Uh, Oh

Source.

Place your bets on whether it is true. I'm almost more interested on The Fan's contributor (and increasingly arrogant) Mike Fisher who scoffed at the story the other day because he would certainly have known about the tape: "[H]ow did I miss this most important story of all?"  He is either going to be embarrassed or vindicated.

My Biggest Weather Prediction Ever

Note the time of this post, Delkus.

We've heard predictions of up to 3 to 4 inches of snow. Let me tell you something, ain't gonna happen. This expert prediction is based upon two things. First, the National Weather Service hasn't issued a winter storm warning since 3:30 last night.  I think they are having Prediction Chaos right now as they look at their fancy charts and radars. Secondly, WeatherUnderground.com has this graphic up for Wise County right now:

They are showing a 35% chance of snow that would last for only about an hour early tomorrow morning. They are more focused on Friday.

So the official Liberally Lean Weather Forecast: A dusting of snow.

Edit at 8:18 a.m. the next morning:

Never doubt me.

Oh Come On. How Hard Can That Be?

WATCH LIVE: Crews work to pull big rig up onto I-45 @ Simpson Stuart Road http://t.co/WNYSkKI2EF pic.twitter.com/eUkOp7EN01
— FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) February 24, 2015

Uh, my apologies:

@FOX4 daum
— Tracy Wayne Nix (@TracyWayneNix) February 24, 2015

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts (Which Didn't Get Published When It Was Supposed ToO

• For some reason, Mrs. LL bought three heavy plastic sleds as Christmas gifts, and I'll be dang if we didn't get to use them yesterday. (But she went very dark as I prepared to launch myself down a hill which had a few trees on it: "Don't Sonny Bono yourself," she said,)
• We later asked both kids if they knew who Cher was. Not a clue. 
• And I was reminded yesterday that a few years back I separated my shoulder while Mrs. LL and I were sledding on the same hill. We got back to the house, I laid down on the couch in pain, and told her "You can pop it back in. Google it!". She did Google it and proclaimed there was no way she was going to do that.
• And that injury occurred right in the middle of the biggest snow day in the history of DFW. One second I'm having an almost spiritual moment as I surveyed my surroundings, and the next my shoulder is hanging out of its socket as a dog licked my face. 
• Snow days take you back to your childhood.
• And it is weird how weathermen refer to the potential for ice, snow or sleet as "bad news" when basically everyone at home is thinking "Please give me an excuse not to go into school or work". 
• Thanks to all those who sent links to NPR regarding my post yesterday about Wichita Lineman. But I went into Captain Ahab mode last night as I tried to find what I know I heard a few years back: The line "‘I need you more than want you; and I want you for all time" came together because of a mistake or accident. But now I am beginning to believe I'm having a Brian Williams episode. I am 100% sure I was listening to NPR as I pulled into my office parking lot one day, and I remember being captivated by the discussion of that song and that line in particular. But after searching online for way too long and listening to old interviews of songwriter Jimmy Webb, I'm beginning to believe I've lost my mind.
• I did most of my searching while Mrs. LL was watching The Bachelor. Can I say this: I've got a serious problem with that show, and I don't know why there's not more of an outrage.  The conservative/religious types should be yelling because it is beyond morally bankrupt, and the liberals should be offended about how it reduces women to objects. I almost wanted to yell at the screen last night and go on a rant. (Yes, I know I'm going to be killed in the comment section.) 
• I'm on the verge of buying a book on "Mindfulness" which is beyond bizarre for me. 
• American Sniper Trial: "Capital murder defendant Eddie Ray Routh appeared to be faking insanity after his arrest and may have formed wild stories about 'pig assassins' by watching reruns in his jail cell of Seinfeld and the Boss Hog reality show, a mental health expert [Dr. Randall Price] testified Friday." That testimony from Friday disturbs me to no end. We have a man facing life in prison without the possibility of parole, and the judge allows an "expert" to testify about something that has to be nothing more than a guess and conjecture. And a silly one is that.
• But I am equally incredulous about testimony from experts from both sides that Routh did or did not know "right from wrong" at the time of the shooting. No one can possibly know that. 
• I get a false sense of satisfaction when the Sixth Grader In The House asks me, "What does that word mean?"  
• John Legend at the Oscars on Sunday night: "There are more black men under correctional control today than there were under slavery in 1850." I'll be dang, he's right.
• I've kept away political news for a couple of days. You know, not that bad. 
• Something seems weird about Fox 4's Steve Eager. It caused Mrs. LL last night to say, as she watched Eager's interaction with Heather Hays, "I think they hate each other."

