Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• Whatever happened to Ted Turner?
• I'm sure he will, but ESPN Chris Mortensen has twice reported that Baylor's Robert Griffin III will enter the NFL draft only to have Griffin say he has not made a decision. (Mortensen must really want to be first with the news.)
• That dump the Osama Bin Landin lived and died in was "built last year" per Fox 4 this morning as they reported Pakistan is going to tear it down to prevent it from becoming a shrine.  They really are different in the Middle East. Over here we would give it a corporate sponsorship, sell tickets, and turn it into a War On Terror Graceland. 
• There were two guys sitting amongst the Mavericks on the bench last night just kicking back and drinking beer. Really.
• I forgot my belt. I don't remember every forgetting to put a belt on before.
• Pic of A-Rod's new girlfriend. I think her stomach looks like mine. 
• Oklahoma voters, in a matter that had to be an absolute emergency, approved a state constitutional amendment in 2010 barring Oklahoma state courts from "using Sharia Law" meaning  "Sharia Law is Islamic Law ... the Koran and the teachings of Mohammed." A federal court struck it down yesterday. I don't know if the court relied upon the Free Speech clause, the Separation of Powers clause, or the You People Should Have Other Things To Worry About clause.
• The rest of the GOP field has turned into a spread-the-wealth choir as they attack Mitt Romney's business record. Rick Perry called him a "vulture capitalist." Up is down. Down is up. 
• James Carville called Perry the worst presidential campaigner in the history of the United States. That may be true. He started on top, had a war chest of money, and the circumstances couldn't be more perfect for everything to fall into place for him. Instead he drove his campaign right into the wall on turn one. 
• That 18 year old gal from Oklahoma who shot and killed one of the two very alleged burglars is now facing the spotlight concerning allegations she knew the guy she shot and that he might even be the father of her new baby (instead of the 58 year old guy she had been married to for about a month before he died of lung cancer.*)   [*Insert Ticket drop of "Off.']
• But one thing that caught my eye about that story: The other "burglar" has been charged with murder in connection with his accomplice's death. Say what? Now that's creative prosecution. 
• I did an impromptu "Flying Super Dog" routine with The Family Pup last night ("I'm Super Dog here to fight Cat Violence wherever it happens in this house!!") only to find out I was secretly videotaped. There should be some kind of immunity. 
• The Dallas Cowboys fire secondary coach Dave Campo. Why? It's his fault that secondary doesn't have the athletic ability to cover even me?
• College football: For those who thought Oklahoma State should have been in the title game instead of Alabama: What if Oregon had not lost to USC giving them one loss for the season (27-40 to LSU in the first game of the year.)  In that scenario, which one loss team should have played LSU in the championship game: Alabama, Oklahoma State or Oregon. Doesn't Oklahoma State seem to be the clear third choice?
• One thing I want to know about the tour bus accident in Rhome yesterday simply out of curiosity: The bus was going from where to where? 
• A Fort Worth whistleblower suit was settled yesterday for $145,000. I wonder why it was filed in Wise County? (But I know the lawyer is a Blog fan so I bet we'll find out.)
• The Update generates revenue for the Messenger of around $150,000 a year. 

Messenger Above The Fold

A Bus And A Truck (And More) Got Tangled Up In Rhome . . .

Graphics by Liberally Lean Graphics Department. All Rights Reserved.

. . .  this afternoon and caused a traffic jam on Northbound 287. The Messenger says minor injuries.

Edit: Traffic cleared to go at 5:04 p.m.

(Thanks, Paul.)

Dog Days #2

ABC - On Saturday, Florida Highway Patrol troopers say that a drunk driver fleeing the scene of a prior accident struck and killed a 53-year-old Sarasota woman while she was walking her dog. The driver of the vehicle, Blake C. Talman, 22, lost control of his Nissan Altima and hit Donna L. Chen and her dog Barney on a city sidewalk. Chen was killed in the accident, and Talman is facing DUI manslaughter charges while being held on $121,000 bail. The accident took place on State Road, and Barney was so terrified that he fled the scene, made his way to the beach, and swam for the horizon. Most would expect that to be the tragic end to an already sorrowful tale, but fate had other plans for Barney. A local fisherman in his kayak happened upon the waterlogged dog just as he was pulling far away from shore – likely too far to make it back.


Man, this has to stop before I want to adopt every dog in the country.

I Was About To Call This County Out!!!

Does This Look Like A Puppy Who Is On Death Row?

The Wise County Animal Shelter has a genius idea of having a Facebook page where they post pics of pups and cats that are about to meet their Maker. Mostly it's a bunch of mutts and they all can't be saved, but the postings tug on enough heart strings that probably quite a few get new homes. 

Anyway, a picture of this little fellow (a mix between a Yorkie and a Dachsund) was posted over the weekend. What the the heck? If I had seen it I would have dropped the Family Cat off for an (un)even trade in a New York minute. Cuteness must be saved!! If someone else  in this county hadn't of stepped up, we might as well have shut the whole place down. We'd be nothing but a bunch of Barbarians. 

Never fear. The pup was adopted and saved. Faith in humanity restored. 

Tarrant County DA's Office Is Prosecuting Serious Crime This Week

Certainly there's more to this, but a quick search of the Internets didn't reveal anything.

And I'll admit that I didn't know what a "Fort Worth deputy marshal" was. But I learned: "The primary responsibility of this position is to serve various arrests warrants and misdemeanor writs issued through the Municipal Court on an assigned shift; to perform computerized warrant searches; and to serve as court bailiff in an assigned courtroom." It pays $42,244 a year.

