Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• One thing I love is my ability to fall asleep the moment my head hits the pillow. Not last night. I mean not right now. I'm writing this sentence at 3:32 in the morning as I suffer from the most bizarre case of insomnia in my life. If you have this problem, you have my deepest sympathies. I hate this.
• I'm loopy, though. No comments from the spelling and grammar police. 
• I think I'm in love with Paula Faris who I had never heard of until I watched ABC's World News Now which is on right now.
• I'm still stunned by the PRISM news. I always thought the Patriot Act controversy was more fluff than substance, but now I feel like I'm living in a science fiction movie.
• I blame Bush. I blame Obama. But more than anything I feel like the government is a runaway freight change that no one is in charge of.
• And for the "well, if you have nothing to hide" crowd, you are beyond naive. I can't begin to wrap my brain around that mentality. And Sen. Lindsey Graham falls into that crowd. He had that attitude yesterday when the spying news was limited to Verison phone records. Watch him backtrack today (but he might be too dumb to even do that). 
• This will be a huge scandal because all sides will jump on it. The Left loves the Fourth Amendment and is stunned by this invasion of privacy. The Right hates Obama and he's on record as saying this wasn't going on. It's the Perfect Political Storm. 
• I read on Twitter that the speech of the valedictorian of Joshua High School had his mic turned off last night when he began to speak about God. I bet that is absolutely not true.
• I just ate microwaved Beefaroni. 
• Jim Adler advertises at 4:00 in the morning. 
• The movie The Internship looks awful. 
• The Dallas DA's Office is trying to get a judge to jack Dallas Cowboy Josh Brent's bond for allegedly testing positive for marijuana. The Motion is here. There's no question it was written with the media in mind because there's no way they go to that much effort every time they make such a request in other cases.
• And one huge development in Brent's case that no one is talking about: His blood results may be inadmissible due to the recent Supreme Court case that threw out such blood results when police failed to get a search warrant (at least under the facts before them.) They didn't get a warrant in Brent's case, and if those results are thrown out it could cripple that case.  Texas prosecutors are now basically taking the position to "always get a warrant" just to be safe.
• Those last two bullet points were written yesterday afternoon. I'm not that lucid now. 

News That Just Exploded: We've All Been Spied On For Years

The Washington Post just posted an investigative report (complete with an amazing government slideshow briefing presentation they got their hands on) which begins: "The National Security Agency and the FBI are tapping directly into the central servers of nine leading U.S. Internet companies, extracting audio, video, photographs, e-mails, documents and connection logs that enable analysts to track a person’s movements and contacts over time."

You've never heard of "PRISM" but you are about to. This is going to be huge. We have been living in a Surveillance State operating in almost total secrecy. 

Our Own Swamp Monster

More pictures.

A Weird Statute Finally Gives Rise To A Bizarre Verdict In San Antonio

Texas law has always been bizarre when it comes to justifiably killing someone.

Sec. 9.42.  DEADLY FORCE TO PROTECT PROPERTY.  A person is justified in using deadly force against another to protect land or tangible, movable property:
(1)  if he would be justified in using force against the other under Section 9.41 [meaning a person is
justified in using force against another when and to the degree the actor reasonably believes the force is immediately necessary to prevent . . .  unlawful interference with the property];  and
(2)  when and to the degree he reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary:
(A)  to prevent the other's imminent commission of arson, burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, theft during the nighttime, or criminal mischief during the nighttime;

Parts of that sound complicated, but it's really not. You can kill someone if you "reasonably believe" its necessary to prevent, among other things, theft at night.

So what if you hire a hooker off Craigslist, you give her $150 at night, and she leaves the room without, uh, rendering services. You follow her and she gets into a car to leave. Can you kill her to protect your $150?

Oh, my!

Troy Aikman Had A Twitter Screwup

Funny.

Father's Day Is Approaching

Maybe it is the Zapruder-like quality of this video which makes it so entertaining or maybe it is the subtleties. I love the guy who reaches for the ball on the way in and then covers his head like a school girl, and it takes a second to realize that the kid that gets bulldozed was already holding the ball that you see go flying.

