Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• President Obama's first nominated Texas federal judge to gain approval is a female Hispanic. I'm so sad it's not a  white-tough-on-crime-Republican-male.
• Finally got the new TV hung on the wall in the living room and then struggled for 30 minutes searching online about how to connect my satellite provider's remote to it. Finally found a message board that suggested "You might want to hit 'help' on the TV's menu." Yep, that did it. 
• How many ways can a kid ask, "Who put that ornament in the tree?" this morning. I think we're at fifty. 
• Sir Richard Branson was in studio at Fox 4 this morning promoting Virgin Air. That guy is cool. 
• There has been no local news over the last two days.(By the way, please no more bus stories about the "Good Without God" ad campaign.)
• My new "Power of Now" book is really interesting. Example: You may suffer from anxiety but at the  very same time realize you are having an anxiety attack. There is, after all, really "two yous": One overcome with emotions and the "observer" who realizes it but can't stop it. The book is basically about the "observer" taking control. 
• I'm at a seminar. I hate seminars. 
• College football note [Links fixed]: Former Tech coach Mike Leach may never get a big time NCAA job again. His openly campaigning yesterday for the Miami position borders on sad (and was only out-shadowed by Donald Trump, uh, trumping for him.) But if I'm an athletic director, I perceive him as a guy who was such a headache at his last job that it got him fired despite a tremendous record. And once fired, sued everyone in site. That may be all wrong, but I'd take my chances elsewhere. 
• A compilation of all the "fail" videos for November, 2010. It's 7 minutes of America's Funniest Videos on Idiocracy acid. And I watched the whole thing. 
• Always look for law enforcement to dress up (I see it Wise County, too) whenever there's a chance they can have their picture taken with a prisoner.
• 4th Amendment TSA underwear. Get me that for Christmas.  (Thanks, Christie.)

Cue The X Files Theme Music Again

Everybody is freaking out online by this press conference announcement scheduled tomorrow by NASA concerning  "a finding that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life."

Woah.

TSA Denies Clearance To A Woman In Underwear In A Wheelchair!!!

OK, I've pretty much turned the other cheek to these TSA  searches, but I'm drawing the line now. When a red blooded American -- who looks like Lonnie Anderson in her prime -- can't get past airport security check (in God-fearing Oklahoma at Will Rogers Airport, no less), then the terrorists have indeed won.

Hang on, baby. I'm coming for you!!!!

(Story - which will still leave you confused.) Edit: Fixed.

The UT Police Crime Report May Be Better Than Ours

Source (with several more.)

My Nemesis Is Back!

Just checked the signed-up-for sheet for the White Rock Half Marathon and saw that my ol' secret nemesis Barron is running!

He's a mysterious guy that sometimes screws up my results. And with 20,000 people signed up, we both checked is within 150 people of each other? Government spy none to pleased with Liberally Lean? Ghost? Long lost brother that was sent away to Wichita Falls who my real brother swore existed when I was a kid?

I've got my eye on him. (If I knew what he looked like.)

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• Sheesh, my prediction was spot on: The "Good Without God" ad controversy on Tarrant County buses was all over the news last night.
• Heather Hays who was interviewing the group's leader last night asked him why released the ad campaign during Christmas when "everyone is talking about Christ." Really? Everyone is talking about Christ? 
• We put up the Christmas Tree last night. I'll admit it: There was a period of about five years straight where I kept it in the box. Man, I'd forgotten how big and beautiful it is.
• The cat is looking at it like it's his own personal amusement park. 
• "Spiderman" is a new, most expensive play ever to open on Broadway, and apparently there was an epic technical meltdown when it opened on Saturday. I've never seen a play on Broadway -- bucketlist add.
• How does Texas Monthly have so many ads when print is supposed to by dying? It's incredible.
• You know, I'm kind of worried about, of all people, the Boise State kicker. In case you missed it, he missed a chip shot field goal with one second left and then another one in overtime to drop the #3 team out of contention last Saturday night. You know, that kid will never, ever forget that. And he'll always be remembered by anyone that knows him as the "guy that missed the kicks to cost us a shot at a National Championship." That risk to reward ratio of being a kicker may be all out of whack. (But a Facebook page of encouragement, now with 35,000 "likes", has been created to support him.)
• Heard a name this morning I hadn't heard in forever: Dr. Gene Scott. I never understood what I was watching when he was on. 
• Isn't this Wikileaks thing a big bag of nothing? Of all the "cables" released, has anything been shocking or threatening to our national interest?
• A Tarrant County lawyer won't be charged with trying to bring a gun into the Tarrant County Courthouse. A while back a Wise County lawyer was charged for the same thing but was acquitted at trial. 
• Matt Lauer getting tickled yesterday on the Today Show about the "size of the package" is funny because it developed kind of slowly. 
• A&M will play in the Cotton Bowl that I'll never get used to being played in a stadium (Jerryworld) that is not the Cotton Bowl, on a day (7th) that is not January 1st, and at night (7:00 p.m.)  instead of daytime. I miss the good ol' days. 
• A "prominent" Tarrant County televangelist gets involved in a sex scandal and then becomes the victim of extortion. I had never heard of the Rev. Marcus Lamb. But I'll give him credit in that his counselor referred to the plot as "an attack by the Devil" while Lamb said the only person to blame is himself. 

Not Sure I've Ever Been Addressed Like That

I Predict This Becomes News

From a relatively obscure blog* over at the Star-Telegram comes word that public transportation buses in Fort Worth will have anti-God ads on them beginning tomorrow.  And the group sponsoring the ads said the campaign was rejected by DART over in Dallas.

This is going to get people riled up.

Full story.
__________
* No offense. We all can't be Big Time.

