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- We've got another not guilty verdict in a Capital Murder case in Tarrant County. That's two in two months! (Star-Telegram story here.)
- We had a child drowning death in Decatur. It sounds like a horrible accident. There is a GoFundMe page with more info (and a photo). The GoFundMe page has a "goal" of $30,000.
- One of my rants over the last few years is how people are increasingly being prosecuted for accidents. This month's Texas Monthly has an article on it (which I admittedly haven't read yet.)
- The newest
Far Side cartoonpainting by Jon McNaughton has been unveiled. "Figures from left to right: Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Iihan Omar, Chuck Schumer, Adam Schiff, Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, President Trump [looking longingly at an abandoned doll with hands in prayerful position.]"
- There is a massive movement in Austin right now to move possession of marijuana under an ounce to a "civil offense" punishable by a fine up to $200. Practically speaking, it moves simple weed possession from the county courts (where you'd normally get a fine and a reporting probation -- a probation which couldn't be expunged) to municipal and JP courts. Not only would it just be a small fine, it wouldn't count as a "criminal" prosecution. The measure might just pass. I found attorney David Sloane's testimony before the Criminal Justice Committee this week -- he's the guy with the weed billboards every where. (It should be here around the 1:42 mark.) He got applause from the audience, and admitted his support of the measure would impact his pocketbook but "it's the right thing to do."
- The current pulse in Texas from the Texas Tribune:
- Trump called Apple CEO Tim Cook “Tim Apple” as he sat right beside him yesterday.
"As Ivanka Nepotism looks on . . ." - Lawyers only: I can't say that I completely understand it, but a lawsuit has just been filed which appears to have some merit challenging the State Bar of Texas forcing us to pay bar dues. It is based on a compelled membership case out of the Supreme Court last year.
- We are killing ourselves at a rate unlike any other in our history in order to escape the realities of life.
- There's a rule that you can't wear jeans on the floor of the Texas Senate or House. It was ignored yesterday by Matthew McConaughey. (And, no, he wasn't there to support smoking weed in your underwear while playing the bongos.)
- Speaking of pants, ever wonder what Dale Hansen wears under the sports desk?
- Random thought while on my Texas history kick: Texas and Tennessee should have a college football rivalry. (The volunteers arguably either almost screwed up the Texas revolution or it couldn't have been won without them. Probably the latter. Either way, the states share an incredible history as well as state teams wearing shades of orange playing in massive stadiums. And I used to sometimes initially mistake the "T" for a longhorn on TV when I was a kid.)
- Wow. Look who is on the cover of the Dallas Morning News! (Here's a pdf for a better look.)
