Remember The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven?

The kid now says it was all a lie. It sold over a million copies. 

At first I thought it was a different kid who has told a similar story which he and others made money off of.  I questioned his story on 4/15/14 in Random Thoughts and followed it up with its own post.  As far as I know, he's sticking by his story. Edit: He is.

When The UPI Twitter Account Gets Hacked

The New York Post twitter account has been hacked as well.  There's even been messages about an emergency Federal Reserve meeting.

Boy, Look At The News From That Crazy Liberal Media Today!

A Criminal Mastermind, Indeed

Irony alert: Wannabe terrorist was a 9/11 truther. http://t.co/szp5od7ZsY pic.twitter.com/hDJHSTqqhV
— Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) January 16, 2015

Talk About Felonious Activity!

From the Texas Lawyer, behind a paywall, has the breakdown as this:

The Buzbee Law Firm in Houston received $455,476;

Botsford & Roark of Austin received $180,990;

Jones Day of Washington, D.C., received $169,647;

Baker Botts of Dallas received $141,462;

McDermott Will & Emory offices in Washington, D.C., and Chicago received $126,665.

I cannot begin to tell you how ridiculous this is. In my opinion, it's robbery. And, get this, the lawyer from The Buzzbee Law Firm is a personal injury lawyer who doesn't even primarily practice criminal.

Edit: Told ya!

Updated: Legal experts say Gov. Perry's $1 million criminal defense costs are "exorbitant" and "steep" http://t.co/pjM31eQrjV
— Texas Lawyer (@TexasLawyer) January 16, 2015

Rocket Sled Baby

Hey, I don't know anything about this video other than its from Turkey.  And the comments about the video seem to indicate the kid is OK (there is even another video of where he came from.)

But, man, that kid looked like he was in a rocket sled.

The Internet says that a television interview later revealed this is the kid and the path of travel. The kid's family lives at the top of the hill. Back that van up

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• I probably could use the Google, but what happened to the Bridgeport guy who won the bid to jump the Snake River Canyon?
• "Oilfield services giant Schlumberger cuts 9,000 jobs". They have, or at least used to have, a pretty big presence in Wise County.
• I completely missed the story of the seven year old who survived a plane crash in Kentucky which killed her parents, sister, and cousin. She then walked 3/4 of a mile through thick woods to a home. She told them she thought everyone was dead but hoped they were only sleeping. 
• Kentucky's basketball team played an eight day exhibition schedule in the Bahamas in August which had a total cost of $792,845.68. Coach John Calipari stayed in a $1,550-per night hotel suite at the Atlantis.
• I'm not sure what I think about every Oscar nominee for Best Actor and Best Actress being all white. I suppose it's a fluke but it's a crazy fluke. 
• Based upon some Gov. Perry's farewell speech yesterday, it appears he has been abducted by aliens: "Over the years I have come to see our approach to non-violent drug offenders as flawed," he said.
• Here's a great picture taken from behind Perry during the speech, but there sure are a lot of empty seats where legislators normally sit. 
• I think I would be happier if I just stuck to the National Geographic Channel, the Travel Channel and the Smithsonian Channel. (Except the NGC over the last couple of nights has been featuring Africa where there's a heck of a lot of animal on animal crime.) 
• Our TV is on Nickelodeon quite a bit (I have no scene control), and I rolled my eyes the other day when I saw a commercial for a new series called Bella and the Bulldogs about a middle school cheerleader who takes over the team's quarterback position. But it is interesting that the female star lives in Saginaw.
• Update thoughts: (1) There are 13 death notices in there. That might be a record. (2) The guy mentioned in the first item might be the most unlucky guy ever.
• I didn't know that NFL Executive of the Year Jerry Jones, when he replaced George Dunham with Jody Dean as the PA guy for Texas Stadium back in the day, called Dunham personally to let him know. 
• Sports Illustrated has named Baylor/TCU as the #1 college football game of last season.  It's polar opposite, Baylor/Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl was #6.
• It seems like the general consensus is that the Texas oil industry could handle these low prices for about six months but then the massive layoffs would start. 

Get Me This Hippo!

Actually, you can keep that hippo!!

