How One Thought Led To Another After Reading The Dallas Morning News At Lunch

(1) T. Boone Pickens had a birthday party last night at the Dallas Country Club. Comedian Dennis Miller was brought in to perform (who quipped "This place makes Caligula look like a minimalist") as well as Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman (their fine work here). Some billionares whose names I didn't recognize attended along with Jerry Jones, Tom Hicks, and Gov. Rick Perry.

(2) Mark 10: "17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. 19 Thou knowest the commandments [he then lists most of them].20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. " (Emphasis added.)

Fatality

If a commenter is correct on another post, we have a fatality at 2123 and 114 in Bridgeport. Unconfirmed. Nothing in Update . . . yet.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

- Saw on the news this morning of a mom running over her two year old in the driveway. I cringe about those stories more than any others.
- In every state which is historically redneck, (West Virginia, Kentucky, Texas, etc.), Hillary just kills Obama.
- Saw Sen. Robert Byrd on the Senate floor yesterday lamenting the condition of Sen. Kennedy. Byrd looks to be in worse condition that Kennedy.
- Sean Hannity telling every caller "You're a great American" - when he has no idea who that person is - drives me insane. And I bet he cashes his check laughing about how he just panders to the masses and tells them what they want to hear.
- Dallas County will do forced/search warrant blood draws on DWI arrestees over the Memorial Day Weekend. Every goes nuts over this, but it's been an viable option for as long as I can remember - it was just never utilized.
- But the blood draw does have this backfire effect: In 99% of the breath test refusal cases, there is never a blood draw via a search warrant. In the past, the prosecutor could argue to the jury: "He refused to give you a critical piece of evidence!" Now the defense can argue, "The police failed to get a search warrant for his blood when they've done it hundreds of times in the past."
- I remember when the Colonial Golf Tournament was one of the greatest events of the year.
- Former KVIL DJ Ron Chapman has been filling in for Paul Harvey for weeks. And although Harvey's radio broadcast is basically nothing more than rehash of news we've already heard, I bet Chapman gets that gig permanently.
- Yesterday the Dallas Morning News released the post-arrest affidavit in the Prestonwood Baptist Church "I'm Gonna Drive A Krillion Miles To Have Sex With A 13 Year Old" Pastor Case.
- And speaking of that guy, did "To Catch A Predator" never cross his mind?
- And speaking of the Morning News, says here the daily copy will jump to 75 cents next week with the Sunday edition going to $2.
- Question that came up yesterday in the courthouse: I wonder who holds the record for the most marriages by a Texan?
- Second question that came up: Is the proposed Brookshire's in Bridgeport more like Albertson's or more like IGA?

Bridgeport Company Not Doing-A-Good

Story.

And an emailer, who sent in the link, says, "Unless I'm mistaken this is the second time that outfit has done this. The first time they were doing pre-paid telephones."

Decatur High School Chaos

For some crazy reason, every person driving into Decatur High School is being checked for driver's license and insurance. Which might be an illegal stop. Haven't seen this in years. Edit: A driver's license checkpoint was held to be illegal recently in State v. Luxon, 230 S.W.23d 440 (Tex. App. - Eastland 2007, no pet.). The fact it is school property does give it an interesting twist.

Random Obituary Of The Day

For the next time you think you have it hard. (Click to enlarge.)

Compassionate Conservatism

This is second hand (from Mark Davis filling in for Rush Limbaugh) but some Fox News national correspondent just said on national TV something to the effect of "I don't think it's a tragedy, he's lived a long life."

I'm Insane . . .

. . . now. (Thanks emailer.)

The Wave Of The Future Begins

I don't know how well this thing works, but Netflix has announced instant streaming downloads of an unlimited number of movies. I'm sure it's buggy, but there is no question that DVDs will slowly begin to fade away.

Info about it on Netflix here.

Extensive explanation here.

Thief In The Night Feeling

I walk by this county parking lot every day, and I did so this morning at 8:30 a.m. Today I did the very odd doubletake because the normally 1/2 full lot didn't have a single car in it. It was weird. Gave rise to that odd feeling of: "Am I missing something?"

(Although that silver SUV ruined my completely vacant parking lot shot.)

