Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• I haven't read many reviews, but I thought Madonna at halftime last night was fantastic.
• The video stage was great. Here's what it looked like from the stands.
• It was pretty quiet at my house until an impromptu party broke out. Who was that guy who brought his own grill over and was lighting up the sky with a flame in my backyard?
• The Patriots first play resulted in a safety (an odd call but a correct one.) Heard this morning that the Vegas odds of the first score being a safety were 75 to 1. Edit: Dallas is a 20-1 shot to win the Super Bowl next year.
• I wrote a few weeks back how I was finally at the point of believing that teams should allow the other team to score in some situations. We saw it last night. It didn't work out, but Bill Belichick would have gone down as the greatest football genius in the history of ever if it had. 
• I took my football to the nearest goalpost yesterday and discovered I can kick an extra point. Barely. 
• I noticed my TV screen flicker during the halftime show. It wasn't until this morning that I discovered NBC was trying to censor MIA.
• One of the gals over at the house last night, upon realizing that Cee Lo Green was at the Super Bowl and on The Voice immediately afterwards, asked, "How did he get there so fast?"  Her husband and I tried very hard to suppress our laughter because she is not "slow to anger." 
• It is amazing how the Right Wing tried to dismiss the lowering unemployment numbers last week. Let me say it again: The way the number is calculated is the way it is calculated.
• A nine year old in Rhome is in the death announcements in the Update this morning. What happened?
• Someone pointed out to me that being a member of AARP makes your spouse automatically qualified to join AARP. I haven't told Mrs. LL that yet. I hope she is "slow to anger."
• Ticket Fans: You should have heard shortly after 6:00 a.m. this morning when both their AM signal and FM signal went down. The only way the station was broadcasting was over the Internet and the Musers absolutely went off on an unnamed manager who "might destroy what we took 18 years to build."
• If you believe Josh Hamilton doesn't drink on a regular basis, you're nuts. It's only when he gets caught do we see the press conferences. 
• It's news Mitt Romney won Nevada over the weekend? Mormons. Nevada. Hello.
• I had to renew my driver's license at the Decatur DPS office on Friday. Those ladies are cheery but don't have a real sense of urgency about them. But, all in all, I think I'll take that. (But the Sargent behind them who looked up and said, "Oh, I know who he is" made me a little nervous.)

Big Wreck Involving Decatur Girl

But the photo from the Messenger's site made it a little hard to see the carnage.  Best case: It's my browser screwing up. Worst case: Auto wreck photo's have become covered in Nascar-like sponsorships.

Messenger Above The Fold And More

Bridgeport Kids At It Again

I'm told there was a strategic fold.

Worlds Collide Taking You Into The Weekend

Patriot Cheerleader (Super Bowl) Wearing Pink Jersey (Komen/Planned Parenthood)

It's February So There Must Be A Tornado Watch. Wait. What?

Wow. Pink ribbon people cave

The last safe place isn't safe at 2:00 am

Edit. Story here. "Lone State Star" is the new name of the huge club formerly known as "City Streets" by Barnes and Noble.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• Breaking this morning: The unemployment rate fell to 8.3%.  President Obama's only problem now is that November can't get here soon enough. 
• (1) Why would anyone care that Donald Trump endorsed Mitt Romney? (2) Why in the world did Romney show up by his side to accept the endorsement yesterday? They just handed the Democrats a photo-op with the caption: "They both are rich and they both like firing people."
• The news broke last night that Josh Hamilton had a "relapse" because he drank at Sherlock's in Dallas. It wouldn't surprise me if the Rangers heard there were pictures about to be released so they leaked the story to get in front of it. Last time Deadspin knocked them senseless with the photos of Josh going full throttle during spring training. 
• And what in the world is he doing in a bar much less drinking in a bar? You'd think that he'd grab a bottle of liquor and check into a hotel.
• I wonder if abstinence is the best way to handle his problem.
• I've gone basically 100% Healthy Choice dinners and salad for the last three weeks. And I haven't stepped on the scale -- I'm going by the feel of clothes. 
• Something that I care absolutely nothing about: Who anyone's Super Bowl pick is.
• Have you seen the story of the group of high school girls who have all suddenly exhibiting symptoms of those with Tourette's syndrome? I can't tell you enough how much I think they are faking it. 
• Someone asked yesterday if I was on the "court appointed lawyer gravy train." No, I'm not. And if it's a gravy train, I was never able to find the station. 
• It's not fun paying for a vacation months in advance. It is fun taking a vacation realizing you've already paid for it. 
• Heck, even I'm surprised that the Susan G. Komen Foundation is taking such heat for no longer funding Planned Parenthood. 
• One time high school football power Stephenville dropped to 3A yesterday.
• A neighbor girl ate dinner with us last night while dressed in a ballerina outfit. I think that's a first for me. Unless Mrs. LL did it once that I don't remember.

