"She Got Runned Over By A ...."

Another 100 degree day and someone decides to walk on the train tracks?

Edit: Wow. Death.  Anyone know anything?

Russia News Isn't Having To Cover A Debt Ceiling Debate

But what is up with this female anchor? I thought Russia was years behind us socially, but she's throwing down Hot Feminist Opinions like Nancy Grace. But listen lady, once Putin finds out about your rant, you'll be reporting on wheat farmers in Siberia by Monday. You're in Russia. Might want to remember that.

P.S. Hey, Mr. Hugh Grant Looking Anchor Guy: It's not gonna kill you to stand up to this gal. Tim Ryan wouldn't put up with that.

P.S.S.:  The Family Roadster was looking a little dirty this morning. Mrs. LL has some high heels. She's got some spare time this morning. Hmmmm.  I'll get back to you on that.

Texas Skewl Ratings Just Released (We Got A Couple of "Uh, ohs")

Source.

Here's the relevant (I think) Bridgeport Middle School breakdown:

That NASCAR Prayer Got Auto-Tuned

And God bless the Internet.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• Me in the middle of the night as Mrs. LL crawled back into bed: "Where have you been?" Her: "Got a ladder out of the garage to pull the battery out of the smoke detector since it's been beeping for an hour, turned off the sprinklers in the front lawn because you've flooded the street, and picked up dog poop. You?"
• Tarrant County prosecutors dressed up as condiments. Good cause or not, doesn't professionalism have a line?
• Rick Perry champions "states rights". New York state approved gay marriage. Perry said, "That's fine because I support states rights." He then clarified by saying we need a federal constitutional amendment to ban the states from approving gay marriage. [*facepalm*]
• Vince Young is out in Tennessee although he should sign with the Eagles today. I bet he wishes he had stayed his senior year at the Evil Empire because it would have been more fun than every single day of his NFL career combined.
• Heard that Journey was performing on The Today Show this morning. So long as the band has the Triple Fake Steve Perry, it's just not the same (even if he sounds the same.)
• Bridgeport native and TCU footballer and 49ers sixth round draft pick Colin Jones has signed with San Francisco. I wonder if the new collective bargaining agreement impacts the salaries of late round draft picks like it has first rounders? 
• It seems like customer service in big chains has improved over the last couple of years: Best Buy and Home Depot come to mind.
• Former Tech coach Mike Leach has been on a book tour and making multiple radio appearances. Man, that guy has a Scorched Earth Policy. I don't see him getting a coaching job above, say, a UTEP. He's just too much of a powder keg.
• Mrs. LL and I had to judge an impromptu beauty pageant last night performed by the Girls In The House. (I told you that Toddlers and Tiaras thing has gotten out of hand.) "Amazingly", my ballot, despite a complicated scoring system they designed, had both girls ending in a tie. That obviously put the pressure on Mrs. LL. I think she panicked and went crazy because I heard her saying something about a "Grande" award and a "Mucho" award. It wasn't a Spanish themed contest.
• And then she awarded the dog the "Donde Esta La Biblioteca" Award. Yep, she went nuts.
• New Jersey governor (and Far Right Poster Child) Chris Christie was hospitalized yesterday and blamed asthma as the reason. I blame cheeseburgers.

Everyone is telling me about this fire near Bridgeport

Edit: Better pics (Thanks, Mark)

Post Walmart Post Pick Me Up

Woman Kicked Out Of Walmart For Wearing Bikini

Well, I'm tearing up my Liberal Card on this one.  When I saw the headline, I was already on the phone with the  ACLU getting ready to slap an injunction on Walmart faster than you can say "Associates Unite". Then I played the video.

I just can't do it.

Some things aren't worth fighting for and this is one of them. Go ahead, Walmart. Feel free to ban Sandy McMillin all you want.  For once, I'll stand shoulder to shoulder with Big and Greedy Corporate America.

But if little cub reporter Molly Blancett wants to strap on that little black bikini and prance into the Decatur Walmart, I've got the Wise County Bar Association lined up to come to her aid.

P.S. Sheriff David Walker got an anchor job?

AWOL Kentucky Soldier Who Made News Last Year Has Been Arrested In Texas With A Twist

From last year:

From today:

Pvt. Nasser Jason Abdo, an AWOL soldier from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was arrested by the Killeen Police Department near Fort Hood and remains in custody there. . . . . Abdo was allegedly found with weapons and explosives at the time of his arrest, a senior Army source confirms to Fox News. He was arrested at around 2 p.m. Wednesday after someone called authorities to report a suspicious individual. (Emphasis added).

You Know What They Say About Texas Women

"They are either hot or they'll treat you like a rag doll to get a foul ball."

