Liberal Supreme Court Loves Westboro Baptist Church

I jest. I told you this was coming.

The protesters complied with a newly enacted law by staying over 300 feet away from the funeral. And the father of the dead soldier who sued the church (and won $5 million) never saw or heard the protest.  The decision was a no-brainer.

As is often said, Freedom of Speech means protecting those who say things that we disagree with.

175th Anniversary of the Birth Of The Republic Of Texas

Quick questions:
1. How long was Texas a nation?
2. How many different presidents did it have?
3. Where was its final capitol location?
4. What university received its charter during the nation's brief life?
5. A 175th anniversary is called what?
6. What did the first president do that many considered treasonous?

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Answers below



1. 10 years
2. 4 (Although Sam Houston served two non-consecutive terms)
3. Houston
4. Baylor
5. Terquasquicentennial
6. After the Battle of San Jacinto, he (David G. Burnet)  negotiated a treaty allowing Santa Anna to return safely to Mexico in exchange for all Mexican troops withdrawing below the Rio Grande.

The Wikipedia page. There's very little I know about the brief Republic of Texas.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• We've seen gas prices like this before, but I don't think we've ever seen them rise so much from one day to the next. They'll jump 10 to 15 cents a day. 
• Conspiracy theory that even I don't believe: What if this Charlie Sheen bit is all a publicity stunt to promote Two and Half Men with the entire cast, crew and producers being in on it? If he were to rejoin the show, wouldn't its audience almost double simply out of curiosity's sake?
• Then again, he's started a Twitter account last night and is already "retweeting" using the techi-understood format. That's a little suspect.
• The guy that was shot by a cop in Fort Worth was referred to, without qualification, as a "drug dealer" last night on Fox 4. This morning they referred to him as an "alleged drug dealer".
• Mrs. LL claims I talk in my sleep. She proved it last night when I awoke to catch myself saying, "But they are stealing the trampoline" over and over again. (She kept saying "What?" until I pulled out of my slumber.)
• One of the silliest shows ever is The Bachelor.
• Watched a 2nd Grade softball practice last night. I'm not sure that's softball that's being played amongst the chaos.
• "Pope Benedict exonerates Jews for Jesus' death." I'm sure they're relieved. 
• It's getting close to March Madness and last year this blog ran a Tournament Pick 'Em pool with the winner receiving a $150 gift certificate to Stagecoach Steakhouse in Bridgeport. If any merchant would think about donating a prize for first, second or third place, give me a shout. It's an advertising bargain for a four week tournament. (Last year's final standings.) 
• Texas lawyers overwhelming rejected ethic reforms proposed by the State Bar last month -- mostly for complicated reasons dealing with fees, accounting, and trusts. But one proposed reform that got rejected in the landslide was one prohibiting sex with clients.  I'm surprised the media hasn't picked up on this because it would give rise to some great headlines. 
• Cute: Baby laughing at paper ripping. 
• That Frank Luntz guy on Fox News (who apparently has free reign to pimp his new book 24/7), comes across as a snake oil salesman to me. 
• DPS has advised college students to avoid Mexico for Spring Break. I understand warnings for border towns such as Juarez, but this warning includes all of Mexico. Really? DPS says not to go to Cancun or Cabo San Lucas? I guess the government does promote fear.
• Just glanced through the job openings in the Messenger and saw a lot for Commercial Driver's with two years experience. Are those good driving jobs or a beating?
• Sports Illustrated released a story today about the number of players with criminal records in college football. Looking at their chart for last year's pre-season Top 25, TCU and the Evil Empire have nothing to be ashamed of. 

A Twofer

I watched the first part of this video which show a cheerleader who is either excited or having a seizure. I'm not sure. But it was worth a little chuckle.  I was about to quite watching (I didn't understand why I was just halfway through the video) but then I got some added gold: The two guys recording this thing with a cell phone keep hitting the rewind button on the TIVO. Without saying a word and doing nothing but laughing, those guys had me laughing out loud in my office at lunch.

Odd Story Of The Day

A Star-Telegram writer, who ofter writes about strip clubs, watched as his wife gave birth to their child in the parking lot of an Arlington strip club just before closing time.

