Liberally Lean Apologizes For The Lack Of Entertaining Posts Today

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• New this morning: The unemployment rate drops to 8.1%.  I wonder if it will get to 7.9% with 60 days to go before the presidential election.
• I proclaimed a highway between Grapevine and Frisco the "greatest" in North Texas on Monday. Yesterday, its service road claimed a motorcycle death.
• Florida St. has opened as a 70.5 favorite over Savannah State -- the largest spread in NCAA history. There has to be widespread corruption in games like this -- there is no question that Florida State could cover if they wanted to. So what if a coach tells a buddy, "I'd go to Vegas on this one."
• A personal injury lawyer in Dallas was indicted yesterday for, among other things, allegedly stealing from clients.  His online bio proves he's full of himself (especially near the end.) His "family lives life to its fullest from their 280 acre ranch in Palmer, Texas." Sheesh. 
• We put an old clothes dryer out on the curb in front of our house last weekend and someone came by and loaded it in a truck within 15 minutes. 
• The A's Brandon McCarthy (pitcher) almost got killed by a batted ball two days OK. After the initial "he's doing fine" reports, it was announced he underwent surgery on his skull. I think he used to pitch for the Rangers.
• I missed the President's speech last night because I was at a high school football game. And, mind you, I believe that Thursday night high school football is downright un-American.
• It sounds like his speech was much like Romney's: Good but not great. 
• I always see a defendant charged with a misdemeanor decide to represent himself even though he doesn't speak English. He'll go into a prosecutor's office with an interpreter who works for the county to try and resolve the case. 
• A "cool front" is coming through tonight which will drop the temperatures 20 degrees.  Being at a high school football game tonight at the moment it comes through would be fantastic. 
• This morning it will be announced that the Big 12 has reached a deal with ESPN/ABC/Fox for $2.6 billion over thirteen years. Could TCU have joined at a better time? And I was absolutely convinced twice over the last three years that there would no longer be a Big 12.
• It's a football travel weekend for me: An LSU night game and a New Orleans Saints day game (which just happens to be RG3's first game.)  I can't tell you how everything lined up perfectly for this trip (including family schedule.)
• I also want to see a cemetery near the French Quarter -- the same one seen near the end of Easy Rider -- but so many reviews say "go with a tour -- it's in a bad neighborhood." 
• I'll try to update on the Twitter -- which I've neglected for pretty much over a year. 

Breaking: Airplane Crash/Hard Landing In Wise County

Enlarged:

At Greenwood Road and Cemetery Road. No injuries reported thus far.

Thanks, emailer.

Gal Falls Asleep On Scooter

I normally have a 15 second max rule for commercials but this one leads with a 30 second one.  Trust me, it's worth the wait.

Hope the scooter is ok.

Will Decatur Support A Yogurt Shop On The Square?

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• I'm confused. I was talking to a guy at the courthouse whose band played at Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill in Dallas last week. He said the crowd was awful on a weekday night. Today, the Morning News says the bar will open tonight. 
• I really don't care if the Cowboys win other than it makes the sports scene around here more interesting. 
• I would have thought that Jason Witten would have been smart enough not to play. 
• I kind of like Queen Latifah's slightly tricked up National Anthem. As long as the song is played in an up tempo, you can get away with some things.
• The pre-game show also had the incredibly good looking Gwen Stefani. (Pic.)
• I missed DeMarco Murray's big run because I got sucked into watching Bill Clinton for a second. 
• Great Clinton line: "We simply cannot afford to turn the reins of government over to someone who will double down on trickle-down."
• Sandra Fluke kind of jazzed me last night. 
• The Democrats removal, and then the reversal of the decision, of references to God and Jerusalem in their platform was a self-inflicted wound that didn't need to occur. (But the video of the "reversal vote" is high entertainment.)
• Cowboy's defensive coordinator Rob Ryan doesn't have a lick of class.
• I forgot to mention the other day that 34 point underdog Texas State's victory over the University of Houston will be the biggest upset of the year. And someone in Vegas bet $2,000 for Texas State to win outright at 60 to 1 odds. 
• Today's Random Thought Girl is actually from a collection of pics from the Party Cove at Lake Lewisville. Lots more here. You're welcome.

