I'm Insane Now

From tonight's Cowboys' practice: Tony Romo and Pee Wee Herman.

Edit: And another

Exclusive Photo Of Me Jogging

Or it might be TMZ with a pic of 44 year old Troy Aikman.

The Sky Is Falling!!!!! The Sky Is Falling!!!! Blame Obama!!!! Blame Obama!!!

Holy, cow. We might want to listen to Hannity and Beck and buy some gold!! We're not going to make it!! Today's Dow results:

Maybe some of you folks were right. Maybe Obama has destroyed the economy.What did some of you guys ask me? "How's that hopey, hopey, change thing working out for ya?" Yeah, that's it.  Maybe the economy was in perfect shape and we all had big bags of money when he was elected. What was the Dow on election day in 2008 any way? 14,000 points? 15,000?

Oh.........wait:

(Election Day Stock Market Report, 2008)

Maybe things weren't so rosy. I should always remember the words of President Bush just a month before election day.

This is an extraordinary period for America’s economy. Over the past few weeks, many Americans have felt anxiety about their finances and their future. I understand their worry and their frustration. We’ve seen triple-digit swings in the stock market. Major financial institutions have teetered on the edge of collapse, and some have failed. As uncertainty has grown, many banks have restricted lending. Credit markets have frozen. And families and businesses have found it harder to borrow money.We’re in the midst of a serious financial crisis. . . .

And if the federal government does not take action?: 

More banks could fail, including some in your community. The stock market would drop even more, which would reduce the value of your retirement account. The value of your home could plummet. Foreclosures would rise dramatically. And if you own a business or a farm, you would find it harder and more expensive to get credit. More businesses would close their doors, and millions of Americans could lose their jobs. Even if you have good credit history, it would be more difficult for you to get the loans you need to buy a car or send your children to college. And ultimately, our country could experience a long and painful recession.


Maybe things will be OK after all.

Think Our Country Is Old?

Not so fast. When you've got someone appearing on television who witnessed the Lincoln assassination, you're still a baby country.

The Republican National Committee Hearts Me!

Wait. I've got to pay $21 just to participate in a straw poll? Don't they understand that the best way to stimulate the economy is to keep money in the pockets of the taxpayer?

Concerning the issues, they don't care about illegal immigration any more? What about abortion? Who are these people?

(This appears to be an authentic letter from the RNC. It came with a return envelope which goes to the organization's address. But you should take a look at the home page of the RNC - They say Obama's last day in office is January 20, 2017 in the banner!!)

From The Denton Record Chronicle This Morning

What are the odds of the phone number actually belonging to the money order thief? Amazingly, it might be higher than you think.

Side note: Do you get three bedrooms for $1,250 a month?

(Thanks emailer Gina.)

You would think VT would be prepared

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• Fox 4 News had a lady from Oncor on last night urging people to do things like "unplug your electric toothbrush" to save energy. That's so dumb that even anchor Steve Eager called her out on it. I bet the annual consumer electricity cost of an electric toothbrush is under $1. 
• And Fox 4 also had an interview of the guy who called the cops on the lady that tapped him in the Grapevine theater for texting. He kept saying that he was bothered by her "haughty" attitude. Trust me guy, you need to stay away from any interviews. You're doing yourself no favors. 
• I'm getting reports that someone drove a golf cart from Runaway Bay all the way to near Jacksboro and then was arrested for DWI. I have no idea if that is true, but if it is: It'll become an Internet viral sensation if there's a dashcam video. 
• Very random "Hey, Now": Some gal named Missy Redford in the Star-Telegram today. (First pic.)
• The attorney who advises the Wise County Commissioners Court told me he's boycotted my blog ever since I posted the picture of the guy falling from the stands at The Ballpark in Arlington. The funniest part was when I learned that  someone told him he had to see something I later posted so he made them read it to him instead. 
• I predicted the Rangers wouldn't make the playoffs. I'm standing by that.
• The USA Today/Coaches college football preseason football poll will be released today. If you're still reading, you'll laugh when I tell you that WBAP's sports director wondered this morning on the air whether Auburn would be #1. Edit: Released.
• The Visitor In The Household announced that there won't be any redheads or blondes in the future. I'm not sure about the time frame, but that's probably correct. 
• WBAP's Hal Jay admitted this morning that he fell for the email that told him to call a number to keep his cell phone number from becoming public to telemarketers at the end of this month. Really? Really? 
• The story of the guy finding all that cocaine in Galveston (below) is pretty fascinating when you think of it. If you had to turn it into cash (at least 50% of its fair market value) within one week, could you? That would be a pretty good comedy movie.
• By the way, I think I could. 
• I'm seeing a lot of people just giving up on their lawns. 
• Tea Party congressman Rand Paul said three days ago that he didn't vote for the Debt Ceiling Bill because it would actually increase the deficit by $7 trillion.  I wanted to understand what he meant, but he didn't explain it in his brief written statement. Now, thankfully, the bagofnothing.com guy pointed out this morning that ABC News did explain it with some pretty good charts. (Wow: The deficit will increase by "only" $7 trillion instead of $9.5 trillion if all the cuts take place. That's how they got the $2.5 million in "cuts".)
• Mrs. LL went back to the Sixth Floor and surrounding attractions and announced last night that there had to be a second shooter.  I heard, "Back, and to the left" a couple of times. I'm bracing myself. 

