Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• The greatest request ever for an attorney general opinion by an elected Texas County Attorney: Can the commissioners' court prevent me from bringing my 16 year old miniature dachshund to my county office even though the fine puppy dog creates a "safer work environment"?
• What the County Attorney meant was that he often deals with angry people in his office, but he believes the dog has a "calming effect" on all parties. At first I thought that was silly. The more I think about it the more that makes some sense. 
• Don't know how to make the picks in the Liberally Lean 2013 Tourney? How about base it upon the most famous graduate of each school? 
• Oh, yeah. Enter here.
• Brad Watson is leaving Channel 8 after thirty-four years. Did he ever smile? 
• Obscure random thought: Some guy announced his candidacy for Tarrant County DA yesterday, and he sounds like he has some decent credentials. However, for all my lawyer friends, would you ever send out a press release with a citation to one of his famous cases that is in complete violation of the Texas Green Book Rules of Form? Edit: The press release is a little old. I learned about the DA announcement here.
• The Texas legislator that was arrested for DWI took to the floor of the house yesterday to apologize for her mistake. "Lawmakers applauded loudly, eventually climbing to their feet. Some gave Gonzalez hugs and high-fives. Flowers were left on her desk in the chamber." Huh?
• While you were sleeping: Seven marines killed, eight wounded. In Afghanistan? Nope. Nevada.
• Turf Wars: Bridgeport ISD continues the Cold War by voting against installing turf at Bull Stadium. 
• I have no understanding of Cyprus potentially seizing 10% of all bank accounts in the country, but did you know the taking of 10% is an accurate meaning of the word "decimate"? 
• I actually watched some of the Heat/Celtics game last night since the Heat was attempting to go for its 23rd straight win. I guess that was exciting. (But the bounce the ball off the guy's back to run out the clock was pretty clever.)
• Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings was on Fox 4 last night discussing a rally this weekend against domestic violence. "One out of two women in their life will be hit by their intimate partner. That's amazing. It hits everybody." I think he meant, "Domestic violence impacts us all." 
• Frisco home exploded this morning. Gas leak?

From The Email Bag

"This guy cut me off on I-35 in Oklahoma a few days ago."

Two Americas

Cute puppy trying to learn to play catch on one hand. Two chicks fighting in the street on St. Paddy's day on the other (in Austin?)

                                "Get me this puppy!"

What's Going On Up There?

I was talking to a buddy this morning who said there were probably 3,000 people there this weekend. (I posted a video a while back of some guy destroying his fancy pick up on a jump. I'm sure there's a ton more out there.)

Last Vacation Pic

This was just the last evening on the beach as I walked alone to take it all in one last time. I don't know why I thought this was so funny/sad/odd/telling, but these two girls were just texting away as the sun was setting and waves were hitting their feet.

It's 2013.

Today's Texas Monthly Story By Wise County Assistant DA

I haven't read it yet. Link:

 http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/death-penalty-has-face-das-personal-story

Does The Devil In "The Bible" On . . .

. . . the History Channel look like the President?

2013 Liberally Tourney Pick 'Em

I hope this link works.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• I'm back at it this week but I'll wrap up with some post Spring Break thoughts. 
• After driving across the South, I'm now a big fan of the GPS. Yes, I love technology. 
• Vicksburg National Military Park Thoughts: (1) Fantastic place and thanks to whoever it was that suggested it, (2) I took a crash course in the history of it before I went through it, and I'm glad I did, (3) I was whipping everyone in the car with "fun facts", (4) and I also spent a lot of time saying "be reverent" to the jokesters in the car, (5) the fact that many people use the park for jogging is a little unnerving, (6) coming up upon the USS Cairo was a treat, (6) no matter how hard I tried to envision what that battle(s) was like,  I know I wasn't close.
• Alabama might want to work on its roads a little bit. 
• Based upon the billboards, personal injury law is alive and well in the South.
• I was stunned by how few confederate flags there were but how many azaleas covered the landscape.
• Texas Monthly tweeted last night to check its site tomorrow "for an amazing personal essay by Wise County's asst DA [about] the death penalty." I'm really confused by that but will post a link as soon as I find one.
• I'll also post a link for Liberally Lean March Madness 2013 in a bit. There may be just one prize this year -- last year I got beaten down by getting about seven different gift certificates sent out. Ain't nobody got time for that. 
• Stolen from Gordon Keith: The headline in the opinion section of the Dallas Morning News yesterday that read, "Should we put robots on trial?"
• "Orange Beach looks to restrict obscene merchandise after mayor 'sickened' by T-shirt logos." The mayor hates some T-shirts sold during Spring Break. I don't know what the government can do about it (and I'm not sure they should have the right to do anything about it, but I agree with his sentiment. Classless.
• I watched a little bit of the CPAC convention late at night while on vacation. Donald Trump. Sarah Palin. Rick Perry. Ted Cruz. Man, they work themselves up into a frenzy, and they are not helping their cause. 
• Saddest story that you may not have heard: The Seton Hill's lacrosse team bus was in a crash last week killing the bus driver and the coach who was pregnant. 
• Crazy plane crash yesterday in South Bend. One of the dead is Steve Davis who led OU as quarterback to two national championships in the 1970s. 

