6.23.2017

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


 And it's Big Bear with the Diving Crossbody move off the turnbuckle for the pin. 
 They should be awarded for not laughing. 
(Quite the tats on that one guy.)
 Rubbernecking 101.
 Laugh at the dive then worry about if she resurfaces. 
Funny bit. Except for all those post event ACL surgeries.

Sequel: "Planet Of The Apes: We're Having Fun Here, No?"

Random Friday Morning Thoughts


  • Texas college sports money:
  • Any Supreme Court opinion is flawless. No typos. Always grammatically correct. Every case cited down to the page is always spot on. That being said, a case released yesterday had a glaring error. (It was taken down and replaced within an hour.) 
  • Oakland Raider QB Derek Carr received a 5 year deal at $25 million a year yesterday making him the highest paid NFL player. Sixteen years ago, the Rangers agreed to paid Alex Rodriguez $25.2 million a year for 10 years. Buy your kid a baseball.
  • The NBA draft was last night. Let's flashback to pre-draft in 1984:
  • I apologize that it took me 48 hours to link to the Official Liberally Lean Girl on the beach
  • It's been a while since I've dogged Dennis Prager (which always angers his one fan which reads Liberally Lean.) I saw this yesterday. I always prefer that if an angry, old white man is going to lecture me on race relations that he be holding a cigar as he does so.
  • I've had two people tell me I should watch Netflix's The Keepers because it will get me riled up. (Side note: There was a time when we wondered if Netflix or Blockbuster would win that all important DVD rental war.)
  • Well, the Senate rolled out their revised TrumpCare bill yesterday, and it's already in trouble. The left hates it because it tries to kill Medicaid. The far right hates it because it is basically a slightly watered down ObamaCare. (Ted Cruz is against it. Mike Lee is against it. Radio host Mark Levin was screaming about how it was 95% Obamacare. And local radio host Mark Davis said it wasn't a conservative bill.)
  • And another (Bridgeport . . . . . . ., Connecticut):  
  • And Another (Kentucky):
  • Hey, Bridgeport is getting an Arby's. 
  • So on May 12th, Trump tweeted: “James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!” So why did it take him until yesterday to say the following? What was the purpose of the May 12th tweet? 

  • Uh, what?: 
  • Former Arizona State coach Frank Kush died yesterday. He had accumulated a tremendous 176-54-1 record in 21½ seasons when he was fired for allegedly covering up striking a punter on his team. Eventually all was forgiven and he had an office at ASU up until the time of his death. 

6.22.2017

We Now Have Proof Of An Impeachable Offense




He drove onto the green.

Wildest Thing You May See All Day


Random Thursday Morning Thoughts



  • A buddy up at the courthouse, who might play golf three to four times a year and describes himself as an "average" golfer, claims he can hit a drive 300 yards if he had a high-end/high-tech driver. He's never hit a drive that far before. The parameters were that the fairway had to be flat and that he could get up to 20 tries.  I told him he's crazy.
  • This Bedford teenager went missing on Monday. Late yesterday, a body was found in a North Arlington landfill. Bedford cops went there and "are not confirming or indicating it's Kaytlynn, but instead say they are awaiting more information from the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office." That wording doesn't sound promising. 
  • The Special Counsel makes the cover of Time
  • A potential perfect game by Justin Verlander was broken up last night in the sixth inning by a bunt (gif), and baseball purists went nuts because "It's an unwritten rule that you don't do that." That's just dumb. 
  • The Rangers play at 1:05 today. In Arlington. In the heat. 
  • I had someone  tell me yesterday about the legend of hidden gold in Devil's Den on Lake Bridgeport. I had never heard that story. The best history of it is on page 17 of this pdf special lake edition of the Bridgeport Index from 2007. (It also has some great articles on the history of the lake and has an action shot of a former Bridgeport resident and current Waco criminal defense lawyer on the cover.)
  • Trump had one of his weird rallies last night -- this time in Cedar Rapids. This goes back to my theory that he needs to be loved. Putting him in front of an adoring crowd is good for his soul.
  • EDIT: And it got him back into campaign mode this morning:
  • Police say a 21 year old in Reno, Texas (by Azle) was arrested after her six month old drowned in a bathtub. They claim she was sending Facebook messages for 18 minutes instead of watching the child. (I think this is her Facebook page with is only partially public. If it is, she has two older kids as well.)
  • A few days back a lady stormed the stage of a production of Julius Ceaser in New York's Public Theater since it "portrayed Caesar as a Donald Trump look-alike who gets knifed to death on stage." It has been learned that the lady had registered a domain name prior to the incident which is currently being used as a website to solicit funds for her "legal defence." It's named FreeLaura.com even though she is not in jail.
  • The Karate Kid was released 33 years ago today. 
  • Trip Advisor's best restaurants in Decatur. (Not a bad list/ranking but it gets a little funny when they run out of restaurants and get down to Subway and Taco Bell.)

6.21.2017

Why Did 11+ Big Helicopters Just Fly Over Downtown Decatur?

And I didn't get a pic.

Looked military.

