Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• I'm finally a big believer in GPS for navigation.  I don't even look at the screen any longer -- I just listen to the directions. I might drive into a lake one day, but I'm still a big believer until that happens.
• A few things I forgot to mention on my hike to Texas' highest point: (1) About a mile into the hike, I came across a herd of deer. It was like time was frozen as we exchanged stares without moving a muscle. No one moved. One had a rack, and I tried to telepathically communicate with it by thinking, "You understand, don't you? I mean you no harm." Then all of them suddenly hauled arse. At least I think they were deer. They almost hopped like rabbits as they took off down the rocky slope. (2) The lady of the older couple I came across about three miles into the hike offered me a mint. A mint? (3) I had more anxiety walking to my car in a hotel parking lot in El Paso than beginning my ascent Into The Wild. (4) My biggest struggle during that isolated hike, or any walk or run for that matter, is to fight the thoughts of "if I could do it all over again." But that is wasted energy. The past cannot be changed. 
• "More than 100 people watched in horror as MTV star and extreme sports athlete Erik Roner" died during a skydiving accident. I've never heard of the guy, but I was watching a segment on Real Sports with the Senior In The House last week about those who cheat death via base jumping with wing suits. She said they were crazy. As a "responsible adult", I was forced to agree. But I really thought that if you know the risk and realize that you may die with every jump, it's your choice. More power to you. Except this guy had a wife and two kids. The wife? Girl, you accepted the risk when you married him. The kids? You have every right to blame daddy. 
• What a crash for the oil industry: Gas is below $2.00 a gallon (amazing), oil at $45 a barrel (equally amazing) and rig counts in Texas are at a 12 year low. It's the mid 1980s all over again. 
• And Texas real estate is next: "Collin County housing [market] is so hot, people are camping out to be 1st to snag lots in a subdivision."
• And the legal industry has already reached that point: "There's now 1 lawyer for every 157 people in Dallas County." This link with graphs is fantastic. Message: Don't go to law school for the money. Don't go to law school unless you love the field you want to practice in. 
• I've never understood things like this: "EDC PROJECTS APPROVED – The Decatur City Council yesterday gave its approval to a couple of Economic Development Corp. projects. One is a $10,000 incentive for A Ary HVAC for the hiring of four new employees and reimbursement for concrete work." (From Update.)
• Sports: (1) Are we entering into era of college football where the rules need to be changed? Look at the the offensive scoring and how defenses simply cannot stop it.  Seriously, you think Baylor, TCU, Tech, Oklahoma or basically any other good Big 12 team  can't get 10 yards with four tries? Does the first down marker need to be moved to 15 yards? I'm serious. (2) I said last week what the Rangers were doing was remarkable, and now the Liberally Lean curse might be striking them. (3) If Tech's quarterback is healthy, the Baylor/Tech final might be 70-71 and I have no idea who wins. (4) TCU play by play man Brian Estridge spent all weekend retweeting posts about how great his call of the final play was. Buddy, let the game come to you. (5) SMU basketball was just hit with a post-season ban by the NCAA.
• I continue to thank you for all the cards and calls I've received over the last two weeks. When I get an envelope with "DPS" in the return address area, get a gift card (you kidding me??!!) for a place I've never heard because the person thinks I'll enjoy the atmosphere, and receive cards from total strangers who live out of state but know me only because of Liberally Lean, I know I'm blessed. 
• Weird thing about me about airline takeoffs: Seconds into the air, the G force puts me too sleep. 
• I have nothing against "online universities" but for some reason I'm bugged about the fact that the new Fort Worth Police Chief has a doctorate in Business Administration from such a school? 

An Odd Email I Received But I'm Entertained

Sunday fun day at the 100 acres!
Posted by Shane Starnes on Sunday, September 27, 2015

Guys blow up an old refrigerator back in the day from a pizza joint in Boyd.

TCU Frat Reaction To Game Winning Play

Hey, I'm not taking anything away from TCU when I refer to that play as "lucky". There is not a single championship team in college football that didn't have luck along the way.

A view of the play from the end zone.

Uh, Get Me This Pope Baby?

