Worst. Luck. Ever.

Story.

Another link here. (Been hearing complaints that people are having trouble reaching some widely read sites with Embarq which is not good news since my office is in the process of switching over to them.)

Craziest Ransom Note Ever

Random Grammy Thoughts

I've had the show on in the background tonight and will occasionally glance up:

- Made me smile when I saw Morris Day and The Time reunite for Jungle Love. (Although Rihanna jacked it up with that dang Umbrella Ella Ella Ella Ella song spliced in the middle of it.)
- Hannah Montana (or whatever her real name is) presented with Cindy Lauper. Unstable.
- Cher, from what I could see, looked great.
- Tina Turner (who is extremely overrated - how many times can you sing "Proud Mary"?) came out and beat us down with a montage of songs. And...get this....she was wearing pants. Those legs may have finally given way to old age.
- Beyonce is the hottest gal that just happens to be black I have ever seen. Then, again, I don't see people in color.
- I wonder about the back up dancers. Who are they? Is this their biggest moment ever? What else do they do for a living?
- I like a couple of the Foo Fighters' songs but, for the love all things sweet and clean, do you have to scream into a mic?
- George Lopez is not, and never will be, funny.
- Most uncomfortable moment of the night: Kayne West was rambling on like an idiot, the music comes up to let him know he needs to rap it up, he gets mad, he then starts talking about his dead mother and announces it would be "in good taste" to turn the music off.
- Aretha Franklin is a big as an SUV.
- Greatest line of the night was directed toward the pompous Kayne West by Vince Gill (who was given the award for Best Country Album by Ringo Starr): "I just got handed an award by a Beatle. Have you had that happen to you yet, Kanye?"
- I think they had to medicate Amy Winehouse so she could perform.
- You know, I'm just a bumpkin from who grew up in the country, but I stop down every time I hear Andrea Bocelli sing.
- Jerry Lee Lewis is alive? But I'll give the guy credit, he belted out "Great Ball Of Fire" like a born showman.

Developing...

Down Goes Jessie

Since I don't watch Desperate Housewives, I don't know who Jesse Metcalfe is. But he got sucker punched over the weekend and dropped as hard as Ali did when he was hit by Frazier. TMZ (good grief, how did that site get so famous so quickly?) has the video here.

U2 3D

Movie Review: Outstanding.

Secret Video Of My Saturday Night

He's Got To Be Smarter Than That

From a new book by Texas Gov. Rick Perry:...

"Whether it is protecting the rights of pornographers, molesters, perverts, terrorists, garden-variety thugs, or those merely hostile to a belief in God, the ACLU is there to provide aid and comfort, in additional to a well-funded legal arsenal," Perry writes.

It's A Slow Day

But I jogged outside for a long time -- absolutely beautiful -- and the Cowtown 1/2 Marathon is two weeks away.

I plan on seeing U2-3D later today. I've heard it's great.

And, uh, Phil King has fifteen people using his law office address on the voter registration rolls?

Hanging Out In The Cafeteria Crisis

The above is from today's Decatur High School "Announcement" Email that was circulated.

Greetings From Dallas

I'm in this seminar today but since (1) these things are notoriously boring and (2) I'm in the most high tech conference room in the history of ever (wi-fi, big screen, readily available outlets, CNN showing before the program starts), I'll probably give an update or two.

