Weekend Messenger Above The Fold

Taking You Into The Weekend

Don't Leave Aggie!!!!

Story.

Edit on Saturday: Wow. ESPN says it is a done deal with the Aggies beginning play in the SEC next year. Just wow. And there's also a chance Missouri could be asked to go with them. Goodbye Big 12. We hardly knew ye.

I bet there's a real possibility that Texas goes independent.

Edit on Sunday: Wow. The SEC say "no thanks" today and ESPN (who has a major conflict of interest) says the deal is dead. Now there's report of "Not so fast, my friend.'

What I Read When I See This

She was having her probation revoked on three cases -- they are all State Jail Felonies carrying with them a range of punishment of 180 days to 2 years. But on State Jails, you serve "day for day" with no parole. So she'll serve a real 9 months.

The new case, the bomb threat, is just generic TDC time. So a 5 year sentence, in my estimation, is probably about 8 to 11 months of real time (but with complete discretion to the Parole Board.)  In that case, she becomes "eligible" for parole when her "real time" plus her "good conduct time", as calculated by the current going rate by TDC, equals 1/4th of her sentence. She'll definitely be eligible for parole before her State Jail time is up, but it's just up to the Parole Board as to how long they'll keep her.

The resolution seems not overly harsh nor overly lenient. That means it's probably fair.

LeeAnn Rimes Is Still Killing It

More.

Random Alarm Bell

The Messenger just concluded a series of stories on people (my description, not theirs), and one of them was about this guy who sees a mystery around every corner. I just glanced at the article and one sentence really jumped out at me. They "all tell" the same story? Really? Over 100 people saw one event and they "all" describe it the same way?

Not. A. Chance.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• Want to know what the view of the official radio booth of  the Dallas Cowboys is like? It's a pretty lousy one. I'm not sure how Brad Sham does it. 
• I watched a little bit of the Republican Presidential Debates last night and was struck by how much more entertaining they are than, say, 20 years ago. Or maybe it's just more sound bites and crowd pandering. I think we are about to be ruled by The Cult Of Personality -- regardless of who wins -- Republican or Democrat.
• According to 105.3 The Fan's Richie Whitt last night, the monthly electric bill for Cowboys' Stadium is $500,000. I believe it. (But I also think I experience more shock when I look at my home electric bill than Jerry Jones does when looking at that bill.) 
• I always write it as "Cowboys' Stadium" instead of "Cowboys Stadium" which is the official name. My spelling, for once, makes more sense.
• The morning boys on The Ticket talked about their visit to the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg.  It sounds fantastic. I had no idea it was there. 
• Want to know how the author of "Bush's Brain" thinks Rick Perry will win the Presidency? A short opinion piece is here and it's fantastic. Basically, he'll court the Religious Right to get the Republican nomination and then abandon that strategy and switch to focusing on the economy when going head to head with President Obama. The author is no fan of Perry which makes the article more credible. I can honestly see it happening. 
• But why did Perry decide to confirm, with no pomp and circumstance, his Presidential Run through a spokesman yesterday? You have all that build up towards his speech in South Carolina on Saturday and you make the announcement via the equivalent of a tiny "poof"? 
• There was another wrong way driver in Dallas last night (no link yet.) I think that was the third one this week.
• Is Decatur the professional rodeo center of the U.S.?  We always here of Trevor Brazille (about to set another annual prize money record, by the way) but there's also some Brazilian named Valdiron de Oliveira who gets a lot of press.
• Watched a little bit of WFAA/Channel 8's morning newscast. Verdict: A painfully awkward lack of chemistry. 
• I'm really bummed that the 100 Streak is over. Then again, I'd sit down with Guinness Book of World Records for hours as a kid.
• The Family Cat chased a bee yesterday and jumped on an accordion style window blind in the kitchen. Result: It tore in half. After I thought about drowning the cat, I wondered how a bee got in the house. If Killer Bees could engage in a cat-murder-for-hire scheme, I'm in. 
• Tiger Woods, over the last year, has fired his swing coach and his caddie. I bet he's got a therapist who has told him to rid himself of anything connected to his past. After yesterday's performance at the PGA Championship (he's 14 strokes back after one round), he might want to rethink that. 
• But I like that goatee he's sporting. 
• Golf is weird. Once you lose it, you lose it. See Corey Pavin or Ian Baker-Finch. Edit: My bad. I meant David Duval instead of Corey Pavin (although I think Pavin might has "lost it" to a lesser degree.) Also, I think you can throw in Johnny Miller. 
• Preseason football is excruciating to watch (the Cowboys were on last night.) But when did Tim Tebow fall from grace? 

