Not So Fast My Friend

All the headlines are saying a "key provision" of the Voting Rights Act was killed by the Supreme Court this morning. I don't think so at all.  Stolen from the great scotusblog.com :

Today’s holding in Shelby County v. Holder, in Plain English: Today the Court issued its decision in Shelby County v. Holder, the challenge to the constitutionality of the preclearance provisions of the Voting Rights Act. That portion of the Act was designed to prevent discrimination in voting by requiring all state and local governments with a history of voting discrimination to get approval from the federal government before making any changes to their voting laws or procedures, no matter how small. In an opinion by Chief Justice John Roberts that was joined by Justices Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, and Alito, the Court did not invalidate the principle that preclearance can be required. But much more importantly, it held that Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, which sets out the formula that is used to determine which state and local governments must comply with Section 5’s preapproval requirement, is unconstitutional and can no longer be used. Thus, although Section 5 survives, it will have no actual effect unless and until Congress can enact a new statute to determine who should be covered by it. [Emphasis added.]

If they had killed the preclearance provision, we would have story. Now Congress just needs to come up with a new formula to figure out which states are racist and everything is the same as it was.

Edit: Well this is fast. And confusing.  The Obama Administration had challenged Texas Voter ID under the Voting Rights Act so that is dead for the moment. But couldn't someone challenge Texas' Voter ID law under the Supremacy Clause that just caused a similar law in Arizona to be struck down? (The Justice Department had approved Arizona's voter ID law under the Voting Rights Act.)

Texas DPS says that starting Thursday, “Photo identification will now be required when voting in elections in Texas" http://t.co/7z0GI2cXru
— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) June 25, 2013

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• I'm getting closer to getting wisecounty.com up and running again. It seems like something happened which almost crashed the server at the web hosting company so they disabled the account. I'm guessing it was a spam attack on the Free Classifieds which I'll probably have to take down (once I can get access to it.)
• A reporter drops a double F bomb and gets a great reaction from the anchor. (But the real error was with the editor since it was a taped segment and not a live spot.)
• Mrs. LL took a bunch of kids to Six Flags yesterday. I'm not sure how it went because she crawled into bed at 10:30 shortly after arriving home holding her elbow because one of the kids slammed the car door on it. She was then asleep within a couple of minutes. 
• Ted Cruz will speak at the First Baptist Church of Dallas on Sunday morning.  That place has turned into the Southern Baptist version of Fox News.
• State Rep. Wendy Davis becomes famous today as she will filibuster the abortion bill pending in the Texas Senate.
• The George Zimmerman trial is going to be great. It's shaping up as a battle of drama queen lawyers.
• Michael Jackson died four years ago today. Doesn't seem that long.
• The Star-Telegram had an editorial on Sunday calling for the abolition of the death penalty in Texas. I loved this quote they used from Anton Chekhov: “The State is not God. It has no right to take away that which it cannot give back, if it should so desire.”
• But I'll admit when ever I see the name "Chekhov", the first thing I think about is Star Trek.
• I'm still so thankful that I hiked in the Palo Duro Canyon a couple of years ago. I was reminded of it when I saw a headline this morning that a man fell to his death there yesterday afternoon. 
• Greg Williams responded to Richie Whitt's five part series yesterday via his podcast. He's angry and hurt but, surprisingly, he sounded more hurt than angry.  
• Paula Deen loses her job at the Food Network and a ton of sponsors after admitting to using the N Word in the past.  That's probably an overreaction by corporate America. But she's 66 years old and a millionaire. She'll be OK.
• Last night I was flipping through the channels and ran across the "Outdoor Channel."  Within two minutes I saw hunters shoot elephants in the wild at point blank range.  I literally yelled at the TV. So senseless. 
• "LUBBOCK, Texas - A 14-year-old West Texas boy is dead after he ran into a bull statue on the Texas Tech University campus and impaled himself on one of its horns." OK, that's insane. (The link has a videoing showing the statue.)
• "Tempted By The Fruit Of Another" was the return music yesterday at noon when BADD radio normally appears. (Although they agreed to stay with The Ticket and not leave for the The Fan, the hosts were off yesterday.)  
• As of today, Lake Bridgeport's water level is -18.21 feet.  That's beyond bad. Someone always writes that it was much lower back in the 1960s or 1970s, but they permanently raise the lake level sometime in the late 1970s didn't they? When full, it's supposed to be 838 feet or so above sea level now. I think that number used to be lower. 

