An Average Saturday Morning

So I'm watching ESPN's College Game Day this morning and Mrs. LL sees this bro on the screen. She giggled wildly.  In the next 15 minutes she scrambles to record it, learns for the first time how to create an animated GIF, sends it to Deadspin and then prays it gets posted.

Yeah, the dirty dishes might pile up from time to time, but that's why I love her.

Above The Fold

Clemson Taking You Into The Weekend

Liam Neeson As An Air Marshal? Yes, Please

And those air bubbles to see the text messages were pretty cool, too.

Friday Morning Pick Me Up: Kate Middleton. Volleyball. Heels.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• I've been on a rant lately about the slew of Dallas cops opening fire on people who they say "acted in an aggressive manner" or "pointed a weapon in officer's direction." Well, now we have a video tape proving that's not even close to the truth sometimes.  
• A "rampage" in a Chico trailer led to a twenty year sentence last year. The conviction was affirmed yesterday (in an insignificant legal opinion.)
• A huge crowd yesterday at the memorial service of County Judge Billy McElhaney. Seating capacity was 750 and there seemed to be many, many more standing. 
• And there were so many people there that I had a connection with: It was a crowd dominated by old school Bridgeport and Wise County government. That's pretty much me. 
• Briefly walking around the Bridgeport cemetery yesterday was jarring because of all of the graves of people I knew. 
• When I look at a grave I tend not to remember the person as much as I think about those who grieve when they visit it. 
• Money Pit continues: Yesterday the banister on the staircase came loose - as in almost collapse.  (Although I think I can fix it.) But I did get to remind everyone of the number of times I've said, "Do not pull on that rail!"
• Sports: (1) There was a whole lot of lying going on yesterday at the Nolan Ryan exit press conference. (2) Randy Galloway got lots of criticism of his questioning of co-owner Ray Davis, but I thought that was fair. And Davis made the rookie mistake of answering a question with a question during a press conference. (3) The regularly confused WBAP duo of Brian Estridge and Steve Lamb said this morning that disgruntled and released Cowboy Jay Ratliff had the franchise tag placed on him before the season. (4) TCU Coach Gary Patterson on this week's game against Oklahoma State: “Reading the paper, we’re a ‘trap game'. In 16 years, I haven’t ever been a trap game.” You haven't ever been an underdog in 16 years to a team that might be looking past you? Really? (5) Paradise v. Pilot Point was The Ticket's Craig Way Memorial Game Of The Week this morning. George Dunham made his pick by saying, "I've got two tickets to Paradise!"
• A lady in Mineral Wells was found dead in a "chest freezer" in Mineral Wells in August. Yesterday the coroner reported that the death was accidental with "toxicology tests [revealing] methamphetamine, marijuana, hydrocodone and an unnamed anti-anxiety medication." What a way to go. 
• And I still have a beef with coroner reports. They are doctors. Not investigators. (Despite what you see on TV.) The only thing that they can be concluded in that case is that she froze to death and had drugs in her system.  Yeah, the chances of her passing out and someone placing her in the freezer to kill her are remote, but there is no way by examining a body that you can conclude that did not happen. 
• I don't think I've ever seen the hard Right Wing so disjointed as they are after this failed "Unfund Obamacare" disaster. Sean Hannity appears to be in depression. But why did they pick a fight when there was a 100% chance they would lose? 
• A 67 year old Boyd man was arrested yesterday for the murder of a man 45 years ago in Pennsylvania. I wonder how many 22 year olds would kill someone if they knew for a fact they would get away with it for the next 45 years.

October 16, 1976

I saw a blurb yesterday about how the date was the anniversary of a horrible day in the life of Baylor's coach Art Briles.  October 16, 1976 was the day Briles lost his parents in a car crash. And then I learned they had been on their way to see their son in the Cotton Bowl where Briles was playing that day for the University of Houston against SMU.

And I started thinking: I went to an SMU game during the State Fair in the 1970s. My buddies and I loaded a bus at the United Methodist Church in Bridgeport on a Saturday morning and headed there.  I wondered if it was the same day? One of my few memories of the game was sitting in the end zone and trying to follow the Baylor/Aggie game by stadium updates. (No portable radios, no cell phones, no nothing.) I remember the wind was blowing like crazy and soon the PA announcer said that Aggie kicker Tony Franklin had just kicked a collegiate record 65 yard field goal against Baylor.

So I googled Franklin's kick.  Yep, it came back to October 16, 1976.

Briles learned of his parents' death in the locker room after the game. I was probably being a goofy kid on the Midway not far away at that moment.

