Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• The new leaderboard for The Liberally Lean pick 'em contest sponsored by Stagecoach Steakhouse in Bridgeport is here. The big upset last night was Butler over Syracuse, and it's no coincidence that the new top two leaders picked Butler to make it to the Elite 8.
• The spokesperson for the new Irving Animal Shelter, as seen on Fox 4 this morning, is hawt.
• The motorcycle death count had slowed down but went through the roof yesterday in Arizona when three bikers were killed while waiting at an intersection. Several more were hurt.
• We had a verdict in the Tarrant County Intoxication Manslaughter case I was interested in: 16 years - only 4 years short of the maximum. The probation eligible defendant appeared to have some gay qualities, but I hope that played no role in the harsh sentence.
• KLIF's host Jeff Bolton had no idea how big a 25 square foot plot was this morning. "How do you calculate that?" he said. (California is considering legalizing growing marijuana so long as your personal garden of marijuana is no bigger than that size.)
• I'd never be friends with anyone who said they "took a power nap."
• I'll be sitting on my couch holding my Baylor pennant this evening as the Bears are a 4.5 point favorite to move on in the NCAA Tourney. And it's only been seven years since one player murdered another and the coach lied about paying for the dead player's housing suggesting, via secret recording, that they paint him as a drug dealer. (Background.)
• The "no denial for a pre-existing condition" in the new health care bill seems problematic. If I'm an insurance company and I know a new applicant has cancer and will need $30,000 in chemo, can I set his premium at $30,000? By definition, insurance is protection from the unknown.
• And I know I'm going to get killed for that observation.
• Funny moment at driver's license hearing yesterday when a female cop indicated that her name had changed since she had been subpoenaed. "My last name has changed," she said. "Congratulations," the judge said. "Well, actually I'm divorced now." The judge: "Well, congratulations anyway."
• Channel 8 actually had a story about a DWI where there was a child in the car. Trust me, that happens all the time.
• To the commenter yesterday who suggested that I bill my clients for time spent "working" on the blog, put down the crack pipe. I haven't billed by the hour since 1989. But I appreciate your concern. Sign your name next time.
• We are about to set a record for the most consecutive days without hitting 80 degrees. (Cue the anti-global warming nutcases.)