Greg Abbott Is Doing a 180 And Breaking Up With Eric Holder?

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott will announce "important development" this afternoon related to AA/ US Air merger. Update at 2pm.
— FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) October 1, 2013

Rumor has it that Greg Abbott will announce that he is pulling Texas out of the lawsuit to stop the AA/US Airways merger. Although I thought it was weird he joined in with the federal government in the first place, I heard him on the Mark Davis Show say that there was evidence that the president of U.S. Airways was  caught with a "smoking gun" in their efforts to  "jack up fares and reduce competition". "They were very overt in their actions to try an eliminate competition . . . . We are a nation of laws. What we have here is a violation of antitrust laws . . . , " he said. And the only reason he joined the lawsuit was because he had "cold, hard evidence". (He later wrote an op ed piece saying essentially the same thing.)

But he's been taking a beating from The Right for not letting the "free market" decide whether the merger will ultimately be in the public's best interest.   If he backs out now, it is 100% a political decision in his quest to become governor. And he continues to be revealed as a fraud.

If the press conference is not about withdrawing from the lawsuit, uh, never mind.

Edit: Abbott and the airlines announced a "settlement" but make no mistake about it: That's a dismissal without any legitimate concessions. He had to find a way to safe face.

Some Good Old Fashioned Violence

I'm not a fan of fight videos but this one is crazy: Two guys get smashed over the head with beer bottles at the Cowboys game in San Diego last weekend.  (But the guy who keeps showing his bloody arm needs to realize he's not in critical condition.)

Edit: Oops. BagofNothing.com had this first, but it's funny that we both made comments about the Arm Guy.

Edit: From youtube comments: "I'm just glad that somebody finally filmed a fight video in HD, while holding the phone horizontally, and not shouting 'WORLDSTAR' every 4 seconds."

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Well, this government shut down is embarrassing.
• Hey, I get that the Republicans want to unilaterally defund Obamacare. But wasn't that health care law passed by both houses of Congress and signed by the President? It seems like the Republicans ought to go about this task by simply winning some elections.
• I'm guessing the shutdown lasts about a week before the GOP backs down. And they will back down. 
• That "one strike to win the World Series" in St. Louis seems like a long time ago for the Rangers.
• I keep reading that home prices have jumped over 10% (or more) over the last year or so. Has any one in Wise County actually sold a home at a hefty profit to back that up?
• How's that democracy in Iraq going? Violence killed nearly 1,000 in September which is the highest since, well, July.
• I predicted Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles wouldn't last the year. Well, I was wrong. For now. He survived a 5-3 vote last night. 
• Is it crazy to self insure yourself for medical expenses? Mrs. LL and I spend almost $1,000 a month on a crappy policy with a $5,000 deductible. If I cancelled it and put $1,000 aside every month dedicated to medical expenses (and I've got the discipline to do it), the odds are certainly in my favor.  After a couple of years we'd have well over $22,000 (routine medical expenses estimated at $2,000) and if we then obtained insurance, we've got a heck of a windfall. (Yeah, I understand the Obamacare tax penalty but it's minimum at first.)
• Historically it makes sense: My main health care costs over the last decade have been due to  injuries with a torn Achilles and a separated shoulder. Each cost about $5,000 -- the deductible amount -- insurance didn't help at all. Mrs. LL has had no issues other than a routine doctor visit from time to time. 
• Then again, a heart attack, cancer, or critical injury would certainly make that self insurance plan seem like a horrible idea. (I guess this is where I hear Clint Eastwood's famous line from Dirty Harry.)
• And I understand that: Medical insurance should be like home insurance. That home insurance should be for catastrophic events and not for replacing a broken window.  But, sheesh, the premiums are ridiculously high for catastrophic medical coverage. 
• I guessed I just summarized the sorry state of health care in America.

No Newspaper Cover!

I normally get it from www.newseum.org

The site is down.

Government shut down related?

And Another (Midland)

She makes the cut because she's in the Wise County Jail.

(Thanks to the commentor.)

John Daly Just Casually Hitting A Golf Ball Off A Guy In A Parking Lot

They say it was in Nashville. I'm kind of curious where the ball landed.

President's Going All William Wallace On The GOP

BREAKING: Obama says Congress can't shut down Obamacare, it will start on Tuesday.
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 30, 2013

"And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR [OBAMACARE]!"

A Fort Worth Cop Car Had A Bad Day

Link.

Hug It Out

Back story: WBNS sports anchor Dom Tiberi returned to the anchor desk at the Columbus, OH, CBS affiliate after his daughter’s death. He thanked viewers, friends and colleagues for their support. “It’s never going to be the same. A little piece of me died,” said Tiberi with support from his co-anchors on set. He later added, “We’re going to try to make a positive out of this and thanks for sticking with me.”

Tiberi’s daughter, Maria Elizabeth Tiberi died after her car crashed into the rear of a tractor-trailer the night of September 17.

That was the Ohio State team, by the way.  I'm stunned the guy kept it together. I'd be crying like a baby.

It's Tuba Carnage!!!

(Still trying to figure out which high school this was.)

