Ex Evil Empire Runner A Free Man

Uh, the problem is that both DWIs were misdemeanors and you don't need a grand jury's approval to prosecute a misdemeanor. Story. (Thanks for the text, Thomas)

The Things I Didn't Know

The Fort Worth Court of Appeals issued an opinion late yesterday regarding a medical malpractice lawsuit against Wise Regional Health Systems f/k/a Decatur Community Hospital. Since the opinion doesn't use the word "indictment" in it, it's a little hard for me to follow. But the issue appears to be whether the Plaintiff has made allegations that allow the hospital and employees to be sued even though they are normally protected by sovereign immunity. Which gives rise to something I didn't know: ""There is no dispute that Appellant Wise Regional . . . constitutes a governmental entity." The hospital is a governmental entity? Really? I can't believe I didn't know that. Insomnia curing opinion is here. (pdf)

Friday Morning Random Thoughts

• While you were sleeping, Washington Mutual was seized by the FDIC and then sold to JPMorgan Chase & Co. Holy cow.
• Everyone is referring to that as a "bank failure" which makes it the largest "bank failure" in the history of the United States.
• Being the voice of Big Tex would be a beating. And that guy is kind of creepy based upon a live interview I saw this morning.
• I slept right through my alarm this morning. That never happens.
• From a political standpoint, this economic mess can't have come at a worst time for the Republicans since the masses, rightly or wrongly, blame the incumbent party. (Did I already write this?)
• Grisham's An Innocent Man (I'm 60% through it) is absolutely fantastic. And the fact that it focuses on a small county's criminal justice system is like candy for me (if I really liked candy.)
• The smoking hot Jillian Barberie is a shocking 42 today.
• Here's the pretty detailed press release from the U.S. Attorney regarding the arrest of the former Boyd pastor on child pornography charges. (Not sure why the feds need to get involved.) But you might want to rethink your life if you actually choose the email address of: girlpedolover@yahoo.com. Can you make it any more obvious?
• I wonder if IHaveAMethLabInBoyd@yahoo.com is available? (Edit: I added this line after this post originally went up. At the same time, MzChief made an almost identical joke in the comments. Neither one of us saw the other do the same schtick. Frightening.)
• Ugh: Last night I stick the ol' gas nozzle in the gas tank, begin filling, and go into the convenience store for something else (although I always fear coming back out and seeing that I have flooded the Southwest Proper with gasoline.) But, after spending a few minutes in the store, I come back out to see that the filling had malfunctioned after 1.07 gallons. Fail.
• I got an automated email last night from the web site I told you about a couple of weeks ago that alerts you to close sporting events. It read, "Oregon State 21 #1 USC 0 - Halftime - Potential Upset - ESPN Ch. 206." I didn't even know the game was going on, and I was able to switch over and watch what turned out to be a an actual upset.
• And Oregon State was lead by a 5'6" running back. Go little guy.
• Fox 4 Megan Henderson told the TV world this week that that she has been diagnosed with "toasted skin syndrome." That's about all I know, but I'm speculating like a mad man.

Thursday Afternoon Pick Me Up

Once again, I try to bring people together in a time of crisis and uncertainty. (Double thanks emailer.)

I Think Those Wheels Might Be Starting To Wobble

Watch CBS Videos Online (Thanks, Kevin.) Edit: Ugh, you've got to be whipped with a commercial first. Edit: Man, I have no idea what in the heck she is saying in this excerpt (although the video/voice lack of sync will drive you nuts.)

And Another

Story.

Not A Sports Post

I was half heartedly watching the NFL Channel last night when I looked up and saw the end of the Tampa Bay / Chicago replay where Bucs' kicker Matt Bryant won the game on a field goal. One of the few Baylor players in the NFL, I had almost forgotten about Bryant. And then this news strikes this morning. The pain that some people have to endure.

A Rare Sportzzzzz Post

Man throws football. Man catches football. Well, maybe a little more impressive than that.

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• That David Blaine special had the dumbest ending in the history of ever. I'm surprised that New York crowd didn't riot, and I'm surprised announcer John Saunders agreed to stoop that low.
• McCain suspends his campaign and wants to cancel the Friday debate in order to work on the financial "crisis". Obama says a president needs to be able to handle more than one thing at one time. Advantage: Obama
• Man, if the debate fires up tomorrow with Obama there and McCain's chair empty, what a scene that will be. And that photo would be everywhere.
• There are a bunch of wooden pallets on fire in Crowley this morning. Channel 8 and Channel 5 couldn't get a shot from anything other than 10 miles away. Fox 4 managed to get one from about a 1/2 mile away. No one has a helicopter in the air.
• Bush was on TV last night trying to explain why he wants to use $700 billion of your money to bail out dumb lenders. Ever since WMDs, he pretty much couldn't convince a fish the sea was salty.
• "Banks could fail, including some in your community," he said. Really?
• Ok, I might be a little grumpy towards the Republicans this morning.
• Better Jessica Alba pics than yesterday. Kind of makes me want to visit that bar in Sin City.
• I just found out it was "premier week" on network TV. It's not like the old days where if you missed something, you might never see it.
• Video of the day yesterday: Radio studio goes up in flame while DJ keeps rolling.
• Headline: "Palin once blessed to be free from 'witchcraft'". And there's a nine minute youtube clip to back it up but there's no way I'm giving up nine minutes of my life for that.
• After jogging yesterday outside, I flipped on the TV and saw Dancing With The Stars. I hung in for about 10 minutes waiting for that Kardashian chick, but had to change channels when some 12 year old boy started singing.
• I promise I created anti-lock brakes in my brain as a kid during an ice storm. My dad had just explained to me that once your tires lock up on ice, you're no longer in control. It had to be around 1976 or 1977.
• I thought about that while seeing the trailer for the new movie about the guy who invented the intermittent windshield wiper that was stolen by Ford. Which looks pretty good by the way.
• I still remember my first home run as a kid in organized baseball. Left field. Three innings later the game was cancelled due to lightening.
• There's an email going around suggesting that if the $85 billion bailout of AIG were instead distributed to 200 million adult Americans, that each person would get $425,000. I'm no math major, but that's not right. Is it?

