Allen Stanford is gonna be making little rocks out of big rocks.

Former jet-setting Texas tycoon R. Allen Stanford, whose financial empire once spanned the Americas, was sentenced Thursday to 110 years in prison for bilking investors out of more than $7 billion over 20 years in one of the largest Ponzi schemes in U.S. history.

U.S. District Judge David Hittner handed down the sentence during a court hearing in which two people spoke on behalf of Stanford’s investors about how his fraud had affected their lives.

Prosecutors had asked that Stanford be sentenced to 230 years in prison, the maximum sentence possible after a jury convicted the one-time billionaire in March on 13 of 14 fraud-related counts. Stanford’s convictions on conspiracy, wire and mail fraud charges followed a seven-week trial.

Yeah, 230 years was a couple of years too much.

Take it away, Willie.  If ya wanna dance, you gotta play the band.

Michele Bachmann, always on the alert for paranoid inducers, let us know that there was a “suicide-bomber conference” in Chicago.

I don’t see anything wrong about a “suicide-bomber conference.”  Clear the area, stand back and let them practice.  Face it, if there’s gonna be a “suicide-bomber conference,” there’s only going to be one.  Hint: if you get an invitation to a “suicide-bomber conference,” don’t go.  It’s somewhat likely that there will be suicide bombers there.

However, if you are Michele Bachmann, you most certainly need to go because we’ll want a full report if anyone at the conference is removing the American flag from outside their office.  Because if they are, that’s serious stuff.

Michele just moved from Scary Presidential Candidate to World Class Entertainer.

Thanks to Claudia for the heads-up.

Okay, I will be the first to admit that although I grew up around horses and did a little barrel racing in my day, I am certainly no expert in the horse arena.

However, I simply do not get dressage.  You Tube here.  To me, it looks like you put on funny clothes and ride a horse who needs to pee real bad.  And that’s an Olympic sport?

Whoa.  I have trained Truman to wave, sit, stay, fetch, dance and react wildly and insanely to the sound of a can opener.  However, that’s not considered a sport.

But the Romney’s love it.

At the top level of competition, horses can cost well into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the annual tab for boarding, training, transportation and veterinary care can run into the millions, equestrian experts say. Generally, there are no purses in the sport. Winners earn medals and adulation, not money.

Well hell, no wonder I don’t participate in it:  there’s no purses.  I ain’t going nowhere without my purse.

Thanks to Ralph for the heads-up.

We have another joyful gift courtesy of electric deregulation in Texas, that crappy idea sold to us by those “run government like a business” crowd.

The Texas electrical grid operator introduced an app for smartphones that will alert users to conserve energy during emergencies.

Do you know what constitutes “an emergency” in Texas?  Weather.  Normal weather.  Hot days.

Yep – that’s their solution to weather in Texas – sweat in the dark.

Okay, it’s 9:20 in the morning and already I hate Republicans today.  Fix the damn power grid, you fools.  We did not get a reduction in rates through deregulation, but we did get screwed.

Sorry, I’ll cut back on my morning caffeine.

My neighbor, Tom DeLay, must have some mighty hefty secrets, and that takes some imagination because he’s already fessed-up to being Hot Tub Tom and cavorting with floozy wimmen while being hymn  singin’ drunk.

This is the same Tom Delay who secretly took money from the Russians – yeah, I said Russians – for his PAC, and bought a pick up truck and a Georgetown townhouse with it.  The guy is so slimy that slugs refill at his feet.

But, apparently, he more embarrassing secrets than that because the courts have ruled that his right to privacy is bigger than the public’s right to know.  And it’s about crap he did while a public servant.

Today, Judge Richard Leon issued a decision in CREW v. U.S. Department of Justice in which CREW had sought FBI records regarding a criminal investigation into former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX).  Judge Leon granted summary judgment for the government, finding Rep. DeLay’s privacy interests outweigh the public’s interest in the information and that the government may withhold some information as protected by the ongoing law enforcement exemption to the Freedom of Information Act.

Now, hold on a minute here.  How come Rep. Don Young and Rep. Jerry Lewis had their files opened because of the public’s right to know, but Tom DeLay needs protecting?

Holy crap, can you even imagine what’s in those files?

By the way, Judge Leon was appointed by George Dubya.  Where’s Tom Delay and his hollerin’ about activist judges now?  Huh?  Cat’s got Tom’s tongue?

Look, I want to know how Tom DeLay skated while all his friends and associated went to the big house.  I do.  I paid for the damn investigation and I’m not even convinced there was one.

Thanks to Alfredo over at the Dairy Queen for the heads-up.

All that money.  All that big ole house where you probably don’t even have to see him if you don’t want to.

Can you even imagine how bad he must be at mattress thrashing for wife #4 to walk out?

Hey, it’s in the National Enquirer.  Who am I to question that?

Thanks to Marge for the heads-up.