"Should We Talk About The Weather?" - R.E.M. (1988)

1980 seems unbelievable after going through what we've experienced this summer. That year had 69 days over 100 degrees and we've "only" had 43? Wow.

But the 1980 streak of 42 straight days over 100 ended on August 4th while it looks like we're just kicking it into high gear. We tie that streak on Friday and smash it on Saturday. That looks like a sure bet. That sounds like an excuse for a party.

Since I'm the most trusted name in news, lawyering, sports prognostication, and weather, I'll predict August 23rd as the day our streak ends. (Caveat: There's a cumulus cloud I'm watching which might cause be some issues with that.) You know, I'm surprised the local news channels haven't started a "countdown clock". Speaking of, Fiona now brings you the seven day forecast:

Gov. Perry At The Prayer Convention Thingy Today

Funny observation. (But I heard that the attendance was over 30,000 when they feared it would be under 10,000.)

Edit: And I can't believe I forgot about Ronald Reagan speaking in Reunion Arena as a presidential candidate at what, I think, was referred to a convention of the "Moral Majority." No one really batted an eye back then. (Credit, one again, Bud Kennedy.)

Get us out of there!!!

Is This What The 1960s Felt Like?

Race injected into everything? "Hip-Hop" in this context is only a non-too-subtle code word for "black". Charles Barkley's not a rapper. Chris Rock isn't either. Jay-Z, well, at least he's is a good rapper. And you wonder why Fox News receives so much criticism.

"Wobble, Wobble" Takes You Into The Weekend

Shout out to the white boy giving it the What For. Edit: Since even I'm whipped by the comments you just know are forthcoming, I'll probably screen them out. It's the weekend.

Road Carnage News

- Got a report of a "bad wreck" at 114 and 51 (in between Paradise and Boyd). Anyone?  There's actually two intersections that meet that description but I'm guessing it's the eastern one depicted above.
- Motorcycle death this morning in Ponder.

Texas Confederate Flag License Plates May Be Approved

Austin -A local division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans is just one vote away from gaining approval of a Texas specialty license plate bearing its logo, which prominently features the Confederate flag. The Texas Department of Motor Vehicle license board voted on the group's request in April, but it was a tie vote. One of the nine members was absent, so the board decided to reconsider the request at its next meeting June 9.

The meeting, however, didn't take place because a board member from Houston died June 3.

Now, the Sons of Confederate Veterans must wait until Gov. Rick Perry appoints a new board member, and that might not happen until fall, said DMV spokeswoman Kim Sue Lia Perkes. (More)

But Texas' MoveOn.org wants to stop it. 

(Thanks emailer Walt)

Run Eddie!!!!

Good grief, lady.  That chick in the Blair Witch Project didn't scream as much as you (not to mention that she even held the camera steadier than you.)  My brain feels like it has been pierced.

And if you're not offended by extreme cussing, you can check out her fine work once she finds out that they put the horse "right back to work."

Kind Of Funny College Football T-Shirt

In honor of the unranked Baylor Bears vs #15 TCU Horned Frogs game which is exactly four weeks away. (Coming up with sports related Bible humor is a job that I wouldn't want.)

Link.

Edit: The line is TCU by 9.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• Fox News just had to tear up every script they had prepared for today: Unemployment numbers just released show that the rate has fallen to 9.1% and the stock market opened up 135.
• Edit: Me spoke too soon. (Graph at the bottom since I couldn't figure out how to stick it in here.)
• WBAP has been reporting "parking lot temperatures" for the last couple of days. Idiocracy.
• Asked the Third Grader In The House how her day was as she began, "Well, first I woke up. Then I came down and ate breakfast. Then I ....."  I'm pretty much stuck at that point, right? 
• The Aggies begin at #9 in the preseason USA Today/Coaches poll. I've always said life is better when the Ags are good.
• "Outrage over 10 year old model on cover of Vogue."
• Dallas had another wrong way driver last night that resulted in a head on collision. It had been a while.
• Over the last decade, Gov. Perry has an average tithe of 1/2 of 1% according to his income tax returns. Maybe he thinks he is "rendering unto" himself so it doesn't matter.
• Mrs. LL was getting sick. Edit: Sick as in she's sick. Not sick because of a "condition."
• I've said it a million times: For those who think that the sub-prime mortgage crisis was caused by the government forcing banks to loan to the poor, you are smoking crack. Just once, please, listen to This American Life's "A Giant Pool of Money." 
• I think I would have called any child I had "Skyler."  That would have worked for either a boy or a girl. And he/she would have the cool nickname of "Sky."  (But "Skyler Green" is also the name of a failed Cowboy draft pick.)
• Why do I also think I could never talk the momma into believing Skyler is a good name?
• Funny comment yesterday was made about the guy who claimed to have witnessed the Lincoln Assassination. Paraphrased, it said, "He just lived longer than anyone who could call him on it." 
• ESPN had an hour long special on Deion Sanders that I tried to watch this week. Can we please just see some old football footage of him catching a punt and running it all the way back to the end zone? Instead, we have to be bombarded with montage after montage of three second clips. It's ESPN, not an MTV Video.
• I had a water hose explode yesterday. That was pretty cool. 
• Funny line yesterday regarding the heat: Is there any chance the Rapture happened and we missed it?
• Polygamist Warren Jeffs was convicted of sexual assault of a minor yesterday despite firing his lawyers and giving a closing statement that included 30 minutes of silence followed by,  "I am at peace." At least it sounded like a good plan to him. 
• Normally, when cops bust up a prostitution ring we get to see a bunch of gals that wouldn't exactly get the starring role in Pretty Woman. But this group? Not too bad. Relatively speaking, of course.

Edit:

Double edit (it's a rollercoaster):

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.