I'm looking at getting my pilot's license in the fall. I'm planning on moving down to part time with my current work load and dedicate 4-5 hour per day on going to school and getting a lot of flight time in. I've been told that New Mexico and Florida are both good places to learn and where there's a lot of schools. I'm wanting to get my license so that I can fly little Cessnas, Pipers and the like. Any recommendations on school to attend or stay away from?

****ing team has quit.

Racist poor sport.

Don't be a Sheryl is gonna stick and I love it.

100x hotter than Miley.

I've got the Chiefs in this one. They have the best HC-QB combo in the game. And I'll take their top-tier defense over the 49'ers' top-tier offense, especially since I don't think Purdy can keep pace with Mahomes in a shootout down the stretch. The dynasty awaits. Let the game begin.

Now, who are you picking?

.

The **** was that shit

Just a FYI...

I say this as someone who runs a Cybersecurity and Privacy company. Especially, do not install the app.

The Chinese parent/sister company is well known for doing a lot of shady business, even by their standards. The apps leak a lot of data and are known to try and access stuff it shouldn't.

Use at your own risk. If you do not agree, that is fine. There are plenty of bad apps, but this being such a popular company right now, makes it more dangerous.

I’m selling a like new Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Mount. It’s been used only a few times and the head is in a brand new waterproof rolling case that has never been outside. I have $2700 in this.
Must sell $1700.
Pick up in Houston or we can meet somewhere 1/2 way. (If I ship, it may be $100.)





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This weekend:

Says he will not come to the aid of NATO Allies invaded by Russia (also commenting that they are mostly deadbeats on their financial obligations to the organization ....no longer true) Need a booster shot on this subject, just listen to his lapdog Tucker Carlson's interview with Putin....

Calls out Nikki Haley's husband for not campaigning with her (He's deployed in Africa with the South Carolina National Guard) He did not call out Melania who reportedly has not been seen on the campaign trail since he announced his candidacy in 2022, nor has she been there for his many court appearances)

Further signposts on the Road to Donald Trump's Dystopia...

Wood be amazing if true

This will go well.

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Cliffs Notes: After a slow start that saw No.7 Texas score 23 points in the first half, the Longhorns dominated in the second half and rolled to a 65-43 win over TCU in Ft. Worth.

The Participants: No.7 Texas (21-3, 9-3 Big 12) and TCU (15-8, 2-10 Big 12)

Pre-Game NET Rankings: Texas (No.4) and TCU (No. 59)
Pre-Game RPI Rankings: Texas (No.12) and TCU (No.12)

Game MVP: Senior Shay Holle led the Longhorns with a team-high 14 points and 4 assists. The only other Texas player that scored in double-digits was star freshman Madison Booker, who scored 13 points and might have won MVP honors had she not left the game in the third quarter with some sort of issue (she returned to the game in the 4th quarter).

Unsung Hero: Senior reserve Deyona Gaston scored 9 points on 4 of 7 shooting, while adding 4 rebounds, 2 steals and a block.

Key stretch: With Texas holding on to a 29-27 lead in the middle of the third quarter, the Longhorns went on a 13-0 run to create the separation it desired. The Longhorns ended up outscoring TCU 26-12 in the third quarter after only scoring 23 points in the first half.

Strong Bench Play: The Longhorns don't always get a lot of scoring from the bench, but the reserves combined to contribute 19 points on Saturday.

Thing You Need to Know: Texas forced 19 TCU turnovers, won the battle on the glass (36-31) and dished on 20 assists on 27 made field goals as a team.

One Away From 400: The win gave Texas coach Vic Schafer his 399th career win. He'll have a chance to grab win No.400 on Valentine's Night at Houston.

ESPN Bracketology: With UT's RPI continuing to climb, it's hold on a No.2 seed is growing stronger.