Worth Going Full Screen

This video by Ruud De Ruiter simply feels surreal. For three long minutes, a giant herd of deer quietly and calmly line up at a fence and jump over it one at a time. They seemingly line up like school children waiting for their turn to go down the slide. 

But at the end of the soothing video there is a sudden twist! Something spooks the deer, and they all decide to return over the fence in a sudden surge of speed. It’s as if there was a glitch in the Matrix and someone hit the rewind button.

Its interesting to watch how elegant they jump over the fence almost with order - 

Abortion Fillibuster Drama In Austin

David Dewhurst is being David Dewhurst.

Here's the deal (stay with me here):  The Senate passed the restrictive abortion bill last week. This morning, after fighting all night, the House did, too. BUT they added a provision outlawing any abortion after 20 weeks. Because of the addition, it now has to go BACK to the Senate for a re-vote.

The Democrats, who don't have enough votes to vote down the bill, are planning on trying to filibuster the vote because the Special Session ends at midnight on Tuesday.  They just have to talk long enough until the clock runs out. And, since there is a 24 hour waiting period law before they can take up the proposed legislation, Democrats would only have to filibuster from Tuesday morning to Tuesday at midnight.

But wait.  The Senate, by some type of super majority (I'm not sure of the exact number), can vote on suspending the 24 hour rule which means they could take up the measure today meaning that the filibuster becomes harder. It would have to last until Monday evening to Tuesday night.

But wait again. Even though there aren't enough Democrats to vote down the abortion bill (simple majority needed), there are enough Democrats to block any attempt to suspend the 24 hour rule (super majority needed).  That is, if all of them are there.

Here's the problem: One of the Democrats is at her father's funeral because he was killed in a car wreck last week. Would the Senate take a vote today, with the Democratic Senator absent, on suspending the 24 hour rule?

You bet. David Dewhurst wrote her today and said the Senate was moving forward. 

Edit (almost immediately):

Motion to suspend 24 hour layout rule for #SB5 fails, meaning amount of time needed to filibuster just shortened significantly.
— Wendy Davis (@WendyDavisTexas) June 24, 2013

Well, This Is Pretty Cool

Someone broke down video of Lebron in Game 7 and put all the shots going off at the same time.

Edit: During today's parade in Miami, they thought it would be a good idea to take the players under bridges.

George Zimmerman Trial Begins

I've always said that the prosecution has bitten off more than they can chew. This is a tough case for the prosecution.

But that's before I realized he has the worst lawyer in the history of ever.

I Mention That Patriot TE That Was Being Investigated

Detectives now searching the doghouse out back of Hernandez house pic.twitter.com/OwAveOojLr
— Kevin Armstrong (@KevinGArmstrong) June 22, 2013

I had no idea his dog lived like a king.

(From Saturday.)

Peace, Love and Understanding

I always mention how Kenny Chesney wants to be the next Jimmy Buffett.

This weekend over 70 people were arrested in and around his concert in Pittsburgh.

That ain't Margaritaville.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• I got a message from the wisecounty.com's internet host that my account had been "disabled". And I can't pull the site up. Not sure what is going on.
• There was an insane night at the Texas Legislature last night as the restrictive abortion legislation was being debated. Tons of protesters and a legislator placing a coat hanger on her mic as she spoke.
• Horrible, horrible case out of Jacksonville, Florida over the weekend as a child was abducted from a Walmart by a convicted sex offender and found dead the next day.
• The Freshman In The House made it through band camp. She told me one of the high points was watching a guy in a chicken suit do The Wobble. Say what?
• High drama in sports talk radio over the weekend as The Fan made what must have been a huge offer to Bob and Dan of The Ticket owned by Cumulus ("the power of radio".)  Yesterday evening it was announced that Cumulus had matched or bettered the offer so they are staying put.  (For you hard core fans, you can jump to the 20 minutes mark here and listen to Dan on Friday pretty much telegraph that it was their last day on the station.)
• Richie and Greggo while at the Fan have both said they made "six figures".  Those boys at The Ticket, I bet, are making in excess of $500,000.
• I bought a newspaper over the weekend and a little kid who was staying with us (there's always someone staying with us) was just enthralled with the comic section. There's no question she had never seen a comics section before.
• I watched a little bit of an old Joe Montana game on the NFL Network while he was near the end of his career with the Chiefs. I remember thinking about how old he at the time. He was 38.
• And the helmet to helmet hits were amazing. What would get you fined now wasn't even referenced back then.
• Speaking of age 38. That's how old James Gandolfini was when he first began his role as Tony Soprano.
• I survived my night in a tent. I'm still debating whether I loved it or hated it.
• The next day, Mrs. LL and I (and the Family Pup) found the hiking trails and made it to the top of hill for this spectacular view of "Old Baldy". 
• Sports: The Longhorn Network is replaying the Alabama/Texas national championship game that I had never scene because I was out of town that night. I finally got to watch it. Mack Brown calling a timeout right before halftime and then having newbie Garrett Gilbert throw a shovel pass (which was intercepted and returned for a TD) may have been the most bone headed move ever. 
• Richie Whitt was on Mike Doocy's show last night and, amazingly, this question was not asked: "So why did you write that five part series about Greggo and your leaving of the The Fan?"
• A 20 year old from Decatur is listed in the death notices of the Update. What happened?