Someone explain that first entry to me

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

• I had an impromptu trip this weekend. On Friday evening, I was thinking about how for the last three years I had wanted to climb Guadalupe Peak -- the highest point in Texas. But I also wanted to combine it with a trip to the Sun Bowl for my stadium bucket list. I had planned and cancelled three trip multiple times.  Was there a flight to El Paso on Saturday? Yep. And it was available with a reasonable price. Was UTEP playing on Saturday? Yes. And a night game and against Incarnate Word --- a ridiculous future Baylor opponent that has caused the Bears nothing but ridicule. I could scout them! Hotel? Holy cow, there was one almost on campus and walking distance to the stadium. Would the National Park be open? Of course. Weather? Beyond perfect. I'd be late for work on Monday, any problems? It's Texas judges seminar week so it's slower than usual. It was the Perfect Storm.  Baaaum! I pulled the trigger. 
• I'll admit that BagOfNothing's post out of nowhere reviewing his climb to the peak a month ago really bugged me. Mom always thought I sat on my butt too much and would make her feelings known by telling me, "Live a little, boy!"
• Side note: And for those who are about to beat me down for being high tone, I drive a beater of a car (like I always have ) and haven't had a car payment for years so I can take these quick solo trips once every year or two and without guilt. So you can shut down the orchestra music. 
• But I started Saturday morning watching the Aggie Band and Corp of Cadets in downtown Fort Worth. Fantastic. (But someone needs to explain to me the different "groups" of cadets -- and there were a TON of them marching -- and their meaning.)
• Near the Tarrant County Convention Center, where I watched the last of the Aggie Band, there is the fairly new JFK memorial celebrating his visit to Fort Worth before heading to his fate in Dallas. It is so well done. 
• And I loved this photo which they have encased and is at least 8' tall. I love photos of crowds where I can look at the expressions on their faces. 
• It dawned on me I was looking at a statue of JFK, it was early in the morning, and I was about to go to Love Field. 
• And I made it to Love Field which is a great airport especially since all of the renovations (but I've got this weird flaw where I'll get lost in airport parking garages like nobody's business.)
• I finally made it El Paso and went with Enterprise rent cars again. Love them. So quick and easy. (Not an ad.)
• I was in my hotel room and watching the end of UT/OSU and Tech/TCU and forced myself to get to campus and stadium. Go see the Sun Bowl as the sun goes down.  I could always watch it on replay. Oh, my. What games. 
• UTEP campus: I am really impressed. 
• Sun Bowl: Holy cow! The place is small but may be one of my favorite stadiums in the history of ever. I had always seen the TV shots of the mountains in the background but they literally surround that place. And the one gap where there aren't mountains is a view of the lights of El Paso twinkling for miles. 
• I'm not complaining, but I think the crowd had a great segment of overweight women who just happen to be Hispanic and who looked like they had Saturday night off from their stripper job. But I mean no offense. 
• Oh, I forgot to mention that you can basically walk up and touch the football teams as they came out of the locker room although there was absolutely no interest in cheering them on by the masses. But one of the weirdest moments was when the visiting team walked out and one UTEP fans yelled, "Hey, Incarnate Word! You suck!"  (If I've ever had a Jim Halpert look on my face, I had one then.)
• The next morning I left at 6:00 and head 111 miles to Guadalupe Peak. I felt just like Walter White once I saw a speed limit sign of 75 and the road was empty and desolate. (And, like BagOfNothing, I saw at least one old RVs in the desert.) 
• That is, until I came across a border security checkpoint. It was just me and one guard motioning me to move towards him.  Beside me was a backpack with rope, duct tape, a knife, and zip ties. (Hey, you never know. I've seen 127 Hours.) He just asked one question: "Citizenship?" and looked through the window into my back seat. 
• I'll say this about hiking to Guadalupe Peak. It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. There is no question that I'd do two half marathons on back to back days before I'd do that again. And I'm leaning towards three. It was steep and hard going. I would keep looking up thinking I was near the top and then walk another 30 minutes only to find a new and higher peak. And even it wouldn't be the top. However, less than 24 hours later, I feel like I do after completing a half marathon -- I've gone from "I'll never do anything like this again" to "I loved every minute of it."  The peak was glorious. 
• For you hikers: It was 4.2 miles one way with a 3,000 elevation gain. That's pretty tough, right? And I felt like I was gasping for air but, with an elevation of 8,751, it's not exactly Pike's Peak. 
• Shout out to the greatness of Merrell shoes and a trekking pole.
• I came across very few people on my way to the top but one was an older couple who was resting. I told them this was harder that I thought. The guy said, "It's a beating." Ticket fan? 
• And maybe the weirdest experience of my life occurred within 15 minutes of my making it to the top of Texas. Of the six people I saw on my seven hour journey, I saw two people heading down and one was a fat boy with his shirt off singing, "I love a parade!"  I seriously thought I was hallucinating at that point, and I'm still not ruling that out. 
• Now I want to see Big Bend. Heck, I'd love to go into and camp for two or three days. But I would never do that without someone sitting me down and explaining exactly what to do and what to expect. 
• The following is from Sunday but it was a Football Miracle.