Quick Hits

• He got weed! Cops stop a truck with over 800 pounds of marijuana in Mansfield
• And another
• Tiger Woods is playing in a Major and has just gone double bogey, bogey, par, double bogey, bogey, and bogey. (He started on the back nine.)
• Jack County swimming hole is On The Sick. 
• Man backed his car into Grapevine lake this morning and drowned.

The Man Can't Catch A Break

President Obama shows up at Dover to meet the caskets of the servicemen killed in the helicopter incident in Afghanistan,  and he bans the press from covering the event.   The White House then releases one photo and people go crazy.  You know, there is an official White House photographer who is responsible for documenting history.

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• A couple of other forecasts call for temperatures right at 100 on Friday and Saturday. Wouldn't it be a beating to go all this way towards the streak and then end up with a 99 degree day? This would become the cruelest of summers.
• New Census data just released: Hispanics, who showed the greatest numerical increases in the 2010 census, made up 38 percent of the state’s population, yet made up 51.3 percent of the population under 20.  What do you think that number will be in 10 years once that under 20 crowd reproduces? 
• And Texas becomes a Blue State at which point? 20 years? 10 years? Sooner?
• Want to see what a guy looks like who arrived at the new In-n-Out Burger in Fort Worth at 9:00 p.m. last night and slept on the pavement so he could be the first in line? 
• Those rumblings about the Aggies moving to the SEC are getting loud. And when Gov. Perry said yesterday that "conversations have been had" about the move, he's either got inside information or is frighteningly reckless. (The latter is not the best presidential trait a man can have.)
• Wrong way driver in Arlington on I-20 last night sends two people to the hospital. No deaths. 
• TBS is cancelling Lopez Tonight. I say this will full knowledge of how horrible Letterman and Leno have become: George Lopez is the worst talk show host in the history of talk show hosts.
• There is a Justice of the Peace in Wise County who I believe would be in huge trouble if anyone would simply run against her.  
• I was thinking that the Cowboys working out indoors would hurt them in a hot weather game. But considering that they now play home games indoors,  they only have to worry about road games, outdoors, played during the day. There are two in the early season: At San Francisco in September and at New England in October. So much for the heat. 
• Funny line I heard about GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney: That albatross around his neck of wanting to provide health care to poor people while governor is really going to weigh him down. 
• Ticket Fans: I've listened to the It's Just Banter podcast by T.C. and Jake for about six months and it's fantastic. The latest episode had them going off on Jean Jacques Taylor (he did push-ups in studio and was fond of over-sized jorts with a woven belt.)
• No dog news. Skyler is still around, and he really wants to get at the Family Cat so I'm liking him even more. 
• The bagofnothing guy is in New York City. I wish I was in New York City. 
• Idiocracy in my own home: I looked in the freezer the other day and saw "Pancakes and Sausage on a Stick." 
• The DOW just opened up by 120 points. Betting that it stays in positive territory is as risky as investing in the stock market. 

Captured Before I Even Had A Chance To Get Interested In It

"The Dougherty Gang"

"I won't be taken without a tan!"

Three sibling fugitives from Florida, who were wanted for bank robbery and for allegedly shooting at a police officer, have been captured in southern Colorado. Details.  


She worked at, get this, the "Cheater's Gentleman's Club" in Cocoa Beach. Her Flickr page.

UFC: Channel 8's Brett Shipp v. John Wiley Price

Story.

Here's D Magazine's re-creation:

I Don't Know

It just showed up when I was searching for "Galleria" and "Twitpic" yesterday.

Edit. Wow. It is real. Now people have begun photoshopping it.