Get Me This Personal Glasses Cleaner!!!

And Another - New Jersey

Not bad for a Northeastern girl. And she's a former "Teacher of the Year."

Story.

"Sorry folks, park's closed. Moose should have told you outside."

WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-

That is one crazy moose.

Man, That Girl In The Yellow Bikini Got Crushed

That blast of water to the face at the end probably didn't feel very good.

Joe Duty can use this one

Edit: The Courthouse has been ordered closed for the afternoon.

Apparently the "fire" was started when someone was smokin' in the boys room and threw a lit cigarette into a plastic trashcan. The plastic lining then began to melt which then caused the plastic trashcan to melt. And those things are seemingly composed of chemicals which aren't exactly green friendly.

Breaking: Courthouse Evacuated Due To Smoke That Smells Like Chlorine

If I don't win a Pulitzer for this, there is no justice. 

It got a lot worse where you could barely see the hallway. The courtroom (door on the right) was full so a bunch of people had to walk through it to get out. 

And when the "Evacuate" order came down, I'm pretty sure I pulled a George Costanza and knocked a couple of kids and old lady down.

Enlarged:

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• Southlake is getting a new hotel along 114 which has a race track inside of it. Yep, a race track.
• Paul Ryan recently said that he had run a  "a two hour and fifty-something" marathon.  The more I think about that, the more it bugs me.  Records show he has competed in one marathon back in 1990 and finished with a time of four hours and one minute. How could he be so wrong. For anyone who has completed a marathon, their time is etched into their brain.
• Michelle Obama was fantastic last night.
• I've always talked about how changing demographics play right into the Democrats hands.  And looking at the audience at the convention last night, it looked like a cross-section of America. Not a cross-section of Wise County mind you, but America. 
• Mark Davis this morning: "What does it matter what the color is of the faces looking up at Michelle Obama?" Oh, it matters. It matters a lot. 
• Man, I wish someone had a video of this: Glenn Beck through a hissy fit on an American Airlines plane at DFW.
• I'm not sure this is a good sign (from the Update): "Of the 100 new students [at Weatherford College's new Wise County campus], 44 are enrolled in new programs – 20 in nursing and 24 in cosmetology."
• As much as I don't care about the NFL, I'm kind of excited about the Cowboys in New York tonight. (Although one reporter, who thinks way too much of himself, just tweeted that it is "pouring" up there this morning.)
• I bag on TCU from time to time, but the renovations to their stadium look fantastic. Here's a panoramic view of it. And with a certain win against Grambling this weekend, curmudgeon Gary Patterson becomes the all-time winningest TCU coach ever. 
• There's a national sports columnist who tweets the most annoying thing all the time: "Someone throw me a mobile friendly link to my latest column." 
• I've seen the headline of a man getting 80 years in prison last week out of Tarrant County for his ninth DWI about a million times. But for some reason a man getting Life in prison for DWI out of Ellis County has been generally ignored. Even though it is his second Life sentence for DWI.
• Nothing has faded from view like the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Labor Day Telethon.  Lewis is no longer associated with it and it's no longer a televised telethon.
• Walked outside yesterday to find a bird bath and a bench in our front yard. Mrs. LL was hit with Lawn Motivation. 
• Want to see a fat lady lying on the floor of WFAA studios before the 10:00 o'clock newscast last night? How could you not?

Conservative Fox News Loving Guy Wanted To Kill Liberal Girlfriend

PBP - A Lake Park man “obsessed with Fox News and the Republican party” is in jail today after he allegedly said that he felt he was going to have to kill his girlfriend because she was a “liberal.” David A. Kappheim, 60, is being held at the Palm Beach County Jail without bail. He was arrested Tuesday and the arresting Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputy placed Kappheim under a Baker Act. Kappheim is facing charges of domestic battery, aggravated assault and criminal mischief. Kappheim’s 59-year-old girlfriend, whose name was withheld in the report, told the deputy a number of incidents happened with him before Tuesday. On Saturday, Kappheim showed up at her friend’s house uninvited and “stark naked,” she said, according to the arrest report. She said he tried strangling her the next day.

