Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• Two people killed in wrong way wreck in Grand Prairie last night.
• Motorcycle death this morning near White Rock Lake (when the rider decided to bypass slowed cars and struck an obstacle for which the cars were slowing down for in the first place.)
• If we would have had someone hit a parked police car, we'd have the Trifecta.
• I dreamed I was smuggling three duffle bags full of rifles back from Mexico by checking the bags with an airline and then trying to walk them through customs.
• Review of Van Halen concert last night by the Dallas Morning News.
• Mrs. LL is watching the first season of Lost after staring at the "pilot" screen and asking, "Do I really want to start this?" I'm wondering how long she'll stick with it. (But that first season was great.)
• This "Fast and Furious" thing would seem more significant if every vote wasn't straight down party lines. (And I had no idea the program began under the Bush Administration when it was called "Wide Receiver.")
• Man, a Sandusky "not guilty" verdict would be a shocker, but I don't see it happening. Penn State will be so happy for all this to just go away. 
• If the thought of a Pulp Fiction remix song piques your interest, you'll love this. 
• I wonder what the guy is thinking who won the signed Lebron James jersey during the Liberally Lean Pick 'Em Tourney.  It's value is going up. 
• Just hitting the news wires: A fatal auto/pedestrian hit and run right off of 287 on Willow Springs (about  five miles after leaving Wise County). 
• Update is here. (It leads with the Pete Hart news that was in yesterday's Random Thoughts.) 

Looks Like I'm A Media Expert As Well

All they had to do was ask me. I've been ranting about her since at least 2006.

Story.

Afternoon Radio Pick Me Up

The producer of the Mark Davis Show on 660 AM.  But, look out, she hung out at lunch today with that liberal Bud Kennedy!

Another Sign The Drug War Is Becoming Vietnam

Houston: 50 out of 130 people on a jury panel said they would not convict someone of a felony for possessing one-half a gram of cocaine even if the State proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. They got kicked off the panel and the defendant was still found not guilty.

These times, they are a-changing.

7 On 7 Football -- Asking The Masses

Longhorn (Struggling) QB David Ash Back At A 7 On 7 Tourney

I saw a post on Facebook the other day of a Wise County mother complaining of how much running and conditioning her son was going through for 7 on 7 football.  It dawned on me then that I really know nothing about it other than (1) it's no contact, (2) it's great for quarterbacks and receivers, and (3) it is supposed to be completely separate from high school coaches.

But I wonder if there's a seedy underside to it.

But for those of you familiar with it:

• Who coaches these teams?
• How many would Bridgeport or Decatur have? 
• Who decides who gets on each team?
• Are high school coaches completely detached from this thing?
• Is there a cost?

Let me hear from you.

Edit: A Faithful Reader emailed me that Channel 8 did an investigative report on this subject in 2010:

Right Wing Red Meat Alert

Story.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• I've started a new book: Jon Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith. A true crime book with a look at the Mormon faith. I love that author, and I've got to study up on what makes Romney tick. 
• I watched the end of the Heat/Thunder game last night. LeBron suffered cramps and came out of the game as the Thunder tied it up. He then came off the bench, hit a three, and then went back  to the bench. Even if he had had a compound fracture, he had to at least try.  LaDanian Tomlinson still is haunted for not coming back in the game after an "injury" during a Chargers' game. 
• I'd like to see a chart of the number of jobs held by travel agents and stockbrockers over the last 15 years.
• The Shiner dad who killed the man allegedly molesting his daughter was no-billed by the grand jury yesterday --  the most predictable news ever. But I haven't heard a single news organization question what proof there was of the molestation.
• The Fan's Gavin Dawson last night said he thought Ranger announcer Dave Barnett's strange fifth-base-robbery-henchman comment was just a flub and that the migraine headache story was just a cover. What an idiot. 
• When Mrs. LL resent her passport in for the name change because the government screwed it up the first time, it was reissued and received back within seven days.
• Fox 4 had two cops in studio last night to demonstrate how those spike strips are used to stop someone evading the police.  I thought that would be a failed bit, but it was fairly interesting. 
• Actor Nick Stahl went missing last month, was found, and now has gone missing again. 
• The defense calling Jerry Sandusky's wife to the stand serves no purpose. And she may be in as much denial as he is. 
• Bridgeport coach and former Chico head coach is going to Alvord to be defensive coordinator. 
• I'm not sure what reality show was on my TV last night, but I think Mrs. LL has a crush on Jenny McCarthy. 
• Not much of a mention of Juneteenth yesterday.
• Update can be found here if you are having trouble this morning finding it. (All Chico high school students are receiving iPads?  I'm beginning to think there is some country wide Apple conspiracy going on.)

Messenger Above The Fold

Mark Cuban Has A Super Yacht Named "Fountainhead"?