It's The Weekend: Let's Get Out Of Here

And one of my favorite old comic strip characters would be amused. That is, if Bill was capable of being amused.

Well, This Is Crazy

Possible bank robbery suspect steals car from BWI of Arlington... crashes during chase at W. Division & Crowley. pic.twitter.com/rNm6F39RP4

— FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) September 25, 2015

Not An Ad But I Do Accept Day Old Rolls As Compensation

Someone emailed me to point out that Texas Highways magazine had a story on a restaurant on the courthouse square in Decatur. The oddly named restaurant has been in existence for several years after replacing the institution known as Mattie's.

Fox News Doing A "Random Thought Girl" Bit

JESS SHOPS 'TIL SHE DROPS. Simpson sports skin-tight dress in Beverly Hills http://t.co/l2QP8i9gIG via @Fox411 pic.twitter.com/0pYdmGNNBJ

— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 25, 2015

Random Friday Morning Thoughts

• Edit. Breaking: House Speaker Boehner will finally cave and resign at the end of October. 
• Bridgeport vs. Decatur will be replayed on TXA 21 at 10:30 tonight.
• The Update has a first entry about a horrible wreck that killed a man from Runaway Bay and involved a man from Boyd. It looks like both are very well liked in the county.
• I don't think I've mentioned the Rangers in months, but what they have done is nothing short of amazing. I don't know if these stats are accurate, but on 8/26 they had a 4% chance to win the AL West. Today they stand at 89%.
• For the guy who doesn't understand my reference of "pretty, pretty good", I suspect you wouldn't understand Curb Your Enthusiasm. 
• Tomorrow, Saudi Arabia will behead and then crucify (yes, crucify a dead man) for taking part in the Arab Spring.  Where were most of the 9/11 hijackers from? Oh, yeah. Saudi Arabia. What was the name of that book from 2004? Oh, yeah. House of Bush, House of Saud.
• We had an "Is the Aggie Band overrated" controversy break out in the comments section yesterday. Hey, I'm no Aggie fan, but it is the only band that has ever given me chills after hearing the first five seconds of their performance --- and they haven't even moved. 
• I turned on NBC Nightly News last night and saw the live coverage of the Pope going down Fifth Avenue and then going into St. Patrick's Cathedral. I've been to New York twice and went into St. Patrick's both times. If I ever go again, I'll walk through those doors yet another time. Love that place. 
• BagOfNothing mentioned Angry Birds this morning. One of the funniest moments of my life was being alone in the waiting area during an oil change and a little girl and her father came in. I was playing some golf game on my phone and she plopped down beside me and, in the loudest of voices and, with her face within six inches of mine, asked, "WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING?" I told her golf. "MY DAD GOLFS!" she said (and the dad is in the room ignoring her.) She then blasted out with intense eye to eye contact, "DO YOU LIKE ANGRY BIRD! I LIKE ANGRY BIRDS! YOU WANT TO SEE ME PLAY ANGRY BIRDS?!" And then I spent the next five minutes watching this little girl play Angry Birds. 
• Whenever you are on a jury and the judge tells you that you "are the sole judge of the credibility of the witnesses", take a look at the Good Morning America segment of the two high school football players who attacked a referee on the field and you will understand what that means. 

I Need Smart People To Tell Me What Is Going On Here

This gal just "Favorited" a tweet that my name was mentioned in last March. Very, very odd. I got an automatic notification from Twitter once it happened. Obviously, it is a fake profile, but what's going on?

You can see "her" twitter handle so you can look her up -- at least before "she" takes it down. (Nudity alert). And there is a phone number (I would use incredible caution if you are thinking about calling it as a joke.) Am I correct when I say the number comes back to Azle?

If you do look at her profile, do a Google image search on any of the images. They will lead to other profiles of the same "girl" on different sites but with different 817 numbers.

It's a scam. It's bait. But how does it work?

Edit: Someone said it's just "trolling". No it's not. There is an end game. What is it?