And Right After Texas Has A Conservative Republican Landslide Election

Full article.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Interesting that on the news last night (covering TCU's move to the Big East), that both TCU's Athletic Director and a Marketing professor pointed out that, "There's a reason why the Dallas Cowboys are in the NFC East -- It's to get exposure to the New York media."  It was like a Fox News-like "talking points" memo had been distributed. 
• Like I said, True Grit looks good, but how many times are they going to run that trailer?
• Nancy Grace, still the most despicable woman in the world, called into the Nancy Grace Show last night to explain her recent absence. She spent 10 minutes in a tearful explanation that she had discovered a lump but that it had turned out to be non-cancerous.  Amazingly, even her tender moments come across as fake and contrived. 
• The government (and George W led) TARP  bailout was supposed to cost $700 billion. Turns out, the "loss" to taxpayers is now down to $25 billion.  A lot of energy was spent arguing about something that turns out to be nothing. 
• I've got to go to a Puppy Graduation? (And, based upon my observation, the little thing skipped a lot of classes.)
• Were going to set up a Christmas Tree with the Crazy Family Cat tearing up everything it gets its claws on? Not-gonna-work.
• I need to get a better handle on this Wikileaks thing. 
• 49ers Cardinals QB Derek Anderson had a post game meltdown after he was accused of laughing during a loss last night. (I had a post-game meltdown when I learned my league leading fantasy football team had lost Frank Gore for the season, and that I failed to claim his backup in time because I thought he was already taken.)
• Mrs. LL got minor body work done on our Pimp Chrysler 300 Mobile by a guy she met in a parking lot who claims he had access to a body shop and could do it right then? Yes, she did. (Head shake, but it worked out great.) 
• Weirdest girl in a bikini at a water park in the history of ever.
• Ticket News: Long time Sunday morning host Mark Elfenbein tweeted last night that he was joining 105.3 The Fan. Oddly, he said he would be doing 11 am-2 pm, Monday - Fridays which is the exact time that former Ranger play by play man Josh Lewin just began occupying. Where's he going?
• Hey, where's the love? Found a "to go" container in the fridge that had crayon writing scribbled on the lid that said "For The Girls Only!" 

Wait For It

I don't know why this guy decided to film the snake removal like its The Blair Witch Project, but I'm telling you something happens within the first minute that made me jump more than the end of Paranormal Activity.

Celebrating TCU's Move To The Big East

Because we're good sports.

Major Wreck At A Place Where There Is Always A Major Wreck

Edit: That one ended up in a fatality and now there's a big wreck on 380. Edit again: The 380 wreck was a traffic mess but no major injuries.

Breaking: This Case Just Resolved

The arrest occurred in September of 2009, but it has just been resolved by a negotiated plea this morning in the district court in Decatur.

Although eligible for probation, the sentence was 6 years in the penitentiary.

Oddly, Bridgeport High still has him listed on its web site. Edit: It looks like it has now been removed but part of it is still available via Google's cached copy.

Black Friday In Buffalo

There's a lot of gold in this. And more proof that we're not gonna make it.

And I'm stealing this line: "If you get trampled, you better get up. 'Cause while your dying, someone else is buying."

Edit: Here's another one of some chick freaking out over who knows what. (Language warning.)

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• Just weeks after a child fell to his death at a basketball game, Chicago Bears fan died yesterday after falling or jumping  from Soldier Field. 
• I had to replace the living room TV since it's near death -- the new one was delivered on Saturday which didn't help much because I forgot to order installation. Could I do it myself? The service includes wall mounting and hauling off the old one (which, as an early adopter, weighs a ton.)
• The Dallas White Rock Half Marathon is this Saturday. [Edit: Ooops. Sunday.] That snuck up on me since I don't remember it coming so quickly after Thanksgiving. But like a kid in a pee wee league, I get a chance to earn another medal just for finishing.
• I think the Family Dog has finally warmed up to me. Instead of following the ladies around everywhere, she'll plop up in my lap for extended periods. Almost makes me want to break out a sweater and a pipe.
• A 40 car crash in Arlington this morning? 40?
• I went and watched a high school football game at Cowboys Stadium on Saturday -- I can't tell you what a fantastic place it is to watch a game. I've been there twice and the big screen just seems to keep getting bigger. (I bet Jerry paid for installation, too.)
• Big 12 Commissioner skipped going to the Nebraska game on Saturday because he feared for safety. Since when is the midwest violent? It's supposed to be a bunch of corn-fed good ol' boys. 
• TCU has moved up third in the BCS but a heck of an argument can be made that a loss by #1 Auburn or #2 Oregon this week shouldn't drop either of those two teams from the top ranks. I think that's especially true for Auburn who has beaten LSU, Alabama, South Carolina, and Arkansas. TCU can point at nothing on its schedule that constitutes a "quality win." 
• Edit: Just saw that TCU will announce at 1:00 p.m. that they will join the Big East.
• "The Power of Now" -- a book that Arkansas' coach told his quarterback to read.  I learned about that on ESPN's Gameday and I immediately purchased it. That's something I never do for a book I'd never be interested in. It just seemed like the thing to do. 
• The FBI is providing fake bombs to teenagers again and then proclaiming it's a major win for the War on Terror when they coax him into trying to detonate it. 
• A Buffalo Bill wide receiver drops a game winning pass yesterday and then calls out God in a tweet. Makes sense. 

"And don't call me Shirley"

Oh no!!

Leslie Nielson, 1926 - 2010. I loved this guy.

I routinely joke with a guy in the courthouse whenever it's a pressure situation for him by poking my head in his office and saying, "Good luck. We're all counting on you."

Messenger Crime Reports

I'm not sure which is more important: Lesbian bigamy or road rage via the mail. I'll have to think about that for a while.