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• From the Update/YouGottaBeKidding Department:  "Bridgeport Coal Miners Heritage Festival is 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday on Halsell Street. Events include the Battle of the Badge Wise County law enforcement donut-eating contest."
• Sports: (1) I predicted the Rangers would fade down the stretch but get the last wildcard slot -- I never dreamed they'd fade then rally down the stretch to, perhaps, get the last wildcard spot. (2) The news of Lane Kiffin being fired made me smile on Saturday morning. He made my list of most despised coaches last year. Even the Family Cat wasn't impressed. (3) It looked like a Cowboys home crowd in the background when Dez Bryant caught the first TD pass. (4) What are the odds Nelson Cruz - whose suspension has now ended - will be in the lineup tonight? (5) I've never seen the NFC East so pathetically bad. (6) Bridgeport is 0-5 and was down 51-0 at halftime on Friday? What's going on over there?  (7) Texas legendary QB James Street has died. 
• Hey, Liberally Lean Critic, this morning Gordon Keith mentioned the Dallas-homeowner-shot-story and the Argyle-video-in-the-locker room story that I wrote about on Friday. Once again, obviously stealing. Right?
• If the local media doesn't pick up the story of the Bridgeport man bidding almost $1 million to jump Snake River I'll be shocked. 
• This government shut down will blow up in the Republicans' face, right? 
• I've raved about how great weather forecasting has become but, man, that was a crazy screw up on Saturday. It was supposed to rain all evening and night (that's why they moved the Rangers' game) and it ended up to be nothing more than a midday brief storm. 
• Mrs. LL cried during Breaking Bad last night. (And wasn't that show fantastic!) My favorite line came from Skinny Pete: “The whole thing felt kinda shady, like morality wise.”
• Have any of the Obamacare critics even looked into the new health insurance exchanges that begin tomorrow? Dare I say it looks pretty good?
• Ted Cruz on Meet The Press yesterday: "The best way to get health insurance is to get a job.”  Good lord. 
• I've got two incredible talents: (1) The ability to tell you what time it is almost down to the exact minute, and (2) Being able to catch something before it hits the floor (like a glass) after I drop it. Maybe I can get a job at a carnival. 
• There's no way I'm watching the new Robin Williams television comedy. I have the long held belief that he's the most overrated comic in the history of ever. But, as a dramatic actor (i.e. Good Will Hunting), he's pretty good. 

Bridgeport Man Pays Nearly $1 Million!!??

Story.

So how have I never heard about Big Ed? (If it is the same Big Ed who occasionally comments  on here he needs to take one of us along - you know, to be in the back seat or something during the jump.)

Heck, he's even got the jump all planned . . .

Above The Fold

Tuesday* Addams Dancing You Into The Weekend

It's just so insane, I had to use it. 

*Edit: I have made an egregious error. My apologies to "Wednesday" Addams.

And Another - North Carolina

2013 making a huge comeback.

Link.

Oh, My!!!!

Now This Is Confusing

I was prepared to rant about another story of the cops saying, "He pointed his weapon at us so we fired in self defense". But then I went beyond the call of duty and actually read the story.   The statements of his neighbors makes this whole thing even crazier than the headline reads.

All Hail The Crazy Female Protestor

Youtube description: Anfield-born Hollie-May Saker, 18, was modelling for Nina Ricci at a show in the Tuileries gardens yesterday when two half-naked female protesters invaded the stage.

I have no idea what that sentence means since I've never heard of Saker, Ricci, or Tuileries gardens. And  I'm not exactly sure what they are protesting. 

But that bottom photo is an instant classic.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• The new Big Tex weighs so much more than his predecessor that this one will not use guy wires. (I hope an engineer was consulted -- Having the thing topple over and crushing someone eating a turkey leg would not be good.)
• Explained to the Sophomore in the House that I disliked Oprah because of her "look at me" style. Less that an hour later we are driving and ended up behind a guy in a Corvette convertible with personalized license plates. I said, "There's a whole lot of Oprah in that car." She told me that was a horrible joke. Ma'am, that was a tremendous joke. 
• Ok, "Where da goat at?" explanation: Three or so days ago I saw a photo on Facebook of a Wise County guy serving beer to his goat. It was really funny so I posted it. Later in the afternoon I got an incredibly polite request that I take it down, so I did. 
• Remember the Argyle middle school principal who was accused of placing a hidden video camera in a locker room during her daughter's high school basketball game to see how much the coach yelled at the players? Well she was convicted yesterday of "unlawful interception of oral communications". (She was found not guilty of the goofy "improper photography" law.) Was it necessary to criminally prosecute her for that? A public reprimand or suspension isn't good enough?
• Kind of goes back to my post the other day about government prosecutors suing/prosecuting other government workers all the time. It's like busy work. 
• After the guilty verdict, the prosecutor and defense lawyer agreed to a probated sentence instead of having the judge or jury assess the punishment. But this is odd: The defense lawyer said he would now appeal the conviction. So the prosecutor agreed to a post-conviction plea bargain on punishment but didn't make it a condition that the defendant would waive an appeal? 
• Glee is a big player in our house and last night they had a Beatles theme. The show began with one of the girls walking around singing "Yesterday" as a tribute to the cast member who died over the summer. (And every time I tried to walk out of the room they'd fire up another Beatles song.)
• And I know the Comment Dog Pile that I'm asking for by mentioning Glee. Hey, I don't watch the thing -- it's just on. I'll just look up from my lap top from time to time. (But then normally the room begins "to spin real fast... cause of... cause of all the gayness.")
• Explain this to me: Last night the attendance at the Rangers/Angels game was 26,198. The game against Houston on Wednesday night drew 43,207.
• By the way, time is running out for the little Rangers. 
• Hey: To the goofy guy who always accuses me of stealing from "Gordo's Corner" (which doesn't make sense due to that segment on The Ticket coming on after I post Random Thoughts), Gordon mentioned the Fort Worth McDonald's story early this morning when I posted it yesterday. He obviously stole it from me, right? I mean he mentioned a major metroplex news story so he could have only heard of it from one place. 
• One of my weird life's pleasures: Eating at an airport restaurant before a vacation starts. 
• I knew Ted Cruz would be crazy but I didn't know he would be so crazily entertaining. 
• Ticket fans: Man, if you listen to the station over the Internet you will absolutely be driven crazy by the commercials of Progressive's Flo, Granada Theater, and "I'm having a stroke".