The new-most-important-missing person in America is Tara Grinstead.
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1.13.2006
Hold Me
Stolen from another site:
"A lot was made over Samuel Alito's wife breaking down in tears yesterday and the reaction . . . was not unexpected. The following day after his wife's anguish, how do you think Alito expressed his sympathy for her at the end of the hearing-which obviously was a grueling ordeal for her?"
Link
Maybe It's The Name
RadioShack has announced "it would miss 2005 earnings estimates" according to a cover story in today's Morning News.
I wonder why they haven't thought of changing the name.
Radio? Shack?
"And" vs. "Or"
Remember Harvey Joe Hanson who was sentenced to 75 years out of Wise County for Attempted Capital Murder? Well, the case has been reversed.
Here's the reason. This jury instruction:
Now if you find from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that on or about the 9th day of September, 2003, in Wise County, Texas, [appellant], did then and there with specific intent to commit the offense of capital murder of Penney Aslinger, do an act, to-wit: entered the residence of Penney Aslinger without her effective consent, or threatened her or cut her with a deadly weapon, to wit: a knife . . . which amounted to more than mere preparation that tended but failed to effect the commission of the offense intended, then you will find [appellant] guilty of attempted capital murder as charged in the indictment.
Should have read:
Now if you find from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that on or about the 9th day of September, 2003, in Wise County, Texas, [appellant], did then and there with specific intent to commit the offense of capital murder of Penney Aslinger, do an act, to-wit: entered the residence of Penney Aslinger without her effective consent, and threatened her or cut her with a deadly weapon, to wit: a knife . . . which amounted to more than mere preparation that tended but failed to effect the commission of the offense intended, then you will find [appellant] guilty of attempted capital murder as charged in the indictment.
It's a crazy world. (Court of appeals opinion is here)
Jack County Burning
It sounds like a bunch of Jack County burned last night.
But no injuries.
And I keep seeing Traci Weaver on the news. She is a spokesperson for some government agency (the name of which I can't remember), but she's always talking about fire danger.
I have this weird recollection that she used to work for the Messenger.
Pay For Grades
"By a 9-0 vote, the Houston school board approved a plan that offers teachers as much as $3,000 in extra pay if their students improve on state and national tests. The program could be expanded to provide as much as $10,000 in merit pay for teachers."
1.12.2006
How Not To Commit Credit Card Abuse
Clerk: "Uh.....Sir.....How do you pronounce your last name?"
Crook: "Uh...ummm......Favvvvvrrra"
(Explanation)
I Wonder If Emily Post Ever Covered This?
If you separate from your wife and get your new girlfriend pregnant, you should call your estranged wife and let her know that you will be a father.
Anybody Want To Bet It Would Be A Hung Jury
From an email:
"Both the Democratic and Republican Parties of Wise County met this evening to draw for the order of appearance on the Party Primary Elections scheduled for March 7, 2006. After the drawing, all of the candidates from both Parties who were present came together for a photo opportunity to show all of these candidates together, offering themselves to the voters of Wise County. It is a symbol of starting off the campaigns with an intent of good, clean issues-oriented campaigning for the voters to choose. County Chairmen of the two Parties are standing on the right, Ms. Brenda Rankin and Mr. D. A. Sharpe."
And then they broke out into fight with one side yelling "Baby Killers!" while the other screamed "Iraqi War Was Based On A Lie!!!"
Country Music . . .
. . . is something I never listen to, but he names of certain songs on this week's Top Ten list made me laugh:
- Jesus, Take the Wheel
- Honky Tonk Badonkandonk
- Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off
A Little Late On This One
Do you see that T. Boone Pickens donated $165 million to the Oklahoma State University athletic department? Yep. The athletic department.
The Ticket did a funny bit on the issue, suggesting that the conditions of the donation were that (1) the stadium be renamed "T. Boone Pickens Stadium", (2) his picture replace the logo on the side of the OSU helment's and (3) the best football players be renamed "T. Boone Pickens" as well.
Today's Birthdays
Rush Limbaugh (55) - Please retire. Please retire.
Howard Stern (52) - Never hear him anymore.
Kirstie Alley (51) - Fat? Not Fat? Hot? Not hot?
1.11.2006
Holding My Baylor Pennant
You may not know this, but the Baylor basketball team is unbeaten this season. They open Big 12 conference play tonight.
