A marketing company is about to get fired

Link

"I've got a crazy plan to save her, but it just might work."

And In Other Baltimore Rioting News

Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• Hey, I don't understand the riots in Baltimore or the concept of rioting in general, but I did take note of this yesterday from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s daughter: "My father's quote, 'A riot is the language of the unheard,' in no way supports violence. However, it does implore us to pay attention."
• And a riot does grab a little more attention than, say, a town hall meeting. 
• The mayor of Baltimore is catching heat for revealing that on Saturday that she had asked the Baltimore Police Department to “give those who wished to destroy space to do that.”  OK, saying that on Saturday was probably stupid.  But, you know, if she had said that yesterday after the riots had started and the situation had been assesseed, I might support her.  Stay with me here. (Let's all agree the rioters are in the wrong for the sake of this hypothetical.)  But let's also assume there are thousands and thousands of rioters and they have the willingness to go into a full scale war mode against the police if things escalate when confronted. I'm not talking about just throwing rocks. I'm talking about attacking police and taking their weapons and going on the offensive and killing police in a manner that we've never seen. (Think of those two ISIS guys in France in the Charlie Hebdo incident multiplied by 4,000). If that had happened in Baltimore yesterday, I'm not sure the rioters wouldn't have won.  The police commissioner even said last night the rioters "outnumbered us and outflanked us." The number of dead on both sides would have been staggering. Sure, the cops, with the help of the National Guard or the military. would eventually have taken control, but for one day it could have been insane.  To avoid that scenario, I'd give the rioters a place to destroy. It would almost be like setting a backfire to stop a wildfire. I thought that was crazy the first time I heard of that concept, too. 
• Edit: I'm getting immediate blowback on that bullet point.  I guess the question is this: Would you let your house be destroyed to save 100 homes? What if it would save the life of a policeman? Double Edit: But it does get more complicated when the government makes that decision for you by not offering protection. (And if you want to really trick it up, that decision to allow it by government might be the equivalent of eminent domain where you are entitled to compensation.)
• But, all that being said, she made the statement on Saturday so I won't defend her.  (And she didn't help herself by absolutely denying she ever made that admission when there is video of her making the admission.)
• And I'm an expert on all things Baltimore because I watched three seasons of The Wire.
• Changing gears . . . 
• The Rangers introduced Josh Hamilton yesterday at a press conference.  He might be the dumbest baseball player ever. 
• I've never understood the advertising of the sale of house by using the word, "Reduced!" It almost implies, "It has been either overpriced or no one wants it."
• I'll tell you about it when appropriate, but I've spent more time inside a hospital over the last week than I have in my entire life. 
• During the storms a couple a couple of nights ago, some local weathermen referred to Rio Vista as RYE-o-vista instead of REE-o-vista. I'll be dang, both could be right. Older residents say RYE-o-vista.  I guess it would be like Alvord being pronounced Alvoid back in the day. (Which is admittedly harder to understand.) 
• Oral arguments are today at the Supreme Court on same sex marriage. The audio will be released later and I'll probably listen to it. 
• We will finally get the video of the Grapevine officer shooting the motorist on May 6th or immediately thereafter. 
• You can buy the old Cow Camp Steakhouse north of Decatur at foreclosure. 

Been out of pocket. How's Baltimore right now?

	CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk)
4/27/15, 4:39 PM Protesters kick and smash a police car as violence erupts in Baltimore. cnn.it/1bxvA20 pic.twitter.com/7yvkreebOS

Footage of When the Nepal Earthquake Hit This Weekend

Hey, this isn't going to show building crashing to the ground (although you do see dust of it happening) or anything you would see in a Hollywood film.

But you know what made the thing eerie? The birds. I've never thought about the reaction of birds when a earthquake hits but they've got the ultimate defense.

