Courtney Stodden Goes Brunette

The 19 year old first dumped her loving and only-with-the-best-intentions 53-year-old husband, Doug Hutchison, in November, and now she's dumped the blond hair. Probably just trying to project a little more innocence. Obviously, it's working.

Source. (Thanks, Steve.)

My Favorite Mayor Went To Church Yesterday

Toronto's partying mayor Rob Ford visits a church which just happens to be predominately African American (or African Canadian?) Video.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• Fox's Megyn Kelly took quite a bit of heat for her "Jesus was white" comment, but she continues to insist that the issue "is far from settled." Sheesh. 
• I've raved about Empire of the Summer Moon before and, for those of you who read it, it dedicated some its pages of how the white man basically killing off of the buffalo was the beginning of the end of the Indians. Knowing that, check out this historic photo I came across this weekend.
• I'll joke about the Wise County "Fossil, Rock and Mineral Society" from time to time, but I love that they'll have a Christmas dinner this year with guests being "asked to bring a rock-related item for a gift exchange." (Per Update).
• My "bet the house" prediction on the Cowboys winning less than 8.5 is still alive. And speaking of that debacle yesterday, Dallas threw is 23 times and ran it just 7 times in the second half. Also, check out this crazy "win probability" chart that was ongoing during the game yesterday.
• I went to a six man game at Cowboys Stadium this weekend. Fantastic. I'll try and dedicate a separate post to it later. (One of the bands had about 10 members -- four of whom were the cheerleaders temporarily filling in -- and the band director played an instrument as well for the National Anthem.) And I got to see the power of Sky Mirror!
• Remember how I hate how reporters will say they had a "nice chat" with a sports figure just to name drop? Dallas Morning News guy Barry Horn did it this weekend about his run in with Baylor's Kim Mulkey. 
• During the ice storm I was constantly thinking, "If I slip and fall, I'm going to hurt myself". I wonder at what age we begin to think that? I certainly didn't think that in my twenties and probably not in my thirties. 
• John Cornyn leads Tea Party nut case Steve Stockman by 50-6 in the first poll released. 
• Denton PD had an arrest for "ASSAULT PUBLIC SERVANT | RESIST ARREST SEARCH OR TRANSP | ALCOHOL PUBLIC INTOXICATION | DISORDERLY CONDUCT-FIGHTING IN PUBLIC" with a book in photo which seems consistent with the charges. 
• Ridiculous: Attorney General Greg Abbott considers "looking into" the case of the Keller kid who received probation for Intoxication Manslaughter. Equally ridiculous: Wendy Davis calling the sentence "a disgrace."  Aren't these the same folks who always say they respect the criminal justice system and the rule of law?
• Legal question for you juvenile law gurus out there: The Tarrant County DA's office pursued the case under the "determinate sentence" law, but is there any prohibition which would have prevented them from certifying him as an adult in an Intoxication Manslaughter case?
• I put out the giant inflatable Chrismas monkey on our front lawn. There's just something about it . . . . 
• Everyone from USA Today to CMT to The Rolling Stone reported Ray Price had died on Sunday after his son prematurely made the announcement.  But he's still alive as of this morning. 
• As a kid, I saw commercial after commercial for the film Billy Jack which also beat us down with the song "One Tin Soldier".  The lead actor has died. 
• A wreck at Sam Houston State left three students dead and the  car leaning nose first up against a building. 
• Discipline does work:: In all of college football, the rankings for least penalties per game include Navy at #1, Army at #8, and Air Force at #17. Baylor was the worst at #125. Texas Tech was #124.

Carnage

This makes my day: Packers bus driver runs over police motorcycle at game. Cop not on it. Seriously??? Jeez Packers.. pic.twitter.com/ejJmhgxkgH
— Amanda Guerra (@AmandaNBC5) December 15, 2013

Great Miami Field Goal Attempt Today

Texas Chaos

Texas insider Chip Brown wrote earlier this week that Mack would retire. He didn't. Chip Brown then got killed on Twitter. So he wrote this today on how Mack had executed a masterful political power play to save his job. 

And then hours later (but seconds before I wrote this) . . . BOOM:

Mack Brown has informed the team and recruits of his resignation He will coach the bowl game.
— Longhorn Network (@LonghornNetwork) December 15, 2013

Longhorn Network don't lie. And it is official.  Edit: Brown would later say, "The program is being pulled in different directions."