I'm Not Sure Why I Love This Picture So Much But I Do

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• A note was left yesterday at Paradise High School saying that a bomb would go off at the school today. Dumb, dumb kid. (And it was a handwritten note. Heck, he needs another day of school.)
• A San Antonio assistant DA was fired for advising her friend not to provide a breath sample after a DWI stop and for "flashing her [prosecutor] badge." I don't care about the advice she was trying to give, but the badge flashing is what bugs me.
• I'll publish racist comments (and I've explained why a million times), but there are twice as many that I don't publish.
• If a thunderstorm wakes me up in the middle of the night, I try to stay awake as long as possible to listen to it.
• The Fourth Grader in the House wrote the sweetest thank you letter to her teacher for the last day of school. 
• My continued fascination with a baseball player that I might be the only one who cares about:  "Chris Davis reached 20 home runs and 20 doubles in fewer games than any player in MLB history."
• Scooter Sellers was just an older kid on my street in Bridgeport while I was growing up. I saw where DPS has named their communications center in Wichita Falls after him. 
• Mrs. LL managed to run into two or three spiders while cleaning out under the sink and then basically firebombed the house with insecticide which then made her sick. . 
• A Dallas Tea Party leader is catching heat for saying, "The Republican Party doesn't want black people to vote if they're going to vote if they're going to vote 9-1 for Democrats." Heck, even I understand what he was saying. No big deal. 
• Another Dennis Prager rant: He has "The Happiness Hour" once a week where he actually uses  Don't Worry. Be Happy. as return music. That song is, ironically, enough to put anyone in depression. Not to mention it makes the program seem shockingly dated.
• I think a plea bargain was reached in the Boyd Teacher Sexting trial yesterday. I don't know any of the facts but if I were a teacher, there is no way I would communicate with any student via text/Facebook/Twitter.  
• I've never heard of the Idaho Potato Truck that has a fake 12,000 pound potato on it, but I just got word that it was in Wise County headed towards Rhome on 114 this morning. Pictures?
• This is the anniversary of D-Day and I'm reminded that Robert Capa shot four rolls of film that day but only 11 made it to publication after a processing error in the lab of Life magazine in London. 
• Michael Jackson's daughter is only 15?

A Dallas Billionaire Is Offering You $1 Million To "Solve" A Math Problem

Check out the big brain on Beal!

Andrew Beal came up with this twenty years ago:

If Ax + By = Cz, where A, B, C, x, y and z are positive integers and x, y and z are all greater than 2, then A, B and C must have a common prime factor.

First, that will make sense to Mrs. LL and the Freshman In The House, but I'm not a 100% clear on what's going on there.  But that's not the point of this post. This is: The $1 million goes to anyone who can "prove or disprove his conjecture." 

I understand the disproving part: Get lucky enough to plug in a series of numbers (positive integers and greater than 2, as required)  that don't have A, B, and C with a "common prime factor." Ta-da! Theory disproved.

But how would you prove that it is always true?  Set up some computer program that just keeps printing out result after result which shows it's true? But just because the formula is true for the first billion equations a computer runs doesn't necessarily mean it will be true on the next one. 

Source.

Freedom Of The Press vs. The Right To Bear Dogs

ABC6 - Providence, RI and New Bedford, MA News, Weather

The Most Amazing Stat Ever

I was prepared to go on a rant about DWI checkpoints, but I can't past that zero number. How is that possible? It was between 9:00 pm and 1:00 am on this street . . . .

Hot Dog Head Girls

"Oh, the hot dogs. Yeah." - Dick Enberg doing a little comedy there.

Another Alleged Lovable Lawyer

There's a lot of gold in the story, but he must be a fan of The Ten Commandments and Apocalypse Now.

When officers spoke to Pearman, the registered guest, the lawyer apparently admitted the incident.

“I take full responsibility for what happened here. We were partying,” Pearman told police. “I did all of this. I am responsible for all these people. Let my people go.”

Pearman, who police said was drunk, was sharing the room with at least five people.

The lawyer yelled at Encore hotel staff in front of the officers and named the hotel’s owner, Steve Wynn, police said.

Pearman said he is a lawyer and “will depose Steve Wynn, and make this place Napalm,” police said. Napalm is gelled gasoline used in flame throwers and bombs that sticks to whatever it lands on and prolongs the burn.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• The kidnapping and murder of the 83 year old who was carjacked in her driveway in Arlington is shocking. I think she had lived in that neighborhood for thirty years. 
• And how in the world do Highland Park police allow a handcuffed man to "slip out of  the handcuffs" and fire at them. You just can't get out of handcuffs, can you? 
• "This is the greatest video of a bunch of cheerleaders singing in their bikinis since the last video of a bunch of cheerleaders singing in their bikinis." 
• Now our dishwasher is on the fritz. (Side note: No one seems to know the origin of "on the fritz".)
• Someone mentioned I sacked groceries as a kid. Nope. But I was a bank teller for a couple of years.
• There's some commercial running on conservative radio stations that, I believe, supports the proposed immigration reform. It is sponsored by some group called pray4reform on immigration. Not sure what's going on there. 
• I bet search warrants are granted in Texas about 98% of the time. And that figure may be too low. 
• Assuming the governor signs it, there will be a "10 percent pay increase for all commissioned DPS troopers in the Schedule C salary schedule over the next biennium, plus an equity adjustment for commissioned officers above a Trooper I level." I'm not sure what qualifies as a "Schedule C salary schedule."
• Every time I hear about a bad wreck in McKinney, I hear the words "Eldorado Parkway."
• I mentioned it a couple of weeks ago, but the electrical polls [edit: poles. Let the crotch kicking end] going up in Southern Wise County and along 287 may be the greatest eyesore I've seen in decades.They are massive and numerous. 
• There hasn't been much talk of the "online sexting" trial involving the former Boyd teacher that is currently going on in the courthouse. I'll try to check in on it today. 
• The government wants Chrysler to recall 2.7 million SUVs.  Chrysler says they aren't going to do it. 