I Think About Things And They Happen

No Bomb Can Contain Her

Several people pointed out that after I posted my Random Thoughts about the horrible Bomb-Around-The-Neck incident of 2003 that is to be made into a movie, the news broke of a girl in Australia who, well, had a bomb around her neck in the last 24 hours.

An Australian schoolgirl who spent more than 10 hours with a bomb strapped to her by a hooded intruder who broke into her house was reunited with her parents tonight after a dramatic rescue. 

Police bomb disposal experts, who had sought advice from British military authorities as they delicately worked to free Madeleine Pulver from the explosive package that had been attached to her, finally freed her from her terrifying ordeal - into the arms of her relieved mother and father.

The 18-year-old girl had been startled by the balaclava-clad intruder who left the device attached to her - as well as leaving, it is believed, a ransom note for her wealthy parents.
Her father, William, is the CEO of an internet share dealing company, called Nielsen Net Ratings and is said to be one of the richest men in Australia.

More. (Including a picture of  the fantastic house they live in.)

He Turned It Over To The Police?

Does the guy not go to the movies? There is a ton of adventure to be had once you find a big ol' bag of dope. Just think No Country For Old Men with Josh Brolin or True Romance with Christian Slater? Wait. Both those guys ended up getting shot.

Story.

(Little known story: I actually found a marijuana garden n the woods when I was a kid. I pulled up the plants -- in the spirit of a true crime fighter -- and began walking back to the house. That prompted my brother to take off running while yelling, "You can go to jail for a couple of ounces and you've got a few pounds!!!!"  Funny.  Dad actually took one of the plants into the Bridgeport Police Chief to verify it was pot. It was. Those, my friends, were simpler days.)

Almost Forgot: Wise County Wishes* President Obama A Happy 50th Birthday!

___________

*For some reason, I don't think the wishes will be unanimous. 

When Technologies Collide

Remember "People to People" on the local radio where Jim Bob would call up offering his truck camper with broken windows up for trade with anyone who has a refrigerator even if it wasn't working? Well, it has a Facebook group.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• The highest recorded temperature in DFW is 113 degrees. I'm issuing a "might-want-to-watch-that" warning for today.
• Metroplex motorcycle death.
• Did you catch the names of the seven people arrested in Haltom City for alleged illegal gambling/eight liners: Thanh Trang Chau,  Hai Van Nguyen,  Hoang Dung Nguyen, Nia Thi Nguyen,  Tao The Pham,  Vo Van Phu, and Txuy Tran.  It's like the cast of extras from The Deer Hunter.
• We had a case here in Wise County a couple of months back of a woman running over and killing her ex with her car. A famous and similar case in Houston resulted in a manslaughter (reckless killing) conviction instead of murder (intentional killing) conviction.  The same result/verdict happened in Wichita Falls yesterday.
• Edit to above: Come to think about it, the Houston case was actually a guilty verdict on murder but the jury found she acted with "sudden passion" which dropped the range of punishment to the same as Manslaughter. 
• My first wave of electric and water bills has come in. Oh, my. 
• I really haven't gotten a handle on the Deficit Ceiling Deal other than I know the Tea Party is royally angry.  
• I don't understand the "electric grid" everyone talks about. 
• Wow: Texas is actually shutting down a prison - one that held 900 inmates only a few months ago - due to budget cuts. I don't think Gov. Perry will be bragging about that in his speeches.
• Something I'm about to start getting really interested in: The true story of the man who was shockingly blown up by a bomb attached to neck while cameras rolled in 2003.  After robbing a bank with the threat of that bomb, he claimed to onlookers (as the bomb squad was in route) that he had done so against his will. The bomb squad didn't make it in time. Then the much delayed investigation revealed a bizarre and fascinating story which was featured in Wired magazine this year. Now, it gets weirder as the story has been made into a big budget comedy (yep, comedy) called 30 Minutes or Less. 
• A seedy tape involving UNT students was being circulated online yesterday but the oddest thing is that the student newspaper acknowledged it.  

Today's Messenger Above The Fold

Opening Up The Liberally Lean Weather Center For Rest Of The Afternoon

Should update automatically.  We cracked 100 degrees at 10:32 a.m. Wow.

Edit: Screenshot of various weather stations at 5:31 p.m. :

Rick Perry: The Golden Age

Credit: Star-Telegram's Bud Kennedy's Facebook page.

Cowboys' Coach: Rookies Must "Earn" The Star

You heard him. If you're a first year Dallas Cowboy, your helmet in practice will not have a star on it until you show you're worthy enough to have one. That's right. Only those like Bobby Carpenter, Roy Williams, Ebenezer Ekuban, Shante Carter, Quincy Carter, and David LaFleur deserved to have the iconic emblem on the side of their noggins. Shape up, men.

(What's the record? One playoff win in 15 years?)

Oh. One other thing. Every player will have stars on their helmet for the first preseason game on August 11th.

I like Jason Garrett but this is stuff that should only go on in places like Paradise or Boyd. (Edit: That's not a shot at those schools. It's is a high school motivation tactic. Just no place for it in a league where $10,000 fines are paid in "straight cash, homey.")

Downtown Decatur With Dirt Streets. Circa ????

Someone pointed out that they believe that's the back end of a horse within the red circle.