Of course, they are unbeaten because the NCAA decided they should be banned from any pre-conference games this season due to the Dead Player/Lying Coach scandal last year a couple of years ago. Meaning: They haven't played yet.
They play Texas Tech tonight.
I'll post the score when it is complete.
John Cornyn Is An Idiot
The left wing "bloggers" of the world ordained supreme court nominee Samuel Alito with the nickname of "ScAlito" meaning that he is such a right wing nut that he is the equivalent of Supreme Court Justice Antonio Scalia.
Watch our own Texas Senator use that moniker today at the confirmation hearings.
Embarrassing.
Judging Alito
For whatever reason, I went over to CSPAN tonight to watch the "live" version of the Sam Alito hearings.
The whole thing blows my mind. His advisors had to tell him this: "There will be a camera on you for 10 hours today. Any cock of the eyebrow, any act of rage, any weak moment will be caught on tape an broadcast time and time again of TV."
I couldn't handle it.
DVD Trouble
With the proliferation of companies like Netflix (which I love) and the up-an-coming video on demand technology through cable and satellite, Blockbuster may be in trouble.
Here's Blockbuster's net income for the last few years:
Lost $1.62 billion in 2002
Lost $978.7 million in 2003
Lost $1.24 billion in 2004.
A Show Involving Dogs and Ponies
The confirmation hearings of Judge Alito drive me insane.
Bush is a pro-life president. Bush promised he would appoint pro-life judges. Bush appoints Alito. Yet, Alito can't answer the question of whether he would overturn Roe v. Wade.
I loved this exchange:
SEN. SCHUMER: Does the Constitution protect the right to free speech?
ALITO: Certainly it does. That's in the First Amendment.
SEN. SCHUMER: So why can't you answer the question of: Does the Constitution protect the right to an abortion the same way without talking about stare decisis, without talking about cases, et cetera?
Unfortunately, the answer is a yawner.
One Crazy World
Remember the post yesterday about the Jessica Simpson & Nick Lachey house being up for sale for over $3 million dollars.
Well, a 19 year old has bought it.
1.10.2006
Fancy Smancy
I had dinner tonight at the Old Hickory Steakhouse at the the Gaylord Texan. In one of the nicest steak places around, I ordered scallops.
Here's the menu in pdf format. Trust me, I wasn't paying. I'm too cheap.
Giggle
I was hanging out with a group tonight when a guy referred to a car radar detector as a "fuzzbuster". I was sucked into a time warp for a moment.
1.09.2006
Dog Pile
Former Dallas Cowboy Dwayne Goodrich, already serving 7 1/2 years for manslaughter due to an auto accident, was sentenced to an additional five years in prison today (the maximum) for failing to Stop and Render Aid. The charge arose out of the same accident.
Amazingly, the judge, not happy with just assessing the maximum, stacked the sentence on the 7 1/2 sentence. Anything to please the most bloodthirsty among us. Goodrich had pled guilty to the offense.
The original trial prompted me to write this article explaining the craziness. (Trust me, even criminal defense lawyers, prosecutors, and judges will find the article mind numbing). But the article, to my amazement, did cause Dwayne Goodrich's mom to track me down back then and call me to simply thank me for explaining what happened to her son. She was a sweet lady. I thought about her today.
Edit: After the first four comments, I would like to point out there was no allegation of DWI
Laci Peterson and A Best Seller
I don't understand why the death of a loved one so oftentimes leads to a book so long as the death received a great deal of attention.
Now If She Came With It, I'd Get Myself Indebted For Life
"Now that JESSICA SIMPSON and NICK LACHEY are no longer together, the two have put their Calabasas, CA home on the market, reports People. According to the mag, the 5-bedroom, 6,500 square-foot Mediterranean-style house, which was featured in the couple's MTV reality series "Newlyweds," is being listed at $3.75 million. Nick and Jessica announced their separation in November, with Jessica filing for divorce on December 16. She has since purchased her own $3 million home in Beverly Hills." (Source)
1.08.2006
Favorite Blogs
Obviously, I steal stuff from all over the Internet since I never have an original thought.
For quick loading videos, I always check out "Google's Video Of The Day" Some are too long, some are dumb, but some are genius.