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• “Sometimes . . . comments like that are made out of malice, but if someone has no intelligence I don’t view it as being a malicious statement” - Sen. John McCain about crazy Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert (who is loony)
• I had one of those moments yesterday where I silently and angrily did a simple household chore that Mrs. LL should have done. (She is aware of this, by the way.)  I had mentioned doing something like that a couple of months ago and I referred to as "passive-aggressive conduct." But that's wrong, isn't it? That type of conduct is defined as being neutral or refusing to do something angrily and in deviance. What's the name of my conduct that involves action which appears normal (doing a chore) but with resentment? (Clinically speaking, that is. Be nice.) 
• And if I only have to do one of those "it's her chores" every couple of months, I'm pretty lucky. 
• Did I hear that as part of reopening the federal government that all of the furloughed workers will receive their back pay?
• "This is not a defeat from the Tea Party! If you think we were up in your grill before, you ain't seen nothing yet." - A delirious Mark Davis this morning 
• Ted Cruz is smart, articulate, entertaining and crazy. 
• Mark Cuban won his insider training case and bashed the prosecutor on the courthouse steps afterwards. Paraphrasing, he said, "The prosecutor said this was just business and nothing personal. But when you have people on the witness stand and you call them liars, it's personal." I finally agree with the guy about something. 
• But it was funny that during his five minute post-judgment interview he actually worked in his old TV show, The Benefactor. 
• The New York Times yesterday had an article about how the current testosterone craze may be a scam. 
• The new Tom Hanks movie is based (perhaps loosely) on the news story involving a hijacking of a boat by pirates who were ultimately shot by Navy Seals. The week after that story happened I relayed how the Seals used gyro-stabilized rifles to compensate for the sea waves. I was immediately told I was crazy about the gyro-stabilized rifles -- but at least I had the ABC News report as a source. 
• For some reason I'm annoyed by someone saying that a book or an article is a "great read."
• There was a commercial on CNN last night for some scan service where you could allegedly purchase items for pennies on the dollar. "I got this $1,200 computer for $75!!"  I understand that running during a soap opera or MTV, but on CNN during prime time?

Oklahoma Man Goes Full Throttle With Halloween Decorations

News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

The Aggies Visited Ole Miss

"I would gay marry this girl in a heartbeat." - Faithful female reader who emailed me this video.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• Today the far right wing faction which is controlling the Republican House will finally back down, and this silly stunt will be over. It's all about perception.
• Got bombarded with, "It's huuuumpDAAAAY" this morning. 
• "Arlington attorney Kathy Lowthorp said Tuesday that she is joining the race for Tarrant County district attorney." Never heard of her. And it was odd that ADA Bob Gill dropped out of the race last week. 
• So Decatur tricked up the turn lanes on FM 51 west of 287? It can't be any worse than it was, right?
• "An off-duty Dallas motorcycle officer with a reported blood alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit apparently won’t face charges because of a 'potential procedural error with the blood test,' Rockwall County officials said." That needs to be clarified. 
• Mrs. LL was having a conflict with a male nurse. I told her I'd give him the Robert De Niro / Owen Wilson treatment from Meet the Parents.
• "The Wise County Democratic Party will meet at 6:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21 . . . . " 6:15?
• The viral video of the day yesterday was called "Gold Digger Prank." Looks fake. 
• Fox News' Megyn Kelly will always get a lot of slack from me for asking an in denial Karl Rove on election night, “Is this just math you do as a Republican to make yourself feel better or is it real?”
• I've never known a train conductor. 
• I got an old 45 rpm single of New Order's True Faith for Boss's Day. And it was signed by the band and framed. So cool. 

Above The Fold

Somebody Explain To Me How Heritage Action Controls The Republicans

They told the Republicans not to vote to open the government as planned tonight, and they all jumped in line.

Get Your Guns Up (Or At Least in A Safe Position)

I've mention from time to time how Texas law allows for a long barreled firearms (rifles, shotguns, and even AR-15s and the like) can be carried down the street in full view. Yep, legal.

And it looks like a group in San Antonio intends to remind the police about that on October 19th.

I'm Not Laughing. I'm Not Laughing.

Source – A woman in Fort Lauderdale, Florida who got stuck on a railroad bridge and had to be rescued by local firefighters could face trespassing charges. The 55-year-old Dania Beach woman who has been identified as Wanda McGowan, was crossing the New River using a railroad bridge, when the bridge unexpectedly started to lift up.  As the bridge started to rise, Ms McGowan held on to the sides of the two tracks to remain aloft. Matt Little, a spokesman for Fort Lauderdale police released a statement ’We are thankful that the individual involved in this life-threatening incident survived.

Fire At High School Football Game

Such insanity. The dialogue. The lack of fire fighting ability. And the band plays on.