What did I say the other day? Oh, yeah. "Dude. Just dude."

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• Craziest anti-drug poster ever?
• Mrs. LL went to IKEA yesterday. It sounds like it is laid out like a haunted house. But I'm proud to announce she didn't buy anything because I really didn't have a week to be involved in "some assembly required." 
• Trophy Club is getting a liquor store. Who knew Jeterville was so much before its time?
• I still laugh whenever I hear Jerry Jones say, "In my mind . . . . "
• University of North Texas cheerleaders.
• The family of the 16 year old who was killed in the multiple fatality in Wise County last weekend is trying to raise money to get his body back to their town near Houston?
• I never hear much about a pretty big motocross track in Wise County. 
• I didn't care much about the story about Fuzzy Tacos suing some guy for opening up (allegedly) similiar taco restaurants. But I did cock an eyebrow when the story said that guy worked for Fuzzy's for a couple of days in Southlake in July, 2010 then "abruptly quit" and opened up three taco restaurants in the same month. 
• The Family Unit had an abrupt ranch dressing taste test the other day between the Kraft brand and the generic Walmart brand. Verdict: The generic brand won. That led to an overly complicated discussion about the hidden costs associated with brand names vs. quality vs. status. 
• Hot Radio Opinions: (1) WBAP's morning news guy Brian Estridge needs to remember that he's not on Fox News and is supposed to be objective, (2) The Fan's Chris Arnold (heard Saturdays) is shockingly horrible -- I don't remember him being that bad back in the day on The Ticket, (3) Why Tony Romo randomly called The Fan's Gavin Dawson the other day is a head-scratcher. That guy could teach Bad Radio 101: "Make a shocking statement you don't believe just to get people mad and call you up." 
• The Females-In-The-House (that's everyone but me) are now obsessed with Toddlers & Tiaras. Yeah, it's pretty entertaining but how many times can you recycle the whiney-dolled-up-kid-with-crazy-momma theme?
• Lake Bridgeport is now nine feet low but it has increased its drop rate to almost a foot a week. I think it got about 18 feet low in the late 1990s. 
• You would think that the metroplex cyclist getting run over in Runaway Bay would make at least one of the DFW newscasts or newspapers, but I don't think it did.  Throw in that he was a Tech student riding back from Lubbock and you'd think someone would be interested. 
• I watched Jeopardy for the first time in a while yesterday and was feeling average to above average about myself until the category of "The Franks" was hit. Uh, should I be ashamed of not ever having heard of "a West Germanic tribal confederation first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River"?
• Fox 4's Lari Barager turns 40 today. She got married a year or two ago to a guy with the last name of Laredo but kept her maiden name. I think "Lari Laredo" is a perfect TV name. 

Someone Told Me There Was A Wise County Gal In There

Edit: A couple of unrelated comments about the Dallas Morning News ending its print publication. I've heard nothing about it. They have decided to kill their free paper child, Quick, however.

Will President Obama Interpret His Constitutional Presidential Powers . . .

. . . in a financial crisis in the same manner as President Bush did during a terrorism crisis? That being: "I can do whatever needs to be done."

WASHINGTON (AP)—House Democrats are saying that President Barack Obama should invoke a little-known constitutional provision to prevent the nation from going into default if Congress fails to come up with a plan to raise the debt ceiling. Rep. James Clyburn, a member of the Democratic leadership, says he told fellow Democrats Wednesday that Obama should both veto a House GOP plan for a short-term extension of the debt ceiling and invoke the 14th amendment, which says that the validity of the nation's public debt “shall not be questioned.”

The specific applicable passage from the 14th Amendment says:

 

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. 

I think I speak for all constitutional scholars everywhere when I say, "I have no idea what that sentence means."