Gas Shortage In Bridgeport?

A faithful reader sends along these pics of at least one gas station in Bridgeport not having gas in its station.

Wise County Connection

An emailer says that the guy arrested in this story used to be the pastor at the First United Methodist Church in Boyd. And didn't I make a random observation about Royse City in yesterday's Random Thoughts?

In Lieu Of "Wednesday Afternoon Pick Me Up"

Caption this.

An Exclusive Club . . .

. . . is handing out leaflets which, uh, suggest that an Obama presidency would not be good for America. You, too, could join that group so long as you meet the qualifications of an "adult heterosexual men and women who are entirely of European Christian ancestry." Oh, yeah, the leaflet is here.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• I've begun "reading" John Grisham's An Innocent Man. So far: Great. Man, I'm a sucker for true crime written by someone who accurately portrays the system.
• Every time I read or see something interesting, I want to go there just to see it. Now I just want to go see the courthouse in Ada, Oklahoma (the main town in the book.)
• I haven't been to Northpark mall in forever.
• The Evil Empire has produced some wheels off stars: Ricky Williams, Cedric Benson, and now Vince Young.
• Every year: News footage of Big Tex being raised. Every year: Power Down.
• Anybody hear about 11 people being shot at a Texas nightclub over the weekend (although no died)? Didn't think so. And the club's name was Graham Central Station -- I think I went in a club by that name in Wichita Falls once.
• I saw a letter written by a hypothetical friend of a client yesterday that was typed, single space, three pages long, and (here's the payoff) did not contain one paragraph break.
• Whenever I hear about "Royse City" (which is just outside of Dallas), I think of an old western town with an actual saloon.
• I think I got honked at this morning but I'm not sure if it was directed at me. That's frustrating because you can't even get mad.
• I pull my hair out when I see the local weather forecast say, for example, "It's going to be 81 in Denton and Sherman, 82 in Plano, 80 in Rockwall . . . ."
• I saw the basketball area over at North Texas referred to as the "Snake Pit" yesterday. I'm not sure I had heard that name in a while. Edit: A commenter correctly points out it's the "Super Pit" and had I read past this headline, it would have all made sense.
• The Banana and Gorilla prank sure has received a lot of media coverage (the boys even got interviewed yesterday.) But there should be a criminal defense of: Funny enough to be excused.
• Even though a pretty good number of Wise County kids go to Northwest ISD, I never consider the Texans to be a "Wise County team".
• Boy, McCain is keeping Sarah Palin more protected than a newborn's fontanella. Don't expect a press conference any time soon.
• "PETA sent a letter to . . . Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., urging them to replace cow's milk they use in their ice cream products with human breast milk, according to a statement recently released by a PETA spokeswoman." Could give rise to some awkward ordering while in line.
• Dallas ISD is always a disaster. I remember back in the late 1980s that the superintendent used school funds to furnish her condo in what is now Uptown Dallas. She went to prison.
• Jessica Alba, and I loves me some Jessica Alba, has lost her baby fat.
• Good lord, someone has walked into my office at 7:48 a.m.

Dating Advice From Tech Coach Mike Leach

There's just something about this guy that makes me laugh. You know, like the crazy uncle who might say anything at any moment. And although this clip isn't award winning (unlike my all time unrelated favorite of Crack Head Leprechaun) this one does have its moments. Just listen for the Jerry Springer crowd oft used word of "conversate" and the big finish with "trade computer schemes." I've been doing that for years. That's why I'm not married.

And On A Lighter Note . . . .

. . . anybody seen my monkey?

"Money Quotes" From Today's Bailout Hearing

At least we're getting a little support:

• "I understand speed is important, but I'm far more interested in whether or not we get this right," said Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn.
• Sen. Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, the panel's senior Republican, was even more blunt. "I have long opposed government bailouts for individuals and corporate America alike," he said. "We have been given no credible assurances that this plan will work. We could very well send $700 billion, or a trillion, and not resolve the crisis."
• "Just because God created the world in seven days doesn't mean we have to pass this bill in seven days," said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas.
• Added Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., "I am emphatically against it."
• "This massive bailout is not a solution, It is financial socialism and it's un-American," said Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky.
• "After reading this proposal, I can only conclude that it is not just our economy that is at risk, Mr. Secretary, but our Constitution, as well," Sen. Chris Dodd said.

Source

Chris Rock On David Letterman

LETTERMAN: Now what about Sarah.. the governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin? Now that was sort of a surprise. ROCK: [In his fast talking and excited voice:] That is unbelievable! Have you been to Alaska, Dave? LETTERMAN: No, I've never been... ROCK: It's like The Road Warrior with snow. LETTERMAN: Really. It's bleak, a little? ROCK: It's crazy up there, man. Insane. And she's shooting mooses, and she's got the moose, holding a dead, bloody moose. Michael Vick's like, 'Why am I in jail?' LETTERMAN: Exactly. ROCK: What the hell? You let a white lady shoot a moose. Black man want to kill a dog, that's a crime.