So True

(Source)

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• Moments ago the U.S. military announced they had killed the Taliban insurgents responsible for downing the helicopter that killed 30 American troops. Should I feel bad for being skeptical? What about when the statement says they specifically killed the individual who fired the rocket propelled grenade?
• This American Life had a show the other day about how some people buy software patents for the sole purpose of  suing those who might infringe on them. Then I was reminded that when D Magazine listed the most expensive homes in Dallas in 2009, the #33 ranked home was owned by a guy who did just that. (Frontburner)
• Completely unrelated: A Bridgeport company had a patent awarded to them this week based upon an invention by a Runaway Bay man. Other than it has to do with a drilling, I have no idea what the heck it is. 
• Well, I sat around and looked at the stray dog yesterday. Ugh. It's really just a bizarre moment when he's looking at me and I'm looking at him. And when I imagine him thinking, "You're not going to take me to the pound are you?", I know I'm done. 
• A reference to a real baby called Skyler that will only make you cry.
• Weird fact I actually calculated and put on my calender: As of today, the number of days that I have held a law license is exactly equal to the number of days I have not held a law license. 
• Is anything quite as dumb as the London rioters? (Pretty good photos of it here.)
• The Fox 4 weather guy was throwing out that there was a chance we might not reach 100 on Friday and thereby not match the streak. I think he might be doing a little publicity seeking with that prediction.
• Did you see those clouds that produced the thunderstorm over Gainesville yesterday evening? They looked a lot closer.
• We had a 17 year old in jail in Wise County on a misdemeanor theft charge for about a week who couldn't make a $300 bond.  (A bonding company would have written that bond for less than $100.) He and his family couldn't afford it. Kudos to the jail, the prosecutor, and the judge to make sure the situation was justly handled. 
• Another prostitution bust of relatively attractive women? This economy must be horrible! (The girl in the first pic has become the center of some research.) Edit: Sheesh. Those are the same girls I posted the other day. But the updated "research" link still has some value.
• Very random thought about Warren Jeffs: The man looks like he could use a few hamburgers. 

Horrific

Someone twitpic'd the scene from the upper level. Warning: It's a picture of body on the ice. If you want to yell at me, then don't click on it.

Wednesday's Messenger Above The Fold

That Was A Crazy Final Hour

That's right at a 640 point swing in 60 minutes.

Greg Louganis* Didn't Do It This Way

See gal in bikini. See gal in bikini wanting attention. See gal in bikini actually change her mind about jumping. See gal in bikini become human pinball.

We'll assume she's fine.
_______
*I suppose lots of folks have no idea who Louganis is.

If You Thought You Were Hot

And it's causing dangerously high temperatures in those prisons during the heat wave.


Story.


Let them suffer? Don't do the crime if you can't do the time? But this directly impacts you, doesn't it?

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Well, we've got a verdict as to whether the Found Dog has a chip ..................That would be "no." Ugh. 
• Now what the heck am I going to do? I'll get a better picture of the doggie, but it truly kind of looks like a Portuguese Water Dog. It's probably just a mutt, but a guy can dream. 
• I forgot to mention that as Mrs. LL and I were watching it run around the back yard for the first time, I wondered out loud what its name was. She then yelled out, "Here, Skyler!!" (That was a Random Thought call back joke she threw down.)
• I'm not into music, but the new services Spotify sounds incredible. (In other music news which may or may not be significant, Gavin DeGraw was attacked in New York.)
• Somebody dropped off a "Bridgeport Tea Party Patriots" flyer at my office but it really didn't say anything crazy. Dang it. 
• My neighbor vacuumed her car out in a bikini on Sunday. She wasn't washing the car, just vacuuming it. 
• Whatever happened to "Google TV"? 
• Wise County Commissioners have started budget talks with department heads. Is the proposed/preliminary 2012 budget online? I haven't seen it if it is. And is there a graph somewhere showing budget increases over the last few years? Gimme.
• Funny tweet I saw about the downgrade of the United States: "Oh, great. America is going to bomb Standard and Poor's now."
• I don't think I ever seen so many people (who happen to be President Obama haters) so giddy about unemployment and a stock market crash. 
• I doubt if many of you watched the NFL Hall of Fame induction speeches, but I shook my head at Marshall Faulk who thanked his wife for "cooking for me." That's pretty much the best accolade he gave her. 
• As much as I want to learn about the "Collar Bomb" case that is back in the news, there's very little to help me out. The very detailed Esquire article leaves a ton of questions unasked, and a 30 minute special on CNN on Sunday night was shallow. (Note to those that actually read the Esquire article: Did the sentence that started "With the help of his pal Barnes" jump out at you? Is that the only reference to how the victim had any connection with any of the loonies in that case?)
• I've got a pimple. I haven't had a pimple in years.
• Tony Romo gave an interview where he said his new bride is making a lot of changes in the decor of his house even though, "I thought it looked OK."  Welcome to my world. 
• A Texas youth pastor, honey, teenaged girls, shower, video camera. Oh, my. (And it's a rare case where he was actually saved by the statute of limitations.)