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

- Javelin through the knee. (Thanks emailer)
- Oh, yeah. Anybody remember that Terror Threat Level Chart Thingamachig. As someone pointed out to me, has it every gone above yellow in the last few years?
- Lots of hub-bud about the lady who was shot at Northpark Mall in Dallas because it was "perceived as a safe area." Uh, is that code for something else?
- I'll say it for the hundreth time: Fox 4's Becky Oliver is one harsh woman. And what does she do for most of the year? She normally only shows up on our televisions yelling at someone once every three months or so.
- But man, Becky's report last night had some gold in it. Especially when a female (who just happened to be African American), and wearing a hoodie, carrying a dog, and sporting a couple of lost front teeth yelled: "Get off my property, beeyotch!!!"
- Random family lawyer.
- Funny one minute clip of the highlights of the great Charley Steiner on ESPN. Man, that network could use some more of that.
- I've been alerted for the last two years about "Speedo Man" in Decatur. Apparently some guy not far from the courthouse mows his lawn in a Speedo - a practice that I might adopt.
- Saw a guy at the grocery store yesterday wearing an Oklahoma Sooner cap and an Oklahoma State T-Shirt. That was Logo Chaos and a very bad look.
- And I'm pretty sure I saw two tall teenagers walk out of that grocery store with a bottle of ketchup without paying. That kind of pissed me off - but I wasn't sure. I had a reasonable doubt.
- Some guy from the Boston Red Sox threw a no-hitter last night. And if he is still with this gal, he is the luckiest man in the history of ever.
- The Nintendo Wii Fitness system looks like a great idea.
- I've had two people I trust tell me at the courthouse that they know of an individual with Wise County ties who has paid in excess of $3,000 after being pursued by the RIAA for illegal downloading of mp3s.
- Edit: An idiot prosecutor from Houston takes a shot at "Nigerian Lawyers".
- Edit: Check out these pics from another idiot at the Preakness. Fail.

Wise County Border News

An emailer writes: Alleged Murder in Bowie this AM......Get the scoop and lets hear it? Edit: In looking for it, I learned that an Electra cop killed a guy this weekend. Bet that doesn't happen often up there. Edit #2: Also stumbled upon the craziest instructions on how to build an atomic bomb get a story from the Wichita Falls Time Record News website into an iPod. I feel fairly confident in saying that no story printed in that paper would justify that much effort.

Gettin' Hot Out There

CMA

I had the CMAs on last night and only halfway paid attention. It just seems so . . . white. And corny. Which is pretty much me, but I still don't get it.

But I'll give it to Taylor Swift (who I think sings that song about getting her guitar wet from tears). She came out in this weird jeans and hoodie where you could hardly see her face. Then two guys grab the sleeves and the whole outfit goes flying off only to reveal a black dress. And then she ends up under a make-shift waterfall.

Good times.

Edit: An attractive emailer sends along a link to the video.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

- The HBO election movie, Recount, which debuts May 25th looks really good.
-Crazy shooting at a Roanoke hotel (didn't realize there was a hotel there), but I'm not sure an arrest was necessary. But in this day and time, if a death is involved, regardless of whether it's an accident, someone's going to jail. Note to self: Don't take pants off to go swimming in the middle of the night with handgun left in said pants.
- I've beaten that Ralph Hardy thing to death, but I love stuff like that.
- A double amputee from South Africa will compete in the Olympics if he can beat a 45.55 second time in the 400 meters race. Have you seen those "specially-adapted carbon fibre blades" that he runs on? I think, with practice, a guy can run faster on those things than with legs.
- That Brian Loncar story below, based upon the updates after I linked to it, turned out to be pretty bad. (And I just saw one of his commercials on Channel 4 at 6:44 a.m. - "When speed is what you need.")
- Put a soft drink can in the freezer, and it'll be cool in a matter of minutes. Put a plastic bottle in there, and it takes forever.
- For the last few months, the Sunday Dallas Morning News has been putting the circulars in separate plastic wrapping. Makes throwing it away very easy.
- I watched Grizzly Man again this weekend. Good times.
- I drove through Silver Lakes Ranch in Wise County this weekend. I had never heard of it until Chief Deputy Doug Whitehead told me about it. They say the development has about 20+ miles of roadways in it. I believe it. I feel sorry for the deputy that has to respond to a call out there.
- Saw gas in several places at $3.79.
- Double take headline from this morning's DMN: "Man riding Moped on Dallas freeway dies." Fail.
- I'm not sure what the Legends of Fighting is, but I swore I saw this happen at the end of Rocky II.
- Watched a little bit of the CMA's last night. I didn't recognize Carrie Underwood. Taylor Swift had a crazy act where her hoodie and jeans were torn off. Garth Brooks beat me down like he did 10 years ago. Brooks and Dunn appeared for the 75th year in a row. I think Reba McEntire fakes that accent.
- Boyd's Greg "The Hammer" Williams was on Steve Doocy's sports show last night. He looked good. Didn't tell us much other than admitting to "illegal drug use" and kind of implied he'd be back on the radio soon.
- Pushing 100 degrees today? Remember this less than 75 days ago?

Funny Bit

Source.

Brit Goes To Costa Rica

Finally. You've been missed.

Random High School Sports Note

I think if Decatur wins next week, they go to the State Tournament as part of the final four. I really don't remember that happening before. (They will play Cooper who won over Andrews, 4-1, 1-2, 5-3). And I thought "Cooper" meant "Abilene Cooper" but I think that's wrong. There's a Cooper out in East Texas, and I think that's the opponent.

Edit: Or, as an astute commenter pointed out, it could be Lubbock Cooper. (The Denton Record Chronicle has they story of Decatur's win here.)