Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• That looked like a pretty big grass fire in Rhome yesterday with the charred grass getting really close to those home south of 287 and 114. The Update today says the fire is blamed on a "back firing car." Huh?
• A wrong way driver on 287 and Blue Mound Road left two dead yesterday evening. The Wise County Sheriff's Office was quoted in the short story so maybe one of the cars has a connection to us.
• Cliff Lee is headed to Philadelphia? I'm just glad I can stop hearing about it. (But this random Facebook guy did not take the news in a mature fashion last night.)
• Final Cliff Lee thought: Junior Miller of The Ticket said this morning at 6:15 a.m. that he thought Lee chose the Phillies since he wouldn't have to be "the guy" in the pitching rotation. At 8:11 a.m., WBAP's sports guy announced the very same theory. Coincidence?
• I'm about to end 10 years at the same job. Prior to that, it was 2, 3, 2, and 8 years. I once wrote about my first lawyer job here (including having a 13 page letter thrown at me by my boss). Edit: Nope, not going anywhere. 
• I know it doesn't matter, but our DA was the victim of a stunning fantasy football playoff comeback last night. (And it's a sad state of affairs that I  tend to watch up to the minute fantasy football scores on Yahoo than the actual score.)
• Hey, we are finally getting civilized: Texas had only eight people sentenced to death row this year. That's the lowest since the death penalty was found to be constitutional in 1976. I actually think that penalty will be abolished as an option throughout the U.S. within the next 20 years.
• The Family Pup graduated from Beginner's Dog School last night. Personally, I'm a little concerned about the state of the doggie educational system in this country. 
• I watched the first 30 minutes of Pony Excess, the 30 for 30 documentary on the SMU cheating scandal of the 1980s.  So far it's great but stunning that Craig James tries to come off as "above it all." And it's equally fascinating to see every local sports media guy of that era from DFW make an appearance.
• The University of Texas is required to officially post a job listing for its Defensive Coordinator position. At least it warns that you would have to work in front of "large crowds."
• Odd: Channel 5 News was setting up for a live shot at an ATM for a story about a man robbing ATM users when a guy comes up and robs someone using an ATM. The camera was rolling. 
• I'm so sick of that Honda "Holiday, it's a holiday" song.
• I've become a big fan of walking down the stairs first thing in the morning and looking at the lighted Christmas tree in the stillness of the house. Ok, maybe it's the stillness. 
• In a span of about 15 minutes last night, I found the cables to a TV unplugged, my treadmill headphones destroyed, and my outside jogging headphones missing. After a couple of audible sighs I was smart enough to just let it go. 
• Brett Favre's continuous game starting streak came to an end last night (yawn) and this morning his official web site is selling autograph footballs to "honor" the event for $500. Sorriness. Pure sorriness.
• I saw some teenager this weekend stand at a salsa bar in a restaurant and peel the wrapper off his straw into multiple pieces and just toss it on the ground. I almost said something. It really, really bugged me. 

Monday Afternoon Pick Me Up

The old Stark Club in Dallas reopened under a new name last weekend. Slideshow.

2010's Quotes Of The Year

I feel pretty good in that I only had not heard of #6 and #10. 

And concerning the first #1, Time magazine ran an article on the guy who created the ad and he's got quite the "go to" reputation. The ad, actually, is pretty good. It's just that the opening line caused the message to be lost in the noise.

Source of this list:

1. (TIE) "I'm not a witch." Christine O'Donnell, television advertisement, Oct. 4

1. (TIE) "I'd like my life back." Tony Hayward, comment to reporters, May 30.

3. "If you touch my junk, I'm gonna have you arrested." airline passenger John Tyner, remark to Transportation Security Administration worker at San Diego airport, Nov. 13, 2010

4. "Don't retreat. Instead — reload!" Sarah Palin, Tweet, March 23.

5. "Chi! Chi! Chi! Le! Le! Le! Los mineros de Chile!" Chant at Chilean mine rescue, Oct. 13.

6. "I hope that's not where we're going, but you know, if this Congress keeps going the way it is, people are really looking toward those Second Amendment remedies. They're saying: My goodness, what can we do to turn this country around?" Sharron Angle, radio interview in January.

7. "We have to pass the (health care) bill so you can find out what is in it." Nancy Pelosi, speech to National Association of Counties, March 9.

8. "I'm going to take my talents to South Beach." LeBron James, television broadcast, July 8.

9. "You're telling me that the separation of church and state is found in the First Amendment?" Christine O'Donnell, Delaware senatorial debate, Oct. 19. (The Associated Press reported the quote: "So you're telling me that the separation of church and state, the phrase `separation of church and state,' is in the First Amendment?")

10. "They should never have put me with that woman. ... She was just a sort of bigoted woman who said she used to be Labour." Gordon Brown, comments about a voter he met while campaigning for British general election, Apr. 28.

ObamaCare Slapped Down This Morning

Story.

(That brings the total court rulings score to 2-1 in favor of the President.)

Channel 33 Posts 77 Pics of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders In Christmas Outfits

Let's work on the resolution and variety next time people. Take your hard-hitting journalism seriously!!!