New Hampshire: Four Years Ago

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• The first question by ESPN to winning  Alabama coach Nick Saban concerned what his deceased father would think of the win. I soooo wanted Saban to say, "Did you seriously just ask that?"
• New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, with Mitt Romney at his side, says something pretty shocking to a female heckler. (And what size is his belt? "Equator"?)
• Hostess filed for bankruptcy/reorganization. Do they make Ding Dongs?
• Ticket fans: If you are being driven insane by those Sweetjack commercials and wondering why that company we spend so much on advertising, look who owns both the Ticket and Sweetjack.
• Mrs. LL upon seeing the new Tom Hanks movie trailer last night (as I sat beside her not paying attention): "You want to see that?" Me: "Uh...I'd have to see the trailer again." Her: "Back it up then." Me: "I don't want to see it that badly." Her: [Glaring]
• A popular doctor at Cook's Children's Hospital dies at the age of 51 after falling off of his bike. I bet that news made lots and lots of families stop down across the metroplex.
• As the Right Wing realizes that Mitt Romney is nothing other than John McCain 2.0, I bet Newt Gingrich makes one last big run at the nomination before everything is said and done. 
• Pastor Ed Young of Fellowship Church (one of the hip mega-churches in the metroplex) will spend 24 hours in bed with his wife on the roof of the church to promote their new book, "Sexperiment." (If they were to get hit by lightning, I'd absolutely believe it was a bolt directly from God.) 
• I don't think I've ever seen so much high school basketball coverage in the Update. (And I'm not real sure much of the county is worried about Slidell's streak --- no offense to the loyal readers in Slidell.) 
• Baylor could have scored on Alabama. They might have been beaten 70-7, but they could have at least scored. 
• Snoop Dogg gets arrested in Texas for marijuana possession. The most interesting thing about the story is that he just received the equivalent of a traffic ticket for the Class C offense of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (like possessing a roach clip, bong, or rolling papers). But the story says he had over two ounces of marijuana which should be a Class A misdemeanor (the equivalent of DWI-Second, Theft of $500, Assault-Bodily Injury, etc.)
• Mrs. LL asked me what note we should put in The Family Cat's collar. I suggested, "This is a suicide mission. Help a kitty out."

I'm Watching The National Championship Game But This Southern Belle Is Now Stuck In My Head

Edit: At halftime, it is a barn-burner with three field goals scored.  College football has been transformed into NASCAR.

Edit: This gal scares me.

The Power Of Liberally Lean

There is no way this is a coincidence. I start suggesting that LeAnn Rimes might be the new official Liberally Lean Gal and the next thing you know she's throwing a concert in Fort Worth.  If this isn't a full court press on her part to replace Britney and Christina, I don't know what is. Heck, I suspect I'll get free tickets in an envelope with a lipstick impression on the back.

And Another (Wait. What?)

This one is a little tricky. He is accused of engaging in sexual conduct with a high school student who is 17.  In Texas, that wouldn't be a crime but for the fact he is a teacher and she is a student.  And it doesn't matter that he doesn't even teach on her campus (he's a middle school teacher; she's a high school student.)

Edit: Wait a second! This is obviously a political prosecution by conservative, right wing local authorities who just got mad because they say this on his Facebook page . . .

Edit: Mrs. LL tracked down this guy's "YouTube Channel"

I Think Mary Has A Legitimate Question

Holy, Cow

MSNBC story for those interested in more.

President Obama Is Dallas Maverick This Morning

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• Krishonda "Shonda" Leann Townsend, 19, went missing a couple of summers ago in Palo Pinto County after spending the day at Lake Bridgeport.  With little news coverage, she was buried over the weekend after her bones were found back in October. 
• Rick Perry said in the debate of Friday night that he would send troops back into Iraq. Does he understand that he's supposed to try to get votes?
• The "Deadlist Sniper" seems to want to make some money promoting his killing expertise in the Middle East. He proclaims that he has killed 255 as a Navy Seal. (All terrorists, I'm sure.) And if you've ever known a war vet who has seen ugly, ugly things, you know one thing: They do not want to talk about it. 
• Tim Tebow, in his amazing win yesterday, passed for 316 yards. Uh, John 3:16?
• Tebow and the rookie QB for the Texans, T.J. Yates, now have as many playoff wins as Tony Romo.
• Have the folks over at Fox 4 always pronounced reporter Saul Garza's name as "SAWuul"? I heard that this morning.  
• Horrible accident in Boyd this weekend that killed a young man, but are dead cows normally hauled off into the woods?
• More craziness in the Porsche-in-a-Canal case.  All three had been to a strip club together before the crash. 
• Was there one long thunder last night? 
• Spent a much delayed Christmas afternoon (a sequel) at my parents on Sunday. I never knew watching girls open up gifts of clothing could be so intense. 
• Despite the receipt, her name was not "Lady Chinky Eyes."
• You would think Bourbon Street after the LSU/Alabama game tonight would be down right dangerous.
• Water related: (1) Ryan Seacrest's girl can dive, (2) If you ever thought about bungee jumping, you won't do it after this, (3) Lake Bridgeport is 12 feet low but has basically remained constant since October. 
• There's a commercial running on the radio about some cyber "dog" who will go and fetch the best deals on the Internet for products. Wasn't there a search engine years ago that used the same type of advertising campaign?
• Edit: Then bungee jumping gal is a "Hey, now!"

Tebow!!!!

The CBS crew after the game:

John McCain Might Want To Head On Back To Arizona. His Work Is Done Here.

That Video Board At The Death Star

Check out the people in the background looking up.