Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• It takes a couple of years to get "used" to a new President. It just seemed very natural to see Obama deliver the State of the Union speech.
• I didn't see the Michele Bachmann's Tea Party response (only CNN carried it live) but everyone is talking about how she wasn't looking at the camera.
• Lots of emergency vehicles by the convenience store in Rhome (which has the Grandy's) this morning. Not sure what's going on. 
• The "NFL Experience" in downtown Dallas doesn't look particularly entertaining. Even for kids.
• And there has been a pre-Super Bowl commercial running for a month on The Ticket promoting such "fun things" as "community events, a 5K run, and an essay contest".
• The Family Pup now wants to get up at 4:00 in the morning for no reason. And I discovered a chewed up sandal in the closet. When I showed it to her for one of those "look what you did" moments, she started chewing it again. I give up. 
• Watched a probation revocation hearing yesterday in the district court in Decatur where a local guy received 12 years in prison. The whole thing was just hard to watch -- I hate those hearings.
• But it looks like the guy had his chances but continued to screw up.
• My free three month subscription to Satellite Radio is over. Am I renewing? Nope. Everything I seemed to like had as many commercials as regular radio. 
• Turned over from the State of the Union to watch part of my first Mavs game of the season because Blake Griffin was in town. I didn't last long. How you guys can watch the NBA is beyond me.
• The judge in the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor is considering televising the trial. The chances of him allowing it are equal to the size of his ego.
• Video: Handcuffed guy jumps out of back seat of cop car going down highway.
• There's a strange murder trial going on in Denton where the body of the missing "victim" hasn't even been discovered. Through day one of the trial, there seems to be suspicions that the defendant killed her but the prosecution is miles from proving it beyond a reasonable doubt.
• And when the prosecutor tells the jury in opening statements that the Defendant "killed his wife", my initial reaction is one of "I'm not sure you have any way of knowing that."
• Edit: Commentors are confused about Corpus Delicti vs. Habeas Corpus. And can you be successfully prosecuted in Texas if the body hasn't been found. Yes, if the defendant has confessed. I haven't heard anything about a confession in the Denton case. 
• What's this weird deal of the Fox 4 news anchors walking to different areas of the set?
• The Update has a blurb about the proposed State of Texas budget cutting local library funding by 99% and requesting protest letters on behalf of the Decatur Public Library. But it doesn't tell us how much of the library's total budget comes from the State.

While I Was Waiting For The Impending Disaster . . .

. . . I was worried about the dog.

(The kid is doing the snow ski jump on the Wii Fit.)

Hope We're Not Declaring War On Someone

Just kind of an odd military vehicle rolling through the streets of Decatur. But I bet you someone can identify it for me.

Miss Teen Arkansas 2010 Has Worst Roommate In History of Ever

A teary, underage beauty queen has been arrested and busted for public intoxication at a major state university.

Megan Burgess, 19, who was crowned Miss Arkansas Teen 2010 and handed her title to her successor just two weeks ago, was taken into custody over the weekend at the University of Arkansas.

Campus cops said they received a call from Burgess' dorm room around Saturday at 1 a.m. The worried caller said they were concerned about Burgess after she ran out of her dorm room and into the streets.

More.

Since It Was China Week At The White House Last Week

This old video of Clinton shaking hands with some guy whose pants fell down has surfaced (or resurfaced.) I had never seen it. 

That man could not be shaken. Just keep shaking hands and keep talking. 

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Whether it be a web site or a TV news station, I don't need a "Countdown to Kickoff Clock" for the Super Bowl. We all know we've got to be beaten down with this for two more weeks. 
• You realize that currency is only worth something because we believe and all agree that it's worth something. That came to mind when I read a story about how Facebook has created it's own gaming currency that will now be mandatory for any social game on its platform that uses any type of virtual currency. (Confusing, I know.)  Heck, the future seems so crazy I can see it being an alternative to the dollar some day. 
• Stitches removed from Mrs. LL's wrist. All systems go on. 
• If you have any of those insane "surcharge" issues assessed by DPS, you need to check out this. There are a lot of restrictions, but you might be able to make them all go away for $250.
• The State of the Union speech is tonight. I don't care who delivers it, it's a silly piece of propaganda that America could do without.
• My neighbor actually came over and asked to borrow a couple of eggs yesterday. It was like Leave it to Beaver. We charged her for them. (Kidding.) 
• Gov. Perry designated the Voter ID Bill as "emergency" legislation this week in order to get it on the fast track. Emergency? Really? 
• Right by the building in Fort Worth that I always go to for driver's license hearings (part of the DWI representation), there's a Planned Parenthood office.  I always look away from any girl or couple walking in there because you know they are under a lot of stress.
• Academy Award nominations were released before 8:00 this morning. The list here. The King's Speech, which sounds incredibly boring, had the most nominations but it's supposed to be really, really good. 
• My movie watching has fallen off a cliff: I've not seen one of the ten Best Picture nominees. 
• Did you see the widely distributed "artist rendering" drawing of the Tucson shooter that was released after his court appearance yesterday? How did he go from bald in the crazy book-in photo to having a full head of hair in the drawing?
• The 2nd Grader in the House told me last night that in the new version of the Three Little Pigs one of the pigs dies. Come again? 
• "Former Pelican Bay police chief sues Tarrant County assistant DA" after he was acquitted on sexually related charges. I don't know about that case but it probably wouldn't be a bad idea if prosecutors could be held civilly liable if they truly acted recklessly about indicting someone. 
• Story behind the following headline.

I Found Me A New Courtroom Dance!