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• Had reports of an Internet outage in Decatur yesterday. Our office was fine. The courthouse was Facebook free, however.   
• Microsoft has ended up apologizing for sending a Tweet after Amy Winehouse's death about how her music could be purchased online for the Zune and other Microsoft products. On the other hand, Apple caught no heat for plastering Winehouse's image across its iTunes store with the caption "Remembering Amy Winehouse."
• Haven't mentioned the Family Pup (a Yorkie) in a while. I'll admit it: I love that dog. 
• I'm now supporting the run at the all time 100 degree temperature streak. If we are going to have to suffer (relatively speaking) through this, let's at least get a trophy.
• But you guys hanging out at the Reunion are crazy.
• I'm confused by all of these "handling the hot weather tips" that the TV stations offer. If I'm outdoors, should I be drinking a lot of water? If I feel lightheaded, should I continue with what I'm doing? 
• There's a radio commercial that begins: "You know the old saying: 'People always complain about the weather, but no one ever does anything about it.'" Huh? Who has ever said that?
• All Texas high school championship games will be played at Cowboys Stadium this year.  Did you know, since the UIL got all touchy feely with the creation of the "big" division and "small" divisions, that there are now ten of them? 
• Star-Telegram "Twin Peaks Bikini Contest" pictures. Attaboy.
• Criminal justice silliness: Lead line is "A jury on Wednesday found a Lufkin man guilty of resisting arrest in his home after police mistook him for a burglar. A judge then sentenced the man to serve 30 days in jail and pay a $500 fine." If that's not bad enough, check out this note the jury sent out: “We’ve all reached a verdict. To us we feel he has been wronged. Please consider that in his sentencing.” Good grief. (Thanks, Bud.)
• I didn't get a picture of it, but the Dallas Cowboys new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan arrived at Valley Ranch yesterday driving the equivalent of a "Good Times Van."  Mrs. LL thought he looked like The Dude from The Big Lebowski.
• A player I wish the Cowboys would cut: Martellus Bennett. (When we saw him during his rookie training camp on "Hard Knocks", we should of known he was a Roy Williams starter kit. All attitude. Talented. And a complete waste.)
• I was jogging the other morning before the sun came up and I could have sworn I saw a red dot briefly appear on my shirt. I had a sudden panic that I was in the sights of a rifle scope. I don't think I'm losing it.
• Is this our "Wise County Raiders select baseball team"?
• Jody Dean, who stabbed The Ticket's George Dunham in the back (not really) and became the Voice of Cowboys Stadium is out and The Fan's Roger Emrich is in. 
• The Republicans better be careful with the "debt ceiling" play. If they had the White House and the Senate, it would be a fine move. But this thing has the potential to backfire. And they know this. 

What's Going On at 380 Near the Runaway Bay Bridge?

Getting reports traffic is backed up, and that cops are everywhere.

Edit: It was Car vs. Bike. The Messenger posted a pic of the bike of Facebook:

Messenger Above The Fold

The Cowboys' Longhorn Nightmare Is Over

Cowboys to release Roy Williams.

From Wikipedia: Williams was traded to the Dallas Cowboys on October 14, 2008 for first, third and sixth round picks in the 2009 NFL Draft (the Cowboys also received a seventh round pick from the Lions in the 2010 draft). He was then signed to a new contract through the 2014 season; Roy Williams agreed to a 6 year, $54 million contract, along with $26 million guaranteed.


Edit: "Yeah, but where are the Baylor players . . . .?" Blah Blah Blah. I'll have to get back to you on that. Other than the two First Rounders this year (Danny Watkins and Phil Taylor) and the 2nd overall pick in 2009, I don't know the others off the top of my head.

Katy Perry Afternoon Pick Me Up

24 more.

Casey Anthony Capitalism

Creepy Ebay mask:

Lion's Club dunking tank (that was shut down after a day a couple of weeks back.) But the Triple Fake Taunting Casey Anthony was kind of funny.

Greenwood, Slidell Post Offices Might Be Closed

Per a U.S. Postal Service announcement this morning. To which we reply, they've got post offices there?

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• It looked like it was raining on the west side of Wise County this morning. 
• Last Thursday, Georgia executed a guy with a twist: They filmed it. (Story).  Why aren't they all filmed? Why aren't they all not broadcast - at least on the Internet? If the answer is that it is simply too gruesome for the public to see, does that say something about the practice? 
• I bet the players got screwed in the NFL lockout resolution for this reason:  It took only a majority of them to approve the deal proposed by the owners, each player got one vote, there are too many players who have careers of three years or less, and those guys are not going to vote to miss one paycheck. They've got to get paid and get paid now. 
• For those dogging me for eating at Taco Bell, ever heard of their Fresco menu?
• The Rangers scored 20 runs last night -- far short of their record of 30 set in 2007. But it's such a bizarre feeling to flip over to the game as I did and see a number like "16" in the box score.
• (For you hard core Ranger fans: Is there any more of a bizarre case study that Chris Davis? His major league woes continued as he went 0 for 6 last night.) 
• I'm not sure who Adriana Lima is but I'll nominate her for the Hey, Now Mother Of The Year.
• Saw a guy in the district courtroom yesterday with  a "I [Heart] Beer" T-shirt on. I don't think he lasted long. (I truly don't think people like that are being disrespectful. I think people like that are simply dumb. On the other hand, if he was charged with Felony DWI then he was making a statement.)
• I think I'm one of the few fans of Home Owners Associations. (Never know when someone might put up a "I  [Heart] Beer" sign in their front lawn.)
• Not an HOA issue, but does Decatur have an ordinance about parking vehicles on lawns? I'm seeing a lot of that on College Street. Tacky.
• Texas Tech's coach didn't show up for Big 12 Media Day.
• I think I've always been oblivious to Grassland partying. That's where the kids had been before the big crash on Saturday, and someone reminded me of a really bad crash a couple of years ago on 287 which killed three kids headed to a Grassland party.
• The Older Girl In The House had a friend spend the night which caused the Younger Girl In The House to be excluded from some activities which caused a late night emotional crisis. I wished Mrs. LL good luck and went to bed.
• Call me confused: The Update reports that Bridgeport ISD is cutting its tax rate and giving the employees a raise? What happened to the budget crisis?
• Bud Kennedy wrote me in response to my question of the worst mass killings in the metroplex. How quickly I had forgotten about the Wedgewood Baptist Church (7 dead in 1999).  The worst one he knew about was a 1960s firebombing of a club in the Como area of Fort Worth called Lucky's Grave. Some of you Internet researchers try to find something on it -- Bud sent me this clip of the front page of (oddly) a Wisconsin newspaper. Without it, I wouldn't have any information at all. 
• This Debt Ceiling Debate has me conflicted. Yeah, someone finally needs to draw the line, and I appreciate the GOP for that. But why didn't they ever raise a stink when it was raised 18 times under Reagan and 7 times under W? 
• If you are a local guy or gal and unemployed, check out the cover of USA Today:

NASCAR Pastor Goes All Ricky Bobby

(Yeah, this has been everywhere today, but it's still worth a post.)

Do our commissioners say a prayer?

http://foxnewsinsider.com/2011/07/25/tx-county-clerk-faces-prison-for-standing-up-for-prayer-pledge/

Maybe Twitter Isn't As Informative As I Thought

But I thought this would please the Wise County masses.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• Horrific: The news on Saturday of a father who opened fire on his kid's birthday party at a Grand Prairie skating rink and killed five.
• Morbid: That skating rink opened for business the next day.
• I wonder what the record is for a mass killing in the metroplex? Texas' current capital murder law for killing more than one person during the same episode was based upon a Dallas nightclub shooting in 1984 that killed five as well. 
• By the way, "family shootings" in the U.S. left 14 dead and 53 injured over the weekend. 
• But nothing compares to the madman (he's a white Muslim-hating male so we can't call him a Terrorist) who shot and killed at least 86 people at a youth camp in Norway on Friday. Think about that: Killing 86 with a firearm - not a bomb. 
• Mrs. LL was daydreaming about what to do with the backyard on Friday and asked me if I'd rather have a "pool or a pond." As much as I tried to refrain, the next five minutes was spent explaining why I responded with "a pond would be good for me - you know, whatever" due to Caddyshack. 
• Mrs. LL went to the Ranger game with her mom last night, but I was more than happy to simply have it on TV -- especially when I learned that the game time temperature set a Ranger record at 105 degrees. 
• If you remember the Cat Lady Online Dater and like tricked up music mashups, you'll like what someone did here. 
• There are some rumors that the car that was involved in the head on collision in Wise County killing four over the weekend was passing a car which was occupied by friends of the deceased. If not, what are the odds of three cars being at that exact location in the middle of the night at FM 730.
• I've yet to see any news source say alcohol may be involved in that crash. 
• Man, a lot of people died over the weekend. 
• Today will be the 25th consecutive day of 100 and above temperatures. And they are talking about temperatures getting in the 110 range over the next few days. (Prediction of 106 for today.)
• You had to have only one: Internet, Radio, TV, or Air Conditioning. Give me AC.
• Has potential: The Wise County Reunion's dead and gone Roscoe The Rat has a Twitter feed. (Edit: Just saw that the Messenger mentioned this in the Update. I bet someone over there is behind it.)
• Sweet Ranger game moment last night as a guy kissed his girl on the forehead during God Bless America. (Jarhead dogged me for posting that.)
• I went by Taco Bell in Decatur and the lady at the window asked me if I wanted sauce. I say yes. I get back to the office and found one packet in the bag. 
• An AA jet bound for Brazil had to return to DFW Airport yesterday after engine problems. WFAA says this is a picture of it during a "fuel dump" as it returned. Does that fuel dissipate so much that it causes no damage on the ground? 
• Crazy crime in Rockwall: Thieves left 30 cars up on blocks at a dealership after stealing the tires off the cars. That's a lot of work for someone not willing to work. 

Moonwalker Slugs Man Who Says There Is No Such Thing As A Moonwalker

I'm 100% sure the "you're a coward and a liar" line put ol' Buzz over the edge.