It's like a Monty Python skit.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• There's a "fugitive" held up in a Parker County home this morning which gave rise to this sentence in the Star-Telegram: "He was paroled in 2010, but six months later he was convicted again of possessing a controlled substance, 'meth habitual,' according to TDCJ." (I'm guessing that's not the name of the drug but instead it was a possession offense with two prior prison trips. Thus, a "habitual offender" under Texas law.) Update: Police killed him. 
• The Fifth Grader in the house fell for the old "I bet you can't be quiet for a whole hour" trick last night. But I've got a new respect for her discipline because that kid loves to talk.
• Yesterday David Dewhurst said President Obama should be impeached. It's one thing for the fringes of the Tea Party to say something like that but shocking when it comes from a Lt. Governor. 
• I saw the "Overpasses For Impeachment" demonstration on 407/287 on Friday in Wise County. I'm guessing maybe twenty people tops. (And they grossly underestimated how big a sign needs to be to get motorist's attention.)
• The Denton County police (unofficial) Twitter book-in feed showed a 17 year old arrested for possession of tobacco last night. I clicked on the pic expecting to see some goofy high school kid. Nope. Throttle back, man. Throttle back. 
• A Texas guy became mildly famous over the weekend during the "Million Vet March" as he stood in front of the White House with the unofficial Tea Party flag along with a Confederate flag. 
• Sports: (1) I really didn't pay attention at the time to the Red Sox comeback win on Sunday but that was fantastic, (2) I feel sorry for RG3 -- he's just not right yet, (3) That was horrible crowd attendance at the TCU game on Saturday -- Where is everyone? (4) You think every National Championship team just waltzes through the the season? Not so fast my friend. (5) I could listen to Barry Switzer all day long. 
• The Dallas teacher/Playboy model says she's been fired. 
• There is a shocking lack of racial diversity in law firms in Dallas. The only silver lining for minorities  is that there is not a worse job in the world than the bill-by-the-tenth-of-an-hour Dallas big law firm job. I did it for the first three years of my career and walked away. Smartest thing I ever did. 
• I jogged last night, reflecting after a very difficult day,  and became really overheated due to the humidity and the lack of wind. After returning and leaning over the sink in the kitchen the Fifth Grader in the House handed me a cup of water. Sounds insignificant. Not to me. 
• Mrs. LL bought a commemorative edition of the Dallas Morning News which is an exact replica of the paper as it was published the day after JFK was shot. It's sealed in plastic. It's not worth anything but she won't let me rip it open and read it until she buys another one to save. 

Wise County Judge Bill McElhaney Collapses During Commissioners Court

That was probably the most upsetting moment in the history of the Wise County Courthouse.

He has passed away. Horrible. Just horrible. 

More Baseball Comedy

Ok, they story is that this guy rips away a home run ball from this chick and throws it back.  Fine.

But look at her face in slow motion.  It's like her first child is being tossed into right field.

Funny Play Of The Day

Baseball is still being played. Comedy ensues.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• Wow: The wife of Lee Harvey Oswald once listed a post office box in "Boyd, Texas" as her address per the Warren Commission Report. (h/t Bud Kennedy.) 
• I would have bet a ton of money on OU straight up. Thanks goodness I don't know a bookie.
• When I left this morning Mrs. LL was laying horizontally in bed with the Family Pup at her side. Made me giggle.
• Watched the first half of Frontline about the concussions in the NFL. I had forgotten that Monday Night Football began with two animated helmets crashing into each other and exploding. 
• Mrs. LL found all the Frontlines on Netflix via Roku. She was absolutely giddy. Sometimes she surprises me. 
• The Dallas Morning News has a "Miss Texas Pole Competition" slideshow on its home page. That's the equivalent of a Random Thought Girl, no?
• The BagOfNothing guy was dogging Baylor this morning after scoring just 35 on Kansas State.  Hey, I'm not ready to proclaim them Big 12 Champions, but every good team has to go through that on the road. It wasn't pretty, but I'll take it. 
• I think arson investigators and coroners believe they are smarter than they actually are. 
• The more I think about it, the Chris Arnold plagiarism piece is a fireable offense. I've never seen anything so blatant. (And we should have all been tipped off -- he's not smart enough to string together that many coherent thoughts.)
• From my email bag: "Thought you might like this.  I am self employed and purchase private insurance for my wife and I.  My premiums are currently $370/mo since we were both on excellent when we enrolled many years ago.  Under Obamacare, my premiums go to $925/mo and I can not get subsidy since I make more than 4x the poverty level.  I can not afford this $11k premium and the resulting $12k annual deductible."  He wanted me to share it. The stunning part is that he was paying $370 a month part. 
• From the Update: "1 SHOT, 1 STABBED IN CHICO". How is it possible the names aren't available?
• Bridgeport falls to 0-7. They need one win to get in the playoffs. That ain't happening. 
• The Sophomore In The House is in band. The number of hours she is required to commit to it would cause me to brake break my instrument over my knee in the first week. But she loves it. Even if it means leaving the house at 8:00 a.m. on a Saturday. 
• I'm back to jogging and have abandoned the X-box training game.  I had forgotten how much I loved it. I got up yesterday morning at dawn to do it, -and I always think to myself, "There will come a time when you can no longer do this. But that day is not today."

An Example Of Why Facebook Drives Me Crazy

If you posted this, you are as dumb as a  box of rocks. (And that's an insult to rocks who happen to be in boxes.)

"Beware of false prophets"

I'm a pretty easy going guy. I don't get worked up very often.

But on the rare occasion I run across Joel Osteen on a Sunday morning, I become borderline enraged.

The screen on his "sermons" is constantly imploring you to go to one of his seminars or buy his new book (very Jesus like), but I was very confused as to why his P.O. Box address was predominately shown on the screen. Then I thought that perhaps, maybe, it's targeted at the elderly? Those who have savings yet are naive and technologically challenged? Those who would sit down and write a letter? And write a check?

Snake Oil for sell. Gather round, gather round.