cliff Lee. 
• Edit: If you're a fan of Antoine Dodson, you'll love this. 

Talk About High Tone

Want to see inside that swanky home in Westlake in the Vaquero development (which is surrounded by a huge wall and guarded like fortress)?

You Knew That Was Coming

EMBED-Slingshot Gone Bad -

(Language warning)

That is, if you remember the chick launching a watermelon that I posted a few weeks back.

But why are they shooting beers?

We've Got Us A Caning!!

Sixteen years ago, America went nuts when Singapore leveled cane strikes on the back of U.S. teenager Michael Fay for the crime of vandalism.

Well, we've got a new one. And the offense? Staying in the country more than 90 days on just a passport.

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• The Rangers play tomorrow night but I'm going to be on the road. Ugh. Let's see how that satellite radio holds up. 
• And it's supposed to rain tomorrow night. A rainout wouldn't hurt my feelings at all. (Double random thought: Has there ever been a playoff game called final after six innings? Do they even have that rule in the playoffs? Edit: Answer.)
• Penthouse magazine founder Bob Guccione died Wednesday in a Plano hospital at age 79. That's a guy I hadn't thought about or heard about in a long time. 
• A 20 year old has become police chief in a Mexican town which sits in the middle of a drug war. She's a student who apparently needs to go back to school. 
• The 7th grader in my house prefers small spoons over big spoons so I always grab a big spoon if I need one so more small ones will be available. Made me think of all the small silent gestures parents do that the kids will never know about. 
• Apple introduced a couple of new Macbook Airs yesterday. Cool. Very cool. 
• I've now got some neighbor kid hanging around and who won't go away. And he'll look up at me and say the strangest things. 
• TCU coach Gary Patterson seems perpeptually unhappy.
• I think my new puppy might be smart. We can put a food treat on his paw and he won't eat it until told to.  Heck, I don't have that much will power at a Mexican restaurant. 
• Tried to watch the Ranger game yesterday but through the first three innings I had the 2nd Grader talking me ear off. I just didn't have the heart to tell her, even nicely, to let me watch the game. 
• Heard a Rick Perry commercial this morning which began in an ominous voice: "Obama promised he would create jobs." Perry is running against Obama?
• The University of Nebraska is auctioning off 158 game worn jerseys from last week's loss against Texas. Minimum bid is $250 each.
• Camera loving attorney Gloria Allred about to go after the Evil Empire?

For The Right To Have The World Series In Arlington: Game 5

Let's hope Nolan is as happy today.

Yahoo live game.

Edit: After 3 innings, he ain't smiling.

Edit: And everyone go dog pile 4:49 p.m.

Edit. Rangers lose (but fought the whole game.)  I'm telling you, I'm not at all comfortable until the Rangers are ahead this weekend, in the 9th, and the last out is rung up.

Pick Heads Or Tails

I was going to make a No Country For Old Men reference but the writer of the article actually already did so at the bottom of the story.

And, as a side note, that story sounds very suspicious.