Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• There was an interesting comment yesterday after I posted a couple of Alvord news clips from back in the day. To paraphrase, it was someone complaining that if you weren't born in Wise County you will never feel accepted by the old-timers. And further, why does just being born in a particular place give you the right to feel superior? (Now consider that statement and think about people trying to enter our country for a better life.)
• In the high school playoffs in 2002, Everman beat Lake Dallas 78-0.  And I think it was around that time (maybe) that a kid was paralyzed playing for Everman. I wonder what ever happened to him.
• Did you see the video of the metroplex female officer who was swept away in rushing water. I don't know if she was brave or clueless. There is no way someone could think they could walk through that. 
• That hearing yesterday for pre-trial motions for Texas AG Ken Paxton was a waster of time and nothing but grandstanding. (And I wouldn't dare to try to use Power Point in a hearing in Wise County.)  I'm kind of surprised that the respected Tarrant County judge allowed all that grandstanding. 
• Pitcher David Price received a new contract yesterday of 7 years for $217 million. Guaranteed. Parents: Don't hand your kid a football. Hand him a baseball. (And Price has basically zero chance to suffer from the effects of concussions -- save the line drive off his noggin.)
• I've mentioned Looking For Captain Zero a couple of times now because I have a hunch that my contractor for the floors in the home may be the guy who went looking for him. And then Mrs. LL reminded me of how all of this started. When we were in Costa Rica in that village, we were briefly introduced to Captain Zero who looked borderline homeless and was riding a bike. That's what caused me to go buy the book in the first place.  And she remembered something else I had forgotten: He was wearing a University of Texas cap! There is a Texas connection! 
• Wow: "MECOSTA COUNTY, Mich. — A Mecosta man is charged with a felony for obstruction of justice and misdemeanor of tampering with a jury for passing out fliers about jury nullification rights on the sidewalk of the Mecosta County courthouse." His bond was set at $150,000.  The guy was arrested for just telling potential jurors that they can find someone not guilty if they want to on the basis of fairness and common decency? 
• I arose from my illness (still getting better, by the way) to watch the new Muppets show last night on ABC. It was like the writers of Modern Family took over this resurrection. It was laugh out loud funny. 
• The Mayor of Chicago fired the police chief because of the murder of the kid by one of the chief's officers. Why? The buck ends with him. Along those line, after  all of the bad press that DPS in Texas has received (see example, below), how does DPS Director Steve McCraw still have a job? 
• From the Update: "HELICOPTER SANTA – Santa will be landing his helicopter at The Community Bank in Bridgeport at 5 p.m. Thursday. Cookies will be served." I remember my dad almost freaking out when I was a little kid when we had a Helicopter Santa land in narrow downtown Bridgeport between a bunch of power lines in front of a massive crowd. It got so close to the lines that we almost had a small town Hindenburg. Oh, the humanity, indeed. 
• The Ticket's Gordon Keith won an award for writing -- primarily based upon one column about the anticipated death of his mom earlier this year. A guy who is a smart ass, writes too much, talks too much, thinks about deep things too much, and had a loving mother.
• The "almost" final Top Four for the college football playoffs are out: (1) Clemson, (2) Alabama, (3) Oklahoma, (4) Iowa.   Bet the house: Michigan State will replace Iowa next week. All else will remain the same. #SportsGenius
• If you are a fan of The Ticket and a fan of the movie Love, Actually (which I am), this might make you laugh out loud.