8.03.2011

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts



  • The highest recorded temperature in DFW is 113 degrees. I'm issuing a "might-want-to-watch-that" warning for today.
  • Metroplex motorcycle death.
  • Did you catch the names of the seven people arrested in Haltom City for alleged illegal gambling/eight liners: Thanh Trang Chau,  Hai Van Nguyen,  Hoang Dung Nguyen, Nia Thi Nguyen,  Tao The Pham,  Vo Van Phu, and Txuy Tran.  It's like the cast of extras from The Deer Hunter.
  • We had a case here in Wise County a couple of months back of a woman running over and killing her ex with her car. A famous and similar case in Houston resulted in a manslaughter (reckless killing) conviction instead of murder (intentional killing) conviction.  The same result/verdict happened in Wichita Falls yesterday.
  • Edit to above: Come to think about it, the Houston case was actually a guilty verdict on murder but the jury found she acted with "sudden passion" which dropped the range of punishment to the same as Manslaughter. 
  • My first wave of electric and water bills has come in. Oh, my. 
  • I really haven't gotten a handle on the Deficit Ceiling Deal other than I know the Tea Party is royally angry.  
  • I don't understand the "electric grid" everyone talks about. 
  • Wow: Texas is actually shutting down a prison - one that held 900 inmates only a few months ago - due to budget cuts. I don't think Gov. Perry will be bragging about that in his speeches.
  • Something I'm about to start getting really interested in: The true story of the man who was shockingly blown up by a bomb attached to neck while cameras rolled in 2003.  After robbing a bank with the threat of that bomb, he claimed to onlookers (as the bomb squad was in route) that he had done so against his will. The bomb squad didn't make it in time. Then the much delayed investigation revealed a bizarre and fascinating story which was featured in Wired magazine this year. Now, it gets weirder as the story has been made into a big budget comedy (yep, comedy) called 30 Minutes or Less. 
  • A seedy tape involving UNT students was being circulated online yesterday but the oddest thing is that the student newspaper acknowledged it.