👀

Whenever the DOJ (including special counsel) does anything but prop up Biden it gets blasted. When it targeted Trump it was lauded as honest and unbiased. When not charging Hunter it was doing the right thing. When that changed and Hunter got charged they did an about face and turned on Weiss. Hur issued this truthful report about Biden and got bashed. What gives? Either Garland and the DOJ is unbiased or they're not. This report was a great opportunity for the Dems to prove they stand behind the integrity of their DOJ. They chose Hur and should have stood behind his work. However, crying about it indicates they always expect the DOJ to further their cause over being truthful. They blew a chance to earn credibility this week.

* Mentioning Beau wasn't necessary but that isn't what has the Dems so upset. They are pissed because Hur's assessment hurt Biden's campaign.

Eat shit dickheads.

Yes, the US needs to pass onerous restrictions to stop global warming.

There was no crisis at the border until he started shipping migrants to sanctuary cities. Crazy how that happens

Adam Loewy is one of the top personal injury lawyers in Austin. Adam is a proud graduate of the University of Texas School of Law and started his law firm in 2005. Adam helps people who have been injured in car crashes, slip and falls, dog bites, and other assorted ways. He is actively involved in every case he handles and is always available to talk or text. If you or a loved one has been injured, call the Loewy Law Firm today at (512) 280-0800.

Be honest - you booked a hotel room in Atlanta.

The purpose of your visit is not to stroll through Centennial Olympic Park. The Georgia Aquarium is not why you intend to visit. The Varsity vs. Whataburger could be an interesting thread on Orangebloods, but not enough motivation to book a ticket. You are not traveling to Atlanta to see Jeff Foxworthy perform in his hometown.

Many of you are thinking about the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta on December 7.

Let us discuss what it will take for Texas to make that trip.

Oh, I know some people will read this column and echo Jason Suchomel by saying “Slow down” while banning anyone who posts pics of a woman wearing a turtleneck because it is too revealing.

However, @Ketchum posted a poll this past week and asked what the bar for success is in 2024.

Making the playoffs: 16.5 percent
Making the playoffs and winning at least one game: 35.2 percent
Making the playoffs and making the final four: 36 percent
National Championship game: 12.2 percent

• A significant portion of Longhorn football fans (83.7%) have high expectations for the team in 2024. The majority of respondents are looking beyond just making the playoffs, with 47.2% aiming for at least a semifinal appearance or a national championship game berth.

• The largest portion of respondents (36%) believe the benchmark for success in 2024 is making the playoffs and reaching the final four.

• While making the playoffs is considered a significant achievement by a portion of fans (16.5%), a larger percentage (35.2%) believe that success should be measured by making the playoffs and winning at least one game. What a difference a year makes, huh?

• Only 12.2% prioritize reaching the national championship game as the ultimate measure of success – no pressure.

Then again, Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian has high expectations, too.

“I didn't come here just to be a head coach again," Sarkisian said. "I didn't come here to say that I'm the Head Coach of the University of Texas. I came here to win a championship. And if I can get one, I want to get two. I'm borderline obsessed with it at this point. I know what it tasted like last year. I know how close we were and I couldn't wait to get back.

“Hopefully, that’s what our team really starts to exude, this obsession with being the best. We have a locker room full of young men that are driven, that are focused, that want to be the best. They want to be the best students that Texas football has ever had. They want to be the best team they're totally going for it.”

What will it take for us to ditch travel plans to Arlington in December and watch Drunk Randoke fight opposing fans outside of Mercedes Benz Stadium later this year?

First, let us examine the Big 12.

I looked at the total offense and total defensive rankings since 2008 to gauge what it takes to win this conference.

Year – Big 12 Champion (Offensive rank/Defensive rank)

2023 – Texas (3rd/1st)

2022 – Kansas State (6th/4th)

2021 – Baylor (5th/4th)

2020 – Oklahoma (1st/3rd)

2019 – Oklahoma (1st/6th)

2018 – Oklahoma (1st/10th)

2017 – Oklahoma (1st/4th)

2016 – Oklahoma (2nd/5th)

2015 – Oklahoma (4th/1st)

*2014 – Baylor (1st/4th)
*2014 – TCU (2nd/1st)

2013 – Baylor (1st/4th)

*2012 – Kansas State (7th/3rd)
*2012 – Oklahoma (4th/4th)

2011 – Oklahoma State (2nd/7th)

2010 – Oklahoma (2nd/4th)

2009 – Texas (5th/1st)

2008 – Oklahoma (1st/3rd)

* Finished tied for the conference championship

Overall, it took a strong offense and “good defense” to win the Big 12.