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• A horrific event: Kid stows away in a jet's wheel well and, oh. no. [Link fixed.]
• The video inside the Metrodome's roof collapsing was fascinating. Almost as fascinating as Fox Sports thinking is was going to happen and deciding to roll video all night long in order to catch it.
• I wrote two years ago that it was "just weird" for the Evil Empire to name Will Muschamp as "coach in waiting." I guess he did too since he fled the 2010 train wreck and is heading to Florida. (How did that team go from playing for a National Championship to complete chaos in less that 11 months?)
• What a funny story: A guy gets arrested in Dallas, handcuffed behind his back, placed in the squad car, and then manages to drive away in it while the cops weren't watching. And he got away with it. For now.
• CNN had a bit or Idiocracy this morning when they had a "Feels Like Temperature Map" instead of a "Wind Chill Map."
• I think freezing to death would be the worst way to go. 
• I ate at Cantina Laredo in downtown Fort Worth on Friday night. I've always liked all the free parking down there and looked online to see if there was some I had missed: Yes and no. The map said the parking garage by The Tower condos was available, but it was a mess with all of the reserved spaces.
• Cowboy Tashard Choice getting Michael Vick's autograph after last night's game was unstable. But he defended himself this morning on Twitter claiming it was for his nephew and doesn't impact how he plays on "da field." Plus, "ya'll are a trip foreal."
• DeSean Jackson's fall-backwards-into-the-end-zone score was funny. It happened while I was in the store, but the missus hit pause because she knew I'd get a kick out of it. 
• Watched the first two episodes of Breaking Bad on AMC. It has potential. 
• Texas is only one of 16 states that allows "straight ticket" voting. The Morning News criticized the practice in today's edition and pointed out that some proposed bills have tried to ban it. But that's not going to happen when the majority was voted in due to straight ticket voting. 
• Wheels Off radio interview of Joe Paterno. 
• I put up (down?) lights to outline the front yard.  You'd think that would be a quick and easy job -- but that would be wrong. (And nothing says Christmas like one particular socket that blows out every light I put in it.)
• Did I tell you we also had a pet turtle? Did I tell you that we now have a dead pet turtle?

Don't Be Tricking Up Your Christmas Shows!!!

With a title of a video like that, you know it's going to be good.

Texas Monthly Unveils Its "Bum Steer Awards" Cover

Off the top of my head, I can't think of anything that happened in Wise County this year that will make it in the issue.

Last year we made it twice:

HERE’S A SHORT SENTENCE: “JAMES, YOU’RE AN IDIOT”
Fearing a long prison sentence, James Carroll Franklin, of Azle, fled the Wise County courthouse while a jury was deciding his penalty for a drug conviction. As police chased Franklin across three counties, the jury’s recommendation, probation, was announced. A judge added 180 days in jail for the escape, and police said Franklin would likely face additional felony charges.


BUT WAIT . . .
An exercise to test Decatur’s preparedness for swine flu outbreaks was canceled because of concerns over actual swine flu outbreaks.

Miley Cyrus Takes Bong Hit Of A Legal Substance. America Refuses To Just Shrug.

This video was showing up all over the place this morning, but I blew it off when I first saw it. Then WBAP mentioned it on its top of the hour news so this may be on CNN and FOX already.

Apparently she is smoking something called "salvia" which is some legal herb in California. Obviously, we'd ban it in Texas quicker than you can say "K2" because we don't need some pseudo California hippy weed infiltrating the Bible Belt.

And, I'll be honest, I didn't even make it halfway through the video. The moment Miley starts giggling and amazingly proving she can be even more annoying that she already is, I was out.

Edit: Dang YouTube pulled it!  Probably because TMZ is claiming the copyright and has the video posted here.

A Picture Of The Creatures That Control My House

The cat has looked that way ever since I told her, "Don't expect to see Christmas."

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• There's a divorce going on in Dallas where the wife wants $15 20 billion and the guy actually has that much. Edit: Oops. Poor guy only has $5 billion.  I bet he regrets getting younger at that position.
• I'm not sure what the hype is about the new TRON movie which is based on a horrible video game (I'd put a quarter in and watch a motorcycle run into a line within 15 seconds) as well as a previous bomb of a movie from the 1980s.
• Family picture time was last night with a remote controlled camera. That was a very Modern Family wheels off experience. ("When's this going to happen?" I asked. "In about 15 minutes," came the reply. My new internal married clock told me that would be slightly over an hour. I was right.) 
• Regarding my opinion of the silliness of the FBI tricking dumb-terrorist-wannabees:  Geraldo Rivera said the same thing on Fox & Friends this morning. (Side note about another contributor to the program: When did Stuart Varney turn into fear-mongering hack?)
• Texas DPS inducted 37 new troopers yesterday. They walked into the ceremony chanting, "A trooper's life is made for me." Really?
• And the keynote speaker actually said, ""It's significant that when Chuck Norris dreams of what he would be, he dreams that he would be a member of the DPS. That says something." Really?
• The Wise County guy on trial for dope got 12 years. And all across the state this evening prosecutors will ingest a fluid into their body to alter their mental state at a thing called "happy hour."  
• For most of my life, I wouldn't acknowledge Christmas until a week before it happened in order to avoid Christmas Burnout.  That might have been a mistake. 
• Some company called Groupon was approached by Google with an offer to be purchased for $6 billion. They turned Google down. Mark Cuban would have told them to take "stupid money."
• The Mavericks will lose in the first of second round of the playoffs -- I don't care if they win 50 games straight. (And, man,  I despise their coach.) 
• Neve Campbell looking hot.
• I was watching part of a documentary on World War II last night (on the bombing or Britain.) I perceived myself as an inquisitive guy trying to learn something. I suppose the kids in the house perceived me as an old guy watching a boring war show.
• Story regarding this headline:

What Is Up With This Kid?

I mean your dad has died in Afghanistan and you're dancing around on the Today Show like you're at Frilly's after a few brewskis on Karaoke Night.  Dude! Have a little respect. (And a good slap on the back of the head from mom wouldn't have been a bad idea either.)

And just when you think you're through shaking your head, the family gets a bunch of crap from Walmart to make them feel better.

That Dang Right To Free Speech

Original.

Just Watched Closing Arguments On Punishment

Sounds like a run of the mill dope case. He faces 2-10 years on one case and 2-20 years on the other.

His criminal history:
2009: Unlawfully Carrying a Weapon
2006: Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle (felony)
2006: Assault - Family Violence
2006: Theft by Check
1999: Assault - Family Violence

But my favorite part came from the defense lawyer who told the jury, "If the destruction of this man would lead to the elimination of drugs in Wise County, I'd do it for you. I would stomp on him like a cockroach and spread his innards from wall to wall."   He uses that line all the time, and it always cracks me up.

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• The U. of Florida football job is open again, and former Tech coach Mike Leach has already said he's interested in it. Not a chance.
• I bought the wrong type of outdoor Christmas lights last night ("cool white?") and ended up tricking up the game room with them. It was a high point when the result got a "Cool!!!" out of the 7th Grader.
• It now glows like a dance club. I almost broke out the new "Weekend at Bernie's Dance."
• The House passed the Dream Act (referenced below) last night. Let the wailing and gnashing of teeth begin. 
• Not sure why the Family Pup had a toboggan on last night. Or why someone had him do a paw-to-chest-throw-a-gang-sign move. But it was funny.
• The trooper that slammed the woman's face into the concrete wall along the Dallas North Tollway is already on trial. Unfortunately, it's just for misdemeanor assault.
• The Morning News has a story this morning on a 38 year old that has held a Justice of the Peace job in Collin County since he was 18: But what caught my eye was that he 5'9" and 525 lbs. The guy might want to think about getting a thumb stomach. 
• TCU coach Gary Patterson has a weekly show on WBAP. No. Personality. At. All. 
• Drives me insane: The FBI, again, has coaxed a dumb kid into trying to set off a fake bomb and then proclaims another victory on the War of Terror. And what fine investigative work made them single him out?: His postings on Facebook.  Sheesh. And the kid was so skilled in terrorism, his idea was to "stuff a sock or something" into a car's tailpipe to get it to blow up. 
• If the FBI spent as much time trying to coax white supremacists into, say, trying to blow up an African American church, they would have equal, or greater, results. 
• The Ticket mentioned yesterday that Mark David Chapman was photographed with John Lennon hours before he killed him. I don't think I had ever heard of that before. (Noticed the bagofnothing.com guy has the same observation.)
• Is it ghoulish to want to go by The Dakota, the scene of Lennon's murder, the next time I'm in NYC?
• Texas law enforcement seized 36,280 pot plants in 2008, 62,000 in 2009, and 83,000 in 2010. They tell us that's proof the War on Drugs is working. Nope. It's crystal clear proof that you're losing. 
• Cliff Lee talk: When some team offers him a six or seven year contract, they don't expect him to pitch for six or seven years. At his age, they are hoping for five years of production but are doing the equivalent of financing a big five year contract over six or seven years. No one seems to understand that. 

Wise County Man Kills Himself Near Amarillo After Arrest

Story.

Texas Senator Is Against Crash Diet In Support Of Immigration Reform

 The Dream Act would allow a fairly quick path to citizenship for illegal immigrants that came to the U.S. while under 16. However, it would require either enrollment in a college or the military and not having a "criminal record."  It's said to possibly impact two million people.

I'll take that as a reasonable suggestion. And so do a bunch of students in San Antonio on a hunger strike until it passes.

This silly "deport 'em all!!!" mentality is failed logic. Something must be done, and this would be a reasonable starting point.

Story.

Does This Look Like The Face Of A Guy Who Was A Fake Lawyer For 10 Years And Then Showed Up For Court Drunk?

I told you this job will beat you down --- even if you're just a "play like" attorney.

He was arrested in Hunt County but has practiced in Denton, Tarrant and "18 other counties". Hey, you kids over at the Wise County and District Clerk's offices, you got a record on Jeffrey Scott Partlow?

Link.