Above The Fold

Whipping ya with another pic

Beach Walk

Random Friday Morning Thougts

• We canoed for about an hour down the Blackwater River yesterday. My only complaint is that we didn't sign up for the longer one.
• Pic. 
• Once the canoes were in the water, I fired up Dueling Banjos on my phone. At least I was highly entertained. 
• The guy helping with the boats had a great accent. We asked him where he was from and he said, "LA - Lower Alabama."
• We took someone's advice on here and ate at AJ's in the harbor yesterday evening. Fantastic. The girls want to go back to see more fishing ships come in. Best times? Noon? 4:00?
• But when we got dressed for dinner, I realized I'd only brought tennis shoes. When I walked out, I got a "Really?" from Mrs. LL.  I started humming the Curb Your Enthusiasm theme. It didn't help. 
• Most awkward stepparenting moment last night when one kid (who shall remain nameless) woke me up to tell me their toilet was clogged. I headed that way when she yelled, "I don't want you to see my business." Darlin', I don't want to see your business, either. So with me in the kitchen, I gave her instructions as she operated the plunger. Success. 
• I've been mostly disconnected from the news this weekend. I love it and hate it. 
• But I did see that a state legislator was arrested for DWI in Austin. 
• Six people gunned down in a bar in the "outskirts" of Cancun.  Mexico doesn't need that bad press. 
• And some things never change: Cop car hit in the metroplex. 
• They have "bear crossing" signs on the back roads here. 
• And the very odd message warning that smoke might impact visibility. Is there a big fire in the Florida Panhandle I'm not aware of?
• What does "first cousin once removed" mean?
• Speaking of awkward, this most recent clip of the very effeminate pastor Robert Jeffress ranting about gays has to be seen. The FBC of Dallas has to get control of that guy. 
• And that's some craziness at Prestonwood Baptist.  
• This might be a bit, but Kelli Rasberry tweeted a pic of a knight at Medieval Times who she was in love with. But there is no question that's the boyfriend of Fox 4's Fiona. Did I just write that?

History Channel Selling Aurora Spaceman DVD

No waves this morning

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• There was a pretty big fire outside of the next door condo last night. Mrs. LL even called 911.
• Four motorcycle deaths in two days in Fort Worth?
• Mrs. LL used to eat her hamburger upside down.
• The Fourth Grader in the Condo and I successfully located the buried football. That was pretty fun.
• The weather is a tad cool this week for Florida but I think I'd rather take a long beach walk at 65 degrees, slight breeze, and sunny than with a temperature of 95.
• Everyone is on a quest for the perfect sand dollar. Did I read those things were once alive?
• The water boards that you stand on and navigate with a paddle are called YOLO boards down here. Idiocracy?
• The college kids that go full throttle on Spring Break probably aren't the leaders of tomorrow. 
• If we get our act together, we are going to canoe on something called the Blackwater River today.  I wish I had a bow and armor ala Deliverance. 
• Ever Big 12 school as a Simpsons character. Who could possibly be Flanders?
• About once a day, two low flying helicopter fly down our beach. Mrs. LL yells, "Get some! Get some!" Every time. That's a Full Metal Jacket reference. 
• There were three people in the Update's death announcements yesterday 51 years of age and younger. I don't feel so guilty about a spring break vacation any longer. 
• I see eleven fishing boats heading out right now. 
• A group of cardinals in a room electing a new pope reminds me of the closed sports writers electing players to the NFL Hall of Fame.
• Google is shutting down Google Reader which kills me because I use it many times a day.
• Why is he not Pope Francis the first?

Another Pic

A sunny pic of the beach