Liberally Lean From The Land Of Dairy Queen: 2012

12.31.2012

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

What a horrible interception by Tony Romo. Unless something changes, and I doubt that it will, he'll be ranked behind Danny White.
I was describing the long haired guy on TV as "Dallas' defensive coordinator" to Mrs. LL who then said, "Rob Ryan? And doesn't he have a twin brother? And doesn't the brother have some sort of fetish?" I don't even know her anymore.
I started the Cowboys/Redskins game by saying, "No NFL team should have a band." By the end of the game I decided it wasn't a bad bit.
I'm already seeing some rumblings that RG3's stats aren't all that good if you really looked at them. Uh, he just wins.
If Bridesmaids comes on, it's hard to get Mrs. LL to move.
We watched most of the 1970s classic Love Story yesterday. I didn't remember it being so horrible and contrived. And what's with the gratuitous cussing?
Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback, which has been featured on 60 Minutes, is a big of nothing. And the way KissingSuzyKolber.com dissects it each week is a must read.
I haven't seen it yet, but some news organization will warn me against about firing bullets into the air at midnight tonight.
It seems like the calendar changing form 1999 to 2000 wasn't that long ago.
There's some new Billy Crystal movie where the trailer shows him being kicked in the crotch. That's comedy? In 2012?
I just learned that Sean Hannity and I were born 36 days apart. Maybe that's why I'm convinced he should know better.
I learned from the BagofNothing.com guy that the Cowboys have a CT Scan machine at Valley Ranch and he even got scanned in it.
Hot prediction without knowing hardly any of the facts: There will be no indictment against UT players Case McCoy and Jordan Hicks arising out of the sexual assault story.
Remember the female Dallas cop who made the video proclaiming herself "Lucille Baller". (Funny, by the way.) Well, she's back in the news.
I was mentioned in a favorable way in a Letter to the Editor this weekend in the Messenger written by a Bridgeport man who has spent a ridiculous 18 years in federal prison for drugs. He, obviously, is not in favor of the "lock 'em up" mentality.

12.28.2012

UCLA Cheerleaders Taking You Into The Weekend

Looking Through Photos From The Past Year

Liberally Lean From The Land Of Drama Queen?

Sheriff Joe Will Stop School Violence!!!

Some Of Favorite Videos Of The Year

Gay guy describing storm.
A press conference by a lawyer (who has surely never stood in front of a jury) denying a type of chugging.
Mark Cuban getting slammed into a table at a WWE event (which he thinks is cleverly entertaining but shows he's really P.T. Barnum.)
The Family Pup vs. Fake Pig.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

As much as I enjoy Baylor football, I went to bed last night at halftime of the Holiday Bowl. ESPN had earlier backed the kickoff to 9:00 PM. Good grief. (Side note: Baylor's quarterback Nick Florence may be the most underrated quarterback in the history of ever: Led the nation in total offense / Threw for more yards than RG3.)
Then I woke up early this morning and finished watching the game before 7:00 a.m.
I've been to San Diego once. I could live in San Diego.
But I'm not ruling out my Costa Rica retirement.
Mrs. LL saw Les Miserables last night. Although I'm we all know that I am a man of culture, I don't have a clue about that classic piece of work. (But she mentioned that it was two and a half hours long so I main remain clueless.)
A deal will get done on the "fiscal cliff". Bank on it. Then we'll see both sides hold press conferences about how each was willing to compromise for the good of the country. You are watching a self-serving one act play.
I came home yesterday and the Christmas tree was down as well as all of the decorations in the house. That gave me an odd feeling of rejuvenation. Weird.
Rare tweet by me last night: "Waiting for momma."
Pitbull is going to be at Winstar Casino on New Year's Eve? Does that cater to their demographic?
I learned that with a rare radio fly by that landed on WBAP this morning. In the background they were playing a song by "Pitbull with T-Pain." Hal Jay said that sounded like something he would tell his doctor that he had. [Insert wheeze laugh.]
David Dewhurst claims a campaign aide stole over a half million dollars in campaign funds. The campaign aide's best defense in my opinion? Blame the Chinese.