I know you guys think I'm going to bust on this man, but I'm not. Look, if I'm a beaten-down-and-dating sixty year old guy who found out that my 59 year old girlfriend (who better be hot or I'm getting younger at that position) is the political polar opposite of me, I'd go ballistic, too. I had dreams of snuggling on the couch watching MSNBC together and suddenly I realize I'm dating some chick who is going to make me watch Bill O'Reilly and Hannity every night? I'd flip out. Big time. And going over to her friend's house stark naked would have been #1 on my list of things to do.

No condemnation for you, Mr. Kappheim.  It's a tough dating world out there. 

One Last Clint Eastwood Post

Thanks, Keith.

Aggie Billboard Goes Up In Florida

Source.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Former WFAA anchor Debbie Denmon has now been hired as "Director of Communications" for Dallas County District Attorney's Office. I guess they have learned from the Tarrant County DA's office. 
• Clint Eastwood was only supposed to speak for three minutes at the Republican National Convention. 
• At 7:57 a.m. on Sunday, I was watching the first pitch of a softball game. While we were driving to the game, the sun broke the horizon prompting Mrs. LL to say, "What is that thing?" Funny. 
• Somehow I've become the official scorer at any softball game -- everyone comes by to ask or verify what the score is. An opposing coach even came up to me on the other side of the fence and said, "Substitution. 26 for 2." 
• D Magazine is doing its annual "Most Beautiful Woman In Dallas" contest.  Mrs. LL suggested that I do one for Wise County but stressed that I would have to publicize that she would be in charge of it so people would actually take part. I'm not sure what that meant. 
• I really don't watch ESPN's Sport Center that often but when I do I always wonder why they give so much "analysis" instead of simply showing highlights. Man, they talk a lot.
• H.E.B. grocery stores has bought 24 acres in northern Tarrant County. Those stores make me think of Waco. 
• I took the tollway from north of DFW Airport to Frisco this weekend. I now proclaim that to be the greatest freeway in North Texas. 
• I hung some hooks on the garage wall this weekend but made a horrible measuring mistake. Mrs. LL told me it "looked good." After reading this, she's now headed to the garage for a giggle. 
• College football quick hits: (1) SMU's quarterback Garrett Gilbert is awful, and I find it odd that he has graduated from UT, (2) Alabama's freshman running back TJ Sheldon is going to be a star, (3) the catch of the year was by an Ohio State receiver, (4) back in February I railed against Oklahoma State playing Savannah State -- they won 84-0 on Saturday, (5) Savannah State plays Florida State this weekend, and (6) One UT player killed another UT player allowing Montana State to score on what would otherwise be a short pass play (and I can't find the video.) 
• I think Anthony Bourdain is cool. 
• Mrs. LL this weekend: "When I saw the place, I knew it wasn't a good sign." Me: "I don't know, I thought the font on it outside was kind of neat." Her: [Just looking at me.] Me: "That's a little typography humor for you." Her: "It's come to that, has it?"

Someone Explain This Story To Me

This led Fox 4's 5:30 newscast. Mrs. LL said, "Wait, what happened?"  I hit replay. We watched it twice. We still have no idea what went on.

Who is "him" and who is "witness"?

Green Mile Actor Had Died

When I first saw the headlines, I thought Courtney Stodden had gone crazy. But, no, it is not her husband.

Clemson Player Baptized After Practice

Story.

And speaking of how all have fallen, Mississippi State had a little trouble with their entrance through the fog on Saturday:

From The Email Bag

"House burned to the ground off 51. It was a really large and nice looking house. You could see the flames shooting in the air from the club house at Fossil Pointe Shooting Grounds."

Edit: You've got to see the photo. (Facebook.)

Edit: And another. Apparently it was not occupied?