I'm Telling You, We Got Too Many Cops

One store in Weatherford and one in Fort Worth. Shut them down while it was ongoing and guarded the doors and entrances.

What was the crime, you ask? Drug running? Tax evasion? A child sweat shop?

Nope. Belts didn't have tags on them advising consumers where they were made.

Bonus: We need a catchy name for this police operation. "Operation Belt Buster" perhaps?

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• Train/car collision in Fort Worth this morning with only minor injuries -- although that's amazing based upon the way the car looks. 
• Oddest statement by President Obama yesterday about the chemical weapons use in Syria: “We have concluded that the Syrian government in fact carried these out. And if that’s so, then there need to be international consequences.” How do you "conclude" a fact and then follow it up with an "if"?
• When the Johnny Football scandal first broke, I mentioned that the NCAA was scared to death of the four big conferences contemplating breaking away from the organization. A half game suspension proves they wanted nothing to do with a case involving the star quarterback of an SEC team. The days of the NCAA slapping a season long suspension for cases like Dez Bryant lying about having a dinner are over. 
• Beyond incredible: When aTm released it's official statement on its website about the half game suspension, it ran a photo of Johnny Manziel along with a small banner in the corner that read "Buy Photo". I bet some tech guy got fired over that one. 
• I tend to refer to everyone in the house as "Babe". 
• Decatur teachers will get a 3% raise. 
• That doesn't sound like much, but how many years would it take to double your salary if you got a 3% raise every year? Someone do the math for me -- I'd screw it up. 
• I had my I'm-Going-To-Fail-A-Course-Because-I-Haven't-Gone-To-Class dream last night. And it was intense.
• Then the dream trailed off into insanity: I was getting golf lessons and reached into my golf bag to pull out a bunch of golf balls. I dropped them on the grass and looked down and, instead of golf balls, they were huge frozen shrimp. The golf instructor said, "They'll do." 
• In light of the anniversary of the March On Washington, the Golf Channel thought it would be a good idea to send out a tweet asking for everyone's "golf dream."  
• I like radio guy Mark Davis. I think he's smart and thoughtful. My only complaint is that he's slowly transforming into an angry white man which tends to color his judgment as he ages.
• Hey long term Cowboy fans, the Grantland article of "The Dallas Cowboys Are Trying to Kill Me" is really good. 
• I'm going to be on my own for four days.  I've got to be old because I'm excited about yard work, catching up on lots of long reads I've saved, and watching College Game Day in a quiet house. That's now my idea of a full throttle life. 

Above The Fold

Grass Fire

I think that's between Decatur and New Fairview.

The Carnage!!! Johnny Football Suspension Reportedly Handed Down By aTm

Half a game!!! Boom!!! How will they ever recover!!!

(But if that means we don't have to hear about it anymore, that's probably a good thing.)

But look at some ad a wise guy Norman, Oklahoma car dealer put together . . .

C.J. Wilson Running To The Mound Last Night

The Onion Might Be A Parody Site, But This May Be The Most Insightful Thoughts On Syria So Far

Story.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• "Boring!" - The Girls' In The House Response to me after I asked them how their first day of school went.  This looks like it's off to a great year. 
• Not a big fan of videos of tigers or other feline preying on other animals, but this gif labeled "Greatest tackle ever" just might be. 
• It's the 50th Anniversary of the March On Washington (the thought of which will make you think we've come a long way until you randomly read the comments section here on a daily basis.) 
• Radio guy Mark Davis said this morning that MLK's dream has "essentially come true."  I'd tap the brakes on that. Big time. 
• Tell me we won't bomb Syria. (Even Ted Cruz is against it.)
• Richie Whitt ranks the Top 10 Women in Dallas media.  Man, I miss Megan Henderson. 
• Some group called Florida Georgia Line set a record for the fastest sellout in Billy Bob's Texas history? And they are a country group which relies heavily on auto-tune? 
• There are what would appear to be just normal people on Facebook hawking what are clearly pyramid schemes. And they go so far as to post pictures of money with captions like, "I just made a big deposit!! Join my program today."  I can't imagine people dumb enough to get sucked in by that, but I'm sure it's true.  
• Miley Cyrus' performance isn't quite as shocking once you realize it was on the network that gave us The Jersey Shore and 16 and Pregnant.
• Maj. Hason called no witnesses in his defense in the Fort Hood trial -- even in the life or death sentencing phase.  I can't decide if he's crazy or using some super double reverse fake psychology. 
• The Wise County Courthouse if finally getting a fire alarm system. Remember when the historic Hill County Courthouse burned down in 1993? I had thought it was because of a coffee pot left on overnight in the DA's office, but I'm not sure about that now.  
• From the Update: A cop fires at the tires of a car occupied by four children when the driver took off simply because he had traffic warrants. What agency was that? DPS? Rhome PD? WCSO? (The Messenger didn't update the PDF version of their paper yet.)  Edit It was Rhome PD.

Crime Note

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• That picture is from The Dallas Morning News which for some reason sent a photographer to that Sisu place. Joe Duty needs to get out to Wise County Park. Pronto. 
• The MTV Redneck Heaven "reality show" will debut this fall. There was a scene shot in Denton the other day, and I had a witness email me about how the show was filmed/staged. Good stuff. I'll post it once the show comes out. It'll make more sense.
• Rangers radio guy Eric Nadel said Yu Darvish doesn't have a "killer instinct" because he doesn't win enough games. How dumb is that? Nothing means less in baseball than a pitcher's win-loss record.
• The NCAA met with Johnny Football yesterday for six hours. Th Aggie season starts this weekend and they just now get around to talking to him? 
• "A missing teen, fascinated with Into the Wild has been found dead in Oregon." Maybe he didn't get to the end of book/movie. 
• Former Mavs bust and Kardashian boy toy Lamar Odom may (or may not) be missing and believed to be on drugs. I still remember Mark Cuban attacking The Ticket when those boys accurately called Odom a failure midway through the season. 
• My health insurance has a $6,000 deductible and runs $500 a month.  And that systems not broke?
• Stumbled on a Larry David movie this weekend called Clear History which was basically a Curb Your Enthusiasm movie. I'd not heard a single thing about it. 
• Mark Davis this morning said that if America wants to be an "agent for good" that we need to launch air strikes on Syria.  Dropping bombs on the Middle East is "good"?  Cue that song from Team America, World Police.
• I've still got glitter on my thumbnail where the Fifth Grader In The House walked by me a week ago and decided to polish it. 
• From the Update: "Keep in mind that beginning Sept. 1, the maximum fine for a first offense of passing a stopped school bus increases from $1,000 to $1,250." That $1,000 a fine wasn't enough of a deterrent?
  

It's Not Maps, Such As, But It's A Strong Effort

Talk About Ouch: Bridgeport's Colin Jones Fined

Story.

Not sure how I missed this (thanks to the commentor).  Still trying to find the video of this hit.

Get Me This Goat!!!

(And I love the dog at the end who has the "you so crazy, goat" attitude.)

Chances Of Chris Christie Ever Becoming President: None

At the Little League World Series over the weekend.

GIF Of The Day: Tiger Down!!

Randomly Disturbing

pic.twitter.com/14sJRzomFP
— Lana Berry (@Lana) August 25, 2013

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• Of all the concepts in this world, the Butterfly Effect may be the most true. Today someone deciding whether to stop for 10 seconds for any reason will change peoples' lives years from now in a major way. Life. Death. Love. Marriage. 
• Ran into a gal this weekend who is having the most Wheels Off life. I was torn between feeling so very bad for her versus realizing how listening to her story made me realize how blessed I am.
• Miley Cyrus apparently went nuts at the VMAs last night. Girl ain't right.
• Cowboys thoughts: (1) Everyone is making a big deal out of the benching of RB DeMarco Murray by Jason Garrett on Saturday night. Really? You bench a guy in a preseason game that has a 100% chance of starting when the regular season starts and that's a story?
• It's back to school week where every kid, regardless of age, walks towards a building full of judgment. (2) There was a play where the opposing running back had a twenty yard or so gain and then fumbled. Jason Garrett was cheering like a school kid as the Cowboys recovered it.  I don't understand that. I'd be livid over a breakdown that allowed a twenty yard run and not happy about a lucky fumble recovery.
• Odd moment of the weekend: Asking Mrs. LL if she wanted to clean the kitchen together or "wanted me to do it passively aggressively." We cleaned it together which was bizarrely fun to do. (Reflecting back, how she didn't kill me for asking that question is another matter.) 
• Drives me nuts that people confuse the the worst Lake Bridgeport levels ever without considering the changes made in 1972.
• Mansfield motorcycle death.
• I lost an appeal in the Fort Worth Court of Appeals on Friday by a 2-1 vote. That's a professional heart breaker (but I loved the passion of the dissent). I'll probably appeal it to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and they just might consider it. 
• The Sophomore In The House bought "his and her" bracelets and then the boyfriend broke up with her before the gift arrived.  Not sure I liked that guy anyway. 
• My favorite thing to do with the kids before they leave the house is to do the Meet the Parents  "I'm watching you" move. 
• Death notices in the Update today are for people 36, 49, 41 and 53. Good grief. 

What a great Decatur photo

From this week's Messenger. 

(Hoping Mr. Eaton doesn't sue me.)