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• A belated thought about the NASCAR race in Texas this month: That backstretch looked completely empty. Didn't that use to be full at these races?
• Last week, the chief scientist of NASA (not NASCAR) said that there will be "strong indications" of alien life within a decade and "definite evidence" of it within 20 to 30 years. That sounds like something someone would say if they were trying to drum up funding from Congress.  
• There were lots of comments on the Chico Bond election post that I couldn't let go through. Hey, if you want to call an elected official or anyone for that matter an idiot or incompetent that is fine. But I can't allow an accusation of a crime being committed or some act you believe to be immoral unless you can offer some proof or be willing to be identified.
• I love those those who say President Obama's skit at the Correspondent's dinner was below the dignity of the Office.  Have you forgotten George W. in 2004 did a bit at the same event alongside a W impersonator? Or how about W joking about not being able to find weapons of mass destruction in 2007 as he displayed a picture of him looking under furniture in the oval office?
• I'm a little confused about the the "standoff" described in the first item of the Update. So there's a domestic violence situation in Decatur (which will result in a misdemeanor) and a 911 call that the accused is about to fight another man in the front yard. He goes back in the house when Decatur police arrive. There was no mention of a weapon and officers were able to communicate with him through a window. So this requires Sheriff's office "negotiators", DPS troopers, a Texas Ranger and a Game Warden? Am I missing something?
• I ran in a 5K fund raiser at the request of the Junior in the House over the weekend who had made claims she would beat me in the race. At the starting line, I made sure she started before me because this was chipped time even.  My strategy: Let her start before me, catch her along the way, and then just run with her the rest of the way. If we then finished at the same time, I'd win. But my moral dilemma was going to be the near the end of the race. Should I pass her? Should I let her "win" in appearance but still lose in chip timing? And my plan worked out flawlessly.  I caught up with her at the halfway point and ran with her the rest of the way. As the finish line appeared over 100 yards away, she took off like a rocket. I went after her.  Two things: (1) I hadn't sprinted that hard in years, (2) I couldn't catch her to save my life and she actually put distance between us. (3) Five minutes after the race I had someone walk over to me and hand me a bottle of water because she didn't think I looked too well.  Final result: I actually beat her in the chip time, but I had no desire to mention that to her. 
• If the numbers I'm seeing are correct, the water level of Lake Bridgeport has hardly moved. With all this rain, that's disturbing. 
• A six second clip from Married With Children which foreshadowed what would become of Bruce Jenner. 
• The Josh Hamilton trade is mind blowing. The Angels owe him $80 million for the remainder of his contract. They trade him to Texas with an agreement from Hamilton that he would reduce his contract by $6 million to make it $74 million. Of that amount, the Angels will pay $68 million of it and Texas will pay $6 million.  Wow: The Angels will pay Hamilton $68 million to play for a division rival just to get rid of him! You know, Hamilton may never be productive again.  But this is the equivalent of Texas paying $6 million for 100% insurance that he will never be productive for the Angels again and have the Angels take a financial payroll hit. Not a bad idea. And if he does recover and become productive for Texas, this deal is a is a double steal. 
• I'm not a big fan of inspirational quotes, but I often mumble to myself, "Keep pounding that rock" when I need help to continue on (whether it be work or exercise or even life struggle). I learned of that phrase from San Antonio Spurs coach Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich who explained it this way: “When nothing seems to help, I go look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the 101st blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before."

From Last NIght

Funny bit.

At The End Of One Of The Odder Weeks Of My Life

Stayed  up basically all night long for two night as I became obsessed with a school science project (and to keep my word that "Trust me, this will get done on time"), to a DWI jury trial, and then finished off with marathon weekend hospital visits (all is good and I'll leave that part vague), I can only say . . .

. . . I could stare at the Phil Collins Puppy for hours.

A Police Chase Taking Us Into The Weekend

Getting Buzz In Round Rock Texas

Ok, she's drunk. Ok, she probably needs to be arrested.

But that's a heck of take down.

A Random Look At A Random First Base

From Louisville-Cincinnati college baseball game on Tuesday.

Love the umpire. "Let me glance down to make sure he's not dead. Ok, he's not. Safe."

I'm Issuing A Flash Flood Warning For Parts Of Wise County

I also worked a long time on my graph to predict what will happen this afternoon.