12.27.2012

WBAP Sent Out An Email Announcing The Death Of A President Who Isn't Dead

Later:

(Thanks Michelle!)

Edit: Hey, the Dallas Observer picked this story up and mentioned us!

Someone Doesn't Like The PoPo in Weatherford

Story.

Funny GIF I Missed During The Year

Peyton Manning Was On The NFL Network Yesterday

I think I remember that he endorses a particular kind of car. But I don't recall. If I could only remember. What was it? Hmmmm.

Wise County Possum Caught Last Night

Almost looks like a panda.

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

It sounds like George H.W. Bush's health is deteriorating rapidly.
Downtown Decatur was like a ghost town yesterday morning. (And I think most businesses and offices that shut down used a pretty low threshold to make the call. But the day after Christmas should be an official holiday as well.)
The Family Cat made a break for the backyard this morning so I was out there in a suit and hiking boots trying to run him down. The dang thing never jumps the fence and runs off to chase his dreams.
Despite a good night's sleep, I was so sleepy driving into work this morning that I felt like I had been drugged.
Baylor's final game of the season is tonight in the Bridgepoint Holiday Bowl, but what's the deal with an 8:45 p.m. start time? There's a great chance that game will be four hours or more. (It's amazing how many people refer to it as the Bridgeport Holiday Bowl.)
I bought Mrs. LL a book on the West Memphis Three. She is locked in to it.
It was pretty big news earlier this year when new Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles brought in a hot and young "communications director" from his prior school at a salary of $185,000. Last Friday, she quietly resigned. Weird.
Mrs. LL got a mandolin for Christmas. Yep, a mandolin. I told her I expect her to sound like Allison Krauss as well.
Texas Monthly's Bum Steer Awards have been revealed and Wise County didn't make the cut. I would think that electing a County Surveyor and simultaneously voting to eliminate the position of County Surveyor would be worthy of one.
You are seeing a preview of the Dallas Mavericks for the next ten years.
I don't think there's a single football analyst who understands that when a receiver catches the ball near the sideline and then gets knocked backwards a couple of yards and out of bounds, that the clock still rolls. "He went out of bounds!" they will all yell. But the receiver can't have it both ways. He'll get the benefit of his forward progress but that means he was technically down while in bounds. (Pet peeve of mine.)
The chances of a deal being worked out on the "fiscal cliff"? I'd make it as high as 95%.

12.26.2012

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

A decent snow falling on Christmas Day in Wise County was a sight to behold. Absolutely picture perfect.
And as much as we dog on weatherman, it was about ten days ago they predicted the possibility of snow on Christmas. I find that amazing.
At my parents house yesterday, I found a few rolls of developed 8 mm home movies from 1957. Now I'm going to try and find a place that can convert fragile film to a DVD. This could be incredible.
I also found this camera (close if not exact) that took those movies. It was basically in pristine condition. (Compare that to a movie shot on your phone and this mini projector connected to it as reviewed by the NY Times.)
I've been tormented by the worst dreams lately. Incredibly intensive. A theme of losing everything. It's bad enough to consider going through some type of sleep study.
I turned on the TV early this morning expecting to see traffic carnage but there wasn't much going on.
Django Unchained, released on Christmas Day, doesn't seem to be the "feel good movie of the year" but it does look bizarrely good.
Character actor Charles Dunning died over the weekend. For those O Brother Where Art Thou? fans, he's the guy who uttered the line, "Is you is, or is you ain't, my constituency?" while playing Gov. Pappy O'Daniel.
Alabama dad gets tickets for National Championship Game for Christmas. What's not to like about his reaction?
Mrs. LL saw about five minutes of Caddyshack as I forced her to be introduced to Bill Murray's character Carl. She actually laughed when he explained his new grass he had developed to Chevy Chase but also added, "I can hardly understand a word he is saying."
Sad news of the passing of Wise County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Bo Wright. I heard in the courtroom about three weeks ago that he had been diagnosed with cancer with only weeks to live. I couldn't believe it then. I believe it now. What a horrible disease. It's never a fair fight.