None Of Our Business But Something We'll Be Interested In Nevertheless

Story (which is basically D Magazine defending itself against not mentioning any marriage issues in this month's  story about him which has a subheading of  "on marriage, loss and how he lucked into broadcasting.")

Just Your Random Close Call

(

Proofreader Needed There As Well

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• When I was a little kid, there was a guy that would wear some weird jump suit and have have an exercise show on TV. Jack LaLanne died yesterday at the age of 96.
• This Super Bowl talk is becoming a beat down. But I'll probably end up going down to Sundance Square to see the ESPN broadcasting setup.
• Now the Family Cat's new bit is to try and bolt out the door every time a door is opened. She went missing for 30 minutes yesterday until she decided that inside isn't so bad.  
• "Texas Gov. Rick Perry said he will introduce emergency legislation requiring women seeking abortions to first get a sonogram of the fetus. Perry, speaking Saturday at an anti-abortion rally in Austin, said the measure would also include the requirement that women listen to the sound of the heartbeat." Maybe I was wrong about his presidential aspirations. I think he's running for Pope.
• I think the JesusHatesObama.com commercial that was rejected by Fox for the Super Bowl was submitted knowing it would be rejected and thereby getting it publicity. Like I guess I just did. 
• In case you missed  Keith Olbermann abruptyly quit his show on MSNBC on Friday. Of course, this will only generate comments about how Fox trumps MSNBC.
• Anyone have an update regarding the wreck listed in the Update over the weekend? That looks awful. The lady grew up in Alvord.
• Apparently the speaker at the last Wise County Tea Party meeting advocated the legalization of dope. 
• I took a record long nap on Saturday. I think everything finally caught up with me.
• Hey, now.
• The Family Unit went to Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum yesterday without me.  I now think I want to see it.
• An explosion with fatalities just happened inside Moscow's largest airport.

Anyone?

Holy Cow

Something else I found from Bud Kennedy's Facebook page. You can buy it on eBay.

Right After Being Sworn In As Governor

Rick Perry heads to Vegas to sign some books and hang out with Ted Nugent and one (or maybe two) hot chicks.

Sheesh.

Credit: Bud Kennedy on Facebook.

That "Adult Entertainment" That Is Opening Up Near DFW Airport

The local news has been covering how local politicians were "outraged" at Rick's Caberet for opening near the DFW Airport just in time for the Super Bowl, and the Fort Worth mayor issued this statement in opposition to it getting a liquor license. (Fox 4 Screenshot).

Despite the fact that the allegation could be made against every single bar, I love a good typo.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• In 2007, the Texas legislature stupidly (good word) took away the right of a jury to give probation in a murder case. Amazingly, in a trial in Austin last week, the judge, defense lawyer, and prosecutor didn't now that. So the jury, when given the option, gave the defendant probation.
• There's an old saying: "Doctors bury their mistakes. Lawyers print theirs in books."
• Oh, and why was it stupid to take away the right of a jury to give probation in a murder case? Think about it: The elderly married couple mercy killing, the homeowner killing an intruder who didn't technically comply with the so-called "Castle Doctrine"; and the list goes on.
• This Saturday is the first sports television wasteland that we've had since August.
• This week Texas Tech backed out of a game with TCU for this fall. And, to take another kick, the conference that TCU is leaving is considering moving new member Boise State's game against TCU from Fort Worth to Boise.  
• Everyone keeps telling me to see True Grit. And although they all describe it as "really good", I've noticed no one gives it an enthusiastic "It's great!"
• Two things in the Update which are tailor made for Liberally Lean audience: (1) Newark passed a "trailer ordinance" and (2) the Decatur ISD is spending over a million dollars on sporting facility improvements but the story specifically mentioned that turf would not be included. 
• I was asked to spell "unh uh" last night. That's a heck of a lot harder than you think.
• "Just because you're offended, doesn't mean you're right." - Ricky Gervais on the (pretty darn entertaining) Piers Morgan Tonight show last night on CNN.
• And I'm a huge fan of Gervais in a world where I'm a very huge fan of almost no entertainers.
• And when Gervais, English born and bread bred, spoke of his past weight problem, he said that he had "weighed 14 stones." This caused Mrs. LL (and I'm not making this up) to yell at the screen: "Oh, come on! Speak American!!!" Love it.
• A video "Hey, Now."
• Hey, you guys over at Wise County probation: What does it mean that the proposed budget slashing state appropriations bill will eliminate "funding for misdemeanor probation supervision and reduces the felony probation formula funding per diem to $1.37, based on the LBB June 2010 population projections"?  It's Greek to me, but it sure doesn't sound good for your typical probation department.
• The lawsuit against TCU by the former student who was allegedly sexually assaulted on campus gives the public another justifiable reason to hate lawyers.
• Jessica Biel went to the beach. Not sure what I think about her. 
• Think it was cold in Wise County this morning? It was -41 in International Falls at 5:00 a.m. according to the weather gal on Channel 5. I didn't believe her, so I checked it out.  Yep, minus forty-one!

Did I Pose With A Murder Victim?

During my crazy wedding weekend in Vegas last summer, the new Mrs. LL and I caught a show. And before that show, some of the dancers came out to pose for pictures (see me pointing at my wedding ring to kill the awkwardness?). Anyway, news broke over the last couple of weeks that one of the dancers in that show was abducted and killed. Her name was Debbie Flores (the gal in the top two pics).

So the question is: Is that her with me?

Google images of her to help.

Remember That Gal That Fell Into The Mall Fountain While Texting?

Everyone is up in arms today about the fact she is considering suing the mall (yawn), but I'm more surprised to learn she looks like this and is 49 years old!

Story.