Random Thoughts:
- The George Bush toll road is the greatest invention in the history of travel.
- I am soooooo on my guard today because of this. (And if you don't want to click on the link, realize the story has this gem: " One man lost his money while dancing in a hotel elevator. Another lost his wallet while inside a car with his pants around his ankles.")
- This place has a breakfast spread like nobody's business.
- Looking over the registration list, I see some guy is hear listed as "Matthew McConahay" from Weatherford. I also see that former DA's Tim Cole and Bruce Issacks are here. Dear lord, James Stainton of Decatur is here.
- In general, these things are insufferable. Everywhere I hear strangers talking about their "war stories" which, I'm certain, are normally a fraction of the truth.
- Out in the hall, I just heard an over-talking old lawyer on the phone getting all grumpy with a divorce client. Discretion there, hoss. Discretion.
- Just heard that every speaker at the seminar has won a breath test case > .08 within the last 12 months.
- And the first speaker was almost a Call To Arms to try more cases. Ya know, I was motivated by that.
- I just noticed that lunch is "catered by Campisi's." Think anything low fat is on the menu?
- Power Down Moment.....Speaker: "You're not going to win a high breath test if your client looks drunk on video. Anybody done that?" [Hand goes up.] Speaker: "How'd that work out for you?" Voice from audience: "I kept them [the jury] out a while." Sheesh. Big freakin' deal.
- This is why I hate seminars. The current speaker just mentioned that there USED TO BE an error in the Breath Test Operator's manual. He then spent five minutes explaining WHY it was an error. But, sheesh, it is no longer in the manual so the error doesn't matter anymore. Move on, hoss, move on!
- There are one or two lawyers that throw down the "I'm A Texas Old School Lawyer" - which means they wear a cowboy hat, boots and bolo tie. Kill me. Good lord, one is speaking right now.
- This gal is speaking later. That's more like it.
- I'm drinking apple juice. Yep, free apple juice.
- In general, people that practice criminal defense law are a motley crew.
- After a speaker ends, I have a huge urge to start the "slow clap" going.
- Lunch was good. They also had salad. Kinda like the Olive Garden salad.
- A lady beside just offered me peanuts.
- I sooooo want post a Friday afternoon pick me up but too darn many people can see my screen. Can't exactly search the Internet for hot gals in this environment. That makes it a bad environment. I feel my rights are being infringed upon.
- A speaker just played this video for no reason other than to entertain us.
- The last speaker was a beating - he couldn't run his powerpoint presentation to save his arse. But now I'm watching Denton lawyer Rick Hagen do a mock voir dire. (Top pick). I like Rick. And he's a great lawyer.
- I love Google Docs. I use it all the time and that's what I've taken notes on today. Easily accessible in the future.
- Funny: One of the speakers, once finished, walked out to the hallway with his mic still on and live! Thought we were going to have a Naked Gun moment for a second.
- Just heard attorney Fort Worth Mark Daniel speak. I think he's great and he had five or six great points.
- OK, we've got a wise guy out there! I just got an email with a photo making reference to Lake Bridgeport. Boat accident? Fire? Some other incident? So I opened the photo amongst this crowd and up pops a very scantily clad model that has nothing to do with Lake Bridgeport - as I then scrambled to block the screen and close it.
- And we had one more wise guy email. Got one that said, "Pic of the back of your head." I was smart enough to dim my screen to "almost impossible to see mode" before I opened it. What was it? A very gay cowboy. Even I laughed at that one.
- I'm done. Good times.

Another Pile Up

a
Or at least a multi-car collision in front of the Jack In The Box at lunch (as one faithful reader reported and sent alone this pic.)

This will impact your afternoon commute by about 30 seconds. And now we'll check on Jack County traffic . . . .

The Seminar Brochures I Receive . . .

. . . aren't exactly early morning pick-me-ups.

And do I really need to receive three of them?

Tips For Home Sellers

I've often said, I'm more inclined to buy a house if the owner is a fisherman . . . what?

Real Almost News

Just got a report that "Seven Hills Elementary is locked down and police are everywhere." Developing . . . Edit: Now getting reports that all is clear. Something about a "suspicious guy." Edit: Sheesh. Now getting reports it might have included Chisholm Trail Middle School as well. But, once again, everything is back to normal. Edit: I have learned that this brief incident occurred due to a man seen taking a whiz in a nearby bar ditch.

Romney Out

You guys voting for Mitt Romney in the highly scientific Liberally Lean poll, uh, might want to rethink that.

And that little bit of fun cost him $30 million of his own money.

Two Star Telegram Points of Interest

First an editorial about the appeal of a Jack County case prosecuted by our Wise County DA and heard by our Wise County district judge. (Honestly, not that interesting.)



And a 24 part series? 24? I've never heard of such a thing. Is this the wave of the future where newspapers become serial books?

Looking Good

The lawyer that got punched by his client (see video below) was on The Today Show this morning.

King Took 2004 Super Bowl Tickets From Energy Company

Watched game from commpany's luxury suite. Company routinely had business before King's House committee. King claims he didn't discuss business during game.

King not smart enough to realize this "looks bad."

Throw him out.

Star Telegram story.