Comedy On The Mean Streets Of Decatur

Decatur revamped all of its sidewalks around the courthouse several years back and promoted a "Buy a Brick" campaign.  I've never really paid attention to them but for some reason glanced down outside of my office this morning.  Every brick I had ever seen was simply a name or names.  But now I've learned there is (at least) one that doesn't: "There is always money in the banana stand."

That's a reference only fans of Arrested Development will get.  The patriarch of the family was in jail for fraud and, in one episode, would say those above words to his son when he came to visit.   The family owned a banana stand on the beach and made a little money off of it.  Then the son, in a fit of rage, burned it to the ground one day. When he goes to visit his father again . . .

George: You what?
Michael: Burned it right down to the ground.
George: Are you crazy? There was money in that banana stand.
Michael: Well, it's all gone now dad, and it was my decision. So next time you want to have a little power struggle, remember that you're playing with fire.
George: There was two hundred and fifty thousand dollars lining the walls of the banana stand.
Michael: What?
George: Cash, Michael.
Michael: Why didn't you tell me that?
George: How much clearer can I say, there's always MONEY IN THE BANANA STAND!

Looks Like That Tire Was Off Before Impact

I'm Releasing My Own Beer Brand

I Have A Pretty Good Idea . . .

. . . this is what it would be like to arm wrestle Satan.

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• Dez Non-Catch Controversy, Part 8,657: For those of you who think the ball didn't touch the ground.
• So the cops bust a couple in Southlake for growing pot and all the stories say they had "numerous firearms and ammunition" in the house. Anyone want to speculate on the number of Texas homes with numerous firearms and ammunition in them? So what we got here is some pot growers. (Although the book-in photo appears to be what anyone wishes to talk about.)
• Long term readers know I've ranted for years about how the FBI learns of some idiot "terrorist" on the Internet, sucks him into a plot that he has no capability of carrying out, sets him up, arrests him, and then claim a great victory on the War on Terror. It happened yesterday with a 20 year old in an alleged plot to plant pipe bombs in the nation's Capitol building. Somehow this has made national news. Note: FBI officials said he was no threat to the public during the course of the investigation. That's pretty much all you need to know.  (He did buy two M-15 semiautomatic rifles yesterday but the gun seller was working with the FBI, and I bet the FBI even provided him the money. Oh, and the kid was working with an FBI informant -- a guy who has something to gain -- instead of an undercover FBI agent.)  
• Mrs. LL had some little kid relative over on Sunday and five minutes before the Cowboy game she (the kid) came up to me and said, "Change the channel to Sponge Bob Square Pants." I was looking at the computer and, without looking up, said, "Not a chance, kid."  Mrs. LL suddenly appeared from upstairs with a, "Honey, you can watch it in the game room. I'll help."
• I actually watched a little of Sponge Bob an hour before that. Whomever writes that stuff does so when high.
• On Tuesday, probable right wing presidential candidate Mike Huckabee told People that he questions the parenting skills of Barack and Michelle Obama for allowing their daughters to listen to Beyoncé.  It didn't take long for critics to pull out the video of him playing Cat Scratch Fever with Ted Nugent on his show from 2011. Recap.
• Watch the Open Carry nuts, or more specifically the Open Carry Tarrant County nuts, harass a state legislator yesterday. 
• "Starting Friday, the Duke Muslim Students Association will chant [the the Muslim call to prayer], or adhan, from the Duke Chapel bell tower." Source.
• That's a crazy mystery in Fort Worth: A car crashes in a field and two bodies associated with the vehicle (a mother and her baby) were found 500' away. Both were nude.
• Question about those two guys who "free climbed" the 3,000-foot vertical wall on El Capitan, the granite pedestal in Yosemite National Park. Where did those safety ropes come from? 
• "MANILA, Philippines — Pope Francis suggested there are limits to freedom of expression, saying in response to the Charlie Hebdo terror attack that 'one cannot make fun of faith' and that anyone who throws insults can expect a 'punch'."  I guess the Pope would agree with my poke-a-rattlesnake comment from yesterday. 
• Oscar nominations released this morning. 