Above The Fold

And Another; Texas

2013 had a pretty strong start. Things seem to be slowing down. (Thanks emailer.)

Idiot Chick In Bikini Misses Pool - Now Asks Internet To Support Her

Before feet met concrete.



The squeamish  probably shouldn't hit play. It's not Freddy Krueger graphic, but it will cause you to flinch.

(GoFundMe) — My daughter Nicole Just graduated from high school. She had a good job, and had just moved into her very first house as an adult on her own. I’m so proud of her. Unfortunately Nicole with her roommates, and a girlfriend were being crazy young adults one afternoon. Jumping from the roof of their house into the pool. I’m surprised that Nicole would even try something like that. She’s not the very daring type. She hesitated at the last moment. She missed the pool. Yes, We have video of the accident. They never expected the jump to go wrong. WARNING The video is graphic. I wish I had never watched it. Nicole has broken both of her feet. She didn’t have medical insurance at the time. Fortunately, Nicole’s Dad has been able to add her to his insurance. Today she’s having CAT scan. We should know by the end of the day when her next surgery will be. Nicole is expected to be disabled for at least 6 months to a year. She’s in a wheel chair. Not taking it very well I might add. The issue is that Nicole had just moved into her first house with the best roommates. Nicole not being able to work can’t pay her share of the bills. This threatens not only her losing her place to live, but her roommate’s as well. Their credit too. They have signed a years lease. I paid her share this month, but We need help while Nicole is in recovery. Living expenses. I’ve broken it down for you.Expected time down is 6 months. Nicole’s share of the rent is $300 x 6 = $1800Food, Toiletries, phone, Utilities, Add up to $400 a month x 6 = $2400

I've got so many questions. First, how did she get added to her dad's medical insurance after the fact?  Isn't there an application process or something? And shouldn't there be a question like "have you destroyed your legs within the last week?"  I'm no expert, but she seems to meet the definition of having a "pre-existing condition."

 And what's this GoFundMe thing? It's just high tech panhandling, right?  I mean the chick's mom wants us to pay for her food, and shelter and phone?  Why not bon bons? 

A Lesson From The Second Most Conservative Member Of The Supreme Court

Yesterday's Supreme Court decision that the police can take a DNA swab without a warrant from someone who has been arrested seemed like a foregone conclusion for this conservative court. A no-brainer. So imagine my surprise by the dissent of conservative Antonin Scalia. Preach on, brother.  

I don't think he subscribes to the brain dead notion of "If you have nothing to hide, why should you care if the police search you?"  There's hope after all. 

Side note: I had to look up "panopticon."

Suicide Weirdness

Two men found dead near Lake Ray Hubbard last Thursday committed suicide, ME says d-news.co/lHdQp
— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) June 4, 2013

You Would Think Cops In Jasper, Texas Would Know Better

A southeast Texas town with a history of racial unrest on Monday fired two white police officers recently captured on video slamming a black woman’s head into a countertop and wrestling her to the ground.

The incident was captured by security cameras at the Jasper, Texas, police headquarters.

Keyarika "Shea" Diggles, 25, was brought to the jail on May 5 for an unpaid fine, according to her lawyer. He said she was was on the phone with her mother trying to arrange to get the $100 owed when Officer Ricky Grissom cut off the call.

There’s no audio on the video, but Diggles and Grissom were apparently arguing when Officer Ryan Cunningham comes in behind Diggles and attempts to handcuff her. When she appears to raise her hand, Cunningham grabs Diggles by the hair and slams her head into a countertop. The officers wrestle Diggles to the ground before dragging her by her ankles into a jail cell.

But, man, that was comedy gold at 1:30 when the cop went flying. 

Will The Injustices In This Country Ever End?

Slavery. Women's suffrage. Racism.  Prohibition. The Drug War.

Now Prom Dresses.