And Another

This may be the strongest entry since Debra LaFave set the bar at a level never to be matched.

Story.

Black Monday and An Announcement From A Man Who Is All About Timing

This . . .

Begat that . . . ?

News And Facebook

Finding a news article and then the Facebook page associated with it.

Bigfoot At The Rangers Game Over the Weekend?

Makes perfect sense. (Source)

Wise County Girls Night Out?

Who Ya Got?: U.S. Going Broke vs. Feeding Starving Children

Story.

Something Just Jumped Out A Me . . .

. . . in this pic from the Star-Telegram's slideshow simply called "downtown Fort Worth club hop."

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• It always seems dangerous when a bull is dancing around a fallen bullrider. A death occurred because of it at a Hico rodeo this weekend. 
• Fox News isn't fair to President Obama, but Newsweek wasn't fair to Michelle Bachman based upon this week's bizarre cover pic.
• A traffic death can even get you if you're a Dallas billionaire driving a Porsche. 
• I pulled up in my driveway yesterday only to see some dog frighteningly dart into the garage. A brief minute and an untimely "here, puppy!" later, I'm comforting a lost dog (pic) by giving it water and food. 
• I now realize the utterance of "here, puppy" was a critical moment. But, sheesh,  I just couldn't let the the dog run off. Mrs. LL will head to the vet today to see if there's a chip in its dog body. Please. Please. Please. 
• It's a stout little thing and walks around the back yard like it's a pig. It's a really weird walk. Then Mrs. LL proclaimed it the ugliest dog in the world last night. So what if he's missing about three lower teeth? 
• Got a report that a "fancy" campaign bus was at a hotel in Decatur on Saturday afternoon. Anyone?
• The downgrade of the U.S. by SandP sounds more political than financial. And as much as the Right wants to yell, "See, Obama is destroying the country," the downgrade came with a press release that took  a shot at Republicans for not being willing to consider a tax increase. Edit: The editorial in the link, explaining what I was talking about, contains a link to the official press release.
• I guess I shouldn't be surprised that George Clooney's new girlfriend, Stacy Keibler, is a "Hey, now."
• I went to a wedding on Saturday afternoon at the Decatur Civic Center with Mrs. LL who heard, "So you are Mrs. LL" a lot. 
• Doesn't this sound like fun?: An outdoor metal rock festival beginning in the afternoon in Dallas on Wednesday which will be finished off with Godsmack, Megadeath and Disturbed. There needs to be an ozone alert issued because of that crowd.
• Below is from Decatur, Alabama.

Big Chico fire?

Thanks emailer.

Messenger Above The Fold

"Should We Talk About The Weather?" - R.E.M. (1988)

1980 seems unbelievable after going through what we've experienced this summer. That year had 69 days over 100 degrees and we've "only" had 43? Wow.

But the 1980 streak of 42 straight days over 100 ended on August 4th while it looks like we're just kicking it into high gear. We tie that streak on Friday and smash it on Saturday. That looks like a sure bet. That sounds like an excuse for a party.

Since I'm the most trusted name in news, lawyering, sports prognostication, and weather, I'll predict August 23rd as the day our streak ends. (Caveat: There's a cumulus cloud I'm watching which might cause be some issues with that.) You know, I'm surprised the local news channels haven't started a "countdown clock". Speaking of, Fiona now brings you the seven day forecast: