From The Liberally Lean Triple Doppler Weather Center

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• Those were some incredibly high winds last night. I saw a full sized trampoline in the street this morning - upright.
• I thought for a moment what a crazy scene it would be if I were to get out and start jumping on it.
• One thing about technical service (my home Internet issues are better but still not perfect) is that you have to go through the same phone tree and, when you get a real person, the same script.
• The craziest thing my tech support people say is, "Ok, Mr. Green, I'm going to take ownership of this call so we can solve your problem." Ummkay. Get after it.
• I think I'm going to Costa Rica in February.
• I've got a crazy female friend who throws a tantrum once every six months or so. Her most recent one included "unfriending" me of Facebook. And I've known her for almost 20 years.
• News you can use: There's only one web site authorized by law to provide free credit reports: www.annualcreditreport.com (Or at least that's what the most recent issue of the Texas Bar Journal said.)
• In Paris, Texas, an 18 year old with an IQ of 47 pleads guilty to five counts of sexual abuse of a child and the jury assesses punishment of 30 years, 30 years, 30 years, 5 years, and 5 years. Holy cow. If that's not insane enough, the judge decided to stack the sentences to make it a 100 year sentence. That's Lamar County Judge Eric Clifford who justified his actions by saying, "In the state of Texas, there isn't a whole lot you can do with somebody like him."Can I call a sitting judge an idiot?
• And now I've got a computer virus that is crazy: You click on a google search result and it hijacks the link and redirects to a random site. And that makes it very difficult to google how to get rid of it. Edit: And whoever suggested MalwareBytes is a genius. Good job.
• Edit: Want to hear Boston fans last night chant "You Do Steroids" to A-Rod as he came up to bat?

Email Submitted: Tonight's Wise County Rainbow

Thanks, Tony. And the rare Double Rainbow:

Sheesh

AP - Austin: Three workers died today after falling from a construction elevator on the 11th floor of an Austin condominium project -- when the equipment collapsed.

Authorities said two of the men plunged more than 120 feet to their deaths, while the third was rushed to the hospital after hitting a garage overhang on the sixth floor. He later died at a hospital.

A fourth man, apparently suspecting the scaffolding was about to give way, managed to jump off the platform and survived. He was treated at the scene.

The men were doing construction about halfway up a condominium project known as Twenty One Rio, a high-rise building near the University of Texas.

I'm a huge contemplater (?) of life and death. Of fate. Of chance. Of luck. Man, this freaks me out. And then I look around the Internet about this place and see that a 681 square foot apartment rents for $1,632 a month, and I feel superficially freaked out by that as well.

Wow

Full Service Sheriff's Office

The Wise County Sheriff's Office is caring for Bambi this afternoon. Source.

Reporter Dunks On Kid .....Kid Whines Like A Kid

My two favorite parts are the anchor back at the studio saying, "What's wrong with you?" and the mom (?) looking like she's ready to go off on the reporter after the fact. But I'm with the reporter. Kids are soft. Suck it up, Tyler. It won't be the last time somebody dunks on ya.

New Hampshire Bikini Car Wash

Reason #3,476 to appreciate Texas. More here. (And this was sponsored by NAPA Auto Parts.)

Funny, But Probably A Lot Of Truth There

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• Got my Internet fixed last night. Then woke up this morning to find it down again. I'm no technician, but replacing the router/modem two times in one week has not fixed the problem.
• I forgot to mention, no one struts more than the high school track athlete.
• Seeing a kid's chalk art on a sidewalk makes me smile.
• It's rare for KRLD not to steal the news from some other source, but they are the only ones that posted about a "gruesome accident" that occurred this morning in Lewisville.
• Taser Fun: A 72 year old granny and a mouthy motorist. Here. I love the taser over the firearm to diffuse a situation, but cops seem to be a little quick on the trigger with the thing.
• Taser should be spelled Tazer. It's cooler.
• I've never seen Palo Dura Canyon.
• I'm reading a book on the collapse of Bear, Stearns. I'm not much of a business guy, but it is fascinating. (And it made me feel a little insignificant when I read the part of one silk suited lawyer picking up the phone and dialing the number of the head of the New York Federal Reserve Bank at his home - and the guy taking the call.)
• Another earthquake in Cleburne last night. That makes four. Can't we have at least one up here?
• At least one lawyer is reporting that the Tarrant County judge who was arrested for DWI last year (but who had the case thrown out for a defective search warrant) will not be running for re-election.
• How did GM go bankrupt? I mean, look around at all the GM cars that are on the road.
• And this GM bankruptcy/nationalization can't be good for business. I'm not sure things aren't going to get worst for them.
• I wonder if I'm too old for a Nissan 370Z?

