6.09.2017

It's Friday, Let's Get Out Of Here

It's like a NASCAR pileup. Only different.

Little brother is in for a long and difficult childhood.
I think I'd go there over Lone Star Park.
I'm no engineer, but that whole set up doesn't seem quite right. 
The ol' Clothesline Take Down Maneuver 
(although the head into the sidewalk isn't advisable.)

I Don't Know Anything About Hockey




But this seems wrong.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts




  • One of the most fascinating thing about the Comey hearings is how locked in America was to the broadcast/replays of it. If I'm Trump, that would worry me. There may be only 10% of the country who can explain what the issue with Michael Flynn is, but almost everyone now thinks "something is going on with Trump." 
  • Trump strong arming Comey in the oval office is not Obstruction of Justice. But Trump flew dangerously close to the sun. 
  • Start looking at local news broadcasts. You'll see a segment on "Orange is the New Black" which is on a massive ad campaign right now. Yep, paid ads disguised as news. 
  • Let's check in on Trump's intelligence briefing this morning: 
  • Dallas has been in a legal fight with the Exxxotica porn convention for over two years -- ever since Dallas refused to let them rent the convention center. Exxxotica sued and lost and is now appealing to the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans. Get this tidbit: Dallas hired outside lawyers to fight the lawsuit and you know how much they've charged so far? $675,000.  That's more obscene than anything at Exxxotica.
  • I've been following but haven't written about the spouse of a female Houston deputy (who looks like he might want to consider lap band surgery) who put a choke hold on a guy for urinating in public. He got on top of him as cops were headed that way. His off-duty deputy wife helped. The guy died. Both were indicted for murder yesterday.  I don't understand that. The guy's an idiot, acted recklessly, and probably needs to be charged with manslaughter but the murder charge is a reach. (Even moreso for the deputy.)
  • Urinating in public is a Class C misdemeanor -- punishable by fine only. This guy received the immediate death penalty.  (Any chance bubba there watches UFC?)  Oh, there is a video of the incident. 
  • When I saw this headline my first thought was: The Jonas Brothers still live together?
  • One funny bit going is that one of The Ticket employees has moved in next to the house where Lee Harvey Oswald posed for the now famous picture holding a rifle. That employee is now doing bits. He calls this creation "Flea Harvey Oswald."
  • Someone was able to keep Trump away from his phone all day yesterday.  That person could end up being the most important person in his Administration by the time it is all said and done. 



6.08.2017

Let's Check In Baltimore



NY Post- Dramatic video shows a broad-daylight shootout between cops and an armed robbery suspect in Baltimore — whose life ended in a hail of bullets Wednesday after he got off a bus and started blasting at officers.

The man who was shooting at cops wound up striking one officer and a bystander before being killed by authorities, the Baltimore Sun reports.

He had just robbed two people in the Logan Village parking lot — and was attempting to flee on a local MTA bus — when officers pulled it over and attempted to arrest him shortly before 3 p.m., officials said.

But instead of getting off without incident, the man exited the bus and immediately opened fire, sparking hysteria in the heavily crowded area, known for its schools and shopping centers.The officer who was injured was hit in her leg and is expected to survive. The bystander, while in serious condition, will also likely live.

This In The Middle Of The Comey Hearings

My first bullet point this morning that Trump doesn't understand that he is not the boss of everyone in the federal government is now the Republican defense of his pressuring the FBI Director. That is, he simply didn't know he shouldn't do that.

Edit: Trump's lawyer responds with a written statement about the Comey hearing. It does not start off well:

Rapper On Rapper Violence




Let me explain what is going on here for those who aren't as in tune with the rap world as I am. Rapper Rob $tone (I love his debut album, Straight Bummin') warned rapper XXXTentacion (best known for his song Look at Me -- which I don't particularly care for) not to come to San Diego.  I was very concerned when I heard this because I know $tone is a man of his word. Anyway, XXXT didn't listen, came to San Diego,  and $tone ambushed him on stage. You know, those of us immersed in the rap world have lines that simply should not be crossed.