Above The Fold

Texas Tech Taking You Into The Weekend

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• These are wheels off thoughts around a campfire which may make me insane if it won't stay lite. 
• The hill country is shockingly beautiful. I can't believe this is Texas. I can't believe I've never been here before. 
• I went through Early, Brownwood, Brady, London, and Junction. My head was on a swivel just trying to take in life in other parts of Texas. 
• A huge 3M plant in Brownwood and another one I can't think the name of at the moment. 
• The Post Office is often the nicest building in any small town. 
• I kayaked down the Frio river. Fantastic. 
• But it was definitely country.  It was definitely Texas. 
• I think the most bizarre moment was the guy tubing with a cooler that had built in speakers and twin flags: The American and the Confederate.  
• As he passed one guy on the shore with the music blaring out of the speakers, he told the guy that he hope he was bothering him. The reply? " Oh no! I like it! And I like them flags, too"
• Power. Down. 
• I'm writing this the night before because I'm not sure my battery will hold up. I'm in the camp ground of Garner State Park. It's dark  Birds chirping. Sounds of the Frio river in the background. Along with the distant sound of Game Seven of the NBA as someone has  apparently  brought along a portable satellite dish. 
• I wanted to hike to the top of Old Baldy tomorrow morning but I can't find it. So frustrating. I can't find a single map to tell me where it is. 
• I'm sleeping in a tent tonight. A tent. I'm used to my biggest problem being the location if the ice machine. 
• We bought firewood at a convenience store. 
• Our dinner at the camp tonight? Take out Mexican food from some place down the road. 
• Hey, this is fake camping so we can trick it up.
• Mrs. LL just burned her leg with a latern she got from her brother. Is there a Hilton close by?

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• Sports: (1) If San Antonio would have scored on its last regular season possession the other night, we might have had an officiating nightmare. (2) I locked onto former Ranger Chris Davis from the beginning of this season but it expected him to flame out. Nope. Yesterday he hit two home runs to bring his total to an MLB leading 26. (3) Man, the New England TE Aaron Hernandez might be in a world of murder investigation trouble. This sounds bad. 
• There was prostitution/spa raid in Plano which led to eleven federal (sheesh) indictments and the seizure of property worth tens of thousands of dollars.  How much did all that cost us? Oh, and it also led to a big press conference where law enforcement patted themselves on the back and announced that, of course, there was a catchy name associated with the operation: "Operation Flaming Dragon." Not the most sensitive name since most of those arrested were Asian. 
• Sheriff Joe posted a picture yesterday of an employee of his who he said is now 100 years old. There's no way that guy is 100, is there?
• Of course, Courtney Stodden needed an augmentation. Girl is crazy.
• Watched a little bit of Hannity last night for the first time in a long time. He is worse than I remembered. And he had she-has-to-be-doing-a-bit Michelle Malkin on there who just casually threw out that she didn't think there were 12 million undocumented aliens in the country but that the number was "probably closer to 25 to 30 million."
• I don't know why I stared at this picture of a menu for so long. (It was tweeted by Gordon Keith's former TV show producer who is on the beach somewhere.) It looked like a casual beach restaurant with high prices. 
• The guy who runs the official twitter account of the Texas District and County Attorneys Association has been tweeting live from committee hearing rooms throughout the session of the Texas legislature. Talk about doing a bit. He tries to do a comedy routine.  Well, yesterday, he got called out by a committee during a meeting as he was tweeting from the back of the room. 
• Lots of outpouring of emotions over the death of James Gandolfini last night. I bet I've never watched more than two hours of The Sopranos, but Gandolfini had a very brief but great and violent part in one of my favorite movies: A True Romance. 
• I haven't seen it yet, but there has to be a headline about Gandolfini's death that simply reads, "Cut To Black". 
• I heard a guy this morning say that "film acting is about acting with your eyes." That's true, isn't it?
• I'm not a conspiracy nut, but the new yet-to-be-released documentary coming out about TWA 800 being shot out of the sky by a missile sure is getting lots of publicity from normal thinking folks. 
• RAGE demise Part IV.
• There's a "Texas Lawyers Of Color Hot List"?
• I'll be out of pocket most of the day. Mrs. LL has talked me into going to Garner State Park. I normally hate the impromptu day off but it dawned on me that I've never really seen the hill country. That's ridiculous. And if not now, then when? 
• Mrs. LL reported kayaking down the river was beyond fantastic. And I heard she took along the Family Pup who wore a life jacket. Really. 
• As I drive through Junction, I'll wonder what Bear Bryant would think of the Barbie Aggie Yell Leaders. 

The Aggies Approved This?

Story.

At Least He's Honest About It

We fought to pass SB5 thru the Senate last night, & this is why! #StandWithTXChildren #txlege pic.twitter.com/fJbQSJur7i
— David Dewhurst (@DavidHDewhurst) June 19, 2013

The Texas Senate last night passed legislation which puts so many restrictions on abortion clinics, that many will go out of business. During debates on such measures, most of the legislators will talk about "women's health" and other fake reasons why the legislation should pass. But now that it's done, our Lieutenant Governor explains exactly why he wanted the legislation passed -- by posting a graphic created by a pro-choice group who was worried about the bill.

Above The Fold

Someone Almost Got Killed Last Night At The Ballpark

Kinsler was the first batter of the night, and I actually had the TV on when this happened. Look at the sharpness at that broken bat.  For the life of me, I don't understand the giggling parents. I think my facial expression would be more along the lines of "that was almost really, really bad."

And color commentator Tom Grieve felt the same way.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• For some reason I watched the San Antonio/Miami game last night even though I constantly rant about how I hate the NBA. Verdict: That was fantastic. That was epic. 
• It was funny to go back and see all the tweets and Facebook posts by Spurs fans celebrating the certainly-sure-to-happen-championship when San Antonio was up 5 with 28 seconds left.
• Mrs. LL is on her way to Garner State Park to visit with some of her family.  It looks pretty cool.
• That DirectTV ad of the lawyer's house exploding because of an angry ex-client seems to cross the line. (I just saw it for the first time last night but apparently it has been around since 2012.)
• Another ad thought: Any one catch the Beats Pill speaker ad from Radio Shack mimicking the Robin Thicke "Blurred Lines" video? I'm so proud that I understood everything from the music video (shocking on youtube for a while) to the subtlety of the speaker size. 
• Richie Whitt's RAGE autopsy Part III. This one is long and I'll read every word. (He'll be on Mike Doocy's sports show on Sunday night to talk about the series.)
• The U.S. said it would have peace talks with the Taliban within days and now news comes they just killed four U.S. soldiers with a rocket strike. 
• Do kids still have to pass a driver's test with a trooper/grader in the car with them before they get their license? Where is this done in Decatur? When I took mine, they had the parallel parking cones up by the old Decatur College building. 
• I remember to this day that after I attempted my parallel parking part of the test the trooper turned to me and said, "Why don't you try that again." He still gave me a passing grade. 
• I had heard about the protests in Brazil, but when I saw this picture my jaw dropped. That's a lot of people. That a pretty unstable environment for the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016.
• An 11th grader in Dallas was sentenced to 30 years in prison for statutory rape (underage sex regardless of consent.)  When the case was reversed for a new sentencing hearing, the  Dallas DA's office decided to simply free him because they thought the prior sentence was too harsh. That office is famous for helping to free wrongfully convicted individuals. But this is the first time I've seen them free a guilty man simply because they disagreed with a prior sentence. 
• UTA was shut down shortly after 8:00 a.m. this morning after reports of a man heading to campus with a gun.
• Bridgeport passed an ordinance last night prohibiting "dumpster diving." That was a problem?