Late Afternoon Pick Me Up

The Alabama quarterback's girlfriend on Splash last night.

Viral Video Of The Day

The guy was doing good at first but finally caved. Man needs some Scene Control.

Man Interrupts Mayor's Speech

That was some serious style. Just interrupting the speech like he owns the place. And you know what the funny thing is? I'm dying to know what he was going to say. As Mia said to Vincent in Pulp Fiction, "Oooohhhh, this doesn't sound like the usual mindless, boring, getting-to-know you chit-chat. This sounds like you actually have something to say."

P.S. How cool is it to be named "Sly"? Sly Green. I like the way that sounds.

Above The Fold

Liberally Lean Tourney: "Fifty Big Ones To The Winner"

It's about 24 hours until the deadline to register for the Liberally Lean Pick 'Em Tourney of 2013.  I've decided to go with a $50 gift card (Visa/Mastercard) for the winner. I doubt if there will be a tie, but, if so, we'll use Yahoos!'s tie-breaking system. In the one in a krillion chance there is a tie even after the tie-breakers, the $50 prize will be split.

Sign up here.

Man, there are some funny bracket names you guys throw out there.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• AI guy in a self check out line in Walmart yesterday was telling people behind him, "I might be a while. I've got a lot of pennies." He then methodically stood there paying in pennies like it was a slot machine. Shouldn't you cash those pennies in first before going through the check out line?
• The Texas Senate voted for term limits (two of them) yesterday. The most vocal opponent was Wise County's own State Senator Craig Estes. Maybe he needs more than two terms to find Wise County.
• The legislature is also considering allowing government entities to post required public notices online instead of having to buy space in local newspapers. Local newspapers are not impressed with this idea. 
• The Family Pup #2 (the Yorkie saved from death row) is a little bit more rambunctious than The Family Pup. He'll hound you to play fetch all day long and has this weird ability to jump onto window sills that are over two foot off the ground.
• And Mrs. LL, I promise when I look around and see the chaos of you, the kids, the dogs, and the cat, I don't say to myself, "What have I gotten myself into?" Promise. Double promise. 
• Whatever happened to the metroplex cop who was involved in a high speed chase and then shot the unarmed fleeing man a krillion times? 
• The President is in Israel today? I thought you guys told me he didn't care about that country.
• After my Vicksburg trip, I've gone back and watched some of Ken Burn's "The Civil War" documentary online. I was stunned to see it first aired in 1990. 
• I wrote over Thanksgiving that everyone should read the two part series in Texas Monthly about the falsely accused Michael Morton who was falsely imprisoned for killing his wife until DNA led to someone else. That "someone else" is now on trial for Morton's wife's murder and Morton took the stand yesterday. He is, after all, a witness as to the last time he saw his wife alive. 
• I missed George Mason Robert Morris beating Kentucky in the NIT yesterday. The game had to be played in the 3,000 seat home arena of George Mason Robert Morris because Kentucky had a scheduling conflict. Kentucky averaged 12,000 at home per game. Edit: Huge error. Kentucky averaged 23,099 per game.

"Let Freedom Reign"

It's the 10th Anniversary of the Invasion of Iraq.  That was then.

This is now.

I was against the war ten years ago. I've got witnesses!

High Kicking Like Nobody's Business

From last night's Mav's game.

(Maybe there was a sniper in the rafters?)

Ted Cruz Gif That Makes Me Laugh

He is not impressed.

Source.

The McCain dance isn't bad, either.

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.