Meanwhile, here is a look at how Texas finished offensively and defensively in the Big 12 during that time:

Year – Offensive rank/Defensive rank

2023 – Texas (3rd/1st)

2022 – Texas (5th/2nd)

2021 – Texas (3rd/8th)

2020 – Texas (2nd/6th)

2019 – Texas (2nd/7th)

2018 – Texas (6th/3rd)

2017 – Texas (7th/3rd)

2016 – Texas (5th/7th)

2015 – Texas (8th/7th)

2014 – Texas (9th/2nd)

2013 – Texas (6th/6th)

2012 – Texas (6th/5th)

2011 – Texas (7th/1st)

2010 – Texas (8th/1st)

2009 – Texas (5th/1st)

2008 – Texas (5th/1st)

Texas has improved in both categories every year under Sarkisian.

On the surface, it is easy to say this season is all about Quinn Ewers. He will compete for a Heisman Trophy in 2024. Texas will have the quarterback advantage is nearly every game this season.

However, unless Quinn Ewers is the second coming of Joe Burrow, Texas will not have a shot to win the SEC without an outstanding defense.

Let us take a look at the SEC champions over the past 10 seasons

Year – SEC Champion (Offensive rank/Defensive rank)

2023 – Alabama (8th/2nd)

2022 – Georgia (2nd/1st)

2021 – Alabama (2nd/2nd)

2020 – Alabama (2nd/3rd)

2019 – LSU (1st/9th)

2018 – Alabama (1st/3rd)

2017 – Georgia (5th/2nd)

2016 – Alabama (4th/1st)

2015 – Alabama (5th/1st)

2014 – Alabama (2nd/3rd)

* It is nearly impossible to win the SEC Championship without an outstanding defense. Outside of LSU winning a national title with the league’s ninth-ranked defense in 2019, no champion has finished with a defense ranked less than third.

* On three occasions, the SEC Champion had the top-ranked defense.

* Overall, LSU had the nation’s best offense in 2023 (Texas was ranked 9th).

* However, Georgia’s defense was ranked 9th and Alabama finished 18th (both teams appeared in the SEC title game.

* Texas finished 35th.

Sure, Atlanta in December sounds like a lot of fun. We have not performed the Dirty Bird celebration in years. Mary Mac’s Tea Room is calling you.

Just know it might take more than a high-powered offense for a holiday trip to ATL.

“When I accepted the job, I didn't know we were going to the SEC,” Sarkisian said before the Sugar Bowl. “I felt like if we were going to be a national championship program, we had to recruit players that could beat the SEC in the College Football Playoff. So that process started the day I got here. How do I build a roster that would have the ability to beat the best teams coming out of this conference to win a national championship? Because those are the teams that are always playing for it year in and year out. And I had just left that conference at Alabama. So that process got underway. When I got notified we were going to the SEC, I remember President [Jay] Hartzell and CC (Chris Del Conte) asked me: What do you think? I said, well, we are already beating a team to try to beat those guys in the playoffs. We will be okay. So the process was underway. So we really haven't had to change much of the expectation of what's to come.

“Obviously, we've been exposed to a couple of SEC venues. Year one, we went to Arkansas and got our butts kicked. So it gave us a rude awakening for what that looks like. And then this year, we were able to go to Tuscaloosa and find a way to win at Alabama. But, again, that's all part of the process that we were already on, so there won't be so much of a shift as most people would think.”

Funniest Things You Will See This Week

Somebody chose to stand in the wrong place
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Married couples when their spouse goes out of town for the weekend
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She must work for Spirit Airlines
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Here is the explanation via SI.com

"The Milwaukee Bucks traded center Robin Lopez to the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, but the veteran big man is expected to be waived by Sacramento and become a free agent. After the move, Lopez posted the perfect reaction to his extremely brief tenure as teammates with new Bucks guard Patrick Beverley.

