I Wonder If There Was Any Other Reason

I'm not sure who the United States Sports Academy is but they've made this gal its Female Athlete of the Year. Who would have thought that the public, who voted on the award through the web sites of NBC and USA Today, would give it to a Russian pole vaulter named Yelena Isinbaeva.

Sheesh - 8 Years In The Hoosegow For Graffiti and Weed?

Judge having a bad day? Good grief. And the ADA is right: That kid will serve 8 real years with absolutely no possibility of parole. Edit: Someone cited the "stacking rule" (Penal Code 3.03) and an article that said the kid will only have to serve 2 years because the judge was not authorized to stack the sentences as she proclaimed from the bench. That is true if all four cases were "tried" at the same time --- I assumed that had not occurred since the judge and the ADA seemed adamant about it and the defense lawyer didn't object to the stacking order. But I should have caught that. And it's still shocking to know that the kid would have received eight real years if the judge got to do what she wanted to do.

They Actually Did This

The National Weather Service has actually prepared a Powerpoint presentation about tomorrow's predicted snowfall and emailed it to various government offices. As the person that forwarded it to me said, "It took longer to make the powerpoint that what the powerpoint has to offer." And the weather service also prepared a long email predicting the snow. But it had these paragraphs as well: TIMING Timing continues to be critical. A rain/snow mix will likely develop late tonight/early Tuesday morning, especially in areas west of a line from Cisco…to Stephenville…to Temple. This rain/snow mix will turn to snow relatively quickly. By Tuesday morning, snow is anticipated for most areas, with most of the precipitation occurring area wide between 10 AM and 6 PM Tuesday. FORECAST CONFIDENCE / UNCERTAINTY Low to moderate confidence in this forecast due to numerous uncertainties in the strength, timing, and available moisture with this system. FORECAST POSSIBILITIES [Comment: Here comes the most obvious observation ever.] If the system becomes slower and stronger, we would have the possibility of higher snowfall than we are currently forecasting. If the moisture does not return as anticipated, snowfall amounts would be less.

Sheriff Announces (Alleged) Church Thieves Arrest

And on Christmas day I watched an episode of Dragnet where Friday and Gannon were hunting down a guy who had (allegedly) stolen the baby Jesus from a nativity scene. I don't think the stories are related.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• I now sneeze into my sleeve.
• If the local news stations had been fully staffed on Christmas Eve, the Blizzard Of 2009 would have given rise to around-the-clock coverage like we've never seen
• There are still abandoned cars littering 287 above Wichita Falls.
• I walked my jogging trail during the "blizzard." Uh, snow blowing sideways can hurt you. But I'd do it again in a New York minute.
• 40 degrees, sunny, with no wind feels 40 degrees different that 32, cloudy, with high winds.
• Snow and ice should melt when the temperature gets above 32 but it doesn't. At least not in the shade. I don't know why.
• Craziness: You can broadcast live video and audio from your cell phone on Ustream.
• I want the Cowboy's Roy Williams to do the "hook 'em horns" sign every time he drops a pass.
• There's a round bale of hay at a gas station on FM 407 with a big sign above it that says, "I Got My Obama Bale Out."
• I recorded the monologue for Lopez Tonight (with George Lopez.) Worst. Show. Ever. (When you make Kirstie Alley fat jokes and Bill Clinton jokes in 2009, you are not familiar with the term "topical.")
• With all the cash in the U.S. being transferred electronically, I wonder if that currency printing plant in north Fort Worth is slowing down.
• Strangers are nicer on Christmas Eve. (I had a lady start talking to me in a Target parking lot.)
• Verdict on Inglorious Basterds: Very good but not great. But Brad Pitt's Tennessee accent is pretty funny: "We have a word for that in English. It's called suspicious."
• The death of four people that ended up in a pond in Southlake on Saturday is simply tragic and weird.
• College football note: That Urban Meyer retire-unretire story over the weekend smells fishy.
• Dallas Cowboy Keith Brooking is a great football player and looks as dumb as a box of rocks.
• Speaking of dumb, my prediction of the Cowboys going 1-4 down the stretch is now officially wrong.
• Snow tomorrow?
• Channel 8 has video of a mobile home fire in Wise County from this morning?

Well I Should Say So

The weekly Wise County Crime Report.

Breaking

Ambulance helicopter crashed at Wise Regional hospital in Decatur. No life threatening injuries.

Barry (from iPhone)

Edit: Star-Telegram story.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

There's no way I'm doing this on Christmas Day. And, after all, what says "Merry Christmas" more than some crazy lady knocking the pope down.

Christmas Eve Pick Me Up

How my kids would probably have turned out.

Alternatively, enjoy Christmas Cheerleaders. Merry Christmas to all you cRaZEee people!

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• Christmas on Friday is a good thing. Most of us are off on Thursday and then the weekend comes right after. Good times.
• I think the "holiday airport rush" is a hoax. (Stay with me here.) One time before 9/11, I was by the DFW airport on Christmas Eve and heard a radio report of how busy it was. With nothing really to do, I thought I'd go inside one of the terminals to watch family reunions. I promise the place was a ghost land.
• My favorite sad Christmas song.
• That American Airlines jet came within feet of going into the ocean in Jamaica yesterday. (New pictures out this morning.) And the thing actually broke in half.
• Unfortunate new Brittany Murphy movie poster.
• People always dog the Messenger, but can you imagine how hard it would be to produce a newspaper twice a week?
• The Senate passed the health care bill this morning. What does that mean for us? I don't know.
• I made a donation to This American Life the other day. (They had a brief "donation ad" on their podcast which basically said, "You know if you don't donate, we'll still be here next week." I appreciated the honesty.)
• This Denton book-in photo kind of looks like a chunky Paul McCartney.
• Whenever I have a new client come to visit, I normally ask them "How you been doing?" as we walk back to the office. Most of the time they reply, "I've been better." (I do 100% criminal defense.)
• TCU's Gary Patterson was voted "AP Coach of the Year" yesterday. Two years ago it was Kansas' Mike Mangino who won the honor -- he was fired this year.
• Last football note: TCU's "big wins" were over BYU and Utah this year. I saw where Utah has already beaten California in one bowl game and BYU beat a good Oregon State team in another.
• When the police announce they need help in locating someone (like the donut shop owner's killer), you know they are having trouble.
• I like Christmas Eve more than Christmas Day.

Snow? Edit 8 hours later: Holy, Cow!

When did this forcast happen? We've got us a blizzard predicted. Edit: And I spent the last two days referencing a White Christmas? Coincidence? Don't doubt my magical Christmas powers.

I Call It . . .

"Trooper Holds Phone While Man Smokes and Talks" Explanation in the Update. (Where you can learn that even non life threatening injuries can get you a helicopter ride to a metroplex hospital.)

Somewhere Along I-35 By Alliance Airport

Credit: Tony

In Case That Name Sounds Familiar

Flashback.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• I power down whenever I hear the background singers in Elvis' "Blue Christmas." You know, that "waawaawhoo" stuff.
• It's on a loop on the courthouse speakers so it's been tough on me, pal.
• SMU goes to a bowl for the first time in twenty five years but only sells 500 tickets. Then again, the bowl is in Hawaii on Christmas Eve.
• Obscure college football note: A&M was 0-6 when its games were televised but 6-0 when no one got to watch.
• I'm glad it's getting cold for Christmas. It's downright balmy this morning.
• Whenever you hear, "We don't want to speculate" from a TV announcer, you're about to hear some speculation.
• Here's the picture of Cindy Lou The Littlest Who I saw this weekend: Cute.
• While you were sleeping: An American Airlines jet coming from Miami overshot the runway in Jamaica injuring over 40, none seriously. Sheesh, that could have been bad. And I've taken that flight before.
• I've seen lots of women walk into the prosecutor's office on the third floor of the courthouse and say, "I need a protective order." I always wonder if they are in fear of their safety or someone looking for revenge.
• I struggle and hate writing "The Spin" every weekend but pretty much throw "Random Thoughts" together everyday without much effort. (Obviously.)
• I love the year end "Biggest News Stories" list but I hate it when things like "the economy" make it on there. I want a list of stories that required a national "breaking news" interruption of programming.
• Everyone that has seen Avatar tells me that it's great.
• Punk kid flips camera the bird. Punk kid's dad slaps his hand.
• Saw an angry lady on a sidewalk on Decatur yesterday complaining (loudly) into a cell phone, "Why can't she control her mouth!"
• Inappropriate deceased NFL player Chris Henry memorial pics?
• Edit: There's a supposedly gruesome video all over the place of an Aggie basketball player breaking his leg last night. I say "supposedly" because I cannot bring myself to look at stuff like that.

The Generation Gap: In Comments

A comment I received about the officer-shooting-himself post from a couple of days ago. (Sorry, click to enlarge - but it's worth it.) To answer the confused youngster, I'll site Wikipedia about Barney Fife from the (great) Andy Griffith Show:

One major comedic source is Barney's lack of ability with a firearm. After numerous misfires (usually a Colt or Smith & Wesson M&P .38 caliber revolver), Sheriff Andy Taylor restricts Barney to carrying only a single bullet in his shirt pocket, "in case of an emergency."

Lordy, I feel old.

Sheriff's Email To The Entire Wise County Sheriff's Office

From: Walker, David Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 9:31 PM To: WCSO All Personnel Subject: Christmas

19 years ago, Tricia Armstrong called me and said, "you should watch Channel 8 Dale Hansen........he has a segment called THANK GOD FOR KIDS."19 years ago I started watching the segment every Christmas without fail. Each year, the THANK GOD FOR KIDS segment put a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye. This year has been extremely tough for my family beginning in June, as my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. Shortly there after, my father's health begin declining and I sat with him at the hospital for a month. He passed away July 26, 2009. My best friend, my go to on decisions I thought were good or not, and more importantly the best dad anyone could ever ask for. Supportive in every possible way, a father that I want to be. I can remember telling my dad I wanted to run for Sheriff...he said "hell David, politics is a tough game.." He was right, but he and my Mom jumped right in and here we are. With the help of all of you!

As we were working on getting my Mom situated and ready for chemotherapy, it was all of you, which I call my friends that helped me push through all the heartbreaks. August 8, 2009 my Grandmother passed away. This was my Dad's mother. Twelve days to be exact from the death of my Dad. Again, all of you pushed me and my family through yet another tough time.

Things started to change for all of us with the birth of my beautiful daughter Addison DeAnn Walker. Some of you know that for years I have wanted my own child, and a family to go home to at night. I dreamed of raising a child, just as my Dad raised me. When Addison was born on November 4th, I had my fathers picture with me, my mother was close by, as was the in-laws and other family and friends. I looked at the clock at 1:52p.m. that November day and the second hand had stopped on the clock! A true meaning that my life had changed forever, and my Dad watching on from above. There is no other feeling than the instant love that boils over, as I held Addy for the first time ever. Some of you can relate I am sure, and can say "thank god for kids." I am very fortunate for have a loving wife as Christi is a part of me. She has brought me everything I have ever wanted. Having a son that has a heart of gold, and a nephew which I call my brother, and a daughter that smiles and loves her daddy already. Even though she can't say it yet, her daddy will tell her a thousand times a week. It was very important to me to be thankful for my parents and make sure they knew I loved them. I told them all the time. When my father was in the hospital, the last thing I said to him was "rest good Dad, I will see you tomorrow, and I love you!"

Addison has been a breath of fresh air to my mother, as she is now cancer free, a breath of fresh air to push me forward and raise her like my Dad raised me. She is just perfect! As we as a family go through the first Christmas without my Dad, I do so with the vision down the road. Not only the vision of my family at home, but the vision of the department. Being extremely happy with where we are as a department and happy that we have the crew that we do, which looks forward. We are definitely the best department around. It is not a result of me, its not a result of Doug, its not a result of any single person, it is a result of all of us working together. For all you do, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am a better man because of all of you, I am a better Sheriff because of all of you.

I have attached the link to Thank God For Kids 2009. This year it is especially meaningful, with all we have been through. Dad would be proud of baby Addy! Listen to the message that Dale ends with, hug your kids, kiss your loved ones (as I just did), and remember that message he ends with. Live life for today!

Thank you all for everything on and off duty!

Have a very Merry Christmas

http://www.wfaa.com/sports/Dale-Hansen-Thank-God-For-Kids-79781147.html **************************** (Comments off. Let's all just get along.)

Wise County Last Minute Gift Idea

Yet another idea I should have thought of first. What could possibly go wrong? (By the way, and unrelated, did I ever tell you I dreamed up anti-lock brakes in my teenage brain when I was sixteen?)