I Can't Believe I Didn't See This Coming

Sexy Donald Trump costume. It was inevitable. #halloween http://t.co/lMJfRo24DN pic.twitter.com/4rNSGTbmIZ

— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) September 24, 2015

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• I received an email from a stranger yesterday praising Liberally Lean but strenuously objecting to the the Random Thought Girls because it objectifies women. I agreed with her, but I told her "they come for the girls but stick around for the content." Heck, Fox News even uses that method. She actually replied and said that made sense. 
• I spoke with a former Wise County deputy yesterday who told me that he was taking his son to Van Halen and had second row seats. He later posted the following photo of Eddie Van Halen as proof. Pretty, pretty good seats. 
• 
• I think I'll go: "The over 2,500-member Texas A&M Corps of Cadets will march in Fort Worth beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday." That link will tell you the route they will take. I've never seen the whole group in a parade, but I certainly know their halftime band performance is the best in the nation. 
• BagofNothing has a pic this morning of the Pope petting Bo, a Portuguese Water Dog, in the Oval Office in front of the President and the First Lady. The fact that Bo was born and raised in Boyd makes me smile to no end. If he could only talk. 
• On Friday morning on The Ticket, the Pick-The-Weekend-Football-Games segment had a "guest picker" who was a female from Paradise.  She was pretty funny, and they liked her. And she said she commuted every day to Irving for work. (What a beating.) Who was she?
• My obsession with Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)* continues. The ending confuses people (but not me - no spoilers), but I noticed last night there is audible yet subtle street chatter while the credits run. That was not done by accident.  *Great title, by the way. 
• Do prosecutor offices still have "Hot Check Divisions".  I always thought it was was weird that a District or County Attorney could serve as a public debt collector for private entities in the first place. 
• "There is something about the DA position which attracts the crazies." - Gordon Keith on the The Ticket morning at 7:18 a.m.  And that makes me un-crazy as of 1999 when I faxed the Messenger a press release saying I wouldn't run for a third term. (I wish I had just written, "I'm done.")
• Much to Mrs. LL's chagrin, I'll go to sleep with the TV on but with the volume off. I'll wake up in the middle of the night and see some pretty crazy movies. (Many which cause me to sheepishly hope she doesn't wake up and see me watching.)  Nit I looked up two nights ago and had to hit the "info" button when I saw a 1991 movie starring Ed O'Neill (Modern Family), JoBeth Williams (Poltergiest), Ethan Embry (Rusty from Vegas Vacation and current commercial star), Christopher McDonald (Shooter McGavin from Happy Gilmore). Elizabeth Daily (the adorable Dolly from Pee Wee's Big Adventure and Lorny from Valley Girl), Laverne Scott Caldwell (Rose from Lost), and Arnold Palmer (playing himself.)  I thought I was insane. 
• College Football: Here is a graphic of every college team that Lee Corso has not picked on College Gameday. He makes a selection every week based upon the campus they will visit on Saturday. Ole Miss and West Virginia stick out. Baylor is on the list but there's only been on chance for Corso to pick them which was last year. He was wrong and picked K-State.
• This front page is presented only because of the very funny word of "Amarilloans" . . . 

Wow. Former Rhome Officer Talks About Using Deadly Force.

He went from Rhome PD to the Nocona PD and ended up being called to the home of an off duty Montague Deputy who was killed. This is pretty riveting. It is a verbatim reproduction of his post which you can see more of in the following link.

From Facebook this morning:

Dear folks, good people of Rhome, many of you have come to me personally in the past requesting assistance or simply providing information against this illegal organization calling itself the City Council of Rhome and/or it's police chief. Today Deborah Becraft made an attempt to manipulate my feelings on their behalf via a Facebook post. I am choosing to show that not only did her attempt fail, but just how desperate such a poor person must be.

As those of you who reached out to me know, I have dedicated my life to serve and protect others. I am a police officer, a firefighter, and an EMT. I am a humble, servant-leader who wishes only to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and to protect the peaceful from violence and disorder. It is an oath I took and have remained faithful to.

As a police officer, I have been trained to handle a variety of situations. I always strived to gain compliance with a gentle word and when that wouldn't do, the absolute minimal use of force. Unfortunately on the morning of February 9th I had to use the ultimate force. Deadly force.

I was the only police officer on duty for the City of Nocona when I was sent to the home if an off-duty Sheriff's deputy. He was reported to be intoxicated, in possession of a weapon, and the caller was afraid that he was suicidal and/or would hurt someone. I requested back up from the Sheriff's Office and other officer's who lived in town but I knew that I didn't have time to wait the 20+ minutes it would take. I went to the home on Jordan drive and while my intent had been to wait for additional officers, I could hear the fight intensify and I became concerned for the safety of the innocent family inside. I entered the house and began calming the suspect. For nearly half an hour I gave my everything to calming the suspect and ultimately, my efforts allowed the wife and her four year old child to safely escape to safety.