"Lopez likely will latch on with a contender for the stretch run, but on Thursday night, he was still sitting courtside as his former Milwaukee teammates took on the Minnesota Timberwolves at Fiserv Forum.

"Lopez was inactive after being traded and was sitting courtside … reading a book."
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What is he training for?
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Sports On A Dime

1. How did this Texas men’s basketball team lose to West Virginia a few weeks ago? It was a good win on Saturday, but my goodness, this team has been unpredictable.
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2. Sarkisian's comments on recruiting this past week revealed a strategic blend of prioritizing local talent while also expanding the Longhorns' national footprint. He wants to obtain the top prospects in Texas and leverage connections in traditional football hotbeds like California and Georgia. At the end of the day, talent is talent, regardless of which state the player is from, but it will be an interesting balancing act to watch.

3. Sarkisian recently said he went into the transfer portal to obtain three receivers because he lacked numbers and guys in that room with experience. However, the obvious question is how do guys who lack experience obtain playing time if they do not receive playing time? It reminds me of trying to obtain credit. Companies often deny applicants who do not have credit, but the only way to obtain credit is to be approved for a line of credit. If his young receivers do not play this season, Sarkisian will face the same dilemma next year.

4. This could have been a video under the funniest things you might see this week category. USC coach Lincoln Riley wants you to believe that former 5-Star quarterback Caleb Williams was so desperate to play at Oklahoma that he was willing to walk-on? He could have played for any team in the country but his parents were willing to pay out-of-pocket for the privilege of being coached by Riley. Sure, that sounds believable.
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5. Here is a portion of a great article by Carter Yates of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football about dual sport athletes:

“The notion that high school football players should specialize on the gridiron for the best opportunity at an FBS scholarship is a myth.

“In an examination of the three recruiting cycles from 2022-24, DCTF found that of the 607 high school signees to the 13 FBS programs in Texas, 404 (66.5 percent) played at least one other sport at the varsity level. Track was the most popular second sport by a wide margin, accounting for 83 percent of all multi-sport athletes, followed by basketball, which constituted 27 percent of two-sport athletes.

"This is why college coaches and recruiters actively seek out football players who compete in another sport - their brains are wired differently than the general population.

"The first thing I look for in recruiting - and I know this sounds odd - I try to identify really unique competitors," Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said. "Forget skillset. Naturally, we're there because (of) their size, length, speed, whatever. But is he a competitive human being? What I mean by being competitive is, does he play multiple sports? I think that matters.

“Anthony Hill Jr. won Big 12 Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year honors for the Longhorns this fall, finishing second on the team with 67 total tackles. The five-star linebacker was running on Denton Ryan's 4x400 relay team the prior spring at the 5A state meet.

“For TCU head coach Sonny Dykes, playing a second sport isn't only beneficial to an athlete if they excel at it. Simply participating is a green flag for college coaches because it shows unselfishness, that the athlete cares about his high school's athletic program.

"I think one of the most important things we want to see from people is a competitive spirit," Dykes said. "Somebody who's unselfish and somebody who wants to help the team. A lot of times, these athletes will run track. They may not be the fastest or the best, but they want to help their team. And that says a lot about who they are, what kind of player they are, and their character."
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6.Antonio Gates is not a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Let that sink in as you look at the latest “Hall of Good” players list.
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7. I refuse to bet against Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl. That seems like an exercise in futility.
Kansas City 27, San Francisco 24

8. Here is a great Super Bowl note from UT:
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9. Print out this drinking game and enjoy your day
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10. Promoter: Showmanship will help build your brand

Boxer Ben Whittaker: Say less
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In honor of @Bevo 24’s post on worst book adaptations. How about movies that were better than the book?

For me…
Dances with Wolves
Arrival

Stumbled across this yesterday. What a great kid. He should earn a lot of playing time this year! Too bad that receiver, #1, Moore didn't join him. That kid is a beast. We are winning a Natty in 2024.