In Indiana Last Night

There were "injuries" but nothing serious.

That made me think of the disaster at a wedding in Israel which was caught on video.

Letter Being Sent Out In Chico In Support Of School Bond Election

Hey, I don't have any opinion on the Chico ISD bond election. But this was sent to me which admittedly isn't earthshaking but the emailer was a little disturbed that there was an immediate reference to Sandy Hook and Columbine to help persuade the voters.

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• The grand jury chose not to indict the Dallas officers involved in the shooting of the mentally disturbed guy holding a screwdriver on his doorstep after his mother called the police because of his erratic behavior. Hey, I'm not sure the cops should be charged with a crime, but they sure chose to use deadly force in the blink of an eye. Isn't there something short of a bullet that can be used in that situation? Whatever happened to say . . . uh . . . tasers?
• I'm not making any accusations, but there does seem something a little odd about the death of that Bridgeport boy. 
• I've spent very little time in hospitals, but I've been inside a couple recently. They seem to be kept functioning by thirty-somethings which move pretty fast and do a pretty good job. 
• I'm proud to learn that I had never heard of the Kylie Kenner Challenge until I heard two young ladies talk about it up at the courthouse this week. 
• If I click on the Star-Telegram home page, leave it there for just a few seconds and then click the "back" browser, it appears that I have visited the site 8 consecutive times. Some of you tech geeks explain that. 
• I mentioned that I had a "nemesis" on my jury panel this week, but it's hard to explain because I want to be fair to the guy, and I might even be wrong. Here's the deal: I believe he was audibly scoffing when I spoke to the potential jurors about some basic principles of a criminal jury trial. (I've talked to one other person in the courtroom that morning who heard it. Others didn't.) I didn't want to ask him if he disagreed with something I said because he had already said something that caused me to know I didn't want him on the jury. (Yes, there are ways I could have used him to actually make my points, but I had a sense of danger.)   Later, when he and the rest of those not announced to be on the jury were excused to leave, he got everyone's attention to announce that a young man who served in the military was on the panel. I may be wrong about him, but there are people like that: Incredibly patriotic but have a hard time appreciating rights the Constitution provides those for a person on trial for an alleged crime. Sir, if you didn't scoff, I apologize. And if you did, thank you. That's something I wanted to know. 
• We've had another "And Another" out of Dallas. I'll admit it: Even I'm tired of my "And Another" bit. 
• With the new Star Wars trailer out, I'm going to say something for the millionth time: I do not understand the fascination with that series, and I'm a guy who loves Star Trek.  I actually saw the original Star Wars at Northeast Mall as a kid. But you know who really loves that stuff?: People ten years and younger than me. 
• Whomever comments about departures of assistant prosecutors under the new Tarrant County DA, they been busy over the last couple of days mentioning that there have been more departures this week. 
• At the beginning of a story from a Lubbock paper about a lady eating three 72 ounce steaks "not being recommended by a doctor", there was this disclaimer: "(Editor’s note: A phrase toward the end of this story may be too graphic for some people.)"  Can you find it? I can't after a quick scan. Is this the equivalent of "click bait" to get you to actually read a story? 
• I was just scanning through Texas front pages for this morning and came across the following. I know nothing about it other than it involves and auto wreck, but I'll check out what it is about. 

Lots of Reports of Low Flying Jets in Wise County At Night

"This is an actual picture of it."- Double Fake City of Decatur

Not that a quick look at a Facebook thread is positive proof, but it sure seems to be true. There have been reports from Alvord, Decatur and Bridgeport over the last few days.

Weirdest Book In Photo Ever

04/23/2015 12:34:38 Dwayne, 31 yrs old ♎ Bond: $771 INSPECTION EXPIRED REGISTRATION EXPIRED REGISTRATION pic.twitter.com/YDp5veyyOJ
— Arrests by @DentonPD (@DentonPolice) April 23, 2015

The @DentonPolice account is not owned by the Denton Police but by a guy who posts book in photos obtained from Denton Police. I have no idea what this photo is.  But for a second those lightning bolts looked familiar.