And it has to be named after that silly Ayn Rand book. And, yes, it's silly. Any book that is (1) a krillion pages long (2) ends up with an architect on trial for blowing up a huge housing construction project, (3) with that architect representing himself, (4) and deciding to give a closing argument where he justifies his conduct based upon "individualism" because the project was not built as he had designed it . . . is silly.

Source.

Just Your Normal Miley Cyrus Fan

 "Obsessed" and "Breakout" are Miley Cyrus songs.

 Coincidence: I've got "Britney Spears" on my chest.

For the win.

Follow him on Twitter.

I'm The Unofficial Update Linker For The Southwest Proper

Today's.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• I've had crazy dreams lately (although that's not unusual.) Last night one started with me and Mrs. LL talking to some park ranger as to whether we had time to take a particular hiking route. "Yeah. It'll be steep and dangerous, but I think you can make it." And so it began. 
• Try to explain to a Third Grade Girl why the Rangers pitchers are batting in San Diego.  And that will automatically lead to a request to stay up just a little later to see Matt Harrison bat. Request granted, by the way.
• My car got diagnosed as having a battery on the verge of going out. Not sure I believe that, but I trust the "diagnoser." Every battery I've ever replaced was completely dead, so when you take a wrench to the positive connection of one that still has some life in it, are sparks normal? Or should I grab a hazmat uniform?
• And have batteries gone up in price dramatically over the last couple of years?
• Creepy: Facebook acquires a facial recognition company from Israel for $60 million.
• The story about the guy in Plano who had a bomb go off in his face while apparently trying to blow up a residential gas line is one strange story. I'd be surprised if the FBI didn't jump in on that one.  Edit: I meant I would have been surprised if the FBI didn't jump in. Poorly worded. Saw they were out there shortly after it happened. 
• Bob Costas interview with Jerry Sandusky was historic but it is absolutely amazing that NBC sat on footage which was even more shocking. What were they thinking?
• I carry my driver's license and one credit card in an iPhone case and nothing else. (I was going to link to the case made by Case-Mate but I'm not sure they make it any longer.)
• Walmart and Aisle-Blocking-With-Cart-By-Oblivious-Customer go hand in hand, don't they?
• I don't know if it is a big deal, but teenager Cassie Smith out of Bridgeport is currently second in the West Texas Junior Open. 
• The Messenger's website is still having problems. Even the home page was gone this morning.  (I dont' even remember if the Mineral's Club or Wise County Singles Club are meeting this week.)
• The pic below is from yesterday . . . . ?

Rangers Play By Play Man Talks Gibberish. Kind Of Scary.

The bottom of the eighth inning of [last night's] Rangers-Padres game from San Diego turned weird  . . . on Fox Sports Southwest as longtime broadcaster Dave Barnett appeared to completely lose his mind, claiming a runner was at "fifth" base and then trailing off into a story about a "botched robbery."

Fox Sports even cut his mic after they realized something was going horribly wrong. 

Link. (Edit: A little more about it here.)

Another Example Of Crazy Prosecutors

And of truly big government.  Congress butts in to something it had no business getting involved in and then a bunch of federal prosecutors decide to charge Clemens with lying to a group of habitual liars.  During jury selection the overall reaction from the potential jurors was, "We are here over this?"

TCU Slapping Down High School Graduating Seniors Who Turned Into Slackers

College-bound seniors beware: If you slept through your classes this semester and have the failing grades to prove it, your university may soon threaten to rescind your admission this fall.

For students admitted to Texas Christian University, a notice informally known as the “fear of God letter” will read something like this:

Dear Joe:

We recently received your final high school transcript. While your overall academic background continues to demonstrate the potential for success, we are concerned with your performance during the senior year, particularly in calculus. University studies are rigorous and we need to know that you are prepared to meet T.C.U.’s academic challenges. With this in mind, I ask that you submit to me, as soon as possible but no later than July 31, 2012, a written statement detailing the reasons surrounding your senior year performance.

Joe, please understand that your admission to T.C.U. is in jeopardy. If I do not hear from you by the above date, I will assume you are no longer interested in T.C.U. and will begin the process of rescinding your admission.

Please realize that your personal and academic successes are very important to us. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Raymond A. Brown
Dean

(Rest of NY Times article.)

What in the heck is up with TCU? First they start kicking out students for marijuana use, and then they start subjecting incoming students to a very flamboyant "Call Me Maybe" presentation. Now they are slapping graduating high schoolers up the side of the head because they blew off their last semester of high school.  What's next? Water boarding? 

You just thought government was turning into Big Brother. Ol' private TCU is laying down the law. Daddy's watching. And Daddy is TCU.  Now whip out that laptop and write on that virtual blackboard why you were such a screw up last Spring.  Just like Bart Simpson at the beginning over every episode. Only different. 

Man, ever since they got in the Big 12, the Administration is flexing more muscles than my six pack. 

Just An Average Girl Putting On Make Up

Messenger's Update

For those that didn't see it, they've moved it to an ad free location here.

Get Me This Duck!

(First seen on bagofnothing.com)