Edit: They flew over again about two hours later. A faithful reader sent me this:


Another pic:


Canadian Woman Wants A White Doctor



And she apparently thinks only white doctors can speak English. (She's making the news in Canada.)

Shout out to the lady at 3:15. "Your child clearly has more issues with you being his mother than needing to see a doctor. You are extremely rude and racist!"


It's Wednesday. Let's Get Some Music In Here.

Above The Fold


Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

  • Someone mentioned they were building a new Love's across from Devon on 380 in Bridgeport and how it might impact traffic.  Considering that the speed of construction indicates it is being built by one guy with a hammer and a hand saw, we might not have to worry about it for five years.  
  • A faithful reader recommended this book about a Denton officer. I remember that case and could have sworn I wrote about it. (As always, I can't find where I did.)
  • If you haven't seen the video, you need to: The cop who was found not guilty of manslaughter in Minnesota is shown firing seven times into a car at point blank range. He simply freaked out. 
  • Jerry Jones just met the Pope. I hope the cameras were rolling. (The NFL has his reaction, but he didn't say anything crazy.)
  • UPDATE!
  • "Prosecutors seek to revoke ‘affluenza’ mom’s bond after alleged alcohol violation." That whole process is silly. She'll get arrested and a new and higher bond will be set. She'll go back to her bondsman (who no longer has any liability on the old bond and who is out no money) who will cut her a deal on the new bond and we're back to where we started. 
  • It's amazing how time (and just casually following the news) shapes memories. Yesterday on The Ticket they were talking about the "affluenza" mom. They said her son received probation for the intoxication manslaughter case that killed four people because the "judge said the kid was from such a privileged lifestyle that he didn't know right from wrong." First, the judge was a she and not a he. Secondly, the judge never said such a thing. All of that came from a defense witness.
  • Hey, I'm proud of the Decatur pitcher who signed with the University of Texas (although I would have preferred a school 100 miles north.) But every report I've read said he had already "signed" with Howard College. I thought Letters of Intent were binding -- at least for one year. When Baylor's scandal broke, Baylor had to "release" signees for their letters of intent in order for them to go elsewhere. How does this work?
  • The Republicans held onto that Georgia congressional seat they've held for forty years.
  • Legal nerd humor: I love this first sentence in an opinion just released by the D.C. federal circuit court: 
  • It's the longest day of the year. Sunrise: 6:21. Sunset: 8:42. Texas legal trivia: Vehicle headlights are required to be on during the "nighttime" which is defined as a period 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise. 
  • Someone, in light of the exoneration of the couple in Austin, brought up the Satanic Cult frenzy that swept Texas two or three decades ago. I remember that  - all sorts of rumors of animals being sacrificed. I tried to find something online about it but could only find Bridgeport ISD's current dress code.
  • I'm trying to decide what I care about less: The NBA draft or Tropical Storm Cindy. Both will have no impact on Dallas.


6.20.2017

I Was Serious When I Said . . .


. . . Trump would sit around and get mad at North Korea today.   And it's happening.

Remember that he said the pictures of the Syrian kids being killed really got to him. Then he bombed the airport.

The story of Otto Warmbier is very disturbing as well. That first tweet sure as the undertones of "Thanks China, but we'll take it from here."


Class President/Valedictorian Being Suppressed By The Man By Getting His Mic Cut!


Darn skippy we need student councils with more power!  

(Love watching the administrator in the back start squirming.)

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts



  • One thing I love about the Supreme Court is how much they have always honored (mostly) the Free Speech clause of the First Amendment. They did so again yesterday when they killed a statute that made it illegal for any registered sex offender to access the social media. (The weirdest part was the concurrence that took a major dig at the majority opinion because it, among other things, said "the Cyber Age is a revolution of historic proportions . . . . ")
  • And they followed that up with knocking down the law that allowed trademarks to be denied by the government because they were offensive. (I wrote a few months back about how there was no way denying a request for a trademark of an Asian band wishing to be named "The Slants" was constitutional.) 
  • Who is in charge of the stop light on Highway 380 at Pleasant View Road (where Devon's offices are)? The City of Bridgeport or TxDot?  It backs up traffic on 380 for over a minute when there isn't a car in sight trying to get on to 380.
  • Condescending Pete! 
  • The Rangers' game, without a rain delay and without extra innings, took 3:48 to complete last night. No way I'm investing my time in that in person or even on TV.
  • There was incredibly horrible reporting by all local news outlets last night regarding the recent DWI arrest of (the pretty hot) Rep. Victoria Neave. They got a hold of a document showing the charge was DWI >= 0.15" so they all reported that her blood alcohol concentration was "almost twice the legal limit"  In DWI cases in Texas, if your BAC is 0.15 or more the case is a Class A misdemeanor instead of a Class B misdemeanor. All we know is that law enforcement is claiming her BAC was at least 0.15 not that it was 0.15.  Fox 4 got it wrong. The Morning News got it wrong. WFAA got it wrong. The Ticket got it wrong. Notably, the Dallas Observer got it dead right
  • So why is the Senate writing a repeal and replace bill of Obamacare in secrecy? Ted Cruz gives an explanation that is shocking:
  • The death yesterday of Otto Warmbier, who was recently released by North Korea after being held for months for removing a propaganda flyer in his hotel, is beyond disturbing. He had been released only to be found in a comatose state. But I'm scared that Trump is going to sit around and get mad and then start launching nukes in a fit of rage. 
  • A Decatur High pitcher signing with tiny Howard College and then getting an offer from the University of Texas seems unusual. 
  • The Austin lawyer who calls himself the "DWI Dude" "DWI King" missed his contempt of court hearing yesterday. (I've heard he has family ties -- by marriage -- to Wise County.)
  • And students at TCU need him
  • Carrie Fisher had  Prozac, Oxycodone, heroin, cocaine and ecstasy in her system at the time of her death. Some have complained about the autopsy results being made public. The reason is simple: The autopsy was paid for with tax dollars. 
  • The graphic below is the beginning of an article from Texas Monthly in 1994. After 21 years in prison, this morning the DA in Austin dismissed the case and declared them "actually innocent." 
  • There's a big runoff race in Georgia today for an open House seat. Local radio guy Mark Davis says the Republicans will win. 
    They guy has never understood hash tags. 
  • Sean Spicer is expected to no longer hold White House press briefings, and they are looking for a replacement. He was horrible at that job. And, disturbingly, there's a move to disallow video or audio of the press briefings or gaggles. 

