12.10.2013

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts


  • "FORT WORTH -- Longtime Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Lawrence 'Larry' Meyers [from Fort Worth] announced Monday that he is leaving the Republican Party to run as a Democrat for the Texas Supreme Court." That's beyond baffling. The only thing I can think of is that he was ready to retire and wanted to gig a sitting justice from across the hall. But that's just a guess.
  • And in other Court of Criminal Appeals news,  Judge Cathy Cochran did not file for re-election.   With Myers and Cochran's last minute moves, I wonder if anyone is even running for those two judgeships. 
  • "A Dimmitt County jury has awarded $281 million to the family of a man killed when he was struck by a drive shaft that broke off a truck involved in activity in the Eagle Ford Shale." Good grief. The Eagle Ford Shale being located in a Plaintiff's attorney's heaven will have its downside. 
  • Three girls get engaged and have a cutesy photo taken with all their friends. I'd marry the one on the bottom row, far left. 
  • There is a civil case against the Travis County DA ongoing where they are trying to oust her after her DWI arrest and conviction.  Shockingly, a public official can be removed under Texas law for "intoxication on or off duty caused by drinking an alcoholic beverage." That's it.  But for some reason (perhaps because Austin is Austin), the prosecutors said they will prove that the the DA "is unfit for office and could harm the public interest if she remains in her position." Why? That's not required. Why enlarge your burden of proof? And why is the judge questioning whether they can prove that. 
  • I had my first Starbucks product in over 6 years the other day thanks to my office partner. It had some fancy name but I think it was really a large non-fat hot chocolate with "no whip". 
  • "FORT WORTH — A judge has sentenced a former agent with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to 180 days in jail and two years of probation for taking lewd photographs of a woman with hidden cameras." A lot of that story doesn't make sense: (1) It says the offense is a third degree felony -- it's not. It's a State Jail Felony, (2) I can't tell if the sentence was 180 days in jail which was probated and suspended for two years, or a two year probation with 180 days in jail as a condition of the probation, (3) Regardless, it's odd to accept a felony conviction for a statute which was declared unconstitutional by an appellate court. 
  • The Ticket's Bob Sturm finally got back from Guatemala via Miami via Charleston and then to Dallas. 
  • Days after Carrie Underwood helped re-created live performance of The Sound Of Music on NBC, actress Eleanor Parker from the original movie has died. (She played Baroness Elsa Schraeder.)
  • Sports: Think an NCAA four team playoff (to being next year)  is better than the current BCS. I do. Then I read that if the playoff were to have been implemented this year,  "No. 2 Auburn would have to beat No. 3 Alabama [again] and the Crimson Tide would have had a bye week while Missouri picked up a second loss in [the SEC Championship] to knock them out of the playoff. Yeah, that’s real fair. Oh, and the Tide would have a shot at the national title despite not even having to win its division while Big 12 champ Baylor would be left out in the cold (both figuratively and literally)."
  • Tea Party favorite Texas congressman Steve Stockman, who invited Ted Nugent to join him during the President's last State of the Union message, filed at the last minute to run against John Cornyn for U.S. Senate.  It keeps getting crazier and crazier. But let the word go forth: Thou Shall Not Refuse To Bow Down To Ted Cruz. 
  • My "bet the house" proclamation of the Cowboys having less than 8.5 wins for the season is still alive.
  • There has never been a movie promoted as much as Anchorman 2.
  • Danica Patrick will co-host the American Country Music Awards on Fox tonight. Can you think of a more personality deprived individual to host anything? 
  • My newspaper front page site hasn't updated today. Edit: Updated