Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• Joel Osteen was on the Piers Morgan Show on CNN last night, and  I can't tell you how much I love that Morgan guy's interviewing skills. He politely whacked Osteen around on the issue of being a multi-million dollar pastor. 
• Osteen could be a politician because of his ability to handle tough questions (but I think he cringes every time his super hot wife begins to talk.)
• Had a DWI jury trial get cancelled at the last minute yesterday when the cop decided he would finally reveal that he actually did have a DVD of the initial traffic stop.
• I'm not in the loop, but it seems like twenty years ago Decatur was run by a group of power brokers. I don't think that's true any more. 
• I'm in favor of the "State's Rights" argument in general, but then I cringe when I think of how our life would be if the power of the ultra-conservative Texas legislature increased to frightening levels. 
• I think the Republicans fear the Tea Party more than Democrats because of the Tea Party's ability to divide.
• It seems like we went twenty years without seeing former Cowboy Walt Garrison and now it seems like he's on TV promoting something all the time. 
• Almost forgot: A loyal reader wanted to know if there were any swimming pool companies that don't mind coming to Wise County. (And, no, not above-the-ground pools. We're talking the cement pond type.)
• All 5,000 of the $200 outdoor tickets for the Super Bowl have been sold. And that's before they even were offered to the general public. Incredible.
• Mrs. LL got a $100 "charge" for allegedly running a red light monitored by a traffic cam in Fort Worth. Due to a snafu in mail forwarding, the video of her committing this crime is no longer online. She can go to a police department and watch it (after going through miles of red tape), but paying $100 seems more convenient. 
• But she swears she didn't do it. "They accuse me of speeding? Heck, guilty. Running a red light? No way."  Then again, she constantly sighs whenever I hit the brakes when the light changes to yellow.
• The snow in the Northeast is insane. And remember that an outdoor Super Bowl will be played in New York in 2014.
• The lady in charge of the Dallas County Crimestoppers Program was arrested for fraud on the fund. I've been wondering for years about the status of the Wise County Crimestoppers Program. Every person placed on probation in Wise County is required to pay $50 into that fund --  and we are talking about a ton of people over the years. But I bet there's hardly ever a payment from that fund to tipsters. Shouldn't there be a public accounting every year?
• Around 40 dead in a blast in Baghdad this morning. [This is where I normally rag on the Iraqi war.]
• Sarah Palin on the State of the Union Speech: "His theme last night in the State of the Union was the WTF -- winning the future," continued Palin. "I thought, 'OK.' That acronym? Spot on. There were a lot of WTF moments throughout that speech."  Good grief.