What happened next is still hard for me to tell. Three young boys remained asleep in an adjacent bedroom when additional law enforcement arrived outside. In the end, I'll never know if he intended to kill me and those children or if it was a suicide, but without warning, the suspect pulled a .40 caliber handgun from his pocket. I reacted as I had been trained and drew my weapon. I shouted the command "drop the gun!" before he forced me to fire.

In less than a second it was over. As deputies rushed the house, I immediately called for EMS, a medevac helicopter, and had a deputy retrieve my EMT bag from my patrol car. The suspect's weapon was removed from him and I began to treat the injuries that I had been forced to inflict upon him. Despite my best efforts, he died.

Outside the residence, I felt my legs buckle and I fell to my knees. Without warning I began to cry and to pray out for that man. I didn't want his little boys growing up without their dad. All I wanted then, was for him to be ok.

In April 2015 the shooting was presented to a Montague County Grand Jury and I was cleared of any wrongdoing. I resigned from the agency the next week and chose to focus on my own health. I had to get away.

My attempts to live a quiet life have been shattered by the blatant disregard for professionalism, manners, the rule of law, and plain common sense. I am an honorable man and could not stand aside and watch this town be destroyed.

So go ahead Mrs Becraft, do your best to try and open that wound, but I assure you I have made peace with it. Also you're going to want to be careful with what information you release. Any attempt to release personal or identify information about me is not only criminal, but will be met with the swiftest legal action possible.

To all those who read this story, I only ask that you keep the family of Larry Hostetter in your prayers, because they will forever be in mine.

Truly,
Robert D Gillock

Eagle Fans vs. Tony Romo Tackling Dummy: Who Ya Got?

There was no way I was going to watch all of this, so I'm guessing there has to be some NSFW/Language warnings.

Random Wednesday Morning Thoughts

• I guess it is the position of the sun in the sky this time time of year, but every dawn and every sunset will cause the greatest orange-ish color to appear on the bottom of clouds.
• Fox 4's Jenny Anachondo thought: Pretty, pretty hot. 
• I have never really understood the concept of the Pope. Until I see some super powers, I'm not particularly interested. 
• The Clock-Making-Kid's sister was once suspended for issues related to a bomb threat which she denies: "I got suspended from school for three days from this stupid same district, from this girl saying I wanted to blow up the school, something I had nothing to do with.” (H/T Bud Kennedy)
• Random post on a Rhome Facebook page at 6:49 a.m. this morning: "We [recently] moved here because of my husband's job. We are from a small town and were thrilled to find a house away from the craziness of more populated areas. I joined this group to learn about Rhome. After reading these posts, I'm really wishing we hadn't moved here. Has it always been like this?" Yes, darlin'. The answer is yes. 
• I used to have a credit card which was associated with only one type of gas station. I think it was Shell or Texaco. How weird is that?
• I think I may put up a sign up in my office which reads: "The more you talk to me, the more I can help you."
• The Dallas Observer has released a list of the "10 Most Embarrassing People In North Texas". You'll notice that there are six people on the list that I've had in my figurative cross-hairs over the years.
• Yogi Berra has died. The closest thing I ever got to one his crazy sayings was when I announced to my buddies that "We may have opened up a can of Pandora's boxes!" I still remember the look on their faces. 
• I think Trump has realized he needs to get out of the public eye for a month or so. 
• I think I just mowed the lawn for the last time this year.  Every March of April when I mow it for the first time, I tell myself I'll be doing this weekly until the third week of football season. 
• I noticed that the Update had a notice about a government office "closed for training." 
• Apparently I ruined BagOfNothing's plan to post a different version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" each day this week by linking to a site yesterday which has the ten greatest covers of the song. He has (jokingly) declared we now have a Gary Patterson/Art Briles relationship where he wishes to be Briles. No, sir. I will be playing the role of Art Briles in this playlet. And this was my reaction to your assertion to the contrary. (Side note: I'll say it again, the real life Patterson vs. Briles battle is one of the greatest things of all time in Texas football history.) 
• Patterson yesterday said that once all the facts come out about the arrest of one of his players that the should media report it  "just as strongly as what" they were doing now. Man, that brought back memories of the Michael Irvin clip where he was outside of a bar in Valley Ranch and declaring (correctly) into the camera that he had been falsely accused of rape. "You report it with the same intensity!!!," he yelled. I couldn't find the video. 
• Look at that headline below: "Should mentally ill be executed?" You think fifty years from now society will locate that edition of the paper and scream, "Are you kidding me??!!"

Bring It On!