Tuesday Afternoon Pick Me Up

Murder-Suicide Update: They Were Brothers

From Sheriff David Walker: June 8, 2009 at approximately 11:30p.m. Wise County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a family friend of Jeremy Stanford. The caller reported that she had not heard from Stanford and that it seemed to be out of character for him not to return her calls. The caller reported that Stanford was living at 3893 N US HWY 287 with his parents and brother Jason Stanford. Responding to conduct a welfare concern, Deputy Travis Waddell observed blood on the front porch of the residence, and subsequently located two bodies. Investigators, along with the Texas Ranger, are investigating this case as a questionable death: probable murder-suicide. Two deceased males were located inside the residence, with one victim having an apparent stab wound. Investigators were able to determine that the two deceased victims were brothers, which had been in an altercation prior to their deaths. Evidence found at the scene indicates that Jason Stanford inflicted the injury on his brother which caused his death. There were no obvious signs of cause of death regarding Jason Stanford. Investigators will work with medical examiner to determine the official cause of death on both victims. Justice of the Peace Terri Johnson pronounced both victims deceased at the scene and ordered an autopsy. At the present time, Wise County Investigators, as well as Texas Ranger Jim Holland are attending the autopsy. Identity of the victims are: Jason Stanford DOB:11-16-1975 Jeremy Daniel Stanford DOB: 04-09-1982

Very Uncomfirmed

From an email: "I just heard that there was a plane that crashed on the runway at Decatur Airport. The FAA is there investigating and the runway is closed." But I haven't heard any sirens nor has anyone else mentioned this to me. And if the FAA was already there, I would think we would heard about it by now. So I'd tap the brakes on this one. Unless it turns out to be true, then this is Triple Breaking News. Edit: Holy, cow. Confirmed. Fire off the Triple Breaking News alert! (And thanks, Lori, for the email. I'll never doubt you again.) Edit: The plane is registered to Patricia Jane Keefer, out of Trophy Club.

Cindy Sheehan In Dallas: Won't Give It Up

But does implement a pretty funny paper mache head. Story.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

Not at Frilly's

• If you are clicking on this early in the morning, skip it and scroll down to the post below it.
• A tech guy will becoming over to fix my home Internet for the second time in a week. I might kill him.
• Man, I completely missed the fan running out onto the court and up to Roger Federer at the French Open on Sunday. Youtube video. If I'm Federer, I'd attacked him with the racket. Why? A fan came onto the court and stabbed Monica Seles in 1993. Question: The lady the camera cuts to in the audience at the 47 second mark isn't Seles, is it?
• The Rangers awarded manager Ron Washington with a one year extension yesterday through 2010. Wow. A whole year.
• I've changed my jogging routine to do it right when I wake up at an ungodly hour. I feel like Tom Cruise running through an empty Times Square in Vanilla Sky. (Why do I think 90% of you have no idea what that means?)
• It seems that if you go to the new Cowboys' Stadium that you spend most of your time looking at the screen. I guess that's OK.
• Crazy scene in a Tarrant County criminal court as an outburst earned her 180 days for contempt. (One thing I've never researched is the concept of contempt. You would think that due process would at least afford a person a hearing before being ordered to jail.)
• At the state track meet, some funny and sassy lady sat down beside me and started talking to her friend. A little later she removed her hat to reveal only a few strands of hair -- an obvious chemo patient. I kind of just wanted to hug and wish her well.
• "Wish her well" makes sense in that context, doesn't it?
• The current version of the iPhone will now be sold for $99. I would think sales are about to explode to such an extent that the majority of people own one within five years.
• The movie Hangover (guys having a bachelor party in Vegas) sounds like it might deviate from the typical silly formula.
• Movies = Generally Overrated?
• Another plug for wisecounty.com's Free Classifieds.
• Rush Limbaugh said in a nauseating interview with Sean Hannity on Wednesday: “If al-Qaida wants to demolish the America we know and love, they’d better hurry because Obama is beating them to it." Good lord, man.
• Picture of digital menu at the new Cowboys' Stadium (Credit: Bud Kennedy's Eats Beat)
• I'm confused about the capacity of the new stadium. When it was announced, it was said to seat 70,000 but had the capacity for 100,000 with standing room only tickets. But the attendance for George Strait on Saturday was said to be a little over 60,000 and that includes seats on the floor. (Unless there weren't seats on the floor.) But wasn't it a sell-out?
• There was one DWI near the stadium after the concert. Unfortunately, it was the new General Manager of the stadium. Oh, my.

We've Got A Developing Situation

Late last night at approximately 11:45pm the Wise County Sheriff's Office responded to a welfare concern in the 3800 block of US HWY 287 North (5 miles north of Decatur). While checking the residence Deputy Travis Waddell observed what appeared to be blood on the front porch of the residence. Upon further inspection of the residence, two male bodies were located. WCSO Investigators, as well as the Texas Ranger are still on scene at this time. It appears that there was some sort of struggle between the two men which resulted in their deaths.

Evidence at the scene are leading investigators to work this case at this time as a murder- suicide. Names of the victims are being withheld, pending family notification. Justice of the Peace Terri Johnson has been called to the scene and will be requesting autopsy.

This Morning: A THIRD Earthquake in Cleburne?

You may not have known about the one yesterday, but another one just happened. Weird.

Potter's House Is A Good Gig

T.D. Jake is the pastor of the huge Potter's House church in Dallas. For some reason, his sunroom exploded over the weekend. But I got caught up in the fact that the pastor has a 15,000 square foot home. The only address the story gave was "8400 block of Meadowbrook Drive" and the above satellite view shows some big ol' houses in that neighborhood.