Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• I was watching Aerial America last night (maybe my favorite show ever) which was featuring Oregon. I had no idea that a Japanese submarine off the West coast fired upon Fort Stevens during World War II.
• And I discovered last night that the narrator for Aerial America is the professional voice for promos on the Ticket: Jim Conrad. I'd love to have a job as a voice guy. 
• I often say I'm no longer a music fan but I stumbled upon 91.7 FM where I heard, for the first time in two decades, Elton John's Madman Across the Water followed by the Cranberries Linger and then some new stuff which was pretty cool. Anyone else familiar with this station?
• Music note #2: I heard a review of Billy Joel's concert he had in Dallas last week in a sold out AAC. He was described as energetic and engaging with the crowd during a two hour show.  For a guy who hasn't put out a new record in twenty years, that's pretty impressive.
• The President's approval rating is rising. And fast. That's unheard of for a lame duck president entering his final two year.
• Attorneys for Kaufman ex-JP Eric Williams want a new trial for the convicted killer, saying that his “brain is broken” and that newly discovered “brain damage” could have changed the outcome of his trial. His lawyers might should have thought about that before the trial.
• "During a lecture at the University of Florida on Jan. 20, retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens acknowledged evidence that proved 'beyond a shadow of doubt' that Texas executed an innocent man in the 1980s." That seems like it should be pretty big news. (You can spend more than a day exploring the case he was referring to here. I found that link a couple of years ago and was fascinated.)
• “[There has not been] a single case – not one – in which it is clear that a person was executed for a crime he did not commit. If such an event had occurred… the innocent’s name would be shouted from the rooftops.” - Justice Antonin Scalia in 2006.
• The Messenger seems miffed that their "missing dogs" story went national but they aren't getting any credit. That's understandable. 
• I've been a long time critic of Sport's Illustrated's Peter King because I think he has a big bag of nothing and is a lap dog for the NFL. He's had a 10 minute show on the Ticket this fall year, and I've noticed that when he has a hot sport's take he will preface it every time with "I think" or "In my opinion." That gives him wiggle room. 
• Speaking of the NFL: News came out yesterday where they might be in possession of a video showing a ball boy for the Patriots removing the balls from the field in Deflategate. They are able to obtain that video within 10 days but couldn't get a hold of the Ray Rice video of him beating his wife? 
• "Do you mind if I un-invite you to Arkansas for this weekend?" - Mrs. LL last night. (The Sixth Grader In The House didn't want to make the college visit trip with the Junior In The House so I now get to stay home and babysit.) 
• American Airlines, which went through bankruptcy,  had a record net profit in 2014 of $4.2 billion which is up 115% from 2013. In 2003, when the airline was on its knees due to 9/11, I bought some stock in it as it plummeted. Those shares are now up a mind boggling 1,564%.  The problem is that I bought very, very few shares. (And for every hit like that, I've got an equal -- or more -- number of misses.) 
• I'm not sure I understand the first item in the Update other than to learn Wise Regional Hospital seems to be getting deep into the nursing home business.
• Based upon the news coverage last night, I'll be stunned if anyone in the Northeast is alive this morning after the snow storm. (CNN had a reporter running around in "Blizzardmobile".)