The Days Before Photoshop

The story behind the 80 year old photo.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• One thing I missed from the small-Kentucky-towns-lawyer-suicide story yesterday: "All were men, their average age 53, and most were trial lawyers."
• Fleetwood Mac is at the AAC tonight. If Stevie Nicks is with them, I'd actually be interested. 
• At my high school graduation, I didn't have any feeling of a sense of accomplishment. I did, however, know my life was changing forever. 
• Our TV was locked on to the first game of the College Softball Championship last night and never once flipped over to Heat/Pacers. And it was fantastic.
• Two incredibly funny pictures from the Heat/Pacers game, though: (1) Flo Rida's massive Jesus necklace, and (2) Justin Bieber looking like Justin Bieber (I swear The Fourth Grade Girl In The House could beat him to a pulp in under a minute.)
• The Texas Lottery had to suspend its "All or Nothing" game because -- get this -- too many people were winning. Isn't there supposed to be a couple of math whizzes who work there?
• The owners of GoGo Gumbo in Boyd have opened up a lunch place simply named "Canteen." Edit: Menu.
• Ice and water dispenser in the door of the refrigerator? Greatest invention ever? But a question: The fridge has a stainless steel like finish. Any special tricks to clean it? Streaking seems to be an issue. 
• So "America's Deadliest Sniper" claimed to have killed two guys at a gas station after they tried to steal his truck (an account that cannot be verified), and after Hurricane Katrina he allegedly "set up on top of the Superdome, and proceeded to shoot dozens of armed residents who were contributing to the chaos"?  
• Dallas County is considering replacing its 24 year old courthouse. Wise County's courthouse is what? 116 years old?
• The Dog In The House has now, after three years, decided to wake me up at 5:00 a.m. by standing on my chest and pawing my hair. 
• I've never watched a single episode of Game Of Thrones but whatever happened on this week's episode caused the Internet to explode. 
• The former strip club in Arlington called Fantasy Ranch will become a "Southern comfort food" restaurant named Bootay's House of Soul. Coincidence or comic genius?

The Face Of A Man Whose Career Is Probably Over

Ramon Ortiz, 40, spent all of 2012 in the minors working toward one more shot at the big leagues. He got it this year with Toronto, but he's been ineffective. Last night, after delivering a pitch, he felt his elbow go. Then, tears. More.

He didn't need a trainer or a doctor to tell him. He just knew.

Cymbal Player Is 100% Money

Thinking on his feet like a boss.  (Around the 1:00 mark)

Arianny Celeste Monday Pick Me Up

Caught My Attention

Last Week's Cover Of Newsweek:

Today's Dallas Morning News:

And another story:

One Of Life's Great Mysteries

Man lifts t-shirt over his face. Drinks beer through it.

Interracial Couple In Cheerios Commercial Brings Outrage

How dumb is America?

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• Somehow Mrs. LL got hooked on The Real Housewives of New Jersey. She had some Reunion shows on and at first I thought they were acting. Then a came to the conclusion they are authentically crazy. 
• We sold the new puppy over the weekend. I was expecting a house full of crying girls but it went off smoothly. 
• I don't know anything about basketball, but the chances of the Mavericks landing Chris Paul or any other free agent in non-existent. Mark Cuban is like the guy who thinks all the cool kids will want to hang out with him even for less money. That's fatally flawed thinking.
• From the email bag: "Hey Barry, just got this from a very reliable source that DPS will be doing a massive DOT sweep in Wise County June 4,5 & 6. All 18 wheelers, dually pickups (even empty) and any vehicle (including cars) pulling a trailer will be subject to being stopped and undergo a DOT inspection. A lot of companies are shutting down for this 3 day fund raiser."
• Mrs. LL and I jumped on the trampoline together. Not for long, though. Laying down on it afterwards may he been the best part. 
• There's quite a bit or irony of the Messenger putting behind a paywall a story which is headlined: "County Activates New Emergency Alert System." Pay or die?
• If you are a storm chaser, you're asking for death. 
• Most awkward moment ever: We went to the pool with six kids this weekend (ours and friends) and played some goofed up keep away game with the football. Mrs. LL came over to me about halfway through: "You might want to kid get that kid off your back. She's not in our group or a friend of the group." Panic. 
• Jean Stapelton (Edith Bunker) died over the weekend. I'm still remember as a kid when ABC brought her in to do color commentary during a Harlem Globetrotters game. Really. The sad thing was that they had her act in Edith Bunker's character. Even then I was offended. I wanted to know what she was really like. 
• Dennis Prager: "I've never met any one who doesn't love -- absolutely love -- a genre of music." His circle of friends has to be, say, two. 
• I thought military trials were quick and led to injustice. So what's the deal with the alleged Fort Hood shooter? Californian would have been done with this thing by now. 
• I read a long article from the New York Times this weekend about how the drug trade moved from Columbia to Mexico. Fascinating stuff. And with the billions of money being involve,  the arresting of some American sap for possession under a gram just screams futility. 
• Josh Hamilton's awful performance (8 home runs and 18 RBIs) this season has earned him $5,825,245 in paychecks.