Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• I never read a Tom Clancy book, but I loved the movie Clear and Present Danger.
• A jury is deliberating a consensual sex assault case between a 17 and a 13 year old in Collin County. It sounds like the defense is jury nullification -- and the jury is thinking about it. 
• After learning he'll be paid for the rest of the year even if he quits, Randy Galloway will put his radio show out of it misery on Monday by retiring. He said, “It was either, ‘You can do three more months of radio, five days a week, three hours a day, or you don’t have to do radio, and you’ll still be paid by ESPN.’ So there really wasn’t a lot of decision to make.”  And you question whether he's been mailing in it? 
• I'm almost through with my first bottle of testosterone treatment. Is it possible that it had more of a mental effect than a physical effect? 
• I keep reading that if Speaker John Boehner put up for vote a resolution to fund the entire government that it would pass? If true, who is running the Republican Party up there?
• "Texas High School Tried Not To Run Up The Score, Won 91-15 Anyway"
• What a beating this year: We've replaced the refrigerator, an a/c unit, the Gangsta mobile's transmission, part of the Gangsta mobile's a/c (after running over a big hunk of metal), bought a flute, and now the dishwasher may be on its last legs.  And we've just reached October. It's always something. 
• Someone sent me this Lewisville book-in photo and asked me if it was Random Thought girl worthy. Not sure about that. But the expression on her face makes you think she's being booked in for murder instead of speeding. 
• D Magazine did a feature on the Kennedy Assassination Bus Tour yesterday. Mrs. LL and I had actually talked about doing that. 
• In this space on 9/17: "Tomorrow, Lake Bridgeport should break the twenty foot low mark." The Bridgeport Index's front page on 9/26: "It's Official! Lake More Than 20' Low." 
• I saw the video of "biker attack" in Manhattan on Monday morning but didn't post it because I was so confused by what happened at around the 50 second mark. I didn't know if the soon-to-be-beaten driver was fleeing because he feared for his life or if he just decided to plow through the bikers. 
• Don't forget: The Update mentions that The 23rd Annual “Bare As You Dare” Cross Country 5K is on Saturday. (A cold front moves in on Friday evening.)

Anyone Ever Heard Of Silk Road?

The Feds are all giddy about shutting down a famous "deep" website called Silk Road which, according to Wikipedia, was the Amazon.com of illegal drugs.  And you didn't use conventional money, you paid for it with bitcoins which is a "virtual currency" -- something else that is hard to wrap your brain around.  (Buying dope online from a site that can't be detected by search engines and paying with a virtual currency is a far cry from the way I learned it was done on The Wire.)

A lot of stories about the raid give the impression that the existence of Silk Road was common knowledge. I had never heard of it in my life.

And the government seized $3.6 million in bitcoins. It may be virtual, but apparently the government can get its grubby hands on it.

Britney Has A New Music Video

In these divisive times of political disagreement, finger pointing and name calling, we can always rely upon the official Liberally Lean Gal to bring us all together. (Link.)

Fox 4: I Demand Coverage Of This!

Over the weekend I posted the crazy story of the Bridgeport man (fantastically named "Big Ed Beckley") bidding almost $1 million for the right to jump the Snake River Canyon on a motorcycle/rocket/something. (See Evil Knievel in the late 1970s.)  Since then, even ABC's national news has picked up the story, but I haven't heard a peep out of any of the metroplex news stations or newspapers. I don't even think the Messenger mentioned it. This is good shtick. Get on it.

(A faithful reader sent me this pic last night from the guy's home. Go big of go home.)

Government Shutdown Juxtaposition

In the midst of the federal government shutdown, I noticed this ironic sight in Decatur this morning as Main Street is being repaved. I have no idea the manpower it takes to do that, but I counted seventeen guys (designated by the red dots) involved in the project. And I might have missed a couple.

Hey, it's a lousy picture but I'm no Joe Duty.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• Watched a little Fox News last night and it seemed like the theme was "blame the Democrats for refusing to negotiate about the shutdown".  Negotiate what? That Obamacare was legally passed by Congress and ruled constitutional? I understand the Republicans' frustration, but this is going to turn into a disaster for them. 
• Some pointed out that I shouldn't be surprised by Fox's hire of every-now-and-then moderate George Will because they have people like Juan Williams and Alan Colmes already on the payroll. I'm surprised because they didn't hire someone to be "fair and balanced" who won't serve as a token whipping boy. The first time he sits across from Sean Hannity, I'll be locked in. 
• The first time I ever smiled because of George Will was way back in the 1990s when he was on the Phil Donahue Show when Donahue was constantly interpreting him. Will interjected: "Please don't interrupt me in the middle of my sentences because I'm an expert on how they should end." Donahue could only smile and say, "You are all that they said you were George. You are all that they said you were."
• Tarrant County DA Joe Shannon announced yesterday that he won't seek re-election but said that "internal polling indicated he would have won re-election."  Someone needs to pull his campaign information and see if he has spent a dime on "internal polling." I think not. 
• Speaking of, you can find any Texas elected official or candidate's periodic campaign financial reports here. 
• Household problem: Everyone else in the house has no trouble letting milk, lettuce, or any other perishable sit out on the counter for 30 minutes. I use stuff like that and immediately rush them back to the refrigerator as if they will decompose immediately. 
• Sports: (1) Things are bad at UT when the teams' sideline reporter is forced to resign after being critical of the team. (2) Did anything get more of a yawn that the Dallas Mavericks' press day on Monday? (3) Baylor will trick up its uniforms for Saturday's game versus West Virginia -- and they are a shocking 27 point favorite. That makes me nervous. (4) I mentioned that legendary QB James Street died this week but I had forgotten that I had mentioned his legendary game against Arkansas in Random Thoughts back in July. That seems to happen a lot. I'll refer to some obscure event and then it'll be back in the news one day or another. 
• Lot of reports that the last song played on Breaking Bad, Badfinger's Baby Blue, had downloads rise 9,000% since the episode ran. Brakes should be tapped. Hey, if a book sells one copy for the last year and then sells 9,000 copies, it's not making the New York Times bestseller list.
• Something I can't believe I discovered on my own last weekend: The term "twerk" was used in Lil John's 2002 song Get Low. (Accidentally hit the KISS-FM button in the car.)
• There was an odd story yesterday of WWII Vets moving barricades to get to the "closed" WWII Memorial which had been closed due to the government shut down. Nice story, no? Then I got slumped shoulders when I found out that Rep. Michelle Bachmann and Rep. Steve King were there so this was probably all a publicity stunt. "Bachmann and other lawmakers will be at the site 'today, tomorrow, the next day, however long it takes' to keep the memorial open, she told CNN." Good grief. 
• Mrs. LL will go crazy and mow the lawn every now and then. Yay! And then, every single time, she leaves the lawnmower out. Boo!

Odd Hire

He's a conservative but not their kind of conservative. Not sure how that's going to work out.

Story.

(And in completely unrelated news, local TV sports gals Emily Jones and Gina Miller are leaving their gigs.)

GOP Negotiators Are At The Table To End Government Shutdown -- Probably Realizing The Have No Leverage

House GOP sends its diverse negotiating team — blue AND white shirts: pic.twitter.com/3opDd9WREX
— Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias) October 1, 2013

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.