From The Update

FRIDAY FATALITY — A 75-year-old Weatherford woman late Friday afternoon was killed when she crashed her van in the yard of a Decatur residence on Farm Road 51 . . . . Justice of the Peace Terry Johnson pronounced the woman dead at the scene.

Why in the world does Texas still allow JPs to perform the very awkward "pronouncement of death"?

Baylor Will,Once Again, Not Dance

The NCAA Tournament starts this week, and Baylor will stay home for the 20th straight year (by my count). The Bears led Texas by 20 on Friday night but wilted under the heat of The Evil Empire.

And I am disturbed by the overly-close hug in the background.

Random Justice Thoughts

Let me summarize what happens to this guy: He was involved in an "armed robbery" when he was 17 where the victim was robbed of $2 and no one was hurt. He was given deferred adjudication probation for the offense. One danger of deferred adjudication is that a violation of probation can lead to a sentence from a judge (a jury is not an option) of anywhere within the range of punishment. The range of punishment for this guy's offense is that of a first degree felony meaning no less than 5 years and up to life in prison. In his case, he tested positive for smoking marijuana while on probation and the judge, for whatever reason, sentences him to the maximum: life in prison. This weekend, after spending 17 years in prison, he gets a very unusual pardon simply because his sentence was unfair.

Hey, man, get in line.

Our system is really weird when it comes to probation violations and revocations. For instance, every probation order I've ever seen (and I bet I've seen over a thousand), requires a defendant to "abstain from the use of illegal narcotics or drugs." But:

- There is no law that requires a probation officer to test a probationer for marijuana. Some guys get tested, others don't.
- If a person tests positive for marijuana, there is no law that says a probation officer must tell the prosecutor about the violation (if the prosecutor never knows, the probation can never be revoked.)
- If the probation officer tells the prosecutor about the positive test for marijuana, there is no law that says the prosecutor must try to revoke the probation. The prosecutor can simply determine, based upon his or her own standard of justice, whether the violation is "serious enough."
- If the prosecutor files a Motion to Revoke the probation for a marijuana violation, there is no law that says a judge must revoke a probation. A hearing could be held where the prosecutor "proves up" the violation, the judge can find that the defendant violated his probation, but the judge at that point can do everything from nothing to the maximum sentence.

Like I said, a weird system.

"300"

I saw 300 on an IMAX screen yesterday. First, an IMAX thought: In an IMAX theater, the screen is huge and slightly curved. The seating is steeper than what you're used to and you are very close to the screen. And the sound system is incredible. It's much different than a regular theater but not what I was expecting: I thought it would be like the IMAX at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History which, I learned, is called an IMAX dome. That, it ain't.

"300" is completely different than anything I've seen before. It's basically 90% computer graphics and, man, those graphics are great. The slow motion fight scenes are mesmerizing.

The movie was great. Part Sin City, part Gladiator, part Braveheart. But be prepared: It is the bloodiest mess you've ever seen. And, for the ladies, the warriors pretty much run around in their underwear, all sport abdominal "six packs", and are badasses.

In Honor of NASCAR

I present the "Baby Jesus" prayer from Talladega Nights. Funny. But I distance.

Osama bin Laden . . .

. . . turns 50 today.

50? That's it? That, sir, is a hard 50 years. (Sidenote: This photo reminded me of one my favorite moment of The Spin. It's here but you have to scroll down to the last entry.)

Blooms

Picture taken in a Fort Worth neighborhood today.

Things On YouTube.com

"A Quick Tour of Bridgeport, TX"

"I'm In Love With A Stripper"

Nothing here but a link to an updated Star Telegram story on the murder-suicide at the T&A bar in Fort Worth. Fascinating.

Federal Funding

Wise County residents in Bridgeport and Decatur who have made political donations in federal elections. (Search for other towns as well.)

"And I Closed My Eyes, And I Slipped Away"

The lead singer of Boston, on such hits as "More than a Feeling", "Long Time" and "Peace Of Mind" has died. That, my friends, makes me sad.

Boston was the first band I ever saw in concert. I was a sophomore in high school and traveled to the Tarrant County Convention Center to see them.

("More Than A Feeling" on YouTube here.)

Decatur: The Aftermath

It's been two weeks since the Great Windstorm of 2007, and Decatur still struggles to rebuild. Signs of the damage remain as residents wonder when FEMA will make good on the promises that now seem as empty and stale as an Allsup's burrito shelf at midnight. "We will rebuild into a Chocolate City, only whiter," said one high ranking official.

Carrie Underwood Counts Fat Grams . . . Big Time

Appeasing The Women

Watched "The Departed" the other night. Pretty good. Still thinking about it. But Mark Walberg has come a long way from his early days.

Crazy World

This is a picture of Jimmy Earl Adams last month after he was found not guilty in Tarrant County. He had been accused of sexually assaulting a woman while performing laser hair removal in that most sensitive of areas. Today he was found dead. Suicide, it is believed.

Stay Classy . . .

. . . USC fans. (Google 30 second video here.) Rated: May be a little offensive to some Blog viewers.

Pics, Pics, And More Pics

Messenger photographer Joe Duty has a ton of his photos online now.

Edit: Thanks, Raymond, for the link.

I Had Almost Forgotten About Her

This was pretty big news a couple of years ago: A mom allegedly abandoned her 22 month old twins in a median in Lake Worth. If I remember correctly, it would have been on "Jacksboro Highway" right before you get to Loop 820. That place is busy.

Anyway, she had fled the country after being released on bond. And, oddly, she was apprehended over the last few days with the help of INTERPOL, the agency which, until now, I thought was mostly responsible for busting into your house for illegally copying a DVD. (Or, at least that's what the warning at the front of every movie tells me.)