6.19.2017

Wow, Indeed.

Hypo: What do you do if you are an assistant prosecutor in Texas and believe you have come upon evidence that indicates the defendant is not guilty (which you are now legally obligated to turn over), but your boss tells you to bury that evidence? Turn it over, right? It's the ethical, moral and legal thing to do. But in Texas, if you do so against your boss's wishes that person, who isn't necessarily the elected prosecutor, can fire you and there's nothing you can do about it.


(This is from the Texas District and County Attorney's Association weekly case summaries.)


Video From Bridgeport?



Says so here.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

  • Someone explain to me how a cargo ship and a U.S. Destroyer can collide in the ocean leaving seven sailors dead. I see idiot boat drivers and idiot wave runner drivers all over Lake Bridgeport and even they manage to avoid crashing it to each other. 
  • Aggie and Frog will meet tomorrow in the loser's bracket in the College World Series. "Losers bracket" sounds so harsh.
  • The Freshman in the House's softball team got eliminated in a tournament this weekend in Wichita Falls. At 1:15 in the morning. 
  • This was not a good weekend for Megyn Kelly. But she reportedly earns $15 million a year from NBC (after getting $10 million for a book deal last year.)
  • I always support the bull because that "sport" is beyond cruel. (By the way, he looked like Jean Girard from Talladega Nights.)

    "We invented democracy, existentialism, and the mƩnage Ơ trois."
  • Some of you commented that I should have helped the lawyer at a driver's license hearing who had no idea what she was doing.  Hey, I'll help some one who prepares, tries, and wants to be good. I'm not particularly interested in helping someone who has no respect for the profession. 
  • What a coincidence: Reps Joe Barton and Roger Williams just happen to decide to come back to the metroplex this weekend to get in front of local cameras after the baseball field shooting. 
  • A faithful reader sold me a kayak two years ago for $500 complete with a nice seat, paddle, fishing attachment, and delivery.  It may be the greatest purchase of my life. 
  • Interesting thing I read about fishing: It's not about catching fish at all. 
  • I had never seen this. It proves amusement parks can whip anyone.
  • Grayson County had a little excitement this weekend. That photo reminds me of a character actor but for the life of me I can't recall his name. Anyone? Think of an older guy who plays very animated parts. Edit: A faithful reader helped me out. I was thinking of Wallace Shawn. But the suggestion that the guy looks like the lead singer for the Smashing Pumpkins may be better. 
  • They caught him. He wasn't happy.
  • I really don't have an opinion on the Bill Cosby mistrial but his lawyer, Andrew Wyatt, was pretty funny afterwards: "For all those attorneys who conspired, like Gloria Allred - tell them to go back to law school."
  • A former Dallas appeals court judge who resigned after battling depression and alcoholism was found dead in his home. It sounds like he was a mess. 
  • I want this book just to look at the cover for inspiration. I wrote about "make your bed" from his commencement speech in 2015: 
  • XTO Energy is moving 1,600 jobs out of downtown Fort Worth to Houston. Why?
  • I went home last week and was immediately met by the College Sophomore in the House who asked, "Will you be in my movie?" Me: "Uh, ok." Her: "You just have to say, 'While you ladies were having your little pool party, a murder happened. It needs to be solved. Now!'"  I did it. (I'm guessing they've got some Charlie's Angels thing going on.)
  • Funny old Trump tweet: 
  • Or this: 
  • And on Saturday, Trump kept going back to the Rasmussen poll. Make no mistake about it: He desperately wants to feel loved. 
  • You need to read Wise County Judge J.D. Clark's guest  column for the Messenger where he reflects on his father's death. (Unrelated: He has just become Secretary/Treasurer of the North Texas Council of Governments.)