12.24.2012

Can't Believe I'm Having To Issue A Liberally Lean Winter Blast Alert

I'm in the laboratory monitoring this. Santa will be in bed before me.

From the National Weather Service:

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

What? I'm here on Christmas Eve? Yep, once again I prove I'm the hardest working man in show business.
I sometimes try to wrap my head around basically everyone I've ever met celebrating Christmas today and tomorrow. It's hard to do.
The house is quiet right now with everyone asleep. This may be the best part. Then again, it's not.
Changing gears, Mrs. LL and I watched Bowling For Columbine (I had seen it before.) I had forgotten that Charlton Heston's "from my cold bare hands" speech before the NRA was 10 days after the Columbine massacre. That kind of explains their low profile these days. They've learned.
There was an out of control wedding reception at the Worthington Hotel in downtown Fort Worth on Saturday with what sounds like a massive police response.
I looked forward to this four day weekend and then I ended up sick as a dog on Saturday.
Mrs. LL bought one of those blood sugar dohookies and she's been stabbing me all weekend. The readings aren't out of control but in the midst of my sickness I had a drop of 50 points in two hours.
I think she enjoys stabbing me with that thing.
From the Cowboy game: Tony Siragusa Vs. Moose Johnston Ugly Christmas Sweater-Off Competition. I vote Moose.
We've got some type of critter in our attic. The Others In The House have been trying to convince me but I finally heard. Definitely something running on top of our kitchen ceiling. Almost want to unleash the Family Cat on it.
You'll still hear people say That A Wonderful Life is shown countless times every Christmas season. That hasn't been true since the early 1990s before a copyright was successfully enforced.
I watched some of the high school championship football games on TV this weekend, and I couldn't help but take note of a Vince Young starter kit who was absolutely fantastic. Jerrod Heard of Denton Guyer, only a junior, ran for five TDs and threw for two others. I looked him up to see where he plans to go to college. I'll be dang: The Evil Empire.
And in the final minutes of the final game of the day a defender and a receiver hit head to head while going for a pass and both ended up laid out and motionless in the end zone. I can see how football could some day be discontinued in high school in the future. Those kids may not have been even 18.
Just a brief flurry of snow on Christmas Day would be fantastic.
A list of local TV news personnel who have left over the year. I love you, Jane.
Whenever I see a wedding announcement I wonder if the couple will make it.
I'm near the end of the fourth season of Breaking Bad. I'd be hard pressed to think of a better television drama. A typical episode is better than most movies I've ever seen.
Out of the blue, I watched the first half of the old Helter Skelter television movie which scared the heck out of me as a boy. Sorry to report it doesn't hold up to the test of time. I also acknowledge that's not a very Christmasy movie.
Newsweek's final paper cover:

12.21.2012

Mrs. Claus Taking You Into The Weekend

Peace On Earth and Good Will Towards Men

From this morning.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

The Polyphonic Spree shows up on local television every now and then. They are a huge "meh" to me.
This Fiscal Cliff is pure silliness and politics. And John Boehner is no match for the President in this deal. (For you actually following the situation, Boehner couldn't even get "Plan B" passed in the House last night).
Watch Ocean's 11 last night. I've seen it a couple of times, and I still think I need someone to explain it to me.
When I tried to bring the family up to date that Carl Reiner's character was playing an American who was acting as a German the Freshman-In-The-House said, "Does he get found out when he holds up three fingers the wrong way?" My mouth dropped. If you get the reference, your's might too. (She claims she hadn't seen the Tarantino movie but that only "a friend told me about it.")
Lake Worth ISD has cancelled classes today because students needed time to "cope" with the events at Newtown. Is that the biggest give up ever?
Christmas falling on a Tuesday may be the perfect day for the longest of long weekends.
Whenever I walk out of the office on long weekends I always stop and think, "Remember this feeling."
I think "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" is my favorite holiday song. And the James Taylor version may be at the top of the list (although I learned a second ago it was originally recorded by Judy Garland.)
A Judy Garland concert was the first ever event at the Astrodome. (A little random trivia for you.)
Mrs. LL and I woke up at 4:00 in the morning with a bizarre and rare case of duel insomnia. We watched the last half of an obscure movie from 2003 called The Shape of Things with Paul Rudd. I never went back to sleep.
Mrs. LL also walked around the house all evening singing R.E.M.'s "It's The End Of the World As We Know It."
I flipped over last night to Fox Sports Southwest to see the last minute victory of Stamford over Mart in a Class A Texas high school championship game at Jerry World. I'll take that over the NFL any day.
I came home yesterday to watch all the Females-In-The-House watching a Glee concert on cable. The main theme of the show was acceptance and love. Kind of hard to argue with that.
If you are a fan of Talladega Nights and heard any of the Josh Hamilton and Wife press conference last weekend, you'll giggle at this. Very funny.

Well, I've got this one configured to go up at one minute after midnight on 12/21/12. (Because we all know the Mayan's were referring to Central Standard Time.)

Either we just met the business end of a doomsday proclamation, or I've got to wake up in a few hours and start thinking about Christmas shopping.

I haven't been this nervous since the early 1980s!

12.20.2012

I Think We've Got A Bus Accident Near Decatur

Facebook description is: School bus accident on 2264 several people being taken away by ambulance...bad scene!

FM 2264 is the road that connects to 287 south of Decatur near Landmark Industries. That looks like Landmark in the background. Maybe.

Edit: Update from photographer - "About two miles from 287 by the plastic pipe manufacturer. Took a few kids off the bus on stretchers, awaiting another ambulance . . . . Another ambulance just arrived, putting two children on it, still have two more to transport. Can't tell how severe the injuries but think they may be minor...hoping!"

Question From Last Night's Mrs. Universe Contest

I fell in love with her when she started off with (paraphrasing) "every law has already been made." From there she engaged in crazy talk which made her even hotter.

She Dropped The "G"?

First, I'm not sure she did. Secondly, even is she did, that's the way we good 'mericans talk!

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

Now that was some serious wind last night. But I'm surprised I haven't seen more damage than I have (which is basically none.)
It's the day before the Apocalpyse. Longtime readers will remember the commenter 12/21/12 guy from way back. Three years when he first appeared? Four years? The first few times he showed up we had no idea what he was talking about.
I was looking at Time's Top Ten fiction books and I'm not sure I had heard of any of them. But one that jumped out at me was Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk.
Miss USA was crowned Miss Universe last night. But when the pageant is held in America (last night it was in Las Vegas) and Miss USA wins, it seems so rigged.
The Fourth Grader In The House while watching the swimsuit competition: "This seems weird."
I got slammed in the comments yesterday for my "thought" that it was always boys who commit school shootings and not boys. Some guy said I was attacking men who raise their sons to be responsible hunters. Buddy, you think way more about my thoughts than I do.
Our Elf On The Shelf was in our decorative bowl on the formal dining room table this morning. The contents of that bowl had been strewn around the floor. Creepy.
I like Bud Kennedy but I think he was partially wrong yesterday in his column (asserting Texas teachers can already carry guns in schools). In his defense, Texas guns laws are far more complicated than one would think. (A teacher without a CHL could not carry a handgun into a school even if the school authorized it. But that authorization allowing her to carry a firearm would allow her to carry a rifle or shotgun.)
Seventy-four new troopers graduated in Austin yesterday. One was a former Bridgeport Police Officer.
Fox and Friends brought in Santa Claus this morning to discuss the "war on Christmas." With his concept of the free distribution of wealth, I wouldn't have thought he was a Republican.