Projected Impact Of Budget Cuts On Wise County ISDs

"The Center for Public Policy Priorities has been a nonpartisan, nonprofit policy institute committed to improving public policies to better the economic and social conditions of low- and moderate-income Texans." I think they are a legitimate group and they have released their projections regarding the current school funding crisis on a county by county basis. (I excerpted the Wise County section from their downloadable spreadsheet.) 

The loss of private sector jobs is interesting. That goes back to my post the other day about how "big government's" purchasing of goods and services keeps a lot of people employed in the private sector.

(Thanks, Kevin.)

I'm Out Of Pocket For An Hour

And TWU gets locked and unlocked? Man, news happens fast.

Actually, I was being interviewed by the Bridgeport Index about Liberally Lean for what will certainly be the interview of the year.  Except I wasn't asked about the purpose behind the Random Girls, so a Pulitzer might escape the author. (Who, by the way, has had a far more fascinating life than mine.)

Free Christina!!!!!

She was in the unfortunate position of allegedly being drunk last night as a passenger while her boyfriend was arrested for DWI.

It's really not that unusual for a passenger to be arrested for Pubic Intoxication in that situation. The fact that you are in a car doesn't mean you're not in public. (But I have seen some videos where the passengers initially refuse to get out of the car because "Once I do, you'll arrest me for PI!")

But Wise County law enforcement seems to be pretty understanding in these situations. More often than not, they'll give the passenger a chance to call someone to come pick them up. If they can't find someone, then they'll be arrested.

Edit: Christina's book-in info has her at 100 pounds.

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Our garage door went on the blink in an odd way. I diagnosed the problem by discovering that the wires to one of the safety sensors had been pulled out. Worth mentioning? Heck yeah! I'm almost never able to solve problems like that and, if I do, it takes me five hours instead of 15 minutes. Winner.
• Not to beat an (almost) dead horse, but Charlie Sheen on Piers Morgan last night was some of the most fascinating TV I've seen in a long time. Morgan actually asked him "are you on some type of controlled substance right now?"
• Crazy/Funny moment was when Sheen was asked if he had "taken a lot of cocaine." Sheen: "Taken? I had to pay for it."
• UT is doing the same thing in basketball as it did last year: Go to #1 in the nation and then fade down the stretch (they have lost 3 of 4). They end the season at Baylor on Saturday and ESPN's College Game Day will be in Waco. I hope someone shows up (Baylor will be on Spring Break.)
• A Fort Worth officer shot and killed a man last night, and a Garland officer killed a man in his front yard over the weekend. Hide yo wife, hide yo kids . . .
• Skier falls accidentally falls off a climb and films it. (:55 mark.)
• Mrs. LL grinds her teeth at night. If it takes a mouth-guard, that has to stop. 
• The Supreme Court bent over backwards yesterday to issue a a pro-police opinion in the area of the admissibility of out of court statements. How bad was it? Ultra Conservative Justice Scalia issued a dissent saying that the majority's characterization of the conduct of the police is "so transparently false that professing to believe it demeans this institution." (And with Obama appointee Justice Sotomayor writing for the majority, I feel like I'm in Bizarro Legal Land.)
• Overhyped story from yesterday: A Texas group offering $500 scholarships to white men. (Buried in the story is that a potential recipient qualifies if he is 25 percent Caucasian or more.)
• Jane Mansfield Russell died yesterday. I really just remember her from bra commercials. Edit: Now I'm not so sure who is who. 
• Our carpets have been steam cleaned. Of all cleaning projects, that is by far my favorite. 
• The Star-Telegram sold its office building last week and, the publisher says, they plan to move but they just don't know where yet. Am I the only one that has a bad feeling about this?
• It's March 1st and I saw blooms on trees this morning. Fantastic. Let the Post-Christmas Depression end.

If You Like A Person's Wheels Flying Off

Charlie Sheen did an interview with NBC this morning (he wants his salary raised from $2 million to $3 million per episode for Two and a Half Men) as well as one with ABC.

But based upon the way the Internets are blowing up, he's doing an interview right now with TMZ which is uncensored.  There has to be some gold coming our way. Edit: They've posted it. Edit #2: Compilation of best quotes here.

