New Picture Of Some Of Grapevine Shooter's Victims

Sahra Zarei, 22, her father Hossein Zarei, 59, and his wife and the shooter's sister-in law Zohreh Rahmaty, 58.

The picture from Channel 8 accompanied a story entitled "Gunman In Grapevine Murder Suicide Had Past With Police."  As you get to the bottom of the article, which basically is a rehash of the story, you come to this: . "The Grapevine Police Department said they are working with other area departments who 'had dealings' with the gunman. Details of that history were not released." Well, thanks. (But the story does have some pics)

As for the picture, I think that's the Gaylord Texan in the background.

More Proof Of Global Warming

It's even warm on ski slopes as this group of Oklahoma State Cheerleaders demonstrates. (More.)

Lawrence v. Texas - The Plaintiff Is Dead But The Law Tries To Look Like It Is Still Alive

Full story (with lots of background) on the man who challenged Texas' anti-homosexual conduct law.   Interestingly, he first challenged the charges that he had engaged in any act and claimed he was sitting 15 feet across the room from another man when police entered. It sounds like it was his lawyer who came up with the idea to challenge the statute on constitutional grounds.

And you know what? The law, § 21.06, is still in the Texas Penal Code because the Republican majority never wants to go on record of having voted for its repeal (even though it is no longer enforceable.)

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Fort Worth PD went a while without having one of its own arrested for DWI but that ended over the weekend. Throw in a little firearm play as well and they may be trying to ratchet it up.
• I'm struggling with a cold but it's the kind that Advil Cold and Sinus can keep at bay. I can feel the second that that stuff wears off. 
• You've got to be a huge tech fan to know who Leo Laporte is, but a technical malfunction in October on one of his webcasts revealed an affair that Gawker finally outed last week.
• I'm not sure where I read it, but I subscribe to The Love Bank theory (with units both being deposited and withdrawn) when it comes to a relationship. 
• I watched the Hot Tub Time Machine over the weekend. Made me laugh more than I expected (but I wasn't expecting much.)
• The biography of Steve Jobs should be the bestseller of 2011 if the three new copies of it I saw at one gathering on Christmas is any indication. 
• Katy Perry in a Christmas bikini. Hey, now. 
• WBAP newsman Brian Estridge referred to President Obama as "Barry" this morning while reporting on his Hawaiian vacation. Man, at least hide your political disgust. 
• Whenever I see someone make a video call over a cell phone I think of The Jetsons. Then I think if technology is like that now, what's it going to be in 50 years? Hologram calls?
• That horrific Christmas day massacre in Grapevine is being referred to as "the worst murder in the city's history." Duh. That mass killing matches even the Dallas record of six who were shot during the Nightclub Murders of 1984. I wonder what the Texas record is?
• Watched an old episode of Six Feet Under yesterday and was surprised to see Pam from The Office have a bit role. 
• NFL notes: (1) Here's more proof positive that Dez Bryant is as dumb as a box of rocks; (2) Jerry Jones got criticized for confronting Jason Garrett in the first quarter of the Eagles game, but if Garrett was goofy enough to want to send Romo back in the game, someone needed to do that; (3) Jerry yesterday on The Ticket: "That was Jason's decision but he didn't need to be making it by himself" -- that's some unintentional comedy; (4) How would you like to have spent all that money for tickets to that Christmas Eve Cowboy game only to learn it was meaningless because of the Giants' win?; (5) No way Dallas wins this weekend; and (6) Current color commentary guy Jon Gruden spares me to death. 
• Skeptic in me: Want to have a merry Christmas? Fake a burglary, call the cops, call the media, put a crying kid on camera, and then wait for the sympathy replacement gifts to start rolling in. (Start watching for it on local news: It's a recurring theme.)

What A Depressing Christmas

Story.

That Was Insane Yesterday

And there were hardly any details available because it happened on Christmas Day when newsrooms were vacant. 

The twist today is that the shooter was, they say, dressed up as Santa. I'm wondering how much of that is shock value. 

Edit: Best I can tell, Channel 8 was the first to name names. Fox 4 obviously knew who the gunman was in time for the 5:00 pm broadcast (they showed his house), but didn't name him for some reason. 

Bad Santa

At Mav's game yesterday. (A game which also indicated that a season can both be "abbreviated" and "long" at the same time.)

Credit.

Even I'll Post An NFL Clip When It's A Christmas Miracle

The Family Cat On Christmas Eve

"Time to take a nap. I gots a tree to destroy tonight."

Taking You Into The Weekend

I Think I've Found The Long Lost Sibling Of The Family Cat

It's not hard to guess which one it is.  And don't love the cat's reaction after the damage is done. Does he make a break for it? Nope. Just sits there and admires his handiwork.