12.19.2012

Afternoon Pick Me Up - Christmas Style

Ad In The Star Telegram This Morning

I said none of the school shooters were girls but there are pink guns.

America's Deadliest School Massacre

It was 80 years ago by the use of dynamite. I had no idea.

Today's article on Slate.

Wikipedia page.

Eagle Almost Swipes Kid

Wait for the slow motion at the end. (Brief profanity warning.)

Thanks, KH.

Edit: The eagle has a twitter account!

Edit: Man, if the following is true I'm going to be so bummed.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

Replacing repeat

All the news organizations were all over the female trooper search story last night. I've seen crazier things happen during traffic stops over the last 25 years.
I said I didn't think that lawsuit was going anywhere for this reason: Once the officer claims to smell the odor of marijuana he can search anywhere that the marijuana could reasonably be found. And it doesn't matter if he believes there is a misdemeanor or felony amount present. And, most importantly, it doesn't matter that he turns out to be wrong.
You think the police don't have ridiculous power? Remember the Supreme Court case where they sanctioned the arrest of a Texas woman for the minor offense of not wearing a seatbelt?
And remember the Supreme Court case which sanctions the strip searching of anyone arrested regardless of how minor the offense? Yep, he could have arrested both women for littering and they legally could have been ~~striped~~ strip searched at the jail.
A lawyer on Fox 4 last night said it will be "up to the jury" to determine if the search was reasonable. I doubt a judge will ever let it get that far.
How has police power come to this? Because you have elected "law and order" judges in Texas, and Presidents who haven't formed a Supreme Court that has valued civil rights since the 1960s. To use a quote that the Hard Right is familiar with: "America's chickens are coming home to roost."
Changing gears, I never dreamed that Cheaper Than Dirt would suspend online gun sales.
None of these school shootings are committed by little girls. Always boys.
Our "elf on the shelf" was sitting on the kitchen counter this morning in front of what appeared to an elf made snow ~~angle~~ angel made in ~~flower~~ flour. [Edit: One of my greatest sentences apparently.]
It's too long to post here, but I got an email from a lady yesterday who was upset with the law enforcement response she got in Wise County when she reported a dead and malnourished horse.
A Football Life on the NFL Channel is really good. Tonight they are doing an hour on The Immaculate Reception.
Few people remember that that playoff game occurred on a Saturday and was preceded by a famous Cowboys win over the 49ers where the Cowboys scored 17 points under Staubach in the fourth quarter to win 30-28. As a kid I remember my family picking my grandparents up for a Christmas dinner and my grandfather saying, "I think I just watched two of the most exciting games ever today." I had no idea what he was talking about.
President Obama was named as Time's Man Of The Year this morning. Yeah, I know. That ol' liberal media.
The Decatur home invasion guy will be charged with "burglary of a habitation with the intent to commit a sexual offense." Unless there is more to the story, that's a reach.
Mark Cuban passed a kidney stone last night and tweeted about it. Good grief.
Went to a high school band concert last night and noticed a uniformed officer standing by me in the back of the auditorium. I quickly learned he wasn't there for security but only to see his daughter perform.
Judge Robert Bork passed away this morning. (For those that don't remember, he was the first Supreme Court nominee to go through a confirmation process that looked like an MMA fight. He didn't get confirmed.)

12.18.2012

Arrest Made

Arrest made in the "home invasion" case per the Messenger.

Hey, I said it was "fishy" not that it didn't happen. A morning break-in in Decatur where there was no motive, no injury, and a girl was able to get him out of the apartment isn't something that happens everyday.

Sandy Hook In The Last Batman Movie?

I didn't see the last Batman movie (because I can never understand a word Batman is saying) , but apparently the plot involved some villain named Bane. Now someone has noticed that there was a scene in the movie where "Sandy Hook" (a fictional place within "Gotham City") was the first "Strike Zone" of Bane.

Add to it that the Aurora, Colorado mass shooting occurred during this Batman movie by a guy who had orange hair like The Joker and this becomes kind of weird.