And, as a self-proclaimed TV critic, I think Two and a Half Men is funny, but not funny enough to record.

Viral Video Of The Day

A video camera catches the terrifying moment a driver in a black VW Golf rammed his car into a group of cyclists participating in a Critical Mass event in Porto Alegre, Brazil. No one was killed.

Incident is at about the 50 second mark.

I Want To See Lari Barager Do This

I guess it was a legitimate fight, but it wouldn't put it past someone to stage a fight/breakup like this to get a little publicity.

But if it were a real fight between a couple of stangers, I'd keep out of it. I've seen some those brawls on youtube, it can get nasty.

Pics From West Texas Wild Fires

The Amarillo Globe-News has some pretty good coverage. 68 homes destroyed. 110,000 acres burned.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• I asked a couple of weeks ago if that young mother from Poolville was still missing. Channel 8 did an update over the weekend. 
• I'm not sure what has gotten into Charlie Sheen over the last few days, but he's going on a scorched earth policy. But you have to like a quote like, "I'm on a drug. It's called Charlie Sheen."
• Gov. Perry has blocked some media outlets from following him on Twitter. That's a silly move. (Anyone not "following" him can still view all his boring tweets. The only difference is that his tweets won't automatically show up on your timeline. -- How's that for techno talk?)  
• But that's what KXAS Kim Fisher did to me a while back. I'm pretty sure her career stalled once she did that. 
• I ran the Cowtown Half Marathon yesterday and never felt stronger or faster. And then I find out I ran six minutes slower than last year. I guess there's two reasons: It was a different course with different elevations and, perhaps -- just perhaps -- I'm getting older.
• Wise County Commissioners attorney advisor Thomas Aaberg ran the full marathon at 3:13 which qualifies him for the Boston Marathon. (He had to come in at 3:15 or under.) 
• One frightening sight were five runners who had surrounded and were aiding another runner who had collapsed. They had his shirt up, looking for a pulse, and he was completely limp. I thought he was dead. (But I haven't seen any news reports of even the collapse.)
• That kind of made me think about my own heart as I reached mile twelve. 
• If you look off to the West this morning, it looks like you can see the smoky haze from those incredible West Texas grass fires. 
• And don't drop a match out there today, the whole Southwest Proper will go up in flames. 
• I say it every year: The bang to hype ratio of the Academy Awards is completely out of whack. 
• Harsh but funny tweet last night: "Could Kirk Douglas be the first actor to be a Presenter and 'In Memoriam' in the same year?!?!"
• It's a small news item but I noticed the CVS is seeking a variance for its signs from the City of Decatur. I think it was about 10 or more years ago when the city passed a silly, multi-page sign ordinance and all they've done is grant variances time and time again. 
• Dumb question: Are the four precinct lines for Wise County ever redrawn based upon population shifts? 
• The Star-Telegram had an article yesterday about something I had never heard of: "The Slocum Massacre" wherein 8 to 20 blacks were killed near that Texas town in 1910. (But the comments will make you wonder if we've evolved at all.)

It's Criminal Justice Show Biz

From Fox 4 tonight: "At the Lubbock County Courthouse [sic*] any suspect escorted by the U.S. Marshals are typically taken in through a side door in the sally port. It's fairly low key but that's not how it went down this morning. The FBI was in control of this one and they led [the] 20 year old . . . in through the front door in front of dozens of photographers and reporters."

The FBI/CIA/Homeland Security are just as pathetic grand standers under the Obama Administration as they were under W's administration. They did a decent job in this case, but they don't have to act like they are taking a person to a public hanging in the Old West. Hey, guys, act like you've been there before.
___________
*It's a federal courthouse, not a county courthouse.

Did They Forget To Tell Alvord's Football Coach He Was No Longer Coach?

A loyal reader just called my attention to a story in the Messenger about Curtis Enis going back to Alvord as Athletic Director and football coach. And then came this . . .

Edit: Potential commentors - I'm not going to post allegations that aren't part of the public record or can't be readily verified as true.

New Denton Book In Photo

He's charged with "Assault by Contact" which is generally used to describe the lowest level of Assault - the type that occurs due to "offensive touching."  And that might be correct because it looks like someone did indeed take offense.

Source.

Friday Morning Pick Me Up