Jigaboo Music

Loved that guy's reaction. It ... slowly ... sunk ... in.

They Have A Video Of This?

Here's a reminder to be careful. A funny (not funny) shot of #Photog @Melchior8 falling during #icemageddon '14 pic.twitter.com/kb0d1SjDFb
— Sebastian Robertson (@wfaasebastian) February 23, 2015

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• It was probably 10 years ago, but on one snow/ice day Fox 4's morning show just locked onto a TxDot camera showing an overpass in Fort Worth where almost every car would slide or almost slide off the road. So silly. So entertaining. 
• And what's up with this new technology of trucks spraying some kind of brine solution two days before the ice? I need sand trucks! I need sand trucks on standby!
• The Messenger posted a "man on the street" video this morning about the weather conditions on Facebook. I follow that guy of Twitter and I was disappointed he didn't do a bit. 
• New Tarrant County DA Sharen Wilson had a case she resided over as a judge reversed on Thursday for the most basic of reasons: She refused to allow an attorney defending his client to speak during a hearing before she sentenced his client to prison. Excerpt: "Defense counsel: Can I make a closing statement when the time comes? The Court: I don't need one." Think about that. After I got over what an amazing basic legal error that was, I became more amazed that she didn't want to listen.  Heck, I wouldn't say that to a waiter who asked, "May I make a suggestion?"
• A high school student went viral last year when he tried to get his yearbook picture to include his cat. He has now committed suicide. 
• A Texas legislator (who has no idea how laws are written) wants to make it a crime to go into the public bathroom designated for the opposite gender. As written, it would include accidentally doing so.
• I love you NASCAR fans, but I stumbled upon the last laps of the Daytona 500 yesterday and I just don't get it. 
• I've developed this weird fascination with Glen Campbell's Wichita Lineman over the last few years. So it stopped me down when Dallas music/movie guy Bob Wilonsky said on The Ticket on Friday that it might be his favorite song ever. Paraphrasing, he said, "It is an incredible song about yearning". (I heard on NPR a fantastic background about the writing of the line, "And I need you more than want you, And I want you for all time" but I can't find it for the life of me.)
• Anyone else have a little uncomfortable with Chris Kyle's widow attending the Academy Awards in the middle of his murder trial? 
• And the Academy Awards show is a major beating, but I watched almost all of it. Mrs. LL and I were fearful that Lady Gaga was going to butcher her Sound of Music medley but it was great. 
• I told Mrs. LL that I was going to look like Jared Leto once I retired.
• I made Mrs. LL watch Hot Tube Time Machine after she proclaimed it to be stupid before ever seeing it. She laughed. Almost too much. 
• A commercial came on last night which had ELO's song of "Oh Ho Ho It's Magic" and the Junior In The House began singing it. How does she know the lyrics to that? Edit: Dang it. I just thought is was ELO. Wordkyle called me out. 
• Channel 5 has a "Thunder Truck" right out of Idiocracy.

City Of Dallas Office Of Emergency Management This Morning

Dallas EOC activated pic.twitter.com/1oby0neTOT
— DallasOEM (@DallasOEM) February 23, 2015

It's panic time!!!!

Firing Up The Liberally Lean Radar

It's on!

And Pete Delkus has gone beyond weird.

I'm looking at the latest data...you better say a prayer!!! pic.twitter.com/wscamaVmPu
— Pete Delkus (@wfaaweather) February 22, 2015

Waiting to see if Wise County school districts are . . .

The National Weather Service Just Put Everyone Into A Frenzy

Winter Wx possible for parts of N and Central TX Sun night thru Mon. #txwx #dfwwx #ctxwx #texomawx pic.twitter.com/IMD3TSak1w
— NWS Fort Worth (@NWSFortWorth) February 20, 2015

While Everyone Is Up In Arms Over Gay Marriage, We Ought To Be Scared To Death Of Texas Police Acting Like Nazis

Two Republic of Texas members were accused of the misdemeanor offense of "simulating legal process" in Kerr County.  Don't get bogged down by that, it's a misdemeanor. Big deal.

In connection with the investigation, a district judge amazingly authorized the raid of a meeting of that group at the local VFW.   It occurred and sixty members were present.  So what? Maybe the cops were just looking for evidence to support that heinous misdemeanor offense.

But get this: The raid was based upon a search warrant signed "by state District Judge Keith Williams [which] authorized collection of fingerprints, photos and DNA swabs from those at the VFW hall to prevent anyone from providing a false identity to authorities. It also authorized officers to seize computers, cell phones and paper documents 'relevant to, or which describe criminal conduct or suspected criminal activity.'”

Holy crap. I'm not accused of a crime but because someone in my "group" is I can be detained, fingerprinted, photoed and swabbed??!!!  You kidding me?  Hey, I know the Republic of Texas can be a pain in the arse for local officials, and I'm all for prosecuting one of its members if he commits a crime.  But for the government to target a group with a search warrant for the purpose of identifying its members (which is what this sure sounds like) is beyond scary.

Or at least it is scary to me.  I might call the Texas Attorney General about this after he's through fighting gay marriage.

Source.

News From The Mean Streets Of Anna, Texas

Anna ISD 8th grdr sent this pic& msg to a student, He ltr said It was a joke PD arrested him for terroristic threat. pic.twitter.com/6a4UwxFugM
— James Rose (@JamesRoseFox4) February 20, 2015

Warrant Roundup: My Annual Rant

Officials gear up for annual warrant round up. There are over 500K outstanding warrants in Dallas alone @wfaachannel8 pic.twitter.com/M2Qmn1AP6Y
— Monica Hernandez (@MHernandezWFAA) February 20, 2015

This is just a bluff to make you scramble to pay your tickets.  You think they are actually coming to your house to enforce a Class C traffic ticket warrant? No way. And in the one in a million chance they do, don't answer the door -- there's nothing they can do.

And if any of these warrant are for major offenses, why in the world would they notify the suspect ahead of time?

(Since all these folks are on the clock, how much did this photo-op of a government threat cost the taxpayer?)

Edit: I forgot to do a pre-emptive strike against the "So you want people not to pay their fines?" goofballs. Yes, this post about government lying to you with an intimidating photo  was really a clandestine way of me supporting people who don't pay their fines. Sheesh.  If I said a shoplifter should not be shot dead must also mean I support shoplifting?

(And if you have an outstanding fine, you'll pay the piper when you get stopped for a traffic violation or try to renew your license. That's why the cops don't come to your house to arrest you for a traffic ticket. They'll eventually get their money.)

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• I didn't know former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was even remotely relevant enough these days to even get into hot water for saying President Obama, one day after saying he does "not believe that the president loves America."
• Joe Biden had the greatest line about Giuliani during the campaigns in 2008: "There's only three things he mentions in a sentence —a noun, a verb, and 9/11." (Giuliani always tried to capitalize on the fact he simply walked through the streets in the aftermath of 9/11.)
• Maybe the best picture of the Boston blizzard.
• My back has been hurting the last few days which reminds me how much I hate back pain. 
• In the old TV series MASH, there was a handmade sign outside the camp with directions and mileage to destinations all over the world. I didn't know the bottom location read, "Decatur". (Although there are lots of Decaturs in the U.S.)
• Of all the problems in Texas (the uninsured, education, highways, water, etc.), the Texas Attorney General considered it an emergency yesterday to stop same sex marriage licenses from being issued? (And since the U.S. Supreme Court has already agreed to decide the issue, we can just pretty much all calm down and wait.) 
• Hey, you can buy a T-shirt that makes you realistically appear like you are carrying a handgun. What could go wrong? 
• American Sniper Trial: If Routh is found "not guilty by reason of insanity", he'll still be locked up a long, long time. And I am leaning towards predicting a straight "guilty" verdict but this might be close. The jury only has to believe that Routh was "probably" insane at the time of the shooting to find "not guilty by ... insanity."
• Routh's mother "was grilled sharply by prosecutor Jane Starnes . . . about why she hadn’t warned Kyle her son was psychotic and delusional before they went to the shooting range.“Do you think that could have been useful information?” Starnes asked. “Maybe information that could have saved Chris Kyle’s life?”  That was dumb. Why would the prosecutor want to shift any blame from Routh? And it makes the prosecutor sound like she believes Routh was, in fact, psychotic and delusional.
• From the Update: "MEMORIAL service for Billy Eugene and Betty Jean (Acker) Hall, formerly of Boyd, is 2 p.m. Sunday at Destiny Life Church in Fate, Rockwall County." A married couple? Anyone know the circumstances on this?
• This headline is about the same as, "We Ain't Puttin' Up With That Stuff In Denton" . . . 

Today's Piece Of Insanity

Biggest news out of Wichita since Randle's arrest: Clown from defunct amusement park found in sex offender's home. pic.twitter.com/tBvTuMc0Ux
— Corbett Smith (@corbettsmithDMN) February 19, 2015

I have no idea what the story is on this, but that is one crazy picture.

Look What Just Happened In Austin

First legally married gay couple in Texas # statesman pic.twitter.com/rGz3ps0vOa
— Ricardo B. Brazziell (@photo_Brazziell) February 19, 2015

This was from two days ago: AUSTIN — Travis County Probate Judge Guy Herman ruled Tuesday that the Texas ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, but the county will not begin issuing marriage licenses to gay couples.

Herman ruled as part of an estate fight in which Austin resident Sonemaly Phrasavath sought to have her eight-year relationship to Stella Powell deemed to have been a common-law marriage. Powell died last summer of colon cancer.

In a statement, Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir called Herman's order "a great step toward marriage equality," but added that the judge didn't instruct the county clerk to "begin to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples." DeBeauvoir said, therefore, she won't do so "at the present time."

Something changed.  If the new Texas Attorney General isn't sprinting to the courthouse to stop these evil-doers, I'd be stunned. He had already taken action to overturn the order from two days ago.

Edit: Here's the first news report.

Edit: Told ya. Texas Supreme Court orders stay for future marriage licenses. So for now, those two ladies are still married.

Breaking News: Texas Supreme Court issues stay against other gay marriages http://t.co/Nf7Z95F6fL
— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) February 19, 2015

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• The oftentimes object of my disdain, Lisa Blue Baron, has reduced the price of her Preston Hollow estate from $37.5 million to  $33.5 million.
• The news yesterday regarding an arrest in the murder case of a Colleyville housekeeper is insane and ambiguous.  Two strangers were "connected" to a $1 million "fraudulent" insurance policy taken out on the housekeeper and killed her for the money? I want to know more about this insurance policy and how it was obtained. And I wonder if there might be an insurance agent involved in this. 
• I'm up to date on Better Call Saul.  I'm more optimistic about than before. 
• Of course I'm doubtful about Brian Williams simply having a memory lapse, but it has given rise to some discussions about how your brain/memory can trick you.  I've had several occasions when I researched an event that I know happened only to find out I'm wrong about significant details about it. (Admittedly, it wasn't as significant as being shot down in a helicopter, however.)
• Texas State Sen. Van Taylor was on the Mark Davis Show this morning and was asked why he opposed the legalisation of marijuana.  He had the weirdest and irrelevant rambling answer. He first focused on how drugs not approved by the FDA have caused horrible birth defects, and he mentioned how the FDA was founded after a pharmacist tried to create a "helpful" drug which killed over 50 people.  Ummmkay. To add to the weirdness, during the answer he suddenly just stopped talking. After several seconds of dead air, Davis had to ask, "Are you at the end of a sentence?"
• BagOfNothing wrote today that he was not familiar with the game "Kick the Can."  Man, that was a huge player in my neighborhood back in the day.  But our rules were amended more often than the Texas Constitution. 
• I don't know if this source is legit, but it says that new Tarrant DA Sharen Wilson has imposed strict working hours of 7:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for all employees.  That's more than eight hours so I don't know how that works out. 
• From the This-Looks-Bad Department: Over the top right winger  Michael Quinn Sullivan is president of an over the top group called Empower Texans. He was fined $10,000 last year by the Texas Ethics Committee for failing to register as a lobbyist. He then suddenly said he was moving to Denton County and appealed the decision to a district court in Denton (which he had the right to do assuming Denton County was his residence.) Yesterday, a judge in Denton, Steve Burgess, reversed the decision.  It was then discovered that Burgess "followed" Sullivan on Twitter but by this morning the judge has completely deleted his twitter account. 
• I don't think it is wise for any judge to be on Twitter, but I like it when they do. They send inadvertent clues about their biases. 
• I wonder if all papers have the following headline on autofill . . . 

Let's See What The Dallas Morning News Is Up To

Umm, posting a video of a nine month old pregnant lady swallowing a sword?