Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• A belated thought about the NASCAR race in Texas this month: That backstretch looked completely empty. Didn't that use to be full at these races?
• Last week, the chief scientist of NASA (not NASCAR) said that there will be "strong indications" of alien life within a decade and "definite evidence" of it within 20 to 30 years. That sounds like something someone would say if they were trying to drum up funding from Congress.  
• There were lots of comments on the Chico Bond election post that I couldn't let go through. Hey, if you want to call an elected official or anyone for that matter an idiot or incompetent that is fine. But I can't allow an accusation of a crime being committed or some act you believe to be immoral unless you can offer some proof or be willing to be identified.
• I love those those who say President Obama's skit at the Correspondent's dinner was below the dignity of the Office.  Have you forgotten George W. in 2004 did a bit at the same event alongside a W impersonator? Or how about W joking about not being able to find weapons of mass destruction in 2007 as he displayed a picture of him looking under furniture in the oval office?
• I'm a little confused about the the "standoff" described in the first item of the Update. So there's a domestic violence situation in Decatur (which will result in a misdemeanor) and a 911 call that the accused is about to fight another man in the front yard. He goes back in the house when Decatur police arrive. There was no mention of a weapon and officers were able to communicate with him through a window. So this requires Sheriff's office "negotiators", DPS troopers, a Texas Ranger and a Game Warden? Am I missing something?
• I ran in a 5K fund raiser at the request of the Junior in the House over the weekend who had made claims she would beat me in the race. At the starting line, I made sure she started before me because this was chipped time even.  My strategy: Let her start before me, catch her along the way, and then just run with her the rest of the way. If we then finished at the same time, I'd win. But my moral dilemma was going to be the near the end of the race. Should I pass her? Should I let her "win" in appearance but still lose in chip timing? And my plan worked out flawlessly.  I caught up with her at the halfway point and ran with her the rest of the way. As the finish line appeared over 100 yards away, she took off like a rocket. I went after her.  Two things: (1) I hadn't sprinted that hard in years, (2) I couldn't catch her to save my life and she actually put distance between us. (3) Five minutes after the race I had someone walk over to me and hand me a bottle of water because she didn't think I looked too well.  Final result: I actually beat her in the chip time, but I had no desire to mention that to her. 
• If the numbers I'm seeing are correct, the water level of Lake Bridgeport has hardly moved. With all this rain, that's disturbing. 
• A six second clip from Married With Children which foreshadowed what would become of Bruce Jenner. 
• The Josh Hamilton trade is mind blowing. The Angels owe him $80 million for the remainder of his contract. They trade him to Texas with an agreement from Hamilton that he would reduce his contract by $6 million to make it $74 million. Of that amount, the Angels will pay $68 million of it and Texas will pay $6 million.  Wow: The Angels will pay Hamilton $68 million to play for a division rival just to get rid of him! You know, Hamilton may never be productive again.  But this is the equivalent of Texas paying $6 million for 100% insurance that he will never be productive for the Angels again and have the Angels take a financial payroll hit. Not a bad idea. And if he does recover and become productive for Texas, this deal is a is a double steal. 
• I'm not a big fan of inspirational quotes, but I often mumble to myself, "Keep pounding that rock" when I need help to continue on (whether it be work or exercise or even life struggle). I learned of that phrase from San Antonio Spurs coach Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich who explained it this way: “When nothing seems to help, I go look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the 101st blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before."