LeAnn Rimes Celebrating Christmas Not Like Us

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• A senior Aggie football player was killed yesterday in a traffic accident. Earlier in the day, Joey Villavisencio and other teammates had handed out gifts to families in need at Twin City Mission in Bryan. He then headed home for Christmas.
• That made me tear up just to type it. 
• We had to have the Family Christmas early this year and it was last night.  I'm now not as against that concept as I thought I would be. 
• I looked at the iPod section in a Best Buy yesterday. If the store had been looted in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, there would have been more stuff still on the shelves. 
• Someone commented yesterday that I had a double standard for being critical of the Palo Pinto Sheriff for killing the 21 year old but I hadn't said a word about President Obama authorizing the killing of a U.S. citizen in Yemen in October as part of the War On Terror. Oh, but I did (and got criticized by someone suggesting I was defending a "towel head".)
• Not to say I don't have double standards. I do. 
• I was in a car last weekend with someone who used OnStar to find a fast food restaurant. Those OnStar operators have to have a 100% "always be professional no matter what the question is" policy. 
• There's no way I would have done that. 
• Bush The First endorsed Mitt Romney yesterday. I think that entire Bush family cannot stand the Perry clan. 
• First Baptist Dallas Pastor Robert Jeffress is one the cover of D Magazine this month and that's one great cover. (The first pic is the one they went with.) 
• I've got to go to the jail today to visit a couple of people. They need a little encouragement at this time of year. 
• Things I don't understand from this week: (1)The mass of people who showed up at Dallas City Hall to see Khloe Kardashian, (2)  and the "thousands" who lined up in the metroplex last night to buy $195 Air Jordans.
• A handful of potential NFL first round picks are deciding whether to enter the draft or return to college for their senior year. At that age, I would have gone pro in a New York minute if faced with that decision. However, knowing what I know now, I would absolutely return for my Senior year. (And I bet Vince Young would agree with me.)
• WBAP's Hal Jay said this morning that USC's Matt Barkley, who said yesterday he was returning to USC for his final year despite being projected as a top five pick, had made a "stupid decision" and was "getting bad advice." Think I was banging the dash with my fist at that point?
• The sound of nothing is more Christmassee than the sound of Christsmas songs.
• There is no Update today.  But there are Random Thoughts. And to think they won their own contest for "Best Wise County Blog" when I'm the hardest working man in show business. I may go Occupy the sidewalk outside their office. 

Messenger Above The Fold (Early Edition)

Made Me Smile

I filed a Motion for Continuance in a driver's license hearing case and honestly admitted that the reason for the motion was that I wanted to instead go to the Alamo Bowl and, being a Baylor fan, there's not a lot of chances to go to bowl games. I just received the judge's order.

Unrelated, I came across this. Not my cat. But I want that snowman.

Edit: As to the UT judge showing compassion, a faithful reader sent me this pic which just "went up about a mile north of the UT campus."  Heck, he may revoke the Order if he sees that!!

Random Pet Thought

If I had seen this video before we got the Family Cat, there would not be a Family Cat.

This thing has more personality that most people I know.

(Belated) Messenger Above The Fold

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• TCU won last night in the Poinsettia Bowl but the game recorded its smallest crowd in its seven year history: 24,607. I don't blame anyone for that. If it is not a BCS bowl, the game better be in driving distance.
• The placement of the traffic signal by the Sheriff's office on 380 is dumb. Any traffic signal erected on a highway is there because people in the past is due to a driver not being  patient at a stop sign on an adjoining road. (In Paradise and at Tater Junction restaurant on 114; Pleasant View road on 380.) 
• "If you don't learn from the past, it could come back to bite you." - WBAP's Steve Lamb this morning. (Dumbing down a famous saying.)
• Sounds like they are backing off the "White Christmas" forecast.  But I've noticed that the National Weather Service is beginning to act like Pete Delkus in its early alarmist forecasts. 
• Man, I've got to say this about the comments in the Palo Pinto Sheriff post below: If you hold the the belief that it is fine for your government to kill a citizen simply because he is committing a crime, you are 100% nuts.
• Baylor cheerleader gallery.Kind of disappointing. 
• I've always liked December 23rd and 24th more than Christmas Day.
• Magazine opinion: Over the past two years, Time has become immeasurable better than Newsweek. (And I actually subscribe to both.)
• Legal folks: Do you think this question posted on a Texas criminal defense lawyer message board made me slap my forehead?: "Has anyone had success in suppressing the results of a mandatory blood draw? Do you have a motion you could share?"  (For the non-legal folks, that's kind of like asking, "Does anyone have a good generic closing argument to get a not guilty verdict? Could you share it?")
• I'm always the first to get up in my quiet house in the mornings, and I could have sworn I heard the faint sounds of "Silent Night" this morning coming from a clock radio. I stopped and looked at the Christmas tree for a moment. Nice moment.
• Then I saw a Christmas ball on the other side of living room -- presumably due to The Family Cat who does not acknowledge the concept of a silent night. 
• WBAP question of the day: "If the world did end one year from today, how would you spend that year?" That's not a novel question, but it occurred to me that no matter what you did you would have in the back of your mind:  "This will all end soon."
• At least sixty dead in Iraq this morning due to 14 bombs detonating. That has to be just the beginning. He may be a good man, but that invasion and mess that was left behind in Iraq will be George W. Bush's legacy.
• Remember how I said the Tarrant County DA's office new press relations gal (former Star-Telegram employee) was a genius hire? She tweeted this morning: "DA's office warns of door-to-door scams. See Star-Telegram article today: http://bit.ly/w0FFSB"  Any bets on whether she basically wrote the article for the newspaper?
• If I were forced to place a bet in Vegas right now on the winner of the next presidential election, I'd take Obama. And, if they were honest, I think most Republicans would make the same bet.
• I listened to a podcast yesterday that explained that Christmas in America as we know it basically started in the 1820s. Regardless of the subject, we are all guilty of believing that "now" represents how "it" has always been.