Mack Brown, when he was first hired by Texas 16 years ago. pic.twitter.com/8jv0EAC0DX
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) December 15, 2013

The Evil Empire has standards. This does not measure up:

He probably does this year.

Above The Fold

Weekend Perusing

Time magazine's 2013 Top 10 of everything in 54 categories..

I'm Confused: How Many Offensive Coordinators Do They Have To Have?

Today:

 Yesterday:

And both are apparently true.

Texas Monthly New Bum Steer Cover

Looks like David Dewhurst, Jerry Jones, and Houston professional sports teams will be big players.

How To Avoid Crashing Into A Cop Car

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• Sheriff Joe is in the Christmas spirit: All face to face inmate visits have been discontinued and the only way to visit now is via video conferencing at a rate of $12.95 for a 20-minute chat.  (The only upside is that relatives can also visit remotely from a home computer -- that's probably a fair trade off that he didn't anticipate.)
• That kid who is now running North Korea had his uncle, who had been second in command for years, executed for treason.  If he's trying to prove he is crazier than his dead daddy, he's making a good case. 
• The finals in the Texas six man football playoffs take place tomorrow in Cowboys Stadium.  I've never seen a six man game and am tempted to go. (I'm also tempted to go see 14-0 Graham vs. 14-0 Argyle at Northwest -- except it's a night game.)
• It was in the low 40s this morning and felt balmy. 
• Lawyer stuff that I find fascinating: Mark Bennett of Houston runs a blog and, man, he takes no prisoners.  That is, he's smart but making friends isn't high on his list.  That led to a blog post a few days ago where he crucified a brand new lawyer for ridiculous (and false) statements on his website promoting his new practice. (i.e. "pre­mier DWI lawyer", "the assassin of suppression"). That new lawyer actually responded in the comments. Good stuff. Then comes a follow-up post after Bennett discovered that the brand new lawyer had been hired on a capital murder case! The comments are golden and even Grits For Breakfast has picked up this fiasco that is about to happen.
• Every time I post an animated GIF I get a comment, heavily laced with profanity, yelling at me for doing so. But most of the words are misspelled in a comical way. I don't if the guy's ignorant or if it is someone brilliant doing a pretty funny bit. Keep 'em coming. 
• Good grief: That Texas judge who had to resign after texting the prosecution tips during a criminal trial has signed up to run for DA. At least she's discovered her true colors. (Dang it. Now that Cyndi Lauper song is stuck in my home.)
• The bride who pushed her brand new husband over a cliff pled guilty to a lesser offense yesterday right before closing arguments were to begin. She now faces up to 20 years in prison instead of life. (I didn't realize the case was in federal court because the death occurred in a national park.)
• I didn't publish a comment yesterday that claimed I had responded "8 times" as anonymous in the comments. Not true. I never do that.
• Sports: (1) Gambling? Baylor's best and fastest receiver, who broke his wrist in the Oklahoma game, has been cleared to play in the bowl game.  Vegas might want to adjust the line accordingly. (2) TV ratings for every college football game this year. (3) The Rangers drafting Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson with an obligation to pay $12,000 was nothing more than a publicity stunt. And a brilliant one at that. (4) The terms of Aggie coach Mike Sumlin's new contract were released yesterday and he's making $5 million a year. Imagine what he'll make if he ever wins the SEC West Division. (5) I don't know who former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield is but a mansion he bought is in such bad shape that officials are going to burn it down. (6) I'm pretty sure Mack Brown is going to retire but part of me is beginning to believe a huge cluster is breaking out in Austin. (7) Chicago receiver Alshon Jeffery, who torched the Cowboys last weekend, was once recruited by then Tennessee coach - and spare - Lane Kiffin when Jeffery was committed to South Carolina. Kiffen told him that "he would end up pumping gas for the rest of his life" if he went to South Carolina. Jobless Kiffin is much closer to pumping gas than Jeffery is. 
• The Hawaiian official who approved the release of the President's birth certificate has died in a plane crash. Let me save someone some time: "It looks like that Kenyan Obammy had that Hawaiian killed. Speaks volumes, doesn't it?"
• Random and Obscure Observation: I've never come close to be charged with a crime but that would rapidly change if I were locked in a room with Courtney Kerr (Google her) for five minutes. And I'm talking about a crime of violence. 
• The Nancy Graces of the world (and even local wannabes) are jumping on the probated sentence for the kid from Keller in the Intoxication Manslaughter case. Let me say what I said three days ago: He's sixteen!
• I don't want to say anything, but it looks like Santa is double booked in Wise County on Saturday morning according to the Update.
• Singer Ray Price knows he will die in the next few days from cancer. With that in mind, he's decided he'll leave the hospital in order to be allowed to die at home. 
• [In a deep movie preview type voice] "In another battle on the War on Drugs, Operation M-pact took place in Texarkana . . . "