Full video with different and better angle on youtube here.

Side note: Huey Lewis would have never let that happen to him.

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts




  • Trump told FBI Director Comey that he expected loyalty. Trump, after being the boss all his life, believes everyone in the federal government now works for him. It doesn't work that way.
  • Amazing Bob Stoops stat: He has more Big 12 Championships (10) than Big 12 losses at home (9). 
  • ISIS striking Iran was buried in the news yesterday. Such an attack is unusual. ISIS gunmen invaded Parliament which caused a four hour stand-off and the death of eleven, and a woman blew herself up at the mausoleum of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
  • I watched Charlie Wilson's War for the first time. That's good stuff and even timely today. (And it has a little House of Cards feel to it.)
  • A jury awarded $6.7 million to a woman who was sexually assaulted at Sheriff David Clarke's jail and shackled during childbirth. 
  • Serious question: Saluting is a gesture obviously associated with the military. But it is commonplace these days to see it done by law enforcement during ceremonies. Has it always been that way? (And by "always" I'm meaning for the last fifty years or so.)
  • Every time I go to a funeral I leave with a resolve to lighten up, enjoy life, and love more. And it always goes downhill from there. 
  • That Texas state rep arrested for DWI in Dallas was in a pretty spiffy dress.
  • The hearing yesterday with these four in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee was bizarre. They basically refused to answer many, many questions about Russia and/or Trump. Both Republican and Democrats on the committee were really angry. Knowing that Trump started his Presidency doing nothing but skewering U.S. Intelligence agencies, it almost makes you think something is going on.
  • There was a murder at a strip club of Harry Hines at 4:00 a.m. last night. Who would have thought something could go wrong? Compare the street view of the place vs. the club's promotional photo. 

  • There are thirteen death notices in today's Update.

6.07.2017

What A College Football Bombshell!



Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts


  • Gov. Abbott announced a special session which will include working on the Bathroom Bill. The Texas Capitol is the equivalent of a Clown Car. 
  • Speaking of, last night a state rep was arrested in Dallas for DWI after smashing her car into a tree. She's been in office less than six months.
  • What an horrific five car crash in northern Collin County which left four dead and many injured. The chain reaction started when a car slowed on the roadway for no apparent reason and was struck from behind. I'm telling you: Don't trust the car in front of you and don't trust the car behind you. Fools are among us. 
  • There's a manslaughter case in Massachusetts where a girl is on trial for encouraging a guy to kill himself via text messages. He did. Yes, that's horrible, but there are massive Free Speech implications here. Let's simplify the facts: Does the First Amendment protect you from government prosecution if you were to say, "Go kill yourself" to another? 
  • A texting-while-driving ban will become law in Texas on September 1st.  Great idea. Totally unenforceable. But it gives law enforcement a new weapon to stop you if they can justify having a reasonable suspicion you were texting even if you weren't. 
  • Drunk reporter vs. Very patient cop. She was fired. Language warning
  • The Freshman in the House got to see OU win a National Championship last night in softball in Oklahoma City. Good for her. That was Game 2 of a best of 3 so it could have gone to a Game 3 which she would have missed. 
  • The day after Trump told then FBI Director Comey that he wanted him to end the investigation into former NSA advisor Flynn, Comey told AG Sessions that he didn't want to be alone with Trump. This presidency is exhausting. (Comey testifies tomorrow.)
  • TCU AD Chris Del Conte was on The Ticket this morning. Man, he's a cocky thing. 
  • Former Dallas Police Chief David Brown has a new book (of course), but the Morning News says he has some trouble with the truth in it. For example, about the night of the massive downtown police shooting he wrote, "I stepped up to the mic and delivered the facts as I knew them. 'At eight fifty-eight p.m.,' I said, 'our worst nightmare happened.'" Except he didn't say that. The mayor did. 