News

An Abilene-to-El-Paso @TDCJ prison bus overturns on icy roads, killing 10. No hometowns yet http://t.co/I68LLX3nB1
— Bud Kennedy (@BudKennedy) January 14, 2015

Prisoners were from the Middleton Unit.

Photo from scene of ax from @OAphotoEditor - TDCJ bus crash on train tracks near Penwell. OA confirmed 10 fatalities. pic.twitter.com/od1eWPesfV
— Mireya Villarreal (@cbsmireya) January 14, 2015

Cat Fight After Cowboy Game

But I'm not real sure we needed to be running to the Chief Of Police for analysis and video breakdown. But, heck, he acts like he's never seen a fight before.

And I loved how he said the girls will get a "letter in the mail" enclosing a citation.  Best guess is that it'll be a ticket for Disorderly Conduct.  He might as well of said, "We're gonna give them a real good talking to!"

Nancy Grace vs. 2 Chainz

Nancy Grace debating 2 Chainz about the legalization of pot.

“Umm, I’m not sure if you know but everybody has the ability to get their hands on pot right now, whether it's legal or not,” 2 Chainz (whose real name is Tauheed Epps) tried to explain to Grace. 

The whole interview is here if you're interested.  Guess which one makes more sense.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• In the first playoff ranking released last October, Ohio State was #16.
• For some reason, there was a photo of a male appendage on WFAA's website yesterday. (Hey, you go look for it if you want.)
• A goofy Texas Republican Congressman compared the President to Hitler. And then apologized. 
• My long term nemesis Ann Curry is out at NBC.
• Does anyone know shorthand anymore? I know one lady at the courthouse who used to practice it, but I haven't seen her use it in almost twenty years.
• Someone questioned me on whether gas prices were above $1.00 in the late 1970s. Someone back me up on this. As a new driver back then, I know! Gas pumps back then could only be adjusted to 99.9 cents (sheesh I feel old). So when gas prices went to $1.04, the stations would set the pump price to 52 cents and put a handwritten sign on it that said "Price is for 1/2 gallon. Total price will be double what you see on pump." 
• A Texas player gave an OU player a longhorn decal for All-Star game. The OU player turned it upside down and put it on his helmet.  I'm not sure if that is the UT player in the background of the pic laughing, but if it is: That is exactly the type of guy UT needs to keep out of the program in the future.
• Of the 62 Democrats in the new Texas legislature, only 7 are white. Of the 116 Republicans in the Texas legislature, only 8 aren't white. Source. 
• There's a story in the news about a former football player falling overboard and swimming nine miles to shore. That sounds fishy.  Deadspin wrote an article about it which implies the same thing. 
• Twenty years ago (well 12 days from now, actually) opening statements began in the O.J. Simpson murder trial. I actually watched a little about it on a CNN special last night and had forgotten that Mark Fuhrman, after having been caught lying on the (irrelevant) issue of whether he had ever used the n-word, took the 5th Amendment when asked, "Did you plant evidence in this case?"  Sheesh. That alone would give the jury a reasonable doubt. 
• The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed a relief pitcher who was "banned for life by the Chinese Professional Baseball League in 2009, for allegedly accepting benefits from gamblers to throw two baseball games." Holy, cow. What's everyone going to think the first time he loses a game by leaving a curve ball hanging over the plate? 
• "A potentially disastrous situation at sea turned into a stunning stroke of luck for a 22-year-old man who fell overboard from a cruise ship and was then rescued later by another passing cruise ship after another passenger heard him calling for help in the open ocean." That story is beyond amazing. Heck, the coast guard has trouble finding someone when they know they are in the ocean, and this guy was spotted by someone in a passing cruise ship?! The odds of that happening have to be astronomical. 
• "Y'all'd've: Best contraction ever?" - Stolen from. And when I first saw it, I knew exactly what it meant. Heck, I sounded it out to see if I was guilty of uttering it. Verdict: Absolutely.
• I certainly support the French paper's right to publish satire, but if you keep poking a rattlesnake don't you expect to get bit? 

And Another - Abilene

Thirteen days in, and 2015 starts strong. Story.

(Thanks emailer).