Cop Of The Year

Look, the first 4:00 minutes of this video is some psycho chick screaming while the cops try to handcuff her in order to take her to hoosegow.

The most amazing thing is the cop -- around 4:30 -- taking the time to explain to the crowd (and especially to one wise guy) what had just taken place.

Las Vegas "After Hours" Clubs Might Be A Dicey Proposition

A guy tries to get in but is informed there is a $30 cover charge in order to get his party on. That's obviously justification to pull out a handgun and start shooting.  Good grief.

Link.

Greatest GIF Creation Tool Timewaster In The History Of Ever

Create your own.

Listen Up, Kids: Santa and Jesus Are White

In this debate as to whether minorities feel less connected with Santa because he is portrayed as white, Fox's Megyn Kelly drops a bombshell at 1:45: "Jesus was a white man, too."

And You Wonder Why Schools Have Been Slow To Re-Open

Be careful! RT @dkrice: @DFWscanner @wfaaweather Some roads still dangerous. Golden Triangle 1mi W of 377. Keller/FTW pic.twitter.com/ZA7FMATNLN
— Pete Delkus (@wfaaweather) December 12, 2013

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• In July of this year there was a big story of a newlywed allegedly pushing her husband off a cliff. (Man, it was tailor made for crazy Nancy Grace.) Amazingly, her trial has already started. 
• Major League Baseball is on the verge of outlawing home plate collisions. The new rule would require sliding instead of trying to run over the catcher. I support that. 
• That probated sentence for the sixteen year old in Fort Worth for the Intoxication Manslaughter of four people was making the national rounds yesterday. There were, of course, the "he should be locked away forever" crazies, but there was also a heck of a lot more understanding than I thought there would be. 
• "So people who were just calling Mandela a Communist a week ago, are now concerned he wasn't shown proper reverence at his funeral?"
• RG3 got "benched" for the rest of the season. Good move. Let him get healthy. Bring in a coach in the off season who knows how to use him. The Redskins will be fine.
• WBAP's Brian Estridge constantly says things that are totally off the wall or misinformed. Today, he basically said that once Obamacare goes into effect that hospitals like John Peter Smith would no longer accept indigent patients who are having an emergency health situation if they had not signed up for Obamacare. The only reason he can get away with the crazy things he says is that the demographics of the WBAP listener want to believe what he says. The Echo Chamber on the far right is a scary place. 
• I like the phrase, "Being on the wrong side of history." It's so easy to see current beliefs in America which will be the subject of "What were they thinking?" conversations fifty years from now. 
• I tried to make it through A Clockwork Orange a few years back but bailed on it. I'm thinking of giving it another shot. 
• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty with Ben Stiller gets my attention. 
• How did the war in Syria go from a global crisis requiring American bombing to being completely out of the news? That war is still going on, no?
• I think Mack Brown is gone. And once that happens, it truly is the changing of the guard down in Austin. Deloss Dodds has already been ousted, and Brown's "retirement" will send a message to the Joe Jamails of the State that they are no longer in control.  That will be a good thing for the Empire. (And I'm not sure President Bill Powers, a Brown supporter, is safe.)
• AT and T understands that the "Are you competing for cutest kid right now?" commercial with that little girl is a huge crowd pleaser. 
• Elian Gonzalez was the subject of a famous photo in 1999 when the U.S. forcibly removed the six year old Cuban refugee from a Florida home at gunpoint in order to eventually ship him back home. I told a buddy then, which wasn't long after the fall of so many communist countries, that I could see him becoming a young man and leading a Cuban revolution due to his notoriety. I was wrong about that.