6.06.2017

Internet Debate: Fake Or Not

Something doesn't seem right. (And how would those relatively baggy shorts not work as a water parachute?)

Edit: OK, I'm switching back to "real".

Chicken Sandwich Based Domestic Terrorism



This video is remarkable for another reason other than a crazy McDonald's customer who flipped out because she got tired of waiting. It starts with just the raw footage. Then it is played again with a voice over and interviews (with the great line of, "Life is too short to get that mad over a chicken sandwich") and then the last third the footage becomes a music video.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts


  • Trump is mad at the media this morning. (He's confused. The media loves him being on Twitter. It's his staff and lawyers who want him off of it.):

  • There was the longest college world series softball game in history last night. And it was mightily entertaining. (The Freshman In The House will be there tonight.) Side note: Florida has a stud pitcher with the last name of Barnhill. I thought, "Hey, is that the Barnhill who pitched at Justin Northwest, went to UT, and then transferred to the SEC?" Uh, no. She quit playing in 2011. Time is moving by too fast. 
    Not all were impressed.
  • Talk about long games: In the NCAA baseball playoffs, Missouri State played Arkansas over the weekend and the game ended at 3:10 a.m. (And did the UT game end after 1:00 a.m. last night?)
  • We had a good visiting judge filling in for the late Judge Fostel yesterday. But I heard the higher ups in Fort Worth assigned him over the weekend but didn't tell him why. He learned about the death when he got here.
  • I heard the Messenger will have a real nice tribute tomorrow. 
  • That case of the Kirbyville school principal who committed suicide is getting nasty.  An assistant principal has resigned in a scathing letter directed at the school board. It's basically, "You knew he was suicidal but didn't care."
  • A 25 year old NSA contractor has been arrested on accusations she intentionally leaked classified documents. I don't know if America can ever concentrate on the story because no one can get past her name: Reality Winner. 
  • Couple does a ridiculous, but funny, make out bit behind a reporter after last night's NHL finals game. (Video here.)
  • It's the anniversary of D-Day. That always makes me recall that the vast majority of Robert Capa's photos of the event were destroyed (we were left with the "Magnificent Eleven") when a Life magazine employee screwed up in the developing room. 

6.05.2017

This From Alvord Made Fox 4 News Tonight


It Is Somber Around The Courthouse Square


That marquee normally has nothing but funny stuff on it.

Recap Of This Weekend's Weather


Random Monday Morning Thoughts


  • I was upset all weekend long over the death of Judge Fostel. He had been on the bench since 1995. I dread going to the courthouse today. 
  • The judge was a huge fan of Random Thoughts. 
  • "DPS trooper fired for spoof video of shopping for teens." Trust me, that crazy headline doesn't even do the story justice. 
  • Whatever happened to the rodeo clown that had his face crushed during a rodeo in Wise County?
  • I learned something this week about Mrs. LL: She will scream and run away from a spider but will walk up to a snake sunning on the lake shore to take a closer look. 
  • Speaking of the lake, I can't catch anything. Last year I was slaying it. Now I can't get a bite. The lake is 100% clearer than it was last year so maybe my Jimmy Houston techniques of last year might not be applicable.
  • Trump went Full Trump this weekend immediately after the London terrorists attacks. The mayor of London made a statement and Trump couldn't understand it. 
  • And Barron was so traumatized by Kathy Griffin that Trump spent this weekend golfing in Virginia. (I was traumatized by her Friday press conference because it was so wheels off.)
  • I'll always be more fearful of driving to work amongst idiots than being killed in a terrorist attack. And I'm 100% right.
  • This picture of Dallas yesterday afternoon was floating around. Not photoshopped.
  • And this guy from Canada became famous: 
  • A guy from Alvord is going to attempt to get 5,000 signatures to get on the ballot as Texas Land Commissioner. Trust me, that is a massive undertaking no matter how popular you are. 
  • Breaking: We've got a mass shooting in Orlando this morning.