Tarrant County DA's Office Announces Brags About 99 Years For Dope

Drug problem in Fort Worth solved! Everyone sleep with your doors open tonight! Public demand for drugs also mysteriously disappears!

Link. (PDF).

Man, they sure are working that new PR gal who is being paid with taxpayer money.

This Could Be Wheels Off

As the Super Bowl halftime performer, Madonna is obligated to hold a press conference in front of a bunch of sports writers, radio guys, and broadcasters.  She walked out on stage shortly after 1:00 p.m. today (one of The Ticket boys twitpic'd it)

There's no way she doesn't get mad at some point.

Breaking: Kelly Brook Is Hot

Re-Alignment Announced For UIL

Five teams in the district? Is that normal?

Remind me. How many teams make the football playoffs from each district?

All announced realignments here.

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• There was a meteor over North Texas last night and one of the strangest pictures of it was sent into WFAA by Tully Hannah of Bridgeport.
• The best photo of it (if real) is here. (Facebook.)
• American Airlines is shedding jobs while BNSF Railroad will spend almost $4 billion on capital improvements in 2012 alone. This is 2012, isn't it?
• Had a report that a Boyd student held up a "Got Meth?" sign at the Boyd/Paradise basketball game on Tuesday night. He was allegedly kicked out. 
• Rick Perry's buddy and fired Aggie gets a "newly created" position at DPS for a salary of $147,500.  Who do I report this crime to?
• "Phil? Hey, Phil? Phil! Phil Connors? Phil Connors, I thought that was you!"
• Rich guy adopts 42 year old hot girlfriend as his daughter so she can get 1/3 of the money from a trust fund set up for his children because he's being sued for killing a guy while driving drunk and the lawsuit can't touch the trust fund. Got that? 
• From the Update this morning regarding Northwest High students signing scholarships yesterday: "Allen Young will head to Truman State to play football. Christian Davila inked with Friends University and Dominic Stewart with Southern Nazarene University for football." I don't think I've heard of any of those schools. 
• I heard Madonna's Borderline this morning. Nothing wrong with that.
• $10,000 bets. He likes firing people. He's not concerned about the very poor.  When Mitt Romney spends all of his time saying his words were "taken out of context," he might want to spend some time thinking before speaking. 
• On Twitter this morning: "Over 100 die in Papua New Guinea on a sunken ferry last night and there is barely a news blip. Sixteen died on the Concordia cruise ship and we can't look away."
• I think I saw the Decatur guy who was involved in the fatality accident in Rhome running on the shoulder after the wreck yesterday. I feel sorry for him.  People pull out in front of traffic on 287 all the time. 

Breaking Out Of Egypt: At Least 40 Dead And It Has Nothing To Do With The Arab Spring

It has to do with a soccer game. Edit: Heard the number was now over 70.

(In unrelated economic blood bath news, American Airlines just announced massive layoffs. Edit: And they are closing the maintenance facility at Alliance Airport?)

I Was Prepared To Hate This

But this guy might be awesome.

John Davis Just Made A 20 Minute Presidential Campaign Stop In Decatur

Unfortunately, he was conservative but wasn't crazy. (Oh, and here's a list of the 342 people who have officially filed for the office of President.)

Edit: Just saw some Wise County guy on Facebook that the media "doesn't want you to know about" this man. Really? What about the other 300+ people on the list?

Edit: Uh. Oh. Just how excited are the Republicans about their candidates? Four years ago, 1.94 million voted in Florida's primary.  Yesterday they pulled in just 1.66 million.

Rhome Is Into Advertising

Satellite view of Rhome water tower.